Sara Collantes: George Harrison - THE QUIET BEATLE

England, 1962: Four hairy boys, who came from the humblest outskirts of Liverpool, released their first smash hit “Love me do”. This refreshing new sound was really well accepted and their music embraced by youngsters all over the world. They were simple yet catchy songs. People really loved them anyway and they knew it. That was the key to their success.

“When I met them it was love at first sight. It wasn’t that they were great singers or great performers or great songwriters. It was that they had enormous charisma, and they were the kind of 

people that you actually felt better being with." George Martin, The Beatles' producer.

At the age of 13 George Harrison was no more than a young skinny English boy, no different from other kids his age. But George had a guitar. His first guitar, which his mother had bought for him after he recovered from a severe flu, cost £3, a huge economic effort for the family after WWII. He was obsessed with R’n’R, especially with Elvis, and he tried to practice and learn as much as he could.

George met Paul McCartney at the school bus and the latter introduced him to John Lennon, as they needed a good guitarist for The Quarrymen, the germ of The Beatles. Despite the skepticism and reluctance shown by John for George to join the band, as he was the youngest, he demonstrated his value as the lead guitarist beyond any expectation. He even turned out to be more skilled than John himself. So the seed of the Beatles had been already planted.

A few years later, in the wake of their monumental success, the different personalities in the band were perfectly distinguished. They were like the four corners of a square. They didn't interfere with each other, but the four of them worked as a whole. John Lennon liked to attract attention; he was outgoing and a bit cantankerous. Paul McCartney was kind of a romantic and egocentric Casanova. Ringo Starr was charismatic and fun to be with. And George Harrison was a mysterious, introverted man with an exceptional taste in music.  

George didn’t have the magnetic and powerful personality of Paul and John (or their baffling egos) nor was he as extroverted and friendly as Ringo. But he had a fascinating and intense character and naturally accepted his condition as the underdog of the band. Lennon and McCartney held the reins (of the band) as they were the most talented and prolific while Harrison was the overshadowed one. The writing talent of the Paul-John duet eclipsed George's, who wasn’t that bad anyway. He only wanted to play good songs which Paul and John gave him.

Some people called Harrison the “quiet Beatle”, although, as Tom Petty said, “he never stopped talking”, and that was part of his appeal. What made him really different is that he didn’t enjoy fame and fortune as much as the others. George started then to feel an indescribable attraction for both Indian culture and its spirituality, whose influence changed him forever. George visited India many times, thus establishing a friendship with Ravi Shankar, who taught him to play the sitar. This mystical way of living wasn’t compatible with George’s life in the material world, not for long at least.

Little by little, George began discovering his hidden talent and started to improve his songwriting skills, while borrowing Indian sounds and concepts from oriental philosophy in his songs. But it wasn’t that easy to include them in an album when Paul and John penned one hit after another. Nevertheless, those compositions became better and better, as good as the others, or even stood out on their own.

The Fab Four finally split up in 1970 but none of them regretted the decision. The overwhelming pressure and growing tension within the band were simply too much to put up with. George once said that he sought for success, not fame. He started then a quiet life away from stardom, but not away from music, since in 1971 he published his first solo album, “All things must pass”, featuring all the songs never recorded with the band. It was praised all over the world, and “My sweet lord”, the jewel of the album, is considered a masterpiece.

George Harrison passed away in 2001 because of a lung cancer. But he died a great artist shining in his own right; he wasn’t just an ex-Beatle anymore. He was, in fact, not just one of the Beatles but their actual soul, the best musician, the true innovator and, quite sadly, frequently underestimated. People used to say that he was the Beatle who had changed the most and that’s because that’s just what life meant to him: change. However, there’s something that will never change: the eternal sunshine of his sincere smile.

I can’t finish without recommending a wonderful documentary directed by Martin Scorsese, “Living in the material World”, which portrays the life of George Harrison both as a Beatle and as an ordinary yet passionate man. It was premiered in 2011 on the tenth anniversary of George’s death. If you like The Beatles as much as I do, you can’t miss it!!    

