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In this section of my site, I wish to pay tribute to some of the things in this world that have afforded me pleasure, amusement, insight, humility, etc. For lack of a better idea of how to organize this section, it's divided into four categories: places, books, movies, and music. This section is under construction. Places The International Museum of Surgical Science  Pere Lachaise Cemetery - photos to be posted  Graceland Cemetery - photos to be posted Movies The Passion of Joan of Arc - A French docu-drama from 1928 This movie is the greatest movie ever made. Really. Hands down. It's beautifully made, with an entirely unique and effective use of light and camera angle. Moreover, the story (a basically sympathetic portait of Joan of Arc's interrogation and execution) is brilliantly told, despite the fact that it is a silent film and thus narration and dialog are limited. Every serious movie fan should see it, and most of the rest of us should give it a chance as well. Watch the Criterion version with Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light score accompanying it. (And no, do not even try to compare Mel Gibson's infinitely inferior Passion of the Christ to this brilliant film!) M - A classic Fritz Lang film from 1931 I admit to being a big Fritz Lang fan, but this is certainly one of his best films. As always, Lang makes good use of light and shadow for some creative and creepy shots, but the real innovation in this film was his use of sound. Talking films had only just come out when Lang made this movie and I guarantee you'll never think of Grieg in the same way again. Some people criticize the plot for being dull, but, like most Lang films, I think the questions he raises are still pertinent. Again, a film everyone should see at least once. Things to Come - A British sci-fi flick from 1936 The screenplay was written by H.G. Wells and it's certainly a propaganda movie for science as a benefit to society. Still, the movie is not without nuance, highly imaginative sets, and an optimistic view of science that get more or less shattered by WWII. N.B. to VNV Nation fans: this is the source of the sound samples in Praise the Fallen's Burnout. Night of the Living Dead - A classic horror film from 1968 One could say a great deal about Night of the Living Dead. It's the quintessential zombie flick, the movie that gave your parents nightmares when they were kids. But it's more than just a cheap romp with flesh-eating zombies. It's deeply psychological as well, both in how it plays upon our fears and in how it develops its characters. Despite numerous remakes and scores of similar horror movies, I still think Night of the Living Dead is one of the best and most disturbing horror films ever made. Watch it if you dare! Books Emile Zola - La Bete Humaine Harold Frederic - The Damnation of Theron Ware Music Boney M - Rasputin (english version) Boney M - Rasputin (german version) Yet another reason why Germans rock my world. |