No, The Devil’s Gift (1984) is not yet another remake of The Omen. And yes, I agree that it’s easy for one to assume it is – based on the artwork of its cover. Kenneth J. Berton’s film is a horror/fantasy story, yet not one that anyone could justifiably classify as of the Coming-of-Age genre.
When I first saw the cover of Martin Ashley‘s book How High Should Boys Sing?, while intrigued by the title, I thought that my lack of musical education might prevent me from thoughtfully enjoying his writing. Yet, as soon I started reading, I realized that while the book contained a great deal of references to musical terms and statistical and empirical research, the writing style of the author and the manner in which he presented his thesis and findings was not only intriguing, but an entertaining read as well. As he stipulated in the introductory chapter:
“This is not a book about church music. It is about boys singing”
After seeing Mohsen Makhmalbaf’s film The Silence, I was impressed by the expressionism of the Iranian cinema and I yearned to discover yet another Coming-of-Age film from that area of the world to watch and review. Fortunately, child-centered Iranian films are in abundance: The White Balloon (1995), Children of Heaven (1997), and The Color of Paradise (1999) are just a few of the many movies focused on childhood produced in that country.
Today I am going to review Anahita Ghazvinizadeh’s short film entitled When the Kid was a Kid. The narrative of the film explores a few of the dimensions of the adult world in Iranian society by offering an intimate portrayal of the experiences of a 10-year-old boy named Taha. The movie boldly addresses issues such as gender identification, the importance of family, and the role of women and parenthood – all perceived from the view point of a young child.
The cinematography of When the Kid was a Kid impresses with a skillful and frequent usage of extreme close-ups, most notably in the first scenes when the young boy is putting on a wig, dress and make-up so that he can become like his mother for a game the kids of his apartment flat play. Those scenes bring to mind the 1997 Belgian drama Ma vie en rose (My Life in Pink) and the more recent 2011 film Tomboy. The cross-dressing in them may be uncomfortable for some viewers and surprise others who would not be expecting such a degree of expressionism produced in a country wildly known for its political and religious conservatism.
The question of why would a boy choose to dress as his mother rather than his father soon becomes clear – he probably never knew his dad. Through the conversations of the kids during their pretend game of adulthood, the viewer manages to learn more about Taha’s mother, their mother-son relationship and the decisions and sacrifices she has to make to raise a son on her own.
The realizations about Taha’s life and his mother are not just reserved for the viewer, but also himself – which results in a powerful closing that further engages the viewer with Taha’s fate by stressing his helplessness. The Kid Was a Kid won various awards at Iranian film festivals in 2011 and 2012.
Watch When the Kid was a Kid:
Editor’s Note: Fans of the Coming-of-Age genre might want to note that Director Anahita Ghazvinizadeh has also written and directed two other films that can also be characterized as Coming-of-Age: Soog (2011) and Needle (2013).
Web series…
With the amount of time we spend online, many consider them to be the entertainment of the future. Here at TheSkyKid.com we have already featured Alec in WILDerland – a reality themed show devoted to exploring the outdoors.
Today I want to introduce Kid’s Town, a Canadian family-friendly web series that follows the adventures of 12-year-old Brian Russell (David Knoll) who, with his father, moves to a new town.
Nothing I have read or seen could have prepared me for such a divergent narrative as that of the 2012 movie Kid by the Flemish director Fien Troch. The movie explores the way children reflect (and are reflected upon by) their immediate surroundings and their manner of dealing with new, traumatic experiences. It focuses on the life of two young brothers: seven-year-old Kid (Bent Simons) and nine-year-old Billy (Maarten Meeusen).
While watching a video of the Jewish singer Avishay Rosen, I noticed a suggestion for another video on Youtube. Curious, I opened the clip titled Daddy Come Home and was blown away by the emotive performance of the young Yaakov Mordechai Gerstner (he was virtually singing his heart out) and the Yeslava Boys Choir. It was not long before I had obtained some of the choir’s albums, seen numerous of their videos online and began to plan the introduction of their music to the readers of TheSkyKid.com.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir was founded in 2003 by Eli Gerstner and Yossi Newman. It originally featured fifty-five talented young voices from the Yeshiva (religious school) in Cleveland. Today the choir is based in Brooklyn, New York. They have, over the years, released eight albums and toured both in the US and abroad.
