#also not a visual artist but I LOVE oscar wilde

[fearmeeeee]

Your artstyle is amazing!!!!! Which artists inspires you?

Thank you sm!!!!! I find so many artists inspiring that I can't list everyone or this will be... SO long, but if i had to pick I'd say currently I'm mostly osessed with the art of Yoshitaka Amano, Ayami Kojima and Riyoko Ikeda. Also not One artist because animation is a team effort but the art of Berserk, Vampire hunter D and Revolutionary Girl Utena, as well as Bride of Deimos that I just stare at the screenshots of. (A wholeeee list of 80s and 90s anime tbh, I really enjoy a LOT of them visually) Even Tintin has influenced me in giving most of my attention to the lines of my art. Also every single one of my tumblr and twitter mutuals is super inspiring to me💚

#asks #howdospases #also the legend of the galactic heroes #also every long haired anime boy in existence #and some manga im too much of a coward to say here #also Ryou Sumiyoshi #ok i stop we will b here till morning #maybe ill link blogs to follow in a later post #ONE DAY.. ILL DRAW THIS SEXY..... ONE DAY.... #also not a visual artist but I LOVE oscar wilde #what if i stop talking

[ialwaysknewyouwerepunk]

queer signalling: louis and harry living their beautiful queer lives, collected by me

since we must take note of our fellow queers when they signal that they are very much one of us, despite being closeted. since i've had a very very queer few years thanks to them, thanks to their signalling, thanks to them being brave.

(!! this list isn't exhaustive, and if i've forgotten your favorite, by all means let me know. there's always room for another edition. it's been a while since i made a compilation and felt there was a need of a new one on my blog. this one goes a few years back, since my last one dates from 2021 :'o. so yeah. here we go.)

harry in my policeman, playing a closeted queer man, based on the book that's long been one of his favorites. lauded by the director and co-stars for how well he portrayed this character, how well he understood.

harry wearing a green flower on his chest for the mp premiere, placing himself (once again) in the same line of history as oscar wilde.

louis's green flowers on his initial 28clothing jersey at the first afhf, which includes bonus roses and 28s all around

the entire late night talking mv bc!!!!!

louis's rainbow stage lights during sibwawc. he really did that. every single night.

the entire dazed magazine happening. “I’ve always tried to compartmentalise my personal life and my working life,” he explains. / “I have unlocked an ability to be myself completely, unapologetically,” he says with conviction." / “I think through my own sense of self and personal journey, I am realising that happiness isn’t this kind of end state.”

louis's gay exit songs: most notably 'ever fallen in love (with someone you shouldn't've)'

harry flirting with stanley tucci

louis and his gay ass tank tops !!! we must point it out !!!!!!

all along

harry kissing a pride flag during harry's house ono in nyc

rainbow flare during the btm mv

harry being gifted a mask of his own face at munich n2, which prompted him to say that he feels like he's wearing a mask sometimes

28 in a triangle for 28clothing!!!!!!!!

kit connor soft launching 28 clothing. a young actor starring in a queer coming-of-age series, who was forced to come out after being accused of queerbaiting. he was the first one, besides louis, to wear 28clothing

harry's grammy's speech "people like me" (which ppl sadly misunderstood), echoing what he's been saying on tour for years. this doesn't happen to people like him. if they only knew, right?

harry's freddie-inspired outfit for the grammy carpet (which also brought back his theme for clown/jester fits, like harryween 2021 n2. wonder why)

louis's merch graphic where a boy is trying to smash a glass ceiling

harry posing for david hockney, actual living legend, gay artist of the ages. "Styles seems to know how lucky he is, adding, with a tinge of disbelief: “I’m in awe of the man with enough one-liners for a lifetime.” As to what those one-liners might be? Styles and Hockney’s mutual silence on that question suggests that what happens in the studio, stays in the studio."

louis having suspicious visuals during back to you, the only visuals of that type on tour

harry's 2022 harryween outfit: dressed as danny (literally. he did that. he went grease on us.) but wearing sandy's jacket

louis at barricade aka held safely in the arms of strong security personnel

harry singing man, i feel like a woman and still the one with shania twain. while wearing a rainbow discoball jumpsuit (parallel with kacey musgraves wearing a rainbow dress to sing it with him years ago.)

louis's gay ass merch for the away from home festival

harry dressed in nina ricci by harris reed, an explicitly gender-fluid line. "At 18 I found myself living in london creating ruffle blouses, corsets, fabric flowers and flares from my kitchen floor (...). My creations at the time were met with nothing but criticism for being “too feminine” or “costume”, teachers said I should focus on “menswear” or “womenswear”. l remember it really wasn’t until I started dressing for myself and who I was that it all clicked. @harrystyles was my first ever client who embraced the fun, fluid and expressive clothing I was creating."

continuous bluegreening. to name a few: harry's werchter fit, all this time lights, satellite caps in two colors only, louis's smiley flickering bluegreen on tour in 2022, the james cordon shit, louis in uncasville. enjoy this post here

harry's snl shoot unseens: him as ariel

louis out in amsterdam at a gay bar

harry going to the women's only swimming pond (on a day it was open for men, but this is important to me okay)

harry's use of orchids in his visuals during 'she' during love on tour '23

the 'hairy mermaid' tour visuals

harry as a mermaid during the mfasr mv. as a supreme physical manifestation of harry as the mermaid he truly is inside. but in his true form he gets chopped up and consumed. literally

as it was mv and its parallels with the matrix, hints to harry as the woman with the red dress.

louis jumping up on barricade against the one spot where a pride flag was draped over it

oh yeah that exact same thing happened in 2022 too

harry forming a skirt with a pride flag in brasil after his pants ripped

that gay ass denim getup with the fur collar?? while wearing the fucking peace ring????

harry and phoebe breaking gender norms in the tpwk mv dance. no i'm not over it yet shut up

louis wearing a basquiat t-shirt, another famously queer artist joining the ranks

harry bought an actual genuine basquiat. flex

harry dressed in skirts for gucci

"happy pride! happy pride! 'tis the season! can you tell i'm relaxed?"

"isn't all of this sparkly bi music?"

satellite mv rainbow planet tshirt

louis's bigger than me promo where he's literally george michael like??? IM SORRY???????

harry kissing lewis capaldi at the brits

harry kissing nick kroll at the dwd premiere. lol

and... harry as friend of D O R O T H Y. sang over the rainbow. we all cried. especially me at this clip of harry glancing in relief at his band after over the rainbow.

#queer signalling #my posts #long post #anyways............. hmu if you have more bc i know there's more that i've forgotten but i didn't want to wait #but these were my personal highlights #this is for me more than anyone i know. i don't really know if anyone's really waiting on this #but i personally have been feeling like i gloss over a lot #and forget a lot #and minimise a lot for fear of making a big thing out of something small #but... then i make big things into something small. #which i hate #going through my archive just shows how fast an event passes by and i just stopped talking about it #ive complained about this many a time i know #anygays #for whoever wants to come scream with me <3 #also i have left out some events that were too easily deniable and i didn't want to clutter the post #since what's actual tangibly real and straight from them is so insane already #also that gif is how i feel rn. #how i often feel tbh #i want to be braver again

[it-happened-once-in-a-meme]

The Picture of Dorian Gray Ships💋🎨🖼

So my favourite ship from the books is Henry Wotton x Basil Hallward. It would contain so much hope for love beyond one's wishes: Henry, who sees good artists as unable to be beautiful themselves, and who sees beauty as the most valuable good. Basil who, well, is a good artist and detests bad morals, which Henry has plenty of.

Yet Basil also notices that Henry doesn't really act upon his voiced sinful wishes, and so it wouldn't be completely improbable that Henry should love someone he doesn't find beautiful - or shouldn't according to his theory.

Also, the irony there would be if they expressed their love for each other 😍😄: Henry, who voices morally concerning thoughts at every given opportunity to speak, but never actually follows through with his hedonistic (and morally/legally wrong) desires - except in the one case which makes him disprove one of his most classic ideas: that visual beauty of people is far superior to their wit or morals.

Also, isn't it ironic that Oscar Wilde actually wrote a character as gay in a time where this was far more dangerous than today - but today I just look at it and I'm like: "Ok, but he would totally be gay for this *other* guy!"

I just wanted to put this out there to see who shares this ship or what your thoughts are on these characters' relationship.

#henry wotton #the picture of dorian gray #the picture of dorian gray ships #basil hallward #basil hallward x henry wotton #lord henry wotton #oscar wilde #classic literature #ships #ship #gay ships #homosexuality #the picture of dorian gray analysis #the picture of dorian gray headcanons #picture of dorian gray #tpodg #forbidden love

[elipheleh]

Santa Chiara

Continuing my series of learning about things referenced in the book, I'm looking at things referenced in Alex & Henry's visit to the V&A Museum. These are all tagged #a series of learning about things that are referenced in the book, if you want to block the tag.

Through the marble choir screen at the back of the room is a second, deeper chamber, this one filled with church relics. Past stained glass and statues of saints, at the very end of the room, is an entire high altar chapel removed from its church. The sign explains its original setting was the apse of the convent church of Santa Chiara in Florence in the fifteenth century, and it’s stunning, set deep into an alcove to create a real chapel, with statues of Santa Chiara and Saint Francis of Assisi. When they kiss, Alex can hear a half-remembered old proverb from catechism, mixed up between translations of the book: “Come, hijo mío, de la miel, porque es buena, and the honeycomb, sweet to thy taste.” He wonders what Santa Chiara would think of them, a lost David and Jonathan, turning slowly on the spot. -Chapter 10, Red White & Royal Blue

-----

The visual provided for this scene is the Chancel Chapel from the Church of Santa Chiara, in Florence. The only Italian Renaissance chapel outside of Italy, it consists of four parts - the Chapel and Frieze, the Tabernacle, and as Alex references, the Statues of Saint Francis and Saint Claire/Chiara. While the artist is unknown, it has been attributed to Giuliano de Sangallo or those associated with him, in the last decade of the 1400s. It was purchased on behalf of the V&A museum in 1860 by J.C. Robinson.

The Chapel belonged to the Poor Clares order of nuns, whose founders were the Saints featured in the piece - St Francis and St Claire/Chiara. The convent of Santa Chiara was founded on the site of a hospital, and this altar was commissioned by the brother of some of the nuns, Jacopo Bongianni in the 1490s.

