Over the weekend I caught up with the new TV adaption of one of my favourite recently-read books, The Handmaid’s Tale. It is a dystopian and brilliantly realised series about a woman who finds herself in a new world where women have been stripped of their rights and placed in a rigid, ritualistic hierarchy of oppression: from well-coiffed but powerless society wives to domestic drudges known as “Marthas” and then “handmaidens,” the women whose sole purpose in society is to bear children. The book was originally written as a chilling thought experiment, and the TV series is just as compelling.
It made me wonder afterwards – what is the connection between sexual and political freedom? Can sexually repressed countries ever be politically free? To what extent has the oppression of women thoughout history been driven by the wish to control their sexuality? Or is it the other way around, is that just a “symptom” of a powerlessness that is primarily economic?
In preparation for the new, fourth series of early 2000s anime hit Nodame Cantabile, I have been re-watching series three. The show charts the relationship of a naive and exuberant piano student with her serious “senpai” or senior, with a quirky mixture of otaku obsessiveness (in this case, in relation to classical music), sweetly good natured observations about human nature and that very Japanese sensibility – which I love – of cherishing and appreciating the everday and the mundane. In this it reminds me a lot of “What did you eat yesterday?” and the works of Makoto Shinkai.
Jessica Lange in American Horror Story: whether channelling Diane Ladd in “Wild at Heart” as the venal Southern matriarch fallen on hard times in Series One, or as the hardbitten and cruel Boston nun in Series Two, Asylum, Jessica Lange chews up the scenery like no other.
In addition to movies, I have been catching up on some quality TV time lately. I have really enjoyed (surprisingly) the Broadway-musical themed “Smash”, a series that follows the trials and tribulations of a Marilyn Monroe-theme musical trying to get off the ground. It stars Debra Messing (from “Will and Grace”), Angelica Huston and the lovely American idol reject Katherine McPhee. I say “surprisingly” because I have always found Broadway rather twee and irritating – and yet the show has hooked me in completely, even in its ruthlessly catchy (and witty) musical numbers.
Then of course there was the recently concluded first season of Asia’s Next Top Model – don’t worry, no spoilers here!
But my biggest TV obsession of the moment is undoubtedly “Enlightened”. A savage satire, this tells the story of a disenfranchised, dissatisfied and incredibly self-involved office worker played by Laura Dern. The show’s (pitch-back) comedy comes from the central character, returning from a stint in rehab after a career meltdown. She is now full of new age hippie-shit wisdom and endlessly spouts unwanted plattitudes to everyone around her, yet somehow fails to notice what an awful person she herself can be. It is brilliantly observed and cruelly close to the bone in its portrayal of career disappointments and mundane office life.
Laura Dern’s performance in the main role is pitch-perfect, too.
I can’t wait for the second series, which is (I have read) even better than the first.
In the 1980s American celebrities flocked to Japan to make big bucks on tacky TV commercials no-one on their side of the Pacific (they hoped) would ever see. It became a much celebrated (and lampooned) phenomenon. But now that Japan’s economic fortunes have dimmed, the Hollywood A-List are jetting elsewhere for easy dollars – this time South of the border. Booming Brazil is the new market of choice for moonlighting megastars.
See: Nicole Kidman and Sarah Jessica Parker hawking upmarket shopping centres in respectively, Rio and Sao Paulo.
Megan Fox and Mike Tyson for English school CCA (they also run ads featuring Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger, one of the biggest pay-for-play yen whores back in the day).
And Jennifer Lopez, in Rio as we speak to promote beer brand Brahma at Carnaval.
Interesting the different ways they broach their stars not being able to speak the language.
Brazil’s World Cup may be around the corner but the country has already been kicking lots of goals, from saving the Amazon , to slashing its crime rate (murders have halved in Sao Paulo in five years). Last week the country also reached another milestone – it (quietly) surpassed the UK as the world’s sixth-largest economy.
While the country’s economic boom has pushed the ‘real’ to parity with the US dollar and lifted millions of out of poverty, the biggest winners, as always, have been the rich. Brazil’s recent economic progress is creating 19 new millionaires each day. And with Rio Fashion Week on right now, what better time to get acquainted with the bossa nova riche?
New television series “Mulheres Ricas (rich women)” promises just that. The show started this month and has stirred up plenty of criticism for its fawning footage of incredibly wealthy gal pals (one called “Brunete”) . It is the Real Housewives of Leblon.
In this episode, one millionairess inspects a new private jet. “Is just like buying a new top,” she says.
Daisuke has got me hooked on this unbelievably girly animated series titled “Nodame Cantabile”. In fact, much of our time in Europe over the New Year was spent snuggled up in bed watching the European adventures of a ditzy Japanese pianist and her up-tight, ambitious composer love interest.
Designed as a showcase for promoting classical music to younger listeners, the series follows the life of conservatory students as they travel from Tokyo to Paris, complete with extended Rachmaninov and Schubert breaks. All this is mixed up with super-girly romance and sometimes surprising humour:
Weirdly, it works. I’m kind of addicted. There has even been a live action movie made. But I think I prefer it as a cartoon:
D and I have recently been watching Japanese cartoons again on the ‘anime’ cable network – or more accurately, D has been watching them. I am not a big fan. I liked the old 80s cartoons like Cat’s Eye and Saint Seiya that Dai showed me in Japan, but the new crop – not so much. I am noticing anew how odd they can be too. Many seem to feature transsexual voice actors. In one, all the female characters have (unexplained) male voices. Another series, in contrast to the Western view of Japanese cartoons as being futuristic, violent and/or sexy, is all about dreamy romance between pianists in Paris. It has extended classical music performance scenes.
