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.
After a 2-week stretch Ana has written a small review on our blog, this time of a 2000 film directed by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot:
Durham (Northern England), 1984. Eleven-year-old Billy Elliot, whose father and brother are miners on strike and whose mother died not long ago, attends boxing lessons after class, but what he really likes is the girls’ ballet lessons. Living in a gruff family, with the exception of his grandma, who lives unaware of reality, his secret new love for dancing is a difficult issue for him. Nevertheless, he doesn’t give up pursuing his hidden dream. Taking everything into account, Billy Elliot is a film such a hard (yet also sweet), moving and captivating film that you can’t stop watching it until the very end.
Thanks Ana. Our blog was rather inert of late, so your contribution, however small, has brought it back to life. A highly recommendable film indeed, acclaimed by the critics and loved by audiences across the world, which scooped a few awards at the time and is regarded as one of the best British films in modern history. This is a little sample, the official trailer courtesy of, what else, YouTube:
March 10th
Hi there! Tell you what: since she visited the Emerald Isle, Ana has become half Irish now, kind of a leprechaun, ha ha! Only joking ... or am I? The thing is that she seems obsessed with all things Irish. You see, she has just sent a review of another film shot on location in Dublin. First, it was Once, and now ...
Engagement, dedication, obligation, responsibility…(The) Commitments. That’s the title of this 1991 movie, directed by Alan Parker. The sweet dream of a working-class group of Dubliners doesn’t commit them to anything but pursuing their fondest wish, which is playing soul music.
What is the most important thing? Achieving a dream, even if it’s too painfully brief to relish? That is the premise behind “The commitments”: a youngster from a humble family decides to found a music band, so he recruits other boys and girls from the same background with no apparent prospect of future in order to make his dream come true ... and he kind of achieves it, but what happens in the end? Well, I don’t want to be a “spoiler” so you must watch the film.
Apart from the unbeatable Dublin atmosphere, the music envelops a modest and unpretentious plot, with a dose of harshness not exempt from tenderness.
To tell you the truth, I know that I’m not absolutely objective because I adore music and I am very much in love with Dublin. Anyway, the best way to know if I’m right is to watch this great film, The Commitments.
Thanks a million, dear Ana. I cannot but recommend this highly entertainment Alan Parker flick - the first screen adaptation of the so called Barrytown Trilogy, written by Irish author Robby Doyle - specially if you love quick-witted dialogues and soul music. Here's the trailer.
March 8th (the "Oscar hangover")
Hi guys! It's official: David beat Goliath. Or, in other words, Katherine trashed her former husband James last night in Tinseltown (Hollywood, that is). Fittingly enough, on International Woman's Day, she's made Hollywood history by becoming the first female director to win the coveted award for The Hurt Locker, which practically swept the board with six Oscars. Now, I haven't seen the action-packed war epic, but I'm starting to wonder, is it that good? The thing is that, contrary to what all the media hype - and the generally entusiastic response from audiences across trhe globe - had anticipated, the film of the century, the groundbreaking 3D extravaganza, the smashing box office hit, whatever you call it, Avatar, had to make do with three modest, minor technical accolades (best visual effects and cinematography, indeed). You know, I kind of feel sorry for poor Mr Cameron and guess I surely cast a bad spell on his flick ... not bloody likely! I still feel Avatar is overrated, presumptuous, overambitious ... a mediocre story with a spectacular wrap, so Cameron and his big-budget film got what, in my humble opinion, they deserved. Mind you, not that I think much of the Academy members' artistic judgement and assessment, as they could have chosen Tarantino's glorious Inglorious Basterds as a perfect alternative to the Hurt Locker. Or Precious, for that matter. Or Up in the Air, or even the fantastic animated cartoon Up. The small consolation is that Cristoph Waltz (such an extraordinary performance as the bloodthirsty colonel in "I.B.") won the much anticipated Oscar for best supporting (¿?) actor. Then both the critics and the public quite agree too that Jeff Bridges deserved to win, at long last, an award for his great portrayal of a run-down country singer as much as for his long illustrious career. What I cannot understand is the nod to Sandra Bullock (or Sandra Botox, as she is nicknamed sometimes), whose acting (or rather "overacting") I've always abhorred. Spainwise, Pe(nelope) left the Kodak Theatre empty-handed so she couldn't kiss her lovebird, Javier Bardem, in front of the US audience (that would have been something