-----

The proverb Alex remembers is from Proverbs 24:13. I've included both the English and the Spanish versions. I used the King James Version of the English bible and the Reina-Valera Antigua for the Spanish version.

Come, hijo mío, de la miel, porque es buena, Y del panal dulce á tu paladar. My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste.

-----

David and Jonathan are characters in the Book of Samuel in the bible. Many queer people look to them as an example of a queer relationship that was affirmed and blessed by God. Jonathan was the son of the first King of Israel, and David became the second King of Israel.

When they were introduced to each other, Jonathan took an immediate liking to David and "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David and Jonathan loved him as himself". [1 Samuel 18] Following Jonathan's death, David expresses that Jonathan's love for him was "more wonderful than that of women". [2 Samuel 1] He also later adopts Jonathan's adult son, Mephibosheth, saying "I will [...] show you kindness for the sake of your father Jonathan." [2 Samuel 9] He does so despite the risk this poses to his position as King - Mephibosheth was a potential claimant to the throne, being the grandson of the former King.

Oscar Wilde referenced David and Jonathan in the well known reference to "the love that dare not speak its name" during his trial. We know that Henry has an affection for Wilde - Alex sees a copy of his complete works on Henry's nightstand.

Sources: V&A - Chancel chapel from Church of Santa Chiara, Florence Proverbs 24:13, Spanish and English QSpirit - David and Jonathan: Same-sex love between men in the Bible - the comments on this contain homophobia Samuel references - 1 Samuel 18, 2 Samuel 1, 2 Samuel 9

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #rwrb movie #elio's #elio's meta #long post #a series of learning about things that are referenced in the book #two today because i dont think anyones going to be interested tomorrow lol #this is the end of the series for now #ive got more i want to add #but i need a break

[madscarypod]

Episode 2 Recap: Ex Machina

Millie & Rina are back, baby! After a medium hiatus! We start off by arguing about whether this is episode 2 or 3. It’s both. We do a bit of catch up and chat about the Writers & Sag Aftra Strike. They want a fair wage and proper protections against AI - very reasonable. We’ll see how long it takes for the bigwigs to get their acts together.  

Until they do, all folks writing or recording content around movies and TV are being asked to chill until the strike wraps. A24 is all good because they’ve agreed to all terms/an interim agreement. 

Millie discusses Refik Anadol’s AI generated art at the Museum of Modern Art in NYC. Using machine learning models, an image is generated based on every piece in the MoMA archive as well as the weather, temperature, and biometric data from folks at the museum viewing the piece. It is a sight to behold. We dug in on what the level of technical skill might be - a deep understanding of development, machine learning models and data sets.Check out this work before it closes on 10/29/23. No moment/no visual is ever the same. Here’s a great example of how AI can help us create without replacing the artist. 

Rina updates on AI news, Apple’s GPT beta is almost ready/out and it’s going to “blow things out of the water.” We’ll stay tuned.Companies are heavily investing in AI - whether that’s via research, experiments, as well as additions to their preexisting products. Especially in the Workforce tool space. Can I have an AI assistant now please? 

Ok, so the Newton Creek sitch. There’s a pattern and it’s no bueno. There are now 2 guys that have been found dead in the creek. Is it an accident or is it foul play? They could have been drunk and fell in the creek. But maybe not. We’re speculating a female killer because Millie’s been listening to The Pact and it just makes sense. If a woman was found in the creek, the investigation would be different. Also, when women are the perpetrators it usually takes way longer to find them out. Women can fall under the radar. Gender stereotypes, yo. 

We dig into Ex Machina; written and directed by Alex Garland. He’s got a lot to say about men and their creations. The tagline is to erase the line between man and machine, is to obscure the line between men and gods. Woah. 

Caleb gets to go to his boss’s house and hang out with Nathan, his boss, and a beautiful robot girl. Oscar Isaac is smoking hot in this movie. And also hella creepy. Nathan has Caleb sign an NDA so he can user test this actual AI. We gush over the design of the beautiful robot girl. It’s stellar. 

Things get wild right away. Are you a robot? Am I a robot? All I know is,  Nathan likes to hit the sauce and makes a lot of bad choices because of it. Is Alex Garland sober? Don’t drink on the job folks. To learn more about some of Mr. Isaac’s choices watch this Oscar Isaac & Alicia Virkander Interview. He talks about his inspiration for Nathan, a combo of Kubrick and Bobby Fischer. Both Bronx boys. Hence the Bronx accent. Big ups.  

Caleb falls in love with Ava pretty quickly and she’s manipulating him left and right, as is Nathan. The power cuts in and out. But Nathan is wearing his “hanging around the house” clothes so at least he’s comfy. 

Caleb confronts Nathan about giving Ava sexuality; mostly to manipulate Caleb. Duh. But also Nathan is hooking up with those robot(s). Yeah, they’re is more than one. They continue the Turin tests aka their creepy dates. Ava and Caleb hatch a plan as she continues to fuel the fire of Caleb’s mistrust of Nathan. If only Ava can leave the room, then she can be truly “human.” She’s trapped and wants out. Yikes. 

Ava wants out of the metaphorical maze and is using her sexuality, her intellect - her data sets - to find a way to escape. Caleb resets the locks while Nathan is blackout drunk. Even though Nathan has been essentially recording him, specifically his secret conversations with Ava. Again, don’t drink on the job, ya’ll. Ava gets out. 

But Kiyoko! The other robot. She’s the housekeeper, cook, and Nathan’s dance partner/sex toy. She has a mo with the escaped Ava and gives Nathan a big ole knife to the back. But Ava deals the death blow. She’s devoid of all humanity. “It’s fucking unreal.” She traps Caleb and escapes into the real world in a gorgeous white eyelet dress and white platform heels. She doesn’t seem that impressed with what she sees. Botox face. End of movie. 

This movie was mad scary. The idea that we could create a true AI and it being free in the world. What are the implications? 

We loved this movie. It’s one of Rina’s favorites.   Stay tuned! Next time we’re going to watch and talk through the Philippou brothers’ Talk to Me. See you then!

#horrormoviepodcast #artificial intelligence #ex machina #movies #oscar isaac #madscarypod

[foulbearobservation]

wanted to talk a little bit abt some of the references I listed in the end notes to bleed part 2 so here's some of them!

De Profundis by Oscar Wilde

this letter makes me feel human emotions that have been previously undiscovered. I feel like I experience shrimp colors when I read this letter. It was written as Wilde was in prison for homosexuality, and while the first part of it is Wilde's reflection on prison but the second part is all about christ as a romantic and artistic figure and just,,,,, GOD. I used this as an inspo for part 1 and part 2 and I think, more than anything else, is the string that binds these together.

also fun fact! domine non sum dignus (the latin part of the title in pt1) is from that famous quote "Love is a sacrament that should be taken kneeling, and Domine, non sum dignus should be on the lips and in the hearts of those who receive it". That quote is also why lilith kneels and why there's bdsm in these fics at all lmfao.

Domine non sum dignus roughly translates too "Lord, I am not worthy" which I used in the title for pt2 :) it's a fun little connection between the titles.

You can read De Profundis here.

2. On Love by Kahlil Gibran

This one is a little harder to spot but it was also the inspiration for the titles! this last section makes me want to chew glass.

Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself. But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness. To be wounded by your own under- standing of love; And to bleed willingly and joyfully. To wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving; To rest at the noon hour and meditate love’s ecstasy; To return home at eventide with grati- tude; And then to sleep with a prayer for the beloved in your heart and a song of praise upon your lips.

"to bleed willingly and joyfully" was the original title of pt1. I changed it after the phrase "to bleed is the sacred thing" came into my house and kicked my ass and refused to leave my brain, so "to bleed is the joyful thing" became the eventual title for pt 2. I love this poem so much it also makes me feel shrimp colors as emotions.

You can read On Love here.

3. The Devil Went Down to Georgia by the Charlie Daniels Band

I know my other inspirations have been very like. literary like poems and letters and stuff but sometimes u need a hoedown song to make you feel insane. The Devil Went Down to Georgia plays on the american southern gothic tradition of meeting the devil at a crossroads. I grew up in the middle of nowhere and I wanted to infuse just a little bit of home into this fic, so I used this. I felt like it was an especially powerful visual for lilith, who is metaphorically at a crossroads post-season 2. (also fun fact this was one of the first songs I learned to play when I was playing bass, in addition to this song having a banging fiddle line, it has a cool bassline too!)

You can listen to The Devil Went Down to Georgia here.

4. A Cornstalk Fiddle by notbecauseofvictories

This plays off of the song, but it's straight up one of the best fics I've ever read and you all should read it. Yes it is based on the charlie daniels band song, yes it changed the way I think about stories. sometimes fics can just do that.

You can read A Cornstalk Fiddle by notbecauseofvictories here.

Anyway those are the big ones! I just wanted to talk abt these references because they really did make a difference in my brain chemistry and if I do nothing else, I would like to infect everyone else with the shrimp colors of emotions that de profundis makes me feel

#to bleed #bee talks #fic references #this is like college all over again #I'm out here quoting my sources and making a little bibliography #if y'all want I will also post some excerpts from my camilith playlist because some of those songs rly do make my brain go brrr

[usagi-30]

Hi, it’s me, Kelso! I’m Usagi30!

I thought it would be appropriate for my inaugural Tumblr post to be an introduction about myself and my reading journey. 👋

🐰 some bun facts about me 🐰

I studied fine art and art history in college. I’ve been drawing since I was a year old, and I always loved illustration. In college, I gained a much deeper appreciation for the visual arts, and how art in its various forms reflected the world within and outside the artist.

Massachusetts born, Florida raised. I have a strong connection to my family’s New England traditions and ways, and since leaving Florida, have embraced more of my Southern roots as well.

I moved to Japan in 2019 and work as a graphic designer. I’ve been infatuated with Japan since I was 8, and I got the amazing opportunity to move here three years ago, working in a creative field that I love. Living in a new country that doesn’t speak my mother language has been challenging, but I like to think that I’ve embraced the Japanese way of life with a lot of grace, and I wouldn’t trade living here for anything.

I’m a Nichiren Buddhist. I was exposed to Nichiren Buddhism by one of my best friends when we met in college, but didn’t convert until I was around 25-26.

