PT Klein
@ptklein
Film historian and cultural critic. Movie theaters, cinema spaces, and filmgoing cultures. Radically optimistic. Writing at www.howtoreadmovies.com, Metro Weekly, Film Atlas, and elsewhere. Cohost @ColdWarCinema.com. He/Him/His.
Anything by Christopher Guest. I literally cannot say “two” anymore without invoking Cookie Fleck.
The secret is that it has always been this way! IP, remakes, and sequels have been a part of the cinematic experience since day one, and that’s good and fine! In fact, @kathleenloock.bsky.social has run the numbers to prove that it’s far less than we like to think.
Following up this to say that, among *many* books I checked out from my local library about movies, the monster series from Crestwood House did more than any other to get me interested in film history. What I would give to have a few of these on my shelf today!
The very simple answer is that my dad took me to the movies a lot and from a very early age. But we also watched movies at home every weekend, and I checked a loooot of tapes (and books about movies) out from the library.
All movies are a net positive but that doesn’t mean some simply don’t work for me! My letterboxd reveals a lot. Midsommar is a No Good, Very Bad movie. Three godforsaken hours of my life I will never get back. An asinine experiment in pulchritudinous pop psychology and self satisfaction.
Favorite new-release first watch? Disclosure Day, easy. Favorite new-to-me first watch? Maybe Spielberg’s West Side Story? It sticks with you!
“The fundamental truth: a baseball game is nothing but a great slow contraption for getting you to pay attention to the cadence of a summer day.” (I miss rowing, though!)
I make a mean rhubarb pie (come from a long line of farmers of rhubarb experience), so yes, Susan, I would love some.
It’s been over a week since I’ve been able to trim it and psychologically I can confirm that I am not coping well!
And that’s a wrap on cinema summer camp with @homer-network.bsky.social at #HoMER2026!
“Charlie Chaplin wishes to acknowledge the recipt of your letter. He begs to be excused from a personal reply at this time, because of the enormous magnitude of his correspondence.” Incredible morning exploring artifacts like this standard fan-mail reply card at the @bdcmuseum.bsky.social!
#HotSpielbergSummer continues today in glorious 70mm! #NowWatching on the big screen:
George Romero was never exactly subtle with his critiques, and I’ve always loved his Bush II-era Land of the Dead, in which fireworks are used as a literal means of distraction. It’s a terrific commentary on a certain kind of jingoistic zombification occurring under the banner of patriotism.
