another quality movie brought to us by QT. what more can you expect from a master who created high recall movies such as kill bill, pulp fiction, from dusk till dawn, etc…

i like the tense scenes which is evident in most of his films… Christoph Waltz is an amazing actor and he played his role so believable i wanna shoot him myself… might appear gross for some but what’s a QT movie without decapitations and blood splatters in the camera’s lens? like the fight sequence between the bride and crazy 88 in kill bill (nice!)… anyway, morbidity put aside, this film will become a classic WW2 film and you wanna know why? because in this film… the Führer got killed which other films like “Valkyrie” failed to accomplish… sorry Tom! in another lifetime maybe

~end

Just watched Valkyrie…….what a man! And what a war!

<Nov 16,2009>

Det fantes et sted i Vest-Berlin hvor trikkeskinnene forsvant rett inn i Muren. Dette ble for meg det beste symbolet på delingens brutalitet. (Foto: Oda Bhar, august 1989)

Hvordan få ekte spenning ut av kampen mellom det gode og det bedre? Dette dilemmaet møtte filmskapere i DDR. Jeg har vært på historieseminar med professor Jens Becker, regissør og lærer ved filmhøyskolen i Babelsberg.

– Filmskolen i Babelsberg lå direkte i Murens skygge. I min hukommelse var det alltid høst på skolen. Den stemninga preget også filmene våre, de var tunge, melankolske, noe som slett ikke passet med DDRs kulturpolitikk.

Hvordan ble man filmstudent i DDR? Opptakskvoten ble bestemt etter prinsippene for planøkonomi. Det ble gjort avtaler med tv om hvor mange filmarbeidere som trengtes, derfor var det lurt å jobbe for tv først, og skaffe seg en avtale om framtidig arbeid. Fantes det uavhengige filmskapere i DDR? Nei, fordi all film måtte gjennom samme framkallingssted. Det var kun to laboratorier i landet og all film som fantes var registrert. Den som prøvde seg på noe uavhengig kunne fort få besøk av Stasi.

Sensur

Skolen lå ved bredden av en sjø på grensa mot Vest-Berlin, forteller Becker. Det fantes et vakttårn for å holde utkikk over grensa, og grensevaktene skulle se mot Vesten, men likte bedre å kikke på de søte filmjentene som hadde pause. Filmstudentene var nøye utvalgt til det som var DDRs nest dyreste utdanning, etter pilotutdanningen. Dette medførte en forpliktelse til seinere å lage filmer i god sosialistisk tradisjon – men i praksis var dette ikke noen vanlig holdning. Tvert imot ga det status å lage noe som kanskje kunne bli forbudt.

For å omgå sensuren benyttet skolen ulike strategier. Mot slutten 1980-tallet, da Jens Becker var student, ble filmene delt inn i to typer: Sendefilmer og øvingsfilmer. Studentene var unge og frekke og ville endre verden, og lagde iblant filmer som ikke gikk gjennom sensuren. Da skyndte ledelsen seg å kalle det en «øvingsfilm», noe som forhindret at studenten ble utvist. Noen «stjal» sine egne filmer og viste dem hemmelig, gjerne på ungdomsklubber. Stasi visste om dette, men det ble stort sett akseptert.

Selv trafikklysene var spesielle i Øst-Tyskland. (Foto: Oda Bhar, august 1989)

Skiftende tider

Filmstudioene i Babelsberg har vært sentrale i europeisk filmhistorie. Becker kaller dem «et magisk sted hvor filmkunsten ble medoppfunnet». Opprinnelig var bygningene et gartneri, men ble ombygd til filmstudio. Glasshusene ga godt lys, noe som på begynnelsen av 1900-tallet var helt nødvendig for å lage film. Først ble det lagd stumfilmer, seinere kom de legendariske UFA-filmene. Etter 2. verdenskrig ble Babelsberg nystartet under navnet DEFA-Ateliers, delvis på ordre fra den sovjetiske administrasjonen. Lenin mente nemlig at film var den viktigste kunstarten, fordi den kunne påvirke massene.

I årene fra 1954 til 1989 sto politikken langt fra fast. Filmhøyskolen merket godt svingningene i storpolitikken, og ved hvert klimaskifte ble rektor byttet ut, for å passe til tidsånden. Iblant kunne man lage «frekkere» film, i andre perioder ble det slått ned på mer uskyldige ting.

Rett etter krigen var det to strømninger i DDR, borgerlig og sosialistisk realisme. Begge var klart antifascistiske, noe som ikke var like uttalt i Vest-Tyskland (BRD). De to retningene eksisterte side om side fram til 1952, da staten DDR ble mer uttalt «demokratisk sosialistisk». Mange forlot DDR på denne tida. I 1961 ble Muren bygd, og brått befant Babelsberg filmhøyskole seg rett på ei stengt grense. Gateadressen endret navn 3 ganger på 1900-tallet, fra Keisterstr, via SA-str, til Karl Marx-Str. Mange gamle filmer ble straks forbudt.

I 1968 kom en liberalisering under Praha-våren, men håpet ble raskt slått ned. Deretter fulgte sterk innskjerpning med nytt slagord: «Den som ikke er for oss, er mot oss.» Filmstudentene var usikre. Hvem kan jeg snakke fritt med, hvem tyster til Stasi? Perioden 1968-1973 var verst. Deretter fulgte et nytt tøvær, da Erich Hoenecker avløste Walter Ulbricht som stats- og partisjef. DDR ble nå mer anerkjent i verden og fikk FN-medlemskap.

Sosialistiske slagord og oppbyggelige veggmalerier var en del av bybildet. Propagandaen kalte Berlin Fredens By, «Stadt des Friedens». (Foto: Oda Bhar, august 1989)

Kampen mellom det gode og det bedre

For å forstå kulturlivet i DDR, sier Jens Becker, må vi se hvilke dogmer som lå til grunn. De kunne utfordres og brytes, men du måtte forholde deg til dem. Han lister opp 7 grunnsetninger.