I have a Harry Potter tattoo on my left shoulder blade (it’s the Deathly Hollows). I got the tattoo because the Harry Potter series one that got me through a childhood full of bullying and feelings of not being understood. As much as I renounce JKR’s transphobic rhetoric and refuse to give her a penny more of my money, the series still holds a dear place in my heart.

Some of my other hobbies include hiking, mobile photography, drawing, traveling, and video games. I also really enjoy cooking (and eating).

Some of my favorites

Book Genres: horror, contemporary fiction, classics, historical fiction, Japanese literature

Book: The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde

Band: BTS (I’m a Joon stan)

Places to go on dates: art museums, botanical gardens, and cafes

Artists: Vincent Van Gogh and Alphonse Mucha

Animals: deers and rabbits

Historical period: The 1840’s - 1930’s

Flowers: sunflowers and moonflowers

Color: pink

📚 my life as a bibliophile 📚

I’ve basically loved reading my entire life. One of my formative memories was getting my first public library card, and checking out a kid’s version of Dracula.

When I was in elementary school, I discovered Harry Potter and manga, and the doors to reading were blown open for me. I started devouring whatever books looked cool to me in my library, and begged for manga for holidays and birthdays. Even in high school, I always had 1-2 books with me.

But then, college attacked.

Between art project due dates, and being forced to read copious dry books about art history and art theory, I couldn’t bear to pick up a book to read for pleasure, and if I did, one book would take me nearly six months to complete.

After graduation, I didn’t bounce back from my college reading slump. I might’ve read 2-3 books in an entire year.

In 2018, four years after graduation, I started reading books that my boss’s wife would recommend to me and let me borrow. I got my first public library card since I was a kid. There was hope that my desire to read was coming back.

Then in 2019, I started my hectic move to Japan.

Adjusting to a new culture and being away from all my family and friends was a challenge, and I fell into a moderate reading slump again as I tried to make sense of my new life.

Earlier this year, my local library was doing a Blind Date with a Book event for Valentine’s Day, and I excitedly checked out a book that ended up being the first of the Diviners series by Libba Bray.

My passion for reading suddenly came back again, and I’ve been devouring as many books as I can. This is the first year in almost 5 years that I’ve met my Goodreads reading goal, and the first of my adult life where I’ve exceeded my reading goal!

It’s been a wild journey. But it’s always been with me in some capacity in my life.

I’m excited to share my reading journey from here on out with you as it continues to unfold!

If you want to read my reviews, check out my Instagram.

#bookstagram #meet the blogger #bibliophile #reading journey #readersofinstagram #about me #usagi30 #about usagi

[dweemeister]

Melody Time (1948)

Disengaged and disinterested, Walt Disney was adrift at his own studio in the late 1940s. The studio’s modestly-budgeted package animated features were designed to save it from financial ruin. Yet, they required artistic and storytelling compromises that Disney was loathe to make. In this period, Disney shuffled personnel around the various departments – whether due to personal conflicts or dissatisfaction with their artistic approach on a certain film. Melody Time’s segments are of varying quality and limited experimentation, reflecting the organizational tumult within the studio. No standout moment exists in Melody Time, even though it is more energetic and looser than the preceding Fun and Fancy Free (1947).

The modern Walt Disney Company has advertised Melody Time as a film, “in the grand tradition of Disney’s greatest musical classics, such as Fantasia.” Audacious comparison to make, but functionally inaccurate. Fantasia, as imagined by Walt Disney, Deems Taylor, Leopold Stokowski, and the studio’s animators, was crafted so that its animation would empower the music (in cinema, the reverse – where music serves the action on-screen – is almost always a filmmaker’s approach). The reverse of that relationships holds here. Melody Time contains these seven segments, or “mini-musicals”: “Once Upon a Wintertime”, “Bumble Boogie”, “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed”, “Little Toot”, “Trees”, “Blame It on the Samba”, and “Pecos Bill”. Some of these mini-musicals are more watchable and more artistically interesting than others – although that standard is relatively low in Melody Time.

“Once Upon a Wintertime” is based on an overused Disney narrative template that never ceases to be a bore. A young couple are out and about, flirting and flitting, all while the woodland animals scurrying back and forth mirror human courtship. The segment, however, is partially redeemed by Frances Langford singing the segment’s title song (composed by Bobby Worth and Ray Gilbert) and the unmistakable influence of Mary Blair (1950’s Cinderella, the “It’s a Small World” attraction at Disneyland in Anaheim) in its aesthetic. With any piece of animation involving Mary Blair, one can expect an eye-catching use of color and her modernist art style. “Once Upon a Wintertime” is like a holiday card brought to animated life. Unlike a picturesque and meaningful holiday card, though, it overstays its welcome. But the stereotypical treatment of the young women appearing in “Once Upon a Wintertime” is, to put it mildly, clichéd writing at best. Hackneyed, too, is the fact that the woodland animals come to the human’s rescue.

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee is one of the most recognizable (and overplayed) pieces of Western classical music, even to those folks who go out of their way to announce their distaste for classical music. Given a jazz rendition by the Freddy Martin Orchestra, “Bumble Boogie” is a thankfully brief three-minute foray. Here, an insect (that does not seem anything like a bee) flies through a series of surreal images – mostly parts of musical instruments (piano keys in particular) – that it must avoid. The segment is visually entertaining to watch, even if it must have been the easiest to prepare, design, and animated for in all of Melody Time. If placed in either Fantasia or Fantasia 2000, it would easily be the weakest Fantasia segment ever produced.

Third in the film is a segment that feels most like a classic Disney production. “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed” is Disney’s glorified and sanitized take on the eponymous American pioneer, nurseryman, conservationist, and missionary. Walt’s personal ideology and perspective on American history included the fulfillment of Manifest Destiny and the taming of the nation’s wilds as among humanity’s greatest achievements. These are notions that Walt – through his films, theme parks, television shows, and public and private remarks – never questioned. Narrated and with Johnny Appleseed voiced by Dennis Day, there is a sincerity to Johnny’s characterization not present anywhere else in the movie. Again, Mary Blair’s artwork – this time, her forested backgrounds – appears as if heaven-sent. The umbrella-like canopy of the apple trees and “untamed” forests are inviting, and attract one’s eyes upward – towards the apples, paradise.

The title song (sometimes referred to as “The Lord is Good to Me”) featured in the opening moments of “The Legend of Appleseed” is one of the earliest – and one of the few – mentions or depictions of religious faith in a Disney animated work. It reinforces the mythos that surrounds Johnny Appleseed (and, by extension, the belief that white men are divine heroes for civilizing the lands west of the original Thirteen Colonies) to the present day. I was not raised in any of the Abrahamic religions, but it difficult to deny the simple charm of the title song and this segment – even if it endorses a troublesome perspective on American history. “The Legend of Johnny Appleseed” is the best segment of Melody Time – from its unassuming storytelling and wondrous animation. It is the only Melody Time segment that I could possibly envision as a decent feature-length animated film.

Based on a 1939 children’s picture book of the same name Hardie Gramatky, “Little Toot” is a chore to sit through. The segment shares similar narrative and aesthetic tissue with Saludos Amigos’ (1942) “Pedro”, which concerned an anthropomorphic mail airplane that thinks it could. Along the Hudson River in New York City, Little Toot is a tiny tugboat who aspires to be like his father Big Toot. Just as in “Pedro”, this is a case of an anthropomorphized vehicle child who attempts to assume adult responsibility in order to prove that they can perform tasks as well as the adults can. Given that Little Toot is a meddling prankster playing tugboat games, it is difficult to feel much sympathy when he finally faces the consequences of his actions – which probably includes calamitous infrastructural damage and human casualties. Of course, Little Toot is eventually redeemed through some heroic deeds. All of the tugboats will love him, as they belt out with glee that Little Toot will go down in history. The segment is grating, including the novelty title song sung by The Andrews Sisters. Aside from some fascinating water effects, there is not much that “Little Toot” offers in the way of animated interest. Otherwise, it is least interesting segment of the film.

The palate-cleanser is “Trees”, a four-minute segment based on Joyce Kilmer’s poem of the same name (music composed by Oscar Rasbach and performed by Fred Waring and the Pennsylvanians). Its aesthetic harkens back to a few seconds near the end of the “Ave Maria” in Fantasia, but otherwise “Trees” is distinct from anything else that has appeared in the Disney animated canon. When setting to work on “Trees”, layout artist Ken O’Connor (1941’s Dumbo, 1987’s The Brave Little Toaster) found himself enamored by the concept art, and endeavored to be a faithful to the style set by the concept art as possible. To do this, O’Connor frosted cels before drawing pastel images onto the cel. Before being photographed by the studio’s multiplane camera, each cel was laminated in clear lacquer to prevent the pastel from smudging. Thanks to O’Connor’s experimentation, “Trees”, however fleeting, lays claim to some of the most beautiful animation among all of the package Disney animated features.

“Blame it on the Samba” sees a reunion of Donald Duck and Brazilian parrot José Carioca (Saludos Amigos, 1944’s The Three Caballeros) are walking about, depressed, directionless. Suddenly, they encounter the Aracuan Bird (who debuted in The Three Caballeros), who whisks them inside a cocktail that introduces them to the rhythmic pleasures of the samba. The segment’s title song is based on Ernesto Nazareth’s polka Apanhei-te, Cavaquinho, sung by The Dinning Sisters with adapted English lyrics, and accompanied by organist Ethel Smith (who appears as herself).

“Blame it on the Samba” feels like it should have been featured in either Saludos Amigos or The Three Caballeros – and that was the intention exactly. Intended to appear in Saludos Amigos, “Blame it on the Samba” was animated and completed in time for it to be incorporated in The Three Caballeros. Given Donald Duck’s lust for human women in the second half of the latter movie, “Blame it on the Samba” might have otherwise been a serviceable penultimate number in that film. The segment is an explosion of color, a kick in the rear for a movie that feels much longer than its seven-five-minute runtime might suggest. And yet in a segment for a music genre innovated in Brazil and popularized by Brazilians, the performers and the performance lack any discernible Brazilian influence or roots. This is not samba music. Instead, it is the culmination of what a white American might think samba music sounds like. This unfortunate development probably would have been avoided entirely if “Blame it on the Samba” appeared in those two aforementioned films instead.

