"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world." - C.S. Lewis
Monday, October 5, 2009
Saturday, October 3, 2009
fashion goes tim burton
Just in time for Halloween: the October issue of Harper's Bazaar is dedicated to the world of Tim Burton characters (picture source and more pictures here) and coincides with Burton's retrospective at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Directed by Burton himself, photographed by Tim Walker. Enjoy:
control
"Existence. Well...what does it matter? I exist on the best terms I can. The past is now part of my future. The present is well out of hand." - "Heart and Soul" by Joy Division
After decades of acclaimed rock-and-roll photography and music videos, it's not surprising that Anton Corbijn's first feature film is about a musician. "Control" is one of the best movies I have seen this year. It chronicles the life of Ian Curtis, lead singer and lyricist of Joy Division, who suffered from epileptic seizures and who committed suicide at the young age of 23, on the eve of the band's first American tour.
It's a huge challenge to tell the story of a life (albeit a short one) in only about two hours. That said, I believe Corbijn did a great job with this movie. Curtis is portrayed as a weak person, a troubled young father, tormented both by agonizing depression and his worsening physical condition. Control, as the above lyrics of their song "Heart and Soul" express, was something, he felt was missing. Sam Riley does a wonderful job as Curtis and I also liked the movie's visual style and how it managed to capture the music of Joy Division.
But above all, I loved how it was actually able to convey a genuine feeling of involvement, of total exposure, solitude, anguish and regret, how it was able to tear me (along with the main character) between wanting and having to. All though it was in black and white, it managed to show that everything there is in life is actually neither one nor the other.
Watch the trailer:
(poster source).
Note: Herbert Grönemeyer, German singer, song-writer and actor plays a small part ;)
aurora liiceanu
Auora Liiceanu (68 years old) has a PhD in psychology, is an expert in anthropology and social psychology and has recently published a book "Prin Perdea" ("Through the Curtain"), where she describes some of the most delicate and unknown episodes of her life. Even though she says that she regrets a little bit having written and published it now, I cannot wait to go back home and buy and read her autobiographical book! It's not about wanting to hear wild confessions or someone serve their inner self on a plate. This is actually what she avoided doing with her book. In fact, I believe, it may be a very good way of educating younger generations by means of illustration and commentary.
Prominent figure of Romanian intellecualism, ex-wife of Gabriel Liiceanu (she divorced him right before giving birth to their child), Aurora Liiceanu lost her position as a researcher at the psychology institute, after the "transcedental meditation"-scandal during communist times in 1982. She became a cleaning lady at the "Suveica" factory and has sewn dresses, in order to be able to buy her son (Stefan, he now lives in Japan) a computer. She always had a "plan B" and has never victimized herself.
After reading Gabriel Liiceanu's book "Scrisori Catre Fiul Meu" ("Letters to My Son"), Aurora's Liiceanu's book will probably give a different perspective on raising her son and I find it quite interesting, how this person (even though he pursued a totally different career than his parents and moved to Japan) is represented in contemporary Romanian essays and writings, as he is portrayed and mentioned by his parents.
I have recently read two interviews on her that I highly recommend (in Romanian): Evenimentul Zilei & Capital; picture source
"We are all looking for mental balance, because after all, everything that matters is whether one is comfortable with oneself, whether one recognizes oneself in who one is or believes to be."
Friday, October 2, 2009
fallen art
The Saturday Morning Cartoon Index is a wonderful collection of animated short movies. Since it is saturday morning ;) I am going to share some of my favourites with you and I will try to do so each saturday!
Today's animation is Tomek Baginski's "Fallen Art". Brilliant character design and a very dark concept define this wonderful piece. You can read an interview with the filmmaker, including concept drawings, here.
anim'est 2009
The 4th Anim'est International Animation Film Festival Bucharest Romania will take place in Bucharest, Romania from 02.10. util 11.10. 2009. The festival is open to short and feature film, video clip and advertising, student film & Romanian shorts and it comprises five official categories and a non-competitive one. During the festival, there will also be seminars, workshops, forums and retrospectives. Ther is also a new section in competition: in order to promote and stimulate animation in the Balkan region, anim'est inaugurates "Balkanimation" (picture source).
Thursday, October 1, 2009
the white ribbon - preview
Another story about the darkness of human nature. So looking forward to this one!
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