tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post6485630850785607176..comments2024-03-14T05:11:55.141-04:00Comments on Existential Ennui: Only Lovers Left Alive by Dave Wallis: Book Review, First Edition (Anthony Blond, 1964), Bruce Fleming Cover PhotoNick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)http://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-20359017051599133402013-09-18T06:25:03.027-04:002013-09-18T06:25:03.027-04:00Hi Nick. No, I hadn't seen that, but have now ...Hi Nick. No, I hadn't seen that, but have now checked it and very interesting it is indeed. Great work from Steve. I also found an online copy of Jim (Dave's brother) Wallis's autobiography and that filled in a few gaps too. Seems that he came from a fairly wealthy background. Or moneyed middle class at least. Which I hadn't expected. Now hoping to track down the Gillian Freeman's screenplay to Only Lovers..., which was apparently written for Nick Ray to direct. What a film that would have been!mondo petenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-56191614701211103322013-09-18T04:09:03.672-04:002013-09-18T04:09:03.672-04:00Interesting indeed, thanks Pete. I don't know ...Interesting indeed, thanks Pete. I don't know if you saw the update on the second Only Lovers post, but Steve Holland put a Wallis biography together over at Bear Alley; there's a link in the second post.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-35767474435940474352013-09-16T11:38:14.310-04:002013-09-16T11:38:14.310-04:00bit late with this, but here's a link to an ol...bit late with this, but here's a link to an old interview with Dave Wallis. Some interesting stuff:<br /><br />http://www.marxists.org/history/etol/revhist/backiss/vol8/no2/wallis.htmlmondo petenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-74455567934956990142012-06-12T08:39:20.634-04:002012-06-12T08:39:20.634-04:00I think my wife got the book via Abe Books, and it...I think my wife got the book via Abe Books, and it was posted from South Africa, but it looks like a UK edition.Adrian Smithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13516506995213337198noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-68229359588985103122012-06-01T12:10:40.389-04:002012-06-01T12:10:40.389-04:00I think, when you buy screen rights, you generally...I think, when you buy screen rights, you generally buy them for the duration of copyright. But who knows? Haven't managed to track down any Wallis heirs yet. It's such a common name, which makes it tougher. If we could get a date of death, I suppose a fuller search on probate etc could be done.mondo petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02448296586704720187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-81960947832734851092012-06-01T10:57:54.555-04:002012-06-01T10:57:54.555-04:00If the rights were bought by Alan Klein, they must...If the rights were bought by Alan Klein, they must have reverted by now. Surely some enterprising publisher can track down Dave Wallis (or his literary heirs) and bring Only Lovers Left Alive back into print. It's a crime to see such a great novel lie neglected.<br /><br />Thanks for the extra info, and for confirming that the Jarmusch film isn't based on the book. You're right though: what a shame the title wasn't put to its proper use!Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-87768451470946213632012-05-31T11:44:24.834-04:002012-05-31T11:44:24.834-04:00Interesting indeed. Never seen this edition before...Interesting indeed. Never seen this edition before. Wonder how legit it is/was?? A year or so ago, when I tried to find out who owned the rights to this book, it seemed to be in some sort of limbo with none of the previous publishers wanting to admit to anything. There was some feeling that the Alan Klein organisation might have bought all rights when they were planing the Stones movie. I believe the screenplay for the film was written by Gillian Freeman (of The Leather Boys, The Undergrowth of Literature etc etc); wouldn't that be somethign to read??<br /><br />Have finally scanned the cover of Tram Stop that I mentioned in earlier posting. Some inteetsing details on Wallis's early life.<br /><br />http://www.flickr.com/photos/54866655@N02/7308706654/in/photostream<br /><br /><br />btw - the Jarmusch film is NOT in any way based on DW's book. They just nicked the title. I know you can't copyright titles, but to steal something so original and iconic (which means it can't now be used for any film actually based on the book) stinks.mondo petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02448296586704720187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-71877271902684737962012-05-22T08:36:23.252-04:002012-05-22T08:36:23.252-04:00Thanks for that, Adrian. Interesting to read Walli...Thanks for that, Adrian. Interesting to read Wallis's thoughts on the reception of the book on the back cover – how he was "pilloried for slandering young persons" – and that he was living in Walton on the Naze in 1979. So that's a tiny bit more info on the mysterious and elusive Mr. Wallis.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-32527892565743399662012-05-22T07:11:26.305-04:002012-05-22T07:11:26.305-04:00My wife bought me this after we also saw it at the...My wife bought me this after we also saw it at the Sci Fi exhibition. Mine is a hardback reissue from 1979 and has a different cover. I've scanned it here if you're interested: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jetpackpictures/7248186400/Adrianhttp://filmjournal.net/trouserpressnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-86279265032609778512012-02-06T16:11:31.892-05:002012-02-06T16:11:31.892-05:00Yep, I learned about the Jarmusch movie when this ...Yep, I learned about the Jarmusch movie when this and my other Only Lovers post both started getting hits again recently. Is that vampire thing confirmed, Del? I know there was a line to that effect in Variety (I think), but those advance teases can be inaccurate... You never know: maybe it is Wallis's book Jarmusch is adapting...Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-6937415209657899152012-02-06T14:47:18.921-05:002012-02-06T14:47:18.921-05:00Thank you for this article, this book looks really...Thank you for this article, this book looks really strong. all these people who give up their lives ... and these Easyway pills, what a concept ! it only needs packaging...<br />In fact I came here because I was looking for information on the new film from Jim Jarmusch, did you hear about it? It has the same title as this book, but it will be a vampire story. I have not read the novel of Wallis and I wonder : what do you think about this "coincidence"?<br /><a href="http://limitedcontrol.posterous.com/" rel="nofollow">about it here</a>Delnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-78616086781729819862011-10-27T15:16:48.171-04:002011-10-27T15:16:48.171-04:00That would be ace, Pete. Please do leave a comment...That would be ace, Pete. Please do leave a comment with any further details about Wallis, either on this post or <a href="http://existentialennui.blogspot.com/2011/10/only-lovers-left-alive-pan-1966-pat.html" rel="nofollow">the other one</a>.<br /><br />I'd forgotten about Kids Rule OK! I remember reading that in Action years ago. Just before I left Titan Books three or so years ago I set up a deal for Titan to republish some of that Action material, but I still don't think a collection's been published. Bit of a shame that.Nick Jones (Louis XIV, the Sun King)https://www.blogger.com/profile/17716508525331235684noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-88518147539991515012011-10-27T12:09:00.243-04:002011-10-27T12:09:00.243-04:00Ooops. I see you already dealt with the Stones non...Ooops. I see you already dealt with the Stones non-film. Will try to dig out the other Wallis books to get the biographical info. From what I recall, he seems to have led an adventurous life, working his passage to Canada on board a ship etc.mondo petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02448296586704720187noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5448581132479481740.post-90479094828356334002011-10-27T12:01:16.412-04:002011-10-27T12:01:16.412-04:00Look forward to reading more. I really enjoyed thi...Look forward to reading more. I really enjoyed this book and have read some of DWs other work. He's sadly forgotten these days. Did you know there was a plan for the book to be filmed, starring the Rolling Stones, weirdly? As anyone who's read the book will agree, they don't really fit the model of what the kids in the story should be like. The film was never made, anyway. But I believe that Alan Klein bought the rights to the book, which may explain its more or less total disappearance since. I tried to find out via agents and publishers who owns this one, but no-one seems to know. There was an unauthorised comic book adaptation published in the mid 70s called Kids Rule OK!mondo petehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02448296586704720187noreply@blogger.com