"Fahrenheit 451" by François Truffaut (1966)

Fahrenheit 451 is a visionary movie based on Ray Bradbury's eponymous novel. It was Truffaut's only English speaking movie. The title is related to the degrees needed for paper to get on fire.

The movie is set in an imaginary aseptic future world, ruled by an oppressive system that has created an uber-clean society that thrives on TV plasma screens, forbids reading or having books and burns them, and promotes drug use for emotional control. Guy Montag, married to an emotionally frigid Linda, is one of the firemen in the anti-book brigade, very passionate about his job and purpose, until he meets his neighbour Clarisse and starts questioning himself and the system.

The movie is an allegory about what a world without books and culture would be, an ode against ignorance and simple minds, a reminder that burning books is a sign of human degradation and typical of tyrannical regimes. The movie is also an homage to Literature, in this case to Truffaut's favourite books, which are part of the burnt books shown in the film, and his film is, of course, based on Bradbury's novel.

The movie honours Bradbury's visionary novel. Think about our modern world, dominated by big plasma screens hanging from the walls in which reading and culture are each time less valued and appreciated. Think about those reality shows in which our opinion is asked to create a false sense of participation when our answers are, indeed, irrelevant and certainly unimportant. Think about a world in which the information is manipulated by the media to support the political regime in vogue... It sounds familiar, no?

All the actors are good in their roles. Cyril Cusak is truly convincing as the fire brigade captain, completely sure about his Mission and about the danger of books for Society. Oskar Werner is also great as fireman Montag, and does a great job at going from his initial hieratic self to his soulful more sensible and sensitive self when the character starts to change. Julie Christie, despite being accused in the past of not being able to act, is great in her double role as Montag's wife Linda and neighbour book-reader Clarisse. I loved the fact that Christie was able, through characterisation and performance, to offer a Linda who is very feminine and sensual on the exterior but emotionally frigid, and a boyish Clarisse who is very sensual and warm.

This was Truffaut's first film in colour, and the colours are not randomly chosen. The movie offers subdued grey and pastel tones that are constantly highlighted by two main colours: dark grey (the colour of the grey society it represents, even the school uniforms are grey!)  and a beautiful intense deep red (associated to fire and passion).

The end of the movie is magnificent - lyric and full of hope. The whole snow scene and recitation of the old man with his grandson is gorgeous and very moving.

The OST by Bernard Herrmann is great, dramatically neurotic sometimes, lyric some others, while the tune that accompanies the fire squad's outings is very Ravel-ish and anticipative, also very catchy, and sets the pace of the movie. Most of the time the music is unsettling, but sometimes it is unnecessarily overwhelming and annoying.

I watched this movie for the first time on TV in my teens, in a special series showcasing Truffaut's films, and it had a huge impact on me. In fact, I forgot the title of the movie, but not the movie or its message. I saw the movie again last year, and, by re-watching it, I understood why it has a spot in my forgetful mind. It is the soul and the message, the power of the themes presented, its plea to Literature and the written word, and the power of knowledge and the Arts in creating a freer society.  You see, it is Bradbury's merit that I did not forget the movie, not the other way around. I have forgotten most of the other movies that I watched in that very series, but not this, because of the story.

The only think that does not stand the pass of time are the fashion and, above all, the special effects, which are very outdated, even cheesy, and made me laugh when re-watching it. However, the movie has a lot of experimental things that are still daring. For example, the opening credits, all spoken, no word written until we see "The End", or the scenes in which half the screen goes black.

 ***

Fahrenheit 451 is a cult classic science-fiction film that should be in everybody's bucket list. It is not an easy movie to watch, especially being so out of fashion in style, effects, music and conception. One of those movies you love or hate.  Still, it explores many themes that are still valid for our society and does a remarkable job at bringing Bradbury's novel to the big screen.

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"Kirikou and the Wild Beasts" by Michel Ocelot (2005)

A spin off of the first movie, with four separated stories about the daily life in Kirikou’s village.

The movie is lovely, the stories very entertaining and original, our fav characters are still there, and, most importantly, the movie offers glimpses of the life in a West-African village, which are precious to show to a Western children audience. The stories will show kids that not everybody is the same, dresses the same, or lives the same, that Africa is an amazing beautiful varied continent, and that the world is richer because of that.
 
Ocelot's drawings and visuals are simple, very attentive to landscape and plant drawing, very ethnographic in a way. The stories, though, have a good dollop of magical reality.

However, overall, the movie does not have the energy and spark of the original story, is not as engaging, and the different stories are unrelated -except for the fact that Kirikou and his neighbours are in them- and plainer - more for children than for adults.

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Beaufort St Museum Bus Stop (Perth WA)

This central bus stop channels most of the bus lines going to the Northern Suburbs as far as Morley, Bayswater, Dianella, Bassendean, and Maylands,. 

