About the
footage: The footage is from the
unfinished Orson Welles film "It's all true" which
he shot in Brazil. As part of the "Good Neighbor Policy" of WWII, Orson Welles was appointed an "ambassador"
to Brazil in 1942 and was commissioned to shoot a three-part film that captured the spirit of the country. Unfortunately,
a regime change at his film studio RKO shut the film down, and simultaneously sabotaged the editing of The Magnificent Ambersons.
It crushed Orson. Almost for good.
Welles had
just come off the making of the brilliant classic "Citizen Kane" - but because he had dared to take on William Randolph
Hearst - (and because his treatment of him might not have been fair) - Welles received the most crunching stifling power play
any artist could receive; he was quietly and forcibly blacklisted. Despite being inarguably a total genius.
This fascinating 1993 documentary unearths much of the footage that
Welles shot, including black-and-white and Technicolor footage of Carnivale as well as the tale of the four fishermen who
sailed 1600 miles on a raft seeking fair treatment from the government.
All the footage
here is from the segment of "It's
all true" called "Four Men on a Raft." I felt the
footage fit the soul of the song perfectly.
About
the lyrics:
This song has never been about religion for me. It started from
a phone message I got from the wife of a friend of mine telling me that her husband had drowned. She said "The pain is
too strong, it's too hard, the hole in my heart is too big." It was powerful to say the least. Then my father left
a message where he closed as he always did with: "Keep the faith." I just felt they went together. That was
the basis of the song. It was about human beings dealing with strife and still keeping on.
Charlette
really resonated with the religious side, as well as the side I was feeling and she took a more scriptural approach. We see
things differently but respect each other's view, and enjoy making it multi-faceted. I like the fact that this song has
different co-existing interpretations.
That's one of the joys being in Poi Dog Pondering;
that there are so many people and so many view points, even just with-in the band. I wouldn't trade
it for the world. - F.Q.Orrall
"Pacifica"
by 8fatfat8
I edited this video out of footage from the 1973 surf film classic
"Five Summer Stories" It features my favorite surfer: Gerry Lopez
F.Q.O. 2008
Poi Dog Pondering - Everybody's Trying on Letterman
'89
Videos for the new full length release by 8fatfat8
"Music from the Gaijin Hotel"
(Videos edited by Frank Orrall)
"RISE UP AND WALK" from the 8fatfat8 release "Music from the Gaijin Hotel" (Featuring Charlette Wortham & Susan Voelz on vocals; Frank
Orrall on keyboard, bass, beats, percussion and samples; Alison Chesley on cello; Susan Voelz on violin)
"RAIN RUMINATION #1"
from the 8fatfat8 release
"Music from the Gaijin Hotel"
Filmed while in Europe when 8fat opened for Groove Armada,
this was filmed on a drive Chaka and I took from
Spain to Paris.
(Featuring Alison Chesley on cello)
"ROUSSEAU"
from the 8fatfat8 release
"Music from the Gaijin Hotel"
(Featuring
Charlette Wortham on vocals, Frank Orrall on keyboard,
bass, beats and samples and Paul Mertens on Flute)
"Lenya" & "Vietnamese
Velvet" (partial)
from the 8fatfat8 release
"Music from the Gaijin Hotel"
(Featuring Earl Talbot on acoustic drums, Susan Voelz and Alison
Chesley on Strings, Frank Orrall on guitar, bass, beats
and samples and Paul Mertens on Flute)
"HOTEL SEZE instrumental"
from the 8fatfat8 release
"Music from the Gaijin Hotel"
(Featuring Robert "Baabe" Irving the third on Piano, Fareed Haque on acoustic guitar, Ron Hall
on Bass, Susan Voelz & Alison Chesley on Strings, Chris Miskel on drums, Leddie Garcia on percussion, Frank Orrall on
keyboards, percussion and
vibes; Paul Mertens on Flute)
Filmed in and around the Hotel Seze in Bordeaux France during the 8fatfat8 residency with Juba Collective
"3 Inch Golden Lilies"
Film by Luke Savisky
Song by Golden Arm Trio
A video essay exploring the process of forming steel
at a local Chicago forge.
Created
by Marco Giovanni Ferrari
Forming Steel I
by Marco Giovanni Ferrari
Song "Waterlily"
by PDP
Forming Steel II
by Marco Giovanni Ferrari
Song "Waterlily" by PDP
"Ancient Egyptians" - poi dog pondering
Filmed backstage after
show in Philly, Thank you Dan Merkle!
"I'm in Love with Jeremy Brett - Happy Birthday Darling!"
Video made by 'Jeremy's Darling' (we found it on youtube... Thank you for making a beautiful tribute on his b-day!)
The clip above is but a small portion of the full documentary
Toolbox Artist and documenter Brian Liu was also a driving force in this Film... Disarm A DOCUMENTARY
ABOUT LAND-MINES
Filmmakers Mary Wareham and Brian Liu present a contemporary and provocative view of the forces
challenging the achievement of a mine-free world. Disarm spans a dozen countries to look at how, despite a global ban, millions
of antipersonnel mines continue to claim victims daily in more than 80 countries. Defined as
a conventional weapon, antipersonnel mines cause mass destruction upon civilian populations for decades after the initial
conflict ends. Despite some 20,000 casualties a year, mines continue to be used and stockpiled by governments and rebel groups.
Disarm juxtaposes government and public opinion, that of diplomats, mine victims, deminers,
soldiers and aid workers to explore the issues that both hinder and further the case against antipersonnel mines.
Visually stunning, Disarm features harrowing footage smuggled out of isolated nation of Burma, scenes from war-ravaged
Colombia and Iraq, never-before-seen helmet camera footage shot by Afghan and Bosnian deminers, unprecedented access into
warehouses stockpiling millions of Soviet-made mines, and insightful comments by outspoken Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams.
Looking beyond landmines, Disarm offers a contemporary, intelligent and critical investigation
into how weapons systems, war, and the way it is waged are being redefined in the twenty-first century with devastating consequences.
