Around the office, we call him “the man, the myth, the medusa!” always accompanied by the exclamation mark. Erik Ringman (www.eriktclayton.com) has been entertaining us with his Reelays since the very beginning, and we look forward to each of his hilarious and insightful reviews. So, this week, we decided to dive into the man behind the long-flowing golden locks.
Reelay: So, what are your top 5 favorite films?
Erik: Sammy Davis eternally played the top ten game, so know you’re holding me to an even tighter standard. It’s the most unobjectionable pick, but 2001 has to be in there; it’s truly perfect and leaves one with a feeling of peace amidst the infinitely crushing universe. In a similar vein – though way more personal – is Southland Tales. It’s a turning point for so many things in it and beyond it, captures the moment it’s satirizing flawlessly, and is a laugh riot I never tire of sharing. I’ve seen Richard Kelly present the film in person, and he’s a huge inspiration. As a native of film’s home, Mulholland Drive is both a loving and poisonous letter to Hollywood by one of my favorite film creatives and while Tropic Thunder & Holy Motors do the same thing in radically different ways, MD has a soft spot for me. A toss-up twixt Apocalypse Now and Mad Max Fury Road as the most best-designed, constructed, and executed films ever, but the latter’s more fun. You guys are making this hard: there are many neon-soaked, mentally-spiraling, love-affirming, belief-challenging, or intimately hilarious ones I want to pick for slot five…so I’ll go Intolerable Cruelty. This is a five-star comedy unlike anything else.
How did you hear about Reelay?
I’ve known [Reelay Co-Founder] Anthony for years and had the fortune to watch Reelay blossom from literal scratched notes to alive, functioning community with a life of its own. I have always been rather anti-gadget, and my interest in an app was limited until one conversation where he painted the picture (brilliantly deploying a movie reference, no less) and I understood that inside this little movie app could be the cure to social media as we know it. And at that moment, I said, “I’m in.”
Which users are some of your favorite follows on Reelay?
Filmaniac has a taste for the unusual, visceral, or challenging and a quiet comfort talking about it that I enjoy. Bigflops has such raw, honest reviews. Cevinkookman is a comedic genius who inspired my style of Reelaying. Phallixander’s tastes and knowledge are broad – he’s not locked into a style, rather a true movie maven and expresses himself with beautiful vulnerability. Echowood is a fun and lively gentleman from whom I’m always glad to see new reviews. And of course Marta.Mcfly, who, through a combination of deep passion, refined knowledge, and radiant presence, has got my number in more ways than one. I’ll leave it at that 😉
What’s your most controversial movie opinion?
I like Tenet.
What elements do you think make a good movie?
Funnily enough, music, score, and sound design. They’re less explicit than visuals and so separate the good from the great, and every most memorable/powerful sequence from film I can remember is so thanks to its sonic component. That said, show, don’t tell: in the same sense as instrumental music trumps lyrical music, a movie that conveys something instead of explaining it is so much more captivating. There’s hardly any dialogue in the first twenty minutes of WALL-E. I love it. You could watch Playtime without speaking English and laugh your ass off.
If you were to work on a movie/tv show, what position in-front of or behind the camera would best fit you?
Grew up intending to direct, and that hasn’t changed. Production appeals too. People tell me I’d be a good actor but I was a shy kid and terrified of it. Nowadays it’d probably be good therapy. Editing is the part of filmmaking that excites me the most.
Do you have a favorite quote from a movie? If so, what is it, and which movie is it from?
“It can only be found by those who already know where it is.” -Captain Jack Sparrow.
How many movies do you watch a week?
One to four. But I get a solid few hours of T.V. in there too.
What is the most underrated movie of all time?
Death to Smoochy. Legit perfect, and nobody ever brings it up.
When you aren’t watching movies, how do you spend your time?
I’m a neon artist; work on my cars; like to roller skate but don’t do it enough; dance, tantra, and psychological shadow work are all important to me.