Californication (1 Viewer)

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Hi,
I saw an episode of this really painfully bad show yesterday. Thankfully, he only has the name "hank" and that is as close as he gets to Bukowski.

I saw a 30 minute episode where he got laid by 4 different beautiful women.

He seems to be a drinker, but only a social drunk. He is a writer, but a writer for hollywood movies and certainly not a poet.

He plays oneof those guys who gets everything in life easy.

He also drives a Porche.

Again, very Hollywood and not in a Buk sense.

Thankfully.

Bill
 
If you have no tv then how can you hang sh*t on all those crappy shows? :eek:

My gf loves Californication but I've barely watched 1 episode. Never thought of the Bukowski link. If it's meant to be anything Bukowski related then it's no surprise the Hollywood people fluffed the character up :mad:
 
There was another thread where comparisons were made:

Named Hank
Lives in LA
Writer
Drinks
Has one daughter

Those are not very convincing, I know but he was also on a talk show (David Duchovny was) talking about once being in a play based on a Bukowski story (Copulating Mermaid) it all seemed to come together as a story based loosely on Bukowski. As it turns out it is not even close to Buk in any way and I can't see anyone making that comparison.

Bill
 
Mate, never overestimate those Hollywood people. Many years ago they wanted to make a US version of Fawlty Towers and even hired John Cleese as a consultant. He walked away when some bright spark decided to write Basil Fawlty out from the series :confused:
 
I saw an episode of this really painfully bad show yesterday.
You're right, it is unwatchable. I know, I tried.

What people miss a lot of times in trying to create a character with a lot of flaws and negative outlook on life is some kind of sympathetic or humanizing element. If the character is nothing more than a smug dick - like "Hank" in this show - why would anyone give a shit about him?

The freshly canceled John From Cincinnati suffered from that problem on a massive scale, as every character in the show was a painfully obnoxious jackass. After watching a few episodes thinking, "This has to be going somewhere, it can't just be assholes screaming at each other," I gave up and started hoping the writers had a nuclear war or plague of some kind about to happen so all the characters would disappear and it could just be a blank screen every week. That would have been much more enjoyable.
 
some people are in denial.. there is no doubt this show represents some hollywood fuckwits interpretation of bukowski. no doubt.. its pain fully obvious. duchovny is the one fucking it up.
 
Well, its coming to the UK.

Anyone here want to check it out, it starts on channel five from thursday 11th October at 10pm.
 
I'm gonna go out on a fucking limb...

and say that I enjoy californication.

Bukowski aside (although I do agree there is some influence from someone in the show trying to make it come through in a weak sort of way) I think the show is entertaining.

Owell.
 
I like the show. It can't be Bukowski, they shouldn't even mention his name in it. But it's fun to watch in a cheesy sort of way, and stimulating in a semi-pornographic one. It does seem almost too obvious to be obvious... But maybe that's some of the charm.
 
Yeah, I don't like it. My brother does, he says it's like Sex and the City for guys.

I really think I did just get stalled when I heard his name was "Hank", I got angry and defensive and won't give it a go. No thanks.
 
Hey what's that book she's reading... oh yeah... :D

californication.jpg


(Yes I know what it is. Lame - sorry)
 
If this is a still from the show, expect to see more references. Clearly the writer/producer of this show is a fan of Bukowski. Too bad that he chose to make a show that is so anti-Hank....

Bill
 
Yes its a still from Episode 9. A few minutes earlier they also mentioned Bukowski's name. Duchovny suggests his former partner Karen curls up with her favourite author... and she says
"Oh right, Martin Amis or Virginia Woolf or Charles Bukowski?"
and she sort of points at Duchovny as she says Bukowski.
 
First time caller, long time listener, here.

So, it's a cultural phenomena, then, this Buk, this Bukowski, this Charles Bukowski, guy, sort of like Tom Waits, or the Sixties and Hippies? Or was he actually an author at one time?

I'll take my answer on the air.
 
if buk did go on the path with a rich chick, than I think thats what would have been for him, good thing he had no care in that shit

saw the free 1st episode of californication off the L word dvd 4th season, i liked it, it reminded me of hank
 
hey, I missed this thread all the time! (the title 'Californication' just reminded me of a minor song from a band who in their earlier years used to make major songs:-o
-so, the series with Duchovny finally got realized, eh? and is a screw, eh?

Does anyone know if it's on German TV too? (I don't own a TV-set, but would try to get the series somehow even if there's only the slightest relation to Buk.)

You cats made me really curious about it. I'm SURE, watching it is a true pain in the ass. But I do have to see it, just to know what you're talking about from my own experience. So: how many episodes/seasons so far? Is it a success? (commerially that is, which would mean they go on with it.)
 
(the title 'Californication' just reminded me of a minor song from a band who in their earlier years used to make major songs:-o
And that band recently filed a major copyright lawsuit against the producers of Californication, so if it returns it may be under a new name. ;)
 
Lawsuit for what? As far as I know, you can't copyright a title. Even if you could, the word "Californicate" (and, by extension, Californication) has been around since at least the mid-seventies.
 
