Co-written by Samuel F. Schultz and Dylan J. Howell

How many movies are in your streaming queue? How many “classics” sit unwatched on your shelf? It’s literally impossible to watch every movie ever made, so which are even worth your time?

Dylan and I have “to watch” lists a proverbial mile long, and we decided it’s high time we do something about it: sit on our collective asses and melt into the couch. We’ll be doing our damnedest to catch up on the hundreds of movies we missed from the century before we were born, watching one movie a week representing each year from Taft to Y2K and posting reviews on the Rambler’s website.

We also have side missions: One Bond movie a month and a special Relished Films category to pick familiar favorites outside of the chronology. New movies that interest us may also be added to the mix, helping us stay “hip” to the “current scene.” Expect reviews of Catch-Up films and Bond movies regularly, but don’t hold your breath waiting for the others.

Butter that popcorn and pull up a chair as we step out of the Matrix and take A Trip to the Moon.

Catch Up Film 0: The Big Lebowski (1998)

Viewed:

As part of the Kentucky Theatre’s Summer Classics series on Wednesday, September 4th

Where to watch:

Free with Amazon Prime or rent from Apple TV

Motion Picture Association rating: R

Pervasive strong language, drug content, sexuality, brief violence

Overview (Sam)

Where better to start than the end? At the outset of our foray into twentieth-century film, The Big Lebowski (1998) acts both as an extended allusion to the classic noir/crime film The Big Sleep (1946) and a perfect reflection on the end of the twentieth century. Set in a reconstructed 1991 Los Angeles, with the Gulf War as an allegorical backdrop, Jeffrey Lebowski, known as The Dude, is a man perfect for his time. In a decade of seeming moral relativism, everyone is prescribed an ethos except for The Dude, whose particularism clashes with the stark generalism of many around him. After his rug is micturated upon by an intruder in a case of mistaken identity, The Dude is plunged into the quagmire of an ever-more-complicated kidnapping plot as he gets further and further from his original goal: to get his rug back.

(After this week, we are going back to the 1900s. Trust the process.)

Sam’s part:

My favorite aspect of The Big Lebowski is its point of view: throughout the film, we only see things from The Dude’s perspective. As he’s inundated with stances and judgments, The Dude can hardly get a word in edgewise. Only in a moment of post-coital clarity is the veil lifted and we, along with The Dude, are granted some understanding – new shit comes to light. This, of course, is a subversion of the classic noir style where the detective silently stalks through the story gathering information and playing enemies against each other. In The Big Lebowski, The Dude is totally oblivious to most of the goings on around him, yet is still seen by some characters as a talented sleuth.

This idea of mistaken identity is more than one isolated narrative instance. The Dude is not even the titular “Big Lebowski,” but in fact little more than a bum in the grand scheme of the supporting casts’ lives. That is, except for his two best friends, Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi), who act as the angels on his shoulders throughout the film. Donny’s role is comically underplayed while Walter, a manic, rule-obsessed veteran, is the driving force behind The Dude’s decision to step out of passive “Duddhism” and try to get his rug back in the first place. Even still, as he is routinely threatened with bodily harm, drugged, and generally derided, The Dude remains passive. He has little to no control over what happens to him, but in the end, he doesn’t really mind. He’s content to simply abide.

If you are philosophically and/or analytically inclined, I highly recommend checking out The Big Lebowski and Philosophy, a collection of essays edited by our very own Dr. Peter S Fosl which can be found in Transylvania University’s library and in many fine book retailers.

Endlessly quotable and visually stunning, The Big Lebowski is a must-watch. This was my third viewing and it gets better every time.

Dylan’s part:

There comes a time once a decade or even once a century in which a film is needed. A film that ties all those years together. Seemingly without trying, The Big Lebowski defines the 90s, if not the 20th century, entirely. That’s partially why we are beginning our venture into cinema over one of the most technologically progressive and culturally diverse centuries in human history with the film. The Big Lebowski shows how much Ethan and Joel Coen make films for themselves more than anyone else. The attention to detail is fascinating in how they can pay attention to seemingly every movement and object within a single frame of their films. The character work is some of the best I’ve seen in film, with John Goodman, who plays Walter, saying it’s his favorite role. Walter’s moment of vulnerability near the end of the film demonstrates the Coen brothers’ exceptional use of repetition. The character of Donnie is one of the most interesting to me. He is ignored for most of the film and only interacts with Walter, besides one scene with The Dude. But The Dude certainly has a place in the canon of popular culture. I would argue this film is an homage to several genres that defined the twentieth century: noir, adventure, buddy-cop, and a few more, all of them blending together to make a film plot that you have to just abide by. It ends by comforting the viewer by showing that no matter who steals your rug, you can always go bowling. – 9.5 bottles of Ketchup

On September 22nd, Patrick McHale, creator of Over the Garden Wall, announced via his Twitter/X account that the show would be releasing a new short film for its tenth anniversary. The tweet stated that the short would be produced by Cartoon Network and animated by Aardman Animations, well-known for their previous work on the Wallace & Gromit franchise.

