So, this summer was ridiculous on many levels. I absorbed copious amounts of television, movies, and music. I even got so bored with my laptop usage that I read some really great books and started drawing again. But first, let’s get back to the music. I have recently looked to the past for musical inspiration. After watching La Vie En Rose, I discovered who Edith Piaf was. I became a bit obsessed with this amazing musical icon. It is kind of sad I had no idea who she was when Piaf was probably one the most famous singers of the 20th century
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For fans of the mind-blowing film Inception, you might remember the epic retrieve-you-from-the-dream-song “Non Je Ne Regrette Rien”. If not, listen! I also realized that one of the characters in The History Boys sings her song “L’accordeoniste”, which is so catchy and wonderfully French. However true La Vie En Rose is, Edith Piaf was a talented, wild, dramatic musician who lived a tumultuous life. It is easy to listen to her music for hours on end, and feel as if you have been transported into some 1950′s French performance hall. Another, more obscure musical icon I discovered just a few days ago was Marika Papagika, a Greek-American singer from the 1920′s.
Music collector Ian Nagoski was interviewed on NPR (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129381403) for his collection of obscure vinyl, and he discussed this forgotten musical figure. Apparently, Papagika was wildly popular in the 20′s, but her immigrant brand of music has been “erased” from the American musical landscape. There was a whole musical community from the Mediterranean that made great music no one knows about today. Papgika’s music in particular, when listened to on youtube, is grainy, eclectic, and often times haunting. Her music probably inspired the likes of modern day musicians like Beirut. Here are two samples of this music from another time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK4c-twfn8M&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ux_whsihlM0
Okay, in a GIANT shift to a decidedly more modern brand of music in the absolutely wonderful Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World.
Okay, I am not just ranting about the hip, totally cool music from fake bands in this movie. I am ranting about the entire movie. Whatever naysayers naysay, they are wrong. This movie is crazy, and futuristic, and hip, and funny, and romantic, and colorful, and subtly subversive. First off, great actors, from the yes, adorable, Michael Cera, to the zany Jason Shwartzman, to the wry and hilarious Kieran Culkin (“I wanna have your adopted babies!”). Okay, the fact that Kieran Culkin was in this should convince you alone. Didn’t? How about Oscar nominee Anna Kendrick? And the crazy funny and constantly uncaring college intern chick from Parks and Recreation?
Whatever you might think about this movie, go see it and prepare for a blast of originality. This film not only uses visual effects to blast our senses, it uses visual effects to add a magical, comic-book dimension to ordinary life. So, this (hopefully) soon to be cult hit is MY NEW OBSESSION.
