My Favorite Brunette is not often hilarious, but prompts chuckles pretty consistently as a sharp send up of the private eye genre, with Hope's narration a bonus and the indignities heaped upon him adding to the fun.
The New York Times doesn't like it. Films de France says, "Secret Agent is an entertaining example of its genre, shot through with occasional moments of artistic brilliance," while noting "Peter Lorre’s comical over-acting". Salon.com calls it "freakish" and "fascinating" and "the weirdest movie Hitchcock made". The Spinning Image calls it "a real curiosity" and says,
But if Secret Agent doesn't entirely work as a thriller – and not at all as a love story – it does have that strange, macabre edge that Hitchcock would in subsequent decades give full reign to.
In honor of today being the anniversary of Peter Lorre's death I declared a 1-day Lorre Blogathon. I've linked my posts on Peter Lorre's films here.
Arsenic and Old Lace, released in 1944, is directed by Frank Capra and stars Cary Grant, Josephine Hull, Raymond Massey, Peter Lorre, Jack Carson, James Gleason and Edward Everett Horton.
DVDTalk calls it "a pretty nifty little picture". TCM says, "Fortunately the film itself earned positive notices and became something of a cult favorite among noir devotees." Weird Wild Realm says it's "a hard-hitting working-class crime drama". The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops calls it a "Small but effective thriller".
In honor of today being the anniversary of Peter Lorre's death I declared a 1-day Lorre Blogathon. I've linked my posts on Peter Lorre's films here.
There are 2 movies named The Man Who Knew Too Much, both directed by Hitchcock. This 1934 version is by far my favorite. I know the 1956 remake with Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day is better known and seems to be the preference for most, but not for me. I don't need Doris Day singing Que Sera, Sera, and I think there may actually be such a thing as too much of Jimmy Stewart.
The film can be viewed online thanks to googlevideo:
BFI's Sight&Sound prefers this version to the remake:
Aside from its East End setting, the earlier version scores two great points over its remake. One, of course, is Peter Lorre's brilliant, wheedling turn as the oleaginous Mr Abbott. The other is its climax, recreating the Sidney Street siege of 1911 in a terse and well-orchestrated shoot-out which is vastly preferable to Ms Day and her interminable crooning.
Films de France compares the two in its review, calling Lorre "stunning" and saying,
This American remake is certainly more polished than the 1934 original but lacks the frisson of danger and dark, expressionist tones of that earlier film.
Bicentennial Man is a 1999 Robin Williams film based on The Positronic Man, which in turn was based on the novella The Bicentennial Man by Isaac Asimov. I don't like Robin Williams. Well, I like him ok when he's scripted, but I find his ad-libbing tiresome. I looked back at this film particularly because of its inclusion in the recent list by AirLockAlpha.com of top 10 science fiction movies based on written works. I remembered this film as being pretty dreadful and wanted to refresh my memory.
Youtube has this film online divided into 13 sections. Part 1:
Moria calls it "appalling sentimental tripe". The New York Times says it "achieves the pop grandiloquence of a ''Star Trek'' installment," but they don't mean that in a good way. Frank Wu says, "Read the story instead" and
This year baseball's Dodgers and Orioles both proved that you could spend $75 million, collect a team of talented players with great track records, and still wind up as stinking losers. The Bicentennial Man proves the same about movies.
Roger Ebert says it seems "very long and very slow" and says,
"Bicentennial Man" could have been an intelligent, challenging science fiction movie, but it's too timid, too eager to please. It wants us to like Andrew, but it is difficult at a human deathbed to identify with the aluminum mourner. Strange, how definitely the film goes wrong.
Stultifyingly dull and a disgusting waste of valuable film dollars, this is the kind of studio cack that should be acknowledged for the shameful mess that it is and consigned to the rubbish bin. ... Do not, repeat, do not see this film.
SciFi.com likes it. Hmmm... There's one in every crowd, but they're in good company with AirLockAlpha.
