Johan Lif
@johanlif.bsky.social
Reads & listens to music. Writes occasionally. Usually works with labour law. On sick leave due to glioblastoma (brain tumour). Former journalist & union negotiator. Swedish.
Without knowing much about what he was like with children, you get the feeling that Hitchcock liked and understood them – and that could direct them, unlike Bergman, who definitely could not, and that this speaks to the respective man’s character.
February 26, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Without knowing much about what he was like with children, you get the feeling that Hitchcock liked and understood them – and that could direct them, unlike Bergman, who definitely could not, and that this speaks to the respective man’s character.
Surely The Killing (1956) is Stanley Kubrick’s best or at least most entertaining film? (I haven’t seen Spartacus, it looks silly.)
February 25, 2025 at 1:28 PM
Surely The Killing (1956) is Stanley Kubrick’s best or at least most entertaining film? (I haven’t seen Spartacus, it looks silly.)
The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles, 1947). A lot of this is weird in an overdone, likeable way – the villains! the aquarium! the music! the very plot itself! – but what about Welles’s Irish accent?!
February 25, 2025 at 5:55 AM
The Lady from Shanghai (Orson Welles, 1947). A lot of this is weird in an overdone, likeable way – the villains! the aquarium! the music! the very plot itself! – but what about Welles’s Irish accent?!
A childhood memory: discovering the genius of Roberta Flack through hearing the cover band between Stockholm and Helsinki play “Killing Me Softly”. I thought it was a great song then (though it may have sounded a bit more Finnish than the original); still do, of course. RIP.
Roberta Flack, soul and R&B icon behind Killing Me Softly, dies aged 88
Roberta Flack, soul and R&B icon behind Killing Me Softly, dies aged 88
Much-loved singer known for Killing Me Softly With His Song, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face and duets with Donny Hathaway and Peabo Bryson, had suffered a stroke in 2016
Roberta Flack, the US singer behind a string of hits including Killing Me…
www.theguardian.com
February 24, 2025 at 5:16 PM
A childhood memory: discovering the genius of Roberta Flack through hearing the cover band between Stockholm and Helsinki play “Killing Me Softly”. I thought it was a great song then (though it may have sounded a bit more Finnish than the original); still do, of course. RIP.
Just watched: Stroszek (1977). I was sort-of prepared to go along with this until Herzog thought it a good idea to finish it up with a sped-up auction scene (”haha looks, they are hillbillies!”) and, er, dancing chickens.
February 24, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Just watched: Stroszek (1977). I was sort-of prepared to go along with this until Herzog thought it a good idea to finish it up with a sped-up auction scene (”haha looks, they are hillbillies!”) and, er, dancing chickens.
Can you give me more examples of European films like Paris, Texas that in some vaguely pretentious sense are ”about America”? Like a cinematic equivalent of Baudrillard’s America, from around the same time? Doesn’t have to be bad, but doesn’t have to be good either.
February 23, 2025 at 10:28 AM
Can you give me more examples of European films like Paris, Texas that in some vaguely pretentious sense are ”about America”? Like a cinematic equivalent of Baudrillard’s America, from around the same time? Doesn’t have to be bad, but doesn’t have to be good either.
I don’t know why I watched Digital Dreams (1984) but I did. It was not good. (Lennie van Dohlen would later appear as that fragile guy in the hothouse in Twin Peaks, where he was also not good, though I know TP fans who are very fond of him.)
February 22, 2025 at 1:16 PM
I don’t know why I watched Digital Dreams (1984) but I did. It was not good. (Lennie van Dohlen would later appear as that fragile guy in the hothouse in Twin Peaks, where he was also not good, though I know TP fans who are very fond of him.)
Bands I couldn’t remember after having some kind of epileptic troubles yesterday: The Doors, Rolling Stones and Sigur Rós.
Band I had no trouble whatsoever remembering: Sparks.
