Consolidation
AUTUMN 2008
Launching Consolidation
The Magazine From Strike~Me~Gyllen Consolidation
Launching Consolidation The Magazine from
Strike~Me~Gyllen Activism Through The Arts -THE FORUM -
http://gyllenhaal.suddenlaunch3.com
19th November 2008
Editorial Team
Mayalakshmi Rao – India Kimberly Raikes – USA Rebecca Manley – USA
writing as
Incognita Kim Beckela
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN LAUNCH NUMBER AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation
Contents
Launching Consolidation i
Strike~Me~Gyllen – Birth of a Forum ii
Activism Through The Arts iii
Consolidation – Genesis of The Magazine iv
Timing v
Incognitaspeak – “The Magazine That Writes Itself” vii
“Rewind to December 2007” viii
Inside ix
The Slippery Slope – featuring “RENDITION” 1-37
Sands of Time 38-48
Tribute – “To Life” for Jaclyn Pascarella and Heath Ledger 49
A Birthday Tribute to Jackie 50
HEATH LEDGER – A Special Feature 51-58
Friends of Brokeback Mountain 59
Credits 61
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Launching Consolidation
Consolidation – The Launch of a New Magazine
Consolidation was born out of STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN, an online forum launched in Feb. 2007 by a Kolkata based Indian, Incognita (Mayalakshmi Rao), a former IT professional turned writer-activist.
Strike-Me-Gyllen The Name: The Phenomenon: “Gyllen” is from the name So what is the forum’s connection with a film family in America? In Gyllenhaal, a Hollywood film family consisting of actors Jake and April 2006 Incognita fortuitously Maggie, their father film director- came across all four of them in poet Stephen and their mother cyberspace. She terms the effect screenwriter Naomi. on her as being “Struck Gyllen.”
As she explains it, the family all took her “by storm.” She says “First my renewed interest in actor Dustin Hoffman through a chance event, brought me ‘face to face’ with Jake Gyllenhaal, through a publicity still of them together from the 2002 film Moonlight Mile.” Reading some of Hoffman’s interviews on the internet kindled her interest in gay rights, and through articles on his film, the 1969 classic “Midnight Cowboy,” she found her way to “Brokeback Mountain,” (see box for details of the film) which again led her to Jake, in a big way this time, and to the rest of the family. The story makes for a fascinating read and you can read it at http://gyllenhaal.suddenlaunch3.com …Kim
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN is an award winning film from FOCUS FEATURES with screenplay by LARRY MCMURTRY & DIANA OSSANA based on the short story by ANNIE PROULX and Based on the short story of the same name produced by JAMES SCHAMUS. by Annie Proux, "Brokeback Mountain" Director: ANG LEE traces the lives of two young Wyoming Starring: cowboys, Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) and HEATH LEDGER as ENNIS DEL MAR Ennis del Mar (Heath Ledger), who meet JAKE GYLLENHAAL as JACK TWIST and fall in love one summer while herding ANNE HATHAWAY as LUREEN NEWSOME TWIST MICHELLE WILLIAMS as ALMA BEERS DEL MAR sheep. Though their brief time together on the mountain is one of innocence and trust, their relationship off the mountain is Some Gyllenhaal Films/Books dominated by fear, their own and society's. Naomi Foner-Gyllenhaal: Running on Empty(Oscar nominated), Over the course of 20 years they Bee Season as screenwriter. Producer/Writer on Sesame Street. periodically meet up to rekindle their romance, carving time from their failing Stephen Gyllenhaal: Waterland, A Dangerous Woman, Paris Trout traditional marriages; but their relationship as director. Author of Claptrap – Notes From Hollywood, his first gradually devolves into suspicion, collection of poems. Has written novel Liquid Motel, now in pre- bitterness, and resentment. Not until Jack’s publication stage. death does Ennis come face to face with the power of their love--and the powers within Maggie Gyllenhaal: Donnie Darko, Secretary, Sherrybaby, World Trade Center, The Dark Night as actor. and without them to extinguish it. Jake Gyllenhaal: October Sky, Donnie Darko, Brokeback Mountain, Jarhead, Zodiac, Rendition as actor.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN i AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Strike~Me~Gyllen Birth Of A Forum
Hear in Incognita’s own voice about the transmission of the “Strike~Me~Gyllen effect” and the consequent building of cyber family leading to a new forum.
Cyber-Family to Cyber-Forum The immediate outcome of my unexpected cyber “discovery” of the Gyllenhaals, especially Stephen and Jake, was the opening of a whole new world of cyber interactions and the discovery of like minded individuals worldwide. In time I increasingly came to believe that destiny had willed the source of my future happiness and success to be in cyberspace.
What’s Jake Got To Do With It? Successive glimpses into Jake’s persona reconnected me with a sense of my inner self. Parallely the film Brokeback Mountain held a mirror in which I saw my own story. Catalysed by Jake’s enigmatic and erotic appeal, they together rekindled my self-love and filled me with a desire to relive life on my own terms. Jake has had this effect on many people. 95% of the cases though have Jack-Jake (Jake plays Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain) as their personal muse. For me, Jack and Jake are two separate strands in my life—weaving together in places, diverging in others. Both have been important, however, in my self- understanding.
Involvement With Jake Gyllenhaal/Brokeback Mountain fans: Listening to the debate on internet forums devoted to both, I noticed there were many voices expressing a need for something “different”; and these collective needs, together with my own restless exploration, wove themselves into the creation of a new forum. As I found myself actively speaking up and participating on other cyber forums, I discovered their recognition of my insights and networking skills; and this affirmation, coupled with my background in IT and internet-based education, all amalgamated themselves into a melting pot from which the idea to create a forum of my own was born. My focus was on providing a platform for enabling the personal transformation of others, similar to the one I experienced. Helping others to find their “voice,” as I found mine, and to discover the trust of bonding with “cyber travellers,” was and continues a key mission.
A Birthing In Sorrow Strike~Me~Gyllen was actually born out of a time of turmoil and loss, soon after the passing of my mother, the co-creator of the forum who didn’t live to see it launched. And it was another "strike" in the elbow during my most despondent phase straight after, that made me write a launch post on the spur of the moment and call a few people on line to announce it. The following quote from Stephen Gyllenhaal’s poem Grammar would explain it best: “to have joyful births, there must be joyful deaths.”
That was the magic moment of awakening and going forth in hope, like a burst of light.
…Incognita
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN ii AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Activism Through The Arts
Read Kim’s words about what came forth. About the Forum Strike-Me-Gyllen (SMG for short) – the forum, was created, in Incognita's words, "not as a fansite but primarily out of a sense of constructive activism." SMG ventures to explore beyond the Gyllenhaals and their contribution to the arts, branching out into the related issues of media veracity, human sexuality, and social justice in a broader context. Its motto helps to convey the forum's intent: "We won't settle to be passive activists; we'd rather be active pacifists. We dream of a world free from violence; we aspire to lessen violence in any form it takes, from ravages of the environment to assaults on one another's rights."
Through threads exploring themes in the arts and society east and west, Strike- Me-Gyllen has built a cyber family of contributors, a team of writers with global perspectives and experience. Under their influence and Incognita's leadership, SMG has become a place that's truly global--a forum which delves not only into Jake Gyllenhaal as a persona or the Gyllenhaals as artists, but even more into art and drama themselves as human expressions of the mythic and eternal.
In spirit, SMG is meant to be a place where, as Incognita puts it, "something is generated beyond the personal transformation of the people who post. We'd like to reach outward with that transforming effect, as well as draw attention to issues in a manner that could help accelerate change in the world outside towards a more humane and embracing culture.”
That global "transforming effect" is part of what Incognita calls "activism through the arts," something that cannot happen without activism for the arts. And while nurturing the creative spirit is an important aim in itself, our efforts to get a broader audience for a film or to promote a book or any work are directed towards social change such works could generate. Our definition of the arts again stretches beyond conventional boundaries.
As Incognita says, "Even think of an internet forum which is in itself a dynamic, organically evolving work of art: the art of human networking, bonding, social and intellectual exchange through the medium of cyberspace. Forums by their nature are 'seeded' and the rest happens as with the growth of a plant... So to be in charge of such an entity and see that growth as healthy is more than a softskill; it is a collaboration of fine-art."
As with any art, this mission is all about space—space for work, space for meeting, space for growth. Summing up the spirit of the forum and Consolidation, the magazine being launched, Incognita says “Maybe I am meant to model those spaces for others or help them to model their spaces out of a superspace that I have access to and can share.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN iii AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Consolidation Genesis of The Magazine
Consolidation – The Magazine from Strike~Me~Gyllen Consolidation the magazine has its roots in these themes and initiatives. If SMG the forum is where interactions take place in real time, the magazine represents the consolidation thereof on a regular and periodic basis.
The ever-present “G” factor Says Incognita, “News of Stephen Gyllenhaal creating sandcastles got us talking around the theme of sand, the metaphors it evoked and its possibilities. “
The “Sand” Effect She continues “A series of interactions around this theme led me to realize that civilizations are largely sand-based, just as life itself is carbon-based. Life as we know it, which means ourselves as well, grew out of carbon while we deploy silicon in diverse forms in creating our manmade worlds as distinct from the natural living world. The latest and most far-reaching of man’s creations has been cyberspace, a phenomemon that exploded around the silicon chip. It has effectively connected all civilization into one integrated web that we can regard as our Silicon Universe.”
Goals Reaching Out Consolidation's prelaunch special edition (December 2007,) focused on readers familiar with the work of the Gyllenhaals and had a special feature on Jake to mark his birthday; but this first full-fledged edition of the magazine reaches for a broader audience, moving beyond cyber-fandom to activists in the arts both east and west.
Unearthing Talent One goal of Consolidation is to provide a venue for writers who wouldn't otherwise be writing--to offer, as Incognita says, "a platform to showcase talents where those talents have value in catalyzing or activating transformation of individuals and groups." Through her work as editor and administrator of SMG, Incognita has come to recognize that a wide range of original writing "with a potential to influence events" exists in cyberspace, but often gets lost in the morass of casual posts around it. Reaching those talented writers and posts out to a readership in an organized way is one mission of Consolidation.
Creating Alternative Media But a broader mission of the magazine is to function as an organ of Alternative Media --to encourage voices that deviate from the mainstream and offer channels for them to be heard; to address the unaddressed issues to be found in the arts and social structures of our time. In analyzing Consolidation's role here, Incognita believes, "We are actually in a position of initiative and leadership. It's a tough place to be and a challenging one, but an opportunity to do things right in as many ways as possible, rather than to jump on a predefined bandwagon and feel constrained. We hope to be on a path of writing a definition of alternative media -hopefully a fluid one that grows organically. A medium is a path, isn't it? So alternative media are alternative paths--to justice, to liberty, to peace, to fulfilment." In that sense, the medium is indeed the message. …Kim
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN iv AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation timing
Awaiting that “juncture in time”
Incognita muses: The Timeline “In the context of Jake Gyllenhaal’s films and their audiences Kim reminded me I'd once Nine months into the creation of mentioned that part of ‘timing’ is ‘the art of Strike~Me~Gyllen (SMG for short) circling’--looping back to re-experience we started to put our writings events of the past in such a way that they together to bring you a pre- pick up new meaning and so influence the launch edition of Consolidation present. She asked if I saw ‘circling’ as an with a special feature aspect of Jake's art or career and wondered celebrating actor Jake how audience ‘circling’ might affect our Gyllenhaal's birthday. We did appreciation of Jake's past films--most indeed bring it out for very private and limited circulation. notably, Brokeback Mountain and Rendition. Meanwhile events overtook us This question put me in mind of relativity - from all sides and prevented whether we travel around the event or it us from reaching it to many travels around us. So does the audience prospective readers. The next circle or the film circle and reposition itself?” nine months went by like a dream.
Back in November 2007, while Kim continues below, to explore the idea of working on our pre-launch “timing” in the context of Consolidation and its special, we were targeting the launch. launch of the first edition for early 2008. We have since Director Ang Lee, in describing the sifted and re-ordered the serendipitous way in which the Brokeback content and fine-tuned our approach to offer you the same Mountain script attracted its cast and crew, essence in somewhat different has said that projects draw their people to moulds in our inaugural them. Can it also be said that projects number. "choose their timing"? In “Rewind to December 2007,” According to Incognita, they can (or shall we we connect our readers with the say Time chooses them?) The Tamil word for thought process during that time, "Veyllai" is used very effectively to phase, to help synchronize with convey this "timing." Choosing its "juncture the present. in time" is how she describes the process by which this issue of Consolidation sought its release date or the date sought the event.
Perhaps there are broader implications of this and related Indian concepts of timing which can be discovered in Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Jake Gyllenhaal's current film project (and in his previous work as well) which we have covered in “The Sandglass” under our “Sands of Time” section.
…contd. on page vi
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN v AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation timing
The Magazine That Writes Itself
Returning to Consolidation: why and how has the magazine, in a sense, chosen "now" for its release? Originally scheduled to be launched February 15th, it has emerged as an autumn event. In part, there were emotional considerations for this adjustment. Events need to "time" themselves in the midst of one another. Given the tragic and unexpected death of actor Heath Ledger in January, a February 15th launch would have been again a "birthing in sorrow."
The forum Strike-Me-Gyllen too was born in sorrow, in the midst of Incognita's mother's loss, and SMG's uniqueness was shaped by that event. But Heath’s was such a stunning loss, untimely and devastating to so many of us - writers and readers of the magazine. The decision to put the launch on hold was spontaneous; it felt the only right thing to do at the time.
Close on the heels of Heath's loss came several positive happenings which, in Incognita's words, "caught us up and swept us along"; events "worth experiencing to add value to Consolidation's launch." Just as projects need to time themselves in the midst of one another, they also benefit from one another's momentum, building synergy through their interfaces with one another. In May Incognita and I actually met in Kolkata, giving us the chance to process many Consolidation-related ideas in person, and to experience the enrichment of cross-cultural exchange which is at the heart of Consolidation's purpose.
In addition, many Consolidation readers may be unaware of two other important projects with which Incognita is involved: one a film being made by her for an American college on Indian spiritual life, the other the newly-launched BBM Foundation, whose purposes "are in sync with our own transformational activism on SMG." Consolidation's timing in the midst of these twin projects benefitted, and was benefitted by, their evolution.
Finally, perhaps there is an inner dynamic which prompts projects to choose moments that are "auspicious" for their birth. This is the idea behind Kaala Shakti (kaala-time, shakti-power), or gestation--the power of time which generates ripeness. As a date August 15th is "auspicious" for a venture in India; it is India's independence day, the birthday of a modern nation. So we chose this day to start work on this edition. You can read in Incognitaspeak – “The Magazine That Writes Itself” of the paths traversed in circling back to this point.
A project's "choosing its time" is about "a synergy with 'chance' or 'destiny' that all planners strive for," whether they be journalists or film-makers. Consolidation is a magazine about sharing such insights into the processes of media-related events. Sometimes those insights are like flowers or gems which we re-configure on the string of a necklace, in an effort to display them in different lights, to capture a fresh truth or catch a new audience. "In a way," as Incognita says, "that's probably how the same Jake with his talents keeps re-positioning himself as well. It's all a part of our self-understanding and knowing for ourselves the dynamics of the time continuum we are a part of." …Kim
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN vi AUTUMN 2008 “The Magazine That Consolidation Writes Itself ”
Incognitaspeak 15th August 2008
Eighteen months into the forum’s existence and six months later than we planned, we find ourselves preparing to launch Consolidation.
The magazine from Strike~Me~Gyllen could appropriately adopt a new tag line – “The Magazine That Writes Itself.” Like a river carving its own course. Turning up out of nowhere, disappearing and reappearing like the ancient, mystical River Sarasvati of Indian mythology whose lost course has been rediscovered by archaeologists. Consolidation is always there - in the mind, the heart, the imagination and we hope now in “person.”
These have been months of recovery from old sorrows and emergence from fresh ones followed by action, discovery, growth and fresh thinking.
The most significant has been the meeting between our editors Incognita and Kim on the former's home soil. Through my chance connection with Kim in 2007, I started thinking of a process of consolidating, and interfacing with a larger world through that consolidated entity rather than through diverse gateways.
I can say that Kim's footprints were left on the sands of time - and the sands of timeless India - while timeless India left her imprint on Kim’s mind and heart. As the most fitting symbol of this meeting she has carried back with her a little piece of earth in the shape of a tiny clay cup from which she drank. One out of the hundreds of thousands that are drunk from over the length and breadth of India by all regardless of station in life, and returned to the ground to crumble and integrate with the soil: the "chosen one," picked as if at random from its countless anonymous brethren, to travel across the ocean and become an ambassador for this ancient civilization and for the theme of our magazine.
