Movie Review: The Da Vinci Code
The"Dream Factory" replicates itsÂ’ formula all over the world.
The differences are subtle, but noticeable in this cultural experience that has been enjoyed around the world for nearly a century.
Walking into the Multiplex on Istaklal, you could be anywhere in the world.
Dark tones juxtaposed by bright lights and brighter movie posters.
Extortionate prices for stale popcorn and sugar water.
The only difference here is the metal detector and guard. They detect nothing.
Movies are available with the original soundtrack with Turkish subtitles or dubbed into Turkish.
Luckily, the show we want is in original soundtrack.
“Where would you like to sit?”
The obvious answer is: in a chair.
(The last time we went during the Istanbul Film Festival and the irate usher could not find our seatÂ… we sat in the aisle.)
Looking down at the computerised seating plan, we chose two seats in the middle.
“Up the stairs on your left.”
Up we go.
An adolescent usher ignores us.
We find the spaces reserved for us and sit.
Ads. The same everywhere.
They obviously have not sold enough sugar water.
Another young attendant pushes a trolley up the aisles looking for more sales, yelling at the top of his voice.
This seems a national pastime.
The curtains part further.
The performance begins.
We watch.
Damn subtitles.
The French and Italian are in Turkish.
I am sure IÂ’m not missing much.
Half way through, the screen goes blank.
Has the projectionist fallen asleep at the wheel (or reel).
The trolley boy returns, people stand.
Ahh, intermission.
More opportunities to buy drinks.
In the lobby people smoke.
You have to love that.
Tobacco addiction is so strong here, it seems people cannot go ninety minutes without a hit.
Two Winston Lights later, the movie resumes.
At the end people shuffle out, blurry eyed into the afternoon light, eager to discuss the cinematic experience and abate their nico-cravings, as do we.
THE END
Oh yesÂ… the film.
As much as I expected: beginning, middle and end.
Pretty much the same as the book, pulp fiction with a bit of historical guff and conspiracy theory, nothing that you will not have come across before, if you were interested in finding out.
Tom Hanks played Tom Hanks, he is good at that. Luckily the character was basically Tom Hanks.
Sophie could have been hotter.
Not as much sexual tension as in the book.
I am sure that no one will have their faith tested by seeing this film.
If so, they had a pretty weak grasp on their illusion to begin with.
If the rabid, bible bashing, Christian right and god botherers take offence and start burning books, it shows the nature of their sanctimonious and close minded.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Wednesday, June 07, 2006
Topkapi
You may have seen on the photos page, that we finally visited the Sultan's Palace, Topkapi, the other weekend.
I could rant and rave, but this blog is getting very wordy. So I might just give you this really cool link:
http://www.360tr.com/topkapi/index.htm
and you can have a good look at it for yourself.
On the up side, it was really amazing to see how cushy the top dogs had it in this massive empire, that only ended in the 1920's.
On the down side, it is a major tourist destination, so you have get through the shutterbugs and the socks 'n sandals crew.
Well worth a look when you are here though, and worth the extra ten bucks to get into the Harem... that is where all the action was going on.
Photo: The entrance to "The Circumcision Room"
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
A Bugger of a Border Run
The advertised trip to Greece will be postponed and substituted by a second run to Plovdiv, Bulgaria due to a lack of buses to Alexandropoulos on a Thursday.
Ok. At least we know what we are doing this time. I got some tickets. Organised the posse and got there on time at nine am.
We hit the road on time and made it to the border in record time. There was a bus in front of us and got in the queue and waited.
Twenty minutes… Half an hour… An hour…. No one seemed to know why. The Jendarms rocked up and everyone rushed back to there cars and we were off.
Stamped out of Turkey, we were in the land of duty free. Yay!! We got some beers and fags and waited to get into Bulgaria.
An hour… two hours… more beers… three hours… should have brought some cards… four hours… this is getting ridiculous… five hours… more border-land food…
Five and a half hours, a dozen beers and we were through the border. It was gone nine pm. We still have no idea what the problem was. Computer error? A lack of ink? Insufficient bribes?
