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#*first time I was present for bagpipes played live SOLO that is
goddamnshinyrock · 3 years
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tfw you pop your headphones on and hit ‘play’ without checking a) what you had queued up and b) the volume it was set to
and the answer is a) bagpipes and b) 
V E R Y  L O U D
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citizenaycock · 4 years
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Cold War (2018) | Directed and Written by Pawel Pawlikowski
Before getting into Cold War, as a prelude, I’d like to mention a funny documentary the filmmaker Pawel Pawlikowski released back in 1991 called Dostoevsky’s Travels. It follows the great-grandson of the famous Russian writer Fyodor Dostoevsky who died in 1881.  Fyodor is generally known as one of the greatest writers of all-time and possibly one of the first modern psychologists, deeply probing the human soul in his work.  Great-grandson Dmitri drives a tram in Leningrad, Russia and agrees to go on a speaking tour about his “prophet” Grandfather.  He doesn’t do this to pay his respects, but only because he dreams of scraping together enough money to buy a used Mercedes to impress his friends.  And he is OBSESSED with buying a Mercedes and knows nothing about his Great-Grandfather. He talks to crowds of intellectuals and hardly has anything to say about his kin Fyodor and just wants to get paid. He buys one Mercedes and it breaks down immediately. He then buys another at the end of the documentary and it gets stolen by bandits. As the doc progresses you see Dmitri is a bit of a numb-skull and a scoundrel. I liked it due to the irony of Dmitiri’s complete uncaring attitude towards Fyodor’s highly regarded esteem, and obviously this absurd infatuation with acquiring a used car as a status symbol compared to his novelist grandfather, who is held up so highly for his spiritual profundity and depth.     It’s a great piece of work no one has heard of...part-cautionary Capitalist tale at the end of the Soviet Union, while Cold War is part-cautionary Communist tale post World War II.  
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Official Trailer for Cold War
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Intro and Technical Specs
To start, my main fear of writing about films I love is that it will suck the joy out of the film itself by looking at it so closely.  I have only written in depth about two films, and thus far, am finding it to be the opposite.  When going under the microscope, I am just becoming more aware how great a truly well-made film is when breaking it down.  
Cold War may be the most beautiful black-and-white film I’ve seen.  The category Amazon has placed it in is “Arthouse Drama”.  Amazon Studios also is the distributor of the film.  My guess is because it did very well at the Cannes Film Festival and Pawlikowski won the Oscar for his previous film Ida in 2013. Sometimes they get it right.   To give some more context, I am very familiar with Ida and studied it for research for making my latest short film.  I found it interesting Pawlikowski implemented a particular style similar to filmmaker Paul Schraeder’s book, “Transcendental Style in Film”.  One aspect of this style pertaining to Ida is the cinematic framing for the action and not moving the camera until the end.  He framed his subjects in a squared 4:3 aspect ratio while leaving lots of headroom, sometimes leaving them in the bottom corner of the frame, which carried over to Cold War.  I don’t exactly know why he does this, but I have some theories that I will flesh out within the post in depth.  While watching, I immediately noticed the grain in the 4K version.  I looked it up and the film was shot with an Alexa digital camera and also a 35mm film camera, so apparently they were able to mimic film grain with the Alexa in post to match.  A 32mm lenses was used for almost all the shots. According to Pawlikowski it was because this focal length closely mimics the viewing width of the human eye and allows a wide space of action that can fit around the subject(s) in the frame. Similar to Ida, there is no non-diegetic music in the film (music added outside of the film’s music itself) until the closing credits, reminiscent of the French director Bresson.  
Opening in Rural Poland
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The film opens on the hands of a man playing an instrument that resembles bagpipes, looks handmade and I assume is indigenous to Poland. The camera tilts up to reveal a bright-eyed rural man, and eventually pans over to another interesting looking character playing a violin as they sing together.  We soon learn that Wiktor (one of the protagonists) is traveling with two others (Irena and Kaczmarek) and they are recording various forms of folk music unique to the Polish people.  Kaczmarek immediately degrades this type of music as “possibly crude” or “too primitive” immediately marking a divide in perspective compared to Irena and Wiktor, who visibly enjoy interacting and recording the villagers’ authentic music.  
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They soon come to a house where a unique-looking dirty village girl sings a song not accompanied by any instruments.  She has deep-set eyes and looks slightly haunted, and the lyrics of the song are about unrequited love. Not a happy song. Wiktor and Irena are enraptured by the raw singing and are recording this. In contrast, Kaczmarek disinterestedly eats soup in the next room, spoon klanking against the bowl, probably interfering with the recording.  Kaczmarek is representative of the Communist State for this film, high on bureaucracy and lacking in soul. The song being sung by the little girl is a huge part of the film as a whole.  Little do we know (and probably not evident to most who have seen the film) the lyrics tell the story of what happens between the protagonists we are about to follow in the film. The song is called Dwa Serduszka (Two Hearts) and is an authentic Polish folk song like much of the music in the movie.  After watching for the first time (I commonly do this) I went online to look up background information and found a very well-made youtube video essay describing the song as being the “Leitmotif” for the film. Leitmotif is a term defined as “a recurrent theme throughout a musical or literary composition, associated with a particular person, idea, or situation”.  In this case, the song operates as a direct pointing of what is to happen.  The song pops up several times throughout the course of the film, forecasting the fates of the two protagonist lovers, Wiktor and Zula, who are brought together by music.
This “forecasting” I believe goes deeper.  It’s as if it is pre-determined. Pre-determined due to the current political environment in Poland and the two characters’ difference in personality and upbringing.  Also, most importantly, is because they love each other in a way that seems beyond their control and not a choice, eventually becoming impossible for them to live life without one another. The leitmotif reminds us throughout the film of Wiktor and Zula’s inability to escape their fate, which is already etched in stone by powers beyond their will:    Two hearts four eyes Crying all day and night long Dark eyes, you cry because you can't be together You can't be together My mother told me You mustn't fall in love with this boy    But I went for him anyway and love him until the end I will love him until the end  
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Folk Ensemble
Now we are at a large building which looks to still be in the rural area.  Auditions are going to be held here for singers and dancers for a folk ensemble performance.  A couple of trucks haul the commoners in and Kaczmarek gives a stately speech to the bunch before cutting inside to everyone waiting to audition for Wiktor and Irena.
We then meet Zula waiting.  She elects to audition with another girl, naively, rather than shine in the audition solo. They enter the room to sing for Wiktor and Irena.  Wiktor is immediately transfixed and asks Zula to hold on and asks her to sing another song alone.  She sings with an authentic, untrained beauty.  We also see her feistiness here.  It’s obvious Wiktor is smitten and she is marked down to be selected as one of the singers after they exchange a parting look.  By now, the framing style of the cinematography is noticeably unique compared to other films.  As mentioned in the intro, characters are often framed with lots of headroom and sometimes placed in the bottom of the frame, leaving it mostly open space.  My theory on this is that the environment the characters inhabit are shaping their destiny more than the characters’ own free will, therefore their heads are often seen at the bottom with action on top and around them. For example, Communism looms larger than the individual, tamping he or she down (literally) to the bottom of the frame.  Not only Communism, but their uncontrollable love for one another, the characters’ upbringing and the people around them with their general wants and needs. These factors shape their present and future more than their own willful, self-determination and I think the filmmaker is aware of this fatalism, yet doesn’t just come and say it because that wouldn’t be interesting.  We just see that Wiktor and Zula are never able to comfortably settle anywhere with their love nor escape the love they feel for one another, making their situation impossible due to the circumstances.        In Ida, duty to God looms large and so does the characters’ Jewish unknown family past (to only name two) and the shots are framed accordingly as well.   On a broad level stepping outside of the film, what’s interesting to me is how much free will do humans actually have and how much is self-determinant?  After studying the film closely, this is the deep question (not answer) that I came to that transcends the surface story.  