While this little mascot has accompanied several other representatives of India in Kim's baggage, a collection of exquisitely colored little yaatris (yaatri is traveller in Sanskrit) who are usually happier sailing and have sailed countless miles across oceans, have been airlifted to take up residence in my home. I believe they will whisper the secrets of their voyages to me as time goes by. Yes, they are a collection of sea glass pieces from the beaches of Maine where Kim lives.
Both the clay cup and the glass pieces have reached destinations they didn’t expect to. This puts in me in mind of the words in our team-mate freetraveller's signature “Travellers are those who find what they were not looking for...”. They represent the unforseen discovery, the unexpected gift, the unusual in every good sense. They also represent the transcending of time and space barriers, the universal human spirit and creative energy. They have dropped anchor in unexpected places, hopefully found homes.
.… Incognita
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN vii AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation “Rewind to December 2007” extrac
Carrying the Active Pacifist Message – thoughts recaptured In the prelaunch edition we had dwelt on the idea of “inner violence,” often not overt or manifest but a source of violent and destructive actions, expressing the hope that recognizing this “seed” would be a meaningful step towards limiting violence in our immediate sphere and then, through the transmission of ideas and impulses, in a more far-reaching way.
I had shared my dream to end global violence in any form with a dear friend and mentor, Rotraut Roy Chowdhury, in Kolkata. Here are words of encouragement she gave me then. They are about “seeding” a process in that direction and enabling it to grow:
“I wish you every success in your dynamic thrust 'to put an end to global violence in any form' – a near utopian goal post! But even minimal successes will be well worth the effort. Let countless drops add up to form a powerful stream carrying the active pacifist message all over the world.”
Our feature on Rendition is hopefully a small step in this direction.
Fullness comes to those whose dream great dreams -an extract Talking about dreams led me to recall what my dear mother catchafallingstar had shared with me towards the end of her life, about “Tribeni: Journal of The Indian Renaissance” a magazine that her father subscribed to when she was a young girl in Madras (now Chennai), India. She would pore over it and try to fathom what it was about – it was clearly related to the Indian freedom movement, right then gaining momentum. Oddly, although it was published in Bengal, it didn’t ring a bell for anyone to whom we mentioned it in Kolkata. What happened to this slice of the past and whether it continues to exist in any form is still a mystery, investing it with a dream-like quality for me.
Catchafallingstar had never spoken about it in all these years, but they say that recollections of childhood sharpen in one’s old age and she suddenly quoted a line she remembered as appearing on the cover of each edition: “Fullness comes to those who dream great dreams,” seeming to recall the author’s last name as Mazzini. I’ve not been able to locate the quote anywhere, and would love if any reader could help me out. The line caught my imagination and I’ve adopted it as a personal mantra.
Every quest, every attempt, is fired by that great dream. When they brought that journal out, there were surely people who felt that India being an independent nation was such a wild idea, such a farfetched and “impossible” goal. I’ve got to take a line from Jake Gyllenhaal here and chip in “Listen only to those who encourage you.”
They dreamed and they won! I dream and today I have before me a forum and a magazine carrying the unbelievable tagline “Born In India, Belonging To The World.”
…Incognita, 19th December 2007
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN viii AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation inside
What’s Inside This Edition
The Silicon Universe: the ever-pervasive sand metaphors The events of the past months led us to see a convergence between elements from the sections originally planned. The sand metaphor that first catalysed us into action continues as an underlying theme and we are visualizing our environment through the metaphor of “silicon universe.” More especially in this millenium, we have all become virtual travellers. We have crossed barriers of time and space in often unpredictable ways, with far reaching consequences, positive and life affirming as well as negative and destructive.
We tend to tread heavily on our “sands” – cyberspace – stirring them up and creating unwanted sandstorms. Walking on sand is a skill, working with sand an art. In cyberspace as with the physical medium of sand we can create beautiful patterns and shapes that interlink civilizations and cultures. We don’t have to deal with the natural rhythm of tides that wash away sandsculptures or the unpredictable ravages of nature that destroy and reshape coastlines. Instead we deal with the more difficult challenges – in cyberspace, the negatives of human nature can be magnified manifold and their effects transmitted at superspeeds to destroy. We see Silicon as a pivotal symbol: a node at which thoughts intersect and mingle, and emerge in an array of diverse ideas like colors through a prism, a pervasive element through all our thinking and writing, and a recurring theme running through all our features.
Silicon Footprint Sands of Time In recognition of its role in cementing our ideas Continuing the theme together we introduce a regular feature “Sands of under this head are Time,” wherein we’ll explore this element in its features on how we lead physical and metaphysical aspects. Under it come our lives in this emerging the sections environment which can be profound and sometimes Personal Heritage overwhelming as well as The Sandglass incredibly destructive Footprints and divisive.
In an interesting coincidence, no sooner than we had While all our planned decided on this new section, Jake’s new film project features (see next page “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” was announced. box) are connected by “The Sandglass” this time will be on that theme. the underlying idea of Silcon Footprint, To honor Kim's visit with her lovely family to the It.Is.Not.As.It.Seems and birthplace of SMG and Consolidation and to honor our Embracing the Halves shared muse whom we jointly thank for “making” this connect us directly with happen, we have this time under “Personal Heritage,” two opposite aspects of “Sea Glass and Fellow Travellers,” which opens with a the power of silicon. poem "Sea Glass" by Kim written for Jake Gyllenhaal. The one deals directly with the negative effects
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN ix AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation inside
…contd. from page ix of cyberspace, especially its divisive power, and how we can counter these. The other is about the power of cyberspace to unify and integrate, so we can explore and feel comfortable with the wavy lines between illusion and reality. Originally meant to explore gender fluidity and the dynamic boundaries defining sexuality, it has expanded to include the melting of cultural, artistic and allied borders. Most of all, barriers of time and space have been melted. Time is more of an illusion than ever now as we practically experience an existence in multiple time zones.
Apart from Sands of Time, the current edition has only one other major head Regular Features Planned from what we plan to offer as regular The Slippery Slope features - The Slippery Slope. The theme is Gavin Hood’s Rendition, “a remarkable, Going where few dare: the disturbing issues related to human rights and brave and underrated movie” in the responsibilities words of Consolidation team member Nelly. The subject of Extraordinary Rendition Embracing The Halves as well as this important and compelling The changing colours and shades, the film are so complex that we decided to wavy lines and dynamic boundaries stay with just one feature rather than let defining sexuality, the melting of variety dilute the focus. cultural, artistic and allied borders The Sacred Mountain What’s New? Climbing your own mountain. We are introducing a feature not originally planned, dedicated to the Brokeback IT.IS.NOT.AS.IT.SEEMS. Mountain Foundation whose progress we Working towards Media Veracity look forward to covering every month. What's love got to do with it? Fandom Inside-Out! The twin travellers symbolized by the sea glass collection and the clay cup, are Sands Of Time working in tandem. It’s a continuing See Colored Box previous page process of moulding together vital elements from all the heads. We won’t BBM Foundation say more, rather let you travel through See alongside the pages with us like these intrepid wanderers.
Tribute Features We lost two very special people, Jackie and Heath, within a day of each other in January. November 14th is the birthday of our dear departed member and forum sponsor, Jaclyn Pascarella – Jackie/Paintedshoes - and we bring you a tribute in loving birthday memory of her.
And our inaugural number would never be complete without a feature dedicated to the work of our beloved Heath Ledger. “Dear Heath, Dear Jackie, you are alive and present in our hearts and will be always.” ... Incognita & Kim
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN x AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
The Slippery Slope Rendition
Going where few dare: the disturbing issues related to human rights and responsibilities. We introduce this feature with Gavin Hood's Rendition, a remarkable, brave and underrated film that has dared to tread this slope. We feel impelled and committed to draw this important film out of the oblivion it has been summarily sent into. The subject of Extraordinary Rendition as well as this compelling film are so complex that we plan to continue this as a multi-part series over several editions, in the hope that the resulting ferment of ideas can contribute to creating a more free and safe world for all of us.
We bring you Part One of the feature under the following heads.
Introduction to Gavin Hood’s film 3
Does Freedom Protect Itself? 5 The mind as the enemy and the role of perception
Rendered Out 8 A range of reactions to the film from SMG posters.
Are You The American? 12 What does the world think of America? Has America lost track of her true self through the vicious cycle of terror and counter terror?
Terror and Responses to Terror - 1
About Terror 16 Is Torture Ever Justified? 20
Anti Hero Douglas 25 His role, his character and Jake Gyllenhaal’s protrayal
A Poetic Lament 31
Terror and Responses to Terror – 2
The Lotus Response 32
Wake Up America! 35 Catalysing this awakening – a process set in motion by the film through the action of Douglas.
Epilogue 36
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 1 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE
RENDITION – a film from New Line Cinema released in 2007
Directed by Gavin Hood and written by Kelley Sane Produced by Steve Golin and Marcus Viscidi with Mark Martin Camera: Dion Beebe Editor: Megan Gill Music: Paul Hepker and Mark Kilian
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal - Douglas Freeman, CIA Analyst Omar Metwally - Anwar El-Ibrahimi, the detainee who is tortured Yigal Naor - Abasi Fawal, chief interrogator/torturer Reese Witherspoon - Isabella El-Ibrahimi, wife of Anwar Zineb Oukach - Fatima Fawal, Abasi Fawal’s daughter Moa Khouas - Khalid El-Emin, Fatima’s boyfriend Alan Arkin - Senator Hawkins Peter Sarsgaard - Alan Smith, aide to Senator Hawkins Meryl Streep - Corrine Whitman, CIA head in charge of terrorism Simon Abkarian - Said Abdel Azeez, Minister of Interior, North Africa Hadar Ratzon - Safiya, Douglas’s girlfriend
Complete credits available at http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804522/fullcredits
Writers on our Rendition feature:
Valentine - USA Nelly - Greece Mouk - France, Canada Kim - USA Iwishiknew - USA Incognita - India HeavenlyOversight - Canada Freetraveller - Italy, UK Beckela - USA
Complete sections by a single writer are credited at the start of the section. Narration for all other sections is by Incognita.
You will also hear the voices of director Gavin Hood, ACLU attorney Ben Wizner and actor Jake Gyllenhaal through quotes from their interviews and features.
Photocaps from the Rendition DVD are by Beckela and photomanips by iwishiknew and Incognita.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 2 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation The Slippery Slope Rendition
Rendition – Introducing The Film By Gavin Hood
For readers who have not seen the film here is Kim’s introduction based on the Production Notes.
Is the torture of a detainee to extract information vital to a nation's security ever justified? Is torture "effective"--that is, can information obtained through forcible means be relied upon, given the natural impulse of a detainee to make false or misleading statements to end the interrogation? If a nation decides to compromise its laws, such as the right to due process, for the sake of its national security, does it end up becoming--in actor Peter Sarsgaard's words--"a country it doesn't want to be?" And "how human can we stay," as actor Yigal Naor puts it, "when forced to defend ourselves, our family, or our country brutally?"
These are some of the questions posed by "Rendition," released last year by New Line Cinema. Directed by Gavin Hood and enacted by an international cast, "Rendition" explores the complex issues surrounding the U.S. government's policy of "extraordinary rendition," the abduction of foreign nationals considered a threat to national security, and their detention for "enhanced interrogation" in secret overseas prisons.
Through its ensemble cast, each character representing a different point of view, the film endeavors to show the multiple sides of the issue, leaving the audience to determine its own answers.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 3 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation The Slippery Slope Rendition
Rendition – Introducing The Film By Gavin Hood
…contd. from page 3 Set in Washington D.C. and and a country ambiguously named “North Africa,” "Rendition" centers on the experience of a CIA analyst, Douglas Freeman (Jake Gyllenhaal), who reluctantly fills in as observer on the death of his colleague who is killed in a terrorist bombing, and is forced to question his North African assignment after he witnesses the tortured interrogation of an Egyptian American, Anwar El-Ibrahimi (Omar Metwally) suspected of being a terrorist. Back in their home in the U.S., El-Ibrahimi's pregnant wife Isabella (Reese Witherspoon), not knowing why he has disappeared, enlists the help of a politically connected friend (Peter Sarsgaard) and a U.S. Senator (Alan Arkin), who learn that El-Ibrahimi has been shipped to a North African country for interrogation under the order of the CIA's head of terrorism, Corinne Whitman (Meryl Streep). Abasi Fawal (Yigal Naor) is the head of the secret prison where El-Ibrahimi's torture is conducted; and unbeknownst to him, it is his daughter Fatima and her Islamic fundamentalist boyfriend Khalid who initiate the chain of events which leads to the film's climax.
Douglas Freeman is, in Gavin Hood's words, the film's "moral compass," the one who observes the torture of El-Ibrahimi and the one in whose hands El- Ibrahimi's fate ultimately rests, as the effectiveness of others' action on his behalf wanes or is compromised. It is Freeman who must make a decision whether or not to remain an observer, or become a participant--to free a man and in so doing, liberate himself. And it's through Freeman that the film poses its questions--questions which we read on his silent face and experience in our thoughts as we watch events unfold with him.
The backdrop to much of "Rendition," the city of Marrakech in Morocco, with its narrow, twisting alleys and vibrant, chaotic colours, lends itself well to the intrigue of the story, and was chosen by Hood and his director of photography for its mystery and intimacy.
In the words of Strike~Me~Gyllen and Consolidation contributor freetraveller, Morocco is effective as a setting as well because it is a "frontier country"--a country "whose mainstream culture has been shaped by many different influences" and "whose border (frontier) is situated next to countries with different cultural/political/religious tradtions." It is this "frontier" nature of the film's setting which underscores the clash of cultures and borderline questions the film poses for 21st century viewers.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 4 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Does Freedom Protect Itself?
“Freedom can’t protect itself” -motto of the American Civil Liberties Union- is displayed on Jake’s cap in this picture taken at the ACLU Freedom concert.
So does Freedom Protect Itself? We found ourselves posing the question all over again in the context of our Rendition feature. Are the methods we use to protect our freedom being unreasonably directed by fear? Can we protect our freedom by denying the freedom of another? Especially when that person is denied the right to due process on a mere hint of suspicion as is increasingly happening in the United States as well as other democracies around the world? ABOUT ACLU
Asking myself these questions made me think again The ACLU, or American about how we define freedom, and caused me to Civil Liberties Union, is a non-profit corporation circle back to the idea of freeing the mind--a notion dedicated to the inspired by India's Nobel Laureate poet Tagore in his preservation of poem "Mind Without Fear," from the Gitanjali: constitutional freedoms in the U.S. Based in “Where the mind is without fear and the head is held New York, the ACLU has high; over 400,000 members Where knowledge is free; and supporters, staff people and volunteers, Where the world has not been broken up into fragments including attorneys by narrow working without pay to domestic walls;” initiate test cases, in … order to challenge laws “Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way which restrict personal into the liberties in the areas of dreary desert sand of dead habit;” free speech, equality, and due process of law. Special areas of concern for the ACLU include And these words made me start analysing fear and AIDS, capital how it controls us and threatens our freedom. punishment, GLBT rights, women's rights, To mark India’s Independence Day we opened a voting rights, and thread on Strike~Me~Gyllen with a question “what we prisoners' rights. can do to free trapped minds from the dark prisons All four Gyllenhaals are that hold them captive?” It drew eager responses, members of ACLU. especially from those who had seen the film Rendition. Strike~Me~Gyllen’s logo picture shows the family Starting with the idea of how we, in democracies, take receiving the Torch of freedom of any and every sort for granted, posters Liberty Award in 2003. went on to analyse what was actually happening and where the threats to freedom really lay. Here are some of the ideas expressed, all of which point towards the need to free the mind from fear.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 5 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Does Freedom Protect Itself?
…contd. from page 5 Read HeavenlyOversight’s thoughts: “For me, as of late, I'm finding that I am cherishing my mental freedom – that is, freedom from feeling overwhelmed in general. I hated it because my mind is something I can't exactly control. There are many different forms of freedom though and luckily, living in Canada, some I never have to think too much about. I am grateful for that. But what I do like about this forum is the fact that it keeps my eyes open to realize just how much fighting had to be done for me to get that. “
Kim is eloquent on how one way we can approach the subject of freedom is through the arts. She elaborates on how the film Rendition contributed to this process.
“In particular, SMG's recent focus on ‘Rendition’ gives us the chance to think about freedom as an international issue, and also offers us an opportunity to exercise the flow of ideas which can, in Incognita's words, ‘help free trapped minds from dark prisons.’ When I think of trapped minds I have to include my own in their number--a conclusion ‘Rendition’ forces me to make. Ironically ‘Rendition's’ central character, the observer around whom all the action revolves and only in the end a participant in the action, is named Freeman. In a sense, Douglas Freeman is all of us--which leads us to wonder, to what extent is he ever a ‘free man’ to what extent are we ‘free people’?
“Douglas is imprisoned by many factors but certainly a key one is his perception of others. It's only when he begins to test those perceptions that he begins to be freed himself--and able to free Anwar.
