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This Land IS Your Land! (photo slideshow)

2/23/2017

I took these photos at the San Francisco Airport protest on January 29, 2017. Like protests at airports across the country, this one was peaceful, and spontaneous. A heartfelt response from thousands of people who were offended and distressed at the new president’s ban on travelers for seven mostly Muslim nations.

This slide show seemed like a good way to honor Woodie Guthrie, who on this day, February 23rd, in 1940, wrote the lyrics to his wonderful song, “This Land Is Your Land.”

And it is.

Creativity, an Exposé

2/17/2017

Looping and strange, that’s how I’d describe creativity.

Looping because it isn’t linear, though bursts of it arrive straight out of nowhere, and produce something, start to finish. But looping means its always moving towards you or away from you, and that you can always catch the thread of it, or hop on the next time around.

Strange because, well, it isn’t “regular” or “normal”, even though it is utterly common and every human has experienced it. But it has an oddness, a peculiarity. A weird sparkle, which produces a reciprocating shimmer in its audiences. It's contagious.

Back to that hopping on next time around business. Just like sometimes you have to get on the wrong bus because it’s the only one running at that hour, and later you can transfer to the one you really want, sometimes with creativity you need to be a bit less particular. If your grand scheme has been thwarted, or has come to a disappointing, premature stop, you just hop on whatever’s running –a poem, a dance, a garden- and you ride that one a while. You’ll see, you’ll get where you’re going.

Creativity is the enemy to some. Some who weren’t allowed, or who were made fun of. Kids told not to sing, or who watched other, more openly creative types called “freaks” or no-good, jobless hippies. You can understand their caution. And all of us fall prey to those oppressions of the mind. Those ferocious insinuations that we should be doing something “real.”

Art is real. Craft is real. Creation is real.

But our connection to it can be evanescent. Tenuous. Short-lived. Fickle. Succumbing to an inflated vanishing whimsy or a diabolical internal persecution. Because The Creativity Killer lurks around corners and in alleyways waiting for all of us. Even those born in the land of the flower children. (Secret Encoded Message: the Killer is called Judgment.)

That’s why the first grab at the thread must be done gently, and maybe with a bit of stealth. Simply reach out slowly, and take the nearest loose end. Then, using a light squeeze between thumb and forefinger, ever so amiably, just give it a little tug.

Creativity.

It’s cousin is called “Magic.”

L.H.

Noir Movies for Dark Times

2/16/2017

I just got over the flu, and while I was sick, I found some good free movies to watch online. The slow pace and dark mood of most of these films is a good fit for a pensive mood, a tired body, or a weakened spirit.

I’ll start with two famous films by Hitchcock that are free online:

“The Paradine Case” (1947) is a slow-paced legal drama, a good, long movie that’s easy to watch when you’re tired. Great score by Franz Waxman, and a super cast including Gregroy Peck, Charles Laughton, and other great actors in smaller roles. Louis Jordan’s film debut. For some reason film played twice at this link. It’s really only one hour 54 minutes. Watch Movie.

“Rebecca” (1940) Joan Fontaine drives me crazy in this movie. She’s so mousy I fear she will crawl away into a hole in the wall. But oh, I love this film. Lawrence Olivier of course, but for me, Judith Anderson as Mrs. Danvers is one of the all-time great film performances. Waves crashing on the rocks. So Goth. Love this one. Watch Movie.

“The Suspect”(1944) is a good Victorian era noir with Charles Laughton. I think you have to like a no-frills noir to like this one, but I’d watch Charles Laughton read the phone book (yes, I’m old enough to remember when we had phone books) and there are some surprises here, on top of Laughton’s terrific turn as a conflicted husband. Watch Movie.

“Where the Sidewalk Ends” (1950) is more of true, dark noir. It’s a tough-cop drama with Dana Andrews, who’s one of my all-time favorite actors as the cop. Opening credits missing, but better quality than other full versions here. Watch Movie.

“The Man Who Cheated Himself “ (1950) A scratchy old print here, but watchable and a total treat for San Franciscans, as it has some absolutely fantastic footage of the old city, including rooftop chase scenes and neat locales. Wonderful. Also, I’m a big fan of the star, Lee J. Cobb, who plays a detective with a moral dilemma. Watch Movie.

Lastly, I’ll sneak in a light comedy. "Sitting Pretty" (1948) I put up with this silly premise here because I love Clifton Webb and Maureen O’Hara is so very lovely. Plus it’s a fun movie. A family comedy that was the basis for the TV show "Mr. Belvedere," this is pure cotton candy. Great supporting cast with some of Hollywood's best character actors of the era. Watch Movie.

I hope you don’t get the flu, and that you enjoy these old flicks.

L.H.

This Land IS Your Land! (photo slideshow)

Creativity, an Exposé

Noir Movies for Dark Times

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