Aw, c'mon, he had one good book in him. (he just wrote it eight times, but hey...) I feel like a bad feminist for that, but I sort of admire JE's style. Uh, not his personal conduct or ability to...transcend personal demons,or anything, mind you. Maybe I just like him cause he makes me look like Shiny Happy Optimist. Anyone that makes me feel healthy is worth a second look.
Police procedure has changed since I was little.
Wash ,'The Message'
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erikaj - Mar 02, 2007 8:36:35 am PST #7686 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
DavidS - Mar 02, 2007 8:49:33 am PST #7687 of 10001
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
I don't mind Ellroy's persona. I've seen a couple documentaries and he's not averse to describing his days as a teenage house-breaking panty sniffer. He thinks of himself as a debased jerkoff and the only thing that's irritating is that he extends that view to humanity. Still, that's where most cops wind up after a certain amount of time on the job.
Is he self-important? Sure. Does he try to skeeve people out? Absolutely. But he's got a very strong POV and he's done his research. He better evokes the 50s and 40s in LA than any other contemporary writer. That's his little field to plow.
Nutty - Mar 02, 2007 8:58:29 am PST #7688 of 10001
"Mister Spock is on his fanny, sir. Reports heavy damage."
Even when you are describing debasement, it is still possible to fall so in love with your material that you're not actually exploring your material at all, just masturbating with it. Which I generally thank people to do in private.
I can think of works that are worthwhile despite being author-wanks (or auteur-wanks), but I can't think of any that are worthwhile because of their wankiness.
Tom Scola - Mar 02, 2007 9:07:09 am PST #7689 of 10001
Remember that the frontier of the Rebellion is everywhere. And even the smallest act of insurrection pushes our lines forward.
I can think of works that are worthwhile despite being author-wanks (or auteur-wanks), but I can't think of any that are worthwhile because of their wankiness.
Russ Meyer?
erikaj - Mar 02, 2007 9:07:45 am PST #7690 of 10001
Always Anti-fascist!
David Simon does that kind of thing and still keeps his sense of humor, for Christ's sake.(Although not usually kicking it retro style...although there was one H:LOTS like that "Finnegan's Wake", that was one of Season 6's rare bright spots.) And DS is totally not like Ellroy in that he likes strong women and says he writes "men with tits".
Matt the Bruins fan - Mar 02, 2007 9:17:02 am PST #7691 of 10001
"I remember when they eventually introduced that drug kingpin who murdered people and smuggled drugs inside snakes and I was like 'Finally. A normal person.'” —RahvinDragand
I can think of works that are worthwhile despite being author-wanks (or auteur-wanks), but I can't think of any that are worthwhile because of their wankiness
Ken Russell strikes me as fitting that description.
Hayden - Mar 02, 2007 9:49:41 am PST #7692 of 10001
aka "The artist formerly known as Corwood Industries."
Psst! Corwood, you forgot the irrelevant swear words and racial insensitivity
-Asstits! Mugwumps! Penis!, he thought. Then he realized that he could blame this on the Jews and Negroes. -Time to sniff some panties, he thought. -White men love panties.
Frankenbuddha - Mar 02, 2007 10:10:05 am PST #7693 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"
-Asstits! Mugwumps! Penis!, he thought. Then he realized that he could blame this on the Jews and Negroes. -Time to sniff some panties, he thought. -White men love panties.
James Ellroy characters read William Burroughs? Huh.
Jesse - Mar 02, 2007 10:14:23 am PST #7694 of 10001
Sometimes I trip on how happy we could be.
I saw that. "Murder by the Book", I think, on CourtTV. Not only was Ellroy's references to his mom Skeevy As Skeevy Can Be, but he sorta came across as a pompous jerkoff.
Yes, exactly. It's fine when I can get his actual voice out of my head, but sometimes you can't.
Aims - Mar 02, 2007 10:26:34 am PST #7695 of 10001
Shit's all sorts of different now.