SixThousand

WATCH: The White Ribbon

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
The White Ribbon

Where:
Somerville Auditorium, University of WA, Crawley

When:
Until Sun, Mar 14, 8pm

How much:
$15/$13 (conc) here or 6488 5555

Watch Trailer:
Here

I once endured a Michael Haneke retrospective at ACMI with double bills by the master-director playing over four weeks. Each and every title gave me a chronic case of the heebie-jeebies. Watching them back-to-back left me punch drunk.

Haneke's Palme d'Or winning The White Ribbon is no different. Unnerving events unravel in a German Protestant village just prior to WW1: the town Doctor is injured when his horse is legged by a trip-wire, a farmer's wife is torn apart by an ‘accident' at the mill, the Baron's son is almost lynched, and lastly a Down Syndrome boy's eyes are gouged out. Haneke (seemingly channelling Bergman in rich B+W) lets this play out austerely, building ambiguity and paranoia before using his staple trick of cutting to black providing no catharsis.

The title itself stems from the puritanical pastor forcing his children to wear white ribbons as reminder of the innocence from which they've ‘strayed'. Michael Haneke ought to be mummified in white ribbon.

OUT: MD Limited Editions #5 launch

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
MD Limited Editions #5 launch

Where:
The Bird, 181 William St, Northbridge

When:
Thur Mar 11, 7pm - late. (BYO).

How much:
$20 (incl. showbag w/copy of MD #5). Door list only - email here for your personalised invite (subject to capacity)

A handful of professional and amateur photographers from Perth, Melbourne and London put lens to paper for MD Limited Editions 5: The Photography Issue. Grab your copy, which features 64 pages of photos from the likes of Dave Adams, Jake Castledine and Nicole Norelli at The Bird launch, where you can catch a "vinyl only" showcase from local crate diggers Naik, Arms In Motion, Cut & Paste's King Jon Ill, Charlie Bucket and Kit Pop. Photographers Jordan Shields, Esther Tetris, and SixThousand's very own Tom Cramond display their wares on the walls. - JM.

OUT: Extortion, 'Loose Screws' album launch

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
Extortion, Loose Screws album launch

Where:
Civic Hotel, 981 Beaufort St

When:
Sat Mar 13, 8pm-12pm

How much:
Tickets on the door $15

With a bunch of releases, several East Coast tours and a trip to the states under their belts, it's fairly safe to say that local powerviolence dudes, Extortion, have been keeping things frantic the last 12 months. Watch them match that pace, maybe even kick up the BPMs, as they launch latest album Loose Screws. With half of the band now east coast, chances are you'll be seeing less of Extortion this year, so take advantage, fool! - TF.

LOOK: Dancing Mountain, Issue One

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
Dancing Mountain Issue One

Where:
Online here

How much:
Free!

Contact:
Via Flickr or dancingmountain@live.com

Images:
Christian Pitschl (toilet bowl), Sarah (bedroom), Joe Walker (kittens), all from Dancing Mountain Issue One

If you were ever subjected to a slide show back when it involved a mechanical projector and a dark lounge room, then the idea of a whole book of travel photos might not appeal to you. Luckily for everyone, online collaborative photo book Dancing Mountain doesn't involve a boring couple and their boring photos in front of a boring landmark, nor the frightening reality of four walls with nowhere to run.

Instead, in keeping with the digitised times, Perth late-teen Bradley Pinkerton and his Argentinian cohort Rodrigo Piadra have formed a friendship, creative partnership and subsequent photographic collection online -like most other virtually socialised young people. As a result, the duo (who have never actually met) present photographic works from talented and technically savvy hip kids from all over the world. Without the threat of crestfallen expressions or hurt feelings, for your lack of an attention span, peruse at your leisure and enjoy.

WATCH: French Film Festival

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
French Film Festival

Where:
Cinema Paradiso, 164 James St, Northbridge, Luna on SX, Essex St, Fremantle

When:
Mar 17-31, session times here

How much:
Adults $16, online here

Ah the French Film Festival. Automatically there's a high bar right? After all France is considered the birthplace of cinema, not just of stripy shirts and carbs. This year's festival pulls out the big guns as well, including one of the most anticipated biopics of the year: Gainsbourg - all about ol' Mr Fistful of Gitanes himself.

Jean Pierre Jeunet is back after a five-year absence with Micmacs, another beautiful-looking film, this time all about the arms trade -and it's a comedy! Best of all, however, octogenarian and French New Wave big cheese Alain Resnais returns simply to give the finger to Hollywood and turn cinema inside on itself with Wild Grass. It's a story about a chance encounter by two people who aren't meant for each other but can't stay apart. Which sounds simple enough but becomes a complete genre mash-up, which not only tests Resnais' directing chops but also proves he's still got them.