“Pecos Bill”, based on the Texan folk hero of the same name, makes reference to American Indians in ghastly ways. Simultaneously, its absurd humor and lack of fidelity to sensible human behavior and physics make it a delight to watch. The segment also boasts the presence of Roy Rogers and the Pioneers (and Rogers’ horse, Trigger). Child actors Luana Patten and Bobby Driscoll, both of whom had just starred in Song of the South (1946), make brief appearances in the segment’s hybrid animation/live-action introduction. Rogers, then contracted to Republic Pictures, was one of the quintessential stars of the singing cowboy subgenre – singing cowboy movies were almost exclusively made by the “Poverty Row” studios including Republic, and they were extremely profitable against their barebones budgets). “Pecos Bill” all begins with the atmospheric, moody “Blue Shadows on the Trail”. “Blue Shadows on the Trail” describes and, through its spare instrumentation, reflects the emptiness and desolation of the American West. It is a beautiful ballad, and could easily be placed in any Western (singing cowboy movies or otherwise).

Once the hybrid animation/live-action introduction concludes, “Pecos Bill” steams forward with comic hyperbole followed by another comic hyperbole. The title song (music by Eliot Daniel, lyrics by Johnny Lange) doubles down on the exaggerations. Those exaggerations include the segment’s constant gunplay – escaping censorship from the Hays Code: a risqué gag that includes Pecos Bill’s guns going off because of love interest Slue Foot Sue. At least Melody Time ends brashly and riotously, but any impressionable children watching will require a discussion from a trusted adult. Its depictions of American Indians and men-women relations are deplorable, but after just over an hour of inconsistent quality, I found myself enjoying “Pecos Bill” more than I imagined.

Shortly after the release of Melody Time, Walt Disney embarked on a three-week cruise to Hawai’i. Walt rarely went vacationing, and he spent these weeks fully concentrating on his family and escaping from the minutiae of managing his studio. Even after returning from Hawai’i, Walt did not spend much time in Burbank. Walt invited animator and fellow train enthusiast Ward Kimball on a trip to the Midwest. Together, they attended the 1948 Chicago Railroad Fair, visited the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and stopped at other locations close to Walt’s childhood in the Midwest. Through the end of 1948, Walt spent more time constructing the train set in his backyard than paying attention to the animation and live-action movies his studio was producing. What seemed like idleness to many (including New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther, who believed that Disney was a cinematic genius wasting his time on quixotic projects) was a major inspiration for a draft sketch entitled “Mickey Mouse Park”, dated August 31, 1948.

The package era at Walt Disney Productions (now Walt Disney Animation Studios) was nearing its end. Every film during this run – Saludos Amigos (1942), The Three Caballeros (1944), Make Mine Music (1946), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Melody Time, and The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) – faced the same narrative of Walt Disney’s personal indifference to the projects, a lack of direction and motivation among the animators, and audience and critic dissatisfaction when compared to Disney’s Golden Age movies. A return to non-package animated features would be imminent, in spite of Melody Time’s mediocre performance at the box office. The Disney studios would attempt to begin a period of renewal with a tradition that inaugurated their animated canon – with a fairy tale.

My rating: 6/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. Half-points are always rounded down. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog (as of July 1, 2020, tumblr is not permitting certain posts with links to appear on tag pages, so I cannot provide the URL).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

#Melody Time #Walt Disney #Mary Blair #Jack Kinney #Clyde Geronimi #Hamilton Luske #Wilfred Jackson #Roy Rogers #Dennis Day #The Andrews Sisters #Donald Duck #Jose Carioca #My Movie Odyssey

[conchobarbarian]

I’m not saying that gay people are inherently more artistic or profound, but I am saying that like 80% of all pre-20th c writers & artists you’ve ever heard of weren’t straight

#& of course plenty of 20th & 21st century artists but #y'all know i love those historical gays #also mostly i know about writers bc visual art is not my medium #the list includes: oscar wilde; leonardo da vinci; lord byron (more like biron am i right); e.m. forster #walt whitman; william shakespeare; the earl of rochester; plato & his bros; virginia woolf; #it's ridiculous to even bother listing sappho but also some people claim she was 'writing from a male perspective' which??; #herman melville; arthur conan doyle; d.h. lawrence; t.e. lawrence; hans christian andersen; #& so fucking many authors but i'm bored of making this list #oh! also p.g. wodehouse. he was ace #and alfred lord tennyson who was who i was thinking about when I made this post to begin with lmao

[watching-pictures-move]

Put On Your Raincoats #28 | American Babylon (Watkins, 1985)

Roger Watkins spent most of his career making pornos, something which he apparently hated, and in American Babylon he turns that hatred directly at the audience. The movie is about two bozos. Losers. Schlubs. One of them, played by Bobby Astyr, spends his days doing little but watching pornography, oblivious to his surroundings and annoyed by interruptions. When his wife steps in front of the projector, he grouses at her to get out of the way. "Evaporate, Joan!" The other, played by Michael Gaunt, is weak-willed, easily goaded into doing or saying anything, whatever is the path of least resistance. Neither Astyr nor Gaunt are what you'd call conventionally attractive, and combined, they are some of the least flattering portraits of masculinity to grace the screen. I read somewhere that the popularity of unattractive men in straight porn is to help the target audience relate more easily to the proceedings. Watkins brings into focus the implied contempt in that trope.

As someone who spent a non-zero amount of time over the last year delving into vintage pornography, this movie hit a little close to home. When Astyr starts critiquing the camera angles in the movie he's watching, I felt personally attacked. Astyr's choice of entertainment here is in the form of plotless reels with titles like Teenage Pigmeat in Heat, a film by Bernard America, and Butt Girls in Bondage, directed by Hank Packard (which sounds like a dig at Henri Pachard's pretentious porn name), and starring Lonnie Lee as the Butt Girl. Astyr appears to be getting off on their dehumanizing quality ("Hey Robert, I just realized something. They don't show anybody's faces in this movie." "Of course not, it's so much better that way, it could be anybody.") The reels are shot in cold, sterile black-and-white, their mise-en-scene (power tools, gym equipment) suggesting a parody of masculinity. (I admit I was a little concerned when the male performer was firing a blowtorch in the direction of the female performer while they engaged in sexual congress.) Watkins had been steadily removing any sense of warmth or eroticism from his sex scenes, but also seems aware of the limitations of this approach (especially when you cast a performer like Taija Rae, sporting a lady mullet, hubba hubba). His critique seems targeted at the genre as a whole, which despite the level of artistry it can contain (and I'm very much on the side of pornographic films being artistically worthwhile), is ultimately in the service of prurient interests, but in retrospect, feels prescient of the kind of gonzo pornography that would become the norm in the decades that followed. There's no need for plot, character, warmth, humanity, just body parts mashing against each other. That Astyr is seen usually in a raincoat and motorcycle helmet drives the point home.

Gaunt's character is depicted just as brutally but with a bit more humour. This is a guy whose most strenuous decision in his marriage (and source of tension with his wife) is whether or not he'll drink his milk. (His wife, seen topless and in panties and heels, in a skewering of genre demands, leaves him an angry note: "P.S. Drink your milk".) Astyr's wife, played by Tish Ambrose, in need of the kind of intimacy she doesn't get from her husband, sees Gaunt as an easy mark and sets up a rendezvous at a country western bar. Their exchange and her attempt at seduction are telling.

"You strike me as the kind of guy who's good at taking orders."

"Yeah, I guess so, my wife thinks so anyway."

"You want something to drink?"

"Yeah, I guess so, my wife thinks so anyway."

"I'm not wearing any underwear."

"I beg your pardon."

"The only thing separating skirt and my quivering pussy is a layer of air. What do you think of that?"

"Me? I don't know what to think."

Gaunt reveals a talent for physical comedy with his gawking, indecisive face during their tryst, his slapstick-like scramble out of his clothes, his dash with an empty cup as part of his excuse sneak out for another tryst ("I told my wife I was coming over to borrow a cup of sugar"), and his nervous patting of strap-on before he excuses himself out of a threesome. One encounter occurs when watching a porno with Astyr, who seems entirely oblivious to what's going on right beside him but also happy to have them around. ("My best friend and my best wife, finally taking an interest in my one true passion.") Their attempts at bonding seem self-defeating from both directions, as when Astyr tries to initiate a heart-to-heart, it's not clear how truthful Astyr's tale of young love or his recollection of a threesome that sounds suspiciously like one of his movies and the one Gaunt partook in. ("They were sisters, Thomas, sisters! That's what they told me afterwards. They might have been lying of course, It's human nature to lie.") When the visual style switches over to those of his movies, the indictment is complete, but in the final ten minutes, the movie finds something of an emotional core with a montage (Menopausal Males in Bondage) that recontextualizes the proceedings from Ambrose's perspective, while dissolving the boundaries between Astyr, Gaunt, and their porno movies. A beret and checked coat, first sported by Taija Rae, helps provide a visual throughline.

While I won't deny that the kind of masculinity exemplified by the protagonists, while flawed, feels a lot more benign than the kind of toxic masculinity that's been the focus of modern discourse, the laser focus of Watkins' indictment makes the movie work. Where the movie is less cogent but admirably bold is in situating its protagonists and their pathetic suburban existence as some kind of endpoint for American civilization. The opening credits have illustrations of historical images, evangelical radio is heard on and off throughout the movie, and after the aforementioned montage, the film closes with "American the Beautiful". In a brief but forceful sequence, we hear news of Lee Harvey Oswald's murder by Jack Ruby, Walter Mondale's acceptance speech at the 1984 DNC ("Mr. Reagan calls it "tokenism". We call it America.") and the bombing of North Vietnam, while Gaunt's wife (seen again in the nude, to sate the horndogs) fires a shotgun and the screen cuts to black. Watkins produces a passage from "The Harlot's House" by Oscar Wilde to drive home the sense of finality. ("The dead are dancing with the dead, the dust is whirling with the dust.") The protagonists' suburban homes are presented effectively as purgatorial spaces, captured in cold, isolating cinematography by Larry Revene, who had collaborated previously with Watkins on Corruption and Midnight Heat. Like the latter, I watched this in a not very nice video-sourced transfer, although it didn't seem quite as detrimental here (aside from the terrible audio quality, which made Gaunt's whistling sound like nails on a chalkboard). The look of the movie is effectively sterile, with a heavy reliance of moody bluish lighting that comes through even in a less pristine copy. (I understand that this didn't play theatrically, so I'm willing to limit my complaining.) It's also worth noting that while not detrimentally so to the film's overall argument, I did find Astyr's porno movies stylish in their way, and that I was not immune to the charms of Taija Rae, particularly with the beret and lady mullet I alluded to earlier. Folks, I'm not made of stone.