1. Arbeiderklassen er den ledende klasse som bestemmer historiens gang.
2. Historien er klassekampens historie, og sosialismens seier er lovmessig.
3. Kapitalismen kommer til å dø, og all kunst som bruker borgerlige verdier er reaksjonær.
4. Partiet har alltid rett, og er samfunnets spydspiss.
5. Motstanderen sover ikke. Den som ikke er med oss er mot oss, og får smake partipisken.
6. Kunst er klassekampens våpen, den skal tjene folkets beste, og hva som er best bestemmer partiet.
7. I sosialismen finnes bare kampen mellom det gode og det bedre.

Særlig det siste medførte et stort problem for dramaturgien. Kunst springer ut av konflikt, sier Becker, men her måtte konflikt dysses ned. Hvordan få ekte spenning ut av kampen mellom det gode og det bedre!?

«Film i DDR handlet om den sosialistiske helten i kampen mellom det gode og det bedre.» (Jens Becker, østtysk filmregissør og professor)

Før studentene ved filmhøyskolen begynte å filme måtte de gjøre knefall for Politbyrået, og love å rette seg etter de sosialistiske dogmene. Vanligvis skjedde det frivillig, for mange i DDR trodde genuint på de sosialistiske idealene, spesielt på 1950- og 60-tallet. Etter hvert ble enigheten mindre entydig, spesielt når det gjaldt praktiske løsninger.

Surrealisme og humor

Mens de systemtro filmene oftest benyttet hyperrealisme og slagord, ble systemkritikk gjerne uttrykt gjennom surrealistime og absurd humor. Et eksempel fra Murens siste år er Zug in die Ferne (1989) av Andreas Dresen. Han er idag en av Tysklands viktigste regissører. Tidligere i år har jeg skrevet om hans seineste to filmer: Whisky mit Vodka (2009) og Den niende himmel (2008).

«Zug in die Ferne er en vennlig film fra ei tid hvor alle var rasende. Den er en hyllest til de som ble, og en hyllest til filmen.» (Jens Becker om Andreas Dresens film.)

Dresens filmer har gjerne en vennlig, humoristisk tone, noe som også gjelder denne. Ifølge Becker av mange filmskapere i DDR på 1980-tallet Bergman-inspirerte, noe som i Zug in die Ferne merkes på drømmesekvenser og lett surrealisme. Noen mennesker venter på en jernbanestasjon, blant annet en eldre mann og en ung kvinne, men alle tog er forsinket fordi ekspresstoget fra Vest-Berlin skal passere. Det såkalte Intersohnenzug var et vestlig tog som fikk lov til å passere over østtysk mark, men måtte kjøre enormt fort slik at ingen DDR-borger skulle kunne kaste seg på. Ellers gikk ingen tog spesielt fort i DDR, noe som forsterket følelsen av et enormt lufttrykk når det suste forbi. Den eldre mannen på plattformen påstår at hans kone er med lyntoget, hun skal reise til Vesten i begravelse til ei tante, som de deretter skal arve, kanskje, og isåfall skal han komme etter til Praha, kanskje. Endelig kommer toget, men den unge jenta ramler av lufttrykket. Mannen må hjelpe henne, og rekker ikke vinke til kona. Vel, sier han, forhåpentlig så hun meg i det minste. Men like etter kommenterer stasjonsmannen: Du forteller alltid samme historie.

Brandenburder Tor lå i øst, men så nær Muren at ingen privatpersoner fikk lov å komme nær. (Foto: Oda Bhar, september 1988)

Realisme med begrensninger

Dokumentaristene i DDR droppet gjerne kommentarspor i filmene sine, fordi propagandaen ble forventet å ligge i kommentarene. Uten voiceover kom du unna med mer, fordi budskapet ble mindre synlig. Østeuropeiske kunstnere ble flinke til å si ting mellom linjene. Verre var det å ikke kunne lage film om uperfekte sider ved samfunnet. Arbeidsløshet og psykososiale problemer skulle nemlig ikke finnes under sosialismen.

En av studentene ved filmhøyskolen, Thomas Heise, lagde likevel en film om såkalte Assis, «asosiale tilfeller», dvs folk som falt utenfor, ble småkriminelle eller bare var ungdom i opposisjon. Filmen het Wozu denn über diese Leute einen Film (1980), «hvorfor lage film om slike folk», etter innvendingene han møtte fra lærerne. Filmen fikk så mye oppmerksomhet under filmingen at den ikke kunne forbys, ikke før den var ferdig og godkjent, men da ble den forbudt, og Heise ble exmatrikulert. Han begynte å jobbe ved DEFA-studioene som assistent, og lagde etterhvert flere filmer som også ble forbudt. Idag lager han fremdeles såre, sinte, smertefulle filmer, sier Becker, og har det antakelig ikke enklere med filmskapingen sin enn han hadde i DDR-tida.

Liberalisering på 1980-tallet

I 1986 seilte Gorbatsjov opp som den store overraskelsen, og filmhøyskolen fikk ny rektor igjen.

Lothar Bisky var helt annerledes enn de foregående rektorene. Uformell og vennlig, alltid med åpen dør – og dus med studentene, noe som var uhørt i tysk sammenheng! Hvis det kom klager fra sensuren lot han som ingenting: Beklager, da må det ha skjedd en feil. Likevel forbød propagandasjefen alle filmene i 1987, men Bisky lot dem vises «hemmelig». Han fikk nye klager og lot som han angret, «det skal aldri skje igjen», men neste år gjentok det seg. DDR prøvde nå å holde på sin egen konservative linje, og distansere seg fra Sovjetunionen, men rektor beskyttet filmstudentene. (Idag er Bisky leder for det venstreradikale partiet Die Linke, og er omstridt pga anklager om å ha vært informant for Stasi.)

I 1989 ble det klart at noe stort var i ferd med å skje i DDR. Grensene ble åpnet sørover mot Tjekkoslovakia og Ungarn, og mange forlot landet, også fra filmhøyskolen. De øvrige ble oppfordret til å dokumentere den «fredelige revolusjonen», og dermed startet en enormt produktiv tid. Studentene drev journalistisk aktivitet, de var ute og filmet i gatene hele tida, det foregikk knapt undervisning.