Band I had no trouble whatsoever remembering: Sparks.
February 19, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Bands I couldn’t remember after having some kind of epileptic troubles yesterday: The Doors, Rolling Stones and Sigur Rós.
Band I had no trouble whatsoever remembering: Sparks.
Band I had no trouble whatsoever remembering: Sparks.
Watched: Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985). This one was very good (despite having some occipital troubles catching up with the subtitles).
February 19, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Watched: Vagabond (Agnès Varda, 1985). This one was very good (despite having some occipital troubles catching up with the subtitles).
Watched recently: The Lady Eve (1941). I like Henry Fonda in general, and the film is funny, but I thought it was supposed to be more about that snake (it’s good in the animated opening titles but doesn’t really deliver)
February 18, 2025 at 5:50 AM
Watched recently: The Lady Eve (1941). I like Henry Fonda in general, and the film is funny, but I thought it was supposed to be more about that snake (it’s good in the animated opening titles but doesn’t really deliver)
Watched: Die Stille nach dem Schuss (Volker Schlöndorff, 2000). Good film about the RAF terrorists who were given new identities by the Stasi in the early 80s. Specifically based on the life of Inge Viet (who, unlike most of her fellow countrymen, thought live in the East was just terrific).
February 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Watched: Die Stille nach dem Schuss (Volker Schlöndorff, 2000). Good film about the RAF terrorists who were given new identities by the Stasi in the early 80s. Specifically based on the life of Inge Viet (who, unlike most of her fellow countrymen, thought live in the East was just terrific).
The Bridges of Madison County (1995). Too little in this film is about the actual bridges, thought the few shots you get of them are quite nice.
February 17, 2025 at 1:27 AM
The Bridges of Madison County (1995). Too little in this film is about the actual bridges, thought the few shots you get of them are quite nice.
Reposted by Johan Lif
Crazy ass piece of modernist classical music: Elliott Carter’s Double Concerto for harpsichord, piano and two chamber orchestras (1961)
Semi-incomprehensible, but surprisingly fun.
Semi-incomprehensible, but surprisingly fun.
Elliott Carter - Double Concerto (1961) for harpsichord, piano and two chamber orchestras
YouTube video by Un petit abreuvoir
youtu.be
February 16, 2025 at 2:07 PM
Crazy ass piece of modernist classical music: Elliott Carter’s Double Concerto for harpsichord, piano and two chamber orchestras (1961)
Semi-incomprehensible, but surprisingly fun.
Semi-incomprehensible, but surprisingly fun.
I dreamt Roger Waters needed a haircut. He was very ugly.
February 16, 2025 at 6:18 AM
I dreamt Roger Waters needed a haircut. He was very ugly.
Now watching: Au revoir les enfants (1987). My fourth Louis Malle film, after Ascenseur pour l'échafaud, Le Feu follet and My Dinner With Andre. They have all been quite dissimilar (and all good).
February 15, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Now watching: Au revoir les enfants (1987). My fourth Louis Malle film, after Ascenseur pour l'échafaud, Le Feu follet and My Dinner With Andre. They have all been quite dissimilar (and all good).
Reposted by Johan Lif
It’s time for dinner! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Dinn...
My Dinner with Andre - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
February 14, 2025 at 7:12 PM
It’s time for dinner! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Dinn...
Reposted by Johan Lif
I'm honoured that @essencepress.bsky.social published my "In Memory of Bob Cobbing" as a limited edition folio. The poem consists of 2 transparent sheets representing india ink "teardrops" which can be laid over any text ... order your copy today: www.juliejohnstone.com/essence-pres...
February 14, 2025 at 1:10 AM
I'm honoured that @essencepress.bsky.social published my "In Memory of Bob Cobbing" as a limited edition folio. The poem consists of 2 transparent sheets representing india ink "teardrops" which can be laid over any text ... order your copy today: www.juliejohnstone.com/essence-pres...
