Pink Freud

1 down, 1000's to go

I went down to Lake Calhoun a couple of days ago and got my first shot for the philosophy series. A five-second shot of kids playing in the water. I love the look of the footage. It approximates the look of film and the colors are vibrant. I'm 1/100,000,000 of the way there!

Moretti's best (thus far)

I've received and watched Il Caimano, Moretti's latest. Not his best work, but entertaining and thought-provoking. My favorite Nanni Moretti films, in this order:

1. Caro Diario - A classic. Shot in three "chapters," this film is probably my all-time favorite film. There are so many quiet - and funny - moments as Moretti playfully cruises around Rome on his Vespa, looks for a tranquil spot to write his script, and deals with the frustration of illness.
   
2. Palombella Rossa - Hard to find but well worth it. Moretti is a middle-aged water polo player who has lost his memory. A metaphor for the radical political change in Italy, it's about adapting to an ever-changing world.
3. Aprile - Moretti stars as a film director who doesn't want to grow up, and he's having a son. Filmed over 4 years, it captures many small moments that make up a well-lived life.
4. The Son's Room - A heartbreaking drama about dealing with the loss of a child. Moretti's most serious role, and one of his best. I would put this higher in my rankings, but it's a difficult film to watch, whereas his previous films can be watched multiple times.
5. Il Caimano - A drama that examines the rise of the past Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi. But it's more than that. It's also a drama about a family falling apart. There were tender parts, and some funny ones, but I'll have to watch it again to see what I missed. It helps to read up on the last few years of politics in Italy to get some of the references.

I currently have La Seconda Volta on order, a film produced by Moretti's film company and starring him as well.

Realist

I'm trying not to be too hard on myself. I'm trying to be a realist. Realistically, it's probably going to take me a few months until I can finish writing all these philosophy scripts. Really. That means that I probably won't be able to shoot until the spring. That really bites.

ob·fus·cate

ob·fus·cate (ŏb'fə-skāt', ŏb-fŭs'kāt')
tr.v., -cat·ed, -cat·ing, -cates.

1. To make so confused or opaque as to be difficult to perceive or understand.
2. To render indistinct or dim; darken: The fog obfuscated the shore.

Great efforts are made to obfuscate the truth.

Philosophy Film Database

I found a great resource that lets you search for films that explore various philosophical issues. You can browse by topic or theme or philosophical field.

Check it out here, then go rent a movie.

Nanni Moretti on making films

"The hardest time for me is writing, the most tiring is when I shoot. When I finally get there, I feel free."
Nanni Moretti

Summer sunset

The 35W Bridge

Annie, Silvi and I went down to see what remains of the 35W bridge last night. The authorities have blocked off a large area around the bridge, so we weren't able to get close to it. We used the bridge each week to visit my parents; on our return trip in the evenings, crossing the bridge presented a panoramic view of downtown Minneapolis and the river. Here are some of the pictures I took last night.
(Click on the pictures to enlarge them.)

The Cayman

I am very excited as I've finally found a copy of Nanni Moretti's latest film, Il Caimano, with English subtitles. (The last copy, at that.) It's taken nearly a year, but I guess they've finally found US distribution. No doubt it was a hard sell being that there's not much of a draw for Italian political stories here.

I can't wait.

Bike ride

I rode my bike around Lake Harriet last night. It was just an incredible night when everyone was out enjoying the final month of summer. I haven't figured out how yet, but I want to include a scene in my video series based on a moped ride around the lakes at dusk.