Orphan Black

If you know me and have seen me in the past few years, you have probably heard me mention (aka talk obsessively about) Orphan Black. The reason for this is that it is an awesome tv show that deserves much praise, with an uber-talented lead actress who deserves all of the Emmys. It is a show about clones becoming aware of each other and fighting for their independence and safety from those who created them. It is a science fiction endeavor with exploration of nature vs nurture, medical ethics, and gender roles.

In the opening scene of the show we see our main protagonist, Sarah, on a train platform arguing with someone over the phone. When she hangs up she makes her way toward a woman who is crying loudly. The woman (later identified as Beth) turns just as Sarah is about to reach her and we see that she looks just like Sarah. Then Beth takes her own life by walking off the train platform in front of an incoming train. Our anti-hero of a protagonist, Sarah, freaks out and then runs off with Beth’s purse, deciding to impersonate her in order to steal her money. Did I mention our protagonist was a drug dealing con artist?

The story certainly starts off with a bang and continues to increase in intensity throughout the first season. As we move along we meet the clones, particularly the wonderfully suburban Allison, the science nerd Cosima, the psychotic Helena, and the corporately corrupt Rachel. There are other clones along the way, but these are our main crew.

There are two things character-wise that make this show amazing. The first is that Tatiana Maslany plays all of the clones and you have to watch each episode more than once because during half of the first viewing you are thinking, “oh my god, this is the same actress – how…” Second, it would be very easy for a show about clones to pigeon-hole each character into a stereotype. But it doesn’t. Each character is wonderfully deep and complex.

Yes, Allison is a suburban housewife and mother but she also secures a gun for Sarah and teaches her use it. Her relationship with her husband, which at the beginning we see as strained and superficial, becomes one of the best on television. “Hello Donnie!”

The makers of the show know all this, and as they are aware of Maslany’s acting talents, often have her play one of the clones impersonating another clone. It would be easy for Maslany to slip into playing the impersonated clone, but no, you can see elements of the original clone in those scenes. How does she do it?!

Another aspect of this show is its female-centricity. It easily passes the Bechdel Test and even fails a reverse test. The women in this show are the main attraction here and the male characters are the support roles. The most complex and featured of the male roles is Sarah’s foster brother Felix, who is a gay anti-hero in his own right. In an industry where complex female leads are rare, it is refreshing to see so many wonderful characters in this show.

Outside of the show, Tatiana Maslany is an amazing person; a feminist, an LGBT ally, and a comedian. Don’t you want to support her? I do!

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater

When I first moved to New York City I tried to soak up as much of the city culture that I could. I would sign up for all sorts of raffles and mailing lists in hopes of truly experiencing a historic NYC institution. My second birthday in the city was just that experience. I received in the mail a poster advert for Alvin Ailey that looked something like this:

Or this:

Or this:

And I thought that this was something I needed to see. So I got together a small group of friends for a show that just happened to be on my birthday (their season regularly coincides with my birthday, which to this day has been such a treat for me!). It was the first time for each of us to see Alvin Ailey and we had the privilege of seeing this routine.

http://www.nytimes.com/video/arts/dance/100000002944572/learning-to-fly.html?src=vidm

As well as their most well-known and performed piece, Revelations.

After the show concluded, my group of ladies bustled with excitement as to what we just saw. It was mesmerizing, inspiring, and breathtaking. The impeccably talented dancers were all very well-toned (we could tell even from way back in the audience) and moved gracefully across the stage. The pieces themselves were beautiful, sometimes devastating, and always thought-provoking. You could tell that there was such craft and attention to each and every detail.

The founder and namesake of the dance company brought black modern dancers into the spotlight in NYC back in the 1950’s. Revelations, a piece that incorporates African-American spirituals, gospel and blues, premiered in 1960 and has since become the most widely viewed modern dance piece in the world. Without the history and background of the group and the piece, Revelations is still wonderful. However, with this knowledge it is on another level.

Shortly after my first show I tried to soak up as much Alvin Ailey as possible, seeing Ailey II, going to performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and at Prospect Park. Never have I been disappointed. I do not see them every year for my birthday, but I just had the pleasure of attending a show where both Caught and Revelations were performed, taking me back to that very first show.

