versiunea 1.3. redux (incl. ROCKLAND & alinland)
In cadrul Interviews for Hope la Televiziunea M9TV Romania din Tg. Mures m-a invitat prietenul Corneliu Tepelus sa vorbim despre film si muzica, film romanesc, Cannes, Brasov, Transilvania Blues si Bluesferatu.
Intreg interviul este acum pe youtube aici. Mersi, Corneliu, Let There B. Light :D
"Now is Now and Then is Then."
Perfect Days is a masterpiece, a Japanese film made in Tokyo in Japanese by a German filmmaker. Wim Wenders, made at 77 years of age. Like Wenders' Tokyo Story.
But Yasujiro Ozu is Wenders' master. And Ozu being a poet, this homage to him (Wenders did also a documentary, Tokyo-Ga, about his trip to Ozu's Tokyo, back in 1985), is also a Poem. A poem in the rhyme of Rock 'n Roll.
Do yourself a Favor and do go to the cinema. It's in limited release and it will vanish shortly. Kudos again Bad Unicorn for bringing it on the big screen ! Click on the link , scroll down and you'll see where it screens in Romania. ! And if you go, stay 'til the end of the credits !!!
It's slow, it's dreamlike, it's funny and tender, it's beautiful and sad, it's heartfelt. About the meaning of life (really!). Not in the Monty Pythonesque sense. More like budhism.
Absolutely gorgeous soundtrack, Lou Reed (the title comes from Lou's "Perfect Day" song) , Patti Smith, The Rolling Stones, The Kinks, Van Morrison, Ottis Redding, Nina Simone, The Animals & House of the Rising Sun (in Japanese even), Sachiko Kanenobu, and all with a purpose. Like a shiver in the trees leaves.
One of last year's best, should've been in my 2023 Top Films but I saw it in january 2024 ! It is nominated for the Oscar for best foreign film. Won best actor in Cannes and Koji Yakusho's performance is one of the best there is. Also won the Ecumenical Jury in Cannes.
Also it's one of Wenders' best, up there (for me) with Paris Texas, Das Himmel uber Berlin, Der Amerikanische Freund, Der Stand der Dinge. Shot beautifully by Wenders' collaborator since Land of Plenty (204), Franz Lustig, in the academical format of 1.33.1 (4:3), sharply edited and with a subtle sound design (re: the leaves, the dreams).
great interview with Wenders on Eye for Film here.
Wenders' favorite films on Kombini Video here. A lot on Ozu at the beginning of the video.
Komorebi...
Herbert Grönemeyer 's Alkohol is a song from 1984, from his album 4360 Bochum. I heard it in the 80's then, with Falco and Trio, they sound alike. Great B & W video. But yesterday I heard again this song after 30 odd years in a very cool scene from the new Calin Peter Netzer film, Familiar (that came out yesterday in Romanian cinemas).
Grönemeyer was/is a West Germany superstar, known also as an actor (he was in Wolfgang Pedersen's megahit Das Boot-1981) and I saw it in Romanian cinemas as Robert Schumann in Spring Symphony (1983), next to Nastassja Kinski as Clara Wiek and Rolf Hoppe. Saw that with my mom as she was the biggest fan of classical and Opera music. But his name came back again as the composer of the Anton Corbjin's films The American (my review here) and A Most Wanted Man, very good imersive scores He's still a superstar in Deutschland. Weirdly, my friends at the film premiere didn't know about him. So, I had to write a few lines about Herr Herbert G.
Great song tho. Was and is. And cool lyrics ;)
Alkohol ist das Dressing für deinen Kopfsalat
Alkohol ist dein Sanitäter in der Not Alkohol ist dein Fallschirm und dein Rettungsboot Alkohol ist das Drahtseil auf dem du stehst Alkohol ist das Schiff mit dem du untergehst
Psychotronic* film of the Year (on my Top Films of 2023): Nu aștepta prea mult de la sfârșitul lumii/Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World by Radu Jude.
