This clip comes from the final dance number in An American in Paris, which lasts 18 minutes. It is quite simply stunning, both in Gene Kelly's choreography and in E. Preston Ames and Cedric Gibbons' art direction. The scene takes place entirely within the daydreams of Jerry Mulligan (Kelly) after he has lost the love of his life (read: our little boy has a crush on his best friend's girl), and it has the feel of what we would see in the heads of Robert De Niro or Julie Christie at the end of Once Upon a Time in America or McCabe & Mrs. Miller, respectively. Those two characters, depressed by their worlds, escape through opium and the films end with them lost inside their heads. If they were musical in nature, their minds would look like Mulligan's dreams. However, the film pulls back from Mulligan sinking into his mind by pulling an It's a Wonderful Life: happy endings for everyone (except that other guy who loves Lisa. What a loser)!! It's a testimony to the power of this dance scene that I went from desperately wanting Lisa and Jerry back together to wishing Jerry's pain would never end. That may sound sadistic, but it's hard not to want pain when it's so beautiful and well crafted.
I would be posting more, but I'm reading my annual book (73% Baby!). This year it's Paul Sherman's Big Screen Boston. I plan to give a thorough treatment once I get through it, which shouldn't be too long. It's certainly a good read. But I want to take a moment to celebrate this glorious day in French history.
This week is going to be all over the place because there's a lot going on right now.
First, I want to mention the passing of George Carlin. He will be remembered for his roles in Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Dogma and Shining Time Station. But he will be best remembered for his stand up comedy. Carlin is held among the highest ranks with Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce. Enjoy those Seven Words:
If you haven't seen it yet, you should go and see The Animation Show Year 4. I think that The Animation Show is extremely important in the world of animation for giving a decent release to a collection of short films, something which is sorely lacking from the rest of the film world, except that time in February when the Academy Award Nominated Shorts get their own program. But The Animation Show attracts a different sort of audience. Hopefully someone like Judd Apatow can curate something similar for live action shorts. A man can dream. Some films from this year's lineup are available online.
Finally, I want to share this for those of you who did not see it this past Thursday. Stephen Colbert has spent over two years trying to find what he terms a formidable opponent. He finally has.
This is an addendum to last week's Sundae Monday. This week is solely focused on the work of the Pixies and unofficial videos to be found on YouTube. This first one is one of the most frightening videos you're likely to find on YouTube. Enjoy Tame:
Next is a video for Where's My Mind composed of footage from its most conspicuous use in pop culture:
This is a video for Hey made from Enigma videos:
I'll leave you with the official video for my favorite Pixies song:
I am not a big fan of Nirvana. It's a generational thing. This post is entirely about Nirvana. Before I get into it, I feel that I should provide proper context, starting with 70s punk. For the record, when I refer to the Big Four, I mean the most popular grunge bands to come out of Seattle in the early 90s: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains.
I have always lived in the shadow of Nirvana. When Kurt Cobain shot himself and essentially ended the grunge movement, I was seven years old and had just seen my first music video on MTV (for the record, it was Green Day's "Basket Case"). I didn't learn who Nirvana was for a long time, as I was brought up in a home that favored the works of Billy Joel and James Taylor. By the time I finally did get a chance to listen to Nevermind, Nirvana has already been proclaimed the greatest and most influential band since the Beatles. Nevermind is now the usual runner-up in any list of the greatest albums ever made, behind some Beatles album, usually Sgt. Pepper's. With my expectations placed so high by the rest of society, my first couple of listens inevitably led to disappointment.