Thanks a lot, dear Sara! I mean, this post came totally unexpected, which makes it even more pleasing.

And then they were only two. First it had been John who was shot to death. Then, when George died of cancer, I felt so devastated. I had always deemed him the biggest musical talent within the greatest band that ever was. It is true that he often had this kind of aloof, rather mysterious personality punctuated by his love of Hinduism. But he was indeed a great human being and his beautiful songs will stay with us forever.

Like Sara, I cannot but wholeheartedly recommend Scorsese's (a staunch Beatle fan himself) extraordinary film "Living in the Material World", which, luckily enough, is available in its entirety on YouTube (in original version, subtitled in Spanish)

Maite Garcia - My favourite scene: Troy

Troy is an epic film which tells the story of the victories and tragedies happened in the legendary War of Troy. Its plot is based on the Greek epic poem "The Iliad", the most ancient poem of Western literature, written by Homer. This film also includes material from other sources such as "The Odyssey" by the same writer or "The Aeneid" whose author is Virgil. 

Troy starts with a huge feast organized by Menelaus, King of Sparta, in honour of their guests, Hector and Paris, princes of Troy, in order to make peace, as they had been bitter enemies all their lives. Nonetheless, the unbelievably attractive Paris, played by Orlando Bloom, falls in love with Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, who unfortunately is married to Menelaus, the host king. This fact doesn't stop Paris from running away with the Queen of Sparta. His unconscious, immature action will trigger a series of conflicts which the great Achilles, Ulysses, Hector or Priam see themselves involved in. 

After that brief introduction, I must admit that Troy is not one my favourite films because its director, Wolfgang Petersen, was much more concerned about making a blockbuster, that is to say, he paid more attention to the entertainment value than the historical accuracy. However, when I saw the film, a scene made a strong impression on me, maybe for its extreme tension and its beautiful soundtrack. I am talking about the awesome fight between Hector, prince of Troy, and Achilles, warrior of Sparta, which I would like to share with you. 

Thanks Maite. I'm delighted that you've posted another entry after a pretty long while, actually after your film review of Nosferatu back in November, is that right? 

That said, honestly I didn't think much of Troy when I saw the film either. I mean, it was entertaining enough, but the storyline was, to my mind, pretty weak and - I couldn't agree more with you - rather inaccurate as regards its historical background; moreover, I wouldn't say this is Mr Pitt's best performance to date, is it? But hey guys, if you disagree with Maite and me, we'd love to read your comments, wouldn't we Maite?

Rosa Baez - My favorite film: Life of Pi (A magical tale about trust and faith)

Pi survives 227 days with a Bengali tiger on a lifeboat drifting across the Pacific Ocean. He overcomes this life and death struggle thanks to his trusting, optimistic thoughts: 

First and foremost, he realizes that the tiger is essential for his survival because it keeps him awake and he finds the true meaning of his life by searching for seafood and providing the tiger with it in order to avoid being devoured.  

He also remembers all the life lessons from his family; for instance, his father showed him the tiger’s primal carnivorous instinct while his uncle taught him to swim and not to be afraid of water.

He finds a book on the lifeboat with a wise tip: "Above all, don’t lose hope”, and he sticks to it. He firmly believes that God cares for him although he can’t understand how.

Finally, they both reach the Mexican coast and after Pi recovers his health, he keeps his enthusiasm for life without being spoilt by this hard experience.

This thought-provoking film reminds us that “life is a story and you can choose yours”.

Thanks, Rosa! Indeed "Life of Pi" is a great story as well as a visually stunning movie.  

Since you don't mention a particular scene, let me choose one for you, actually the moment when both Pi and the beautiful (3D animated) tiger - which goes by the funny name of Richard parker - reach the shore of Mexico after their amazing ordeal at sea. So moving!

Luis - My favourite scenes: ONCE UPON A TIME IN AMERICA / THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY

I was thinking of my favourite movie scenes.

