iitsl

February 12, 2022

New IDSG & IITSL Shows!

Hey Eruditorum Press readers. I have two new shows out. I genuinely think both these shows are, in their different ways, among the best shows I’ve been involved with recently.

The first is a new episode of It *IS* The Same Log, with myself, George Daniel Lea, and Elliot Chapman. This one is on Nicolas Roeg’s mesmerising and mysterious film about grief, marriage, murder, and precognition in Venice Don’t Look Now (1972).

Here. (My Patreon supporters got this a week ago.)

The second is, of course, a new episode of I Don’t Speak German with Daniel Harper, this one on the removal of Art Spiegelman’s classic graphic novel about the Holocaust and historical memory, Maus, from the curriculum by the McMinn County School Board in Tennessee.

Permalink / Direct / Soundcloud

IDSG Episode Details:

So, McMinn County School Board in Tennessee decided to remove Maus – Art Spiegelman’s classic graphic novel about the Nazi Holocaust and historical memory – from their syllabus, on the grounds that some simply sketched mouse nudity and a few very mild swears would upset and corrupt their pupils, which is obviously very reasonable and evidence of extremely well balanced priorities. Actually, alongside the epidemic of attempts across the US to remove certain sorts of books from school libraries and curricula, it is evidence that an insidious reactionary agenda is gaining traction.

In this episode we talk about the decision of the school board, and look through the minutes of the meeting. Daniel even gives an impromptu dramatic reading. We talk about where the appalling decision comes from, and what it really means both for the students and in terms of the wider culture. Along the way we consider the lies of slimy propagandist Christopher Rufo and the spluttering fanaticism of the increasingly unhinged James Lindsay.

Content very much warnings.

Podcast Notes:

Please consider donating to help us make the show and stay ad-free and independent. Patrons get exclusive access to at least one full extra episode a month plus all backer-only back-episodes.

Daniel’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/danielharper

Jack’s Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user?u=4196618

IDSG Twitter: https://twitter.com/idsgpod

Daniel’s Twitter: @danieleharper

Jack’s Twitter: @_Jack_Graham_

IDSG on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/i-dont-speak-german/id1449848509?ls=1

Episode Notes/Links

Judd Legum tweet about the banning of Maus

MCMINN COUNTY BANS “MAUS”, PULITZER PRIZE-WINNING HOLOCAUST BOOK – THE TENNESSEE HOLLER (tnholler.com)

“Continuing the recent spate of conservative book-banning initiatives, The Mcminn County School board just voted to ban the Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “MAUS” by Art Spiegelman from all of its schools, citing the inclusion of words like “God Damn” and “naked pictures” (illustrations) of women.”

Official Statment from the McMinn County School Board

CNN, “Maus” author reacts to his book being banned

Exposed by CMD, ALEC Inspires Lawmakers to File Anti-Critical Race Theory Bills

The December ALEC (American Legislative Exchange Council) workshop was led by the Heritage Foundation’s Bridget Weisenberg and featured Heritage’s Jonathan Butcher and Angela Sailor, Discovery Institute’s Christopher Rufo, American Enterprise Institute’s Ian Rowe, and Woodson Center’s Robert Woodson. Thirty-one state legislators from 20 states attended, along with corporate representatives from Guarantee Life Insurance, EDP Renewables, and State Farm Insurance.

…

December 3, 2021

IITSL 6 & 7 The Shining (1980) / Berberian Sound Studio (2012)

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So, since we last talked there have been two new releases in the It *IS* The Same Log series.

First, George and I fulfilled a longstanding plan to team up to talk about The Shining with Kit. As you’d expect, a long conversation ensued which ranges freely over the various incarnations of the story. That can be found here.

Then, George and I rejoined Elliot for a discussion of Peter Strickland’s Berberian Sound Studio. Here.

We’ve just recorded the next episode, on Exorcist III / Legion, taking in various other subjects including the other parts of the franchise (film and book) and some other stuff including Hannibal. Look out for that. As always, my patrons will get it a little sooner than everyone else. Jack Graham is creating Criticism, Analysis, Essays, Podcasts | Patreon

Take care, everyone.…

November 19, 2021

IITSL Ep5, The Witch (2015)

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Elliot, George, and I continue our podcasting odyssey into the Media Hauntological, branching off into a related but new direction with Robert Eggers’ gripping, multilayered, enigmatic, terrifying 2015 masterpiece The Witch.

Content/Spoiler Warnings

Permalink / Direct Download

Patreon backers got this last week. Subscribe for as little as one dollar a month for advance access to all these shows, plus access to Bonus Episodes of I Don’t Speak German, and The Backer Street Irregulars, an ongoing series of shows with Kit Power and Daniel Harper in which we talk about all the original Sherlock Holmes stories in order – almost certainly not to be published for anyone but backers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Witch_(2015_film)

Content warnings abound.

@_Jack_Graham_

@E11iotChapman

@EnigmaticElegy / http://www.strangeplaygrounds.com/ / https://www.youtube.com/user/ExaggeratedElegy…

November 1, 2021

It IS The Same Log, Ep4: The Blair Witch Project (1999), and other stuff…

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Aaaand, for Halloween itself, here’s yet another spooktobery new episode of It IS The Same Log (because these days we are *all* Heather in the woods sobbing “It’s not the same log!” over and over again but… I gotta tell ya… it *is*) and once again I (Jack) am joined by Elliot Chapman and George Daniel Lea. Our October odyssey through the Media Hauntological continues and culminates with a consideration of the source text of this show’s title, 1999’s terrifying, ominous, ineffable, and intensely freighted ‘Found Footage’ classic The Blair Witch Project, taking in digressions on The Terror, Stalker, Come and See, Salò, Cannibal Holocaust, Doctor Who, Peter Watkins, David Bowie, Baudrillard, Frederic Jameson, Lovecraft, and LeGuin. Content warnings abound. Permalink We had some technical problems at the start and poor old George was a bit runny of nose with a nasty cold (rather appropriate given that BWP features some of the most celebrated snot-shots in cinematic history) but I’ve worked my usual folk magic – I am to podcasts what Mary Brown (maybe?) is to threatening corn dollies and stick sculptures – and made it so listenable your ears will cancel their plan to overthrow you and run your body themselves (yes, I was in on it). As ever, my Patreon backers got advance access to this, so consider chucking me a dollar a month. I have such sights to show you… slightly earlier than I show other people. There’s a substantial off-cut from the end of this conversation which you’ll get as a separate extra. Also, because I’m me, I’ve been posting lots of other podcasts this month and then forgetting to post about them here, so here are the links: IITSL3 Ghostwatch IITSL2 The Stone Tape Holly Explains Final Fantasy VII to Me, Part 4 – The Remake is Actually Good * Show Notes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Blair_Witch_Project @_Jack_Graham_ @E11iotChapman @EnigmaticElegy / http://www.strangeplaygrounds.com/ / https://www.youtube.com/user/ExaggeratedElegy…

October 3, 2021

It IS The Same Log, Ep 1: The Changeling (1980)

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So here’s the first episode of It IS The Same Log, a new series for October, in which I, Jack Graham, talk to my erudite friends Elliot Chapman and George Daniel Lea about lesser-known landmarks in the cinema and television of the uncanny. This week, it’s 1980’s The Changeling, an underappreciated classic of haunted cinema.