Thursday, June 30, 2005

Movies watched in June 2005

Kurutta Ippeji (1926, 衣笠貞之助) - 8/10
大路 (1934, 孫瑜) - 7/10
體育皇后 (1934, 孫瑜) - 6/10
新女性 (1934, 蔡楚生) - 6/10
Ossessione (1943, Luchino Visconti) - 8/10
Sanshiro Sugata (1943, 黑澤明) - 6/10
不了情 (1947, 桑弧) - 6/10
松花江上 (1947, 金山)- 6/10
太太萬歲 (1947, 桑弧) - 8/10
Hakkodasan (1977, 森谷司郎) - 5/10
The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer (1984, Stephen Quay & Timothy Quay) - 6/10
Yari no gonza (1986, 篠田正浩) - 5/10
The Gate of Heavenly Peace (1995, Carma Hinton & Richard Gordon) - 8/10
Gojitmal (1999, Jang Sun-Woo) - 6/10
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001, Wes Anderson) - 7/10
La Meglio gioventù (2003, Marco Tullio Giordana) - 6/10
Vozvrashcheniye (2003, Andrei Zvyagintsev) - 7/10

Saturday, June 25, 2005

那時代的雜誌

還有那時代的米高積遜

承接〈All-Time 百大影片〉一文。上回結語我說會「再談這份歷史悠久的《時代》雜誌更有品味的一面」,並不是指那張百大名單品味很差(很多影片我仍未看,根本無從置喙),只是對它近年越來越喜歡搞甚麼大選舉,有些不以為然;常以此等活動為噱頭與話題,不免令這份創辦於1923年的老牌雜誌,未來有淪為較豐富的《娛樂周刊》(Entertainment Weekly)或《人物》雜誌(People magazine)之流的可能。這並不單是我的見解,其實不少人都認同近年《時代》雜誌的水準已不及強敵《新聞周刊》,比如明顯的在國內雜誌獎項上落後。

不過苛責《時代》雜誌「自甘墮落」亦有不妥,不獨是它,如果觀察整個媒體發展情況(例如大報變小報,網上閱報者眾,內容圖多文字少之類),反而極可能與大勢所趨有關。終歸新聞雜誌除了提供資訊外,亦是面向大眾,反映世道的工具,社會文化日益淺薄,編輯們免不了會配合讀者口味。《紐約時報》專欄作者 David Brooks 早前就有評論,從以前《時代》雜誌一篇講海明威的文章談起,指今天雜誌中的「中檔」文化(middlebrow culture)大都已讓路給流行文化,藝術和智識都不及名人吸引。他說得對。

《時代》雜誌的悠長歷史,恰巧是時代的見証人;翻看八十多年以來的個個封面,電影導演的已教人目不暇給:永恆笑匠差利卓別靈;三十年代的 Cecil B. DemilleFrank Capra;大師英瑪褒曼(Ingmar Bergman);巨匠大衛連(David Lean);自編自導的活地亞倫;自七十年代開始雄踞美國的佐治魯卡斯(George Lucas)與史提芬‧史匹堡(這個八十年代英姿勃發的形象真不多見);鬼才大衛連治(David Lynch);到今日仍然活躍的名導 Mike Nichols ……

單單導演就這樣好看,其他封面上的名人更加不可勝計了。只要簡單地在搜尋器輸入要找的人和事,或者類別(我就是打 movie 找的),像是 literature、painter、musician 等,你就可以細細發掘一番。我翻看這些舊封面(尤其是那些用顏色鉛筆畫的像),一發思古幽情,已有莫大趣味。不過就如文化人 J. M. Tryee 所說,近十年的表頁了上已沒有甚麼嚴肅文學大家(算不錯了,鋼琴家我近五十年只找到一期霍洛維玆的)。究竟時代不同;我還是喜歡古舊的人與事,沉澱起來確實更有味道。

Sunday, June 19, 2005

All-Time 百大影片

對,是 All-TIME

早陣子(五月下旬)美國《時代》雜誌(Time magazine)的影評人 Richard Corliss 與 Richard Schickel 選出了一張 「影史百大影片」(All-Time 100 Movies)名單,有不同地方的作品(但以美國為主)。當中有四部華語電影入圍:《俠女》、《霸王別姬》、《醉拳2》和《重慶森林》,日本則有《東京物語》(Tokyo Story, 1953)、《雨月物語》(Ugetsu, 1953)、黑澤明的《生之慾》(Ikiru, 1952)與《用心棒》(Yojimbo, 1961)中選。

最令人(是我)驚奇的是有三部印度電影上榜(實際數目是五套),除了有慣見的《The Apu Trilogy》 (1955, 1956, 1959)外,另有《Pyaasa》(1957)與《Nayakan》(1987)當選;可見隨印度經濟崛起,其文化也越得到重視。然而,驟眼看僅有兩部記錄片在陣:傑作《The Man With a Camera》(1929)和《Olympia, Parts 1 and 2》(1938),後者水準很高,但由於導演服務納粹的關係,通常絕跡於大多數選舉,今次我欣見它入選。

