George the great !

Isn’t that man a marvel ? In an article of the Daily Telegraph, George Clooney explained that he really wished to grow old on the screen. “The alternative”, he said, “was to be dead”, so he really prefered getting old doing movies. He said he was assisting a screening of “Up in the Air”, the last picture presented at the London Film Festival, when he suddenly thought : “My God, who is this old actor with grey hair ?” And suddenly he realized, “it was me !” He laughs he never wore make up during the the shootings, and it starts to be seen. Is that man not totally genuine and great ?

Can’t afford an electric fan…

I absolutely love my collection of fans ! A friend brought those from Asia. The round one, made out of a palm leave, is from Cambodia. The one one the right, was quite difficult to find. It’s from Vietnam, but definitely not made as a present. They use it on a domestic scale, usually for making the fire go. The “can’t afford an electric find” is made out of metal and very thin material. Brought from Laos I think…

A letter from the past !

Isn’t that an amazing letter ? In 1980, english actress Deborah Kerr wrote a letter to a young girl who should reach her 21st birthday in 1995. More than fifteen years before, Kerr wished the young girl a happy and wonderful life. As shed died in 2007, the wonderful actress could have written her lettersby the time being. But it was quite a present, I imagine, that the uncle’s young girl could present to her on the day of her birthday…

Figtree & swimming pool !

It has been such a long time since I haven’t posted here. I haven’t been lazy. But very busy with the summer days. It’s amazing how everything seems to accelerate, when the usual way should be to calm down and run into dark and cool places. People leave for holidays, and when you are staying at work, usually you end up with getting the keys of different homes. Running from one place to the other, to water the plants, feeding the cats or the dogs, taking care of the mail… Which of course you add to your own circle of activities…  But it’s also a nice time to have friends visiting, and taking time to spend in their company. And there are always, little pauses, under the figtree or by the swimming pool. Don’t you love summer ???

Flamenco show 09

Each year, to celebrate the end of the courses, our flamenco teacher organize a public show. This year was no exception. With its ritual of fun moments and panics. For once, the floor was covered with a special material which prevented us from gliding. The other years were quite a nightmare. Already tense by the public appearance to which were are not accustomed, the fright of falling was quite a burden. I really enjoyed this year performance. Hope other people were quite happy too…

Stars at Home !

Had great fun, looking at a selection of pictures from the Life Magazine collection : “Stars at Home”… Where you can see Steve McQueen in a very natural outfit, Bette Davies being wheeled by her gardener, Maureen O’Hara relaxing on her bed (but in full fur), Joanne Fontaine & Olivia de Havilland for once sharing the credit (as good sisters should do), and Vivien Leigh putting her first Oscar on the chimney (the second, is told to have found a more discreet place, in the toilets !!!)

New Moon Trailer…

Seems the shooting of “Twilight” sequel is over. I really love “New Moon”. Find it is more dark than the first book. And there is this sense of loss, which is so powerfuly conveyed… Yes, I’m a kid !

Just say Goodbye To Yesterdays

It’s been at least four monthes since I haven’t posted a new video on Youtube. Well, I have worked this week end to produce this little opus edited on the beautiful adagio of the 5th Symphonie. I usually select the music first. The music gives me the idea, I just follow the mood, to put my littles pieces on it… The idea of “Just say Goodbye To Yesterday” is quite a nostalgic one. It was constructed with the help of a good friend of mine, who has volunteered, during a stay in London, to go to 4 Christchurch Street, and made little films of Durham Cottage. The scenes shown here are extracts from “Carrie”, “Waterloo Bridge”, and there is one scene of “Anna Karenina”. Quite frankly, I quite understand why “Carrie”, didn’t make it at the Box Office. It’s such a depressing story. Laurence Olivier is turned into a ghost of himself, totally consummed in a destructive passion. So, it was easy to get those pathetic expressions required by the music of Tchaikowsky. I so love the first minutes with the faraway sound of the horn…

Stanley Kwan (1957)

Born in Hong Kong, Stanley Kwan is a very underrated director, author of several cinematographic gems, like “Center Stage”, “Red Rose, White Rose”, “Red”, “Everlasting Regret”… Openly gay – one of the few directors to have come out in Asia – he directed “Lan Yu”, in 2001. A love story between to men, set in the Beijin of the Tian An Men’s square events (a whole scene in the movie, happens during the repression). Really at ease, with the world of elegance and nostalgia of the 30′s & 40′s, I discovered him during a Chinese Festival, where “Center Stage” was projected, with the beautiful Maggie Cheung in one of her earliest role. “Red Rose, White Rose”, is also one of my favorite. I have more difficulties with “Lan Yu”. Based on the cult novel, published on the internet by a Chinese living in the US, “Beijing Story”, there is something in this movie that I really don’t get. The subject was brought to Kwan by his producer. He confided later having had difficulties with the melodramatic plot, the very explicit sex scenes and had to find a way, to get involved in the story. The whole movie is very formal, with a display of technical effects, which tends to show that he seized the opportunity to try things and experiment, rather than immerse himself into a story he perhaps had no real interest with… Kwan has always confessed his admiration for directors like Fassbinder, Ozu, Wenders but also Truffaut, Rohmer, Bresson… His sensible side is balanced with a formal quest, as if he was fighting against his deep emotions. Frightened perhaps of a classification, as a director of the past and of women. Judged only on aesthetical bases. When he evidently wants to conquer a place in the contemporean world also.

Still Walking

These are behind the scenes of the last movie by Kore-Eda Hirokazu. One of the most touching portrait of a japanese family. It’s real, funny, haunting, hard and cruel, full of hope and regrets. Enlightening. These are we are humans. Full of faults, deffects, monstrous side and enchantment… With hands armed with knifes, but also able to touch and fondle, or reach toward the last lilac…