-Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski Black Sparrow Press, 1991 380 pages by Andrew Robulack When one takes on Charles Bukowski one takes on one heck of a sour old man with one heck of a huge chip on his shoulder. Drunkard, race track enthusiast, writer (by attitude as well as trade), cynic, prophet-wanna-be: Bukowski is all of these things. At the heart of it all; however, is the standard human being that he truly is. Anyone who has seen the film Barfly, which Bukowski scripted, has witnessed the essence of this author’s subject matter. And as one moves through pretty much any of Bukowski’s books (poetry or prose) one is forced to deal with a relentless onslaught of violent drunken abandon and wanton gambling spirit. If Bukowski isn’t pitting one of his male characters against a wife or girlfriend (usually of the big-breasted variety) then he has positioned himself (a la pseudonym) in confrontation with one of his admirers. The latter, of course, offers the writer a forum to unabashedly display his own form of pomp while at the same time insulting his readership: lost another reader. | lose 2 or 3 each week, fine. let ‘em go back to Kafka. (from “/ like your books’’) Anyone who can get away with being an asshole as part ’ of their creative process you've got to admire. I could dismiss Septuagenarian Stew, Bukowski’s latest, as just another collection of the bum’s crazy rantings and half-assed complaints. Butthis collection of short stories and poems (100 all totalled) has particular “charm”. The works are collected into groups of Bukowski’s regular subject matter, and then these groups are presented in aroughly chronological order in terms of age. The tales in Septuagenarian Stew explore what the seventy year old Bukowski considers the attitudes and chapters which have made up his life so far. We are exposed to the time he nearly hanged a kid to death when he was young; we discover that he wasa sick bum-drunk for years; we learn that he lives with a constant fear of being a failure at the only thing he knows how to do (besides drinking): writing. The focus of the stories and poems as a whole is not their characters nor even their plots. Rather, Bukowski has placed the em- phasis of his tales onto the general ideas of age and time. He explores attitudes that he has held at different points inhis life by characterizing them into fictional personali- lies. Planet of the Arts Volume 7 Bukowski also assures us that, for all of his pride and vigour, he is as afraid of his own mortality as anyone else. Regard the final three poems in Septuagenarian Stew : “tired in the afterdusk”, “swift and slow”, and “Luck” (they are not as poignant as bp nichol’s deathbed poems, but moving all the same, as only Charles Bukowski can be). The only time that Bukowski fails in Septuagenarian Stew is when he attempts to present his wisdoms in ambiguous or profound terms. Poems like “we musi”, “talk”, and “stupid pain” fall down before they're even given a chance to stand up, they’re so flaky. Bukowski constantly faces his reader with what might be termed ‘inherent truisms’. More often than not he is very revealing and touching, though not always in a positive or aconstructive fashion. At times | had to resist the urge to throw the book across the room I was so inflamed by the old fart’s narrow-mindedness. Such is the absolute value of Bukowski and his writing: they are moving and effectual. It is rare that a book, especially containing contemporary poetry, can move a reader to something other than tears or compassion (and still deserve literary credit): to expose your ass on paper terrifies some and it should: the more you put down the more you leave yourself open to those who label themselves “critics.” (from “the Rape of the Holy Mother’) Charles Bukowski is one of the great literary figures of the latter half of this century but,.as great a writer | believe him to be, if we met I would not shake his hand. Rather, I would probably spit in his face—that would be much more satisfying for both he and I. _& Issue 6 page 12 -63:Dream Palace, Selected Stories 1956-1987 James Purdy Black Sparrow Press, 1991 356 pages; by Andrew Robulack James Purdy belongs to that old school of writing which recently came to a close. He one of those writers who firmly believe(d) that true writing springs from the journalistic format, the old, true journalism of lore, not the modern sensationalism that we have today. Just read them, know their careers: Ernest Hemingway, Robertson Davies, Morley Callaghan, John Steinbeck, to name hardly a few. They were of the belief that bare bones could describe all, that. the facilities for judgement ex- isted in the reader. oe That old literary style was essentially destroyed with the advent of such ‘news’ formats as 60. Minutes, the Fifth Estate, A Current Affair, et.al: Presently we are'in the thick of the ‘ideological’ movement, when we com- monly encounter such writers that carry large chips on their shoulders.’ But, James Purdy..-unless you grew up enjoying that older generation you will find Purdy remarkably dry. Unlike Hemingway, who provided at least a degree of pomposity in his plots, Purdy relays such simplicity that he often becomes boring. There is a sense of the failed dramatist in his writing with much rich dialogue and little eventful content. Purdy’s stories lack activity, rather depending on ex- plicit portrayal of human character. At times his trite plots do resonate with a subtle, unexpected twist. More often than not, however, that twist is formed by the banal act of a glass being filled with strange juice. The writer’s short stories become just lengths of dialogue describing events outside of the frame of the narrative, like gossip. The best of them strike with engrossingly subtle ironies; the worst of them put a reader to sleep. In “Color of Darkness”, Purdy weaves a pattern of symbolic happenstance . The story ’s quiet beauty lays in the irresolution of its moralist overtones and the almost complete lack of communication of message. Stories like this read as an Ad Reinhardt black painting looks: the reader must involve itself to gain any comprehension of the subject matter. This collection’s title story “63: Dream Palace” (Purdy’s first published work, from 1956) is a brilliantly intuitive cacophony of fear, tragedy and respect. inail of his stories Purdy utilises the omniscient point of view (another reason for theirresemblanceto dramatic scripts); itis inthis story that itachieves the best effect. As readers we hop from protagonist to antagonist and back again and this endows the characters with a rich and very human ambiguity. Meanwhile, stories like “A Good Woman” or “The Lesson” are completely lacking in subject material. It seems that in his stories about women Purdy loses touch. Theres seems to bea point to “A Good Women” and “The Lesson” and others like them, however Purdy is just being 100 coy to let us know just. what. it is. These vignettes, as they stand, are ultimately uninteresting and doomedto fail because they are too real and, ineffect, too expected. Much of the material in 63: Dream Palace, Collected Stories 1956-1987 would be better suited to the stage where a group of actors might take it and really celebrate it. Instead it is left abandoned here in short fiction form without cause or justification.. -Until The End Of The World a film by Wim Wenders by Mohammad H. Salemy In a way I wish Wim Wenders hadn’t told-us that Until The End Of The World. was the result of a 12 year- old project. After previewing the excellent soundtrack with a line up of a dozen great bands and musicians, | entered the theater with an expectation to see at least the best film of the year. But unfortunately the movie failed to deliver what the promotions, including the soundtrack were promising. For a person like me who is concerned with the big reality (which is the collection of all peoples’ experi- ences in life) the story seemedtoo impossible. It wasn’t surreal enough to be taken as a dream and it wasn’t close enough to the depiction of the future to be considered a science fiction movie. What I’m pointing out here is not the invention of "memory-grapher”, but the odd inci- dents and coincidences that let such a bizarre story happen. Even the strange love between Clair and the Male Hero seemed too weird for the future, when even in the present time any quick love affair takes longer to initiate than the orgasm itself. To me the film seemed like a story written from the end to the beginning, because in order to have the end results some of the events had to have happened earlier. Both the bank robbery and the strange car accident on the road seemed like afterthoughts and not part of the natural story. Besides all the weak points in the story, the relation- ship between both the man and the woman and the white and native, for some unknown reasons had to follow the conventional Hollywood stereotypes; a Beautiful Woman whose actions are only reactions to the Hero’s decision, a woman who is still bearer of the “look” in contrast to a man who is brutal and puts his own personal goals and duties over everything. He leaves his lover in bed immediately after making love and handcuffs her to the greedy detective, whom she does not know. The whole plot is based on the old formula of introduc- tion- the story, climate, conclusion. Thenarrators’ voices destroys what is left of an average story. The dynamics, like any other American movie are: the money that is stolen from the bank, the future of the hero’s mother, the hero’s fear of being captured