In the prop house district of L.A.'s LaBrea Avenue there used to be a dent-can discount mart. While scrounging its shelves in the mid-80s I found knee-high stacks of FAT CITY that had been remaindered since 1969. I couldn't sell'em but bought some anyway. At least I had something great to read.
Love this, Bill. I first saw FAT CITY in the early 1990s not knowing anything about it, and it absolutely blew me away, Tyrell in particular. Only read the novel a few years ago and couldn’t believe how faithful an adaptation the film was, down to entire stretches of dialog. Gardner’s only book! Both phenomenal. Sharing your piece with the few other FAT CITY maniacs I know.
That is a beautiful piece, but glad I stopped reading it temporarily to watch the film –– which inspired me almost every moment. It's poetry with pull. And Susan Tyrrell's FACE. It almost has the planes of a silent film star but I've never seen anything quite like it. Of course, it was lit by Connie Hall. Not sure I will get to the book. Should I? I feel like I have all I need here with the film., and I need to see it again. Great work, Bill, thanks for the context and for drawing us in. I'd heard about this book & movie but was never tempted to try it before.
In the prop house district of L.A.'s LaBrea Avenue there used to be a dent-can discount mart. While scrounging its shelves in the mid-80s I found knee-high stacks of FAT CITY that had been remaindered since 1969. I couldn't sell'em but bought some anyway. At least I had something great to read.
Love this, Bill. I first saw FAT CITY in the early 1990s not knowing anything about it, and it absolutely blew me away, Tyrell in particular. Only read the novel a few years ago and couldn’t believe how faithful an adaptation the film was, down to entire stretches of dialog. Gardner’s only book! Both phenomenal. Sharing your piece with the few other FAT CITY maniacs I know.
Thank you, Mr. Jive.
That is a beautiful piece, but glad I stopped reading it temporarily to watch the film –– which inspired me almost every moment. It's poetry with pull. And Susan Tyrrell's FACE. It almost has the planes of a silent film star but I've never seen anything quite like it. Of course, it was lit by Connie Hall. Not sure I will get to the book. Should I? I feel like I have all I need here with the film., and I need to see it again. Great work, Bill, thanks for the context and for drawing us in. I'd heard about this book & movie but was never tempted to try it before.
Thank you, Leslie. And I think the novel is perfect, so I do sort of recommend it, yeah.
And now I have a book to read & a movie to watch. Brilliantly written piece.