Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Until the end of the world

Yes, now I've seen it again! Until the end of the world - the epic movie from 1990. 279 minutes in the futuristic world of Wim Wenders, set in his imagined world of 1999. When I saw it back in 1991 I was amazed and really captured by the music, the beautiful scenery and the story. Seeing a movie like that 15 years later doesn't always leave you with the same impression. Back in 1991 I saw the 2 1/2 hour version; the version I bought in Milan is more than 4 1/2 hours and is the director's cut. I saw the three parts of the movie in three nights. The first and last part of the movie is excellent and better than the 1990-version. There are parts of the movie (especially in the middle part) that could have been cut down, but even in the middle part of the movie there is a beautiful sequence after a plane accident where the two main characters walks around in the Australian desert accompanied by Peter Gabriel's "The blood of Eden".

The movie is set in a futuristic world, in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. Its fun, but some of the futuristic clothes seem a little outdated today. The last part of the movie is still very powerful and raises a lot of questions. Are there any limits for technological development and are there lines that shouldn't be crossed? What happens when we cross those lines, and are able to use technology to look into our own psyche and make movies of our dreams? It makes them insane. The aborigines in the movie understand that those lines shouldn't be crossed, it's holy and not for us to see. The only solution to be free from this obsession is through words (reading to make sense of the world) or through spirit (letting spiritual people "take" your dreams and obsession).

Wim Wenders´conclusions makes sense. I believe in the power of words, and I believe in the power of the spirit. Once more I was both encouraged and challenged by this movie. Where are we now? Wenders´dark prophecy challenges us to think where we are headed, to be aware and not let technology rule us, but let it be an instrument for building relationships and connections. I'm not sure though. I want this to be true, but at times I feel that we're already at a place where we've crossed certain lines that shouldn't have been crossed. Are we living in a society where BIG BROTHER rules, where we're not free anymore? I don't know, but I do know that words and spirit still are there to make us free...

Tomorrow I'm going to London to celebrate New Year's in this great city!

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Christmas day in Oslo

Huk, Oslo Christmas Day 2005 (Photo: Norwegianblogger)

After having a great celebration of Christmas Eve in Asker I went for a little walk with others from my family this afternoon at Bygdøy here in Oslo. It was fantastic!

Sunday, December 18, 2005

A weekend in Milan

After spending a couple of days in Venice I've spent the weekend in Milan. It's like coming to a capital after staying in a mountain village. Not that Venice is a mountain village, but Milan is really different; cosmopolitan, international, busy, vibrant and a mix of old and new.

I had time for a museum here as well, the Pinacoteca di Brera; a great museum with an interesting collection. Highlights for me were Modigliani's portraits and Carlo Crivellis' "Madonna della candeletta". I actually had a hard time finding the museum. I was in the actual building, but it was dark and I got confused by the signs. A friendly student at the Academy helped me find my way - another great thing about this museum - it's actually a part of a greater whole; not only a museum in itself.

Milan was filled with thousands of people, enjoying a concert outside the Duomo, finding things in the big Christmas market and shopping. What was best in Milan was to sit a couple of hours in the sun in the courtyard of the imposing Castello Sforzesco. I was transported back to a time of knights and dragons (and the warmth from the sun was nice as well).

Castello Sforzesco, Milan (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2005).

Concerning shopping in Milan; I was more than happy when I found a four disc DVD version of the Wim Wender movie "Until the end of the world" in the famous shopping center Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II. This is one of my top five favorite movies ever! I've seen it two times, and I loved it both times. The music (U2, Peter Gabriel, Daniel Lanois, Nick Cave, Jane Siberry, K.D. Lang, R.E.M and others) is amazing, the storyline is intriguingg and the movement between continents and different scenery is fascinating. The actors are also among the best; Max von Sydow, William Hurt, Sam Neill, Jeanne Moreau are all top notch actors. I've been hoping to find it on DVD for years, but I thought it hadn't been released. Well, it has - at least in Italy. I'm really looking forward to look at it. I will give you all a report when I've seen it. It was expensive, but if the Director's cut is as good (or better) than the original it's worth every Euro (actually 40 of them).

Friday, December 16, 2005

Venezia - Venice

I was writing about St. Lucy / Santa Lucia a couple of days ago. Now I'm at her final resting place: the city of Venice, Italy. The railroad station is actually at the exact place she was buried, but they moved her gravesite to a church nearby. The name of the railway station is actually Santa Lucia.

Today is freezing here in Venice, and it's foggy too. It makes the setting nice for a spooky adventure. Yesterday was wonderful with sunshine from a blue sky. This is a city of contrast at this time of the year. I'm glad I'm here in December. It's not as crowded as at other times of the year and you tend to see a lot of the locals, even though the Japanese presence is obvious.

A dark adventure in Venice (Photo: Norwegianblogger, December 2005)

Yesterday I went to a great concert in a church here in Venice. I can't imagine a better setting for Vivaldi's Four Seasons. I really enjoyed it. I've had time for both the Guggenheim museum and the Accademia. Two great museums with interesting collections. Best of all while you're in Venice is to walk and walk and walk. I really feel it in my legs now. I've been walking a lot. At 18:20 I'm having the train to Milan. I'm going to spend the weekend there. Maybe a couple of more museums, some good food, and for sure a lot of walking! Chiao. Arrivideci!

Tuesday, December 13, 2005

Santa Lucia - A Nordic Tradition

St. Lucia celebrations in Oslo, Norway (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2005)

In the Nordic countries there are a lot of traditions connected to this day - 13th of December. Angelic-looking children light candles and dress in white robes as they commemorate the Italian saint Santa Lucia (St. Lucy) who defended her faith into martyrdom. This morning I was lucky enough to experience a little of this 13th of December magic. First I passed children singing and dressed in white in the main street of Oslo, Karl Johan, and afterwards I was able to take part in the celebration at my workplace. I think these kinds of traditions are important, and the story about St. Lucia is well worth remembering too.

Kristine Alveng - Our “workplace St. Lucia”, captured the spirit of this day. (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2005)

Saturday, December 10, 2005

Christmastime is here (soon)


Detail from Karlskirche, Vienna (Photo: Norwegianblogger 2005)

I've spent much of the day listening to Christmas music, lighting a few candles and letting the Christmas spirit fill my place and my inner being. There's something about Christmas that amazes me every year: The Earth celebrates a child. I think it's a wonderful thought. At one time in history: God - the Creator of all things and the Ruler of the Universe became a child. God was left in the hands of a teenage mother and a poor father. This story is very touching, because it tells us something about God. Through the eyes of the child Jesus God watched the world, and made himself dependent upon Mankind. What a story - what a message. This calls for a celebration: Celebrating children, celebrating mothers and Mankind that actually was able at one time in history to nurture God into being a man. Most of all it's a time for celebrating God's love of Mankind and for God's presence trough a little child in Bethlehem 2000 years ago.