17.06.14
film, music and art ALBUMS TO SIT DOWN AND LISTEN TO:
Wakin On A Pretty Daze Kurt Vile
FILMS I WATCHED RECENTLY: BLUE VELVET (1986 Dir. David Lynch In discovering a human ear in a field, a young man starts a journey across worlds. He discovers the horrors of life in the shadows, and becomes entangled in the story of a mysterious women who sings Blue Velvet... This is raw David Lynch. Roger Ebert had problems with this film because he felt Lynch wanted the audience to laugh at the irony as he interchanged between the two worlds. I understand his viewpoint, but on the other hand, I felt that these scenes of irony were not supposed to be comedic. I felt that the fact that they were underpinned by inherent evil made them even more grotesque than the scenes that presented this ‘evil’. Therefore, the strength of Isabella Rossellini’s performance was not undermined, as it was scraping away at the white-picket fences from the outset. The moment when the divide between worlds is removed, and the brutality is quite literally seen naked in front of everyone’s eyes, is hence made incredibly powerful and emotional. The fear I felt when Jeffrey entered Dorothy Vallens’ home transformed it into a full-on horror movie, as Lynch puts the audience’s imagination in the spotlight. The most relaxing moment was the scene when Dorothy is singing. When she was on stage, she stepped above the underworld and into the heavens. Time paused as she sang, waiting for her voice to float away into the background of what awaited her. This scene provided her with her only freedom, yet it also represented the eyes that watched her. Frank’s obsession with blue velvet was embodied in the title of the song. He watched her and she put him under her spell. For Frank, it was either blue velvet in song, or blue velvet in flesh... and Dorothy Vallens couldn’t sing for ever. FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION! Listen: I’m Sad About It- Lee Moses Lacrymae- Melodium Lever Street- Death In Vegas Read: Do Androids Dream of Electric sheepPhilip K. Dick Watch: Magnolia- Paul Thomas Anderson
This drifting record takes you on a journey across the sea. Beneath the surface you can hear the lyrics speaking in a poetic language. The attention you hold on the songs drifts in and out, but they all hold a feeling of importance. For the title song, you could work whilst listening to it, but by the end of the 9:31 running time, it will have you spinning on your swivel chair like a windmill in a tornado. It is simply glorious, and one to keep in a special box or something. BOOKS! THE UNBEARABLE LIGHTNESS OF BEING - Milan Kundera An intensely philosophical book that makes you think about the nature of ‘being’ through the various infidelities Tomas makes against his wife Tereza. It is refreshing and a very recommended read for those who haven’t already come across it.