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Wiktor watches Zula from a distance outside that evening.  Irena then tells him Zula killed her father and did some prison time for it.  After rewatching, I suspect that Irena loves Wiktor, and there are a few subtle cues later on that I noticed as well.  During private lessons, Wiktor curiously asks Zula what happened between her and her father while Wiktor plays scales on the piano and she matches the notes with her voice.  Zula says her father tried to be sexual with her so she stabbed him.  It is a very matter-of-fact and short answer.  Wiktor doesn’t say anything and continues playing the piano.   I’ve thought about this scene more so than any other scene after rewatching.  I think it is because of the dialectical nature of Zula saying she stabbed here Dad because he tried to have sex with her, one of the darkest things you could imagine, then the slight humor of Wiktor’s reaction while seamlessly transitioning back to the softness of the piano and her soft voice syncing.   Wiktor is very watchful, internal, reserved, most likely from a more refined family and musical background.  Zula is tough, spirited, tenacious and has lit a fire in Wiktor.  Wiktor is tall and dark-haired.  Zula is short and blonde. Opposites!
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It is now time to perform for a large audience in a theatre.  Wiktor conducts. Zula and about 20 other girls in Polish folk attire sing the leitmotif song that was sung by the young girl earlier.  The group sings beautifully.  Zula shines in front.  Even Kaczmarek on the side of the stage behind the curtain seems to be in awe and carefully walks about as if not to disturb the magic.
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Afterwards there is a reception.  Wiktor and Irena lean against a large mirrored wall and everyone else in the room is seen in the reflection. When you first watch it, it takes awhile to figure out the orientation of the room due to the mirrored wall.  I think this is the most interesting shot of the film.  Kaczmarek then gleefully enters frame and says that the performance was so beautiful, calls Wiktor a genius and says it’s the most beautiful day of his life.  He really means it and is the most authentic emotion we see from him in the whole film.  Previously, Kaczmarek thought all this “folksy stuff” was foolish.  There is a funny moment between the three.  Wiktor and Irena are obviously moved by this but not sure how to express it as the stately Kaczmarek leans against the mirror with the two.   On a second viewing, one sees Zula in the reflection staring at Wiktor the entire time.  The two make love soon after in a bathroom at the party.
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The Ensemble + The State
The performance is so good, now the State wants to get involved and meets with Wiktor, Irena and Kaczmarek.  The government wants to turn the repertoire into a “calling card for our Fatherland” and incorporate “Land Reform”, “World Peace” and a strong number about the “Leader of the World Proletariat”.  In return the group will be held in high favor, able to travel to other countries to perform, etc.  Irena and Wiktor are visibly uncomfortable with this.  Irena speaks first and says thank you but the ensemble is about authentic folk art and the rural population doesn’t sing nor understand these difficult issues.  Kaczmarek quickly intervenes and calls the man from the state “comrade” and says the ensemble, on the contrary, will do this after given proper direction. Irena stares him down.  Wiktor says nothing.  The next performance is stained by a huge tapestry of Stalin behind the singing ensemble.  The tone now is more dutiful rather than soulful, as if singing a church hymn they are forced to sing.  Zula’s face while singing now lacks the life it possessed in the performance before.  The State must extinguish all individuality and uniqueness with the goal to homogenize.  Irena’s heart looks broken in the audience.  Everyone dutifully rises for applause afterwards and Irena walks out.  We do not see her again in the film.  Everything has changed.
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The stuffiness of the singing troops is saved afterwards by a beautiful shot of Wiktor and Zula laying in a golden wheat field together at dusk. Golden?? The film is in black and white but my mind says “golden”.  Birds and crickets sing. Tranquility away from the group.
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But it doesn’t last long, as they are unable to run from the larger outside factors.  Zula soon confesses that she reports on Wiktor to Kaczmarek about their relationship and the things he tells her. She says it’s because she’s on probation for something and assures Wiktor that it’s nothing that will hurt him, but Wiktor gets up and walks off angrily at a loss for words.      As mentioned, the scene starts with their eyes closed as if in a dream, beyond the State, but it's inevitable that the state has to enter their relationship at some point, infecting the dream, and will remain a problem for the rest of their lives.   Zula calls him a “bourgeois wanker” as he walks away and she reacts oddly by jumping in a nearby river.  As soon as she hits the water, Wiktor stops and turns around.  She floats in the river and begins singing the leitmotif song.  
The next shot is of the two silently sitting together again in the wheat field at nightfall with a campfire going.  Zula’s hair is wet. The two just stare at each other and never say a word. What are they thinking?   I think Wiktor is thinking that he can not escape her because of his love and that they are stuck!  Zula knows this too.  This is a type of love that transcends choice.  Just like the State, their love controls them. The silent shot in nature cuts to black, then diverges to a busy train station with a brass band as the ensemble leaves to go to Berlin for a show.  Kaczmarek gives a stately speech to the group about their trip.  Wiktor meets Zula privately in a train car and lays out a plan for their escape once in Germany to go to France.  Zula is nervous she will not be able to make it somewhere other than her homeland Poland due to her inability to speak French and lack of experience.  I doubt she has any family to rely on, and at the moment has the ensemble in Poland as a decent occupation.  Wiktor assures her she has talent to learn and the most important thing is they’ll be together. They kiss.   The performance in Berlin is shot very uniform and proper, perhaps further pointing to its newfound soulless rigidity.  Afterwards, Wiktor goes to the meeting place to cross the border.  Zula remains at the reception with the comrades and Kaczmarek (as if in a trance) and never shows.  Wiktor waits until nightfall and eventually stiffly walks across without her.  
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Defection
Wiktor is now playing piano in a cool jazz night club in Paris with a band.  It is 1954.  His beard is now grown out a bit and his hair messier than before.  He is now in an empty cafe at closing time and speaks French with the waitress. He seems to have assimilated well here.  It is revealed he is waiting for someone. That someone is Zula.  She eventually walks in and they stare at one another for a few moments.   One look at Wiktor while sitting across from her shows how much he still loves her and has missed her. The actor playing Wiktor, Tomasz Kot, really shows this wonderfully. He is very good at being still yet showing so much.  Regarding the performances, this is one of the most authentic love films I’ve seen in a long time.  And an expert director and writer doesn’t hurt.  The film never feels sappy, in my opinion, while simultaneously remaining very romantic.   Zula doesn’t show much and stays cold during this scene, but can’t help but ask, “Are you with someone?”  Wiktor is.  So is she.  He asks if she’s happy.  She isn’t, but doesn’t say it.  Wiktor knows and walks her to the hotel.  She says she wasn’t good enough, not as good as him, to make the escape from Poland to Paris.  Wiktor says he believes love is enough.   Zula coldly kisses his cheek and then stolidly walks away.  Wiktor watches her go.  But eventually Zula breaks! She turns back around, walks quickly back and they kiss passionately for a few moments before she leaves again.      If one just read this and didn’t watch the film, you might think it seems like any other love story you’ve seen a million times. But to me, because of the authenticity of the performances and lack of constant soundtrack music, it really felt great to see these two embrace again. And I think it proves that moments in movies that may look cliche on paper can be pulled off with a skilled filmmaker and actors.  Also, there’s only a few angles that the camera covers in this scene and ALL the scenes really!  There’s a graceful economy and no superfluous closeups with unnecessary dialogue.  And as mentioned, no outside music booms in like most films commanding you to feel something! You feel it because you feel it, not because you’re told to feel it with an over-bearing soundtrack trying to compensate for lack of performance or direction. Wiktor now walks into his apartment, smokes a cigarette alone deep in thought, then gets in bed with his girlfriend.  He tells her he’s just been with the woman of his dreams.  She doesn’t seem to care and turns around to go to sleep, highlighting the lax and blase nature of their relationship and possibly Paris artist life as a whole.  Wiktor then turns off the lamp and looks up at the ceiling in lovestruck thought.
