A nation of Gun

Every year about ten thousands of American killed by gun sold in their local stores. You can easily find bullets and different kinds of gun. There are not many strict regulations for that. The film shows that even teenage could easily buy bunch of bullet from the Store. The two who killed twelve student and a teacher in Columbine used bullets brought from the town. As a great contrast, the Canadian could also get gun but there are only 165 people killed because of gun(according to Moore) a year. In German, France, Japan, the number of victim of gun are also way more lower than America.

The American seem love gun very much. Their perspective of gun is base on their freedom. They have the right and responsibility to protect themselves and their own property. However the philosophy could not explain why American love to kill their neighborhood so much. A extreme case presented in the film is a six years old boy killed his classmate in the state where Moore came from. No one knows the answer of all these violence and chaos.

The part that Moore interviewed Matt Stone(creator of South Park) and Marilyn Manson is worth watching. They somehow knew what was going on. Matt agreed that high school is a crappy and stressed place. Kids from Columbine high school said that the principle is a dick. They are somehow angry and frustrated as we do.

Perhaps America isn’t such a good place that we have been told.

Campaign of Fear

Marilyn Manson has his wisdom beneath his make up. He said he was easy to be blamed because it was what media wanted. Marilyn Manson was fucked by public opinion simply because the killers listened to his music. The essential element behind all these is FEAR. America society somehow wants to keep every one being afraid of everything.

They used to ignore that American army keep shooting booms overseas and killing people in Middle East, Asia, and Africa of course no mater they do it by themselves or by supporting weapons. Blaming Marilyn Manson was a great deal to the politician which is able to gain votes from the parents. Everyone likes to forget their own problem and happily flow the rocks.

Moore try to seek out the seed of the violence. America is a nation of fear. At the very beginning American were afraid of their own neighborhood so they escaped from Europe to America. Then they were afraid of the native of America then they used gun to kill them as more as possible. After that they robbed African people and forced them being slaves of white people. Soon American found that the number of black people was growing. Then they have guns at their home to “protect” themselves and had all the discriminational regulation against colored people. They were afraid of Russia, Terrorist, Chinese, drugs, sex…… and even their neighborhood of course. Their local news are full of crime related to black people, murders and different kinds of danger. The media shows a world which is more dangerous than it actually is. It is like a campaign of fear that politician used to keep everyone united and governable.

Civil war of America

I have been in history of Rome lately. What I found is that Rome is quite similar to the United States. They keep conquering and expanding their influence. The citizen of Rome were also the solder. This is quite similar to American who always have guns loaded at home. They keep fighting. Violence are everywhere. The more romans and american feel fear, the violent they become. Republican Rome collapsed at the end and the emperor of Rome raised. Romans somehow accepted it because all they sought for was the end of the civil war. Well, American using gun killing each other perhaps is another kind of civil war.

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The High End of Low(2009)
Marilyn Manson
Label: Interscope

[rating:8.1/10]

Almost every fan of Manson said that the previous album Eat Me Drink Me is a shitty work and perhaps the worst album that Marilyn Manson has ever made. In fact the album is not really shitty but EMDM is not suitable to be a Marilyn Manson album in Fans’ mind. As the satanic gimmick artist, Marilyn Manson would really become outdated if he still repeats the old market skill, like tearing a religion book on the concert platform.

I know it’s repetitive to say I quiet like EMDM in the band’s career. It’s not a manson-kind album due to its impressive dark and silent atmosphere. Most guitar solos provided by Tim Skold are gusto. Honestly the depressed Manson is more artistic, sounds and looks like a musician finally, although the previous albums such as Mechanical Animals and Holly Wood have more melodic song structure. Personally I am more impressed by the emotional one that I told before.

Following EMDM, Skold parted and Twiggy is back to be the co-songwriter and producer. Probably because Twiggy is the best member that Marilyn Manson has ever have; with his contribution, The New album The High End of Low sounds pretty violent, noisy and fluent, especially the dirty bass lines. It’s pity to say the record is much more plentiful than EMDM and Golden Age of Grotesque, but the melody still can’t compare with Mechanical Animals. The latest Manson sounds still a little bit depressed in the lyrics, and now he is dare to write more and dig inside to release personal feeling in the song, with the symbolic metaphor like the first song Devour.

Instead of sensitive or emotional song, political thing is still market friendly. We’re From America is unquestionable the most outstanding one in the record. Unfortunately I don’t think Marilyn Manson satirizes what he truly means. A debatable topic is good for commercial as we all know. But who cares? Fortunately, music like this makes people want to shake the head is simply what WE want. Unfortunately, nowadays we see Marilyn Manson has nothing new to say anymore. The music by the band is reborn, but not Brian’s soul.