“This film makes us test our perceptions too. How can we see others as they ‘are,’ and not as they are ‘portrayed’ to us? It seems like this is one true challenge of ‘independence’ for us all, no matter what nation we live in. To the extent that we are able to meet it, maybe we can help free ‘trapped minds,’ including our own. “
Iwishiknew throws light on how some are more free than others within these very democracies: “We live in a world where even free people are not free in all aspects of their lives. Even in free countries, the rights granted to some are denied others. In Rendition and in Brokeback Mountain Jake Gyllenhaal and the other great talents demonstrated this for all to see if we but would. Tyranny in a uniform is easy to identify, other forms less so and are perhaps even more dangerous. But just as armies can overthrow physical tyranny so can the arts overthrow tyranny of thought. I am grateful for the one as much as the other all over this world of ours. Let freedom ring!”
Mouk is in agreement with Kim on the need to look within ourselves. “In my life experience I have come to realise more and more that freedom comes from within, from breaking our own barriers. “Freedom can, and often is, curbed by outer elements. But if enough of us had the courage to find our inner freedom and put all those freedoms together, it would make a force that is ever harder to curb.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 6 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Does Freedom Protect Itself?
…contd. from page 6 “But because many people don't feel free they don't want others to be free either. And that's when people create hell for each other, and ultimately for themselves as they get caught in the cycle. Freedom comes with responsibilities though, perhaps it is a responsibility in itself. Could this be one of the reasons why many people are so scared of living and letting live? “
Freetraveller speaks of the practical realities of the situation and how it may not be always as easy as just deciding to free oneself. “Freedom, when it involves breaking free from chains imposed by family or society, very often generates loneliness and isolation. Mental strength and stubborness can often overcome them, but it's not always easy. It's an uphill struggle for many to strive for freedom, for themselves and for others. It often involves confronting the unknown and the unexpected, challenging the sense of security often provided by the ‘status quo,’ but on the other hand the desire for freedom, once set in motion, is a force that can't be denied or stopped so easily.”
It’s about asking why we are afraid, what we are afraid of? Can it be dealt with through discussion and analysis and at least a few of us taking initiative to open up and speak about it? Rather than continue defensive and suspicious without ever taking the the risk of finding out? How much of it can change through altered perception and how can the arts help in this process? Maybe if we open our eyes and look we’ll find that the things we really need to fear are ignorance and fear itself.
Rabindranath Tagore (1861-1941) was born into a Calcutta family known for its socio- religious and cultural innovations. He was a Bengali poet, short-story writer, song composer, playwright, and painter. As Asia's first Nobel Laureate, he was awarded the Nobel Price for Literature in 1913, and was highly influential in introducing the best of Indian culture to the west, and vice versa. Blending Indian and western traditions was also his goal in founding Visva-Bharati University (1921), which began as an experimental school in rural west Bengal at Shankinitekan ("Abode of Peace").
In "Rabindranath Tagore on Education" (O'Connell K.M. 2003 , the encyclopaedia of informal education, http://www.infed.org/thinkers/tagore/htm) Kathleen M. O'Connell writes, "As one of the earliest educators to think in terms of the global village, Rabindranath Tagore's educational model has a unique sensitivity and aptness for education within multi-racial, multi-lingual and multi-cultural situations, amidst conditions of acknowledged economic discrepancy and political imbalance."
O'Connell adds, "His vision of culture was not a static one, but one that advocated new cultural fusions, and he fought for a world where multiple voices were encouraged to interact... and to reconcile differences within an overriding commitment to peace and mutual interconnectednes."
O'Connell quotes Tagore as saying, "We in our home sought freedom of power in our language, freedom of imagination in our literature, freedom of soul in our religious creeds and that of mind in our social environment. Such an opportunity has given me confidence in the power of education...which can give us real freedom...freedom of moral communion in the human world." (Rabindranath Tagore 1929:73-74)
Perhaps this freedom of moral communion is at the heart of “Rendition's” future hope.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 7 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Rendered Out Viewer Impressions
Strike~Me~Gyllen poster iwishiknew coined an evocative expression “Rendered Out” to describe the feeling that viewing this film left him with. Stressful as it is to watch, the viewer is overpowered in a lasting manner, and a handful of people have lived up to director Gavin Hood's hope that the film will lead to a debate. Gavin and writer Kelley Sane wanted to show both sides of the question in a balanced manner “from almost a legal point of view.” Their concerns in Gavin’s words are whether the film shows “the argument for the necessity for torture and the other argument against torture. Are these arguments balanced in the film? Because the one thing Kelley and I didn’t want to do was to tell the audience what to think.” We will leave our readers to form their own opinion after reading this feature entirely. For now we'll call it a global film brought to us by an unpretentious but immensely gifted international team.
People tend to look for black and white messages from films and this one has drawn its share of mixed reactions, including a shade of opinion that the film is mediocre. Oddly some of its detractors have seen it as preachy - quite the opposite to those who expected some preaching and got questions turned at them instead. I think this whole process of making people ask themselves questions is vital. All our writers here are unanimous that it was of a high artistic standard. If you haven't seen it please do. The DVD comes with extras that make all the difference in appreciating the film, its subtle message conveyed through collective artistic expression. And if you've seen it and didn't quite "get" it the first time, another viewing would make a difference.
In the words of Beckela: “Is there something wrong with me because I don't need explicit explanations and overt, over-the-top acting to ‘get it?’ Perhaps I possess an overactive imagination and can easily fill in ‘the blanks.’ I choose to think not - - on both counts!”
And HeavenlyOversight: “Maybe that's why so many don't like the film..because it doesn't leave you with a definite answer. If anything, it leaves you unsettled, and begs you to THINK.”
The Plot and The Characters There is an ambiguity in the time line which makes it look like two parallel stories, and yet the melting of events into one another right from the start alerts the viewer to connections that will reveal themselves. The way the ends of the “snaking” plots come together at the conclusion of the film is incredible. Everyone of the characters is expressive. In the midst of all those articulate and colorful expressions - a whole kaleidoscope of emotion displaying itself to the viewer - there is this one Douglas like a
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 8 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Rendered Out Viewer Impressions
…contd. from page 8 silent pivot around which the whole story coils itself like two mating serpents, sometimes swirling around him, sometimes drawing him in. While there is a sweep of events around Douglas, he himself has to keep everything closed in. The silent character of Douglas is like a concentric hub rotating at the core with a feeling and thought process and momentum of its own.
Many commentors elsewhere tend to think in terms of a single plot and a subplot. In reality the two plots are connected at several points and we see these connections unfolding through the film. The average viewer as well as critic could tend to filter out the delicate and intricate subplot and stick with what is most comfortable - the immediate situations of Anwar and Isabella with Douglas like a bridge in between. The commentary greatly helps an understanding of the intricacies and their real importance to uncovering the message of the film.
The Script: One of the many reviews of the film indicated that Kelley Sane's script lacks depth. On the contrary I think the reviewer lacked the patience to delve beneath the words and gave up because the film did not lead the viewer by the hand. I see this as a very sharply etched script, no verbose or elaborately detailed language - many of the lines were like one half of a metaphorical couplet whose other half turned up to match it in another part of the film. This whole process culminates in the scene by the wharf which to many feels like the end of the film with the scenes that follow being an epilogue.
In the words of freetraveller: "The last scene of the film is so poignant, at the same time simple and minimalistic in its own way, that it really sums up not only Douglas' own choice and its implied consequences, but the challenge and the choice facing a whole nation (and humankind in general) trying to recapture its own humanity. "
Jake's Performance as Douglas Freeman Gavin Hood says "He is the one character whose opinion on the question of rendition is ambivalent. You don’t know which way he is going to go or quite what he’s feeling as the events of the film unfold around him. Jake did a brilliant job of knowing that his role as an actor was to say and do very little, yet absorb and emotionally reflect a great deal.”
Ambivalence is what most people lack - ambivalence is what ultimately triggers the thinking and feeling process that leads to revaluation and change. This is in sharp contrast with the dead certainty of the establishment represented by Corrine Whitman at the peak. They have made up their minds or have their minds made up for them. The job of the executive is hard because like the soldier one functions without scope to evaluate, having had that already done. Douglas is part of that establishment too but for some reason he is "susceptible" to change.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 9 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Rendered Out Viewer Impressions
…contd. from page 9 freetraveller observes on Jake Gyllenhaal’s portrayal: "What a mature, subtle performance. I know that Jake usually prefers the ‘less is more’ approach in portraying his characters and their inner emotions, but in this case he seems to do it to perfection. It certainly helped that Douglas’ character was written as someone who has to reluctantly become more visible, exposed, and vulnerable, and has finally to question his own commitment and choices."
Nelly agrees: "Yes, his face is a mosaic of untold inner conflicts and emotions. One of Jake’s best and most mature performances."
iwishiknew too concurs "I agree his performance is wonderfully understated as you experience the changes that he experiences facing something that not only isn't working, but is just plain wrong. No one could admit they made a mistake. But he not only came to realize they'd made a mistake, it was phenomenal to watch this quiet agent come to that realization by just looking at his facial expressions and what his eyes (oh those eyes!) gave away."
A global artistic collaboration: Casting and Camera: A conversation between Incognita and Beckela. Beckela: I admire subtlety greatly -- and ambiguity -- in stories, and Rendition overflows with both. All the actors are superb; not one gives an obvious performance, not even Omar Metwally as his character is being tortured mercilessly. Yigal Naor is amazing as Abasi Fawal, the chief "torturer." He is a big man with an overpowering presence that he uses to full advantage. I believe Jake gives his most subdued performance yet as Douglas Freeman. How he is able to
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 10 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Rendered Out Viewer Impressions …contd. from page 10 convey so much with few words continues to amaze me -- especially with his eyes. Hood's description of Jake's having to show us his emotions while hiding them from Abasi was brilliant. I've always said Jake had the most difficult job of all. Incognita: I think Hood summed up the challenge for Jake through that very line - he had to show us but he couldn't show Fawal. The movements of the lens complementing the barely perceptible movement of his eyes and the twitch of his mouth fully brought out the character's need to hide his growing sense of inner revelation from Fawal. Jake had to show us his eyes and the camera had to show Fawal not looking at Jake at those moments, so all three were in a kind of divine and silent choreography of unstated emotion. Hood comes through as having the sort of open nature and open personal culture that made him able to tap into those dissonances and turn them into melody for the camera. Here we have Douglas in two irreconcilable positions - hiding and revealing - which are inherently in conflict, and these two coexisting positions had to be shown as a "micro-switch" in mood and facial expression. In the end Hood was doing the same thing with Anwar and Douglas. Dione Beebe's cinematography is brilliant. Together they tapped into some quality in Jake as well as other actors pretty much like what Ang Lee tapped into for Brokeback Mountain. And each character had very little screen time in which to show it to the audience. I felt sad that some of the scenes, especially with Douglas of whom we have little enough, were deleted or curtailed to fit the film into the allotted time and I'm glad we get to see them on DVD.
Beckela: I also like what Hood said about the view of the eyes in conversation scenes. Each character has very little screen time, yet those scenes are very revealing.
Incognita: I felt that giving each character very little screen time was a masterful technique and through the rotation of these colored pieces in the kaleidoscope at a fairly swift pace, the sequence of the story comes to center on Douglas himself
Beckela: Yes, he does bring it all together. Jake did a magnificent job.
Incognita: I was very impressed and touched by the performance of even the most insignificant extra. Oh my what interesting faces all those ordinary people have - a story written on each one which is asking to be read and shared. I did not find a single person miscast.
Beckela: Right. Hood's saying he casts the best even in small roles made a whole lot of sense to me. I wish more would do that.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 11 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Are You THE American?
Anwar's words "Sir, are you American?" when he first adresses Douglas and then from behind the blindfold on the second encounter when Douglas meets him alone, "Are you THE American?" define the whole purpose of this film for me.
Gavin Hood has mentioned in his DVD commentary the old and new Washington and the values they stand for. His conversation with Ben Wizner, ACLU Attorney is revealing of what America fundamentally is and how the sanctity of its core values is being eroded.
On the unconstitutional practice of Extraordinary Rendition Ben Wizner reveals that former CIA chief George Tenet in an interview managed in the course of just one paragraph to deny, refuse to go into details and admit to the existence of extraordinary rendition. Says Ben “His first response is ‘We don't torture.’ When asked about waterboarding? ‘we do not discuss specific methods.’ When asked why harsh interrogation was necessary he said "because people have information that we need."’
Gavin who hails from South Africa and has personal experience of his friends being detained without a trace says: “As a young law student we would look to the US Constitution as a document that we felt was something that we Africans desperately needed and South Africa does have a constitution now modelled in many ways on the American Constitution. The great institutions of this country have inspired the world and many people are wanting to have the kind of founding documentation that America has but now it's something that we can knock aside or as Gonzales (former Attorney-General) says call these sort of institutions quaint. Even Conventions are quaint. I find it deeply disturbing.”
He continues: “One thing I find immensely frustrating is the accusation from the extreme right if anyone questions torture or the policy of rendition of somehow being unpatriotic. The defining documents of this country are the constitution and the principles by which Americans stand. Who's unpatriotic? How dare someone accuse somebody who wishes to support the constitution of being unpatriotic?” he asks with passion.
Beckela remarks “The denial of its existence irks me as much as the practice of Rendition itself -- and it's difficult to ‘stop’ something that ‘isn't happening.’”
Anwar El-Ibrahimi, the rendered prisoner At the end of his torture
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 12 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Are You THE American?
…contd. from page 12
Indeed as Corrinne Whitman says to Douglas, “The United States does not torture people" - no of course not, you whisk them out of the US. I see the US government as a metaphor for how governments in all democratic countries tend to behave when the people drift into a state of unawareness/indifference. At any rate their needing to deny what is happening indicates that those in power have not yet forgotten how wrong it is!
What’s actually been happening and is now beginning to receive media exposure, comes as a shock to many Americans. Indeed Douglas Freeman starts on his CIA career in a flush of youthful, unquestioning patriotism which turns out to have been misguided. As an analyst who is drawn into the role of observer of the interrogation of Anwar in the secret prison, he is in for a series of shocks that shake him out of his apathy and force him to confront the ugly realities.
“This is my first torture” he blurts out on the phone to Corrine Whitman when she calls to find out about the progress. This is actually a moment of truth in more ways than appear. It is the first mind opener for Douglas, who has lived with the sterile perception of the intelligent educated American armchair idealist who has no real contact with life as it is. He probably is driven by his subconscious, but as a pen pusher he is "programmed" to find a logical justification for everything ("I love pie charts"). It also shows you the kind of mental rut our professions tend to throw us into and the kind of self image that our upbringing and education feed us with.
Corrine peruses Douglas’s file when assessing his suitability to replace Dixon and remarks to his boss, Lee Mayer that he looks 12 years old! Indeed Douglas is a person who is trying hard to resist his own vulnerabilty - his vulnerability to what is good and pure and true. He has perhaps, with the naïvete of a 12 year old, landed himself in the job with a lot of "idealism." And that same inner “child” was able to see the realities without blinkers and trigger his response, thankfully saving the day.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 13 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Are You THE American?
…contd. from page 13
Ben Wizner feels the present is one of those times in American history, where the administration in power in order not to protect national security but to avoid embarrassment, to avoid accountability, gathers more power to itself. He tells us of an administration saying to federal judges "You don't know what we know. Trust us here. If you let this case go forward all kinds of terrible things are going to happen. You don't want to handle that do you?" Ben says “You don't have many judges who have the courage to say that is wrong,” with Gavin responding “This is what I don't understand. Judges are educated, intellectual people. Why is there this weakness? Why is there this fear of an executive? We as human beings inside know it's wrong and it just takes really looking at the reality of the program to say ‘I know it's wrong’ and Jake in a way represents the audience watching, he's the observer and ultimately one hopes that the stomach says ‘I don't want to be part of this, I'm out!’”
Douglas - America's hope? Freetraveller feels Douglas represented for her “the centre of the film’s ‘consciousness’, the ‘observer’ of what goes on around him and behind the exterior facade and finally the one who has to make the call, risking what he's achieved so far in terms of career and personal choices.”
It struck me immediately that the "film's consciousness" is not a stationary place but one in which profound change is occuring that can be ultimately seen as standing for an awakening of American "conscience."
Fast forward to the dock scene - we see what looks like dry docks and then we see the water with the ships ready to set sail. And finally the split second interval between Anwar getting on the ship and Douglas getting the phone call from his boss. In between is what I consider the most powerful line in the film "Go ... go!" Douglas is not only "releasing" Anwar he is dispatching forever ideas and purposes he has held on to, which are mere shells.
You see a bird, a white bird of peace flying in the background, silhoutted against the dark sky.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 14 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Are You THE American?