And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. (John 3:14-21 KJV)
Grant, we beseech thee, Almighty God, that we, who for our evil deeds do worthily deserve to be punished, by the comfort of thy grace may mercifully be relieved; through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen. (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)
The picture of a sunrise at the top of the post is from Matthew Fang's Flickr page.
Truman Capote's short novel Breakfast at Tiffany's displays a romantic and charming, yet anguishing and heart wrenching drama. Capote paints characters that the reader can recall as if they are remembering a dream of someone they once knew.
Mr. Capote's characteristic resorting to almost vaudevillian devices weakens his originally serious conception of his character, thins it down and so, in mid-reading, forces the reader to a dimmer view of her.
Steven Wu says, "for the life of me I can't figure out why this book is so highly esteemed." Salon.com likes it. USA Today has an article on the 50th anniversary of the book and on its continuing presence in our culture.
Today is World Poetry Day. Poetry may be my least favorite of the arts. What can I say? I'm an uncultured slob. I do like some kinds of poetry, though, including some of Shel Silverstein's work, nursery rhymes and limericks and such. UNESCO obviously has a more exalted form of poetry in mind when they write:
Although we have just concluded the celebrations of the sixtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, let us ensure that this Day will also attest to the universal aspiration to a world reconciled around the values of freedom and diversity.
Little Willie Pair of Skates Hole in the Ice Golden Gates
which inspired my own high-school composition
Willie, who had naught to lose, Threw away his brand new shoes. Mother, who was not all sweet, Nailed his next ones to his feet.
This poem is one of my personal favorites:
Jim Who ran away from his Nurse and was eaten by a Lion by Hilaire Belloc
There was a Boy whose name was Jim; His Friends were very good to him. They gave him Tea, and Cakes, and Jam, And slices of delicious Ham, And Chocolate with pink inside And little Tricycles to ride, And read him Stories through and through, And even took him to the Zoo- But there it was the dreadful Fate Befell him, which I now relate.
You know--or at least you ought to know, For I have often told you so- That Children never are allowed To leave their Nurses in a Crowd; Now this was Jim's especial Foible, He ran away when he was able, And on this inauspicious day He slipped his hand and ran away!
He hadn't gone a yard when-Bang! With open Jaws, a lion sprang, And hungrily began to eat The Boy: beginning at his feet. Now, just imagine how it feels When first your toes and then your heels, And then by gradual degrees, Your shins and ankles, calves and knees, Are slowly eaten, bit by bit. No wonder Jim detested it! No wonder that he shouted "Hi!"
The Honest Keeper heard his cry, Though very fat he almost ran To help the little gentleman. "Ponto!" he ordered as he came (For Ponto was the Lion's name), "Ponto!" he cried, with angry Frown, "Let go, Sir! Down, Sir! Put it down!" The Lion made a sudden stop, He let the Dainty Morsel drop, And slunk reluctant to his Cage, Snarling with Disappointed Rage. But when he bent him over Jim, The Honest Keeper's Eyes were dim. The Lion having reached his Head, The Miserable Boy was dead!
When Nurse informed his Parents, they Were more Concerned than I can say:- His Mother, as She dried her eyes, Said, "Well-it gives me no surprise, He would not do as he was told!" His Father, who was self-controlled, Bade all the children round attend To James's miserable end, And always keep a-hold of Nurse For fear of finding something worse.
Cinematical has a list of 7 apocalyptic science fiction films -annotated at their site, of course, telling lots of goodies about each one- but just listed here:
I Am Legend (2007)
12 Monkeys (1995)
The Day The Earth Caught Fire (1961)
Planet of the Apes series (1968, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973)
Our DVD has an interesting "special feature" on the life of Thomas More.
This movie is #27 on the ArtsAndFaith.com list of 100 most spiritually significant films. The New York Times says it is "a picture that inspires admiration, courage and thought." DecentFilms.com says, "This is a great film. I believe it is the most profound cinematic depiction of the life of any saint." Variety has a review. FerdieOnFilm reviews it in memory of Paul Scofield during the week of his death.
Naw-Ruz is one of the nine Bahá'à holy days on which work is to be suspended. It is generally observed with a meeting for prayer and celebration -- often combined with a dinner since the sunset on which Naw-Ruz begins ends the last day of the Bahá'à fast. As with all Bahá'à holy days, there are few fixed rules for observing Naw-Ruz...
There is an official web site for Bahai's in the United States. That site lists these as Core Beliefs:
Core Beliefs
The principle of the oneness of humankind is the pivot around which all the teachings of Baha'u'llah revolve.
Baha'u'llah taught that humanity, after a long and turbulent adolescence, is at last reaching a stage of maturity in which unity in a global and just society finally can be established.
To this end, the Baha'i Faith prescribes laws of personal morality and behavior, as well as social laws and principles, to establish the oneness of humanity.
Baha'is believe:
* the purpose of life is to know and worship God, to acquire virtues, to promote the oneness of humankind and to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization * all humanity was created by one God and is part of one human race * work performed in the spirit of service is a form of worship * the soul, created at the moment of conception, is destined by God to reach the afterlife, where it will continue to progress until it attains the presence of God
Baha'is practice:
* daily prayer and communion with God * high moral principles, including trustworthiness, chastity and honesty * independent investigation of truth * a life dedicated to the service of humanity * fellowship with the followers of all religions * avoidance of excessive materialism, partisan politics, backbiting, alcohol, drugs and gambling
The Baha'i Faith is the youngest of the world’s independent monotheistic religions. Founded in Iran in 1844, it now has more than five million adherents in 236 countries and territories. Baha'is come from nearly every national, ethnic and religious background, making the Baha'i Faith the second-most-widespread religion in the world.
Baha'is view the world's major religions as a part of a single, progressive process through which God reveals His will to humanity. Baha'u'llah (1817-1892), the Founder of the Baha'i Faith, is recognized as the most recent in a line of Divine Messengers that includes Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Christ and Muhammad.
The central theme of Baha'u'llah's message is that humanity is one single race and that the day has come for humanity’s unification into one global society. While reaffirming the core ethical principles common to all religions, Baha'u'llah also revealed new laws and teachings to lay the foundations of a global civilization. “A new life,” Baha'u'llah declared, “is, in this age, stirring within all the peoples of the earth.”
This is Terry Gilliam's list of the 10 best animated films of all time. At the link he annotates each entry, explaining why it deserves a spot in his top 10.
The Mascot (Wladyslaw Starewicz, France 1934)
Pinocchio (Hamilton Luske and Ben Sharpsteen, US, 1940)
Red Hot Riding Hood (Tex Avery, US, 1943)
Out of the Inkwell (Dave Fleischer, US, 1938)
Death Breath (Stan van der Beek, US, 1964)
Les Jeux des Anges (Walerian Borowczyk, France, 1964)
Dimensions of Dialogue (Jan Svankmajer, Czechoslovakia, 1982)
Street of Crocodiles (The Quay Brothers, UK, 1986)
Knickknack (John Lasseter, US, 1989)
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (Trey Parker, US, 1999)
Ones I've seen are in bold print.
There are some of Starewicz's films embedded here, along with links to more information.
Things are not what they appear, and you cannot believe your own eyes. You are seeing what your brain tells you to see and not what your eyes are actually seeing. Click here for the demonstration.
Today is St. Patrick's Day, the feast day of St. Patrick, patron saint of Ireland. Wear green in honor of St. Patrick. The Husband always makes green muffins for us, and those are waiting downstairs now. When the kids were little we decorated with shamrocks, played rhythm instruments in our own little St. Paddy's Day parade, read books about the holiday, listened to Irish folk tales and music and wore green jewelry.
Prayer for the Faithful by Saint Patrick
May the Strength of God guide us. May the Power of God preserve us. May the Wisdom of God instruct us. May the Hand of God protect us. May the Way of God direct us. May the Shield of God defend us. May the Angels of God guard us. - Against the snares of the evil one.