In "Once Upon a Time in America"(1984), there are two or three which deserve attention: the dancing scenes - involving the little girl and, above all, her adult character’s relationship with a man. They are played, respectively, by Elizabeth McGovern (who appears in Downton Abbey) and screen icon Robert de Niro.

So probably the common element in my favourite movies is the artistic couple made up by a classic musician and a long gone director, who are very special to me: Ennio Morricone and Sergio Leone. So I have decided to also send you one of the greatest scenes ever, from one of the best films, accompanied by one of the best music soundtracks.

The leading actor is Eli Wallach, still alive at the age of 98, and the name of the song is "Ecstasy of Gold" - which has a very nice cover by Metallica. Also starring Clint Eastwood and a dog, the film is called "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" (the original title in English), set in the American Civil War in New Mexico, though the real scenario was the countryside of Burgos.

Just enjoy it through both your eyes and ears!

Well Luis, those were the days of the so called "spaguetti westerns"! And there's that wonderful love scene in "Once Upon ..." 

It's only coincidence that yesterday I was mentioning in class, after Jose Enrique's post on Godzilla, that The Colossus of Rhodes was one of my "childhood films", as it were, or at least the first that I could remember seeing in a cinema. Guess who directed it? Spot on, the great Sergio Leone! 

I would be lying if I talked about my fave scene in this 1961 film (hey, I was a bit older when I saw it, OK?), as I can barely remember it, so let me just embed the vintage trailer.  It does bring back fond memories ...

Jelena - My favourite scene: INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

Note: for those of you who have not seen the film yet, I should warn you this entry contains a serious spoiler, as it reveals the movie's final scene. 

One of my favourite movies is Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, named after Enzo G. Castellari's 1978 macaroni combat film, The Inglorious Bastards.

Set in World War II, the plot is divided into two parallel stories, one about young French Jewish cinema proprietor Shosanna, who seeks revenge for the murder of her family, the other about a group of Jewish American soldiers led by first lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt). Their objective is the same: to kill the Nazi high command. 

My favorite scene is the very last one. Hitler is assassinated along with his generals, but unscrupulous SS colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz) is alive and on his way to freedom, as he managed to broker a deal with US intelligence agency. Aldo Raine and his companion, Utivich, are in charge of escorting Landa with his radio operator, but Raine can’t stand the fact that the astute general will escape unpunished. He could easily kill him, but he has to respect the agreement. However, we witness an unexpected turnaround. Raine shoots the radio operator and has Utivich collect his scalp. Finally, Raine asks Landa the well-known question if he is going to take off his uniform after all. The German officer doesn’t say a word, as he knows what is going to happen. Raine, guessing what the answer is, takes out his knife as he tells Landa that he’s going to give him some uniform he will never be able to take off. As he did to all the German soldiers whom he spared lives before, he carves the symbol of the swastika on the colonel’s forehead, claiming that "it just might be my masterpiece".

Throughout the film, Colonel Landa shows an extreme intelligence and ability of adapting to any situation, but in the end he makes a fatal mistake by underestimating his opponents. 

Besides the fantastic characterization made by the excellent cast led by Pitt and Waltz, I have to highlight the wonderful soundtrack, which includes eight tracks composed by the great Ennio Morricone. To give you a taste of Morricone's fabulous music in the film, this is just one small sample:

Thanks Jelena! I think I told you guys in class how much I loved "Basterds", which made me change my dubious, as it were, mind about Tarantino's film-making and his always controversial flicks.

You know, if I had to choose one particular moment from the movie, I'd rather go for the "glorious" Nazi cinema scene. You know, to me it's so so visually (and sonically - at least it was in the movie theatre!) STUNNING! However gory and graphically violent it may look to the weaker-minded, I just can't help loving it! 

Chani - My favourite scene: EL CID (1961)

This epic film tells the story of the fabled Spanish hero Rodrigo Diaz de Vivar in medieval Spain. 