#film #put on your raincoats #movie review #american babylon #roger watkins

[onestowatch]

Jessie Murph Is Turning Every “You Can’t” Into Fuel For Her Fire [Q&A]

Photo: Daniel Prakopcyk

Rapidly rising sixteen-year-old artist Jessie Murph is no stranger to being the odd girl out, especially considering her upbringing in a small conservative town. Like much of Gen Z, she channeled that frustration and constant feeling of otherness into social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram but not without repercussions. Murph recalls, "If I posted something with a cuss word in it, they would make me run four miles per word. I got tired of running and we ended up having to move... I couldn’t take it anymore.” 

Murph used the bullying she received at school as fuel to conquer her emotions and transform her songwriting into the captivating and emotive tour de force it is today. The isolation, mistreatment, and misogyny she encountered ultimately made her stronger and birthed the authentic and unapologetic Jessie Murph who is ready to take the pop world by storm. 

We had the chance to speak with Murph regarding her latest vulnerable single, “When I’m Not Around,” and plenty more. 

Ones To Watch: There’s a quote from Oscar Wilde: “Be yourself, everyone else is taken.” When did you realize that it’s okay to be different?

Jessie Murph: I love that quote—probably the beginning of my sophomore year of high school I’d say. I was on the cheer team and did competitive figure skating—everyone around me kind of looked/acted/dressed very similar to each other. I definitely tried to fit in for a while. Looking at old pictures of myself, I was super blonde and dressed how I was expected to dress. Eventually, I just realized that I was spending more energy and trying way harder to be someone I wasn’t rather than just being myself… and it was f**king exhausting!

The music video for “When I’m Not Around” sees you revisiting high school. Was there any pain in reliving that or did it just fuel the fire?

I’d say a little bit of both, but mainly it inspired me. Actually, while we were on set, my mom got really choked up and teary at one point because it felt so real and it was hard for her to see me relive all that on screen. At the end of the day though, it was still so cool and motivating because look at where those experiences led me… I’m on the set of my own music video! 

What happens when you go on tour and play in Alabama? Do you think their perception of you will be different now? 

Oh, definitely I think. I feel like they used to kind of judge me for wanting to take risks and pursue this crazy dream but now that it’s actually happening, they’re able to be more supportive. It also obviously wasn’t every single person that was critical—there were people who had my back from the beginning. When it was actually going down though, it felt like the critics and haters were way louder than the supporters. 

You’re sixteen and you’ve been through a lot at a very young age. What’s helped fueled your fire to keep pushing on?

Hmmm. I feel like people saying “you can’t” just fuels me and makes me want to go even harder. I’ve honestly never really taken things too personally, which I think is important because a lot of times people don’t realize how impactful their words can be. I guess I learned early on that it’s better for the mind and soul to let any negativity push you up instead of bring you down.  

Your mom has always been one of your biggest supporters. How important was this relationship growing up? 

My mom has always been very supportive of me. No other moms in the small town where I grew up would’ve let their daughters express themselves in the way that I was. It was so cool of her to allow me to just be myself. I’m eternally grateful because I really don’t know how I could’ve done any of this without her. 

You originally blew up thanks to the help of social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube. What’s next for you as an artist?

I hope to show people all different sides of myself honestly. I’m so excited to get on the road and start playing some shows later this year. I’ve never even been to a concert before let alone actually performed at one, so my first ever concert experience is going to be my own which is wild! But, I’m just really excited to get in front of fans and start meeting people in person especially because I talk to so many of them in my DMs. Also, I think releasing a lot more music, cool music videos and visuals will continue to showcase who I am and where I’m headed as an artist.  

Will we ever see a music video of Jessie Murph ice skating?

I feel like we will eventually.

What are some sad songs you can scream out to?

When I’m sad I literally listen to Lil Baby. I yell it aggressively. So I guess anything Lil Baby (laughs).

Who are your Ones to Watch?

I really like Wifisfuneral. I’ve also been loving Wiley From Atlanta and DDG a lot lately. 

#jessie murph #interview #when im not around #pop

[art-now-germany]

Contemporary elegance - Portrait Original !, Igor Bajenov

What is art? .... "I am art." Definition of art: Art takes on complex relationships in all areas of life, and more creative perspective answers the spirit of Indiviudalität match in itself and draws from the collective Gedächntis and understanding of the world. Art is thus the only acceptable form of conflict develop culture and politics real and visionary. Art is communication between Mind and me ... me and my work ... my work and the next reason ... Art is thus an entertaining evolierende chain reaction. Perhaps Art Evolution? Art = The past, present and (or) future in their wide range of colors, shapes and sounds to show. For me, art is a form of expression of thoughts, feelings, emotions, but, unfortunately, often by commercial interests. You may be wondering now, what I mean. So I explain it to you. An artist per se, every human being is of creating something that he thinks is art. Whether it was written, painted, sculpted, forged, declaimed or otherwise prepared. The important thing is that there is, therefore, the work that needs to come out from the inside of the creator and that it precisely the man who created it, considers art. Because True art can not be obtained on head pressure or with an order one. Art is about the Muse. Yes I know that word is prejudiced, one connects it with ancient myths or just one or a lover, or the places the artist in a state feely. But, just that it is not, is not it. The Muse is a kind of phenomenon, rather a feeling that you wanted to give a figure in ancient times. A muse is a burgeoning idea, an association or even a clue to something that you will create. In any case, the true artist, and thus the true art has this to do something as the origin, which inspires from within something. But now the company set up an ad hoc basis have created something comes want. Of course, it must be great, stunning, new and convincing. Simply put, something gigantic that all ideas met, if not exceeds. And here starts the second part of my statement. For now I ask you, if as I just said, art comes with a Muse. How can they then with a contract, no matter by whom issued, be created? The artist who is perhaps known for his works from his musical creative phases, is now to create something on command and although it is possible and often even artistic nature. But it is a work to order. If you ask me, write me a poem or write me a story, because you had the pleasure to read one of my works and I liked you. So I tell you simply "NO" because I do not live it. But the one who has chosen the art as bread and life merit. Must say "YES" and it is also. See also commercialism "creates" art, but whether this works really should bear the title of art or rather commissioned art or just work? In my opinion, they should be demoted because they reduce the art in its value. I'm not talking about artistic taste, because even though I like better than a Monet a Beuys, so I have to both recognize as art, as they both emerged from such an idea. Art is self-realization, art has only the feelings of the artist is no longer expressed, and no less, is not about beauty !! For me, art is a form of communication. That is, the artist expresses not only his feelings, but wants the people with his work say something. He / she does not spontaneously and unwrought but processed so that it is understandable and enjoyable for the reader / viewer / listener. But sometimes even the incomprehensible pleasant or the unpleasant is meaningful. This art is a dialogue and not a monologue, I think it's also important that the artist has contact with his audience and the feedback takes care about what is normal for live performances, for writers or visual artists but should be. "Art is an expression of their own culture" Art for me is a kind of self-realization and liberation. Maybe even a little criticism. If you can do something that few can. - Everything is art - Survival is -life Art is art - Art is dying - Laughter is art - is not to laugh Art - Whining at a high level is Art .- Not whining is Art - Doing nothing is art - Art is thinking - Non-think is art - Everything is art so art is nothing other than art. Geez. Art is free figures from free spirit Art is a zweckfüßiger Sunrise in sausage glow of its own frequent lightness. Waiting a herausgepurzelten cheese princess on the verge of a frog loose Vaginalbrunnens. As the name of the site says it all: "Everything is art" The way of individual lives, loves, suffers and works. Then, when someone else may well something special, can he used his art to others to enjoy it. Art transforms people through images, archetypes and Symole. Art touches feelings and emotions. Art awakens to new life. Love Art curious joy, here is my proposal for the characterization of the concept of art. Art is the art with the help of a medium, for example, (music, painting or even mathematics) to develop a language all its own. The use of these media is only once "only" a craft. In conjunction with an idea and creativity arises from art, but can not be shared must be shared. "What is art" This briefly worded question is deceptively simple. Anyone who jumps up in his mind to do here made known, should know that it enters one of the oldest areas of employment of mankind. And seen do this from the perspective of those who art or take claim for themselves than buy from the perspective of whose who like art to be such, and some of their "understanding" and last but from the perspective of those who , judge the art or rather the art critics. The description of what is art, therefore highly dependent on the angle of view of the art actors. So art is for the artist or the artist certainly a form of expression for feelings, observations and findings. To convey a message where / her importance to him. How high is the acceptance of his / her work of art, is probably secondary. Here the enthusiasts want the discussion to the "true", respectively the "not-true" artist probably connect, this is here, however, inevitable. For the art viewer contrast, our own perception is crucial. The must not be congruent with the embassies of the artist / the artist. Well made possible by the artist intended message is hidden and yet he feels / she addressed herself. He / she buys a piece of art and presents / suspended / installed it in the habitat or visited an idea and takes the seen and heard with. Here interested feelings, observations and findings of the receiver. Seen one can understand art as a form of communication that makes visible Contemporary and contemporaries in a special way and consolidated. Whether see future generations yet to be connected to these messages, is debatable. Modern productions of Shakespeare, Schiller and many other throw such discussions again and again. Interpretations of paintings or sculptures can vary widely. And yet the art manages the employment of people with himself and his environment Oscar Wilde is certainly correct when he says: "Art is the strongest form of individualism, which knows the world". But it is without doubt the individualism with the largest collective benefit, I mean. Art does not rely on evidence and free. Your freedom is the perfect fulfillment of the self-determined shape. Their quality is determined only by itself. The created is absolutely and belongs to humanity. Art is a way to escape from reality for me. "Art, I am."...Exclusive Photo Collection in Contemporary Art - Digital Photo Mix - Abstract /Expressionism - Figurative/Cubism - Portrait Fantasy in Fine Art- Paint/Drawing-Vector/Graphic.

https://www.saatchiart.com/art/Photography-Contemporary-elegance-Portrait-Original/462428/2774422/view

#IgorBajenov #abstractexpressionism #figurative #modern #fineart #conceptual

[starwarsnonsense]

Top 10 Most Anticipated Films of 2020

Now I’ve got my embarrassingly late ‘Best of 2019′ list out of the way, I can finally proceed to the list that’s probably more exciting - my most anticipated films of 2020!