That I am connoisseur of the treble voice is a well-known fact to the readers of this site. Additionally, I seem to have an affinity for original, new-wave sounding choirs (to the horror of some of my friends who are devotees of the classical choir sound). The vibrancy of the Yeshiva Boys Choir has won me over. They will likely become my second favorite choir ( the first being the Vienna Boys Choir and their Vienna Boys Choir goes Pop album).
For those curious about the sound of the treble voice and who seek something different from the sounds of the many popular young male singers you can find today online, but are perhaps not really prepared to experience and/or fully appreciate the beauty of a more traditional classical cathedral choir performance, I heartily recommend you check out the Yeshiva Boys Choir.
It’s a fact that there is the perception of elitism by some people with regard to members of boy choirs. Perhaps it’s because of the rigid, elegant and classy dress code associated predominately with religious choir formations. Such stereotypes are challenged by the boys of the Yeshiva Boys Choir as their style and the manner in which they are directed is more in line with the commercially released clips of today’s contemporary musicians.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir – Daddy Come Home
The musical style of the Yeshiva Boys Choir is original and creative, which could actually result in fans of their own age, rather than what is traditionally an adult audience that appreciates the music of young performers (teen girls and their teen idols are naturally an exception). There is a lot of sincerity in the videos of the choir. For example, in the clip of Daddy Come Home one can literally feel the emotions of its young soloists while, in the clip of Ah Ah Ah (Ashrei), the choir members charm us with their improvisations and expressions – urging the audience to have as much fun as they had while recording the clip. Most of the repertoire of Yeshiva Boys Choir is in Hebrew, but the lyrics of their English language songs can potentially resonate meaningfully with audiences of all ages.
The Yeshiva Boys Choir – Ah Ah Ah (Ashrei)
The personality and experience of the musical conductor is always important to the overall image that any choir projects. That is also the case with Yossi Newman, whose outgoing personality and creative potential evidently serve as a big motivational boost for his choristers. They appear extremely confident, and professional while being playful and innocent at the same time. With such energy in the Yeshiva Boys Choir, it’s nearly impossible to resist becoming a fan. Of course he works in close collaboration with Eli Gerstner who composes most of the songs performed by the choir. Apparently he is a well-known musical genius in the world of Jewish music .
The Yeshiva Boys Choir’s music feels fresh and different. It’s inspirational and emotive: a contemporary boys choir with a soul and real vibe. Their songs get my highest recommendation!
Yeslava Boys Choir Official Web Site
“A Little Closer is a hauntingly beautiful film and a remarkable debut.” —Martin Scorsese
A film doesn’t have to be filled with suspense or surprising story twists to be intriguing. I’ve found this to be especially true of the Coming-of-Age genre. The 2011 indie film by writer/director Matthew Petock, A Little Closer, brilliantly illustrates that notion. The narrative explores the experiences of an American family of three – a single mother and her young sons: 16-year-old Marc (Parker Lutz) and 11-year-old Stephen (Eric Baskerville).
I found reviewing Becoming Redwood challenging. In fact, half-way through the movie I felt an urge to turn it off before deciding to give it a chance and then watched it until the end. The result: while I still can’t wholeheartedly recommend the 2012 Canadian film, there are some positive things to mention that may help you decide if seeing it will be worth your time.
“Little rabbit sat in his burrow and was asleep, Sat and slept, “Poor little rabbit, are you ill, So you can’t hop about any more? Rabbit hop! Rabbit hop! Rabbit hop!
Little rabbit, beware of the dog, beware! It has a very sharp tooth To catch little rabbit with. Little rabbit, run! Little rabbit, run! Little rabbit, run!”
