Navegando por ahí dentro de las miles de comunidades que nos dominan hoy en día, me enteré que había una peli, más bien un corto, que explicaba o hacía referencia a la bata amarilla de Jason Schwartzman en The Darjeeling Limited de Wes Anderson de 2007.

Mi primera reacción no fue bonita. Fue una ansiedad y una profunda decepción por sostener un falso estamento que en mi poder tenía toda la colección de Anderson.

Sin embargo, hoy me dí cuenta revisando los adendos especiales de The Darjeeling Limited que Hotel Chevalier, el corto de Wes Anderson, estaba allí. Y siempre había estado.

Hubo dos suspiros de descanso, uno, porque podía de nuevo sostener mi estamento; dos, porque aunque uno sobrevive a la trama de The Darjeeling Limited si es especialmente iluminador el corto de Hotel Chevalier. Natalie Portman adquiere un carácter más protagónico (qué bella que es) y las frases de Jack Whitman como escritor adquieren un tono melancólico y testimonial.

El corto inquietantemente hermoso, ambientado en París y con una relación amorosa entre dos amigos que se hicieron mucho daño en el pasado, es el relato de ellos justo en ese instante que no sólo quieren tener sexo, así Whitman diga con desdén que podría ser tan sólo eso y no importaría. Me inquieta entonces saber si no será que Anderson tiene por ahí un corto o una referencia reveladora sobre El Hombre de Negocios interpretado por Bill Murray en TheDarjeeling Limited.

Lo splendido corto e allo stesso tempo prologo del capolavoro  The Darjeeling Limited,firmato Wes Anderson si svolge interamente in una camera d’albergo, quella dell’Hotel Chevalier nella capitale francese . Il protagonista Jack Whitman  interpretato da un bravissimo Jason Schwartzman è sdraiato sul letto e riceve la telefonata della sua ragazza  , Natalie Portman bravissima anche lei, che gli annuncia che sta per raggiungerlo. Qui si consumerà la fine di un amore.

Voto 8,5

Irina Sheik

I, to this day, have never found a more beautiful being in existence. I found this russian model by total accident. I was googling for Hottie number three on my list, ‘Shiek,’ and she came up on page 30039493 on my search for Sheik Pictures. I like this particular picture, because she is painted with this paisley-ish body art, and it’s so fricken beastily.

Kate Beckinsale

I first saw her in The Underworld trilogy. I have since kept up on her every move in film. She was really powerful in Snow Angels, but I still dig her best in Underworld, she makes a fine ass vampire.

Zelda/Sheik

This is my longest running crush. I have played every Zelda game. My favourite being, Ocarina of Time. She was hottest in Twlight Princess. It was before I finished Ocarina I had a secret crush on Sheik. When I finished the game, Sheik unveiled…itself as being Zelda. I honestly thought I was gay because of that video game.

Shannyn Sossamon

I first saw her in A Knight’s Tale. I don’t know why, but that movie is one of my favourites. It’s an odd movie, but it has a good cast, with Heath Ledger as the lead. She was adorabley cute in Wristcutters: A Love Story.

Anna Paquin

I fricken love Anna Paquin. I loved her before all you True Blood posers did. I loved her in Fly Away Home, as I, myself had pet ducks and geese as a child(they lived in my bathroom and then my backyard). X Men was the shizz. I then loved her slutty portrayal in 25th Hour, but indeed we truely hit jackpot with True Blood. She is on my hotty list, because, well she has such a unique look. Come on how many of you wouldn’t risk getting the life sucked out of you for her to touch you just once; what I wouldn’t do to be a glove on her hand(<—X men reference)? I know i'd risk it, readers, I know I would. She has this really deep, innocent look to her face. Her teeth have more character than you will ever have in your entire being/soul.

Jason Schwartzman

you will have to do a double take when you see this kid in Rushmore, even then I think he was a cutie. He blossomed into quite the looker when he hit Darjeeling Limited, who didn’t pause the shit out of Hotel Chevalier? He recently had a role in Funny People.

Hugh Jackman

I really like Hugh Jackman. He has this guidance to him that seems like he’d make a great mentor, say if you had the chance to meet him. I’m basing my prior statement purely on his portrayal in X Men and how he watched over Rogue. So, yes, I do have a little girl crush on him, but more in an admiring way.

Elliot Smith

What can I say, it’s Elliot Smith. i’ve listened to live recordings of him talking, and he’s so soft spoken. He’d be one of those relationships that would sit on your mind so heavy it’d be nice just to have ever known him as a friend. Aha, you know considering fricken ELLIOT SMITH would of befriended you. I don’t know why I think his death is the reason we aren’t good friends, and not the fact he’s FRICKEN ELLIOT SMITH. I like to think we would have a lot in common…me an Indian girl rockin hick towns, and he, a beautiful man with a melodic voice that could soothe you into a coma.

