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Poll

I prefer...

...generally films to books
[ 2 ] (28.6%)
...generally books to films
[ 4 ] (57.1%)
...generally beer and then we'll see whatever else you may've got there
[ 1 ] (14.3%)

Total Members Voted: 7

Topic: Films and Books (Read 26241 times)

Re: Films and Books

Reply #25
You saw 13th Warrior without noticing Neanderthals?

Well, I remember an Arab being taken by Vikings. There were also Neanderthals? I must have fallen asleep.
There are movies that get better if you sleep. :)
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #26
Well, you did say Neandert(h)al... </python>

No thread is complete without a Neandertal. And a map. And another map. And some stunt poetry from rjhowie.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #27
No thread is complete without a Neandertal. And a map. And another map. And some stunt poetry from rjhowie.

lool.
Whatever.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #28
And without some disdainful denouement by Belfrager before it dies. :P

Re: Films and Books

Reply #29
Last week I saw this film, Spy Sorge. It's a Japanese film with an international cast, as the story demands.

In real life, Richard Sorge was a Soviet spy who, infiltrated into the Nazi embassy in Japan, had a near-direct access to Nazi plans and policies regading the Soviet Union. And he was no average spy, but the network organiser on location. Many authors with different backgrounds mention him, citing various reasons, as the archetypal master spy, the spy who is more James Bond than James Bond himself, because Sorge is a historical real-life character, not a figment of imagination.

Richard Sorge recruited Hidemi Ozaki to his network. Ozaki was at the time of his first encounters with Sorge a journalist, but later an advisor to the Japanese prime minister, a most valuable contribution to Sorge. The film had a near-equal focus on both Ozaki and Sorge.

The film fails artistically on many counts. Loose story, overlong runtime, uneven acting, unsettling overuse of obvious CGI, pointless ending. It does not work as a wholesome work of art. However, when you zoom in to some scenes, there are a bunch of masterful moments in terms of staging and camera angles.

The artistically meaningful moments apply to a sufficient number of scenes so I'd say it's an okay film all in all. It is most definitely an okay film as a history lesson. The historical details are well researched. There seems to have been a particular effort in the script to stay true to historicity. As such, Spy Sorge (2003) by Masahiro Shinoda has enough merit.

I saw it on Estonian so-called Central TV channel. If anyone is interested, I can explain the concept of Central TV :)

Re: Films and Books

Reply #30
I saw it on Estonian so-called Central TV channel. If anyone is interested, I can explain the concept of Central TV  :)

Isn't that simply the Soviet name for public television?

Re: Films and Books

Reply #31

I saw it on Estonian so-called Central TV channel. If anyone is interested, I can explain the concept of Central TV  :)

Isn't that simply the Soviet name for public television?

Central TV was THE CENTRAL, i.e. the centralmost, TV from the centralmost capital, i.e. Moscow, broadcast all over Soviet Union. There could have been places in Soviet Union that didn't see (or have) a local TV channel, but the Central TV was seen everywhere.

In Estonia, we have this party called the Center Party. It's commonly implicated, due to its immortal leader's past (the party's leader is immortal because he's been the irreplaceable leader all along ever since the party emerged after the collapse of the Soviet Union), with loyalties to Russia, Putin, backdoor Sovietism, Stalinism, whatever.

It so happens that throughout this century, the Center Party has ruled the capital city of Estonia (as in mairie), while the parties in irreconcilable opposition to it have ruled the country (as in national government). We always had a national TV. Being in irreconcilable opposition with the national government and ruling the capital city for so long, the Center Party thought they also deserve their own TV like the national government had. Thus was born Tallinn TV (the official name) a.k.a. Central TV of Estonia (the popular mock name for the same).

This was the channel that presented the Estonian people with the film Spy Sorge last week. And I mean the people of the entire country because, despite its name (Tallinn TV), the channel is broadcast in every little corner of the country.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #32
Central TV was THE CENTRAL, i.e. the centralmost, TV from the centralmost capital, i.e. Moscow, broadcast all over Soviet Union. There could have been places in Soviet Union that didn't see (or have) a local TV channel, but the Central TV was seen everywhere.

Well, sure. I hardly meant Soviet public TV would have the pluralistic character of Dutch public TV. ;) That it was a mocking name for some channel — I figured as much given the USSR's demise. How odd that they called it Talinn TV, though.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #33
Richard Sorge

I have his memories book. Read it instead of watching mental manipulation television.
Maybe the last of romantic spies.

If you like the theme, I recommend you Schelemberg's memoirs, the man that created the third Reich secret services. Fundamental.

Then you have all the three homosexual British traitors, spying for the Soviets, Burguess and the others. Boring.

You may like to read the only traitor that was loyal to his beliefs until the end, Kim Philby.

Be aware ersi, how much can we believe about a spy/traitor writings? :)
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #34

Be aware ersi, how much can we believe about a spy/traitor writings? :)

Believe in what sense?

In history, art, and demonstrations of human nature, I don't believe. I observe.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #35
In history, art, and demonstrations of human nature, I don't believe. I observe.

Then, you'll be never part of history, art or demonstrations of human nature, you're doomed to be the external, independent, distant, non engaged, kind of almost robotic Observer.
We need to believe a little bit in mankind.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #36

...you're doomed to be the external, independent, distant, non engaged, kind of almost robotic Observer.

This is how I tend to be viewed, indeed. But I maintain that even the Observer type is a manifestation of human nature.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #37
But I maintain that even the Observer type is a manifestation of human nature.

Fear of risking, that's what it is. :)
Deep connections are the only thing we live for, some will put us in paradise, some will put us in hell, that's what a full life is about, there's nothing more in this life.
That's why I get irritated with the Buddhist seek for total detachment.

Books (fiction) and films are very much a refuge for not risking to live it's content.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #38
Citizen Kane, anybody?
[video]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2LTo4SIsZE[/video]

Re: Films and Books

Reply #39
Meh, it's okay. Gimme something like Double Indemnity instead. :P

Re: Films and Books

Reply #40
Going to start on this one soon:


Re: Films and Books

Reply #41
Miekkailija was the Foreign Language Academy Award nominee from Finland this year, but it's in Estonian, its cast is Estonian, it's about Estonia and the filming took place in Estonia, so it's Finnish only in terms of production. Just saying. Haven't seen it.


 

Re: Films and Books

Reply #43
I've been reading HHhH (in French). I'm liking it so far. It's somewhat similar to What a Carve Up!



Re: Films and Books

Reply #46
I've been reading (and re-reading) Georges Simenon, Erle Stanley Garden, Ellery Queen, Mickey Spillane and the such that I buy for 50 centimes each at the weekend street market.
For ten euros I get twenty fabulous books, the perfect way to fall at sleep. Well, besides sex of course.

George Simenon's Maigret it's good, very good.
Such is crisis.
A matter of attitude.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #47
I picked up an autobiography on sale for €3 or so yesterday, Juliette Gréco's Je suis faite comme ça. I have no idea what to expect, but I hope it'll be good. I quickly checked for some reviews on my phone while pondering whether to get it, but they were all written by her greatest fans.

I also picked up Home by Toni Morrison. In my experience with the author, it should be anything from quite decent to amazing.

Re: Films and Books

Reply #48
Is Kraftidioten Nordic noir?

Re: Films and Books

Reply #49
Sounds like it's in the same neo-noir subgenre as Fargo?