…contd. from page 14
You see the whole universe in Douglas's eyes; a whole other universe he has actually opened himself to in that defining moment, which he himself is incompletely aware of.
A whole other universe that opened up with the creation of America centuries ago – “The Land of the Free.” Douglas (or his karma) has metaphorically sent away the "New Washington" (referred to in Gavin Hood’s commentary on the DVD in another context) which he has been representing. Which is a just-dawning realization for him. Appropriately the scene seems to be at dawn or the darkest hour before the dawn. He is in that moment truly Douglas FREEMAN - in freeing a man he is one step nearer freeing himself. I cried for a nation that is in danger of getting lost, which for reasons he incompletely understood or incompletely acknowledged even to himself, he has taken one step towards saving.
And in so doing he answers Anwar's anguished question "Are you THE American?" that burst out his mouth as each fresh episode of torture held before him an America at its worst. As HeavenlyOversight says: "It is not until Anwar finds himself on the receiving end of those rescinded rights that the real horror of what is being done hits him. This is a mirror of what happens to Douglas."
Luckily for Anwar and the entire American nation, he gets his answer in Douglas's last words to him, which comes through almost as an act of redemption on behalf of a country that has shockingly swung away from the ideals on which it was founded.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 15 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Terror … and Counter-Terror The Autumn Festival is in the air again and soon most of India will be in a whirl of celebration. Durga Puja celebrates the victorious battle wherein the divine feminine power, Durga, in collaboration with all the cosmic forces, not least the force of human faith in and devotion to ideals, subjugates the negative energy unleashed on the world by Mahishasura, the "buffalo demon." Mankind is unable to deal with his tactics of terror and a compassionate feminine deity leads from the front to spearhead a victory for good over evil.
It's worth looking at the symbolism of this celestial-battle-come-down-to-earth or perhaps the converse - a losing terrestrial battle that's escalated to the celestial powers (which are nothing but the highest and best values in us). Especially in the context of the movie Rendition which examines the unorthodox and highly questionable methods of applying counter-terror, and the deeply disturbing moral, social, political and emotional issues that it deals with. At the core of both is terror and the diverse ways in which the human mind processes and responds to terror, mostly perpetuating the chain of violence. So what can we trace terror to? and where in the terror chain is the terrorist?
Is a terrorist someone who feels terror and in turn terrorises someone else in order to defend himself? Is he a person "fed" with the importance of a cause and will stop at nothing to defend/promote it? Is he someone who doesn't feel the terror himself? George Bush talks about a War On Terror - but his is more a war on “terrorism,” using similar weapons. A war on terror would be like Durga's battle with the demon --- because terror is inside oneself, there is no terror but what we feel.
A Freudian slip! It is interestingly ironical that the Rendition Production Notes mention "the CIA’s head of terrorism, Corrine Whitman," a most significant Freudian slip that tells us much about where America finds herself today in the grip of an unprecedented fear psychosis that has effectively sustained the continuance of a vicious cycle of meeting terror with terror, violence with violence. Kim responds: "That made me think about how we so often ‘become like the enemy’ in our terrified reactions to it. It seems like we adopt the ‘enemy's’ tactics--we fight torture with torture. It seems to me the key question before us is, how can we break this pattern? "
Having a woman in that post was a powerful artistic move by the scriptwriter and especially appeals to me in the context of Durga Puja, where a female deity vanquishes a demon.This legend is so symbolic of our inner demons and the only way we can deal with them effectively, by raising ourselves to a higher level. And the polar opposite way Corrine Whitman is dealing with her challenges by descending to the level of the enemy ”Analyst is not a jackal” in total violation of the American constitution.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 16 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Terror … and Counter-Terror …contd. from page 16 Kim asks "I notice the goddess has 10 arms--therefore, many kinds of weapons? Is that an inspiration to us to use a wide range of responses in our own battles? It seems we fall back so easily on the weapon which comes naturally to us, force.”
The CIA are apparently acting with great conviction. In Beckela’s words Whitman appears to think “it is honorable (and essential) to break the rules for a ‘good cause.’” But for America it is a 180 degree turn! It would need major de-conditioning and reconditioning, a systematic proces of indoctrination, for a functionary who ought to be guided by the US Constitution, a document that many many nations look up to as an ideal. And the thought that such a process has been systematically carried out to enable her to function with that "conviction" is the most chilling aspect of the whole thing. When we are afraid we hit out, often mindlessly, but when we are able to do it in a planned fashion after working a neat logical justification around it which we use to "defend" this policy, then we are acting in cold blood. Just the way the enemy we want to counter, has been doing. We have become "him" in all aspects of ourselves. Truly frightening.
In a totally different setup to the USA, we have Abasi Fawal, the chief "torturer" in the prison where Anwar is incarcerated.
Valentine observes: "I think they developed his character well and let the audience see a fuller picture of his role of father, husband, boss, torturer, target. It saddens me to think there are men like him living in the world, doing this same function."
Truly Fawal is doing exactly what Whitman is doing (and “wiping” off her conscience because she is not doing it herself,) with an important difference. Fawal does not have the American constitution as his lodestone. And what's worse, there ”this is my are people like Whitman, driven by interrogation” a distorted logic spun out of fear, ”Put him on the plane” who become his "clients" outsourcing this gruesome activity to him and his ilk, so that they can tell themselves they didn't do the dirty work. In Whitman's words, "Douglas, the United States does not torture people." The ease with which torture can be "outsourced" is one reason that the government has taken to it and has an excuse to tell itself and the people it represents "we are not doing it."
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 17 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Terror … and Counter-Terror
…contd. from page 17 It is interesting to see that both Whitman and Fawal have been so internally conditioned about the rightness or need for what they are doing that they become completely desensitized in selective ways. Nemesis is cruel and unrelenting and it comes with poignant force in the form of Fatima Fawal’s violent death in the bombing that was meant to kill her father and kills Dixon by accident.
Whitman is full of the “rightness” of her actions. One of the most disturbing themes for me is her dreadful line to Peter Sarsgaard’s character about about how 7000 lives were saved in London through information elicited by unconstitutional means. Each time the words make me cringe at human ignorance and the naïve notion that we have all the answers and that they are written in plain black and white, no shades, no nuances. They just happen to have prevented one such attack by information elicited through outsourcing a brutal interrogation but that is apparently more than enough for her to flaunt as a justification for using it again.
Corrine Whitman certainly knows how to throw numbers around to get weight for her argument. But the analytical mind of Douglas Freeman cannot accept that as enough justification for Rendition as you see from his conversation with North Africa's minster of interior Saeed, when pressing for Anwar's release.
To quote Douglas’s words: “Saeed, in all the years that you've been doing this... how often can you say that we produce truly legitimate intelligence? Once, twice, ten times? I mean just give me a statistic, give me a number. Give me a pie chart, I love pie charts. Anything, anything that outweighs the fact that if you torture one person you create ten, a hundred, a thousand new enemies.”
Demons, as legend will tell you, are often who they are because we let them become that way and yes, we help them, by cooperating with them in terms of adopting their methods till it comes back at us. And each time it comes back with interest. While the film shows us Fawal's "reward" it leaves a question mark about where the dramatic release of Anwar will leave Corrine Whitman. As they say justice delayed is justice denied; we believe delayed revenge too comes with commensurate interest.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 18 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Terror … and Counter-Terror
…contd. from page 18 HeavenlyOversight draws our attention to “the main question in the film - if torture is fundamentally wrong, how then do you stop the terrorist attacks from occurring, or what cost are we prepared to pay to maintain human rights?”
Having analysed several facets of this complex global situation in which so many nations are interlinked, we need to ask what then is the alternative? How do we break this pattern? Kim has asked whether the film offers such alternatives. Beckela thinks "There is no alternative method offered in the film. I think the whole point is the fact of ‘extraordinary rendition’ and whether is works -- nothing more. It is all meant to put it out there to provoke discussion."
Gavin Hood's interview throws more light on just the kind of discussion he is hoping for it to provoke. In his words spoken to Ben Wizner, ACLU attorney, “In a two hour film you can't get into the level of nuance and level of detail that you can in an academic paper on whether torture is good or bad. But what you can do I hope is tap the major parts of the debate. Our film is aimed at the general audience that's perhaps not familiar with Rendition at all. And it taps those major arguments in order to encourage people to debate the point, to have a good argument, to get a little heated.”
Isabella waiting at airport Anwar before rendition
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 19 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 1
Is torture ever justified? Even when we see that it can occasionally work?
Jake Gyllenhaal who plays Douglas Freeman has said in an interview for the promotion of the film: "I believe in the First Amendment. I believe the right to free speech is inalienable and that we put that freedom in jeopardy when we throw out due process with rendition. Personally, I would say extraordinary rendition is not morally ambiguous. It is wrong."
Reactions to the torture scenes When Corrine Whitman gets on the phone to Douglas to ask about the progress on Anwar’s interrogation, his first words to her are: “This is my first torture." Uttered in a flat, indifferent voice that’s more suited to reeling off statistics, but barely concealing an undertone of pain, the words make me shudder. This is a defining moment in the film as we in the audience along with Douglas, watch these tortures progress from one stage to the next. The sound of Whitman’s harsh crackling disembodied voice responding from the other end of the long distance line sets the note for the chilling events that we are about witness.
After watching these scenes Valentine comments: "The torture scenes were rough. Each time the movie took us there, it had progressed to the next level, making me feel uncomfortable and disgusted. However, I do think the filmakers did a pretty good job of not making these scenes too gruesome or horrific, nor did they focus on the actual torture, just the reactions on everyone's faces and minds. That is where Jake really used his eyes to convey what he was feeling. He hardly spoke a word, yet you could tell exactly what he was thinking."
Had the torture sequences been overdone, people wouldn't have looked at them and if you don't look, you don't let yourself get affected. The camera never dwelt for too long on any scene - just long enough on the tortures to make you feel the pain and get ready to turn away - so it kept the tempo tight, right through.
Freetraveller feels “they were trying to strike a difficult balance between portraying the ‘truth’ of what goes on behind closed doors in those prisons without descending into gratuitous violence or tastelessness.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 20 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 1 …contd. from page 20
Does it work? While Meryl Streep’s character picks on that one occasion when she claimed Inner Torture that such a method helped save lives, Valentine comments on Douglas's Douglas increasingly questions its inner torture and how it efficacy and finally releases all his progressively drives him to act as unvoiced thoughts and emotions in the he does. Ministry of Interior’s office when he quotes Shakespeare: “I fear you speak "The scene where Douglas is sitting in upon the rack where men enforced do the hospital (till he is told that Dixon has died) covered in blood and speak anything.” looking so empty and lost and shell- shocked…hit me so hard because I Freetraveller says “Personally, I was could already tell Douglas wasn't overwhelmed by that sequence and not exactly happy in his situation before only by the words, but by the way Jake the bombing and now he's thrust into a whole new territory that he is fearful said them. His voice timbre sounded a of. He was a tortured soul the whole bit different, I don't know how to explain movie, I thought. My heart went out it. It gave me the feeling he was trying to Douglas and his flaws. You could to convey an almost unbearable strain tell he was so conflicted and and level of frustration coming deeply struggling to swallow his role in the from inside the character.” torture. Part of me thinks that he wanted out, and getting Anwar released was his ticket.”
Anyone would want out when they actually come face to face with the insensitivity and understand it as it is. The practice of rendition is just so contra to the ideals that created America. Just as the victim says anything at all just to stop the tortures and therefore ends up telling untruths or totally incoherent stuff, Douglas does anything to end his victim's current torture as well as his own. His personal beliefs surface because he is in fact a good person. At this point the inputs from his intellect (“this doesn't work”) and his Truly legitimate intelligence? heart (which is feeling increasingly Valentine has this to say about her tortured by the torture he witnesses impression of Anwar's innocence or lack and starts to revolt,) begin to of it. "And all along, at least for me, it converge. triggering a chain of logical processes by which he can end wasn't clear to me that Anwar was the situation, That it doesn't work is actually innocent. He never spoke until his best justification for getting the the torture became unbearable. I was hell out of there, but he needs to get very frustrated with the character and out as much as Anwar does because just wanted it to end so he could go he cannot bear it. And he can’t bear it home....but he didn't speak or answer regardless of whether Anwar is guilty or the questions until they began to use not. electric shock on him."
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 21 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 1 …contd. from page 21
Indeed the method of interrogation – “upon the rack” - makes innocent men look guilty, and what is also disturbing - guilty men could end up looking innocent. Alternating bouts of torture and spells of relief with each successive bout more intense than the previous, on the offchance that the person thus interrogated will divulge something, anything in his despair to get out.
Douglas wants to get out as well, telling Anwar "Explain the phone calls, then we can all go home" with Anwar replying "Tell me what to say, I'll say it," a line that tells you all you need to know about the reliability of the method.
HeavenlyOversight sums up: “I found it ironic that though Anwar is the one being physically tortured, he is certainly not the only one suffering. Douglas Freeman and Abasi Fawal certainly suffer huge losses as well by partaking in such activities. (Freeman his career and sanity and Fawal his daughter and then arguably, his sanity too) I also couldn't help but wonder in what ways the US government would suffer once the press revealed the story to the public on Anwar’s return home.“
What are the real motivations? To learn more about this vicious cycle of terror and why countries like America are perpetuating it, we need to look at the motivations behind terrorist acts.
HeavenlyOversight responds: “I still felt upset over the question of why characters such as Khalid get involved in acts of hatred, and what are we to do in order to stop these events from happening. There is the implication that Khalid is involved because of his anger over having lost his brother. I almost felt as if the real reason Khalid is involved in such acts is ONLY because of his personal loss, and not the overreaching ‘ideals’ of the fundamentalist doctrine he appears to be following. This is much like the US using torture to stop..torture. Clearly their acts of perceived self preservation have moved into the emotional arena, negating logic. At what point have we lost sight of the REAL fight or argument, and how do we bring that back into focus so we can find an amicable settlement? “
I say that the real reason is the manipulative forces exploiting the emotions of young people like Khalid and using them as pawns in their own power games. The setup that people like Khalid are raised in, is not bound by defining principles like the American Constitution, making it easy for vested interests to indoctrinate impressionable youth into accepting the rightness of a revenge killing.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 22 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 1 …contd. from page 22 Why, on the other hand are humane societies governed by strict codes bending ethics to support a method that works more as an exception? And considering that countries like America and India are not averse to the idea of killing as retributive justice, are we really not so humane after all?
Fear Is The Key Viewers react differently depending on their starting point at the time of seeing the film. And the starting point for the average contemporary person in America is a position of fear about security which understandably has spun off from the tragedy of 9/11. It's only human that the fear of the moment is overpowering. Not everyone has been enabled to see below the surface of the disaster for the real reasons that led up to it. And the authorities far from helping allay that fear are whipping it up further. The interaction in the film between the characters of Peter Sarsgaard (Alan Smith) and Meryl Streep (Corrine Whitman) is revealing of the subconscious factors at play. And the sad truth is that the people who need to be brave and strong are the weakest links in the chain.
Uneasy Lies The Head … Alan Smith, the senator’s aide who is approached by Anwar’s wife Isabella and who sadly doesn't live up to the hopes he creates in the audience that he would do something towards the release of Anwar, takes Corrine Whitman on with irrefutable logic. Her statement to him “So maybe you can put your head on your pillow and feel proud for saving one man while 7000 perish. But I've got grandkids in London so I'm glad I'm doing this job and you're not,” meets with a sharp rebuttal in his reply “Unless your grandkid is Anwar El-Ibrahim,“ one of the most powerful lines in the script.
This scene is of vital importance in the film because it raises so many questions about the inner/subconscious motivations of people in public life. Indeed the Constitution, to be followed unquestioningly, is meant as a safeguard because one cannot depend on the humanitarian impulses of an individual functionary or their not being impelled by personal stakes when taking a step; nor need their jugdement be infallible. Alan’s words throw the conflicting issues into sharp focus.
It’s a chilling thought that public servants could feel that as long as their own are safe, the rest be damned. Chilling because of the readiness to violate the Constitution by which you are bound, chilling because it indicates how short sighted you are in thinking you have the answers and that wrong can lead to right, chilling because a grandmother’s humanitarian impulses are stifled and limited to protecting her own. Chilling because of the inability of the custodians of safety to cope with fear. Chilling because certain people in charge of national security are ready to compromise the constitution to political expediency, often brainwashing those who have to take orders from them.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 23 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 1
…contd. from page 23 A secular democratic multicultural country like India has experienced and continues to experience dastardly attacks from extremists of various shades, and one can always see ugly political machinations and manipulations behind these acts. Substantial power and monetary gains accrue to those masterminding the activities, often by indoctrinating gullible youth and using them as pawns. Khalid has a death to “avenge” and is therefore vulnerable. As the film begins, Anwar on the other hand comes through as a happy man, rising in his career and having a rosy view of his adopted country. His circumstances do not make him susceptible. He has found living in America liberating and would not compromise it. On the other hand, being naïve, he is easy prey for someone who might frame him. In any case, torturing a person whether guilty or otherwise is revolting and totally wrong.
