Alphabets

It all started with blood simple

And so the establishment finally fully recognised and awarded the quirky outsiders with an award for best director(s). huzzah.

Soon the glossies will be full of the hits and misses on the red carpet. My big question (or two):
1. How on earth did Cate Blanchett manage to walk in those heels in the condition she is in?
2. What is that thing crawling up towards Anne Hathaway's neck?

Breadmakers

Check out Breadmakers - an 11 minute documentary about a bakery in West Edinburgh.

This kind of spool makes me want to go out and learn how to make films not just bread.

2 Thumbs up!

iris

i havent been to the pictures for ages now.  to think that there was a time once  when a bad average for film-watching was 3 per week.  and how i knew what was showing where and who was making what where.  ah.. those were the days.

now the lack of films in my life is simply due to the fact that:-

1. there just seem to be soooooo many things to do and tooo few hours in the day, every week;
2. there just seem to such a dearth of quality films at the cinema (art films almost never make it here. or if they do, they get sensely butchered that a visit to the picture house leaves one angry and frustrated cf fulfilled and satiated).

i also havent even been following the ritual in going anywhere near kelab seni film in the past 5 (?) weeks.  they just seem to show bleak and bleaker films every time. its always the same - old, or new-but-appearing-old, grainy, black and white films which seem geared to stretch monday blues all the way to saturday. sigh.  are programmers aware that truly good quality films do not have to be sad/bad AND long? art joints certainly should not have to pander to the depressives and show dark films all the time just to appear credible. lively, buoyant films have messages too and they appear a treat in between those old existentialist pieces.

it cant be the rules relating to recent releases for there they are certainly not-so-recent choices in abundance. take for example,  kusturica's underground (1995) or greenaway's drowning by numbers (1988). these are just two of thousands of upbeat quality films to choose from.

mind you, i shouldnt be complaining so much, i do have a tele now and if i get my act together and hop over to our local dvd shoppe, i would no doubt be able to devour all types of films as i did once and not have to bother renewing my membership for the club screenings next year.

ah .. but perhaps what i am hankering for is to be able to watch good quality film on a big screen in a cool dark room.  without the risk of being interrupted by visitors, phone calls and distractions.

there is just somefink about the cinema that makes my heart beat a wee bit faster, my eyes to open a bit wider and my disbelief to suspend a little easier for a bit longer. its almost like magic. the excitement of watching the red curtains part to reveal a screen that would receive the stream of powdery light;

                                                                 powdery lights that dance and run headlong on to the wide white surface - to turn into images that move, colours that seem so real and life like, sounds that boom and resonate around the room.

visions and sounds to wrap around you.

ah the magic of cinema.

xxx

and this is exactly why i stopped in my tracks of becoming a projectionist extraordinaire.

once you start dealing with spools and loops and counting of frames you turn into a real mechanical automan - with the sole intent and purpose in life to mark the frames so that you know when the the reel ends - and when to swap projectors.

(now!)

it becomes less of a magical journey more of technical gizmo lets lace the loops around the sprockets again.

which button to press, which gate to use, which loops, what spool?!

it also turns you into a audience from hell in other people's cinema.

• first, the volume:  somehow, others just dont get the volume just so. too loud, too soft, barely audible, bastard projectionist, go get another job you bugger;

• then the curtains. hmm taken back too wide. wrong dimensions for the kind of film. damn. how can lawrence walk across such a short desert?

• next - is that dot right in the middle of the screen? and if not, why NOT? dont they know that the whole entire viewing pleasure of the film depends on that dot being squarely in the centre of the screen?

• ah and we dont have worry about scary, tensed moments once that scratched "x" appears on the upper right hand corner. nothing can possibly happen now since the projectionist is getting ready to swap onto the next reel from an adjacent projector.

xxx

no let me be.

and let me out of the projection room.

so that the technicalities of reels and sprockets become someone else's issues.

let me forget about the machinations so i can just sit in the middle of the cinema

(no 4th row from front always on the left, the eyes they're trained to read from left to right )

admist all that surround sound

and the giant moving images in front of me.

let me soak all the magic there is.

forget about the projector's aperture, let me use my irises instead.

xxx

[at least until the next viewing of cinema paradiso when i will start to long for the secrecy and charm of the cramped projectionist room and the feel of swathe of reels under my feet.]

the telewarming

 

one of the reasons why i love film reels  is that they provide great distraction from real life.

xx

received a call from VL who is back in town after being in far-away-snow-land for yuletide celebrations.  he told me that he had received a xmas   pressie (from himself) that he knew i'd love and wondered whether i'd join him in tele-warming ceremony.  as the (only) guest, i could choose the film we'd watch.

