Adapting 'Drive My Car' + A 'Scary' New Episode + A Special Offer Because You're Great
Of writing and podcasting, my twin ObSeSsIoNs
Dear readers,
I always enjoy the variety in what I get to work on, and this past week was a case in point. For The New York Times, I wrote about a major new film called Drive My Car, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. It’s an adaptation of a story (or two) by Haruki Murakami, and so I interviewed both Hamaguchi and Murakami. That alone made for a rewarding week—I don’t think I’ll soon forget how Murakami described writing in terms of making movies.
But as you know, I also record this here podcast, and the latest episode relates to an upcoming movie called The Scary of 61st (as in, 61st Street). I saw it earlier this year, and it’s coming out finally in December. So I spoke with the director, Dasha Nekrasova, in a kind of traditional version of The Last Thing I Saw: her recent comfort viewing. Dasha’s also co-host of the podcast Red Scare, which is its own phenomenon, but we stuck to movies, and delved a little into Scary, which has a suitably feverish quality well matched to its characters.
Finally, in honor of you, here’s a special offer for subscribing, if you aren’t already a paid subscriber.
(And if you’re not, what are you waiting for? No, seriously, I want to know.)
Your happy, groveling host,
Nic
NEW PODCAST NOTES
Episode 86: Dasha Nekrasova on Recent Viewing + Her New Movie, The Scary of 61st
Dasha Nekrasova directed and co-wrote The Scary of 61st, which opens in December. She is the co-host of the enormously popular podcast Red Scare. Her work as an actress includes the latest season of Succession (in addition to The Scary of 61st).
Episode 85: A Chat with Jane Campion and DP Ari Wegner
Jane Campion is the director of The Power of the Dog (in theaters now; available Dec. 1 on Netflix) and won the Palme d’Or at Cannes for The Piano. Ari Wegner is the film’s director of photography and also shot Zola and Lady Macbeth.
For more information on the podcast’s opening music by The Minarets (gratefully used with permission):
Follow the band on Instagram
@theminaretsmusic
www.facebook.com/TheMinaretsMusic
twitter.com/MinaretsMusic
MY RECENT WRITING
For The New York Times, I wrote about Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s major new film Drive My Car and how it adapts the work of Haruki Murakami. I interviewed both Hamaguchi and Murakami, and both were quite eloquent on writing and filmmaking. Drive My Car is now out and it’s well worth your time!
I’ll publish some new work here in the newsletter, so that’s another fine reason to sign up.
THIS CRITIC’S PICKS
Delectable selections for home viewing.
The Red Shoes (Criterion) – It’s gotta be the shoes
Clifford (Amazon) – Martin Short vs. Charles Grodin
Asako I & II (Criterion) – directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi (Drive My Car)
Two Friends (Criterion) – Jane Campion’s early feature
My Brother’s Wedding (HBO MAX) – directed by Charles Burnett
THE END
Here I may end with a song.
ABOUT ME
Welcome to The Last Thing I Saw!
Besides this podcast, I’m a writer and an editor. My features, interviews, festival dispatches, and reviews have been published in The New York Times, Sight & Sound, Artforum, Filmmaker, and W Magazine (as well as dearly departed publications such as The Village Voice, Stop Smiling, The New York Sun, and The L Magazine).
I worked as editor-in-chief of Film Comment, where I was for 15 years. I assigned and edited both the web and print editorial, hosted its podcast and talks and screenings, learned from brilliant writers, curated Film Comment Selects, and wrote a lot, including interviews with Spike Lee, Robert Pattinson, Juliette Binoche, and Frederick Wiseman. Film Comment was subsequently awarded the Film Heritage Award by the National Society of Film Critics (an honor historically given to the Museum of Modern Art and other institutions).
Feel free to get in touch re: writing, editing, moderating, programming, podcasting, etc.
nicolas.rapold@gmail.com