All of the Hank's books are named after Slayer albums, so will Slayer sue?

I caught the show a few times in the halcyon hours of late night TV and it was ok, it kinda combined two of Duchovny's well known previous works with the softcore element of the Red Shoe Diaries and the earnest smart alec wit of his novelist character in the film Kalifornia. Beg, borrow and steal all round then.....
 
never in my life have i heard of a slayer album named anything similar to a bukowski book.. oh wait.. 'hell awaits' is just like 'hollywood'.. 'south of heaven' is exactly like 'south of no north'.... 'reign in blood' is surely the inspiration for 'women'.. i can see your point... slayer should sue.
 
Wikipedia is good for something after all!

Anthrax has a song called "Fueled" that has the lyrics, "Bukowski's on my shoulder with much to think"

Apollo 440 has a song called "Tears of the Gods" that features sections of the Bukowski poem "Soup, Cosmos and Tears"

Leftover Crack has a song titled Burning In Water featuring the line "You're burning in water, drowning in flames."

Bad Radio, one of Eddie Vedder's earliest bands, has a song called "I'm Alive (How's That)" (not to be confused with Alive, from the album Ten.) In it, Eddie raps "I like to read Bukowski buck naked, I like intellectual conversation".

Dan Bern has a song called "Black Tornado" on his album New American Language in which he sings "It's a day off / It's an off-day / It's a Budweiser, Budgetel, Bukowski kind of night".

The Boo Radleys have a song named Charles Bukowski's Dead on their album Wake Up!

Modest Mouse, on their album "Good News For People Who Love Bad News" (2004), wrote a song entitled "Bukowski".

Modest Mouse also released a track titled "Long Distance Drunk" on their Lonesome Crowded West CD, which shares its name with a short story in the book Hot Water Music.

He is mentioned in a song written by Chris Hickey called "Downtown" from the "fare well" CD by Uma. "...old man on the couch, he looked liked the ghost of Charles Bukowski." The recording also has a sound clip of Bukowski at the beginning saying "alright, alright, you guys, ok..." from Bukowski's "hostage".

The song "Summer Wino" by Dan Kelly and the Alpha Males has the lyric "I've been reading lots of Charles Bukowski."

The band Hot Water Music is named after one of Bukowski's books.

The band The Good Life has a song titled "Album of the Year" in which a line reads, "i was reading Fanté at the time. i had Bukowski on the mind."

The band Lydia Vance is named after a character in Bukowski's book, Women.

The band The Volta Sound has a song "Henri Chinaski".

Punk band A Radio With Guts is named after a Bukowski poem.

The British rapper Jehst name-checks Bukowski in his track "Alcoholic Author".

The album War All The Time by Thursday shares its title with a Bukowski volume.

Senses Fail produced an album titled Let It Enfold You, from the title of one of Bukowski's works.

A Bukowski quote appears in the booklet for the Propagandhi album Potemkin City Limits.

The post-punk group The Fall wrote a song called "Dr. Buck's Letter", thought to be a tribute to Bukowski.

On the song "Got up this morning" from his 2007 album Human the Death Dance, rapper Sage Francis muses "She dangled that carrot, then asked me, 'What would Bukowski do?' / Don't go there, he'd make you his Mom / And then completely lie about it in a book later on."

He is mentioned in the Red Hot Chili Peppers song "Mellowship Slinky in B Major" on the album Blood Sugar Sex Magik: "I'm on the porch because I lost my house key/ Pick up my book, I read Bukowski."

He is also referenced in the Razorlight song "In the City" from the album Up All Night, the 311 song "Feels So Good" on the album Music as well as "Stealing Happy Hours" on Transistor and "Salsa" on Grassroots, and by UK hiphop artist Jehst on the track "Alcoholic Author" from his 2001 album Return of the Drifter. He is name checked in the titular song on The Good Life's Album of the Year. He is also mentioned in the Jon Bon Jovi song "It's Just Me" on his solo album Destination Anywhere and in the Anthrax song "Fueled" from the album Stomp 442.

Bukowski's work has also been used in the music of Tom Waits, The Ataris, Jawbreaker, Sage Francis, U2, and Buck 65.

Kris Roe, creator and frontman for The Ataris, cites Bukowski as one of his greatest influences.

Gary McDaniel, former bassist of Black Flag, went by the stage name Chuck Dukowski, a homage to Bukowski.

The band Chiodos named their 2007 album Bone Palace Ballet after Bukowski's posthumous book of poems of the same name. Their song "Teeth the Size of Piano Keys" is based on his poem "I'm In Love".

Mike Williams, vocalist for the New Orleans band Eyehategod has cited the works of Bukowski as one of the primary influences in his writing.[citation needed] Williams named the band's demo tape and a subsequent song after the title of a poem by Bukowski called "Lack of Almost Everything". While not being a direct copy of the works of Bukowski, his influence is undoubtedly felt in Williams' book of poetry and prose titled Cancer As A Social Activity.

Folk/country singer/songwriter Tom Russell released Hotwalker, an album of spoken word with Bukowski as one of the main focuses.

