It's heatwave time in the Motor Cities (Detroit/Windsor), and yes, we are stuck doing our hill training and hiking this week in some very warm and humid air. Monday we were climbing Malden Hill by 9 am, but it was already too late. The sun was shining, and we slowly cooked ourselves. Tuesday is long hike day, but there should be shade, at least. The heat will last through Wednesday, and from then on it should be cooler. In the olden days, when we were still teaching, we would head to New Mexico in mid-August. Which meant we had to train through July and the first half of August. I don't really know how we managed to do that.
And speaking of school, kiddies and teachers go back Tuesday, likely to some very warm classrooms. We will have to drive by the local school tomorrow on our way to our hike, just up the road. We shall wave and smile as we pass by.....
In piano news, I am trying to memorize the final few bars of Beethoven's Op 10 #1, 1st movement. It's nearly there! Cake and champagne soon, I hope! Then to memorize the 4th mov't, and then the 3rd. Likely not the 2nd one, though. It's very slow, and full of notes.
The film festival continued with the 183 minute version of Tarkovsky's Andrei Rublev, a film from 1966. It is in b & w, except for the final scene. The film contains around 7 short features concerning Rublev, a real historical character of which virtually nothing is known. He was an artist, an icon painter. There is a slightly longer version, but the "shorter" one is the one most people recognize as the definitive one. For one thing, it cuts out some animal torture scenes (but not all of them). Set around the year 1400, it is a grim tale of artists struggling to create amidst unspeakable chaos and horrors. There are some lighthearted moments, but these are soon wiped out by the slaughter of peasants, and other such scenes. The final story tells of the creating of a giant bell for a prince. It is created from scratch, and we get to witness the entire process. This is truly amazing film work, and the recreated scenes are absolutely authentic looking and believable. The very opening scene shows a man who can really and truly fly! A stunning and unforgettable film. It was shelved in the Soviet Union for 7 years after its first showing. The Criterion edition includes many extras, and we watched several of them.
Now showing on Criterion, with several extras.
Next come two features showing on Prime. The first film was about P G Wodehouse, and his unfortunate time spent in a German prison camp. Called Wodehouse In Exile, it is from 2013. For anyone still unclear on what happened to him, and why he was branded (by some) a traitor during the 2nd world war, this little film should clear things up nicely. Well acted and well presented, the world gets to hear his side of the story.
Lastly comes an odd little gem, a sleeper of a film and well worth seeking out. Friends and Crocodiles is from 2006. Jodhi May gets to wear some expensive looking female executive clothing, and Damian Lewis gets to drive a double decker bus, and do other fun things, such as throw pretty wild parties. The story follows the two main characters, and several interesting minor ones, through the 70s and up to the present (2006). May plays a character determined to move up in the world, and to help change it for the better. Lewis plays her opposite--every opportunity is his to make his life better, but he is stuck with himself and unable to do much about it. However, when he works with May he seems to have more potential, at least. Watching the two characters develop and change over time, and seeing them interact, makes this film worth watching more than once. Both actors are perfect in their very different roles, though of the two he is the much more interesting character, because of his unpredictability. Highly recommended.
Deb's SF film got accepted into a very cool festival in Manchester this week. Only 12 films were selected from over 300 submissions. Woo hoo! Wish we could attend, but we'll just be getting back from our mountain hiking excursion at that time.
Mapman Mike
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