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Into the Inferno - Werner Herzog
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 2
This was one of those rare films I wished I'd seen on the Big Screen. Like an Imax.
Werner Herzog does a tour with Vulcanologists to some of the world's active volcanoes, spectacular footage of people looking into the abyss of fire, and in so doing ends up digging up 100, 000 year old Hominid remains in Ethiopia, to North Korea, where the people believe their race was born from Paektu Mountain near China (and a long digression into the cultural heritage), then returns to Vanuatu where the people worship their volcano as a portal to John Frum - the Melanesian Cargo cult that is trying to bring back the American troops and their cheap chewing gum and trinkets...
Like most of Herzog's work it digresses beautifully, and while it would claim to be an investigation into the volcanoes it's also so much more...
Five Stars.
Titanium/Zinc White
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Blog
- Hits: 51
And, trying again to paint, get started, only for some reason I can't find my tubes of Titanium & Zinc white. Which is like the watercolour pencils, I know I have them, only where, and never where I think they should be (naturally in the tub with all of the other Acrylic Paints).
This is getting ridiculous, but it highlights the state of my flat. I've got to start cleaning...
Meanwhile, been practicing my watercolour techniques, small exercises to get me back into the habit of painting, an hour in the morning, just to get started, get something done, show some improvement...
Which next I have to go grab a few vegetables, make some lunch, and get back to work.
Fitzcarraldo - Werner Herzog
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Film
- Hits: 53
And this, another old one by Werner Herzog, again filmed in the Amazon basin, this time the story revolving around a would-be rubber Baron hauling his ship up the Amazon and over a mountain...
Starring Klaus Kinski, notoriously difficult to work with "favourite" of Werner Herzog, who had attempted to exclude him from this, only his first and second choices fell out. And so they end up together again, but for more on their relationship watch Herzog's "My Best Fiend"...
Anyways, I gave the briefest description of the plot, of course there is more; Herzog's far too brilliant to keep it simple. Very worthwhile.
Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah (Vol. I) - Sir Richard Burton
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- Written by: Rod Boyle
- Category: Books
- Hits: 30
So this, the 1853 account of Victorian Explorer Sir Richard Burton's trip to Meccah, worthy in that he had to go very undercover, learn the manner and customs of the Al-Islam, and filled with footnotes that expand upon the locals and peoples he visits, the various holy stops, the wells, the mountains, the various tribes they encounter, the history and anecdote of every place and people going all the way back to the Prophet Muhammed, their superstitions, battles, etc, etc.
And of course there's the pilgrimage, and it's curious to me how all these different tribes and nations are making the pilgrimage to the holiest of holies, yet seem overwhelming obliged to tribal differences, banditry, thieving, murder, etc.
It's like they read the book but didn't understand the message.
Or - wait a minute, look about the world at the moment, all the different books and religion, and almost 200 years later we haven't changed a bit, from Israel to almost every damned church in the USA.
Anyways, he's covered Al-Madinah and is close now to Meccah, he's good company. I'm looking forward to volume II.
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