J.P. Linde
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact

J.P. Linde

Writer
J.P. on "STOP ME IF I'VE HEARD THIS" 04/13/20
Picture
Picture
1995: AROUND TOWN - KOIN TV (Portland Oregon)
In my brief 3 months as Entertainment Reporter, I won 16 Emmys and three Pulitzer Prizes.
You can now gift the entire J.P. Linde collection of novels and films. “SON OF RAVAGE,” “THE HOLOGRAPHIC DETECTIVE AGENCY” and, of course, the campy horror film classic “AXE TO GRIND.” All three make excellent gifts. And while you’re at it, add a couple of J.P. Linde COMEDY CLUB NETWORK appearances to your digital library. You can find all of my appearances on Amazon Prime at a very affordable price. Give the gift that will keep on giving. Get your J.P. Linde Media Bundle today!

“The most frequent side effects associated with the J.P. Linde Media Bundle are tachycardia, blurred vision, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. Decreases in appetite and rash/pruitus are also common. Those patients purchasing the J.P. Linde Media Bundle are at risk for developing extrapyramidal symptoms, including dystonia, parkinsonism, and restlessness, in addition to neuroleptic malignant syndrome and tardive dyskinesia. In some cases, The J.P. Linde Media Bundle can cause hyperprolactinemia, orthostatic hypotension, leucopenia, seizures, and the potential for suicide. As with most atypical antipsychotics, metabolic changes such as weight gain and hyperglycemia are also possible”

Picture
web page hit counters codes Free
<>
anewtypeofhero.blogspot.com

The Films of Christopher Guest

5/30/2020

1 Comment

 
​First off, Christopher Guest happens to be one of my favorite directors of all time. And it’s no coincidence that 4 of the 5 movies below are in my list of my 100 top-rated films. As we move into the month of June, let’s take just a few minutes to consider the comedic brilliance of Mr. Christopher Guest. 
​“Now I know what it feels like to stare down into the Grand Canyon.”
 
“In every actor there lives a tiger, a pig, an ass, and a nightingale.”
 
Despite the two excellent quotes listed above, it is my humble opinion that this film does not rise to the level of any of Guest’s films listed below. To me, the emotional balance of For Your Consideration is a bit off and some of the characters come off a little more tragic than they need to. Never-the-less, there are some terrific sequences, gags and improvisations, the highlight for me the send up of the Entertainment Tonight type show hosted by none other than the late Fred Willard and the always stellar Jane Lynch.
 
 
​4. The Big Picture (1989)
 
“I don't know you. I don't know your work. But I think you are a genius. And I am never wrong about that.”
 
“If you decide to sign with me, you're gonna get more than an agent. You're gonna get three people. 
(Holds up four fingers) You're gonna get an agent, a mother, a father, a shoulder to cry on, someone who knows this business inside and out. And if anyone ever tries to cross you, I'll grab them by the balls and squeeze 'til they're dead.”
 
The Big Picture is an unpolished jewel of a movie. Ask anyone in Hollywood how accurate it is and you will most likely get one of two responses. Anyone who has taken a meeting a meeting with a Hollywood executive will recognize the razor-sharp parody right off. Ask 9 out of 10 film producers and you may get an entirely different response. I once asked a producer if he had seen The Big Picture and he returned the question with nothing but a cold, icy stare. Most executives            I have asked just shake their heads, bemoaning the use of such prejudicial stereotypes. And that’s exactly why I love this film. For me, the satire works on so many levels, but one particular scene sums it all up quite nicely
​A Mighty Wind (2003)
 
“There was abuse in my family, but it was mostly musical in nature.”
 
“In 1971, after the breakup of the Main Street Singers, Chuck Wiseman moved up to San Francisco where she started a retail business with his brothers Howard and Dell, the Three Wisemen's Sex Emporium. It was very successful for a year until they were sued over something having to do with a box of ben wah balls.”
 
This is a real peach of a movie, following the lives of several folk groups and singers on their way to a televised reunion. Once again, it is Guest’s glorious ensemble that makes this a stand-out. The repertory of actors are all represented and don’t disappoint. The big televised concert, and the closing title musical number at the end are the icing on the delectable cake. Performances by Levy and Ohara are amongst the best in the entire series and manage to be as emotionally moving as they are hilarious. 
 
​And a tie for #1 “Best in Show” and “Waiting for Guffman.”
 
“We consider ourselves bi-costal if you consider the Mississippi River one of the coasts.” 
 
“Here's the Remains of the Day lunchbox. Kids don't like eating at school, but if they have a Remains of the Day lunchbox they're a lot happier.”
 
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
 
This is a brilliant community theatre Waiting for Godot. And for the record, I have never used the words brilliant and community theatre in the same sentence. But if ever a film deserved that honor, this is the picture. The storyline is small town epic, the improvisation from the major players to the townspeople are all incredible (check out Bryan Doyle Murray if you don’t believe me). It just couldn’t get any better than this and I considered this to be Guest’s comedic masterpiece until this happened.
 
“I went to one of those obedience places once... it was all going well until they spilled hot candle wax on my private parts.”
 
“If you're ever buying a shampoo sink go right to the Dutch. The French know nothing about shampooing.”
 
 
Best in Show (2000). 
 
Again, never has a comedic ensemble delivered a story with so much humor, love and pathos than in the fictional but impressively and realistically rendered Mayflower Dog Show. The textures of each of the major players is deliciously hilarious, yet poignant and sweet. The performances by Catherine O’Hara and Eugene Levy are nothing short of Oscar worthy and the rest of the cast delivers the goods repeatedly, scene after scene after scene. For Guest’s very particular brand of movie making this is considered a break-out success. I cannot praise it enough.  

And now, we interrupt this blog post with an important announcement

Attention all Ravagers: 


​Next week, June 6th and the following Saturday, June 13th, I will be posting the entire first chapter to my newest comedy and adventure novel, Sequel of Ravage.  If you’re a fan of the first book and wondered what happens to Barry Ravage and his merry band of adventurers, now’s your chance! This is a one-time, two-part event, so by all means, I hope to see you there!

1 Comment
Tree
5/30/2020 09:54:50 pm

I love all of his mockumentaries. Mighty Wind is probably a fave,...but it's a tough choice! Have never heard of "The Big Picture". Thanks for the heads up! Just saw Fred Willard on "Space Force" (EXCELLENT show!). Sad. Guest is a treasure!

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

     ​In 1981, J.P. Linde co-wrote and appeared in a one-man comedy show titled “Casually Insane.”  Shortly after, he joined the ranks of stand-up comedy and performed in clubs and colleges throughout the United States and Canada.  In 1989, he made his national television debut on “Showtime’s Comedy Club Network.”  He wrote the libretto for the musical comedy “Wild Space A Go Go” and co-wrote and co-produced the feature motion picture, “Axe to Grind.”  “Son of Ravage” is his second novel.

    RSS Feed

    Picture

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Blog
  • About
  • Contact