New blog

One of my friends has finally relented and decided to join the the international family of bloggers. He's a well-read and well-informed chap and I'm looking forward to reading his new blog, the Silvereel, which has begun with a list of Desert Island Books (an interesting and varied mix). He also warns that the list is likely to change at no notice.

That's the problem with making these sorts of lists - I had a bugger of a time trying to come up with my top ten graphic novels for the recommends section on the new FPI site and most folk who contributed had similar problems. And as you look at other folks' selection or entries on the site you realise your top ten needs to actually have about 40 books minimum... I have the same problem with prose novels and movies. I do have a top ten of movies, but it changes from time to time and other than the number 1 spot I can't actually place the others in any special order,but here we go anyway:

Seven Samurai
LA Confidential
Dark City
Grosse Point blank
Casablanca
Amelie
Citizen Kane
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Memento

and my all-time favourite, John Paul Rappenau's Cyrano de Bergerac.

Bubbling under are too many other films I'd like to be in the list too - ten just isn't enough! Buster Keaton's Steamboat Bill Jnr would need to be in there, so would Miyazaki's Spirited Away, Heathers, Brazil, Disney's version of Alice in Wonderland, Delicatessen, Donnie Darko... Oh, you see what I mean about trying to narrow down the list?

I guess we can expand it by doing top ten genre lists (this post is becoming like High Fidelity now, isn't it?). I could do top comedy films in which case Blazing Saddles has to be at the top (I love Mel Brooks) as would Young Frankenstein. Animal House has to be in that list, along with Monty Python's Life of Brian and Holy Grail and short reel classics like Harold Lloyd, Tom and Jerry, Bugs Bunny and, of course, Laurel and Hardy.

But I see my girls are hinting heavily that its time to get the ball of wool out and entertain them so I'll cease from any further lists for the evening - anyone else want a go? General top ten or by genre.