This is not going to be your average post from me. Now, some of you may have read this blog for a while and know I bounce all over the place with the music I post. This is one that really I don’t have a lot of words for, as it expresses a lot of beauty. This song I’m posting today was used in the now classic “Cosmos” series by Carl Sagan by Vangelis. I’ve gotten my nerd on lately and have been watching it and this song in particular just smacked of all the old synth legends of the 1970’s, including Brian Eno, Giorgio Moroder, and Jean-Jacques Perrey. I’ve taken the liberty of including the full-length original of Vangelis’ “Heaven and Hell (Part 1)” as well as just the part entitled “Movement 3” that is just one of four parts to this raucous legend. Beware! This isn’t your typical song! However, this piece is just sheer brilliance, and I’ve also posted a little video I saw online that included this that used parts from the “Cosmos” series.
Seriously, a brilliant song that pretty much transcends time. Enjoy it.
So I’ve finally gotten around to watching a little known movie starring Marlon Brando called Burn! (or sometimes known as Queimada!). I found out about this flick after reading Howard Zinn’s A Power Government’s Cannot Suppress. All links for these will be below, by the way.
Well, the movie details the imperialism and colonialism that was rampant amongst so many European nations for centuries. And how puppet governments were propped up, rebellions were started, and more. It’s not the original 132 minute presentation, which I would love to get my hands on, but once you figure out where the story is going, you will keep watching.
As for music? Well, this movie twice plays a piece by Ennio Morricone, who is best known for his music for such classics as The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. It’s classical, yet isn’t. The song “Abolicao” is an absolute masterpiece, and defies any sort of pigeonholing. Today’s post includes this brilliant piece as well as a video of a live performance.
I’ve become a big Peter Sellers fan in the last 7 to 8 years. So today, I’m tossing in something a bit random. Have you all seen 2001: A Space Odyssey? If not, then shame on you! Stanley Kubrick at his best! Well, there’s the theme song from the movie that everyone knows. It’s Richard Strauss’ “Also Sprach Zarathustra” and it’s sheer joy. Here’s a clip from the aforementioned movie with the song playing.
Now, the reason I throw in Peter Sellers is because he starred in another of Kubrick’s classics. The film Dr. Strangelove netted Sellers an Oscar nomination, which was remarkable because he played three different roles in the flick. Also, many people forget he was also in Kubrick’s Lolita. So he had one hell of a career. His personal life? Well, not such a stand up guy. Can’t defend him there. For a good explanation, I would highly recommend watching Geoffrey Rush’s performance as Sellers in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers. An outstanding film in its own right.
Well, back to Strauss’ classical….well…..classic. Sellers was in a film that hardly gets mention except by the hardcore fans of films. I’m not really a huge movie fan, but I do enjoy something different, and his film Being There was nothing short of incredible. To be perfectly honest, Forrest Gump ripped off the premise from this movie, and Tom Hanks’ performance – while excellent itself – pales in comparison with Sellers’ performance as Chance Gardener. Well, in the flick, you hear a jazz-funk cover of “Also Sprach Zarathustra” performed by Brazilian artist Deodato. Check it out for yourself!
As a little side note for anyone that is also a huge fan of the now defunct show Arrested Development, they threw in a little dedication to Being There in its final season. If you need a hint on how? Then watch this clip of the final scene from the movie, and try to remember how they pulled it off.
Oh, and to those who have been sending me e-mails about your band or music, I will be digging through those in the next week. Please, if you do e-mail me? If possible, try to make it personal. I’ve nearly deleted more than a few of these because the subject line was so vague that only my curiosity kept me from deleting it initially.
Finally, please do buy the music! It helps pay these people! Even those in symphony orchestras!