We are now in Yugoslavia in 1955, which looks much more lush than I would’ve imagined Yugoslavia.  Wiktor gets off the train to attend a performance of the ensemble.  Kaczmarek quickly greets him at the front of the theatre and is oddly cordial and confident in a sharp suit.   Once inside, Zula sees Wiktor in the audience and looks startled.   Wiktor looks side to side and men are watching him from the aisles.  He is escorted away by authorities yet remains adamant to see Zula rather than be afraid of being thrown in jail or hurt.  The first time I watched I thought he was definitely going to be thrown in prison. Kaczmarek obviously ordered the men to take him away and send him home in a train before he could see Zula, because of Kaczmarek’s interest in Zula.
Zula and the ensemble are shown singing the leitmotif song now.  Zula notices Wiktor is no longer in his seat.  Perhaps he was escorted out at the intermission.  She sings with a melancholic intensity.  The black-and-white contrast is especially beautiful here, maybe more so than anywhere else in the film.  There is a black back drop and all of the singers’ alabaster skin glows, as well as their folk costumes.  
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Wiktor is back in Paris now and has gotten work as a Film Composer.  Two years has passed since the Yugoslavia concert.  While in the middle of working on the soundtrack, the side door of the sound stage opens. Wiktor is spellbound as a smiling Zula is revealed.  
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Zula has married an Italian so she could legally move to France.  She says the marriage doesn’t count though because it wasn’t in a church. Neither seem worried about it.  This time Zula does not hold back her feelings and, obviously, neither does Wiktor. They make love.   They ride on a boat down the Seine at night past the buildings and cathedrals. They messily and drunkenly dance alone at a night club in rapture. Heaven for a moment.   
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Which begins Zula’s vast transition from the performing rural ensemble in Communist Poland to a solo singer at the Paris jazz club with Wiktor’s band.    She sings the emblematic Dwa Serduszka most wonderfully here. Order.  Everything in it’s right place. She is luminous as the camera slowly dollies around her, eventually revealing a packed club.  Everyone is captivated and still.  Then at the end is a lovely moment, maybe my favorite moment of the film, where Wiktor is staring at her intensely and she turns to check in with him and he gives her a nod of approval.  It’s almost corny, riding the edge, but is powerful, conveying a silent understanding between the two seeing one another perfectly clearly.
Poles to Parisians
We now are at where Wiktor and Zula live, which looks like a cool version of a converted attic with a Paris view.  Juliette, Wiktor’s ex, has translated Dwa Serduszka from Polish to French and Zula is unhappy with the translation, which most likely includes some self-consciousness about her pronunciation.  The manner is which the leitmotif song appears here runs parallel to the first step in the descent of the relationship in Paris.  Zula is defensive and anxious about the Parisian artistic circle Wiktor has introduced her to and she drinks to ease the anxiety of feeling inferior.  Wiktor tells her not to because she is “charme slave” as they say, alluding to how everyone has a narrative role and label in these circles.  Zula is becoming difficult and insecure.  Wiktor is becoming caught up in the scene and ignorant of Zula’s dramatic change of environment.
The film director at the party looks Zula up and down when they arrive.  Wiktor allows this without rebuke, most likely due to the nature of the sexually-lax Parisian art culture. Everyone is beautiful and chic at the party.  Zula immediately goes for the drinks.  She then sees Juliette and approaches her abruptly (yet with restraint for Zula), subtly challenging her French translation of Dwa Serduzska.  Juliette calmly explains her reasoning according to the lyrics’ metaphors. It’s obvious Juliette sees through what’s happening in the situation here..  Juliette’s part is small but the actress is excellent and conveys a lot.  She eventually mentions how the transition to Paris must’ve been a shock...the cafes, cinemas, shops, restaurants. Apparently Juliette sees this shock more than Wiktor does.  Zula tries to play it cool here but you can see she’s flustered.  This is a game she’s not used to playing. She then retorts that her life in Poland was better.  
Wiktor is talking to someone and looks over and sees Zula and the Film Director sitting closely, flirting.  Zula glances back over at him to see if he cares, but Wiktor stays put.  Then later she aggressively confronts him about giving her story “more color”.  It is apparent now that he has enhanced her Polish story to seem more dramatic in order to captivate his French friends and colleagues.  Wiktor shrugs this off.  Zula’s vibe is not carefree and cool like the rest of the party with her straightforward, intense rawness which creates an isolation for herself.   She sits in the bathroom now alone, drinking from a bottle, talking to herself in the mirror.  She calls Wiktor a jerk, but then says she loves him. She calls herself an idiot at one point. She continues to talk in the mirror as if to console herself.  And I can’t help to mention how much she looks like a young Gena Rowlands here.  It reminds me of the 1968 film Faces, which is also black and white.  They look so much alike, and both fantastic actresses that are blonde, voluptuous and troubled.
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Gena Rowlands in Faces (1968)
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Joanna Kulig in Cold War (2018) Wiktor, unknowingly and excitedly, opens the bathroom door and says that they’re all going to the Jazz Club now.  Zula says she’s a bit sad and wants Wiktor to come in the bathroom with her, but he ignores this and says let’s go.  She takes a moment to herself and then it cuts to the club.  She looks miserable and wasted sitting at the bar.  As we go, I am still noticing the framing I mentioned at the beginning with the subject at the bottom, but for this shot she really seems low!
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Her melancholy is interrupted by an upbeat, American song (”Rock Around the Clock Tonight”) and she gets up reinvigorated and starts dancing enthusiastically with a few different guys.  The camera goes handheld and is the messiest camerawork of the film (a good messy).  She eventually gets sloppy and gets on the bar and almost falls and people drunkenly cheer as Wiktor exasperatedly watches.
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We then see Wiktor carrying her into their room.  Zula says he is no longer a man in Paris like he was in Poland, and says she and the director get along well in attempt to get under his skin further.  He then sits alone in the dark and smokes a cigarette.
It now cuts to Zula in a sound studio singing into a mic in French.  I don’t speak any French, but her accent and pronunciation feels correct, but her spirit is muted...and we soon see one reason why.  Wiktor’s voice ominously interrupts her over a speaker behind glass in the recording booth.  Now the shot is on him and he looks disheveled and dark and tells Zula they only have 40 minutes left and not to blow it.  There is a deep hate in his eyes we haven’t seen yet, perhaps retribution for calling out his manhood and their recent relationship woes. An engineer and the film director are also in the booth.  There is just a bad energy in the room and anyone that’s ever tried to perform anything would be able to detect how difficult it would be to bring a great performance here.  The music starts back up and Wiktor looks down as if disappointed right before she starts singing.  