for our country's gutter press!). The nearest our cinema reached glory, so to speak, was the award for best foreign language film to Argentina's El Secreto de sus Ojos (a wonderful film, I hear), whose statuette was presented head to head by Tarantino and our one and only Pedro Almodovar. You must wonder if I stayed up all night long to watch the ceremony as it happened ... well, no. And, according to TV critics, I must have done the right thing because apparently it was dull, slow, BORING TO DEATH. I just watched the opening act with Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin (reasonably funny but not brilliant) and then went to bed until 5:35 more or less when I woke up just in time to watch the last two awards and quickly flick though the ceremony's highlights ... Wow, this is indeed coincidence! Guess who I've just spoken to on the phone? Juan Heras, the Van Dyck owner, who wanted to talk to my colleague Benimar about the forthcoming fim week the school organizes regularly. And as she was halfway through her lessons, he gave me the "inside" information: the "ciclo" will take place in April, from the 19th to the 22nd and then from the 27th to the 29th. And guess which film, one that both he and I love, will be shown among other titles: that's right, Inglorious basterds! It would be long to put down in words the 6-minute conversation we've just had about Avatar, this year's Oscars, but pretty interesting all in all ... Ok, so as I was saying, I've recorded the whole ceremony, which once edited you'll be able to see if you wish, for the sake of English of course. And one more thing I haven't forgotten: I have to check your Oscar ballots to see who has won the competition... Gosh, this is really a lenghty email (may I have set a new Guiness record, ha ha!). Sorry mates for the "sermon"! See you tomorrow Jose Luis
PS: I reckon writing a review of The Hurt Locker on our blog is a must now. Anyone who's seen the film willing to do so? In the meantime this is the trailer, if only as a small tribute by our modest blog to the ... film of the year?
Mª Jesús says:
Yesterday, I saw the French film A prophet. It was nominated for best foreign language film, although finally it didn't win. A prophet is a gripping prison drama, where the main character is a young guy, Malik, who starts his six-year imprisonment in a French prison. He is an illiterate orphan, born in France to Arab parents, but he is extremely clever and sharp. He meets very different kinds of people inside the prison and he learns many interesting and useful things from each one. Malik learns to write and read inside the prison. Later, he learns economics and languages, because different languages are mixed in this story. The characters speak French, Italian and Arabic. Malik realizes that it is very important to understand the different groups of criminals if you want to survive inside. So, the prison becomes his "school", which is a paradox. Mainly, he becomes the servant of a Corsican gangster, who virtually runs the jail. On the other hand, he meets an Arab, who encourages him to study in prison. He will become his best friend and will trust him. He also meets a typical gypsy drug dealer. In this way, the main character changes mentally as the years go by inside the prison. In this "school", he develops a criminal education rather than his moral rehabilitation. I recommend you A Prophet despite being a bit violent, as it engages you. Besides, I think that the film shows the realistic situation of the prisoners both inside the jails and when they are released, specially because on many ocassions these guys are unemployed immigrants, and the society is unable to rehabilitate them.
March 7th
Hi folks! It's barely 12 hours before the Oscars ceremony begins in LA. Fittingly enough, Roberto has sent a short review of what could be one of the "dark horses" of the night, a truly harrowing film called Precious:
Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire (this is the long tittle) has just won six Spirit Awards, which proves this independent film is one of the favorites at the Oscars (it has six nominations, including best picture). The film tells the story of Claireece Precious Jones, an obese 16-year-old black girl who lives in Harlem with her selfish mother. She discovers her second pregnancy (she has already had a Down syndrome daughter) as a result of being constantly raped by her father. No one actually loves her but in her mind there is another world where she is appreciated, which helps her to go on with an otherwise very hard life. She begins to go to a new school where a nice woman teaches her to read and write, apart from accepting her as a person. From now on she is prepared to fight and begins a new life with her two children. Precious is a disturbing film with a very moving script, but the main attraction is the female acting (Gabourey Sidibe as Precious and Mo’Nique as her mother). They are both nominated to the Oscars and Mo’Nique is the odds favorite to win in the supporting actress category (she really does a very good job so she is my favorite as well).