Just saw this mid Jan. in a theater (Reduta, Brasov), with people, and so I had to change /add this item to the Top. It's at once Bravura filmmaking, Saboteur cinema, punkish anarchistic/nihilistic deconstruction of the language (Godard-like), subversive Meta meta cinema, a pamphlet and a satire, filled with insider jokes that my guess is don't translate, even though the film, premiering in Locarno Film Fest last summer and awarded there the Jury's Special Prize, is on the most highbrow lists, from Cahiers du Cinema, to Sight and Sound and a great Arthouse hit in the US (it will be distributed there in March by MUBI). It was Romania's entry for the Oscars, as surreal as it sounds, not that the film isn't good enough but because it's so experimental and off mainstream someone should be crazy to really think it'll be qualified for an Oscar nod.
Psychotronic* =from Un Chien Andalou to Doogtooth or Mandy, or Perrot Le Fou and Jodorowski, this is the cinema of a FreakOut mind and stream of it. Dada and beyond. A genre of Subversive cinema.
Plot (or should I say Com-plot;):
It's about a day in the life of a production assistant (Angela -a brilliant Ilinca Manolache, chosen as Top Actresses of the year by ICS-International Cinephile Society, see here- and my bet on the Gopo award for lead actress this year), as she drives around Bucharest doing various chores and prepping (preparing) a corporate work safety commercial. She also tick tocks obscenities (funny and absurd ones) under a male avatar and the name Bobiță, as a commentary of the crazy hellish life around her.
This apocaly-pic (in the cinema sense film), is imo Jude's Le Mepris, but as Godard had Fritz Lang, Radu Jude has Uwe Boll -ouch, and I know Uwe well, did a q and a with him at Grossmann years ago, was on the Bucharest set of Bloodrayne, met him as he was self-promoting his films in Marche in Cannes, hiked with him on the hills of Ljutomer and had schpritzer which he hated ;) Uwe is shown filming in a Bucharest studio a sort of Z like Men in Black -and he tick toks freely the F * off and F* all of you-and this for me is the major stunt of the film ;), also it might say something about the state of cinema and the world now, yep. Had a blast watching it, but it's not funny, more like a tragic journey into a hellish Bucharest. Plus auto-referential Jude on his PPM's, commercials background and cameos by him (Glovo man) and Marius Panduru, the DOP, as a hotel doorman, loved them both. Excruciating longeur (willingly, but hardcore, Cristi Puiu's style)-144 min, bravura one-shot sequence of 40 mins, grainy B & W, as Jarmusch's first fares (but JJ had no money, man), a take on Dylan's Subterranean Homesick Blues famous cue cards through Vali Sterian's Exercitiu, into the green screen of 'woke" cancel culture of a politically correct message in a work safety corporate video. The film audio track is a world of its own, with the songs played (SPP included;), a copious manea from Tranylvania, the radio comments plus the phone conversations and the interjections from the real people in traffic. Cleo from 5 to 7 in a sordid world with overtime galore (from six am til afterdark, but with time for even a quickie and a shaorma ;)
Just 2 b clear, these are gigs and events I am interested in. Or some that we do with Transilvania Blues.
Copeland & Wragg-The Last Sundown -20 ianuarie, Rockstadt -Transilvania Blues Nights
Bombino -3 februarie, Control
"Morte capti, non carcere".
The second single and video from Bruce Dickinson's upcoming 7th album (Seventh Son..?), his uber-project and magnum opus The Mandrake Project is Blood on the Graves, a William Blake quoted (same as the 1st single, Afterglow of Ragnarok starts),a B & W & color short film that is one the best video of his until now (I love the Tears of the Dragon flick).
A cool Hammer / AIP homage with Dickinson himself as The Preacher (Vincent Price-like), complete with the Devil as in Hellboy, with cut horns, and the band live Tiger Lillies style. It has a very Maidenesque sound, much more than Afterglow of Ragnarok, or earlier Dickinson works (Accident of Birth, The Chemical Wedding, Skunkworks, Tyranny of Souls). Balls to Picasso & Tattooed Millionaire excluded.
Directed by Ryan Mackfall (same as Ragnarok) and Produced by Myskatonic.co.