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We are at a listening party now for Zula’s record at the French Director’s apartment.  Zula is standing in the middle of the room alone, listening intently as several others sit around in the background drinking champagne.  Dwa Serduszka plays, but now in French.  It’s okay but not great. It doesn’t have the soul that it had before in Polish.  I’m trying to put my finger on it, but the French seems a little stiff and the vocal track seems extra-produced.  Too loud and too clear when mixed with the band’s instruments and it’s just not what it was before like the first time at the jazz club, for example.  Again, this leitmotif song is also a metaphorical indicator for the stage in the relationship. She looks over at Wiktor who is cooly leaning on the wall off to the side (maybe too cool) and gives Zula a nod similar to his nod after the jazz club performance.  But this nod doesn’t have the effect it did then and seems oddly forced.  The record playing here in this posh Paris apartment compared to the Polish rural girl singing at the beginning of the film is night and day. It’s obvious why, if you think about it.  They’ve taken a folk Polish song, translated it to French for a rural Polish singer, then recorded and produced it in a slick Paris sound studio under difficult conditions.  How could the quality not suffer a bit?! Another example of the larger outside obstacles making it impossible for them, even in a free society like Paris, France.    
It cuts to them now walking home afterwards.  Immediately it’s apparent Zula is unhappy.  Wiktor recognizes this but apparently didn’t know while at the party.  As they pass a fountain next to the street, Zula throws the record in <splash> yet continues to mostly hold her sadness in, which has become more of a depression at this point.  Assimilating is one thing, but they have gotten into this habit of holding back and not being up front, maybe due to the social circles they run in now.  Zula cooly mentions that the French Director has fucked her well 6 times and "not like a Polish artist in exile,” which causes an eruption in Wiktor (what she wanted) and he slaps her.  
This is strange to mention but, technically, the slap doesn’t sync with the sound. Lol. I watched this part 3 or 4 times to make sure and it just doesn’t (unless there was a lag in the internet connection).  Maybe nobody else notices this, but I’ve had to edit-sync slaps, kicks and punches before many times on this very computer and immediately saw something didn’t look/sound right. After the hard slap, Zula raises up and says, “Now we’re talking”, which is sarcastic but also the truth.  Often one needs a crisis moment to break out of a behavioral habit and apparently the French translation broke the camel’s back. The next day Wiktor frantically goes to the Director’s apartment looking for Zula.  He stomps through the rooms looking for her.  The Director then says she went back to Poland.  Wiktor slowly walks out of the apartment with a terrified look on his face.   Wiktor has become unhinged and plays maniacally on the piano at the Jazz Club.  The other band members just stop playing and look at him as he bangs on the keys in isolation.  There is some slight comical levity here for a couple of seconds due to the look on the clarinet player’s face.    You assume Wiktor has lost his job.  He is now miserably pumping coins in a phone booth for talk time to find out where Zula is in Poland.  Afterwards, Wiktor goes to what I assume is an embassy.  A Polish man at a desk tries to dissuade him from leaving Paris and going back to Poland.  You can see the Eiffel Tower outside the window as the man asks Wiktor why he would ever want to leave this place.  He says Wiktor doesn’t exist anymore to Poland because he left and let down all the young people he worked with. The man takes a drink from his cup and reacts as if he’s spiked it with something strong, perhaps how he’s able to get through his job.  He then mentions there is a way Wiktor can go back if he truly regrets what he has done.  
The Exiles Return
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It is 1959 and we see Zula back in Poland on a dreary, crowded train with peasants.  Soldiers whistle at her as she walks on a snowy road.  She has come to visit a very broken, gaunt Wiktor who is being held prisoner by the military for being an exile.  He says he has to be here for 15 years and got off lucky.  Zula gives the guard what I assume are cigarettes which buys them 10 minutes alone.  
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His right hand has been beat severely.  They kiss and Zula says she will wait for him.  Wiktor tells her to find someone else, but Zula says she will get him out.
Cuts to 1964, 5 years later.  A performing Zula is on stage singing a ridiculous Latin-infused song with a black wig on, resembling a late Judy Garland.  She looks overweight and drunk with her comical, sombrero-wearing band. We now see an older Wiktor backstage with Kaczmarek who is holding an unhappy, despondent child.  Kaczmarek doesn’t look like he’s aged a bit and still has a detached soullessness about him.  With Kaczmarek, you wait for him to be rude or mean but he is not.  He always stays at a steady, robotic hum of cordiality.   It is revealed Wiktor can no longer play music because he can no longer use his right hand.  It is also now apparent that Zula married Kaczmarek in order for Wiktor to be released.  Zula now comes off stage and walks quickly toward them but drunkenly falls down. She manages to rapidly get up and falls directly into Wiktor’s arms, completely disregarding Kaczmarek and her son.  They go off to the restroom together and sit on the floor staring at one another.  Zula pulls off her wig, perhaps finally able to shed this horrible identity she's had to create to survive. 
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She asks him to get her out of here...for good.  
The two take a crowded bus and get dropped off on a country road next to a lovely field.  They look slightly rejuvenated but stolid.  
Early in the film, Irena and Wiktor sat in the van while Kaczmarek took a walk to take a pee.  Kaczmarek then aimlessly walked into the ruins of this old church. He looked around, then left...point being we’ve seen this place before.  And earlier, even Kaczmarek’s face showed a certain amount of reverence for this old church and felt the power it gave off.  Wiktor and Zula now enter this same church.  There is a circular hole in the ceiling, perhaps so God can see them.    
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They now kneel with a candle lit in front of them on an alter with a row of white pills. They have a brief, simple marriage ceremony. They both have a glow to them.  They cross themselves and mention God.  They ingest the pills.
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They kiss.  
They then sit on a bench at dusk and look out into the field, holding hands, quiet.
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You can hear the insects and an occasional bird chirp.  Both have dark circles under their eyes.  It’s so beautiful yet so sad.   Zula then says, “Let’s go to the other side.  The view will be better there”.  They stand and go, leaving an open frame.  A gentle gust blows the wheat from behind where they were sitting.  Perhaps God’s sigh...
This last time I watched, the ending really got me...and is powerful now as I write about it.  As mentioned in the intro, Pawlikowski’s last film Ida incorporated a particular style.  Pawlikowski never moved the camera until the end of that film, so when he did the viewer would be raised up in a transcendental way as the first external music came in, lifting us from the real world for a few moments.  I think he did the same thing here with Cold War in a different way. The moment of transcendence for this film comes at the end also but not with the movement of the camera but with the movement of the wheat behind the bench before cutting to black.  This film is high on realism, but this gust is something otherworldly, therefore a powerful contrast from the stark, real world tribulations previously in the entirety of the film up to this point.  This is what makes it so heartbreaking and beautiful and poetic all at the same time.  And also, for a moment, the viewer might weigh whether the fate of Wiktor and Zula is so horrible after all.   “for my parents” appears before the credits, pointing to the fact that the story is based on the filmmaker’s parents’ true experience during that time period.  Bach’s Goldberg Variations comes in and you know it’s Glen Gould when you hear the humming, which I don’t necessarily like but it doesn’t ruin the mood.  Bach was also used for the ending of Ida and is also the only non-diegetic music used for Cold War.  