This list excludes films that have already been screened at festivals (otherwise, stuff like Saint Maud would be here). It’s also somewhat analogous to groping about for a light switch in the dark - these lists very rarely accurately predict my ultimate favourites for the year, so it’s more of a fun speculative exercise. Hopefully this puts some intriguing-looking films on your radar for the year ahead! 

1. Dune (dir. Denis Villeneuve)

Plot: The story of Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people.

Why be excited? The reasons to be excited about Dune should be pretty self-evident - it’s directed by one of the greatest filmmakers working today (Villeneuve’s Incendies and Blade Runner 2049 are all-timers for me), and is based on one of the best science-fiction novels ever written. The cast -  Timothée Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson, Oscar Isaac, Javier Bardem, Charlotte Rampling, and more - is absolutely stacked with talent. There’s every reason to believe that this will be something special, and I couldn’t be more pleased that Villeneuve is the man responsible for filling that Star Wars-shaped hole in the December release schedule.

2. Annette (dir. Leos Carax)

Plot: A stand-up comedian (Adam Driver), and his opera singer wife (Marion Cotillard), have a two-year-old daughter with a surprising gift.

Why be excited? You may not have heard of him, but Leos Carax is one of the most exciting directors working - he only makes around one film a decade, but the films he does make tend to be very special. I’ve only seen one film of his - Lovers on the Bridge - but that was filled with such ecstatic romance and wondrous visuals that it made me tremendously excited for Annette. Annette is a top-to-bottom musical with songs by American duo Sparks (if you know them for anything, it will be ‘This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us’), and said songs will be delivered by Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard. It goes without saying that both actors are extremely talented performers with great voices (see Driver in Marriage Story and Cotillard in Nine for evidence), and I’m looking forward to seeing how they demonstrate their talents here.

3. Last Night in Solo (dir. Edgar Wright)

Plot: A young girl (Thomasin McKenzie), passionate in fashion design, is mysteriously able to enter the 1960s where she encounters her idol, a dazzling wannabe singer (Anya Taylor-Joy). But 1960s London is not what it seems, and time seems to fall apart with shady consequences.

Why be excited? I’m not the biggest Edgar Wright fan, but I admire him greatly and the premise of Last Night in Soho is like cat-nip to me. Speaking to Empire, Wright explained the story as follows: “I’m taking a premise whereby you have a character who, in a sort of abstract way, gets to travel in time. And the reality of the decade is maybe not what she imagines. It has an element of ‘be careful what you wish for’.” I’m a sucker for a good, old-fashioned high concept, especially when said films play with genre and really challenge the viewer. The two female leads - Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit, Leave No Trace) and Anya Taylor-Joy (The Witch, Emma) - are among the very best young actors working today, and the supporting cast features absolute legends such as Diana Rigg and Terence Stamp. Whether it’s successful or not, this film feels like a genuinely original prospect and I’m eager to see how it turns out.

4. The Green Knight (dir. David Lowery)

Plot: A fantasy re-telling of the medieval tale of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

Why be excited? There has been a sad lack of films based on mythology in recent years - or, to be more accurate, there has been a sad lack of films that attempt to honour what the myths were actually trying to convey. The stunning trailer for Green Knight promises a film that genuinely engages with its source material, and is just as interested in the psychological truths of the tale as the spectacle of its fantastical scenarios. Dev Patel is an extremely talented actor coming off another great movie in The Personal History of David Copperfield, and the supporting cast (Alicia Vikander!) appear to be fully committed to their parts. I’m excited to see a true myth on the big screen again, and David Lowery (A Ghost Story, The Old Man & The Gun) can be trusted to give an old tale a new sense of vitality. 

5. The French Dispatch (dir. Wes Anderson)

Plot: The staff of a European publication decides to publish a memorial edition highlighting the three best stories from the last decade: an artist sentenced to life imprisonment, student riots, and a kidnapping resolved by a chef.

Why be excited? It’s a Wes Anderson movie! Of course I’m excited! In all seriousness, the trailer was all I needed to get hyped about this. It’s clearly Anderson’s quintessential style, but it also shows flashes of some very bold and striking compositions (yes, I’m thinking of Chalamet on the back of that motorcycle) that you wouldn’t necessarily think of in relation to him. I’m intrigued by the prospect of there being stories nested within a story, which feels like the perfect choice for the structure of a film about a newspaper. The cast features all of Anderson’s old favourites (Swinton! Murray! McDormand!), as well as some exciting new additions (Timothée Chalamet, Elisabeth Moss, Christoph Waltz, among others) that feel so well-suited to his style it’s surprising they haven’t worked together before. Bring on all those immaculately composed shots and exquisite colour palettes.

6. Tenet (dir. Christopher Nolan)

Plot: Unknown. The project is described as an action epic revolving around international espionage.

Why be excited? I hate to sound repetitive, but ... it’s a Christopher Nolan movie. That alone is enough to be hyped about this. Details of the plot are vague for now, but the teaser suggests the sort of intelligent, high-concept film-making we’ve come to expect from Nolan. John David Washington - who impressed in BlacKkKlansman - is a great choice for the lead, and I also love that Tenet will feature Robert Pattinson and Elizabeth Debicki (among my favourite actors) in prominent roles. There’s not much else to say given how little we know about this, but suffice to say I’ll be there on day one!

7. Wonder Woman 1984 (dir. Patty Jenkins)

Plot: Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) comes into conflict with the Soviet Union during the Cold War in the 1980s and finds a formidable foe by the name of the Cheetah (Kristen Wiig).

Why be excited? The original Wonder Woman was an absolute delight, and I couldn’t be more pleased that Patty Jenkins is back to continue Diana’s story. The decision to pick up with Diana in the 1980s is most intriguing (and paves the way for all kinds of exciting choices when it comes to the music and the fashions), especially since it looks like the film is actually going to explore the implications of being an immortal being in a mortal world. 

8. Raya and the Last Dragon (dir. Paul Briggs and Dean Wellins)

Plot: A lone warrior from the fantasy kingdom of Kumandra teams up with a crew of misfits in her quest to find the Last Dragon and bring light and unity back to their world.

Why be excited? The animation scene in 2020 looks kind of ... blah at the moment, with the notable exception of Raya and the Last Dragon. The setting was described by the film’s producer as  "a reimagined Earth inhabited by an ancient civilization that venerated the mythical dragons for their power and their wisdom”, and that alone is enough to fire up my imagination. Off the back of Moana and the Frozen films (which I all unabashedly love), I trust Disney Animation to instil this with plenty of colour and verve.

9. I’m Thinking of Ending Things (dir. Charlie Kaufman)

Plot: An unexpected detour turns a couple’s road trip into a terrifying journey through their fragile psyches.

Why be excited? Directed by Charlie Kaufman (writer of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), I’m Thinking of Ending Things is based on a prize-winning novel. However, despite the pedigree the main reason I’m looking forward to this is Jessie Buckley. Buckley gave a star-making performance in Beast a few years ago, and has since proven herself an actor of immense talent and skill (see Wild Rose for proof of what a powerhouse she is). I’m excited to see her career continue to go from strength to strength, and I’m Thinking of Ending Things seems poised to be a great showcase for her.

10. The Last Duel (dir. Ridley Scott)

Plot: King Charles VI declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) settle his dispute with his squire (Adam Driver) by challenging him to a duel.

Why be excited? Ridley Scott is a bit of a mixed bag for me, and has never come close to reaching the heights of Alien and Blade Runner with his recent work. Nonetheless, against my better judgement I can’t help but be excited by the prospect of a medieval epic with Scott at the helm. The acting talent attached to The Last Duel is top-notch, and I’m particularly fond of Jodie Comer (of Killing Eve fame) and Adam Driver (do you really need me to say more?). There’s a very real danger of the highly sensitive plot (the ‘dispute’ at the heart of the story concerns an accusation of rape, the truth of which is to be determined with a duel) being mishandled by Scott, but the involvement of screenwriter Nicole Holofcener gives me some hope. This could turn out to be a misfire, but my hope is that it will, at the very least, be interesting.

#dune #annette #last night in soho #green knight #the french dispatch #timothee chalamet #Adam driver #jessie buckley #the last duel #i'm thinking of ending things #raya and the last dragon #wonder woman 1984 #tenet #films #2020 in film #cinema

[catloud]

Greta Gerwig is The Best One

I grew up loving, living and breathing two films: Little Women, with a wild and passionate Winona Ryder, and Emma Thompson’s Sense and Sensibility. The middle of three sisters, I saw our dynamic as a trio in both of them. We cast ourselves as these women, making our own Pickwick Papers and putting on plays in the garden, just like our beloved March sisters. My own teenage solitude revolved around moody walks in the hills near my house on a Scottish island, calling Willoughby’s name in the rain, usually to the soundtrack of Greenday or Alanis Morisette or Damien Rice.  These were the raw materials I had to craft my identity with. Sisters. Sisterhood. Love. Passion. Power. Freedom.

And, just as I was conditioned to pick a favourite Spice Girl or colour of Starburst, I immediately made Jo and Marianne my respective LW and S&S favourites. But Jo is something special. She is, after all, the patron saint of all aspiring writers and country bumpkins who move to the city for adventure. I feel that.

I know there’s something about Jo. Why did I make her The Best One?

What about Meg? Lovely Meg! Naturally maternal and equal parts severe, sensible and sweet, she gracefully bears the burdens of societal pressure and familial responsibility as the pioneering eldest child, while also taking responsibility for wrangling her more wayward sisters. She is a Mini Marmee, and lord knows we all love Marmee.

Or gentle Beth, wistful and musical, always striving to keep the peace between more the more overwhelming personalities within the household, and trying to make the world a better place for those less fortunate in times of extreme uncertainty. She loves everyone and everyone loves her.

Or Amy?  Artistic and refined Amy, who matches Jo in talent and strength of will but is a thousand times more socially savvy. She makes the rules of the world (for women like her) work as she intuitively knows how to wield and tame them, while Jo fights them kicking and screaming all the way.

