Dr. Morbius (Bill Weber) RIP

re: rrrobyn's post:

https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/97785

The reference to Can You Ever Forgive Me? is soooo otm. I associate Morbs w/the Manhattan 1980-1997 where you grabbed a martini in the middle of the afternoon in a Midtown bar after a Visconti retrospective, reading the NYROB before they piled up.

Alfred, your obit is truly lovely. Thanks. x

― Gerneten-flüken cake (jed_)

Thanks, jed and tangenttangent,

He finished twin peaks, liked it, and said something like “50% shit like most lynch” iirc

Agreed with others, Alfred, and that photo of Bill and J0rdan is lovely.

He finished twin peaks, liked it, and said something like “50% shit like most lynch” iirc

phew!

From Pseu's on-air eulogy: Bill will be buried in his favorite WFMU t-shirt.

and pants!

Listening to that eulogy and literally lold when the DJ said he was always thoughtful and measured online.

Lurked and posted here under various names for fifteen years or so, and this is really very sad to hear. His humour and attitude made him one of the personalities that you really couldn't miss. A piece of ilx is now missing.

I honestly couldn’t tell if she was being tongue in cheek or what ha

xp

haha i dunno that sounds like a parting shot to me lol

Listening to that eulogy and literally lold when the DJ said he was always thoughtful and measured online.

:D

and she leads straight into "i need a new heart". it's a lovely tribute to him.

Will miss his withering contempt in general, but especially for people that don't appreciate Spielberg.

Lmao I literally told the story of him calling me a vacuous tart/whore (would change depending on the convo!) because of my opinions on Spielberg just a few weeks ago on a work call, weirdly. I will never back down, sorry Bill.

He gave my kid a little Mr Magoo doll when he was a baby; he still plays with it and every time I hear it talk it cracks me up. I don't even know where he got it or where one would even think to get such a doll! I put it out on his little display shelf in his room today and it cheered me up.

Really sweet, although I detected some irritation at my request at the end of the evening to contribute to whatever film poll we were going to do next when he said he wasn't going to. But of course he did contribute - his grouchiness at the film poll results became a highlight of sorts for me.

When we all met up for drinks the director poll was going on and he did have a quick mock-rant at the placement of Ford (he also had just come from seeing phantom thread and was fulsome in his praise: “best American film in x years”) (can’t remember x sorry)

The other thing xyz’s quote reminds me of is that I would always have a go at him for always loudly announcing that he wouldn’t vote in the annual film polls that he always voted in, and he would always tell me to piss off - and then last year he randomly apologised to me about it. It was v weird cause whatever he said to me won’t have been worse than “go fuck yourself” and the thing I was carping about was really only an extension of his classic announcing he was leaving the room bit

We definitely had way more unpleasant interactions at an earlier point; I don’t remember any of the things he said to me then, I reckon just generic gfy stuff again, I guess I didn’t warrant anything quotable - but I remember well him saying to me “take care of yourself, please.”

We weren’t pals but now I wish we were

Aw Mr Magoo <3

Is there a link to the eulogy?

yep: https://wfmu.org/playlists/shows/97785

it starts about 20, 21 minutes in

When I met Bill, I proudly presented him the towel. He looked at it witheringly and scoffed, "Baseball fans don't wave rally towels!" He did not accept the gift.

lmao

"Is there a link to the eulogy?"

I lost a good friend in Bill Weber yesterday: a part of a vanishing NYC, a film historian of astonishing debts, a fiery liberal, a warm dude. I'm fortunate to have met him a half dozen times. https://t.co/V51IOcFL4n

— Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (@SotoAlfred) October 22, 2020

oops sorry, misunderstood. thanks calzino!

it might me be me who misunderstood the question, god knows!

nice words, Alfred

I don't know what he would think about being called a "fiery liberal" haha

oh so that's why I heard a burst of static in the stream there

That’s a beautiful post, Alfred.

i've been thinking about what s1ocki said, like, "i thought this guy hated me!" years and years ago morbs mentioned on some thread (not replying to me; i don't think i was even on the thread) that i "seemed like a good kid" even if i seemed to dislike him. i think we had argued on a couple of film threads and i had called him some nasty names. i was stunned when i saw that he had such kind words for me, given that i don't think i had ever said anything particularly kind to him at all. that left an impression and even tho i certainly sparred with him again after that i tried to keep that moment in mind. but i don't think i ever thanked him for saying that; i guess i always figured eventually i might meet him and we could hash it out in person. so it goes.

(thinking about the story now i'm also a bit melancholy thinking of a time when someone could call me a "kid" without being ironic about it.) 

One time he referred to me on here as "one of you Brits" (or something like that), and after being shocked to learn I'm from Texas, he said I was 'Spiritually British'.

lmao

hahaha! i'm sorry, but that is great

lmao

Some absolutely lovely tributes on this thread. I only hope morbz knew in life just how liked, loved, and appreciated he was. I had very few direct interactions with him (I’m neither a film buff, baseball fan or political junkie) but he was such a distinct personality on ilx, he was impossible not to know. I lol’d over many of his posts and noticed he wasn’t stingy with words of support when someone was having a particularly rough time. I can only imagine how devastating his loss is for those of you who knew him well.

Rest In Peace, Morbz. I’m glad you at least won’t have to suffer through the total shitshow that is coming after nov 3.

Man, it was even better than that [Context: I sniped at him for saying that The Good, Bad And The Ugly didn't have enough memorable scenes in the Action Films Poll]

I did not forget any (OK, not all) of those from GB&U, Grisso (jeezus where do you Brits get these handles?). I simply think they pale next to the climax.

― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Friday, February 17, 2012 3:09 PM (eight years ago)

Oh, I see.

Also, I'm from Texas and the handle you singled out is my IRL last name.

― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, February 17, 2012 3:24 PM (eight years ago)

nevertheless, Grisso, you are spiritually British, if I may use an oxymoron.

― Literal Facepalms (Dr Morbius), Friday, February 17, 2012 3:32 PM (eight years ago)

sorry to hear this; I didn't know him well but I did work with him for some time. condolences to those who did.

I remember he popped up on one of our baseball threads and congratulated me on becoming a father after my daughter was born. I guess he saw on facebook and maybe that was his way of letting the sub know 🤷‍♂️
I was a simple thing, but was not expecting it from him and I appreciated it.

this was the encouraging exchange i referenced upthread (edited a bit). was very nice since I ribbed him a lot.
----------

woke up in the hospital this morning due to alcohol intoxication. yep, major changes forthcoming in my life.

― Neanderthal, Monday, July 25, 2016 4:31 PM bookmarkflaglink

Neanderthal, you can do it. I had a similar exp about 4-1/2 years ago, haven't been blackout drunk since....

Good luck, KM! :/

― The Hon. J. Piedmont Mumblethunder (Dr Morbius), Monday, July 25, 2016 4:39 PM bookmarkflaglink

this post of his got to me, I wanted to be reassured:

"I'd like to thank everyone who was shown support for me during my current medical crises in any way whatsoever. It's humbling and so deeply enriching just to feel loved, and so many of you have done that for me. (ie, I am back in the bosom of my family after spending several trying stints in the hospital.) I hope I can see you all in forthcoming times.

― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Thursday, September 10, 2020"

hope we can all see you in forthcoming times, morbs

yeah it was great to hear from him, that's kinda the post that broke me last night, remembering it

In the Fuck cancer thread, when I came back with an update on my surgery and other things, he wrote, "glad to hear you're living well, fella!"

Punch me in the gut.

Ha the

One time he referred to me on here as "one of you Brits" (or something like that), and after being shocked to learn I'm from Texas, he said I was 'Spiritually British'.

:)

Rest in peace, Bill.

Condolences to everyone.

makes me happy to see former ilx posters here again

I feel like I should honor his memory by actually forcing myself to watch all the amazing movies that I haven’t had the attention span for during the pandemic. I own multiple Ozu movies and haven’t seen a single one!

i watched The General for the first time, last night

It’s so good, I should watch it again (or watch all the Keaton I’ve never seen).

Oh my, I will miss his posts on movies. His knowledge was intimidating. I respect that. Condolences to those close to him.

Oh no. I never met him but will miss his thoughts on movies, WFMU, the Mekons, other early 80s music , and even politics.