Stephen Moyer

I’ve only seen him in True Blood. But I…Want…To….Tap….That……Ass.

unless you’ve spent what seems like every minute of every day at home. then, any place is better than home. i like red shoes a lot, but that’s about all i could possibly have in common with dorothy. she clicked her red heels three times and went back to the place that she missed most. if i click my little red heels three times, i’ll just look silly. thats appropriate, seeing as how lately i’ve been feeling rather childish. maybe its the whole idea of being confronted with “adult responsibilities” and things of that manner. its not something i really want to think about. i keep living in the past, consumed by memories of how things used to be, and driving myself to insanity to figure out how i’ve ended up at this present point. circumstances, i guess. i look at photos or objects that remind me of places and people and think, ‘if i’d only known then how things would end up, maybe i would’ve changed something.’ this all sounds redundant, but i seem to just regress to the same thoughts over and over again. also, i miss too many people. its become sort of a sick little game where your thoughts drift to a certain person and the only thing you can seem to think is ‘are they thinking about me too? no, probably not.’ i feel like i’m losing or have lost everyone in my life that i care about (excluding family) and i don’t really know what i can do about that anymore. some people are just unfit for human contact. i’ve tried to channel my isolation and emotions into taking photos, but nothings really worked out other than random little snapshots. i’m thinking of maybe trying something opposite of how i feel. but i’m sure i’ll just work out the idea in my head and never actually do it. 

i feel like this is the conversation we never had: 

jack’s ex-girlfriend: whatever happens in the end, i don’t wanna lose you as my friend. 

jack: i promise, i will never be your friend. no matter what. ever. 

‘Cause he *totally* needs my support to gain any sort of traction, y’all — jay-kay-ell-oh-ell! :-O

Call him overly formal, call him precious, (and I’ll disagree) but ain’t no competish for the man’s composish. To wit:

WHOA. IMAGE-HEAVY. APOLOGIES? 

Wow. I was just looking through a RANDOM community on LJ, film_stills and I started geeking out and feeling all inspired. There were tons of caps of some of my favourite obscure (ish) movies. I figured I’d post some of them here for you to fawn over.

Films are the most inspirational art medium to me (and this is coming from Meg the photographer). I admire many more filmmakers than I do photographers. I don’t know what that says, maybe I’m into the wrong hobby? I think if I could do anything it would filmmaking in some way. I think photography is amazing and so many photographers and photos inspire me in different ways but… I can’t tell you the buzz I get off certain films. I think to successfully convey an idea on film is just a magical talent that is nearly impossible to possess. these are just some random caps but they are unbelievably inspiring to me. I hope you feel the same way after seeing some of them (and if you haven’t seen the movies you MUST!!! the caps almost don’t do them justice!!!) 

(1966) Michelangelo Antonioni’s Blow-Up 

the best movie you’ve never seen. it’s based on David Bailey’s life, and plus you have the brilliant David Hemmings playing him with tons of hilarious and ironic references (Verushka, the Yardbirds?!) it’s such a good film. I don’t know many people who have seen this one so… put it on your blockbuster/netflix queue. now. 

“I am in Paris.”

(2006 I think?) Shane Meadows’ This Is England

I love this film. I can’t even descibe it to you. Not to sound condescending here, but most Americans won’t get this film (I don’t get parts of it either) so I don’t know if I should recommend it to you or not. This move affected me so deeply. the imagery is so. gorgeous. though, so that alone is worth it I think.

(2007) David Cronenberg’s Eastern Promises

Cronenberg, (a naked) Viggo Mortensen, Vincent Cassel, Naomi Watts. What else do I have to say? This is ALMOST as amazing as History of Violence (and that’s saying a lot).

(1962 I think?) Francios Truffaut’s Jules Et Jim

(1963) Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2

don’t speak to me if you haven’t seen this film. I can’t explain to you how incredible I think it is. 

(holy shit, that second cap. LOVE.)

(2007) Anton Corbijn’s Control

Whatever, don’t need to talk about this. I know if you’re reading this you’ve seen it. It’s the most beautifully shot film of the decade bar There Will Be Blood. let the pictures speak for themselves… 

(2001) Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko 

(2003) Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers

Alright I’m biased. It has all my favourite actors in it in my favourite time period. But it is a nearly perfect film about 1960s Paris. I don’t understand all the hate it receives one bit. 

(2007) Wes Anderson’s Hotel Chevalier 

I love this ???short??? (it comes before the Darjeeling Limited) and I HATE. HATE. HATE. Wes Anderson and most of his bullshit movies. It’s such a beautiful film (idk what to call it).

