Dutch Angles and Cognitive Dissonance

John Patrick Shanley's Doubt (2008) -- based on his own 2004 play of the same name (and published as Doubt: A Parable) -- shows an intelligence and curiosity that, judging from recent and upcoming movies, is becoming a trend. Coming at the end of eight years of little intelligence and even less curiosity among America's leadership, this is something to savor and enjoy.

I was a little worried about the star power of Meryl Streep and Philip Seymour Hoffman, but they're as excellent as ever and fit their roles nicely (as Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn); strong additional acting by Amy Adams, Viola Davis and other supporting actors gives Doubt additional dimension and weight.

Set in 1964, Doubt presents us with the milieu of tradition vs. the winds of change via Vatican II even while getting at all sorts of interesting themes -- most especially, the idea of doubt. What is proper, what is truth, what is faith, what is the best way to deal with other people?

I love the occasional use of Dutch angles (think Batman or The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari) and other touches like swirling leaves, unruly wind and popping light bulbs. Strangely, I don't remember a soundtrack, something I usually take note of front and center. On the other hand, there are memorable riffs on "Frosty the Snowman," ball point pens, the nature of "authority" and the power to influence people from afar and up close and, with great visual effectiveness, on some of the differences between priests and nuns at work and at rest. This is a very smart movie. You don't have to be Catholic or in any way religious or even cognizant of priesthood scandals to get something good out of Doubt.

Today's Rune: The Mystery Rune.

The Walls Close in and I Need Some Noise

RIP, Stooges guitarist Ron Asheton (1948-2009), born and died in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He wanted to bop 'til he dropped and he did. The Stooges were so against the grain when they came out! Now they seem like a perfect fit for the modern world. Ahead of their time, is all . . . As Michigan goes, so goes the world, sooner or later . . .



















Thanks to both Johnny Yen and Evan for breaking the news . . .

And for any fan of The Stooges, or of any kind of real cool time hard stuff: if you haven't heard them, I recommend the expanded remixes with bonus tracks of The Stooges and Funhouse. If you like, proceed from there . . . Post forthcoming, no doubt. Similarly, I was happy to receive for Christmas the expanded version of The Doors' Morrison Hotel / Hard Rock Cafe (lots of delightful Jim Morrison antics . . . "The future's uncertain and the end is always near," indeed.)

Today's Rune: Possessions.

Welcome to the Working Week

The Israeli-launched "Operation Cast Lead" reminds me of the Second Seminole War of 1837-1842 in its existential dimensions. We know how that one ended eventually -- with the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida acquiring the Hard Rock Cafe chain in 2006. Seminoles still abide in Florida, along with Miami and Disney World.

Israel has nowhere like Oklahoma (aka Indian Territory) to remove many Palestinians to via a Trail of Tears. They will have to cut a deal right in Gaza, right in the West Bank. They will not destroy Hamas. The best approaches are political ones, and economic revitalization. Maybe there will be casinos there, too, one day, only with an Islamic tinge.

Here's to the Obama Administration doing better than the Bush-Cheney people. Jimmy Carter managed to help broker a sort of peace between Egypt and Israel, and Obama is undoubtedly aiming to do the same on a more comprehensive scale once he takes office. Which the Israelis obviously realize, given the timing of this military "operation."

Hamas wins 1) if they can still lob rockets on the last day of fighting; 2) more than one hundred Israelis are killed during this window of warring (as of this post, five Israeli soldiers have been killed) 3) Hamas survives as a political entity. My prediction: Hamas achieves at least two out of three of these.


















Today's Rune: Warrior.

Henry & June

I remember when Philip Kaufman's Henry & June came out in 1990, not only because it was and is cool and quite a bit different from typical American movies, but also because it received the then new NC-17 rating due to its sexual nature. In the USA, as in most countries I suppose, the very topic of sex -- though not necessarily in the absurdly sophomoric fantasy ways exploited by mass advertising -- is far more subversive and scarier to many people than violence. That fact in itself is really fascinating.

Set in Paris during The Great Depression with the rise of the Nazis in the background, Henry & June stars Maria de Medeiros (Maria de Medeiros Esteves Vitorino de Almeida) as Anaïs Nin (Angela Anaïs Juana Antolina Rosa Edelmira Nin y Culmell), Fred Ward as Henry Miller, Uma Thurman as June Miller and Richard E. Grant as Nin's husband Hugo, plus Kevin Spacey and others in bit parts. The soundtrack is superb.



















Today's Rune: Journey.

