Tom Tykwer and Bernd Eichinger

I watched 'Perfume:the story of a murderer' again tonight.This is an exceptional film of one of my favourite books. It's a truly flawless masterpiece. It's the third film by Tom Tykwer I've seen and each one so far ('Run Lola Run' and the 'Princess and the Warrior' are the others) has been exceptional.
It's also the third excpetional film I've seen recently produced by Bernd Eichinger (the others being the 'the Bader Meinhof Complex' and 'Atomised'.

Pavlov's Dog - Gold Nuggets

I heard this on Last FM tonight for the first time in quite a while. I had forgotten how much I loved it:

http://www.last.fm/music/Pavlov's+Dog/_/Gold+Nuggets?autostart

The Lodger

This is very clever piece of filmaking. I was impressed and it really kept me guessing. Based on the London based novel of the same name by Marie Belloc Lowndes, this is transposed to present day Los Angeles. Hitchcock made a film of the same novel in 1927, 13 years after its original publication. The 21st century version has some resonant echose of his work, but this is a different film altogether. Apart from working very well as an extremley dark thriller, it has some interesting and powerful things to say about madness and isolation(The strongest echo of Hitchcock from a much later film of his than the 1927 'Lodger' )It's a very well made film in every department. One you should see if you like excellent suspense films and don't mind them a little dark. Hope Davis one of the best actors working in the cinema at the moment gives an extraordinary performance in this film(which I think is oscar worthy) and the acting is uniformly very good. Daniel Ondaatje is a formidable filmaking talent.

Thinking of Hope Davis, I would recommend two of her other films if your like this. 'The Nines' and 'Arlington Road' are my next two suggestions, both of which are great and startling films.

manonadune's disc for a journey - on the way

She's not there – Neil McArthur
wandering Aengus-Richie Havens
fresh air-Quicksilver messenger service
Pollution-the Chambers Brothers
Take me to baltimore-Ruth Copeland
New York City Serenade-Bruce Springsteen
elis coming-3 dog night
keep it together (so I can fall apart)-Ben Harper
yes virgina- The Dresden Dolls
lift you burdens up-The Walkabouts
mr bojangles-Nina Simone
my one desire(Vampires Lullaby)-Willy Deville
funkier than a moqsuito's tweeter-Nina Simone
looking out my back door-John Fogerty
strange tongues -Vivian Stanshall
Empty heart-Willy Deville

By the wall - manonadune

http://www.youtube.com/user/misfitmanonadune

Edwin de Herder - Slaap

Tonight I heard something great for the first time:


http://www.myspace.com/edwindeherder

Cassandra Tribe - The Demon of Providence

Go and watch this video. I am very very impressed.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xaqeec_the-demon-of-providence-part-1_creation

Still Light - Lything

I heard this album for the first time tonight and it has become an instant favourite

http://www.last.fm/music/Still%20Light/Lything

The Secret Plinth

http://www.dailymotion.com/user/Complex-Hero-Story/video/xa3tkm_complex-hero-story_music

Motion Demon on Daily Motion

http://www.dailymotion.com/Motion_Demon

Motion Demon at Silent Hill - August 1st 2009

Digg

http://digg.com/users/manonadune

For Emily on Hunter Mountain

This is the tracklist of a compilation I made for Emily, the day before she left for her summer on Hunter Mountain:

Joe Ely – Me and Billy the Kid
The Doors – Love Street
Jim Kweskin Jug Band – When I was a cowboy (Western plains)
The Wackers – I hardly know her name
The Kinks – Drivin'
Bob Weir – Cassidy
The McCoys – Don't worry mother (your son's heart is pure)
Cream – Badge
John Stewart and Buffy Ford – Lincoln's Train
The Grateful Dead - Ship of fools
Crosby Stills and Nash Helplessly Hoping
Terry Callier – Ordinary Joe
Moby Grape Naked if I want to
Allman Joys – Northern Boundary
Paul Butterfield Blues Band – One more heartache
Moby Grape - 8.05
13th Floor Elevators – I had to tell you
T Rex – Woodland Bop
Phil Ochs – Tape from California
Dresden Dolls – Backstabber
The Monkees – What am I doing hangin' round
T Rex – Life's a gas
Complex Hero Story – Spark the Fire
Morphine - Candy

Nils Lofgren

I've been listening to new things to my ears from Nils Lofgren over the last few days. Lofgren is a musican I adore, who's work can touch my soul,especially on his work with Grin and Crazy Horse. I've been listening to his album of Neil Young covers and have been moved by the songs in a whole new way. 'like a Hurricane' and 'Birds' are breathtaking.

Moon

Lizzy and I went to see 'Moon' tonight. I was very impressed. This film is so well made it feels it could have actually been made in the 70s. Duncan Jones and his collaborators on this film are talents to be watched.

the rabbit hole unrecognised

the rabbit hole unrecognised is on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExCz2m-E1oM

Burn Baby Burn - Hudson Ford

'Burn Baby Burn' by Hudson Ford is the first single I ever bought. It was after I saw the band on top of the pops that I knew for the first time in my life that I had to have a song on a record so I could hear it again and again.I heard it again recently after many multiples of the age I was when I first heard it. It's as good if not better than I remembered and sadly even more topical now, than then

Criminal Minds

I just finished watching the 3rd season of 'Criminal Minds' on DVD. This is probably my favourite TV show at the moment and some episodes are among the best television there is. Violent and harrowing at times, as well as cerebral and moving, I'm a very big fan.

