Ben’s Picks

My recommendations for the month:

O Lucky Man. 1973. DVD. This black comedy stars a young Malcolm MacDowell, who also co-wrote the screenplay loosely based off of events from his own life as a coffee salesman. The film follows Michael Travis (MacDowell) as he searches for the meaning of life. The music of Alan Price beautifully narrates Travis' misadventures. The film is split in two parts and clocks in at about 3 hrs in length. I love Malcolm MacDowell and found Michael Travis to be one of my favorite characters of his. The soundtrack stands alone as a great 70's rock album by Alan Price.

Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box Edition. DVD. This set consists of the two seasons that comprised the show. I've found the show much easier to follow and much more enjoyable since I've watched them in chronological order. I believe other patrons have rekindled or began their Twin Peaks craze, too, seeing as most of the discs are on hold for awhile. I recommend placing a hold on each disc and watching them in order. One of my favorite moments from the show…Agent Dale Cooper orders a cherry pie, while discussing the details of the Laura Palmer murder case with Sheriff Harry S. Truman and his deputies. The scene stays very serious until Cooper gets his pie and takes a bite. "This must be where pies go when they die!" he states with a satisfactory grin on his face. The mood immediately gets very serious again.

Everything is Under Control: Conspiracies, Cults, and Cover-ups by Robert Anton Wilson. This book is a complete A-Z guide of some of the most famous and bizarre conspiracy theories. Wilson gives very brief overviews of them all and also gives websites for further information. It's not something to read like a textbook, meaning it should be read with a grain of salt. I'm no conspiracy theorist buff, but I do enjoy reading the many different ideas (the zanier the better). It's a great introductory book!

The Real Frank Zappa Book by Frank Zappa. The most entertaining biography about the legendary rock composer Frank Zappa. It's written by the guy who lived through the story, so no wonder. Written with Zappa's intelligence and wit, he talks about his family life, philosophy of art and music, and his politics. Even non-fans should be entertained by this book!

Enjoy your media freedom. I'm glad we can support it!

~ Ben, Adult Services