Coughing it up.

Damn this cold. I never get sick. Oh, well. Gives me an excuse to stay in and watch Bergman films with the old lady.

Music? Who friggin' knows. There's that Project Object show at Metronome tonight. The Le Duo seems pretty psyched. Not sure if I've got the stamina.

I really wanna bitch a blue streak, but will refrain from doing so. My malaise starts with a B and ends with an N. I'm sure you know the score.

Been filling my earholes with the following:

Mark Fry — Dreaming With Alice

The Pretty Things — Parachute (Thanks for reminding me of these guys, Josh).

The Psychic Ills — Dins

Cornelius — Sensuous (Gotta love Amazon Japan).

Emerson, Lake & Palmer — Pictures at an Exhibition (Ewww!)

Aufgehoben — Messidor

How's that for eclectic? I'd post some tunes, but I'm feeling lazy. Gotta call the DMV and see about getting legal behind the wheel once again.

Madonna thing on Saturday. I'll be there. Hope it's worth it.

I plan on doing some recording this weekend. Should provide temporary distraction from geographical agitation.

Having offered up the contents of my head, I shall leave you in peace.

Comments

[jay]

"Persona" is one of my favorite films; it's one of Bergman's boldest experiments, and the opening sequence is probably the most avant-garde his form ever became. It's really unique amongst the rest of his work.

Some other Bergman favorites: Sawdust and Tinsel, Through a Glass Darkly, Shame & Scenes From a Marriage. Good ol' Scandanavian angst--it's a great way to spend a morose weekend! Watch two Bergman films, read a Strindberg play & then just try not to hang yourself with a belt... :)

[casey]

I somewhat dislike Scenes From a Marriage — it's the only Bergman film I feel lukewarm about besides Serpent's Egg.

I agree that Persona containins his most experimental montages. Well, besides Hour of the Wolf, which is among my most cherished of his works.

My fave late period Bergman piece is Cries and Whispers.

At the top of the heap (regardless of era) is Wild Strawberries. It get me where I live.

[Jay]

Casey, have you seen only the film version of "Scenes From A Marriage"? I greatly prefer the original TV series; it fills in a lot of gaps.

"Cries and Whispers" is great, but you really have to be in the right mindset to put up with all the screaming. My favorite "late period" Bergan is definitely "Fanny and Alexander".

"Wild Strawberries" is hard not to like, but it's also becoming harder and harder to watch for me. It can be really precious and the dream sequences just seem more & more pretentious to me (a clock without hands; a coffin breaks open & you look inside and-surprise-it's YOU!, etc.). Still a great work though and it has some amazing moments (the scene of psychological warfare between the young couple in the car, later juxtaposed with Isak's relationship with his wife)

Seeing as it hasn't been mentioned yet--I hate "The Seventh Seal".