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This week on Slate Plus, the critics answer a listener question from Phil Goldstein: “What is the first or best film you can remember that left you with the feeling that your mind was blown by what you saw?”
On this week’s Slate Culture Gabfest, the critics discuss Werner Herzog’s latest movie, Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, an exploration into how the internet has become integral to our lives. How does Herzog’s film present what he believes to be “one of the greatest revolutions” humanity has ever experienced? Next up, Sam Anderson joins the hosts to discuss his recent piece, “David’s Ankles” for the New York Times Magazine, and the deeper philosophical matter at hand: his personal quest for perfection. The critics discuss what happens when an artwork is destroyed or expires. Last, Laura Bennett, one of the winners (or nonwinners) of the Slate staff kids’ lit competition, defends her championship title and explains how hard it is to write an illustrated children’s book.
Links to some of the things we discussed this week:
- Werner Herzog’s Lo and Behold, Grizzly Man, and Cave of the Forgotten Dreams
- Steve’s Herzog list: Nosferatu, The Vampyre, Aguirre, the Wrath of God, and Fitzcarraldo
- Lo and Behold clip: Carnegie Mellon University’s robot soccer team
- Sam Anderson piece in the New York Times Magazine, “David’s Ankles: How Imperfections Could Bring Down the World’s Most Perfect Statue”
- The Smart Brick. New. Fast. Easy. Smart.
- “How Hard Is It to Make Your Own Children’s Book? Reader, We Tried.” by Slate staff
- In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
- Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey, which turned 75 this year
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Endorsements
Dana: Pure Imagination, the documentary on the Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory DVD extras.
Julia: Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope
Stephen: The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante
Outro: “Pure Imagination,” written by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, and performed by Gene Wilder.
You can email us at culturefest@slate.com.
This podcast was produced by Zack Dinerstein. Our intern is Lizzie Fison.
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