Nationalism as an aesthetic brand, selling perfume and soap opera visions to the right
Re-appropriating “queer culture”
Camille Paglia
Trump as a performance art aesthetic brand despite his standard neoliberal policies
Beauty equality vs. an upward value of aesthetic excellence
The aspirational quality of 80s aesthetics
How 2010s neoliberal minimalism conceals wealth and power while erasing history
The elite charade of fake bohemianism
How to time travel with perfume
Las Vegas as the last frontier of scented opulent public spaces
Jack’s affinity for 80s pop icon Madonna
Jack’s defense of the artistic integrity of Lena Dunham
David Lynch’s success at synthesizing surrealist art, perfume adds, and nighttime soap
Jack’s Perfume recommendations TFW NO GF
Logo’s novel Selfie, Suicide, a coming of age satire of a failed artist
Instagram inspired parody art museums
New York’s Staircase to Nowhere
How technology impacts politics Wyndham Lewis
Andrew Yang
How the UBI could create a cultural renaissance
The Obama to Trump voters in the Rustbelt
Aesthetics as politics
Retro-futurist genres Steampunk, Dieselpunk, and Cyberpunk
Underground comics
The Mercado Sagrado Fair at Paramount Ranch in Malibu
The Horseshoe theory and contrast between the Bobo culture and dissident right scene
Jay Dyer’s book Esoteric Hollywood and past shows on Esoteric Hollywood and David Lynch
Conspiracy theories as an attempt to understand the mechanisms of power
Deciphering the realities of power
The root of paranoia in feeling powerless and not being in control of one’s destiny Edward Bernays’ use of psychology, advertisement, and media to subject the masses to the will of the elite Aldous Huxley and the Fabian Socialist
The oligarchy, traits selected by global capitalism, and whether a meritocracy can address those problems Aleister Crowley’s Aristocratic Radicalism, and how he is an icon to elites, counter-cultures, and dissidents who want to reinvent society
Robert Stark’s novel Journey to Vapor Island, esoteric occultist themes, and Roger Blackstone as a counter “illuminati”
Dyer’s view that social isolation is engineered vs. factors such as demographic change, suburban sprawl, and technology
Social isolation leading to a rise in radical non conformity, political dissidents, cultural innovation, and online communities and sub-cultures
Secretive central planning vs a lack of utopian vision Smart cities and Agenda 21 hysteria about smart growth
Ancient occultist aesthetics in 80’s Films, New Wave, Retro Futurism, and the Alt-sphere
Occultist Art Deco Archeo-Futuristic and 80’s Post Modernist Architecture in LA
Sci Fi Architecture: John C. Portman’s Hyatt Regency in San Francisco inspired by the 1935 science fiction film Things to Come.
The necessity of social cohesion for creating grande aesthetic visions
Intro: The Northern Lights – Falling (feat. Lucy Black)
Lynch’s Politics: Admired Ronald Reagan and supported The Natural Law Party Lynch Endorsed Bernie Sanders and later proclaimed that ‘Trump Could Go Down as One of the Greatest Presidents’
Lynch as an Alt Centrist
Lynch’s interest in Transcendental Meditation which taps into one’s sub-conscience
Lynch as a lone Aristocratic Radical in Hollywood
How capitalism creates faux cultural elites
Lynch’s entry to Hollywood via connections through Mel Brooks which solidified his role in Elephant Man
Lynch’s cinematographic basis as a visual artist and the theme of Neonationalism
The Lynchian aesthetic vs. the Starkian aesthetic and defining what is “Lynchian” and “Starkian”
Lynch and Stark’s self indulgences in their work
Lynch’s interest in Retro aesthetics: Film Noir, animated neon, Mid-Century Modern, and 80’s Vaporwave
Lynch’s affinity for small town Americana and the theme of a dark underbelly to small town life
How the first Twin Peaks portrays a romanticized image of the town, while the new one portrays a more realistic image
The Great Northern as a model for creating aesthetically pleasing suburbs that implement the romanticized image of the small town
Lynch should design a theme park or Las Vegas casino
The soundtrack of Twin Peaks includes a wide variety of genres ranging from 80’s Synth, Old Western, Film Noir Jazz, and 50’s Rock
How the fusion of genres makes it somewhat vague as to when it takes place
Ben Horne as an Old School capitalist who does things that are ethically wrong yet is rooted in his community
The Black Lodge: it’s symbolism and aesthetics
The philosophy that fear is the opposite of love rather than hate
Mulholland Drive: the themes of Hollywood power and paranoia due to insecurities
Dune: the aesthetics of Dune are more important than the plot
Retro Futurism in Dune: Middle Eastern Archeofuturism, Steampunk, and 80’s aesthetics
Blue Velvet: Sadistic male figures, eroticized rage, and establishing hierarchy through sexual dominance
“Lynchian” themes and references to Twin Peaks in Robert Stark’s novel Journey to Vapor Island
Robert Stark talks to Count Fosco about the film Eyes Wide Shut directed by Stanley Kubrick. Count Fosco has a background in the Canadian Film Industry.
