Reykjavík Grapevine - 06.08.2004, Page 38

by Elísabet Jökulsdóttir
From Sunday-morning till Monday-
evening, by Ásta Sigurðardóttir.This book
is the second to blow my mind. The first one
was The Little Prince, which I read seven
years old in a room full of instruments. But
in this case I was fourteen years old and I
swallowed it as if I had been hungry for ages.
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Poet, freelance journalist and theatre director. Her
first poetry book Dans í lokuðu herbergi (Dance
in a Closed Room) was published in 1989. She
has also written the play Eldhestur á ís (Firehorse
on Ice) and the novels Laufey and Fótboltasögur
(Football stories). One of her brothers is chairman
of Hrókurinn chess club and another is editor of DV
newspaper.
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1. From Sunday-Morning till Monday-Evening, by Ásta
Sigurðardóttir.
2. Once Upon a Time: stories, by Kristín Ómarsdóttir. One day when I
thought nothing new would happen in this world, I happen to read these
stories. Childish, deep, deep from the childrens´ heart that nobody had
heard before, not even the heartbeat.
3. I am the Master, by Hrafnhildur Hagalín. This is a play I saw in a
theatre. The master is no good, but anyway I cried in the end because I
never had had a master. Later I discovered Halldór Laxness was the one.
4. Kaldaljós, by Vigdís Grímsdóttir. A story with strange words, like
diggadú. A perfect end with a mix of nature-force and where did that
come from?
5. A Story of a Lie, by Linda Vilhjálmsdóttir. A personal study of
alcoholism that turns everything upside down; what is right, wrong,
justice, love, control.
6. A Love on a Red-Light, by Jóhanna Kristjónsdóttir. A floating
love story. Who says we don’t need it?
7. The Icelandic-sagas, written by Icelandic women to make fun of
the men. Successful. Made for body and soul
8. Albúm, by Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir / Gunnlaðarsaga by
Svava Jakobsdóttir. Albúm is an easy story but not easily forgotten.
Gunnlaðarsaga says it is all, hidden in the legend.
by Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen
Arnar Eggert Thoroddsen has for the past years been
a music correspondent for Morgunblaðið, as well as
writing about other culture related
items. There he has been under
the tutelage of long time
music journalist and
Sugarcubes biographer
Árni Matthíasson.
His brother, who
calls himself Curver
(after a trashbin),
is a musician
who´s currently in
Einar Örn´s band
Ghostigital.
1. Sigur Rós: Ágætis byrjun
2. Mínus: Halldór Laxness. Quite possibly the greatest rock album
ever made.
3. S. H. Draumar: Goð. It still amazes me how brilliant this album
is.
4. HAM: Hold [ep]. Their greatest work - The best Icelandic band
ever.
5. Þeyr: Mjötviður mær. The best thing to come out of the Icelandic
punk explosion.
6. Björk: Vespertine. A great and unique artist. By far her best work ...
yet.
7. Hreinn Pálsson: Í ljóðrænum tónum: 16 sönglög. The Stefán
Hilmarsson of the 30´s brings it all back home. Fantastic.
8. Bag of Joys: Minnir óneitanlega á Grikkland. Quite possibly
the greatest lo-fi album ever made.
by Ómar Örn Hauksson
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1. On Top (Með allt á hreinu) by Ásgeir Guðmundsson.
2. Sódóma Reykjavík by Óskar Jónasson. Another classic comedy
that knows how to turn a phrase. And it doesn´t hurt to have Ham on
the soundtrack. I suggest listening to the English dubbing. People are
obviously having fun there. Director Óskar Jónasson hasn´t topped it yet.
3. Nýtt Líf by Þráinn Bertelsson. The first part of Iceland’s only trilogy.
I think it was the first Icelandic film I saw in a cinema. Actors Eggert
Þorleifsson and Karl Ágúst are in top form. Why don´t they have this on
DVD?
4. Dalalíf by Þráinn Bertelsson. Þór and Danni are at it again. Made
at the height of the breakdance era. Also the first time I saw a woman´s
breast on the screen. I would never be the same again.
5. Íslenski draumurinn by Róbert Douglas. A very fresh and realistic
film about the Icelandic male who´s always planning something that will
make him rich. I know a lot of those.
6. Stella í Orlofi by Guðný Halldórsdóttir. The comedian Laddi has
probably never been as funny as here. Actors Edda Björgvins and Gísli
Rúnar, too. The sequel sucked.
7. Rokk í Reykjavík by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson. An important
documentary about Icelandic culture in the last century. It´s fun to see how
many of these socialist punks are driving around in expensive jeeps today.
Even if only because of Björk, I can´t understand why this hasn´t been
released on DVD.
8. Cold Fever by Friðrik Þór Friðriksson. Technically not an Icelandic
film since it’s an American production but this is the best that Friðrik Þór
has ever done.
The power of this work, its sheer beauty, just cannot be argued with. If you
don’t recognize the effortless brilliance that this album possesses you just
don’t understand pop music. It’s that simple. No one was expecting anything
like this. Sigur Rós was just one of these experimental bands and had re-
leased one pretty uneven album (Von). Soon after Ágætis byrjun was released
it began to sell ... and sell and sell. And purely on the strength of the music, a
rare feat nowadays. In hindsight, people have tried to downgrade the album
(too dramatic, too many strings, too much like Pink Floyd/The Moody
Blues etc...). But that´s utter bullshit. Just try and put it on again and then
you’ll understand what I’m talking about.
It is written with a passion and rebellion I never
had seen before in literature. It is about all the
taboos. Being in love in a cruel way, loving a mar-
ried man, touching his hair although you know it
is not yours - just that little piece drove me crazy-
and still more stories, being pregnant and nobody
wants the baby. Above all no writer ever since has
told me this: Here is my blood. If you accept it
you will have a new blood. It is about a woman
that will rather tell than die.
H
.S
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.S
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There are so many immortal one liners being born here and brilliant scenes that are still
being quoted today. The songs are also great and it’s amazing that no one has staged it
yet to get a sort of Rocky Horror mood going. I don´t think they´ll be able to conjure up
the same feel in the sequel (in production now) but you can always hope. Now a key per-
son is missing, Valgeir Guðmundsson, a natural talent when it comes to good jokes and
good songs. If the sequel doesn´t work, you always have the original to keep you warm.
Ómar is a rapper with the band Quarashi, named
after one of the surnames of the prophet Mohammed.
Their first album came out in 1997 and instantly
became a hit in Iceland. They have since made two
other albums, Xeneizes and Jinx. A single from the
latter, Stick ´em Up, managed to get into rotation
on MTV USA. Ómar currently writes film reviews
for the paper DV and is prepearing to study at the
Art Academy this autumn. He is also taking part in
recording Quarashi´s fourth album.
Agætis byrjun, the second album by the Moss Mountain Town band,
Sigur Rós, is the best Icelandic album I’v heard to date (I would also like
to add that the release concert for that album is the greatest live show I
have ever seen).
,
No one has managed to reproduce the great genius that this film is. The
brilliant atmosphere here is so infectuous that you cannot but take part in the
joy.
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