Taking the Easy Way Out? We have too many tortures in india for petty reasons. Those accused of petty burglary, guilty or not, get the hell thrashed out of them by the authorities to draw out a “confession.” Then there are the so called “Peoples’ Courts” that summarily and brutally mete out “justice,” often to a person perceived as a threat to somebody’s power games. It reminds me of the medieval trial by ordeal. The police are all too quick to use it, citing it as the only method that "works." All of which make me very passionate about not letting ourselves "go there" because it is indeed so easy to do it for the flimsiest of reasons. And I am glad that the movie Rendition is clear about telling us that it does not work, at the same time sending out a more subtle, nonetheless powerful message about its essential immorality.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 24 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas
Nelly introduces us to this fascinating character with the words “Jake’s Douglas Freeman reminded me of film noir’s heroes. Like them he is sad, erotic, dark, lost. Intelligent. Weak and strong. Drunken and moral. He is a Total Man.”
Indeed this man’s inner torture leads to an unexpected turn of events. Douglas is tortured, so is the audience to see Anwar tortured. Douglas represents the audience. His torture motivates him to act in a way that surprises him. This is his and the story’s turning point. And the call for us to awaken.
Freetraveller observes “how close some of its central themes are to classical Greek tragedies... and how Douglas becomes an unwittingly ‘Shakespearean’ tragic hero.
”He really does seem to hold the weight of the whole world on his shoulders, and from external observer/witness he slowly gets dragged into the drama that unfolds around him and cannot help but make a choice and take a stand at the end, consequences (for himself) be damned.
”His ‘inaction’ for most of the film has almost a Hamletian quality; he's still young and idealist enough (especially considering what prompted him to join the CIA) to remain on the periphery of the political machinations that affect the US national security policy, but he also shows a very human, tragic and hopeful at the same time, world-weariness and skepticism that are usually associated with more mature and experienced central characters.
”Another affinity with Hamlet stems from the fact that both Douglas and Hamlet were in a way thrown into a situation and a dilemma that they were not prepared to face and to handle, but as the drama unfolds increasingly affecting their apparently ‘passive’ stance they end up making a ‘heroic’ choice.”
HeavenlyOversight tells us about Douglas’s process of transition as she sees it. “I saw Douglas as a typical aspiring young man, fresh out of school and hired into the CIA right after 9/11. He has ideals, he follows the hard line of the government. He doesn't make too many decisions on his own, and just makes sure the processes of his superiors are pushed through. It is not until he becomes involved in the torture of Anwar that for the first time, he comes face to face with the reality of what his government is doing. He isn't pen pushing from afar - he is now on the front lines and this is a life altering moment. (In fact you could argue having your colleagues blown up sitting in a car beside you would actually be your first life altering moment..) Being placed in this new position makes him come face to face with what he was facilitating from afar.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 25 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas …contd. from page 25 “So Douglas would have an incredibly hard time going through that transition and being faced with a huge question about the validity of torture - he doesn't like what he sees and it makes him sick, it makes him withdrawn, it makes him - drink. When I saw him drinking away on the balcony for the first time I took that as a sign that he is now all about escapism and not wanting to deal with what is in front of him. I took it as a further slip down the spiral after watching Anwar being tortured. Douglas went from being a ‘pen pusher’ to being DIRECTLY involved and this is significant because it means that he has to make the transition from outside observer to main participant.”
Jake Gyllenhaal as Douglas Freeman In Jake Gyllenhaal’s own words he was attracted to a role that was so different from anything he’d previously done. "Douglas gets to be in the middle of the action, both emotionally and physically, with no real outlet -- and I found that kind of tension very exciting as an actor," he says. "I think many people in my generation are searching for something – their identity, who they are, what they want to do with their lives. This is where Douglas finds himself. When we first meet Douglas he has resigned himself to a sort of apathy, but he is quickly faced with a haunting reality that shakes him and forces him to face his own humanity. It makes him look into himself and find that thing he was searching for. At the end of the movie, he finds himself where he least expected it—which is ultimately tremendously rewarding for him and also for me as an actor."
And read about the effects his unexpected action has on the audience.
Incognita: “I cried in several parts of the movie but Jake did not make me cry at all till the end when we see him at that dock putting Anwar on a ship. When he said ‘Go go’ I felt an intense pain inside me and then I just looked at his face and lost it. But he did not lose it. He imploded and a myriad shades of emotion - the fallout - passed over that face and the entire palette froze in his eyes. In a film replete with interconnections, layered meanings and complex images in color and sound, for me the high point, almost anti- climactic, was that face of his with the ships berthed in the end - it was Douglas's
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 26 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas …contd. from page 26 impassive face suddenly informed with all the inner suppressed complexity brought to life by Jake’s portrayal. I saw the whole web of karma, fragile and yet powerful, the whole amazing vibgyor dance across that face, with so little ostentation and yet so much presence and power. It conveys the entire message of the film - the ambiguities, the questions, the answers all coalesced. Dwell a while on that scene - there are so many subtle changes on that face and if you concentrate, it reaches you almost as if in slow motion to make you one with the inner processes that inform those expressions. I am still in a whirl with this overpowering presence at the center of it and drawing me.
“I was standing up and applauding my ‘hero’ when he said ‘Go go!’ I saw Douglas as a hero with a lot of inner morality which the course of events made him draw out. You don't know who you are till it is put to the test and I saw that ‘transfer’ from unarticulated thoughts and emotions in Douglas's mind and heart to explicit action, with very little speech to bridge the two. And possibly Douglas himself not fully comprehending that profound changes have been triggered in him.” iwishiknew: “I've played the dock scene over and over as well. Years ago they sent a capsule into outer space with information about our planet in case it should ever be intercepted by another civilization. Like a note in a bottle thrown into not the ocean, but the cosmos. A shame a film clip of the dock scene could not have been included to show what the human race is capable of in its best moments. Of course such a civilization might assume we are always that noble or that we all look like Jake Gyllenhaal. Oh dear, would they be in for a major disappointment....”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 27 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas
Douglas's act of releasing Anwar - moral or practical? Are the two in conflict? iwishiknew: “If I may chime in here on Douglas Freeman: moral or practical? Yes, his decisions were practical ones (‘it doesn't work’) but doesn't his sense of what is practical spring from his moral base? Streep's character saw what they were doing as practical and no doubt moral from a polar opposite base. In my mind she had become like the enemy. Not so Douglas Freeman. Did Douglas not sacrifice his career to give the prisoner back his life? That to me was way beyond the call of practicality. Jake represented the good that we are capable of and all-too-often it gets left in the dust of expediency. This to me was almost a morality play. Douglas was practical but from a well-spring of basic goodness in a world and situation that has no place for goodness. He refused to become like his enemy. Somewhere he knew in his core values that then the enemy becomes us.”
HeavenlyOversight: “I personally thought it was the end of his career. I have to agree with Jake when he said in his interviews that it's great to see someone act for the good in a film and not have the audience left with an overwhelming ‘look I did the best thing, praise me!’ sort of feel. It wouldn't be realistic to have Freeman be overwhelmingly happy or upbeat just by choosing what is morally right when it means losing your career, the very thing that pays your bills and gives your life shape and meaning. (Especially knowing that Freeman joined the CIA after the 9/11 attacks in patriotism - so this is quite a life altering moment for him) I like it because it shows that we can have complex, opposite feelings about one thing at the same time. There are always tough decisions to make in life and sometimes making the right decision doesn't leave us feeling happy or fulfilled.”
Perhaps for those of us who are willing to stretch to a higher level of thought, the decision impacts us as a sound moral one, the only right thing to do, whereas there is a coexisting "practical" message to appeal to a Names written by Anwar while under torture wider range of individuals - the More pictures and details on next page message that "it does not work and never will." That it doesn't work is what you tell people, but what made him want to get the guy out? Especially with such indifference to the consequences to himself?
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 28 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas …contd. from page 28 I cannot see anything other than a moral basis, the birth and emergence of a moral self which being on the job like an automaton did not ever put him in touch with. And yes it was about building a convincing case because you're dealing with people who aren't moral in the way you are maybe.
The Evidence
Interpol draws a blank on the names listed by Anwar as criminals and faxed to them by Douglas. On the other hand Google tells us they are the 1990 Egyptian soccer team!
On Douglas's motivation and the after-effects HeavenlyOversight: “Now Jake says Douglas acts out of just practicality, and that is interesting because you'd think if he sacrificed his career, it would have to be linked with a higher sense of morals. The question then becomes, did Jake see Douglas only acting practically because he knows that torture only begets more anger and more terrorism? Or is it also because Douglas now sees with a different set of eyes and he doesn't mind getting out of his line of work? Douglas destroys his career and therefore his safety net - perhaps taking away a sense of righteousness and security Douglas has felt for a long time. This would surely explain his lack of enthusiasm while doing ‘the right thing.’ Essentially Douglas isn't left with much else after all of this - no career and no direct idea of knowing what is right in the world. He's left to make his own decisions rather than to just follow what he is told. It's interesting that he goes back to his girlfriend to just be touched - to feel..to have human contact. You tend to value that a lot more when you see how easily it can be taken away or destroyed.”
Beckela: “Yes, he did a good thing by getting Anwar outta there, and, yes, he destroyed his career in the process, but I'm not certain that career was all that important to him, unlike Alan (Peter Sarsgaard) and his career. Douglas' personal habits indicated to me that not much was important to him, other than booze and drugs.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 29 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION AntiHero Douglas
…contd. from page 29
“Douglas no doubt knew he was ‘doing the right thing,’ but I don't believe that is the only reason he did it. It's a very complicated thing -- a multi-edged sword -- many arms, perhaps? The fact that he contacted The Washington Post about the release of Anwar is interesting, though. Maybe he figured if he was going to do this, and give up his career in the process, he would make as big a splash as he could -- OR he was attempting to show the powers that be, in a big way, that torture doesn't work -- OR he truly was an altruist at heart. I'm thinking that in the long run he probably lost more than his job as a result of his actions. He was still there in that ‘unnamed country.’ If I were in his shoes, I'd go with Anwar. “
Incognita: ”Much as I agree that I too would instinctively flee along with Anwar I realize Anwar was going right back to the very place where Douglas's people would be waiting to mete out his punishment in the not so long run. The people in the unnamed country have no hold over him. We would do to remember at whose instance they were carrying out these ‘unnameable’ practises. I wonder as what they did was unconstitutional in the first place and Douglas was carrying out as a functionary those very unconstitutional orders, whether they would be able to punish him other than relieving him of his job. I wonder whether alerting the press was getting two birds with one stone - ensuring the safety of both Anwar and Douglas. “ iwishiknew: “Could Douglas’s argument about the lack of successful results and the paltry pay-off be no more than a lawyer or salesman pleading his case? He was trying to get the Interior Minister's signature that he did not wish to give - in order to free poor Anwar.
“And as far as Freeman's drinking, I saw it as a result of being posted to the armpit of the world. When I see the film again (and again) I'll be on the lookout for clues to that and many things. Like what else was there for this Daniel in a den of lions? His love life did not seem to have any more future than that of the young Arabs. He was sinking into the CIA quicksand.
“And contacting the Washington Post newpaper was one way to guarantee Anwar would get safely home though the airport. He made him too ‘hot’ for them to grab a second time. He had shown light onto their nonsense. All at terrible expense to himself. And yet he did not flee. He stayed to face the consequences. This is not a man who does not care. I would agree that Douglas lost more than his job at that harbor. But I'd suggest he also found something of perhaps greater value.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 30 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
A Poetic Lament …. By Kim
In his commentary Gavin Hood said that was how he hoped viewers would see "Rendition"--as "a poetic lament about where we as human beings are in our conflicts with one another." And to me that was what came through most powerfully in the film: a deep mourning for the conflicts not just between worldviews, or between terrorism and its targets, but for
--the conflicts between lovers trying to ascertain one another's trustworthiness in the midst of strife;
--the conflicts between generations trying to convey or impose their values on one another;
--the conflicts between individuals and "the state"-- the classic Greek battle to define self in the midst of nation;
--the conflicts within individuals struggling to break out of their isolation and risking all, at times losing all, in that battle.
All of these conflicts seemed to intersect in Douglas, and hence the poignant power of his face as he wordlessly conveyed them to the viewer, or hid them from other players in the drama.
I resisted watching this film for months because of the inhumanities it rightfully holds up for the world to examine, and because of the violence, both physical and mental, it necessarily portrays. But as it turned out what moved me the most was the uncertainty of the characters' futures, as they confront their irreversibly altered lives, and the painful nobility of Douglas' slow transformation--its fragile promise conveyed in the end by the wisps of his hair in the harbor wind, and the fleeting dance of the seabirds as he sets Anwar free. To be most powerful, a poetic lament needs to contain the frail alternative of hope; and that struck me as the dominant note on which the film ends.
I can understand why this film didn't win a wide audience, since the truths it reveals are hard to endure; but it seems a part of its "poetic lament" that reviewers and critics failed to recognize its inherent nobility and transformative impact.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 31 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 2
Transformative impact of the film What does work?
In “Responding to Terror -1” we were able to see what does not work as an effective response. We have analysed the transformation in anti-hero Douglas and some of the possible negative after effects of his having acted at risk to his career. The overwhelming power of the film however, lies in its having “mined the darkness” and lighted up a clear path which we can explore in our quest for an ethical and workable response to terror.
Lotus Lore In looking for an answer it might help to switch back for a bit, from contemporary reality to the realm of legend.
The goddess Durga is often depicted holding a lotus in one of her ten hands amid all the weapons with which she vanquishes the demon. I've wondered at the significance of this and haven't yet come across an answer through my searches. The lotus symbolizes love and creativity and could definitely represent the resurgence of life after the battle or the purpose of the battle being not so much destructive as protective. So it could stand for the conquering of negative energy with the positive and life affirming forces. The lotus is definitely a symbol of the eros in many cultures. It is again deemed pure although born of mud (the Sanskrit name Pankaja literally means that). This derives from the self cleaning property of its leaves which was known in Asia for 2 millenia and identified by scientists in the 1960s.
While going through the posts linking up the two battles I found people were particularly fascinated by the lotus "weapon," asking what could constitute a "lotus" response in the context of the movie. Kim has asked “What I'm thinking is--what kind of ‘weapon’ might the lotus symbolize for us today? Does Rendition utilize this ‘weapon’ in any kind of way? Is there a ‘different response’ to terror in Rendition--something that might be akin to the lotus in the goddess' hand, instead of the force tactics of terror we so often use?”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 32 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 2 …contd. from page 32
While searching for more information about its possible significance in the legendary as well as contemporary battles against terror, I came across a line from the Bhagavad Gita which translates as "One who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf is untouched by water," which seemed to my mind entirely apt when you see the culmination of the film.
Again in Buddhist symbolism which is derived from Hinduism there is the concept that the lotus represents purity of body, speech, and mind, as if floating above the muddy waters of attachment and desire.
I quote from the site: http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/symbols/lotus.htm "The roots of a lotus are in the mud, the stem grows up through the water, and the heavily scented flower lies pristinely above the water, basking in the sunlight. This pattern of growth signifies the progress of the soul from the primeval mud of materialism, through the waters of experience, and into the bright sunshine of enlightenment."
Generating a Lotus Response While these interpretations matched perfectly with the inner process and their culmination in Douglas releasing Anwar, at the cost of his present career, I sensed that the lotus "weapon" had a wider and deeper symbolism in the larger context of how we need to deal with terror. On the spur of the moment I posed the question to an unlikely person and I received the most profound answer yet:
"Durga's lotus amid her weapons is a symbol of intense meditation. When you concentrate with that focus you bring focus to all your weapons so that they may always be correctly targeted so you will zeroise collateral damage." And suddenly it made a whole lot more sense in the context of where we were going so wrong in our unfocussed and mindless battles with unidentified and often imaginary enemies ending up making the innocent bleed and stacking up on our own bad karma. While this answer may have no basis in mythology or legends surrounding the battle of the goddess, it had the most appeal and relevance by itself as well as a fundamental connection with the other interpretations. And interestingly as the flower itself emerges from an unexpected place -the slimy bottom of a waterbody- so do our answers to troubling questions often come from the unlikeliest places.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 33 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Responding To Terror - 2 …contd. from page 33
Douglas’s Decision Douglas did the only right thing he could after what he witnessed. His mind, heart and stomach all coordinated on that one. There are other ways he could have got himself out of the situation but he opted for this one. Saeed suggested to him that he ask for reassignment or he could have simply put in his papers.
