this blog is a visual notebook of inspirations for a group of bandit bloggers. we post things we see and like. our lives don’t revolve around singular topics and neither does our blog. sorry! nothing is in-or-out of context here. enjoy xx
shot mostly with a long lens the film brings a beautiful sense of quiet innocence. while the subject matter is rather boring, like great french films of the late 60s, the film is more about memorable moments, rather than the story. a welcome find on this lost 1970’s film just out on mobi. worth watching. by kl
buy the NYTimes best seller book available on amazon here
displaced palestinians make their way as they flee jabalia after the israeli military called on residents to evacuate.
PBS interview with new york time best seller author and journalist peter beinart
there is much uncertainty about the second phase of the ceasefire in gaza. after nearly 16 months of war, the humanitarian situation there remains dire. author and journalist peter beinart believes equality between the israelis and palestinians is the only way to secure peace and safety for good. it’s something he addresses in his new book “being jewish after the destruction of gaza.” the author joins the show to discuss. by xy
the chateau marmont on sunset frequented by morrison and where john belushi was found dead. whole nother story, but very similar, to come.
above image at the roundhouse london photo by ethan russell
jim morrison in less “better days”
stranger days… arrested at the doors concert for “lewd behavior” banned from performing for 2 years
jim morrison and girlfriend, pamela courson, who played a role in his death
paris is always a good idea
1- the end of jim morrison if unavailable try HERE
“1971. when jim morrison was at the height of his career, the doors seemed unstoppable. six years of intensive career, 6 albums, 200 concerts. jim morrison had become a music legend…until a tragic end. full documentary on the life of this rock icon, from the beginning… until the end.” – director: michaelle gagnet
“july 2, 1971. jim morrison is one of the most famous rock singers in the world. but morrison is at war with his own dark demons. In 24 hours his darkness will consume him and he’ll be dead. using archive footage, dramatic reenactment and interviews with his closest companions, final 24 details the last 24 hours of morrison’s life.”– directed by mike parkinson”
2 good documentaries, i preferred the 1st one (the end of jim morrison) to some extent… but both are worth a watch. a good outline on a story, i had heard and read, but never knew the tiny details off. bit sensational, but filled with great people like french directors alain renais, and agnes varda, on top jaques demy…. all friends of jim morrison apparently. by uh
journalist chris hedges, at the new school, discusses his recent book empire of illusion: the end of literacy and the triumph of spectacle.
christopher hedges is an american journalist, author, commentator and (surprisingly!) a presbyterian minister
in his early career, hedges worked as a freelance war correspondent in central america for NPR, and dallas morning news. hedges reported for the new york times from 1990 to 2005, and served as the times middle east bureau chief and balkan bureau chief during the wars in the former yugoslavia. in 2001, hedges contributed to the new york times staff entry that received the 2002 pulitzer prize for explanatory reporting for the paper’s coverage of global terrorism. by sr
also see this great new film “soundtrack to a coup d’etat”
soundtrack to a coup d’etat premiered at the sundance film festival on 22 january 2024.
it won the andré cavens award for best film from the belgian film critics association. it has been nominated for best documentary feature film at the 97th academy awards.
soundtrack to a coup d’etat is a documentary film directed by johan grimonprez about the cold war episode that led american musicians abbey lincoln and max roach to crash the un security council in protest against the murder of congolese leader patrice lumumba. one february morning in 1961, singer abbey lincoln and drummer max roach crash the un security council to protest the murder of prime minister patrice lumumba of the newly independent congo. sixty yelling protesters throw punches, slam their stilettos and provoke a skirmish with unprepared guards as diplomats look on in shock.
six months earlier, sixteen newly independent african countries are admitted to the united nations, shifting the majority vote away from the old colonial powers. soviet leader nikita khrushchev speaks in opposition to the neo-colonial power grab unfolding in the republic of the congo (léopoldville) (modern dr congo). denouncing america’s color bar and un complicity in the overthrow of lumumba, he demands immediate decolonization worldwide.
