Listening to: Mink, For My Mink (Flying Nun)
The two Luis Buñuel films I recently saw at Wellington Film Society screenings were wonderful. I'm going to get hold of his memoirs I think: My Last Breath, 1983. He had a wry humour in his films that I found very engaging and a great take on social mores and hypocrisy.
He's also a very quotable man from what I've seen so far of his writing. Here's some great lines from the man himself:
"God and Country are an unbearable team; they break all records for oppression and bloodshed."
"All my life I've been harrassed by questions: why is something this way and not another? How do you account for that? This rage to understand, to fill in the blanks, only makes life more banal."
"Age is something that doesn't matter, unless you are a cheese."
"The decline of the aperitif may well be one of the most depressing phenomena of our time." (This from the man that featured the correct method of making a martini in the brilliant The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.)
" I never miss my daily cocktail: where certain things are concerned, I plan ahead."
"Children and dwarves make the best actors."
Just found these great quotes in a neat little book I bought recently: The Rough Guide to Cult Fiction. Good little reference to have on the shelf.
Sunday, April 30, 2006
in the yesteryear
I've been doing one of those massive purges that you've got to do on your computer every now and then. The music and the photos have been blitzed - if it's not needed, then into the trash it goes. If it is needed, but is finished with for now, then burn to DVD. It's a tiresome process which is why it only gets done when absolutely necessary. So tonight I've been burning and trashing.
During this purge I found some pics that my sister put onto disk for the whole family about a year or so ago. Dad was always snapping away, but he only used slide film, so almost all our family photos were on transparency. It was really emotional seeing all these images again that I hadn't seen for so many years. We would have these amazing "slide nights" every now and then when Dad would get out the projector and we would all sit in the dark cracking up over the funny family pics. Mum and Dad split when I was 21 so I hadn't seen any of these again till my sister got them put onto CD. Anyway, here's a bunch of them. The ones standing in front of the car would have been taken just before driving off somewhere on holiday - this was a traditional Miller family photo. I'm the littlest of the family.
During this purge I found some pics that my sister put onto disk for the whole family about a year or so ago. Dad was always snapping away, but he only used slide film, so almost all our family photos were on transparency. It was really emotional seeing all these images again that I hadn't seen for so many years. We would have these amazing "slide nights" every now and then when Dad would get out the projector and we would all sit in the dark cracking up over the funny family pics. Mum and Dad split when I was 21 so I hadn't seen any of these again till my sister got them put onto CD. Anyway, here's a bunch of them. The ones standing in front of the car would have been taken just before driving off somewhere on holiday - this was a traditional Miller family photo. I'm the littlest of the family.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Brown Bunny
Listening to: Taj Mahal Travellers, August 1974 (on the headphones - this is doing something weird and wonderful to me)
I've just (finally) watched Vincent Gallo's Brown Bunny. This film was slated at Cannes. Roger Ebert said it was the "worst film in the history of the festival". Since then Gallo has trimmed 26 minutes from the film. I haven't seen the untrimmed version. From what I have read it's a good thing that Gallo took it back to the editing room. Anyway, I kept an open mind about the movie and I really liked it. Yeah, one of the reasons I wanted to see it was for the much-talked-about fellatio scene between Gallo and Sevigny, but the story was sweet and sad. It was nice to have a simple "soundtrack" rather than a movie score - that was a blessing. I am SO sick of film scores. And the long takes were not at odds with the story. I won't go on about the story itself - you'll find that plenty of other places. It's said to be the work of an egomaniac. So? It's all part of the PC craze - people aren't allowed to have egos any more. I hope Gallo keeps making films. The trouble with egotists is they don't take criticism too well. And there has been plenty of criticism over this film.
There are people out there that love you though, Vincent.
Okay, Taj Mahal Travellers are getting a bit funky now. It's sounding like a jungle boogie. I'm loving this shit.
I've just (finally) watched Vincent Gallo's Brown Bunny. This film was slated at Cannes. Roger Ebert said it was the "worst film in the history of the festival". Since then Gallo has trimmed 26 minutes from the film. I haven't seen the untrimmed version. From what I have read it's a good thing that Gallo took it back to the editing room. Anyway, I kept an open mind about the movie and I really liked it. Yeah, one of the reasons I wanted to see it was for the much-talked-about fellatio scene between Gallo and Sevigny, but the story was sweet and sad. It was nice to have a simple "soundtrack" rather than a movie score - that was a blessing. I am SO sick of film scores. And the long takes were not at odds with the story. I won't go on about the story itself - you'll find that plenty of other places. It's said to be the work of an egomaniac. So? It's all part of the PC craze - people aren't allowed to have egos any more. I hope Gallo keeps making films. The trouble with egotists is they don't take criticism too well. And there has been plenty of criticism over this film.