Idag er gatebildet på Under den Linden helt annerledes enn dette. Republikkpalasset til høyre er revet, det er flere og helt andre biler, og reklameplakater finnes overalt. (Foto: Oda Bhar, september 1988)

Et system klapper sammen

Jens Becker er født i 1963. Han var 26 år og avgangsstudent da Muren falt. Siden har han jobbet både med film og tv, i tillegg til undervisning. Men langt fra alle har vært like heldige. Generelt greide mange fra øst seg dårlig etter gjenforeningen. Det tok minst ett år før noen kunne orientere seg på nytt, sier Becker, og mange har aldri greid å omstille seg. Det var ikke bare friheten som økte, usikkerheten ble også av en helt annen art enn før. Gjenforeningen av Tyskland handlet ikke om å slå sammen to likeverdige land. Det var ett land som overtok ett annet. Østtysk ungdom hadde vokst opp i et land som ikke lenger eksisterte, og ble nødt til å greie seg i et helt fremmed system. Alle erfaringer og nettverk ble meningsløse over natta, mange utdanninger ble verdiløse. Hvem hadde bruk for en planøkonom i en verden av kapitalisme?

Ved filmhøyskolen i Babelsberg ble 1990 et år av depresjon. Etter den hektiske journalistiske tida i 1989 falt produktiviteten nå helt sammen. Plutselig kunne alt sies, ingenting ble lenger sensurert. Men dermed ble kulturinstitusjoner som filmhøyskolen mye mindre viktige enn før. Det er slik i dårlige tider, sier Becker, at folk prøver å si gjennom kultur det de ikke får lov å si rett ut. Derfor blir kulturlivet enormt betydningsfullt.

«Dårlige tider er alltid gode for kunsten.» (Heiner Müller, østtysk forfatter)

For filmarbeiderne forsvant produksjonsmulighetene brått, siden DDR-tv og alle filmstudioene i Øst-Tyskland ble avviklet. Etter ei stund ble nye tv-kanaler og produksjonsselskaper opprettet, men lederne var vesttyskere. Lenge var det usikkert om skolen i Babelsberg ville bli nedlagt, siden det allerede fantes andre filmhøyskoler i Vest-Tyskland. Men den lot seg redde, og er idag den teknisk best utstyrte filmhøyskolen i Tyskland.

Studioene i Babelsberg har også fått en renessanse, og nylig vært åsted for innspillingen av filmer som V for Vendetta (2005), The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), Flammen og Citronen (2008), Valkyrie (2008) og Inglourious Basterds (2009).

Nye tabuer

At den statlige sensuren var borte etter gjenforeningen betydde ikke ubegrenset frihet. Også i markedet ligger sensurpotensiale, selv om reglene ikke er uttalt eller formalisert. Østtyske filmskapere oppdaget at nye tabuer oppsto, en ny type historier lot seg vanskelig fortelle.

Et slikt tabu var Treuhand, selskapet som ble dannet for å privatisere de statlige eiendommene i DDR. I ettertid føler mange seg lurt, fordi «arvesølvet» deres ble solgt for en slikk og ingenting. Det handlet om store verdier, siden DDR var et land hvor nær sagt alt tilhørte staten. Slike historier var ikke populære i det nye markedsorienterte Tyskland. Kapitalistene i filmindustrien var ikke interessert i å støtte dem, og mange østtyske filmskapere fikk aldri lage film igjen.

Hva står igjen som Jens Beckers viktigste erfaring?

– Jeg vet nå at et system veldig fort kan klappe sammen og bli borte. Dette er en viktig bevissthet, for det kan også gjelde dagens samfunn. Dermed er det alltid lurt å ha kamera klart. En erfaring kan når som helst bli historisk.

Jens Becker på Cinemateket i Oslo, januar 2008. (Foto: Oda Bhar)

Alle bilder i denne artikkelen er ©Oda Bhar.

Det faglige stoffet er hentet fra et seminar på Cinemateket i januar 2008: «Det undergravende blikk – filmstudenter betrakter DDR.»

Jeg legger ved filmografien fra kurset, hvis noen ønsker fordypning.

(Artikkelen blir også publisert på Montages.)

Filmografi fra seminar om DDR-film

Fiksjon

1. Die erste Seite einer Chronik (1961), regi Kurt Tetzlaff.
2. Sorgenkinder (1961), regi Helmut Nitzschke.
3. Wilkommen in der Kantine (1988), regi Peter Welz.
4. Leb wohl, Joseph (1989), regi Andreas Kleinert.
5. Zug in die Ferne (1989), regi Andreas Dresen.

Dokumentar

1. Solang’ noch untern Lindern (1958) regi Kurt Tetzlaff.
   
2. Alarm (1958) regi Werner Wüste.
3. Was jeder muß (1988) regi Andreas Dresen.
4. Mehr als das Übliche (1969) regi Dieter Jäger/Gerhard Knopfe.
5. Karl Marx – Dr Henne (1968) regi Alexander Ziebell.
6. Rote aus der Demo raus (1989) regi Jens Becker.
7. Die Kinder von Golzow (dokuserie) regi Winfried Junge.
8. Notwendige Lehrjahre (1960) regi Jürgen Böttcher.
9. Wozu denn über diese Leute einen Film (1980) regi Thomas Heise.
10. Aber wenn man so leben will wie ich (1988) regi Bernd Sahling.

Apt Pupil fue la peli que hizo Bryan Singer en 1998 justo después de Usual Suspects y que le significó su reconfirmación como estrella de Hollywood.

En esta peli un joven quinceañero se entera que su vecino es un ex oficial de la Gestapo y fascinado por las historias que puede contarle sobre la Segunda Guerra Mundial abusa de su sed de chantaje con revelar su secreto a las autoridades locales hasta tal punto que se le devuelve y desencadena una serie de eventos que marcan su vida y su carácter.

Esta peli tiene un terrible registro de producción. Basada en una novela de Stephen King se buscó producirla en cine a principios de los 80’s pero dos actores que se contrataron para realizar el papel de Dussander murieron. Cuando se lanzó la producción en forma en 1987 tenía tanto lastre financiero que el proyecto se canceló. Después de casi quince años los derechos volvieron a King y fue gracias a él que la peli se hizo con Singer quien redujo la historia, la violencia y cambió el final para finalmente tener el producto que podemos apreciar hoy en día.

