Charles Taylor is the author of Opening Wednesday at a Theater or Drive-In Near You: The Shadow Cinema of the American ’70s. He lives in New York.
Charles Taylor
Articles
How to Defend Democracy from Itself: On Steve Erickson’s “American Stutter, 2019–2021”
Charles Taylor reviews Steve Erickson’s diary of the pandemic years, “American Stutter, 2019–2021.”
Deep in the Jaundiced Heart of Texas
Edna Ferber’s 1952 best seller “Giant” prefigured the ugly truths that lie at the core of Trumpism.
Bangers: On Terry Southern’s “Blue Movie”
Charles Taylor considers Terry Southern's "Blue Movie," which Grove Press recently rereleased in a 50th-anniversary edition.
Nations of One and “Tokyo Olympiad”
Charles Taylor reviews the restoration and Blu-ray release of the 1965 documentary “Tokyo Olympiad,” centered on the 1964 Olympics.
Impervious to Ideology: Mary Gaitskill’s “This Is Pleasure”
Charles Taylor reviews “This Is Pleasure,” the new novella from Mary Gaitskill.
Big Town, Big Talk: On “Motherless Brooklyn”
Charles Taylor explores the historical and cinematic resonances of Edward Norton’s adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s novel, “Motherless Brooklyn.”
In Defiance of Staying in One’s Lane: On Edna O’Brien’s “Girl”
Charles Taylor is moved by Edna O’Brien’s new novel, “Girl.”
Lost and Found
Charles Taylor marvels over "Amazing Grace."
Christian Petzold’s Anti-Speculative Fiction
"Transit" offers the unreassuring thrill of a reasonable, intelligent person having the nerve to say, clearly, just how bad he thinks things are.
Freddie Outside the Bronx: Frederic Tuten’s “My Young Life”
Reading Frederic Tuten's "My Young Life," you’re aware of just how easily this might have been a dilettante’s memoir.
For the Love of Melodrama: On Bohemian Rhapsody
Charles Taylor defends the Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody."
Melancholy Dane: Sigrid Nunez’s “The Friend”
Charles Taylor catches up with "The Friend" by Sigrid Nunez.
It Takes Two: “Shadowbahn” by Steve Erickson
Charles Taylor on Steve Erickson's "Shadowbahn."
A Man in Himself Is a City: Jim Jarmusch’s “Paterson”
Charles Taylor visits Jim Jarmusch's "Paterson."
Overlooked, Again
Charles Taylor reviews Tom Jones's autobiography.
Shoe Leather: On “Spotlight”
For writer-director McCarthy and his co-writer Singer, "Spotlight" is a leap in terms of scale and depth.
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