向來只翻看《新聞周刊》(Newsweek),因此不知道這兩位影評人水準品味如何。當然,他們選中了我的20大電影名單中的六部作品都很好(呵,有些自抬身價),但從其他途徑看到兩位過往部份的評論,不覺得他們特別高明;尤其是 Corliss ,似乎很欣賞奇觀式作品(spectacular)。我認為這名單與雜誌常做的如一百位最具影響力人物(World's 100 Most Influential People)之類的選舉相若,主要做來刺激銷量、引起話題,兩人之後要在連續多期解話,足見此評選亦甚為成功的變為 talk of the town,目的已達。

今次百大影片的最大價值,無疑是令我留意到一些不認識的作品,至於爭論哪些作品應該上榜云云,實在有些捉錯用神。有興趣可看看以下已特別放進我的 IMDb 「一定睇」(must-see)行列的電影:The Singing Detective (1986)、The Awful Truth (1937), The Crowd (1928), In a Lonely Place (1950), Léolo (1992), Mon oncle d'Amérique (1980), Mouchette (1967), Nayakan (1987), Pyaasa (1957), Sweet Smell of Success (1957)。嗯,下次再談這份歷史悠久的《時代》雜誌更有品味的一面。

人工智能遊戲20Q

你贏,但是20Q最後還是猜出來了
你正想的是... 人.

心念一物,讓電腦對猜,二十條問題內分勝負。

無聊時可以一玩,不過中文版本的譯文太難看。

Friday, June 17, 2005

More scientific tests to check the gender of your brain

Earlier in time, I had seen many bloggers posted a quiz from Blogthings.com (yes, again) to see whether you have a male brain or female brain. The quiz is "What Gender Is Your Brain?" I never tried because it is not that funny and intelligent enough.

Now, I would recommend another pair of tests which is more well-developed and scientific. Simon Baron-Cohen, director of the Autism Research Centre at the University of Cambridge, prepared these tests and the empathising-systemising (E-S) theory.

As you may get it right, he assumed that the female brain is predominantly connected for empathy, and that the male brain is predominantly hard-wired for understanding and building systems. He explained his idea concisely in an article from the Guardian in 2003. (Has Lawrence Summers read it before?)

You could try the tests, one for empathising quotient (EQ) and the other for systemising quotient (SQ). There are interactive Flash versions (but you are not allowed to change the answer) and primitive HTML versions for you. Though they are not short, you would find them worth playing. The results are divided into three types: a male brain, a female brain or a balanced brain.

On average, most women score about 47 and most men about 42 in the EQ test. In the SQ quiz, women score about 24 and men score about 30 usually. But I scored only 25 and 17 respectively. Ha, I hope it means a balanced brain, rather than a dysfunctional one.

Friday, June 10, 2005

非常歡迎的錯版

登!貨不對辦的典範

非常過癮,此 VCD 碟外殼印的雖是西班牙導演艾慕杜華(Pedro Almodovar)1995 作品《愛火花》(The Flower of My Secret),開來卻是水準更高的伊朗導演阿巴斯‧基阿魯斯達米 (Abbas Kiarostami)早一年的名作《橄欖樹下的情人》(Through the Olive Tree)。它在市面早已斷貨,更沒有如《愛火花》有英語字幕的 DVD。欲尋良久,豈料如此情況下得見。

是貨不對辦;但這種錯誤,我非常歡迎。(註:此碟正在拍賣。)

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

The keys to your heart

Well... it is another quiz from Blogthings.com. My result -

1. You are attracted to obedience and warmth.

2. In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

3. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring.

4. You would be forced to break up with someone who was ruthless, cold-blooded, and sarcastic.

5. Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

6. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

7. You think of marriage pessimistically. You don't think happy marriages exist anymore.

8. In this moment, you think of love as something you don't need. You just feel like flirting around and playing right now.

Personally, it could not provide reference as the result in "What kind of soul are you?" I choose to post it here because, first of all, it is interesting and short (you have to select eight kinds of animals only). Also you are able to check out each question separately, find out the actual meaning of a creature.

Remember, it is just a little game. Pick a question as the topic for small talk among your friends, or post one on your blog—this quiz could be used for eight times. (Available in Chinese too, though the translation is not quite accurate...)

Saturday, June 04, 2005

在電郵談文說樂 之一

這個題目是我向一位人在新加坡的前輩建議做的。前輩是位華人收藏家,與我網上結緣,不時魚雁往還,相互交流心得(實際上,當然是他指點我多)。日積月累下,這些電郵單看字數已頗可觀。

反正郵件是放著無事,我又不時要在此地塗寫,靈機一觸,何不選取當中的說話集成一帖?既得前輩同意,便在此奉上我們談文說樂的第一帖。這位前輩(我向尊為兄)身在彼邦,仍念國事、國文、國藝,其名帶的「國」字真是起得妥貼。

國:謝謝你的問候。我還好。希望你也一切安好。……這段時間也看了幾本好書,有章詒和的《最後的貴族》和康正果的《我的反動自述》。你看過了沒?