Over the Garden Wall was originally pitched in 2006 as a multi-season series called Tome of the Unknown, a tale of two brothers who mistakenly enter a deal with the devil and are forced to travel across a forgotten land to rescue a book of stories. However, after becoming involved in The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack and Adventure Time, McHale realized the series would have been too difficult to produce as-written and was forced to abandon the show’s multi-season format. When asked for another pitch in 2013, McHale revised Tome of the Unknown as a pilot episode for a miniseries named Over the Garden Wall. Cartoon Network greenlit the pilot and production began that year.

Over the Garden Wall was released in 2014 shortly after Halloween as a ten-episode miniseries depicting the journey of Wirt (Elijah Wood) and Greg (Collin Dean), two brothers who find themselves lost in the Unknown, a dark forest filled with long-forgotten stories. The brothers meet a bluebird named Beatrice (Melanie Lynskey) and try to escape the Unknown together, all the while avoiding the mysterious Beast. The plot has been likened by reviewers to Dante’s The Inferno; something about the unknowable journey through a land whose existence is so thoroughly incompatible with yours. Walking alongside shadows of the damned; a journey through Purgatory, through Hell.

Which isn’t to say that the series isn’t a fun watch. Over the Garden Wall is surprisingly funny and does an excellent job at balancing humor alongside the macabre, spending just as much time on Wirt’s awkward teenage love life and Greg’s silly attempts at naming his frog as it does the open graves of Pottsfield and the burning of Edelwood trees. Artistically speaking, Over the Garden Wall is stunning. McHale took visual inspiration from many sources, including vintage Halloween postcards and photographs of New England foliage, resulting in gorgeous, colorful painted backdrops and rustic, Americana-esque settings. Combined with the soundtrack (composed by The Blasting Company and inspired by early-1900s folk music) this show is perfect for a fun, if slightly morbid, Halloween marathon.

Over the Garden Wall was successful, winning two Emmys for animation and becoming somewhat of a cult classic since its release. Unfortunately, the series’ short run and open ending meant that fans would never know more about the story or the characters beyond what they saw on-screen. Over the Garden Wall has always been a singular, self-contained story, which is why McHale’s announcement of a new animated short is such big news. It’s still unclear as to what the plot of this short will be, but honestly, this has been anticipated for so long that it doesn’t really matter. People are already speculating about the stories it may tell or the truths it may uncover, wondering and waiting for an opportunity to open this tome of mysteries once again and return to the Unknown after so many years.

Over the Garden Wall’s new animated short will premiere on November 3rd on Cartoon Network’s YouTube channel and social media accounts.

“Days like this, I don’t know what to do with myself. All day and all night. I wander the halls along the walls and under my breath, I say to myself I need fuel to take flight.” 

“Sullen Girl” by Fiona Apple encapsulates the feelings of emptiness and fighting for more. She makes us look into ourselves and question our motives. She describes the effect of names people call us, like a sullen girl, when we are simply so tired. 

I have memories of my mother listening to Fiona Apple’s album Tidal when I was younger. I never really understood why anyone would listen to such sad moody music. I later discovered why during high school. Tidal became my favorite album and I soon found myself surrounded by angsty feminist indie music. 

Sure, tastes change and people grow, but I found that this genre and artists like Fiona Apple became prominent in not only my life but also in many other women’s lives. 

It can be a safe haven to find someone who has such deep empathy for you. That is what this genre felt like. To have your niche experiences elaborately met through lyrical poetry with strong piano accompaniment felt like therapy. Listening to this music made me feel validated in my emotions just as it had for millions of other women. I discovered a community where many other women used Fiona’s music as an outlet. When I met someone else who listened to Fiona Apple, we found an immediate common ground full of delicate, yet frustrated feelings. 

Fiona’s appeal comes from more than just her songs. For me, I admire how much she seems not to care what anyone thinks of her music. She creates a mindset through her music; one that promises to be vulnerable and unapologetic. This mindset was there for me and many other women while navigating many societal challenges. 