Since then I have found it difficult to approach Nirvana's work, in much the same way that I find it hard to try listening to the 60s work of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Bob Dylan. You can yell at me that I need to listen to these "seminal" works immediately, but that only makes me shrink from the discs. When something is so highly rated, especially works that require a certain context, it becomes increasingly difficult for a modern listener to hear these works with fresh ears. Some bands that play important historical roles can be appreciated on their own terms, like the Sex Pistols. Listen to "God Save the Queen":
You don't need need to see their appearance with Bill Grundy or the context of the 70s to see them as outrageous and rebellious. It's harder to appreciate the works of the Ramones without recognition of how their simplified song structure flew in the face of the growing movement of progressive rock, as exemplified by the works of Pink Floyd, Yes, and King Crimson. Listening from 30 years in the future, the Ramones sound like surf-rock on speed: faster with more edge. Just compare the Ramones' "Rockaway Beach"
with the Beach Boys' "I Get Around":
Where the Sex Pistols had a distinct message that was carried through their lyrical content and their musical style -- anarchy reigned in their music -- the Ramones had a much subtler message. Their revolution was strictly musical. Blitzkrieg Bop stands as a message on the state of music at its time. It's a call for simplification that seems just as relevant now in the face of the music of bands like Tool.
Nirvana's music came as a similar call to arms. However, the excessive musicianship of prog rock that punk reacted to had been replaced by the superficiality of hair metal in the late 80s. Nirvana wasn't about returning rock music to its simplistic roots; it was about removing the sheen exemplified by Poison, Def Leppard, and Bon Jovi. In this way, the grunge movement wasn't the changing of the guard that everyone thinks it is. Nirvana simply replaced one style with another. Deliberately inane lyrics ("a mulatto, an albino, a mosquito, my libido") replaced overwhelmingly stupid lyrics ("every rose has its thorn, just like every night has its dawn, just like every cowboy sings a sad sad song"). The movement was one of stylistic concerns. There was no return to the good old days when rock music was just three chords. Nirvana's sound stemmed directly from the underground music scene that had blossomed during the 80s.
With the exception of Alice in Chains, each of the Big Four is immediately credited with a distinct set of influences. Pearl Jam's relatively clean sound and big guitar hooks echo the late 60s work or the Rolling Stones and the Who. Soundgarden, before breaking big with Badmotorfinger, were labeled a Led Zeppelin/Black Sabbath hybrid. Nirvana is the most distinctly punk-influenced of the Big Four, as noted in Kurt Cobain's statement that "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is his version of a Pixies' song. Nirvana never developed a musical team like Mike McCready and Jeff Ament or Kim Thyil and Ben Shephard. In fact, it often feels as if Cobain prides himself on how simple the music is. One of the most interesting things about the video for Nirvana's "In Bloom" is how it directly references pop music from the 60s when "In Bloom" is one of the most strikingly pop-y songs of the grunge movement:
Kurt Cobain wrote good pop songs and then slathered them in distortion. Verse, chorus, verse, chorus, musical break, chorus. Though this template is unavoidable in all music, Nirvana's use of this structure was particularly apparent. Verses were often quiet, and choruses were usually much louder. If I were to intellectualize this to an absurd degree, I would say that this is Cobain's way of emphasizing the traditional pop song structure so as to make his audience recognize the utter sameness in the songs they normally listen to. I think that this is giving our friend Kurt a bit too much credit. I think he just like a good pop song but wanted to hang out with the cool kids. If you want to look at a nice twist on a normal pop song template, look at Soundgarden's Rusty Cage:
Here, the musical break never really ends, as it changes the entire rhythm of the song. That is what draws me to Soundgarden rather than Nirvana; Soundgarden attempts to make more than simple pop songs. Nirvana never really seems interested in the music they make. It's hard to look at Nevermind as a good album without placing it in its context. Even so, of the albums released in 1991 by the Big Four, Nevermind comes in a distant third to Badmotorfinger and Ten, respectively. Nevermind isn't as interesting rhythmically as Badmotorfinger or musically as Ten. Without a personal stake in the music, I lean away from Nirvana's simple style.
A quick thought on my earlier comment about one style replacing another; look at these two videos:
Look at the way shots of the band are intercut with death. The band isn't presented in glamour shots like they would in a Poison video. The Toadies use stark lighting as if to highlight their flaws, and shots of Soundgarden are often dominated by the lights in the background in an effort to hide the band. These techniques are common in grunge and alternative videos, as they reject what was once considered the standard for a rock video and try to rebel by fitting another sort of conformity.