The admirable knight, Rodrigo, (Charlton Heston) shows compassion during the dark times and forgives the lives of many Moorish prisoners. These two symbolic acts give him the reverent titles of “El Cid” (the Lord) by the Moorish and “Campeador” (the Champion) by the Christians. 

The year 711 marks the beginning of the long conflict between people of Christian belief and those of the Islamic religion. One of the most memorable scenes is the last battle fought by the Cid, when, his army hopelessly outnumbered, he launches the most unbelievable attack on Moorish troops commanded by the ruthless and bloody general Ben Yusuf.

In October 1094 Islamic invaders besiege the city of Valencia, recently conquered by El Cid. Against all odds, he is fatally wounded by an arrow in the battle prior to the final victory. The probability of surviving is rather low if the mortal arrow is not taken out. But this noble and brave knight agrees with his lovely wife, Jimena (Sofia Loren), that he must head up his army even if he dies. Consequently, his body is secured upon his legendary horse, Babieca, and sent out in front of his men. When Yusuf’s army sees him, they flee in terror.

Thank you, Chani! So many classic epics I saw as a kid / teenager that I don't remember too well (I'm getting an old man by now, ha ha!) El Cid is a good example, so it's been great to find the scene on YouTube (funnily enough, it's subtitled in Portuguese) and remember those impressive, grandiose I daresay, "Cinemascope" productions.

Jose Enrique - My favourite film: "Godzilla. King of the Monsters"

Godzilla is a horrible, enormous marine monster born after a nuclear explosion in 1954. She is forty-five metres long and lives in the bottom of the sea. Godzilla is the main character in this gripping 1956 film that I recall seeing in a neighbourhood cinema as a kid.

I will never forget this thrilling movie and, what is more, the scenes when the monster unexpectedly emerges from the sea in order to destroy the buildings, sink ships and squash civilians in a sea of fire; as a result, the beautiful city of Tokyo is completely devastated. Then she goes back to the sea, where she plans another terrifying victory. 

While the movie went on, our hearts were waiting for the exciting, fast-moving appearance of the monster on the screen. When it did occur, most of the spectators couldn’t help yelling and screaming. Obviously, a vast majority were children; it was a tough task to forget that nightmare!

Thanks a lot, dear José Enrique! I can't believe you've, at long last, sent me an entry for our blog, so well done!

Tell you what. It's so weird yet interesting to see a trailer from a 1950s film. Those were the days of black and white action flicks, weren't day?

Sara Collantes - My favourite scene: In the Name of the Father (1993)

I've chosen a scene of my favourite film ever because, in my opinion, it is one of the most decisive points of the story. To understand the scene, we need to know a few things about the plot and the true events which the film is based on.

The director, Jim Sheridan (My left foot, The Boxer) is known for dealing in his films with the turbulent history of The Troubles, the conflict which took place in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and England between the 60s and the 90s. However, the problems between catholics and protestants go a long way back.

The film is a screen adaptation of the book “Proved Innocent” by Gerry Conlon, who was wrongly convicted by the British police. Between the period 1974-1989, during the hardest years of the conflict, the police, thanks to a new law called Prevention of Terrorism Act, were allowed to hold prisoners, suspected of belonging to a terrorist group, especially the IRA, regardless of whether the police had evidence or not. Gerry and three of his friends (known as “The Guildford Four”) were accused, tortured and convicted of blowing up a pub where a British military party was taking place. His father was also accused and kept in custody alongside Gerry.

In my favourite scene, the harrowing death of Gerry's father, Giuseppe, is shown. Up to this point, we can compare the completely different attitude of the father and his son; Giuseppe is the honest, hard-working man who is certain about his innocence and in the hope of being released. Gerry, however, suffers from self-pity, despair and arrogance at first, but we can see how he changes and matures throughout the film. 

This scene always brings me a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat because of the fabulous acting, the moving moment and the Celtic music playing in the background.

The whole film is a real tribute to life, justice and freedom.

Maribel - My favourite scene: THE GREAT DICTATOR

Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin (1889-1977), better known as Charlot, was an incredible comic actor, really well-known to the whole world, and one who will be remembered forever.

He invented a new way of making films as he mixed humour and the denunciation of social problems at that moment. Some of his most famous films are silent, but I would like to highlight Modern Times, where Charles Chaplin’s voice is first heard. 

This film shows the hard and alienating work on an assembly line, very common at that time. But, his most famous and, in my opinion, his best movie is The Great Dictator which he wrote, starred, directed and produced himself. Chaplin wants to condemn and mock Hitler’s (and Mussolini’s) dictatorship. It is a 1940 film, so the Nazi horror had not even started and it is said that Chaplin regretted making it after knowing the real abomination of Hitler’s acts. I really thank him for this masterpiece he made because he lets me enjoy his magnificent work.

Then, I’ll just add the film has some memorable scenes, for instance, “Hitler” playing with a globe, which has a really thought-provoking double meaning. Finally, I would love to highlight one of my favourite scenes in cinema history and, I believe, the best in the film: his final speech. After listening to it you can say lots of things about this extraordinary actor but I just can find one adjective: unique.

Thank you so much, Maribel! Indeed Chaplin's black and white masterpiece way back in the 1940s is an excellent way to start what I hope will be a prolific post about all of you guys' fave scenes in movie history. C'mon, what are you waiting for?

Rosa Baez: The Great Gatsby

It’s the most important novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, an American novelist famous for his writings of the “Jazz Age”. He portrayed the decadence, hypocrisy and materialism of this period.

The Great Gatsby is set in the summer of 1922 in New York. Gatsby is an elegant man in his thirties. He is from the West, his parents are unsuccessful farmers and he dismisses his real origins, so much so that he changes his real name. He is recruited in World War I and as a soldier he meets Daisy, a nice upper-class girl, who he deeply falls in love with. She can’t marry him because her family is very well-off and she is supposed to marry a wealthy man. She waits for him for two years but finally she marries Tom Buchanan, an affluent , well-known polo player. She isn’t happy since he is violent with her and has endless affairs with other women.

Meanwhile, Gatsby is working hard, surely in illegal businesses and in less than five years he goes from rags to riches. He builds a mansion in Long Island opposite Buchanan’s house, on the other side of the lake.

Gatsby throws fabulous parties in his palatial mansion. On weekends his Rolls Royce turns into kind of a taxi carrying people to and from New York. Guests are not invited, they just attend his parties. There are colored lights, a dance floor on the lawn and an orchestra that plays dance music. Loads of waiters serve all kinds of fine food and alcoholic drinks. There is a general sense of excitement in the air. The guests move about talking, smiling, dancing, eating, drinking and laughing. Gatsby’s extravagant lifestyle and wild parties are simply an attempt to impress Daisy. As a matter of fact, he lives alone and he isn’t interested in the people who attend his parties and neither are they in him, as they only gossip about his fortune.

After an initially awkward meeting, Gatsby and Daisy begin an affair. He isn’t aware of Daisy’s real character since she only bets on winners; Gatsby is an incurable romantic, willing to die for love whereas she doesn’t have a truly profound affection for him.

Finally, he ends up as alone as he lived; he becomes a victim of his own dream. The message is clear: the American Dream doesn’t work, so if you only pursue money your life will be empty.

There are many screen adaptations of this novel. In my opinion, the most famous is directed by Jack Clayton in 1974 , starring Robert Redfort and Mia Farrow, with a script by Francis Ford Coppola. The latest version is from 2013, directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Di Caprio and Carey Mulligan.

The Great Gatsby is a must. I strongly recommend you to read the book or to see the film as it is a vivid portrait of the roaring twenties in New York. A thought-provoking masterpiece that raises many interesting questions.

In order to situate all these ideas in the wider context of America in the 1920s, let me give you some basic background information of the period:

- After World War I ended in 1918, the United States and much of the rest of the world experienced an enormous economic expansion.

- The American Dream consisted of the premise that “a nobody from nowhere can amass a great fortune though hard work, sometimes by illegal methods”.  

