FILM "THREE IDIOTS"

Don't let the title fool you.  This is not an Indian version of "Dumb and Dumber."  It's a moving, humane, and frequently humorous depiction of the intense academic and familial pressures endured by three students attending a prestigious but draconian engineering college in Delhi.


The film is based on the novel Five Point Someone by Chetan Bhagat.

BOOK "LONDONERS"

I discovered this wonderful book at the Tuscaloosa Public Library:


Londoners.  The Days and Nights of London Now—As Told by Those Who Love It, Hate It, Live It, Left It, and Long for It.

LOUSE BOURGEOIS, "THE SPIDER, THE MISTRESS, AND THE TANGERINE"

I am rewatching the film "The Spider, the Mistress, and the Tangerine," about sculptor Louise Bourgeois.  A quote from the movie bears continual revisiting and consideration: "It is very difficult to be a woman and to be likeable.  This desire to be likeable—it is really a pain in the neck.  How are you going to be likeable and be yourself?

DEREK JARMAN'S "WITTENSTEIN"

I am enjoying Derek Jarman's 1993 stylized, theatrical film depicting the life and thought of Ludwig Wittgenstein.

SISTER ROSETTA THARPE

A colleague posted a link to Facebook about a documentary on the life and work of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, the greatest rocker/gospel singer you've probably never heard of.  The documentary has been posted on YouTube.  This is very, very special. You've heard of Chuck Berry. You've heard of Jimmy Hendrix. Do yourself a favor and listen to Sister Rosetta.

"AMARGOSA"

I watched the astonishing documentary Amargosa some time ago when it was streaming on Netflix, It's the story of  dancer and artist Marta Becket who, at the age of 42, abandoned her conventional career to restore a dilapidated theatre in the Death Valley town of Amargosa.  What was (and is) most striking to me is Becket's ability to thrive creatively in an environment of relentless solitude.  She was known to mount performances for which there was no audience, later describing these as rehearsals for audiences to come.  And in the absence of a physical audience, she spent six years painting one: a fantastical depiction of Renaissance-era audience that covers the walls and ceiling of the Amargosa Opera House.  Her contentment with a deeply interior, solitary and self-possessed life is fascinating in the extreme.

KARL LAGERFELD AND ANDRE LEON TALLEY—THE CHARLIE ROSE INTERVIEW

Thanks to my good colleague Dr. Bob, who told me about this interview Charlie Rose conducted with Karl Lagerfeld and Andre Leon Talley. Andre Leon Talley has written an autobiography, by the way—ALT: A Memoir.

KEITH HARING

Today is the birthday of pop/street/graffiti artist Keith Haring, who died of AIDS in 1990 at the age of 31.  He is being celebrated with his own Google Doodle, which can be viewed in this article from the Christian Science Monitor.   The Huffington Post has also posted an article about Haring and included photos of his work.  I very much hope to get to the Brooklyn Museum to see the current Haring exhibit.

PBS SERIES: "ART IN THE 21ST CENTURY"

I love this series, which is described as the "...preeminent chronicler of contemporary art and artists."  I'm currently watching the episode titled "History" from season 6.  PBS streams the entire series.

"WHAT SWEETER MUSIC?"

This beautiful hymn is a musical setting of a poem by Robert Herrick (1591-1674). It was originally titled "A Christmas Carol, Sung to the King in the Presence at White-Hall." (The king referenced was Charles I.) Here is another interesting article about Robert Herrick.

The music is by John Rutter composer, conductor, editor and arranger. It is my favorite piece of Christmas music.

Here is a video of the King's College choir performing the piece in 2008:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ucVQSJunR4

Here is another version, also sung by the King's College choir, and showing the music and text:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0un4VPPZDug

The words, an abridged form of Herrick's original poem, are especially beautiful. Here, rain is described as "turning the patient ground to flowers."

What sweeter music can we bring
Than a carol, for to sing
The birth of this our heavenly King?...

Dark and dull night fly hence away,
And give the honor to this day
That sees December turned to May...

We see him come, and know him ours,
Who, with his sunshine and his showers,
Turns all the patient ground to flowers...

"A TUDOR FEAST AT CHRISTMAS," HISTORIC RECREATION

In this historical reconstruction from 2006, historians and archeologists prepare a Tudor feast using the same methods, materials sourcing and recipes as were used 400 years ago.  This same team, consisting of Ruth Goodman, Alex Langlands and Peter Ginn, also produced the following series:


Tales from The Green Valley (2005)
Victorian Farm (2009)
Edwardian Farm (2010)
Victorian Pharmacy (2010)


You may find some or all of these on the excellent website "Top Documentary Films."