Post date: 16-Oct-2017 13:55:39
Aguirre, the Wrath of God, by Werner Herzog (1972)
Werner Herzog, one of the most important directors of German cinema, has a very personal approach to filmmaking, which reaches its quintessence with Aguirre. A first feature of its cinema is its esthetic approach: his directing is definitely influenced by its experience in the documentary cinema, for which he dedicated a big part of his career. His camera is trembling, in the middle of the action, capture the immediate reality of a scene like no one does. He knows to film faces, in all their particularities, and the environment in which character evolves in such a mystical way. And this is another feature of his cinema: the relation of man and nature. Nature is mysterious, powerful, mystic and dangerous, in Herzog's cinema, contrasting with its representation of man, which is doomed by its madness and powerlessness. This madness is embodied by one of the most impressive actor of cinema history, Klaus Kinski, and one of the most emblematic love/hate relationship, the one of Herzog and Kinski. This long, beautiful and painful collaboration produced astounding movies, even though it reached extremities such as on Fitzcarraldo setting, when Herzog had to threaten Kinski with a rifle for him to stay on stage. Finally, the strange music of an obscure Kautrock band (a type of progressive rock which emerged from Germany) brings this movie to the status of cinematographic experience. It is an hypnotic and chaotic journey through nature's threatening presence and humanity's pathetic madness. If you let Herzog bring yourself in the middle of the amazonian jungle, you will witness memorable cinema sequences that will remain in your mind for a while.
Close to the Edge, by Yes (1972)
Let's talk about the most famous band of progressive rock, Yes. The British band indeed made the style popular with the groundbreaking album Fragile in 1971, and after several band member change, became a popular pop band with the single Owner of a Lonely Heart. To be honest, I had difficulties to appreciate Yes in the first place, as I found their music "cold": progressive rock can be "soulless" as it focuses too much on technical, well-executed and orchestrated parts. Close to the Edge is the album that convinced me of that band's genius. It may not be the most approachable album of the band, but it is the one where the member's talents and the group's cohesion is the most astounding. The 18 minutes opening track is an incredible and mad journey, with incredible time signature changes, from very syncopated drums and bass sections (of Chris Squire and Bill Bruford) to baroque organ style episodes led by Rick Wakeman, passing through the ambitious vocals of Jon Anderson. It is an emotional and groovy composition that is followed by two 10 minutes as mind blowing as the previous one. And you and I became a band classic, and I have a personal preference Siberian Khatru and its funky rhythms. In sum, it is a sensitive showcase of musical virtuosity, dominated in my heart by the incredible works of Chris Squire and Bill Bruford. It is an album to get deeply into several times, every time listening to a different instrument and realizing the incredible creativity of this work.