Now watching: Lost in Translation (2003). I saw half of it when it came out, but then either fell asleep or did something else, thinking it boring. In retrospect (so far), I was right – it is boring!
February 14, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Now watching: Lost in Translation (2003). I saw half of it when it came out, but then either fell asleep or did something else, thinking it boring. In retrospect (so far), I was right – it is boring!
Watching, thanks to @awestfell.bsky.social: The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973). This film is good & really smells like old tobacco smoke!
February 13, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Watching, thanks to @awestfell.bsky.social: The Long Goodbye (Robert Altman, 1973). This film is good & really smells like old tobacco smoke!
Reposted by Johan Lif
sun in the honeyhives
combing order from time,
light on light suffuse
like liquid copper
climbing in the dark
ore heights Byzantine
-Ronald Johnson
combing order from time,
light on light suffuse
like liquid copper
climbing in the dark
ore heights Byzantine
-Ronald Johnson
February 13, 2025 at 1:45 PM
sun in the honeyhives
combing order from time,
light on light suffuse
like liquid copper
climbing in the dark
ore heights Byzantine
-Ronald Johnson
combing order from time,
light on light suffuse
like liquid copper
climbing in the dark
ore heights Byzantine
-Ronald Johnson
Reading and writing with a brain tumour has become increasingly cumbersome (new MR scan results ready in two weeks or so) but I can still have coffee and read about Phil Minton in the hospital cafeteria as light pours through the windows. Which is nice.
February 13, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Reading and writing with a brain tumour has become increasingly cumbersome (new MR scan results ready in two weeks or so) but I can still have coffee and read about Phil Minton in the hospital cafeteria as light pours through the windows. Which is nice.
Reposted by Johan Lif
Joan Miró (Spanish, 1893-1983)
"Gaudí XXI", 1979
Etching and aquatint in colors with collage, on Arches paper; 45 ½ x 28 in.
*
[signed in white pencil, numbered 11/50, published by Maeght, Paris]
"Gaudí XXI", 1979
Etching and aquatint in colors with collage, on Arches paper; 45 ½ x 28 in.
*
[signed in white pencil, numbered 11/50, published by Maeght, Paris]
February 13, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Joan Miró (Spanish, 1893-1983)
"Gaudí XXI", 1979
Etching and aquatint in colors with collage, on Arches paper; 45 ½ x 28 in.
*
[signed in white pencil, numbered 11/50, published by Maeght, Paris]
"Gaudí XXI", 1979
Etching and aquatint in colors with collage, on Arches paper; 45 ½ x 28 in.
*
[signed in white pencil, numbered 11/50, published by Maeght, Paris]
When I first got into improv early/mid 1990s in my young youth I remember seeing this cd in stores and thinking “Jaap Blonk and Phil Minton on the same record – it must be CRAZY!” – but unfortunately I never bought it (perhaps it was too crazy!) – apparently you can make up for that now.
As I got many reactions to my recent post about the “Five Men Singing” CD, I inquired at VICTO records if they still had copies, and yes! Today I received new stock from Canada.
jaapblonk.bandcamp.com/album/five-m...
jaapblonk.bandcamp.com/album/five-m...
February 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
When I first got into improv early/mid 1990s in my young youth I remember seeing this cd in stores and thinking “Jaap Blonk and Phil Minton on the same record – it must be CRAZY!” – but unfortunately I never bought it (perhaps it was too crazy!) – apparently you can make up for that now.
What did I like from my recent watch list? Well, I really liked My Darling Clementine, the John Ford film from 1946! It created this whole little world unto itself and did it very well & the scene where the town was visited by the Shakespeare actor was great.
February 13, 2025 at 1:26 PM
What did I like from my recent watch list? Well, I really liked My Darling Clementine, the John Ford film from 1946! It created this whole little world unto itself and did it very well & the scene where the town was visited by the Shakespeare actor was great.