Metablog
So I’ve been doing this blog for a couple of years now, and apart from a couple of stern-voiced, persistent individuals, I have little clear understanding of who’s reading it, or why.
So now is your chance to come forward and declare yourself. Who are you, what do you do, what brought you here, why do you come back, what do you like best, what do you like least, all that stuff.
In other words, if you will, complete this sentence:
Hi! I’m _____ and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for:
His offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis
His authoritative posts about writing
His cute stories about his kids
His insider’s view of the soul-grinding Hollyood machine
His inexplicable promotion of the career of James Urbaniak
His unqualified judgments of music
His obsession with certain specimens of pop-culture detritus
Or perhaps it’s his Star Wars slash fiction.
This goes double for you anonymous lurkers.
My many thanks to you in this, the year of the United States’ deliverance from Bush II.
Hi, I’m Justin, and I read Todd Alcott’s Blog because… Uh… All of the above?
Particularly the James Bond bits, though. Those were so awesome.
hi, i’m matt and i read todd alcott’s blog mostly for the way all of the above is written. you’re a good writer and you have interesting things to talk about. i like to keep track of the people who can do both where and when i run across them.
Hi, I’m Jens, and I keep coming back to this…
…
whatever it is…
for the movie analyses, the posts about writing, the Hollywood insider’s view and the political snark.
Everything goes better with snark.
Hi, I’m Adam, and was sent hear by when you were analyzing The Venture Bros. I stayed for the James Bond posts, and the continuous hope that you will turn your analytical eye towards those classics of American cinema, “Troop Beverly Hills” and “The Dream Team.”
I’m Heather. I came for the in-depth Venture Bros. reviews/analyzations. And I stayed because the rest of the above. It’s all very intriguing. *shurg*
hi! i’m joey and i read your blog because a while back my girlfriend found your venture brothers episode analyses. we’re big venture fans:
so she got hooked, then i got hooked, then you made that post about paul potts and suddenly we had an open discussion about our area of expertise, and it made us think!
oh, and then there was the coen bros bits, and the beatles bits, and the star wars bits, and the political bits. so we stayed. she still doesn’t have her own lj account, but she keeps you bookmarked. and we talk about you when we get home at night. so thanks.
Hi! I’m Dave, I’m a writer/director here in LA, my site is triplefire.com, I do mostly promos and commercials, I’m directing my first feature in February, and I love your blog.
Honestly, I think I first encountered a reference to your blog on a Venture Brothers thread on forums.comicbookresources.com.
I loved your Venture Brothers essays, and found that I enjoyed your thoughts on Hollywood and movies as well. Your political posts are always appreciated, as well.
So: Hi! I’m Ragnarok 2012 and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for: your movie and Venture Brothers blogging.
I also think you’ve got the nicest blog design of anybody on my LJ friends list.
I assume I will be analyzing the next season of VB, if they ever decide to air it.
And thank you for your compliment to my blog design. I worked hard on it.
Between now and then, a S1 analysis would be good.
complete this sentence
Hi! I’m Sheherazahde and I originally came to Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for His Venture Bros. analysis. On James Urbaniak’s recommendation.
But I have stayed for:
His offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis
His authoritative posts about writing
His insider’s view of the soul-grinding Hollyood machine
His inexplicable promotion of the career of James Urbaniak
His unqualified judgments of music
His drive-by political snark
His obsession with certain specimens of pop-culture detritus
Yay for the year of the United States’ deliverance from Bush II!
Hi, I’m Chris. I found your blog through Urbaniak’s because I enjoy The Venture Brothers. I stay for your analysis of film. I also enjoy your Hollywood tales. This blog of yours is so enjoyable, I would pay to read it.
You hear that, advertisers? He’d pay to read it!
Doug. Came for the Venture stuff, stayed because I like your viewpoint and analysis alsothe obsession with certain specimens of pop-culture detritus.
