Summa This, Summa That
Last year, while recommending the documentary Lost in La Mancha, I claimed that it was my second-favorite documentary about film-making. Today, I'm recommending my all-time favorite: Burden of Dreams, Les Blank's spectacular documentary on the insanity surrounding Werner Herzog's efforts to make Fitzcarraldo.
Sometimes, I'm so familiar with a thing -- so tied to a particular theme or melodic turn (in music) or to a particular fact or or opinion (in my life more broadly) -- that anything which deviates from my expectation sounds or feels "wrong." But deviation doesn't make it "wrong," right? At least not necessarily?
I really enjoy this music. So clearly influenced by sacred music from the past, yet just as clearly influenced by the melodic melting pot in which we find ourselves today. There are moments when I hear sacred chant -- both Gregorian and Byzantine -- and moments when I hear movie soundtracks and a far more modern style. There's a way in which that is both unexpected and very much in keeping with the musical environment of my own youth.
"He is not a biologist and has rarely lived away from the coast of California—as a matter of fact, most of his posts are from Los Angeles and its immediately surrounding areas. Yet his work is startlingly compelling: not whitewashed or staff-approved, sometimes goofy, always surprising and beautiful and strange."
The whole score's pretty melodic/creepy/impressive, though you need to be able to tolerate a fair bit of dissonance early on (which makes more sense in context). All in all, far more worthy of your time than the film it bolsters and elevates beyond all reasonable expectations (if not quite high enough to make it worthwhile). Maybe just listen, though. It's not better in context.
Ever since I saw it for the first time, I've felt that The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is his most complete, most powerful, most thoughtful, most polished, and "best" film. ...But my favorite? That's actually a two-hander: Bottle Rocket and Moonrise Kingdom. And I love those two for the same reason, actually. Neither are quite as hard on their subjects as their cinematic siblings
Fun, stylish stuff, and one of the greatest twisty endings ever. Plus, did I mention that the music's really great? Joplin's rags set the perfect tone. Enjoy "Easy Winners," "The Entertainer," "Gladiolus Rag," "Pineapple Rag," "Rag Time Dance," and "Solace." And Redford and Newman and Shaw. Gosh, what a great cast.
"Star Wars kind of happened by accident for Erik, and he recorded his lines too late to be credited in The Return of The Jedi, so it wasn't until his latter years where the fans figured out that he was the voice behind the iconic 'IT'S A TRAP!,' and convention appearances all around the world swiftly followed."