There are two stands at this location: bus stop no. 12132 (also called Stand 1) faces the Police Headquarters, and is where lines 16, 21, 22, 60, 67, 68 and 40 stop. The other stand, no. 12131, faces The Court Bar, and is where lines 41, 42, 43, 44, 48, 55, and 66 stop. Both stands are usually full at after-work hours during week days and at the sparse scheduled times that these buses pass by during weekends.

If you use the stop three things will be obvious to you. Firstly, that the area is always colder and windier than the rest of the surrounding area, because of the confluence of different streets on that precise point of Beaufort St. Secondly, the crowds do not line here, but people manage to get onto the bus without order but orderly, if that makes any sense: no pushes, not cranky people, and many gentlmen and nice kids letting ladies go on first. Isn't that nice? Thirdly, and most importantly, the stop is quiet and secure even in late evenings, despite drunkards and party-goers passing by all the time - the stop being in front of the Police HQ & Perth CSIs, you would not expect differently, no?

The timetable poles are quite precise and reliable, although occasional delays occur and people are left behind if there are traffic delays, heavy rain, or special events are happening in the city.

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
At first sight, the seating area is sufficient, with two covered places, and three uncovered benches. However, the uncovered area should be covered, and the covered area modified because when it rains, you get soaked wet even if you are underneath the covered booths! Moreover, during the summer days, a covered area it is just a relief from the scorch!

TIP
If you want to secure a seat, go to the stops on Barrack St.  The crowds are also considerable there, but the buses reach that point empty.

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Perth Street Art - 1 (Perth WA)

In our contemporary world, Art has become a Mass product, another commodity that needs to be sold and marketed, usually by middlemen, not the artists themselves, and bought by people who buy Art as it was a Gucci bag or an Alfa-Romeo -as a sign of status- or as an investment, in the best case as a whim.  Artists have to make a living out of their talent, but Art, the way I see it, the way I like it, is free in conception and genesis (no ties but you and your creative world) and gratis. In that regard, Street Art is what Art should be, especially when it is non-commissioned.

Perth Street Art is beautiful, colourful and very artistic. Our Street Art is not very subversive in its visual language as it moves around well-established formats and ways of expression. It is polished in forms and structure, rarely dirty, and it reflects the artistic tendencies in vogue among paper illustrators and comic book illustrators, just expressed on big walls. Our Street Art is not subversive in its message either, and it is more an artistic individual expression than a political or social way of protest. We are not San Francisco or New York, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Granada, or Barcelona, Melaka or Kuala Lumpur. Our street art is a reflection of what this country and this city is. We do not have the same culture, the same problems, issues, or lifestyle of those cities, our street art, per force, is going to be different.

There are a few regular artists who have left and leave their imprint on the walls of the city, with a cult following fan-base: Creepy, Stormie Mills, Rough, TwoOne, Beastman, Numskull, Robert Jenkins, Yok, Kid Zoom, Ryan Boserio, Daek, Hurben, Timothy Rollin, blackgreyviolet, Jeto, ROA, among others, which are talented artists painting on wall but exhibited authors too.  Some of them are locals, some others are visitors from the eastern states or from overseas.
 

There is a great deal of commissioned street art in Perth, mostly sponsored by government, city councils and Universities. However, non-commissioned pieces are spread in abandoned buildings, empty walls and public spaces throughout the city, some of them quite cute, artistic and even funny: murals, individual scenes, artistic tagging, simple tagging, stickers, and stencils can be found everywhere.

Business have also embraced Street Art as a way of cool, and they use themes and styles that suit the vibe, name or atmosphere of the place. It is a modern way of  patronage, of which Art History is full. On the other hand, movies have given an halo of funkiness and edge to street art, to the underground culture,  which is what many new places want to have because, well, Perth is not especially naughty for anything, but it is certainly becoming more edgy thanks to its Public Art. Examples can be found everywhere: The Flying Scotsman, Daily Planet, Lemon Lane, LTN - name it.

There are awesome murals in the Grand Theatre Lane, This Walk Talk and Wolf Lane (CBD), Street Art Gallery Building (Roe corner with Miligan St), Gold Lane (Off Rockeby St, Subiaco), various car parks and back streets in Northbridge and Highgate, some creative studios in North Perth an Northbridge, Collie St and Henderson St Mall (Fremantle), McGiver and Shenton Park's train Stations, Lemon Lane in Claremont, Williams Lane and LTN cafés walls. So many places all over Perth! Just open your eyes: Indoors, outdoors, on the roof, on the floor, on the wall, whatever, wherever, whenever.

I love illustration and magic worlds, I love comics and graphic arts, so I love Perth Street Art. What about graffiti?... 

  Two slideshows with commissioned and uncommissioned artwork

 

THE SECOND ONE

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Musing About: Signs that you are a Coffeeholic

I would say, if you say yes to more than ten items in my list, you are also a hardcore coffeeist.

