James Blunt – No Bravery : a protest song

The year of the « Brevet » -our GCSE  (at school, when I was fourteen), we had to choose a protest song to present for the History of Art. I have choosen a protest song by James Blunt (a pop rock and brisith singer) untitled No Bravery. In his song, he talks about the Kosovo war where he was a soldier. The song received a positive reception from music critics.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbFr8mc9rj4[/youtube]

I really love this song, and now I often listen it.

And you ? What do you think about this song ? And about James Blunt ?

The Great Gatsby (1974)

In literature in english we study The Great Gatsby so I would like to talk about an adpatation of this novel I saw (with Robert Redford !).

This movie was published in 1974 and realised by Jack Clayton. It is starring by Robert Redford (Jay Gatsby) and Mia Farrow (Daisy).

The scene takes place in the Roaring Twenties (the 20’s) in Long Island, and talk about a mysterious and extravagant man’s life. But who is this man ? What kind of man is he ? What does he want ?

Step by step, we will discover this man and his attentions.

I have really loved this movie and I have seen the other with Leonardo Dicaprio too (2013) and I think that both adaptations are really good but I maybe prefer the most recent because I really love the soundtrack and the atmosphere !

And you ? Which one have you seen and which one do you prefere ?

Magic in the Moonlight

I would like to speak about Magic in the Moonlight. This film is directed by Woody Allen who is a famous director, sreenwriter, actor and also comedian.

http://www.senscritique.com/film/Magic_in_the_Moonlight/10483067/images

The story of his last film is about a chinese magician called Wei Ling Soo. In reality his name is Stanley Crawford and he is an english man, but not many people know that.

One day, his friend Howard Burkan tells to Stanley that in the south of France, there is a woman who seems to be a medium. So together they decide to go in Catledge’s family to meet this mysterious Sophie Maker. Stanley doesn’t like this kind of person who seems to speak with ghosts or be able to know the future. But with the passig of the story, Stanley becomes closer and closer of Sophie and he begins to doubt about many things….

 

I don’t like all what makes Woody Allen but this new film is very great! If you can, I advise you to see it!

Famous photographer

I would like to speak about Steve McCurry, a famous american photographer.

He was born in 1950 in Pensylvania. Since 1986, he is a member of Magnum’s agency. He also works with Reporters Without Borders.

He travels through the world to capture the better instant to transform it into eternity.

Since his youth, Steve McCurry has been using his colour photography to look for the moment when « people forget your camera ».

Maybe you know his famous photo taken in 1985 in a refugee camp where you can see a young Afghan girl with straight and intense look and also beautiful green eyes.

The more interesting about this photo is that 20 years after, the photographer came in Afghanistan and he met again the woman of the photo…

This commited photographer wants to defend the right of all this people who live in poor and dangerous aeras, and it’s why he realizes many portraits to sensibilize the audience.

If you want to see his photos: http://stevemccurry.com/

Protest singer

In class we talked about protests songs during the 60’s-70’s. So I think it’s important to mention the famous singer: Bob Marley. This personality written many protests songs to denounce racism. During his life he was commited to defend civils rights and also to deliver a message of peace.

The most popular protest song is « Get up, Stand up » written in 1973. This is a song against discrimination and oppression of black people. Through this lycris we unterstand that Bob Marley wanted that people « stand up for their rights ».

Moreover this singer remained in our memory as a talented musician who influenced the reggae’s world.

Sherlock Holmes

Hi everybody!

I am sure that you know who is Sherlock Holmes, this famous fictionnal character invented by Arthur Conan Doyle!
He is a scottish investigator who can solve any crime or mystery; Sherlock appears in many differents little novels. His first apparition were in 1887, in « A Study in Scarlet ».

Well, I already read some of these books when I was young, and I really like them, but I didn’t watch any movie of Sherlock Holmes. Yet, there is a film, which was produced by Joel Silver in 2009: apparently it was a good film because I saw that it receive a lot of positive reactions.
The film was also reward by many awards.

That’s why if you already saw this film, I would like to have your opinion!!!

Avatar in science

Hi everybody!

I know that it’s not really in the subject of english literature but in class, we had to prepare an oral, concerning the evolution of science and technologies in the genetics and robotic fields. So, I was thinking about the american movie « AVATAR », directed by James Cameron in 2009, which could be considerated as a good example for the notion of progress.