Hi! I’m catwalk, and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for:
His insider’s view of the soul-grinding Hollyood machine
… i don’t remember why i came here, but i’m sure it must have been a really good reason. 🙂
Hi, I’m Chad and I read this blog for… well, all of it. I came for The Venture Bros. commentary and stayed for the rest of it.
Hi! I’m Craig J. Clark and I read Todd Alcott’s blog for his Star Wars slash fiction. When are you going to get back to that, man?
On a serious note, I’m mostly here for the movie analysis, which inspired me to start posting about film at my own LJ. I’m a writer and some years ago I started filling up notebooks with my own takes on movies, so it only seemed natural to transfer that to my LJ, which theretofore had for the most part lain fallow. I don’t go into quite as much detail as Todd does, but I aspire to at least be half as insightful.
Check out my upcoming story on what really happened between Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt.
I’m still waiting on the expose that blows the lid off Han’s longtime relationship with Chewbacca. (I don’t care if the dude does go home for Wookiee Life Day, I say Mallatobuck is a beard and Itchy was adopted.) The obvious title, of course, would be “Solo My Ass.”
I came here at urbaniak’s insistence and I like everything as well as your cartoons.
More cartoons are in your future.
Hi, I’m Hollie, and I initially discovered your blog when Neil Gaimann commented on your analysis of the Stardust poster. I thought it amusing and continue to find amusement on your blog for all the reasons noted above. My background is in theatre and I write fiction. Nice to meet you! ^_^
On a side note, my other half is currently watching the newest cut of his all time favorite movie, Bladerunner. Any thoughts on whether Deckert is a replicant or not? He (my fella, not Harrison Ford) keeps blurting out, “See that glow in his eyes? That proves it!” Please advise.
Ridley Scott told me personally that Deckard is a replicant. I said he was full of shit. Then he punched me.
I’m misterscarecrow and I honestly haven’t the slightest idea how I started reading your LJ, but I’ve stuck around in part for the insider stories but mainly for the discussion of Coen Brothers films.
So, you know, if you could just concentrate on discussing Coen films every, say, four or five days, that’d be great. Thanks.
A filmish person I know linked to your Bond bits, I liked what I saw and stayed for all the rest.
Hi! I’m p j harvey and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for his offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis and his authoritative posts about writing. The rest is often entertaining, but as I can’t admit to any emotional connection to the man behind the blog it’s the two mentioned subjects that keep me coming back.
my name is nolan, and like many people (apparently), i was drawn in by the venture brothers episode analysis, and now i’m hooked!
Howdy, I’m Alonso and I’m mostly here to read the film analyses (even when we don’t agree — Charlie and the Chocolate Factory? Seriously?) and the Hollywood insider stuff and the intimate details of‘s life. And it says something that I enjoy reading your posts about your kids, because most people who blog about that stuff make me want to barf.
Hi! I’m Chad Underkoffler, and I read Todd’s LJ for all of the listed reasons.
I’m a writer, editor, game designer, and game publisher living in the Metro DC area.
Howdy.
CU
Hi, I’m Carrie, a 34 year old uber film geek living in the bay area. I originally came to your blog for the offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis. A pointer to your first Big Lebowski post was my gateway drug. I added you (something I almost never do, add a stranger as an LJ Friend) because your other posts seemed similarly of interest. Pretty soon, I fell for the whole kit and kaboodle. Love all the posts. Kids. Music. Politics. Writing. Pop Culture. Urbaniak. Whatever, Bring It On. I can’t wait to read it.
And FYI, I discovered mr. urbaniak’s LJ through yours, although I’d discovered mr. urbaniak MANY years earlier, through my film geekiness (I even own a dvd of The Sticky Fingers of Time).
I’m Monica, a student/writer/amateur actor in Iowa. I read Todd Alcott’s blog for his movie analysis, cute stories about his kids, and the promotion of the career of James Urbaniak.
And I discovered Todd Alcott’s blog through Mr. Urbaniak’s blog.
