It’s been a week where everything feels—off. Monday’s weird spectacle of pomp, circumstance and forced mourning set the tone for five days when routine was disturbed, plans went askew and life in general seemed to be vibrating in the wrong modulation. The word we’re reaching for is discombobulated. We’re through it now, hopefully. A little less drama going into the beginning of Spooky Season.
We’re off on retreat from today, so look out for something different from Excuses And Half Truths next week. Possibly archive, maybe a fresh piece. The road trip leads us up a gravel path to a very inspiring place, so who knows what you’ll get?
Now is the time. Here is the place. This is The Cut.
We’ll take one quick look at the Mournfest before putting the whole thing behind us, because one of our favourites, Laurie Penny, chose to join The Queue. Over fourteen hours she would explore the people and motivations behind this most British of phenomena.
Right, we’re done. Let’s talk Batman. Or rather, his arch-nemesis. The Joker has always been a fascinating, divisive character. Like the Bat, he is cloaked in a fog of contradictions, his simplicity enabling creators to map all sorts of stories about sickness, twisted morals, revenge and identity onto those purple-clad shoulders. Of course Prince, doing promo for the ‘89 Batmovie, would choose to dress as Mistah J.
The People’s Joker, a hilarious fan-film which takes the character to a whole new space, is a brilliant next step. There’s one problem. Its cheerfully piratical stance towards copyright could mean no-one ever gets to see it…
Let’s stick with the Bat for a moment and celebrate the best example of the franchise outside the comics. The ‘66 Adam West series? It has goofy charm, but nah. Christopher Nolan’s run? Bloated and self-important. The recent Matt Reeves Year One attempt? Bitch, please. The consensus is clear. The Best Bat is animated!
One reason for our getaway next week is to calm the noisy world and find a little inner peace. Sometimes, solitude is the only way to go. We liked this bit from Psychology Today on useful tools to employ when you need a serious dose of me-time.
Eight Ways To Embrace Solitude
The cinema projectionist is a dying breed. You could argue cinemas themselves are fading from public interest. The double-hit of Covid and streaming services, alongside the lack of big-draw movies, has seen ticket revenue drop through a big hole. This is a shame, as there really is nothing like sharing a great movie with a bunch of like minded individuals in a dark room. Let’s celebrate the people who make that happen every day.
The following piece is about food, and also about horror. If there’s another article around which is more attuned to The Cut’s particular set of interests, we’d like to know about it. This one fits as perfectly as a warm sweater on a chilly day.
Here’s a collection of book covers which truly define the wild vibes and crazy feels of pulp fiction. Lurid, confrontational, sensational, unapologetic. If you’re drawn to these images, you’re our people. The best thing about them? They tell and inspire stories with no further effort needed!
Daydreams For The Frustrated And Sick
We love us an infinity room. Let’s take a closer look at a prime example of the form—the cover of the 1973 Robert Fripp and Brian Eno collaboration, (No Pussyfooting). Science-fictional, psychedelic, strangely unsettling. Where the hell did they put the camera so you couldn’t see it in all those reflective surfaces?
Eric Idle. Python, musician, polymath. Still perhaps best known for the singalong moment which ended The Life Of Brian. Should we be surprised, then, when he took the diagnosis of terminal cancer with grace and humour? This is well worth a read if you need something life-affirming to set your thoughts and feelings back on track after this emotional roller-coaster of a week. Spoiler alert—there’s a happy ending…
If, after that, you still need to scream into the void to make yourself feel better, then do we have the website for you. We can confirm its usefulness. Aaaand breathe.
This week’s Exit Music comes from Kyshona and acts as a bit of gentle advice. Hecks know, we need to look after ourselves right now. We’ll leave it there and head up a mountain for a week. Be kind to each other and don’t let the world drag you down.
See you next Saturday, lovelies.
EXCUSES AND HALF TRUTHS 