Guilty Pleasures: Film Music - The Old Man Speaks

The Old Man do remonstrate with me that he DO like film music.
I say "Huh!" to that.
"Yes," he say " I like that man what wrote the music for Truffaut's "Day for Night".
"Who's that?"
"Can't remember.... But I also like the one who wrote for Cocteau... Er.... Begins with a A..."
"Auric." say I, forever the reference librarian.
"Yes. That's it."
So there we are. We both like a spot of film music. But he likes French and I like Italian.

And here's a trail for Cocteau's "Orpheus" including some of Auric's music from the Criterion Collection over at YouTube.

Last Chance For Seeing Graham Sutherland At Penlee House

Feeling Retro these days... what with buying a corduroy kaftan, investigating large dangly earrings and listening to "The Screwtape Letters" (see previous post)...

Now The Old Man and me make a last dash to catch the Graham Sutherland sketches and paintings - "From Darkness Into Light" of tin miners at work and other industrial scenes from the 1940s - on show at Penlee House in Penzance and finishing this week.

It's good to get a local chance to see lesser-known work of major national art figures such as Sutherland. And I particularly love to see sketch-books where there is often something fresh and personal that is frequently masked by the "familiar" final results. Such is the case with this exhibition. Sutherland's written notes are atmospheric reminders to himself of what he was seeing and experiencing as he worked in the tunnels.... and the drawings are often vivid and free. Certainly this be a contrast to some of the laboured and "worked" paintings that have been included.

Catch the show if you can... for insights into both Sutherland and the life of the tin miners of West Cornwall. It ends this Saturday the 23rd November 2013.

From Darkness into Light

Graham Sutherland: Mining, Metal and Machines

14 September - 23 November 2013

In Which The Old Man Takes Comfort In A Ken Loach Documentary

What with "The Funeral" and the upcoming local elections at which we have no candidate we can vote for .... The Old Man do grow increasing apoplectic.

Last night he do take comfort in his Ken Loach documentary - "The Spirit of '45" ... and do nearly weep he be so moved about it all.

Tis our generation that basked in the welfare state, I know. And what a fine thing it was. What a shame it is being buried as we speak ... and without benefit of a ceremonial "do" like the woman what broke it. There. Colours to the mast. Nailed.
For myself I shall be following columnist Owen Jones with close attention.

And May I Say How Much I Enjoyed...

... this last telly series of "Foyle's War".
Now that we've tipped the plot into the coldwar era, shady dealings abound and there are some tricky blighters about.

Wonderful production stuff, costumes, sets, etc. I do think that it's hard not to taint "period" style with current fashion but they did manage the period jolly well. Don't often watch retro crime but have always had a soft spot for "Foyle's War" and so I really do hope we have some more.

Jolly good show, I say.

Travels with my Film-Life: Japan again

The Old Man decides to prolong our stay by viewing Yasujiro Ozu's 1949 film - "Late Spring" the following evening. In part, this is because of comparisons made between "Still Walking" (see previous Post) and Ozu's work.

I find the music for "Late Spring" difficult to cope with. It gets in the way for me, at least initially. And, with the characters, you have to take time to adapt to an older generation of mores and Japanese tradition; for instance - the constant smiling and nodding of the "daughter" lead.

But it's worth the effort. If you manage it - you find that underneath the formality and etiquette you are led into an intimate and surprisingly moving film depicting this small family in post war Japan.

You can view a You Tube clip from Ozu's "Late Spring" by clicking here.