While there is an opinion that this was "the end" for Douglas and he had wrecked his life so to say, it was the end of a phase of his life and hopefully the start of a better. Kim thinks he "actually found his life." She sees Douglas as "fumbling at first in that new life though, trying to put the new pieces together." Indeed he has been "reborn" with immense "birth pangs" which he may not have survived, one reason perhaps you are asked not to cheer for him.
In practical terms Today’s problem hinges on the need for policy-makers who are not driven by expediency and for people in charge of national security to be brave people who stand by the constitution. If they panic how can the people who look to them for protection show morale? Panic dissipates energy and clouds judgement. We need collective and focused mindpower to overcome terror. By “vanquishing” terror we eliminate the reflexive and destructive response of counter terror. We use real intelligence to glean “truly legitimate intelligence” – the authentic information necessary for us to act without hurting the weak and innocent. Maybe we should join together with intense focus towards this. The call has to come from the top. So more of us can reach upward towards the “bright sunshine of enlightenment” like the lotus and move towards an enlightened, humane society.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 34 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Wake Up America …. Wake Up World!!! On Catalysing an awakening
The Autumn Awakening or Akaal Bodhan (literally unseasonal awakening) leads to the victory of good over evil. According to legend, come autumn, the divine powers fall into a slumber in preparation for the winter snows in their abode the Himalayan mountains. On the day of the new moon, the goddess Durga is awakened from her slumber at dawn and by tradition, on the 6th day of the bright fortnight “life is breathed” into her clay image, through the ritual of Bodhan.
On the Rendition thread at SMG, Kim had written about a similar theme of coming to life, interestingly before seeing the film herself. It’s a reiteration of what we hope this movie and this feature will begin to arouse in people all around the globe. Read her words below:
“As I write it's the 5th Sunday in Lent, a couple weeks before Easter. It's the day we return to the Old Testament reading of Ezekiel 37, the vision of the ‘valley of the dry bones.’ In that vision Ezekiel, the prophet, sees his whole nation dried up like dead bones in a desert, all detached from one another and lifeless. He understands that if the breath of God were to blow over those bones, they'd come back together and be a live people once again. But that can't happen without the prophet's aid. He's the intermediary through which God works.
“As an American I sometimes look out and see the US like that valley of dead bones. It's disconnected from the vision that once vitalized it--the vision of a people who dared to dream of global human wholeness and dignity. And it's disconnected from the spiritual power that can make that happen. But it hasn't lost its yearning for that connection. And it hasn't lost its need for prophets, or intermediaries who can be the instruments of that renewal.
“I haven't seen Rendition yet, but it seems that Douglas' words ‘Go, go!’ are the words of an intermediary (unconscious or unwilling or not--Ezekiel wasn't always conscious or willing either). These sound like words spoken to dispell the old dead order-- his nation's and his own. And they sound like words spoken to open up the way for new life--the ‘whole other universe,’ or ‘what the human race is capable of in its best moments’--what God originally intended for us.
“I guess the challenge is, the bones need to hear.
“Will the ‘bones’ wake up and take the call? “ …Kim
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 35 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Epilogue
Freetraveller believes that “Rendition is not only a modern ‘tragedy,’ it is, in fact, a ‘poetic lament’ as director Gavin Hood has called it, and in this way it has some elements of the literary elegy. As much as it revolves around many plotlines and lots of action, it ultimately cannot overshadow the human drama affecting many different characters at many different levels. Again ‘the frail alternative of hope,’ to quote Kim in the Poetic Lament piece, is of course what rehabilitates even the grimmest tragedy and offers the long-awaited catharsis in the mind of the spectator and reader.”
Gavin Hood and ACLU attorney Ben Wizner have not given up the “frail alternative of hope” that Kim has spoken about and we are with them in this.
Gavin: I'm gonna have faith in the 200 years of American constitutional history and the patriotism of Americans who really believe that the constitutional government was established here and it's worth fighting for, and that when our principles are most under threat it seems to me that's when you most have to stand up for your principles. I sound very patriotic and indeed I am because this is not academic exercise for me. It's very real and deeply shocking to see the apathy of so many citizens of the country that's extremely great in terms of the way its constitution was originally drafted.
Ben: I only hope Americans understand just how precious it is, what we have and what we risk losing, and I think that your film in its way will be part of that solution.
Awakening and Hope! Another Lotus Metaphor. That frail alternative of hope which we can join together to strengthen puts us in mind of the lotus all over again.
Kim believes “through the understanding which can come from (his) voluntary isolation and experience of the ‘outsider,’ maybe the lotus blooms.” She refers to Jake’s words "This was shot in North Africa, in a different country with a lot of different rules, and I felt very isolated. It was a very good thing for me. You need to ostracize yourself to learn.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 36 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation THE SLIPPERY SLOPE RENDITION
Epilogue …contd. from page 36
The lotus represents the untapped (growing as it does from soil that is several feet under water) power within us and the untapped potential of the dark and apparently "untouchable."
In iwishiknew’s words “In Egypt the lotus represented life and beauty. Out of the mud of that ghastly situation in Rendition grows a practical/moral LOTUS of extraordinary worth.” The emergence of a lotus from the muddy depths is a symbol of the awakening of creative forces within us.
Gavin Hood’s Rendition has marked an important step in this awakening but many lotuses need to emerge from mud and slime. In Kim’s words “we have some real work to do to catalyse this awakening so let’s plunge in.”
Hopefully these words draw all the themes together and encapsulate the purpose of this feature.
Vote of Thanks Thank You on behalf of us all to our contributors who have spared no effort in joining the discussions on the board that led to this feature Part One, and to our readers for taking the time to read this. We look forward to your feedback and to bringing you Part Two in the next edition of Consolidation.
In Valentine’s words:
"Silence is just as bad as the violence. I think sometimes people think that what they do won't make a difference or change the ways of the world. I see it as a small step. If we start teaching our children from the very beginning to stand up for what is right, hopefully our future generations will see things from a different point of view. And taking a stand, with voice or action, can ignite someome else to do the same, and so on.
“I have truly felt like a different person and have changed how I look at life and how I treat others. It just doesn't make sense to resort to violence, in any form. And it's all around us too...so it's even more important to me to teach my children that it is not acceptable.”
Thank you to all of you who contributed to this "awakening"!
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 37 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands of Time
Sands of Time
The three sections are:
Personal Heritage We introduce this feature with “SeaGlass and other travellers” having under it:
SeaGlass – a poem for Jake by Kim 39 Secrets of the Butter Dish – by Incognita 41
Footprints A feature on Morocco by freetraveller 43
The Sandglass About the film “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” 46
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 38 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands Of Time Personal Heritage
Sea Glass and Fellow travellers
“Sea Glass” – A Poem by Kim
SEA GLASS For Jake
How was it you chanced into my hand this grey and foggy day by the shore, my fine friend? In the midst of the glooms of life I wandered here and there in the sand, looking for a sign— And there you were, a piece of sea glass in the pebbles… translucent, blue,
blue as the base of a wave when it breaks… Of sea glass colors, the rarest kind.
What journeys did you spin out before you landed here in the sand at my feet— What orbits in the waves and rocks did you travel? You must have started out as a bottle, its sands fused tightly in the heat of some furnace, then burnished blue. A hard enough way to begin— but maybe that strife was the source of your beauty. Perhaps somewhere in the 1980’s—(did they still make real bottles back then?)—you were tossed overboard by a fisherman, after you were empty… Or maybe you’re older still, from a hundred years ago or so—jettisoned by some careless sea captain when you weren’t needed any more.
Who knows how long you sailed the waves?— or what you experienced between their stations, searching for a home in me.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 39 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands Of Time Personal Heritage
Sea Glass and Fellow travellers
“Sea Glass” – A Poem by Kim
But somewhere along the line you made landfall on this shore,
To be broken up by the rocks and the surf, torn inside out, till splintered, you lay naked on the beach.
Then the heat of the sun, and the caress of the sand, sometimes a bit rough, sometimes more like a sigh, must have smoothed you down to the polished gem you are now.
I pick you up and the sun shines through you, and you sparkle, bright as the play of light on the wave crests—bright as the dance of blue eyes in a greeting.
How was it that I was so lucky to find you, my friend, to set me free this dull grey day— What juncture in time brought you all the way from out there, To nestle in the palm of hand?
It must have been the same generosity of spirit That sowed you like seeds down the length of this whole shore, there to await the hands of others.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 40 AUTUMN 2008 Sands of Time Consolidation Personal Heritage
Sea Glass and Fellow travellers
Secrets of the Butter Dish ………by Incognita
A sequel to Kim’s poem “Butter” (featured in the December 07 special edition,) recounting a personal story of touching roots.
Among other beautiful gifts Kim brought me a 150 year old silver butter dish. Inside it are numerous slips of paper with words written on them. Kim herself has a bowl on her personal altar at home in Maine with similar slips of paper, a gift from her daughter, and she wanted me to have one too so I could pick a word out every day and reflect on it. This is the response I wrote her after my first foray into the dish.
To Kim From Incognita:
“I finally opened the butter dish and picked out a word. I didn't do much picking actually because ‘Roots’ was standing out conspicuously. And it disturbed me in a strange, intense and very compelling way. I recall when I opened the dish in front of you it stood out and disturbed me in a similar way. There was pain. Akin to growth pains in higher intensity and almost in slow motion.
“This is the the 60th year of my father's (and thereafter the family's) presence on the sand and clay of Bengal. What could be more appropriate than to examine the nature of the roots that my parents put down, as individuals, as a couple and as a family unit ‘in-process?’ There was transplantation of two young but mature trees, planting of a sapling and a seedling respectively and some years later, the sowing of a seed. So how did each of these plants/trees as well as the ‘family tree’ flourish in the new soil? How much of the old soil was brought and merged in to ‘consolidate’ and create an amalgam in which life could continue and new life be generated? Did this awaken a greater awareness of the natures of the two soils - their compatibility and sometimes their inability to merge effectively? How differently did the plants grow in this mixed soil?
“Today as I stand on this archaelogical site cum museum cradling within its core a living breathing entity having organic continuity with the roots put down in 1948 and roots dating before that, I feel the power of the word in the butter dish and the motivation to work my way through the layers to reach some precious truth that is yet undiscovered in all these sixty years. The storms, the ravages, the trees that have fallen and the tree that has been felled, maybe all this happened to bury the essence deeply within a protective sheath so it could be saved for tomorrow and not be dissipated in the heat of the temporal cycle. Saved as in a time capsule. But not apparent. More like those treasures you read about in fairy stories.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 41 AUTUMN 2008 Sands of Time Consolidation Personal Heritage
Sea Glass and Fellow travellers …contd. from page 41
“And I am now enacting similar rites of passage into the deep cave housing the eternal wellspring. Digging my way through apparent ruins, crawling through dungeons (mostly in the mind,) picking up the rare gem embedded between (hopefully like a signpost to what I will find,) sometimes falling victim to temptation and eating a forbidden fruit I see in passing (like getting into the ‘fandom’ issues) and getting laid up along the way. It's a journey back in time and space to rediscover as well as discover afresh - it coexists with a journey forward, upward, outward. It's a challenge and you Kim have led me to pick up the challenge.
“Thank you my friend. For deciding to come and visit what perhaps you alone consider one of India’s and the world's treasures - my personal heritage or the history of a civilization as captured and mirrored by my personal heritage. You have recognized the keyhole and turned the right key. You will go down in history. And up in life.
“And thank you again for the butter dish. The little butter thief* held the secrets of the universe in his mouth. I know I will discover many secrets within the dish - codes, messages, clues to reach the essence.”
*Legend has it that the Hindu god Krishna as a baby, would steal butter from his mother Yashoda’s churn and on one occasion his mother forced his mouth open, chiding him and was astounded to see the entire universe within. Kim’s poem “Butter” refers to this.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 42 AUTUMN 2008 The Sands of Time Consolidation footprints
Morocco: crossing a frontier
Morocco has found mention on several pages of this edition, being the filming location for two of the movies featured on these pages. While the frontier aspect was vital to the theme of Rendition which revolved around conflict between cultures and peoples, its natural beauty and rich culture have captivated visitors.
Freetraveller, an Italian working in London, takes us across the frontier through her personal insights into a country she had planned to visit and couldn’t owing to terrorist attacks. She is looking forward to doing it yet and we look forward to featuring her experiences in a future edition. Meanwhile we decided to illustrate her piece with screencaps from “Interesections – the making of Rendition,” a special feature on the Rendition DVD. We urge you to view this feature. It opens the heart and soul of an exquisite country that served as the stage for bringing this complex theme to life.
…Over to freetraveller:
I've always been fascinated by "frontier" countries - I mean, countries where mainstream culture has been shaped by many different influences, also due to the fact that they geographically are situated next ("frontier") to countries with different cultural/political/religious traditions. Morocco is a very interesting mix of Arab, Berber, French culture, with Spanish influence, and more recently it has begun to see an influx of expats going to live there, or buying second homes, from Italy, UK, and other "Western" countries...
Marrakesh is also on the World Heritage List of Unesco. It's a destination that can't be missed if one wants to experience the wonderful sensual, "intimate", feel of so many architectural elements, artifacts, colours, smells. The city seems to have this "lived-in" feel, while being surrounded by all this beauty and humanity, that is utterly fascinating.
I've always been fascinated by Morocco, and also by Jake Gyllenhaal’s recollection of this country and its people when he was promoting Rendition. Seen from an American point of view, some of the contrasts might seem even more striking.
People I can personally relate to some aspects of Moroccan culture, even more than other north- African countries, such as Algeria, Tunisia or Egypt, which seem to me more "Arabic" than Morocco, which has a very strong Berber component and closer links to Southern Europe, especially with Spain, Southern Italy and France.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 43 AUTUMN 2008 The Sands of Time Consolidation footprints
Morocco: crossing a frontier
…contd. from page 43
Also, back in the 70's, when Italy saw the first waves of mass immigration from outside Europe, Morocco was one of the countries from where most immigrants came, even more than other north-African countries. And early on I was exposed to some aspects of this culture and the people, because many Italian cities and seaside resorts in the summer, were populated by large numbers of Moroccan young men in search of fortune and better prospects. Most of them were illegal immigrants, with maybe just a tourist visa or landed on Italian soil on one of these illegal boats crossing the Mediterranean - they could get away with it, also because at the time the Italian authorities were less strict on border control, as Italy had not yet experienced mass immigration on the scale other European countries had seen till then, especially from former colonies, so it was much less organised and prepared to face the situation. Moroccans have always struck me as very kind, well-bred people, very often with a high level of education and able to speak at least two or three languages, also having absorbed some aspects of European, mainly French and Spanish, culture. This helped them, I am sure, to settle in Italy quite well.
Moroccan Art: Inspiring Home Décor in Europe I have always found Moroccan art and architecture very sensual, well balanced, colourful and vibrant. Water is an essential element in decoration: fountains in patios and inner courtyards too. Moroccan art and craft are popular in many European countries too, inspiring home decoration even in the West. Many European cities, particularly Paris, Madrid and Rome have lots of shops selling hand-made Moroccan furniture, textiles, ceramics, tiles, wall mirrors, chairs, and leather goods like shoes & belts.
One of my best friends in Rome is so in love with Moroccan art that he's been to Casablanca and Marrakesh at least 6 times, not just to visit, but to buy things for his home. You don't even need to go to a "proper" shop. There are plenty of street markets selling all sorts of goods and it's actually more fun as you are able to haggle with the seller. He's even redecorated his bathroom "Moroccan-style", painting the walls with warm, terracotta colours. He's also installed a copper washbasin and the
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 44 AUTUMN 2008 The Sands of Time Consolidation footprints
Morocco: crossing a frontier
…contd. from page 44 washing machine and the boiler are hidden from view behind a wrought-iron, very elegant sort of "grid". When you walk in, you have the impression of being in a living room, rather than a bathroom.
Moroccan craft in Europe One of my favourite furniture shops in Rome is Medina Oriental Design, www.medinaorientaldesign.com specialising in Moroccan and Tunisian furniture.
There I bought some beautiful hand woven silk curtains (orange and turquoise), and a wall mirror with a frame hand carved in cedar wood, and there's more I'd like to buy!
Here in London I have a favourite Moroccan shop I sometimes go to, just 15 mins. walk from my house: http://www.zagorainteriors.com/
Flavours of Morocco A very atmospheric Moroccan tea room/restaurant here in London, called Momo, http://www.momoresto.com/ is one of my favourite places to hang out here in London. The food is delicious, mouth- watering, as you can imagine. Everything is served in their beautiful, sensual glasses, pots and plates, all hand made in beautiful colours. Indeed, it is an oasis of relaxation and quiet, only minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Piccadilly Circus in central London (it's tucked away in a pedestrian cul-de-sac, so you don't suspect it exists from the main road...)
