Documentaries

David · Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 4:24 pm Post subject:

The Toronto Film Festival in now on and the first documentary to create a big buzz is Shut Up and Sing------the behind the scenes story of all the commotion and disturbance caused by the Dixie Chicks statement concerning being ashamed George W. is from Texas, their home state.
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

Debbie · Joined: 21 Feb 2005 Posts: 861 Location: Paris

Rainey, don't know if that was the same one I saw. There was one in Australia which looked at Australian's after the operation. Some of the recipients were depressed and hated to be able to hear after so long without. Others were thrilled. There was also a part on the reactions of other deaf people to those with implants. Some of the family members who were also deaf (and against having the implant) almost ostracised the recipient.

One thing we have been watching is the "megacities" series. It is very interesting. Goes into the different cities around the world that have something which is outstanding in either engineering or just because it is. Paris was the sewers, Mumbai was the train system, and so many other citiess.

So many docos... so little time... Laughing

_________________
If you cannot feel your arteries hardening, eat more cheese. If you can, drink more red wine. Diet is just "die" with a "t" on the end. Exercise is walking into the kitchen.

Rainey · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 3:52 am Post subject:

No, Debbie, I don't guess the films are the same but the issue, clearly, is.

The one I saw was American families (don't know where they were living at the time it was shot) who were joined by marriage and had the whole gamut of being hearing raising deaf, being deaf raising deaf, being deaf raising hearing. It centered on the middle generation's decisions about getting or not getting the implants for their kids aged 11mo.- 7yo.

Since the issue is the same, the big difference is that the one I saw was about trying to make the decision. It ended at the first test one month after the device was implanted in the 11mo.

It's interesting to hear that in the one you saw that concerned people (adults, I'm guessing) who had had the proceedure, the reactions were also strong.

I had read some years ago about people, such as the ones Madame describes, who had their vision restored or partially restored had very difficult transitions to being sighted. It surprised me then to hear that they didn't universally think it was an improvement and, sometimes, found it very painful. Surprising!

But at the heart of the film I saw was this great tumult of emotions and, whether hearing or deaf, the principles didn't seem to have any ability at all (tho I am not dismissing their attempts in the least) to set the emotions aside when making an expensive and life-changing decision.

The documentarian has followed these families 6 years later. I haven't had a chance to see that one. It will be interesting to see if some of the old pains that came up and the ones that threatened to drive them apart settled or turned into the even more unsettling ones that you and Madame describe.

People are complex and astounding, no? ...whether it comes to day-to-day issues or the most radical. If only we could see our own foolishness as others seem to be able to do so clearly. Shocked

_________________
God writes a lot of comedy... the trouble is, he's stuck with so many bad actors who don't know how to play funny. -- Garrison Keillor

madameshawshank · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 4:03 am Post subject:

Rainey Darling...I guess in some way or other it's about the mountain top...and the path we each choose ...the way we travel to Everest...our inner Everests if you will...

I remember my darling mother saying at different times that she didn't want to lose her sight...how she treasured it!...leaves of trees/leaves of books...'n lo and behold...her sight began to fade...I've a photo of her, glasses on, magnifying glass in hand...pouring over words...so intent I can feel it!

hugs
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

Erin · Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:08 pm Post subject:

David, Glad you mentioned that one, I'll be on the lookout.
_________________
"It's watery....and yet there's a smack of ham."

"It's hot ham water."

David · Posted: Thu May 03, 2007 3:52 pm Post subject:

Have watched "Leonard Cohen: I'm the Man" three times in the last month!! Riveting---most of the doc is a concert filmed in 2005 at the Sydney Opera House (or Chez Madame Shawshank as we would prefer to think of it)---- a sort of "tribute to.." concert with some of the best Cohen interpreters around--the McCarrigles, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright and others.

Leonard is just soooooooo cool!!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

This one http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/16/DDGIGOLBR51.DTL
certainly looks promising and more. It is about the monks who live in silence in the Charteuse Monastery--has anyone seen it?

Scroll down in the link to find "Into Great Silence".

madameshawshank · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 11:25 am Post subject:

a friend of mine in the States has seen it...breathtaking she says...it reaches our shores soon...a must see...
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

aleniqu1 · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 15 Location: Greenville, NC, US

After reading through these, my Netflix is now full of so many more documentaries! And that's a good thing!
I wish Netflix had a shuffle option. It always seems that when I choose something, I end up adding other movies in the same genre or with the same actors, directors and such. It would be great if I could then shuffle them for variety, you know?

bainst · Joined: 07 Aug 2005 Posts: 151 Location: Baghdad, Iraq

My favorite documentary are Amandala. It's os about the history of South African protest music and it's place in the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
_________________
Live as if to die tomorrow. Learn as if to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi

madameshawshank · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:41 pm Post subject:

bainst ~ I am so glad you told us of this one....I will seek it out...

how I remember singing the chorus of "Bring Back Nelson Mandela" in our kitchen...loudly!
_________________
"I've never accepted the external appearance of things as the whole truth. The world is much more elaborate than the nerves of our eye can tell us." - James Gleeson

David · Posted: Thu May 10, 2007 5:13 pm Post subject:

Well I just got my copy of the CD/soundtrack for Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man and the list of artists is drool making! Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright, Kate and Anna McGarrigle, Nick Cave, The Handsome Family, Beth Orton, Antony (truly amazing--if unusual--is he an Australian artist?), Perla Battala who along with Julie Christensen (2 others I am unfamiliar with) do the definitive version of Anthem, Teddy Thompson and one track only featuring Leonard Cohen with U2.

Oh WOW!!
_________________
Vivant Linguae Mortuae!!

bainst · Joined: 07 Aug 2005 Posts: 151 Location: Baghdad, Iraq

madameshawshank,
I hope you love it as much as I did. I also love the soundtrack. There is the song Thina Swizwe sung by the SABC that is you beautiful. I highly reccomend it.
_________________
Live as if to die tomorrow. Learn as if to live forever.
Mahatma Gandhi

simona · Joined: 11 Mar 2005 Posts: 696 Location: israel

OMG !!!! Bainst, just noticed you were transferred to Iraq!!!
Take care, please.

No more war ( I'm aware of the dramatic irony -, me from Israel to you in Iraq Very Happy

)

gingerpale · Joined: 23 Jan 2006 Posts: 1324

David, Leonard Cohen has such great lyrics but the music/singing I find so-- melancholy--that's a melodramatic word, but it seems to fit! I stick to old Kris Kristofferson stuff.

General question for anyone: Does anyone know/like the singer Carolyn Hester?