Though I would prefer to listen to Badmotorfinger or Vs. on any given day, I would say that the one album that just gets better with every listen is Alice in Chains' Dirt. Often listening to that album, I feel like this is what Hell should sound like:
Layne Staley sounds like he is screaming in pain, and the guitar sounds like a car revving up about to drive off a cliff. Even songs written by Jerry Cantrell that don't thematically fit in with the majority of the album, which is devoted to Staley's heroin addiction, never sound out of place. The prime example is Rooster, which to my mind is the ultimate song about the Vietnam War:
Dirt is an unrelentingly bleak album, but its sound and lyrics cohere so perfectly that it transcends its boundaries to become truly beautiful. It is an album born of pain, so its grand themes suit it well. I never get that sense with Nevermind. But before people just think I hate Nirvana, I want to present what I think is Nirvana's best song:
I don't hate Nirvana. I just don't get it. I feel like someone is trying to tell me a joke and ends it with "you had to be there." Can someone tell me from an objective point of view, what is so good about Nirvana?
That Nirvana post is definitely going to be coming in the next week. It may end up as next week's Sundae Monday with the amount of videos I intend to include. I would have done it this week but things have been too busy with returning home from London and everything that goes with it. So this week I present a very nuanced and accurate portrayal of the people whom I called my neighbors for nine months.
Alright, I admit my philistinism. I don't get it. It is certainly beautiful, and some passages have a near biblical feeling. The birds work wonderfully, and some symbols are graceful in their presentation. That said, some elements just don't work for me, especially Linda Manz. I would be happy to entertain a defense of the film, and I'll gladly take a beating from critical society if it makes me appreciate the film more. I'll stop embarrassing myself now by declaring the locust scene simply amazing:
This is certainly a good way to start a career. Andrzej Wajda takes Italian Neo-realism and moves it to the east in this tale of communist resistance to the Nazis in Poland. In some ways, especially in its use of characters, this is the most distinct of Wajda's war films. Kanal and Ashes and Diamonds fit more comfortably into predetermined narrative structures, and so they are much easier to digest. A Generation, however, provides little by way of plot, playing out as a series of disappointments and losses that are the inevitable result of war. Though the blatantly communist propaganda is awkward (got to get it by those censors somehow), it is insignificant when placed against the rest of the film. I couldn't find a clip from the film, so I will let this nice girl tell you about Wajda:
Well that is certainly a step in some direction. I'm not sure if it's forward, and I'm not sure if this direction is the right one. Wajda is certainly more sure of himself than he was in A Generation. Sometimes, such as in the film's opening shot, the aesthetics stifle the narrative. In a sense, the film is too well-made. It's formal excellence overshadows any attempts at genuine suspense in the story, though the setting of the sewers makes for wonderful dread and atmosphere. If there's one thing this film doesn't lack, it's atmosphere. And nihilism. This is one of the most nihilistic films I have ever seen. Have fun:
If A Generation was a bit too raw and Kanal was too polished, then Ashes and Diamonds finds a happy medium. There is a set narrative here, and its visual style never overshadows what is going on. The film also provides one key ingredient that is lacking in the previous films: laughter. With his first writing credit on one of his directing efforts, Wajda reveals a sense of humor that provides a nice counterpoint to yet another WWII tragedy. It also sets up a crucial narrative point, making it a narratively economical way to to add something extra to the film. This is also the first of Wajda's films to feature a fully developed romance. Ashes and Diamonds deals in a certain amount of imagery that, depending on your view of the film, is either pretentious or gloriously epic. I think you can guess which side of that fence I fall on.
This was fun. Now that I have a little bit of free time, I hope to write a bit more, depending on what tickles my fancy. Finals limited my cultural intake to the television, music and political worlds, so I need to get back into film. This was a good start. Have a good week.