This is another weird one: “Baka and Test”. “Baka” means “stupid”.
Hot on the heels of my eleven series “America’s Next Top Model” marathon, “Spartacus Blood and Sand” (RIP Andy Whitfield!) and “Game of Thrones” comes my newest televisual fascination, Nurse Jackie . It was recommended to me personally by no less than Gene Kasidit!
The dark, dark ‘dramedy’ revolves around an overworked, hard-edged nurse with a heart of gold …and an addiction to pain killers.
So far I’m loving it, (now, where can I download “Korea’s Next Top Model” with English subs..?)
Move over tiger moms, its time for Jersey Shore. With Asians!
Few people are as neurotic about their portrayal in the media as Asian-Americans ( see this ) but hilarious, awful new “reality” show “K-Town” (based around the lives and err, loves of a group of hawt Azns in LA’s Korean district) is exposing something of a double standard: so Asians are sick of always being sexless geeks? But then they don’t want to be brainless sluts either?? A sample of some of the comments on youtube (always a goldmine) included:
“I am an Asian myself and I am deeply horrified and offended by this show.”
“Oh America. I weep for your youth.”
“This is why we need North Korea”
“This does not change the fact that as a group, Asians are smarter, healthier, more productive & do better than round-eye Ameritards”
“nice korean bbq and karaoke …. and then after a long night of partaying they go home and do some advance calculus …….”
The show is also a ‘star vehicle’ for narcissistic bodybuilder and “gay porn star” (well, he is not so much gay as courting the gay market and not so much a ‘star’ as a self promoter) Peter Le. He is also a go go boy at LA gay K-pop clubs “Gameboi” and “Masturbasian” (both awesome names):
Welcome to my new obsession. Although the show was axed this year after a successful six-year run, I have only just been getting into it. There is something about the hyper-stylised and glamorous lives of this bunch of L.A. power-lesbians that (unlikely as it may seem) is quite addictive.
Up the top is my favorite, Shane, (played by Gwyneth Paltrow’s cousin Katherine Moennig) and below is the China Doll-pretty, always exquisitely dressed and insufferably annoying Jenny:
Attack of the fresh squid space men! hakodate japan
This is, believe it or not, a tourism commercial for the Northern Japanese city of Hakodate. It is part of a series of advertisements that show the city being attacked by giant squid-like alien, the idea being that they are seeking revenge for all the delicious squid that have been killed and served in the city’s famous seafood restaurants.
What other country would do this?
Notice that unlike traditional tourism commercials, it hardly shows the actual city at all. This is probably because it looks exactly like every other Japanese city. There is nothing really unusual to sell, sightseeing-wise, so instead it focuses on the “attraction” of eating squid in Hakodate, a kind of tourism with a unique appeal to the Japanese (who else would travel to a different city just to eat something you could get at home anyway?)
Its this year’s Edison Chen scandal; a moment of surreal once-in-a-lifetime,so-good-it-can’t be-trueness. Yes, it the news that rioting has broken out at this week’s America’s Next Top Model auditions. Exactly why is confusing, some reports name panic over a passing car believed to be on fire, while three people were arrested for robbery after trying to rip off would-be-models’ handbags.
My favorite comments from the media and the blogworld so far:
Show the terror…with your eyes!!!
That’s a lot of hungry, hungry women…
Fierce! Top Model riots
Ricco, the flirty Angolan winner of “African Big Brother 3” showers naked as a guest on the current Brazilian BB9. Interesting that the same flashy narcissism Reality TV thrives on has now spread to every continent!
Season 2 of “Big Brother Africa” seems especially action-packed. According to wikipedia:
Tanzania‘s Richard Bezuidenhout won the series along with the prize of $100,000, beatingNigerian Ofunneka Malokwu to second place.
Controversy came up after Ofunneka (a woman) was sexually assaulted by Richard when all the housemates were drunk. The producers of the show deny this, stating it was with Ofunneka’s consent, but fellow housemate Maureen screamed for Big Brother’s help after she tried to get Richard off Ofunneka. Richard was taken into the diary room while paramedics came in to help the girls. No further comment has been made about the issue, especially as Ofunneka had passed out and remembered nothing of what happened. (In the Australian version of the show, the male housemate who sexually assaulted a female housemate was evicted).
Newly-wed Richard carried out an affair with Angolan housemate Tatiana during their stay in the house. This angered Richard’s Canadian wife, who threatened him with divorce. Another housemate, Malawian radio DJ Code, managed to seduce all his female housemates (!!!!!) Unknown to him, his Dutch girlfriend was pregnant with his child, and she surprised him by showing up at his eviction. Richard and Code were eventually forgiven by their respective partners (!!!!).
Season 2 of Big Brother Africa caused a lot of controversy as the producers could not deal with a lot of issues that came up in the house, including bullying by South African Lerato Sengadi. Indecent sexual acts by Namibian housemate Meryl and Ghanian Kweku were another talking point. There was also a spat of violence when Kenyan housemate Jeff Anthony hit Ofunneka in the face.
The show was criticized for not showing any positive values to young people all over the continent.
And then Big Brother 3 started with Ricco’s trademark naked showers…
Just discovered this via Pinktentacle; a 1974 episode of the iconic kids show “Kamen Rider” . Our masked hero battles the arch-villain “Starfish Hitler”!
ilbonito blog 2007 