Akira Kurosawa

When writing this blog post I almost become overwhelmed by all the things I could say about Akira Kurosawa; his impact on film-making and other film-makers, his philosophy and poignant messages cleverly infused throughout his movies, or even his professional relationship with actor Toshiro Mifune. There is so much information about him and so many things to discuss but that is too big a scope for this here blog. So instead, I will highlight some of his movies that I formed a connection with and the reasons why. I am sure there are themes or concepts that I am missing but I have a chorus concert that I need to get to tonight so time is limited.

I will start off by stating that I am a very visual person and tend to connect more to imagery than words. In this sense, it is understandable that I would appreciate Kurosawa’s films as they tend to be quite visually stunning. I am not surprised to hear he was a painter before a filmmaker.

Rashomon

Ever the film student’s obsession, Rashomon is an examination of truth shown through the rape of a young woman and subsequent murder of her husband, the trial that occurs thereafter, and – to get even more meta – an interpretation by others involved after the trial. The testimony of each of the parties involved in the rape and murder differ vastly and show different perspectives.  It’s a slow moving but visually striking movie that has coined the term, “the Rashomon Effect,” meaning contradictory interpretations of the same event by different people.

When I think of Rashomon, I immediately remember the testimony of the murdered husband, given through a medium. The blowing fabric and the bizarrely placed eyebrows haunt my memory of this movie. And that is something that Kurosawa does well.

Ikiru

I called Rashomon slow moving, but in comparison with Ikiru the movie was more like an action film. Ikiru can be tough to get through but the payoff in the end is so great. The film is split into two halves; during the first we see an aging bureaucrat diagnosed with terminal cancer, seeking to make something of his life before the cancer inevitably takes it. The second half shows a conversation at his funeral where others discuss the turn of events in the man’s life that led him to make a change in the community.

Ikiru stars Takashi Shimura, a regular in Kurosawa films. Shimura perfectly encaptures this depressed man’s life and his seeking for greater meaning. The poster for the movie shows a scene representing the turning point in the man’s life.

Dreams

Dreams is a wonderful exhibition of what Kurosawa can do when adding color to his already beautiful contextual imagery. Made later in his life, it is a collection of short films, each an embodiment of a dream. This films excels in showing Kurosawa’s concept of the world and his place in it, as well as his attention to detail and forms. I love this scene where a young boy observes a kitsune (fox) wedding in the woods on a rainy day. The movement of the “foxes” is meticulously stunning and then it is later juxtaposed with the young boy being told by his mother to seek forgiveness from the foxes who expect him to kill himself for intruding in their space.

Seven Samurai

Not being a fan of samurai movies in general, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed Seven Samurai. This is because, much like Joss Whedon, Kurosawa takes a step back to give a larger perspective while simultaneously giving attention to the smallest of details. The overall plot is this, a village is attacked by bandits who take all of their crops, so to prevent this from reoccurring they enlist the help of seven samurai to protect the village. In the process, we see the hoarding, violence, and shaming from the villagers that arise out of fear.

The final scene in the movie is perhaps the most poignant. While the villagers are joyously singing and celebrating their victory over the bandits, the remaining samurai reflect on what was lost in order to maintain the villagers’ security.

Kagemusha

Kagemusha is another film that serves as an example of what can be done when adding vibrant colors to Kurosawa’s movies. This movie is said to be a precursor for Ran (Kurosawa’s critically acclaimed adaptation of King Lear). In Kagemusha a thief is brought in to impersonate a deceased lord in order to trick opposing clans and avoid attack. I personally prefer Kagemusha to Ran and I think that is due to images likes the one below. It seemed like Kurosawa was like, “Red everywhere! Red! Red! Red!”

The other thing that struck me about Kagemusha was the practice of Japanese forms. At the time I saw this movie I had begun practicing zen meditation and was able to recognize some of the formalities in the movie. Again, Kurosawa had his eye on the details.

These are Kurosawa films that I have found most inspiring but he did have a long and fruitful career. I am constantly seeking new films by the man to enjoy so please feel free to make recommendations. There are layers upon layer in his films and sometimes they require repeated viewing.