101 Gangster Movies and 101 War Movies You Must See Before You Die

Izašle su još dve knjige na engleskom jeziku u kojima se, pored ostalih, nalaze i neki moji eseji.

U prethodnim knjigama ove serije koju uspešno priređuje Steven Jay Schneider, posvećenim SF filmu i hororu, bio sam kontaktiran ranije a imao sam i više toga da kažem, pa sam za njih priložio 8 eseja o horor filmovima i 4 eseja o SF filmovima. Ovoga puta moj doprinos je nešto skromniji: obradio sam dva ratna filma - Ballad of a Soldier (pp. 140-143) i Tora! Tora! Tora! (pp. 224-227) – i jedan, ali vredan gangsterski: Dillinger (pp. 240-243).

Skromniji je i doprinos drugih kolega sa ex-Yu prostora: ovoga puta sasvim je izostao Aleksandar Bečanović (zbog prezauzetosti u to vreme), a Miloš Cvetković je doprineo samo jednim esejom, o ratnom filmu Salvador (pp. 276-279).

Steven Jay Schneider je i ovoga puta napravio odličan posao u izboru saradnika-autora tekstova (pretežno iz akademskog sveta, uz ponekog filmskog kritičara prestižnih magazina ili freelancera), a i odabranim naslovima se – bar na prvi pogled – nema šta zameriti, naročito po pitanju gangsterskog toma.

Srpskom čitaocu može naročito biti zanimljiva ratna knjiga, zbog ratovima bogate srpske istorije, uključujući i ove poslednje, koji se nisu zbivali na našoj teritoriji. Avaj, u ovom izboru ne nalazi se ama baš nijedan partizanski film, čak ni onih najvećeg međunarodnog kalibra (kao npr. The Battle of Neretva!) što je već malo teže objasniti i opravdati.

Što se tiče balkanskih građanskih ratova, prisutna su samo dva, muslimocentrična filma: Welcome to Sarajevo i, naravno, No Man's Land. Tekstovi o njima, istina, odmereni su i objektivni, u onom o Sarajevu Srbi se čak i ne pominju poimence, a ni u onom o Ničijoj zemlji ne potencira se koliko su Srbi genocidno-sadistička booby-trapping stoka. Ja sam pokušavao da Šnajdera ubedim da u izbor uvrsti i Lepa sela lepo gore i čak se nudio da ja napišem text o tom filmu, ali mi je on kazao da je, u tom trenutku, već bilo dockan za izmene i dodatke (jer, da bi neki naslov upao, neki od već podeljenih morao bi da otpadne...).

Inače, urednik je nekako uspeo da napravi lapsus u mom textu o Baladi o vojniku, pa je moju referencu na 'The Great War' našao za shodno da 'prevede' u 'World War I', iako Balada jasno govori o II svetskom ratu :(

Šnajderu je, inače, nedavno upala sekira uz med pošto je on jedan od producenata fenomenalno uspešnog filam PARANORMAL ACTIVITY (na putu da prebaci cifru od 100 miliona u USA) pa se nadam da neće napustiti book business zbog ovog lukrativnijeg, holivudskog...

Obe ove knjige video sam na Sajmu knjiga, čini mi se u MAMUTU ili kod ovih novih, u SKC-u, pa ih možete bar prelistati ako ne i kupiti baš tamo.

Detalji o knjigama:

101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die (Hardcover)

Steven Jay Schneider (Editor)

Long before the release of such memorable gangster films as The Godfather and Bonnie and Clyde, tough guys portrayed by Edward G. Robinson, Jimmy Cagney, Humphrey Bogart, and other pioneers in the crime genre were shooting up movie screens. This intensely readable summary of the best gangster films ever made spans the decades from the 1930s to the present day. Films cited in this book include:

The Big Sleep * Bonnie and Clyde * Bullitt * Dillinger * Each Dawn I Die * Gangs of New York * The Godfather, I and II * L.A. Confidential * Little Caesar * The Petrified Forest * Scarface * This Gun for Hire * White Heat . . . and many more.

