Poems/Drama/Songs/Painting - Topic 10

"Once Upon a Time in New York City" is the 1st song from which 1988 animation?

Disney production, Oliver & Company

Oliver & Company drew inspiration from which novel?

- Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist

- In Oliver & Company, based on animals like cats & dogs

Who is the author for "The Deer", a novel about a physicist who hit into a deer and started to uncover his old memories?

Dashiel Carrera

Dashiel Carrera considers himself an anxious writer. How did he use Creative Constraint to write and complete his novel, "The Deer"?

- He finds calm/peace in musical performance

- He is aware that mistake in musical performance is not something you can retract

- He used the imagination of musical performance while writing The Deer

- He also set a time to achieve his aim

Common poem forms and their constraints

Haiku

- 3 lines w 5-7-5 syllable pattern

- Must have nature

Common poem forms and their constraints

Sonnet

14 lines, 10 syllables/line

Common poem forms and their constraints

Limerick

5 lines, 7-9 syllables lines 1,2,5, 5-7 syllables lines 3-4

What is French Oulippo movement?

Short for Ouvroir de littérature potentielle (“Workshop of Potential Literature”)

Who founded the French Oulippo movement?

- Raymond Queneau & Francois le Lionnais

- Mainly french speaking mathematicians & writers

How does the French Oulippo movement promote creativity?

- Only write works using constrained techniques

- Constraints are used to trigger inspiration

How did Ernest Vincent Wright, author of "The Gadsby" used Creative Constraint?

- Used a lipogram approach to write The Gadsby

- meaning, no "e" vowels appeared in his novel

Who pen the short poem "Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (1930)"?

Chinese linguist Yuen Ren Chao / Zhao Yuenren

"Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (1930)" was composed of from many characters?

92 - 94 depending on the versions

Why is the poem "Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (1930)" difficult to comprehend if pronounced in Mandarin/Standard Chinese?

- When Mandarin is invoke, it is limited to 4 syllables,

- hence most words are pronounced as "shi",

- hence the poem becomes incomprehensible

What if the poem "Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (1930)" is pronounced in Cantonese and Hokkien?

- Cantonese has 22 syllables,

- Hokkien has 15 syllables,

* Becomes much more comprehensible

What was the motive by Zhao Yuenren over the composition of "Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den (1930)"?

To highlight the limitations of using Latin to replace chinese characters

* ie romanization of chinese

Why is Zhao Yuenren's poem possible?

Poem can exist because the chinese language is tonal

Who wrote the "No Swan So Fine" poem?

American poet Marianne Craig Moore

What was the theme for the poem "No Swan So Fine"?

- End of the French monarchy,

- comparing the beautiful china swan to french monarchy

- both beautiful, yet transient

What inspired Marianne Moore in penning the poem "No Swan So Fine"?

Her interest with Chinese culture, art, painting influenced her thoughts for this poem

What does the 1st line in the poem "No Swan So Fine" - “No water so still as the dead fountains of Versailles.” means?

No place is so still and lifeless as the palace of Versailles, the home of King Louis 16th of France.

What is the conclusion to the poem "No Swan So Fine"?

- talks about the end of the French monarchy

- no matter how beautiful and "perfect", it is only temporary

In a foreword to A Marianne Moore Reader in 1961, Moore said her favourite poem was?

Book of Job in the Bible

- By the time of her death (1972), she had received many honorary degrees & virtually every honor available to an American poet.

- The New York Times printed a full-page obituary.

- In 1996, she was inducted into the St. Louis Walk of Fame

Who is she?

Marianne Craig Moore

Who wrote "Gadsby, (1939)"?

Ernest Vincent Wright

Why is "Gadsby, (1939)" considered a unique novel?

- It uses lipogram

- 50,000 words has no "e"

- except for 4 instances

What is a Pangrammatic lipogram?

- uses every letter of the alphabet except one

- a kind of constrained writing or word game consisting of writing paragraphs or longer works in which a particular letter or group of letters is avoided

What is the plot behind "Gadsby, (1939)"?

- About John Gadsby

- About a fictional town called Branton Hills

- and how John and the youth group he organised, revitalised the town

Who wrote the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night (1951)"?

Dylan Marlais Thomas

or Dylan Thomas

What is the theme for the poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night (1951)"?

- While death is inevitable, and all eventually dies

- One should not embrace death easily

- Instead, one should fight fiercely before dying

Who pen the short poem "Whale Already (2022)"?