In conclusion, I think every great film has to have a surface story that one can follow and then a large idea hidden within that story (or as a result) to meditate on which includes something deep about the human condition.  With some films, one has to work to find out what that larger idea is. For future posts, I may try to specifically focus on this “larger idea” rather that breaking down the entire film.  This often appears as a question, not an answer, and Cold War does this masterfully.
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toddykun · 5 years
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Complete Set of 110 Reasons To Live Special Edition With Extra But Not Enough Gay RightsTM And Extra LongTM Too Because The Three Caballeros Deserve It:
THAT MUSIC AT THE START!
Donald’s ‘Party Fowl’ waist bag
Webby’s excited rambling!
All the lady birds in that town were ridiculously pretty?? (makes sense since the giant carnivorous flower wanted to lure people to eat them so A+)
Dewey documenting his adventures with the help of his lil bro. BondingTM
“OH BOY! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MY PALS!”
Huey, my boy, asking the real questions
“Please, not everything has to be a dark family secret!” *Donald proceeds to say he has a dark family secret* Huey: :D Louie: >:(
DONALD’S FOND SMILE WHEN HE WAS THINKING ABOUT JOSÉ AND PANCHITO BEFORE TELLING THE BOYS HE WAS IN THE THREE CABALLEROS!!!!
‘Kids Confused At Adult Reminiscing About Their Cool Past That They Know Nothing About’ trope
DONALD’S ‘FUCKING EXCUSE ME?’ FACE WHEN SCROOGE STARTED BADMOUTHING THE THREE CABALLEROS!
college band!
They played in Scrooge’s garage, fucking with Scrooge’s sleep, something with what I agree wholeheartedly since he fucks with other ppl’s sleep with his bagpipes lmao can he get more scottish? probably
Donald canonically plays the double bass and the accordion!!! (he also plays the guitar, the piano, the flute, etc, in comics and other animated media. Musical GeniusTM)
Huey and Louie’faces when they discover their uncle plays the accordion lmao
“I was so awesome...” with such a nostalgic feeling, baby, you still are! appreciate yourself, we love you!
Donald applying sunscreen on himself? Pure.
“Agh! You’re fine as is! A family man, a boat owner!”
JOSÉ JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE AND PLAYING HIS UMBRELLA!!!
HIS!!!!UMBRELLA!!!!HIS!!!!MAGIC!!!!!HIS SMOOTH ENTRANCE!!!!
*mysterious guitar starts playing*
PANCHITO APPEARING FROM THE SHADOWS AND MAKING A DRAMATIC, ROMANTIC AND TELENOVELESQUE ENTRANCE?? HOW MUCH TIME HE NEEDED TO WAIT THERE TO DO THAT?? ADORKABLE
That little blink in Panchito’s eye lmao Anime Rival ComingTM
those little gay fireworks when josé and panchito got together!
those little ‘ajá!’s from both of them!
DONALD’S FACE AGAIN!!! HE’S SO HAPPY!!!!
“DONAL’!!!!!!!!!!”
José and Donald’s weird hopping hug? lovely
Panchito clapping while they’re at it lmao
José tossing Donald to Panchito
Three Way Handshake!
“SQUAWK, CROW, QUACK! I’VE GOT YOUR BACK!” 
that little tail shake the caballeros do in their secret handshake
“SECRET HANDSHAKE! COOL!” *louie proceeds to lick his big bro’s hand whe he tries to do the handshake like the lil bro he is*
panchito’s super excited handshakes that leave people jumping
“JAJÁ, ¡SALUDOS, AMIGOS!” 
“OS PATINHOS!”
José and Panchito seeing the triplets as eggs
HAPPY DONALD DUCK
Donald juggled the eggs...
that creepy but nice guacamaya in the background
..DONALD JUGGLED THE EGGS AND HE DROPPED ONE!!! 
And that’s how Donald went from Cool UncleTM to Overprotective Best DadTM lmao
big bro and lil bro agreement that middle bro was the one dropped lmao
José’s smooth moves while he’s talking wiTH HIS UMBRELLA
Panchito throwing his phone and doing a hip move to put it again in the holster
“YOUR UNCLE WAS THE COOL ONE!!!!”
Donald’s blushing and his nervous smile
José and Panchito expecting that the Cool OneTM of the three caballeros is the Most Successful and ImpressiveTM of the three, like that’s how it's supposed to be lmao These BiconsTM
PANCHITO’S FACE AT THAT MOMENT!
Huey being actually helpful with Donald’s anxiety attack
Scrooge saying one of his I’m Genuinely Trying To Be Helpful In My Own Unique Way That Ends Hurting More Than HelpingTM and Donald like ‘nah, cant deal with your bullshit rn’ face
“Uncle Donald, you’re very successful! You raise three boys and are rich in love! Isn’t that the true measure of success?” U TELL THEM, HUEY
“Lie? Perfect!” nod to one of donald’s flaws that we have actually seen in other media, he can be really mischievous and conniving when he wants to, be it for a good reason or not.
Yet again, we have confirmation that ‘the smarter than the smarties’ is actually incredibly easy to manipulate with his ego and cheapness by the Duck Family but also THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD NOD ABOUT THE GLOMGOLD’S BET SINCE THIS TIME SCROOGE HAS AN ACTUAL REASON TO NOT LOSE ANY MONEY
Huey hugging Donald and Donald’s little thumb up? blessed
José and Panchito laughing with each other? bLeSsEd
THE WHOLE ‘SCROOGE IS OLD’ SCENE
Team UncleTM everyone, these idiots are two of the smartest ducks in the world, yes, even if u don’t believe it
José’s admiration for Donald! hello? beautiful
Webby and Huey and Portuguese? BLESSED
JOSÉ SAYING “OH, YOU HAVE TO TRY IT” VERY SOFTLY AND SMOOTH WHILE TOUCHING DONALD’S HAND
THESE TWO EXPECT SO MUCH FROM DONALD BECAUSE HE WAS THE BEST OF THE THREE IN THEIR EYES. I. AM. DYING.
DONALD REALLY WANTS TO MEET HIS EXPECTATIONS AND IMPRESS THEM
PASTELES!
*battle of whistling inconspicuously appears* “OK, WE CAN’T ALL DO THIS!”
PANCHITO AND JOSÉ ACTUALLY BLOWING THEIR COVER TO THE AUDIENCE WITH ALL THE WHISTLING LMAO
*hand battle with Team Uncle appears* “EXCUSE ME”
*donald hits huey by accident while trying to get the wallet* *Huey helps him anyways and even bites Scrooge* Well, now I know who is his favorite uncle
WEBBY EXCITED!
THE THREE CABALLEROS’S THEME PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE THEY REMINISCED THEIR BAND DAYS
EVERY TIME THEY REENACTED PART OF THE SONG’S CHOREOGRAPHY FROM THE MOVIE
THEY!!!!!MADE!!!MUSIC!!!AND!!!DANCED!!!!OUT!!!OF!!!NOWHERE!!!AND!!!STARTED!!!TO!!!BE!!!THEIR!!!OLDSELVES!!!!!AGAIN!!!!
