The Apu Trilogy, 1955-1959

Normally I would post this on the IRB page, but I figured more people look at this site than my IRB one, plus I'm not really writing what I would consider a full review, especially since I am talking about three films.

The Apu Trilogy is a series of three films done by Indian(Bengal) director Satyajit Ray. The three films are, in order: Pather Panchali(Song of the Little Road), Aparajito(The Unvanquished), and Apur Sansar(The World of Apu). All three films are based off of novels of the same name.

I feel relatively safe in operating under the assumption that most people's (who might read my blog) knowledge of Indian film does not extend much further than a cursory awareness of 'Bollywood'. As such, it is important to note Satyajit Ray's Apu Trilogy falls far outside this category. Ray was heavily inspired by the Italian Neo-realist movement and he sought to reproduce this within his own country (granted I am simplifying things in the cause of short, clear explanation). In each film of the Apu Trilogy, Ray beautifully appropriated the style and spirit of the Italian Neo-Realists while infusing this with his own esthetic sensibilities and fusing this with the nature of Indian culture......or in simpler terms, while it is distinctly neo-realist, it is also distinctly Indian (or as I like to think: Roberto Rossellini meets the Bhagavad Gita).

Any way I do not wish to give anything away about the films themselves beyond to note that the film follows one poor Brahmin family, and one character of that specifically (Apu), through the many life changing, episodic events.

These films have crept up on me in the last couple of weeks since I have viewed them, and by the finish as an audience member I felt like I was part of Apu's family. The beauty of the cinematic images will leave life long imprints in my mind, but combined with the narrative these are films that will work their way inside you and stay there for a long time. There is a reason why The Academy gave Ray a lifetime achievement Oscar and these films play a large part of it.

*note* I have no idea on the availability of these films in regards to your local video rental stores, altough I am sure you could get them on netflix. These films contain nothing "offensive" (that I can think of - no swearing, violence, or sex occurs) so anyone and everyone can enjoy them without worry. As far as buying them is concerned the DVD's are out of print....there is a place that still supposedly carries the DVD's but at $28 I am a little suspicous.

Any way watch the films, I think you'll enjoy them.

I'm Sick, 'Desperate Housewives' = NOT FUNNY, PBS, 'Mystery', and a Streaking Einstein

Eh, so I managed to get sick. 'Tis always fun I suppose. I think it is just a cold, but we will see what the next few days bring me. Started getting sick on Saturday and hit me full blast yesterday. Any way, I've been being a vegetable as you probably can imagine.

As such this has given me the opportunity to watch way too much TV. For example, the Golden Globes. Would someone PLEASE explain to me how anyone in their right mind could find 'Desperate Housewives' the funniest show on television. It's not even a comedy. It's a nighttime soap opera/melodrama with brief "comedic" moments. I'm sorry but Steve Carrell's 5 minute thank you speech was more humorous than an entire season of 'Desperate Housewives'. And since I mentioned it, I hope you caught his acceptance speech, it was clever and good natured humor, and unfortunately it gave me a couple painful cough ridden fits of laughter before I contained myself.

Of course I'm probably the only one who actually watched the globes, but what can you do. As much as they often frustrate me (see previous rant about Desperate Housewives not being educational...errr humorous) I can't seem to help myelf when it comes to the globes and the Oscars. Actually, I probably could leave the Globes out but the Oscars...I get more excited about the Oscars than the Superbowl, and in fact I prefer to have Oscar parties over Superbowl parties....and for those of you who know my passion for football, well, you know that's saying a lot.

Is this post long enough yet? I'm sorry was that a 'zzzzzzz' or a 'no'? I couldn't quite make it out. Hmm, oh well, speaking of watching TV, I've also found myself watching PBS on a regular basis. I've always tuned in from time to time, but lately I find myself turning the channel over to PBS several times a week. They've got some good programs running. Watched a great special on the Bear Rain Forest in the Pacific Northwest last night while I waited for the nyquil to kick in. Things got really interesting when a man who could only be described as being a dead ringer for Albert Einstein was seen streaking through the trees, chasing a bear, while screaming "I'll show you relativity!!!!!"

....or maybe that was the nyquil, it all is a little hazy at this point. I am being serious though (not about Einstein), there has been some great stuff lately. I've even managed to catch 'Mystery'. That show has been on PBS for as long as I can remember (so we're talking 22, 23 years) and I'm positive it has been on much longer than that. The actors have changed of course, but the intro and format remains untouched. It was an interesting trip down nostalgia lane.

Well I suppose I should stop rambling now. Classes start tomorrow, I should be asleep, not before the nyquil though. I got an email from my professor stating that he will be handing out course packets totalling 1000 pages of unpublished manuscripts, I don't know whether to be scared or intriqued. Either way here's to hoping my head and throat feel a lot better tomorrow than they do today.

War of Religions

It has always been interesting to me how religion tends to have an extreme polarizing effect on the people that subscribe to them. Most recently this has come up with a local mega-church in Colorado Springs, New Life.

Thanks to Non-Prophet who always provides excellent info and reading here is a tid-bit of what the pastors at the church have to say about Muslims:

"Rob Brendle told me that he believes that France, Spain and Sweden are already hopelessly lost and shall become Islamic Republics within 15 years. He says that the rest of Europe may very well soon follow and that we are at risk of the same right here. Ted Haggard himself has been quoted as saying, “My fear, is that my children will grow up in an Islamic state.”

Rob Brendle told me that the Islamic people in Europe are breeding furiously. He said something like, I probably have this only slightly wrong, 90% of kids born in France are born into Islamic families. He also said that once the Islamic folks figure out that they can get into this country they will, just like the Mexicans. He didn't mark any of that as confidential."

If these reports from Non-Prophet are accurate - and I have no reason to believe they are not, since Rob has been quick to post personally if incorrect statements/information have been attributed to him - it highlights something I view as a serious issue within religous communities.

In times as our country finds themselves, the last thing anyone needs is people striking up religous fervor, based off of erroneuos information, and painting people of opposing faiths as the enemy.

We should be working towards building understand between these two distinctly different groups of people, not helping to widen the gap.

Ultimately it never ceases to amaze me that the same evangelical christians who become angry and take offense when they are grouped in with radical christian groups who believe all gays should be executed, can turn around and paint all muslims as radical extremists bent on murdering, raping, and destroying all the infidel christians.