Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Indeterminacy 152
We are all part and parcel of a way of life that
puts trust in the almighty dollar — so
much so that we feel ourselves slipping when we hear
that on the international market the West German
mark inspires more confidence. Food,
one assumes, provides nourishment;
but Americans eat it fully aware that
small amounts of poison have been added to
improve its appearance and delay its
putrefaction. None of us wants cancer or
skin diseases, but there are those who tell
us that’s how we get them. It’s hard
to tell, come December, whether
we’re celebrating the birth of Christ or
whether American business has simply pulled the
wool over our eyes. When I hear
that an artist whose work I admire gets
$7000 for a painting whereas another whose
work I don’t admire gets twice as much,
do I then change my mind?
Ten years ago the New York painters
were for the most part poor as church
mice. Did they then or do they
now have a place in American society?
- John Cage
Atomic Train (1999) (TV)
A train filled with atomic devices threatens to destroy the city of Denver.
Amazing that anyone would finance this (probably expensive) much too long mixture of Runaway Train and The Day After.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Indeterminacy 44
(Rene Descartes: Principles of Philosophy)
During a counterpoint class at
U.C.L.A., Schoenberg
sent everybody to the blackboard.
We were to
solve a particular problem he
had given and to turn
around when finished so that
he could check on the
correctness of the solution.
I did as directed.
He said,
“That’s good.
Now find another
solution.” I did.
He said,
“Another.” Again I found
one. Again
he said, “Another.”
And so on.
Finally, I said,
“There are no more
solutions.” He said,
“What is the principle
underlying all of the solutions?”
- John Cage
The Right Stuff (1983)
The original US Mercury 7 astronauts and their macho, seat-of-the-pants approach to the space program.
Epic but never boring account of the beginnings of American space travel, although a bit patriotic.
Man on Wire (2008)
A look at tightrope walker Philippe Petit's daring, but illegal, high-wire routine performed between New York City's World Trade Center's twin towers in 1974.
A fascinating documentary of a still unbelievable act of derring-do.
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