我:近來我還是胡亂看書。章詒和的《最後的貴族》和康正果的《我的反動自述》都未看,但前者已是我未來必讀之一,後者風評亦不俗。之前在《明月》(《明報月刊》)連載章詒和寫京劇名家馬連良的文章,鉤出動人真實,收入在新作《一陣風,留下了千古絕唱》中。

國:章詒和的《最後的貴族》是一本很真摯的書,你一定要讀。我接下來正打算讀《一陣風,留下了千古絕唱》。我手頭上藏有兩張馬連良四十年代在上海灌錄的京劇黑膠唱片,這也算是一個珍藏了。

我:對,書我一定要讀。嘿,想不到你連馬連良四十年代在上海灌錄的京劇唱片也有,可惜我還未會欣賞。希望先從唐滌生的粵劇開始,慢慢深入吧。

國:我今天去買了《一陣風,巳成千古絕唱》,章立凡的《君子之交》和濯非的《英租界名流在文革的故事》。

我:已買了,很快手。……祝安康,改次再聊。

這是五月份數則短信中的對答。鑑於是首帖,我自然會多寫些簡介,且特別抄來文首尾的問候讓大家易於進入狀態,否則在「很快手」處戛然而止,怎樣也有些奇怪。我原本意念是摘取有相關主題的話句,輯在此處,所以有人會覺得零碎。(除非我原信照錄,否則支離細碎是難免的。﹞

電郵畢竟是新物(但現有不少人已指它過時),對螢幕寫字(如我者),質感當然沒有執筆舒快(當然非手寫筆),有時為方便貪快便喀嚓一聲送出郵件,詞不達意是有的。既要將字放在這裏,好該修改妥當,上文裏字蒙灰者即原病句,這樣順可提點自己的粗心。

章詒和這本《最後的貴族》我仍未看,但依口碑,和她寫父輩馬連良的細膩真摯,此書與《一陣風,留下了千古絕唱》都應該很有水準,可惜貴了些(牛津出版社)。不過為這一襲襲鉤沉章伯鈞、史良、儲安平、康同璧、羅隆基諸位知識分子的文字,應該值得。但切莫貪平買內地版《往事並不如煙》,書名雖然更好,可惜經刪節,寫的往事並不完全。

是結語時候了。儘或有很多不足,但與前輩的談論我以後還是會定期登載,亦會趁機補論一番。不過第一帖就如此冗長,實非原意,可見對自己舊文「載而不作」甚難。不知不覺,由昨晚埋首寫,寫到每年必經的今日,看到近來出的事故,我忍不住想:以上書裏寫的已是歷史,過去結局無法變更,只能為鑑;不過今天,我們會怎樣寫自己的故事?又為未來,留下哪樣的借鏡?

參考書本網址:商務印書館CP1897.com誠品網路書店博客來網路書店

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Movies watched in May 2005

Rescued from an Eagle's Nest (1908, J. Searle Dawley) - 4/10
Das Kabinett des Doktor Caligari (1920, Robert Wiene) - 8/10
Orphans of the Storm (1921, D.W. Griffith) - 7/10
The Phantom of the Opera (1925, Rupert Julian) - 7/10
The Docks of New York (1928, Josef von Sternberg) - 8/10
The Wind (1928, Victor Sjöström) - 9/10
野玫瑰 (1932, 孫瑜) - 5/10
天明 (1933, 孫瑜) - 6/10
小玩意 (1933, 孫瑜) - 6/10
姊妹花 (1934, 鄭正秋) - 6/10
浪淘沙 (1936, 吳永剛) - 6/10
夜半歌聲 (1937, 馬徐維邦) - 6/10
Roma, città aperta (1945, Roberto Rossellini) - 8/10
Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946, Maya Deren) - 6/10
Waga seishun ni kuinashi (1946, 黑澤明) - 7/10
清宮秘史 (1948, 朱石麟) - 7/10
Nijushi no hitomi (1954, 木下惠介) - 7/10
香車美人 (1959, 易文) - 6/10
Fuefukigawa (1960, 木下惠介) - 7/10
Those Magnificent Men in Their Flying Machines (1965, Ken Annakin) - 7/10
A Woman Under the Influence (1974, John Cassavetes) - 9/10
A Fish Called Wanda (1988, Charles Crichton) - 8/10
Death and the Maiden (1994, Roman Polanski) - 6/10
Good Bye Lenin! (2003, Wolfgang Becker) - 6/10
Kingdom of Heaven (2005, Ridley Scott) - 5/10