La obra no deja más que admiración por un monstruo de la literatura norteamericana como lo es Stephen King. Qué impresión la influencia que es este señor en Hollywood (además que es de mis autores favoritos) y el listado tan extenso de pelis basadas en sus obras. De esta, una notable actuación del actor fetiche de Singer, Ian McKellen quien de la mano de su colega Brad Renfro fueron rotundos ganadores ese año en festivales independientes.

Excelente fotografía a cargo de Newton Thomas Siegel un importante engranaje en el equipo de Singer desde siempre, que lo ha acompañado a lo largo de su carrera cinematográfica e incluso televisiva en el capítulo que Singer dirigió de House M.D. ( si es buena esta serie? Debería seguirla? No se cada vez me parece que me estoy perdiendo de algo verdaderamente importante pero nunca lo tengo muy claro).

Finalmente, el dramatismo se complementa con una cara reconocida en este blog: John Ottman. Compositor de Valkyrie, The Invasion, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, X-Men 2, The Cable Guy, Usual Suspects y Public Access (estas últimas pertenecientes a la opera prima de Singer).

Una buena peli, Singer no desentona, por el contrario entretiene con su trama bien lograda. Me la quería ver hacía mucho tiempo y por fin la pasaron en Cinemax.

The time has come once again to walk down the hall of mighthavebeen and look out of the window to the fields of neverwill with this installment of Dream Team.

This go round, we’re not looking at a title so much as a super team within a title. This one is going to read more like a fantasy football roster.

It’s a little known fact that I enjoy Marvel’s Defenders. The premise appeals to me more than the line-up: a group of heroes who don’t really like eachother or know each other that well get together infrequently to stop extinction level events.

Sure, this is how most teams start out. The beauty is that the Defenders never go on to gel as a team. There’s no headquarters, no signal, no symbol, no table that everyone sits around…nothing. It’s the team your dad would put together if he needed help working in the yard one weekend. Anyone helping out is there because they didn’t have anything better to do. And so help me, I love ‘em for it.

So who do I put on this farm team for the Avengers? While the “membership” grew over time, I’m going to contain myself to the original format of only four members.

1. The Punisher. To say that Frank Castle is not a team player is like saying that Chris Claremont is a little wordy, but that’s the general idea of The Defenders. From a story telling point of view, I like the idea of the Punisher on the team because he’d add a twisted fish out of water spin. He’s also really good at improvising in a pinch. So what that he relies on guns and explosives? You’re facing the Punisher and he just ran out of ammo? Don’t stop to gloat. Sure as anything his next move is to fuck your shit up with whatever is at hand…even if it’s your hand.

2. Hank Pym. How this loser is still an Avenger is beyond me. He shrinks; he grows; he whines; he creates robots bent on killing him and his friends, and yet he’s been on practically every roster of the team. Being this much of a gomer is automatic nomination to Defenders for me. Besides, every team needs a science guy.

3. Namor. He helped get the ball rolling with the original team. Why is he a Defender? Being an Avenger is too much drama; Reed won’t let him near the FF; and Atlantis pretty much runs itself. I’d like to see him teamed with Pym. Imagine the boundless insults and slurs. It doesn’t hurt that he’s got his own army and is really strong.

4. Rounding out the roster is Valkyrie. She’s got history with the team. She’s got a great costume, a sword, and a winged horse. A WINGED HORSE.

That’s my Defenders team. The book I read when I dream at night. Enjoy comics tomorrow.

Onze koelkast bevat momenteel flink wat Franse producten. Overheerlijke stinkworsten van Justin Bridou, ‘zero-calorie’ frisdranken van Taillefine, piepjonge smeerkaasjes van P’tit Louis, scherpe Dijonmosterd van Maille en sladressing van het huismerk van de Auchan. Het mag duidelijk zijn: onze auto was op de terugweg van een paar dagen lopen in Frankrijk zwaarder dan op de heenweg. Onze ‘exotische’ koelkastvulling werkt eetlustopwekkend. Aan elke maaltijd zit deze dagen wel wat Frans!

Onze 'dealer' van Franse lekkernijen!

Kaas in de koelbox
Van onze eigen importpraktijken van comestibeles en delicatessen hebben we veel geleerd. Zo weten we dat je kaas in een koelbox moet meenemen. En wijn vervoer je het beste (en het meest geluidloos) ‘en vrac’ in een plactic jerrycannetje (wel snel opdrinken dan, want de kwaliteit van de wijn holt achteruit in deze kunststof omhulling!). Ook hebben we geleerd om zo veel mogelijk te letten op het niet importeren van producten die je hier in Nederland kunt komen. Geen Président Brie dus. En ook geen La Vache Qui Rit! Jammer, want het verhaal achter La Vache Qui Rit is best bijzonder.

Bekend tot in alle uithoeken van de wereld: La Vache Qui Rit. (c) La Vache Qui Rit.

De lachende koe
De lachende koeienkaas komt van origine uit de Jura. Hoewel kaasmaker Léon Bel (ook bekend van de rode Baby-Belletjes) al langer bezig was met het maken van deze zachte kaas, legde hij zijn handelsrechten op La Vache Qui Rit pas in 1916 vast. Bel had verstand van marketing, publiciteit en reclame, want hij bedacht dat zijn kaasje een logo moest hebben. Zijn inspiratie haalde de Fransman van het rondreizende bevoorradingsregiment B70 van het Franse leger, waar hij deel van had uitgemaakt. Deze ‘ravitailleurs’ hadden op hun voertuigen een embleem afgebeeld van een grappige koe. Deze koe duidde de waren aan die het regiment vervoerde: vlees. De vleeswagen droeg een bijzondere naam: La Wachkyrie (gaat er al een belletje rinkelen?) – een woordgrapje gebaseerd op het Franse woordje ‘Valkyrie’ en op het Duitse woordje ‘Wache’ (wacht).

Eén van de eerste ontwerpen van Rabier. (c) La Vache Qui Rit.

