On Luis Buñuel

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.

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.

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.

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

Is this a mullet?

I had my hair cut yesterday and my daughters both say it's a mullet. Is this a mullet?

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.

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.

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.

What Tarot Card Are You?

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

What Kind of Pie Are You?

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.

How Weird Are You?

wish I was there...

Damn coming back home after a lovely weekend away. I could happily have hung out in Martinborough for a couple of weeks, no problems. The little cottage we stayed in was great (apart from the neighbours having a shindig till 4am - grrr). Anyway, the rest of the time was perfect - lots of wine, nice food (Saturday night at the French Bistro) and lots of reading. There was a big old clawfoot bath there that was wonderful to lay around in and a fireplace along with a huge stash of firewood right outside the back door. Brilliant! I did a little bit of drawing too. Here's my map of a dismal country. What do you call it SOD? Pychogeography. Or something. There was another drawing I did that I like better but I think it's a bit pornographic for this blog.

it's getting to THAT time of year again

Listening to: Beans, various (now defunct band from Canada - thanks to fellow blogger and Canadian music afficionado, Rube Lubener, for the tip on these guys)

Oh my. Only around 5 weeks to go till it's that crazy old time of year again - the Film Festival. For those who don't know, around two months of my year are spent working from the office of the New Zealand Film Festivals. It's fun, but it's hard. The nice thing is being part of a team. Usually it's just me on my own (and the dog), hanging out at home, working busily away in the solitude of my sunroom/office. So for two months I get to hang out with other people. Not that there's much chat! Oh no, we all work hard and for long long hours. But it's all worth it, even if I do feel completely shattered for most of the time. For most of the time I don't really get to do much else except work, eat and sleep. That's NO exaggeration.

So, I have now, over the next few weeks, got to get stuck into the projects I have on the go now and get as much done as I can. Plus, I'm going to try to make sure I get some "me" time as well and keep myself well and happy. I'm heading off this weekend for some R&R to a cute little cottage over in - log burner, claw foot bath - lots of books and wine and food. Nice.

Still downloading like a crazy MF. Got the new Pretty Girls Make Graves, Élan Vital (not yet released). Yet another band that has played in Australia lately and not made their way across the ditch. Along with Les Savy Fav, Broken Social Scene and countless others. Shame.

ohhhh new music I love you

Finding new music is like exploring another world. I've been trawling the net, following leads, downloading. Soulseek window on one screen, browser in the other. Stumbled upon Do Make Say Think and thought, hello, these guys sound a lot like Broken Social Scene only to check and find that indeed, there are common band members involved. There's so much good good music coming out of Canada (Broken Social Scene, Feist, Do Make Say Think) and Scotland (Boards of Canada, Mogwai). It's so easy to find new music that you like on the net. Which transversly (sp?) makes it easier for the makers of music to reach an audience. Doncha love it? Okay, I've just downed a bottle of wine and I'm raving. It's time I went to bed.

[Just check my downloads first... still queuing...]

I've been obsessing over Broken Social Scene now for over three months. Where will it end?!

Oh, just downloaded early Dntel and it's so so making me happy. Soulseek is making my world go round.

I'm going to be hungover tomorrow.

What Post Punk band are YOU?

You scored as Throbbing Gristle. Throbbing Gristle are probably one of the most notorious and controversial bands of all time. Their proto-industrial music is self-consciously confrontational and alienating whilst their lyrics often deal with disturbing subject matter. Their best album is probably 1979's deceptively-named Jazz Funk Greats. The Slits 86% Throbbing Gristle 86% The Fall 67% Cabaret Voltaire 63% Joy Division 60% Public Image Ltd. 57% Gang Of Four 50% Wire 43% The Teardrop Explodes 37% The Pop Group 27% Which Post Punk band are you? created with QuizFarm.com

Rebirth of a Nation

Listening to: Pajo, Pajo
[Loving this album - seems almost a homage to the late great Elliot Smith (RIP)]

My last festival event last night - DJ Spooky with his re-/de-construction (he says remixing) of D.W. Griffiths' Birth of a Nation, 1915, Rebirth of a Nation. He's a bit cool, old DJ Spooky (that subliminal kid). His wry intellect comes across whenever he speaks. He has these smiling eyes that have that laughing look like the Dalai Llama. Like he's found his place in the world. Maybe I read too much into people. I dunno. But I think he looks he knows what he is about, in a general sense. If he does, then he is a lucky man.

Anyways, the gig. It was brilliant. He had three screens - one main one and two slightly smaller ones on either side. The two side ones were generally showing the same image although not always in sync. He layered up the images and closed in on some, added filters, deconstructed, pixellated, slowed down, degraded, coloured, moved the time structures - all the things a DJ does with sound. (I'm interested in the way software approaches sound and image - I was thinking about this a while ago and the way Spooky remixed the film has brought me back to it. There's a similar approach and language with both sound and image on the computer. Getting rid of "noise"; layering; reversals; distortion; loops; adding filters; opacity; transparency; adjusting curves; overlays. I could go on.) Added to that, the soundtrack, mixed live, was wonderful. I had never seen the original film - depicts the rise of the Ku Klux Klan in the southern states of the US after the Civil War. It was a contentious film - the KKK shown as the heroes of the day. Very nasty stuff. I'd like to see the original. It starred the divine Lillian Gish.

Here's an article about Rebirth of a Nation from the Harvard University Gazette.

Blog housekeeping

Just been tweaking some of my links on the right hand side over there. Added an excellent film review site that I stumbled across as well as a new blog I've been reading as well as hauling out one blog that seems to have come to a standstill.

film society

Just been checking out the lineup of films that the Wellington Film Society are offering this year and I think that I just might join up. 6.15pm every Monday night at the Paramount for most of the year. Oh, first up are two films that I really want to see, both by surrealist filmmaker Luis Buñuel. Some time ago I watched The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) which I loved. So getting to see some more of his work on the big screen will be cool. Diary of a Chambermaid and Belle de Jour.

For five weeks after that there are films by Jean-Luc Godard to look forward to. It's all looking good. Worth the year's $85 subscription, I tell you.

I am a giant moth!

Cheers Lilly (and before that, Adam)

Rose is a Giant Moth that spits Ice, Fears Nothing, has Very Sharp Fangs, and Screeches when Angry. Strength: 3 Agility: 7 Intelligence: 5 To see if your Giant Battle Monster can defeat Rose, enter your name and choose an attack: fights Rose using Strength Agility Intelligence

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huh?

Is this guy for real? It's a funny read anyways. Including the comments.