Here's some of Bruce's thoughts about the song and video.
After Afterglow of Ragnarok (the first excerpt from the Upcoming album, The Mandrake Project, complete with its comic book high concept, 12 parts no less!!!), this is another incursion into the universe of this Myskatonic universe (H.P Lovecraft ;) . The album is out March 1st 2024.
Bruce Dickinson will present the album The Mandrake Project LIVE in Bucharest, Romania, at Arenele Romane, June 3d 2024.
tickets here.
https://www.themandrakeproject.com
-might be a first year without a Hans Z. score...oh no, he wasn't here last year too, last time for 007 No Time to Die... Last year I didn't even do a soundtracks top.
*****
Killers of the Flower Moon-Robbie Robertson & VA -oh, this would be great to win an Oscar, it's Robbie Robertson's first nomination and it's so posthumous :(
and the greatest and most touching song of the year on a soundtrack, "Still Standing" (this should've been nominated for Best Song but heck...barbisms :()
Indiana Jones 5 aka Indiana Jones and the Dial of the Destiny -ol' ol' John Williams with all of 'em referential Indy Themes
Oppenheimer- Ludwig Goransson -Oscar's favorite.
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The Holdovers-Mark Orton & VO
The Boy and the Heron -Joe Hisaishi-Japan's John Williams returns with a beautiful elegiac score for Hiyao Miyazaki's comeback.
Next Goal Wins -Michael Giacchino
Wonka-the guys from Crowded House -Neil Hanon & Joby Talbot
VA (compliation) feel-good score of the year: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
no surprises here, 13 nods for Oppenheimer (14 at BAFTA's), 11 for Poor Things & 10 for Killers of the Flower Moon.
but
just obscene to have Barbie nominated for adapted screenplay...not to mention "best film". It's not that I'm sexist, but also this is not That Feminist Movie (TFM) that changed the world. Just the Box Office, as in "the most succesful film directed by a woman". Well, if Bigelow, Kathryn would've directed Avatar 2 or something, this would've been done b.fore..
my bets are on those I put on Bold and Italics.
Norman Jewison was one of the most serious & eclectic directors that ever was. We was versatile in all genres but he cared for social and political issues and made important films, like his peers, Sidney Lumet, Mike Nichols, Sydney Pollack, his contemporaries. Like all of them he started his career in Television, in the Fifties. He survived his era and was retired long ago now, his last film being 21 years ago (The Statement, 2003). He died at 97 years of age without winning a single Oscar -he was but nominated Seven Times...
Jewison could've done just three films and he would've made history, and film history. In the Heat of the Night, Jesus Christ Superstar and Fiddler on the Roof. Others can say The Cincinnati Kid or The Thomas Crown Affair, the two films he did with Steve McQueen, his friend but also his most difficult actor (as he said). I'd say also Rollerball, with a brilliant James Caan. Weird that John McTiernan remade two of his films that didn't need any remake at all.
In the 80's he made less interesting and engaging films, except Moonstruck (1987) which had a fabulous showcase for a young Nicolas Cage and 3 Oscar wins-one for Cher, also the pic got awarded the Silver Bear in Berlinale. In 1999 he did The Hurricane, about the boxer Rubin Carter, wrongfully accused for murder and imprisoned hard, another story of Race and social injustice, with a grand Denzel Washington (that he kinda discovered and pushed into A Soldier's Tale -1984), film that introduced me to that brilliant Bob Dylan "Hurricane" song. Denzel was nominated for an Oscar for this and won best actor in Berlinale.
Last film of his I saw was The Russians are Coming The Russians are Coming (1966), a re-watch last year due to the death of Alan Arkin which is fabulous in this underrated and forgotten comedy cold war classic (close to Billy Wilder's best).
I was a big fan of Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), which was a big hit for us on video and I saw very late Fiddler on the Roof (1971), on a private screening and a night to remember with it's biggest fan, in his flat, a certain director which I love very much ;)
All in all, Norman Jewison was one of the Greats. They don't make 'em like this anymore. Too bad...but grateful for all the films he did and I loved. RIP...
