On The Road With Al and Ivy: Blog

“All that Mankind has done, thought, gained or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books. They are the chosen possession of men.” - Thomas Carlyle (Heroes, Hero-Worship And The Heroic In History - 1841) THE PASSION OF JOAN OF ARC I recently watched the 1928 film, The Passion Of Joan Of Arc. I first saw it in 1994 on DVD that featured a new oratorio composed by Richard Einhorn called "Voices Of Light" and performed by Anonymous 4 (a group) and various soloists.  The film is making the rounds on sites like Freevee (free with commercials), and after viewing the beginning, I was drawn in by Maria Falconetti's shattering portrayal of The Maid. By coincidence, I was rereading W.P. Barrett's 1932 translation of the French and Latin transcripts of Jeanne D'Arc'd trial for heresy and apostasy. The movie simplifies the trial for dramatic reasons. However, what is remarkable is that she was tried by a group of sixty French politicians, lawyers, an...

A MONTHLY ONLINE PUBLICATION  EDITOR & PUBLISHER: AL HANDA deltasnake@yahoo.com Contents Copyright 2023 By Al Handa unless otherwise  noted. APRIL 2023 ISSUE: The Top Ten Albums That Influenced The Americana Movement: Part 1 - John Fahey Classic Album Review: Laura Nyro - New York Tendaberry (1969) Gear Review: Depinto Galaxie 4 Electric Guitar Quick Takes: Will AI create another Victorian Age or just more Big Brother?                         How long will the film market be dominated by special effects films Classic Review Shorts: NEW FEATURE! Instant 10 second takes on Classic and Current Music, Film & the Arts that will be updated every week throughout April. Check back every so often.  The Top Ten Albums That Influenced The Americana Movement: Part 1 - John Fahey Americana, or Roots Music, covers a lot of genres and influences. It's expansive enough that my list of the most influential albums might no...

- Al HANDA deltasnake@yahoo.com And every morning, perched on our stays, rows of these birds were seen; and spite of our hootings, for a long time obstinately clung to the hemp, as though they deemed our ship some drifting, uninhabited craft; a thing appointed to desolation, and therefore fit roosting-place for their homeless selves. - Herman Melville (Moby Dick) SOME THOUGHTS ON VAN LIFE AND NOMAD LIFE VIDEOS: One of the topics on Tik Tok and other social media is "Van Life" and other nomad-type trips, and the contents range from helpful tips and observations to complete disconnects from reality that could only happen if the person was well financed or on a lark to become a social influencer. Many of these brief glimpses are about that kind of life when everything is going right or the kinds of obstacles that come up really are more like vacation hassles (that can seem more serious to a homeless person whose short on cash). I won't do a formal essay; I'll just riff ...