Individual Reading: "The Moon and Sixpense" #2. Champters 11-21

Charles Strickland stays in a sleazy hotel. He seems to be out of habit because there is a mess everywhere. He is unshaved, weares shabby clothes and seedy. There is also no girl who has been said by Amy and Mr. McAndrew. Mr. Strickland lives alone. He loses that life he used to have in London. His wife believes that he used to play bridge in the club, but he instead of the game he has painted his canvases.

During a supper where the narrator and Charlie go out the leaver announces that he doesn't want to keep his wife anymore. He is not interested in his children and what can be with them in a short run. Charlie put his father's charge to McAndrew. Mr. Strickland supposes him to pay for his children's study. But the final point he has mentioned is that he doesn't love his wife anymore. He is sure that his wife should thank God because he saves her from the husband.

Though he has still success among women who don't nead something from him besides the love. His face attracts them, the face of a sensitive man. But he comes to Paris not to find a girl, but to find inspiration for his pictures. Dorathy McAndrew, the sister of Amy, doesn't believe in words of narrator, but then set forth below facts improves Charlies’ position.
 
The painter becomes famous among the local art admirers. Though Charlies doesn’t think that they are not worth of note for his pictures. There is a story that the group of Italians one day has come to the friend of Mr. Strickland to buy his pictures. But the friend’s wife is argue about it as Charles has out of habit to share his money from the picture. He doesn’t give any of his pictures on sale.

The Interpretation of the play "The Tempest" by William Shakespeare

Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaboration, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, two epitaphs on a man named John Combe, one epitaph on Elias James, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.

First of all I would like to begin with the title of the story. Let us analyze its direct meaning. It is clear that the word ‘tempest’ has connection with the natural phenomenon. It means a strong storm at the sea, which is attended by big waves, chilly winds and voices of sinking men.

From my point of view the sitting of the story reveals the full picture of the events which William Shakespeare wanted to show in his play. From my point of view the setting of the story – which is a separate island at the sea – indirectly describes its personality. It seems to be the unique island which is full of magic things and magicians themselves. By the way, the mysterious place predicts future actions and plot development. The whole events alter the story’s meaning.

“The tempest” is set on a remote island, where Prospero, the rightful Duke of Milan, plots to restore his daughter Miranda to her rightful place using illusion and skillful manipulation. He conjures up a storm, the eponymous tempest, to lure his usurping brother Antonio and the complicit King Alonso of Naples to the island. There, his machinations bring about the revelation of Antonio's lowly nature, the redemption of the King, and the marriage of Miranda to Alonso's son, Ferdinand.

Prospero is a fictional character and the protagonist of the play. He is the rightful Duke of Milan, who was put to sea on "a rotten carcass of a butt [boat]" to die by his usurping brother, Antonio, twelve years before the play begins. Prospero and Miranda, his daughter, survived, and found exile on a small island. He has learned sorcery from books secretly given to him, and uses it while on the island to protect Miranda and control the other characters. On the island, he becomes master of the monster Caliban, and Ariel, an elemental who has become enslaved by Prospero after he is freed from his prison inside a tree. However, at the end of the play, Prospero intends to drown his book and renounce magic. In the view of the audience, this may have been required to make the ending unambiguously happy, as magic smacked too much of diabolical works.

Caliban is one of the primary antagonists in play “The Tempest”. After his island becomes occupied by Prospero and his cohort, Caliban is forced into servitude. While he is referred to as a calvaluna or mooncalf, a freckled monster, he is the only human inhabitant of the island that is otherwise. He is depicted as: a wild man, or a deformed man, or a beast man, or sometimes a mix of fish and man, stemming from the confusion of two of the characters about what he is, found lying on a deserted island. Caliban is a Cambion, the son of Sycorax by a devil. Prospero entraps Caliban and torments him. Resentful of Prospero, Caliban takes Stephano, one of the shipwrecked servants, as a god and as his new master. Caliban learns that Stephano is neither a god nor Prospero's equal in the conclusion of the play, however, and Caliban agrees to obey Prospero again.

Narration is very bright here, in this story. There are several types of these language phenomena. We manage to see the interior monologues, narration, description and dialogs themselves. The latest elements are the fundamental construction of the play. We can’t say from whose point of view the story is told, because there are lots of characters with their own vision of this or that situation. But I dare say that the narrator himself – Will Shakespeare is the head of the telling community.

