“Jurassic’s” Michael Giacchino Comes Musically Home

Last updated on: June 11, 2015 at 4:04 pm By Joseph Susanka

View image | gettyimages.com I stumbled across this great NPR piece last night. It details the fantastic, coincident-laden journey that led film composer Michael Giacchino from a computer game meeting with his idol Steven Spielberg to swinging the baton for this summer’s Jurassic World. But it always comes back to dinosaurs. So when he was asked to score Jurassic World, it was a no-brainer. “It was dinosaurs, it was everything that sort of launched me into this insane business,” Giacchino says. While following in the... Read more

When Don Quixote Meets Crazy Italian Violinists, We All Win

Last updated on: June 10, 2015 at 3:29 pm By Joseph Susanka

For some reason, I really wanted to listen to Georg Philipp Telemann’s Don Quixote Suite (Burlesque de Don Quixotte) today. Not quite sure why, to be honest. I don’t see any windmills (or giants) on the horizon. But when I went to YouTube in search of a recording, I found it was a bit more complicated. See, I didn’t want just any ol’ recording; I wanted one from the Mad Italian Violinist/Genius Fabio Biondi and his equally insane Europa Galante. At... Read more

Ennio Morricone Wrote a Mass for Pope Francis

Last updated on: June 9, 2015 at 3:13 pm By Joseph Susanka

View image | gettyimages.com On a day when I’ve spent almost all morning with the works of Ennio Morricone ringing in my ears, I find some of my greatest interests (movies, music, and my Catholicity) colliding in unexpected and gratifying ways. Because just this afternoon, I’ve discovered (thanks to Frank at YIMCatholic) that Morricone — easily one of my favorite film composers ever — has written a Mass for the Pope. Well, that’s not quite right. The legendary film composer has... Read more

SSF: “Much Better Now”

Last updated on: June 8, 2015 at 2:06 pm By Joseph Susanka

Anybody else out there with a wicked case of the Mondays? This should help. A bookmark is stuck in a forgotten book that is one day knocked over by wind. It experiences its environment by surfing the pages that turn in to ocean-waves, enjoying the ride of its life. As the book cover closes light reveals new challenges. I love the final shot. Especially the hinted adventure of the birds. (Also, check out the “Making Of” videos at the short’s website.... Read more

SVS: “The Great Escape”

Last updated on: June 5, 2015 at 12:56 pm By Joseph Susanka

Colonel Von Luger, it is the sworn duty of all officers to try to escape. If they cannot escape, then it is their sworn duty to cause the enemy to use an inordinate number of troops to guard them, and their sworn duty to harass the enemy to the best of their ability. A few months back, I recommended one of my favorite homage films of all time: Aardman Animation’s Chicken Run, which was streaming on Netflix. (Still is, actually). Yet I... Read more

Weathering Some Typical Wyoming Weather, Thanks to The Master Singers

Last updated on: June 3, 2015 at 4:46 pm By Joseph Susanka

“If you don’t like the weather we’re having right now,” we Wyomingites say, “wait five minutes. It’ll change.” As someone who’s a) hoping to play baseball tonight, and b) watching scattered raindrops fall outside my office windows at this very moment, I’m hoping this ol’ saw is as accurate today as ever. I’m also listening to this, because it’s appropriate. And hilarious. And perfect. (Yes, I’m a sucker for musical comedy, so I was predisposed. But still…) Also, in one of... Read more

“Share this freely with others to promote the love of Bach.”

Last updated on: June 2, 2015 at 2:42 pm By Joseph Susanka

I love this entire idea, brought to my attention by the folks at OpenCulture and (more directly) by the website of classical pianist Kimiko Ishizaka: This is the Open Well-Tempered Clavier – RECORDING AND SCORE – set free by fans like you! The download includes a 4-page booklet with cover art, and liner notes from Kimiko Ishizaka. There are also photos taken during the recording session. You can download this recording for free – click “Buy Now” – but you can... Read more

SSF: “Motorbike”

Last updated on: June 1, 2015 at 2:03 pm By Joseph Susanka

I picked today’s short mostly because I loved the crayon-y style. And the music. And (relatedly) the wordlessness. But the closing moment is pretty darn sweet, as well. Also, “in Photoshop,” you say? Wow. A young man on an old motorbike struggles to reach a date on time. Short film by Ari Gibson and Jason Pamment. Music by Christopher Larkin. Sound by Lachlan Coles. Traditional animation created digitally in Adobe Photoshop. Attribution(s): All publicity images, and stills are the property... Read more

SVS: “Ernest & Celestine”

Last updated on: May 29, 2015 at 2:11 pm By Joseph Susanka

I’m too busy chasing after my kids (and watching ’em sunburn) to compose a proper Streaming Video post this week. Instead, I’m just going to toss a name out there and call it good. A name that comes from my kids (and their better-than-expected taste in animated films), come to think of it. So this whole post is their fault. Ernest & Celestine is streaming on AMAZON PRIME, or can be rented from THE USUALS. And it’s super-duper charming. Not quite as laid... Read more

The View From My Office Window Today

Last updated on: May 28, 2015 at 12:25 pm By Joseph Susanka

OK, so “office” might not be entirely accurate. Neither’s “window,” come to think of it. But “view’s” alright, right? Also, “sunburn.” Ouch. Attribution(s): “Vacation(s)” courtesy of my own sunburned self. Read more