suffice to say i graciously accepted his invitation.

when the telewarming time came, i went ooh aaah over the giant tele that graced his living room and the speakers that towered in the corners and excitedly rummaged through the dvds he had, mindful that as it was his tele, i should really choose something he hasnt viewed before. so, i asked him to pre-select some films and then went through them carefully to make my choice.

first i picked up respiro, a film i had seen 2 summers back which i remember cackling over .  then, i abandoned it when i caught a glimpse of before sunset, a film i have been dying to see but have not for the simple reason that the circumstances was never right.  i.e. i loved its prequel before sunrise so much that i knew i would like before sunset as much and therefore didnt want to watch the film unless:

1. i was ready and in the correct mental frame for it;
2. it would be uncensored (just in case);
3. it would be on an acceptable screen (movie theatre or something of similiar quality); and
4. i was watching it alone or in the company of someone who didnt make (or hardly) any noise whilst watching a film.

then, as i stacked the remaining dvds so that i could hand them back to VL,  i spotted an old favourite : cinema paradiso .

    i asked VL incredulously: have you not seen this before?

        VL replied: "i have seen one version but  am not sure whether  this is the one" (the original) .

oooooooooh but he MUST (!) how could VL have lived to be this old (39! heh) and not known what happened to Elena?! (never mind that the other ending is equally charming. but he must, must must know the alternative ending, for completion sake!)

so i decided then, in a moment of madness (not to be confused with the moment of madness suffered by politician davies in front of a cash machine in clapham common some years ago) - to exercise my guest status and prerogative as good-friend-who is-also-film-fiend to dictate that:

for a truly respectable telewarming event to take place, both films MUST be watched this evening.

xx

what can i say except that the bang & olufsun product has been honoured and officiated by two brilliant films and that it has started its life as well as it possible could.  now in order to ensure its happy life, all i have to do is ensure that it continues to show films of quality and calibre (to me at least) for a long, long, loooong time.

the only glitch in my cunning plan is that

• after the 5 hour movie marathon i inflicted on VL;
• on the very day he stepped off a 16hour plane ride which was also
• a week night (and he is working tomorrow);
• during which time he was forbidden to speak or move suddenly;
• or even glance my way -
• whilst i gulped down lashings of G&T and
• sighed - silently but continuously;
• and left hardly saying anything except
• mutter jesse and celine,  sigh ..... and
• wistfully whisper alfredo and toto..... major sigh .... and then
• barely squeaked thank you before departing -

i  am not so sure i'd be invited again to view another film that soon...

loops:spool

i cannot recall a time when i wasn't obsessed about films. 

as a child, any talk of going to the pictures would have me rolling around the living room in hyper-mode and jumping on the sofa with excitement. a visit to the movies for me was, i surmised, akin to the accumulated feeling of the 40 thieves  when they finally found Ali Baba's cave. each time i sat down in the dim lit cinema hall, and saw the heavy drapes parting, i would feel my pulse quicken and the greed welling up within me -  a treasure chest was being unlocked to reveal wonderful images and sounds. i wanted to steal and stuff its contents into my pockets and bring them home.  once appropriated, i would be able to play and replay them at whim in the privacy of my mind, at my own time, just as the theives would count and recount their loot gleefully in the privacy of their den whenever the mood struck them (!) 

this hunger for films and feeling of excitement has not dissipated , instead it has grown even more over time.

xx

as a uni student with flexible dossing time, i was able to feed the hunger. it helped that my student digs was a stone throw away from an independent cinema. and so i found myself spending less hours in the union and more  time in the film amphitheatre.  however dosh was an issue. it made perfect sense therefore to apply for work as an usher. safety and health laws dictates that all cinemas must have trained stewards in case of emergency. which meant that during all cinema showings, someone had to sit in and watch the film alongside the audience. imagine  that - getting paid to watch a film! once i realise this, an application was made and i was watching films to my hearts content.

this was the point of no return.   

i did this for 3 years and subsequent post grad years saw me stealing time to repeat the action. often i would cut back on other social so that i could take in more films. my dedication and willingness to be available at a moments notice resulted in my having a good relationship with the house managers and my getting top priority to catch films so desired. however, there were drawbacks to this scheme:  holiday season when there were no other ushers, i had to watch the same film ad nauseaum.

action figures:

• record for same movie watched on big screen in a day: 5
• record for repeated viewing of a film: 15

unfortunately the film was not a cult reel, nor was it some mysterious film that needed repeated viewing for enhanced pleasure. it was  the railway children   (1970 d. Lionel Jeffries). by the 3rd round,  i wanted to scream "die this time, put me out of my misery"  at poor Bobbie who was almost knocked by the train and was trying her best to be revived so that they could all have crumpet and lemonade for tea under the shade of a mulberry tree.