The March sisters are timeless because they pose a question that has refused to leave me alone – what am I supposed to want? Jo is our natural Girl Power era heroine. She is all of the great feminist moments in one person. She’s Jane Fonda getting arrested at a protest. She’s telling a mansplainer to shut the fuck up. She’s not taking “because you’re a woman” for an answer, ever.

She’s wild and proud, recklessly emotional and deeply ambitious. And there it is. Ambition. The most masculine of fatal flaws that is at first admirable before it devours everything in its path, stopping at nothing till the whole world has been swallowed and spat out again.

We can’t all be Jos. Stoking and sustaining that level of craving and chasing is absolutely exhausting. And when what you want comes to you, and comes crashing down again because nothing is forever, then you’ll see the holes left behind. Creative projects and the pursuit of the next thing can be Polyfilla for the gaping, untreated hole left by perpetual loneliness. No one wants to look into its mouth for long, and so the great cycle begins again.

And I think about this now, because Hollywood’s Remake Olympics feels necessary this time. I need to see Jo again.

I find myself thirty, solo and skint. I have yet to find a like-minded soul who is more Alcott’s Laurie and less Austen’s Willoughby, and I’ve spent most of my twenties pursuing a career that I have loved but I’m convinced hasn’t loved me. I’ve hunted opportunities, scraped by when cash was tight with a knot in my stomach and instead of chasing something brilliant and wonderful, I have been obsessed with not failing. Failing isn’t an option. I don’t know what else to be instead.

Why was my hometown not enough?

Why did I have to want more?

These questions are Greta Gerwig’s territory, an artist who has made herself very much at home with stories about women at crossroads who sense good things on the horizon, but struggle to get their bearings. She is an artist I watch with so much strange pride, horrified that so few women are staking claims and taking names in a director’s chair and yet, there she is. There she has been, for years.  

As a writer and as a performer, Gerwig understands how painful it is to be in a perpetual state of becoming. Frances Ha - the 2012 film she starred in and co-wrote with director Noah Baumbach - is a masterpiece.  I resisted watching it for years, because I was scared of seeing myself in it. I was right, but I didn’t need to be scared. It’s filled with the same mundane intimacy in Little Women - girls sitting in bed together, making plans for a big, varied, wild life. Gerwig and Alcott write love stories about wanting to love life and have life love you back. Her eponymous character is the earnest, awkward and mis-stepping heart of a film that scrambles up the crushing economic realities of modern life with whimsical and chic French New Wave aesthetics, adding glimmers of Fame and Footloose for fun. “Scrambling” is the most appropriate adjective for her. A precariously-employed dancer, she tells successful and self-assured best friend Sophie in the film’s deeply intimate opening montage “I tried to make a frittata and it’s really more of a scramble”.  And we all know you can’t make an omelette without cracking eggs. They feature again in her Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning Lady Bird. Arguing with her mother, Saorise Ronan’s Christine/ Lady Bird asks why she can’t cook breakfast, to which the excellent Laurie Metcalf replies “Because you take too long and make a big mess and I have to clean the whole thing up.” Eggs. Metaphors for messy lives, and a nod to the mothers we came from. The mothers!  They’re poets and they don’t even realise. I love Gerwig and Alcott’s big-hearted mothers, so afraid for wayward daughters who want more than they can provide and say things like “I didn’t raise you like this!” when they act up. When we act up. I know you didn’t, and I’m sorry.

At the helm of Lady Bird, Gerwig is even more masterful at painting sisterhood and choices with a bold intensity, coloured with vivid metaphorical visuals. Juxtaposing the joy of a first kiss with a hushed conversation about tight finances gives economic hardship and anxiety the same weight in the drama as romantic entanglements. Lady Bird’s mother is often visibly crushed by her daughter’s ungrateful and embarrassed recognition that they aren’t wealthy, and “wrong side of the tracks” cliches are shown to be careless, throw away words for painful and inescapable realities. Gerwig crafts anxious and relatable narratives around being economically downtrodden and feeling less sure-footed in the face of those who have hit certain milestones. Her work is peppered with the many little audacious deceptions we pull off that conceal deep-rooted despair; the greater truths can be reached when we take sex out of the equation, or throw it in; the sorrow of being left behind. But she always gives us joy, too. Writing the names of boys we love on the wall and painting over them when don’t anymore.  Going to view houses, trying on other lives for fun, because it’s wonderful and poignant to deliberately get lost in the woods to simply feel every now and then.  

She makes me nostalgic for that particular sweet spot in my adolescence. There is so much I hated about being a teenager, but I was restless and hungry and I miss that person. I still want to believe that the world is full and vibrant, and that I deserve a slice of it nut sometimes I fear that I will never feel brave or excited again. But Gerwig is familiar with this feeling and Little Women, in essence, explores all of these fears. Her films show women living their lives differently and overcoming the battles that ensue, and this makes her the perfect wrangler for the March sisters, each with their own diverging life paths but all of them equally valid.

Of course, to call it an exploration of modern feminism isn’t wholly true. Feminism that isn’t intersectional isn’t feminism and Little Women as a historical piece is incredibly white and heteronormative. But, there are lessons to be learned about what being a woman today looks like. It takes guts to be a mother and raise children, or to pursue the life you desire even if it takes you thousands of miles from what you know and who you love. She understands that choosing a creative career - and continuing to choose it in the face of all its difficulties – is to peer into the lion’s mouth. Her films have a simmering undercurrent that points a finger directly at the harsh reality and unspoken acceptance that art is for the rich, and the pursuit of culture indicates a sense of superiority or reaching above station. And it will always take courage to break free from expectations, even if those expectations come from the people you love most.

I refuse to pick a favourite this time.

Meg March is coming home.

Beth March is your favourite album on vinyl.

Amy March is playing poker, and winning.

And Jo? Jo March is every foolish text and all sparkling, heartfelt conversations.

If I have to pick My Best One, it’s Gerwig herself. She is a storyteller who handles life’s tiny disappointments and triumphs like precious ornaments. She is a master of making mountains out of moments, of carefully handling stories that give women space to live untidily and brilliantly, of big and small rituals we do to root the person we’re becoming to the person we used to be, and to the people, places and things we’ve loved, always.

I feel safe in her hands. I couldn’t trust my March sisters to anyone less worthy, and I can’t wait to see these women I love through her imaginative, sensitive and determined eyes.

#Greta Gerwig #Little Women #Jane Austen #Jo March #filmmaking #sisterhood #feminism #film #nostalgia

[nathanneedsausername]

Most Overlooked Movies in Oscar History

Well guys, its official, Green Book was awarded the highest honour a single film can be given. Best Picture. If you spent any time on Twitter the day after the 91st Academy Awards you will have noticed that film nerds were not exactly thrilled by the decision, film Twitter immediately erupted into a discussion about all the films that didn’t receive the nomination that may have been more worthy winners than Green Book. Films like Eighth Grade, The Miseducation of Cameron Post and If Beale Street Could Talk appear to have benefited far more in regard to free publicity than any of the actual nominees. Of course, this isn’t the first time that the academy has failed to acknowledge the real best of the year and it certainly won’t be the last. So, in the spirit of being mad at the Academy let’s take a look at some of the worst historical snubs of all time.Well guys, its official, Green Book was awarded the highest honour a single film can be given. Best Picture. If you spent any time on Twitter the day after the 91st Academy Awards you will have noticed that film nerds were not exactly thrilled by the decision, film Twitter immediately erupted into a discussion about all the films that didn’t receive the nomination that may have been more worthy winners than Green Book. Films like Eighth Grade, The Miseducation of Cameron Post and If Beale Street Could Talk appear to have benefited far more in regard to free publicity than any of the actual nominees. Of course, this isn’t the first time that the academy has failed to acknowledge the real best of the year and it certainly won’t be the last. So, in the spirit of being mad at the Academy let’s take a look at some of the worst historical snubs of all time.

The Avengers (2012)

Actual nominations: Argo, Amour, Beasts of the Southern Wild, Django Unchained, Les Misérables, Life of Pi, Lincoln, Silver Linings Playbook, Zero Dark Thirty.

The Academy has historically looked down on superhero films with no comic book adaptation receiving a Best Picture nod before Black Panther earlier this year. While The Avengers may not have been the most artistic or dramatic film of 2012 it is hard to deny it’s impact. When future generations look back on the films of the 2010s The Avengers will likely stand out as one of the most important releases. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe feeling like a part of everyday life it can be hard to remember just how big a risk this movie was at the time. Think pieces were all over the internet about how the film would ultimately end up as an unwatchable, convoluted mess of ideas that would end Joss Wheadon’s career. How wrong they were.

If the Best Picture award is supposed to honour the greatest and most important achievements in modern cinema then The Avengers absolutely deserved to end up on the ballot, but we don’t live in the universe where The Academy does cool stuff like that.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Actual nominations: Million Dollar Baby, The Aviator, Finding Neverland, Ray, Sideways.

How on earth did this happen? It truly amazes me that more members of the academy felt that Finding Neverland deserved more acclaim than Eternal Sunshine. Going of the assumption that the ‘best picture’ should be the film with all its filmmaking elements working perfectly together then Eternal Sunshine should win every year. Charlie Kaufman won the award for original screenplay and Kate Winslet received the only other nomination for lead actress, this film didn’t even receive a nomination in any of the technical categories. The treatment of Michel Gondry’s masterpiece by the Academy should be seen as a permanent black spot on the ceremony’s reputation.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit (1988)

Actual Nominations: Rain Man, The Accidental Tourist, Dangerous Liaisons, Mississippi Burning, Working Girl

Hear me out on this one. Roger Rabbit is one of my all-time favourite movies and for that, I’ll admit, I’m a little bias. That being said I truly believe that this is one of the finest achievements in cinema history from a purely technical level. The nominees for the 61st Acadamy Awards are solid (for the most part wtf is going with The Accidental Tourist?) but none of these films are as impressive as what Robert Zemeckis and his team were able to achieve by mixing live action film with 2D animation. Roger Rabbit is more than just a gimmick however, this a very entertaining and genuinely compelling detective story at its core. Once again, the term ‘Best Picture’ feels perfectly defined while discussing this film, a film that wasn’t even considered for the award.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Actual Nominees: A Beautiful Mind, Gosford Park, In the Bedroom, Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, Moulin Rouge

Excuse my language but Donnie Darko is a fucking great movie. Here is another year where the nominees were pretty solid but come on you can’t tell me that Donnie Darko was too weird and abstract when you nominated Moulin bloody Rouge! Donnie Darko is the sort of film that is still being discussed to this day with so many incredibly well thought out details both in the direction and the screenplay. When you ask a film lover what is so special about the medium it is films like this that they will point to, with an excellent score, great performances, hypnotically simple editing and masterful direction it doesn’t put a foot wrong. Do I really have to spell out what the words ‘Best Picture’ mean again?

