documentary, music, Uncategorized

1075 – Charlie and his Orchestra

In the twisted annals of the Third Reich, few stories are so improbable as that of “Charlie and his Orchestra.” Even as Nazis campaigned against “degenerate” jazz music, persecuting musicians and throwing “swing kids” into concentration camps, behind the scenes Joseph Goebbels and his Propaganda Ministry were creating a jazz orchestra that would serve up Nazi propaganda backed by the latest music.


Let’s go bombing

You’re Driving Me Crazy 

Elmer’s Tune (German Submarines)

Thanks For The Memory 


wiki: Charlie and his Orchestra (also referred to as the “Templin band” and “Bruno and His Swinging Tigers”) were a Nazi-sponsored German propaganda swing band. Jazz music styles were seen by Nazi authorities as rebellious but, ironically, propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels conceived of using the style in shortwave radio broadcasts aimed initially at the United Kingdom, and later the United States, after the German declaration of war on 11 December 1941.

British listeners heard the band every Wednesday and Saturday at about 9 pm. The importance of the band in the propaganda war was underscored by a BBC survey released after World War II, which indicated that 26.5 percent of all British listeners had at some point heard programmes from Germany. The German Propaganda Ministry also distributed their music on 78 rpm records to POW camps and occupied countries.

Propaganda Swing: Dr. Goebbels’ Jazz Orchestra (1991 documentary)

 


 

documentary, movies

1066 – The Highwaymen (2019)

timespace coordinates: 1934 Texas,  Oklahoma, KansasLouisiana

highwaymen

The Highwaymen is a 2019 American crime film directed by John Lee Hancock and written by John Fusco. The film follows Frank Hamer and Maney Gault (Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson), two Texas Rangers who attempt to track down and apprehend notorious criminals Bonnie and Clyde in the 1930s. Kathy BatesJohn Carroll LynchKim DickensThomas Mann and William Sadler also star. The Highwaymen began a limited theatrical release in the United States on March 15, 2019 and was released digitally on March 29, 2019 on Netflix. (wiki)

“The art direction is equally meticulous in illustrating the time period: the migrant camps and other settings, the clothes and incidentals, including old-time chenille bedspreads. In addition, the film doesn’t gloss over Bonnie and Clyde’s merciless brutality.” (Diane Carson review)

imdb


Remembering Bonnie & Clyde, documentary (youtube)

documentary, Uncategorized

1009 – The Secret Life of Plants (1979)

The Secret Life of Plants (1973) is a book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird. The book documents controversial experiments that claim to reveal unusual phenomena regarding plants such as plant sentience, discovered through experimentation. It goes on to discuss philosophies and progressive farming methods based on these findings. The book was heavily criticized by scientists for promoting pseudoscientific claims.

The book was the basis for the 1979 documentary of the same name, directed by Walon Green and featuring a soundtrack by Stevie Wonder, later released as Journey through the Secret Life of Plants. The film made use of time-lapse photography (where plants are seen growing in a few seconds, creepers reach out to other plants and tug on them, mushrooms and flowers open). (wiki)

The Secret Life of Plants Hi res on youtube


imdb

documentary, games

963 – Return to Castle Wolfenstein (2001 video game)

timespace coordinates: 1943 Germany, Norway

26456-return-to-castle-wolfenstein-the-platinum-edition-windows-front-cover

steam


History of Wolfenstein

documentary, movies

930 – The Man Who Killed Don Quixote (2018)

54597_1The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is a 2018 adventurecomedy film starring Adam Driver, directed by Terry Gilliam and written by Gilliam and Tony Grisoni, loosely based on the novel Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes. Gilliam unsuccessfully attempted to make the film many times over the span of twenty-nine years, which made it an infamous example of development hell.man-who-killed-don-quixote-movie-terry-gilliamThe film premiered on 19 May 2018, simultaneously acting as the closing film at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival and being released in French theaters. Gilliam has struggled to release The Man Who Killed Don Quixote worldwide since then, partially due to a lengthy legal dispute with former producer Paulo Branco, and the film was only released in a few other countries. On 17 December 2018, the film was confirmed for a US release in March 2019. (wiki)mv5bowiwyzq1nzetywy5nc00zjg4lwfhyjaty2u0zjbiotjinjnhxkeyxkfqcgdeqxvymtmxodk2otu@._v1_sy1000_cr0,0,755,1000_al_“Toby, a disillusioned advertising executive, becomes pulled into a world of time jumping fantasy when a Spanish cobbler believes him to be Sancho Panza. He gradually becomes unable to tell dreams from reality.” (imdb)the_man_who_killed_don_quixote

Lost in La Mancha 

He Dreamed of Giants