This morning: bright sunshine, blue sky, no wind, at 9 o'clock already 26°C; watering the flowers on the graveyard.
A voice behind me:
- Good morning, Mr. J.
- Ah, good morning, Mrs. D. The dear dead are thirsty these days, aren't they?
- Indeed, it's awful hot.
- Well, up here it's certainly a bit warmer than down there. Want to move six feet under? I did not ask.
- A bit warmer? Hot it is! Awful hot. I am sweltering. [laughing]
- Oh well. Take it easy. It's summer. In six months you'll complain about how cold it is, and the oil-price, I did not say.
- I have nothing against summer. But that's just too much.
- 26°C? Too much?
- The heat came too fast. And the day has just begun. Don't you feel it?
...
I felt ... indeed ... reminded of different kinds of heat:
In case you wish to dive a bit deeper into Harun Farocki's work, here's for a beginning.
Oh, and to the lady's question I (smilingly) replied: Yes, I do. What about just enjoying life?
And her answer: Soon I will. We'll spend our holiday in Tunesia.
A powerful short film. It packs more effect and meaning into 2.5 minutes than most commercial films contain in 2.5 hours. Farocki seems to have a large and fascinating body of work. Thanks Sean.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Stan that is a powerful film. Although very different in many ways it brought Peter Watkins's flim the War Game to mind, with the dead pan delivery of the awful facts.
ReplyDeleteI agree. Just too hot to have been used in that senseless war. This is not the whole film is it? It should show the victims. And we should keep our eyes open wide.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the G20 and G8 Summits leaders, meeeting in Toronto this week-end, to solve the problems of the world, will take a few minutes to watch Mr.Farocki's film. I doubt it. They're barricaded between walls and security zones, protected from the mass of humanity who will suffer the effects of their decisions, be it in war or in our so-called peacetime. May God have mercy on their souls.
If God exists, of course!!!:)
ReplyDeleteAnd if politicians have a soul! Sometimes, I doubt it...
ReplyDeleteStan,
ReplyDeletevery well put: It packs more effect and meaning into 2.5 minutes than most commercial films contain in 2.5 hours.
Nicht löschbares Feuer (Inextinguishable Fire) is considered one of the important films against the war in Vietnam.
Certainly it was one. Today it is or ought to be understood as a film against (any kind of) war, or putting it positively - a film pro peace.
Jams,
thank you. As you mention The War Game, I add Hannah Arendt's Banality of Evil.
Claudia,
the total film-length is 25 minutes.
Why do you think the victims ought to be shown? Don't the words tell as much as 1.000 pictures which, by the way, can easily be found in the web.
As for the ladies and gentlemen suffering from summititis: They are - to stay in the picture - burning lots of money, lots of resources, lots of chances.
Lots of hope? I doubt there are many people left who pin their hopes on this kind of razzmatazz.
Anyway, time to pin my head on the pillow. The peace of the night. :)