Ennio Morricone

My father, brother and I have always loved the film scores of Ennio Morricone. So far, he has composed more than 500 film scores. Once Upon a Time in the West has always been a favorite in this household. My mother used to watch the movie frequently, partly because it's a fine tale well told, but mostly because of that deeply moving soundtrack.

Morricone was nominated five times for an Academy Award (including one for Days of Heaven, one of my favorite films), but never won, even for The Mission. However, in 2007 he was awarded an Honorary Academy Award by Clint Eastwood. So many "spaghetti westerns" that featured Eastwood owe their success, in large part, to the achingly beautiful music of Morricone.

I've posted three of his scores. The first is from Once Upon a Time in the West, performed live in Venice, Italy.



The second is from his most famous composition, and his self-described favorite, The Mission:



The third is from Cinema Paradiso, a movie that makes me embarrass myself with tears every time I see it.

Emergency Brake Aura Accident

Capitalism is Dead, It Just Doesn't Know It Yet

If it is revolution that the bankers, capitalists, and war-profiteers want, they will get it. They best be careful. Once cut off from the ability to make change democratically, there is only one choice: violent revolution. Our electoral process still functions...barely. When it ceases to, look out.

Listen: The Internationale (Sung by Alistair Hulett)

Arise ye workers from your slumbers
Arise ye prisoners of want
For reason in revolt now thunders
And at last ends the age of cant.
Away with all your superstitions
Servile masses arise, arise
We'll change henceforth the old conditions
And spurn the dust to win the prize.

So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.
So comrades, come rally
And the last fight let us face
The Internationale unites the human race.

No more deluded by reaction
On tyrants only we'll make war
The soldiers too will take strike action
They'll break ranks and fight no more
And if those cannibals keep trying
To sacrifice us to their pride
They soon shall hear the bullets flying
We'll shoot the generals on our own side.

No saviour from on high delivers
No faith have we in prince or peer
Our own right hand the chains must shiver
Chains of hatred, greed and fear
E'er the thieves will give up their booty
And give to all a happier lot.
Each at the forge must do their duty
And we'll strike while the iron is hot.

More on the Occupation

I don't have much to add to this that can't be found at Occupy Together. It's sad, not to mention very unsettling, that the mainstream media is doing their best to avoid covering Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Together. The sign that this comrade is holding says it all.

Occupy Wall Street

Now this really pisses me off. Are we living in a police state? Two cops for every protester, with "fencing" and mace, to boot.