Thanks a lot for your review, Roberto. And good luck for the Oscar competition!
March 1st
Hi and welcome to a new entry of our blog. Well, reviews keep flooding in (which fills me with immense joy) and this time it's Ana Navarro's turn:
Invictus is the latest film directed by Clint Eastwood, based on the political and human figure of Nelson Mandela.
In my opinion this film may be divided into two different parts. In the first one the focus is on the figure of Nelson Mandela when he had just become President of South Africa. Invictus reveals the terrible situation of the country due to Apartheid, and also the gripping personality of Mandela, who suffered the consequences of Apartheid and, despite being imprisoned for such a long time, forgave his oppressors and did his best to put and end to the racism problems that his country went through.
In the second part of the film the main interest is in the way Mandela finds to join blacks and whites together for a common cause: winning the rugby world cup that is going to take place in South Africa. To my mind, this second part of the film is predictable and the rugby matches take so much time. So, if you are not a fan of the sport, there is too much of it. Furthermore, in order to enjoy this second part it seems to me that it is better to have a basic knowledge of rugby. Only when I was explained its importance in some countries such as England, South Africa or Australia, or the significance of the dance by the All Blacks, the New Zealand team, before the final match starts, did I understand rugby’s full meaning.
All things considered, it is without any doubt an uplifting, feel-good film, highly recommendable.
I cannot finish this review without speaking of the main actor, Morgan Freeman, who is superb in the role of Nelson Mandela. In fact, he is nominated to this year’s Academy Awards, the Oscars. Of all the nominees I have only seen George Clooney in Up in the Air, and, as far as I am concerned, Morgan Freeman deserves the award much more than George Clooney. Let´s see what happens!
Well done, Ana. Let me just say I haven't seen the film yet though I've always admired Nelson Mandela, possibly my true political icon of the late 20th century. However, I cannot imagine, after watching the trailer down below, Morgan Freeman dubbed into Spanish, so I guess I'll wait until I can download the film or it is available in the video club. Hope the SGAE watchdogs are not reading this!
Ana has written a review of a delightful independent film, Once, directed by John Carney:
Something as accidental as a broken down vacuum cleaner is the excuse for an absolutely marvellous story set in a wonderful city: Dublin.
A vacuum-fixer who plays the guitar in the streets in his free time meets a Czech girl who also adores music. Their two lives merge through their songs. In fact, it’s the story of two sincere musicians who are required to relegate their passion by their harsh lives, specially hers.
If I have to choose what the idea of the film is, it’s MUSIC no doubt; yes, with capital letters: music lets you achieve your most secret dreams, or at least, live your mundane existence with benevolence.
This movie makes me wonder what exists behind every simple life that we come across with. The plot is so daily that makes it deeply credible, but not exempt from sweetness, tenderness and bitterness in a way that can tear the seams of your soul.
That said, I’m pretty sure all of you will want to watch this film; otherwise it would be a tremendous mistake.
Then Lourdes has also watched the film, and duly sends her review:
This is the story of a chance meeting of two lonely people in one street of Dublin. Despite their different lives (he is Irish and she is Czech) they share an interest in music. So, through their songs, we manage to get inside their dreams, dissapointments, emotions, doubts, etc. This moving film wouldn´t be so brilliant without its powerful soundtrack. It is remarkable how he plays the guitar and sings with a lot of feeling; sometimes his voice is so strong that it turns out to be heartbreaking while the Czech girl´s voice is full of sweetness. But when they sing a duet, the result is so amazing that they won the Oscar in 2008 for the best original song with FALLING SLOWLY.
Once is an uplifting film and, without making concessions to sentimentality, a love story but far from the hackneyed soppy stories with a happy ending that we are used to watching.