May Christ be with us! May Christ be before us! May Christ be in us, Christ be over all!
May Thy Grace, Lord, Always be ours, This day, O Lord, and forevermore. Amen.
From Suvudu (via SFSignal) comes this list of their "Top 10 Apocalyptic Tales":
The Gate to Women’s Country, Sheri S. Tepper Earth Abides, George Stewart On the Beach, Nevil Shute Riddley Walker, Russell Hoban A Canticle for Leibowitz, Walter M. Miller, Jr. Without Warning, John Birmingham The Sheep Look Up, John Brunner The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood
And two examples from TV and film:
Threads Miracle Mile
They annotate their list, explaining why each was chosen. Ones I've read or seen are in bold print. I may have read the Brunner book but just don't remember.
The Elder Son gave me this DVD for an occasion some time ago. My viewing of it was interrupted for some reason and never resumed, but now I've gotten back to it. Westworld is a 1973 science fiction film starring Yul Brynner as a rogue robot gunslinger in an amusement park gone haywire.
This includes some of Cinemated Man's commentary, which is either a good thing or not depending on how you look at these things.
Moria has a review. 1000 Misspent Hours says it "has more genuine dramatic kick to it than any other Crichton picture I’ve seen". SciFi.com has a mixed review, but says,
The film might have been intolerable had it been played only as an action movie or been any longer. As it is, it emerges as a minor, and not even all that guilty, pleasure.
How to Murder Your Mother-in-Law by Dorothy Cannell is the 6th novel in the Ellie Haskell mystery series. I've read and enjoyed The Thin Woman, the 1st one. This is a fun and funny read -a "cozy", I guess you'd say- and suits me right now. And there's a Methodist murderer in the book. Or a suspected murderer anyway.
from the back of the book:
Nothing like a live-in mother-in-law to reduce a woman to the role of junior housemaid. That's what Ellie discovers when her husband's parents have a row in the midst of their anniversary dinner, and mother Magdalene seeks refuge in Ellie's guest bedroom. Suddenly Ellie is being driven round the bend by the woman's constant demands.
Thank goodness for the other wives who also suffer from the age-old mother-in-law curse. A chance meeting down at the Dark Horse pub finds them trading horror stories, and soon they're mixing gin and tonics with homicidal fantasies - a soupcon of poison here, a broken brake line there. All very therapeutic and no harm intended. At least, that's what Ellie thinks... until one mum-in-law meets a premature end and another has a very close call. Now Ellie must find the mother-in-law of all killers - before her own sweet Magdalene ends up on ice, and the blame is laid at Ellie's door...
And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting: And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house an house of merchandise. And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.
Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body. When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said.
Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. (John 2:12-23 KJV)
We beseech thee, Almighty God, look upon the hearty desires of thy humble servants, and stretch forth the right hand of thy Majesty, to be our defence against all our enemies; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)
So, I couldn't get the tunic I wanted, which is the one pictured below left in an XS in green, 'cause their stock is low. It couldn't have been more than 20 minutes after I placed my order online at Historic Enterprises that a woman called to explain the difficulty and help me choose an alternative. She was very helpful, and I ended up getting the same style gown in a small in black. It came yesterday, and it's perfect! I also got the headrail set pictured below right. Now, if I can only figure out how to put it on so it looks half-way right...
Of course I look like a nun in it, so maybe I'll be a nun for SCA purposes. I haven't seen anybody at the Grey Niche activities I've gone to who looks like they're aiming at an early religious persona, but you never know.
My feast gear also came. I ordered this at Pillaged Village and got 2 lunch-sized metal plates and 2 16-ounce mugs to match. These are pictured below. We also have 2 small round wooden plates and suitable flatware. We are ready to go to Beltane without borrowing. Hoorah!
If only The Younger Son's dagger would come...
3/16: I mailed our check to register us for Beltane today.