Grimmige doods- en oorlogsgodinnen
De Valkyrie (in het Nederlands: Walkuren, afgeleid van het Oudnoordse ‘Valkyrjar’) zijn mythologische strijdgodinnen. Van origine waren het grimmige doods- en oorlogsgodinnen, die op de rug van hellehonden de slagvelden afstroopten op zoek naar gesneuvelde helden. Deze helden werden verzameld om later, tijdens de eindstrijd die Ragnarok werd genoemd, voor Odin dienst te kunnen doen. Waarom het woord ‘Valkyrie’ werd gemengd met ‘Wache’? Nou, dat heeft weer te maken met de Frans-Duitse Oorlog van 1870. De Fransen verloren en raakten delen van hun land kwijt (Moselle, Haut-Rhin, Meurthe en Vosges). De Duitsers kregen het hier voor het zeggen. Om de Fransen in die gebieden goed onder de duim te houden, plaatsten de Duitsers op veel plekken controleposten. De soldaten die deze posten bemanden, werden ‘Wache’ genoemd. De Fransen maakten er al snel een scheldwoord van: ‘Vache!’. In het laatste kwart van de negentiende eeuw en in het eerste (ruime) decennium van de twintigste eeuw kon de slogan ‘Mort aux vaches’ vaak worden genoteerd.

Iedereen kent de reclame-uitingen van de lachende koe. (c) La Vache Qui Rit.

Regiment B70
Bel ‘leende’ niet alleen de lachende koe van zijn strijdmakkers. Hij nam ook de naam over. In het begin erg schaamteloos. Zijn kaasjes gingen over de toonbank als ‘La Wachkyrie’. Later maakte hij er ‘La Vache Qui Rit’ van, een naam die beter bij een kaasje past. Het ontwerp van de lachende koe is van de redelijk bekende kunstenaar Benjamin Rabier. Rabier diende ook in het regiment B70. Hoewel hij al lang bezig was met illustreren, brak hij pas echt door met zijn lachende koe. Deze koe heeft hij later aangepast voor Léon Bel.

Zou Kuifje weten dat hij naar een boek is genoemd? (c) Hergé/Moulinsart.

De klare lijn
Rabier was één van de eerste tekenaars die cartoons en strips maakte, waarin dieren met menselijke trekjes de hoofdrol speelden. Zijn manier van tekenen viel ook op. Rabier is namelijk één van de eersten die tekende volgens wat we later de klare lijn zijn gaan noemen. Hij is één van de inspiratiebronnen geweest van Hergé. Hergé nam zo’n voorbeeld aan Rabier dat hij de naam van zijn stripheld opdroeg aan één van de boektitels van Rabier. Tintin (Kuifje dus) heeft zijn naam namelijk te danken aan het kinderboek Tintin Lutin dat Rabier in 1898 uitbracht. Dus als je ooit eens tijdens het lezen van stripboeken zin hebt in een snack, dan kun je met een gerust hart een Apéricube van La Vache Qui Rit achter je kiezen steken. Dan weet je zeker dat het elkaar niet bijt!

All right, so I caved in and bought a gray Macross display stand!  The mold is the same as the black and silver versions, but this gray stand is more similar to the black stand, in regards to weight and overall feel.  And it has the yellow and black stripes!

Box for gray display stand on the left, black display stand box on the right

Rear view of boxes for gray display stand (left) and black display stand (right)

The major difference between the gray and black stands is that the gray one has a glossy finish, whereas the black one has a matte finish.  As a result, the gray stand looks shinier, and it’s also easier to detach and re-attach the four support arms.

Top views of the display stand bases

Now here’s a bottom view of the bases.  Note that the “filler” base is the same plastic, and this filler gives the base the majority of its weight.

Bottom view of gray stand base (left) and black stand base (right)

Here’s how the stands look with the arms inserted into the bases:

Gray and black display stands, arms attached to bases

See the little square peg in the lower right-hand corner of the base?  You can remove the four support arms and attach them to the peg:

Gray and black display stands, four support arms detached

The same shade of gray is used for the connectors to the valkyries (please see previous post).

I know I could’ve painted over the gray and white stripes on the black display stand, but oh well!

if i presented you with the proposition to press a button that would kill someone, somewhere in the world that you did not know for one million dollars, what would you do?

i’d press the button and be on my way.

it is that question of morality that the film the box plays on.  and i have to say through about three quarters of the film it is a well acted, well produced and well directed   unfortunatly it had a fourth quarter to go.

let me discuss the things about this movie i liked.  it is set in the late 70’s and looks, sounds and feels like a film out of that era.  the wall paper is terrible, the wide men’s ties are atrocious and the soundtrack is killer.  any time you can fit “bell bottom blues” by eric clapton into a film, i’m a happy camper.  the original score is excellent as well.  it could very easily have been lifted from a 1976 film noir.

i was on imdb.com today and everyone seems to have a good time bashing cameron diaz’ accent.  which may not be the best virginia accent in the world but it beats the hell out of tom cruise’s german in valkyrie.  i’m not a big cameron diaz fan, but i thought she did a pretty good job considering the script she had to work with.  james marsden is pretty spot on too.  and i can never get enough frank langella.  that old dude just rocks.

the film is based on a short story by richard matheson called “button, button.”  matheson also wrote the story the film i am legend was based on.  and that movie pretty much rocked up until the final quarter too.  i need to read some of his work to see who i need to blame for the ending of his movies sucking.  but on this one i’m gonna go ahead and blame richard kelly.

richard kelly was the dude that directed donnie darko, so he’s a little out there anyway.  but come on dude.  just because you think you are so smart don’t mean you are.  just leave him as the mysterious man with the box.  that would have been much more better than that thin attempt to explain what’s going on.  sometimes we don’t need to know.  our imagination fills in the holes in your otherwise weak screenplay.

but whatever, that’s why i work at a movie theater and review movies on my blog.  because i’m so smart….

i don’t think this is going to be the movie to see this weekend.  i’ve not had the chance to screen the men who stare at goats or the fourth kind or disney’s a christmas carol.  thought i’m pretty sure how that last one goes.  it should still be fun to watch jim carrey’s animated old scrooge in 3D.

i did find it interesting that the button was only pushed by women…

one and a half cameron diazes out of five.

This beauty is from the early days of Marvel’s non-team The Defenders #6. Art is from Sal Buscema.

Watching Valkyrie made me think of what it takes for a movie to be great. In order for a movie to be great, it needs many different elements to work. Valkyrie had some elements that worked and others that didn’t, which is why instead of being a great movie, which it had the potential to be, it is a pretty good movie that will eventually be forgotten.