There are people out there that love you though, Vincent.
Okay, Taj Mahal Travellers are getting a bit funky now. It's sounding like a jungle boogie. I'm loving this shit.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
two drawings about love
Listening to: Current 93, swastikas for noddy (in particular, Beausoleil)
Listening to this because of the link to the Kenneth Anger films. The song is, of course, about Bobby Beausoleil, who produced the soundtrack for Anger's Lucifer Rising. I just saw the Magick Lantern Cycle last week and it was pretty mind-blowing. I designed the posters, programme and advertising for the event - it was cool to be involved. I wish I could watch the films all over again. My faves were Rabbit Moon, Eaux d'Artifice and Invocation of My Demon Brother.
It's a late night at the computer - almost one in the morning. Work is banking up so late nights are a necessity. Just having a little bit of time for myself though - been downloading some more music and doing a little bit of drawing.
I did this the top one on my weekend away to Martinborough. Did I have something on my mind? I hope nobody finds this offensive.
I just did the following one tonight.
"How can there be pleasure, how can there be joy, when the whole world is burning?" - David Tibet, Current 93
Listening to this because of the link to the Kenneth Anger films. The song is, of course, about Bobby Beausoleil, who produced the soundtrack for Anger's Lucifer Rising. I just saw the Magick Lantern Cycle last week and it was pretty mind-blowing. I designed the posters, programme and advertising for the event - it was cool to be involved. I wish I could watch the films all over again. My faves were Rabbit Moon, Eaux d'Artifice and Invocation of My Demon Brother.
It's a late night at the computer - almost one in the morning. Work is banking up so late nights are a necessity. Just having a little bit of time for myself though - been downloading some more music and doing a little bit of drawing.
I did this the top one on my weekend away to Martinborough. Did I have something on my mind? I hope nobody finds this offensive.
I just did the following one tonight.
"How can there be pleasure, how can there be joy, when the whole world is burning?" - David Tibet, Current 93
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Is this a mullet?
I had my hair cut yesterday and my daughters both say it's a mullet. Is this a mullet?
Sunday, April 02, 2006
Lame-o Frontseat
Listening to: DJ Spooky (feat. Dave Lombardo), Drums of Death
Hah! As if we needed proof that Frontseat is a lame-ass time-waster (which I must admit, I sometimes watch and always regret it). Check out this article on Stuff about the stupid "New Zealand's greatest paintings" poll. Gee, heaps of Colin McCahon paintings. What a surprise. Well, it was always a lame and pointless exercise anyway.
Hah! As if we needed proof that Frontseat is a lame-ass time-waster (which I must admit, I sometimes watch and always regret it). Check out this article on Stuff about the stupid "New Zealand's greatest paintings" poll. Gee, heaps of Colin McCahon paintings. What a surprise. Well, it was always a lame and pointless exercise anyway.
Pitchfork on Daniel Johnston
Listening to: A History of Shoegazing: The Lost Tracks, Various Artists
Pitchforkmedia has an excellent piece on Daniel Johnston. It's a long insightful read. It's good to hear that Daniel is well again after his kidney illness that hospitalised him.
Pitchforkmedia has an excellent piece on Daniel Johnston. It's a long insightful read. It's good to hear that Daniel is well again after his kidney illness that hospitalised him.
My tarot card
This is weird:
| You Are The Lovers |
 You represent ideal love: innocence, trust, exhilaration and joy. You demonstrate the harmony of opposites, two sides coming together. At times, you also represent the struggle between what is right and what is tempting. Control is an issue for you, especially when you don't know your reasons for choosing something. Your fortune: You have an important choice you need to make about love, and it will be a difficult choice to make. You are likely struggling between the love you crave and the love that is right. In the end, you will choose what you crave, even if it's bad for you. Because without what you crave, you will feel empty and incomplete. |
I'm pumpkin pie apparently
Tasty. And this happens to be my favourite pie, so I am my own favourite pie. Get that.
| You Are Pumpkin Pie |
 You're the perfect combo of uniqueness and quality Those who like you are looking for something (someone!) special |
I'm not as weird as I thought I would be...
Lilly, I saw this on your blog and just had to do it. You were 70% Lilly. I knew there was a reason I liked you.
| You Are 30% Weird |
 Not enough to scare other people... But sometimes you scare yourself. |
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