Hi! I’m Amit and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for
His offbeat, idiosyncratic movie analysis
His authoritative posts about writing
His insider’s view of the soul-grinding Hollyood machine
His first steps in the graphic novel world
and…
His touching mentis eulogy.
r.i.p bucky
Hi, I’m Glenn, and I read What Does The Protagonist want mostly for the insider and insightful movie reviews, the obsession with pop culture (and willingness to embrace things like Justice League, making even me appreciate it more than I had). As well as for the stories
Your stories about your kids also give me fresh hope for future generations of the human race.
I’m Shawn, an aspiring film somesuch-or-other knee-deep in the saturated Dallas art plain. I read this blog for all of the above; I’m interested in the day-to-day passing interests of dudes who somehow make a living out of this business of luck and reacharounds.
I take solace in the fact that successful players, in whatever related field, must also free some creative pressure by spend their day discussing the lyrics of Elvis Costello while contemplating Brokeback Deathstar. It makes it much easier to justify my efforts with the notion “hey, this guy’s just as off-kilter. And he’s into Costello.”
Hi I’m Jacque (waits for the obligatory HI Jacque! from the audience)
I have been a lurker that posts occasionally. My husband and I read your blog because of all of the reasons listed. We are both into film and pop culture, among other things and are currently back in school to finish our degrees. He in film and tv production and me in art history and studio art.
It’s a wonderful diversion to the day and we look forward to reading your insightful and interesting comments on the world and society at large.
Hi! I’m Evan and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for:
His offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis
His authoritative posts about writing
—
i found the blog from voucher ankles, which i’ve read for quite awhile and came to via the venture bros., which i then thought (and still think) is the best currently-in-production series on american television. while i admittedly enjoy the “chillin’ with james urbaniak” stuff, i moreso like the posts about film and writing (i’ve spent several hours reading back entries of this blog on those topics, and ended up googling and reading other opinions as a result). those entries are great, and are one of the few reasons i still check my livejournal friends page (can’t wait for the no country review by the way).
honestly, i don’t usually read the posts about your son, though i’m the kind of guy who thinks people should post about whatever the hell they want and let readers sift through and decide for themselves what is personally interesting (ie no dis on the posts of yours i don’t read).
Hi! I’m Nate and I mostly read Todd Alcott’s blog for his offbeat, idiosyncratic movie analysis, as well as his insider’s view of the soul-grinding Hollywood machine, not to mention his obsession with certain specimens of pop-culture detritus!
I came here from James Urbaniak’s lj. 🙂
Metablog
Hi – I’m Jeff Lang. I originally found the blog because of the Venture Bros. reviews, but stayed for 1.) the movie reviews (love the Coen Bros. analyses); 2.) the obsessive Star Wars son (I have one of those, too, though he’s a little older than yours); and the political commentary. In other words, well, almost everything. Loved the mantids!
I’m a writer — comics and media tie-in novels these days and hopefully some original stuff in the near future. Thanks for asking.
Hi! I’m James and i read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for the offbeat, idiosyncratic movie analysis, general movie blogging, and the urbaniak content. always nice to have the urbaniak content.
Hello, my name is also James, and I am here for the offbeat movie analysis. Rather than focusing on what’s good or not, I like to find out what works or not and why.
ah
I’ve been here for a long time. You became one of my bookmarks a while back- I enjoy preying mantises and I believe the Seuss analysis opened my eyes a bit. I’m Brett- and I’m a college student.(and I have a problem).
Hi, I’m Mike and I came to Todd Alcott’s blog for the trenchant Venture Brothers analysis (like many others, apparently) and stayed for all of the above (even the kid stories, which normally would make me flee, but Todd’s are actually cute and interesting).