Films are presented in chronological order to illustrate the genre’s development and the impact early artists had on later directors, actors, and technicians. Plot summaries are presented, casts and credits are listed, and illustrations include ad posters and evocative movie stills. More than 200 illustrations.

From the Prohibition-era classics of Mervyn LeRoy and William A. Wellman to the mean streets and Mafiosi of Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese, 101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die explores the rise of the gangster movie to the popular phenomenon it is today. Whether holding up the local liquor store or wheeling and dealing in the spider web of organized crime, the fictional characters on the big screen are never too far from the real world.

With insight from critics, film historians, and academics, 101 Gangster Movies You Must See Before You Die brings passion and knowledge to a wealth of dirty rats, dons, molls, hoods, shootouts, holdups, heists, gangs, murders, drug deals, and car chases. And in the closing reels you will wonder whose side you are really on — the good guys' or the bad guys'?

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (October 1, 2009)

Language: English

Product Dimensions: 6 x 4.8 x 1.7 inches

Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds

101 War Movies You Must See Before You Die (Hardcover)

Steven Jay Schneider (Editor)

The horror and the heroism of war has long been a staple of cinema and the background for many different story genres, from anti-war comedies such as M*A*S*H to the heroic feats of combat troops and fighter pilots played by the likes of John Wayne and other screen favorites. Here are the 101 most memorable war films ever produced, including:

Apocalypse Now * The Bridge on the River Kwai * Catch-22 * Das Boot * Full Metal Jacket * Letters from Iwo Jima * Paths of Glory * Patton * Red Badge of Courage * Schindler’s List * The Thin Red Line . . . and many more.

Each entry includes cast and credits, a summary of the story, interesting highlights, little-known facts about the film, and memorable ad posters and movie stills. Written by an expert team of film historians, scholars, and critics, 100 War Movies You Must See Before You Die is a vivid summary of one of the film industry’s most enduring genres. More than 200 illustrations.

Whether you know every line from The Great Escape or could watch The Bridge on the River Kwai again and again, 101 War Movies You Must See Before You Die is the book for you. Take a war, any war, from the beginning of time to the present day, throw in some amazing heroes, antiheroes, and a whole lot of action, and you have a classic war film. From Billy Wilder’s Stalag 17 to Michael Cimino’s The Deer Hunter, this is the perfect guide.

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publisher: Barron's Educational Series (October 1, 2009)

Language: English

Product Dimensions: 6.1 x 4.7 x 1.5 inches

Shipping Weight: 1 pounds

Ghoul's plans: do kraja 2009

Kratka najava mojih projekata i produkata do kraja ove godine:

- prijava doktorskog rada o hororu (o ovome detaljnije vrlo USKORO);

- upravo izašle 2 knjige u USA u kojima se nalaze i moji kraći eseji (o ovome detaljnije vrlo USKORO);

- GRADAC – specijalni broj koji sam priredio, posvećen Lavkraftu = trebalo bi da izađe do kraja novembra;

- FILAŽ – novi filmski časopis, pokrenut u Nišu, a čiji sam zamenik urednika; obilje horor-related stvari u njemu, a hajlajt su mega intervju sa Mladenom Đorđevićem, moj esej o ANTIHRISTU i esej o Pazoliniju i snuffu by A. Radivojević = izlazi oko 10.12.

- DILAN DOG specijal, br. 3 u svom textualnom delu o mitologiji Dilana Doga donosi moj mini-esej o filmu THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW; ovaj broj je već izašao, a do kraja novembra će i br. 4, u kome je moj mini esej o Vesu Krejvenu (povodom Krejven Rouda...);

- do kraja godine, ili najkasnije januara, izlazi novi broj ZBORNIKA FDU-a; u njemu se nalazi moj dugo-čekani esej o filmu HAUTE TENSION na koji sam veoma ponosan; pored njega, biće tu još nekoliko horror-related stvari, ali detalji o sadržaju – kad ovo izađe;

