Welcome to the Language IV class. This blog will be a means of communication among all of us, as well as a space to share interesting articles, ideas, comments, videos, etc. We will also use it as a tool of continuous evaluation. I hope you enjoy it!
Tuesday, 21 May 2019
Segregation in Films
Hi there!, as you know we`re seeing something about racism that the United States and South Africa have suffered. When I made the research for this topic, I couldn`t stop thinking the films that I`ve watched related with it. Now, I seen these movies with other eyes and I can understand them better. For that reason, I want to recommend you one of my favourite films called “Life”.
Life
It`s an American comedy-drama film (1999). It starts Eddy Murphy as Ray Gibson and Martin Lawrence as Claude Banks.
Plot: In 1932, two different young men are joined by curious circumstances which led them to be wrongly convicted of murder. They will have to spend the rest of their life for a crime they didn`t commit.
Despite this is a comedy film, it deals with racial segregation and homophobia issues in the United States during the 20th century.
I know there are many other films that treat Apartheid better like “Mandela: Long walk to Freedom” (2013), “Invictus” (2009), etc. However, I haven`t recommend you because I haven`t watched them yet. They are more serious than “Life”, but sometimes it`s good to watch the same subject in different ways. To end up, I hope you can watch it. It`s available on Netflix. So, this is my little contribution to improve our understanding of this subject.
I would like to share with you the story of Sixto Rodriguez, a Mexican-American songwriter who was very famous in South Africa, but he didn't know it.
How did Rodriguez impact South Africa?
South Africa during the Apartheid Regime was an incredibly oppressive regime. For years, the government censored all material that was deemed a threat to them. All media outlets were state run and in many cases, South Africans did not have a television. South Africa housed a massive collection of songs which talked about sex, drugs and anti establishment over the years that were forbidden to be played by radio stations. In fact, playing such songs was practically impossible as they had destroyed many of the tracks on vinyl.
Rodriguez was the first musician that spoke about standing up against the oppressor that got heard in South Africa. Much of this was made possible to the bootlegging of his albums which could partially explain why he was unaware that he was famous in South Africa. In the film “Searching for Sugarman”, a man named Sugar Segerman explains how Rodriguez’s songs, including “Sugar Man” and “I Wonder” became anthems for the country’s white youth who began to stand up against Apartheid.
The first anti-apartheid movement groups derived from rock musicians listening to his words. His songs were leading these people to really wake up to the problems in South Africa. The story of Sixto Rodriguez is an incredibly unique one. For a man to have such an influence on a nation and not even be aware of it sounds like it is made up. For many years South Africans believed Rodriguez was dead; many different stories had circulated throughout the country in the last 30 years. The most difficult thing about Rodriguez was that he was a complete mystery to South Africans. In 1997, Stephen “Sugar” Segerman set up a website, called ‘The Great Rodriguez Hunt’, with the intention of finding any information about the mysterious US musician of ‘Cold Fact’ fame. In the same year Brian Currin established ‘Climb Up On My Music’, a tribute site to the life and works of Rodriguez. In 1998, when Rodriguez was discovered, alive and well and living in Detroit, by Sugar and Craig Bartholomew Strydom, the search was over. South Africa had finally found the man responsible for inspiring many South Africans during a very troubled time.
The documentary "Searching for Sugar Man" tells the story of how this musician who failed to succeed in his own country, became so famous in South Africa. And the most interesting thing is that he didn't know this for more 25 years! I highly recommend this documentary! I'll leave the trailer for you to see it and one of his most famous songs during the Apartheid, which is considered the anti-apartheid anthem. I hope you like it!
"This is not a song, it's an outburst: or the Establishment Blues"
The mayor hides the crime rate Council woman hesitates Public gets irate but forget the vote date Weatherman complaining, predicted sun, it's raining Everyone's protesting, boyfriend keeps suggesting You're not like all of the rest
Garbage ain't collected, women ain't protected Politicians using people, they've been abusing The mafia's getting bigger, like pollution in the river And you tell me that this is where it's at
Woke up this moming with an ache in my head Splashed on my clothes as I spilled out of bed Opened the window to listen to the news But all I heard was the Establishment's Blues
Gun sales are soaring, housewives find life boring Divorce the only answer smoking causes cancer This system's gonna fall soon, to an angry young tune And that's a concrete cold fact
The pope digs population, freedom from taxation Teeny Bops are up tight, drinking at a stoplight Miniskirt is flirting I can't stop so I'm hurting Spinster sells her hopeless chest
Adultery plays the kitchen, bigot cops non-fiction The little man gets shafted, sons and monies drafted Living by a time piece, new war in the far east Can you pass the Rorschach test?
It's a hassle is an educated guess Well, frankly I couldn't care less
Searching for Sugar Man trailer
Wednesday, 15 May 2019
Hi everyone, I have found an interesting documentary about graffitis in New York. Those sprays were painted after Spike Lee's film "Do the right thing". People considered it as vandalism and this news was published in 2014.
Life
