Ex Machina

http://cinearchitecture.tumblr.com/post/135322985282/the-hi-tech-house-in-ex-machina-alex-garland

Frame Assemblage: Lola Montes

http://cinearchitecture.tumblr.com/post/134977000922/lola-montès-max-ophüls-1955-l-production

Cinema as Architecture's Time Machine

نوشته شده براي روزنامه «دنياي اقتصاد»
توضيح (25 دي ماه): بهزاد رحيميان كه سالهاست روي فيلم هاي اوليه از ايران تحقيق مي‌كند به من تذكر داد كه ويدئويي كه در پايين خواهيد ديد و توسط شركت پخش كننده اش به مشهد سال 1908 نسبت داده شده در واقع تصويري از مسجد امام اصفهان است كه بعد از تاريخ ذكر شده فيلمبرداري شده است. من به متن دست نزدم چون به نظرم خود اين اشتباه به يكي از كليدي ترين نكات دسترسي به تصاوير اوليه از شهرها دلالت دارد: مشكل رديابي فيلم ها، شناسايي مكان ها و از همه مهم تر مشكل استفاده از تصاوير آرشيوي كه معمولاً مبالغ هنگفتي براي دريافتشان بايد پرداخت كرد و در انتها شركتي كه حقوق فيلم را در اختيار دارد با اطلاعات غلط اين محصول را مي فروشد.

سينما، ماشينِ زمانِ معماري

احسان خوش‌بخت

«ساختمان مرتفع»، عنوان فيلم تازه‌اي است از كارگردان انگليسي، بن ويتلي، كه بر اساس كتابي از جِي جي بالارد (عنوان ترجمه فارسي كتاب: «برج») ساخته شده، كتابي كه در آن يك بناي مسكونيِ فوق مدرن به جان ساكنانش مي‌افتد.

فيلم كه اول مثل يك اداي دين سينمايي به دنياي مد و آداب دهۀ هفتاد ميلادي در بريتانيا به نظر مي‌رسد به سرعت به دنياي كابوس‌وار وارد مي‌شود كه به كار بردن اصطلاح بيش از حد دستمالي شدۀ «سوررئاليستي» براي توصيف ميزان آنارشي و  سير توضيح‌ناپذير حوادث فيلم به هيچ وجه كفايت نمي‌كند.

اگر لايه‌هاي ظاهري فيلم (نظم‌ناپذيري بشر، مدرنيزم از كنترل خارج شده، طغيان تكنولوژي) كنار زده شود، تمام ماجراهاي فيلم كه در يك مجتمع مسكوني بتني در لندن رخ مي‌دهد در واقع فيلمي دربارۀ معماري و كساني است كه در آن سكني مي‌گزينند. فيلم به مرور تمايلش‌اش به نشان دادن نحوۀ تأثير معماري بر آداب مردمان را به طور آشكارتر و مستقيم‌تري بيان مي‌كند و حتي در آخر صداي مارگارت تاچر را روي تصوير مي‌گذارد، نخست وزير محافظه‌كاري كه سياست‌هايش بر معماري و شهرسازي بريتانيا تأثيري وافر (و معمولاً منفي) گذاشت.

The Cow (Dariush Mehrjui, 1969) | Il Cinema Ritrovato

GAAV (The Cow)
Iran, 1969 Regia: Dariush Mehrjui
T. int.: The Cow. Sog.: Azadaran-e Bayal [Gholam-Hossein Saedi]. Scen.: Dariush Mehrjui. F.: Fereydon Ghovanlou. M.: Dariush Mehrjui. Mus.: Hormouz Farhat. Int.: Ezzatolah Entezami (Mash Hassan), Mahin Shahabi (Hassan's wife), Ali Nassirian (Mash Islam), Jamshid Mashayekhi (Abbas), Jafar Vali (Kadkhoda). Prod.: Ministry of Culture (uncredited).

