Berlin sleep-debt snatches : 2—Friday

Over my cornflakes, I peruse the Berliner Zeitung - specifically its story marking the passing of the individual who came into the world as Eric Lee Purkhiser (or, according to BZ, "Pruiksher") on 21st October 1946, and departed it at the weekend as Lux Interior, lead-singer of The Cramps. He wasn't a "movie person" per se, but, as the Zeitung notes - and even those who speak kein Deutsch whatsoever will get the gist of this - his key stylistic influences included "dem Rockabilly der 50er-Jahre, dem Garagenrock der 60er und den dazugehörigen B-, C- und D-Film-Ikonografien." As far as I can ascertain, his own film-career consists of playing Punk Thug in a 1978 obscurity, The Foreigner and Rayo X in something calles Los Campeones de la lucha libre from last year - perhaps the Berlinale might consider staging an impromptu double-bill as a tribute.

In the wake of John Updike's demise, the passing of Lux Interior hasn't made enormous headlines worldwide - but I for one reckon the planet is a little duller for his departure. Then again, considering among his best-known songs was "Zombie Dance", perhaps the physical demise of Lux/Eric shouldn't really be a cause for the rending of our collective garments. Actually, I always liked to think of him by one of his intermediary noms d'etage: for me, he'll always be Vip Vop, a moniker that, for some reason, always makes me smile.

Anyway, screenings await - bring on those "B- C- und D-" movies, bitte!