Today (3.14) is Pi Day. 1:59 will be Pi Minute, making it 3.14159. Pi Second will be 3/14,1:59:26. Don't worry if you missed it; you can always observe Pi Approximation Day on July 22. Pi Day has an official site and is a Facebook event. The Exploratorium is having its 21st annual celebration of the day. They have a link to the Second Life observance. There are some suitable song lyrics here. You might want to tell some jokes, like
Question: What do you get when you take the sun and divide its circumference by its diameter?
(1) supports the designation of a `Pi Day' and its celebration around the world;
(2) recognizes the continuing importance of National Science Foundation's math and science education programs; and
(3) encourages schools and educators to observe the day with appropriate activities that teach students about Pi and engage them about the study of mathematics.
The Younger Son finds it the goofiest Jesus movie he's seen so far, calling it the It's a Wonderful Life version of the story. The Daughter is also not impressed. Maybe it's the talking snakes...
Veoh has it [but not as of 2/17/2010].
trailer:
Roger Ebert says it is "a serious and devout film" and closes his review by saying that "The film has offended those whose ideas about God and man it does not reflect. But then, so did Jesus." He has this to say about the furor that still rages:
The astonishing controversy that has raged around this film is primarily the work of fundamentalists who have their own view of Christ and are offended by a film that they feel questions his divinity. ... Among those who do not already have rigid views on the subject, this film is likely to inspire more serious thought on the nature of Jesus than any other ever made.
Images Journal praises it, closing their review with this:
Those who haven’t seen the movie in some time will be surprised how well it’s aged. Every scene packs a punch, and the last temptation, which spans the movie’s final forty minutes, is as devastating as ever. What a joy it is to be able to experience this movie. And to be able to own it is a real treat considering that it is still banned in certain countries (and at Blockbuster Video). Protestors aside, The Last Temptation of Christ has become a modern day classic.
DecentFilms.com calls it "deeply heretical and blasphemous" and condemns it:
my conclusion is that the religious critics who think Last Temptation a bad film are correct. Does this mean that the fans and film critics who think it a creative masterpiece are wrong? I’ve made my case for the film’s spiritual bankruptcy, but what about its value as art? ... Poisonous morally and spiritually, it is also worthless as art or entertainment, at least on any theory of art as an object of appreciation. As an artifact of technical achievement, it may be well made; but as a film, it is devoid of redeeming merit.
The BBC reviewer says it's "a powerful film that has stood the test of time". The New York Times says it "exerts enormous power". Salon.com calls it "a lovely, measured and deeply earnest work". Criterion has an essay. It's #63 on the ArtsAndFaith.com list of 100 most spiritually significant films.
4/21/2009: /film reports the movie's available at hulu, [but not as of 2/17/2010].
La Vie du Christ (The Birth, the Life and the Death of Christ in the U.S.) is a 1906 big budget film directed by Alice Guy. This series of vignettes from the life of Christ begins with Mary and Joseph seeking shelter in Bethlehem.. There are no subtitles or inter-titles in the version embedded below, and you have to already know the story to make sense of the scenes. The imdb site says this is 20 minutes long, but each of the parts below is 15 or 16 minutes long, so I don't know where that 10 minute discrepancy figures. That's a big difference in a film this length.
We get Veronica in this one, too. I hadn't realized she was included so often.
(2/17/2010: The films below have been removed, and I can't find this anywhere...) Daily Motion has it online in 2 parts. Part 1:
Lucky Jim is the first novel by Kingsley Amis. I needed something light-hearted, and this book fit the bill.
from the publisher:
Kingsley Amis has written a marvelously funny novel describing the attempts of England's postwar generation to break from that country's traditional class structure. When it appeared in England, Lucky Jim provoked a heated controversy in which everyone took sides. Even W. Somerset Maugham reviewed the book, happily with great favor: "Mr. Kingsley Amis is so talented, his observations so keen, that you cannot fail to be convinced that the young men he so brilliantly describes truly represent the classes with which his novel is concerned."