What worked: the political intrigue that ran throughout this film was excellent. It was very interesting to see the behind-the-scenes of the third reich and the goings-on managed to be quite suspenseful as well. And with all of the advertising around Tom Cruise, I wasn’t even aware that this movie had a slew of great actors like Kenneth Brannaugh, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkenson and Terence Stamp.

One scene I really liked was where Cruise’s character first meets Hitler. The atmosphere around Hitler and his inner circle has a sort of brooding evil that really works.

What didn’t work: The accents. They didn’t even bother with German accents, which actually ended up being very distracting. If an actor can’t do a proper accent, he shouldn’t be cast in that role, I don’t care if its Tom Cruise or not.

There should have been more of a focus on the family I think. That could have been an element that could really escalate this movie. We needed a reason to believe that the wife would go along with all of this. But they were just kind of pushed off to the side.

There were many moments which tried to be meaningful and emotional at the end that didn’t have the foundation to make it work. Also, the scene where the Wagner music played during the bombing seemed like it really wanted to be a neat, inspired scene but just came off as very contrived.

Also, they needed to keep better perspective at the end and they needed to vilify the Nazis a little bit more. It almost seemed to me that Singer was letting the audience loss focus on why they were going through with this plot. They established it well in the beginning, but it should have been emphasized more at the end as well.

So there is my review. It had a lot of potential to be a really great war film but did not live up to that potential. I give it a 7ish/10.

Today we’re going to have a close look at Yamato’s “Macross Display Stand for Valkyrie.”  These stands were originally made for the 1/48 scale valkyries, but they work just as well for the second generation 1/60 scale valkyries.  There are three versions:  a black one, a silver one, and a gray one.  I have only the black and silver ones.

Box for black display stand

Box for silver display stand

Each stand also comes with a set of connectors.  The black stand comes with gray connectors, and the silver stand comes with white connectors.  However, if you have the newer 1/60 second generation valkyries, you won’t need the connectors because the second generation 1/60 scale valkyries already come with the connectors.

Here’s a side-by-side view of both stands:

Silver and black display stands side by side

Each stand consists of three parts:  the base, the main support arm, and four smaller support arms.  The four smaller support arms, which are screwed together in one piece, are for displaying valkyries in fighter mode.  For Gerwalk and Battloid modes, you remove these smaller support arms.

Connector for the four smaller support arms

The top of the support arm is where you drop in the connector on your valkyrie.

Top of display stand arm, with hole for valkyrie connector

Here’s the gray connector that comes with the 1/60 VF-1J Mass Production TV Type:

Connector for VF-1J Mass Production TV Type (fighter and gerwalk modes)

The bottom of this connector fits into the top of the display stand arm, and is held by gravity:

Valkyrie connected to the display stand arm

At the very beginning of Macross the movie, we see some valkyries launch from a similar support arm.  See the black and yellow stripes?

See the four support arms/hinges?

Close-up of the four support arms/hinges in the movie

The black and yellow stripes are on the silver display stand, not on the black one!  Doh!

See the black and yellow stripes?

The black display stand has gray and white stripes!

The display stand has several points of articulation:

With all these articulation points, you can put your valkyries in some very striking poses.  All the joints are very clicky and hold a particular position well.

Here’s the bottom of the base!

Bottom view of display stand base

And here’s a top view of the base:

Top view of display stand base

Search for “Macross display stand” on Google, and you’ll get some product matches.  From Japan Toys, http://www.japan-toys.com/cgi-bin/us-goods.cgi?id=CHO-408 it seems Yamato released another gray version with the black and yellow stripes!

One final note:  the silver display stand feels lighter than the black one, and I think it has thinner plastic.  As a result, the black stand feels more durable.  Also, when inserting the arm into the base for the silver display stand, I sometimes see some paint falling out of the bottom.

]]> http://mydr34ms.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/pcmav-2-2-build1-november-2009/ Sun, 25 Oct 2009 18:36:44 +0000 Admin http://mydr34ms.wordpress.com/2009/10/26/pcmav-2-2-build1-november-2009/ http://embracetheprocess.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/life-together/ Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:00:57 +0000 Kenny Liles http://embracetheprocess.wordpress.com/2009/10/23/life-together/ http://evilgenius180.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/image-of-the-day-uss-valkyrie/ Tue, 20 Oct 2009 17:59:56 +0000 evil_genius_180 http://evilgenius180.wordpress.com/2009/10/20/image-of-the-day-uss-valkyrie/

My monitor crapped out this morning.  It wasn’t a surprise, I’ve actually been waiting for it to happen for some time.  So, I had to switch to an older monitor I have.  It’s older and smaller but the color is better, so I guess it’s a trade off.  So, since I had to switch monitors, I decided it was time for a new desktop image.  So, here she is.

This morning I was behind a Toyota Corolla with vanity plates that were a variant spelling of Valkyrie.

So, death no longer comes on swift wings.  Now it drives a reliable Japanese compact.  I bet the American Autoworkers’ Union is pissed!

How To Use a Freya Love Magic

Radionics Rune Box

Freya is the Norse goddess of Love and whenever you deal with matters of the heart, you invoke the powers of Freya.

Northern European peoples, both men and women, have invoked Freya’s help in love matters for thousands of years. Rituals, incantations, charms, talismans and direct appeal have been some of the methods used to entice Freya to help.

But now Lory Martin, an Asatru artist and Norse Shaman has brought the Love Magic of Freya into the twenty first century, into the Age of Aquarius.

Now you can use the new paradigm of the Laws of Quantum Physics to power up your Freya Love Magic rituals.

Lory has created a Freya Love Magic Radionics Rune Box that combines the power of ancient Seider Magic with the science of Radionics, a gift of the Age of Aquarius.

Each rune box is beautifully hand painted, decorated with the rune symbols for love and ancient symbols, along with a decoupaged picture of Freya on the lid. This wood box is the playing field or a “Matrix” where the magic of the past and the science of the now, work together to attract the power of love into your life.

