4th Aug 2011 The White Shadow Of Hitchcock

It's reported today that 3 rolls of a silent film, 'The White Shadow', considered one of the very first work in the celluloid of the great master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, was discovered in amongst some cinematographic archives in New Zealand.

Hitchcock, director of 'Birds' and many other acclaimed thrillers was only 24 at the time. 'The White Shadow' was directed by Graham Cutts, with Hitchcock as co-director, writer, editor and in the design of the production. Some multi-talent at that young age.

It was filmed in 1923, starred Betty Compson, who interpreted the twins Nancy and Georgina Brent, one angelic and the other diabolic. However, the film tape found is not complete, with 3 other rolls missing.

I think it is nevertheless a valuable find, and it offers an opportunity to study the ideas, visual and narrative, of Hitchcock when he began to form and shape his long and celebrated film career. Who knows, maybe the other half will show up in the next 88 years?

Tags: hitchcock, whiteshadow

Prev: 4th Aug 2011 The Art Of Doing Nothing

4th Aug 2011 The Art Of Doing Nothing

We are always told, advised, encouraged, urged ... to work hard, take advantage of every minute and second to be active, to achieve something. Even on holidays, many people would followed plans to keep very busy, so much so that after the holiday they badly need another to recover! I will go directly to this other, as I think part of enjoying life is also to develop the art of switching off and do nothing. In full consciousness, enjoy it without guilt.

Go up the mountain, down to the beach, make love with love, or even without; laugh, dance! Enjoy the pleasure of good food, leisurely walks going nowhere, watch the sunset, love, sex, music, a good film or/and theatre performance. Above all, share such experiences, dare to confront conflict of life and have the intelligence to get through it. Take up the pleasurable responsibility to yourself of living life, basically.

 

To learn this essential art (it is essential and it is art) is no easy feat for many people as we have always been conditioned to consider doing nothing is bad, lazy, shameful. We are supposed to, or try to, be continuously active and productive. An old friend of mine, local Catalan and restaurant owner. Each year he takes 2 what he and most business people consider slack months to have a well earned vacation. But each year, after the first week 'doing nothing' he gets sick, literally, and have a trying time waiting for the restaurant to open up again, so that he can work a 12 hour day most of which he is on his feet. He simply can't or, rather, doesn't know how to enjoy leisure & pleasure.

Summer, vacation time. I plan to teach him to enjoy being lazy when November starts! I think I am pretty good in doing nothing!!!

Tags: pleasure, leisure, summer

Prev: 3rd Aug 2011 Giggles - A Raise