Finals are over! Have been since Thursday. Almost as if to celebrate my freedom, the Prince Charles Cinema hosted a marathon of films in celebration of Europe Day. After that, I caught Days of Heaven at the National Gallery, and the Wajda War Trilogy at the BFI Southbank. This would make for a total of 11 films, except I fell asleep for most of Persona and Knife in the Water, so I'll go with 9 1/2 films consumed this weekend, only two of which I had seen before. This week's Sundae Monday will give me an opportunity to collect some of my thoughts on these films while providing you with some wonderful accompanying visuals. This section covers the 5 1/2 during the From Europe With Love film marathon.
This film is like a play on screen. The sets are wonderful, and the actors EMOTE in a way that you just cannot find these days. The use of technology is admirable, but the most impressive thing about it is how seamless it is. The dissolves are absolutely stunning for the time, and they help to elevate the film in its realism, even as it reminds us that this is a fairy tale and cannot be real. The film is technically impeccable, but it never overshadows the story at its heart. Here is the first meeting between Beauty and the Beast:
8 1/2 is much better than it was a month ago. Who would have guessed that a film mired in dreams, fantasies, and symbolism would be better on the second viewing? The harem scene is an incredible way to show how our memories and fantasies must compete for our attention. I was a bit surprised to look upon an early dream scene and feel that it could have been ghost-directed by Ingmar Bergman. More on that connection later. Since that scene is unavailable on YouTube, so instead I present the single most stunning image in a film full of them. Pause at the 15 second mark.
Director Szabolcs Hajdu is certainly one to watch, if you get a chance. His shots are relatively long and well composed, and his narratives are certainly unique. If I were judging solely by Hajdu's technical abilities, I would have nothing but glowing things to say about this film. Alas, the plot is very challenging to someone unfamiliar with a Hungarian point of view, and I don't think that should necessarily be praised. Perhaps the film's weakest aspect is its sense of humor. It trots out stale jokes; some of them are beaten to death, and some of are revealed to early, draining the humor from what could be an entertaining situation. Even so, I would heartily recommend this to someone looking for new talent. This clip doesn't have subtitles, but you don't really need them.
I can't wait for the inspirational film about inner city students who learn to express themselves through dance that will come from this documentary. Another lobotomized "based on a true story" film that will suck the soul out of what is actually an interesting story about an English dance teacher in Berlin and his counterpart leading the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. The film executes its climax very poorly, and I'm not even sure why they included the section focusing on the conductor of the orchestra except to introduce the music the kids will dance to. That said, most of the film is an interesting look at how teens react to discipline and challenges that doesn't come from their normal lives. However, more than anything else, this film reminded me of how much I love Fantasia, particularly the scene scored to The Rite of Spring. As a child, I was obsessed with dinosaurs, and I watched this part to no end. With that massive bias in mind, this may be the single best scene in cinema:
My first thought after this film ended: Don't you hate it when you accidentally look into the future and see your own funeral? I get that all the time. Pisses me off. But seriously, this is a masterpiece of atmosphere in the uniquely 70's horror sort of way. 70's horror films used the zoom and little twinges in their soundtrack in a way that seems foreign to a modern viewer whose main horror intake has come from the post-Alien/Halloween era of horror films. I'm not sure if this is my cup of tea, but I plan to explore it further when given the chance. Enjoy the opening:
As I mentioned above, I missed most of this when I fell asleep at 3 AM. I saw the beginning and the end. In fact, my viewing experience is remarkably similar to the first time I tried to watch La Dolce Vita (There's that Bergman/Fellini connection again). Based solely on those two viewing experiences, I would have to side with Fellini. Persona mostly overwhelmed me with shock imagery, while La Dolce Vita started with a helicopted carrying a statue of Jesus. What's not to love? I woke up to a image of Bibi Andersson and Liv Ullmann merged together ala Brudlefly and spent the rest of the time confused. The final scene didn't depend on context and felt profound and moving, even without the preceding film. Based on these very limited experiences, I have to go with La Dolce Vita, though I hope to see all of Persona soon (since that first experience I did get a chance to see La Dolce Vita in full. Worth the wait). In that vein, this is what I woke up to:
I have no thoughts on Knife in the Water at this time. Expect Part II soon.
