Autumn Again

 We have just finished up with another two weeks of summer, with mostly very warm temps.  Today it is cool and windy, and we had over 2.5" of rain on Friday and overnight Friday into Saturday.  So far we have needed no heat turned on, and other than the furnace test on September 22nd, our system is resting up for the big winter job.  Thursday Deb had a dentist appointment in Windsor, near the main riverfront trail.  I went for a very warm walk (it was 82 F) while she had her smile cleaned. I didn't see any ships, but one was docked at the Detroit terminal.  The bridge was heavy with trucks.

Geese on the Detroit River, seen from my riverfront walk Thursday.

Trucks on the bridge.  Detroit seen across the river.

  Looking towards downtown Detroit from Windsor's riverwalk.  It was a summery day. 

 

Three of the four ships I have been watching all this year are now on the upper Great Lakes.  I am watching two lake freighters, one Canadian and one American, and two salties, both registered under the flag of Marshall Islands.  One of the salties recently stopped in Detroit, coming from Rotterdam.  It is now way up the lakes somewhere, and I will watch for its return.  The other salty is currently in Vera Cruz, Mexico, and I'm hoping it makes at least one more passage past the Homestead before the season ends.  Though it's been a busy shipping season, it is about to get a whole lot busier, as grain shipments from recent harvests make their way past us on their way across the world.  With our trees properly trimmed, I now have an excellent view of the river again from home.

 

There are three recent films seen to mention briefly.  First, the Fassbinder project continues, this time with Satan's Brew, from 1976.  It's an avant garde comedy, and one that has some serious problems.  Despite the problems, it still has some very funny moments, including the physical appearance of Margit Carstensen, looking hilarious in short, curly hair, thick eye glasses making her eyes look gigantic, and a long, tight skirt and jacket that emphasizes her thinness.  It reminds me of some of the Richard Lester movies I have seen.  Though Deb quit watching early on, I persevered.  The two main problems is that his usual actors have little or no sense of how to act in comedy.  However, they get better as the story goes along, and by the end appear to be enjoying themselves in their bizarre roles.  The second problem is the on-going overt sexism, which is amazing in its outrageousness from today's standpoint.  Worth viewing?  Probably, but mostly for Fassbinder fans who want to see everything he has done.

Now showing on Criterion, the story of a writer who is not quite all there, and always in need of cash. 

 

Red-Headed Woman stars Jean Harlow, and is from 1932.  Especially in period Hollywood films, one is used to seeing bad guys and bad gals get their comeuppence at the end of the movie.  Well, Jean is a bad one, out to get a rich man away from his wife no matter what it takes.  She is a truly revolting gold digger who knows exactly how to tempt a man.  But no comeuppance.  She gets away with everything, including attempted murder.  I guess some girls are lucky that way.  Not a great film, but Una Merkel plays her part well, as Jean's loyal girlfriend.

 

Leaving Criterion soon. 

 

Lastly came Across The Pacific, a 1942 wartime adventure film starring Bogart, Greenstreet, and Mary Astor.  The action takes places just prior to Pearl Harbour, when the Japanese were trying to time their assault with a crippling explosion along the Panama Canal.  Luck for us that Bogart is ready to tackle the problem head on, despite first getting beat up so badly he would be in the hospital for a month.  No problem for our hero, who grabs a gattling gun and saves the western world.  Too bad he wasn't at Pearl Harbour, too.  Most of the adventure takes place aboard a small ship, which Bogart calls a boat.  Mary Astor has a great role with some very fun lines as the romantic interest, as well as having some private business to attend in Panama.  Greenstreet is perfect as the evil enabler of the Japanese.

An early film for John Huston, just after he directed Maltese Falcon.

Suited to today's weather, and the beginning of dangerous fall gale season on the Great Lakes, is this print by Claude Gellee in the DIA.

The Wreck, between 1635-36.  Claude Gellee, French (1600-82).  Etching printed in black ink, 5" x 7".  Collection Detroit Institute of Arts. 

