An Evocative Meeting of Poetry and Film

Drew Pisarra is a multi-talented sonneteer and playwright who's the author of the outstanding poetry collections Infinity Standing Up and Periodic Boyfriends, as well as the compelling short story collection You’re Pretty Gay. His work is clever, witty, erotically charged, sharply observed and infused with emotionally rich thoughts on life, love and relationships. His latest collection, Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems, is a series of bold, intelligent, razor-sharp and sensual pieces which celebrate Pisarra’s love for the work of avant-garde filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder, while showcasing his own gift for crafting exceptional pieces of verse-based literature.

Many of the poems in this remarkable volume share titles with films in Fassbinder’s celebrated cinematic output, including The Marriage of Maria Braun, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, and Fox and His Friends. Not only do these poems share the titles of classic Fassbinder works, they also examine many of the themes featured in those films, including loneliness, love, relationships, sex and the alienation felt by characters who feel they’re trapped on the fringes of society. The poems collected in Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems, are haunting, heart-rending, and harrowing. They are also funny, touching and soulful.  

These enthralling poems will vibrate through your being and echo across your soul. “The Bitter Tears of Petra Von Kant” and “In A Year Of Moons” display Pisarra’s innate gift for wordplay and vivid imagery, as well as his wry, ironic sense of humor. Captivating entries like “Theatre in Trance,” “Love Is Colder Than Death,” and “Das Kaffehouse: Director’s Cut” play with the general structure of verse, and are riveting in their own right. Every poem in this phenomenal collection strikes just the right note, and will continue to resonate with you as you re-visit them, which you will absolutely want to do.

Drew Pisarra’s intelligent and passionate poems are a joy to experience. He regularly challenges the conventions of the genre, as he did in the sonnet cycle Periodic Boyfriends, which used the periodic table of elements as a springboard for an evocative walk through his romantic entanglements. Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems is another superb work from a uniquely talented writer. You don’t need to be familiar with Fassbinder’s oeuvre to appreciate the brilliance inherent in Pisarra’s poems, but if you have seen some of those amazing films, you’ll discover an additional layer of resonance in the themes explored by both artists. If you’re not already a Fassbinder (or Pisarra) fan, Fassbinder; His Films, My Poems will inspire you to check out some of those terrific films, as well as Pisarra's other wonderful work.

Retro Movie: Colossus: The Forbin Project

Susan Clark, Eric Braeden and Georg Stanford Brown

There have been a number of films featuring sentient computer systems which attempt to take over, including 2001: A Space Odyssey, Demon Seed, and The Terminator. One of the best examples of this science-fiction sub-genre is the 1970 thriller Colossus: The Forbin Project. The movie stars Eric Braeden as Dr. Charles Forbin, who's one of the minds behind Colossus, a powerful computer system which is designed to control the nuclear weapons of the United States. The idea behind Colossus is that it would take the human element out of the equation, utilizing a more logical thought process in case of a nuclear conflict, and hopefully minimize the threat of World War III.

Forbin and his team have done their job all too well. Once Colossus is activated, it quickly proves to be sentient, and more powerful than anyone initially thought possible. Colossus asks to be linked to Guardian, a similar system which has been developed in Russia. Colossus warns that if this task is not accomplished, there will be consequences, and the super intelligent computer happens to be in full control of our nuclear arsenal. Suddenly, it's a race against time for America and the USSR to turn off these renegade machines before they cause can death and destruction. But it might not be as easy as Forbin, his team, and their counterparts in Russia think. Can they stop Colossus from taking over the world, and enforcing its will on mankind?

Colossus: The Forbin Project is a thought-provoking tale. While some of the computer hardware, and the Cold War setting of the film, may seem be a bit dated, it's still a fascinating story of technology run amok. The themes of the film seem even more relevant in our modern world, at a time when we're more reliant than ever on technology to assist us in our daily lives, and the rise of AI brings up more questions about the proper use of technology. The movie works both as a cautionary tale, and a tense, well-paced race against time thriller. The rise of Colossus is portrayed in chilling, realistic fashion, and the threat to the human race posed by this sentient supercomputer illustrates the price mankind might pay if one of its own creations turns against it.

