John Pendergast

Tom Stoppard, playwright of electric verve, dies at 88

For years I was fortunate to teach a course on Stoppard and Shakespeare. Reading the obits make me want to spend some more time with him. I’ll begin with The Real Thing, maybe the best play about love ever written, sorry Shakespeare.

Monkey Gone to Heaven

open.spotify.com/track/6BT7qi...

I swear I hear David Bowie on background vocals on this song. I know he was a big fan but the internet is emphatic it is not him. Wondering if anyone else hears it.

Only if it is vintage to show that you knew about them before anyone else in the room. Or got the shirt earlier in the tour, but you run the risk of people thinking you changed in the bathroom. Best to avoid misunderstanding.

We just got back from Clarksdale to Jackson!

Next Pope: My heart says Anders Arborelius (Stockholm) but my money is on Fridolin Ambongo Besungu (Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo).

Deadstick King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard · Deadstick · Song · 2025

open.spotify.com/track/7LXN0L...

God this is good.
@kinggizzardfan.bsky.social
@kinggizzardmf.bsky.social

Astronomers Detect a Signature of Life on a Distant Planet Further studies are needed to determine whether K2-18b, which orbits a star 120 light-years away, is inhabited, or even habitable.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/16/s...

Let me be the first to welcome our interstellar overlords. I’m on your side and welcome any questions you may have.

Repost with your favorite James Bond (wrong answers only).

Missed Beth Gibbons but move tortoise and yo la tengo, both sets

That was amazing. Nuclear War— was hoping to here but could not have predicted how great it would be. Thanks!

Just watched All We Imagine as Light on Criterion. What an amazing movie. I don’t think I’ve been this surprised by a film in a long, long time.

#criterion
#filmsky

www.google.com/gasearch?q=t...

James Cana was a great actor. And Michael Mann a great director. Two things I did not think before rewatching this film.

#filmsky

Nickel Boys, since along with Conclave are the only two I’ve seen, but I might try to sneak in another one this afternoon.

Hopefully I can get to them in time after Julian Baker!

I love the trope of the professor who is hard to find and requires a journey to share Thor wisdom. #nosferatu #filmsky

S.N.C DARKSIDE · Are You Tired? (Keep on Singing) · Song · 2025

open.spotify.com/track/3NvwVT...

Genius.

@filmsky.bsky.social A new found favorite. Maybe the best Elia Kazan film but nonetheless an amazing and surprising find.

Andy Griffith saves the world. As I recall from my graduate school Lacan seminars, this is the Real. Who knew. An amazing late night find on Criterion, and hopefully elsewhere.

The master negotiator got played, but still thinks he won

A perfect movie I might have missed had it not been for two people suggesting it to me yesterday.

#filmsky

Vynnaya ya

open.spotify.com/track/6gDSjj...

Check this out. A really great Ukrainian band I just discovered. I’ll be seeing them in March at #BigEars festival.

Hey, that’s my dog!

The view from son’s plane as he flies into Los Angles this morning.

Having just rewatched Rope and Strangers on a Train, I’m fascinated with Farley Granger. Not sure there is s’more sinister actor in Hitchcock’s films. And fascinating life story.

YouTube video by whistling birds Hunter S Thompson interviews Keith Richards (must watch)

It’s that time if the year to remind everyone that this exists.
#KeithRichards #RollingStones

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Rewatching all the classic horror films, mostly Universal productions, and I think this is the best. Surprisingly strong female academic who apparently openly lives with her boyfriend. Besides being surprisingly progressive, it has great special effects.

Nobody Loves You More Kim Deal · Nobody Loves You More · Song · 2024

open.spotify.com/track/2JsRGR...

The critical hype of this album is deserved. It is truly great, but I could do without the constant reminder of how cool she is. She is cool but enough. #MusicSky

According to Spotify my favorite genre is something I didn’t know existed but with which I’m now obsessed. And I don’t listen to either Fleetwood Mac nor the Stones, not that there is anything wrong with that.

My ego is interested in prestige, but really just want to find readers. My general topic is the theme of competency in the films of the Coen brothers. Thanks for allowing me to ramble.

📽️
A question for film lovers and scholars. I am an experienced scholar in Early Modern Studies but I am preparing my first film studies essay for publication and I’m curious about recommended journals. I’m not familiar with a lot of film scholarship outside of books and essay collections.