- The Twenties were a period of general prosperity and social change. Major cities such as New York and Chicago grew rapidly with the building of skyscrapers.

- America began the age of consumerism: new household appliances such as radios, fridges, etc. appeared, and Henry Ford put Americans on wheels with his revolutionary model T Ford, the car everyone could afford to buy. More and more people spent money on traveling and having fun.

- At parties people were listening to new jazz music and dancing Charleston. Girls had a new look: they had short hair, wore colourful dresses showing their knees, used cosmetics, smoked cigarettes, etc.

- In 1919 there was an important ban on alcohol (The Prohibition) and some people, especially gangsters, made enormous amounts of money by suppling it illegally. 

- Although some people made fortunes overnight, many others were living in poverty and racism was tolerated.

-  The carefree life of the “Roaring Twenties” suddenly came to an end on October 29, 1929, when the New York Stock Exchange collapsed dramatically, leading to the start of the Great Depression.

Good stuff, Rosa! I remember reading Scott Fitzgerald's novel many years ago, in my years at uni, and honestly I didn't think much of it. Perhaps I should give it another go! 
But in any case I agree the Roaring Twenties were, for various reasons, a very exciting period from the social, cultural and artistic standpoints, not only in America but across the pond in the UK too.

Chani: WHEN DESTINY WANTS TO TOY WITH SOMEONE (Searching for Sugar Man)

Last Thursday I went to watch this film of the “Ciclo de Cine e Idiomas” in Van Dyck cinema, Salamanca. The experience was absolutely amazing and rewarding. Even though I had previously heard of the incredible but true history of Rodriguez I couldn’t help being moved. 

First and foremost, the documentary made me feel at the beginning as if the protagonist was dead. Furthermore, I couldn’t certainly image how something like that could have happened in this supposedly advanced and modern world.  

To a certain extent, I dare say that it is really difficult to be a prophet in your homeland. This is precisely what happened to Rodriguez, who started his musical career in his native Detroit, Michigan. His songs, based on the cruel reality of the miserable, deprived neighbourhood where he lived, are like a scream of protest against social injustice. Contrary to popular belief, not only do his critical lyrics focus on the downside of a dire situation but they also show a slight light of hope on the horizon.

The music company Sussex Records released only two albums by Rodriguez and, quite ironically, dismissed him two weeks before Christmas, as he writes in one of his songs. Unfortunately, this artist was not successful in his own country so he gave up music and carried on working in the construction industry. As far as I am concerned, the owner of Sussex, who is interviewed in the film, is the one to blame for so many years lost for Rodriguez.

A young "Sixto" Rodriguez back in the early 70s

Little did he imagine what life had in store for him. Meanwhile, far away from the USA, the story of this great singersongwriter was being written in capital letters. In South Africa, his two albums, “Cold Fact” and “Coming from Reality”, reached the peak of success. What is more, they became so popular that Rodriguez was compared to his well-known, contemporary fellow artist Bob Dylan. Not to mention the fact that in South Africa, people were living the terrible “Apartheid” – the rights of the majority of the black citizens were curtailed. Obviously, people rebelled against the tyrannical government through submissive, peaceful protests in which Rodriguez’s songs were like a strong symbol of resistance and true hymns of freedom. 

I can’t help telling you that “yes, Rodriguez is still alive!” His life took a U-turn. The first gig he played in South Africa in 1998, almost 25 years after he recorded his music, face to face with his devoted fans, was absolutely spectacular. The concert hall was full to overflowing and the audience exploded in a burst of applause. I really liked what Rodriguez said: “Thanks for keeping me alive”.

Finally, I have to praise director Malik Bendjelloul for his good decision to carry on with the determination to find Rodriguez wherever he was. Of course, I eagerly recommend you to watch Searching for Sugar Man. There are still some questions on the air to be answered such as what happened to the royalties produced by the sales of Rodriguez’s albums in South Africa? Apparently, his record company received the money but the singer did not have any knowledge. Is Rodriguez going to delight us with new songs? I hope so!

