Sounds Like Helicopters

Sounds Like Helicopters

Explores how modernist films use classical music in ways that restore the music’s original subversive energy. Classical music masterworks have long played a key supporting role in the movies—silent films were often accompanied by a pianist or even a full orchestra playing classical or theatrical repertory music—yet the complexity of this role has thus far been underappreciated. Sounds Like Helicopters corrects this oversight through close interpretations of classical music works in key modernist films by Francis Ford Coppola, Werner Herzog, Luis Buñuel, Stanley Kubrick, Jean-Luc Godard, Michael Haneke, and Terrence Malick. Beginning with the famous example of Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” in Apocalypse Now, Matthew Lau demonstrates that there is a significant continuity between classical music and modernist cinema that belies their seemingly ironic juxtaposition. Though often regarded as a stuffy, conservative art form, classical music has a venerable avant-garde tradition, and key films by important directors show that modernist cinema restores the original subversive energy of these classical masterworks. These films, Lau argues, remind us of what this music sounded like when it was still new and difficult; they remind us that great music remains new music. The pattern of reliance on classical music by modernist directors suggests it is not enough to watch modernist cinema: one must listen to its music to sense its prehistory, its history, and its obscure, prophetic future. “To learn how classical music and modernist cinema were destined to be lovers, long before Adorno learned to talk, read Matthew Lau’s inventive book, which shows us how to see music, and how to hear cinema. After taking a spin with Isabelle Huppert, Franz Schubert will never be the same again, thanks to the meticulous Lau, who shows us how some of classical music’s not-yet-kindled radicalism required modernist cinema’s perversely revivifying touch. What’s more, Lau manages to offer, in his conclusion, a subtle, stirring plea for a society—a politics—that makes room for difficult cinema and complex music. For such a society’s emergence, Lau’s book may be the instruction manual, teaching salvific, insurrectional solfège.” — Wayne Koestenbaum, author of The Anatomy of Harpo Marx

Great towers have been destroyed! Our nuclear power plants remain vulnerable to attack. Many questions trouble the population of the world: Did the Bible predict 21st Century terrorism? Did World War III, begin September 11, 2001? Do we live in the chaotic last days described by ancient prophets? Are we sufficiently prepared? Will good prevail over evil? Are the dangers of the last days both physical and spiritual? The Bible contains alarming news. But, all the biblicalshock and aweis secondary to learning the purpose of life. Coincidences, between scripture and current events, provide clues to the catastrophic signs that will precedethe 1000 year Reign of Christ.God's teachings, Satanic opposition, terrorism, prophesies, both Bush Administrations, nuclear war and fallout, terrible disasters, the Gulf and Iraq Wars, World War III, pornography, the Abu Ghraib prison scandal, are all fitting together to complete and reveal agreat puzzle.Eternal consequences are of great importance. The scriptures counsel how to cope with latter day challenges. Commandmentscan't be ignored without suffering consequences. Procrastination is a thief! Apathy towards Jesus Christ poisons the eternal soul. So study, ponder and pray to unlock the secrets of scripture. Then chart your eternal future!

Confirmation

THE EVIDENCE OF ANOTHER WORLD IS HERE… In Mount Shasta City, California. In New Jersey. In San Diego. Then in Scotland, in Italy, and Cairo. In dozens of locations around the world, 20-ton granite globes suddenly appear. They usually turn up overnight, sometimes in remote locations and other times in the middle of cities in places no one could have put them without detection. For the first time, the world is witnessing a truly unexplainable phenomenon. AND THE THREAT IS REAL… As Rick Ballantine and Cornelia Oxenburg, cast members of the low-rent supernatural reality show “Confirmation: Investigations of the Unexplained,” quickly realize, the globes’ greatest effect is the way they make people speculate about their origins and purpose. Some think the globes are placed by aliens. Others think it’s all a hoax. Many more fear sinister government conspiracies behind it all. But each of these points of view believes they’re absolutely right…and others who disagree are dead wrong…and dangerous…and must be dealt with by any means necessary! Before the true, incredible origin of the globes is finally revealed, the “Confirmation” cast comes to see the extremes people are capable of when their beliefs are challenged and threatened…even in their own group.