It comes from Terry Teachout, who reports that Ace in the Hole aka The Big Carnival is airing this Thursday at 2:30 AM EST, Wednesday 11:30 PM PST. This film is unavailable on DVD, unavailable on VHS. In short, there are RARE OPPORTUNITIES to see it! You know this if you are a film geek — even in a small way.

I have not seen it. I have been wanting to see it for years. I have spent much time trying to track this down unsuccessfully.

I do not have cable. While I have a few feelers out to pals, is there any kind soul out there who might be able to tape this for me? I will reimburse you with nifty books!

[UPDATE: Good on multiple fronts. Thank you very much, those of you who wrote in! You’re too kind!]

The Top Ten Dystopian Films (with YouTube clips).

I saw Inland Empire over the weekend and I’m still mulling it over. And I don’t know if I can offer an equitable assessment of the film until I’ve seen it again or at least thought more about it. I’ll only say that any film that leaves me almost totally stripped of brain and emotion is doing something right. And I’ll have more to say on this later. In the meantime, one of the more ruminative reviews I’ve read is Manohla Dargis’s. I agree with Dargis when she writes, “‘Inland Empire’ isn’t a film to love. It is a work to admire, to puzzle through, to wrestle with. Its pleasures are fugitive, even frustrating. The first time I saw it, I was repulsed by the shivers of Lynchian sadism, a feeling doubtless informed by my adoration of the far more approachable, humanistic ‘Mulholland Drive.’ On second viewing, though, ‘Inland Empire’ seemed funnier, more playful and somehow heartfelt.”

Variety: “Another key change: For the first time, a filmmaker will be able to cite another movie when waging an appeal. Along with specific rule revisions, the campaign to make the ratings process more user-friendly and transparent for parents and filmmakers includes an extensive outreach and education program.”