- uvršten sam u KULTURNU ENCIKLOPEDIJU NIŠA koja treba da izađe do kraja godine, ili najkasnije januara;

takođe,

-verovatno ću prevoditi jedan vrlo zanimljiv roman za jednog od većih beogradskih izdavača (detalji: kad to bude utanačeno);

-planiram da napišem jednu kraću lavkraftovsku priču do kraja godine;

-trebalo bi, možda već krajem novembra, da krene nova serija mojih predavanja o hororu, u Biblioteci grada Beograda;

i sigurno ima još nešto što sam zaboravio...

stay tuned.

NEKI OSREDNJI I SOLIDNI NOVI FILMOVI

osvrnuću se ukratko na neke nedavno odgledane, uglavnom recentne ne-horore (mada ima i znatno starijih, ali tek sad pogledanih) koji mi, prosto, nisu dovoljno inspirativni da se njima detaljno bavim u zasebnim rivjuima. znači, to su neki ok, gledljivi, solidni filmići, ali prosto – nema potrebe da u njih duboko uranjam, niti imam vremena za to. svi spadaju pod kišobran 'ništa revolucionarno, ali se svakako može pogledati' (GK tm).

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO

niels arden oplev

SWE, '09

***

3

solidan krimi-triler o potrazi za devojkom koja je možda nestala pre 40 godina, a možda i nije nestala. možda je ubijena, a možda je samo pobegla od svoje sjebane bogate familije, i sad živi u australiji.

dobri glumci i fino uslikane lokacije čine ovo pitkijim nego što bi srednje-zanimljiv zaplet činio. misterija baš nije preterano uzbudljiva, a postoje tu neka nepotrebno mučna vrludanja koja ničemu ne služe (recimo, sicko patnje i silovanja koja trpi goth-devojka i pomoćnica glavnog junaka). zabavni su, ali u krajnjoj instanci irelevantni hintovi o bliskosti bogatih šveda sa nacistima, i njihovim idejama i mnogo nakon što su nacisti, kao, pobeđeni.

SOMMARENS TOLV MÅNADER aka

TWELVE MONTHS OF SUMMER

SWE, '88 (TV)

**(*)

3-

ovo je tv film koji su neki preterano hajperski naklonjeni imdb juzeri opisivali čak i pridevom 'dikovski' (od philip k. dick) ali ipak, nemojmo preterivati, lsičnosti su vrlo površne. da, premisa je zanimljiva – grupica muškaraca odvedena je usred švecke ledene nedođije, u kojoj je, misteriozno, leto tokom cele godine. tu ih malo drma cabin fever, malo paranoja, kreću međusobna koškanja... ali sve to nije ni približno toliko uzbudljivo niti pametno koliko misli da jeste. previše razvučeno, nedovoljno zabavno, a na kraju i prilično glupo, ako se čovek zamisli nad time ŠTA i KAKO leži iza svega toga. ipak, dovoljno je weird, na euro (dakle, ne-američki) način, da se može pogledati, ako imate preko 2 sata na raspolaganju za jednu blago sf triler-dramu.

LA RAGAZZA DEL LAGO

(LADY IN THE LAKE)

andrea molaioli

ITA, '07

20.10.

***

3

ovo je krimić rađen kao arty drama: izvanredna gluma, dobri i ubedljivi likovi, savršeno uslikan i insceniran seting ruralne italije, negde u prelepim ali donekle i zlokobnim planinama. počinje maltene kao italo twin peaks, nastavlja se kao opsesija jednog pajkana da otkrije ubicu jedne prelepe devojke, a jedino je razrešenje blagi dauner, i fali mu impakt koji sam – sledeći solidnu gradaciju pre njega – očekivao. ipak, VRLO dobar film, vredan gledanja.

THE TOURNAMENT

scott mann

UK, '09

20.10.