- Largely by Kimiko Hahn

- Ending lines of this poem by Yosa Buson

What is special about the poem "Whale Already (2022)" by Kimiko Hahn?

It is a compound poem of

- haiku

- cento/golden showel method

Who wrote the song "Imagination (1940)"?

- Jimmy Van Heusen as a teenager

- Later Jimmy sang the tune without lyrics to Johnny Burke

* Johnny Burke later used the same tune and added new lyrics

How many versions for the song "Imagination (1940)"?

- Two, and both are popular

- First is under Gleen Miller, vocals was Ray Eberle, recorded by Bluebird Records

- Second is under Tommy Dorsey, vocals by Frank Sinatra, recorded by Victor Records

* Frank Sinatra version most popular even until now

- I’m Getting Sentimental Over You

- I’ll Never Smile Again

- And several songs featuring Frank Sinatra

were some hit songs from this person. Who is this?

Tommy Dorsey, Jazz Trombonist

What are the themes explored in the song "Imagination (1940)"?

- Imagination can be used to transform ordinary things into something special

- The song also spoke about unrequited love, longing for someone, using imagination to think about the person

Who sang the song "Pure Imagination (1971)"?

- Gene Wilder, who played Willy Wonka in the film "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory"

- Gene really sang the song

Who were the composers for the song "Pure Imagination (1971)"?

- Composed by Leslie Bricusse & Anthony Newley

- Orchestrated by Walter Scharf

What was the song "Pure Imagination (1971)" about?

- About the power of creativity

- Kids and adults need to imagine possibilities that do not yet exist.

- The world is constantly changing, and humans need to adapt.

Charlie and the chocolate factor is based on?

Based on Roald Dahl's 1964 novel "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory"

Solo career produced classics like:

- Imagine

- Give Peace a Chance

- Happy Xmas (War is Over)

Who is this person?

John Lennon

John Lennon

Started skiffle music and formed The Quarrymen in 1956, which evolved into The Beatles. Who is this person?

Songs such as:

- Strawberry Fields Forever

- All You Need is Love (anti-war anthem)

Who wrote them?

Iconic songs by John Lennon

In 1980, Double Fantasy was released, but what happened to John Lennon shortly after?

He was shot dead

Who sang "Imagine (1971)"?

John Lennon, a group member of British rockband Beatles

What inspired the lyrics to the song "Imagine (1971)"?

- Based on a Christian prayer book given to John and Yoko from Dick Gregory

- Inspired by communist movement

- Dick was a close friend of this couple

What are the themes espoused by the song "Imagine (1971)"?

Peace is achievable with No religion, no war, no country

Why is the song "Imagine (1971)" controversial?

seemingly anti-religious and utopian tone

Who composed the song "Imaginary (2000)"?

by Amy Lynn Lee, a american musician, songwriter

What was the general theme in the song "Imaginary (2000)"?

- The artist's strong desire to escape reality and continue in the dream world

- Reflects her own teenage struggles and regrets not releasing it as a single

Who sang "Can you imagine that (2018)" song?

By Emily Blunt

What is the setting for the song "Can you imagine that (2018)"?

- Set in 1930s London during the Great Depression

- Michael banks recently lost his wife and is about to lose his home too

- Michael has to raise 3 kids alone

What is the general message about the song "Can you imagine that (2018)" from the movie Mary Poppin Returns?

- questioning the idea of fun for the children

- finally allowing the children to enjoy the play and imagination

- Imagination helps heal & brings joy during difficult times

Released debut EP “Spitfire” in 2011

Grammy nomination for “Ghost Voices”

1st album Worlds (2014)

2nd album was Nurture in 2021

3rd album “Smile! :D” in 2024

Porter Robinson (Po-uta)

Who created the 2016 animation, "The Shelter"?

Porter Robinson (Po-uta) and Madeon

What is the storyline behind the animation "The Shelter"?

- Tells the story of 17 yo Rin

- She lives alone, and uses a tablet to simulate a beautiful environment differently each day

How did Rin came to know the truth in "The Shelter"?

- Her memories were erased by her father

- Her father built a spaceship and launched her into space when she was 10 yo

- This was to save her from a life ending planet crashing to Earth

Who produced Edmond de Belamy?

- An AI

- specifically, it is called Generative Adversarial Network (GAN) portrait painting

- GAN belongs to Paris based Obvious

What does Belamy or "bel-Ami" means in French wrt Edmond de Belamy?

- Ian Goodfellow is the inventor to GAN

- "bel-Ami" means a good friend, paying homage to Ian