 

Mapman Mike

 

 

 

Fitness

 This is probably the first time in my adult life that I am fairly fit without a good reason.  Up until now I have always required a goal to get my body moving, such as preparing to climb a certain mountain in New Mexico, or getting ready for some long distance walking elsewhere, such as London, UK.  And if 2020 was even a bit more normal, I likely would have done spring hiking in New Mexico, and perhaps would be getting ready for autumn hiking there as well.  So much to do in the mountains, and so little time.  But as it stands, I am now completing my 10th week of indoor fitness for no apparent reason, other than my health.  I have never been attracted to exercise for exercise sake.  But what's a flabby, unfit guy to do?  Well, there are two choices.  Get rid of the flabby bits, or allow them to grow flabbier.  So I am now ready for some serious walking (not climbing--that takes a separate, intense 5-6 week training program after basic training).  But, alas, there is nowhere to go.  It will be interesting to see what happens to me over the next few weeks.  Either the movie will be called "Mapman Stays Fit," or "Return of the Flab."  Stay tuned to find out which.

I have now finished writing my 2nd Valeria novel, "Valeria and The Crimson Star."  Planned as a series of three short books about a vegetarian adolescent girl whose parents are age-old former vampires.  A third book, which I will likely begin shortly, will be called something like "Valeria and the Transylvanian Castle," as her family takes a vacation to some old haunts of her parents.  It's been fun writing about Val, her family, and her closest friends.  She is quite a sensible young girl, somewhat normal considering her background, and she lives in a vast tree house built upon Gertrude, her talking tree friend.  Her father and uncle are scientists and inventors, and her mother is a herbal specialist, but still learning.  Anyway, Valeria 2 is ready for its close up.  I will be sending it to a few select readers in the near future for comments and corrections.

My movie selection for last week was the next in a series of films by Fassbinder.  We have now reached what is called his Douglas Sirk stage, where he came heavily under the influence of that great Hollywood director (who was German, by the way).  The movie was called The Merchant of Four Seasons, from 1971, about a married man with a small daughter who sells fruit to earn his living.  He drinks heavily, and seems to be carrying a heavy burden.  We don't find out what that burden is until later, when he meets up with an old legion buddy who comes to work for him, and stay with him.  Unlike Wim Wenders, at least Fassbinder is sometimes kind enough to give some of the people in his story a happy ending.

Now showing on Criterion.  

 We also watched Part 8 of Alexanderplatz, a pretty fascinating, grim look at Germany between the wars, through the eyes of a former convict, who served four years for killing his girlfriend.  Hans Biberkopf is supposed to be just a bloke who takes what comes.  After 8 1/2 hours, he now feels like a relation.  7 hours to go...

Deb chose a shorter film by Kathleen Collins, called The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy.  From 1980, it runs just 49 minutes.  Three Puerto Rican brothers, orphaned at an early and now looking after themselves, of a sort, are given temporary employment by an elderly woman in their village.  She wants her once grand house and gardens restored to pristine condition, and then she wants to invite everyone over to a grand ball.  The eldest boy speaks frequently with his dead father, who tries to keep the boys going.  It's a strange little comedy film, based on short stores by Henry Roth, an immigrant American writer.

Now showing on Criterion.

Haven't heard from Dino lately, so I will go ahead with another landscape from the DIA.  Here it is...

 

The Wreck, 1854, Eugene Louis Gabriel Isabey, French.

Oil on canvas.  Unframed 38" x 30".  Collection

Detroit Institute of Arts.   

This is one of those paintings that really grabs you as you pass through the Romantic period galleries.  The house and the brownish colour scheme recall works by Teniers the Younger, as do the clothing worn by some of the peasants.  But this is a Teniers action movie, and not a still life depiction of peasant drinking and smoking.  Isabey has created a mini-masterpiece of raw motion and emotion, as the fierce gale throws the ship onto the shore and people recover or try to help in the rescue of the survivors.  It's like something we see today too often on the 6 pm news.

Detail of the human response to the tragedy.

 

It looks like it's time to abandon ship!  A great depiction of a wrathful sea.

 
                            The steadfast old house, offering protection from the elements.

That's all for now.  I still haven't talked about my trip to Africa, courtesy of Google Maps and various websites.  I've since added some Italian hilltop towns in Umbria to my touring!  Maybe next time...

Mapman Mike