Guzaarish

I haven't seen a Hindi movie in ages, but I became intrigued by the poster question. It didn't look a typical Hindi movie poster; there was a deliberate style choice being made. These three posters have a definite Christian iconographic look to them with Spanish undertones. The placement of the fingers and the size of the hand in first poster is indicative of of hands in early Christian art. There is also a hint of a halo around Ethan's (Hrithik) head in all three posters. Sofia's (Aishwarya) hair, jewelry, and clothing have a Spanish feel to them.

Obviously I had to see the movie since I'd made such a fuss about the posters.

The walls of Ethan's home were the color of blue patina you sometimes find on aged copper. The house was full of Christian and Spanish religious iconography. In one scene the wall behind Ethan has an image that could have been taken right off of a Byzantine church wall. It all looked a bit like Spanish retablo paintings. Part of the way through the movie Sofia takes part in a Flamenco-ish dance number complete with air Spanish guitar. Sofia's character is clearly an homage to Frida Kahlo. Frida wore Tehuana Indian maiden dresses and large chunky jewelry; she dressed like no one else. Sofia wears long flowing dresses that look to be hand made from Mexican folk art fabric. She also wears very funky chunky earrings. In one scene she has her hair braided and pinned across her head in Frida's style.

The odd juxtaposition of styles and Ethan's jazz/ballet dance/magic scenes made for quite a visual treat.

Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band @ the Vogue

They rocked it!

Still Crazy on Thanksgiving

I've had the DVD for this movie lying around for months. My DVD player died and I've just not gotten around to replacing it. This movie is not available for download from Netflix. So...I took it to my mom's for Thanksgiving viewing. I saw it many moons ago, but it's been tugging at me again. I can't help it. Maybe it's because I was a child of the 70's, but I cannot resist a rock and roll film portraying rockers from that decade. One of my fav scenes is when the Ray Simms character played by Bill Nighy, angry that he's turning 50 and can't get the vocals quite right, slips out into the night after taking something from a Dutch dealer in the corner (who turns out to be Mackenzie Crook from the UK version of The Office) and ends up falling through the ice. He managers to get out by using his platform hills to break through the ice. A hundred and one uses for a platform shoe.

The Short Films of David Lynch

The Indy Films Buffs selection this week was The Short Films of David Lynch at Jeannie's house Tuesday night. What a hoot. It sort of morphed into this mini therapy session.

I like the surreal-ish daydreams sitting right next to the mundane style. Not a good description, but that's all I can come up with. The best part of it is, everyone in each film accepts the surreal-ish daydream stuff as mundane. Many have tried to imitate his style and few have succeeded.

Mexican Double Feature @ IMA

Saw Las Abandonadas and Santo y Blue Demon Contra los Monstruos at IMA last night in the Toby with the Indy Film Buffs. The first movie proved that you can be too pretty for your own good. Dolores Del Rio was simply beautiful. Orsen Welles, who dated her for 4 years, once remarked that he was incredibly impressed by her lingerie, which had been made by nuns in France. The cat dancing cake ball scene is a delight.

The second movie was a scream. Mexican wrestlers (who, btw wrestle just like their American counter parts), Monsters, and a mailman dance sequence proved to be a hoot. It turns out the dancing mail man is someone called Resortes. My fave visual was the part with the carriage riding goons holding torches with the little guy - compete with a hump - manned the horses. Kitty Man and Tiki-Brain Guy rocked it.

Saw Heartbreaker on Sunday at Landmark Theatres with the Indy Film Buffs group. What a cool group of peeps. It was refreshing to see folks who don't have the Starbucks-Hollywood look. Venessa Paradis is so oddly attractive. She's whippet-thin and quite tiny. Almost like a child. I like the fact that she has her own boobs and not a pair off the shelf. I'm sure when Johnny Depp saw her for the first time he flipped out. They do have matching cheek bones, I believe. Romain Duris' teeth are thankfully chipped. Not an original story, but packaged in a very palatable way. I did catch myself laughing out loud a few times.

Starman

I cannot imagine watching this in 1972. It must've been mind blowing seeing two blokes in jumpsuits -n- boots slinking about with guitars. As a kid I would've loved it.

I like this picture of Bowie and Mick Ronson dining on a train. Such snappy dressers them.

Ok - this is really weird. I "google" mick ronson in Google News (I meant to select Images) and I get a CNN article about photographer Mick Rock dated yesterday with the picture above as the first selection. Too funny!

Here's Mick R's response to the above pic:
"Those two f***ing queens," laughed Rock. "Dressed to the nines and having a British Rail lunch."

"What they're eating is so mundane and they look so exotic. It's one of my biggest selling photos."

Saving the Amargosa Toad

I heard this story on the way to work one morning this week. A cattle rancher, a brothel, and a lady in a golf cart work to save the Amargosa Toad.

il castrato or how i found my muse

I can' stop thinking about il castratos. I keep reading about Farinelli and Caffarelli articles. People in the audience would faint listening to them sing. They could hold a note for a minute or longer. They had wacky stage names and were the toast of Europe. They threw tantrums. They were the pop stars of their day. What's not to like?

...ineluctable, strange, desirable thing of star quality...

I'm going to do some more pictures based on the castrato concept.

Fall Back It's Strictly Ballroom and Danny Deckchair

Got through the second season of Trueblood. I like how the second season focused on Tara and her relationship with Maryann and Eggs. I liked the development of the relationship between Hoyt and Jessica. I loved the introduction of Sophie-Anne Leclerq and her crew of hot human hang abouts. Yah! Sam got to be the hero. I keep trying to get away from this show, but I keep getting pulled back into watching. It's easy to relate to the small local dinner/bar, the plain - no place like home homes, combined with the very fantastical creatures who live there. Having the best opening credits song doesn't hurt either. I know I'll watch Season 3 when it comes available.

Lost my inner-webs connectivty sometime around noon on Thursday. Not a big deal...right? Turns out this kid named Luke had tried to call me earlier in the week to let me know there might be a problem with my cable, but I shut him down. Of course I have no patience since the "Plumber Incident". Ended up having to call Saturday to have something done. Otherwise, I'd have to drive into work to check on the servers when the time changes.

I saw Strictly Ballroom for like the 4th time. I am attracted to the low budget feel good Australian films. Danny Deckchair, Muriel's Wedding, The Castle, and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert - to name a few.