3.10.2010

Vietnam: Dying in the Rough...


all the usual disclaimers of my computer's limitations and bla bla bla...

This is what I captured on my 10-day excursion in south Vietnam, late Feburary 2010 (Saigon, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Mui Ne). Though I could never hope for pure elucidation of my thoughts and experiences onto film, this video captures a few moments of my time there.
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CCR "Run Through the Jungle"

Harry Nilsson "Everybody's Talkin'"
Her Majesty's Sound "Odd Phantasms in Unique Moments"

Jimi Hendrix "Hey Joe"
Boards of Canada "Left Side Drive"

6 comments:

  1. I thought there were a lot of scooters in Taiwan, but it looks like they're more popular in Vietnam. Like I said before, this video's great, and I especially liked the part at the end with the trippy-looking bridge.

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  2. Thanks, Brandon. Yeah-- I think Vietnam may just be the motorbike capital of the world. Strange though-- even in the midst of all that concentrated chaos of traffic, I weirdly felt safer crossing the street there than in Korea.

    Anyhow, thanks for the comments. : )

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  3. Really enjoyed the video. You just had to put in the theme to "Midnight Cowboy" didn't you? ;) Though I certainly hope your experience was more positive than Joe Buck's.

    I'm glad you included some CCR and Jimi Hendrix and didn't go for the obvious "Fortunate Son" or "All Along the Watchtower" (or "Sunshine of your Love" by Cream for that matter). Whenever people have made montages about Vietnam, they invariably pick some combination of those three songs. Of course your video didn't take place between 1965 and 1973, so there's that.

    My only complaint about this video is that it didn't have nearly enough Renee in it. I understand that you were the one filming, but as far as I'm concerned, that's no excuse. :)

    Ian

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  4. haha- Ian, I had actually seriously considered using All Along the Watchtower, but decided against it last minute. Don't know if I was going for original so much as 'fitting' when it came to my music selection-- but thank you.

    and yes-- my Vietnam was def more positive than Joe Buck's-- though, I can't say I didn't have some tough days. Hope to highlight a more rounded detailing of my experience in next post-- whenever I manage to dredge it up!

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  5. Well alright. I now have two new bands to add to my IPod. How one goes from CCR and Hendryx to Boards of Canada and Her Majesty's Sound is a mystery to me. But mostly, the images and the aura of the video will linger and dance in my mind; What an exotic landscape you captured so vividly/poetically.

    Very v e r y cool.

    Cheers

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  6. Much appreciated, remonster. ;)

    And to clear up the mystery of how one goes from CCR to Boards of Canada: pure awesomeness. ha!

    So glad you liked the vid, a true compliment coming from you.

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