Musical Code Found in “DaVinci Code” Chapel

DAILY MUSE | Here’s an absolutely fascinating find. A father and son team studying the Rossyln Chapel in Scotland (made famous in “The DaVinci Code”) have found a code in geometric stone carvings inside the chapel from which they have decoded musical compositos. Check it out here and here. Quite beautiful!

Here is a physical demonstration of their theory used in deciphering the code.

THE SUNDAY SERVING: Making “Taxi Driver”

DAILY MUSE | Here is an excellent in depth documentary about the making of the film “Taxi Driver”. It includes interviews with Martin Scorsese, Robert De Niro, Jodie Foster, Cybil Shepard, Harvey Keitel, Albert Brooks and writer Paul Schrader and others– a wonderful peek inside the creative process. (Video in 8 Parts) VIEWER ALERT: Contains strong language and scenes of intense violence. For mature audiences only.

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

The Creative Power of Austin Powers

DAILY MUSE | I can never be sad when I watch the introductory sequence to “Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery”. The music, the colors, the tongue-in-cheek homage to bright, shiny 60’s Pop culture– are all pure creative joy. They always lift my mood.

I already have the musical theme (the awesome Quincy Jones “Soul Bossanova”) on my Ipod. But now I can watch the intro sequence everyday! So can you. Enjoy!

Mike Myers’ account of how the idea of Austin Powers came to him is quite inspiring. While stuck in traffic a particular song (which happens to be one of my own favorites) started playing on his car radio. Myers said, “I heard the song The Look of Love by Burt Bacharach. And all the childhood memories of my father, of watching Monty Python and Benny Hill and Carry On movies and The Mouse that Roared and Strangelove, all the James Bond movies … it all came back.” (via The Canadian Encyclopedia) He began playing and experimenting with the elements of the character– right there in the car. The fundamentals of the Austin character were designed by the time he parked and got out of the car. He wrote the script in the following three weeks. Sent it off to a studio executive one morning and got a greenlight by the afternoon. Pretty cool huh?

THE SUNDAY SERVING: Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth

DAILY MUSE | One of my favorite programs ever has been the multi-episode interview Bill Moyers conducted with mythologist Joseph Campbell entitled “The Power of Myth“. Wikipedia summarizes: “The interviews were filmed at George Lucas‘s Skywalker Ranch during the final two summers of Campbell’s life (the series was broadcast on television a year after his death). In these discussions, Campbell presents his ideas about comparative mythology and the ongoing role of myth in human society. These talks include excerpts from Campbell’s seminal work The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” To that I’ll add that I believe it’s one of the most important television programs ever made.

The series is six episodes and well worth a watch at sometime in your life. Thanks to Bill Moyers and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis for bringing this wonderfully illuminating series and book to us.

Part 1: The Hero’s Adventure

Part 2: The Message of the Myth

Part 3: The First Storytellers

Part 4: Sacrifice and Bliss

Part 5: Love and the Goddess

Part 6: Mask of Eternity (I cannot find this episode, only the first five. If anyone comes across it please pass on the link so I can update this post. Thanks.)

Here is a follow-up interview that Bill Moyers had with George Lucas years after Campbell’s death.

See all THE SUNDAY SERVINGS here.

The Dark Side of the Rainbow (Full Length)

DAILY MUSE | A week or so ago I posted a YouTube video demonstration of the phenomenon known as “The Dark Side of the Rainbow” (Also known as “The Wizard of Floyd”), whereby Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon can be played in sync with events in the film ” The Wizard of Oz”. Since then I have found multiple postings showing the extended duration of this. These links below take it from the beginning and play the album through once. Some of the syncs are uncanny! | via meowcat889

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3: Great Gig in the Sky… incredible!