***

3

boom, bammm, crash, burn, splatt!!! igrani ekvivalent crtića o ptici trkačici, samo sa nekoliko desetina plaćenih ubica na turniru u battle royale stilu, i to usred naseljenih oblasti, a ne na pustom ostrvu. ko će koga? kako? čime? i šta će ostati od žrtve? ovo je zabavna orgija sadizma i nepoštovanja prema ljudskom životu za sve koje besprizorno uništavanje ljudskih tela (i dobara) zabavlja. krv pljušti na sve strane i ima je više nego u većini horora izašlih ove godine. sve je to dinamično i zabavno režirano, pa ko voli... nek izvoli.

PROVERENO: NEMA MINA

Yuriy Lysenko

Zdravko Velimirovic

YU/RUSS, '65

**(*)

3-

bizaran film o netom oslobođenom beogradu, gde rusi i srbi zajedno silaze u kanalizaciju u potragu za naci-pacovima koji su minirali podzemlje prestonice i spremaju da u povlačenju za sobom ostave vatromet – tj. bace beograd u sopstvena govna. bizaran je iz više razloga – većim delom dešava se u kanalizaciji; nije nimalo ideološki napadan, čak ima iznenađujuće (za taj period, i temu) relativizujući odnos prema komunjarama, sa nekim vrlo živim likovima i situacijama; najzad, iako je snimljen 1965. izgleda kao da je nastao bar 10 godina ranije. ne znam da li zbog prisustva rusa ili zbog čega, tek to sve tehnički izgleda i kreće se iznad uobičajenih standarda srpskog filma tog vremena, i zaplet je slojevitiji i intrigantniji nego što bi se očekivalo od nekog prigodnog panegirika ruskom oslobađanju beograda. mrak i klaustrofobija podzemnih tunela odlično su iskorišćeni. vlatko gilić (KIČMA) je radio scenografiju.

ASSASSINATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT

brett simon

USA, '08

**

2

u retrospektu, ne znam kako izdržah do kraja, pošto ovaj 'krimić' smešten u srednju školu deluje kao da ga je pisao neki nadrkani gimnazijalac ubeđen da je mnogo pametniji nego što jeste – nešto kao BROTHERS BLOOM LITE, samo ne baš toliko napadno nadrkano otkačeno (ali blizu), i sa nešto mlađim te stoga šarmantnijim protagonistima nego li BLOOM matorci. podseća na BRICK (bolji film od ovoga, ili barem manje ljigav), ali ipak odavno nisam video film koji je istovremeno simpatičan i oduran kao ovaj. na BLUMOVE podseća po usiljenim i nimalo zabavnim pokušajima da bude zabavan, a na BRICK po svemu ostalom, sem po duhu i egzekuciji. s tim što ja ni BRICK nisam voleo, mada ga malo više poštujem od ovoga.

MOON

duncan jones

USA, '09

**

2

šteta što ove divne makete i viz. efekte nisu potrošili na rimejk MOON 13 ili tako nečega.ovo je toliko nesnosno dosadno i šuplje da blago podseća na artsy-indie smaračina a la NOTHING, s tim što je MOON gori i od NOTHING.iako je rađen po originalnom scenariju, MOON neodoljivo izgleda kao nešto bazirano na nekoj vrlo kratkoj priči koja je na silu i bez ikakve potrebe razvučena na sat i po. pritom, sve svoje poente i štihove otkrije u prvoj polovini, a onda se, sporo i predvidivo, rasteže ka sve nezanimljivijem kraju.