Time Magazine includes it in their list of 100 best novels 1923-2005. The Washington Post considers it as part of "An occasional series in which The Post's book critic reconsiders notable and/or neglected books from the past." PBS has discussion questions. SparkNotes has a study guide.
His dystopian novel We was an influence on authors George Orwell, Ayn Rand and Kurt Vonnegut. It can be read in English online here. Salon.com has a review of a recent translation. The SFSite review says it's a book "that will challenge you on many levels".
I still have the paperback copy I read when I was in high school in the 70's. I remember how it impressed me.
It begins with the Annunciation and ends with the Ascension. There is some beautiful hand-tinted color in some of the scenes. In the scene of Jesus walking on water it shows him rising straight up from under the waves to walk on the surface. The Resurrection also shows him rising straight up, this time from a hole in the ground that has been uncovered by angels. After the Ascension it shows Jesus sitting down on the right side of his throned Father in the presence of the saints in Heaven with the disciples on earth looking up at the scene. The film has Veronica in it. The credits at the end title this film The Life and Passion of Jesus Christ, Our Saviour and say it was produced in 1902 and expanded in 1905. Zecca and Nonguet are named as directors. There are scene titles but no other inter-titles and no sub-titles.
the Life and Passion’s very staginess and pageant-like nature have a timeless quality that encourages reflection on the gospel events themselves. Individual tableaux are visually composed to resemble sacred art
Tonight begins the celebration of Purim, the Jewish commemoration of the events from the book of Esther. Up until the last couple of years we observed a bit of this holiday in our home, and the kids loved it. A rambunctious feast during which they were encouraged to yell loudly and get busy with the noisemakers. What's not to like. The favorite part for all of us was drowning out Haman's name during our shortened reading.
A readable English translation is online here. There's a how-to guide containing everything you need to know here. You can buy all kinds of Purim-related goodies online, including here and here. Some of the noisemakers we used were ones I had when I was a child and some were ones we picked up at Party City. The ones pictured above are similar to our newer ones and come from Century Novelty.
Forward.com has a fun spoof. Culture Kitchen has the story about Rush Limbaugh's conversion to Judaism. There's a Starbucks-related Purim Story: Is that mermaid really Queen Esther? Is that story for real or another fun Purim spoof?
Godspell is a 1973 film adaptation of the 1970 musical play. I don't remember this being released in theaters and know I didn't see it then. The first recollection I have of this is seeing it on television and in a community theater in Jackson, TN. I was familiar with the original cast recording before I saw the movie and always did like it better than the movie soundtrack. The film stars Victor Garber as Jesus, David Haskell as John the Baptist and Judas (a combo that always freaked me out) and Lynne Thigpen (whom we loved as The Chief in Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego). I love that half the disciples are women.
This Jesus movie focuses on the parables from Matthew and does a beautiful job of the retellings, bringing them to life. It's odd to see the brand new twin towers featured. Our DVD is pretty bare bones with precious little in the way of extras. This has always seemed to me to be the most depressing of the Jesus movies. Jesus' life seems to effect no change. The disciples and the city are different during Jesus' public ministry, but everything goes right back like it was at the start once Jesus has died. The dead Jesus and his disciples disappear into the crowd leaving no sign of their presence, no ripple of change, having made no apparent difference.
Roger Ebert likes it. Bible Films Blog has a podcast and some posts, including a scene guide that matches the scenes to scripture passages. The New York Times closes its review with this:
Moria calls it a "small but nevertheless effective contribution to the 1950s alien invader genre" and says, "It is however well directed with director Lawrence adding a tense psychological dimension which is enough to make it a good film" but faults the alien special effects for diminishing the film towards the end. 1000 Misspent Hours says it "remains one of the more effective 50’s monster movies in spite of its ending." Classic SciFi Movies calls it "a pretty good B movie".
3/25/2009: WTF-Film notes Forrest Tucker "does a fine job here, far away from the Western roles he is most remembered for."