xx

no surprises therefore that when i moved to london in 97, one of the first things i did was to get a similar deal in an art house. this time i was (slightly) wiser. i chose a venue which offered different double bills daily thereby decreasing the chances of my having to watch a film twice. my time spent being glued to the screen was upped. on average, i was watching 15 films weekly which worked out to be 5-6 films per week on average 92-97 . i was happy.

this place was special. it was full of artists ranging from calligraphers, sculpters, poets to film  makers:

• it was a hotbed of creative thoughts
• and ideas;
• it was mad;
• and (good) bad.
• it was home.

in that home where i spent 5 years, my obsession for films grew. i learned how to project films, the art of programming,  ticketing and selling films, running (there is a reason why runners and gaffers are so called) sourcing reels and most of all appreciate the history, the progress and the diversity of film since its inception.  Fred Ott's Sneeze (Record of a sneeze, 7 january 1894, edison) . 

i worshipped the masters who made beautiful/touching/provoking films and  hated self-indulging directors who wasted my time with bad story lines/performers/script.  werent they aware of the oppurtunity cost - the (quality) films  i could have watched during that time?

xx

perhaps it is this (and the art galleries, museums and friends) that i miss most about eng-er-land since my relocation here 2.5 years ago. in this land, there is a dearth of good films  due to the lack of demand. the film staple diet is largely that of gratuitous violence or slap stick comedy. (fast and furious films to match the fast (poisonous) food the masses enjoy. instant gratification rules.) 

film clubs fill the void inadequately for they are restricted by what they can show due to copyright laws and for lack of suitable venues. alternative screens are limited and even then strict censorship rules ensure the butchering of good films. post censor, a feature film becomes a short or even a documentary. instead of feeling fulfilled, one leaves the cinema frustrated and angry at the censors who are quite happy to have the nation watch films where massacres are de rigeur and tender kisses are offensive.

xx

my position until recently was that:

• i would rather not watch a movie than watch a mangled movie. as a result, i have missed out on many good films. my average is now (taken into totality since 1990) i suspect, 0.5 film per week.
• i would rather watch a film on big screen instead of viewing it on a tele.

however of late, the withdrawal symptoms have been particularly bad.  i find myself pining for good (non Hollywood) films. i dream about juliette binoche in blue hues. i wonder now how long this fast can continue and whether i am cutting my beak to spite my face. 

i am reconsidering my position. consequently, i am now:

• lurking at Golden Screen Cinemas and testing out the waters by catching most if not all of the films on offer at the 2004 european union film festival; and
• contemplating the purchase of a tele and dvd to enable self to view desired films on small screen even though possession of idiot box is contrary to general principles.

xx

THE MISSION

to assess whether:

• level of enjoyment of watching butchered films < pain of withdrawal symptoms of not watching films at all; and or
• level of enjoyment of watching films on small screen > pain of withdrawal symptoms of not watching films +  shame of owning idiot box.

decision time:

• dec 2004

action (if any) to be affected:

• january 2005

   

KL and remembrance

2 days on the plane.

doing nothing but fidget on a seat and try to sleep.
worked on the 1st leg (B.Aires to Cape Town) but didnt on the second (Jozy - KL).
so instead:

1) read the preface of paperback edition, preface, acknowledgment and 1st 2 chapters of joseph stiglitz's roaring nineties;
2) watched
raising helen (kate hudson and john (?) corbet ) and wondered what i would do if i met a cute pastor;
3) viewed
stepford wives, marvelling at how good nicole kidman looks, particularly in the post cruise days;
4)
literally watched shrek2 in spanish, understanding 0.02% of the dialogue. (it was worst in english as the voices were fading in and out)
5) pulling blanket over head in an attempt to go to sleep;
6) watch others sleeping in an attempt to lull self into sleep (since there wasnt any paint drying around);
7) be startled by enthusiastic attendants with food tray just as eyelids were drooping.

must admit, this immobility and endless food trays made me feel like a right cow
xx

i dont ever watch hollywood films out of principle (unless am being threatened or dragged under duress, by la famile, close friendies or trapped in an airplane). which means that i hardly watch films these days. there are limited screenings of indie films and since i dont own a tele and hardly frequent night markets my cinema habit is severly impaired.

sigh.. gone are the days where i would sit ensconced in a dark theatre taking in 3 films a week. gleefully enjoying the brilliant films and getting crossed at the ones that dont quite make the mark. its all an oppurtunity cost issue. the bad ones takes time of the good ones and there are just so many good films to be seen!