The Cow (1969)

There are other films about men and cows (La vache et le prisonnier, for one) but unlike The Cow they can hardly be called love stories, nor are they works that so powerfully explore madness, solitude and obsession as this film does. This milestone of Iranian New Wave cinema tells the story of a poor villager (played by stage actor Ezzatolah Entezami in one of Iranian cinema’s greatest performances) whose only source of joy and livelihood is his cow, which provides milk for the village. (Not surprisingly, when the film came out, the milk was viewed by the left as symbolic of oil.) One night the cow is mysteriously killed and that’s when the madness, or rather transformation, begins.

Jazz Goes to the Movies in Ankara

Jazz Goes to the Movies, a programme curated by Jonathan Rosenbaum and I for Bologna's Il Cinema Ritrovato will be playing in Ankara and two other Turkish cities from next week.

Another jazz/film-related event would be an exhibitions of the comic illustrations about jazz films by me (as writer) and Naiel Ibarrola (as illustrator). After our first exhibition at Tehran's Aun Gallery, the Allye Berger exhibition hall in Ankara will host our work from November 26 to December 2, 2015.

Back to the screenings, the films that will be played on November 29, are free admission. These are the titles and their order of screening, starting from 14:15
(CLICK ON THE HYPERLINKS TO ACCESS THE REVIEW OF THE FILM)

Black and Tan Fantasy (1929)
Cab Calloway’s hi-de-ho (1934)
Jammin’ the Blues (1944)
Pete Kelly’s Blues (1955)
Begone Dull Care (1949)
Big Ben: Ben Webster in Europe (1967)
When It Rains (1995)
Too Late Blues (1961)

Each film will be introduced either by me or Jonathan.

Il Cinema Ritrovato 2012, Part IV

بخش چهارم و آخر از گزارش جشنوارۀ فيلم Il Cinema Ritrovato در بولونياي ايتاليا، 2012

5 توهم ابرگرفته

صبح، ضربۀ فني با شاهكاري از والش، از جنس غبار (1922) با شركت همسرش ميريام كوپر دربارۀ عشق، ايثار و تضاد طبقاتي در جامعه‌اي نوپا همراه با طنز و اقتدار هميشگي كارگردان. بعد از آن فيلم كوتاهي از لويي فوياد با نام Bébé juge (1912) و با شركت خردسالان. سپس درام احساساتي پيري‌يِف كه نوعي موزيكال هم محسوب مي‌شود و عنوانش هست Skazanie o zemle sibirskoy (1948). بعد از آن نسخۀ مرمت شدۀ صورت (اندي وارهول، 1965) كه از كلوزآپ‌ها و گفتگوهايي با اِدي سجويك تشكيل شده، تكنيكي كه از نظر سينمايي به شكلي پخته‌تر در دختران چلسي آزموده شده و به زودي در صفحۀ بازخواني‌ها به آن خواهم پرداخت.

«دستۀ جداگانه» تصميم مي‌گيرد براي شام به جايي بيرون شهر برود، اما من ترجيح مي‌دهم نسخۀ مرمت شدۀ ستارۀ ابرگرفته (ريتيك گاتاك، 1960) را ببينم، فيلمي از هندوستان در حد بهترين آثار ميزوگوچي و روسليني، از بعضي جهات، لااقل براي من، والاتر و با اهميت‌تر. شايد به اين خاطر كه من زناني مثل نيتا – شخصيت اصلي فيلم - را مي‌شناسم كه تمام زندگي‌شان را وقف ديگران كرده‌اند و نصيب خودشان چيزي جز تنهايي و بيماري نبوده است. بعد از نمايش فيلم كه جاناتان آن را sublime مي‌خواند ساعت‌ها طول مي‌كشد كه چشم‌ها خشك شوند.

Il Cinema Ritrovato 2012, Part III

گزارش جشنوارۀ Il Cinema Ritrovato، بولونيا، ايتاليا، 23 تا 30 ژوئن 2012

بخش سوم: اسپرسو

صبح با طبل‌هاي دوردست (1951)، وسترن تكني‌كالر رائول والش، با شركت گري كوپر شروع مي‌شود. در نماهاي تمام قدِ كوپر انگار ستوني وسط سالن سينما سبز مي‌شود. فيلم والش اثري درخشان و پيشرو دربارۀ بقاي گروهي از مردان و زنان است كه از مرداب‌هاي لوييزيانا رد مي‌شوند. طبل‌ها برخلاف موجِ بيمار فيلم‌هاي انتقامي سال‌هاي اخير، فيلمي است ضدِ انتقام.

