Hey there again
I've noticed a few new blips on the feedjit from around the globe so welcome to my little corner of the blogosphere.
I saw a reader from Iraq the other day and it got me thinking. We hear about all these far off places in the news, paper, internet and such. We see the pictures and hear the words, but sometimes I dont think we understand something. Those bombings in Gaza, Prince Charles, Jack Nicholson, crying babies in Africa...they all have something in common. Its profound but simple. We are all on same planet, all breathe the same air and feel the same feelings. I read somewhere that with every breath you take, you breathe in 50,000 molecules of air that Leonardo da Vinci breathed. Wow, you-I-your neighbor breathe the same air as da Vinci. It gave me a very profound sense of being connected to people and history.
I know, you are waiting for me to wax philosopical for a few minutes before you start yelling "GET TO THE POINT!" Well, the point is tonight's movie, Night on Earth.
Night on Earth came out in 1991. It is the story of one moment on Earth in 5 taxi cabs in 5 different cities, LA, Rome, Paris, New York and Helsinki. It has an amazing ensemble cast including Gina Rowlands, Wynona Ryder, Rosy Perez, Armin Mueller Stahl and Roberto Benigni. It was directed by Jim Jarmusch.
The stories include
LA-A talent agent finds the perfect person for a part in a movie in her cab driver. The driver is a young girl happy driving a cab and who aspires to be a mechanic. The agent tries to get the driver to audition but she is reluctant to give up her happy life for fame.
Rome-My favorite story of the 5. The taxi driver takes the fare of a priest. As he drives the priest, the driver decides to confess to the priest. He tells a tale so shocking that the priest dies from a heart attack.
New York- An immigrant cab driver is continually lost in a city and culture he doesn't understand.
Paris - A blind girl takes a ride with a cab driver from the Ivory Coast and they talk about life and blindness.
Helsinki - an industrial worker gets laid off and he and his compatriots discuss the bleakness and unfairness of love and life and death.
One of the true gems of this movie is the soundtrack. It is by Tom Waits. Tom is kind of an aquired taste, but he is just...so good its really hard to describe. He has a gift for layering sound and using obscure instrumentation. Over his career he has spanned blues to avante garde. He is a musician's musician and worthy in every sense of the name Troubadour. I highly recommend giving Waits a listen. The first time you might sit there and say "WTF is that"! That's ok, I definately had my wtf moment the first time. But I gave it another listen and it really grows on you. This soundtrack is a good introduction to Tom Waits. I mean it, listen a couple times, especially "Back in the Good old World". Tom rarely tours and tickets go in minutes, but oh so worth it.
So there you have it, tunes and a movie all in one neat package! Feel free to comment on any of the movies and music I have talked about. Im feeling like Rocketman-its lonely out here in cyberspace! Keep sane, be good and wear your seatbelt!
later gaters!
C
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