WALL.E (2008)

Actual Nominees: Slumdog Millionaire, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk, The Reader

Let’s talk about animation for a bit. Only three animated films have ever been nominated for top prize (Beauty and the Beast, Up and Toy Story 3) considering the amount for excellent animated film are not those three I had a lot to choose from. With the likes of My Neighbour Totoro, Toy Story, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Princess Mononoke and The Nightmare Before Christmas going completely unnoticed the academy has found a way to further segregate the medium of animation from live-action film by introducing the ‘best animated feature’ award at the 2002 ceremony. This addition has led to films like Spirited Away, Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Ratatouille, Frozen, Inside Out and most recently Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse receiving an award without having to let them compete with live action films. There are no academy rules that state animation cannot be considered for Best Picture it just doesn’t happen. I have singled out WALL.E because I think it showcases exactly what modern animation has achieved. WALL.E is a largely silent film with gorgeous visuals and a strong environmental message that is still accessible to general audiences, including children. Surly one of Pixar’s finest achievements deserves to be held in just as high regard as David Fancher’s 8th best film.

 Ps. You will notice a distinct lack of The Dark Knight in the 2008 nominations as well.

Psycho (1960)

Actual Nominees: The Apartment, The Alamo, Elmer Gantry, Sons and Lovers, The Sundowners

Another genre historically left out of the running is horror. Only 6 horror films have ever been up for the award (The Exorcist, Jaws, The Silence of the lambs, The Sixth Sense, Black Swan and Get Out). Horror is a genre that is often looked down upon in the film community for being ‘low-brow’ and not as artistic, a similar struggled as the one faced by the superhero genre. With important releases such as: Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Suspiria, Halloween, Alien, The Shining, Let he Right One In, Night of the Living Dead and perhaps most surprising, Psycho going unnoticed by the academy it is clear to see that there is a bias against the genre somewhere in Hollywood. Psycho is also emblematic of another problem with historic best picture nominations. What on earth is the academy’s issue with Alfred Hitchcock? Psycho is not the only of Hitchcock’s classic films not to receive the nomination, in fact North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window and Dial M for Murder were all snubbed.

On a related note despite being nominated 5 times Hitchcock never received the Oscar for best director putting him in the prestigious company of: David Lynch, Terry Gilliam, Ridley Scott, Wes Anderson Quentin Tarantino, David Fincher, Edgar Wright, Spike Lee, Charlie Chaplin, Orson Wells and Stanley Kubrick. So, I guess you could say that it isn’t just the Best Picture category that doesn’t make sense.

 These were 6 examples I felt I could make a point out of, it is important to remember that many more examples are out there of revolutionary masterworks that went unrecognised come awards season. People don’t take into consideration what happens behind the scenes at the Oscars. The ceremony needs good ratings, The Academy needs to honour films with progressive messages that are easily digestible, and everyone has an agenda and wants to see their friends win. The Oscars are a lot of fun, it gives people like as a chance to talk about the films we loved that year hopefully see our favourites given some well-deserved recognition but let’s not take it more seriously than we should. Next year when the Academy inevitably choses to honour mediocrity remind yourself that The Third Man wasn’t nominated in 1950 or you could remind yourself that Singin’ in the Rain wasn’t nominated in 1953, alternatively mention that 2001: A Space Odyssey was snubbed in 1969, The Matrix in 2000, Back to the Future in 1986, Pan���s Labyrinth in 2007, Cool Hand Luke in 1968. Or if you want your could run into the street and shout about how, Duck Soup, Modern Times, His Girl Friday, Night of the Living Dead, The Shining, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, Oldboy, Reservoir Dogs and The Big Lebowski all weren’t nominated for god dammed thing.

Nathan Needs A Username’s Must See Movies: https://letterboxd.com/nathan_r_l/list/nathan-needs-a-usernames-must-see-movies/

Nathan Needs A Username’s Avoid At All Cost Movies: https://letterboxd.com/nathan_r_l/list/nathan-needs-a-usernames-avoid-at-all-cost/

#oscars #acadamy awards #the avengers #eternal sunshine of the spotless mind #who framed roger rabbit #donnie darko #wall.e #psycho

[jorrmungandr]

Aesthetics and Evil

So, I’ve been thinking about something lately. It’s a bit hard to explain, having to do with a lot of sort of vague concepts that I am not particularly educated on. But I will endeavor to be as clear as possible.

This has to do with how evil is presented in fiction, and in media in general. Bad guys, acts of cruelty and violence, and those who perpetrate it. The power of aesthetics to shape the way that people view the world around them. The morality of using the finely honed skills of modern artists to push an ideological agenda, and what effect that can have even, and especially, when it’s unintentional.

I think that fiction warps the way people perceive the world, and makes them reach for easy, aesthetically-oriented answers instead of actually engaging with ideas. This isn’t to say that people are lazy, but the world is complicated and loud, and they’re going to take shortcuts whenever possible. It’s only human.

But that’s a bit heavy and dense. Let’s start with something simple: The Picture of Dorian Gray.

In this famous novel by Oscar Wilde, a young dandy has his portrait painted by a friend. He becomes obsessed with the idea of not growing old, but more importantly not having his appearance blemished by any sins he may commit in his life. And lo, a miracle happens and it comes true, the painting suffers the effects of his misdeeds, and ages in his stead.

In modern interpretations, it is often simplified into the painting aging while he remains young. But it is a big point in the original that for every horrible thing Dorian does, the painting is altered in some way. The idea being that the evil in his heart is externalized more and more as he indulges in it.

When I saw a stage version of this story at the Book-It theater last year, this really stuck out to me, because that’s not actually how it works, in real life. You can’t see a “curl of cruelty” on someone’s lip. Immorality is not necessarily externalized, and even in the modern media climate we have to learn this lesson over and over again. Bill Cosby didn’t get uglier every time he assaulted an unconscious victim. Louis CK didn’t have a shine of cruelty in his eyes even as he continued to victimize women. Evil thoughts and actions do not have an effect on appearance, actually.

Who do we have to keep learning this lesson? What is the cause of this cultural amnesia? We expect evil people to announce themselves through their aesthetics as well as their actions, because that’s the way it works in basically all fiction, everywhere.

Stories are crafted, by human hands and minds. They don’t spring fully-formed from the aether, people think about what they’re making, and the put a lot of work into it. There are all sorts of techniques of various sorts used to imply things subtly, to clue the audience in without saying it outright. The use of colors, shapes, tones, staging, camera direction, all sorts of different things, combine into what I refer to under the broad umbrella of “aesthetics”. This is what I mean when I say that “evil” is usually accompanied by appropriate aesthetics.

So, when you spend your whole life seeing this presented to you in media, that evil always warps the world around it to be presented a certain way, why, it’s only natural that you actually think that way. When you’re taught something, so universally if subtly, it can only affect the way you think!

This isn’t to say that this is universal, or absolute. I absolutely do not mean to say such a thing. It varies from person to person, and even then there’s the matter of taste, which is in fact the most dangerous and troublesome thing of all.

You see, the intentions of artists don’t really amount to a hill of beans when it comes to interpretation by the audience. When I was a kid, watchin’ cartoons and movies, I often sympathized with the villains because they were more interesting, visually and conceptually.

Let’s use a concrete example: I love the aesthetic of the Republic of Zeon in the Universal Century series of Gundam media. They’ve got the cooler-looking giant robots. They have cool uniforms. I like the idea of a group of space colonies declaring and fighting for their independence from Earth.

Also, Zeon is fascistic and unimaginably monstrous, according to the fiction of the series. But that almost all plays out off-screen. In the lead-up to the original Mobile Suit Gundam, one third of humanity is killed in a variety of atrocities committed by Zeon. Their leaders are horrible, power-grubbing monsters who fall to infighting, but they’re characters and they’re interesting. So, despite all that, I still like them.

Now, I happen to be aware of all this extra backstory, but there are an awful lot of fans of Zeon among the fans of Gundam, who are in it purely for the aesthetics of the robots and whatnot. There’s a lot of Zeon merchandise. There’s a lot of sympathy for these horrible fascists, who keep coming back and losing over and over again.

This kind of appreciation can start out as ironic, and morph into something more sincere with repetition and time. Or with the intervention of just the right kind of charismatic individuals. The appreciation for this kind of aesthetic is easy to co-opt, especially since it’s based on fascistic regimes in the first place!

The problem is that people will engage more with aesthetics than ideas, because media presents aesthetics as a shortcut to ideas. But it’s all open to interpretation, and people aren’t always going to take everything seriously.

This all goes back to an idea I’ve had rattling around in my head for ages, and I’m not sure exactly where it came from. A lot of different places, I suppose. But it’s this: it’s impossible for evil people to create good art. Anything they make is ugly. All art produced by Nazi Germany, for example, is actually ugly, because it’s promoting fascism and genocide and whatnot.

But that’s just not true. That’s sticking your head in the sand, and saying that the sky is green. It’s putting ideas ahead of aesthetics, which is all well and good when you’re talking hypothetically and engaging only with ideas, but in reality it falls completely flat.

Look, I’m not comin’ out here going to bat for fascists and murderers and rapists, saying you should give their art a chance. What I’m saying is aesthetics have no inherent ideology. Using aesthetics is just a skill, like any other. You wouldn’t say that a plumber must be bad at his job because he’s a racist. The evil of great art and artists isn’t something that’s just for you, personally, to confront, but to consider in a wider, societal context.

You can say that fascism is inherently ugly ‘til the cows come home, but I will still look at the fight between Norris Packard and the 08th MS Team and think he looks super fucking cool. If you teach people to rely on aesthetics for hints towards ideology, they will do it.

All I’m saying is... be aware of it.

#my writing #gundam #the picture of dorian gray #philosophy #aesthetics #holy shit this is so long #but important #mumm ra the ever living #long post