(2005) Alfonso Cuaron’s A Little Princess

Just saw this in the comm and I almost fainted when I found out it was a Cuaron. I loved this film so much as a kid. I guess looking at the caps I should have guessed it was Alfonso… 

(2007) Bailie Walsh’s Lord Don’t Slow Me Down

there’s no shit I’m biased, but this is the best music doc of all time. Frankly I don’t give a fuck if you don’t like Oasis or think they’re all dicks and their music all sounds the same, if you like films you will love Lord Don’t Slow Me down.  Here are some caps to prove it.

(omg. perfect?)

and finally…

(1996) Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting

this  was my first “favourite movie of all time.” I’m so glad Danny Boyle is finally getting American recognition with Slumdog but he should have gotten it with Trainspotting. It’s a perfect movie. 

To: Galícia

From: La Banda Oriental

Je sais pas pas pourquoi je n’ai pas parlé de Wes Anderson avant. Je suis allée voir The Darjeeling Limited deux fois au cinéma, mais la première fois, il n’y avait pas encore d’Hôtel Chevalier. Ça doit être le court métrage que j’ai le plus souvent regardé depuis 1989. Peut-être autant de fois que j’ai de taches de rousseur. En tous cas, je voulais seulement dire que ce n’est ni une oeuvre provocatrice, ni une œuvre cynique de trentenaire. En fait, c’est plutôt un bonbon. Jaune et Bleu.

J’aime les bonbons.

Si j’avait un grand salon, j’inviterais tous les habitants de la planète à venir l’écouter avec moi.

No sabia en quantes habitacions d’hotel havia dormit en els darrers anys. Vaig fer memòria i vaig començar a comptar. Aviat vaig deixar-ho córrer. No conduïa a res. Em vaig estirar al llit, vaig encendre la tele i vaig trucar al servei d’habitacions amb el meu millor francès. No em sortia la paraula justa per al formatge fos i li vaig dir en un altre idioma. La va traduir al francès i va penjar. Tot seguit, una altra trucada. Aquest cop era el meu telèfon el que sonava. Era ella, acabava d’arribar a l’aeroport i em demanava quina habitació era la meva. Em vaig quedar uns segons en silenci i finalment vaig sentir que de la meva boca sortien els números: quatre, zero i tres.

Va penjar. Vaig alçar-me del llit d’un salt i vaig córrer cap el bany. Vaig tornar enrere i vaig buscar en el meu ipod fins que vaig trobarr Where do you go to (my lovely). L’havia escoltat cent vegades i, després de la seva trucada, necessitava més que mai escoltar-la una vegada més, i una altra i una altra. Em vaig desfer del barnús i em vaig posar sota l’aigua i el fum de vapor. En un tres i no res tornava a ser sobre el llit, ara impecablement endreçat. Jo amb el meu millor trajo, de fet l’únic, i la meva millor camisa, la negra. En aquesta posició, amb la mirada fixa en la paret, seguia els batecs del meu cor i els giravolts dels meus pensaments inconnexos .

Mitja hora després de la trucada, just el temps que ella m’havia anunciat, vaig sentir el vell ascensor aturar-se al replà, les portes de ferro obrir-se i, poc després, el so dels seus nusos sobre la porta. Em vaig posar dampeus, vaig repassar mentalment la caiguda del trajo i la blanor del coll de la meva camisa, vaig anar fins a l’ipod i hi vaig posar Where do you go to (my lovely) i finalment vaig obrir la porta. Allà hi era ella, tal i com la recordava, igual de freda, igual de despreocupada, amb aquell aire de superioritat insofrible que em mostrava a tota hora. Va deixar el telèfon pel qual tot just acabava de parlar, em va mirar, em va allargar un petit ram de margarites i em va abraçar tendrament .

Nota: Mireu el curt Hotel Chevalier, abans de Viatge a Darjeeling, de Sofia Coppola. Chepeau!

Atzo Closer ikusi nuen, eta uste det Natalie Portmanekin maitemindu nintzela. Eskerrak bera zegoela, bestela min  emateko filma izan daiteke… Antena3en ikusi nuen, iragarkirik gabe, sinesgaitza!

Ezin da Closerekin parekatu, baina hemen uzten det bere lantxo bat, bitxia iruditu zaidana. 

I recently enjoyed a film recommended by Meg recently, so here’s five of my favourites, in no particular order.