THE COUNTESS

julie delpy

USA, '09

**(*)

2+

šta sam imao reći o ovom osrednjem bio-picu o elizabeti batori, stisnuo sam u 2000 slova i već kazao ovde:

CHAW

Jeong-won Shin

KOR, 09

**(*)

3-

još jedna korejska papazjanija koja je čas komedija (infantilna i glupa), čas drama (površna i patetična), čas monster movie (sa neubedljivim CGI veprom), čas pajkanski procedural (dosada nevešto razblažena debilnim slepstikom), ali od svega toga ima premalo i nekoherentno je smućkano u jednu proizvoljnu, neubedljivu i neupečatljivu celinu u kojoj, naprosto, nema dovoljno duha. ne očekujte THE HOST sa divljom svinjom ovde! čak i nedavno ovde na blogu prikazani PIGHUNT ima više duha, krvi, akcije i originalnosti od ovog prerazvučenog bućkuriša koji bi svakako bio pitkiji da je kraći za bar 20ak minuta (traje oko 2 sata!). krvi ima razočaravajuće premalo, CGI nije dovoljno upotrebljen za adrenalinsko pumpanje scena jurnjave sa svinjom (ono što se bi jeftini PIGHUNT nije mogao priuštiti). ko bi reko da onaj idiotski RAZORBACK i dalje ostaje najbolji (ili bar, komparativno, najmanje loš) film sa pomahnitalom divljom svinjom?!

HOLLOW MAN (2000)

HOLLOW MAN

iliti, u srpskim bioskopima, ČOVEK BEZ SENKE

ovo je text objavljen u listu PRESSING br. 35. decembar 2000, str. 37.

Pozicija stranca u Holivudu navela je genijalnog gastarbajtera, Holanđanina Pola Verhovena da se prevashodno posveti tematici koja nije ukorenjena u realizmu pojavnih oblika njemu strane kulture, pa tako u američkom delu njegovog opusa preovlađuju SF filmovi (ROBOCOP, TOTAL RECALL, STARSHIP TROOPERS). Fantastička vizura omogućila mu je da apstrahuje "realističnost" i posveti se istraživanju onoga što leži ispod površinske slike Amerike (bezdušne multi-korporacije, obezljuđena tehnologija, konzumerizam, virtuelna realnost, militarizam i fašistoidni totalitarizam), što njegove SF filmove čini efektnim i britkim satirama. S druge strane, njegova pripovedačka veština i vizuelna imaginacija pružili su uzbudljivost i spektakularnost prijemčive i za najšire mase u gotovo unikatnom spoju komercijalnog i umetničkog, žanrovskog i autorskog.

ČOVEK BEZ SENKE četvrti je Verhovenov SF film, oplemenjen uobičajenom dozom erotizma, akcije, napetosti, humora i brutalnosti, što je sve filovano nešto većom dozom horora. On je, istina, još u rodnoj Holandiji koketirao sa ovim žanrom (u horor-trileru ČETVRTI ČOVEK, 1984); a elementi horora prisutni su i u većini njegovih američkih filmova (frankenštajnovski motiv u ROBOCOPU, mutanti u TOTAL RECALLU, krvoločne svemirske bube u TROOPERSIMA, horor-triler tenzija u BASIC INSTINCTU – plus obilje krvavih scena i body-horror transformacija u svim ovim filmovima). Ipak, po načinu na koji su horor motivi neraskidivo utkani u SF-tkivo filma, ČOVEK BEZ SENKE je bliži naslovima – poput FRANKENŠTAJNA, OSMOG PUTNIKA i MUVE – koje s podjednakim pravom možemo svrstati u horor ili SF.

Baš kao i u pomenutoj MUVI Dejvida Kronenberga (autora Verhovenu bliskih nazora), u centru pažnje je faustovska figura naučnika koji svojim fantastičnim otkrićem zadire u božanske ingerencije, i pod čijim uticajem prelazi granice ljudskog. Brojne se paralele mogu povući sa MUVOM: experimenti sa majmunima, ljubavni trougao protkan ljubomorom, opčinjenost novim moćima sve do snova o natčoveku, transformacija koja nagriza um (i ljudskost) protagoniste, sukob sa voljenom osobom i završnica u kojoj uravo ona, žena, uništava transgresora. Na žalost, Verhoven - za razliku od Kronenberga - ne piše svoje filmove, a scenario Endrjua Marloua (END OF DAYS) je i glavni krivac što paralele s MUVOM nisu jos dublje i ozbiljnije, tj. što je ovaj film ostao bez prepoznatljive verhovenovske satirične oštrice i uopšte žestokog udara.