To invoke the power of Freya to attract to yourself a new love; or to increase your present love life, you place the small trapezoidal orgone, radionics generator plus the special radioincs love template along with either your photo and a photo of your intend inside the magical box if you have one, You can use your signature and your intendeds on a piece of paper inside the box. Locks of each of your hair would work as well. If you do not know your intended include only your photo, signature or hair of course. Any or all of these methods would work; by the Law of Resonant Frequencies.

Close the lid and say a little prayer to Freya and place the box in a safe, private place where no one else can open it.

What makes the Freya Love Magic rune box work to attract Love into your life?

Radionics Magic and the Laws of Quantum Physics.

This New Age of Aquarius and it’s paradigm of the Laws of Quantum Physics has blown the lid off the box that has kept the secrets of magic hidden from the average man and woman.

Now everyone can be as powerful as a shaman, a magician, a rune master and a mystic thanks to the Laws of Quantum Physics and the Science of Radionics.

The science of Radionics needs three working principles: a power source, an intent symbol and a target. You don’t need an expensive electronic radionics device to perform Love Magic. This wood Rune Box will work for you just as well.

The power source for the Rune Box Radionics device is the trapezoidal orgone ond generator. The intent symbol is the powerful Radionics Template you receive with the box. The target is your photos or signatures.

When you place all inside the box and close the lid of your Freya Magic Rune Box, the magic begins.

The Laws of Quantum Physics also tell us that there exists an infinite ocean of thinking, intelligent energy called the Quantum Ocean, Mimir’s Well. Everything that ever was, is or will be exists there.

Freya and all the gods/goddesses of the North exist there and Love as a force, a power of energy exists there.

What ever you physically connect in the Radionics Rune Box, also makes a connection in the Quantum Ocean energy world.

In the case of the power of Freya to attract Love into your life, plus the power of love symbol, plus your photos all get connected on an energy level.

This energy pours out of the Quantum Ocean into the Rune Box and subsequently into your life.

Since your photo is really you, ie your divine blueprint. And your intendeds photo is really them, the love energies will pour into your Aura. What ever energies you carry in your Aura attracts your physical counter part into your life. A new love Radionics symbol will attract a new love into your life.

It is the Law. The Law of Freya, the Law of Radionics and the Law of Magic.

Now thanks to Lory’s Freya Love Magic Radionics Rune Box, you too can attract a new love into your life or strengthen the Love you already have.

Ragnar Storyteller (AKA Ellis Peterson is a Korean War Vet living with his wife Lory and dog Dixie in the boonies of the Pocono Mountains. He is a retired math professor and electronics engineer. He is the inventor of the simple radionics device called “The Nordic Ond Orgone Generator”. He has written over 200 articles and booklets on runes, radionics, quantum physics, viking history, orgone generators and alternate healing methods. You can see more of his works on his websites:

http://www.olevikingshop.com/

http://www.runes-for-health-wealth-love-now.com/

http://www.Spiritual-Quantum-Physics.builderspot.com

http://www.radionics-quantum-physics.com/

VISIT HIS NEW EBAY STORE

http://stores.shop.ebay.com/ragnarstorytller

Visit his Blogger page. Over 40 separate blogs on: Runes, radionics, Quantum Physics, Alternate Healing Techniques, Hidden Viking History, Astrology and the Occult Sciences.

http://www.blogger.com/profile/01628942695087696423

Visit his LULU Book Store. Softcover and E Books on Runes, Radionics, Quantum Physics, Healing, Astrology and Occult.

http://stores.lulu.com/ellis111

Email for free newsletter:

ragnarstoryteller2@gmail.com

Otakai Figure Society is an online toy community that focuses on Japanese and 2D culture and today marked its official members photo taking meet. As much as I want to go into details, it’ll be much too overwhelming because today was just a purely geek- filled day so let the pictures do the talking:

This is the majority of the hauls that was brought for this specific meet.

Aside from shooting the massive amount of hauls that you see above, we impulsively decided to squeeze those hauls (this time, mechas included) in our regular local hobby shop’s new spiffy display cab. (yep, our figures dominated the whole thing) Oh and one more thing, not all the figures that were brought and displayed are NSFWs ^^;

Originally, we planned to take this opportunity to take a picture of everyone but because of the pure reason that we are such geeks and hardcore fans, it was kind of evident that we took shots of our collections more than the attendees. ^^;

And yes, because the author is such a fangirl, it only took a single kit to make her withdraw what’s remaining of her savings. (that was supposed to be an allowance for two good weeks) But before you judge and say how irresponsible I am for not even thinking twice on spending, let me say this: It’s a 1/72 VF-25F Messiah Valkyrie with RANKA DECALS and FREE SHERYL DECALS… something you’ll never get to see anywhere and anytime… something that I’ve been looking for months now so please, forgive me for not letting go of what I have seriously been craving for.

Now if you think that the geekiness stops there, I must disappoint you however I will definitely leave that other haul for next month as to not spoil the surprise that goes along with it XD

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I feel like I’m getting used to that sending off feeling, but waiting for the train by myself sure felt lonely…

As an individual, or as a man who believes in the illusion of individuality, I think that the machinery in this movie is the most horrifying thing about it—the way so many hordes of men run here and there, obeying whoever commands them without question. That’s what keeps me awake late into the night. Men become machines, and when they lose their minds (their individualities) they become weapons of murder; the leaders of the Third Reich may have been terrifying men, but the faceless legions of soldiers and bureaucrats, the cowed populace, are to me much greater nightmares. Of course there were exceptions, and these are the film’s protagonists, but the gray uniforms, the boots and the coats and the guns and the cigarettes charging back and forth through frame after frame of the film, these are the true monsters.

New Ultimates - Enchantress

New Ultimates - Captain America, Zarda, & Valkyrie

For full color previews and more information on Frank Cho and Jeff Loeb’s New Ultimates – Marvel Comics: New Ultimates

Pernah denger nama “Nina Schenk Gräffin” sebelumnya????…..curiga belum niy..hehehehe

Si aku pun baru mengetahui frau ini beberapa bulan lalu, setelah sedikit teracuni oleh seorang teman penyuka sejarah perang dunia 2.

Nina adalah istri dari seorang kolonel Nazi yang bernama Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg. Kolonel Stauffenberg merupakan salah seorang pemimpin rencana kudeta kekuasaan Adolf “The Fuhrer” Hittler yang lebih di kenal dengan nama peristiwa July Plot.

