Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Black and White

I'm writing this sitting on a toilet in a Montreal hotel. No, not a severe case of constipa- tion, but the bathroom is the only place in this room where I can get decent wifi reception.

Back home, the broadband connection is very slow - 128 kbs, which makes the downloading of large files impractical. So whenever I come to Montreal I look forward to many hours of downloading at a less frustrating rate. Lately I have been prowling the Internet Archive site, which makes available many films, recordings and pictures whose age has pushed them into the public domain, so no worry about DRM and copyright laws, which I find particularly baffling.

I have a number of films on my wish list this time around - Murnau's Nosferatu, Melies' Le Voyage dans la Lune, and any of Max Fleischer's Betty Boop cartoons, which I find engrossing. His version of Snow White with Cab Calloway as Koko the Clown is particularly psychedelic, especially the "St James Infirmary Blues" segment.

All of these classics are, of course, in black and white which I find is one of the greatest gulfs in the generation gap between myself and my children. You see, they steadfastly refuse to watch anything not in colour. Any television made before the mid-sixties is immediately switched to something more understandable, such as Aqua Teen Hunger Force, while they believe cinema only began with the invention of Technicolor.

In my way of thinking, this "divide" can be best described as the difference between blatancy and nuance. On one hand, all the information required to understand a particular work of art is provided for them, and viewing becomes a passive "cold" experience. But with black and white in the hands of artists the viewer must interpolate and supply the missing information, drawing them into the narrative, scenery and atmosphere.

Anyways, my butt is getting numb sitting on the toilet seat cover for so long, so I'll get on with my downloads.

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47 Comments:

Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

I was pissed when Ted Turner colorized all the old classic films. I think that calls for some serious jail time.

8:52 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

I checked out the Internet Archive - pretty cool!! Thanks for the tip.

7:30 PM  
Blogger DutchBitch said...

I know the post was about more interesting stuff, but the disturbing knowledge that there's only decent wifi reception on the toilet is the thing that is sticking in my mind now... And the part about your butt getting numb... that too...

9:51 AM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Hope you off that toilet by now or you are headed for a major case of 'roids!!

8:39 PM  
Blogger marty said...

I think you should notify the folks at toiletpaperworld.com about this. Just mention my name and get a good seat.

Wait that was wrong!

8:58 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Think you are settin' the toilet sitting record there nanuk - I'll alert Guinness.

1:22 AM  
Blogger Fuff said...

Helloooooooooo?

9:11 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

And he's gone again...

10:55 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

And the Gold Medal for World's Longest Dump goes to...nanuk!

12:18 PM  
Blogger Anna said...

Surely to god yer not still on the crapper...????

7:30 PM  
Blogger Pat said...

And Nanuk sat so long on the crapper that he got confused...began mistaking "piss" for the plural of "isp".

Ta Dum...

11:05 AM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Downloading while downloading. That nanuk, what a multi-tasker!

11:01 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Told you that you shouldn't have drank the water!!

5:32 PM  
Blogger Pat said...

Just wanted to let you know that I've tagged you, White Bear! See my post "Food Fight", if you'd like details!:
http://sotheotherdayiwas.blogspot.com/2007/05/food-fight.html

1:07 AM  
Blogger Mademoiselle Princesse said...

Youhouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

9:07 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Yo nanuk, where you at???

1:37 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

The silence is deafening

11:03 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

Dude. You are can't be gone for good.

Can you?

7:17 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Dude, where you @????

1:49 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

i know at the moment he is very busy trying to get some meat since the ice has melted and he should be back within a few weeks. Last time I saw him he was heading out with Yuri on the land looking for some oats or barley and find his inner beauty. Will let you gals/guys know when I see him as we are waiting for a post from him. Might be that no internet service on the tundra.

11:52 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Follow the caribou herd!!

7:40 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Tarnation boy, where you at???

10:19 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

I'm organizing a search party to scour the tundra in search of Nanuk. Anyone interested in journeying to that frozen polar bear infested place please let me know...

1:19 AM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

I'll even bring the beer!!

10:29 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Buddy, stay where you are... Forming search party, leaving soon... Will bring whiskey...

7:32 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Hang on Nanuk, I can only find one of my snowshoes!!!

2:34 PM  
Blogger merlinprincesse said...

Well... Phosgene Kid.... Maybe Nanuk is only enjoying his short Summer... :)

4:01 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

*taps fingers...*

9:16 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

MP, you may be right - make hay while the sun shines and I think he only has like 2 months up that close to Santa's Village...

6:28 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Alas poor Nanuk, we knew you well...

5:24 PM  
Blogger Fuff said...

CAM ON NANOOOOK. GRRRRRRR

9:31 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

I think he fell in a crevasse, or is ti crawvass, I can never remember.

9:46 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Or maybe fell off the edge of the ice and became an Orca snack.

7:59 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

So I guess this means we should talk amongst ourselves?

11:06 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

WD: Look as though that is the case. I keep hoping he'll suddenly re-appear....

5:12 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Shit, now I am just talking to myself - not a good sign...

7:22 PM  
Blogger merlinprincesse said...

Hhehehe...oups...

10:36 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Well, on the ppositive side I think this post has garnered the most comments...

8:20 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

It has hasn't it? So how are you, anyway, PK? Read any good books lately?

6:36 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Why yes I have! I re-read "The Catcher in the Rye" and am now reading "On the Road: The Original Scroll" by Kerouac. And you???

9:11 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Looks as though the old boy is gone for good, or maybe his settlement ran out electricity.

8:03 PM  
Blogger merlinprincesse said...

lalallalall! lllalalllallalalala! :)
I sing soooo well!

12:50 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

Wow, music!!!

12:19 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

It wont be long now!!!!!!!!! Nanook has been found!!!!!!!
We will all be able to catch up to the miss adventures of Nanook over the short summer months. Snow has now befallen his den, hibernation is over a balmy -01 to-day. This should awaken Nanook. Be prepared
A close watcher of Nanook'''''''

1:36 PM  
Blogger The Phosgene Kid said...

That you Yuri???

8:21 PM  
Blogger WrathofDawn said...

Maybe it was a polar bear.

And yes, I have read a good book or two over the summer. One was an historical novel that told the story of Ann Boleyn from the point of view of her sister. Not terribly intellectual, but entertaining.

Dooo, dooo, dooooo...

*harmonizes with merlinprincesse*

7:32 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thank you soooo much. I had no idea the archive existed.

Also I should thank Dawn 'cause I followed a link here from there

2:21 AM  

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