Watchmen on the Beach
I must agree with a friend of the blog that the voice of Rorschach — aka “dalmation-face;” you’ll know ‘im when you see ‘im — sounds rather too much like Christian Bale’s Batman for my taste in the new Watchmen trailer, but I’m loving the Philip Glass score.
Speaking of Mr. Glass, I’ve been desiring to link to a few of his pieces here, as I’ve only just been swept off my feet by his overall body of work. Not much of a classical music enthusiast, my prior acquaintance with Glass was limited to the mainstream film soundtracks he composed.
Until! 1) I went to a lecture by dramatist Robert Wilson, who wrote the “opera” Einstein on the Beach with Glass, and 2) an arts criticism professor forced me to sit through the film Koyaanisqatsi. I’ve been all about arpeggiations ever since — l love the sense of inescapable destiny.
Here’s a stretch of music and text from Einstein on the Beach. I’m still trying to understand how passages of seeming non sequitors can get me so … choked up:
Godfrey Reggio’s Koyaanisqatsi could be the absolute best or the absolute worst movie to watch if you’re bummed. When I finished it, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into the bathroom and weep (because humanity is doomed!) or roll on the floor laughing (because humanity is doomed!). Here’s a taste:
Spectres, sugar gliders, and (crystal) skulls
Critical Darling swearsies to update more often once she’s all moved to LA. Um, I can’t leave until I know the exact specifics of where I’m going to be living, of course. (So, uh, if you know anyone … )
I’d like to blame it on the fact that I’m fist-deep in Watchmen, ’cause then I’d seem cool, at least, if not completely on top of things. Truth is, my original plan fell through, and now I’m scrambling to figure things out. (Not that that means I’ve completely shelved Watchmen. I’m presently “enjoying” an argument with my ex-media-outlet’s designer about the forthcoming film’s “update” of the Silk Spectre’s costume.)
But when I’m not scouring Craigslist, pitting myself against graphic designers over womens’ wear, or expressing my distaste for small marsupials, I’m keeping an ear peeled for the next stupid thing George Lucas (aka person-sized thumb with beard) will say. Now he wants us all to know that an Indy 5 is in the works, and that Spielberg’s much more amenable to this next one. Yeah, so apparently Steve-o wasn’t crazy for 4, because he’s totes about reaching for the past, while Lucas is all about the Jar Jar, erm, future. That’d be responsible for the tension you felt.
(The shoddy writing would be responsible for us not having the slightest why anyone acted as they did.)
Whatev, man, I don’t care if Mr. But-I-directed-Schindler’s List is psyched. Sean Connery could come out of retirement to play an ectoplasmic Henry Sr., and I’d still skip.
I did say all this about Crystal Skull, though, so when the time rolls around, please hold me to my word. And … also about the Harry Potter films, but, I admit, I liked the last one, and was pretty pleased to hear they were keeping its director, David Yates, around for Half-Blood Prince — hands down the best of the books.
Yes, I’m one of those snobs for whom nothing will compare to the books, but if the trailer is any indication, I think we’re in for a treat:
