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Sunday, September 21, 2008

No Place Like London

Anyone watched Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street? The movie was actually based on the hit Broadway musical, which tells about Benjamin Barker a.k.a ST, who sets up a barber shop down in London which is the basis for a sinister partnership with his fellow tenant, Mrs. Lovett. The movie has a lot of interesting song example....No place Like London.

(Johnny Depp, Jamie Campbell Bower)

Antony:
I have sailed the world, beheld its wonders
From the Dardenells, to the mountains of Peru
But there's no place like London!

Sweeney:
No, there's no place like London.

Antony:
Mr. Todd?

Sweeney:
You are young. Life has been kind to you.
You will learn.

There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
and the vermin of the world inhabit it
and its morals aren't worth what a pig could spit
and it goes by the name of London.

At the top of the hole sit the privileged few
Making mock of the vermin in the lower zoo
turning beauty to filth and greed...

I too have sailed the world and seen its wonders,
for the cruelty of men is as wonderous as Peru
but there's no place like London!

Antony:
Is everything alright, Mr. Todd?

Sweeney:
I beg your indulgence, Anthony. My mind is far from easy. In these once-familiar streets...I feel shadows, everywhere.

There was a barber and his wife
and she was beautiful...
a foolish barber and his wife.
She was his reason and his life...
and she was beautiful, and she was virtuous
And he was naive.

There was another man who saw
that she was beautiful...
A pious vulture of the law
who, with a gesture of his claw
removed the barber from his plate!
Then there was nothing but to wait!
And she would fall!
So soft!
So young!
So lost and oh so beautiful!

Antony:
And the lady, sir? Did she succumb?

Sweeney:
Oh, that was many years ago.
I doubt if anyone would know...

I'd like to thank you Anthony. If you hadn't spotted me, I'd be lost on the ocean still.

Antony:
Will I see you again?

Sweeney:
You might find me if you like; around Fleet Street, I wouldn't wonder.

Antony:
Until then, my friend.

Sweeney:
There's a hole in the world like a great black pit
and it's filled with people who are filled with shit!
And the vermin of the world inhabit it...

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Superman

I love Superman ever since I was a kid and now that I'm growing up, I realize that this superhero is even more special than the comic shown. Hehe...well, anyway...I love the song Superman by Five For Fighting...I think the song speaks of how every individual felt, as one seek to be a Hero...


I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
I’m just out to find
The better part of me

I’m more than a bird...i’m more than a plane
More than some pretty face beside a train
It’s not easy to be me

Wish that I could cry
Fall upon my knees
Find a way to lie
About a home I’ll never see

It may sound absurd...but don’t be naive
Even heroes have the right to bleed
I may be disturbed...but won’t you concede
Even heroes have the right to dream
It’s not easy to be me

Up, up and away...away from me
It’s all right...you can all sleep sound tonight
I’m not crazy...or anything...

I can’t stand to fly
I’m not that naive
Men weren’t meant to ride
With clouds between their knees

I’m only a man in a silly red sheet
Digging for kryptonite on this one way street
Only a man in a funny red sheet
Looking for special things inside of me
Inside of me
Inside me
Yeah, inside me
Inside of me

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
I’m only a man
Looking for a dream

I’m only a man
In a funny red sheet
And it’s not easy, hmmm, hmmm, hmmm...

Its not easy to be me

WHY SO SERIOUS...about Dark Knight?


Today it was revealed by Variety that The Dark Knight will rank up $900 million over the weekend worldwide. A lot of people have really praised this movie for it's clever writing and Heath Ledger's performance.. But it seems to me it may be more than just his performance that got people into theaters. I also think that it may not have much to do with the script either.

The Dark Knights success I think was driven mostly by people who were curious to see Heath Ledgers "final performance". This was also fueled by people "in the know" who said his portrayl of Joker was Oscar worthy. Which I would say is a bit much. But is there something more to this? I mean were we already expecting Heath to give a stellar performance and whether or not he did.. Were people simply caught up in a crazy mass of agreement that no one could ever have given a better performance?

I tend to think people were. Most fans who have seen this movie have seen it multiple times and for some reason believe they should make it the number one movie of all time... But why? Will they benefit from it? No. Does Heath Ledger benefit from it? Certainly not. So while rabid fans are out buying tickets like mad to help it surpass Titanic they are really just putting more money in Warner Bros. pockets.

That is probably the heart of this little editorial. It happens all the time when an artist passes away that out of blind love for them we buy up everything they did. But they will no longer benefit from it. All the money goes directly to the pockets of the big studios or record labels in most cases. I think Tropic Thunder hit on this point a little when Tom Cruises character wouldn't pay the ransom for the lead actor. Of course this was all done very comedically but in the long run it doesn't seem so far from the truth.

So with The Dark Knight still raking in the cash Warner Bros. is laughing all the way to the bank. But the ultimate question is whether or not they would be if Heath Ledger had not died.. Would the early reports of Heaths performance had been so glowing? We will never know. But I will end this by saying before you pull out your wallet to support The Dark Knight again.. Think twice.

Wednesday, September 17, 2008

Guang Liang lyrics

I started loving Chinese songs thanks to Malaysian singer, Guang Liang (Michael Wong).

Here is the Pin Yin of Tong Hua, my favourite as it was the first song that attracted me to look at Chinese songs.

TONG HUA
wang le you duo jiu
zai mei ting dao ni
dui wo shuo ni zui ai de gu shi
wo xiang le hen jiu
wo kai shi huang le
shi bu shi wo you zuo cuo le shen me

ni ku zhao dui wo shuo
tong hua li du shi pian ren de
wo bu ke neng shi ni de wang zi
ye xu ni bu hui dong
cong ni shuo ai wo yi hou
wo de tian kong xing xing dou liang le

wo yuan bian cheng tong hua li
ni ai de na ge tian shi
zhang kai shuang shou
bian cheng chi bang shou hu ni
ni yao xiang xin
xiang xin wo men hui xiang tong hua gu shi li
xin fu he kuai le shi jie ju

ni ku zhao dui wo shuo
tong hua li du shi pian ren de
wo bu ke neng shi ni de wang zi
ye xu ni bu hui dong
cong ni shuo ai wo yi hou
wo de tian kong xing xing dou liang le

wo yuan bian cheng tong hua li
ni ai de na ge tian shi
zhang kai shuang shou
bian cheng chi bang shou hu ni
ni yao xiang xin
xiang xin wo men hui xiang tong hua gu shi li
xin fu he kuai le shi jie ju

wo yao bian cheng tong hua li
ni ai de na ge tian shi
zhang kai shuang shou
bian cheng chi bang shou hu ni
ni yao xiang xin
xiang xin wo men hui xiang tong hua gu shi li
xin fu he kuai le shi jie ju

wo hui bian cheng tong hua li
ni ai de na ge tian shi
zhang kai shuang shou
bian cheng chi bang shou hu ni
ni yao xiang xin
xiang xin wo men hui xiang tong hua gu shi li
xin fu he kuai le shi jie ju

yi qi xie wo men de jie ju

And here is the translation into English for those who do not know what the song is all about...


I've forgotten how long it has been
since I've never again...
listened to you telling your beloved fairytale
I've thought for a long time
I start to panic
have I done something wrong?

You said to me full of tears
Inside the fairytale are all lies
I can't possibly be your prince
Maybe you can ever understand
You said I love you ever after
The stars in my sky has lightened up

I'm willing to be
that angel you love inside the fairytale
Spread up my hands
become the wings to protect you
You must believe
believe that we can be like that in the fairytale
prosperity and happiness is the ending

You said to me full of tears
Inside the fairytale are all lies
I can't possibly be your prince
Maybe you can ever understand
You said I love you ever after
The stars in my sky has lightened up

I'm willing to be
that angel you love inside the fairytale
Spread up my hands
become the wings to protect you
You must believe
believe that we can be like that in the fairytale
prosperity and happiness is the ending

I want to be
that angel you love inside the fairytale
Spread up my hands
become the wings to protect you
You must believe
believe that we can be like that in the fairytale
prosperity and happiness is the ending

I will be
that angel you love inside the fairytale
Spread up my hands
become the wings to protect you
You must believe
believe that we can be like that in the fairytale
prosperity and happiness is the ending

Let's write our ending together


Written by: Author's brother, Kian Hin