NewsFlash: Prints of Darkness on TV3

Well not quite, but TV3 have interviewed Pip and myself today about the film and big cat sightings in general. It was a lot of fun being on the other side of the camera and it was nice to think that the exposure may well drag a few extra souls along to the Regent to see six quality films on Saturday June the 6th. Get your tickets now, just $3.

If anybody from outside Dunedin would like to come along for the premiere let me know as I have arranged some quality accomodation at a swanky B & B for half price.

The TV3 piece was co-ordinated by Natasha Utting on behalf on the Campbell Live team. It will go to air next Thursday the 7th of June or Friday the 8th. Once we have confirmation of the night I will post it on the blog.

Own a piece of New Zealand Film History: Part 11

Along with the wonderful artwork produced for the film by Wendy Prior, we have a range or T-Shirts available. They can be purchased in a variety of colours and sizes. We are able to offer them for $40 NZ each including postage and packaging within New Zealand.(Its for a good cause, honest!)

Just email me your size and details and I will organise a t-shirt.

Its not how far you fall, it's the way you land

Great albums come along rarely so when you discover something superlative it is worth shouting about it. So pasted below is a review I have just drafted for the Otago Daily Times.

Artist: Soulsavers

Title: It’s not how far you fall, it’s the way you land

Label: V2/Shock

Opening up with quite possibly the most intriguing, mesmerising and downright addictive 4 minutes of music released in 2007, Soulsavers signal an intent to craft a piece of music brilliance and pull it off. ‘Revival’ is the track in question; a wondrous exploitation of a repeating motif that haunts the subconscious long after the album has come to a halt.

Soulsavers are the brainchild of English producers Rick Machin and Ian Glover whose previous release “Tough guys don’t dance” flew largely under the radar. Much of the success of this album then lies firmly in the throaty pipes of ex Screaming Trees front man Mark Lanegan. Not only did he contribute vocals to 8 of the 10 tracks but also he co-wrote five of the tracks.

Back in the early 90s his wonderful vocals were often buried in a grunge pit, and while his mere presence elevated the Seattle sound to a slightly different sphere, he had never quite realised his true calling, as the natural heir to the Tom Waits-Johnny Cash songbook. Though, back in 92 Lanegan hinted at something resembling this work with Soulsavers on his seminal solo release, ‘Whisky for the Holy Ghost’.

Hence it is a delight to discover that from those sessions, ‘Kingdoms of Rain’ has been resurrected. In the intervening 15 years, Lanegan’s voice has matured in a pickle of tobacco, liquor and hard living. The transformation from the original is remarkable.

Add to the mix a guest appearance by Will Oldham, a reworking of Neil Young’s ‘Though my sails’ the Stones ‘No Expectations’, and you have something that may have easily fallen over but does quite the opposite. Nothing great ever comes from playing it safe and the inclusion Spain’s ‘Spiritual’ from 95’s ‘The Blue Moods of Spain’ a case in point. The original was magnificent yet this version somehow tops it.

In danger of spewing too many superlatives, ‘It’s not how far you fall, it’s the way you land’ is a fantastic collection of 10 individually packaged moments of aural pleasure that exist somewhere between gospel, country, soul and mashed up electronica.

Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed By: Mark Orton

Soulsavers – Revival

Own a piece of New Zealand Film History

Grandiose statement for sure, but we are pleased to offer you the opportunity to purchase some film merchandise prior to the Worldwide premier. In conjunction with local artist Wendy Prior who we can never thank enough, we have some limited edition prints of a large black cat in a typical mid canterbury landscape. Wendy produced the work as part of her contribution to the film with the objective of raising some funds to help us recover the costs we have incurred making this film. So its all for a good cause really.

If you are interested in purchasing a print then please visit Wendy's website or blog. Otherwise you are welcome to contact me directly and I will arrange for a print to be shipped out from here.

The Conscience Cafe

With a caffeine obsession controlling many of my daily moves, I have often been plagued by guilt that I unwittingly enjoy the devil's cup while many coffee plantation workers get shafted in the marketplace. Hence, when Oxfam contacted me via email recently to announce their big coffee break promotion I thought heres a chance to do something good and really test whether this fairtrade coffee can cut it.

Taking my trusty Vibiemme Domobar Super espresso machine to the University of Otago Zoology Department I set about brewing up coffees for all and sundry. It seemed to be a great success with many people returning to be replenished. And the coffee...well the brew sent to me by Oxfam was top notch and I'll be sure to buy it just as long as the local supermarkets can be convinced to give it a go. Check it out, Zigana espresso.

Anyway, here are some photos of the event.

ibreast?

After a prolonged period of nil blogging I figured it was time to start a new post with something not at all related to my film project, as that is taking up enough time as it is!

As my ipod is now nothing more than a rather expensive albeit pretty looking paper-weight, I decided that (stupid me) I would investigate ipod replacement options. In doing so I discovered a rather ingenious product being developed by Apple that will give silicon breast implants functionality as well as aesthetic appeal, introducing the ibreast.

“Apple Computer announced today that it has developed a computer chip
that can store and play music in women’s breast implants.

The iBreast will cost $499 or $599 depending on size.

This is considered to be a major breakthrough because women are always
complaining about men staring at their breasts and not listening to them.”