🎬
Punk rock poet and author Jim Carroll is probably most recognized for his 1980 hit song “People Who Have Died” recorded by The Jim Carroll Band (formerly known as Catholic Boy) or for his 1979 biographical memoir “The Basketball Diaries” which was later adapted into a film of the same name staring Leonardo DiCaprio.
In 1993 Carroll wrote a book of poetry titled Fear of Dreaming and from this collection of poetry we get Curtis’s Charm.
This offbeat quirky comedy shot in black and white is an excellent retelling of Carroll’s poetic monologue, it won Best Canadian Film at the TIFF upon its release.
The film tells the story of a man recovering from heroin addiction who tries to help calm the paranoia of his crack addicted friend Curtis as his delusions of being under the control of black magic begin to consume his life - offering him a clever solution to his problems.
The film is unfortunately a rare one and you may have to go on a quest of your own to find it. Though your efforts will
be well worth it. It has been available on Mubi before but your best bet is probably tracking down a VHS copy if you can find one.
I’m going to link a reading by Carroll himself at the top for anyone interested in listening.
May 12, 2025
Related Recs
an extremely hidden canadiana gem about the highs and lows of country music in rural southern ontario. featuring a ridiculously good soundtrack and a TTC t-shirt that my friends and i have desperately been trying to source since we went to a screening of this. a must-watch if you can find it
Jan 22, 2024
my favourite film.
PENDA'S FEN is a british written-for-tv movie, directed by alan clarke and written by david rudkin. it's about a boy named stephen, the son of the local vicar, who feels inadequate within his own conservative worldviews until he, through very evocative, esoteric and frankly quite scary dreams, discovers he's queer, and that's when his whole world (and ideals) start to change. the film deals with identity, nationality, queerness, capitalism and faith. i truly see it a perfect movie, even considering the very small budget and made-for-tv constraints. i think it makes it even grater.
“stephen, be secret,
child, be strange,
dark, true, impure and dissonant.
cherish our flame.
our dawn shall come.”
Feb 5, 2025
☠️
a punk rock road movie by gregg araki about a couple that pick up a drifter. weirdness and chaos ensue. impeccable soundtrack and the costuming was waaaay ahead of its time. its like challengers on crack. one of my favourite flicks and was my teenage gateway into cool girl underground films. be warned though it gets pretty violent at times!
Oct 29, 2024
Top Recs from @visceralsuspicion
May 15, 2025
Staying up all night connecting dots with the fervent passion of an unhinged genius - like a mad scientist. Notes and references strewn about the living room floor. Making art and making a huge mess.
2d ago