You can't understate the influence that white gospel vocal quartets had on him either. Elvis was probably influenced by everything he heard.

Careless Love is a lot less depressing than you might imagine. Elvis really got interested in music again - as indicated by the comeback special - in the late 60's and early 70's. It was no accident that the TCB Band was so good. Unfortunately, he was probably more interested in drugs. He was like a walking PDR,…

I agree. I like Le Cercle Rouge and Le Samouri an awful lot, though.

I think he did it by quietly utilizing his extensive web of loyal retainers, friends, targets of blackmail, fellow Protestants, lawyers and wool merchants in order to avenge the unjust snub of his mentor, Jonathan Pryce. Unfortunately, he'll be beheaded for the presumption in a couple of years.

Hell yes! As the French Melville goes, I'm really partisan for Army of Shadows, though.

All Americans owe it to themselves to read Peter Guralnick's Last Train to Memphis and Careless Love! If you want an examination of Elvis' influences, as well as a look at post-war Memphis, Last Train to Memphis just can't be beat. If you want to find out how it ends - and it is a lot more interesting than just…

Just re-watched Le Samouai last week - so I heartily agree!

Shot by both sides, quoth Magazine

I truly believe that overthinking can be a fruitful and healthy exercise under the right circumstances, but I'm not sure I can condone this. Besides which, the Simpsons was, from the beginning, premised on a kind of small "d" deconstruction - as much as I've come to detest that word, and seek to avoid it whenever…

Pretty much exactly.

Ronnie Wood did eventually join the Stones, in fairness to R.

That wasn't really my point. In the end, I really felt like Lost was, well, lost - and not in an interesting way. Sure, it had some great episodes and characters - I watched it for a reason. Ultimately, though, I've never disliked the way a TV show (I had some investment in) played out more. It retrospectively…

I don't disagree.

Are you reading my mail?

Misanthrope.

It took me years to get to season 4. String was one of the best TV characters ever - on a show positively overflowing with great characters.

I stopped when my wife started calling it "We Kill Bitches" and wouldn't watch it with me anymore.

I wish I had - when he actually died.

Well, this is America, man.

Sadly, I'm probably the Frank Grimes in somebody's life. I'm too malicious to be Homer, although I'm occasionally drunk enough.