Landscape Another intriguing aspect of Morocco is the varied landscape in the country, as you have the high Atlas mountain range (sometimes capped with snow in winter), and contrasting elements not too far (the desert, valleys, gorges, the Ocean coastline, as well as the Mediterranean coastline...) I even read somewhere they have started to grow grapes in certain parts of Morocco and that Moroccan wine is reputed to be good quality. …freetraveller
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 45 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands Of Time
The Sandglass
The Sandglass - “Prince of Persia:The Sands of Time” Kim and Incognita probe the idea of reversing time which is at the core of this fairytale and its diverse possibilties as the theme of this film-in-the-making
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time Not a One Way Street after all? The Plot in brief …by Kim
"To prevent a villainous nobleman from Timing is clearly an important Indian idea, possessing the Sands of Time, a gift from and since Jake's latest film venture, "Prince the gods that can reverse time and allow its of Persia: The Sands of Time," also deals possessor to rule the world." with matters of time and timing, I asked Incognita if there were other Indian "The story of an adventurous prince who concepts which can help us more fully teams up with a rival princess to stop an appreciate the film, and Jake's choice of angry ruler from unleashing a sandstorm the script at this juncture in his life. While that could destroy the world. the work of the cast and crew is to tell the "It's up to the prince and the princess to story as a fairy tale, our work as an return the sands to the hourglass by using audience is to find our own messages in it; the Dagger of Time, which also gives him a and perhaps some of these messages have limited control over the flow of time." to do with our own experience of time.
…sourced from the internet One way for us to find meaning in the film might be through the idea of "circling," a concept based upon Kaala Chakra, the wheel of time. As Incognita asks, "Is there something called time that goes forward and only forward, or is the concept of time one of those 'mayas' (illusions) perceived by us?" In its fairy-tale way, Prince of Persia (PoP) seems to test the idea that time is a "one-way street," since its plot revolves around the return of the sands of time into the hourglass.
Much like Prince Dastan (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) this return of the sands to the hourglass is what we often struggle to achieve in our own lives. Just as PoP circles back to the past to correct a mistake, we seek to return to an earlier stage in our lives, in appearance or setting, to re-experience a moment in time. Perhaps an actor like Jake does the same in taking on such a role. In experiencing work on the film, is he in a sense circling back to the scenes of everyone's childhood fantasy, becoming a "time traveller" himself?
"Circling" can apply to the wider context of Jake's previous films as well. "Audience readiness" for a film isn't always in sync with a film's release, as we discovered recently with the weak response to "Rendition." But that needn't be the end of the story. "In a relative way a work of art keeps circling in the wheel of time till it can make the connection with an audience" that it failed to make the first time around. "Didn't that happen with 'Donnie Darko' too?" Incognita asks. "And didn't Brokeback Mountain fans make it back to Jake and Heath's earlier films?" Perhaps the anticipated success of PoP, and the "overpowering process” and “visibility" of Jake in this role, will make the future PoP audience want to look back to BBM and "Rendition."
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 46 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands Of Time
The Sandglass
Returning the Sands to the Hourglass …by Incognita
I told Kim I would personally like to read the script to see if there was anything in it other than "fun" value (apart from the learning experience of working in a film that relies on high-tech and the challenge to an actor in a medium where so much is "created" for you) that drew Jake to it. I mean something conceptual or philosophic underlying the theme which his instinct could have picked up?
I'm still in the conceptual plane with PoP which I did explore a bit and would love to more. More plot details might lead to more of these underlying philosophies that deal with paradoxes. I might even start playing the video game to research and understand from a different perspective, the symbolism of the game-prince’s “winning streak.”
The concept of "circling" (yes Kaala Chakra or the wheel of time) -though I don't know if it's Indian or just my personal way of operating, being the nearest I can get to "beating" time- is actually the use of mindpower over events from another "time zone". The script seems a fairytale metaphor for illustrating this concept with fancy fairytale devices (all eminently attainable thanks to today's high tech) thrown in. Returning sands to the hourglass is what we struggle to achieve in our lives. It is one of life's "Mayas" when we feel a sense of having achieved it (note that Kaala Shakti is actually the power behind this illusion.) Which brings you to whether there is really something called time that goes forward and only forward or the concept of time itself is one of those "mayas" perceived by us. Whether the writers or the director or the actors would ever approach it from this philosophic angle - I'd imagine their work would be to tell the story as with any fairy tale and our work would be to find our own messages - is something I don't know but I would certainly love to know their thinking on it, especially Jake’s. He is probably fascinated by it as a child would be - for him a way to touch base with the lost "time-zone" of childish fantasy, yes in a way a kind of personal time-travel for him to an innocent past where these things ARE possible because we believe them possible.
Time Traveller Jake
So what do we think Jake saw in this script?
"i've no idea what this movie is about but my heart is in it" - I heard Jake say this to a reporter who asked him about Donnie Darko at the premier of the Director’s Cut. Perhaps this is the way Jake is instinctively drawn to some scripts. And could be finding deeper meaning in them.
Says Kim "that's how I often do life myself".
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 47 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Sands Of Time
The Sandglass
An exchange we had over Jake's choice of this film.
Kim: Yes, I think many of us will be looking for those "deeper levels" of meaning in the script, just as Jake must have.
Incognita: I don't think PoP would be a dark film? I guess the Prince wins in the end?
Kim: Sounds like it will be upbeat overall
Incognita: and I have a feeling that Jake wanted to attempt the whole "period" stuff. Also this would be pretty theatrical for him.
Kim: Yes, I think his reasons for doing the script are probably on many levels. And the plot as we've understood it does have interesting twists and Douglas To Dastan: Feature for next edition depths. I think too the setting would fascinate him. Jake Gyllenhaal is circling back to Morocco for a very different Incognita: Playing a character that is not film. In Rendition there is no a part of his usual environment or for winner, no victory but an act that matter any of ours, must be with complex motivations and fascinating, a little like going on an uncertain consequences. The adventure holiday but of course working only thing we know for sure is while feeling holidayish and possibly that all the characters’ lives working with an inner sense of change profoundly and relaxation because the emotional irreversibly by the end of the film. delving he usually needs to do for his In PoP we have what looks like roles may not be required, instead a “victory” in a battle that could be subliminal philosophic exploration while thought of as illusory – the act of working on this physically very taxing successfully reversing time. Jake role. This can be refreshing and has moved from being "anti- rejuvenating for an actor who has hero" Douglas to "super-hero" tapped into very deep and complex Dastan who has to win in the emotions for several of his roles. traditional sense through all odds, logical or otherwise. We hope to circle back to the twin impostors of success and failure, the relative Kim: I think all of those factors must be concepts of winning and losing in the coming at work here for him feature. Till then we’ll leave you to ponder a Stephen Gyllenhaal quote from his poem Success. Incognita: and of course a pretty “ My victories were never my own princess to romance on horseback. just mistakes gone wrong.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 48 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation TRIBUTE
“To Life” …for Jackie and Heath
On January 22nd numerous friends were crowded on the forums, praying together for the swift and peaceful exit from this life of a precious person, Jackie, who had lost all chances of recovering from the very aggressive cancer that had overpowered her with hardly any warning. Her illness was intensely painful, all compressed into those weeks of January, but at last a merciful end seemed nigh. Right then destiny decided to deal a double blow in the form of the sudden and shocking demise of Heath Ledger. And within a day she too was gone.
Life here will never be the same again. Life somewhere else just got better. I believe life never terminates but continues someplace else in some form. And for people like the ones we lost, it can only get better and better. And even their brief passage through this world has made our lives better. The two roses magnified in the picture to nearly twice their original size, were Incognita’s personal tribute that week to these cherished lives. As the week went by they bloomed to nearly double the size of the tiny copper pot they stood in and exuded a subtle and lasting fragrance, a sure sign of continuity beyond what is visible to us. The picture was taken while they were just beyond buds and we feature it here as an affirmation of our belief in eternal life.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 49 AUTUMN 2008 Jaclyn Pascarella Consolidation A Birthday Tribute
Thinking of you with love Dear Jackie
Close to two years ago, as my mother hovered between the two worlds with me desperately hoping she would recover, Jackie and I were talking about miracles. As her forum signature (taken from the words of a friend’s father) indicated, she believed in miracles. She however had a broader perception of just what shape they could take, and our interactions helped prepare me to calmly accept any outcome as the best. Exactly a year later, her throng of cherished friends and wellwishers were fervently hoping for just such a miracle to free her from torment, as she battled cancer. Indeed she slipped away just so: unaware of the shocking end of Heath and we believe, delighted and surprised to find him waiting for her on the other side.
Jackie, known all over the internet forums as Paintedshoes (the picture of the shoes in the header was her avatar,) was one of Strike~Me~Gyllen’s early sponsors. In her own words, “I find a peace here, unlike anywhere else..maybe it is the lack of serenity in my life, but I find it here.” Sadly we have just 17 posts from her on SMG - she was gone too soon from our midst.
I am honored to share two excerpts from her posts with our readers.
"The Sacred Mountain...a concept that I had not encountered before Brokeback Mountain. I grew up in Washington State, surrounded by mountains. They were simply a part of the landscape, nothing special, except Mt. Rainier, which would only grace us with her presence on occasion. ‘Is the mountain out today?’ A typical question.
“Since Brokeback, I have had to re-examine the concept of a place as a Sacred thing, something I do not know if I am equipped to deal with...but, Brokeback will not leave me alone. What am I looking for? Answers, certainly, but to what questions? I must retire to ponder this some more...Sacred Mountain?...odd to these Western eyes, yet somehow right...for another day... "
When Jackie posted these words on the Sacred Mountain thread, little did we know that "another day" would be so soon, and that she would indeed retire to be reborn on the mountain of eternal life!
Jackie had a unique, deeply insightful, philosophic perspective on life as her words below, from a post on the film Moonlight Mile (referring to how Jake Gyllenhaal’s performance as Joe Nast in the film affected her,) show:
"Seeing Jake as Joe, talking on the witness stand about the truth of his relationship with Diana made me cry...for it is the truth none wish to share...things are NOT as they seem, life does not lead us where we will, but where IT will...and we must go on, anyway...how cruel and how true...we MUST go on....and we do... "
Jackie, you went on to a better place dear girl! We love you! …Incognita
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 50 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation HEATH LEDGER: A Special Feature
In this section of Consolidation we continue to pay tribute to Heath Ledger by looking at his life, his art, and his impact on us.
“A Love That Will Never Grow Old” …52 MountainMouse, who discovered Heath in the aftermath of his loss on Jan. 22, lovingly sketches Heath's life, art and work, and talks of how it inspired him.
“Set Them Free” …53 HeavenlyOversight seeks a deeper interpretation of Heath's work and life as an actor through her insightful commentary themed around the film Candy.
“Yes I Am!” …55 Freetraveller’s eloquent testimony to Heath’s “thereness,” the absolutely overpowering screen presence in a film whose name I’m Not There, feels so tragically ironical now.
…and his last completed film, The Dark Knight
“Echoes of Rendition” …57 Freetraveller’s unique take on The Dark Night, a dark, complex and morally ambiguous film cloaked as a “superhero” movie.
“The Last Laugh” …58 Heath’s incredible performance as the Joker in The Dark Knight, his last completed film, vividly described by a fresh-from-first-viewing Freetraveller who would by now have seen it many more times. Though the film has been extensively and intensively discussed in the media for some months now, this “first take” uniquely captures its spirit in a few words especially for those who are yet to see it.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 51 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation HEATH LEDGER
28 incredible years
A Love That Will Never Grow Old …by MountainMouse
At 28 years of age, Heath Ledger had packed in a lot of living into his young life. On and off screen he inhabited a wide range of different roles, all of which had his effortless charisma and gentle thoughtfulness in common.
During his short career Heath progressed with increasing confidence playing parts in soaps, teen flicks, action movies, art-house films and a Hollywood blockbuster.
His steady rise to fame and critical acclaim was by no means preordained. He came to America from far away, in his own words, the most isolated city in the world, Perth in Western Australia, without any formal training and quickly threw himself at any offers to be in movies, determined to get started. He had big ambitions but he also knew how to go about realizing them.
10 Things I Hate About You put him on the map as a teen heartthrob. He took the usual, worn and sure path to action movies like A Knight’s Tale and The Patriot.
Having thus established himself as a new boy in Tinsel town he proceeded to destroy his superficial and manufactured image by going for roles that would challenge him as an actor and allow him to get underneath his characters. Lords of Dogtown and Monster’s Ball followed.
Heath was learning his art on the job. One way of achieving this was seeking out roles in original and challenging films. For a young actor in Hollywood, it did not get much more original and challenging than starring in Ang Lee’s Brokeback Mountain, a film than made him into a star and won him a devoted fan following worldwide.
He threw everything he had into that role, losing himself in his character, the emotionally inarticulate Ennis. His consummate and total method of acting became a technique. “I’m always gonna pull myself apart and dissect it” as he put it himself. This exhausting approach to his work coupled with his unease with his fame and anxious, restless nature started to have serious consequences for his health. A tight schedule of films filled his last years: Casanova, Candy, The Dark Knight and The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. His over-reliance on prescription drugs became fully apparent all too late. He died alone, trying to get some much needed sleep.
He is survived by his parents, his sisters, his young daughter Matilda and her mother Michelle. He also left legions of devoted fans, whose love for him in the words of a Brokeback Mountain song will never grow old. … MountainMouse
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 52 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation On the film “Candy”
“Set Them Free”
HeavenlyOversight's tribute to Heath, themed around his film Candy, dates back to a couple of months after his passing. The author seeks a deeper interpretation of Heath's work and life as an actor and explores the way we relate to the artists we love and admire. Playing with the word "candy" on many levels, she probes the layers with her artistic and literary insight, holding up a mirror to us to see our complicity in the paparrazi-caused pain in celebrities' lives.
Esquire magazine recently posted an article on their website, speculating on Heath's last moments on earth. It has been nearly two months since he left us, and we're still trying to make sense of what went wrong, or how this could have happened. The general public has an almost symbiotic relationship with celebrities. Some see them as bright shining examples of how life should be, while others look to them for inspiration, and guidance. We admire them from afar and we truly don’t know them, yet we often end up more emotionally involved than we ever thought possible. These actors are our candy, individuals we need to momentarily brighten our lives, individuals who are there to make us feel better. In turn they are validated as true artists, admired and respected for the talents they possess. So in the end, how can such a relationship go wrong? Can it?
"Candy" was one of the last movies Heath filmed. He was very proud of his work in the film, and frustrated that the movie had a hard time reaching a general audience. "Candy" features the story of Dan and Candy, two artists drawn to each other. The two of them share an intimacy and portrayal of love rarely seen in film.
The beauty of their love stands in dark contrast to the hellish journey of drug addiction that the two embark upon throughout the film. Particularly striking are the scenes illustrating their complete love and togetherness - moments that drown out the reality of the drug horrors surrounding them.
These moments make their downward spiral watchable: Dan's joy at swindling a man out of his bank account balance, a huge grin plastered across his face, flowers and wads of cash in hand, ready to show his love that he was finally pulling his weight in the relationship - Candy’s frustration over having to fund their lifestyle on her own at an end. A similar touching moment features Dan pulling out Candy's paints, and dragging them out on the floor when she can no longer handle the pain of detox, as if to say that he knows what is really important to her, and wants to distract her from her grief much like a parent distracting his or her child from frustration with a favourite toy. Dan, despite himself suffering from the effects of detoxification and in immense pain, still manages to surrender his own needs and frustrations to comfort the one he loves. His love for Candy is real and thorough, and it is that knowledge that makes it so tragic that they can’t seem to make things work. Heath is brilliant in his portrayal of Dan. His subtle delivery is haunting. Despite Dan’s failings as a person, you do truly feel for him. He’s not your typical druggie character that is so often seen in Hollywood films. Although the horrors of drug addiction are laid out for
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 53 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation On the film “Candy”
“Set Them Free”
…contd. from page 53 us to see, it is amazing that by the end of the movie, it’s not the drugs we are thinking about – it’s love.
Dan’s final act in the film is to let Candy go. Candy is more than willing to re-start where the two left off. Her motivation and feelings are indicated once we learn that she came to visit Dan a day earlier because she couldn’t wait. However Dan knows better, understands what happens when the two of them get together. And so his final act is one of real love. Letting Candy go is reminiscent of a saying coined by an American writer, Richard Bach: “If you love someone, set them free…”. It is the least selfish thing Dan could do, and it is this reason why this ending, through tragic, is more romantic than seeing them get back together in what would otherwise, have been a traditional idyllic ending to a Hollywood movie.
Now both Candy and Dan have a chance at happiness, though apart, as symbolized by the drink of water Dan has while sitting alone at the table of the closed restaurant. Yet again we are hit by a stark contrast – Dan completely alone, having lost someone he truly loves, yet with the promise of a new life.
