Dec 30, 2019 michael herbert schur 1 born october 29, 1975 1 is an american television producer, writer, and actor. The contractor on the job is michael schur, cocreator of. See more ideas about david foster wallace, infinite and the fosters. Infinite jests eschaton in video form mental floss. He wrote his senior thesis on the book, and met wallace after inviting the. Schur collaborated with the decemberists on their music video for calamity song from the album the king is dead. Michael schur has long been obsessed with this david foster wallace opus. The music vid uses elements from a risklike tennis game described in infinite jest called eschaton, where all the preppy tennis. World heritage encyclopedia, the aggregation of the largest online encyclopedias available, and the most definitive. Michael schur, coproducer and actor of the office tv series owns the movie rights to infinite jest. Schur wrote his undergraduate senior thesis on the novel. Michael herbert schur 1 born october 29, 1975 1 is an american television producer, writer, and actor. I found out that infinite jest was the favorite book of the showrunner of parks and recreation mike schur. Parks and recs michael shur directs the decemberists.
Directed by michael schur, who works on the fantastic parks and recreation, calamity song depicts a game of eschaton from the david foster wallace novel infinite jest which ive written about here. The dream director for infinite jest movieseries self. Infinite jest imbues decemberists video by michael schur the. How to pretend youve read david foster wallaces infinite. But if you are seeking something other, then this book will not disappoint. Til michael schur owns the filming rights to david foster wallaces infinite jest this parks and recreation episode was one long homage to infinite jest. Turns out the creator, michael schur, is a huge fan of ij and made numerous other references in this episode. Schur, who wrote his senior thesis on jest, said he went after the rights anyway because he just wanted to be involved in the possible filming of the book, even if its on a delayed basis. He was a producer and writer for the comedy series the office, and cocreated parks and recreation with office producer greg daniels. Michael schur owns the film rights to infinite jest, and you can get an idea for how much he loves it in this article. The new york times best book of the year, 1997 time magazine best book of the year 1997 charles mason 17281786 and jeremiah dixon 17331779 were the british surveyors best remembered for running th. An actual infinite jest movie has been batted around despite the southland talesesque level of incomprehensibility such a thing would entail, but biting off a small piece of the 1,079page novel, as meloy and schur do here, seems like a better approach.
Parks and recreations michael schur talks about directing the. An interview with michael schur sitcom writer, director, producer. Aug 22, 2011 infinite jest geeks will hopefully enjoy all of the specific references and small details, but we tried to design it so that those with no knowledge of the book at all would be able to understand. He created the good place, cocreated the comedy series brooklyn ninenine and was a producer on the series master of none. Then, as the new york times reports, parks and recreation cocreator michael schur paired up with the decembrists to direct a music video inspired by the book. Unquestionably, infinite jest required great ambition and focus to write, and requires a bit of ambition and focus to read as well. Also, i just want to know if i want to keep moving that. Thinking about david foster wallace, misogyny and scholarship. Apr 05, 20 parks and rec showrunner michael schur a. Infinite jest geeks will hopefully enjoy all of the specific references and small details, but we tried to design it so that those with no knowledge of the book at all would be able to understand. Parks and recreations michael schur still owns the right to that book, and it seems like he got them, purely so no one with superficial love for the material ever gets a chance. Michael schur takes on infinite jest bookish impose. To fully understand what wallace was up to, the book bears being read, and reread, with talmudic focus and devotion.
Does the video give you any insight into what a possible. Oct 29, 2019 he also talks in an interview with the believer magazine about the personal importance of the writings of david foster wallace, in particular the book infinite jest. Director michael schur, cocreator of parks and recreation and a veteran of the office and saturday night live, gave us his side of the story. Wallaces massive novel infinite jest the number one book you pretend to have read in college. The decemberists recreate david foster wallaces infinite jest with. Infinite jest imbues decemberists video by michael schur. Great interview by stephanie palumbo with michael schur in the most recent issue of the believer which covers all manner of things including significant content about david foster wallace. This 1996 novel is infamous for its length and complex narrative. This video is loosely based upon eschaton, a mocknuclear war game played on tennis courts that david foster wallace created in his 1996 novel infinite jest. Aug 22, 2011 david foster wallaces 1,104page novel infinite jest may not yet be ready for translation to the big screen, but a portion of it inspired the new video for calamity song by the decemberists from the king is dead. Michael schur, in sweatshirt, cocreator of parks and recreation, based a new video for the decemberists calamity song on infinite jest, the novel by david foster wallace. Ive got two worn copies, just to be on the safe side. His brand of humor contains an extraordinary amount of pathos while maintaining irreverence, and that complexity is embedded in schur himself.