As I increase my confidence in the Chinese Remainder Theorem and Sallust's history of the Catiline Conspiracy, I figured I would take a short break. In case you didn't know, Nine Inch Nails is pulling a Radiohead. Their new album, which was announced two weeks ago, was released on their official website today. I figured this would be as good a time as any for me to actually discover some of their music. I know their main radio hits and have liked a number of them, so I'm looking into actually trying to listen to what Trent Reznor has to offer. What is most surprising to me is the fact that radio stations don't play "Closer" often, despite how big a hit it was. Rather, the three most often played songs are:
Head Like a Hole (talk about quick and annoying editing):
Down In It (slightly less headache inducing):
and The Perfect Drug (Reznor channels his inner Zappa):
to finish, here is the video for Nine Inch Nails' new single "Discipline". Proof that Trent Reznor has a sense of humor. Who'da thunk it?
Why Is This Sundae Monday Different From All Other Nights?
If you know me, then you know I never hide my religion. Jews have a certain knack for humor, but if you had a Jewish mother, you would laugh too. Passover is the time of year that makes me happy to be a Jew, in no small part because the food and family provide great comfort. You can keep your Christmas. I'll just have some matzah ball soup. And so it is that I yet again revel in the wonders of Jewish humor.
A basic primer for all the Goyim out there:
This is just plain funny:
Matzah!
Everyone who celebrates Passover ends up with more matzah than they can stomach (there's only so much matzah pizza a man can eat). Here are some suggestions for what to do with your leftovers:
On a completely separate note, I will not be posting for at least another two weeks. Having six exams and a paper will do that to you. I look forward to seeing you again if I survive.
As I'm sure you all know, the political world exploded this weekend because Barack Obama started preparing for Passover in Pennsylvania (my mother always preferred horseradish sauce to the more traditional radishes for the bitter herbs). Normally I don't venture into the world of politics, and today is no exception, no matter how much I was tempted by this video of Obama talking about Hillary's gun past. He can't even keep a straight face. I was nearly on the floor. But this week revolves around my discovery of BlankTV, apparently a one-stop source for alternative music. This ranges from Iggy and the Stooges to Black Flag, Fugazi, Yo La Tengo, Wolfmother, and any number of other alternative of punk bands. If you're at all interested in alternative music, you should check it out. And now some videos!
Let's start with the Ramones:
The Kooks:
Rancid:
Street Dogs:
Gang Green:
and finally The Only Band That Mattered:
Keep in mind this is only a fraction of what I found that I know of. There is so much to explore that I could literally spend hours discovering new bands. As I said, if you like alternative music, then this is the place for you.
This week's collection of videos was inspired by last week's episode of South Park, an altogether disappointing affair, considering it was a satire on the WGA strike. The highlight of the episode was the spoofing of some internet phenomena, which led me to realize how out of the loop I have been on some things. I will readily admit that there were some things here I hadn't seen before the episode, so I figure that someone reading this might be in the same boat.
First, Samwell's "What What (In the Butt)":
And its reinterpretation, featuring one Leopold Stotch:
Next, "Chocolate Rain":
Tron Guy:
"Numa Numa" Guy:
Star Wars Kid:
Sneezing Panda:
Dramatic Chipmunk:
Chris Crocker:
Laughing Baby (Seriously, how did this get 44 million views?):
Before I get to this week's videos, I want to tell an amusing anecdote from earlier today. Today I went out to the Cine Lumiere, which happens to have some of the best programming in London (a Marcello Mastroianni retrospective followed by a week of Colossal Youth? Oh Hell Yes). This evening there was to be a showing of Robert Altman's The Player, which I haven't seen. After a lengthy introduction, the lights dimmed and the film began. A title card came up "Players." Hmm. I know the film is a satire, maybe this is a joke, right? Wrong. It turns out that the theater accidentally received a 70s tennis film instead of Altman's take on Hollywood. The worst part? They wouldn't even let me watch Players. Sigh. Ah well, c'est la vie. , This week I present "Wizard People, Dear Reader." If you have read any reviews of the SXSW entry We Are Wizards, then you may have heard the name Brad Neely. He recorded an audio narration to the film version of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. One of the wonderful things about this is it both hilariously comments on the action of the film and allows a viewer to deconstruct the film on a purely visual basis, if one were so inclined. It's telling that Neely introduces his narration as "a book on tape," even though he is clearly narrating the film. There is nothing particularly exciting about the film visually, and this underlines the fact. It's still worth watching all 34 parts on YouTube because they are hilarious. Just keep in mind that Neely takes liberty with names, so you shouldn't be surprised to hear about Hagar the Horrible, the Wretched Harmony, Professor Hardcastle McCormick or Professor Snake (in this version, Snake is a woman). I'm just posting a few of my favorite moments, but feel free to check out the rest.