Well done, Chani! You know, I can't emphasize enough, however enthusiastically I recommended you guys the film in class, that I totally, utterly love "Searching for Sugar Man" (so much so that I've watched it three times!) Not only Rodriguez's moving life story but, above all, his awesome music, which indeed deserves recognition, as it's mentioned in the movie.

So allow me to embed this clip of an interesting interview with Rodriguez himself and the film's director, during the promotion of the highly praised, critically acclaimed documentary.

Finally, just to give an example of his immense, unrecognized talent as a (sadly wasted) singer-songwriter, I'd like to post a song whose lyrics are sheer poetry to my ears. It's called "Cause" and it's said to be the last song Rodriguez ever recorded in his fleeting career. Sadly, dear Chani, I'm afraid he's just too old now, in his early 70s, so way past his prime, to pen any more songs. But his late legacy is one of amazing beauty. Enjoy!

Van Dyck's 33rd ciclo's opening film: "A late quartet"

Yesterday I was lucky to watch a great film - at least to my mind -, the first of the “Ciclo de Cine e Idiomas” in Van Dyck: A late Quartet. Despite a modest commercial success, both my son and a few colleagues had recommended it to me, so I willingly went to see it with my wife.

Directed by Israeli-American filmmaker Yaron Zilberman, the story the movie tells is pretty straightforward: the seasoned cellist of a world-class string quartet is diagnosed with the Parkinson’s disease, which triggers off a chain of startling events and a flow of emotions within the group of fine musicians after 25 years of a successful, harmonious career. 

I have always believed that professional interpreters at the highest level have egos as big as the auditoriums they sometimes perform in, as well as a demanding life, rife with the pressures and demands of being in the public eye all day, going on long tiring tours, often giving up a lot on family life and stuff. And this is all very effectively portrayed in A late Quartet through the truly extraordinary performances of a brilliant cast, led by - arguably one of my fave actors nowadays - the awesome Philip Seymour Hoffman and indeed a great veteran of the screeen, Christopher Walken, who really steals the show with his memorable role as the illness-struck cellist Peter Mitchell. Apparently the film is loosely based on the autobiography of Gregor Piatigorsky, who, like Peter recounting an anecdote to his devoted pupils (possibly my favourite scene of the movie in the movie), once met Spanish legendary cellist Pau Casals.

The great Christopher Walken plays the role of a lifetime. Worthy of an Oscar?

To me, A late Quartet is a fine example of what intelligent film-making is all about: the drama is skilfully constructed and, first and foremost, accurately performed; the icing on the cake is the brilliant music, namely Beethoven’s superb, powerful string quartet opus 131 (which I’m listening to as I write these lines), the fitting background against which the moving stories of jealousy, ambition and family tensions unfold.

The troubled marriage within the quartet

It was only coincidence that barely an hour after the end of the film I was comfortably sitting at the Teatro Liceo relishing the delightful music of Schubert’s Octet in F major, performed by the “Octeto de la OSCyL”. As I was watching the very talented musicians play the piece, I couldn’t help thinking, obviously affected by what I had just seen on the screen, what their personal relationships might be like, you know,  their feelings towards each other, as well as the enormous strain they must be under whenever they perform in front of an audience. Being the father of an aspiring musician myself, I find this world totally fascinating - yet somewhat disturbing, I must admit!

From the point of view of English, I was glad to see some of my students (not as many as I'd wished, though) around in the stalls, thinking they surely understood a good deal of the words and expressions the fine actors uttered, since they all spoke mildly standard American accents.

If, like me, you enjoy a film featuring strong performances within a simple story devoid of gratuitous ingredients (you know, no special effects, no car chases or mindless violence), just a beautiful drama focusing on human passion, punctuated by a brilliant classical music soundtrack, A Late Quartet is a great joy. Watch the trailer and judge for yourselves.

