Zombie dance

I have seen Butoh classes offered for a while now but I hadn’t quite realised what it was. I knew it was dance based but not that it was so performance art related. Perhaps one might think that only the Japanese with their nuclear holocaust WWII experiences [and being steeped in Kabuki theatre] could come up with such a particular/peculiar form.

This dance of darkness though, seems related to the biblical notion of wearing sackcloth and having ashes sprinkled on the head as a sign of penitence or mourning (Matt 11:21)? Itself perhaps related to ancient Egyptian funeral dances with expressions of grief demonstrated by the performers placing their hands on their heads and making the ka gesture, both arms upraised.

Certainly Butoh seems to have influenced modern Japanese Horror; one need only look at the movements of characters in The Grudge or The Ring, say.

Gold Rush instant mash

High winds and rain. One of those days where you are glad to be all tucked up at home in the warmth. As long as you have some supplies!

Personally I’d have eaten the fat guy before my boots … Luckily I always keep an emergency Pot Noodle at the back of the cupboard in case of an unscheduled zombie apocalypse.

Kryten: I beg you to reconsider, Sir. Human history is resplendent with examples of such sacrifice. Remember Captain Oates: “I’m going out for a walk. I may be some time.”

Rimmer: Yes, but the thing is, about Captain Oates; the thing you have to remember about Captain Oates; Captain Oates… Captain Oates was a prat. If that’d been me, I’d’ve stayed in the tent, whacked Scott over the head with a frozen husky, and then eaten him.

Lister: You would too, wouldn’t you?

Rimmer: History, Lister, is written by the winners. How do we know that Oates went out for this legendary walk? From the only surviving document: Scott’s diary. And he’s hardly likely to have written down, “February the First, bludgeoned Oates to death while he slept, then scoffed him along with the last packet of instant mash.” How’s that going to look when he gets rescued, eh? No, much better to say, “Oates made the supreme sacrifice,” while you’re dabbing up his gravy with the last piece of crusty bread.

Red Dwarf : White Hole (1991)

Underrated movies I

I have only seen the first two movies from Tarsem Singh Dhandwar, The Cell [2000] and The Fall [2006], but I think both are underrated classics. Perhaps predictably coming from a director who began his career on music videos and adverts, both films are visually overloaded, sumptuous, feasts for the eye. But despite being pretty much flops at the box office, both [one a psychological ‘horror’ story and the other a fantasy/fairy tale] have intelligent stories filled with multi layered symbolism galore. Particularly effective are shots that ‘surrealistically’ transition between locations/objects ie a close-up shot of a fawn bed cover that merges into a dunned desert landscape. Stylish, opulent and sensual films.

Cityscapes

Someday all cities will reflect our dreams of how a futuristic city should look and feel [if one is of a future dystopian frame of mind]? Technology IS making these sci-fi noirish realities closer? Cheap LED colourful lighting, flat screen advertising, interactive displays, touch screen interfaces, pollution, overcrowding, multiculturalism.

One thing that seems like it will always remain out of reach however is the sci-fi ubiquitous flying/hovering car. I am still awaiting the  personal jet-packs promised by almost every future story of the 1970s. Who’d have thought that it would be now over 40 years since men have set foot on even our nearest neighbour, the moon. OFF WORLD seems like such a hollow term.

Entanglement

Happened across this excellent game yesterday. A bit like Tantrix but the tiles seem more ‘random’. Certainly addictive. Enjoy here

Slipstream

I watched this film last night in the wee hours [haven’t seen it in over 20 years, though something about it has stuck in my head] and it is as flawed as I remember. It should have been a great little film; good actors, great locations [including the wondrous Cappadoccia, Turkey], interesting production design, decent story, some cool ideas around the main character [played by the always on form Bob Peck of Edge of Darkness fame] as a messianic …. I won’t give the plot away. Is certainly still worth a look.

Slipstream is a post-apocalyptic thriller that juggles multiple themes. It concerns itself with the topic of resource conservation, and also ponders what it means to be human.

The Last City

“An intoxicating blend of noir crime, science fiction and fantasy The Last City is Blade Runner meets Perdido Street Station.”

Nina D’Aleo’s The Last City

Sometimes you happen across a book that immediately appeals. I was researching futurist cityscapes and this title popped up. It would seem however that it is already out-of-print/hard to get hold of? Perhaps soon many novels will ONLY be available as digital downloads?

life of learning

which came first?

I visited an art exhibition this Summer in and old hospital/formerly mental hospital/formerly workhouse at Mile End called St Clements, now derelict/ready for redevelopment, which was opened to the public for art/cinema/workshops etc which I have been passing for years.  Always great to see inside abandoned buildings [especially before they become to a certain extent ‘lost forever’].

Showing some of his films local resident Danny Boyle. The architecture was beautiful in places. The above artwork caught my eye.

 

poptones

One of my favourite tracks. The ‘narrative’ drive [excuse pun] is so strong. I was lamenting to a friend just the other day about the lack of imagination in music packaging these days. The Metal Box was so cool. It almost seems like design has taken a step backwards? Sure things are slicker but there seems little room for ‘quirky’ at present. Perhaps when 3D printers become ubiquitous things will enter another golden age?