…but I’m not the only one…
My name’s Buck, and I like to…hang on…no its not…
Hi! My name is Stephen, my good friend Papajoe said I would love your take on James Bond and would appreciate that you wrote something voiced by Woody Allen. Sold! And my Mum went to see Bees recently, said it was deadly dull, no laughs, and was nowhere near as good or as funny as … yet Josh came home the other day and said it was funny, so as William Goldman says, nobody knows anything, to paraphrase…
I am reading Stephen King’s book “On Writing” right now and know that if one day I would stop watching so many movies on TV and would start getting my own ideas down, then something lies within. King is saying 4-6 hours a day of reading and writing. Methinks that means a lot less blogging and TV, but having met two other teachers come writers, Wendy Cope and Philip Pullman, the transition is very doable. Besides, Pullman only writes three or so pages a day…
I enjoy the stuff about Hollywood too, given I lap up all that I can get from the film section of Borders, Waterstones and Blackwells.
So thank you for a good year’s blogging and onwards and upwards!
Re: …but I’m not the only one…
When I’m immersed in a project, that is, on a deadline, I have a minimum requirement for myself of two pages a day. When things are going well I have no trouble creating five or six. And that’s a day that also includes an hour or two of blogging, watching a movie, and parenting.
The thing is to remember that the page count is not reflective of the final work. That is, the two pages you generate in a day’s work may or may not be in their final form — writing is re-writing, and the point of the two-pages-a-day deadline is to get ideas down on paper, which is the hardest part, so that one might then re-write those pages as many times as necessary to get them right.
Re: …but I’m not the only one…
Thanks for the tip – if getting the ideas down is the hardest part, then I take some encouragement knowing there are a few ideas up there!! My left field brain just needs a daily workout, and if I would stop throwing away my notes (in bemused disgust and a sense of wonder of what I must have been smoking…), I would have a greater stock to rewrite with!
In this book I have been reading, Stephen King says how he threw away the first four pages of Carrie and had it rescued by his supportive wife. The rest is history…
I have been going over the Bonds again recently (thankyou ITV) and noticed that Roger Moore in the gun barrel scene of the Man with the Golden Gun doesn’t even come close to hitting the target! I wonder when I will decide to stop watching Bond reruns…
Good luck with your work and your blog for the year and thanks for all your insights and entertainment.
why read
Hi I’m Art and I’ve been reading this blog mostly for:
1 – the scale: how the more human-scale and spirit of T.A.’s youthful, early performance-era career dovetails with his present, “maturing” Hollywood- screenwriter one (and unofficial agent for Urbaniak) in such a way as to generate in this blog a uniquely skewed perspective, that is – a rarity – based on some actual REAL experiences with the arts. This ensures it isn’t just another screenwriter/author literary crit.
2 – the focus on script analysis: and with that, a certain rigour despite being “just a blog”, connected with the fact T.A. actually believes it’s worth writing on the ultimate difficult-to-handle-without-becoming-fansite trifecta of animation, cinema, and music. I believe it was those Venture Bros. articles brought me firmly into the fold.
3 – The balance between subjective insights and rigourous analysis: the way this blog still manages to avoid cultivating fawning, demi-god pundit status, and retains the sense of a person writing. A respect for the unofficial social contract between blog readers and author. Every blog has a built-in danger of slipping over the threshold between personal insight and becoming the equivalent of super-8 home-movies of vacations. I’ve yet to REALLY feel that here, as luckily T.A. understands pacing, how often to bring a character back, and simply not to take his readership for granted. There must be some screenwriterly adage, about how it IS difficult to be a fan of your own child without losing some perspective on the bigger picture, but on the other side, who cares, it’s great to see a healthy father-child relationship nowadays.
4 – The fact that there is no jingoistic, right-wing or conservative political commentary lurking within an author I’ve come to like. The politics are already clearly spelled out in all the various forms of texts produced here.
5 – I read Todd Alcott’s blog for a certain level of expectations, but as well, I hope for some new developments in 2008 as well. Surprise us and we will read on.
Hi! I’m Meghan and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for: hey, it’s all good. Don’t make me choose.
Hi, I’m Schwa. I came for the link by James Urbaniak a couple years ago, and stayed for the offbeat, idiosyncratic movie analysis. Obsession with certain specimens of pop-culture detritus doesn’t count, because that’s 98% of livejournals and VH-1. The other stuff is neat too.