Track Listing:

• 01: Devour
• 02: Pretty As A ($)
• 03: Leave A Scar
• 04: Four Rusted Horses
• 05: Arma-Goddamn-Motherfuckin-Geddon
• 06: Blank And White
• 07: Running To The Edge Of The World
• 08: I Want to Kill You Like They Do in the Movies
• 09: WOW
• 10: Wight Spider
• 11: Unkillable Monster
• 12: We’re From America
• 13: I Have to Look Up Just to See Hell
• 14: Into The Fire
• 15: 15

響頭炮的《We’re from America》由一道高壓的電吉他領著主旋律行進，一派赫武揚威的氣勢，口號式的歌詞內裡卻是句句有骨——美國價值背後霸道黑暗的一面。

[flashvideo file=http://dadazim.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/america.mp3 /]

Lyrics:

We’re from America, we’re from America
Where we eat our young
We’re from America, we’re from America
It’s where Jesus was born
We’re from America, we’re from America
Where they let you cum on their faces
We’re from America, we’re from America
We speak American

We don’t believe in credibility
Because we know that we’re fucking incredible
We don’t believe in credibility
Because we know that we’re fucking incredible

I wanna be the martyr don’t wanna be a victim
Be a killer with a gun so they call me a hero
I wanna be the martyr don’t wanna be a victim
Be a killer with a gun so they call me a hero

God is an excuse (x7)
So sing it with me!

We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me
We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me

(From America)

Don’t like to kill our unborn
We need them to grow up and fight our wars
Don’t like to kill our unborn
We need them to grow up and fight our wars

We believe in everything we say
we say it, because we believe it
We believe in everything we say
we say it, because we believe it

We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me
We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me

We’re from America, you can sing it with me
We’re from America, you can sing it with me

We’re from America, we’re from America
We turn literature into litter
We’re from America, we’re from America
We believe in being a quitter

Im in recovery, im in recovery, im in recover…y
From America
From America
From America

So sing it with me!

We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me
We’re from America, we’re from America, we’re from America
You can sing it with me

From America,You can sing it with me
From America,You can sing it with me
(We are, we are)
From America
You can sing it with me

Along Came a Spider
Alice Cooper
廠牌：Steamhammer/SPV

[rating:7.2/10]

零八年被冷待的除了Brett Anderson之外，還有David Bowie之外的另一個樂界老餅——Alice Cooper。Marilyn Manson早年亦說過，自己深受Alice Cooper影響——似乎是造型和表演風格多點。不過Alice老伯跟Manson相比，就顯得謙和多了。被問及他自己的基督徒身份時，他答：

“I’m a rock singer. I’m nothing more than that. I’m not a philosopher. I consider myself low on the totem pole of knowledgeable Christians. So, don’t look for answers from me”

特別喜歡被粉絲插到暈的【Eat Me, Drink Me】，乃是因為Tim Skold在裡面彈了很多精彩的電結他solo。我特愛那種老式搖滾的長長結他獨奏，聽得人非常熱血。Alice Cooper的歌亦是。電結他獨奏和lead的風馳電掣，更是高頻率地出現、不論是令他在九十年代回春的名曲《Poison》、或是這張Along Came a Spider亦如此。

概念大碟，連小電影也拍了出來，架勢非常：一個代號「蜘蛛」的連環殺手愛上了自己最後一個「獵物」的搖滾歌劇。細節從缺，場景分鏡、如何暴力血腥則任由想像。最出色的是Guns N’ Roses前結他手Slash獻技的《Vengeance Is Mine》，黑暗而粗糙的車庫搖滾風格，加上Slash的Heavy Rock功架神乎其技，聽得人熱血沸騰。

Along Came a Spider亦不盡然重搖。其餘像《Catch me if you can》等都由琅琅上口的旋律帶領；甚至還有玩憂鬱柔情的慢板作《Killed by love》。花甲之年的歌者，卻不乏具現代感的取悅元素。聽Alice Cooper九十年代後的大碟，Along Came a Spider似乎最有資格帶領他走出搖滾名人堂的棺材。可惜跟【Wilderness】一樣遭人冷待，淪為小眾玩意。

Track Listing :