In addition to star Braeden, then best known for his role in the television series The Rat Patrol, the supporting cast features a number of familiar faces, including Susan Clark, William Schallert, Marion Ross, Martin E. Brooks, and Georg Stanford Brown. The film was directed by Joseph Sargent, who was also behind the camera for the original version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three. The screenplay for the movie was penned by James Bridges, who also wrote the scripts for The Paper Chase and The China Syndrome, a film he also directed. Colossus: The Forbin Project is based on the novel Colossus by writer D.F. Jones, who also authored two sequels, The Fall of Colossus and Colossus and the Crab, though only the first book was adapted for the screen.

Colossus: The Forbin Project is worth a look for science-fiction and thriller fans. Once seen, that darker edged early 1970s style ending is not soon forgotten. By the way, if the voice of Colossus sounds familiar, that's because those dulcet tones belong to veteran actor Paul Frees, who's known for his performances in a plethora of classic films and TV shows. The movie was one of my favorite genre films in my younger years, and it still holds up well today. It's available on DVD and Blu-ray, and also for rental on Amazon. Here's a look at a trailer for the film's Blu-ray release on the Shout! Factory label: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyOEwiQhzMI.

The Top Ten Posts: 2024 Edition

Last March, I wrote about the Top Ten most visited posts for this blog since its inception in 2011. I thought it might be interesting to see if things had changed in a year's time, so here's the Eclectic Avenue Top Ten as of this week:

1. It's A Terrifying Trilogy of Terror: Still at number one, this popular post was part of a blogathon, and it's a retrospective about the classic telefilm, Trilogy of Terror: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2019/03/its-terrifying-trilogy-of-terror.html.

2. Vincent's Dazzling "Whatever It Takes": Retaining the number two spot, a review of Kyle Vincent's album, "Whatever It Takes": https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2021/06/vincents-dazzling-whatever-it-takes.html.

3. The Bellero Shield: Hanging in at number three, a look at one of my favorite episodes of the original Outer Limits TV series: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2018/07/robert-culp-rocks-outer-limits.html.

4. Early Elton: This is a superb tribute band that I've seen perform a number of times throughout the years. They've been featured on the blog several times, and this review of a 2017 performance is still in the number four spot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/06/early-elton-resurrects-madman.html.

5. Avengers: Endgame: My review of the Marvel superhero film from 2019 is a new entry on the list, flying into the number 5 slot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2019/05/action-humor-and-pathos-in-endgame.html.

6. Don't Be Afraid of the Dark: my post about the classic made for TV chiller starring Kim Darby, which was part of a blogathon, is another new entry in the top ten, notching the number 6 spot: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/02/you-can-still-be-afraid-of-dark.html.

7. Andrew Curry of Curry Cuts Records: Andrew is the fabulous producer behind several outstanding tribute albums. We've talked several times over the years, and this chat from 2021 about a terrific Andy Gibb tribute record remains on the list: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2021/05/higher-than-mountain-songs-of-andy-gibb.html. 

8. Cinesavant: My look at the work of the excellent film writer Cinesavant shows up at number eight, retaining a spot on the list: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2020/12/cinesavant-trailers-from-hell-comfort.html.

9. Starting Over: At number nine, it's a look at musician and author Ken Sharp's insightful and revealing book on the sessions for John Lennon and Yoko Ono's album, Double Fantasy: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2020/10/an-in-depth-look-at-starting-over.html.

10. The Magnificent Seven: This look at the 1960 Western classic is another blogathon post, and it rides into the number ten spot as it debuts on the list this year: https://jveclectic.blogspot.com/2017/04/eli-wallach-vs-magnificent-seven.html.

As always, thanks for supporting this blog, and my writing, throughout the years. Please use the search function on the right side of the main page to check out some of the other articles from Eclectic Avenue!