I also find the idea of avatar incredible; moreover graphism are wonderful and we can see it in 3D version. Also, I really enjoyed this movie. As a result, I was wondering if there is a novel, and I found it!
I recommand you to read it if, as me, you loved the movie: First it

Oliver Twist: the movie.

Hi everybody! I would like to know if some of you saw the movie « Oliver Twist »?

The film is directed by Roman Polanwski, and of course it’s an adaptation of Charles Dickens’s novel. It dates from 2005 and was shoot in Prague!

Personally I never read the book, so I don’t know if the adaptation is faithful or not. But the movie is rather interesting, and seems respect the main story line…
I recommand you to watch it, and to tell me here your feelings!

And of course, watch it in english haha

Marley

Hi everybody!

I would like to talk about the documentary film about Bob Marley’s life; « Marley ». If you don’t know, it’s a film by Kevin Macdonald, which was released in 2012. It’s a good tribute for Bob Marley, who were a great singer. Also the documentary is rather well, it start from his birth until his death!

Which can be considered interesting? During all the documentary you can hear Bob Marley’s songs,for example Redemption Song or Jamming. If you love Bob Marley, watch this documentary!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I read this novel in original version. It’s very interesting to read in english and I advise you to do it. First because you understand much more than you can think and secondly because you learn other grammatical structure or words and it’s very enriching.

 

This is the story of Benjamin Button who was born old. Instead of growing old with the time he rejuvenizes. So it’s difficult for him to have a normal life with friends of his age or love story with a younger girl than him. He is ahead of his age and he doesn’t have the same ideas than his close friends. This story is very strange because when he is a young boy, he looks like a old one and he has the attitude of an adult and when he become an adult, he looks more and more young and he is also younger in his mind. It’s very paradoxal !

So I advise you to read it and also to watch the adaptation of David Fincher with (the wonderful) Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett. It’s a good movie to question ourselves about the time which spend very fast and our evolution through time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUV05ZryKDc[/youtube]

The Great Gatsby by Baz Luhrmann

The Great Gatsby directed by Baz Luhrmann in 2013 is one of my favourite movie. With Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton and Isla Fisher.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DZBGR0vP8I[/youtube]

It’s the story of a rich man living on West Egg during the Roaring Twenties. The movie is punctuated of excessive parties, secrets about the past and a love relation between Gatsby and Daisy. All the movie is told by Nick Carraway, Gatsby’s  neightbour and friend.

I’m crazy about this movie because it shows a different way of life than ours, like the Speakeasies, the Flappers, Prohibition, Golden Age of Jazz etc… The setting and the costume design are amazing, actors’ playing are wonderful and my fascination about the Roaring Twenties increased after I watched this movie ( in fact I think I watched five times… ) Moreover the aestheticism and the film technics are great and numerous.

I advise you to watch it !!!

Apocalyspe Now- The Heart of Darkness.

Since that i saw the  » Apocalyspe Now » movie i’m interest at this story. And i discovered that it was an « The heart of Darkness » adaptation. This story tells the Charles Marlow’s travel who is a english mariner appointed by a belgian company. In order to find Kurtz director of ivory market in Congo because he disappeared. 

     So Marlow began to navigate in the African continent’s heart for discover this men that everybody says that Kurt is exceptional and visionary but Malow don’t know why. This trip to take her in the wild’s forest and a lot places extraordinary whose the atmosphere is oppressive who exercise the Malow personnage to reflect on himself ,the life’s value, and his existence reason. He had to forget the world of the Occident. Kurtz rest deliberately cup off from the world. The reader discovered this personnage same time that Malow. I will not say more.. The book we talk of the human wild party’s in each of us and which is wake up by the nature. This book is complicated to read but  is possibly.

Now i will like to present you the movie of Francis Ford Coppola ( his daughter is Sofia Coppola the director of Virgin Suicide.) was realised in 1979 which it is a not correct adaptation of the book » The Heart of Darkness » and it was censured by the american army.The realisator after the vietnam’s war replaces the team of Malow for a team of american soldiers on the congo river. They research a kurtz too because he had lost the reason and he execute freely. He will not listen order of his ladder. His malow mission is to kill Kurtz.