Topics:
Secret Societies; the conspiracy theory outlook vs. elite social clubs
The book CULT AND OCCULT (THE UNEXPLAINED FILE) by FRANCIS KING
The book Dream Story by Arthur Schnitzler which the film was based upon Kubrick’s Kaleidoscope
How there is a lot of subtle camera work in Eyes Wide Shut, that most people may not have caught
The importance of symbolism in the film
Types of Venetian masks worn at the party
The use of clues throughout the film
The theme of what is real and what is fantasy
What if David Lynch directed Eyes Wide Shut?
The Mentmore Towers Palace in England where the orgy scene was filmed
the conflict over sexual desire and libido between the married couple played by Tom and Nicole
There is a slight suggestion that perhaps Alice Harford is part of the Cult but her husband is not, when she says “You have no idea.”
Everyone have a price, notice how Bill Harford solves all his problems with money, both with the taxi man and the clerk, hence his name “bill” as in dollar bill
The man who gives him the password is a failed medical doctor which might be suggestive of something
Is it possible Ziegler has himself been lied too, despite his story not entirely adding up, despite lying?
Kubrick deliberately tries to fan the flames of Mandy’s death even after his own death, via the journalist who works on his newspaper props
Ritual in a sexual theme, the use of incense used typically only for sacred things
Leon Vitali, Kubricks personal assistant played the red cloak
The Custom store scene doesn’t make a whole lot of sense; it doesn’t fit in with the whole orgie conspiracy
Leelee Sobieski as another sacrificing anti-career heroine Hollywood mother, who put her children above a career
Leelee’s small but interesting roles in “Never Been Kissed,” “Branded,” and “Deep Impact”
Robert’s novel Journey to Vapor Island and parallels with Eyes Wide Shut
Robert Stark and co-host Francis Nally talk to Vaporwave artist Spear 槍. He is a musician and DJ who attends Pennsylvania State University. Check out his music on Facebook, SoundCloud, and Bandcamp.
Topics:
Intro: 名誉
The Vaporwave genre
Slowed down compressed 80’s music
Lo-Fi Trip Hot
The revival of cassettes and VHS
Adult Swim
Vaporwave as a surreal idealized consumerism
Mallsoft
The visual art for the videos
The Vapor Room show
Saudade; a Portuguese term to describe the longing for and memories of good times
Hypnagogia; the state between being awake and being asleep where you can’t distinguish between what is real and what is not Vaporwave Literature(Robert Stark’s Journey to Vapor Island)
Robert Stark is joined with Francis Nally and Brandon Adamson to discuss his new novel Journey to Vapor Island.
Topics:
Brandon’s review of Journey to Vapor Island(Contains Spoilers)
The cover art by Mark Velard
How listeners to the show will instantly recognize favorite topics when they make cameo appearances in the book or manifest themselves as part of the underlying themes
Internet memes in the book(ex. the men in the frog masks)
The fusion of genres including Fantasy, Young Adult Fiction, Science Fiction, and Dark Comedy
A disclaimer that this book is not for anyone that is squeamish about sex or easily shocked or offended
Brandon’s observation that the sexual scenes in the book are more akin to the “random battles” in old school Super Nintendo RPGs like Final Fantasy IV
The theme of how central sex is to people’s motivations, and the overall perception of status in society
The main character Noam Metzenbaum who is a socially inept yet intelligent student with illusions of grandeur
The Chads and the theme of the nerd getting revenge against bullies and the popular cliques
Noam’s crush Natalie Bloom and his lifelong obsession with her
The Retro-Futuristic surreal fantasy world in the book; an adult Never Ending Story
The Roger Blackstone character who could represent a Trump-like figure, but could just as easily be a Ross Perot or even Willy Wonka
The outrageous comic elements in the book
The theme of the commercialization of tragedies and the celebrity status of mass murderers
How the book is timely with the ongoing Hollywood sex scandals
The theme of living in ones fantasies and how that shapes the book’s narrative
Robert Stark and Pilleater talk to returning guest Count Fosco. Count Fosco has a background in the film industry in Canada.
Topics:
Count Fosco’s background in the Canadian Film Industry
The economic mechanisms for funding the arts
Conservative opposition to funding the arts Robert Stark’s debate with Joseph Dobrian on funding the arts
The cultural left’s influence on grants favoring politically correct demographic groups
Where the free market falls short and the importance of having an economic safety net for artist
Being an artist as a luxury for the rich and the importance of having the right connections and patrons
The fallacy that the best artist are rewarded economically(ex. Van Gogh)
Preferred relative guidelines for artistic funding and support for relative artistic freedom
How grants work for the film industry in Canada Malcolm Gladwell’s 10,000 Hour Rule’ and how it applies to the arts
Should art serve a purpose for society?
Censorship in the Art World
The debate about what is art and what is pornography and the concept of “degenerate art”
Creating new artistic sub-cultures
Low Brow Pop Surrealism
Surrealism from Dali to David Lynch Robert Stark and Brandon Adamson’s Art
The animated series Braceface staring Alicia Silverstone