Dok nam Kronenberg daje zaokružene, žive i ubedljive likove čije motive razumemo čak i kad se s njima ne slažemo -likove koje volimo i za koje nam je stalo -Endrju Marlou u tome ne uspeva u potpunosti. Istina, Elizabet Šu igra jednu od onih žena kakve valjda postoje samo na filmu (em lepa, em pametna, pa još i energična, odvažna i snalažljiva) i njoj se nema šta zameriti: ono gde ova priča pada jeste lik dr Sebastijana Kejna (K. Bejkon). Isprva simpatičan u svojoj faustovskoj samouverenosti, on se vrlo brzo (i neubedljivo) od genijalnog naučnika preko banalnog voajera srozava na nevidljivog Fredija Krugera. Paralelno s njim se trivijalizuje i sav (bogati) idejni potencijal ove priče, do nivoa pubertetlijskih maštarija (što Verhovenu pruža priliku za nekoliko lascivnih voajerskih scena), a sva "idejnost" se svodi na eksplicitne reference u dijalogu na preuzimanjc božanskih moći, i na naravoučenije: prosečni žive duže (i odlaze kući sa ženskom).

Marlou nije sposoban da razume svog protagonistu, i zato ga svodi na klišetiziranog zlikovca iz jeftinih horora.Tragičan kraj naučnika u MUVI u gledaocu izaziva gorčinu pred jednom ljudskom tragedijom i pred nemogućnošću transcendencije smrtničkih, previše ljudskih ograničenja. Sasvim drugu vrstu gorčine izaziva lakoća sa kojom scenarista ČOVEKA BEZ SENKE bukvalno odbacuje svoj lik na kraju, i šutira ga u plamenove pakla. Đina Dejvis na kraju MUVE plače na kolenima, pošto nije bilo druge do da ubije (ostatke) svog voljenog: Elizabet Šu svog dragana baca u vatru sa stripovskim "Idi u pakao!" i na tome je izlišno dalje se zadržavati.

Na pozitivnoj strani ističu se pre svega odlična i dinamična Verhovenova režija koja izvlači maksimum iz te i takve priče, ipak sa samo nekoliko zaista nadahnutih rešenja koja nas podsećaju da ne gledamo film Renija Harlina ili nekog sličnog kompetentnog egzekutora. Specijalni efekti su zaista fenomenalni - štaviše, revolucionarni - i nude nekoliko nezaboravnih prizora. Izgled dr Kejna sa maskom i naočarima priziva pojavu NEVIDLJIVOG ČOVEKA iz klasične verzije Džejmsa Vejla - na žalost, još jednog dela toliko iznad nivoa ČOVEKA BEZ SENKE. Umesto za SF-horor-DRAMU, Marlou - a s njim i Verhoven - opredelio se za polu-svareni, nedomišljeni i polutanski SF-horor-SLASHER, i time je definitivno pokopao sve ambicije za nešto više od jednog solidnog bioskopskog filma.

MY BIG AMERICAN ADVENTURE (12): SUMMA SUMMARUM

Ovo što sledi je interview koji su sa mnom uradili moje studentkinje, Natalija i Milena – dakle, mlade anglističarke-u-nastajanju, a za nekakav 'projekat' na Filozofskom fakultetu.

Intervju je rađen na engleskom, pa ga u tom obliku i kačim.

Kao ilustracije evo nekih novih (na blogu), do sada nekorišćenih fotki iz nekih mesta netaknutih mojim izveštajima. Ne mislite valjda da sam u onim 'reportima' pokrio baš svako mesto i svaki događaj tokom 12 meseci u USA?

Konkretno, videćete kroz text fotke:

-iz Japanske bašte u San Francisku

-'25 miles drive', zvanično najlepši deo obale u Americi, na putu ka Carmelu (južno od San Franciska)

-snimci sa proslave Božića (tačnije, kićenja jelke, par dana pre Božića – pošto sam baš tog dana već bio u Severnoj Karolini) kod mog dragog domaćina Eda, koga, eto, sticajem okolnosti, i ne pomenuh u ovim reportima…

A sad, intervju o mom boravku u USA:

First things first: were you sick on the plane?

