"
If you desire the path of sincerity, develop a love for obscurity. Flee from
the clatter and clinks of fame. Be like the roots of a tree; it keeps the tree
upright and gives it life, but it itself is hidden underneath the earth and
eyes cannot see it." – Mohammed
Take home – Directors Special - Ridley
Scott
One of the more respected and prolific filmmakers in
modern cinema, director-producer Ridley Scott amassed a portfolio containing
some of the most critically and commercially successful movies of all time.
Emerging from the world of television commercial production, Scott was nearly
40 years old by the time he helmed his first feature "The Duellists"
(1977). Its lackluster reception left audiences ill-prepared for the massive
impact that came next with the classic science-fiction/horror film "Alien"
(1979). Although a commercial disaster at the time, "Blade Runner"
(1982) would later be regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi movies
ever made, while Scott's on-set behavior during production earned him a lasting
reputation as an exceptionally stubborn and difficult director. The years that
followed were marked by the ebb and flow of disappointment and triumph, as
illustrated by efforts like "Legend" (1985), "Thelma &
Louise" (1991), "White Squall" (1996) and "Gladiator"
(2000). Remarkably, Scott moved into the next millennium with an even steadier
output of work that included such highlights as "Black Hawk Down"
(2001), "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005), "American Gangster"
(2007) and "Robin Hood" (2010). Having settled into a more efficient
and actor-friendly style of filmmaking during the second half of his career,
Scott enjoyed the luxury of tackling themes of personal interest on film
projects endowed with budgets less-proven directors could only dream of.
Scott reteamed with Crowe for the espionage thriller
"Body of Lies" (2008), co-starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of a
CIA operative used as a pawn by his supervisor (Crowe) in a high stakes game
between Western and Arab intelligence agencies. Under the Scott Free banner, he
executive-produced the medieval miniseries "The Pillars of the Earth"
(Starz, 2010), based on the novel by Ken Follett, in addition to similar duties
on the well-regarded drama series "The Good Wife" (CBS, 2009- ),
starring Julianna Margulies. It was once more into the breach with Crowe in the
title role of the legendary hero "Robin Hood" (2010), for a visually
spectacular epic that, nonetheless, drew the ire of many critics for its
historical inaccuracies and the narrative liberties taken with such an iconic
tale. In 2011, Scott began production on the highly-anticipated
"Prometheus" (2012). A science-fiction thriller initially intended as
a prequel to "Alien," the director later insisted that while it
shared a certain amount of that seminal film's creative DNA,
"Prometheus" would very much be its own movie, tackling "unique,
large and provocative" new ideas.
Picture for the day – Red Wood Tree,
California
Partway up a 350-foot tree, botanist Marie Antoine (at
right) passes a slender core sample of its wood—750 years of redwood
biography—to canopy ecologist Giacomo Renzullo. Research now shows that the
older such trees get, the more wood they put on.
Wisdom Message
The Law of Karma is not an irreversible iron law.
Dedication to the divine and purification of thoughts, words and deeds invite
divine benediction. The effects of karma can be modified and its rigour,
mitigated through grace. When vices hold sway over your heart, it becomes foul
and sooty. The flames of desire, anger and miserliness (kaama, krodha and
lobha) leave char within your heart. Do not despair or lose heart if vices
trouble you. There is no place where God is not present. There is no being to
whom He denies blessings. Grace manifests itself by quenching the flames within
your heart and confers bliss which desire, anger and miserliness can never
confer. God is immanent and eternal. Follow the path and obey the ideals laid
down by the Lord with relentless discipline. Your mind will be purified and
divine grace will be reflected therein. - Baba
Article for the day – The salesman of
Brazil
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