1. Nacho Libre: synthetic Mexican accents, cheesy dialog and good tunes: good times

2. Little Miss Sunshine: warm everyday characters and family dramas

3. Bandits: my favourite ‘date movie’ to watch with K

4. Kill Bill 1 & 2: a cool message and heaps of gore

5. The Darjeeling Limited: colourful scenery and characters

Name: Hotel Chevalier (2007)

Imdb page: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1094249/

mFacts:

01. You can eat a chocolate without offering one to your guest.
02. If they fuck she is gonna feel like shit tomorrow. But that’s ok with him
03. She never hurt him on purpose.
04. When asked if you’ve slept with someone else since the breakup, sometimes it’s okay to pause.
05. Yellow bathrobes look beautiful..
06. He will never never be her friend.
07. She wants to see his view of Paris.
08. The blue of Paris appartment houses mixes so well with yellow lit rooms mirroring Natalie’s yellow robe.
09. You can get your hair cut by the barber in the hotel lobby.
10. Jack’s girlfriend wants a bloody marry.
11. Jack has been staying at the Hotel Chevalier for months.
12. Play “where do you go to my lovely” on your iPod when you want to seduce a beautiful woman.
13. Hotel Chevalier is probably too short for a “things you learned while watching movies” list.

Arenberg Cinema

I have recently found and fell in love with the Arenberg Cinema in Brussels. Last week I had the opportunity to watch Calle Santa Fe, an excellent Chilean documentary about the MIR (movimiento de izquiera revolucionario) and how it managed to survive the dictatorship of Pinochet after Allende just to be pronounced as dead and dissolved a few time afterwards.

This week it was Darjeeling’s Limited turn. This film continues the same line and style of the Royal Tenenbaums (they even share actors). The soundtrack of the film is excellent. I specially enjoyed the Hotel Chevalier short film in the beginning with the “Where do you go to” song which was continually repeated throught the Darjeeling film. The “Aux Champs Elysees” at the end of the film drew an enormous smile on my face, and I can assure you it is still there today. The story is simple and the scenery in India is presented with no prentetious purpose. The photography is excellent and thanks to its mix with music it delivers its message sharp and clear. The story line turns somewhat boring at the end but the movie is conveniently ended on time.

To recommend: the soundtrack, specially “Aux Champs Elysees” and “Where do you go to.”
The scene I remember: from Hotel Chevalier, the last scene of the view of Paris.
What I didn’t like: the story ending. It turns out too slow and lost my interest.

Tre fratelli si rincontrano dopo diverso tempo in India per tentare di recuperare un rapporto logoratosi, dopo la morte del padre e la scomparsa della madre divenuta suora e fuggita proprio in India. Le loro avventure durante il viaggio in treno verso il Darjeeling sono il soggetto del nuovo film di Wes Anderson.

Il regista de “I Tenenbaum” e di “Steve Zizzou” riesce a costruire un film divertente ed intrigante, grazie anche alla bravura dei tre protagonisti, assolutamente azzeccati nei rispettivi ruoli. Inaspettato e delizioso anche il cameo di Bill Murray, nei panni dell’uomo d’affari che perde il treno.

L’elemento decisamente originale dell’opera, però, è senza dubbio il prologo della storia, con Jack che a Parigi viene raggiunto dalla sua ex ragazza. Anderson riesce a creare un cortometraggio che assume vita propria, “Hotel Chevalier”, del quale si ricorda soprattutto la deliziosa colonna sonora composta dalla sola “Where do you go to (my lovely)” di Peter Sarstedt, ripetuta ossessivamente e ripresa anche nel lungometraggio a seguire.

Voto: 7

Tim ups the ante with Wordles of Ulysses and Paradise Lost. I’ll take up his challenge with five killer Wordles: the scripts of Wes Anderson.

We see again that Wordles are both fun and smart—here, for instance, the inescapable importance of want is highlighted, as well as the crucial distinction between thinking and knowing. Yeah.

BONUS: “Hotel Chevalier.”

Peter Sarstedt – Where Do You Go To

Put to brilliant use in the Wes Anderson short Hotel Chevalier, for me this song evokes a very particular scene of a different kind. It has the trademark Parisian accordion in there and it’s chocful of clichéd images too; but having spent a lot of time there, those are the things you take with you, making this song a charmer.

Photo by loulou

I love Wes Anderson’s films. The Royal Tenanbaums has such a great story, casting and soundtrack;  The Life Aquatic of Steve  Zissou  has that same combination of irony and tenderness. Last night I was so inspired by both Hotel Chevalier (the short film that precedes the actual long running feature) and The Darjeeling Limited. The story follows 3 brothers: Francis, Jack and Peter, in a journey across India, in order to regain touch with one another. As the youngest of 3 brothers, I obviously projected a lot of myself in the story (we’ve had our ups and downs, and trust became an issue at some point). Co-written by Anderson, Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzmann (who also plays Jack, one of the Whitman brothers), it easily will become one of my all time feel good/melancholic films.

I wonder if the three of us would’ve been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people. Jack Whitman