در سالن انتظار سينه‌لومير جاناتان سرحال‌تر از ديروز به نظر مي‌رسد و من را به دوستانش معرفي مي‌كند: مِرِديت برادي، جكي رِنال و دِيْو كِر منتقد 62 سالۀ نيويورك‌تايمز با موهاي سفيد و صاف، قد بلند، لبخندي آرام و نگاهي خجالتي. كمي بعد ژان دوشه، منتقد و فيلم‌ساز افسانه‌ايِ كايه‌دوسينما، با قدي بسيار بلند، صورت پف كرده، موهاي بلند سفيد و حالتي جستجوگر كه انگار دنبال كسي يا چيزي است به ما ملحق مي‌شود. جكي رنال به شوخي مي‌گويد فرق بين سينه‌فيل‌هاي قديمي و امروزي در اندازۀ شكمشان است؛ اين كم‌ترين حاصلِ سال‌ها نشستن روي صندلي، براي ديدن فيلم‌ها، خواندن و نوشتن دربارۀ آن‌هاست.

بعد از نمايش فيلمي سه دقيقه‌اي از سخنراني نخست وزير ژاپن در نمونه‌اي از تولد سينماي ناطق در سرزمين آفتاب تابان، در سالني مملو از جمعيت با مردم ايستاده در كنار صندلي‌ها و يا نشسته بر روي زمين يكي از مهم‌ترين كشف‌هاي امسال، اولين فيلم ناطق كنجي ميزوگوچي، زادگاه (1930) روي پرده مي‌رود.

Il Cinema Ritrovato 2012, Part II

گزارش جشنوارۀ Il Cinema Ritrovato، بولونيا، ايتاليا، 23 تا 30 ژوئن 2012

بخش دوم: بيداري

تازه متوجه مي‌شوم در بولونيا هستم. نور داغِ روز از درز باريك بين پرده‌هاي ضخيم اتاق روي صورتم خط سفيدي مي‌اندازد. مثل سرباز وظيفه‌ها يك ربع بعد حاضر و آماده و مشغول ور رفتن با پنيرهاي ايتاليايي‌ بر سر ميز صبحانه‌ام. هفتۀ پيش در اين‌جا زلزلۀ نسبتاً شديدي آمده و دولت بعضي‌ها را موظف كرده كه خانه‌هاي قديمي‌شان را ترك كنند و موقتاً در هتل‌ها زندگي‌كنند. خرج از كيسۀ دولت است و بولونيايي‌ها از اين فرصت براي گپ و معاشرت استفاده مي‌كنند.

مسير روزانۀ من عبارتست از طي كردن شريان اصلي شرقي-غربي شهر و سپس انحراف كوچكي به شمال غربي براي رسيدن به ويا دله لامه كه دو سينماي بزرگ جالي و آله‌كينو با فاصله‌اي دويست متري از هم در آن واقع شده‌اند. در راه ديوارهاي بلند قرون وسطايي و مجسمه شيرها و قديسين و آبريزهاي سنگي حتي براي ثانيه‌اي به چشم اجازۀ استراحت نمي‌دهند. زير ساختمان‌هاي كهنه مغازه‌هاي لباس و غذا با دكوراسيون مدرن جا گرفته‌اند. به نظر مي‌رسد در بولونيا هيچ شتابي در كار نيست.

در راه به گيريش شامبو، سينه‌فيل هندي‌تبار مقيم آمريكا و يكي از مشهورترين وبلاگ‌نويسان سينمايي امروز برمي‌خورم كه مي‌خواهد به تماشاي مالدُن گرميون برود. من به والش مي‌روم و قرار مي‌گذاريم بعد از فيلم‌ها هم را ببينيم. بسياري از قرارها در بولونيا مثل پايان كسوف آنتونيوني به سرانجامي نمي‌رسند.

