Return to Soderberghopolis

Criterion is not only returning Soderbergh's King of the Hill to print on home video in February 2014, but they're also including his The Underneath in the same package. I knew it was only a matter of time before we got KOTH, but I'm more grateful to see them having convinced Soderbergh to do an interview about his film that he (allegedly) dislikes the most.

Regarding The Underneath as I wrote about it in the third numbered installment of Soderberghopolis:

"I don’t see the complete clusterfuck he apparently does. I’ve had personal artistic catastrophes others have seen as successes, so I get it. I just don’t agree that it sucks. Imperfect work from a great director is better than what hacks can do on their best days with a papal blessing. I’ll concede that it isn't drenched in Soderbergh's cinematic DNA, but it couldn't have been directed by just anyone. The cinematographic flourishes and this first pass at a non-linear narrative are distinctly Soderbergh."

My "Soderberghopolis" series stalled out once I hit the point I needed to re-watch his two TV series from the early/mid-aughts. Booking time to not just scrub through (as I have with some of the movies) ground it to a halt.

It's finally restarting soon, and I may push that forward even sooner with this tremendously happy news.

I hope this means that not only we'll see the Kafka "Midnight Cut" next year, but maybe a Blu-ray of Schizopolis and at long, long last…The Limey.

I wonder if Extension765 will do a "Perennial Security" t-shirt...

Ye Olde Soderbergh Shirt Shoppe

Thankfully, Soderbergh did not call his True Cineaste Emporium the above (nor The True Cineaste Emporium).

Instead, he chose Extension 765, a reference to Coppola's The Conversation. Slate did a great job creating a cheat sheet for hipsters who want to pretend they're like, so totally into Friedkin's 70's ouvre. In true hipster fashion, the only one I didn't know was the one for The Best of Everything. My favorites are for Marnie, Saboteur, and under-appreciated shot-in-Austin Soderbergh picture The Underneath.

The next time I have a big pile of money to throw at a new t-shirt wardrobe, this is where it goes. If you order four shirts or more, they send you a "bonus shirt" that they can't describe for whatever reason. Someone go buy me four shirts. I wear a large. Thanks in advance.

Also worth looking at, the Extension 765 stationary that Soderbergh had made. Did I mention that The Underneath is really good?

Not pictured: baseball jersey-style "American Newsreel Inc." shirt