17 June 2009

Singles

Watched Singles for the first time in years the other day. I was looking to submerse myself in warm and melancholy waves of nostalgia as well as determine how the 1992 grunge opus held up to the test of time. If you were 'alternative' in 1992 Singles was the movie. If you were also 14 it was your life. Yes the soundtrack was one of the first CDs I purchased, yes I hung the poster on my wall and more importantly when I started college 4 years later I bonded with my college roommate about the fact that she too had had the same poster on her wall.
Cameron Crowe's script does seem kind of clunky in retrospect, a sort of strung together collection of bon mots and quirky observations. (Be warned they talk to the camera). In contrast to Reality Bites, a movie which many of my peers acknowledge a shifting relationship to, seeing it first as teens, again as contemporaries of the characters and yet again as we approached our late twenties and noticing shamefully the way in which our identification shifts as years pass closer and closer to that of Ben Stiller's yuppie opportunist trying to do right by commodifying youth alienation; the basic premise of Singles that relationships are complicated, that no one has it all figured out rings just as true. (tag line: Love is a game. Easy to start. Hard to finish. ) We are still looking for someone who says "Bless you" when we sneeze, who enjoys the same records, appreciates the earrings we love that everyone else hates, though maybe not a combination of Mel Gibson and Holden Caulfield.
But on to more important things like the fashion and of course Pearl Jam.

I've been obsessed with Citizen Dick T-shirts for years. (And all fiction band T's, check out this buzzfeed trend I wrote a while back) You used to be able to buy these mail order from ads in Rolling Stone and Spin. Now you can get them on ebay.
"I wish it was as simple as this postcard."
I love the BFF character. WE WILL ALWAYS GO DANCING.
boob job?
Eric Stolz as the loudmouth mime: "Let me tell you about love. Love disappears, baby! Every time I've been broke, the babe's been off like a prom dress."A. You have an act
B. Not having an act is your act.Citizen Dick band meeting
This negativity just makes me stronger, we will not retreat, this band is unstoppable!oh eddie: A compliment for us, is a compliment for you. Are my breasts too small for you?
Sometimes.That's a very nice hat you're wearing... and I don't mean that in an Eddie Haskell kind of way.
FASHION
Betsey Johnson Daisies plus green bow!According to wikipedia much of Matt Dillon's wardrobe was borrowed from Pearl Jam's Jeff AmentBiker jacket, tie-dye and Guatemalan friendship pants. yes! yes! yes!
AND ALSO
Jeremy Piven pre-hair plugs. Seriously this guy is in every movie check his imdb.
Paul Giametti cameo

2 comments:

kadler said...

I don't know if I've ever seen this movie, but upon your recommendation I just rented it on iTunes. Can't wait!

me melodia said...

I was 11 possibly 12 when this came out and I thought it was so cool and that my life would eventually get there. It hasn't.
I need to revisit this movie. I'm totally digging your 90s flashbacks. This post gave me palpitations.