• 01. Prologue/I know where you live
• 02. Vengeance is mine (Listen)
• 03. Wake the dead
• 04. Catch me if you can
• 05. (In touch with) your feminine
• 06. Wrapped in silk
• 07. Killed by love
• 08. I’m hungry
• 09. The one that got away
• 10. Salvation
• 11. I am the spider/epilogue

吸血新世紀 Twilight
導 / Catherine Hardwicke
演 / Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and more

Trailer

[rating:3.4/10]

我亦無謂拿Anne Rice來跟Twilight的作者相比。單純以看電影的角度來看，亦足以令人界凳。電影在美在港亦大受旺場，並「口碑載道」，五顆星的評分在雅虎的電影頁面更是比比皆是。偶爾才有一兩個正常點的評論。平心而論，這戲連不俗亦說不上、愛情戲亦實在拍得平平無奇——差點以為是瓊瑤的手筆。都廿一世紀了，還玩人間少女愛上吸血族裔的套路？劇本的編寫亦奇差，每個場口都是層層割裂、起承轉合欠奉——忽然邂逅、忽然戀上、忽然浪漫、忽然逃亡、忽然打鬥——「敵人」為何突然出現？James為何要追殺女主角？素食吸血鬼家族又為何盡力保護之？別問太多呢。我亦不好全數算出來。

男主角的演技造作不講，角色設計亦犯同類題材的問題——「臉譜化」。男主角不過是角色扮演，Cosplay女性心目中的白馬王子。不就是有錢仔「忽然」愛上窮女生的套路。九十年的歲月，見多識廣，食鹽多過你食米，都該變成個哲學家了。可男主角行事卻仍像個十七歲高校男生。對女孩子一見鐘情不止，還要愛到至死不渝、要生要死。喂，唔好玩啦~

劇本要說他們耳鬢廝磨之間，吸血男如何忍耐本能殺慾。鏡頭上的表現如何？原來亦不過是男主角猛擠臉孔，狀甚痛苦，如此而已。劇情上的描寫，流於表面、亦毫無說服力。特技表現吸血族群的敏捷，亦只是用幼稚的「殘影」手法。

別講情理、也別講常理。看吸血鬼們一派氣質身影、優雅住處；播一首懶係有品味的古典音樂；那煙雨迷濛的樹林——加送N個男主角的深情凝視close up，已哄得一室女觀眾禁不住高呼「好浪漫呀！」其實我也無謂不識趣，猛講這戲界凳指數有多高。這本來就是一齣拍給中學生看的戲。別忘了這是追求平庸的廿一世紀。講的東西別要艱深，觀眾看不明白。在這個時代背景下，【吸血新世紀】確是一部難得的好戲——很多觀眾需要它。

I Am A Bird Now
Antony and the Johnsons
廠牌：Secretly Canadian

[rating:7/10]

二次大戰後的百廢待興，催生了之後二三十年的生機。幾多天皇巨星發跡於該時、幾多偉大的藝術家。似乎是現代世界最美好的一刻，世界活脫是安萊斯所寫的「野性樂園」，不乏機會，只怕你沒有能力。幾多年輕的就在那時往舞台一躍，都成了獨當一面的存在。現在，追求奇蹟的現代過去，迎來追逐平庸的後現代。

仍是年代和人物的盤根錯節。聽來自紐約的Antony and the Johnsons在零五年的大碟《I Am a Bird Now》。發崛時不為甚麼，只因封面上的Candy Darling委實驚人。一道凝視似能穿過照片。靜止和毀滅、甜美和腐化，一切抽像概念都通過照片得到了具現。去翻查資料，Candy Darling在1944年出生，卒於1974年。是一名男同性戀者，亦是一名變性人。「她」在67年、71年參演了兩套關於變裝皇后的電影。早逝，死時二十九，死因是隆乳材質引致的血球病變。這張照片紀錄了當時病榻上的Candy Darling。可不知這故事的，怎麼想到這抹榻上的美態美，並非生長在一個女子身上？

在《Fistful of Love》獻聲的Lou Reed，早已在67年寫了一首關於Candy的歌《Candy Says》，低徊地訴說著變裝者性別認同的悲劇。加上樂團的頭領Antony Hegarty的變裝愛好——在這些枝節連鎖之下，那道深邃、憂鬱而純真的凝視，顯得如斯震撼。聽畢整張大碟，不記得樂曲、不記得歌詞，只聽得一片的謐靜黑暗的情緒蔓延。像一個招魂議式，連結著從1974年回來的幽魂，而Antony的驪歌則似是為床單上的玫瑰花而歌。起首的《Hope There’s Someone》已叫人沉溺得不能自拔。

Track Listing :

