My top movies’ soundtrack

Here I post my personal soundtrack list.

1. Murron’s Burial, BRAVEHEART 1995
2. Theme from Dying Young, DYING YOUNG, 1991
3. Hungry Eyes, DIRTY DANCING, 1987
4. Grease is the word, GREASE, 1978
5. Unchained Melody, GHOST 1990
6. Up where we belong, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN 1982
7. Take my breath away, TOP GUN 1986
8. Bang bang (my baby shot me down), KILL BILL 2003
9. Titles, THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY 1966
10. Love theme, THE GODFATHER 1972
11. The Black Pearl, PIRATES OF CARIBBEAN 2003
12. Theme from For a few dollars more, FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE 1965
13. The flying theme, ET 1982
14. Hungarian dance nº5, THE GREAT DICTATOR 1940
15. The Ride of the Valkyries, APOCALYSE NOW 1979
16. Titles, CHARIOTS OF FIRE 1981
17. Axel F, BEVERLY HILLS COP 1984
18. Main title (I had a farm in Africa), OUT OF AFRICA 1985
19. I can dream about you, STREETS OF FIRE 1984
20. Calling you, BAGDAD CAFE 1987

If you google you’ll find lots of lists, so it’s very probably you miss some themes, but I would like to know what exactly they are, because maybe I haven’t heard about them and it’ll be great to discover more.
One of my favourite soundtracks is Murron’s burial from Braveheart. The main theme of the film Dying young is really good too. Here, Kenny G plays sax like no other. Of course, Ennio Morricone couldn’t be out of my list. He’s a wonderful composer of soundtracks. For instance he made the soundtrack of The good, the ugly and the bad, For a few dollars more, and he collaborated with three songs in Kill Bill Vol. 2.
In order to make the list I had to choose one theme which represents the whole soundtrack of the film, it’s the case of Dirty dancing or Grease, but the point is I really like almost all the songs! About Grease, I specially enjoy listening Grease is the word, Those magic changes, Tears on my pillow, Summer nights... And my recommendations about Dirty dancing are Be my baby, She’s like the wind, Hungry eyes, Stay, Love is strange (I find it funny), Do you love me, and Will you still love me tomorrow. About Kill Bill soundtrack I'd like to mention Bang bang, Goodnight Moon, Lonely Shepherd and the famous Twisted Nerve song.

Out of competition

This is the first time one film festival like Cannes opens his competition with a 3D cartoon movie. Some days ago I read about this film that you need special glasses in order to see it, of course it’s in 3 dimensions, what funny, isn’t it?
Well, I admit I’m not very keen on this sort of films, because they are made for children, but I thought “Wow, if Cannes Festival chooses this movie, it’s because it should be great, so have a look at his trailer”. I’ve watched the trailer and I found it really amusing. And pictures are lovely. For instance, look at Russell, he is the young main character. He is a sort of Boy Scout, and he carries his mini trumpet, a penknife, I guess, and he has lots of pins. And his original voice, it’s so funny.
The movie is going to release in May 29.



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Sandro Botticelli, a painter of Quattrocento

Sandro Botticelli was his stage name, but his real one was Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi. At the beginning, the name of Botticelli was his older brother’s nickname, called Giovanni and it means little barrel; in spite of that, the nickname was extended to the rest of his family. Sandro was born into a humble family towards 1444-1445 in Florence, and passed away in the same city May 17th, 1510. He started to work as goldsmith, but fortunately at the age of seventeen he changed his mind and he got into Fra Filippo Lippi Art Studio. Sandro stayed there for five years and it was there where he acquired teachings of Quattrocento school, what it belongs to the Italian Renaissance.
I really love the work of Sandro Botticelli. For me he is a wonderful painter, however I must confess I don’t know much about art. In particular I like these paintings which are very famous and they represent mythological scenes. As you may know, the first picture is SPRING and the second one is THE BIRTH OF VENUS.
In Spring painting we can watch Flora goddess, who is spring herald and the picture is named for her. As well on the picture appear Mercury, in the left side, The three Graces, Cupid on the top, Venus, in the middle, and lastly Céfiro, wind’s god, and Chloris nymph. This painting was an order by Lorenzo di Pierfrancesco di Medici, one member of prestigious Medici family.

It is said that The Birth of Venus painting was an order of one member of Medici family too. This picture represents Venus’ arrival to the Citera Island. She is being pushed by Céfiro and Aurea, goddess of breeze, and both characters are linked by an embrace. In the earthly side, on the right, we find spring goddess, and we know that because she is wearing a cloak decorated with flower motifs. Spring goddess is waiting for Venus goddess to wrap her up warm.
In addition to aesthetics, what I’m into is what these two paintings say according to experts on Art, because each character has their own interpretation both whole painting and individually. Maybe you much prefer other paintings or other painters but after all there is no accounting for taste.

Wall of Lugo, 18 centuries of history

The Roman Lugo Walls are considered the unique example of military Roman fortification by UNESCO. In fact, this fortification dates from the 3rd century and it’s extraordinary that it arrives up to the present day preserving whole his perimeter. The Lugo’s Wall was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2000 and also, it is twinned with the Great Wall of China since 2007.
The fortification was built in order to protect the city of Lucus Augusti (Lugo)from the Barbarian threat, and the wall is a part of a defensive set which consists of moat, wall and intervallum. The fortress shuts up a 34.4 hectares area and a perimeter of 2,120 metres approximately. His average thickness is 4.20 metres and the wall is between 8-12 metres high. The name of Lucus Augusti comes from one part, from Celtic god called Lugh, and then Romans adapted it into his language, and the other part, in honour of the César Augusto Emperor. Many authors keep discussing about his possible origin in a military camp. That is the explanation most accepted, actually. Lugo’s people state that the origin sites in an old Celtic “castro” (pre Roman military fortification), and when the Romans arrived it was transformed. From some funerary finds, it seems that at the beginning Lugo was a Celtic sanctuary of the god Lugh. After being conquered by the Romans, the city was called Lucus Augusti.
Far from being a problem, the wall’s structure is completely integrated into the whole urban group. Furthermore it has become a point of interest of the city, which its citizens are very proud of.
So if you are encouraged to know this ancient city, don’t miss out on the cathedral, the Thermal Baths, Roman Bridge, Church of San Pedro, Church of Santiago a Nova, and of course, the Roman Lugo Walls.

Where adventure and romance was a way of life, Australia

“It was also a place where aboriginal children or mixed-race were taken by force from their families and trained for service in white society. These children became known as the stolen generation.”

This film deals with the delicate issue of the Stolen Children. As I mentioned before, this generation was taken out from their aboriginal families by Australian Government and some religious community, between approximately 1869 and 1969. They kidnapped them in order to bring up and educate them as white people. One reason behind that removal of children, was the desire to get white racial purity. Until 2008 the Prime Minister of Australia hadn’t offered a formal apology to the members of the Stolen Generation. As well as all of this, if you watch the movie you will find beautiful and tender moments, so I encourage you to watch it!
I admit at the beginning I thought that this film would be another big American production, but at the end I really enjoyed it. However I was right when I said big production because the film has 130 million dollar budget!
When I was looking for a picture of the film, I found some information about the cast. I read that main masculine character was for Russell Crowe but he left the project because he had some differences with production, maybe money’s differences? So next actor was Heather Ledger, but he also refused the role because he preferred to play Joker in The Dark Knight, it was a wise decision. Eventually the character was played by Hugh Jackman, who made a good job. In my opinion the movie is worth it but I warn you, it gets long.

Goya Awards 2009

One more year Spanish Academy of Arts and Cinematographic Sciences gave tonight their “Goyas” to the best professionals of several specialities. The gala was presented by Carmen Machi and broadcasted near live, with a delay of 30 minutes, like they did previous years.
The most nominated film in this XXIII Goya Awards was “Los girasoles ciegos” with 15 nominations, some of them were: best picture, best director, best adapted screenplay, best actor and actress, best costume design... however it turned out to be the big loser, because they only got best adapted screenplay one. On the other hand, the big winning was “Camino” as I hoped it was. This movie took home the awards of best film, best director, best original screenplay, best supporting actor, best actress and best newcomer actress, as you can see these prizes are the most important.
I would like to mention the two awards won by “el Langui”, for best original song and best newcomer actor. It was exciting when he claimed how difficult it was for people like him to access to the stage, how difficult it was go up all these stairs in order to receive his awards. As he said, this kind of things do not make them independent people.
Next meeting, maybe the Oscars Awards.

Christmas time

Christmas time has arrived and with it, a bombing of ad perfumes and toys, Christmas shopping, plentiful meals, families’ reunions, holidays for some fortunate people, and of course, thousands of children waiting for their presents. That‘s Christmas, don’t you think?

In spite of it, I admit I like Christmas. I like the atmosphere make it by the shops in order to sell more. I like the commercial centres and streets decoration... But this year I realised there isn’t the Christmas environment as it used to be, I mean, where I live there isn’t much lighting and it seem people takes seriously this matter of saving (in fact, there are many reasons to do it). They don’t want to spend so much, they watch carefully prices and that’s perfectly understandable. Many people were made redundant during the second half of the year, so they can’t afford to continue with the rhythm of this consumer society.

Anyway, I just want to wish Merry Christmas!!!