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So it's not just a clever motto...
Saturday, August 29, 2015
At Least They Were Upfront
Sometimes a youtube suggested video can shed light on another youtube suggested video...
Thursday, August 27, 2015
Movie Review: Shoah (1985)
Shoah (1985)
"Shoah" is a 9 1/2 hour long documentary about the holocaust.
Here, the term "documentary" is stripped of its Ken Burns-like implications. The movie is real, yes, but there is no narrator, there are no historic photos, there is not a second of archival footage, there are almost no historians, there is no chronological re-telling of historical events, there isn't even much chronology at all... This is a movie as a series of interviews with eye witnesses. It's perhaps specifically aimed at those who would deny the history. In countless specific instances it says "Here is a victim, this is them describing things they experienced. Here is a Nazi officer, this is them describing what they did and saw. Here is a citizen who lived near the death camps, this is them describing what they witnessed first-hand."
The film is purposeful and stark. But there are some "stunt" interviews. In one sequence, the director goes to a bar and strikes up a conversation with a bartender there. The bartender does not want to talk on camera. We learn the reason he's being interviewed is because he's a former Nazi who worked in the camps. He does not wish to answer any questions. The "interview" started with innocent questions but he locks up instantly. It's as if he saw the camera and immediately knew what it was really about. I think he was living in constant fear of this very thing for decades.
There are also times when the placement of interviews is suggestive. An interview with a man who visited the Warsaw ghetto shows him recounting the horror in minute detail, clearly still reliving it once again, 35 years later. That interview is immediately followed by an interview with a German official who was partially in charge of the Warsaw ghetto. He says he doesn't remember much from the war period. Then, when the names of people he worked with everyday are read to him, he squints as if straining to remember. When a few dates are read to him, he writes them down so he'll have them.
The horrors of the holocaust might be easier to accept - perhaps - if we could attribute them to a few high-ranking Germans - or even if we could place blame on only the Germans. Some of the most deplorable moments of the film are when ordinary Poles are interviewed and asked how they reacted when Jews were being exterminated in their towns. Sometimes they're even asked what they think of the Jews today. It's evident that anti-Semitism was not limited to one country or one time period. And it's amazing how easily it can be found today - it only takes a few probing questions from some "everyday" people.
The heart of the documentary is obviously the interviews with the Jewish victims. The events they describe are unspeakable but they recount them anyway, many times out of an obligation to history. It struck me how rare crying was. There is crying, certainly, but most of the time they recount the events plainly and without flourish. It's as if there are pains so deep that there is no emotion left, they turn cold. In a way, this is more impactful - the events are presented, the emotion is left to the viewer.
In place of archival footage and photos, the interviews are interspersed with footage of the historical sites today. Overgrown grass, trees, some bricks, these are mostly quiet pauses that allow the viewer to reflect, to absorb, what has come before it. There is one shot though that startled me more than any other I can think of. There is a first-person shot that slowly creeps down the railroad track leading to the entrance to Auschwitz. It's such a simple shot but I don't think a more haunting, more nightmarish shot has ever been devised, or ever will. How could it?
As I said, "Shoah" is a documentary that eschews many of the trappings of conventional documentaries. But there is one holdover: the film begins with a scrolling text introduction. Within only a few seconds, the introduction sets the tone of the entire movie. In essence, the introductory text says... There was a death camp in Poland near the town of Chelmno. 400,000 men, women and children were sent there. Of the 400,000 people, 2 survived.
"The hollering and the crying and the shouting which was going over there on, it was impossible. Their cry and their holler was in your ears and your mind for days and days - and at night the same thing. From that howling, you could not sleep a couple night[s] of that. All of a sudden, everything stopped, like by a command."
"Shoah" is a 9 1/2 hour long documentary about the holocaust.
Here, the term "documentary" is stripped of its Ken Burns-like implications. The movie is real, yes, but there is no narrator, there are no historic photos, there is not a second of archival footage, there are almost no historians, there is no chronological re-telling of historical events, there isn't even much chronology at all... This is a movie as a series of interviews with eye witnesses. It's perhaps specifically aimed at those who would deny the history. In countless specific instances it says "Here is a victim, this is them describing things they experienced. Here is a Nazi officer, this is them describing what they did and saw. Here is a citizen who lived near the death camps, this is them describing what they witnessed first-hand."
The film is purposeful and stark. But there are some "stunt" interviews. In one sequence, the director goes to a bar and strikes up a conversation with a bartender there. The bartender does not want to talk on camera. We learn the reason he's being interviewed is because he's a former Nazi who worked in the camps. He does not wish to answer any questions. The "interview" started with innocent questions but he locks up instantly. It's as if he saw the camera and immediately knew what it was really about. I think he was living in constant fear of this very thing for decades.
There are also times when the placement of interviews is suggestive. An interview with a man who visited the Warsaw ghetto shows him recounting the horror in minute detail, clearly still reliving it once again, 35 years later. That interview is immediately followed by an interview with a German official who was partially in charge of the Warsaw ghetto. He says he doesn't remember much from the war period. Then, when the names of people he worked with everyday are read to him, he squints as if straining to remember. When a few dates are read to him, he writes them down so he'll have them.
