"ELVIS," Baz, and More!
Posted on June 20, 2022 by
In honor of inimitable Aussie-auteur Baz Luhrmann's latest 02:39:00 epic opus, Elvis, I remind you of his 1998 sonic collaboration (featuring Anton Monsted, Josh Abrahams, Lee Perry, Mary Schmich, Quindon Tarver, and Rozalla) that resulted in one helluva worldwide earworm-of-a-hit, Wear Sunscreen.
At 52, I can confirm that the pragmatic wisdom contained therein is spot-on.
I particularly love this line about advice and those who give it: "Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. ADVICE IS A FORM OF NOSTALGIA: Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts, and recycling it for more than it's worth."
For further reading:
Baz is the most commercially successful Australian director of all time (Romeo + Juliet '96, Moulin Rouge! '01, The Great Gatsby '13) and Elvis features Tom Hanks (as Colonel Tom Parker) and stars Austin Butler (whom you may recall portrayed Tex Watson in Quentin Tarantino's 2019 Once Upon a Time... In Hollywood starring Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio).
Elvis opened today, along with Where the Crawdads Sing featuring Taylor Swift's latest track, Carolina.
Also opening today is Ethan Hawke's 95th film (and second collaboration with Blumhouse's Scott Derrickson and Robert Cargill since 2012's Sinister), The Black Phone. Here's an interesting article describing why Hawke agreed to the film.
Ethan's (and Uma Thurman's) daughter, Maya (who portrays Robin Buckley in juggernaut Stranger Things) are top-o'-mind this week as Dad's movie drops and daughter's series surges toward Vol. 2 in July. Oh to be a Hawke this year, since April's The Northman (helmed by Robert Eggers) was also a work of art.
With Maverick fading behind us and Lightyear having crashed and burned, catch Elvis and The Black Phone before Minions: The Rise of Gru, Thor: Love and Thunder, Blazing Samurai, and Jordan Peele's highly anticipated Nope crash our shores this July.
Movies are back, y'all.