Legends Of The Fall Review

After I posted the video for my son's birthday, some people asked me about the track I used in it. I'm going to share a little bit about the background of my choice. The track "The Ludlows" was taken from the movie "Legends of the Fall", that I watched last year. It was downloaded last summer, but something prevented me from watching it right away and it was waiting for me to get ready for it. The right moment happened after I came home from Finland where I spent a beautiful week with some gorgeous folks, who also recommended me to watch it. It was the middle of September when it finally happened. 

I got moveless with the first words and scenes. "Tristan Ludlow was born in the moon of falling leaves". Although thousands of movies are produced every year, it's hard to find a good one that's able to satisfy my taste. That one was a gooder.

The first thing I want to mention is the actors and what a big job they did. They played so professionally and so emotionally that they completely changed my previous perception of them. Nobody scared me so much when I was a child like Anthony Hopkins did. His portrayal of Cannibal Lecter is still a vivid memory from the childhood. I would never start watching anything with him voluntarily. I just didn't know he starred in "Legends..." My mom told me. I said "No! It's not him! Anthony Hopkins is scary. This man with a moustache is handsome and pleasant". "That's him," - mom said. I googled. She was right.

Brad Pitt. I never liked him before this movie. Yes, Benjamin Button is rather cool. That's all I saw. I'm not a Pitt fan. But after this flick I watched some more Pitt's films, like "The River Runs Through It", "The Assassination of Jessie James", "Thelma and Louise", etc.

The second point is the scenery. Legends of the Fall was filmed in Alberta and British Columbia, Canada. I haven't been there, but it's on my list. I love the nature over there. I would watch Legends only for its woods and skies.

The costumes are rather simple but beautiful. I like the style of that epoch and would love to dress like that in my daily life. 

 

The last but not the least thing to mention about Legends is that it's an epic drama. It's EPIC. It is. It's about people, the whole generations of people, and their fates. 

Talking about weak features of Legends, I can say that it's way too romantic and represents "a picture-postcard vision of American West". But this is like a cup of cowboy coffee on a chilly September day for me. 

And yes, the story is narrated by an Indian character (a Cree to be exact). Like for it! 

So, I highly recommend Legends for everyone. You will not waste your time, I promise. 

Canadian trapper vs. Siberian trapper.

I've recently seen two movies I feel like sharing about. Those were "The Last Trapper" and "Happy People: A Year In The Taiga".

The first one was produced by 5 countries: Canada, France, Switzerland, Germany, and Italy in 2004. The second one is of German - Russian production and was released in 2010. Both movies can be discribed as documentaries while "The Last Trapper" has much more adventure in it and "Happy People" is purely true to life. I enjoed them a lot. Maybe it's all because I'm fond of pines, lakes and rivers, and boreal forest. Maybe because I admire those fearless men who still live in harmony with nature. These movies made me quiet and thoughtful for a while. I highly recommend them for everyone seeking peace and calmness and craving for good films. 

Norman Winther - le dernier trappeur - lives in the Rocky Mountains in a wooden house made by himself, with his Nahanni wife, Nebraska, and their dogs. Fishing, hunting and trapping provide them with food. Life is hard there, but well-balanced. 

People of the taiga spend summer in the village getting ready for the trapping season which lasts from November till April in Northern Siberia. They make canoes, skis, fishing nets, traps to take them to their winter cabins in taiga when the time comes. To get there they use snowmobiles, while the Canadian trapper prefers a dog sled. One of the main characters of "Happy People" says that he's still in trapping because it's fair to nature and animals. They know that he's a man and they don't expect any good from a man. The fastest and the smartest one wins. It's more humane than keeping cattle. 

Perhaps they are not the very last trappers. But this occupation is at the edge of extinction. I wish I could meet and talk to someone like them. They surely know something elusive, that we, people of the cities, have know idea about.

Thanks for reading. 

Naatee.

День Рождения Яркко

Ярослав был рожден в месяц падающих листьев. И это определило тему нашего Дня Рождения в этом году. Да что там, это всю жизнь нашу определило!

Готовиться я начала примерно за 2 недели.

Первое, что было решено сделать - это гирлянда из листьев. Сначала мы хотели собрать настоящие листья и сделать гирлянду из них. Но к тому моменту, как собрались, все листья опали и сменили свой цвет на грязно-коричневый, поэтому мы решили сделать листья сами. В отдельном посте я соберу ссылки на наше вдохновение, а пока покажу то, что получилось:

Листья мы вместе рисовали, вырезали, раскрашивали, а когда Яркко лег спать, я их собрала на ниточку и повесила над большим балконным окном. Когда на следующий день сын проснулся и увидел гирлянду, он попросил ее включить. На сам день рождения я нашла и повесила нашу новогоднюю. Получилась гирлянда из листьев с иллюминацией.

Для Яра я нарисовала открытку на полуватмане. Его любимые животные, которые ночью "пришли и оставили поздравление на доске" :)

Любимая моя техника - примитивизм. Зато с любовью :)))

Дом мы украсили тыквами и свечами. Из кукурузных початков сделали подсвечник.

И главное украшение стола - торт Наполеон с нашим любимым лосем. Лось появился внезапно. Лучшие идеи всегда приходят ко мне из неоткуда.

Торты Яркко не ест, а вот свечи задувает с удовольствием. Даже по несколько раз. Желание тоже загадал (так он мне сказал. но какое - не знаю :) ).

И вот довольный и уставший именинник (дни рождения - это всегда утомительно под конец!) сидит и раскрашивает что-то. 

Было тепло для конца октября, но очень сыро и ветрено и дождливо. Как в Королевской считалке "Or his birthday in May was a horrible day being wet as November and windy as March". Конечно, 29 октября - совсем не май, но мы ожидали лучшей погоды.

Родственники приходили и уходили, пили чай, радовали Яркко подарками. Мы слушали музыку, танцевали, обедали-ужинали, погуляли под дождем, и легли спать в ожидании белого пушистого и мягкого снега, чтобы лепить снежки и наконец-то принести санки, а его до сих пор нет!