One More Bloodbath for the Road

Right up to their last days, everything the Bush-Cheney people and their allies touch turns into blood and shit.

I don't know which is worse, Bush's bufoonishly naive "beliefs" or Cheney's depraved and utterly destructive "we good/they bad" worldview.

Does anyone else remember this gem? "President Bush Predicts Middle East Peace Deal" (Telegraph, January 11, 2008): "President George W. Bush has predicted that a Middle East peace treaty will be signed by the time he leaves office, while on a visit to Israel. . . 'I'm on a timetable,' he told reporters. 'I've got 12 months.' . . . 'I believe it's possible - not only possible, I believe it's going to happen - that there [will] be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office (in January 2009).'"

We have a little over two more weeks to go and can only hope that Prick Cheney doesn't have his way. He'd have a U.S.-approved Israeli air strike against Iran before he heads back for the cowboy hills. If such was the case, Gaza would merely be a diversion (albeit a savage and brutal one) for even bigger fireworks to come.




















These idiots have ineptly sponsored wars from Somalia to Pakistan, from Georgia to Iraq, from Lebanon to Afghanistan -- all of them epic disasters now and unpardonable clusterfucks. Condoleezza Rice is a worthless Secretary of State, a feckless stooge. What a gargantuan shit storm the incoming administration will have to deal with! God help the civilians caught in the crossfire in Gaza and everywhere. Indeed, God help us all.

Today's Rune: Opening.

Books

One of the aims of the incoming Obama Administration is to strengthen the infrastructure of the USA, including not only bridges and rail lines, but also internet access (which is still lackadaisical and sporadic in the area of W-LAN / Wi-Fi Hotspots and connections, and not just in less populated areas). Schools, libraries, and bookstore cafés -- all types will benefit.

As a librarian, I was thrilled when card catalogs morphed into highly efficient and more user-friendly online catalogs (or OPACs, online public access catalogs); I'm equally thrilled to see so many out of print books resurfacing in digital format. I also salute used and rare and specialty book stores and book dealers for their important role in the cultural network. The internet provides a bridge to such places -- which are also wonderful to visit in person.

Detroit has an outstanding cultural resource in John K. King Used & Rare Books (ca. 750,000 books at last check). Its website has a basic search function for Rare Books only (I randomly checked out "Kerouac" and was pleased with the results):

http://www.rarebooklink.com/cgi-bin/kingbooks/index.html



















Author Larry McMurtry has a fabulous bookstore in Archer City, Texas. If Booked Up is too remote for your on-site browsing pleasure, there's always this link to check out:

http://www.bookedupac.com/

As with Detroit's King Books, you may put in requests for authors/titles, etc. by email, phone, or regular mail.

Does anyone have a favorite perusal or purchase point besides Amazon, Borders, or Barnes & Noble? Libraries are a preferred alternative, of course -- we're all in this together.

Today's Rune: Defense.

It's Showtime at the Apollo!

Happy 2009, everybody! Rather than another account of The Great Depression, here instead is a scanned artifact from a memorable show. 1991 was a good year for me in the way of cultural absorption. While doing an adequately paid internship in London for English Heritage, I probably saw more plays and small venue concerts for cheap than I have in all the years since. Siouxsie & The Banshees at the Town & Country Club in Kentish Town London NW 5, June 29, 1991 was certainly one of them. Man, they even had a nifty coat room and a nearby tube stop, so no car needed. Got to see The Pogues and Kraftwerk at the Brixton Academy, and a memorable play about Édith Piaf and Billie Holiday, and another one at a micro-theatre based on Dostoevsky's / Dostoyevsky's Notes from Underground.

Anyone have a favorite concert or artist they loved to see? Since London '91, the ones I'm happiest to have experienced include Iggy Pop, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Kraftwerk (again), David Bowie, The Lords of Acid, Irma Thomas, The Pretenders, Dwight Yoakam, James Brown, The Gap Band, Wilco, The Old 97s, Jim Carroll, The Guess Who, Eric Burdon & The Animals, Maria Muldaur and just about anyone playing jazz at the Detroit International Jazz Festival or Baker's Keyboard Lounge in Detroit. In fact, every one of these shows was in Michigan, most of them in Detroit or environs.

Besides losing about ten pounds or so and travelling around, one New Year's resolution for me is to see at least a few cool shows of this calibre. Seek and find, seek and find . . .

Here's a courthouse lawn that obviously doesn't adhere to any separation of church and state rules . . . Not surprisingly, I saw this in Palinist country in the American South. No joke!

Today's Rune: Joy.