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Post by Tomas on Jan 22, 2020 16:48:03 GMT
After watching during Christmas holidays The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, winning Oscar for best foreign title in 1970, it was easy to be even more than before inclined to like motion pictures made in a style of the last century. The story of Jewish nobility youths in 1938 Italy had so much visual delight in spaciousness. It was a delicate drama and leaving a genteel sense of "open philosophy" behind it. Apart from this one director De Sica was perhaps most famous for his early success The Bicycle Thief, but this was another type of film altogether. This new year´s centenary for Fellini may bring some more private movie nostalgia. So far I have only seen 7 of his major works in all. La Dolce Vita, I Vitelloni and Il Bidone are three great achievements that each can be taken as even better the second or third time around. It Bidone (The Swindlers) is the dark comedy where a protagonist dressed up as priest, or even a bishop, are making collection rounds to poor widows in the countryside... And perhaps even better than both Fellini and De Sica stands the other master of the 20th century hightide Scola. His late movie La Cena is still among my all categories top 5 list. The whole film set in one single evening at a cosy Italian family restaurant, portraying the various colourful dinner guests and staff. Couldn´t be better!
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Post by Séamus on Feb 7, 2020 5:20:39 GMT
vale: Kirk Douglas. If for a moment we juxtapose a quote attributed to his most enduring character, GLADIATORS DON'T MAKE FRIENDS,IF WE ARE EVER MATCHED IN THE ARENA I WILL HAVE TO KILL YOU, with that of his son's most famous quote from his most famous role,GREED IS GOOD,GREED WORKS, we could probably reflect how similar our own world's ideology is to the pre-Christian GrecoRoman era. But a 65 year marriage is a rarety for Hollywood.
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Post by cato on Feb 7, 2020 13:50:16 GMT
His most famous movie Spartacus was an implicit Marxist tribute albeit disguised as a toga and sandals epic. I was taken aback when I learned of the strong Marxist presence in Archaelogy and Ancient history circles.
Douglas always struck me as one of those semi mythical strong men of the big screen , gentlemen in all senses of the word. Probably an ambassador of patriarchy and toxic masculinity
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Post by Séamus on Feb 10, 2020 12:32:51 GMT
His most famous movie Spartacus was an implicit Marxist tribute albeit disguised as a toga and sandals epic. I was taken aback when I learned of the strong Marxist presence in Archaelogy and Ancient history circles. Douglas always struck me as one of those semi mythical strong men of the big screen , gentlemen in all senses of the word. Probably an ambassador of patriarchy and toxic masculinity I read an interesting/uninteresting piece the other day about a sport photographer named John O'Gready who took an image in Sydney in the 1960s of two opposing rugby captains seemingly embracing after a game,covered with the thickest mud imaginable. The resulting image so resembled a bronze of gladiators that the photo became known by that name and a trophy was modelled on it twenty years later. Not sure how common bronze sculptures of gladiators actually were in ancient times? The image deceived in more ways than one- the coaches may have had an arm around each other but confessed later to be arguing the referees' decisions. I notice Henryk Górecki's Symphony of Sorrowful Songs gets used as background in A Hidden Life. I first became aware of this Polish minimalist composer when given a cd a few years ago,his inspiration quite a balance of Christian sacredness,nationalist culture and the horrors of his century,particularly a young lady tortured by the Gestapo. The first 25 minute piece on the cd arrives at it's peak so gradually it's almost like a creation story beginning with a brontosaurus march. I think if I was the soprano my nerves would be well frayed waiting for my part. But beautiful and appropriately chosen.
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Post by Séamus on Mar 11, 2020 2:17:55 GMT
vale: Max Von Sydow who starred as Christ in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. I know somebody who always gets annoyed at 'Nordic looking' images of Our Lord, but this Swede didn't do too badly as a Jew. As Karlskirche has been playing a large role in Vienna's commemorations of Beethoven's 250th birthday this year(not sure if this has been shattered yet by the virus scare), despite the composer being known mostly for secular music, there's a couple of reminders here of how the performing arts have still had Christian inspiration in recent times.