Little Rabbit In A Hole (Haschen in der Grube) is a German lullaby and, from it’s lyrics (above), I realized how much symbolism lies in Director Hanna Doose‘s decision to chose the same title for her 2004 short film. The film’s disturbing narrative focuses on life in a suburban German family which, at first glance, appears quite typical. There’s the hardworking parents with little time for their off-spring. Twelve-year-old Marcus and his annoying little sister, as children will do, both strive for the attention of their parents …
One night, Marcus makes a terrible discovery that shatters his innocence and forever changes his relationship with his father. Little Rabbit In A Hole is essentially a drama focusing on the interpersonal relationships in a family. The director achieves a feeling of sensuality and intimacy in the picture, while dealing with hard to address issues: i.e. the father-son relationship and the understanding of and mis-use of trust. The fact that the story is told through the perspective of the young boy greatly enhances the emotional impact of the film on its viewers. While watching the emotive acting by Christopher Reinhardt, one could not help but feel as equally confused, angry and powerless as Marcus. You could read all those emotions on Marcus’s face due to Christopher’s superb acting.
It would be nearly impossible to discuss the film further without spoiling its story. So, instead, I suggest that you watch it in its entirety (below). Be advised that the subject matter is not suitable for audiences younger than thirteen years of age.
Having read John Grisham’s thriller, The Client, I had doubts that any other author could write a Coming-of-Age novel that combines criminal investigation, a mystery and rite-of-passage experiences in such an intriguing and original manner. Then I discovered The Fort by Aric Davis! The reviews I had read praised the book, and I really liked its cover art (to me that is a factor in the decision making process of what to read next). So I started reading with high expectations and, after just the first few pages I knew I had made the right choice.
It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to watch and review a Russian movie. Sadly, although disturbing, the 2007 film titled Yarik does not compare well with the Russian Coming-of-Age masterpieces I have seen in the past (i.e., My Name is Ivan, The Return).
For me, it’s always fascinating finding new singers, especially when they’re from right here in Germany.
The first thing I noticed about Richard Istel, who turned 14 today (5-Aug-2013) is his impeccable English — an American English — with absolutely no accent!! When I asked Richie how this was possible, he answered it was simply a talent for emulating sounds!
Richard Istel lives in Leipzig with his family and has already been incredibly busy touring Germany and performing in Latvia and Poland. In Konin (Poland), he recently won the 13-18 category at the International Children’s Song and Dance Festival.
But even way before this, in 2009, Richie made his mark in a German talent show called Das Supertalent by being the only child to reach the final round (he placed 5th). Richie has also been on Teenage Rockstar and placed 3rd at the Europop contest, all of which is news to me because I had never heard him sing in the 20 years I‘ve been in Germany. Richie even sang for Nena on TV!
Michael Jackson/Jackson Five I´ll be There Cover by Richard Istel
I’ve found one original song called World‘s Turning, with lyrics by his sister Lisa and co-created with his dad, who seems to be a solo entertainer on the accordion.
What you hear when Richie sings is a harmonic, rich, treble voice capable of holding notes and full of young power. He has a natural, self-confident performing style and is certain of his ability to charm an audience.
His choice of music from the modern Pop genre shows his ability to deliver somber tunes like Stay, Vampire and Hallelujah, as well as romping tunes like Hollywood Hills. There are many more covers worth listening to on his Youtube channel: Skyscraper,Video Games, Angel and a very funny home video of him cracking up trying to sing Ben from a few years back. You can find out more about Richard Istel by visiting his fan-page.
Richard Istel – Hollywood Hills
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVf803IYUm0
In introducing Richard to TheSkykid.com readers, I am still on a journey of discovery myself, Leipzig being a communist part of Germany before reunification. Perhaps I’ll have to travel to see him at the Classic Open in Leipzig on the 10th of August, where Richie will be at the Marktplatz. And then there‘s the Finale Singing Young Stars in Salzburg Austria on the 24th of August! Or maybe I should visit the Piratennächte (Pirates Nights), where Richie will sing in December.
Richard enjoys performing and is comfortable in front of either intimate or large audiences. His musical route seems well managed and I get the feeling this artist will be in the national and international spotlights increasingly as his popularity grows. My best wishes for success and I’ll watch for more inspiring offerings from Richie in the future.
Happy 14th Birthday from rjmendera and everyone at TheSkyKid.com!!
