Spalding Gray was a hyperbolist. A storyteller, monologuist. Exaggerator, in other words, an actor. There was an undeniable charisma to this storyteller-Monologuist-actor, Spalding Gray. Swimming to Cambodia was my introduction to Spalding.
In this article, I’m diving into two emotionally charged Southern narratives: Lucinda Williams’ song “Bus to Baton Rouge” from her album Essence and the film The Trip to Bountiful (1985). Both works evoke a poignant longing for an idyllic past, centered on the journey back to a childhood home, which has become as much a symbol of memory and loss as it is a physical place.
I just watched the new Almodovar, film Pain and Glory-(Dolor y gloria). A film to catch in a theatre. Anyone familiar with the beginning of Almodovar’s directing career, in Barcelona, will know that this film starring Antonio Banderas and Penelope Cruz is a walk back to his early work.