And he began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying, Get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men.
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels. (Mark 8:31-38 KJV)
ALMIGHTY God, who seest that we have no power of ourselves to help ourselves; Keep us both outwardly in our bodies, and inwardly in our souls; that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. (from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer)
The picture above is of a woodcut by an unknown 16th century artist.
From the Manger to the Cross, a 1912 silent film, is the first full-length film of the life of Christ and the first one shot on location in the Holy Land. It is directed by Sidney Olcott, who also directed the 1907 version of Ben Hur. The inter-titles use Bible verses but not from just one Gospel. The film skips around among all four Gospels in an attempt to provide a narrative which includes the elements we usually think of as being associated with the story. The story begins with the Annunciation and ends with Jesus dead on the cross.
Youtube has it online divided into 8 sections. Part 1:
This film does not include any portrayal of the resurrection and objections were raised at the time because of that, so those people who threw a fit over Jesus Christ Superstar because it had no overt resurrection scene had soul-mates in the early days of film-making.
TCM says it is "Considered the most important silent film to deal with the life of Christ". Bible Films Blog has a post on this movie.
There is a re-edited version called Jesus of Nazareth that was released in 1916. It's online at youtube in 10 parts linked here. This version has resurrection and ascension scenes.
Ah, the time I spent in my early young adulthood reading Paramahansa Yogananda's Autobiography of a Yogi. Such fond memories. I'm not sure what happened to that book... I don't remember getting rid of it, but it's not on the shelf now. It can be read online here or from the Self Realization Fellowship, founded in 1920, here.
None of us had seen Life of Brian before. Jesus has 2 scenes: his birth and the Sermon on the Mount. It's a 1979 Monty Python film. I was surprised to see full frontal male nudity. That's quite rare in the films I've seen. Though there are lots of funny bits I didn't find the movie as a whole all that funny, but I'm not a huge Monty Python fan.
Certainly "Monty Python's Life of Brian" is funny, in that peculiar British way where jokes are told sideways, with the obvious point and then the delayed zinger.
a perfect comedy, and a gentle triumph of silliness over pomposity, self-importance, and intolerance - "Life of Brian" could be the best British comedy ever.
It is the foulest-spoken bib[l]ical epic ever made, as well as the best-humored
Images Journal has a review. So does HollywoodJesus.com. The Bible Films Blog podcast names it "arguably one of the best in the genre". There's a space ship in this film and perhaps that's the reason Moria has a review, which calls it "the Monty Python team’s finest hour". NPR's Weekend Edition discusses the revoking of a ban.
The entire film is not available for viewing online that I can find, though someone at youtube has uploaded the video in parts with an alternate musical background instead of the original sound. The first 10 minutes of the real thing can be seen below (via Yahoo! video)[gone as of 2/17/2010]. trailer:
This is the Sermon on the Mount scene: [gone as of 2/17/2010]
Thankfully it is possible to peer through the rubble of the finished film to glimpse what it might have been. In fact, in places the film really soars.
FilmFanatic calls it a "“respectful” historical drama" and says it is
best when humanizing iconic biblical events, such as the justly praised Sermon on the Mount sequence, and their intimate recreation of the Last Supper; less interesting are the massive battle scenes, which perhaps are expected fare in an epic drama but distract from the very real human story being told.
chronicled America’s wistful odyssey through the 20th century in plays and films mostly set in a small town in Texas and left a literary legacy as one of the country’s foremost storytellers
The last known wild jaguar in the U.S. has died. A National Geographic report says, "the only wild jaguar known to be living in the U.S. -- was euthanized in Phoenix, Arizona". LiveScience.com says, "The jaguar was the only one spotted in the United States in more than a decade." Wikipedia, the source of the photo above, notes that "It is the only Panthera found in the New World."
Because this blog does not consist of a single focus topic I chose the name Divers and Sundry where "Divers" means being of many and various kinds, and "Sundry" means consisting of a haphazard assortment of different kinds.
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