But on the river the tension in progress in their shift. The images are sublime in this movie. Coppola criticize american interventionism in Vietnam that we learn in history. It is not a war movie but it is a movie which to talk the war. The director shows us the life conditions of soldiers. He shows us a trip between the madness and the horror incarnate by Kurtz. The Soundtrack is perfect with the sound created by the Doors entitled The end. The movie is spectacular. I can lend you the movie and the book.

 

 

Scene of movie.

To be seen absolutely!

Image

The last week i saw the SIN CITY 2. It is the second movie entitled « A Dame to kill for »  realised by Robert Rodriguez in 2014. This Film is an adaptation of the comic book written by Frank Miller.

The story tells what’s happening in a metropolis nicknamed Sin city that was destroyed by the crime. The justice is helpless. There are the horrible criminals. The spectators follow different characters during the movie. This movie is very considerable because it is a combination between drawing and film. It is in black and write except some detail. The atmosphere is strange but it is fantastic. Though some scenes are violent there is  black humour. And the casting is very good with Eva Green, Bruce Willis .. This movie we show the comic strip’s world. I suggest you watch this masterpiece. It is very original.

sin-city-2-dame-to-kill-for-poster-mickey-rourke

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqK_P0yU9jk[/youtube]

Animation on Pulp Fiction Soundtrack

I would like to show you a short animation that I did. I posted it on Youtube, you can watch that!

I like drawing and animation. So, I decided to begin my first short-animation. I began this project this summer. At the finally, I did 102 drawings concerning the violinist and 24 drawings for the woman who dances. Then, I realized a stop motion. In order that you understand how I did, I took in photo drawing by drawing. After, I made a montage with a simple software. In this clip, I used 852 pictures.
Concerning the music you are probably recognised that it’s the Pulp Fiction Soundtrack. It’s an American black comedy crime film realized by Quentin Tarantino and he also co-wrote the screenplay with Roger Avary in 1994, starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Bruce Willis and Uma Thurman. The story mixes violence and humor that refers to pop culture. This film was much successful, it was awarded the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Films Festival in 1994. It was considered as a prime example of postmodern film.
So, I chose to use the soundtrack of this film. It inspired me to play this music on my electric violin to finish my project. I wanted to mix music and animation.
If you have some comments to do, don’t hesitate!

An example of committed song

ZOMBIE – CRANBERRIES

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Ejga4kJUts[/youtube]

The Cranberries are an Irish rock band with the vocalist Dolores O’Riordan, the guitarist Noel Hogan, the bassist Mike Hogan and Fergal Lawle who is the drummer. This group was formed in 1990.

When the goup hears of the two children’s death – Jonathan Ball and Tim Parry – during a bomb attack committed by the IRA on March the 20th, 1993, in Warrington. Dolores O’Riordan decided to write and sing Zombie because she is totally touched and angry about this because of this event. They protest against the men’s madness. This song is related the conflict between England and Ireland. It shows the horror of war and explains that memories of events are implanted in their head. They denounced the violence and the fact that the murder doesn’t know what he does.

After the IRA’s ceasefire, in 1994, Zombie is joined on the album called No Need To Arque which has a success.

The Great Gatsby

In popular culture, several elements are mentioned or are inspired of the Great Gatsby.

Haruki Murakami, the official translator of F. Scott Fitzgerald, write books in which sometimes he evokes the novel.

In South Park, The Great Gatsby is read by a doctor.

In the series Greek, there is a party like Gatsby’s party.

In the series Vampire Diaries, this is one of favorites books of Stefan.

In the series Gossip Girl, this is a source of inspiration of Dan Humphrey’s book.

In the series Californication, one of the characters is inspired of Gatsby.

In the series Pretty Little Liars, Aria Montgomery, one of the main characters, is disguised as Daisy.

In the series Smash, Julia Houston writes a play inspired of the book.

Moreover, there are quotations in the novel of Salinger which is entitled The Catcher in the Rye, in The Perks of Being a Wallflower which is a Stephen Chbosky’s book, and in The Fault in your Stars written by John Green.

Furthermore, in the song of Alphaville which is The Girlz, it makes reference to the last lines of the novel.

 

To conclude, this book crosses the time and the generations by being evoked in books, movies or songs. That proves that The Great Gatsby is always a success.

2 + 2 = 5

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52wis_sLT1I[/youtube]

1984 is a political novel written by G. Orwell.