LFF#59: 5 Documentaries

Five documentaries from the 59th London Film Festival, reviewed by Kiomars Vejdani

1
HE NAMED ME MALALA
Director : Davis Guggenheim
USA 2015

The story of Malala Yousafzai has received so much attention by public media. A fifteen year old girl who was shot by Taliban for openly opposing their suppressive regime, subsequently rising to the level of international fame having audition with Queen and President Obama and eventually awarded Nobel Peace Prize. But international fame has made her a controversial figure open to debates. Some of her admirers see her achievements as her destiny decided by powers higher above, drawing a parallel between her and a legendary figure of the same name who with her words inspired the army of her country to win a battle over a more powerful enemy. A less sympathetic group see her fame in the light of propaganda created by the West against Taliban. But some facts remain indisputable. Malala is a courageous girl who after being shot by Taliban has not stopped her fight against them. She has a close relationship with her father who is an intelligent, cultured, and enlightened man. Her way of thinking is very much influenced by her father. She is brought up to believe in freedom of people and human rights. She has had a good education. Her speeches are well articulated. Some speculate that her speeches are written by her father but that is not for certain. At interview when faced with an unexpected question she comes up with a well formulated answer. Davis Guggenheim for making his documentary has had a great deal of material to use ( as Malala has been photographed and filmed a lot ). In treatment of his subject he has glorified Malala to the extreme. He particularly highlights the similarity between Malala,s character and her legendary namesake. The end result is a well compiled picture of an emotive subject. But how truthful ?


2
BRAND: A SECOND COMING
Director :Ondi Timoner
UK 2015

Russell Brand as an Stand up comedian is famous for his loud volume of voice, a non- stop barrage of words and jokes which, although at times witty, are mostly vulgar and not to everyone,s taste. But this documentary about him reveals the other side of his character showing that he can be a more interesting person out side the stage. Film focuses, not on Russell,s stage career and scandals of sex and drugs ( although they have been covered adequately ) but more so on his personality and politics which are very much inter -related. The picture that emerges is a manic character with an over-active brain, non -stop coming up with ideas which are immediately voices without being checked for their logic. His uninhibited nature can not accept control. If anything he controls and dominates other ( as shown in the funny scene of American TV interview) with regard to his politics he has a sharp wit to instinctively notice problems but his disorganized way of thinking comes up with solutions which at best are unrealistic and at worse dangerous. Any possibility of his engaging in politics would be nothing short of disastrous. The film tries to present as honest a picture of him as possible. But in the end gives up defending something which is not defensible. In the words of Brand,s manager :” Ask Russell all the questions. But do not follow him”


3
CENSORED VOICES 
Director : Mor Loushy
Israel 2015

During Six Day War in 1967 between Israel and Arab countries leading to Israel,s remarkable victory, some Israeli soldiers were interviewed as they were making their advance towards Jerusalem. The recorded interviews reveals a very different story. A dark truth behind the glory of liberation of Jerusalem. Many soldiers admit that while initially they were proud of their victory, they gradually began to see their role as aggressors. They express the shame and guilt for their treatment of Arab people, making them leave their homes ( in the words of one soldier making them refugees in their own country ) The recorded interviews were only allowed to be partly released. In this film, for the first time and after many years, we can hear them uncensored and in their totality. Director Mor Loushy uses their recording on the soundtrack of the film as a basis for his documentary. They are visually accompanied by authentic ( and rarely seen ) archive material carefully matched with the narrative on the soundtrack. Added to the archive material are shots of key figures commenting on the events of the past. The message coming across is the futility of war, putting more value on human life than conquering lands. A strong anti war film with a moral tone to match.


