Henry Hill’s legendary confession line from the beginning of The Goodfellas: “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”, to a large extent also referenced Martin Scorsese’s personality. It remains noted that his childhood spent on the sidewalks of New York could easily draw him to the crime world. He never hid his fascination with characters from that milieu. He was shown two more avenues of life – through the Catholic Church and through the cinema. Choosing the latter will result in one of the most widely acclaimed oeuvres in film history.
Continue reading “Duel With Your Own Shadow”Author: thecradle
The Joey Project
“Last month we watched the fires rage in Australia, witnessed the devastation of lost habitat, wounded animals, exhausted fire fighters and volunteers.” – Ura Jones
Here on the rainy west coast of Canada, I wanted to do something, anything – to contribute a small drop of help, of hope. So I joined a global collective of crafters and began to sew Joey pouches for the millions of orphaned marsupials. I am happy to have created 102 pouches in various sizes; may they provide a small comfort to help these animals survive.
Continue reading “The Joey Project”As I Began to Love Myself
Charlie Chaplin (1889–1977)
As I began to love myself
I found that anguish and emotional suffering
are only warning signs that I was living
against my own truth.
Today, I know, this is Authenticity.
The Birch Tree
Sergey Yesenin, (1895–1925)
Just below my window
Stands a birch-tree white,
Under snow in winter
Gleaming silver bright.
Merry Christmas!
Nativity Homily of Saint Isaac the Syrian
This Christmas night [Christ] bestowed peace on the whole world;
So let no one threaten;
This is the night of the Most Gentle One –
Let no one be cruel;
This is the night of the Humble One –
Let no one be proud.
Before the ice is in the pools
Emily Dickinson (1830–1886)
Metal
“The metal element is the essence of Jin and corresponds to the West, autumn and the color white. Now is the time of Metal, when energy enters nature, man, animals. A lull and a longer energy break commences, when everything that has accumulated over the summer and the element of Fire has been horded, collected to prepare for the upcoming winter, which comes after Metal – the period of autumn, soothing and silencing.” – Marija Vrebalov
“Melt down the universe and refashion it”– is a phrase used in some rituals with multi-layered meanings.
The history of metal, as far as we know, begins with the use of copper about 11,000 years ago.
It is an integral part of our lives, on a daily basis, without even being aware of it.
Continue reading “Metal”Tracing a Renegade
Half a Century – The Wild Bunch
Look around you: the torrents of blood are being spilled so cheerfully as if it were champagne – a delirious and disturbingly accurate observation of the world of one of Dostoevsky’s characters, happens to be stereotypical and only partly applicable to Sam Peckinpah’s oeuvre, as violence in films of such an ingenious type is one of the central topics, yet not the most important one. The nonconformity of expressive individuals in transitory times and their disobedience to the modern rules that most often result in a loss – are the basis of the poetics of the melancholic Sam.
Continue reading “Tracing a Renegade”