to retain control over the riches of what used to be the belgian congo, king baudouin of belgium finds an ally in the eisenhower administration, which fears losing access to one of the world’s biggest known reserves of uranium, a metal vital for the creation of atomic bombs. congo-léopoldville takes center stage to both the cold war and the scheme for control of the un. the US state department swings into action: jazz ambassador louis armstrong is dispatched to win the hearts and minds of africa. unwittingly, armstrong becomes a smokescreen to divert attention from africa’s first post-colonial coup, leading to the assassination of congo’s first democratically elected leader. malcolm x stands up in open support of lumumba and his efforts to create a united states of africa while also reframing the freedom struggle of african americans as one not for civil rights but for human rights, aiming to bring his case before the UN.
as black jazz ambassadors are performing unaware amidst covert cia operatives, the likes of armstrong, nina simone, duke ellington, dizzy gillespie and melba liston face a painful dilemma: how to represent a country where segregation is still the law of the land.
jazz and decolonization are entwined in this forgotten episode of the cold war, where the greatest musicians stepped onto the political stage, and downtrodden politicians lent their voices as inadvertent lead singers. this story of the undermining of african self-determination is told from the perspective of central african republic women’s rights activist and politician andrée blouin, irish diplomat and enfant terrible conor cruise o’brien, belgian-congolese writer in koli jean bofane, and nikita khrushchev himself. by dd
stills from the film starring, agreat performance by, eriq ebouaney as patrice lumumba
watch for free on youtube – if link is broken try : here
lumumba is a 2000 biographical film directed by raoul peck. a co-production of france, germany, belgium, and haiti. filmed in french, the film depicts the rise and fall of patrice lumumba, and is set in the months before and after congo-léopoldville achieved independence from belgium in june 1960. war in the democratic republic of the congo at the time of filming caused the film to be shot in zimbabwe and beira, mozambique.
CONTROVERSY : the film generated some controversy in 2002, when frank carlucci, a former american government official and protege of donald rumsfeld, persuaded HBO to delete a reference to him during the airing of the film. the scene in question involves a group of belgian and congolese officials deciding whether to kill lumumba. carlucci is asked for input, and he mumbles that the US government does not involve itself in the internal affairs of other countries. at the time, carlucci was the second secretary of the US embassy in congo. he denies playing any role in the death of llumumba: “the scene is tendentious, false, libelous; it never happened and it is a cheap shot.” the scene remains on the DVD version of the film. by dd
thanks to bkbunnyland for this little tokyo gem: “i stumbled upon sheena ringo hearing her first album being played in a trendy taipei record shop in the late 90s and became an instant fan. back then she was known as the queen of grunge and her first two LPs really drove that home. after her pop success she expanded to psychedelic jazz with a fabulous vibe of 1960s seedy burlesque clubs and 1930s gin joints. hands down japan’s most high concept pop star, she never does a show or tv appearance without pulling out every stop and putting on a mixed media barrage of classy retro homage to the past century of japanese music. her latest work in 2024 is a series of collaborations with younger pop divas which honor and respect both artists but with the expected and extravagant ringo flair and polish” to see more of ringo and other rarities visit bkbunnyland. by bb
photo credit roger mayne post war street photography
here’s how to roll a joint : now we don’t smoke no more “cuz we wizzzed-up and shit”, but… if we were to light up a joint one one day, we’d be sure to grab our composition notebook to roll that spliff. noy suggesting smoking vus smoking kills – and yah a joint here, a joint there is cool, but just know that no matter how bad ass you are now, it’ll creep up on you. hear that from the mother-load of bad asses. by cc
watch the oscar shortlisted film “from ground zero” extended schedule through january 23rd at the quad theater in west village NYC. check showtimes here.
22 short films, by 22 young and seasoned directors, filmed in war-torn gaza as recently as oct 2024. please see showtime for MN, CA, WI, VA, TN, FL and many more U.S. states…
“it’s an honor to stand in solidarity” – michael moore director of roger and me, bowling for columnine, fahrenheit 9/11, and sicko.
from executive producer michael moore and palestine’s official submission for the 2025 academy awards, “from ground zero”, is a collection of revealing stories from 22 palestinian filmmakers living through war, who capture their lives in gaza amidst war. using a blend of animation, documentary, and fiction, they create a powerful testament to the steadfastness of the human spirit. this film serves as a remarkable reflection of how art can thrive even in the darkest times, showcasing the enduring spirit and creativity that emerge amid ongoing devastation. please check for showtimes here. by dd
a visual collective outlet of inspiration