4
THE FEAR OF 13
Director : David Sington
UK 2015

It is a documentary about Nick Yarris, a prisoner accused of murder and on Death Row, who after 23 years trying to prove his innocence appealed to Court for his execution. The film is entirely made of showing him talking to the camera. He is a great story teller. He talks about his criminal past, drug addiction, burglary, car stealing, and acts of violence (but not murder ). He tells us about prison wardens and their acts atrocity towards him as well as other prisoners, his relationship with a female volunteer visitor which led to romance and marriage. Later on breakdown of that marriage could have something to do with his appeal for execution. Eventually with advance of science and discovery of DNA he could prove his innocence and was released from prison. He saw his freedom as a second chance life has given him and decided to reform himself. Since then he has become a virtuous man, leading a respectable life, helping drug addicts and criminals with similar problems of his own in the past. He now lives in UK ( away from his reputation of the past ). He is married and has a daughter. A very positive and heart-warming film.
Even more interesting than film was presence of Nick Yarris at the screening, answering questions from the audience, gaining sympathy,respect,and admiration of everyone.


5
SOMETHING BETTER TO COME
Director : Hanna Polak
Denmark – Poland 2014

Only thirteen miles out side Moscow there is a huge garbage site of several miles in dimension. A crowd of homeless people live there. They try to survive by finding whatever left over food in the rubbish, and build some shelter by any means they get hold of to protect them against cold winter. The rate of crime, prostitution, drug abuse and alcoholism is high. A good number do not survive for too long. Director Hanna Polak decided to film this group ( secretly and away from the watchful eyes of police and authority ) Soon she noticed Yula a ten year old girl who was born on the site and decided to film her over the next fourteen years ( a method not dissimilar to Richard Link later,s Boyhood ). The result is document on human misery unimaginable at the heart of our present day civilisation.

Capsule Review of Films from the 59th London Film Festival

Kiomars Vejdani's Capsule Reviews of Films from the 59th London Film Festival



THE LOBSTER
Director : Yorgos Lanthimos
UK-Ireland -Greece 2015

Films of Yorgos Lanthimos are always odd (the good example is Dogtooth) but here he pushes the boundaries of oddity up to the absurd. The film is set sometime in the future when celibacy is condemned. Anyone without a partner has 45 days to find one. Otherwise (with advanced surgical methods of future) he will be turned into the animal of his choice. The animal that film's protagonist has chosen is lobster (hence the title of the film). The setting can be seen as a hotel or a luxury prison and residents as guests or prisoners. The rules are as arbitrary and irrational as the those imposed by the father on his children in Dogtooth. The result is an environment which dehumanizes the people. Irrational rules and absurd behaviour are at the roots of film,s dry humour. But in the end film moves towards a more serious tone and sincerity of feelings when the protagonist chooses the woman he loves against all regulations and in the process makes the biggest sacrifice of his life.


THE ASSASSIN
Director : Hou Hsiao-Hsien
Taiwan-China – Hong Kong 2015

Winner of Best Director Award in this year's Cannes Film Festival Assassin is another example of skilfully made martial art film by Hou Hsiao- Hsien. Set during the ancient dynasty of Tang in
9th century China, it revolves around the character of woman trained in martial arts and equipped with highest level of skills to act as assassin and carry out missions as commanded by her master until she is given a mission which is against her moral beliefs and personal feelings. The story of her moral awakening is told in slow measured pace against the background of classical splendour of ancient China. A visually rich and stylish film,beautifully photographed scenery and skilfully choreographed scenes of fast pace martial arts action.


CEMETERY OF SPLENDOUR
Director :Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Thailand-UK-France

In the hazy heat of tropical area, a group of sick soldiers in a hospital which used to be a school, a mother visiting her son who is in coma, a volunteer visiting girl who has the power of heeling and the ability to see the past. With these elements the director creates his familiar world. In a dreamlike state boundaries between sleep and wakefulness,reality and fantasy, past and present, life and death are all blurred. People change their identity without changing their appearance. Ghosts look like living people while real environment turns into a dreamlike one with neon lights which change colour non-stop. Film ends in a cemetery which has vanished long time ago and now only exists in our memory As his usual Apichatpong Weerasethakul leaves us somewhere between dream and wakefulness


TANGERINE
Director :Sean Baker
USA 2015

A hilarious film about two transsexual hookers on New Year,s Eve are trying to find a girl who has an affair with boyfriend of one of them. In their search for the girl they go through a series of funny situations with odd characters. A fast moving film,bursting with energy, having jokes at every moment. But in the end slowing down to stress the value of true friendship.