• 01 Hope There’s Someone
• 02 My Lady Story
• 03 For Today I Am A Boy
• 04 Man Is The Baby
• 05 You Are My Sister
• 06 What Can I Do?
• 07 Fistfull Of Love
• 08 Spiralling
• 09 Free At Last
• 10 Bird Girl

#1 : Hope There’s Someone

Year Zero
Nine Inch Nails
廠牌：Interscope

[rating:7.2/10]

Marilyn Manson能夠在九十年代竄紅，跟Nine Inch Nails的核心人物Trent Reznor當然脫不了關係。Reznor共為MM監製三張專輯，已叫Marilyn Manson從地下爬到地面化身搖滾巨星。細聽NIN這張零七年出版的【Year Zero】，有七分都是衝著對Manson的熱愛。可叫我驚奇的不是專輯裡狠戾失真之電氣橫流，乃是它繪形繪聲地描繪出一個巨大晦暗之未來世界。

2020 = Year Zero

推而廣之，更開眼界的是Reznor如何在互聯網乃至現實發動的宣傳企畫：隱藏密碼、隱藏信息、隱藏網址，統統折射出未來的美國社會是如何光景。這種宣傳方式，亦見於近來之【黑暗騎士】、或遠一點的【Cloverfield】。迷糊虛實之間的界線，叫人尤如處身於作品中的世界。從【Year Zero】聽到的，與其說是工業之聲，不如說是Reznor對未來世界的憂慮。

蛛絲馬跡，除了大碟上的密碼、或者以歌曲名字為網址的網站？以大碟為主題的壁紙裡都可找到：2022年的阿美利堅在經歷數次嚴重恐襲後，漸漸變質成一個極權國家，道德局（US Bureau of Morality，見NIN釋出的壁紙）為了清洗異議聲音、控制人民思想，除了將異見人士關押以進行藥物性的「思想教育」外，還在人民的自來水裡落藥，以確保人民成為柔順的羊。【Year Zero】此張大碟在「故事設定」裡，乃2022年的反抗份子（即包括未來的Reznor）為了改變歷史，向2007年發放的未來信息。.噢，還有比這更fictional的唱片嗎？

Reznor是一個錄音室技師。晦暗之未來氣氛，乃來自其巧手的電子音效。但相比起這些官能刺激，我更欣賞【Year Zero】所折射出來的想像空間。

CD Tracklist :

• 01 Hyperpower!
• 02 The Beginning of the End
• 03 Survivalism / video
• 04 The Good Soldier
• 05 Vessel
• 06 Me, I’m Not
• 07 Capital G / video
• 08 My Violent Heart
• 09 The Warning
• 10 God Given
• 11 Meet Your Master
• 12 The Greater Good
• 13 The Great Destroyer
• 14 Another Version of the Truth / website
• 15 In this Twilight
• 16 Zero-Sum

……對於那些今晚隔岸觀看的人，無論來自國會、皇宮，或者在世界被遺忘的角落裏擠在收音機前的人，我們的故事雖然各異，但我們的命運是共有的，美國領導的新一天已經來臨。那些想破壞世界的人，我們會擊敗你們；那些追求和平安定的人，我們會支持你們。對於有人懷疑美國的指路明燈是否還能指引世人，今晚我們再次證明了，我們國家的真正力量，並非來自孔武有力或者雄厚財富，而是來自我們理想的持久力量：民主、自由、機會，以及從不退讓的冀求。

這就是美國的特徵，美國可以改變。我們的團結可以更臻完美，我們過去的成就，讓我們期盼明天也一定可以取得成就。今次選舉，有很多第一次、很多故事讓世代流傳。然而今晚存在我心的，卻是一位在阿特蘭大（Atlanta）投票的婦人。她大致跟這次選舉中其餘數以百萬計排隊發聲的人一樣，除了一點，AnnNixonCooper已經106歲了。

她生於黑奴年代剛結束的時候，那時道路沒有汽車、天空沒有飛機，那時像她這樣的人不能投票，原因有二：因為她是女人；因為她的膚色。

今晚，我想起她過去一個世紀在美國所見過的一切：心痛與希望，掙扎與前進；別人說我們不能的時間，與人們堅持的美國人信條：我們做得到（Yeswecan）。在婦女聲音被關掉、希望被否定的時代，她活着直至看見她們站起來、說出來，並走出來投票。我們做得到。

