This week's newsletter is a short version of Stupefy because I've been on vacation this week. So this is only the extended links and further reading sections. Will be back next week with a full edition of what you're used to. Let's get to it.
Netflix shared ratings numbers for the hit Sandler/Aniston movie Murder Mystery: Netflix famously never does this, keeping its viewership numbers a secret for years. But in a tweet last week the company made public very specific and very big numbers for Murder Mystery. In its first three days, according to Netflix, the flick was watched by 30,869,863 accounts, the biggest opening weekend ever for a Netflix Film. "13,374,914 accounts in the US and Canada, and 17,494,949 more worldwide." (Twitter)
A Netflix spokesman clarified that "Netflix only counts views if members finished at least 70% of a film." (Variety)
With 60 million US household subscriptions, that means 21% of US subscriber accounts watched the movie. Why? The Netflix homescreen is a kingmaker: every account opened to two super recognizable movie stars. (screenshot)
WeChat ads are fucking crazy! This video ad for telecom brand China Mobile touts the benefits of 5G technology: the police hunting down a (very cool) fugitive through facial recognition and surveillance. It also looks like it could be an Adidas commercial if Balenciaga did the creative direction. (Twitter)
Snap Originals is way more successful than you may know. "Last year, 28 million viewers tuned into the finale of Snapchat’s sleeper hit Endless Summer, showing potential for a full-fledged streaming platform...The docu-series, which is being compared to the early aughts’ trailblazer Laguna Beach, is back for a second season, and Snapchat is hoping to replicate its live streaming success." (Observer)
Snap's "Serialized content is working," says Snapchat senior director of content Sean Mills. “People are subscribing, they’re coming back to watch the shows at the cadence we’re distributing them.” (Hollywood Reporter)
Speaking of reality TV: The Hill is back. (NYT)
The presidential candidate playlist emerges as a new vehicle for campaign message crafting. (Washington Examiner)
Tidal now lets you listen to songs by producer. (Twitter)
The relaunch of the best blog of all time - Gawker - continues to go badly. (NYP)
Media outlets are making a huge fuss over Neon Genesis Evangelion being finally available to watch on Netflix, as if it were some long lost, unavailable holy grail. But I distinctly remember copies of it on DVD at Newbury Comics in the early aughts. (The New Yorker)
The UMG master tapes fire drama gets worse and worse. (Deadline)
A fantastic obit of Judith Krantz, author of 80's sex and shopping paperbacks. (NYT)
This spoof of Cameo videos by ClickHole writers is very funny. (Twitter)
Lil Nas X's web site is a mobile version of a DM feed. (lilnasx.com)
It doesn't seem like the design agency who made the logo for Facebook's digital wallet Calibra tried very hard. (Twitter)
Further reading: — Every HBO Show, Ranked
Taking stock of the premium network’s formidable catalogue.
Why have Facebook banned Led Zeppelin's Houses Of The Holy artwork?
Facebook users say they're being banned for uploading the cover of Led Zeppelin's Houses Of The Holy. What's going on?
30 years after his Faith No More breakthrough, Mike Patton owns a record label that keeps turning profits
Patton, who is notorious for his prolific output and workaholic nature, kept chugging along after Faith No More dissolved in 1998.
Holding Patterns
The unusual state of hold music, which works pretty much the opposite way that every other kind of music does, for reasons both technical and psychological.
An Oral History of Oakleys, the Most Badass Sunglasses of the 1990s
First extreme athletes wore them, then Michael Jordan and Tom Cruise wore them… Then every douche in the neighborhood wore them. Here’s what happened in between.
The Newsstands of the Future Will Have No Newspapers
When New Stand launched, it stocked all the major papers; it’s just that nobody bought them.
Catching desires
That drink, that cigarette, that dance: wanting things is highly contagious. Can you be immunised against the infection?