VERY BIG SHOT
Director : Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya
Lebanon-Qatar 2015

The film begins with something like Goodfellas in Lebanon with plenty of violence. But soon it changes its tone to become a comedy about film making with the protagonist acting as the producer. But at the last few moments of the film, as the protagonist decides to enter politics,yet another another aspect of the film is introduced. So the film that started as a gangster thriller ends up as a social climbing satire.


DESIERTO
Director : Jonas Cuaron
Mexico – France 2015

Film is about a group of Mexicans being killed by a sadistic mentally deranged sharp shooter while illegally crossing the border into America. Director Jonas Cuaron uses their massacre as a basis for a thriller, increasing the film,s tension as the acts of killing progresses without much attention to dramatic depth. Despite the superficial current of excitement the plot is too incredible to be convincing and the protagonists too stereotyped to arouse our sympathy.


OFFICE 
Director : Johnnie To
China – Hong Kong  2015

The film with the help of elaborate sets,cast of hundreds, bright colour photography, and added
3D technology shows us how not to make musicals. Its only use is as a proof that making of musicals is best left to Hollywood.


THE CLUB 
Director : Pablo Larrain
Chile 2015

The film begins with a quotation from Bible stating that God after creating the light liked it so much that He decided to keep it separate from darkness. The new film of Pablo Larrain concentrates on this area of darkness. In a house by the seaside in the remote part of the country live a group of priests ( and a nun ) who because of some sinful act in their past are barred from active duties.
Pablo Larrain uses such a setting and characters to create an infernal atmosphere. Film,s dramatic tension is created out of contrast between attitude of characters and strict rules of church ( represented by a visiting supervisor, an upright priest with strong religious faith ). Larrain's priests are a mixture of evil beings committing acts of extreme cruelty,and normal human people who enjoy pleasures of life and are honest and frank about their sexuality ( the film,s dialogue is sexually very explicit ) Through their characters and the resulting moral ambiguity Larrain gives us a controversial picture of church and its rules.


YOUTH
Director : Paolo Sorrentino
Italy 2015

Paolo Sorrentino's new film, like The Great Beauty is about looking back at life after reaching the summit of one,s creative career, With the difference that here we have two protagonists. A retired composer (Michael Caine) and a film director (Harvey Keitel) Being close friends for many years they enjoy each other,s company while staying in a spa hotel in Switzerland. Like the previous film they encounter a range of colourful characters,each with their own idiosyncrasies. They go over their ups and downs of life, remember their happy and sad moments. In the end they reach to the conclusion that at the their old age there is not much more to do but to look back. One of them accepts the situation and compromises. The other does not. Another stylish film by Paolo Sorretino, as beautiful as the Great Beauty.


VIRGIN MOUNTAIN
Director : Dagur Kari
Iceland – Denmark 2015

The film takes us through stages of emotional development of a young man from a childlike existence to full maturity and total independence. Director Dagur Kari in portraying the character of his protagonist pays a great deal of attention to psychological details, taking his time to build his process of development into a mature man. A very humane and heart warming film.


LAND OF MINE
Director : Martin Zandvliet
Denmark - Germany 2015

With the liberation of Holland at the end of second world war the Allied faced the problem of a good number of mine fields in need of detonation and decided to give this task to German prisoners. Director Martin Zandvliet bases his powerful drama on victimization of German soldiers. The prisoners ( mostly teenage boys ) are treated insensitively and cruelly by Allied officers, using them as a target for aggression and to retaliate for crimes of German army while the were victorious. The film by such a reversal of roles raises the morally controversial issue of consequence of victory and its effect on victors. Our sympathy is with young German prisoners.

The film's tension escalates with each occasion that the group goes through fear of death or sorrow of losing yet another friend. The film,s change of moral tone is personified in the character of the camp,s warden and his change of attitude from hostile prejudice and angry cruelty to sympathy, affection and kindness. It is a film which by condemning the consequences of war, whether victory or defeat, puts maximum value on humanity