Sunday

Biting Silence and While the window was open

Two new videos on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/misfitmanonadune

I could build a tower

Hear ' I could build a tower ' here:

http://www.garageband.com/artist/misfitmanonadune/songs

Two albums

I've been listening to two albums in the car over the last few days. Both are masterpieces and would be near the top of any list of favourite albums I was to make.
'Harmony Row' by Jack Bruce and 'Oora' by the Edgar Broughton Band transcend genre to become great pieces of art.

Empire of the Ants

I just finished reading 'Empire of the Ants' by Bernard Werber. This is an enthralling novel and has changed the way I will think about ants forever. It will probably change the way you think about ants too. Do read it.

There will be blood

Yesterday afternoon I watched ' There will be blood'. It's a film that deserved the amazing reviews it got. It took me entirely to another world for two and a half hours.

Thursday's rendevous

Frank Sinatra - Watertown

It must be more than coincidence that on the day I planned to upload my video for 'Dazed and Confused' on youtube I should find a cd of 'Watertown', which I didn't buy when I had the opporunity many years ago. I didn't realise Jake Holmes wrote the words. 'Watertown' is a truly great, mesmerising piece of art and has become a favourite album after the first listen.

Liberty in the garden

Motion Demon Myspace

It's had a bit of an overhaul for the first time in quite a while.

Big Breadwinner Hog

I saw this 1969 serial from Granada for the first time recently. For me this has to be among the best things I've ever seen on TV. I watched nearly eight hours of it in a few nights, as I was gripped. Quite unlike anything I've seen before in the gangster genre.

Single White Female

Some thoughts after seeing 'Single White Female' for the first time:

How did I miss this great film for 17 years?

Two great performances by two of the my favourite screen actresses

Bridget Fonda should have had more lead roles

Jennifer Jason Leigh delivers another masterful performance

Among the many other of her films that I like, the three that come to mind as favourites are 'In the cut' 'Existenz' and 'Rush'.

on a Saturday, not too far from where I was born

The Tiger's Tail

John Boorman is one of my favorite directors, 'Excalibur', 'Zardoz' 'Deliverance', and 'Point Blank' are films that are ingrained in my consciousness as among the greatest fims I have seen. Tonight I watched 'The Tiger's Tail' and was thrilled by the vision of a great filmaker. Another masterpiece from John Boorman.

The Ruling Class

I saw 'the Ruling Class' again for the first time in over 20 years last night. This is probably my favourite film and I've waited a long time for a region 2 dvd that represents the film as it should be. I will write at more length about it in the furture. See it if you value great cinema.

a Saturday by the sea

By the sea again a few Saturdays ago

Motion Demon at Silent Hill - 19-04-2009

London 10 Quirky Places

London is the city where I was born and I've been visiting very regularly all my life.

I love to learn about it's hidden history and this engrossed me.

Do go and watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPNJV-SK--k

Northern Boundary - The Allman Joys

This evening I heard this song again after far, far too long, and was delighted that it was great as I remembered it. A piece of genius

Motion Demon - April 3rd 2009

Last night is on you tube:

http://www.youtube.com/user/misfitmanonadune

Musicians speaking - Misfitmanonadunemix

You'll hear the speaking voices of some musicians whose music I adore.

Some will be familiar, others not so familiar.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/578490892a257568/

Where in the world today ?

Golden Earring in Shepherds Bush

I have been a huge Golden Earring fan,since I heard their first live album, not long after it came out. I've waited more than 30 years to see them live. On Saturday 14th March at the Shepherds Bush Empire I was blown away by being something near genius. I hope London will be a destination again soon for Golden Earring. The picture of Barry Hay was taken by Steve Kethero.

Robert Jan Stips - Greyhound

The cd player in my car is broken and had been for a couple of weeks. It won't eject the disc. I'm still enjoying to the cd that's in the player. Robert Jan Stips is a musical hero and 'Greyhound' is one of the best things he's done.

I turned from being John Riley - Prometheon

Here's something from the not too distant past for you to hear:

http://www.zshare.net/audio/55218778004e41b6/]Prometheon - I turned from being John Riley.mp3

Recorded in January 2007

21 black and white films

The music lists outnumber the film lists on this blog

Here’s a list of films.

Thinking specifically of films made in black and white, this is the first twenty one that came to mind


The night of the hunter
Eyes without a face
Brighton rock
Nosferatu
The Haunting
Le dolous
Bob le flambeur
Le deuxieme souffle
La belle and le bete
Citizen kane
The third man
Touch of Evil
Odd man out
Hour of the wolf
Persona
The criminal
Branded to Kill
The servant
Eve
Knife in the water
Who’s that knocking at my door

the familiar unfamiliar

the familiar unfamiliar on the day before the snow

Boudewijn de Groot – Nact en Ontij

I’ve been listening to this for the first time in a few years tonight. It’s an essential album for me. One that I return to again and again and again since first hearing it in an attic in den Haag seven years ago.
Although it would be next to impossibble for me to decided on a list of all time top ten albums, ‘Nact en Ontij' would be on it.

Infinity Demon Full Moon 30-01-2009b

Infinity Demon at Full Moon Studios 30-01-2009

Complex Hero Story in Putney

Complex Hero Story in Putney

Mermaid by JOB

Mermaid by JOB

art on the wall at the Winston 2001

I don't know the artist but I enjoyed their work. If you know who it might be, please let me know. The picture is by S Kethero.

Dennis Hopper at the Stedelijk 2001

Dennis Hopper in Amsterdam on 17th February 2001 at the opening of his show at the Stedelijk which was one of the best exhibtions I've seen in a gallery, in the place that was my favourite space for art. Picture by Steven Kethero

Another view from the end of the land

Psychedelicatessan

My favourite radio show.

Complex Hero Story

The first appearance of many on this blog for Complex Hero Story

http://www.myspace.com/complexherostory