Whereas saying it is all about sex would be to unnecessarily narrow the statement, acknowledging that it is all about love is perhaps an accurate description of the essence of art. Love is also the essence of good life as good life is a form of art in that good life transcends derivative and common, and accentuates innovative and universal traits of an individual's character. Being the ultimate project in life, it is important to get love right. It is unlikely that it comes out right from the first attempt and one should treasure all the signals about what is right for one and what is wrong, whichever form these signals take. Generating these signals involves taking risks and being creative, which are the subjects of this Woody Allen's picture.
Mr Allen's pictures are better when he engages European actors, who are typically better trained than American ones; this training is an asset given the minimal direction that Mr Allen gives. The film is well done. It is not polished; but its roughness cannot be mistaken for sloppiness.
30 August 2008
6 August 2008
Roman Holiday (1953)
The picture is better than one may have expected. Gregory Peck's minimalist manner is derivative of Cary Grant's manner. Nonetheless, Mr Peck's version is executed well. Audrey Hepburn is charming, but not debilitatingly so as in the Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). Her performance is more mature, less grotesque here than in some of her later pictures. Miss Hepburn's performance in the first scene after she returns home is impeccable.
25 July 2008
What's Up, Doc? (1972)
Like a musical, a screwball comedy---whenever it comes out well---is inspirational. It emphasises the artificiality of a boundary between a dream and reality. "What's Up, Doc?" has come out well enough.
Women Impressionists: Berthe Morisot, Mary Cassatt, Eva Gonzalès, Marie Bracquemond
(Legion of Honor, 21 June 2008--21 September 2008)
The lack of the sexual appeal of the paintings' subjects leaves a void in the subjects' character. There is something in the look and the poise of women when painted by men that suggests mystery, strength, youth---that sexually charges the women in the paintings. Not so in the paintings by the women impressionists. Instead, the look is blank, the back is slouched. The women in the paintings are exposed, void of the idealisation typically conferred upon them by the hand of a male painter. What is left?
Sometimes the woman's look is blank; sometimes it betrays an emotion: motherly affection (almost a duty), boredom, or longing for the unknown. Does this reflect the limited range of a late ninetieth century woman deprived of education, a woman whose main occupation is a "visitor", a "mother", or a virgin in waiting for a husband? Or is the flatness of women's characters due to the shallow perceptions and abilities of the artists? Probably a little of both can be held responsible.
The femininity of male painters' female subjects does not subtract from the character of the subjects. The femininity accentuates this character. A man is liable to idealise a woman, if only for evolutionary reasons. This idealisation is not limited to the physical. Instead, the physical idealisation often present in paintings serves to accentuate the emotional and intellectual idealisation---if it fails to do so, it becomes pornography.
The exhibition by women impressionists is a valuable study in the way women see women. Not surprisingly, however, the spectacle is surpassed by the way talented men see women and the way women would like to be seen.
The lack of the sexual appeal of the paintings' subjects leaves a void in the subjects' character. There is something in the look and the poise of women when painted by men that suggests mystery, strength, youth---that sexually charges the women in the paintings. Not so in the paintings by the women impressionists. Instead, the look is blank, the back is slouched. The women in the paintings are exposed, void of the idealisation typically conferred upon them by the hand of a male painter. What is left?
Sometimes the woman's look is blank; sometimes it betrays an emotion: motherly affection (almost a duty), boredom, or longing for the unknown. Does this reflect the limited range of a late ninetieth century woman deprived of education, a woman whose main occupation is a "visitor", a "mother", or a virgin in waiting for a husband? Or is the flatness of women's characters due to the shallow perceptions and abilities of the artists? Probably a little of both can be held responsible.
The femininity of male painters' female subjects does not subtract from the character of the subjects. The femininity accentuates this character. A man is liable to idealise a woman, if only for evolutionary reasons. This idealisation is not limited to the physical. Instead, the physical idealisation often present in paintings serves to accentuate the emotional and intellectual idealisation---if it fails to do so, it becomes pornography.
The exhibition by women impressionists is a valuable study in the way women see women. Not surprisingly, however, the spectacle is surpassed by the way talented men see women and the way women would like to be seen.
19 July 2008
Doubt---a parable
(Theatre Works, 19 July 2008)
The entire play is less than the sum of the scenes that it contains. The grotesque fallibility of characters prevents the play from raising moral dilemmas that linger after the curtain drops. To the credit of the actors, however, the grotesque characters are not accompanied by grotesque performances.
Sister James (Kristin Stokes) is prepared to compromise her knowledge of the truth in order to please others and especially be pleased by others. Sister Aloysius (Kimberly King) values the perceived safety of her pupils above their happiness; she also values her mental routines above her happiness. Infantile Father Brendan Flynn (Cassidy Brown) lacks confidence in himself and constantly seeks approval. By the end of the play, everyone, including the prosecutor Sister Aloysius and the plaintiff Father Flynn, are consumed by "doubt," which gives the rise to the title of the play.
Does the hierarchical authority of the church, the "certainties" of religion , and the unconditional approval of god disproportionately attract people who lack self-confidence? the kind of people who populate the play?
The play is at its best if perceived as a series of sketches. The scene with Mrs Muller (Tamiyka White) is a potent one. Not blinded by the black-and-white simplicity often sought for in religion, she is a consequentialist. She realises that most situations in life involve trade-offs. This conflict between consequentialist and deontological views could have constituted a core conflict in the play. Short of changing the subject of the play, removing the ending in which Sister Aloysius suffers from the pangs of doubt would have made the narrative less didactic and left some food for thought for the audience.
