I find it interesting to hear about what inspires different people. Some artists are inspired by people they meet, others perhaps may find a story in something historical, a news snippet or a real-life situation. Personally I am most inspired by music, art, history, and mythology. I love art, in all its shapes and forms. Granted, I consider black metal to be fine art, but I’m just as in love with ballet. I find stories in choreography, in songs, in photos, drawings, statues, you name it.
That’s why I love movies like Samsara. I watched this the other night. I have its counterpart, Baraka, and I find them both fascinating. These movies are visual – no dialogue. But they are stunning. They step back and look at the human race as a whole, from huge metropolis to nooks and crannies of the world that most of us barely think about, and the resulting footage ranges from breathtaking to heartbreaking to just plain bizarre. I get the impression that these movies hold a mirror up to the human race as a whole and ask ‘What have we become?’ but that’s my take. The films don’t pound any points home or tell you what to think. What you walk away with depends on you, your mindset. That’s brave, and I think it’s key. These movies don’t insult or undermine you by telling you what to think. They just make you think.
I’m sure there are highly intelligent people that would be bored to tears by these movies, but I absolutely love them. And of course, having Lisa Gerrard and Dead Can Dance involved with the score makes them even more awesome.
The word samsara is defined as a cycle of birth, death and rebirth.
The word baraka means blessing.
Stills from Samsara
This part was probably one of the weirdest things I have ever seen.
One of the most striking shots … caught between two worlds
Everybody has a story to tell …
Wouldn’t feel right to post about Samsara, the movie, without a footnote about Samsara Blues Experiment, the band. if you like Sabbathy-Hendrixy-Floydy-Blues-Metal, check them out.
Morgan Sylvia 