NWR: Nominations for Politburo positions

originally posted by Levi Dalton:
originally posted by MLipton:

...but still a bit stilted for my taste. Cultural differences, perhaps?

That is an interesting point to ponder, given the pacing of many Russian/Soviet films of my experience.

Yes, I remember watching "Solaris" the first time. Pacing...is....very...interesting.

Of course, even watching older TV series or American movies from the '80s, you realize how much quicker the general pacing is now compared to just 15-20 years ago.
 
Actually I learned a little more about "Burnt by the Sun." In fact it makes the whole story even more poignant. The name is the Russian name for a tango that was first made popular in Poland. The song was performed by Jewish entertainers. The original Polish title was "Last Sunday" -- in both languages it is about a love affair gone wrong, and it was called the "Suicide Tango" because young Polish men unlucky in love would play it several times while working up the nerve to shoot themselves.

At any rate the singer was imprisoned in a concentration camp and was forced to wear a silly costume and perform the tango for inmates on their way the gas chamber. I suppose I'm almost glad I didn't know all this when I was watching the movie. The Tango is heard at several times on the sound track and the little girl actually sings the Russian lyrics.

Artur Gold and the Death Tango

Beautiful (Polish) version of the Tango by Chor Cana

Russian 1936 Version

Frank
 
originally posted by VS:
W It's all those other characters, SFJoe and Kane and the like, who are manifestly malfeasing miscreants.

I prefer to think of them as conspicuous reprobates.

And how about skraft for Minister of Branding? He could mastermind the pernicious dissemination into the international wine forum world a series of Wine Disorder coffee mugs, t-shirts and baseball caps in an effort to attain brand (if not actual) dominance.

-Eden (I'd volunteer to be Minister of the Interior, but my color-sense isn't all that great when it comes to painting walls and hanging drapes, and not everyone is likely to be on board with the sort of art I prefer)
 
originally posted by Bwood:
Yes, I remember watching "Solaris" the first time. Pacing...is....very...interesting.

You saw it more than once?!?
 
originally posted by Joe_Perry:
originally posted by Bwood:
Yes, I remember watching "Solaris" the first time. Pacing...is....very...interesting.

You saw it more than once?!?

Yes. It's helpful to reset one's internal pacing clock from time-to-time.

Joe, I'm not referring to the clooney film.
 
I have not seen the Clooney film. Nothing from the original prompted me to.
 
The Clooney film isn't worth watching, especially if you have read the book or seen the first movie. It makes the Tarkovsky seem like a rollercoaster ride, and I had to give up somewhere in the middle.

I somehow remember Stalker being slower than both versions of Solaris.
 
I guess I should say straight out that Solaris is one of my all time favorite films, coming in a closely behind a film I like even more called Stalker.

That being said, I think that in terms of slow pacing Nostalghia would have to take the title. How many times does dude have to walk with the candle blowing out before we can move on?

Recently I saw some film work in a museum where the artist was dealing with Taiwanese factories, fact and government sponsored fiction, past and present. Slow takes and Tarkovsky's fingerprints where all over the stlye of the filming. You can see how appropriate such a take is for blending references across a time. How referential to time passing and the feeling of memory such tracking shots are.

Anybody ever get bored by the tracking shot in Weekend? No? Somehow that difference is interesting to point out.

Joe Perry: do you ever watch LOST? The influence of Solaris is made overt at times.
 
The ministry positions are great, but Id like to make a few suggestions for positions for lower tier aides. This way ministers who are rejected by the voter still can have hopes for future elections. Now mixing govt metaphors (capitalist/monarchy/oligarchy vs. communist), I think what is needed is a few czars to roll up their sleeves and help do the heavy lifting. Whats a good government without a few Czars?

The Ministry of Defense may need a Molotov Cocktail Czar (using extra heavy oversized bottles, a handy weapon of defense in their own right)

Ministry of Health could use the aid of a Flavonoids and Resveratrol Czar

To assist the Ministry of Finance:
Home Equity Loan to Fill Up the Cellar With this Years Vintage of the Century Czar (who may also work in conjunction with the Back Up the Truck and Fill Up with as Many Cases as You Can Buy Czar, see minister of propaganda)

Ex officio Positions

Under the Ministry of Propaganda:

The Latest Product That Will Perfectly Age Your Wine Czar and
Back Up the Truck and Fill Up with as Many Cases as You Can Buy Czar.

Special Envoy to Other Boards: may benefit with Cultural Sensitivity Czar, these other boards are a wee bit more particular in their rules, even compared to the politburo.
 
originally posted by Paul Hagerman:
Special Envoy to Other Boards: may benefit with Cultural Sensitivity Czar, these other boards are a wee bit more particular in their rules, even compared to the politburo.

I'm insulted.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Levi Dalton:
Joe Perry: do you ever watch LOST? The influence of Solaris is made overt at times.

Good Heavens, no.

That said, I have seen three(?) episodes, which means that I have probably seen every episode.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
originally posted by Paul Hagerman:
Special Envoy to Other Boards: may benefit with Cultural Sensitivity Czar, these other boards are a wee bit more particular in their rules, even compared to the politburo.

I'm insulted.
Best, Jim

Uh-oh.

I see myself banished to a Siberian Wine and Food Tasting Exposition....hmmm, what sort of plonk goes well with gruel...maybe, plonk?

Then again, maybe this would be a good title for one of Jim's upcoming wine and food posts:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oak_and_the_Calf
 
originally posted by Paul Hagerman:

Uh-oh.

I see myself banished to a Siberian Wine and Food Tasting Exposition....hmmm, what sort of plonk goes well with gruel...maybe, plonk?

Thanks for all the creative suggestions, Paul, though I do question about including Czars in a Politburo. After all, wasn't the Politburo installed in place of the Czars? And don't sell Siberian cuisine short until you've tried reindeer and Amanita muscaria "tea".

Mark Lipton
 
I hear Amanita muscaria "tea" picks up a lot of terroir on the second or third iteration.

A sort of mineraly golden earthiness...
 
originally posted by Frank Deis:
I hear Amanita muscaria "tea" picks up a lot of terroir on the second or third iteration.

A sort of mineraly golden earthiness...
Whatever it takes to decarboxylate the ibotenic acid.
 
originally posted by Frank Deis:
I hear Amanita muscaria "tea" picks up a lot of terroir on the second or third iteration.

A sort of mineraly golden earthiness...

Sorry, Frank, but that's interventionism of the worst sort IMO. Spoofulation to the max, as it were.

Mark Lipton
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Frank Deis:
I hear Amanita muscaria "tea" picks up a lot of terroir on the second or third iteration.

A sort of mineraly golden earthiness...
Whatever it takes to decarboxylate the ibotenic acid.

I love it when you talk sexy.
 
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