Well, perhaps not everywhere. But in this part of Canada (southwestern Ontario), winter in all its wonderful glory has yet to appear. Usually we get a good blast in December, and even sometimes in November. Not this season. We awoke today to snow on the ground, however. About 5 mms. It was gone by mid day. More is supposed to come Tuesday, but it, too, will quickly vanish with the above freezing temperatures we achieve later in the day. One doesn't hear a lot of complaining, though, especially here at the Homestead. A year without shovelling is, well, a year without shovelling. It has been several years now since we have been able to go outside and use our snowshoes. However, it is still very early in the coldest season. We still have several weeks to go. With parts of China experiencing their coldest December, and much of Scandinavia buried under fresh snow, there is hope for our winter yet. Stay tuned.
Deb finished her tedious job of painting the TV room. It looks quite professional, and is a definite improvement on the old walls. And with the two new windows that were recently installed, it is a cozy place to watch our films. Speaking of which....
Most recently we finished watching a 1963 SF film. It is a Czech film, recently restored to its original b & w perfection. Ikarie XB 1 is based on a novel by Stanislaw Lem. A large crew of humans attempts a voyage to Alpha Centauri well into the 22nd Century, undergoing several hazardous adventures along the way. If you like Star Trek, then readers should love this film, one of which I had never heard. Though the crew is all white (Star Trek improved considerably on this) and commanded by men, there are plenty of women here, too, including one chosen to give birth to the first baby in space flight. While the effects are nearly as cheesy as Gerry Anderson's, the story and writing are quite good. It's like watching two or three good Star Trek episodes in one feature. Recommended to SF fans. Watch only the original sub-titled Czech version.
Before that came Yumeji, a Seijun Suzuki film from 1991. It tries hard to be an avant garde art house film, but ends up reminding us too much of something someone might have done in the 1970s. While the photography is stunning, and the use of traditional Japanese interiors works remarkably well, the over-acted boisterousness and deliberate attempts to confuse and disengage the audience in many scenes spoils the unique and underlying harmony the picture tries to create. In addition, the film is way too long. It tells the story of a man who recently murdered his wife. He is on the run from the police (who seem to disappear for the last part of the picture), and has threatened to kill another man who tried to kill him. It is also about an artist, an historical figure who painted young women. The husband of a woman he has painted is going to kill the artist. However, this husband is also the one that the escaped murderer wants to kill. The best part of the film might be the stunning kimonos worn by the four women in the tale. Not a recommended film, as it leaves little behind that stirs the senses. Part of a trilogy of films made by the independent director.
Those two picks were Deb's. Before that came the 5th and final pick of my festival week. Mubi has just acquired a large selection of early Hong Kong action films. Five Deadly Venoms is from 1978, and ranks high in the tastes of certain directors (Tarantino being one). The unusual amount of sadistic torture and killings would appeal to some, I suppose. As much as one admires the athletic ability of the actors, and the skills of the fight arranger, my heart goes out to the foley artists in this genre. Hundreds of well timed sound effects accompany each fight, and there are many of them. This film begins quite slowly, allowing the story of several wayward martial arts masters and their corruption to become settled before the real action begins. Yay for the good guys. Boo for the bad guys.
Mapman Mike
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