PANCHITO CAN PLAY JOSÉ’S UMBRELLA (AND DONALD CAN TOO PROBABLY)
Panchito’s face when realized he hit Donald by accident and knowing he was going to get mad, only for José to happy him up with some dance. cuties
HIS HAT HAS BEEN AN ACCORDION ALL THIS TIME!?
“Look at how happy Uncle Donald is! You can‘t put a price on that smile!” This boy loves his uncle so much!!!
“It’s only for the weekend...” “YOU’RE GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER?”
THEY HAD A WAGON!!!!!??? (or i misheard?)
Panchito twirling his phones like he would do with his guns lmao
Panchito and José’s always moving around together
Team Uncle’s Actually Fighting (and we’re reminded of the bet yet again)
“HEY, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?”
Huey, The Voice Of ReasonTM
“NO WAY, I NEED THIS!” mischievous and egoistic Donald making a comeback, like hello old flaws, let’s see how you shine here.
The fact that they actually addressed that Donald’s bad luck sometimes really comes from his actual bad traits is freaking great.
*sings badly* “Perfect!”
The reminder that even if Donald is a little stubborn and egotistical at times, his kids come first and he will give up his dreams for them. Duty comes first for him, always.
Donald’s actually The Voice of ReasonTM and the bravest between the Three Caballeros, now we know why he is The Cool OneTM of the three
SCROOGE ACTUALLY FUCKING UP HIS BACK LIKE THE OLD MAN HE ACTUALLY IS
Donald tells the truth, not only because he has to protect his family and his friends for being eaten by a giant carnivorous plant lmao but because his friends thought he didn’t love or need them anymore because he was “rich” now. Love and Protection are his main traits and he knows his friends thinking he isn't as cool as they thought and putting down all their dreams will worth it if it means protecting them.
José and Panchito, who always look up to Donald more than anyone and know that he’s the one that actually got the guts to tell the truth, end telling the truth too because Donald shows his good traits again.
AGAIN, THESE THREE ONLY WANTED TO IMPRESS EACH OTHER BECAUSE THEY ARE ONES OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN EACH OTHER’S LIFE AND PATHS AND BEING A FUCKED UP ADULT WHEN YOU WERE SURE THE COOLEST PEOPLE OF YOUR LIFE WERE COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL IS ACTUALLY SCARY AF AND YOU WANTED THEM TO BE PROUD OF YOU AS MUCH AS YOU ARE OF THEM
Donald is the only that didn’t run or looked scared when he saw the flower, he seemed only surprised AND THEN HE SAW RED WHEN HE SAW HIS KIDS IN DANGER LIKE HELLO? DAD DUCK TO THE RESCUE!!!
These three smiles before fighting like they did in acapulco!!!
THE THREE CABALLEROS’S THEME SONG!!!! WITH THEY FIGHTING LIKE THE BADASSES THEY ARE!!!
are we really sure they were only a college band??? because they fought like....u know......like they were something more. They Could Have Done A Lot Of Things While Being A Band Too HMMMM
Donald having a good ass aim with his double bass
NO ONE CAN SIMPLY CARRY A DOUBLE BASS CUZ THAT SHIT IS HEAVY AS FUCK AND LIFT IT AND THEN USE IT AS A MACE LIKE IT IS NOTHING, BUT DONALD DID!!!! THE STRONGEST BOY!!!!
JOSÉ USING HIS UMBRELLA LIKE A SWORD!!!
“WHO SAY SO?” “WE SAY SO!”
‘Fighting Actually Cured The Old Man’s Back’ trope
DONALD’S SOLO!!!
“WE SAY ‘AY CARAMBA’!”
THEY DID THAT IN ACAPULCO TOO!!!!??? LIKE HELLO? BADASSES
The Pig Tourists clapping at them because they deserved that and more honestly
THEY BROUGHT A BURRO WITH THEM!!!
SCROOGE DESTROYING PANCHITO’S GUITAR LMAO
That “I’m so sorry” with the Old Man’s voice
The episode dealt in a subtle way with the actual ever-present fear of being an adult and the expectations from others that we have to carry, society expects everyone to be on equal ground to be a successful and settled down adult that can handle their responsibilities alone and not be a failure in the system, the fear of not being free anymore or the fear of not having the right to fuck up anymore, and the sadness and anxiety that comes when you can’t meet those expectations or can’t be the adult that you wanted to be, like woah, these guys are in their mid-thirties, scared and with minimum-wage jobs, that can’t barely handle their real lives but they still found the way to be happy around them, they just needed to be honest to those they love the most and accept life with their ups and downs. Talking About Getting RealTM AND HELLO? They only needed each other to be reminded that they are just normal adults even if they’re not successful and completely responsible and they sometimes fuck up in this uncertain life and that’s okay? and that they can actually still be fun-loving guys even if they’re adults now, like hello? great I gotta be honest when I saw the ep i didn’t like it but when i cooled down my head and saw it a second time to analyze and as An Adult In The MakingTM, It hit me hard the real fear these ppl were facing during the comedy and the lying, they loved each other and they only needed to be honest to understand that love isn’t conditioned by how successful you are. A+ ep, would watch it again.
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oneweekoneband · 7 years
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Yes it’s us against them again.
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“Ecce Homo”
Ok I think by now we’ve established/Everything is inherently worthless/Then there’s nothing in the universe/With any kind of objective purpose.
So yeah, right off the bat it’s clear that Local Business isn’t “Patrick Stickles’ New Lease on Life.” It exists under the enormous shadow of its predecessor, and the whirlwind of success it brought. Titus toured endlessly behind The Monitor, and shed numerous key members (founding bassist Ian Graetzer and guitarist Amy Klien among them) by the end of its lengthy promotional cycle.
You can feel that strain all over Local Business, an album in which Stickles – with remarkable bravery and candor – explicitly details his struggles with Selective Eating Disorder, and the alienation he feels from his new environs in New York. Understandably, he doesn’t have the energy to present these pressing matters through Civil War metaphors and bagpipe solos. “Too many implications/Not enough time to make them explicit,” he cries in the first verse of the album’s opener, “Ecce Homo.” “Too many generalizations/Not enough time to make them specific.”
The guitars on the song are well-defined, almost clean. They buzz patiently, rather than merging into a hurricane that levels everything in its wake. Even when Stickles kicks up the dust with a solo two minutes in, things feel more orderly.
This isn’t to say that “Ecce Homo” opens Local Business passively. For most bands, the title alone – which manages to reference both John 16:9 and the autobiography of Nietzsche – would be a little extra. But even with its mammoth verses and tempo changes, it’s still a step below opening an album with a recitation of Lincoln.
Local Business isn’t low stakes, especially for Stickles, who deals with some incredibly heavy subject matter throughout. But its presentation – the five-piece playing mostly live with little overdubbing – certainly makes it more digestible than either of its predecessors. This more measured approach though, does prevent it from reaching the rapturous highs those two records consistently deliver.
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musicstormmedia · 7 years
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ALBUM REVIEW / XANDRIA Theater of Dimensions (2017)
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Dos años y medio tuvieron que pasar para que la banda alemana Xandria nos sorprendiera con un nuevo LP. «Theater of Dimensions» es como se titula este nuevo trabajo, y no podría estar más de acuerdo en la elección del nombre. Este disco es un conjunto de sensaciones; un vaivén de emociones, mucho más dramático y ambicioso que cualquiera de sus anteriores álbumes. Como es de esperar, incluye elementos típicos que podemos encontrar en algunos de sus trabajos previos, pero también incorpora sonidos nuevos, manteniendo la esencia de Xandria.