by government agents and the possible end of the world. In his interview with the Village View Wim Wenders said that the idea for the film is based on the domination of images and the faculty of vision over other human abilities, and how people con- front and react to this issue, but he forgot that by putting the “memory-grapher” and the blindness of the hero’s mother in the center of the story he himself falls victim to the domination of the images. The death of the mother seemed to confirm the idea of “to live is to see” because iit isn’t very much longer after she is finally able to see the images that she mysteriously dies. My impression was that she had finally overcome -Septuagenarian Stew by Charles Bukowski Black Sparrow Press, 1991 380 pages by Andrew Robulack ‘When oe aks on Chatles Bukowski on tkes on one heck ofa our old man wth oe eck of huge chip on his shoulder, Drunkard, ace wack enhusias, writer (oy atid a ell a wade), oye, prophet-wamae: Bukowski is all ofthese things. A he heart of tal however, isthe dard human eng tat uli Anyone wi assent il af, which Bukowski sciped, has winesed the esence ofthis aubo's subject mtr And as one moves tough ety much any of Bukowski’ sboks (poetry orprose) ones forced 1 deal wit a relenlessoniaugt of violent drunken abandon and wanton gambling spit I Bukowski piting one of his male characte agains. a wife or siliend (sual ofthe big-beased vari) then he tasposoned mse (lapseodony)in confrontation with one ofhisadmires. Theater, of eourseffrs the wit frum to unabashedly display his own fom of pomp while tthe same time insulting hs readership: lost anther reader. Hose 2or3 each fine let‘em go back1o Kofta (Go “ite your Books”) Anyone who can getaway withing anasshle asp of tee creatv process you've go 1 adi. 1 could dismiss Septagerrian Sew, Bukowsi's lates, as just another collection ofthe bun's crazy ratings andhalf-assed complains Buthsenllecionof short tories and poems (10 al ole) has paicular “charm”. The works are collected into groups of Bukowski sreglarsubjectmater andthen hee goups ane presented ina roughly chronological order intermso age. The tales in Sepuagenarian Stew explore what the seventy year old Bukowski considers tae and capers which have made up hse so a ‘We ar epost oe time he neatly hanged aki to ath whente was young; we discover that he wasa sick tumdrnk for years; we leam that he lives with 2 consat fear of being afailuratte ol hinge koows tow odo (sites inking: writing, The focus ofthe Stories and poems as a woe is otter characters nor even theca. Rather, Bukowski as placed the em phasis of his tales omo the geneaideaf age and time. He explores aude that he has eld at different points inhslifebycaraerizing them no iiona personal tis Planet of the Arts Volune 7 Bukowsi ao asues stat, forall ois ride and ‘igo eisasafdofhisomnmonttyasanyonels Regard the final three poems in Septuagenarian Stew “ted inh afer’, wi and show” and Lack” (they are not as poignant as bp nichol’s deathbed poems, tur moving al he same, as oly Chars Bukowski an te). “he only meta Bukowski fain Sepuagenarin Stow i hen be ates to reset hs wisdom in ambiguous or pound tems Poems lik “we mus. "alkandsupid pan” fall down bore they're een sivena chance to standup they 0. Bukowski constanl faces reader th what igh be tamed inbret usms’, Mor oe tan notes ‘ery revealing and touching, though nx alays ina postive ora consti ashin. rime had ore the urge otro the Bok ars the oom | was 50 inflamed bythe od fr'smasrow-mindaes. Such i theabole vale of Bukowski and his wriinghey ae moving and effec. is rare that a book, expecially enuining contemporary pry, can move a ade 10 Somahng oth than ics or compassion (and sill deserve lira cei) to expose you ass on paper terrifies some and lushould: the more you put down the more youleave yourself (trom “the Rape ofthe Holy Mother”) ‘Ghares Bukowski is one of the great literary Figures ‘ofthe lauer half ofthis century bu, as peat a writer 1 believe him o be, if we met | would not shake his hand Rather, woud probably spitinhisface—that wouldbe mache saing rbot and. es, Issue 6 page 12 -63:Dream Palace, Selected Stories 1956-1987 Janes Purdy Black Sparrow Press, 1991 356 pages; by Andrew Robulack James Purdy Belongs to that oldschool of writing hic recently came toa close. He one of those writers who fly believed) that iru wring spring rom the ural forma, theo, rue joualism of lore, no. themodem sensationalism that wehavetoday Just ead them, know heir caeers:Emest Hemingway, Roberson Davies, Morey Callaghan, John Steinbeck, io name hardly afew. They wer ofthe belief that barebones could desrie al, thatthe facilis for jodgementex- ised inthe ede. That old literary yl was eset deswoyed wth the advent of such ‘news formats as 60 Mints, the Frith Estate, A Cutest Affair