While uncovering a They
Live-esque conspiracy run by
California’s elites, Sam comes
across The Songwriter (Jeremy
Bobb), an ancient man who claims
to have written every hit pop
song since the dawn of recorded
music. Sam is shocked to learn
that Nirvana’s ‘Come as You Are’
was knocked off by this man in an
afternoon, composed on his piano
in the living room of his sprawling
Hollywood mansion rather than
by Kurt Cobain on his guitar in a
Seattle garage. Sam reacts with
shocking violence.
Under the Silver Lake is bru-
tally honest about the toxicity of
NJ STAGE - ISSUE 58
fanboys, but it’s also a film itself
packed with the cultural detritus
of geekdom. Sam’s apartment is
adorned with framed posters for
‘50s b-movies, and like the good
little hipster he is, he doesn’t play
his video games on a Playstation
Four, but on a ‘90s Nintendo sys-
tem. Personally, I’m a lover of ‘50s
b-movies and while I have no in-
terest in video games, if forced,
I would rather play Super Mario
Kart than the lifelike games of
today’s systems. I know watch-
ing Creature from the Black La-
goon isn’t an act of rebellion, but
sue me for finding it a fun way to
kill 90 minutes. Mitchell draws on
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