Carl Theodor Dreyer’s 1932 Vampyr is a true visual beauty in black and white film. The film presents incredible imagery dealing with themes of life and death — and illusions of reality versus truths of the dream state. Light and dark are employed with lush detail and texturing. Expressive actors’ faces are full of character rather than the bland prettiness often prized these days. The doctor reminds of an evil incarnation of Mark Twain. Indoor and outdoor scenes are each full of a richness of depth and textures that no amount of color could duplicate nor match. I had the treat of seeing the film on the big screen at the Tivoli Cinema ( www.tivolikc.com ) as part of a series silent films (and not so silent like Vampyr) presented by UMKC’s Department of Communication Studies and the Westport Regional Business League. It was an eerily gorgeous and thought-provoking experience. You can view it on a small screen online via Google video, Hulu, and YouTube–take your choice.
Vampyr
Clicking on the image above will take you to Wikipedia’s article about the film.
A teaser via YouTube–just a taste of the film’s creative visual complexity. Have shadows ever been more evocative?
Clicking on Allan Grey’s wide open death eyes will take you to rotten tomatoes’ film rating and information. Ever consider what the view is from inside a coffin with a window?
The Indian author of “The God of Small Things” faces possible arrest for sedition. Visit Democracy Now! for Amy Goodman’s recent interview with her that aired today. Click on the b&w photograph for a brief profile of Roy.
Is there anything more terrifying than a person who speaks their mind to stand up to injustice? When did speaking truth become a crime? When did confronting reality become a criminal offence? Is the message of the leaders of this world: “Lie! Lie! Lie!”
From the insanity of oil spills to the tragedy of winter soldiers why is the truth so terrible to face? When did dishonesty become a virtue? When did “spin” become the religion of all politicians?
“Pity the nation that has to silence its writers for speaking their minds. Pity the nation that needs to quiet those who ask for justice, while communal killers, mass murderers, corporate scamsters, looters, rapists, and those who prey on the poorest of the poor roam free.”
Yes, there is a man’s face in this energy-scape. His expression is not the happiest, but then, he is in and part of the land. All things considered he’s probably got a few issues. One hint for locating him, he’s looking up. I’m wondering what else you all might find in the landscape. Please share your discoveries.
This is my effort today to remind us of a basic Earth Science concept or two in defiance of the dumbing down efforts of the media at large. Information is so easy to find via the internet. No corporate produced textbooks required for learning. Even an oil executive can do the google search trick. Though I do have my doubts about certain talking heads with bright white smiles. Yep, guilty until proven otherwise—hey, that is the current American way, is it not? Okay, onto what is really important. After taking a good look at the water cycle illustration (btw, clicking on the image will take you to a written definition of “water cycle”) what do you suppose will happen with all those invisible toxic chemicals of that oh-so-top-secret-dispersant competing with spilled oil for the top kill score of all things living in the watery habitats of the Gulf of Mexico? What will happen when billions of birds migrate to, through and into the area? Is there no end to this scenario? Apparently not. Our environmental system is all connected–water, clouds, rain, wind. What a beautifully complex system it is. Who will you thank when toxic rain waters your garden? Oh please do post your choice of culprit(s) for a real list here–if you’re so inclined. “Somewhere over the rainbow” has taken on a whole new meaning for me since the BP spill and destroy events.
Oh and do note the photograph of the child being bathed in the plastic container outside in my post, What Will Winter Bring to Pine Ridge. Yes, running water is an ISSUE on Pine Ridge and other reservations.
Land Artist Magda has posted how to create a “moonpond’ over at clegyrboia. Instructions are in English and Dutch. There are snail photos too. Yes, little water creatures enjoying water. http://clegyrboia.wordpress.com/2010/11/05/moonpond/
It’s all about that water thing……oh yeah…
And for the young at heart–the one and only Banana Slug String Band–you do NOT want to miss this!
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So how silent is the mainstream media regarding substantive coverage of environmental issues? Deadly silent is my assessment. Respect is earned in any profession. Mainstream media talking heads earn no respect as journalists because they’re just faux reporters reading teleprompters. Several of these pretty faces revealed the shallow depths of their knowledge and understanding last week right at the end of prime time news hour which I witnessed as I went in search of other viewing fare. Ah yes, the local channel 5 news team was laughing about the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes as a critical protest and then wound up JAILED. Yeah, that clean-cut bunch of smiling bright perfect faces will never wind up in any jail–unless a law is passed prohibiting willful ignorance of other cultures and issues. I don’t see that happening any time soon–so they’re all on the loose to buy all the teeth whitening and hairspray they can consume. For real reporting and journalism one of the sources I turn to is Democracy Now! and Amy Goodman. This is seldom a pleasant listening experience because DN! goes where the channel 5 news team will never go—in search of what is often very scary truth. One truth it’s not letting disappear is the never-ending horror story of the BP oil spill which continues to spread its deadly legacy through the waters, over the sands, and to the humans. Thursday’s show featured Terry Tempest Williams’ and her article for Orion magazine–“The Gulf Between Us.” Those gulf beaches may look as pretty as the faces of the channel 5 news team ladies–but it’s all surface level beauty–for the moment. It’s like the term ‘blue sky’ for nuclear radioactive testing—it’s all picture perfect image but deadly nonetheless. If you’ve been wondering about the state of that supposedly magically disappeared BP oil then surf the cyber waves to Orion Magazine for Williams’ heartbreaking article http://www.orionmagazine.org/index.php/articles/article/5931
and “Where is our outrage?” asks Terry Williams on Democracy Now!
