Tons of typewriters in "Can You Ever Forgive Me?"

Learn more here.

Cincinnati type-in & "California Typewriter" Nov. 5

There will be a silent auction for a Smith-Corona Super-G, with proceeds benefiting WordPlay. Starting at the type-in, continuing in the theater lobby. Winner will be announced before the film.

"California Typewriter" in Cleveland 9/22 with Polt & Davises

Breaking news for typists in the Cleveland, Ohio area: "California Typewriter" opens this Friday, September 22, at the Cedar Lee Theater at 2163 Lee Road in Cleveland Heights. After the 7:15 show, I'll be there to take questions along with Clevelanders Will and Dave Davis. Will is the creator of an amazing set of typewriter websites that has been very influential in opening people's eyes to modern portables and other machines. He and his brother Dave are the authors of the blog Davis Typewriter Works, and Will recently started the blog On the Margin, about rebuilt typewriters. I'll have signed copies of my book, The Typewriter Revolution, available at a good price. I'm also bringing this Smith-Corona Silent-Super from my own collection. The theater is sponsoring a free sweepstakes with this machine as the prize. It will come with a typed, signed copy of The Typewriter Manifesto, and it has a very unusual Yes/No type slug. Enter the sweepstakes here by September 28. You will need to pick up the typewriter in Cleveland, of course. And I'll be in Chicago the following weekend — more details on that event as they become available.

"The Typist" -- an indie film that needs our help

"It's about a young man who likes to type on an old-fashioned typewriter. But he's lonely. So he goes out on an adventure to look for people of his type..."

Filmmaker Abraham Heisler is looking to get his movie into festivals. You can support him on the Kickstarter-like site Pozible.

Thanks to Peter Eipers for drawing this to my attention.

Nine Years Might Have Been an Exaggeration

Here's a review of of DVD release of The Typewriter in the 21st Century, the closest many humble Typospherians may ever come to our fifteen minute allotment of fame. In the interest of full disclosure, I think I overstated the lifespan of that laptop and under-estimated the age of the typewriters. Doing arithmetic on-camera is stressful!

<soapbox>

Given the recent stink about the U.S. government's warrantless snooping security-minded PRISM program, I don't think the 'sphere is above inviting those partial to privacy into our fold. Typewriters: good for marshaling your thoughts, documenting them, and keeping them out of the hands and eyes of Uncle Sam, too. A shame the story didn't break sooner, or Chris and Gary could have also played up the paranoia angle. I, for one, look outstanding in a tinfoil hat.

Typewriter Movie Screenings

Gary Nicholson gave me the heads-up that the documentary The Typewriter (In the 21st Century) is getting U.S. screening dates settled. There's a new page on their web site listing dates and places and the promise of more news to come. Don't miss it!

More than a few Typospherical Celebrities were interviewed for the film -- as well as me. How does the insurgency address cinematic outings? Sit in the back row and type? Leave handmade leaflets on vacant seats? I imagine a gathering something like an "Occupy" protest, except the participants are more nattily dressed and have inky fingers and "boo" every time someone says the word "keychopper." (Boo!)