The language of the story is very broad. It is not surprise for me, because of the author – who is supposed to be the brilliant of the British literature. Personally I think the story is based on the simile.

There are lots of themes in the story. For instance the theme of love is shown from the relations between Miranda and Ferdinand. The second one is the fight for the power. We have a chance to see it when the King and his suite argue over the throne. And the third one is the theme of forgiveness. The example of Prospero and his deeds illustrate it to us.

I am sure that the main idea of the story is that forgiveness can give you deliverance from your burden of wrath, sinks and despair. All this has Prospero. But at the end, he escapes from all these things.

In conclusion I would like to say that the play which I have read impressed me greatly. It took me two days to finish reading. Personally I think that it is a great work и the great author.

Rendering 9 (early start) Kustendorf Film Festival: the rendering of the article from the International Radio Serbia published as "6th Kustendorf Festival"

The article which was published in “The International Radio Serbia” on the 18^th, December, 2012 reports at length that the 6th international film and music festival “Kustendorf”, dedicated to future film makers and greats of the modern auteur film, has been opened in the town of Drvengrad on the Mokra Gora mountain.

The article carries a lot of comment on that the Minister of Culture Bratislava Petkovic and host Emir Kusturica are here. Speaking of this-year festival it’s necessary to note that “Kustendorf” is being held under the auspices of the Ministry of Culture. By the way this festival represents a big chance for young and unknown authors.

Analyzing the situation in Drvengrad it’s interesting to emphasize that Emir Kusturica has announced that competing for the prizes are 28 films of young authors from 18 countries. It’s very likely that the program “Retrospective of the greats” will be dedicated to one of most significant directors of our days – Zhang Yimou. There is also the general feeling to believe that the program “Modern tendencies” will present some of the best films of last year’s production and their authors.

As part of the program “New authors”, the audience will see debut full feature films of the authors who are conquering the film world by their specific cinematographic expression. They will also have the chance to see the great discovery of this year’s Venice film festival “She does not want to sleep alone” of young Mexican director Natalie Beristein, also “Nonfootball” of Russian maker Constantine Smirnoff, as well as “Simply” of Sonia Karpunina, who was the winner of the “Kustendorf” competition program in 2011.

There is a lot of comment on an unavoidable segment of the film and music festival on the Mokra Gora mountain is the “Evergreen” program, which always reminds us of some of the most important film works from the past. This year, it will feature the film “Diving suit and the butterfly” of Julian Schnabel.

Giving appraisal of the situation it’s very important to point out that in cooperation with the Film Museum from Lodz, all visitors will be able to see the retrospective exhibition “Krzysztof Kieslowski: signs and memory”, dedicated to one of most important Polish directors.

The correspondent gives no details as to her personal (Tihana Pavicevic) opinion, but from my point of view this festival is very unusual. Its goals, spirit and people make it so.

Individual Reading: "The Moon and Sixpencу" #1 (ch. 1-10)

The narrator of the story is a man of great talent. Hу is a writer. He is found of spending his time in circles of upper class people. Thank-you-very-much that in London he manages to find what he wants in full breath. One of his friends, Rosa Waterford has a habit to gives parties where there are lots of boring people: heads of councils with their wives, widows of bankers and other people whose responsibility to visit such type of evenings. It is unspoken rule if you owe somebody a party.

Rosa Waterford is a gossiped woman. She knows everything about everybody. One day the storyteller meats her on the street. Mrs. Waterford reports that the husband of Mrs. Strickland leaves her to France with a girl and stays his former wife without a groat.

Mrs. Strickland is interested in books of the narrator. They spend much time talking about this or that genre of literature. One day the witness of the events has been invited to the afternoon meal. Their he has seen Mr. Charles Strickland at first time. It is a broad-shouldered, massive man, with large and big arms and legs, he is clean-shaven. He keeps silent. It is his duty, but not the pleasure.

Having heard the news about the separation inside the family, our hero is going to come to Amy Strickland. Their he becomes friends with her brother-in-law – Mr. Fred McAndrew, the colonel, ho is a typical soldier. He wants to go to France and will kill their Charles. The soldier has facts that Mr. Strickland is staying with his companion in one of the luxury hotels in Paris.

