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Aug. 9th, 2004 02:02 pm1. We saw a startling and beautiful Belgian film called Le fils (the Son). The movie is sad, inspiring, stark and suffused with the power of love (No, not the Jennifer Rush song). In fact, it has no music. There's not much I can say about without giving away the revelation at the end of the first act. I will say that the handheld camera work is wonderful and precise and that I have never seen such a passionate movie about people who can't express their passion. Love is the proofs of love, or whatever that quote is.
2. We also saw Trembling Before G-D, last year's doc about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews. My reactions were complicated to this movie. On the one hand, I was frustrated by watching people going through coming out dramas at such a level of angst. It seemed dated to me -- weren't closets this deep 20 years ago? Of course, this is silly; closets are this deep for many people, especially ones in a tight community who fear losing their place in it as do these Orthodox men and women. What was interesting was the variety of reactions of the people who did come out and appear on camera, including those who found ways to continue their intense religious lives and those who had to reject orthodoxy along with the closet. If you get the DVD, watch the special features -- they are as interesting as the movie.
3. I'm almost done colouring the Passover book which means I'm almost done with the whole damn thing. The most ridiculous comment from the insane editor was an objection to the fact that some of the Israelites are barefoot in the Red Sea picture. "They didn't cross the desert barefoot, did they?" Um, they were slaves. Do you think they stopped at Payless before they departed? Hell, they didn't have time for bread to rise! Also, are you aware that 100s of millions around the world don't own a single pair of shoes? Even in deserts?
2. We also saw Trembling Before G-D, last year's doc about gay and lesbian Orthodox Jews. My reactions were complicated to this movie. On the one hand, I was frustrated by watching people going through coming out dramas at such a level of angst. It seemed dated to me -- weren't closets this deep 20 years ago? Of course, this is silly; closets are this deep for many people, especially ones in a tight community who fear losing their place in it as do these Orthodox men and women. What was interesting was the variety of reactions of the people who did come out and appear on camera, including those who found ways to continue their intense religious lives and those who had to reject orthodoxy along with the closet. If you get the DVD, watch the special features -- they are as interesting as the movie.
3. I'm almost done colouring the Passover book which means I'm almost done with the whole damn thing. The most ridiculous comment from the insane editor was an objection to the fact that some of the Israelites are barefoot in the Red Sea picture. "They didn't cross the desert barefoot, did they?" Um, they were slaves. Do you think they stopped at Payless before they departed? Hell, they didn't have time for bread to rise! Also, are you aware that 100s of millions around the world don't own a single pair of shoes? Even in deserts?
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Date: 2004-08-09 11:19 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 11:24 am (UTC)When Snake's mother moved from the village to Budapest in 1960, it was only possible because her big sister who already there in the big city sent here a pair of used shoes.
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Date: 2004-08-09 11:49 am (UTC)...in more ephemeral news, Cyndi Lauper was on PBS the other night, and I thought of you immediately. Looked like it was from the tour that you saw. <3
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Date: 2004-08-09 12:16 pm (UTC)The "At Last" CD is produced all wrong and rarely works. On this live concert video, you get the true feelings she was shooting for, especially on the aching songs like If You Go Away (awful Rod McKuen translation of Jacques Brel's Ne me quitte pas) and Unchained Melody. But I equally love the performances on her recent original songs like Shine and Sisters of Avalon. Ahhh, Goddess!
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Date: 2004-08-09 12:27 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-09 01:07 pm (UTC)I'm just doing the old "Stupid WHite Person's Guilt" thing. Which could be downright insulting or somesuch to the survivors. Man.
There, you've glimpsed my ugly underbelly.
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Date: 2004-08-09 01:13 pm (UTC)*tickle, tickle, tickle*
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Date: 2004-08-09 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-10 06:15 am (UTC)