ctal- Presently we aren thettick ofthe ideological? movement; when we co monly enconter uch writers tht cary large chips on thr shoulders. Bu, ames Purdy.nle’s you grew ot enjoying that olde generation you wil ind Purdy remarkably dy Unlike Hemingway, who provided a kas a degree of omposty ins plots, Purdy relays such simplicity that he often becomes boring, There is a sense ofthe failed ‘ramatistinbs writing witmachichdialoguandie vetful conten. Purdy’s stories lack activity, ater dependng on cx plicit porvayl of human character. AL times his trite lt do resonate wih sub, unexpected twist. More ethan ot, however, hat wists fomedby the banal acofagasteing filed wit range ice. Te wit’ short tories become just eg of logue describing events outside ofthe fame of the narrative, ike gosi. ‘Thebes of them trike withengrossingly sub ones, the worst of them puta rade to lep. In "Color of Darkness’, Purdy weaves a pattern of Symboichappenstance. The str’ s que beauty a in the isolation ofits morals overtones and the mos completlack of communication of message. tories ike this ead as an Ad Reinhard black panting looks: the readee must involve itself to gain any comprehension of subject mate. is callin’ tle sry “8: Dream Palace” (Pdf published work, from 19S) isailinly nitive cacophony of ear aged and respect. inal his stories Purdy uses the omniscient point of view (another reason {ortheitresemblanceto dramatist); itisinhssiory hatitachievesthe esteffet. Asteaders we hop from protagonist to antagonist and back again and this endows the characters witha rich and very human ambiguity Mani, sores ike “A Good Woman’ or “The Lesson’ are completely lacking in subject materi. I seems hatin stories abot women Prd loses ouch ‘Theresseemstobeapointio"A Good Women” and “The Lesson” and oltis like them, however Purdy is just being too coy 10 let us know just what it is. These vignetesathey stand, arulimately uninteresting and doomedtofailbecausetheyaretoorealandnelfed,o0 expected. Moch ofthe material in 63: Dream Palace, Cllected Stores 1956-1987 would be beter suited to the sage wera groupof actors might ake itand realy celebrate it Instead iis eft abandoned herein short ction form with ao jstifeation. 5, Until The End Of The World a film by Wim Wenders by Mohammad H. Salemy Ina vay Lwish Wim Wenders hain’ tld us that Unt The En Of The Word waste resltofaI2 yea old pojet. Afr reviewing he excelent soundrack wih in up of a daze eat bands and musicians, ‘entree theater wth an expectation o seat asthe test film ofthe yar. But unfonunatly the movi failed tn deliver what the promotions,ncuing the soundack vere promising Foca person like me who is concerned wth he big realty (hich i the collection of al peoples’ expr ences fe) the story seemedtooimpossile, kwasnt surreal enoughiobe ken asadreamanditwas' close enough othe depiction ofthe Future tobe considered Science fiction movie, Wha I'm pointing out heeisnot the invention of "memory-grapter’, but the odin: dents and enncdences tha let such bizare story happen. en the sange love between Chir andthe Male Hero seemed too weit forth ature, when even inthe present time any quick lve aflirtakes lngero inte than the orgasm itself. To me the fim seemed. like a sory writen from the end 10 the beginning, because inorder to have the end results sme of the events had to have happened cri, Both the bank robbery andthe stang car accident onthe road seemed like aflthoughus and not pa of he natral story Besides all he weak point inthe story, te relation Ship between oak the man andthe woman nde whit and ate, for some unknown casos had to follow the conventional Hollywood teeorypes: Beal Woman whos actions ar nly ection tothe Hero's deision, woman whois il bearer ofthe lok inconas0a ‘man who is bel and put his own personal goals and dies over everything, He leaves his lover in bed immediatly afer making love and andes eto the _meedy detective, whom she does not know. ‘The whol ploisbased on theo formal ofintxuc- tion the str, climate, conclusion. Thenaatrs' voices ‘esoys what islet ofan average sory. The dynamics, lke any otber American movie ac: the money thats stolen fom the bank, the ure ofthe ers mot, the ‘nro’ fear of being captured by government agent and the posible end ofthe worl. nis interview withthe Village View Win Wenders said hat teida forte im is based onthe domination of images and he faculty of ison over oer human abil, and how peopl con- fron and reactohisissue but he forgot that by puting the “memory-graphe” andthe binds ofthe her's mother inthe center ofthe story he himself fal vii tothe domination ofthe images. ‘The death ofthe mote seme to confi he idea of “woiveist se” becauseitin'very machongeaftr sheisfnally able tose the images tat she mysteriously ies, My impression wasthat she had finally overcome