Not Poker

[peterbirks]

OK, I could write about an interesting limit hand that brought something new to my mind, but what about something else for a change? Music and Film. Ja, Kultur ist einschließen.

Great to see Later with Jools back. I have been transferring some of my early videos of this (from 1993 to 1995) to DVD. But the first of the new series was a cracker, with Black Eyed Peas on fine form, plus a sensational new group in Arcade Fire. If this band don't take the Leeds Festival by storm I shall be very surprised. Fantastic energy.

Also watched 21 Grams on DVD. A very brave film in that it takes the concept of fractured narrative to a new level. If you thought that Pulp Fiction's time-line was too confusing, don't even bother with this.

Fracturing the timeline is a good way to get round one of the big problems with films that do not span a short space of time. It eliminates the need to put in the "six months later" accompaniment. So, 21 Grams is about three people, superbly acted by Sean Penn (a far better performance than in his Oscar-winning Mystic River), Naomi Watts and Benicio del Toro. For the opening 20 minutes the casual viewer might wonder what the hell the whole film is about, but gradually it pulls together into a coherent whole. Sterling support from Melissa Leo (ex "Homicide, Life on the Steets") and Charlotte Gainsbourg, whose accent is unspeakably English. Don't the Americans think there is any other accent in England besides Cockney or Upper-class?

Comments

Geoff C - Arcade Fire

[(Anonymous)]

Wasn't that impressed with Black-eyed Peas but yes Arcade Fire were quite special. It's the first time I've actually seen them although they have been the industry's Next Big Thing. They are very different which is refreshing and I think their non-mainstreamness will prevent them being a huge success. It won't stop them being good but then not all NBT's are a big success. Last year's NBT's were probably Bloc Party (mainstream, good and successful) and Rilo Kiley (slightly odd, lyrically brilliant, non-mainstream and still fringe) and I think Arcade Fire will never sell shedloads but will be always worth watching.

Re: Geoff C - Arcade Fire

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

Well, of course, having daughters you aware of these Next Big Things in a way that I am not. I'd never heard of them.

I though Black Eyed Peas gave a good performance. Yes I know it's non-authentic sold-out LA hip-hop for people, well, people like me. But I liked Elephunk when it came out and I think that their live performance os better than, for example, the execrable No Doubt and Gwen Stefani. Now THAT is "radical" music toned down so that it can appear on the David letterman show without worry.

[(Anonymous)]

what does the author try to tell us with the german sentence in the first paragraph?? care to elaborate?

Yes, what DOES it all mean

[peterbirks.livejournal.com]

The wording was wrong, for a start. Maybe I should have stuck to the simpler Kultur herein. Or Kultur schliesst ein.

The main reason was mundane. I happened to be watching a herzog movie at the tiome of writing (Cobra Verde, in case this is of any concern, which I doubt).

A second point should be that much of what you read in novels (but not all), has been agonized over, as the author worries to him or herself, "now, what is the significance of this? How will my readers interpret it? Will they see that I am referring to the unstoppable nature of ageing, rather than to the primary appearance, that of a rusty gate?"

Blogs, on the other hand, are put together in seconds. Sometimes, but not always, I might proof read it. But that's about all you get. If you are looking for hidden literary allusions, subtle layers of meaning, or even insights of more than the shallowest kind, I can recommend Madame Bovary (particularly her cook books) or Ian McEwan (particulary his cook books).