The Life Aquatic

Movie: The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Everytime I try to say this title, it comes out Steve Isuzu. That would be a totally different movie. Having been raised many moons ago, I remember watching endless Jacques Cousteau documentaries and I found this tribute rather charming, with its off-beat, kooky characters (especially Angelica Houston still channeling Morticia Addams and Willam Dafoe pouting like he was chosen last in gym class.) Bill Murray retains his “Lost in Translation” melancholic resignation, delivering his character with wonderful deadpan irony, although he is a little scary in a speedo. CGI effects create splendidly vivid sea creatures. And Bowie in Portuguese! (I didn’t hear “Young Americans” though.) So funny. Also, the red knit hats, the old and faulty equipment, the yellow submarine, The Belafonte. Which reminds me that my grandmother once had a friend who insisted she was having a fling with Harry Belafonte. While they had never met, she could tell Belafonte was singing especially to her and sending her messages with her songs. While I don’t think any musician has ever sent me a message, I did appreciate the use of Sigur Rós’s song Starálfur during the climactic and lovely shark scene. The lyrics are very poetic, in both Icelandic and English, so I’ll copy them here:

Blá nótt yfir himininn

Blá nótt yfir mér

Horf-inn ut um gluggann

Minn með hendur

Faldar undir kinn

Hugsum daginn minn

Í dag og í gær

Blá náttfötin klæða mig í

Beint upp í rúm

Breiði mjúku sængina

Loka augunum

Ég fel hausinn minn undir sæng

Starir á mig lítill álfur

Hleypur að mér en hreyfist ekki

Úr stað – sjálfur

Starálfur

Opna augun

Stírurnar ur

Teygi mig og tel (hvort ég sé ekki)

Kominn aftur og alltalltílæ

Samt vantar eitthvað

Eins og alla vegginna

Staring Elf

Blue night over the sky

Blue night over me

Dis-appeared out of the window

Me with hands

Hidden under my cheek

I think about my day

Today and yesterday

I put on my blue nighties

Go straight to bed

I pull the soft covers over

Close my eyes

I hide my head under the covers

A little elf stares at me

Runs towards me but doesn’t move

From place - Himself

A staring elf

I open my eyes

Take the crusts out

Stretch myself and check (if I haven’t)

Returned again and everything is okay

Still there is something missing

Like all the walls