Ana Garcia 1º NI: "The Last king of Scotland"

Last weekend I watched “The last king of Scotland”, a British film of 2006 directed by Kevin Macdonald and based on the novel by Giles Foden. It tells the story of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin (Forrest Whitaker) through his personal doctor, Dr. Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy)

The film is a sketch of the African dictator’s life. Garrigan begins his relationship with Idi Amin admiring him and believing in his future projects, but quickly he realizes the cruelties for which the dictator’s regime is responsible, and the terror that reigns in the country.

This fantastic movie focuses on the close relationship between the two men, without going too deep into the dictator’s political atrocities. It moves from a more fraternal relationship between the patient and his doctor to the doctor’s persecution and martyrdom, which is due to his supposed treason.

Amin’s men torture Nicholas, but, thanks to the sacrifice of one of his fellow doctors, he manages to catch a plane on which there are hostages who live in Uganda. After learning of Nicholas’s escape, Amin goes to the airport, where he finds out that the plane has already taken off.

I really liked the film, but I don’t think the crudeness of some images is necessary.


Thanks Ana, well done! Let me just round off this lovely review by inserting the movie's official trailer (with subtitles in Spanish)

A new year ...a new blog

Hello everyone and welcome!

Yes, a new year at school has just started and, as I've been doing for the last 5 years, this is a new edition of my / your "EOI blog". 

Some of you guys (as well as former students of mine) have been asking me lately if I intended to have a go again. A few even told me you were thinking of writing some to get it going. The thing is I had no clue how to start it even if I had something from Fernando, one of my 2º Avanzado students this year, an article of opinion with his personal take on the harsh ongoing economic crisis.

So I was reading the press on my Mac when I came across a headline that caught my attention: "Kismet Diner gana el Manhattan Short Film Festival". Well, it suddenly dawned on me that I had the perfect excuse to kick this blog off!

You know, I had been lucky enough, thanks to a former student (and a faithful follower of my blogs!), to know that this self-proclaimed global festival was held in Salamanca alongside other Spanish cities (madrid, Bilbao and Valencia, no less!). People were cordially invited to attend the screening, during three days, of ten short films, the finalists we were told, among over six hundred productions from nearly 50 countries across the globe, and then vote for our favourite film as well as the best actor / actress. Being all of them in original version, I felt instantly appealed and I went to the venue, the Museo del Comercio. 

I really enjoyed the shorts on offer, different from each other in style and content, featuring different languages, from English to Finnish, from French to Russian, but all of them, to my mind, excellent quality. I've always believed that many times a good short film can move you much more than a 2-hour-long feature, you know, too often the commercial yet mindless Hollywood blockbuster. 

There was one short that I especially loved, Seb Edwards' British production "Friday", the hard yet captivating story of  a teenage boy struggling to come to terms with the loss of his mother on the anniversary of her death. Set in the wake of the 7/7 terrorist attacks in London, the film stars talented young actor Reece Noi. I found the film's cinematography utterly mesmerizing, the story deeply stirring and Noi's performance so compelling, so much so that I had no doubt Friday was my definite choice.

This is the only stuff I've been able to find, the official trailer. Seemingly, it has won many awards worldwide, including one in Spain, in Tarragona to be precise.

I was somewhat disappointed to read that Friday did not win the award (it actually scooped a modest fifth spot) but at least it was kind of small consolation that Noi was voted best actor.

So the winner, as the headline above reads, is another British production directed by English filmmaker Mark Nunneley. Mind you, the truly romantic story seems to be set in an American diner (spelt with a single "n" - a roadside restaurant, that is). Even though I enjoyed the sweet short, I still preferred the much grittier Friday, but I must admit the audience present in Museo del Comercio that evening started applauding the film (Kisnet Diner, I mean) rather enthusiastically the minute it ended. They must have been right to do so since it eventually won the coveted top prize!

So this is the clip of the short feature for you to decide it is a worthy winner of the global festival. Needless to say, it is in original version and subtitled in Spanish. You guys are all welcome to send in your comments about Kisnet Diner. 
José Luis Antigüedad