I love this and tweeted about it, but I’ve go to share. She engenders that sense of freedom, seriousness, and playfulness we need in our creativity. It’s what my art students give me every time I walk into the classroom. They reminded me that, more than anything, it’s the act of creating and uninhibited effort that matters most. Thanks to all my students, yogic and artistic.
A little web log.
I can smell it. I can see the yellow of its sap. Soft tendrils of bark hanging off of branches and trunk.
(For the Jewish out there, you’ll have to follow this link to Hannukah in Santa Monica.)
by Tom Lehrer
Merry, merry Christmas! (Please don’t forget to laugh.)
Larmina and Hubert at the SCEP
The last few movies have been…oh…ho hum. I’m a closet cinephile, so a long list of so-so plots and characters that may have had potential before they made it to script were killed upon scripting, directing, and editing. The list includes: Seraphim Falls, Bottleshocked, and a few others that left me drooling, feeling strangely empty, and violated. Then, we finally watched The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Exceptionally entertaining. Well done. Exactly what I want from a pop culture thriller, but this isn’t about that.
Do you remember the younger Sean Connery or Roger Moore in their handsome, dashing, ne’erdowell portrayals of the sociopath and mysogynist Agent 007 James Bond? Perhaps the mood you seek is more akin to the work of Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau in The Pink Panther fumbling for villains and breasts alike? Hm? Do you miss the jaunty fonts and graphics of 1960′s spy movies and book jackets or the gogo boot, bum shaking rock and roll? Or, maybe you yearn for the tongue in cheek of Woody Allen’s Bananas? Maybe a dash of homoeroticism (don’t worry, the children won’t understand) thrown in? Oh, it’s all there in the comedy OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies.
Jean Dujardin portrays OSS 117 Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, a not entirely stupid French agent and infrequent seducer of women. He is The Agent: handsome, well coiffed, at ease with the ladies, wins every fight, and a smile so bright with teeth so straight it’s hard to imagine there isn’t a little sparkle there. Berenice Bejo plays the intelligent, enchanting, Muslim idealist Larmina El Akbar Betouche. Together they romp through the Cairo of 1955 dodging chickens while piecing together the disappearance of OSS 283 Jack Jefferson, Hubert’s supposed dead partner and friend.
As Hubert and Larmina travel through Cairo disguised SCEP employees, several attempts are made on Hubert’s life including buxom beauties bearing knives, brawls, assassin flung chickens, torture ala masseuse, and drowning. Hubert’s character is deliciously clumsy in worldly ways. He insults Larmina’s Muslim and Egyptian heritage as well as complaining about morning prayers. Then, there are the two spectacular musical scenes that titillated me; during one, Hubert demonstrates a spectacular and surprising talent for playing the oud.
It wouldn’t work in the least if any of it were off. Not one bit. The musical score supports the scenes rather than drowning them. The introductory and expository text, animation and cuts rely just enough on the basic shapes and takes of mid- to late 50′s spy movies (circles, lines, triangles, high contrast, jaunty font, friendly asides from characters) to begin and end OSS 117. The brilliant lighting is somewhat influenced by film noir and exudes rich, pleasant colors. Costumes range from well cut men’s suits, fitted and sleek to match the not too short haircuts and shiny shoes, to women’s shorter skirts and darted, fitted tops that complement the rounder hairstyles of the period. And, the humor speaks for itself. Hubert has no knowledge of Arabic or Islam, thinking one is difficult to read and understand while the other is merely a trend soon to die, and this, of course, wins no affection from Larmina. OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is a delightfully entertaining spoof on spy films, a parody of modern prejudices, and the end of a dry run of movies for me.
I am looking forward to the next one, OSS 117: Lost in Rio.
*Big Snip.*
Then, there’s the camera, which was sent off to New Jersey for repair. A foreboding feeling leads me to believe the repair cost will be slightly inhibiting.
And, next, our beloved free-roaming (politically correct for feral) cat, Stan, disappeared on 21 November. It breaks my heart to think of his untimely demise. His visage absent from the Humane Society’s website and from our back porch only draws forth the worst of conclusions. We, E and I, miss him very much.
He returned early December and looked as if he had been well taken care of. I just wonder who’s heart he’s breaking tonight.
So the camera was sent to New Jersey, a continent away. Hopefully, repairs will not be so expensive as certainly as they are necessary. I like to think of this as possibly a push to return to…film and wonderful manual cameras. I’ve missed my twin lens from the 1950′s. It’s heavy in the hands with a bright, big viewfinder that neatly displays focus. Film, too, fulfills a necessary visceral experience in the image creating act. Even the grain has a depth, smoothness, and richness that digital just doesn’t seem to get.
As promised, images from the past. Near the Crooked River, Oregon. Felt lucky to have such a beautiful day and weather.
I probably won’t be posting much in the next month so as to revise my approach to photography. My camera may be dying, needs repairs, and the repairs may not be worth it. However, I still have my film cameras. I realize they are antiquated, but they’ve always been more tangible than my digital camera. I’ll be posting images of older works from the past few years. Here are some stills of plywood from this year.
Went on a lovely, cold hike up to the Greenwater Lakes and beyond. A light dusting of snow sun-softened froze and dropped to the forest floor throughout the day. Icy log bridges and frozen packed dirt made for careful footwork. Although it was incredibly brisk, the sun kept the temperatures up and made for lovely scenery. It was especially pleasing for many fine examples of mushrooms stood frozen in all their glory making close examination quite fun. Fungisicles, anyone?
Sure, I’ve photographed people…as still life, but never really as them. It’s always interested me, and, thanks to a good friend, I photographed Tacoma’s The Variety Hour, an indy band about to release their second EP. I had a great time working with them and hope to do some more work with them and other bands. Also, if you’re in Tacoma, The Variety Hour is playing at the New Frontier Lounge with Los Headaches and Rose Windows this Thursday night, November 3.
I learned a lot from this session but principally: get a reflector. (Well, that and a little extra sun would’ve helped.) That or I’ll make my own. Either way it would have improved the below image, which I still love. Plus, I could’ve positioned them a bit better by moving the couch. This was a pretty big boundary push for me, but next time I’ll go farther. (These guys were great and laughed at most of my jokes.) It’s all about learning and playing.
A photo of The Variety Hour's fine musicians.
at home
I’ve always found that home offers some amazing photographic opportunities. Everyday, common objects linger through the day’s changes as light and shadow shift over them. Here’s a cookie sheet in the morning.