The horrors of the holocaust might be easier to accept - perhaps - if we could attribute them to a few high-ranking Germans - or even if we could place blame on only the Germans. Some of the most deplorable moments of the film are when ordinary Poles are interviewed and asked how they reacted when Jews were being exterminated in their towns. Sometimes they're even asked what they think of the Jews today. It's evident that anti-Semitism was not limited to one country or one time period. And it's amazing how easily it can be found today - it only takes a few probing questions from some "everyday" people.
The heart of the documentary is obviously the interviews with the Jewish victims. The events they describe are unspeakable but they recount them anyway, many times out of an obligation to history. It struck me how rare crying was. There is crying, certainly, but most of the time they recount the events plainly and without flourish. It's as if there are pains so deep that there is no emotion left, they turn cold. In a way, this is more impactful - the events are presented, the emotion is left to the viewer.
In place of archival footage and photos, the interviews are interspersed with footage of the historical sites today. Overgrown grass, trees, some bricks, these are mostly quiet pauses that allow the viewer to reflect, to absorb, what has come before it. There is one shot though that startled me more than any other I can think of. There is a first-person shot that slowly creeps down the railroad track leading to the entrance to Auschwitz. It's such a simple shot but I don't think a more haunting, more nightmarish shot has ever been devised, or ever will. How could it?
As I said, "Shoah" is a documentary that eschews many of the trappings of conventional documentaries. But there is one holdover: the film begins with a scrolling text introduction. Within only a few seconds, the introduction sets the tone of the entire movie. In essence, the introductory text says... There was a death camp in Poland near the town of Chelmno. 400,000 men, women and children were sent there. Of the 400,000 people, 2 survived.
Saturday, August 22, 2015
Friday, August 21, 2015
The Tonight Show - The Doobie Brothers
Michael McDonald reunites with The Doobie Brothers on the Tonight Show:
And the web-exclusive: the performance of "What a Fool Believes".
Karl Pilkington once said that he doesn't understand the point of a medley and I think I see where he's coming from. Why two half songs instead of one whole one? Isn't it selling yourself short to say that people can't get through the whole song? Was it some weird compromise between the "Doobie Brothers" camp and the "Michael McDonald" camp? Well, "What a Fool Believes" is great.
And the web-exclusive: the performance of "What a Fool Believes".
Karl Pilkington once said that he doesn't understand the point of a medley and I think I see where he's coming from. Why two half songs instead of one whole one? Isn't it selling yourself short to say that people can't get through the whole song? Was it some weird compromise between the "Doobie Brothers" camp and the "Michael McDonald" camp? Well, "What a Fool Believes" is great.
Monday, August 17, 2015
Workin' In A Cocktail Bar
Look, I love "Don't You Want Me" by The Human League. I do. But I just don't have much time for all the parts of the song that are not specifically about the cocktail bar. Fortunately, the good people of the internet have addressed this rather glaring problem and uploaded their results to The Information Superhighway.
Enjoy.
Enjoy.
The Tonight Show - Phone Booth
Jimmy plays a new game, "Phone Booth", with Kevin Spacey. Let's reach out and touch someone.
Wednesday, August 12, 2015
Yet Another Event in Television History
The makers of The Greatest Event In Television History are nothing if not frank. The first 3 Greatest Events In Television History were failures, they say. But even so, they're back with a fourth attempt at the Greatest Event in Television History.
This time, the goal is to meticulously recreate the opening to the hit TV show "Bosom Buddies". This has special significance for me because I loved the show when I was a kid. The part in this video with Billy Joel is priceless.
This time, the goal is to meticulously recreate the opening to the hit TV show "Bosom Buddies". This has special significance for me because I loved the show when I was a kid. The part in this video with Billy Joel is priceless.
Friday, August 7, 2015
The Tonight Show - Christopher Cross
Christopher Cross and The Roots perform "Sailing" on the Tonight Show...
Thursday, August 6, 2015
Continue? - Super Tennis
In honor of Summer, the Continue? guys play Super Tennis for Super Nintendo. The game is fraught with sexual innuendo and Lexus commercials.
And as a special youtube Summer bonus.... It's Super Tennis! Best Summer Ever. Nailed it.
And as a special youtube Summer bonus.... It's Super Tennis! Best Summer Ever. Nailed it.
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
Tonight Show - Don Rickles
The man, the myth, the legend, Don Rickles on the Tonight Show. The whole interview is funny but this is what's available on youtube.
Monday, August 3, 2015
Tonight Show - Mix Tape Month
What was called the "Yacht Rock Party" has now perhaps been changed into Mix Tape Month. Instead of limiting themselves to the Yacht Rock genre, they're going to have "one of Jimmy's favorite [musical] guests" on to perform. And instead of one day, it's once every week for a month.
The lineup is:
Thursday - Christopher Cross performs "Sailing".
TBA - Yolanda Adams performs "Victory".
TBA - The Doobie Brothers reunite with Michael McDonald
That's it. Are there three weeks in a month? I think the quality control may be slipping. But that aside, I like the choices. I mean, all I need is "Sailing" anyway.
The lineup is:
Thursday - Christopher Cross performs "Sailing".
TBA - Yolanda Adams performs "Victory".
TBA - The Doobie Brothers reunite with Michael McDonald
That's it. Are there three weeks in a month? I think the quality control may be slipping. But that aside, I like the choices. I mean, all I need is "Sailing" anyway.
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