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Post by cato on Mar 13, 2020 7:33:01 GMT
vale: Max Von Sydow who starred as Christ in THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD. I know somebody who always gets annoyed at 'Nordic looking' images of Our Lord, but this Swede didn't do too badly as a Jew. As Karlskirche has been playing a large role in Vienna's commemorations of Beethoven's 250th birthday this year(not sure if this has been shattered yet by the virus scare), despite the composer being known mostly for secular music, there's a couple of reminders here of how the performing arts have still had Christian inspiration in recent times. I only saw the movie on Jesus once and thought it was terrible . Maybe I need to revisit it. His role as the elderly Jesuit in the Exorcist is timeless. An iconic performance of the 20th century. On Lyric Radio early on Monday they were playing Mahlers Death in Venice Symphony. I don't know if too many people noticed it at 6am . It was weirdly appropriate to the national mood later that afternoon. The screen adaption of the Thomas Mann novella Death in Venice is a favourite of mine . I doubt we will see it on screen in these hyper sensitive times although it might provide some catharsis for some. It's best watched with a bottle or two of wine on an early September evening. Trust me.
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Post by Séamus on Apr 2, 2020 11:57:26 GMT
I came across an article this week about a new St Patrick production starring Manx actor John Rhys-Davies,who's notable for the role of Tolkien's Gimli,using much computer trickery,due to his being taller in real life than Legolas (in my father's day the rumour apparently went around that Alan Ladd wore platformed shoes to increase his height- interesting how different methods were then). The Patrick write-up didn't mention the medium being used;as cinemas are shut in many places I'm assuming it was televised or on a pay-tv method? As much as I'd rank Patrick above Wonder Woman or Black Widow,there'd be little hope for the big screen if these ladies have been postponed. Perhaps Anne Bancroft's 70s Mary Magdalene would be the dramatised saint to watch this Paschal Season. Although much of the filmed Resurrection scenes of Zeffirelli's production weren't broadcasted,the figure of Mary of Magdala reminds us that the first Easter Sunday was restricted to a crowd of two,and she was told to keep a few feet away.
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Post by Séamus on Apr 28, 2020 11:51:22 GMT
"Like all wayfarers that came out of the West, António Rodrigues urged the Jesuits to establish centres in the interior. Indeed,soon after,he was teaching the Indian children in the Apostolate of José de Anchieta in São Paulo. In 1553,when he was admitted into the Society,he enthusiastically wrote,'Would that I were twenty and had a long life to assist the padres as I have had experience in the land.'"
Reading about the early Jesuit missionaries lately has brought to mind the strengths and weaknesses of Jeremy Irons' film The Mission,even though that film was set in a later era than St Joseph Anchieta and the others highlighted in the book,such as Frs Nóbrega or Nunes who were writing letters about the Amazon mission to St Ignatius himself. In particular the mention of a couple of adventurers,like the above-mentioned, who were admitted into the Jesuits in 'Portugese America' at mature age after unsettled lives have a superficial resemblance to Robert DeNiro's character, although there's no mention of either fractricide committed or of these mature age entrants being admitted to the priesthood. Someone who knows canon law quite well assured me that current canonical restrictions blocking anyone guilty of homicide from receiving Holy Orders are longstanding. In a more perfect world,the reality would have made a more interesting blockbuster, remembered fondly for more than the instrumental background or a Rev. Jesuit holding a loveable sloth.