The good place show runner michael schur is eternally fascinated. The david foster wallace conference, held the past two years at illinois state. Aug 23, 2011 michael schur, in sweatshirt, cocreator of parks and recreation, based a new video for the decemberists calamity song on infinite jest, the novel by david foster wallace. Sep 10, 2011 first poor yorick entertainment emerged as a visual exploration of the filmography of james o. Last nights parks and rec was full of references to infinite jest.
So you can rest assured that if theres ever a movie adaptation of the least filmable book ever written, schur will be at least somehow involved. Aug 24, 2011 and lastly, it was directed by michael schur, the cocreator of parks and recreation, who also holds the film rights to infinite jest. He is a tv series creator, a writer, and producer known for series such as the office 2005, parks and recreation 2009, brooklyn ninenine 20 and the good place 2016. Jan 18, 2018 michael schur, who directed the video, is a cocreator of nbcs parks and recreation. Aug 22, 2011 the bands manager, jason, contacted me through his brother michael with whom i went to college and asked me to direct a video they were planning that referenced a section of the book infinite jest. Another reference is the doctors name in this episode doctor clipperton clipperton was the name of a character in infinite jest who would go to tennis tournaments and play with an uzi to his own head, saying he would kill. Jan 27, 2017 just over twenty years ago, david foster wallace published his bestknown and most frustrating novel, infinite jest.
Michael herbert schur born october 29, 1975 is an american television producer, writer, and actor. Last nights parks and rec was an extended homage to infinite jest. Feb 07, 2016 infinite jest, in other words, can be exceedingly frustrating. Infinite winter read infinite jest with a few hundred of. Of course, until now eschaton had existed only in the mind of david foster wallace and in his dystopian novel infinite jest. The decemberists salute david foster wallace in calamity. Decemberists, infinite jest, and michael schur unite and. Feb 15, 2016 today, i turned the last page of infinite jest, around a week late for my deadline. Most people who own a copy of infinite jest, david foster wallaces 1,079page magnum opus, havent finished it but with the end of the tour, starring jason segel as wallace and jesse. Bojack horseman and infinite jest are basically the same story. Michael schur takes on infinite jest impose magazine.
But the decemberists, and director michael schur, decided to change that and recreated one of the better scenes of that book for the bands video calamity song. Here is michael schur on directing the video for the decemberists calamity song, which was inspired by david foster wallaces infinite jest. Parks and recreations michael schur talks about directing. This being tahani, of course, celebrities must be involved, so we see that offerman has. Michael schur, who was the showrunner for parks and rec and also played dwights cousin on the office, is a big ij fan, theres a bunch of references in the show to the book i also have to believe that having a character in the office called david wallace is not a coincidence. Michael schur, who directed the video, is a cocreator of nbcs parks and recreation. An annotated guide to last nights parks and recreation. The clip is a dark tribute to david foster wallace 1996 novel infinite jest, which is a dystopian vision of north america in the near future. Michael schur was born on october 29, 1975 in west hartford, connecticut, usa as michael herbert schur. Its a big very big, bold, complex book that divided critics yet nevertheless landed with a thud on that list of novels everyone intends to read someday. Parks and recreation cocreator showrunner mike schur is a noted fan of david foster wallaces novel infinite jest, and prior to last nights new episode, he tweeted that it would contain. Other tv show, bojack horseman, seems to be loosely based on this book. What a game of eschaton looks like adam reger freelance. He goes so far as to say that its influenced everything ive ever written, and discusses how it made him realize the importance of embracing sincerity in his writing.
As schur discussed with the new york times, he was a devoted fan of infinite jest when he was a student at harvard. He wrote his undergraduate thesis on wallace, directed a. Most people who own a copy of infinite jest, david foster wallaces 1,079page magnum opus, havent finished it but with the end of the. The decemberists are my favorite band, and infinite jest is my favorite book. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. I was reading through schurs imdb page while i close up at work and i came. This video is based upon eschaton, a mocknuclear war game played on tennis courts that david foster wallace created in his 1996 novel infinite jest. A few hours after, i noticed some familiar names while watching an episode of parks and recreation. Aug 26, 2011 the bands manager, jason, contacted me through his brother michael with whom i went to college and asked me to direct a video they were planning that referenced a section of the book infinite jest. Michael schur is a big dfw fan who directed the decemberists eschaton inspired vid clip back in in 2011 and has referenced dfw in his tv show parks and recreation. Michael schur wrote for saturday night live and the office before cocreating, writing, and producing parks and. He wrote his senior thesis on the book, and met wallace after inviting the author to campus to receive an award from the harvard lampoon. This book, an opus over 800 pages long, is about the collapse of a midwestern city, but its perhaps most famous for. Incandenza and the world of david foster wallaces infinite jest.
