Tagged: see

From the Vaults. 

Originally posted on 12-11-13, this piece depicts the destructive and regenerative powers of earth, implying that beauty and strength can be found in all situations.
Earth, for all its beauty, is intent on its

own sustained destruction.

home grown demolition, fierce and consistent

and severe.

whirling winds and pulverizing plate shifts;

barbaric waves and the terrifically brutal spew of molten

agony

painting the landscape like a spirited artist with a palette of

hot orange,

black billowing smoke,

and fire.

the earth is angry-

that’s just one point of view-

a living mass of bound and shackled energy

bursting within

itself in a magma soaked rage,

the personification of angst and frustration with

no outlet but fury,

the elements of its true core still a mystery-

organically sustained destruction,

yet still fulfilling a predetermined purpose.

for each disaster, there are a thousand

seeds in bloom-

for each reaving of the landscape, there

are innumerable discoveries in waiting,

each exit creating a new beginning.

there is no end to its regeneration-

earth-

the great tortured soul,

the original self-immolator,

the flagellator of the ages,

concealing its guts with such a beautiful

mask-

stoned relentlessly for eons,

battered by its own children,

a lone voice among silent brothers,

eloquently patching over the steaming turmoil

boiling underneath-

earth-

take notes in her symbols-

But where is hope, then?

in the bowels of the sea,

in the claustrophobic canals worming through

the core,

in the depth of the blue above,

each revealing signs of perseverance,

adaptation,

evolution,

and the ability to overcome-

take notes in her symbols-

in the wooden arms and rustling

fingers of the winter trees,

pointing the way to heaven for those whose

eyes have been downcast too long-

for those who’ve forgotten which way to

look-

but again, that’s just one point of view*

-G. Boston

Theatrical Thursday – Joe Versus the Volcano (1990).

Have you ever seen a movie six thousand times, but only gotten half a whiff of the real depth of that movie after the most recent viewing?  Case in point; I’ve seen Joe Versus the Volcano at least 30 times since 1990, but only recently came to understand the immense truths contained within it.  The film was always on in the background, and I’d often half ass watched it without really seeing it for what it was.  The realization and understanding came slowly; a little bit here, a little bit there, until one day I said “fuck it” and sat down and really watched the film again for the first time.  I took it all in with a renewed sense of awareness, and a considerably open mind.  I dissected it.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d enjoyed the movie time and again previously, but I’d only just seen the surface of it.  And in truth, I was sincerely blown away.  For all of its cheese, the movie was an acutely effective, multi-layered glimpse into a man’s thirst for knowledge, meaning, purpose, and self discovery.  Looking beyond some of the dated, clunky 90’s camp, it’s quite a deeply rendered portrait of the journey that we all endure in order to accomplish whatever it is we want to accomplish with our lives.  It is a great little tale about overcoming obstacles, standing up for your beliefs, and never giving up.  Who can’t relate to that, right?  And if you’ve ever hated your job, the “I quit” scene below is a revelation.

 

Theatrical Thursday – Adolph Caesar in ‘A Soldier’s Story’ (1984).

In the vein of magnificent but severely under-recognized pictures that emerge from the bowels of Hollywood, here’s another iconic performance that was more than worthy of the industry’s top honor.  A Soldier’s Story was based on a pulitzer prize winning play by Charles Fuller, about the investigation into the death of a black sergeant in the WWII era south.  The film’s antagonist was Sergeant Waters, splendidly played by the late Adolph Caesar; he was in fact nominated for a best supporting actor Oscar for the role, but lost out to Haing S. Ngor (The Killing Fields).  At any rate, his hauntingly conflicted role of the gruff, abrasive Sergeant Waters is indeed one for the record books, in one of cinema’s finest masterpieces.

Theatrical Thursday – ‘The Quest for the Mighty Sword’ (1990).

Ten bucks certainly can’t buy much these days; a measly movie ticket, maybe a six pack, a mess of cheap tacos, or a beer at a ball game.  Oddly enough, ten dollars can sometimes finance your movie.  Ok, maybe this film cost twelve bucks to make. Want to be a filmmaker?  Grab your beefiest best friend, a ratty blonde weave, some fur covered fruit of the looms, a few dwarves for a little “Lord of the Rings” flavor, and get to filming.  That’s exactly what the makers of The Quest for the Mighty Sword did.  Vomit inducing dialog?  Check.  Cookie cutter, fifth grade school play quality, 80’s porn-esque backdrops?  Check.  Absolutely, incredibly, mindbendingly ridiculous storyline?  You know it.  A dude with a sword that fights robots?  All i can say is wow.  I truly don’t think anyone ever successfully pulled off a Conan meets Battlestar Galactica mix.  This flick takes you down a dark alley that you’d normally avoid at all costs, lest you get stabbed unmercifully.  The film follows a guy named Ator on his journey to free his people from a magically evil dwarf troll (like you really care what this movie is about), while battling mythical creatures along the way.  That pretty much sums it up; the key to watching a flick like this is keeping an open mind, and trying really hard not to take it seriously.  Surprisingly, director Joe d’Amato did.  All jokes aside, it’s a hilariously fun ride, and props to d’Amato for crafting a truly memorable piece of work.  Also, much respect to Eric Allan Kramer, who is one hell of a talented actor, and was just the man to connect the dots and hold this thing together. Needless to say, as a true film fan, this flick is a must watch purely for the sake of an hour and a half of utter fun and a good deal of belly laughs.

Check it out!

Note – this movie scored a whopping 2/10 rating on IMDB.com.

Theatrical Thursday – Cannibal Holocaust(1980).

Before The Blair Witch Project, there was Cannibal Holocaust. Before Paranormal Activity, Quarantine, Chernobyl Diaries, and Grave Encounters, there was Cannibal Holocaust. Cannibal Holocaust predated the slew of ‘found footage’ films that permeate the horror/shock genre, and its innovate ‘firsthand’ approach laid the foundation for a style of film that has grown exponentially. The shaky camera, improvised dialogue, and the use of no name actors are all cinematic techniques pioneered by this film. The story involves a film crew sent to the Amazon to document local tribes; the crew disappears, and the movie is told through the missing team’s recovered video footage. The brutality and shock value depicted has become the stuff of legend. Italian director Ruggero Deodato’s film was met with awe, praise, and revulsion upon release, and his excessive use of graphic violence, gore, and sexual themes led to his arrest on murder and obscenity charges (many viewers and critics were convinced that the murders depicted were authentic), as well as the film being banned in over fifty countries at one point. Deodato was cleared, but the film remains a groundbreaking entry in the horror genre, and its controversial nature has earned it bona fide cult status.