It is about the totalitarian government. In fact, the author portrays the totalitarian society with an absolute power. He writes his novel before to warn readers of the dangers of this society and the consequences : Government controls the human life by checking their thought to not rebel against the law. Winston Smith, the main character, was going to challenge the limits of the Party’s power.

So, there is a psychological manipulation with the telescreen and Big Brother who « watched » them. Citizens can’t have sexual desires, the Party controls their thoughts, their feelings.

Moreover, there is a physical control : they watched for any sign of disloyalty, any nervous system. Citizens practice exercises.

Furthermore, the Party controls information and history. Indeed, the past and memories are manipulated. They are unreliable.

Finally, the language is checked by them which means that mind is controled too. The language is very important to human thought.

Everyone who defy the Party is punished with a brutal torture. Moral conviction, emotional loyalty and thought are less powerful than the physical pain.So, the government can control them and the reality. They are able to convincing them that 2 + 2 = 5 : they control all human mind.

Oliver Twist or The Parish Boy’s Progress

Oliver Twist waswritten by Charles Dickens and was published in 1838.

It is about an orphan who is in a workhouse. He meets Artful Dodger, a leador of a pickpockets, in London when he escaped of the workhouse and he meets also Fagin, the trainer.

Robert Blincoe’s autobiography inspired Charles Dickens because he is an orphan who is educated in a workhouse when he has suffered and he was going through hardships.

Dickens denounces the cruelty which the orphans are submitted at the Victorian area : he uses sarcasm and irony.

There are various adaptation of Oliver Twist which show us that it is a good success!

About 1984: Muse

Hello!

When we read the George Orwell’s extract our teacher said we can add a document about 1984; the Muse’s song, Resistance. As I love this group I think it’s a good idea to say some elements which can remind 1984 🙂

I found an article which explain their choice to sing this song:

 

“When I read it this time I was much more taken with the love story. I read it once in school about 15 years ago it was all about the politics. But when I read it this time I was much more taken with the love story in the book between Juliette and Winston.”

“In the early years I was confused about what my emotions were trying to express. As I said, being in England or seeing what’s going on in England has defined it as being a lot more direct and a lot more down to earth. I think the first song [Uprising] sums up how a lot of people feel and it’s that we need to change.”

So it sounds as though The Resistance is a mixture of being a rallying cry for us all to resist governmental control with elements of love mixed in. Which is a heady but quite brilliant blend, which is exactly how 1984 can be described.

It seems a tall order to take inspiration from and do justice to one of the most famous, important, and inspirational novels of the 20th Century, but if any band can manage it, it’s Muse »

(Read more: http://www.everyjoe.com/2009/08/05/entertainment/new-muse-album-the-resistance-inspired-by-1984/#ixzz3J46dM3WQ)

 

an other article says « The song ‘Resistance’ is basically a retelling of the relationship between Winston and Julia, in reference to the two main characters of George Orwell‘s Nineteen Eighty-Four. The eerie keyboard layers in the verse of the track also include an Ondes Martenot, an early synthesizer championed by Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood, as shown in ‘The Making Of The Resistance.’

Matt said, « This song started off as an extension of ‘Map of the Problematique’ with a bit of influence from early ‘The Police’. It is very much based on the book ‘1984’ by George Orwell particularly the romance between Winston and Julia and the description of the act of sex and love as something political, the only place offering freedom from Big Brother. The song is also about any love which crosses boundaries such as religion or strong political beliefs and the subsequent recognition of the unimportance and divisiveness of such beliefs. »  ( http://www.musewiki.org/Resistance_(song))

If you want to read the lyrics, it’s here -> http://www.musewiki.org/Resistance_(song)

 

And you, do you like this song?

RFI english

I want to introduce you a very nice website, whose name is « rfI english ». It’s a very interesting website because it talks about many things; we can read the different country’s news, thanks to differents themes: France, Africa, Asia-Pacific, middle east, Europe or Americas. In each theme, we can select an other category -> environment, economy, culture, sports, rfi Music, sciences etc …

it’s even possible to listen radio, in live but also delayed ! the advantage is it’s relatively easy to understand, so you can listen the radio all the time

So I advise you to visit this website, it’s a very good solution if you want to read in English !