So then is all love good and beneficial? The movie “Candy” says - perhaps not. Love is certainly not simple, and can never truly be explained in black or white. This is much like our love for an actor like Heath. He was truly talented, and gave us so much in his short time here. Yet I can’t help but feel intense sadness knowing that in his final years on earth our “love” had him walking around in public in a ski mask when it certainly wasn’t cold enough to warrant wearing one, or that he broke down and cried after the paparazzi thought that squirting him and Michelle with a water gun was a great idea to get a wonderful reaction to put in their magazines, or that the paparazzi would use their camera flashes to ruin takes of his movies.
As fans we think of our love as noble - Heath our candy, someone to brighten our lives. But sometimes the love we have for celebrities is complicated by other factors – that being the Hollywood paparazzi machine. For Heath, the constant invasion brought into his life by being hailed as a true artist is like the heroin interfering in Dan and Candy’s love. As much as we’d like to deny it, simply looking at those pictures and wanting every piece of information we can get on our favourite artists makes us a part of the problem. It must have been very hard for Heath to deal with his own problems and the loss of his own Candy, let alone to know that the whole world was watching. But he is at peace now, released from our often overbearing eyes. He’ll get to sit back and watch us in our reaction to his portrayal of the Joker, and he will indeed laugh. We meant no harm as fans, just as Dan meant no harm to Candy. But sometimes, just sometimes - the best thing to do is to just let go. …HeavenlyOversight
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 54 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation on the film “I’m Not There”
“Yes You Are!”
Freetraveller describes the rivetting effect this film, based on Bob Dylan’s life, had on her and mouk who saw it together. Her account is a testimony to the power of Heath’s screen presence and the way he comes alive for the audience.
“We both loved the film so much. And yes, we were both on the edge of our seats whenever Heath was on screen.
“We cried a bit too, the whole thing was so overpowering; and I also think it was because in the film there were some eerie ‘connections’ with Heath's real life that meant we became even more emotional than we would have been probably. He has such a screen presence it's unbelievable; I would say even more than in BBM, but only because Ennis was a different sort of character than the one he's playing in I'm Not There. He doesn't even need to say any words. But of course, when he does, his mesmerising voice is enough to leave you in a heap on the floor... There are a few voice-overs he does in this film, and you can imagine the effect they had on me and mouk.
“I liked the movie very much, although many aspects and sub-plots seemed a bit obscure to me, not easy to associate with the whole idea of this film trying to portray different and often contradicting aspects of Bob Dylan's life and personality. The most confusing thing is that actually none of the characters playing an ‘aspect’ of Bob Dylan is actually called Bob Dylan. They all have different names, which adds to the confusion. But it makes the film also more intriguing.
“The direction was excellent, and so too the soundtrack. Many Dylan songs were performed by the actors themselves, which added an extra dimension. The film also goes back and forth in time and places.
“Everyone's performace was excellent, including the small kid (Marcus Franklin) who plays 10-year old ‘Dylan.’ Heath plays an actor who impersonates one of the aspects of Dylan's life (so the link with Dylan is even more ‘indirect’), at the time of Dylan's life when he goes from acoustic to electric and meets the woman who will bear two of his children, with whom he will live for about 9 years, till she leaves him with a custody battle for the two children ensuing.
“So there's a bit of his bohemian lifestyle of the early 1960's portrayed to perfection (as you can imagine), but also mixed with the desire to have a ‘stable’ family life and children.
“As I said, the ‘real life’ parallels were amazing and moving. I don't want to spoil the film too much for you... but let's just say whenever Heath is on, he lights up the screen... you can't tear away your eyes from him.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 55 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation on the film “I’m Not There”
“Yes You Are!”
…contd. from page 55
“He can do self-doubt, loneliness and angst like no other. And ‘less is more,’ he doesn't need to overdo anything, unless it's a specific character requirement. You can sense quite well what his character goes through without too many words being pronounced.
“I think he also worked on the accent, as his American accent is totally different from that of Ennis and other American characters he's played. I think he is meant to convey the vaguely ‘musical’ intonation Dylan had/has while speaking, especially when he was very young.
“I haven't read many reviews of this film, but those I read were very positive, especially praising the innovative style, the editing, besides the obvious talent of the actors. And that includes Cate Blanchett, who is a revelation.
“Heath displays a wonderful level of energy, restlessness, passion, a hint (or maybe more) of youthful recklessness - after all when he first comes onscreen his character is supposed to be only 22 years old. And this wonderful energy bubbling up on the surface is also what makes his character and screen presence stand out so much, in my view. In the light of Heath's personality as has been revealed by peers, colleagues, directors he worked with, I think this incredible energy is another ‘cross-over’ aspect, where you don't fully know where the real Heath ends and the character he plays begins. It's very intriguing.
“Also, as I said earlier, there are some aspects of the film and the plot that are a bit difficult to capture at a first or second viewing, but this relative obscurity doesn't spoil the overall effect. In fact I think it might have been deliberate... it might have been an attempt to parallel the relative mystery and obscurity/ambiguity of the real Bob Dylan, the impossibility to capture and understand his multi-faceted personality in full.
“The parts with Richard Gere were not as interesting as the rest: as other reviewers have said too, it was not completely clear what Gere's role was supposed to represent, within the framework of the movie. He also gave a good performance, but I think his role could have been written with a bit more poignancy. But it didn't ruin the overall effect of the movie.” …freetraveller
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 56 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation on “The Dark Night”
Echoes of Rendition
We first share Freetraveller’s thoughts while gearing up for The Dark Knight’s UK release. They are particularly relevant considering the magazine’s main theme.
“As I read the latest reviews, I'm not only more and more keen on going to see it, but I'm sensing some eerie, uncanny resemblance to some of the themes of Rendition.
“In particular, critics talk about the ‘chaos’ embodied by The Joker, in his nearly unbeatable attempt to destroy things, to achieve a pure evil purpose, without a ‘second motive,’ or at least, a recognisable/understandable (from the point of view of the ‘good guys’) reason for doing what he does. So I suddenly thought of international terrorism and how impotent many countries are in fighting it with ‘traditional’ means, because they are really up against a new type of enemy who's unpredictable. Terrorist activities inflict maximum damage in always new ways that the opposing forces often can't seem to predict and therefore prevent.
“The Joker, in all his drive to achieve pure evil, is eerily attractive, presumably in part because he seems so invincible and able to outsmart even the smartest, but also probably because there seems to be a kind of backstory to both him and Batman, in that both were very damaged in their childhoods. One tries to overcome his trauma by fighting the evil, and the other goes the opposite way and seeks to avenge the violence suffered in childhood by perpetrating evil towards other people.
“So I thought of how much this complex moral ambiguity (which is certainly a new thing for a ‘super-hero’ movie, especially a blockbuster such as this) reminded me of Rendtion and all the different and intriguing ‘ambiguities’ played so well by the central characters, no matter which side of the spectrum they found themselves on.”
…freetraveller
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 57 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation on “The Dark Night”
The Last Laugh
Below read freetraveller’s reactions after her first viewing of The Dark Knight on standard screen to “whet her appetitie” for another viewing on IMAX.
“I was totally mesmerized by it, especially our dear boy’s performance and it is an experience I am still trying to recover from. Like many critics have already said, it's a very dark, modern, complex film, from an ethical point of view, and I would be very unwilling to show it to anyone under 15. I was a bit puzzled that in the UK it had a 12 certificate (not allowed to see to anyone under 12)... 'cause it doesn't feel like a ‘teenager’ type of film at all. But that's just my opinion.
“Heath's performance is unique and memorable, and I didn't know his character, disturbing and cruel as he is, would have so many funny and humourous lines, among all the cleverness & creepiness he exudes. I could only sense the ‘real’ Heath in one or two short moments, but overall he completely disappears under the Joker's persona. All the other actors were great too. I particularly have to admire Christian Bale for giving such a measured and intelligent performance.
“I definitely have to see the movie again. In watching all the performances I have lost sight of the plot somehow, plus the sound level was so high that I have missed a few lines under the ‘noise.’ It is a very violent movie, but very little blood is surprisingly shown, even at the hands of the Joker. The ‘terror’ he creates is mostly a psychological one, and that's one of the things I was mostly mesmerised by.
“He just commands the screen every time he's on the scene. He just upstages everyone, there's no escape from this. I was also on the edge of my seat in his exchange with the character of Maggie Gyllenhaal. You could feel the tension yourself and they were so much in character. “
…freetraveller
Footnote: As I came to the end of this piece, my eye fell upon the long, fine-boned hands in the picture above and all over again I was struck by their versatility in expressing a whole range of emotions. And it took me right back to the first time I saw them – the exquisite hands of Heath Ledger as Ennis del Mar in Brokeback Mountain. For many of us writing here, our first enounter with this beautiful person was through his portrayal of Ennis, the loving hands that caressed Jack Twist. I hesitated and never mustered the courage to see The Dark Knight in which many say he totally surpassed himself as an actor. I suppose I will when the DVD is released. It will be difficult nonetheless. The Heath that will reign as the Fair Knight of my heart is the beautiful, shy, loving Ennis - afraid to grab the love that was right in front of him and yet the quintessential lover – a person embedded within all of us.
…..Incognita
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 58 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation extrac
If You Can’t Stand It – You gotta Fix iT!
FRIENDS OF BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN A FOUNDATION WHICH ADVOCATES FOR “FREEDOM OF THE HEART” …by Kim
What is “Friends of Brokeback Mountain”? The idea was PRIME MOVERS Initiated by mouk, and given shape in the early stages through her joint efforts in the summer of 2008 along The core team consists of: with BayCityJohn and Oregondoggie. They together set Mouk - France/Canada up a cyber forum for brainstorming and gathering Oregondoggie - USA people to create a global foundation/organization that BayCityJohn - USA networks through cyberspace, whose purpose is to support and advocate for those seeking to “dismantle who took the initiative in starting it the closets they have been pushed into through (all three are active on all the prejudice and by social and other forms of oppression.” Brokeback Mountain cyberforums, In addition, as an organization which advocates FOR Dave Cullen, Bettermost and the arts as well as through them, the foundation aims EnnisJack) and to help provide heritage protection for “Brokeback Incognita – India Mountain,” both as a film (a synopsis of the film is given Kim - USA on page i) and as a message. MountainMouse – Poland/UK
As BayCityJohn expresses it, “Friends of Brokeback who were inducted by mouk soon Mountain work to eliminate loneliness, prejudice, after the forum was setup. discrimination, and violence in the lives of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Heterosexual and Transgender people Mouk, BayCityJohn and through outreach, education, research, and community MountainMouse are also members building, so that they may live full, healthy, and of SMG and mouk and interconnected lives.” MountainMouse are featured writers in Consolidation. Mouk adds that the foundation places particular emphasis on working internationally “to build bridges fostering better understanding between communities separated by prejudice and to celebrate the diversity of human nature, so that those who seem ‘different’ no longer have to live in fear.”
Though the foundation’s primary emphasis is on providing support for members of the international LGBT community, it thus reaches out to those struggling with forms of hetero discrimination as well, and recognizes the inevitable links between them. As one of the members, Kirkmusic puts it, “By opening a space where gay people can be who they are fearlessly and without judgment, that same space can be used by everyone else. We need to help people out of the closet…and dismantle it completely.”
As a foundation, Friends of Brokeback Mountain clearly aims to provide, first of all, support. The very word “foundation” suggests, as mouk says, “the concept of support and a solid base to build on”—a place which provides “stability, roots, security, safety” for “sexual minorities that do not have a voice or an escape route from their trap,” as Incognita adds. But in addition to support, foundation” also suggests the “liberation” which comes when people gain enough confidence “from beneath” to live out their “freedom of the heart.”
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 59 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation extrac
If You Can’t Stand It – You gotta Fix iT!
An Eastern Perspective What are the unique challenges for the foundation in Indian and elsewhere in Asia?
Looking at the foundation from the perspective of India, Incognita states: “Actually a word like foundation will attract attention in places where gay rights may not be associated with Brokeback Mountain as a work of art that changed people in a major way. Many segments are unexposed to the film. The majority of ordinary Indians would not be able to relate to the film because of language and cultural barriers…. On the other hand distilling and translating the message and presenting it in assimilable forms would open the prison gates much faster.”
Though supporting members of the LGBT community is central to the foundation’s purpose, Friends of Brokeback Mountain recognizes the importance of a) supporting gay rights activists themselves and b) supporting heterosexuals struggling to liberate themselves from their own confining sexual roles. As Incognita explains, “Whereas the foundation’s projects in USA and elsewhere in the west may be directed towards the gay persons themselves, in places like India, activists are looking for support. That is what the foundation can provide.” In addition, the foundation can take the approach of convincing straight people that “unlocking the prison gates for gay people will unlock them once and for all for everyone.”
Jake Gyllenhaal in an interview for promoting BBM, once noted that the last of the barriers to love was the barrier to same sex love. But as Incognita argues above, “respect for romantic love and the freedom of the individual to follow the heart are severely compromised in Indian society,” as they are in many others. “There is huge frustration over this, and we need to tap into that, cutting across the boundaries of orientation to make people feel that there is somebody globally backing them.”
She continues, “Nothing we can do for India will help unless it takes the inclusive approach of helping hetero couples find liberation and respect and pulling their gay brethren along with them… In a way BBM appealed to so many straight women because in some way, even in the west, women are still the second sex. Hence the strong identification with another persecuted group.”
One of the foundation’s key initiatives is the building of a website with global links. Collecting information on what’s happening in the world, presenting it in such a way that it can be accessed, and creating links to films which have worked with such themes as “freedom of the heart” are some of the means being explored to start discussion and raise awareness.
People “must be shown that there is an alternative support system ready to stand by them,” Incognita concludes. “The journey towards building that support system globally is what I see as an aim of our proposed foundation.”
To know more visit http://www.bbmfoundation.org/forum
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN 60 AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation Credits
Consolidation Autumn 2008
is brought to you
by
Incognita (Mayalakshmi Rao) – Kolkata, India Kim (Kimberly Raikes) – Maine, USA Beckela (Rebecca Manley) – Denver-Colorado, USA
Our special thanks to Iwishiknew – Houston-Texas, USA
for support, guidance and constant encouragement in bringing out this edition
Our writers are SMG members: Original Photographs
Beckela - USA Page vii: Sea Glass in hand by Incognita and Freetraveller – Italy/UK clay cup in hand by Kim. Iwishiknew(Gulliver on SMG) - USA Page 17: Goddess Durga by Incognita. HeavenlyOversight - Canada Incognita - India Pages 39 and 40: Sea Glass pieces from Kim’s Kim - USA personal collection photographed by her. Mouk – France/Canada MountainMouse – Poland/UK Page 41: Butter dish gifted by Kim photographed by Incognita in its new setting. Nelly - Greece Valentine – USA Page 49: Rose tribute in copper vase by Incognita.
All written contributions are the property of Page 50: Thumbnail picture of “Painted Shoes” the respective authors. owned by Jackie and used in her forum avatar.
Cover Picture of sailboat has been painted specially for the launch number by Kim.
Artwork on photographs (pages 27, 36 – Douglas and pages 47, 48 – Prince Dastan) is by iwishiknew and Incognita.
Disclaimers Consolidation is not a commercial venture but part of our commitment to social change. When art inspires us we feel impelled to draw attention towards it and to create awareness. Screen captures from Rendition and other films are reproduced here purely with that purpose.
Especially in the case of “Rendition,” our special feature, we selected pictures that we felt to be vital in conveying the full impact of the film’s message, which we need to reach to many more people worldwide.
All pictures used here are the property of their respective owners and no copyright infringement is intended.
THE MAGAZINE FROM STRIKE~ME~GYLLEN AUTUMN 2008 Consolidation
The Magazine From Strike~Me~Gyllen
We dedicate our “Rendition” feature to all the Anwars who have suffered, to the end of such suffering worldwide, to the hope that the Douglas Freeman within each of us will always rise and take the call.
It’s a time of hope, new beginnings, new directions. Happily for the world, as Consolidation sets sail, America has indeed stirred awake and is hopefully “on the ways.” We dedicate Consolidation Autumn 2008 to the magical juncture in time that made it possible, that makes all good things possible!
We dedicate this too to all our wonderful members on Strike~Me~Gyllen for supporting us through good times and bad in their unique and diverse ways. You made it happen!
A very special Thank You to our team of writers for creating this magazine with an incredible synergy!
And from Incognita to Catchafallingstar and seven pairs of blue eyes spanning six generations – “thank you for standing guard and watching over us.”
Strike~Me~Gyllen – the forum, is an independent entity based in India and having Consolidation – The E-Magazine, as its front end. The policy and administrative matters for both forum and magazine, are handled solely by Mayalakshmi Rao, Kolkata-India, who writes as Incognita.
This forum is not affiliated with any other organization or website in India or elsewhere.
The Magazine from Strike~Me~Gyllen - “Born in India, Belonging to the World” Visit http://gyllenhaal.suddenlaunch3.com