Women are often critiqued when emotional. They feel as if they need to hide their emotions in order to be seen as strong. Rather than feeling human emotions like anger and frustration, they are portrayed as difficult, complicated, and crazy. Still today, women are objectified, expected to act a certain way, and looked down upon. 

“I told you I didn’t want to go to this dinner. You know I don’t go for those ones you bother about. So when they say something that makes me start to simmer, that fancy wine won’t put this fire out. Kick me under the table all you want. I won’t shut up.”

“Under the Table,” from Fiona’s album Fetch The Bolt Cutters, describes the regretless feeling of saying what you want when you want. She takes the prominent stance of speaking her mind even when people may not want her to. Throughout the song, she describes how she disagrees and pleads not to be spoken over or silenced. 

Women find so much depth and emotion in Apple’s music because she sings about their experiences within her own. Many women find themselves listening to Apple’s music and discovering monumental lyrical words that they could never find for themselves. 

Fiona Apple is an artist who creates beautifully intricate music, but more importantly, she advocates for women. She puts the complex emotions and feelings of women’s experiences into uniquely odd pieces of music. The melodic components of powerful piano accompaniment with the clashing of percussion depict the sound of a conflicting, emotional mind. 

“Come on, put a little love here in my void. He said it’s all in your head and I said so’s everything, but he didn’t get it. I thought he was a man but he was just a little boy.” 

“Paper Bag,” One of Fiona Apple’s most popular songs from When The Pawn… describes the scope of disappointment through heartbreak. She uses the comparison of seeing a paper bag and thinking it was a bird to loving a man, only to later discover how immature he is. Many of Apple’s songs cover heartbreak through a frustrated lens rather than a broken one. This song became widely popular on social media, especially on TikTok. More and more people found Fiona’s music validating through her raw emotional singing. 

Fiona Apple’s music impacted my life, but this wasn’t an emotion or experience that only I felt. Rather, I found the community of unapologetic, loud women, who felt their true emotions no matter the constraints society put on them. 

Transylvania University faculty Anthony Mead, Zoe Strecker, Kurt Gohde, Grace Ramsey, and David Gerhard gathered for an Artist Q&A on Tuesday, October 1st. Students and faculty packed into Morlan Gallery to learn more about the current exhibit, Shifting Practice, and enjoy pizza from Mad Mushroom. 

Moderator Morgan Hardigree ‘25 opened the discussion by thanking the professors for their work and their time. Those in attendance were able to submit questions prior to the event which ranged from personal inspiration to advice for up-and-coming student artists.

On the topic of inspiration, professor of painting and drawing, Grace Ramsey discussed how her surrealist work is “mostly about the female experience” and that it has really “evolved since becoming a mother.”

Anthony Mead, Director of Morlan Gallery and instructor of art, said that he sees humans as “tool users” and is intrigued how this influences the “way we go about life.” 

David Gerhard pointed out that, with animation and digital art, the concepts of his work aren’t usually up to him but instead the client he is commissioned by. However, when given the chance, Gerhard leans into humor to elicit laughter in his audience. 

When asked about creative processes, professor of sculpture and integrated media, Kurt Gohde spoke on how he loves learning new things. Gohde sees each project as “learning experiences” which keeps him coming back for more. In fact, when asked about teaching art at the college level, Gohde described how the setting opened the conversation in ways that he was unfamiliar with, which excited him. He elaborated by saying the type of thinking and art he is drawn to “doesn’t happen outside a university setting.”

Ramsey added on, describing that once her intuition kicks in there is this “mysterious thing that happens” and she finds herself “addicted to that type of wonder.”

Several pieces in the show were from years ago, which sparked the conversation of growth. Mead responded to this by stating “There is so much richness in seeing how an artist evolves.” It was this sentiment that acted as the catalyst for the show. Mead stressed that the artists were given an unusually short amount of time to prepare for this show, only three weeks. Ramsey mentioned how she had to “unearth” older pieces that had not been brought out in years. 

Zoe Strecker, professor of ceramics, highlighted Ramsey’s wording in the literal sense, pointing to her cement sculpture titled, “Founder” which resided in the elements of her own backyard for years. Strecker had to cut down trees and overgrowth to bring it to the gallery. She noted how she prefers this version, speckled with lichens from nature, to the original.

Perhaps the main takeaway for students in attendance would be Gerhard’s remark that “Creativity is just a language like anything else. You can learn it.” Shifting Focus: A Transylvania University Faculty Exhibition closes on Friday, October 11th. Check out the Morlan Gallery in Mitchell Fine Arts Center on weekdays from 12pm-5pm.