Variety Obit here.
The House Burned Down, almost...
...that was last Sunday nite, at 22 hours...
Danny Bryant cancelled (for health reasons) and we were without artists for our 1st gig of 2024. "We" as in Transilvania Blues.
But the gods of Blues work in mysterious ways (aren't them all ;)
and we got our old friends Greg Copeland (USA) & Chris Wragg (UK) for their 2nd coming to Brasov for us. Also joinin' in are Lee Bradley (UK, bass) & Matt Talbot (drums, UK).
Greg & Chris put out a new fabulous Blues album, THE LAST SUNDOWN, truthful, deep, with themes of "Reflection, Freedom, Mortality, Loss and Hope". Their second, after Deep in the Blood (2019), which they played for us In Brasov at Rockstadt, May 14th 2022.
Here's the 1st single of the album, House Burned Down, which they'll play in about 25 hours from now...
you can still buy tickets here
https://www.iabilet.ro/bilete-brasov-copeland-wragg-transilvania-blues-nights-92979/?fbclid=IwAR3SwOOkGyr1wKnBoyxpGlrYRGrkc0ELBnv-VqOntXX-7xpNG6hP8p7O8wM
or at the door tomorrow evening!
B. There and Let There B. Blues !
Bisquik for the Sin Eater in the idea of "can we change? "
...well, it's them... The Usual Suspects...Keef, the Coop, Iggy, a lot of septagenuarians, even octogenarians there...All the young Dudes ! even Metallica ! Keeping on rocking in (not so much) a Free World anymore, agree Neil-yo;)?
Top 2022 albums here. Top 2023 Soundtracks here.
Song of the year is but, yes, The Beatles-Now and Then
1. The Rolling Stones-Hackney Diamonds -well Mick and Keef are 80 !
Ronnie is the young gun here ;) -76!
Mess it Up , featuring a Nicholas Hoult on the run...directed by Calmatic !
2. Peter Gabriel -I/o (after 20 years...) -73 !
3. Alice Cooper -The Road -at 75 !!!
&
-Iggy Pop-Every Loser -76! (sorry, I missed ya man in EC, hopefully catch-up this year!!!)
Ian Hunter -Defiance part One -83 !!!
Yusuf (Cat Stevens)-King of a Land (75!)
Nils Lofgren -Mountains (72!)
***also Neil Young (78!) put not one, not two but three albums out, Before and After, an album with Lofgren, Molina and Talbot (All Roads Lead Home) and a re-release of Chrome Dreams.
Metal album of the year (that's how Metal I can get;) : well, Hetfield is 60 now but the meaning of 72 is Eighteen-Forever !!!
Metallica-72 Seasons
Greta Van Fleet-Starcatcher
(third album of the band, same Zeppelin, some Queen, still epigonic but better...their best yet) -well, these guys are so young (but old souls;) it doesn't even compute ;)
Pop:
Duran Duran -Dance Macabre (well, these guys are just in their sixties, so...), espc. for Supernature and Psycho Killer with a touch of Paint it Black...;)
***
Guilty pleasure (and not only GP) album of the year:
Dolly Parton -Rockstar (Dolly is 78 !!!), now, that's a cover album if there ever was one ;)
Try the super extended version (30 songs!!!). So many great guests here. Top RnR royalty. Loved her duet with Rob Halford (Bygones)! Also World on Fire, great song. Magic Man, with Ann Wilson. Heart of Glass, with Debbie Harry. And that duet with Stevie Nicks, bad-ass witches, no Eastwick. "What has Rock and Roll ever Done for You". Indeed :D
Guitar top three:
Steve Lukather-Bridges
Trevor Rabin-Rio
Steven Wilson-The Harmony Codex
Blues
Danny Bryant-Rise
*****
Danny Bryant will be playing for the 1st time in Romania for Transilvania Blues Nights in Brasov at Rockstadt on Jan. 20th 2024 !!!!
well, that gig was cacelled, but we got this instead -Copeland & Wragg -The Last Sundown, definetly will be on my list of albums of 2024 !!!