Two years had to pass for the German band Xandria to surprise us with a new LP. “Theatre of Dimensions” is the name of this new work, and I couldn’t agree more with the choice of the title. This album is a combination of sensations; a mixture of swaying emotions, much more dramatic and ambitious than any of their previous albums. As expected, it includes the typical elements found in some of their previous productions, but they’ve also incorporated new sounds, keeping the essence of Xandria.
TRACK BY TRACK
WHERE THE HEART IS HOME
Canción con la que decidieron abrir este nuevo trabajo. Tiene un comienzo épico, con una gran orquestación y coros pomposos, que dan lugar a una rápida batería, acompañada de veloces guitarras hasta el momento en que se hace presente la esplendorosa voz de Dianne. Cuando por fin el estribillo llega, nos damos cuenta de que esta canción fue uno de los tantos adelantos que la banda fue haciendo llegar a todos sus seguidores a través de las redes sociales, bastante pegadizo por cierto y de rápida aceptación. Es un track que, en mi opinión, va a gustar mucho porque además, incluye un solo de guitarra que es cortito pero eficaz. Uno de los mejores temas del disco, motivo suficiente para ser elegida como canción de apertura.
This is the song that opens the album. It has an epic beginning, with a great orchestration and pompous backing vocals, which make way for some fast drumming, accompanied by fast guitars, up to the moment when Dianne’s splendorous voice appears. When we hear the chorus, we realize that this song is one of the many previews the band had been sharing with their fans through the social networks. It’s certainly a very catchy song, with a really good public acceptance. I think people will like this track very much, since it also includes a short but yet effective guitar solo. It’s one of the best songs of the album, which make it worthy of being the opening song.
DEATH TO THE HOLY
Una potente batería da inicio a la canción que, de primeras, podríamos decir suena distinta a todas, aunque segundos más tarde nos recuerde en parte a “Temple of Hate”, de su anterior disco «Sacrificium» (2014). Es una canción que tiene un rítmica muy particular, pero que definitivamente tiene el peculiar sabor de Xandria, incluso algunos pueden llegar a encontrar reminiscencias al «Neverworld’s End» (2012). Se mantiene más o menos constante de principio a fin, solamente siendo interrumpido, cerca del final, por un coro con presencia e instrumentos de viento que lo engalanan.
A potent drum starts this song, which at first we could say sounds different to all the other songs, but seconds later it somewhat reminds us of “Temple of Hate”, from their previous album “Sacrificium” (2014). It’s a tune with a very particular rhythm, but still it has the peculiar Xandria flavor; some may even find “Neverworld’s End” reminiscences. The song is more or less constant from beginning to end, and this is only interrupted near the end by some backing vocals and wind instruments, which embellish it.  
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FORSAKEN LOVE
La primera balada del disco, prima hermana de “Forevermore” (Neverworld’s End). Si algo le sale muy bien a Xandria, son las baladas. No decepciona para nada porque utiliza la fórmula que ya todos conocemos. Una canción bellísima, que me arriesgo a decir, formará parte del setlist de los shows en vivo para cuando quieran darle un descanso al público después de tantos temas potentes.
It’s the first ballad of the album, which is very similar to “Forevermore” (Neverworld’s End). Xandria never disappoints us with their ballads, since they use a formula we are all familiar with. This is a very beautiful song, which I daresay will be part of the setlist in live shows, when they wish to give a break to the public, after so many powerful songs.
CALL OF DESTINY
Llega para alborotar las aguas que el tema anterior había logrado calmar. Comienzo abrupto con batería, guitarras y coros rápidos. El doble bombo se luce por completo en este caso. El estribillo es pegadizo y nos tendrá a todos cantando de principio a fin. Las guitarras se roban la canción hacia el final. Un tema que permite acompañar con palmas en un vivo y que de seguro gustará a más de uno.
It arrives to stir the waters the previous song had managed to calm down. It has an abrupt beginning with drums, guitars and fast backing vocals. The double bass drum is absolutely remarkable. The chorus is catchy, and it will have us singing from beginning to end. The guitar becomes the center of the song by the end of it. It will surely have us clapping along in live concerts.
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WE ARE MURDERERS (WE ALL)
Lo primero que se nos viene la cabeza al oírlo es que estamos escuchando a alguna otra banda de metal sinfónico, completamente distinta a Xandria. Dianne canta con su voz de pecho las estrofas y es acompañada en voces por Björn Strid (Soilwork), quien está a cargo de los growls a lo largo de todo el tema. La canción trata sobre el calentamiento global, la tala indiscriminada de árboles, la contaminación de los ríos y de la atmósfera, y sobre cómo el hombre ha maltratado el planeta Tierra durante las últimas décadas. El tema es interesante (y preocupante, por cierto) pero no es nada nuevo. Muchas otras bandas del género han tratado temáticas similares en sus respectivos trabajos y el factor sorpresa en este caso se pierde. La letra se torna bastante monótona llegando al final y es lo único que puedo criticarle a la canción porque, en general, ha tenido muy buena repercusión.
The first thing that comes to our mind when we listen to it is that we might be listening to some other symphonic metal band, completely different from Xandria. Dianne sings the stanzas with her chest voice, accompanied by Björn Strid (Soilwork)’ voice, who is in charge of the growls all throughout the song. The song is about global warming, the destruction of forests, water and air pollution, and mainly about how mankind has damaged the planet for decades. The song is interesting, and the topic is certainly something to worry about; yet, it is nothing that hasn’t been dealt with before. Many other bands from the genre have worked with similar issues, thus the wow factor is not achieved. The lyrics become quite repetitive towards the end, which is the only thing to be criticized, because, in general, there has been a great deal of acceptance. 
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DARK NIGHT OF THE SOUL
Empieza como una balada donde sólo se escuchan el piano y la dulce voz de Dianne. Luego se suma la batería y en el estribillo irrumpen las guitarras. Hermosa canción que va creciendo con el pasar del tiempo. Un largo solo de guitarra se destaca alrededor de los 2 minutos y medio y encaja armoniosamente con todo lo demás. Este tipo de temas suelen ser de los que más me gustan de Xandria, los tranquilos pero instrumentalmente ricos. Sin dudas Dark Night of the Soul podría haber formado parte del EP «Fire & Ashes» (2015) porque sigue esa misma línea.
It begins as a ballad where only the piano and sweet Dianne’s voice can be heard. Then come the drums and in the chorus the guitars are incorporated. It’s a beautiful tune that grows as the song goes by. A long guitar solo stands out around 2’ 30’’, and it perfectly fits with everything else. This is the type of song I like from Xandria, the quiet ones, but instrumentally rich. It could have easily taken part of the EP “Fire and Ashes” (2015), because it follows the same direction.
WHEN THE WALLS CAME DOWN (HEARTACHE WAS BORN)
Cambia el clima drásticamente y se torna de repente mucho más oscuro, con coros que llegan a poner la piel de gallina. Este es otro de los adelantos que pudimos escuchar previamente y lo cierto es que resulta bastante agradable a la primera escucha, sobre todo hacia el final cuando la canción evoluciona y se vuelve más compleja. Dianne juega mucho con su voz y eso es un plus, a mi entender.