No.

Really?

I was warned by a certain professor who will not be named here that on my first flight I should have some pills, try to be composed and meditate, and not look through the window or I would start to panic... But none of that happened; I actually enjoyed flying very much. I'm not trying to present myself as some kind of hero - it just felt so natural to be above the clouds that I sat as close to the window as possible whenever I could.

Describe the first impression of America.

Actually the first impression was not so pleasant, because when we arrived there was a storm over Chicago, where we were supposed to land. So, we had to land in Indianapolis, and because of all the technicalities we had to stay on the plane for hours until the storm finished. When we finally arrived in Chicago, we missed the plane we were supposed to catch there, and had to wait for the next flight... So, the beginning was really hard, but not by any means ominous and auspicious.

Give us some details about your stay.

The program that took me there in 2003 is called JFDP - Junior Faculty Development Program - so, obviously, it's a program for junior faculty members. It lasted two semesters, although now it is shortened to one semester because now America has some expensive wars to finance. The point is to have young faculty members experience a different way of education in what is supposed to be a more developed system, through the courses similar to those they have at home, and through getting to know people of different cultures. So, the aim is to improve yourself as a teacher, to come back improved and improve others.

I was at Berkeley, one of America's most famous universities, which is in California, right across the bay from San Francisco. It's the most beautiful place in the world, and the only one apart from Nishka Banja where I could imagine myself living.

The first thing I did upon arrival was to cross out all courses that began before 10 or 11 a.m. Out of the remaining ones I picked those closest to my interests, and to what I teach here or what I would like to teach.

Which were?

Which were related to short story, gothic fiction, film... I attended a course on film noir by Carol J. Clover, and all those classes were very interesting and pleasant and inspiring. My position was that of a visiting scholar, it was not a grade program - I did not get a diploma for that. I was just supposed to sit in the back, observe, take notes, upgrade my knowledge, become a better person, understand things better...

Does that mean you had no obligations?

I had the obligation to attend the courses, and I had coordinators from the program in Washington who took care of the financial aspect and other technicalities about my stay in the USA, and immediate coordinators in Berkeley whom I could address if I had any academic needs in Berkeley.

What was your strongest impression from the courses?

Believe it or not, students came prepared to classes, with books read and thought about, with movies seen and thought about, ready to discuss and participate, so those courses were much more interesting than those in which students are not ready or able to discuss the works (as the case usually is in Serbia).

How different are university classes at Berkeley from those we have here?

There are many differences. For example, many students who were not from the English department but from other departments, attended courses in literature and other courses not closely related to their studies in order to get the grades and points. There is also a much greater variety of choices. Here you barely manage to discuss the classics, and there you have courses on things like film noir or American short story, SF, gothic and many other specific subjects. That way, they can get a bigger picture from learning about smaller things, which is quite the opposite from what we do here.

Which aspects of the American way of teaching and organizing courses do you find applicable here?

First of all, since I am not a teacher but only a teaching assistant, I'm not in the position to organize the courses. But apart from that, there are some aspects, above all technical aspects, which might make my work richer or more student-oriented or student-involved. For example, one of the main reasons why students come to my office hours is to ask about the curriculum and the exams, instead of those information being available on the internet. For example, there were closed internet forums for particular courses where students could discuss issues related to those courses outside of classes, which I liked a lot.

Tell us something about the American students how similar to or different from us are they?

Could you be more specific?

Could you? For example, tell us about their lifestyle.

I noticed that, while many students here come to classes dressed up and made up as if they were going to a party or an opera, in America they are much more laid back and relaxed. I mean, it's California, so they come to classes wearing slippers and bermudas, dressed lightly...but when I say 'dressed lightly' I don't mean dressed like hookers, which is likelier to be encountered here. I just mean more relaxed than here. For example, they sit on floors, since the floors are so clean there that you can freely sit on them, which I never encountered here, nor would I dare to sit on the floor at our faculty.