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Post by Séamus on May 8, 2020 9:05:24 GMT
"Like all wayfarers that came out of the West, António Rodrigues urged the Jesuits to establish centres in the interior...." Reading about the early Jesuit missionaries lately has brought to mind the strengths and weaknesses of Jeremy Irons' film The Mission.... "Upon the alarm that enemies bore down upon them the missionaries rushed to their chapel,consumed the Host and removed as many church ornaments as possible..." cf Apostle of Brazil,H Dominion Even as a teenager I can remember thinking that the action of The Mission's Jesuits in the final scene, processing with the monstrance into a barrage of bullets, wasn't quite right. As romantic and heroic as dying with the monstrance in hand would be,I'd imagine the above quote all but confirms it as the unlikeliest action of a traditional Jesuit priest towards the consecrated species. The social aspect of the film,on the contrary,was spot on,with the Order absolutely ahead of everyone else as regards concern for the indigenous of Brazil. An addendum not quite related (although he'd make a good movie) was mention towards the end of the book of a Limerick-born Jesuit: "Thomas Fields had a picturesque career. Because of his religious convictions he was obliged to emigrate from Ireland to France and Belgium. After three years in Louvain he secured his Master of Arts in philosophy. Coming to Brazil in 1577, Fields worked in São Paulo,putting into practice the methods of Anchieta. In Paraguay he was a tireless worker among the Indians and Spanish. The Irish-born Jesuit won the distinction of turning the tide of missionary activity from distant Peru to Paraguay...as a result of Fields' intelligent foresight,his name is linked with the connection between the first missions founded in Paraguay by the pioneers from Brazil and the mission in the Independent Province of Paraguay established in 1607." He was also one of five Jesuits captured and tortured by pirates,who are always declared in the book to be French or English Calvinist-style protestants,happy to target the colonies of Catholic superpowers. I suppose this debunks quite a few Hollywood screenplays also.
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Post by Séamus on May 13, 2020 12:08:16 GMT
Austrian scientists have reportedly concluded recently that Disney films are therapeutic for women recovering from ovarian cancer,citing Andrews' Mary Poppins as an example. As the study was based in Vienna, the jury is assumedly still out as to wether her 20thCenturyFox Fraulein Maria is more beneficial in Salzburg. By suggesting this do they include Marvel and other franchises that the Disney conglomerate has swallowed? What of Jedi Knights? I noticed passing a games and gizmos shop this week,that I think had managed to stay operable during the most stringent virus rules,was displaying an Empire Strikes Back 40th anniversary stand. Don't think I'll be getting a commemorative t-shirt myself,but it might ignite debate as to whether it was indeed the best of the StarWars films made. The lack of computer-generated technology will earn it brownie points in many opinions, but I'd wonder if Solo's commoditization of the tauntaun would pass animal activists these days? Without knowing the inspiration behind it, the beast itself does have a striking resemblance to a possible drawing,minus an addition of dragon wings, of a kangaroo in a 1593 map produced by Dutch Mariners,which depicts Solomon Islands and northern New Guinea quite well but Australia as an unknown stretch of land (no doubt the accompanying lion was a distantly sighted dingo.) A miniature painted in a nunnery in the same era probably did the marsupial more justice. Oró the Portuguese explorer-naturalists for that. I couldn't help wondering whether anyone aside from the Kerry tourism industry will recall The Last Jedi in four decades time? Or if there'd be a ruby anniversary market for JarJar's creation?
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Post by cato on May 13, 2020 22:08:24 GMT
]I couldn't help wondering whether anyone aside from the Kerry tourism industry will recall The Last Jedi in four decades time? Or if there'd be a ruby anniversary market for JarJar's creation? [/quote]
I may be mistaken but parts of that movie were filmed in the opposite end of Ireland too. Northern Donegal attracted Star Wars groupies for a couple of weeks after certain people protested about the misuse of the Skellig by the US film giant. There were no protests in Donegal. Kerry's difficulty was Donegals opportunity in this case.