Every character or location introduced in partridge has a name drawn from wallaces novel. Michael schur wrote for saturday night live and the office before cocreating, writing, and producing parks and recreation and, most recently, brooklyn ninenine, two halfhour comedies that have won critical acclaim and loyal fans. Jason segel will play david foster wallace in a biopic. Show executive producer michael schur is a fan of david foster wallace, american author of infinite jest 1996. From the king is dead, the album released this year, the videoa was directed by michael schur, who is known for cocreating nbcs the office. There are many reference to the book and the author in the office. But fear not for these wallace adaptations picking up momentum on their way to an infinite jest film. Lead singer colin meloy had just finished reading infinite jest when he wrote the song, he tells npr. But the times will hip you to the reference if you. Last nights parks and rec was full of references to. Caught this infinite jest referenfe during parks and. That led him to direct a video for the decemberists on the novels. Parks and recreation cocreator and show runner mike schur falls into.
The bands manager, jason, contacted me through his. He cocreated the comedy series brooklyn ninenine and was a producer on. Michael schur project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The law firm representing councilman jamm is gately, wayne, kittenplan, and troeltsch, which are all names of students at the fictional enfield tennis academy. Parks and recreations michael schur talks about directing the decemberists new infinite jest themed video. Infinite jest inspires infinite tributes the millions. The bands manager, jason, contacted me through his brother michael with whom i went to college and asked me to direct a video they were planning that referenced a section of the book infinite jest.
Aug 30, 2011 directed by michael schur, who works on the fantastic parks and recreation, calamity song depicts a game of eschaton from the david foster wallace novel infinite jest which ive written about here. Infinite jest liveblogger to livetweet taped shows references to infinite jest december 29, 2012 january 20, 20 mike moats year of david foster wallace pt. The decemberists yeah, your moms favorite new band and michael schur from parks and rec yeah, the only show you watch on broadcast, whatever that means now have come together to reenact a scene from infinite jest for a decemberists video. Michael schur,the cocreator and show runner of the comedy show,parks and recreation,has directed a video based on a section of the novel infinite jest by david foster wallace. Losing open wont be the end of the world straight sets. Reading from the blindspots a short meditation on the whiteness of david foster wallaces writing. Addiction component in the book, and addiction issues that the author had. David foster wallace, via the decemberists video jacket. Earlier today, parks and recreation creator and infinite jest fan michael schur tweeted this. This entire episode is essentially an homage to that book. Decemberists calamity song official video inspired by.
In infinite jest, he was literally trying to have a conversation with. The ransom center purchasing wallaces archive, including handwritten, first drafts of infinite jest. The decemberists latest music video for calamity song, from their most recent album the king is dead portrayed a scene from david foster wallaces mammoth novel infinite jest, and the probability that somewhere within 100 yards of you a humanities major is freaking out increased by about 600% and this is awesome not only because 1 the decemberists are awesome and 2 infinite jest is. Just like twins share a kind of psychic connection according to sister, sister, so to did parks and rec cocreator michael shur and the decemberists front man colin meloy experience a mind meld. The new york times wrote a piece giving the full background. And an episode from parks and recreation written by schur partridge, which aired april 4, 20was brimming with infinite jest references. When people do tackle it, they often give up within the first 200. Mike schur is a noted fan of david foster wallaces novel infinite jest. Infinite jest scene,reborn as a rock video news archive. A scene in infinite jest is reborn as a rock video. That way, when someone asks if ive actually read it, trying to get one over on me, i can say. Do you think infinite jest has influenced your writing. Michael schur on dfw in the believer general updates.
The best of these, given creator mike schur s known obsession with the book. We spoke to creator mike schur, whose credits also include. Superfans have surely fantasized about actually playing eschaton the book s ultra. How to pretend youve read david foster wallaces infinite jest. And lastly, it was directed by michael schur, the cocreator of parks and recreation, who also holds the film rights to infinite jest. The decemberists and ken tremendous tackle infinite jest. For most people, simply having a copy of david foster wallaces infinite jest once a cult doorstop of a novel, now a point of honorcontention among readerson the bookshelf or coffee table is enough to impress.
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