People ask us what do we do when we are at home Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. Selina's friends were horrified to hear we watch Top Gear repeats on the Dave channel. Our favourite episodes are those where caravans are destroyed, e.g. by dropping from a great height or by fire (see picture). Yes, we know these are stunts but who ever thought Top Gear was anything but lots of fun.
Labels: Television
After a day out in Bournemouth we were too tired to do anything in the evening except watch television. We were pleased to find the film
Before Sunrise. This is a romantic story of a young couple meeting for the first time and spending the day and night in Vienna before going their separate ways. Julie Delpy plays the opposite role from the evil Dominique in the great film 'Three Colours, White'. It is also a very different role from Leni in an even greater film 'Europa, Europa'. The conclusion we must draw is that she is a very versatile actress who has played in some top films. It should be noted that we did not particulary like Colours Blue and Red, but that was not her fault.
We must now seek out the sequel 'Before Sunset'.
Labels: Film, Television
Unusually this week we have watched television 3 nights in succession; the programme, on the UK TV History channel, was called 'Files of the Inquisition'. It is amazing to think that this abomination continued from 1233 to 1834. Even more amazing is that modern catholics show no shame or remorse. I realise that they were brainwashed as children but, in later life, do they never consider that they might belong to an evil institution ?
Labels: Television
This evening we sat in front of the TV (unusually) and watched the first episode of
Brasil, Brasil. This episode covered Samba to Bossa Nova, of which the last section was the most interesting to us. We particularly enjoyed the story of how guitarist Charlie Byrd was funded by the USA State Department to tour Latin America and brought back the Bossa Nova. Back in the 1960's we struggled to obtain the recording of that tour, called
Latin Impressions after hearing Vince Wilson's copy at Henlow, Bedfordshire. The small record shop in Stevenage Old Town eventually tracked it down and obtained it for us. The most famous tracks are Luiz Bonfa's 'Carnaval' from Black Orpheus and Antonio Carlos Jobim's 'Samba de Una Nota So', both of which we are known to request jazz bands to play.
The photograph is of Astrud Gilberto, who famously sang 'The Girl From Ipanema', another Jobim composition.
Labels: Television
At last there is something worth watching on television. We record two episodes of
Rome each week and watch them on Tuesday evening. Great entertainment set in an historical context. We particularly like the juxtaposition of the story of two ordinary soldiers on the much bigger political story of the Roman aristocracy. James Purefoy's portrayal of Mark Anthony is wonderful, switching from pleasure seeking to cunning and menace.
Labels: Television
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