 

 

 

 

To kill or not to kill

 

I have just finished a book which I found brilliant ! it’s To kill or not to kill, and it contains actually two stories, « A home away from home » written by Robert Bloch and « This will kill you » written by Patrick Quentin.

the first part of the novel ( So « A home away from home ») tells the story of a young australian orphan (Natalie Rivers)  who comes to live in England. When she arrives she waits a person who is supposed to fetch her but she doubts … I leave you discover what it occurs! 🙂

The second part is a story about a couple. The Norma’s husband, Harry Lund, want to kill her to do his life with an other woman. But his attempts are failures ! but one day … 

I was very surprised because at the begining I wasn’t very convinced by the stories … But the book is very well made, there is the French translation on the right page and the left page is in English, moreover the vocabulary is explained !  

So if you wan’t discover the English literature easily I recommend to you to test this collection (langage pour tous)! 

Oliver Twist adaptations

Hello !

Do you know these differents adaptations about Dickens’ novel?

In 1922, a Frank Lloyd ‘s movie comes to the cinema, with Lon Chaney and Jackie Coogan . It’s a silent film, it was very faithful to the novel and realistic.

in 1948, an other film appears , directed by David Lean. It was a success but  Alec Guinness make up was considered as anti-semite so in the USA the film was allowed in 1951!

in 1968 an other film is inspired by a comedy; Oliver! Jack Wild is Artful Dodger and Fagin is Ron Moody, whose role is reversed, he saves young boys in London.

There was also a cartoon untitled The adventures of oliver twist in 1987 .

I found a film dating back 1982; I advise you to watch this video because it’s easy to understand ! [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSdYEc_ctFE[/youtube]

And if you prefer old films, you can watch this version dating back 1933 [youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUBCX8buDBg[/youtube]

 

The King’s speech (2010)

The King’s speech is a film directed by Tom Hooper. The casting is composed By Colin Firth, Helena Bonham Carter and Geoffrey Rush.

Then, I’ll sum up the story. So, the film deals with the famous stuttering of the king George VI. In the wake of the Edward VIII’s abdication ( because he wants to get married with a divorced woman ), a more young son of George V, Albert, becomes the king, George VI. But he suffers from stuttering, so he’s unable to do a speech, without mistakes. So, his wife, Elizabeth, find him a « speech therapist » who works of way not really conventional. Throughout the film, we follow the Albert’s determination to progress and to be worthy to be a King. The film finishes on the famous speech of George VI, on the radio, to declare the World War II.

Personally, this film is well done. We are touched by the evolution of George VI, in the same time, he is. The end let us in tears. What’s more, I watched this film in original version, and I find the british accent so charming, and pleasant to hear. Colin Firth have a lot of charisma, and Geoffroy Rush is funny enough.

So, now, it’s your turn to give your opinion about this film!

 

Tracy Chapman’s first album, 1988

Our first lesson in literature in English this year was about protests songs. And I almost immediately thought about Tracy Chapman’s first album which came out in 1988 because this album contains mostly protests songs except maybe for 3 or 4 singles on the album. Tracy Chapman is a black singer, musician AND song writer born in 1964 Cleveland (Ohio).
I believe she is mostly a folk singer althought she might have come to another genre by now but I’m not really sure because to be honest I only know her two first albums (which are amazing). It’s really different from what we usually hear (but not necessarily listen to) because her voice seems to take over the instruments and it can be disturbing at first if you’re not used to it but it really moves you once you let it surrounds you.
Back to our topic, which is as I recall her first album and its songs that can be qualified as protest songs. I believe her songs are the abstract kind of ones, as they touch multiple subjects like inequalities between rich and poor people in « Talkin’ bout A Revolution », or the discrimation of black people among the american society back then in « Across the line », or domestic abuse (with the case of battered women) in « Behind the Wall » or consumer society in « Mountains O’ Things » or even the place of women in the society in « She’s got her Ticket » and finally a mix of all those subjects in « Why ? ».
I know I only stated the subject of each songs but they are so complete and in the same time simple on their own that I truly can’t see how I could explain them without ruining a bit of the magic. The only thing I can advise you is to listen to this album because it’s definiely worth the shot.
I hesitated when I choose the song that I would share with you but to me the most moving one is « Behind the Wall » so here is a little preview of her talent.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iUoqTaowaI[/youtube]