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Post by Séamus on May 15, 2020 5:22:03 GMT
]I couldn't help wondering whether anyone aside from the Kerry tourism industry will recall The Last Jedi in four decades time? Or if there'd be a ruby anniversary market for JarJar's creation? I may be mistaken but parts of that movie were filmed in the opposite end of Ireland too. Northern Donegal attracted Star Wars groupies for a couple of weeks after certain people protested about the misuse of the Skellig by the US film giant. There were no protests in Donegal. Kerry's difficulty was Donegals opportunity in this case.[/quote] I thought it was probably a slight no-brainer on behalf travel journalists (outside of Ireland) when they started gushing with excitement at the thought of StarWars turning Skelligs into the new 'it place', without looking too much into whether there even would be interest there in accommodating greater numbers. And of course it should stand alone as an attraction without the presence of depressed Jedis,but couldn't the same be said of Cong,which has it's own significance above and beyond Maureen O'Hara or John Wayne?
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Post by Séamus on May 21, 2020 12:20:30 GMT
Someone SMSed me a photo of (intriguingly, surrounded by his breakfast cereals) a statue of St Joan of Arc he'd bought for himself. Not a personal devotion I've come across often,despite her high profile on screen,from Ingrid to Dustin Hoffman,not forgetting the OMD music-video,still considered one of the best after over three-and-a-half decades.(Shouldn't she have,like Rita of Cascia for example, traditionally made it into the Irish 'top ten', being a martyr by and against the English?) Margaret of Cortona,by comparison,seems to only have had one major Italian-language production,this filmed over fifty years ago,despite being now considered (I only just learnt) patroness of weight loss. Presumably medically necessary weight loss,but still an attraction for Hollywood I'd imagine,from A-listers to Z-grade. An official branch of the UN,United Nations Women Australia, desperate no doubt to have their existence known by those 24.5 million of us that hadn't heard of them,have recommended Y'ALL as a non-offensive alternative to "boys and girls". Isn't the forcing of Australians to use American slang globalising-offensive? As if we don't all use enough already. Not even the Disney character world could impose complete conformity...I learnt recently that Clarabelle Cow, short-term girlfriend of Goofy,become a star in idyllic-rural-loving Italy only. An unseen 85-year-old footage of the last captive Tasmanian tiger has been released this week. Other reels of 'Benjamin' exist and perhaps the thylacine is the only extinct animal of any size to actually be filmed this way before it's demise,but what makes the unearthed 20 second clip,no doubt made for the old cinema PathNews, interesting is the voice-over "the Tasmanian Tiger is now very rare,being forced out of it's natural habitat by the march of civilization". Notable that concern for Man's (or y'all's rather) stewardship is far from a flower-power awakening. Unlikely, however,that conservationists would now honour y'all with the civilization-word. I wonder,had both things continued to command respect,as they did in 1935,what balance y'all could have maintained?
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Post by assisi on May 22, 2020 18:44:36 GMT
Someone SMSed me a photo of (intriguingly, surrounded by his breakfast cereals) a statue of St Joan of Arc he'd bought for himself. Not a personal devotion I've come across often,despite her high profile on screen,from Ingrid to Dustin Hoffman,not forgetting the OMD music-video,still considered one of the best after over three-and-a-half decades.(Shouldn't she have,like Rita of Cascia for example, traditionally made it into the Irish 'top ten', being a martyr by and against the English?) Margaret of Cortona,by comparison,seems to only have had one major Italian-language production,this filmed over fifty years ago,despite being now considered (I only just learnt) patroness of weight loss. Presumably medically necessary weight loss,but still an attraction for Hollywood I'd imagine,from A-listers to Z-grade. An official branch of the UN,United Nations Women Australia, desperate no doubt to have their existence known by those 24.5 million of us that hadn't heard of them,have recommended Y'ALL as a non-offensive alternative to "boys and girls". Isn't the forcing of Australians to use American slang globalising-offensive? As if we don't all use enough already. Not even the Disney character world could impose complete conformity...I learnt recently that Clarabelle Cow, short-term girlfriend of Goofy,become a star in idyllic-rural-loving Italy only. An unseen 85-year-old footage of the last captive Tasmanian tiger has been released this week. Other reels of 'Benjamin' exist and perhaps the thylacine is the only extinct animal of any size to actually be filmed this way before it's demise,but what makes the unearthed 20 second clip,no doubt made for the old cinema PathNews, interesting is the voice-over "the Tasmanian Tiger is now very rare,being forced out of it's natural habitat by the march of civilization". Notable that concern for Man's (or y'all's rather) stewardship is far from a flower-power awakening. Unlikely, however,that conservationists would now honour y'all with the civilization-word. I wonder,had both things continued to command respect,as they did in 1935,what balance y'all could have maintained? It's strange coincidence that I was watching a movie online a few days ago called 'The Hunter' (2011) starring Willem Dafoe as a hunter contracted by a company to track down the (last?) Tasmanian tiger. Now, shockingly , I went to bed halfway through the movie as I was tired. It was okay but had the usual secondary themes, potential romance with widow, friendship with her traumatised kid, run-ins with local loggers etc, but I admit one of the reasons that I watch these type of movies is for the scenery and outdoor shots.