Hi. I am RJ White and I read this for pretty much the whole thing. It’s just fun.
I like to read the adventures of a New Yorker in Hollywood, or at least what looks like it. It’s better than the Beverly Hillbillies.
I am Rxgreene and I Todd Alcott’s blog for everything _but_ the political snark. I love the movie analysis, and everything else. Especially the James Bond and Coen Bros. posts.
Besides all the reasons above, I read your blog to treat myself to good writing as a break from the bad writing I’m subjected to daily as a magazine editor. And to see what’s going on in that pretty little head of yours.
–Ed.
Here for the James Bond stuff, the amusing discussion of minute details of the Star Wars Universe, and your ability to talk about movies in a way that sounds hopefully exactly what I would sound like if I was a better writer.
I’m Rebecca, and I was lured in by The Venture Bros posts just like the others. I stayed because no matter which of those things on your list you’re writing about, you do it with humor and intelligence.
Also, I loved your re-telling of Cinderella incredibly much.
HI, MY NAME IS CHRIS DONOHUE FROM NEW JERSEY, I FIRST READ YOUR BLOG A FEW YEARS AGO, AFTER LINKING TO IT FROM YOUR PAL JAMES URBAnIAK WHO HAD JUST STARTED TO BLOG, AND I HAD FOUND HIS BLOG FROM JACKSON PUBLIC. ETC
AFTER READING SOME OF YOUR GREAT COMMENTS ON JAMES BLOG, I DECIDED TO ADD YOU TO MY FREINDS LIST AND READ YOUR BLOG EVERY DAY AND I AM GLAD. I ENJOY READING ABOUT THE HOLLYWOOD INSIDER STUFF AND I AM A MOVIE BUFF WHO DROPED OUT OF FILM SCHOOL, SO MY FAVORATE THIG TO READ IS YOU REWIEWS AND ANALISIS.
I HOPE YOU FIND THIS USEFUL.
Why we read
Hello, I’m Bill (pleased to meet you). I came here for either the Justice League or the Bond analysis, I forget which. I returned for the Star WArs slash and the Hollywood insider stuff.
great blog
Hi! I’m nickh (don’t want to sign up for a LJ account) and I read Todd Alcott’s blog mostly for:
His offbeat, idosyncratic movie analysis
His inexplicable promotion of the career of James Urbaniak / movie night with Urbaniak
and all of the others. Found the blog from a Kottke link on the James Bond stuff and have been reading ever since. Keep up the great work. Can’t wait for the review / analysis of No Country for Old Men. Also would love to see your take on Memento. I would comment more but the LJ account always throws me and I feel bad leaving anon comments.
If you ever come up to San Francisco, dinner and drinks on me!
Re: great blog
I have no prejudice against anonymous comments as long as they’re not using their anonymity to attack me. Feel free to comment and just sign or initial when you’re done.
Re: great blog
Deal, and my wife and I are serious about the dinner and drinks 🙂
Re: great blog
Deal, and my wife and I are serious about the dinner and drinks 🙂
nickh
Hello! I’m Robin. i read your blog for the various reasons listed. Emphasis placed on movie analysis, the posts about writing, and the stories about your kids.
Mr Urbaniak’s livejournal directed me here for some reason or another, and i come back because:
I work in a hotel and there’s not much to do.
The firewall/whatever blocks pretty much everything except livejournal, fark, and flickr (i have no use for flickr).
So actually, i wish you would update MORE.
When i miss pictures or videos posted because of the firewall, i remedy this by looking at your blog from home (this is to assure you i don’t read it out of mere boredom at work).
If i ever met you, i’d ask to shake your hand. or buy you a drink.
Me too.
I’m just a former IT office worker with too much time on his hands.
It’s hazy, but I think I first saw a link to one of your Venture Brothers articles on Needcoffee.com, so that was the initial draw, but you update regularly and usually have something to say, so there’s good reason to check back reasonably often. You’ve got an entertaining and engaging style and the perspective of someone who writes scripts looking at what makes a film tick makes for some interesting reading.