In Defense of Philosophy: Derek Jarman - Wittgenstein

Whenever I hit on a rich seam of content of the net I mine it empty like the hardcore info glutton I am. About 5 years ago there was nothing on the internet in video or audio that Chomsky had said, and which I hadn't consumed (the only use of that word I feel comfortable with). That's changed a bit as there are whole channels devoted to Chomsky who I fear is the last great American intellectual. The rest being too cowardly to take on the Anti Semitic Zionists dominating Israeli and AIPAC political discourse at present (though at least the formidable Haaretz is printing more bravely than any American newspaper has done).

Recently I just wolfed down Zizek's entire content except for a badly recorded lecture, a problem that recurs often with many amateur recordings, and may require a software solution that just irons out the speakers voice for something more synthetic but less aggressive on my ears and speakers.

I've been wanting to write about this Golden Age of the internet. It's truly awesome and I can't imagine it being any better than this. In fact I dread it all going downhill compared to the current flood of top quality content, peer to peer sharing, pretty good speeds/bandwidth, and net neutrality. I can't imagine this lasting given the disproportionate advantages that predatory business takes of any commons resources (House of Commons is next) and the depressing discretions that people/public seem willing to sacrifice, but I might be wrong on that as even China struggles to keep a lid on content it doesn't want shared and at least the French seem prepared to protest on behalf of Europe.

I don't want to write too much about Derek Jarman's Wittgenstein as I've not seen it yet. But it is 69.2% downloaded and as it's 4.33 am and I've an early start tomorrow I should try and grab another hour or so because the real point is I woke up in the wee hours and just passed a pleasant hour listening to Tariq Ali (lovely chap) and Jonathan Derbyshire (he seems like a nice lad too) talking about all things Ludwig and Jarman, through the generosity of the Tate Channel which just emphasises that point I want to elaborate on which is that that I'm finding a critical mass of content on the subjects and topics I'm most interested in. Often there's only a few thousand views of it on Youtube so I can't imagine this is any different and yet it's a lovely example of the long tail in action. Or at least keeping my boat floating.

Thailand at the International Criminal Court on Crimes Against Humanity

I'd appreciate it if any of my United Kingdom readers could raise an objection to David Cameron's intended holiday in Thailand as a guest of Prime Mininister Abhisit Vejjajiva in any way they see fit. I assume that's why Dave didn't book a vacation with Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe and so the same principle applies here.

New Peaks In The Uncanny Valley

Careless Lisper

Slavoj Žižek had me raising my hand in objection by the first minute over a throwaway comment of reality as abstraction but he quickly settles down to unfurl a devastating rapid response to a series of embarrassingly superficial market capitalists who are increasingly beginning to exude the air of polyester flare-wearing, Boomer swingers. Wealthy but morally bankrupt. Rich but fucking clueless. Wedged up but drenched in Hai-Karate aftershave. The epitome of dangerous anachronisms. Naturally they're the last to realise it in much the same way that Louis XIV was puzzled when the peasants arrived at Versailles and proved themselves to be natural vivisectionists in response to the brutality that small groups of greedy people invariably inculcate through financial and most importantly historical myopia.

I loved watching this and I now have a bit of a man-crush on the Slovenian dissident who I recently struggled with his Lacanian analysis in A perverts guide to cinema. Žižek also tackles some more concrete issues in this so hang in there for some honest critique of why the left are very hypocritical on Afghanistan and so forth. There's a certain amount of professional jealousy from here, as unlike me he got to bone Miss Brazil as the Elvis of cultural theory. 

It's not right, but it's OK. 

Man on Wire

I guess I'm not the only one who gets a little tingle from seeing the twin towers in pre 2001 New York film scenes. I particularly like seeing footage of the construction of the towers in the early 70's. It's a time that's of interest for me because it seems to resonate so strongly from the screen. I chose this Italian trailer with the Eric Satie piano piece because it's infinitely more delicate than the over the top editing for the the U.S market trailer complete with basso profondo voiceover.

I've had this story on my radar for quite some time. I'm not really sure if there was a transition from knowing about the story to being aware of the documentary but for some reason I couldn't imagine it being any more interesting than a long news clip or a very short film. I couldn't have been more wrong. There's a bunch of stuff going on in this extraordinary documentary film. There's no way of anticipating the kind of details that always emerge during the act of doing something dangerous over a period of time. The close scrapes. The near misses. The ominous omens. On their own they are reason to believe it's worth an hour and a half of your time.

But there are other dimensions that caught me by surprise. The incongruous sentiments of detailed planning worthy of a bank heist, flying back and forth between New York and Paris over and over again, combined with a sort of physical poetry of performance, and an essential ability to inspire or seduce all around him into collaborating. It's an ability that falls apart too quickly to be left unmoved by the tears of his best friend on one or two occasions.

The last time I saw something this creative was back in Beijing with the Parisian Ballet company protesting in mid act to the intelligentsia and elite of Peking (and a white boy in baseball cap) over the knee jerk sentiments of blind Chinese nationalism to Olympic torch protests in France. 

This is a moving piece of film with unexpected dynamics and curious details that I can't imagine ever being done any better. Most striking for me is the interstitial editing of film sequences of a younger Philip Pettit practising in France. There was no way of knowing it would be used for a film many years later but it's done so elegantly that the juxtaposition is fused with a sense of poetic connection. Much like the wire across those twin towers.

Sunflower Seeds

Ai Weiweis's Sunflower seeds is exhibiting at the Tate. Here's a short film about the production of the 100 000 000 hand painted porcelain seeds. During the cultural revolution Chairman Mao referred to himself as the Sun and the people as sunflowers with their faces turned towards him. I think it's one of those ideas that transfers it's poignancy well in this video without necessarily missing anything if a visit to the Tate isn't possible.

Ai Weiwei is China's greatest living artist.

Slow The Fuck Down

Last year in Hong Kong one of the projects I started sniffing around was an anti Red Bull concept. A chill out and calm down RTD (Ready to drink). I liked it immediately and felt that it was a massively powerful rejection of all that bigger, better, faster, stronger nonsense that has it's foot slammed to the floor on the accelerator peddle just so we can hit the brick wall and get it over and done with already. 

The Slow Food movement were the first people to articulate and champion against this thinking and I think there are some good links with Via Campesina that I talked about back here.

Ace of Spades by Motorhead is a track that gets a periodical playing in my life and is always cranked up to the max. I love it and and feel calmer after playing it a few times. If Kronenberg can really walk the walk on Slow the pace, I'd walk an extra block or two to buy it. I don't mean by advertising. Though this execution is what I like to see. I mean what else can they do that is meaningful and shows commitment? They can take their time about this. I'm in no hurry to walk that extra block. But  walk it I will if they deliver.

Of course Lemmy Kilmister is notorious for living a fast and furious life of Rock and Roll,  vodka and amphetamines, which may explain the updated lyrics in a little edited cut that's over here. He sings "I don't want to live forever...... but apparently I am". 

It's a little touch of authenticity that if it didn't exist would suggest that Lemmy has sold out. So I'm cutting him some slack. Just like with Kronenberg.