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Post by Séamus on May 25, 2020 4:32:49 GMT
Someone SMSed me.... An unseen 85-year-old footage of the last captive Tasmanian tiger has been released this week. Other reels of 'Benjamin' exist and perhaps the thylacine is the only extinct animal of any size to actually be filmed this way before it's demise,but what makes the unearthed 20 second clip,no doubt made for the old cinema PathNews, interesting is the voice-over "the Tasmanian Tiger is now very rare,being forced out of it's natural habitat by the march of civilization". Notable that concern for Man's (or y'all's rather) stewardship is far from a flower-power awakening. Unlikely, however,that conservationists would now honour y'all with the civilization-word. I wonder,had both things continued to command respect,as they did in 1935,what balance y'all could have maintained? It's strange coincidence that I was watching a movie online a few days ago called 'The Hunter' (2011) starring Willem Dafoe as a hunter contracted by a company to track down the (last?) Tasmanian tiger. Now, shockingly , I went to bed halfway through the movie as I was tired. It was okay but had the usual secondary themes, potential romance with widow, friendship with her traumatised kid, run-ins with local loggers etc, but I admit one of the reasons that I watch these type of movies is for the scenery and outdoor shots. Tasmania's countryside is definitely it's drawcard; Bobby Sands line "Van Dieman's Land is a hell for a man,To live out his life in slavery" could hardly refer to scenery,had he been enough informed about it,while "the climate is raw and the gun makes the law, Neither wind nor rain makes for bravery" described a climate similar to Derry's own. Perhaps the county can pick up on Westminster's appointing a 'commissioner for cultural recovery (from covid19)'. Arts experts have cited the fact that both Edinburgh and Avignon began art festivals in 1947, before war rationing had subsided, as a precedent for government's interests. Plenty of fodder for thriller movies anyway- people covered up in masks and gloves, buildings boarded up, elderly people often observing everyone and everything from a single window for weeks on end. An Elijah Wood interview to mark a new acting project remarked on the actor's post-Lord of the Rings tendency for horror genre. One thing not remarked upon was that some the trilogy's non-Tolkein scenes,like Frodo's awareness of the witch-king's approach, would almost seem influenced by Poltergeist, Exorcist and the like. And yet no focus in the films of the palantír being the main cause of the fall of an otherwise-goodly Denethor,which could very well have served as a warning against certain spiritualities. I recently came across an early-70s paperback edition of Cloud of Unknowing, whose preface optimistically mentioned that the western world was taking more interest in Christian spirituality after years of interest in eastern mysticism. This was 1971! Had it occurred to Catholic Tolkien,he could well have used the example of Denethor,with the opposite example of the character of his selfless second-born(who,I'm glad,got a larger roll on screen) as a statement,even,it seems,to his own pre-psychedelic generation.
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