當封塵的飯碗盛着絕望，大蕭條席捲大地的時候，她看見一個國家以新政（NewDeal）、新工作，和新的共同理念，征服了自我恐懼。我們做得到。當炸彈投向我們的海港，暴君威脅世界，她就在那裏見證一個世代的興起，民主得救。我們做得到。

她見證過蒙哥馬利（Montgomery）的巴士（1955年杯葛巴士事件）、伯明翰（Birmingham）的水柱（1963年水柱驅散人群事件）、塞爾馬（Selma）的橋（1955年黑人大遊行事件），還有阿特蘭大一位傳道人對着一個民族說：我們終可克服（WeShallOvercome）（1965年馬丁路德金演講事件）。我們做得到。

人類登陸月球，柏林圍牆倒下，世界就是由我們的科學與想像連接起來。而今年，今次選舉，她的手指輕觸着屏幕，投下她的選票。因為她知道，美國經歷106年之後，經過最好的時候、黑暗的時光，美國可以怎樣改變。我們做得到。

美國，我們走得這樣遠，我們看過這麼多，但我們還有更多東西要做。所以今晚，就讓我們問問自己，假如我們的孩子可以活到下世紀，假如我的女兒可以幸運的長壽如AnnNixonCooper，我們將會看見甚麼改變？我們會締造甚麼進步？

這是我們回答的時機，這是我們的時刻。這是時候，讓我們重新得到工作，把孩子的機會之門敞開；重新恢復繁榮並達致和平；開拓美國夢，並重新肯定一個基本事實，縱使人數眾多，我們都是同一個體。當我們呼吸，我們盼望，當我們遇上憤世嫉俗與懷疑，遇上那些告訴我們不能的人，我們會報以那句永恒的、總結了一個民族精神的信條：我們做得到。

謝謝，主佑你們，主佑美國。

via 蘋果日報 – 要聞港聞 – 20081106 – 奧巴馬當選演辭全文

我們這代，也是傳奇的一代，我們共同經歷很多世紀大事。回歸、金融風暴、九一一、兩伊戰爭……很多很多。奧巴馬的傳奇也是其一。最叫我感興趣的是，年輕時的奧巴馬曾經沉淪，他絕對不是乖孩子、傳統棟樑。他曾吸毒。一如你我，他也問過「我是誰」，為此苦惱。最後他仍爬起來了，終於登上了權力的顛峰。他才四十七歲。New Generation終於摧毀了老人政治。這場選舉，亦成我們一代的一個傳奇。

Poster via Hyperakt Design Group

Wall E
Andrew Stanton
trailer

[rating:7.9/10]

比起Disney或Dreamworks出品，Pixar的定位如何有型、票房有幾風光、乃至評論家們的熱愛，已無需多論。個人最喜歡【Monsters,Inc】和【Ratatouille】，前者的劇本非常出色好玩，一道小門落在他們手上把玩得出神入化；後者則是它奇蹟般的畫功展示（特別是老鼠們的毛髮），而【Ratatouille】也深受評論家們的喜愛；看陶傑也寫過一篇有關評介便能略知一二。

近期衝擊IMDB Top250的電影不只【The Dark Knight】，還有Pixar最新出品【Wall E】。私以為【Ratatouille】已經是形式上的巔峰了，不論是電影內涵或是畫功表現；【Wall E】則另闢蹊徑，由兩台機械人擔起主角大旗，舞台設在垃圾堆積如山的荒涼地球未世，人影都難多找一個。講碩果僅存的舊式清理機械人Wall E由地面追女追到人類太空船的奇遇。創新在於電影前半段的對白極少，單靠畫面的幽默無疑是含蓄的，它是要你去感受人物在動作裡的逗趣、小眉小眼處的灰諧，而不再是單純的拋出一個個笑彈引你發笑。

但幾多刻意經營的笑位都好，仍不及Wall E充電後那聲彷蘋果電腦的開機聲。

亦真亦假的奇異畫面風格、一眾機械人造型、甚至片尾credit的設計，處處都是Pixar的巧思。兩台機械人一幕太空漫遊實是神來之筆，具體化了情人之間那種你追我遂、你迎我拒的纏鬥生態。

最後人類在機械人的幫助下著手重建垃圾場般的地球家園，也算是對機械人發展的反傳統創作，在Matrix式的機械人恐懼論述之外，另闢了蹊徑。總覺【Ratatouille】立下了一個很難突破的瓶頸，看畢【Wall E】，便覺它有某種製作團隊意欲超越瓶頸的意味。雖然【Wall E】仍不及【Ratatouille】豐富和富有深意，但亦不失為Pixar顛峰過後的一記怪招。