Awal tahun ini Hollywood pernah memproduksi sebuah film bertemakan July plot tersebut “VALKYRIE“. Hihihi beredar di indonesia sekitar bulan Februari-Maret dan diputar di Bandung sekitar bulan Juli (Wow…lama amat jedanya Jakarta-Bandung). Sempet empet juga sih napa tu film lama amat diputer di Bandung. Eeeeee pas udah maen di Bandung ga sempet nonton udah turun tu film…ya alhasil cuman nonton di komputer kantor pada jam istirahat.

Valkyrie

Okey kembali lagi pada Nina…
Kegagalan pembunuhan Adolf Hittler, menyebabkan Kolonel Stauffenberg di eksekusi mati oleh The Fuhrer. Dan Nina ditahan oleh Gestapo, padahal nina pada saat itu sedang dalam keadaan hamil anak ke-5. Sedangkan anak-anaknya yang lain di titipkan pada sebuah panti asuhan di Bad Sachsa, Lower Saxony.

Pada masa akhir perang dunia 2, Nina pindah ke Bolzano-Bozen sebuah provinsi di Italia. Dan setelah perang berakhir Nina dan kelima anaknya kembali pulang ke kampung halaman mereka di Lautlingen, Baden-Württemberg. Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg meninggal pada 2 April 2006, di usianya yang ke-92, di Kirchlauter dekat Bamberg, Bavaria.

Hmm ya begitulah kisah hidup seorang Nina Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg yang si aku ketahui.

Entah mengapa sejak pertama kali membaca dan mendengar namanya hati si aku langsung “KLIK”. Dan nama itu si aku jadikan id-name untuk chatting di media Borgchat.

I title the note thus because earlier in the year a film called ‘Valkyrie’ came out starring Tom Cruise, about an assassination attempt on Hitler. A true assassination attempt on Hitler. While being interviewed on the Jonathan Ross show Tom Cruise and Wossy laughed at the possibility of titling the film “Kill Hitler!”. Upon standing up to leave the cinema this evening I decided this should have actually been the title of Quentin Tarantino’s latest flick ‘Inglourious Basterds’.
Valkyrie and Basterds are the two sides of the same coin, they both deal with an attempt on Hitler’s life but are both wildly different in approach. Valkyrie is tardy of pace and historically accurate to the detail, constant displays on screen offer the date, time, minute and road of every scene. As such Valkyrie is more of a Historical document than a film but enjoyable with it. Cruise is actually very good in it too. Basterds has a healthy respect for history with all period details correct but it also has a healthy disregard for it too. And is ALL the better for it.
It is above all else a Tarantino film. All his trademarks are there and there is a warm sense of comfort as the same old lettering used in all his films comes up on screen. His love of dialogue is present but slang is not, this is not to its detriment however. Pitt has fallen into a category alongside Johnny Depp in my books in that I hate him because he is handsome, girls love him and he hasn’t done much wrong but I hate him more because he’s a really good actor and very talented. Pitt is excellent but he is not at all the ‘Locomotive’ behind which the film trails. Far from it. Valkyrie was lead by Cruise’s single-minded crusader, Basterds is lead by no one but Tarantino. No one has a big part in this apart from the fantastic Christoph Waltz who should get some sort of award but won’t, who plays the “Jew Hunter” Hans Landa. He really is one of the best villians I’ve seen on screen in a long time. Not only this but it also points out another major divide in Valkyrie and Basterds. Foreign actors and Accents. Valkyrie, other than the first few words, is entirely in English (or at least American). I would say 40%, maybe less, of Basterds is in English. French and German language dominates the film and as usual the subtitles subtract nothing from the action. Unlike in Valkyrie where, as usual, all Germans seem to be RADA trained actors. Almost all of the European characters are European Actors in Basterds. Inspired, no?
If you are expecting a rollicking yarn as well, you may be dissapointed. My over riding feeling from the audience as we left was that “it was boring” or “nothing happened”, which I thinks misses the point somewhat. There is not a lot of action but there are jarring moments of violence (another Tarantino trademark). See Pitts interrogation of Hammersmark. Wincey. This is because it acheives another thing Valkyrie does not. A). There’s an Englishman in it and a soldier at that (another coup in Cinema, apparently the Allied Forces included Britain too!) but B). Where Valkyrie paints the Germans with the same broad strokes afforded most War films “One-man-must-kill-another-who-has-family-aren’t-they-terrible-aren’t-we-terrible” etc. Basterds takes the “We goin’ kill you ’cause you de bad guy!” approach. On both sides. As such he paints, in much finer detail, the motives for each side and more importantly, each character. No one character gets an awful lot of screen time but what they do get, you know exactly who they are and why they are there by the end of their scene. This is again largely down to dialogue which Tarantino obviously still likes, be it in French, German, British or American, he lets the people tell the story. Which means by the end (the film is a leisurely two and a half hours) you suddenly realise “Oh yes! There’s a plot isn’t there? I wonder how that will work out?” And you have to see it just to find out.
Which reminds me. Sitting in my seat in the dark I was reacquainted with something I hadn’t seen in the Cinema in a long time. Suspense! My favourite scene set in a basement bar is so well put together you really don’t know what’s going to happen. QT stretches it well beyond a scene’s necessary length causing a palpable tension. I really was on the edge of my seat.
Anyway, I’ve rambeld on long enough. Chuck in an unrecognisable Mike Myers and Samuel L. Jackson as a narrator and you’ve got a winner!
My only beef with it is the music. Apart from the opening Spanish Guitar take on ‘Fleur Elise’ and a cool beat when Shossana is picked up to be taken to lunch, Tarantino’s typically esoteric choice of music is somewhat misplaced in this one. I don’t know. He seems to have stuck some of the tunes on as an after thought. Not his best soundtrack.
It is not QT’s “Masterpiece” (that laurel goes to either RD or PF depending who you ask. As you are wondering, my vote’s for Pulp Fiction) but it is a definate step back to his real classics. It’s not as shocking or inventive as it would have been 15 years ago but its a bloody good film and proves there is absolutely no one like him in Hollywood today.
Still think it should have been called “Kill Hitler!” though…