As I see it, perhaps the ending is bittersweet but actually one of its incentives, which makes the film more realistic.
I recommend it to you, specially if you like music or if you believe that dreams can come true; and if you want to have a great time with a feel-good film and learn English, of course, it´s easy to follow.
Ana, Lourdes, thanks a million for your reviews, I couldn't agree more with them. Once is a great little film, one that doesn't need a big budget or lush special effects (Hum, you know which one I mean, don't you!) As the caption on the trailer below reads, which summarizes the film to perfection, “Once has enough heart, verve, wit and song writing genius to ensure you’ll see it far more times than its title suggests”. Well, judge for yourselves, this is the movie trailer:
As Lourdes reminds us, "Falling Slowly" deservedly won an Oscar last year. When Glen and Marketa had to deliver their acceptance speech (I can't embed the clip here due to copyright restrictions, sorry), something funny happened. Watch. By the way, boy do I love Glen's lovely Dublin accent!
Glen and Marketa had, prior to the Oscars ceremony, performed the song at the David Letterman show so I thought I should embed the clip and the lyrics scroller. Such a moving song!
February 11th
Hi guys! We're back safe and sound after a lovely trip to the fine Irish capital. It has been five days packed with English, beer and craic. I haven't got much time to tell you about the details, and I'd rather Ana, Concha and Almu did the job in class anyway (actually Ana has already added a brief comment at the end of this entry). But I thought I should embed a little something on our blog, and as the saying goes a picture is worth a thousand words, so how about a photo gallery of day 1: there's the happy bunch at Barajas airport before the flight and then the first pint at the famous Temple Bar-based pub, Oliver St. John Gogarty's, where we were treated to some live folk music. Plus an audio clip of some Irish music down below from the world-renowned show Riverdance, which fits in nicely with the fantastic dancing show we saw at the Arlington Hotel. Enjoy!
February 6th
Lourdes says:
A friend of mine has just sent me this interesting speech by Isabel Allende about passion, women and feminism. I really enjoyed it not only for the things she says but also the extraordinary sense of humor that she intelligently uses in specific moments. So we can either smile or laugh and life becomes less terrible for a moment. Obviously I agree with most of the things she strongly believes in; otherwise I would be an insensitive, deaf and blind human being who doesn´t care about anything except herself. However, I must confess that, a few years ago, I gave up reading her novels because the main characters were too similar to each other and I got fed up with that, but now, after listening to her explanations, I wonder if I misjudged her, thinking she had found out the way to sell her books, all of them bestsellers . As far as I'm concerned, the most important thing is that people have to know the truth about the lack of human rights, especially for women and children all over the world. Because this is the first step to open our minds and change our behaviour for a better future to everyone.
February 2nd
Welcome to a new entry of our blog!
Love him or hate him. Quentin Tarantino, the enfant terrible of American cinema, had never been my cup of tea, but I have to admit that there's something about his latest movie, Inglorious Basterds (yes, spelt with an "e"), that I cannot help being fascinated by. Whether it's the humorous approach to an otherwise utterly tragic human event, the Nazi Holocaust, or, as a former student of mine once put it when talking about the Kill Bill series, the almost poetic violence he depicts on some scenes through some extraordinary cinematography and haunting music, or even the superb performances of the cast led by a convincing Bradd Pitt, with a special mention to Austrian actor Cristoph Waltz in the role of the murderous Nazi officer, I completely loved this gory yet thoroughly entertaining Tarantino's story of vengeance, which I saw last Sunday. Needless to say you can borrow the DVD from today. Besides, I love the mix of languages, English, German and French (and ocassionally Italian) throughout the film. More than ever, this is a flick to be enjoyed in original version.
Listen guys, I'm too busy (and lazy!) these days for a personal review, so I thought I could embed, not also the movie's trailer but also an expert's opinion (Ty Burr, that's his weird name) on the Boston Globe website in the form of a videoclip.
So, has anyone else seen IG so you would to agree or disagree with my views? This is the place, folks!
