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Film & BooksIssue: Taurus 07

Step into the Paintings of Vincent Van Gogh in Dreams

Produced in 1990 with assistance from George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, Akira Kurasawa’s eight sequences in "Dreams" are a landmark film achievement. One of my all time favorite film moments, the “Crows” segment, indulges an art enthusiast’s fantasy of stepping inside a Vincent Van Gogh painting and experiencing Van Gogh’s spiritual vision of nature, first hand.

In this colorful and profound vignette that defies space and time, a young man moves from being an observer of Van Gogh’s paintings in a museum to being a traveler inside Van Gogh’s actual paintings. Stepping through wheat fields and starry nights, the traveler soon happens upon Van Gogh himself, played one of Kurasawa’s biggest fans, Martin Scorsese. The resulting exchange is breathtaking both visually and thematically and is a movie moment I highly recommend for anyone who loves or studies fine art.

Akira Kurasawa was born in Japan in 1910. Originally trained as a painter, he storyboarded his films as full-scale paintings. Kurasawa gained world wide recognition as a director in 1950 with the film “Rashomon.” Kurosawa's films have had a major influence on film and film makers internationally. dots

by Ann JandaSagittarius

Film & Books Archives (total entries: 36)

Cancer 10

A Few Good Reads

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Aquarius 10

Burma Chronicles

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Sagittarius 09

Wild Chickens and Petty Tyrants

This witty, accessible, and concise book will raise the mindfulness of the most stressed out person in mere seconds.

Virgo 09 - The Climate Change Issue

Julie & Julia

Meryl Streep is absolutely mesmerizing in Nora Ephron’s film, Julie & Julia. I was blissfully swept away by her portrayal of Julia Child and the story of her supportive and adoring husband, Paul Child, played by Stanley Tucci.

Taurus 09 - The Garden Issue

Edible Green Mountains

My new favorite food magazine is Edible Green Mountains. Filled with beautiful images and interesting articles about local Vermont growers, retailers, chefs, and food artisans, Edible Green Mountains is a feast for the eyes with plenty of food for thought!

Pisces 2009 - The Movie Issue

Frozen River

A struggling, single mother of two has only one wish for Christmas – to move her family out of a broken-down trailer and into a new double-wide.

Aquarius 09 - The Change Issue

WALL-E

Adorable, funny, and eerily post-apocalyptic, WALL-E is, in short, brilliant, and if you haven’t seen it yet, you must rent this fabulous film made by the Pixar division of Disney.

Capricorn 08 - The Career Issue

Dispatches from the Edge

Though Anderson Cooper has reported on many natural and political disasters across the globe, his response to Hurricane Katrina is what made him famous.

Sagittarius 08 & Honest Self Expression

Rachel Getting Married

Like real life-families who have a member struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, the focus of “Rachel Getting Married” isn’t on Rachel, even though it should be. It is on her narcissistic sister, Kym, who is out of rehab for the weekend to attend Rachel’s wedding.

Scorpio 08 - The Money Issue

Review of “The Good Society: The Humane Agenda” by John Kenneth Galbraith

At a time when our nation’s security is in question and our economy is in shambles “The Good Society: The Humane Agenda” by John Kenneth Galbraith has much to teach the abiding liberal as well as the dutiful conservative.