A post collapse future in which all the characters are blind must have been a difficult concept to sell but such an intrinsically poweful metaphor, one could hardly fail to be intrigued by the attempt. And I think despite some minor and sporadic idiot plotting, the show delivers on its promise with enough thoughtfulness, invention and action to suit most tastes.
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings This he said to me "The greatest thing You'll ever learn Is just to love And be loved In return"
^^Might have to check out See. The two other Apple shows I've seen (For All Mankind and Mythic Quest) are both pretty good, especially For All Mankind if you're a space nerd.
A couple of other shows that should be right up the rigint alley are Project Blue Book, an X-Filesified version of the actual Project Blue Book with Aidan Gillen as J. Allen Hynek, and Devs by Alex Garland. I've only seen the first episode of Devs but got very strong Ex Machina vibes, which is a good thing.
Oh, and season 3 of Westworld has been pretty good. We finally get to see the real world, and it goes hard on the surveillance dystopia theme. It still has the annoying mind-games, but not nearly as bad as season 2 (so far at least).
"I only read American. I want my fantasy pure." - Dave
Since I first saw it in the early 90s possibly most of the people and many of the places have passed into history. Like the project housing complex that is blown up in the middle of the film, few of the factories are likely to be standing now. But the code remains exactly the same. What film has ever seen the dream as clearly?
It was interesting to view this almost 40 years after its release, and for the first time in years. Where it was once up-to-the-minute, it's clearly become a historic document of the late New Deal era, and of its way of life, atomized yet more physically public than today's society, even BC. As far as I know, K. was shot entirely within the United States in the 1970s, with some of the stock footage possibly coming from earlier atomic tests or the invasion of Vietnam. Despite this, it has lost none of its urgency and its power to describe the continuing human civilization of the present. The gentrification and "urban renewal" that followed was just the next cycle of the process it describes. It even includes a clear implication that the microchip will shortly miniaturize the human-machine symbiosis. I think it's fully contemporary. I wonder if any other film pulls that off?
Also, turns out Godfrey Reggio, the author of K., is just as gripping in person.
3. This has definitely been posted here before, in fact I'm pretty sure I learned about it through R.I. It's sort of like a CIA lesson on insurgency and counterinsurgency, in the wake of Algeria and Vietnam, but set in Chicago. This time I noticed more than one detail that could have been nods to The Cultural Cold War -- 25 years before that book was published.
I've heard it was pulled from theaters in 1973, after two weeks and that the problem, apparently, was that it was too popular in certain neighborhoods.
Written & based on novel by Sam Greenlee, music by Herbie F-ing Hancock!
Not a movie, but for those who liked True Detective on HBO, HBO recently had a 10 hour mini series called "The Outsider" that was True Detective on steroids. Just got done binge watching it, felt like True Detective Season 1 to a tee, but if they went even more "Woo" and out there. Was surprised it was by Stephen King as the cosmic horror is kept to a bare minimum to the final episodes and feels like more of a serious police procedural. Its absolutely amazing tho.
"Do you know who I am? I am the arm, and I sound like this..."-man from another place, twin peaks fire walk with me
Since I first saw it in the early 90s possibly most of the people and many of the places have passed into history. Like the project housing complex that is blown up in the middle of the film, few of the factories are likely to be standing now. But the code remains exactly the same. What film has ever seen the dream as clearly?
It was interesting to view this almost 40 years after its release, and for the first time in years. Where it was once up-to-the-minute, it's clearly become a historic document of the late New Deal era, and of its way of life, atomized yet more physically public than today's society, even BC. As far as I know, K. was shot entirely within the United States in the 1970s, with some of the stock footage possibly coming from earlier atomic tests or the invasion of Vietnam. Despite this, it has lost none of its urgency and its power to describe the continuing human civilization of the present. The gentrification and "urban renewal" that followed was just the next cycle of the process it describes. It even includes a clear implication that the microchip will shortly miniaturize the human-machine symbiosis. I think it's fully contemporary. I wonder if any other film pulls that off?
Also, turns out Godfrey Reggio, the author of K., is just as gripping in person.
3. This has definitely been posted here before, in fact I'm pretty sure I learned about it through R.I. It's sort of like a CIA lesson on insurgency and counterinsurgency, in the wake of Algeria and Vietnam, but set in Chicago. This time I noticed more than one detail that could have been nods to The Cultural Cold War -- 25 years before that book was published.
I've heard it was pulled from theaters in 1973, after two weeks and that the problem, apparently, was that it was too popular in certain neighborhoods.
Written & based on novel by Sam Greenlee, music by Herbie F-ing Hancock!
I've finally seen all three, and a few of his later films besides. Looking at some old journals I'd noted the name Koyaanisqatsi quite a few times over the years, often against an asterisk or two (the more asterisks the more urgent the perceived need to track whatever it was down.)
Anyway, thanks for providing the motivation to do so. As it turned out I'd already encountered Reggio in the form of his most direct artistic offspring, Ron Fricke (Baraka, Chronos, Samsara) which led me to re-watch those too. Having done that, while Fricke's films expand on the themes and form a complementary body of work, which is a considerable work in and of of itself, Koyaanisqatsi is something much more.
The intense focus. The breadth. The drive. The marriage of media and intent! The beauty and the nausea! Not least the strange synergy between the film and the music of composer Philip Glass. I greatly enjoyed his most recent film Visitors, too. It feels as though here, Reggio is doing his thing while in dialogue with critics and the response to his earlier work, peers and followers, the now and the future, a rare balancing act.
The openness of his method is itself breathtaking and enjoyable for the audience, creating rich fusions and associations between things. I found myself musing on so many things at once, just one example, the relative effort and imagination spared to provide living spaces for workers, prompted by looking at derelict concrete canyons in the films and living just down the road from one of the original 'garden cities' of Port Sunlight.
I almost forgot to mention, another completely different documentary sprang to mind, of comparable impact but differnet method and effect entirely. The Pearl Button.
EDIT: I've removed the link to the Koyaanisqatsi on youtube: The whole things plays in reverse!
Last edited by Harvey on Tue Apr 21, 2020 7:35 am, edited 3 times in total.
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings This he said to me "The greatest thing You'll ever learn Is just to love And be loved In return"
That's pretty heavy, that my little reminder provided the motivation for you to watch the full set of films. Am humbled and pleased. Now give me 18 days to get to your recommendations, of course you are to be trusted that they will be worthwhile.
We meet at the borders of our being, we dream something of each others reality. - Harvey of R.I.
To Justice my maker from on high did incline: I am by virtue of its might divine, The highest Wisdom and the first Love.
That's pretty heavy, that my little reminder provided the motivation for you to watch the full set of films.
There's no burden, it was our pleasure, I watched them all with my partner and she is equally delighted to have discovered the films of Godfrey Reggio. Thanks again.
of course you are to be trusted that they will be worthwhile.
Trust no one.
If you never saw it, an extremely enjoyable historical drama/revenge tragedy, Taboo.
And while we spoke of many things, fools and kings This he said to me "The greatest thing You'll ever learn Is just to love And be loved In return"