How much do you think the Americans fit (or do not fit) into the stereotypical image that the Europeans have of them?

I don't really deal with stereotypes, so I couldn’t possibly give a simple answer to this. Well...they tend to be a bit on the fat side, but so do we and yet nobody talks about stereotypical fat Serbs. I think it's just a matter of envy - we envy their fat and their money, we would like to be rich enough to fatten up just like them, and that's why we invent such stereotypes.

However, Berkeley is not a typical place in America. As you probably know, San Francisco is the place where the hippies and the beatniks were born, so their attitudes are not as republican and strict and conservative as in the bulk of America. Their open-minded and curious spirit is something I found very pleasant.

Of course, the experience would've probably been completely different if I were supposed to work there and earn my living. But, I lived there as a guest, protected by the money I recieved from the program, so that's the impression I got from that position.

Who was the most ineresting person you met in America?

The most interesting person I met was Stephanie Manning, a poetess who was my host. I stayed in several host families, but she is just the kind of crazy person that I am, so we clicked from the start even though technically she could be my mother. She's young in spirit, so she took me to all kinds of interesting places, and I addicted her to horror... She also took me on a trip to Mississippi, we went to New Orleans before the flood, visited the Voodoo Museum, the Water World... I got to see the lighthouse where The Fog was filmed, and also to the place where Hitchcock's Birds take place.

Tell us an anecdote.

While we were at the San Francisco Film Festival, Stephanie introduced me to a friend of hers who is a local poet. Actually, in San Francisco everybody is either a poet, or gay, or both, or a hippie, or a junkie, and they all smoke a lot of grass, and have a lot of lovers, and do all kinds of crazy things... So, upon learning that I was from Serbia, this guy asked me: 'Do you know the film Davitelj protiv davitelja?' And he actually even pronounced it in Serbian, which was such a pleasant shock to me I was left speechless! What’s even more curious about it is the fact that he had no friends or relatives from Serbia to recommend that film to him, he had simply seen it many years before at a film festival, and liked it very much. It shows how good art crosses all borders and always finds its way to people.

So would you go back if you had a chance?

Right now? Yes.

Without packing?

Well, I don't have enough money in my pockets right now, but tonight...yes.

What was the last memorable image you saw at departure?

My 3 or 4 days I spent in Providence, the birthplace of my favourite author H.P. Lovecraft. I saw the graveyard where he was buried, and stayed with a member of the Lovecraft in Providence Society who took me to all kinds of interesting places there which were important for Lovecraft and his work. We also went to Salem. Those sights are what I like to cherish as most memorable things.

Describe your experience in America in 5 nouns and 5 adjectives.

Graveyards, Berkeley, the campus - the buildings, surroundings, architecture - everything makes you want to study there, Voodoo Museum and beans- actually a sort of bean soup made of about 15 different kinds of beans we had in Missippi, one of the tastiest meals I ever had.

And the adjectives would be: beautiful, relaxed, complex, enviable, eagerly anticipated.

Now, to give the readers a hint of what we'll be doing in the next issue, we have just a few more questions. Do you enjoy being a teacher?

Yes, I enjoy it. Isn't it obvious?

And what do you think about your students?

They are a mixed bag. There are different kinds of them, and for some I am not sure how they even managed to get to the third year. So, there are always surprises and not all of them are bad. You always have 10 percent of really good students who deserve to be here, 40 percent of those who might be here and are trying to do their work - I mean they are not lazy- and you have around 50 percent of those for whom I don't know how they ended up here at all- they are a mystery to me.

And finally, what was it like to be on the other side- to be questioned by your inquisitive students?

Well... as a media personality, I am quite used to giving interviews, so it was nothing special or strange for me. And I don't really make that strong distinction between the students and the professors, since I myself was a student quite recently.

Thank you for the interview.