We were back on the road anyway. Not more than twenty minutes in, a car pulled up in front of the bus and pulled it over. A policeman got out and there was a brief discussion with the bus “steward”.
She goes with the cop back to the border. W.T.F? The bus continued at about three kms an hour. We were obviously going slowly so she could catch up with us when she got back.
That she did after about an hour and we were off again, at a reasonable speed. We suspect that there was some unsigned document that needed her attention. Anyway, we were back on the road.
Now, the bus is equipped with a fully functioning toilet, apparently. However, you are forbidden to use it. Due to the number of infants on board, we were making frequent pee-stops.
This was the next hold up. While one woman was out on the squat, her passport fell out of her back pocket. So, half the bus got off to help with the search. Would you believe it?
We got into Plovdiv, it was well past midnight. We hailed a passing cab who took us to Happy’s in the downtown, the sight of 3 Lev gins, cheap pork meals and waitresses with the skimpy mini skirts.
It was 12.55 am. They close at one. Tired and hungry, we forgot our dreams of pig flesh and set off to find a bed and anything to eat.
We got to the big hostel in the centre of town. No beds.
We found a late night eating establishment and had cold pizza in a back alley off the main strip. The Bulgarian after us had his heated in the microwave… bastards!
Oh well, better than starving. I had heard of another hostel on the internet. I left the tired party and set off on recognisance. I found the Hikers Hostel up a hill in the old town.
Sanctuary. There were just enough beds to go around and cold beers at one Lev a throw. Brilliant.
The next morning we had a traditional eastern European breakfast of white bread, sausage, cheese and ham (mmm pig flesh). I met an Australian there who was from Karrinyup, the next suburb from where I grew up. Then we hit the road for Happy’s.
Here we enjoyed bacon, pork, double breakfast gin and tonics (and the micro-mini skirts) before heading back to the bus station.
On the way back we managed to take in at least one of the sights. A roman amphitheatre was being set up for a local rendition of Othello and we got to have a peak at the stage before the pork feast.
On the way to the train station, we found half litres of (drinkable) whiskey for 5.2 Lev. Six times cheaper than Istanbul.
More beers and we were back on the bus for home, which thankfully, went with out incident.
I got my visa without him even looking at my passport and we were back in time to ensure that we got in time to get hardly enough sleep for work the next morning.
Not the anticipated holiday, but an adventure none the less.
The advertised trip to Greece will be postponed and substituted by a second run to Plovdiv, Bulgaria due to a lack of buses to Alexandropoulos on a Thursday.
Ok. At least we know what we are doing this time. I got some tickets. Organised the posse and got there on time at nine am.
We hit the road on time and made it to the border in record time. There was a bus in front of us and got in the queue and waited.
Twenty minutes… Half an hour… An hour…. No one seemed to know why. The Jendarms rocked up and everyone rushed back to there cars and we were off.
Stamped out of Turkey, we were in the land of duty free. Yay!! We got some beers and fags and waited to get into Bulgaria.
An hour… two hours… more beers… three hours… should have brought some cards… four hours… this is getting ridiculous… five hours… more border-land food…
Five and a half hours, a dozen beers and we were through the border. It was gone nine pm. We still have no idea what the problem was. Computer error? A lack of ink? Insufficient bribes?
We were back on the road anyway. Not more than twenty minutes in, a car pulled up in front of the bus and pulled it over. A policeman got out and there was a brief discussion with the bus “steward”.
She goes with the cop back to the border. W.T.F? The bus continued at about three kms an hour. We were obviously going slowly so she could catch up with us when she got back.
That she did after about an hour and we were off again, at a reasonable speed. We suspect that there was some unsigned document that needed her attention. Anyway, we were back on the road.
Now, the bus is equipped with a fully functioning toilet, apparently. However, you are forbidden to use it. Due to the number of infants on board, we were making frequent pee-stops.