HEAR: The Besnard Lakes, 'Are The Roaring Night'

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
Are The Roaring Night

Who:
The Besnard Lakes

On:
Jagjaguwar / Inertia

Sometimes I wish I didn't have to tell you about music via a flashing computer screen.

I wish I could just play you something at a party. Or make you a mix CD. Some things are better if you find them out by accident, or from a friend. The Besnard Lakes have too much personality for the impersonality of a computer screen.

Taking segments of rock songs and stretching them, like taffy, into slow, fuzzed-out, gorgeous sonic strands, The Besnard Lakes create something with familiar reference points but an entirely new structure. Each album has explored this same idea but with a different sound.

Debut Volume 1 was all about long pauses, prog progressions, and vast expanses. Are The Dark Horses had Beach Boys harmonies and Interpol grandeur. And Are The Roaring Night adds heavier classic rock riffs and drum kicks (and occasionally corny lyrics: "ewwww / you're like the ocean").

Actually, I wish you could just forget you read this review, go find this album in some weird, obscure place, buy it and become obsessed with it. It deserves that kind of mystique.

STRAY: PERTHour

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
PERTHour Urban Forum

Where:
Tranby Hall, Wesley Quarter, 93 William St, Perth

When:
Fri Mar 12, 4.30pm (monthly)

How Much:
Free (some drinks/snacks provided)

What is it that makes Paris so damn sexy? Instead of chugging double-bourbons at AC/DC, Parisians (supposedly) canoodle over pinot noir on the balconies of inner-city apartments stuffed with philosophy books. How do we be more like THEM? More apartments? More wine? More cheese!

If you have an hour spare and ideas to share put down the bourbon and get yourself along to PERTHour. Touted as a ‘free urban forum', each ‘hour' is a chance to discuss how we can increase Perth's inner-city sex appeal. This Friday Charles Landry hits town again to talk culture and creativity. He's the urban wise-man who's helped Chicago, Glasgow and Helsinki (to name a few) reach their potential. If you dig Perth, have an opinion and aren't afraid to share it, make an appearance. The wine and canoodling is on Landry, but maybe BYO fromage... très français.

OUT: S2 - Basement Clearance

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
S2 - Basement Clearance

Where:
S2, 26 Angove Street, North Perth

When:
Sun Mar 14, 10am - 4pm, Mon Mar 15, 10am - 5pm

How much:
30-70% off

Most average shops in Australia don't have basements. But since when has S2 been average? They're about as average as... a shop with a basement. This home of edgy, architectural fashion is saying goodbye to summer with past season stock, Japanese scarves, jewellery and a dash of fabric all up to 70% off. There will be so much up for grabs you'll be wishing for an extra wardrobe... or even a basement of your own to stash it all in. - SPM.

EATDRINK: DIY Jam

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
DIY Jam

Where:
Wherever there's free fruit

How much:
Free, basically!

When I came onto a bucket-load of figs from a friend's garden recently, I promptly ate half of them, let quite a few go rotten, then decided to save the rest by making fig jam. It was really quite enjoyable.

I cut the fruit up into acceptable chunks and threw them in a pot with the same volume of sugar as fruit. Then I put in just enough water to cover the fruit and dissolve the sugar. Inspiration struck when I remembered mysteriously purchasing some sticks of cinnamon some months before. BOOM! One of those bastards went in. I picked up a lemon quarter and some frozen raspberries from god knows where and threw them in, too. At this point, the pot was bubbling and I was loving the wafty smells.

I called my mum for hints and she told me to take a little spoonful and drip it onto a plate. If it gets a little film over it and doesn't run, you got jam baby! Turn off the heat and pour the goo into jars. Let it cool then spread it on some toast and accompany it with a well brewed cup of tea, providing your housemates haven't eaten all the freakin' bread.

READ: Kill Your Darlings

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +1100

What:
Kill Your Darlings

Where:
Independent bookshops like these or online here

How much:
$18 or $58 for a subscription

Despite its title, there's very little actual or suggested violence between the covers of Kill Your Darlings. Unless you count Gideon Haigh's point-blank assassination of Australian book reviews.

Named for William Faulkner's oft-quoted advice to writers to 'ruthlessly cut out that which doesn't serve a purpose', the brand new fully independent local journal is neatly segmented into Commentary, Fiction, Interview and Review, assisting reader and writer alike. The subject matter is totally en pointe: Raymond Carver, Sarah Waters, roller derby and Ricki-Lee Coulter (thank you Oslo Davis).

For fear of bleeding over into extraneous territory, we shall say simply that it is difficult to highlight one piece over another, but do pay particular attention to the bits by Clementine Ford, Justin Heazlewood and Chris Womersley, and to Rebecca Starford's consideration of the new short story collection by Mary Gaitskill.