Catch up day

I didn't leave the house today. I caught up on some grading and put some pin hole images up on my class Wiki. I've got one recording booked for Sock-vile tomorrow and potentially a second. Then in the middle of plunking away on my email, I got a message from my old friend and mentor from when I was in film school, Szymon, whom I've not heard from in 25 years. I was totally floored. I'm not really sure what to say about him, sort of feel like I shouldn't say anything as he said so little about himself in this message. To say it was cryptic would be an severe understatement. I am left with little doubt that this was a one time message to say some things he'd pondered for some time, perhaps looking for some sort of closure, and I won't hear from him again. If I do, I'll be totally pleased, but surprised.

B-side to You're My Best Friend

I just found out that Michelangelo Antonioni died the other day, but it was the same day that Bergman died so he seemed to not have gotten any press. He's best known in America for "Blow Up", one of his two English language films. We saw it in film school, it is great and highly influential film. One film that I always think about is "The Red Desert" which I was asked, by my favorite professor from my undergrad days - Szymon Choynowski - to edit the commercials out of after he taped it off of French tv. He'd been looking for it for a long time and that was the first time he'd been able to get his hands on it. I was very pleased to do some work for Szymon, especially something as interesting as this. Unfortunately, the version was in Italian with French subtitles and I speak neither language, so I continue to be in the dark about the plot, but the images were beautiful. I'm certain I can find a copy easily now, we probably have one in our department collection, but my experience of it could never be improved upon.