_Miracle Mile_ Re: Floundering/ LA/TRP film and books

[matthew.percy at utoronto.ca]

I had no idea that there was a Los Angeles/TRP thread, but...anyhow, I 
agree w/ your take on _Floundering_, which had one of the goofiest endings
in recent memory (essentially, smile on your brother! and the world will 
change) and smacked of deadhead naivete.  But still, a really good soundtrack
and politically intended, so I can't totally dismiss it.

But onwards and upwards... A few months ago, I  saw a film called _Miracle
Mile_, a b-movie from 1990, starring Tasha Yar from _Star Trek_; one of 
the doctors from _ER_ that was one of the most Pynchonian films I've ever
seen.  Even makes reference to the man - Tasha Yar is seen reading the 
Cliff's Notes to _Gravity's Rainbow_ in one scene (I had no idea these 
existed, btw).  Basically, the plot of the film runs as follows- a man
picks up a ringing pay phone, and is informed by the voice on the other 
end (who claims to be in a missile silo in the Midwest) that "we've launched
against the Russians".  Machine gun fire is heard in the background, 
another voice gets on the line and tells the man "forget everything 
you've heard, citizen, and go back to bed".  Anyways, the man (E.R. doctor)
runs inside a restaurant and starts telling people about the phone call,
and begins triggering mass hysteria...
The film is actually much better than my thumbnail sketch makes it sound, 
having one of the bleakest endings in modern history, and what seems to 
be a perfect depiction of L.A. at the end of the century.  Highly 
recommended.

-MATT 

 On Wed, 27 Nov 1996, RICHARD ROMEO wrote:

> Saw this on video last weekend--a movie about Zonal LA after the riots, 
> the approaching millenium, major paranoia, drug abuse, lots of sex 
> (including a Slothropian dream-drug induced rape scene but the guys not 
> black)  and general late 20th C angst.  There are major things i didn't 
> like about it particularly the end but thought I might add to that long 
> lost thread re:  LA/TRP movies, books etc.  Forget the director's name 
> but Buscemi, John Cusack, the sister of D. Wayans (apologies 
> Diane--forgot her name), and that writer-extroadinaire Ethan Hawke.
> 
> 
> 
> Richard Romeo
> 
> Coordinator of Cooperating Collections
> 
> The Foundation Center-NYC
> 
> 212-807-2417
> 
> rromeo at fdncenter.org
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>