Frontman Al Jourgensen of the industrial-metal band, Ministry, has a Bukowski tattoo.

British rock band The Cult named their eighth record Born Into This.

The early Anthony Green band, Audience of One, has a song on their album I Remember When This All Meant Something entitled "Flower, Fist, and Bestial Wail".

The band Amber Pacific named their album "The Possibility and the Promise" after a quote from Ham On Rye.

The Bukowski-inspired song "To All My Friends" is track 10 on the album "Across The Pond" by Adam Snyder, Musician [6] [hti 2001].

The English band The Dogs D'Amour released a song called "Bullet Proof Poet" about Bukowski on their 1989 EP Graveyard of Empty Bottles.

Folk/songwriter Red Label Catharsis bears from a strong Bukowski influence, working for the Postal Service for several years where he was first introduced to Bukowski, has written music under the poem "Have You Ever Been With a Panther?" and frequently performs his song, "All That Matters Most Is How Well You Walk Through The Fire", which is based on the book of poetry of the same title.

The song "Barfly" by live electronica band The Disco Biscuits is inspired by Bukowski's life. The chorus is "Cause I'm the Barfly. I like to drink, that's what I do."

The English electronic artist St. Vitus Dance used a sample of Bukowski in their track "Farewell". The sample is from the track "Farewell; foolish objects" found on the album "70 Minutes In Hell". The track can be found at [7].

The American composer Jesus Contreras wrote a song cycle for soprano and orchestra based on a selection of Bukowski's poems from "Burning in Water, Drowning in Flame: Selected Poems 1955-73".

Bluesman Johnny Dowd cites Bukowski as an influence and the song "God Created Woman" contains the lyrics "Love is no gift from heaven/Love is a dog from hell". The song also references a girl with "long red hair" as do several poems in Love Is A Dog From Hell.

Richard Ashcroft's first album 'Alone With Everybody' was named after a Bukowski poem.

Stereophonics' song 'Devil' is "based on the movies and writings of Charles Bukowski", according to lead singer and song writer Kelly Jones. Also the video for the single is an idea "nicked from one of my Charles Bukowski stories and stuff like that," again according to lead singer Kelly Jones.

Indie/electronica band Peachcake has a song entitled "Jeremiah, Stop Taking Bukowski So Seriously".

Ville Valo of the band HIM has an image of Bukowski tattooed on his arm.

The group AIM, brainchild of Andy Turner, originating from Barrow-In-Furness in England, titled their last Album "Flight 602" referencing the flight number Bukowski took when travelling to Germany for his 1st poetry reading over there.

The Buffalo-based indie rock band, Tugboat Annie, mentions Bukowski in their song "Helen Of Troy".

Canadian MC Buck 65 has a song entitled "The Floor" based on Bukowski's poem "A Smile To Remember".

Houston-based hardcore unit The Jonbenet has a song entitled Love Is A Dog From Hell, named after the Bukowski poem.

The song, "These Mad Dogs of Glory" from Modern Life is War's third album Midnight in America, is heavily inspired by, and quotes, Bukowski's poem "Beasts Bounding Through Time". A homage to literary heroes, the lyrics also mention 'Bukowski on a binge in the streets of L.A.'

The song "Life Imitates Art" by The Lowest of the Low contains the lyrics, "A generation X Bukowski".
 
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As far as I know, you can't copyright a title.

In Germany you can.
A lot of TV-channels, movie-production-companies and book-publishers do so. A GREAT lot! There's a publication dedicated to that, named 'Titelanzeiger' ('title-announcement').
 
It's not based on Bukowski. I don't know who came up with that idea but they're obviously wrong. And it's a great show. So he drives a porsche, bangs beautiful women and doesn't write poetry, who cares?
 
Apparently we care. Seems that you care too... Welcome to the forum. You are clearly more of a Duchovny fan than a Bukowski fan, and that is fine, but if you read much Bukowski, you would see that this show is Hollywood's ripoff of a Bukowskian character. Sorry that you don't see it.....

Bill

p.s. and the show is just awful. Sorry.
 
It's not based on Bukowski. I don't know who came up with that idea but they're obviously wrong. And it's a great show. So he drives a porsche, bangs beautiful women and doesn't write poetry, who cares?

Welcome to the forum DEADontheTHRONE hope you stick around or will you be DEADontheTHREAD? ;)
 
I hear that in this X-Files movie, Agent Mulder gets drunk and fucks whores at the racetrack. Agent Scully is upset with him after he kicks her on the couch saying "Three times this week.... You think that I don;t know...."

Maybe that is just a hoax, though...

Bill
 
I would, but the FBI has classified it all and I do not have clearance anymore. Plus, I'm no friend to this President, so he does not let me go through all of the Top Secret UFO files like the last president did.

Ahhh... The days when I'd meet Mulder and Scully for Sushi in Georgetown and they'd tell stories about TinTin and his domination fetish and how Californication has NOTHING to do with anything Buk related. We also talked about how Californication did NOT steal their title from a Red Hot Chili Peppers song of the exact same name.

Those were the days...

Bill
 

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