The entire play is less than the sum of the scenes that it contains. The grotesque fallibility of characters prevents the play from raising moral dilemmas that linger after the curtain drops. To the credit of the actors, however, the grotesque characters are not accompanied by grotesque performances.
Sister James (Kristin Stokes) is prepared to compromise her knowledge of the truth in order to please others and especially be pleased by others. Sister Aloysius (Kimberly King) values the perceived safety of her pupils above their happiness; she also values her mental routines above her happiness. Infantile Father Brendan Flynn (Cassidy Brown) lacks confidence in himself and constantly seeks approval. By the end of the play, everyone, including the prosecutor Sister Aloysius and the plaintiff Father Flynn, are consumed by "doubt," which gives the rise to the title of the play.
Does the hierarchical authority of the church, the "certainties" of religion , and the unconditional approval of god disproportionately attract people who lack self-confidence? the kind of people who populate the play?
The play is at its best if perceived as a series of sketches. The scene with Mrs Muller (Tamiyka White) is a potent one. Not blinded by the black-and-white simplicity often sought for in religion, she is a consequentialist. She realises that most situations in life involve trade-offs. This conflict between consequentialist and deontological views could have constituted a core conflict in the play. Short of changing the subject of the play, removing the ending in which Sister Aloysius suffers from the pangs of doubt would have made the narrative less didactic and left some food for thought for the audience.
14 June 2008
'Tis Pity She's a Whore
(A.C.T. 5 June–6 July 2008)
The men in this play behave in so many erroneous ways that, even if there is a subtle point to be communicated by the play, this point is lost among so many gross deficiencies of the mens' characters. The blatant violence depicted on stage was not foreign to the seventeenth century Europe. The motivation of a contemporary director, however, to make this violence the focus of his work is unclear. True, violence is prominent in contemporary motion pictures, but its attraction to modern audiences and directors is not clear either. (Schadenfreude?) Thus, in its depiction of violence, the work borders on pornographic, which distracts from the main point of the play---the point that I have failed to see.
Direction of the play suffers from poor timing. The narrative lacks pauses between the scenes; it lacks phrasing.
Furthermore, acting is unnecessarily grotesque and lacking nuance. Anthony Fusco (playing Vasques) is least guilty of the aforementioned misdemeanours.
The performance was followed by a discussion featuring two psychoanalysts---called "theatre on the couch." One of the premises was that the viewer must be shocked by or at least disapprove strongly of an incestuous relationship between siblings, and hence hold the two protagonists guilty and possibly even justly punished in the end. It is unclear, however, why incest is wrong. Interracial marriage used to be illegal, and gay love was considered repugnant---but no longer. The attitudes have evolved; enlightenment has prevailed. Removing the irrational stigma associated with incest would be welcome. (When childhood friends become lovers this is considered to be "cute"; when siblings become lovers it is not---why?)
With the moral ambiguity of incest removed, this is a play about bigots giving poor advice, weak characters following this advice, and weak people who lack other entertainment committing violence, as if to prove to themselves that they exist.
The men in this play behave in so many erroneous ways that, even if there is a subtle point to be communicated by the play, this point is lost among so many gross deficiencies of the mens' characters. The blatant violence depicted on stage was not foreign to the seventeenth century Europe. The motivation of a contemporary director, however, to make this violence the focus of his work is unclear. True, violence is prominent in contemporary motion pictures, but its attraction to modern audiences and directors is not clear either. (Schadenfreude?) Thus, in its depiction of violence, the work borders on pornographic, which distracts from the main point of the play---the point that I have failed to see.
Direction of the play suffers from poor timing. The narrative lacks pauses between the scenes; it lacks phrasing.
Furthermore, acting is unnecessarily grotesque and lacking nuance. Anthony Fusco (playing Vasques) is least guilty of the aforementioned misdemeanours.
The performance was followed by a discussion featuring two psychoanalysts---called "theatre on the couch." One of the premises was that the viewer must be shocked by or at least disapprove strongly of an incestuous relationship between siblings, and hence hold the two protagonists guilty and possibly even justly punished in the end. It is unclear, however, why incest is wrong. Interracial marriage used to be illegal, and gay love was considered repugnant---but no longer. The attitudes have evolved; enlightenment has prevailed. Removing the irrational stigma associated with incest would be welcome. (When childhood friends become lovers this is considered to be "cute"; when siblings become lovers it is not---why?)
With the moral ambiguity of incest removed, this is a play about bigots giving poor advice, weak characters following this advice, and weak people who lack other entertainment committing violence, as if to prove to themselves that they exist.
1 June 2008
Dancin' with Gershwin
(Smuin Ballet, 1 June 2008)
A toast to youth, if not immortality; to youth with its imperfections, which are transient, with its physical attraction, which is transient, with its openness and discovery, which make it immortal. The first act lacked continuity in musical numbers or lacked pauses between the numbers. The absence of a live orchestra is probably responsible for these deficiencies. Phrasing of some dances was rushed. Dances in the second act were longer, more earnest, and transited from one into another more naturally than in the first act.
A toast to youth, if not immortality; to youth with its imperfections, which are transient, with its physical attraction, which is transient, with its openness and discovery, which make it immortal. The first act lacked continuity in musical numbers or lacked pauses between the numbers. The absence of a live orchestra is probably responsible for these deficiencies. Phrasing of some dances was rushed. Dances in the second act were longer, more earnest, and transited from one into another more naturally than in the first act.
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