This was the next hold up. While one woman was out on the squat, her passport fell out of her back pocket. So, half the bus got off to help with the search. Would you believe it?
We got into Plovdiv, it was well past midnight. We hailed a passing cab who took us to Happy’s in the downtown, the sight of 3 Lev gins, cheap pork meals and waitresses with the skimpy mini skirts.
It was 12.55 am. They close at one. Tired and hungry, we forgot our dreams of pig flesh and set off to find a bed and anything to eat.
We got to the big hostel in the centre of town. No beds.
We found a late night eating establishment and had cold pizza in a back alley off the main strip. The Bulgarian after us had his heated in the microwave… bastards!
Oh well, better than starving. I had heard of another hostel on the internet. I left the tired party and set off on recognisance. I found the Hikers Hostel up a hill in the old town.
Sanctuary. There were just enough beds to go around and cold beers at one Lev a throw. Brilliant.
The next morning we had a traditional eastern European breakfast of white bread, sausage, cheese and ham (mmm pig flesh). I met an Australian there who was from Karrinyup, the next suburb from where I grew up. Then we hit the road for Happy’s.
Here we enjoyed bacon, pork, double breakfast gin and tonics (and the micro-mini skirts) before heading back to the bus station.
On the way back we managed to take in at least one of the sights. A roman amphitheatre was being set up for a local rendition of Othello and we got to have a peak at the stage before the pork feast.
On the way to the train station, we found half litres of (drinkable) whiskey for 5.2 Lev. Six times cheaper than Istanbul.
More beers and we were back on the bus for home, which thankfully, went with out incident.
I got my visa without him even looking at my passport and we were back in time to ensure that we got in time to get hardly enough sleep for work the next morning.
Not the anticipated holiday, but an adventure none the less.
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Istanbul Facts (Continued)
Turkey is famous for carpets. Recently, at the Grand bazaar, actress Chelize Theron paid $500 000 for a 15 square meter carpet with 15 million knots that took 15 years to complete. Allegedly, it was once owned by a Mr. S. Hussein of Iraq!
The Turkish 1st commando Brigade made it into the Guinness Book of Records for flying the biggest flag at the greatest height. A 513 square meter Turkish flag was flown 2 000 over Cappadocia.
The average Turkish income in 1986 was $1 487.20 where as today it has increased to $5 008 (compared with $37 000 in the US). By the year 2050, they should have caught up to what Americans are earning today.
There are 70 million people in Turkey. By 2050 there should be 96 million. Most western countries have a declining population. By 2050 Italy will have lost 14 million (the same size as Istanbul today).
Women's Rights:
1843: First trainee midwives entered the School Medicine
1847: The sale of women as slave or concubines banned
1913: Women first permitted to be state officials
1930/1934: Women given the right to vote in local/state elections
2006: Government trying to legislate against women using their maiden names after marriage
Turkey is famous for carpets. Recently, at the Grand bazaar, actress Chelize Theron paid $500 000 for a 15 square meter carpet with 15 million knots that took 15 years to complete. Allegedly, it was once owned by a Mr. S. Hussein of Iraq!
The Turkish 1st commando Brigade made it into the Guinness Book of Records for flying the biggest flag at the greatest height. A 513 square meter Turkish flag was flown 2 000 over Cappadocia.
The average Turkish income in 1986 was $1 487.20 where as today it has increased to $5 008 (compared with $37 000 in the US). By the year 2050, they should have caught up to what Americans are earning today.
There are 70 million people in Turkey. By 2050 there should be 96 million. Most western countries have a declining population. By 2050 Italy will have lost 14 million (the same size as Istanbul today).
Women's Rights:
1843: First trainee midwives entered the School Medicine
1847: The sale of women as slave or concubines banned
1913: Women first permitted to be state officials
1930/1934: Women given the right to vote in local/state elections
2006: Government trying to legislate against women using their maiden names after marriage
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