Mrs. Amy Strickland has a great shock, staying alone with her children. She has got married with Charley for 17 years. She didn’t say anything to her son – Robert. It will be a hard way for them. Mrs. Strickland needs a person who can go to Paris to return her husband. Charley Strickland has not explained why he went away. There is only information that he isn’t going to come back. The narrator of the story has no ideas what should he do in this situation. At the end, he chooses to make a try in his future journey and promises to Amy to come with her husband.

Review of the Film: Prestige (2006)

Basic facts about the movie:

Title:

The Prestige

Director:

 

Christopher Nolan

Lead actors:

Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Scarlett Johansson, Michael Caine

Genre:

Mystery thriller film

Plot overview:

In the end of the Nineteenth Century, in London, Robert Angier, his beloved wife Julia McCullough and Alfred Borden are friends and assistants of a magician. When Julia accidentally dies during a performance, Robert blames Alfred for her death and they become enemies. Both become famous and rival magicians, sabotaging the performance of the other on the stage. When Alfred performs a successful trick, Robert becomes obsessed trying to disclose the secret of his competitor with tragic consequences.

Consider the mechanics of the movie.

Direction

The director of the film, Christopher Nolan chose a right way to portray the events of the story. If I am not mistaken, he wanted to explain us the situation which actors faced that time – misunderstanding of the government and love of viewers. I am sure that the way of presenting the movie to the audience is on the high level. They have opportunity to be involved in the center of events. Though the film is not slow, but sometimes it is difficult to understand what that is and who is he – the intricate subject. Truly speaking I have not seen any other movies by this director, but I am going to watch them, because his work impressed me greatly.

Writing

Having evaluated the script, including dialogue and characterization I came to the conclusion that these things absolutely show us what we want to see. These elements absolutely satisfy the idea of the film. As I have already said, I felt the plot was inventive and unpredictable then boring and weak. We only realized at the end of the movie what has happened. It is a great director’s work, who makes us feel this. The characters' words seemed credible to me as they have been spoken as if it is an internal true.

Editing

The movie was choppy with lots of flashbacks why helped us to understand what has had our hero in his life. If a movie flows smoothly from scene to scene it is boring one. Speaking about using of lighting and other ambient effects we are to say that they are present on top level. The move has computer-generated graphics, and I think they looked realistic and fit some situations in the film in with the rest of the film.

Costume design

The clothing choice fit the style of the movie very well. It depicts the atmosphere of that time – England of the end of the 19^th c. They absolutely contributed to the overall tone, rather than digressing from it.

Set design

It is an open secret that the setting of the film influenced its other elements greatly. London is the city of prestige: there are lots of luxury shops and hotels their. It is the capital and live in the capital is the prestige for everybody. The movie was filmed in a real place, this location was well-chosen.

Background music

Background music worked with the scenes especially when artist made tricks. It was under-used. It was suspenseful, amusing and irritating at the same time. A soundtrack can make or break a movie, especially if the songs have a particular message or meaning to them but it is not our story. The music, which was all classical, mixed well with the eighteenth-century setting. This gives us a good sense of both "what" and "how" (in the sense of how good or bad something was).

 
The movie was intriguing and exciting, I recommend you to watch it. It is also pity that today the special technique of the illusionists as a class is substituted by computer effects.

Rendering 8: "A Summer of Off Broadway Musicals at City Center"

The article which was published by Felicia R. Lee in “The New Yourk Times” reports at length that New York City Center will be home this summer to a new series of Off Broadway musicals reincarnated by contemporary artists and intended to attract young audiences with tickets priced mostly at $25 and free preperformance events.



Speaking of  the series it is necessary to note that it will feature three shows under the artistic direction of the composer Jeanine Tesori (“Caroline, or Change”).  The article is in favour of the show, originally developed in 1937 with funds from the Federal Theater Project, a branch of the Works Progress Administration, was brought to City Center by Leonard Bernstein in 1947.

There is a lot of comment that the show will be followed on July 17 by a one-night-only performance of “Violet,” with music by Ms. Tesori and lyrics by Brian Crawley. It is an open secret that it is an annual event, Ms. Tesori said. Tickets go on sale April 15. the reporter is sure that “Encores! Off-Center” will also feature free precurtain conversations and other events with artists, scholars and musicians.