mountain masala

Sci-Fi Memes

I'm helping out Rev Dr Avril Hannah-Jones who hosts an annual "Church of the Latter Day Geeks" service at the intersection of gospel and... err... sci-fi geek culture. She's after some meme-type images to use in the service. Here are my contributions so far... For those who can't see the obvious...  Doctor Who, Firefly, Battlestar Galactica, Lord of The Rings ... Not sure how many of these will make the cut...

the key

Trevor Wright's short film animation "The Key" is a stunning portrayal of despair, doubt, suport and discovery using the themes of light and dark. Trevor will be known to South Australians as youth worker at Sunset Rock UC and half (with Grant Wildman) of the former clown duo "Rivet and Tuft". In recent years Trevor has turned his hand to film, directing the short film "Train Runner" which was a finalist in the 2006 "Short Screen" Awards in SA, and won the award for best sound design.

The Key is filmed with marionettes and has no dialogue. It was filmed on a tiny set using HD still cameras (Canon I think..) The story unfolds slowly and gently, and the vieweer if left to ponder their own place in the symbolic narrative. Perhaps the ending is a bit obvious, but as a metaphor for liberation (of some kind), it seems both inevitable and necessary.

Trevor's film company is called Peel Media. He has submitted the film in a number of festivals overseas and it has done pretty well. The film has recently been included in a resource kit for exploring Christian faith produced by the Uniting Church SA. The SA Synod had copies of the film produced on DVD to give to congregations

Here's a preview of the film:

tindersticks scores

i'm a bit of a fan of film scores, not just because i often use bits of them in 'alt worship', but because i like the cinematic moody journey that they take you on. i'm also a fan of folky lounge music, both american and british. so the discovery that british band 'tindersticks' had released a 5 album set of film scores completed for french director claire denis got me very excited.

i've not seen any of denis' films, and her movie 'chocolat' is not the one that you're thinking of. the five discs cover 6 films made between 1996 and 2009.

Nenette et Boni (1996)
Trouble Every Day (2001)
Vendredi Soir (Friday Night) (2002)
L'Intrus (The Intruder) (2004)
35 Rhums (35 Shots of Rum) (2008)
White Material (2009)

I discovered tindersticks through their 2008 album 'the hungry saw'. apart from the film scores, they have in fact recorded 7 others. the film scores are a varied mix of brooding organ, vibes, glock, piano, violin, trumpet, guitar, strings and other assorted acoustic instruments. very occasionally on these albums, stuart staples languorous baritone glides across the top.

given the strength of the Aussie $, the 37 UK pounds price tag from Amazon UK seemed worth it. just fabulous music. go listen to some free tracks here. if you like the soundtrack work of nick cave and warren ellis, or the gotan project, you may like this.

now to track down denis' films...

Trove

Trove is the new web portal for the Australian National Library. If you're looking for a book, you can find out which library in your city holds it. You can also search on other types of print media, films, photos, maps, etc.

For example, a search on 

A history of installation and the development of new art forms : technology and the hermeneutics of time and space in modern and postmodern art from cubism to installation / Faye Ran

tells me that there's a copy at the Barr-Smith Library at the University of Adelaide - even gives me the call no. nice.

esther blueberger

the new aussie movie, "hey hey it's esther blueberger" was filmed at annesley college, a uniting church girls school here in adelaide (well not all of it - some other school in there as well!). one of the stars is keisha castle hughes from "whale rider". and toni collette. and newcomer danielle catanzariti

the move had a great review on the sbs movie show tonight and the shorts look great.

check it out here. a great movie website

soundtrack includes theme song by paul mac, bob evans' "don't you think its time" from the superb "suburban songbook" album, operator please, missy higgins, and others.

here they are in gillingham hall at annesley...

as it is in heaven

i bought the "as it is in heaven" dvd at k-mart based on the title and cover description. it's a swedish film about a renowned orchestra conductor who has an emotional and physical breakdown, and goes back to live in his home town. having suffered childhood trauma and since changed his name, they know of his fame but not his background. The conductor is asked to conduct the church choir, and that's where the "chocolat" type tale of an outsider bringing gifts that disrupt the local order starts to unfold. and of course the church and its minister are threatened by developments.

that's enough to tell you that this movie is worth seeing and probably I thought it was wonderful on many levels, including its critique of the church. and of course it's about music!

it's on amazon us here and  in Australia here and at K Mart.