1. You think coffee addict is a too-strong definition for your liking of coffee. 
2. You need at least two cups of coffee for your brain fully functioning in the morning.
3. Ditto for you being able to talk properly.
4.  You ponder about how life was before coffee became a commodity. Think about it!
5.  You look in shock at people who confess they do not love coffee. Do they have a problem?
6. You read the word coffee and feel an inexplicable urge to drink coffee.
7. You think the word coffee is beautiful in any possible language.
8. You leave home in the morning excited because you are heading to your favourite café to get get a proper cup of coffee.
9. You drink more than two cups of coffee a day.
10.  You love tea and tisanes but mostly drink coffee.
11. You go out of your way to get your coffee or try a new cafe's coffee.
12. You sniff up for coffee smell at passing by an open café.
13. You take a takeway coffee to the cinema instead of other drinks.
14. You delight at smelling the empty cup of the coffee you had.
15. You almost cry when you find a Nescafè machine when travelling in remote parts of the world.
16. You think instant coffee is one of the best inventions in the world.
17. You think coffee in coffee bags is the second best thing in the world of coffee. 
18. You think decaf coffee is the third best thing in the world of coffee.
19. You get excited at seeing a beautiful coffee machine or traditional coffee grinders.
20. You have childhood memories associated with coffee.
21. You think barista is a brilliant profession.
22. You like coffee flavour in lollies, cakes, ice-cream and liquors.
23. You wish there was a perfume with a bit of coffee smell.
24. You get excited at being given coffee beans to clean up you smell while perfume testing.
25. You are fussy about the size of your cup and get cranky if it is small.
26. Your coffee experience is enhanced by the container in which it is served.
27. You have a list of beans brands that you love or hate with a passion.
28. You drink coffee after 4pm or before going to bed.
29. You consider a drama having to quit coffee for health or medical reasons.
30. You think that flavoured coffees are a coffee derivative not proper coffee.
31. Your iced coffee is generally a cold coffee prepared the usual way, without any ice added because ice is water, and too much water dilutes the coffee.
32. You get annoyed at cups with too much froth, because there is less coffee in then.
33. You know that you are expending too much money on coffee, but are happy  because you can afford it.
34. You worry what is going to happen when you cannot afford paying for all the coffees you want. 
35. You do not give four or five stars to any café unless the coffee is super-great. The most handsome barista will not make you forget how your coffee tastes like! Ha!

I am guilty of all...
How many did you score? Any other you feel it is missing and you'd like to add?

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Funky Cute Perth Blackboards

Perth is blooming with arty people, Arts and artsy blackboards, written with colourful chalks. New businesses are joining the "movement", and old ones are catching up, too, with chalkboards popping up like mushrooms in our Perthian urban forest. Forget about the traditional laminated ones with the logo, motto and open-close signs that are so widespread in Perth. Chalkboards are the latest coolest thing.

They are much more dynamic than the traditional ones - a cheap fun way of marketing any business in general by informing of opening hours, specials, sales, news, sending any message to the outer world or just a means to gave way to the creativity of the people behind the business. They are also more versatile and more beautiful! They have that old school feeling that is really charming. In general, they are cute with drawings, cartoons inspired characters, bold typos, and funny artsy details added to the written message. Some are truly artistic, others intriguing, others wordy and thoughtful, others kitsch, while others are as plain boring as the laminated ones. 

Blackboard spotting has become a visual hobby of mine when walking the streets.   When I take my camera or mobile out, people look at me as if I was landing from Pluto, but some of them really deserve my landing.

Keep up the good work and the creativity businesses of Perth!

A Little slideshow with some photos

 

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Subiaco Railway Station (Subiaco, Perth WA)

Subiaco Square Road
13 62 13
Transperth

Buzzing with activity any time of the day, any day of the week, the Subiaco railway station is the only train station in Subiaco, and part of the Fremantle Railway Line. 

THE GOOD
- Subiaco Train Station is very clean and functional, quite open and luminous but still protected by a contemporary cool metallic structure and good lightning in the evening. 
- There are just two platforms, so it is easy to move around, and they have a simple and effective electronic information system.
- Moreover, the station is in the heart of the shopping and restaurant and café area, with several cafés, restaurants and a shopping centre at barely ten metres from the station. The vibrant Subiaco Street Markets, trendy Rockeby Road and the gorgeous St Joseph's Catholic Church are also a a few minutes walking distance from it.

THE DOWNS
- The multirider tagging machines are located outside, on the ground concourse level over the platforms not in the platforms. This is annoying at peak times, especially if you are tagging on and want to catch a train leaving in a few minutes but find a flood of people tagging off or on in front of you upstairs.
- The number of seating benches is limited. There is room for more.
- There are no public or pay toilets in the station. There is a close unisex public booth toilet very close at the corner between Subiaco Square Road and Brigid Road, but it is not good enough.
- There is no information booth in the premises, just a board with maps and info. 

ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
- A toilet booth is needed. If people have an emergency, they could not get to the close-by public booth.
- There is space for at least for two more benches on each platform.
- More tagging machines needed, at least one on each platform. So the tagging is more fluid and faster at peak times.
- We like it tidy and clean, but also beautiful. Why not using the large grey ugly walls in the platform area as a canvas and have a mural painted on them?

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