Chapters 1 & 2 ("Magical deeds are afoot Dear Readers. Magical darkness a must"):
Chapter 8 ("Holy Balls! He bought the Turkish Owl!"):
If you didn't know, R.E.M. has a new album coming out. Said album is supposed to be their best in over a decade, and that news has me very excited. In fact, you can listen to it RIGHT NOW!!! Just click this link and enjoy. I haven't had a chance to listen to it enough to turn in an opinion, but that's not why you come here. This post is about R.E.M.'s single "Supernatural Superserious" and a hilarious press announcement. Let's start with that:
Next is the video for "Supernatural Superserious." If you don't like it, you can make your own by clicking here. You can take the original video footage and edit your own version. This is a wonderful idea, both in getting the audience to interact with what they are consuming and revealing the process behind the creation of a music video like this one. One of the things I noticed about it was how the editing was deliberately not synced to the rhythm of the song. It has become commonplace to use this sort of editing, and it's nice to see a break from the tradition. Enjoy, for tomorrow you shall get new Raconteurs (that they announced last week!?! Jack White, you are one crazy SOB):
I would have posted something this week, but I spent the majority of the week "going green" (read: St. Patrick's Day weekend in Ireland). Last week gave me the opportunity to catch Fritz Lang's The 1,000 Eyes of Dr. Mabuse, so I should have a review up this week (the short version: well made but still disappointing). In the meantime, it's important to show a little Irish spirit for St. Patrick's Day, but I won't be putting on Dropkick Murphys. Instead, I present the Pogues. Enjoy this one with your Guinness.
Sock puppets are making a comeback. For enthusiasts, it has been a long time of watching old Sifl and Olly episodes on YouTube, but now SockTube gives us exactly what we need. SockTube gives us parodies of movies as performed by sock puppets. They have performed all five Best Picture this nominees, and a few from this new year. All of the Best Picture nominees have massive amounts of spoilers, except Michael Clayton, considering nobody appears to have actually seen the movie. Each of these has some amazingly funny moments, but my favorite has to be There Will Be Blood "mousetrap smaller mousetrap bigger mousetrap!").
Before I go into this week's Sundae Monday and catch up with a few weeks of Butterknife, I just want to point out yet another site you need to read on a regular basis. You may know about Garfield Minus Garfield, but if you don't, it's a blog devoted to removing Garfield from the normal Garfield cartoons. The results are slightly creepy but completely hilarious. An example:
I've been thinking about Sarah Silverman and Jimmy Kimmel and the "I'm F*cking [insert Goodwill Hunting star here]" videos that have stormed the internet (no swearing until it comes out uncensored). I was going to write about the problems I have with Kimmel's response video, primarily stemming from the reliance on 80's nostalgia (the presence of Joan Jett and Huey Lewis does not make Kimmel some kind of genius), but I got lost on YouTube watching Sarah Silverman videos. Silverman has a definite schtick, and if you're on that wavelength, then few comics today are funnier than her. If she's the kind of person you don't like, well then you should probably skip this Sundae Monday.
For the record, NSFW. You've been warned.
First, Sarah speaks for all the good little Jews out there who wonder why Santa has forsaken them:
Next, Sarah loves a bit of gorganzola:
Sarah wasn't just in The Aristocrats, she was an Aristocrat:
Sarah doesn't understand Jews driving German cars:
