I just couldn't help writing one more thing before I close down our blog. Surely I'll start a new one (jantigue3, I reckon) soon. Needless to say, you'll always be more than welcome to visit it as often as you wish.
You know, this morning I signed the official "acta" of your group and tomorrow @ 9:00 I'll be teaching a new class of C1 students, so I guess this means that officially you're not my students any longer (unless, of course, you have enrolled in either of my groups). Not my students, but still friends, I hope. I'd rather use this word than just the colder term "ex-students". So if you ever happen to see me, at the school or anywhere in the world, I just hope you won't be tempted to cross the street and ignore me completely. I'll be glad to have a little chat and hear from you. What you're doing, if you're still in touch with English, you might even have got married and / or be a proud parent, ha ha! Hopefully you won't harbour any resentments because, you know, I once flunked you, will you?
Anyway, I don't think I should get too emotional and besides I'm not very good at my farewells so I'll just say "SO LONG!" and wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavours.
Hi foks! At long last, it’s good to blog again. You know, last Friday I went to see a film in VD Tormes with my wife and son, Christopher Nolan’s latest sci-fi thriller INCEPTION, featuring a rather convincing Leo Di Caprio in the main role. I mean, like a good wine he’s maturing little by little, though still I would like to see him in a comedy role to brand him a fine actor. Don Cobb (Di Caprio) is a skillful thief, the best in the art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from within a person’s subconscious during their dreams, when the mind is most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted asset in the world of corporate espionage, but also a much wanted fugitive worldwide, which has cost him everything he loves, namely his family life. Eventually Cobb is offered a chance at redemption by energy tycoon Saito (Ken Watanabe). One final job could bring his life back as long as he can accomplish mission impossible: inception, which means this time his task is not to steal an idea but rather to plant a seemingly simple one on the mind of Saito’s would-be rival in the business, Robert Fisher (Cillian Murphy). I will reveal no more in case you want to see the film (probably some of you many have done so already, haven’t you?). As the caption on the trailer further down below reads, the mind is the scene of the crime … Now media hype (and you all know how much I hate this thing, remember Avatar?) says Inception is the film of the year (an exaggeration, I’d like to believe), Oscars’ hot favorite, blah blah blah. To me it’s just a very entertaining film, with a fine performance by Di Caprio, the haunting music by the always effective Hans Zimmer and an extremely complex and elaborate plot, with dreams within dreams that too often will make you doubt what is reality and what just a dream. And of course there’s a fast pace punctuated by lots of action and indeed plenty of brilliant visual effects (some amazing zero-gravity scenes!) If there’s one aspect of the movie that I utterly hated was the stupid dubbing. I mean, why the heck did they bother to dub Ken Watanabe and Marion Cotilard’s voices into Spanish with a Japanese and French accent respectively? (a silly thing I’ve never quite understood) They insist on giving us dubbed versions, fine, I can handle it, but in this particular case, apart from making them sound ridiculous, it’s sometimes difficult to make out what they’re saying, especially Ken amidst the noise of action-packed scenes. Why don’t they try to reproduce, for example, Cillian Murphy’s “Irish” English accent, if you see what I mean? Ludicrous! Running at nearly 2 and a half hours, in my humble opinion the film seems to drag a little at the end, which is often the case with these complicated plots that the directors refuse or simply don’t know how to close, though the final scene opens the gate for a sequel, you know what Hollywood is like: Ka-ching! And I guess the massive box-office success across the globe (the VD room was nearly packed) guarantees at least one. Seen the film yourselves? Fancy giving an opinion? Give it a go, guys!
Now, while searching for the corresponding YouTube trailer I accidentally came across another piece called Movie Night with Jonathan Paula reviewing his “10 for 10” films, the best ever made, though he points out that they are not necessarily his ten favourites and don’t represent “perfect or flawless” films. Well, I was curious, and so might be you, to know Jonathan’s choice (incidentally, in alphabetical order, from Air Force One, featuring harrison Ford - not Michelle Obama, ha ha! - to Batman's The Dark Knight). Surely there’s the inevitable Avatar and while I agree with some of the titles in his short-list, with others (forget Avatar), well, I’m not so sure … What do you think? Because you haven’t forgotten how to write in English … or have you? Hey, I’d love to read your comments, I really would.
I know the review about Invictus was really well done by Ana Navarro, so I don't want to add any more to her words but, even if I don't tend to mythify or idolize anybody, I find Nelson Mandela deeply interesting. I am not really fond of politics and it doesn't awaken my interest either but I am really aware of human rigths and Apartheid in South Africa means to me a terrible, unforgivable mistake. It's a fact that every single leader commits errors, as they aren't infallible; moreover, very often they have conflicts of interests, hidden reasons and so on. In contrast, Mandela was, in my humble opinion, a deeply honest politician who only wanted to unify a country divided by colours. It is a great "leitmotiv", isn't it? For me, there is a quote which summarizes his style of life: "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul".
Having said all this, I’m sure you would like to read a fascinating 2008 article I’ve found quite by chance written by British journalist and author John Carlin, whose book “Playing the Enemy: Nelson Mandela and the Game that Made a Nation” is the basis for Invictus. Its title is Mandela’s Rock, a 2-part interview with Zelda La Grange, the President’s right-hand (incidentally a white woman), which shows perfectly how gracious and generous Mandela was (and still is) during his rule.
You can click on this link for the full story, but Jose Luis will email you the PDF file anyway.
Hi again! It's great to see that our blog is alive and kicking, even if it's only thanks to Ana's unyielding faith to keep it going. Anyway, may I write something else myself?
You know, this past weekend has been glorious for Spanish sport, not only in football, with the nail-biting win over Paraguay, but also in golf (Miguel Angel Jiménez, totally ignored by the Spanish media, won the French Open), motorcycling (Jorge Lorenzo and Marc Vazquez achieved great victories in front of the home crowd at Montmelo) and, last but not least, the amazing, the majestic Rafa Nadal gave Spanish tennis yet another resounding triumph at the cathedral of tennis, Wimbledon.
It seems our talent is endless, even if our authorities often disregard amateur sport and universities don't spend enough resources on promoting the practice of physical education, let alone organizing major leagues like they do, for example, across the Atlantic in the USA. That's the reason, in my humble opinion, why we excel at individual sports rather than, with a few honourable exceptions (namely, football and basketball, whose teams stem from highly professionalized leagues), team sports. But you might want to disagree with me.
Fair enough. I just wanted to embed a couple of clips to reflect all this Spanish success that make our country so proud. Starting with a CNN report (American accent) on the elated Spanish football fans and their joyful celebration in Madrid last Saturday:
Then, of course, there's Rafa's brilliant performance against Czech giant Thomas Berdych, this time narrated by Australian journalist Justin Armsdem (notice his distinctive accent?)
You know how much admire Pau Gasol and how often I have praised not only his career but also his personal values as well as his gift for English. Well, I'm afraid I cannot do the same with Rafa. I mean, he is arguably one of the best sportsmen (if not the best) Spain has ever seen, but as regards his language skills there's much space for improvement, as you can see in this BBC interview during the Queen's tournament (kind of a warm-up for Rafa before Wimbledon). Probably his innate shyness does not help but gosh, that broken grammar, the strong accent (boy, do I hate the way he pronounces "surface"!), ... well, I don't want to sound too harsh, but why doesn't he take a few lessons? Mind you, he's improved considerably in the last few months, he was much much worse, I tell you! After all, to be honest with you, he can cope just fine with the media and, as the female presenter remarks at the end, "Isn't he absolutely charming?" Some post-comments on the Youtube clip even suggest (diehard fans, no doubt) that his accent is ... so SEXY (!?)
July 4th
Hi folks, what’s up? Enjoying the summer, are you? As for me, my days are rather uneventful for the time being. My wife works mornings, my daughter has just gone to a summer English camp, my son plays the guitar like mad and then hangs out with his mates in the afternoon / evening. Then there’s a bit of football now and then, as Spain continues its World Cup quest. Also these days I’ve been still busy at work, and I won’t end my tasks until Wednesday. Now, Ana said in her latest comment on our blog that she doesn’t want it to die just yet. So I made up my mind to write something, not much I guess, for this new month so that I may encourage you to give it a go. So here I go again: You know, a couple of days ago I was listening to BBC radio 2 when this song came up. An instantly recognisable classic, the kind of tune you’ve inevitably heard before. Many might remember it though the film Midnight Cowboy, that unorgettable Oscar-winning 1968 film starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. Whatever the reason, it’s the kind of song you will hear again and again tirelessly. I love its anti-urban lyrics, which tell the story of someone who seems unable to connect with his peers and wishes to leave for the ocean and the summer breeze. I also like the haunting acoustic guitar’s finger-picking and Nilsson’s melodic voice. Here is the Youtube excerpt of the original black and white videoclip plus the lyrics scroller. Hope you enjoy it! Keep clicking guys!
On D- day, your drowsy teacher wishes to uplift you before the exam with the example set by the Lord of the (NBA) RingS, Sir Pau Gasol. Yes, the Lakers have just beaten their eternal rivals, the Boston Celtics in a thrilling, nail-biting defensive game 7, and Pau keeps making history. This is the official NBA summary of the game:
Now, Kobe Bryant (who else) won the MVP - Most Valuable Player, for those who are unfamiliar with the sport's jargon - Award, but don't let yourselves be deceived by NBA's media hype: The key player in this final game, if not in the whole series, was Pau, and believe me, I'm not driven by absurdly fanatical patriotism. I'm just so proud of our fellow countryman, such a talented player but, most of all, an intelligent, charismatic young man. Listen to his articulate speech in perfect English during the post-game conference:
I believe we shouldn't overestimate the importance of sports stars, but in this case, whether we like it or not, Pau (like Nadal) provides, on and off the court, our youth with invaluable inspiration.
See you in a bit, folks! And the best of luck for the exam ...
16th June
Hi folks! A day like today, 50 years ago, my favourite film of all time was premiered, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. I'm not exaggerating the slightest bit if I say that I've seen this gem so many times - both in English and in Spanish - that I've lost count, but to this day it still makes my hair stand on end.
One of the most recognizable movies in cinema history, to me it is the ultimate psychological thriller, with a perfect well-rounded plot, a blood-curdling music score, convincing performances, especially by a young Anthony Perkins as the mentally unstable motel-owner Norman Bates, but, first and foremost, Psycho's highlight is the extraordinary directing by the master of suspense. Shot in black and white, the effective use of dramatic close-ups and imaginative camera angles fills the spectator's soul with a mixture of angst and horror.
Whether you have or not seen the film, I needn't tell you the storyline. This short one-and-a-half minute trailer says it all. A must-see masterpiece!
The movie's iconic scene, and undoubtedly one of the most famous in cinema history, is the so-called "shower scene", which immaculately depicts the cold-blooded murder of Marion. As an image is worth a thousand words, this is the clip of the complete scene: 3 minutes of sheer cinematic genius (while legend has it that it took nearly a week to shoot!), punctuated by the screeching, chilling sound of violins. S-C-A-R-Y!
Finally, I couldn't help embedding another YouTube excerpt. You see, many people still believe that good old Alfred was American, as most of his illustrious career was pursued in the US. But actually, though he had adopted American citizenship only a few years before Psycho was shot, he remained a British subject all his life and was knighted by Queen Elizabeth shortly before his death in 1980. He was a Brit through and through and I've always loved his Victorian accent (notice how he pronounces the word "poor" when he utters the sentence "Here we have a poor little motel, tucked away off the main highway, and as you see perfectly harmless-looking ...") but, above all, his dry sense of humour, as can be seen in this very personal, absolutely hilarious trailer of the film. Enjoy!
I should end up saying that The Bates paranoia, as I call the film, was a revelation to my young eyes when I firstly saw it in the late 70s, as it indeed had a huge impact on me. It never won an Oscar (though I reckon it was nominated) but when someone asks me what my favourite film of all time is, I'll barely hesitate a second before I answer, with a somewhat morbid smile on my face: "Psycho, no doubt!"
June 6th
Hi folks! How's life?
Well, come June it's time to say goodbye ... or is it? Surely lessons are over and done with, so we won't be meeting in our cosy classroom on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or emailing one another that often, but that doesn't mean we should lose contact, does it? So rather than a "goodbye" this must be a "see you soon". Even if I don't happen to be your teacher next year (hopefully in C1!), can't we still keep in touch?
The thing is that we've come a long way since we met and started a new term last October. We've spent 30 plus weeks as a bunch of people sharing - I hope - our passion for English but also, more importantly, getting to know each other. You know, we've been sort of a big " family", working together, laughing together, sometimes even getting away from the four walls to go for a drink. I can only say I've grown fond of each and every one of you, because for me getting to know my students and trying to build up a "class chemistry" is my top priority, and has always been. Of course teaching is my job, but surely we can all make the best and the most of a language class if we can feel comfortable with whoever is around us, either the teacher or the classmates, don't you think?
Gosh, I'm delivering yet another of my "tear-jerking" speeches, awfully sorry! Just let me say thank you for being a great group and I only hope you will remember this year, your classmates, even your teacher FONDLY.
Maybe what I'm going to do is kind of tacky, but will you let me embed one final song. You know, I couldn't help thinking of this classic hymn to friendship by Queen called Friends will be Friends.
Hey, enough passages verging on sentimentality! Let me tell you that I don't intend to close this blog throughout the summer. After all, you're officially "my" students, unless all of you without exception will sit the exam and pass it in June - which unfortunately has never happened in my 23 long years as a teacher - until the end of September. Of course how alive this blog will be in the forthcoming season depends on you as much as on myself, right?
So, I want to publish something to encourage you guys, related again to basketball. The last entry was Obama's interview, remember? He was saying that our Pau Gasol is the best big man in the league. Well, you may have heard that Gasol's L.A. Lakers started on Thursday their quest for a second NBA ring against their archenemies, the Boston Celtics, one of the greatest rivalries in professional sport. You see, Pau had a great game, with 23 points and 14 rebounds, and the next morning on the official website of the NBA I came across this interesting interview that you can find down below. It's a one-on-one, up-close and personal, with famed sports broadcaster and former American football superstar Ahmad Rashad. This time the Catalan player talks about other aspects of his life. He's deemed by AR a national sports hero in our country, "the Michael Jordan of Spain". Among other things, Pau remembers how he could have been a doctor and admits to being an ambitious guy ("There's nothing impossible", he says). Also he refers to the bond he's developed with teammate Kobe Bryant and his "hunger" for a 2nd NBA Championship in a row. Interestingly enough, he claims he doesn't fit into one of those "one-dimensional stereorypes" professional sportmen are often associated with and, as an example, acknowledges his passion for opera. AR even reminds us of his recent cameo role in CSI. All in all, Pau Gasol is a tremedously talented basketball player, but above all a very intelligent person. And how about his fluent, articulate English? A model to imitate, don't you think? Hope you enjoy the feature! Keep blogging mates!
You know I'm a huge basketball fanatic. That's why when yesterday I saw famed TNT broadcaster Marvin Albert (mind you, what a ridiculous wig he sports!) interview President Obama, I thought to myself I had to embed the feature on this blog, even if you're not that fond of the game, just for the sake of English. I've always believed basketball is a smart sport for smart people, and Mr President is a good proof, is he not?
Anyway, in this 11-minute prime time interview Obama deals with different issues. A decent ball player himself in his college years, nicknamed "Barry", with "a deadly jump shot, quick feet and a pretty good drive", the US chief recalls the glory days of the legendary Michael Jordan in his native Chicago, but is unwilling to tamper with the Bulls now that NBA superstar LeBron James approaches his free agency, though "you can see him fit in pretty well". Later he regrets the pricey cost of NBA tickets and hates to think that only someone from "corporate camp" can afford them.
Can politics and sports go hand in hand? Well, Mr Obama comments on the Phoenix Suns team, who recently hit the headlines by wearing the "LOS Suns" jerseys to take a stand opposing the controversial emigration law in Arizona, which he personally thinks is a "bad idea" (too soft, is he?)
The presidential pick for the season? The impressive Boston Celtics perhaps? Not quite, he's got to go with the formidable L.A. Lakers, who, apart from the likes of Kobe Bryant and legendary coach Phil Jackson, boast "the best big man", our own Pau Gasol, with his incredible footwork, speed, savvy ... You know the President is always right, so is the Catalan heading for his second NBA ring?
Well, I don't want to bore with so much basketball stuff, I just felt I needed to help you a little bit in case you dare watch the interview!
I used to be a greater NBA fan back in the 80s and early 90s, but considering Gasol is making history I like watching a game or two. As the slogan reads: "NBA. Where amazing happens".
May 25th
Antonio says:
Digital Terrestrial Television (TDT in Spanish) started to pave its way some years ago but only when the Government made us pay in order to enjoy it (either by acquiring a decoder or purchasing a new TV) did we realise how advantageous it could be.
Firstly, I reckon DTT has to do with globalisation to a great extent, because from our beloved “old lemon” television sets, which broadcast an average of about 9 channels, we are now spoiled for choice as we have 24 plus several radio stations, so we have access to a greater amount of information (news, films, documentaries, etc). There was “a before and an after” with DTT.
I remember trying to “tune in” a film directly broadcast in English (without subtitles) but it was (almost) impossible; now I have discovered some things:
There are several TV series which can be watched in original version (which I thank profoundly) and I will tell you which sitcoms and cartoons are the ones that I follow without too much effort or difficulty as regards English:
1) My “dear” American sitcom “Family Matters”: Most of the language is widely comprehensible and I imagine ourselves writing many bits of textual dialogues as it is a rather clear accent (does it have to do with the Chicago accent? Was it Chicago where the series was shot or am I wrong?).
2) Also, our unforgettable American semi-adult cartoon “The Simpsons”. It isn’t so difficult to pick up things as I believed!
Some years ago, to be precise when I was at 2nd level at the Language School I got almost nothing; it was the chapter about Lisa and her staunch fight for vegetarianism.
3) “The saddle club”, though at first I didn’t know about it, because one day, by chance, I came across with it. A precious Canadian-Australian accent, I thought it was British accent!!
Well, I don’t want to bore you to tears, so I’d like to end up saying that making a foreign language more accessible and understandable partly depends on our attitude towards the programme (whether we like it or not).
Here I embed a YouTube Video of my appreciated, accident-prone Steve Urkel (from Family Matters):
Thanks Antonio. I just hope many of your classmates are of the same opinion, I mean, how invaluable a tool for improving your language skills DTTV can be. To be honest with you guys, if I had my way I would go one step further and just broadcast foreign films (at least on state-run channels) in their original language, with subtitles in Spanish, of course. But I guess that sounds too ambitious for a country with such a defective background as regards foreign language teaching, or does it?
May 23rd
Happy Sunday!
Today I feel like blogging because I'm in a New York state of mind. Just joking, you know. The thing is that, I don't remember if Ana (Garcia) has ever mentioned this in class - I think she has -, on Wednesday she's leaving for the Big Apple, the city of lights, the city of cities, NEW YORK precisely. I'm so delighted for her. You see, even if she's been there before, she really deserves this trip.
So I thought we could unwind a little on Tuesday and spend some time after we do the usual class activities visiting - virtually of course - this mega city which never sleeps. You know, I've got this great Pilot Guide about NY (you may have already seen it on La 2 sometime) and as kind of an appetizer I am embedding on our blog this short YouTube excerpt of a 60-minute DVD guide. The voiceover is crystal clear so I'm sure you will follow the narration without any trouble. It will give you, yet roughly, an idea of what the city is like and its main landmarks, especially the most famed borough, Manhattan.
Then, I just remembered one of my favourite songs about the Big Apple. Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York"? perhaps? Nope! Something much better, Billy Joel's - one of my most idolized contemporary American singer songwriters - New York State of Mind (you understand my initial comment now?)
Billy is every inch of a New Yorker as he grew up in Long Island. Legend has it that he penned this 1976 song about his love for New York, which really missed after a 4-year stint in L.A. Apparently he was travelling home on a Greyhound bus (hence the line "I'm taking the Greyhound ...", read the scroller down below) when he had the idea for this song and, the minute he got into his house, he went straight to the piano and wrote the lyrics and music in just one hour. To me the tune sounds heavily influenced by the great Ray Charles, who, like Billy, was a singer, songwriter and piano player. Boy, do I love the piano intro and Joel's intimate voice! By the way, instead of the audio clip I've inserted this fantastic videoclip with some evocative images of the city.
I just want to end this entry by saying: Ana, this is for you, I hope the song drives your soul into a NY state of mind and you have a whale of a time there!
OK guys, that's all. Fancy blogging yourselves sometime soon?
May 9th
Ana Navarro opens a new month with these reflections on Sue Pennington's talk (from Life Lines) in class this week:
SUE TOLD US ABOUT DEATH ROW AND I WAS DUMBFOUNDED:
Last Thursday I was surprised to know about this organisation called Life Lines and I think that Sue was the most suitable person in the world to tell us about it. As the death penalty is a controversial issue, Sue did not dare talk about it. Only when she was asked about her opinion that President Obama may bring about a change in relation to this issue, did she say that maybe he won’t do anything because of his fear to lose votes in the next presidential elections. I would say that her goal was simply telling us about the organisation she belongs to rather than her opinion about death penalty. Without any kind of doubt she was really tactful. As I have already said, Sue’s goal when coming to meet us was just to let us know about “Life Lines”. So she told us about the nature of it, how she first heard of it and her experiences while writing letters to different prisoners. As regards the nature of the organisation, she told us that it is a religious one whose main aim is to help prisoners on death row overcome as well as possible the time they remain in this spooky situation. She got to know about it in the church she usually goes to. She did not start corresponding with Harry right from the moment she knew about the organisation. Only after she helped Harry type a book he had written, did she decide to start corresponding with him. By the way, Harry, as you may have deduced, was the first prisoner Sue corresponded with. In relation to her experiences, she told us about the people she has been or is still corresponding with, an example being the above-mentioned Harry. Before ending, I would like to say that the way Sue told us about something as sinister as death row was as if she were telling us a tale before going to sleep, thanks to her soft, melodic voice. In addition, it was not difficult at all to understand her talk as she speaks English without an accent, what is known as BBC English.
Thanks a lot, Ana. I'm delighted you liked Sue's talk so much that it encouraged you to even write these comments. Indeed Sue's commitment to death row prisoners is an act of selfless devotion and deserves all the praise we can think of. She looks like a warm-hearted person, doesn't she, and her words sounded so sweet. Well, I guess I must embed Bruce Springsteen's Dead Man Walking to put the icing on the cake, so to speak. Such an inspirational song, don't you think?
And the lyrics fit the film's plot completely, word by word ...
Do you remember one of your mates, Almu? You might not, as she's been away for a long while now. You see, she's living and working in Italy at present, in a town near Milan called Seregno. That's why, as a compensation for her lengthy absence, she's sent the following stuff with her best regards:
Milan is a big, industrial and commercial city, but there are also some touristic attractions.
The most famous is its cathedral, "Il Duomo", which has five naves and is made of pink marble; tourists can go up to its roof and walk over it. In my opinion it's a marvellous experience and the views are amazing.
On the left-hand side of the cathedral, you can see the shopping gallery called "Vittorio Emanuele II", where there are the most luxurious and expensive shops, such as Luis Vuitton, for example. This gallery is very well known thanks to its glazed roof, and the first thing that you find when you go in, as soon as you watch down on the floor, it's the tourist office, which seems hidden under the gallery! On the other side, Milan's Royal Palace was for some years the government building, but nowadays it takes in a great deal of exhibitions.
Opposite the "Il Duomo" there is a pedestrian street called "Via Dante", similar to Zamora Street in Salamanca. At the end of this street "Castelo Sforzesco", a medieval castle, is waiting for a visit. Apart from its beautiful gardens, inside the castle there is a wide range of exhibitions: the painting and sculpture gallery, the furniture and, above all, the Egyptian museum.
It's worth going to the "Scala" theatre, but if you're affected by the financial crisis, you can visit the "Scala" museum, where a short visit of the theatre’s inside is included.
There are other interesting places, but if you have ever seen the "Cenacolo Vinciano", you'll know why I include it in my list of must-see places. However, it's essential to book in advance if you want to see this magnificent masterpiece by Leonardo Da Vinci, which is inside the "Santa Maria delle Grazie" church. Unfortunately there aren't any vacancies until July, so if you are interested, you must hurry before the tickets are sold out for this year.
To sum up, Milan combines the bustling shopping streets, bars, cafés and a wealth of attractions with my pleasant presence until October, so you've got the perfect holiday destination!
Thanks so much Almu for the Milan virtual trip? (lovely photos by the way). Still, isn't it funny that some of you need to go abroad to write something on our blog, ha ha! Whatever. I take it from your last line that we are all invited to visit you in Milan, is that right? We look forward to seeing you soon again, in the flesh! In the meantime, good luck ragazza!
April 22nd
Hi there! At long last this is Concha's review of Waking Ned Devine:
This comedy was entirely shot on the beautiful Isle of Man, although it is set in Ireland, in a sleepy little village of 52 inhabitants, named Tullymore, on the west coast.
Something that happens weekly all over the world has happened in Tullymore too. The lottery’s jackpot has been won by a citizen from the village. This time the lotto prize is huge and the local who firstly hears the news and his best friend try to guess who the winner is, in order to befriend him and share the profit. Later on, the whole village gets involved in the ploy.
The whole plot twists and turns around this purpose. Human passions are shown through the life of the citizens. The main stars play fantastic roles using an ironic language. You are gripped from the beginning because nothing is predictable.
The movie shows a breathtaking landscape and a beautiful rugged coast. It is an excellent, absolutely hilarious film, despite the fact that the plot is quite simple.
I strongly recommend Waking Ned to anyone who wants to spend an enjoyable and relaxing time.
Well done, Concha, thanks for your review. Here's the film's trailer:
More Irish stuff: Ana (Garcia) sent me an interesting video a couple of days ago. She knows how much I love Ireland (so does she now!) and anyway she had come across this fantastic clip about the island's musical heritage, which seems to be part of a promotional campaign called "Donde Irlanda te lleve". Since the video is in English (subtitled in Spanish), I thought it should be on our blog. Boy, do I love those Irish accents! Besides, the clip accurately portrays the character of Ireland (and its people) north and south of the border. Watch:
Accidentally I also found this other piece on Irish food belonging to the same campaign. You know that none of the British Isles have never been renowned for their cuisine, but Ireland might be a pleasant surprise: there's a wide variety of cheese, the fish and seafood are pretty good (indeed oysters and Guiness are a famous Irish delicacy worldwide!) and well, when they mention the "new cuisine" you will find they talk about ... paella!? Whatever. This short clip surely will make you hungry ... not only for food, but specially for Ireland!
Ana has written some comments on these two videos:
What more can I say? That’s Ireland: its people as sweet as its music and its landscape.
As it is said on the video, the Irish atmosphere is special, above all its people. You can’t feel like a stranger among them. For instance, would you change your kitchen into an improvised concert hall? Well, they do it! Can you sing a single note? You’ll be welcome. That is what I adore of Ireland: you won’t feel different any more.
Irelands means hospitality, music, pubs, beer (not only Guinness) and a mixture of modernity and tradition that envelops everywhere.
In one way for me it is like time stopped in the middle of nowhere and it makes me feel free. In fact, now I can understand why every single person who goes to Ireland returns in love with this country (so do I).
Actually Ireland in general –Dublin in particular- is the only place where I could live forever.
April 13th
Morning guys! Well, here I go again, fresh from my Easter hols in the awesome city of Paris. Because that is the only way to put it: A-W-E-S-O-M-E! Lavish buildings, a fantastic river, the Seine, abundantly crossed by now picturesque, then luxurious bridges, and well, you're spoiled for choice if you are a culture vulture as museums are plenty. But I don't want to bore you with my enthusiastic reflections. Let me just say that if I had to choose a couple of places in the French capital that really struck me, they would the magnificent, lavishly decorated Academie Nationale de Musique, the Paris Opera that is, and the imposing Eiffel Tower, no doubt one of the most recognizable icons of our planet. We had the chance to literally go top of the world on a glorious sunny day.
Awe-inspiring! Moreover, to see the whole structure illuminated at night from Trocadero is one of those breathtaking images that will stick in your mind for ever.
No video or photograph, however good the camera or skillful you may be, can do justice to the view. But still I've decided to embed a Youtube clip that will give you, yet roughly, a taste of what if feels like. I was absolutely speechless for the first five minutes, and I'm not exaggerating.
Then I have to admit that, contrary to my expectations (due, no doubt, to my self-confessed francophobia) the French - or the Parisians to be precise - are rather hospitable and more than willing to help you if you lose your bearings. Unfortunately my French is so poor, I wish I had learnt some as a young man, even if you can cope perfectly with English (and Spanish for that matter. But still I practiced the inevitable words, you know, merci, sil vous plait, au revoir and stuff a thousand times, so I feel I can pronounce them almost perfectly now, ha ha!
On the minus side, the chaotic traffic in the renowned avenue, Champs Elysees, and, above all, the huge roundabout in the impressive Arch de Triumph. Sheer madness how cars zigzag their way in and out of the place, I wonder how on earth Parisians manage to drive without crashing into one another! Then, the noble streets are dotted with the ugliest-looking litter bins, plain green plastic bags hanging on a rim. Practical maybe, but such a stark contrast!
Surely, after so the endless walking, sightseeing, photographing and video taping, my kids were
looking forward to a bit of fun in the magic Disneyland. Well, both the park and the studios are beautifully designed (specially the former, which looks like fairy land), but honestly both my kids (and even myself) were a bit disappointed by the lack of truly scary, so to speak, roller-coaster rides, you know, where you let off adrenaline, very much like what you can find in Port Aventura or Terra Mitica. I mean, Space Mountain and Aerosmith Roller Coaster are good fun but pretty mild. And to make matters worse, the whole place can be so crowded that some of these attractions await you with one-hour (or more) long queues.
For me the highlight of the two-day visit were two theatre shows, Animagique and, most of all, Cinemagique. The latter perfectly portraits, as its name indicates, the ever-lasting magic of movies in history by mixing reality and fiction through the splendid performances of actors Martin Short and Judie Delpy and synchronized classic, easily recognized film scenes on the big screen. It only lasted about half an hour but I could have stayed watching for the rest of the evening.
The quality is not very good (pity!), but I've embedded the final excerpt of the show on YouTube. Mind you, if you're thinking of going to Disneyland shortly, you shouldn't see this or else it will ruin the "magique", so just wait for the real thing!
Well, folks, this is getting way too long, isn't it, so I better close now. I just wanted to share with you some fond memories of an unforgettable trip to one of the cities of cities, the magnifique Paris. Au revoir!
I want to share with you the great concert that I saw last Friday night. The “Auditorio Fonseca” was packed with people eager to see and listen to the music of this fantastic group: The Sunday Drivers. They are five guys from Toledo, but all their lyrics are in English. They have been playing for ten years, and although they are quite popular in the United States and other European countries, there are many people in Spain that have not heard of them. Unfortunately, this was the last chance to see them in Salamanca, and next 17th of July they will play their last gig in the Benicassim Festival, as the group breaks up definitively after this concert.
Their music can be labelled as indie pop, somewhat reminiscent of The Beatles, but it is the mixture of the melodies and the singer’s voice that, in my opinion, makes them so special. There are lots of good songs, but I strongly recommend some of them such as ‘Smile’, ‘To see the animals’ (nominated for Best Song in the Music Awards), ‘Paranoid’, ‘My plan’ (whose video I attach), ‘Everything reminds me of you’, or one of the most popular, ‘On my mind’. As the music critic Juan Mari Montes wrote in ‘La Gaceta’ on Sunday, they are ENORMOUS. I hope you enjoy their music as much as I do.
To conclude, I have to mention that even the supporting band were surprisingly good to my taste. Their name is ‘Smile’, a band from Getxo that also sing in English, with a 70s American Country style. If you want to know them, down below is a video too.
Thanks so much, Ana. It's always great to support Spanish bands. You know, funny though it may sound (being an English teacher myself), I've got mixed feelings about them singing in English, but that's the price of globalization, isn't it?
May 17th
Their Satanic Majesties. That's how the bad boys of rock, the Rolling Stones, are usually referred to after a controversial album they recorded way back in the 60s. A story of sex, drugs and, indeed, R'n'R in its purest sense. Honestly, even if not being my favourite band (I'd rather listen to them than watch them live on stage), I have to give them some credit for their doubtless contribution to contemporary music. All the band's members now well into their sixties, The RS are back in the news as they recently announced they would be present at the Cannes film festival for the premiere of the documentary "Stones in exile", which deals with the making of their legendary 1972 LP Exile on Main Street, almost universally regarded as a rock masterpiece (and I won't disagree with this opinion, as it is a truly fantastic album with classic gems like Rip this Joint or Tumbling Dice).
The thing is that on Saturday I was flicking through the extensive RTVE archive when I came across this 1994 programme "Planeta Rock" by musical guru Tomas Fernando Flores reviewing their illustrious career which I'm embedding down below. I cannot say that, to my taste, it has the best selection of their songs but rather a chronological run-through of their most renowned videos. From Angie (such a beautiful ballad) to Start me up and Undercover of the night, you will get a rough idea of what both some of their music and indeed their aesthetic are like. Fittingly enough, the songs are subtitled, though unfortunately in Spanish.
Nearly five decades later, they are alive and kicking, even if past their prime both musically and physically. I guess their enormous egos make them resist their retirement and anyway audiences across the world seem to still find them appealing after all these years.
Fair enough, this is my modest contribution to our blog on Internet Day. If you'd like to voice your opinions about one of the most important rock bands ever, this is the place. If you happen to be a Stones fanatic, you might even want to list your favourite songs. If you hate them utterly, why is that? Anything goes!
May 6th
Antonio says:
One of the things with which I made a joke was during Tuesday’s class, after the Fleetwood Mac song, because José Luis was saying “because…” and I made the most of the occasion and inserted the rest of the words as in the renowned Patty Smith song “Because the night belongs the lovers”, do you remember? Well, in order to write a review of the song I will tell you first that I don’t “control” too much about English music reviews - it’s my fault! - and serves me right for not revising the topics which focused on Macy Gray (pages 24-25 of Cutting Edge). I also regret not having fulfilled all the written tasks we were asked to do by José Luis on its day (I pull my hair!!). I didn’t do hardly anything! Well, putting aside my semi-joke, I will say that I especially love 80’s music; and I love the sweet clear female voices which appeared in that decade, namely, Sandra, C.C. Catch, etc. They continuously speak about love and the word you come across the most is “night” or “tonight”, which I love!! What’s more, when I listen to a piece of music sung by this sort of singers (girls, I mean), speaking about love or a similar issue, plus the precious utterance “night” / “tonight”, I get very moved and energetic (kind of a contradiction, don’t you think?). I imagine myself patrolling the streets on foot at night, and, during my walk, helping people with problems (I mean, concrete situations, imagine a person who falls down and needs someone to help them, for example) I know this is way too weird to understand, but let my feelings come out … OK, thank you for your attention.
May 2nd
Paz starts May with another song:
Hi guys!
I’ve been listening to these new entries on our already lively blog and I was thinking about the music I like, and definitely The Police is one of my favourite groups. I like most of their songs. Perhaps I’ve never thought of their lyrics, because what I really like in a song is its music. If it has plenty of sounds, the more instruments it uses the more I like it. That’s probably the reason why I prefer studio recordings to live concerts, as the sound in the latter is not so good.
Wrapped around your fingers is the second single The Police released in 1983. This English rock band, consisting of only three members, was formed in 1977 and oficially an act until 1984. Their music had great influences from reggae and jazz and their success was based on the sublime songwriting and the instrumental talent in their songs.
Here are the video and the lyrics scroller. Hope you enjoy the song!
Well done, Paz. Great stuff by The Police! I can only say that once in my teenage years I was totally hooked on the fabulous English trio, bought all their records and knew their songs by heart. I was really upset when they disbanded even if they never publicly announced it, but Sting's solo career kind of triggered off the ensuing events.
Honestly, Wrapped ... is not my fave song but I do love the video, especially Sting doing the slow-motion lip synch while jumping across the circle of candles. The lyrics are rather weird and enigmatic, with references to both Greek mythology ("caught between the scylla and Charibdes") and the Devil ("Mephistopheles is not your name"). Who knows who or what Sting was thinking of while he was penning the song?
April 26th
Eric Clapton. One of the best rock guitar players in history and truly one of my idols when it comes to one of my favourite genres, the blues. His personal life has had his ups and downs as much as his music but he has always looked to me an honest musician, who I’ve admired for his “bluesmanship”.
You must be wondering why I'm talking about good old Eric (he's 65 now). The thing is that Ana has sent me this great interview down below on the CBS programme Eye to Eye about his 2006 album with another music great, the Tulsa sound founder J.J. Cale, called The Road to Escondido, dedicated to the legendary keyboards player Billy Preston. As you will hear if you watch the programme, he modestly admits that "your faculties start wearing away at some point".
Obviously, it's been a long while since Eric started his illustrious career way back in the mid-60s with such influential bands like The Yardbirds and Cream. That's why I thought I could also embed this interview (subtitled in Dutch) featuring a young Eric in his early 20s as a member of Cream (Ginger Baker walks by now and then), at a time when he was building the reputation as a guitarist that made him into the legend he is today. So funny to see him in his hippy looks, you can barely recognize him! Watch how he talks about his music, his new album, his influences ...
Now, I guess most of you have at least heard of Eric Clapton, but also many probably don't know much about his music. Mind you, it would be extremely difficult for me to choose a single song, but one that I really dig is this 1960s Billy Myles classic called “Have you ever loved a woman?” The live cover I embed here is, to me, simply amazing, a 7-minute gem, and Eric’s guitar solos let you know why he is famously nicknamed “Slowhand” and why he's one of the most influential musicians of rock music. Boy, do I love that blues sound which makes my hair stand on end. And the way he sings - literally howls - the song: "Have you ever loved a woman / so much you tremble in pain …” , so much class he has that I tremble in awe! How many times I have played him when my son learns to play the blues in his electric guitar. "Sonny, Eric really rocks!", I keep telling him. And one of the lessons I hope David learned from his early years (and I hope one he’ll never forget) is that, as someone once said:
"The blues is the root, the rest is the fruit"
April 1st
Lourdes says:
The weary kindis the main theme of the film "Crazy Heart" and the Oscar-winning song in 2010. After listening to several versions, including Jeff Bridges’ performance, I´ve chosen which I consider the best, perhaps because the singer is the author and the way he plays moved me more than the others. As you can see it's the story of a loser because of alcohol. Apart from the lyrics, I would like to emphasize the country sound of the accompaniment; as a whole it turns out to be a moving, heartbreaking ballad.
Lastly, I would like to recommend you to see the film; it´s worth waching Jeff Bridges in the role of an alcoholic country singer whose career is fading away. As far as I'm concerned, he's just superb.
Thanks a lot, Lourdes. I thought nobody else was ever going to send some stuff for our moribund blog.
Well, on a funnier note, I'd like to embed another Youtube clip my son showed me a few days ago, which I find rather amusing. You see, I tend to forward you more or less serious stuff, but not this time.
Anyway, who hasn't heard at least once the famous Pachelbel's Canon? If you listen to the goear player down below, you will recognize the music instantly, I'm sure. "Ah, yes. Beautiful!" You will probably think. Well, there's a guy who's not that fond of it ...
March 7th
Hello folks, here I go again with a bit of music for our blog (which I haven’t done for a while). You know, a few days ago I was watching A3’s news bulletin when Matias Prats read the news that it was 70 years, no less, since Frank Sinatra had had its very first hit. So the TV channel played a dull report on the glorious artist, as usual full of corny cliches, such as his alleged crime links with to the mafia, his political views, his condition of a womanizer, blah, blah, blah. But what made me upset is that they always seem to play the same obvious and trite songs, namely New York, My Way and Strangers in the Night, which to me are among some of his most "average", however famous they may be in Spain (and indeed across the world). I mean, they depict an old Frank, well past his prime (very much like Elvis in his Vegas period), when actually he sang, literally, hundreds of marvellous songs who very few know. You see, I regrettably discovered Sinatra in my late twenties, thanks to a very influential secondary school English teacher I had, my always remembered Juan Antonio Carrascal, who later became a close friend until a terrible disease took his life some years ago. Indeed I had heard of Sinatra but never paid much attention to his music (apart from the classic hits, New York and stuff). That was until he recorded for me on a modest 4-cassette pack (those were the days!) a collection by the name “100 songs in the life of a man”, which I still preserve like a treasure, for the sentimental value, certainly not the sound quality, as the original source was an old turntable. He was shocked I couldn’t possibly appreciate Frank’s music as it deserved. And damn right he was! Well, those tapes were like a revelation to my ears: soon I started to love Frank’s masterful phrasing, his crystal clear English (I keep telling my students, as did Juan Antonio to me, that they’re a hopeless case if they cannot understand his words … and that music, well, the glorious “swinging” jazz sound that grabs you by the throat and never lets go. But I will let the music by “Ol’ Blue Eyes” (as he was sometimes nicknamed) speak for itself. I’ve chosen, just because that’s the song I listened to on BBC radio 2 which triggered off all these memories, a 1957 classic, representative of, to my modest opinion, his best period, the so called Capitol years (when he signed a contract with the namesake record company): Witchcraft, a beautiful love song with short yet powerfully romantic lyrics that can only be described with two words: sheer class! Wow, I guess I’m making this too long. Just let me end up by saying that I hope this latest addition on our music blog will arouse in some of you the curiosity for this universal artist … Enjoy!
March 1st
Ana wishes to have another song featured in the film Once embedded on our music spot. This time is not a duet by Glen and Marketa, but just her (yet I'm not sure if Glenn does the backup during the chorus) singing a beautiful heartfelt ballad called If you want me. You know, the film is sort of driven by music rather than dialogue, and this is a good example, but I'm not going to spoil the plot by saying what it means within the film, as hopefully some more of you guys will want to see it too.