I wonder what that pod of dolphins who watched the water BURN thought of us. Yes, they watched–as do all the other living, sentient, intelligent entities that we humans often disparaging refer to as “dumb animals.” It’s very clear to me which species is either “dumb” or is just totally ignorant that it is nature too. Yep, we humans are indeed part of the web of life we so callously exploit, destroy, devalue, denigrate and despoil. We’re hanging ourselves with our own ropes. Cutting off our noses to spite our own faces. Yep. Where’s that coyote going??? I bet she knows where there’s some water that’s safe to drink. But wait, as coyote she could be a trickster too. What would a trickster want with a human? Do you think those dolphins took out a contract on the humans? Why not?
If you’re a supporter of the rights of Indigenous People then consider taking a few moments of your blogging time to visit the Indian Law Resource Center to send an e-letter of support to the White House before the end of October. The Indian Law Resource Center’s site has further information about the currently evolving scenario involving the USA and the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People. White House Officials say they’ve received 2,000 letters of endorsement for the UN Declaration. Only 2,000. Think about that number in relation to the population of the USA. Clearly our support is needed to make a positive impression. The site is easy to navigate. The e-letter is polite and clearly written. And there is plenty of space for individual commentary/contents. Shouldn’t everyone’s right to self-determination be respected and acknowledged?
If you’re a Lennon lover than stream into www.kkfi.org for the Thursday Night Special at 7pm CST–USA. It’s a celebration for solo John Lennon. Incompletehistory’s posting of “Imagine” on One Earth for All reminded me of this radio program. While searching for some video for this post I came across this one which has some news footage that includes the incredible Tank Man. If you don’t know who Tank Man is—well, just watch for the segement featuring the young Chinese man facing down a line of tanks.
Who is up for some way cool radio this Wednesday night? Tonight at 7pm KCMO time KKFI is offering LA Theatre Works presentation of The War of the Worlds! Yes–streaming online via www.kkfi.org everyone can tune into Leonard Nimoy’s–and other Star Trekers–performance of the radio show that terrified people with its soundcast reality created by Orson Welles based on H.G. Wells’ 1938 novel. If you’re game, pop some corn, turn off the lights, stream KKFI online for LA Theatre and see how scary radio can be in the dark!
If you click on the orange & white poster the link will take you to a radio site where you can get an earful of the original broadcast.
It’s tune time! I’ve spent way too much time listening on YouTube today to music videos from Alison Krauss to Yothu Yindi. Yep, I’m using some music and art ploys across these latest posts. Perhaps this indicates an inability on my part to focus or to integrate everything into one coherent missive. Or just indecision. No matter. At any rate, the pieces are here. Feel free to chat about whatever strikes a chord. Also–if you have suggestions for music dealing with the same concepts, please share them–comment and link away to your hearts’ content. Hmm. We could make a music web. Indeed we could. Who wants to weave?
“Children of the World” Arglukark, Dunn, Ross et al.
“O Siem” Susan Aglukark
video via Shinjitsusei
video via Mishi45
video via yakidk89
Thanks to land artist Magda of Clegyr Boia for introducing me to Yothu Yindi’s intense energy and compelling lyrics. You can visit Clegyr Boia’s wild —> http://clegyrboia.wordpress.com/
Click KKFI logo to catch all it offers streaming online.
Nahko Bear
Amazon Watch
Peace Shanti Om
Click on the photo above to visit Amazon Watch.
Alice in Wonderland
pantry
Pavane
Breakfast Special(s)
For the very first post enter "Breakfast Special, #1" and/or scroll through older entries; second helping = Railroad Crossing; third helping, Close Shave; fourth helping, People? Really Now; fifth helping, Pussy No More; sixth helping, 'book ends'; seventh helping, Odds? What Odds?; eighth helping, Do You Dig Pink Flamingoes Dancing in the Snow and Blue Lights?; ninth helping, Old Reliable Jack; tenth helping, Snowing Deep Sleep; eleventh helping, Connecting; twelth helping, Equations; #13, The Most Important Meal of the Day; from then on enter into search box Breakfast Special and a number such as: #14, #15, #16 and so on.
For Kili 90.1 fm, Pine Ridge, SD, click the image below for The Voice of the Lakota Nation.
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Climate Denial Crock of the Week
Tree hugging on a practical level and more. All sorts of great tidbits from Mushroom homes to…well solar panels. Do not delay. Visit today.
Connie Dover
folk ballad singer of “Last Night by the River”
Coto 2
News Site–eg arrests of Mountaintop Removal Protestors
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