Re: RARA-AVIS: Unfilmed but should be

From: Kerry Schooley ( gsp.schoo@skylinc.net)
Date: 12 Feb 2004


At 01:56 PM 11/02/2004 -0800, you wrote:

>Laying aside the opposition some may have to the notion of adapting stories
>to the screen, I would like to know what stories or novels of years past
>members of this group think should have been filmed or would make good
>movies now. In particular I'm thinking of more obscure properties that
>might likely be available for option rather than the latest John Grisham
>(not that anyone here would suggest Grisham!)

You may as well have one from way the hell out in left field. "1978" by Daniel Jones, what might be called Punk Noir. Story of a university student's descent into the punk life of "rebellion, clashing egos, drugs, booze, violence, teenage sex and Teenage Head" as it blurbs on the back cover. Nihilistic and madly funny. Petty crime as an addled life-style. And a murder too. Highly visual with great dialogue. Strong evocation of location (Toronto) with many of the streets familiar from Atwood's "Edible Woman", but a sub-cultural context in common with many large North American cities. Most of these punks are adults now and wondering how they got there.

Published posthumously in 1998 (the author committed suicide on Valentines Eve 1994) by Rush Hour Revisions, but I don't think the book was widely distributed. Jones arrived in Toronto in 1977 and took to reciting his poetry naked from the stages of downtown beer halls. Later he renounced all his poetry and took up prose. His name still evokes loathing or admiration among the city's literati, seldom anything in between.

It's about 120 pages- a novella. Read it in one sitting with a case of two-four. I can probably scarf you a copy if I haven't scared you off.

Best Kerry

------------------------------------------------------ Literary events Calendar (South Ont.) http://www.lit-electric.com The evil men do lives after them http://www.murderoutthere.com
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