Saturday, May 9, 2009
Indeterminacy 76
At the New School once I was substituting
for Henry Cowell, teaching a class
in Oriental music. I had told
him I didn’t know anything about the subject.
He said, “That’s all
right. Just go where the
records are. Take one out.
Play it and then discuss it
with the class.” Well, I took
out the first record. It was
an LP of a Buddhist service.
It began with a short microtonal chant with
sliding tones, then soon settled
into a single loud reiterated percussive beat.
This noise continued
relentlessly for about fifteen minutes
with no perceptible variation.
A lady got up and screamed, and
then yelled, “Take it off.
I can’t bear it any longer.”
I took it off. A man
in the class then said angrily,
“Why’d you take it off?
I was just getting interested.”
- John Cage
Death Machine (1995)
A giant corporation manufacturing deadly weapons loses control over the mad scientist they have hired.
Yeah, it's pulp, but entertainingly over the top and tongue in cheek. Brad Dourif outplays everyone else.
Cube Zero (2004)
Prequel to Cube revealing some mysteries about the terror prison.
The premise still offers enough material to provide for another horrifying tale.
Cutter's Way (1981)
aka
Cutter and Bone
Bone is the witness to a murder, and together with his disabled Vietnam veteran pal Cutter he tries to unmask the murderer.
In a way it's a Philip Marlowe paraphrase, all departments doing their best, especially the wonderful photography, but in the end it doesn't add up to much.
Cutter and Bone
Bone is the witness to a murder, and together with his disabled Vietnam veteran pal Cutter he tries to unmask the murderer.
In a way it's a Philip Marlowe paraphrase, all departments doing their best, especially the wonderful photography, but in the end it doesn't add up to much.
The Image (1975)
aka
The Punishment of Anne
An adaptation of Jean de Berg's notorious SM novel.
Well, I finally got to see this 'classic' porn movie. It is done with some style, but all in all it hardly tells a story, and like most porn is another a sequence of set pieces going through the SM catalogue. Not for the squeamish!
The Punishment of Anne
An adaptation of Jean de Berg's notorious SM novel.
Well, I finally got to see this 'classic' porn movie. It is done with some style, but all in all it hardly tells a story, and like most porn is another a sequence of set pieces going through the SM catalogue. Not for the squeamish!
Friday, May 8, 2009
Louis Lumière (1968) (TV)
Eric Rohmer discusses Louis Lumière's films with Jean Renoir and Henri Langlois.
This is a wonderful documentary with two relaxed experts and lots of clips of Lumière's films.
Criminal (2004)
2 con artists try to do a big coup, but it seems like everything goes wrong.
Even though the story was written by Steven Soderbergh, the movie is quite pedestrian and not really suspenseful or even funny, if that was the intention.
Killing Me Softly (2002)
A young woman falls for a guy and gives up her previous marriage and life for him, but he has a dark past.
Chen Kaige has done much better before, but this is an average thriller at best and sometimes a bit silly, especially in the BDSM scenes.
Indeterminacy 11
During that Greensboro concert,
David Tudor and
I
got a little mixed up.
He began to
play one piece
and I began
to play a completely different
one.
I stopped,
since he is
the pianist he
is,
and I just
sat there,
listening.
- John Cage
Le carrosse d'or (1953)
aka
The Golden Coach International (English title) / USA
Die goldene Karosse West Germany
An Italian theater company is invited to perform in a small town in Central America, and the leading lady finds herself loved by three men.
All in all perfect and done with Renoir's light hand, but to me it was too light-weighted (and self-conscious) to be fully entertaining.
The Golden Coach International (English title) / USA
Die goldene Karosse West Germany
An Italian theater company is invited to perform in a small town in Central America, and the leading lady finds herself loved by three men.
All in all perfect and done with Renoir's light hand, but to me it was too light-weighted (and self-conscious) to be fully entertaining.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
A Song a Day
My Bloody Valentine - Soon
By now I guess everybody knows how much I admire My Bloody valentine. This is my favourite song, unfrotunately I couldn't find the official clip, but this live version is great as well.
Be sure to play it VERY LOUD!
Wake up
Don't fear
I want to
Love you
Yeah don't go there
I let you get to me
Yeah yeah
Come back
Don't be
Afraid of me
Soon
That (I'll harm you)
Your eyes are blue
Blue jewels
Yeah yeah
Come back
Have faith
Someone like you
Can find the reason
Of what I did to you
Yeah yeah
Wake up
Don't fear
I want to
Love you
Yeah don't go there
I let you get to me
Yeah yeah
By now I guess everybody knows how much I admire My Bloody valentine. This is my favourite song, unfrotunately I couldn't find the official clip, but this live version is great as well.
Be sure to play it VERY LOUD!
Wake up
Don't fear
I want to
Love you
Yeah don't go there
I let you get to me
Yeah yeah
Come back
Don't be
Afraid of me
Soon
That (I'll harm you)
Your eyes are blue
Blue jewels
Yeah yeah
Come back
Have faith
Someone like you
Can find the reason
Of what I did to you
Yeah yeah
Wake up
Don't fear
I want to
Love you
Yeah don't go there
I let you get to me
Yeah yeah
Action in the North Atlantic (1943)
An American tanker is sunk by a German U-boat and the survivors spend eleven days at sea on a raft. They're next assigned to the liberty ship "Sea Witch" bound for Murmansk through the sub-stalked North Atlantic.
A bit dated, since it's a propaganda actioner, but very professionally done, no sentimentalities involved. Bogey has done better, but needn't be ashamed of this one.
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