The atmosphere changes completely, and it becomes much darker, with backing vocals that give you goosebumps. This is another preview we could listen to, and it’s really nice since the first time you listen to it, especially towards the end, when the song evolves and becomes more complex. Dianne plays a lot with her voice, which in my view is a plus.
SHIP OF DOOM
Creo que es mi preferida de todo el álbum. De primeras me atrevo a decir que sí. Cuenta con la colaboración de Ross Thompson (Van Canto / The Display) y tiene un comienzo épico con coros alucinantes y memorables. Las guitarras suenan increíblemente bien y ya puedo imaginarme al público argentino corear al unísono esas líneas. “One, two, three, four…”, las gaitas se asoman. Simplemente hermoso, hasta que sólo quedan en escena las guitarras, dando la sensación de estar escuchando alguna otra canción del disco, una más heavy y potente. Más coros (como para no perder la costumbre), y la voz lírica de Dianne haciendo de las suyas. “Ohhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh…”. Pegadiza a más no poder pero con guitarras súper pesadas.
I think this is the song I like the most from this album. It has Ross Thompson (Van Canto/ The Display) as a collaborator, and it has an epic beginning, with amazing and memorable backing vocals. The guitars sound incredibly well, and I can already picture the Argentinian public singing along those lines. “One, two, three, four...” and the bagpipes start playing. Just beautiful, until the moment only the guitars are playing, which gives us the feeling of being listening to some other song from this album, a heavier one. More backing vocals (as they got us used to), and Dianne’s lyrical singing at its best. “Ohhh, ohhhh, ohhhh, ohhhh…” As catchy as it gets, but with really heavy guitars.
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CÉILÍ
El término “Céilí” proviene del idioma irlandés y hace referencia a un festejo con danza tradicional de los pueblos gaélicos (Irlanda y Escocia). Es la única canción instrumental de todo el álbum. Es entretenida, divertida y variada. Un mix interesante de elementos que se conjugan perfectamente. Ya puedo imaginármela en un show en vivo, enganchada detrás de alguna otra canción, con los músicos tocándola en el escenario, mientras Dianne efectúa algún cambio de vestuario. ¿Suma? Sí, mucho. No es una canción de relleno en lo absoluto.
The term “Céilí” comes from the Irish language and it makes reference to a celebration with a traditional dance of the Gaelic peoples (Ireland and Scotland). It’s the only instrumental song in the whole album. It’s entertaining and varied; an interesting mix of elements that match perfectly. I can picture it in a live show, right after another song, with the musicians playing it while Dianne is changing her costume. This is not just some filler, it is a plus.
SONG FOR SORROW AND WOE
Creo que a muchos les gustará esta canción. Con un comienzo muy cinematográfico y un gran despliegue vocal por parte de Dianne, cuyo canto lírico prevalece y embriaga. El resto de los instrumentos no se queda atrás, y también tiene un repertorio impecable, con guitarras distorsionadas que encajan a la perfección y dan pie a una interpretación algo teatral por parte de la vocalista, quien también utiliza su voz de pecho.  
I think many fans will like this song. It has a very cinematographic beginning, and a great vocal display on the part of Dianne, whose lyrical singing stands out and enchants us. The rest of the instruments are second to none, they are executed impeccably, with distorted guitars that fit perfectly and give way to a somewhat theatrical interpretation on the part of the vocalist, who also uses her chest voice.
BURN ME
BURN ME, TAKE ME TO THE FIRE!
Otra de las canciones que más me gustaron del disco; un tema raro y atípico, pero sin dudas aceptable, que cuenta con la colaboración de otro cantante invitado: Zaher Zorgati (Myrath). Hay una gran variedad de sonidos en este track, muy interesantes, que hasta incluyen un interludio con sonidos indios.
This is another song which is among the ones I liked the most. A very atypical and strange song, but undoubtedly acceptable, which features another guest singer: Zaher Zorgati (Myrath). There’s a great variety of sounds in this track, making the song very interesting; and it even includes an interlude with Indian sounds.
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QUEEN OF HEARTS REBORN
Un tema que bien podría haberse desprendido de «Sacrificium» (2014), porque recuerda mucho ese estilo de composiciones. La voz de Dianne es el foco de atención, se destaca y todo lo demás gira en torno a ella. Hacia la mitad de la canción nos encontramos con una estrofa narrada, seguida del solo de guitarra inmediatamente por detrás. Es una muy buena canción en verdad.
It could have been part of “Sacrificium” (2014), because it reminds us of that style of composition. Dianne’s voice is in the spotlight, and it stands out, with everything else revolving around her. Towards the middle of the song there is a section of spoken word, immediately followed by a guitar solo. It’s a really good song, actually.
A THEATER OF DIMENSIONS
Es la canción que da cierre al disco. Empieza con un bello piano, violín y la limpia voz de Dianne, al mejor estilo balada. Alcanzados los 2 minutos, el sonido se torna mucho más cinematográfico y dramático, digno de una banda sonora de película y bastante más ambicioso. Interesante sí, en cuanto a Xandria concierne. Realmente una dimensión desconocida e inexplorada por los alemanes. Debo admitir que suena excelente. Este tema cuenta con la colaboración de Henning Basse (Firewind / MaYan) en la voz masculina, con interpretaciones claramente teatrales por parte de ambos vocalistas. En verdad sus voces se lucen juntas y se amalgaman perfectamente. Un puente instrumental nunca viene mal y ni hablemos del solo de guitarra. La canción atraviesa por diferentes estadios que nos hacen vivenciar una serie de eventos que componen esta gran película. Podría seguir extendiéndome aún más en la descripción pero lo cierto es que dura en total unos 14:22 minutos, así que sólo voy a resumir un poco diciendo que es una verdadera obra maestra y algo completamente nuevo para Xandria. No dejen de escucharla.
This is the last song of the album. It begins with a beautiful piano, a violin and Dianne’s clear voice, in the best ballad style. After 2 minutes, the sounds become much more cinematographic and dramatic, worthy of being part of a movie soundtrack, and much more ambitious. It’s really a dimension that the German band had never explored or known before. I must admit that it sounds amazing. It counts with the collaboration of Henning Basse (Firewind/ MaYan) as male backing vocalist, with clearly theatrical interpretations on the part of both singers. Their voices really go well together, and they are perfectly amalgamated. An instrumental bridge and a guitar solo are always well received. The song goes through a variety of events that compose this great film. I could go on describing it, but it lasts 14 minutes and 22 seconds, therefore I will sum it up by saying it’s really a masterpiece, something completely new for Xandria. You must listen to it.
En términos generales, me gustó mucho el disco y eso que solamente lo escuché dos veces antes de escribir esta reseña. Creo que esta vez se han arriesgado bastante, y a mi criterio, les ha salido bien. ¿Lo recomiendo? Sí, definitivamente. Hacía rato que un disco nuevo no me emocionaba tanto como este.
In general terms, I really liked the album, and I only listened to it twice before writing this review. I think this time they’ve taken a great risk, and personally I think they succeeded. Would I recommend it? Absolutely YES. It’s been a while since I last was so moved by an album.
Reseña / Review: Romina Ordazzo
Traducción / Translation: Traductora Pamela Katz
Puntaje / Score: 9/10
Sello discográfico / Record Label: Napalm Records Fecha de lanzamiento / Release Date: 27/01/2017 
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