OK - list of films i have in my head at the moment in no order (except the first two which are simply the bestest)

1) the bicycle thieves - vittorio de sica - the image of the son chomping on his pizza is in my head constantly;2) the grand illusion - renoir . enduring issues of war, class and friendship.

and the others in random fashion

3) the umbrellas of cherbourg - jacques demy;
4) through the olive trees or better still, the taste of cherry - abbas kirostami;
5) carla's song - ken loach ( i do like this man) (oh must say all his films then);
6) ridicule - patrice leconte;
7)welcome to the dollhouse - todd solomon;
8) the conformist - bertolucci - the best film he made;
9) the marriage of maria braun - fassbinder - he does my head in fassbinder. i hate his films but find them so compelling.. sigh;
10) the enigma of kaspar hauser - herzog (sniff);
11) all quiet on the western front - lewis milestone (another sniff);
12) bandit queen - shekar kapur (bastard men);
13) secrets and lies - mike leigh;
14) breaking the waves - lars von trier;
15) the flower of my secret - al modovar (he is the man!) - EVERYfilm this man has made.
16) antonio's line - marleen gorris (one of us women yahoo);
17) il postino - michael radford (aaahhh);
18) like water for chocolate - aldonso arau (when a film does a book justice);
19) vertigo, rear window, the lady vanish and all of hitchcock's film for that matter
20)the third man - carol reed
21)l'appartement - gilles mimouni (knew that bellucci would make it big..)
22) prospero's books - peter greenaway (we like him!) (and gielgud at his best too) actually ALL of greenaway's films too. the best being the draftsman contract
23) east is east - damian o'donnell (hahahahah)
24) underground, time of the gypsies, black cat white cat and anything kasturica has ever made in his life;
25) being john malkovich - spike jonze
26) la strada and and all the films that fellini made;
27)eat drink man woman - ang lee -(this taiwanese filmmaker rocks);
28) hotel du nord - marcel carne - i have the original 1938 poster. yahoo
29) jules et jim - henri-pierre roche
30) three colours blue, white, red and anything made by krzysztof kieslowski (bless his cotton socks);
31)cetro de brasil - walter salles;
32) festen - thomas vinterberg (gosh these danes know how to make bleak films - breaking the waves. that was danish too then again they also have lively ones.. like Mifune);
33) the big lebowski and evrything made by the coen brothers ("vagina say it , v-a-g-i-n-a" julianne moore in big lebowski);
34) cinema paradiso - guisseppe tornatore (sniff sniff);
35) when the cat's away - cedric klapisch (blue rinse to new dimensions);
36)la bette et la bete and orphee - jean cocteau - (dreamworld..)
37) kolya - jan sverak (beware broody folks);
38) M and metropolis - fritz lang (amazing. 1931 films surpassing the crap that is made today);
39) delicatessen, city of lost children - jean pierre jeunet/marc caro - anything everything made by jean pierre jeunet and marc caro - (geniuses!);
40) Nosferatu - Murnau;
41) The Cabinet of Doctor Caligari - robert wiene - (oooh scary);
42) the big sleep - howard hawks (ah film noir...., casablanca ah >
43) memento - film noir revisitied in the noughties bless (i'd do talent anytime ; )) ;
44) Nelly and Monsieur Arnaud, calude sautet (excellent soundtrack too);
45) le diner de cons - francois veber (hahahha);
46) jean de florette, manon des sources - claude berri (aiyo...)
47) un chien andalou and other buneul products (to this day it haunts me);
48)buffalo' 66 - vincent gallo;
49)lawrence of arabia, dr zhivago and other epics;
50)the leapord - visconti (though the editor should have cut the last 20minutes..)
51)the english patient - minghella ( ralph fiennes - oh what a fine man he is, he makes anything worth watching. yes i am baised and obsessed...)
52)the railway children - lionel jeffries. (will she get knocked down on the 15th viewing?)
52)Koyaaniqatsi - godfrey reggio;
53)withnail and i - brce robinson (just thinking about the deep heat cracks me up);
54) the night of the hunter - charles laughton(scaaaary);
55) doctor strangelove or how i learned to stop worrying and love the bomb (peter sellers at his finest!);
56)Diva - jean jacques beneix (blue eyeshadow!);
57)eternity and a day - theo angelpolous (wow that sure felt like eternity)

ok ok. looks like the list can go forever.. my eyes are getting misty and my brains befuddled as more and more legal text make way for films. the gate opens and i know that this weekend will be spent with not just the famile (at a get away) but also old mates.
memories of films watched;
cinemas frequented;
buttons and levers of the projector,
x (es) on the reels to mark change in reel;
old friendies - present and passed.
time for remembrance.