The Tree of Life & The Fountain

Yggdrasill

One of my favourite Norse myths is about Yggdrasill. It is the myth of the life Tree and reflects all the beauty of Norse sagas, being also a wonderful symbol of the transience of life. 

The sperm of the end of the word in Nordic mythology lays right in its creation through the existence of the cosmic tree, Yggdrasill. It is an evergreen ash tree of prodigious dimensions, on which the universe is supported and symbolizes the battle between light and dark, the balance and change between constant decay and renewal, and through it universal notions such as life, time and destiny are expressed. 

Yggdrasill has three roots that stretch to three planes of worlds. On the first layer are the worlds Asgard (home of the Aesir gods), Vanaheim (home of the Vanir-lesser gods) and Alfheim (home of the elves). On the second layer is Midgard (home of the humans), Jotunheim(home of the frost giants), Nidavellir (home of the dwarves) and Svartalfheim (home of the dark elves). On the third and lower layer is Hel and Nifelheim, the death worlds. All worlds are dependent on the existence of the life tree, even the death worlds, gods, giants and humans altogether.Beneath it also stands the fountain of wisdom, where Odin sacrificed one of his eyes to drink from and gain his wisdom.

But even Yggdrasill might die. Four stags are eating its leaves and the huge serpent Nidhogg is gnawing its roots incessantly. In result, when Ragnarök approaches, the final battle of the gods, the tree will shiver and maybe even fall, bringing the end of all worlds. 

This notion of Yggdrasill -not as in nordic mythology but as it appears in other theological systems- seems to be behind the story of the cosmic tree in the amazing film "The Fountain" by Darren Aronofsky. 

The Fountain" by Darren Aronofsky.

In this film there are three parallel story lines. In the first-the past, the protagonist is venturing to find the cosmic tree of life in the jungles of the New World for the favour of his queen. In the second- the present, he is struggling to isolate the ingredients of the Tree of Life to save his dying love. And in the last one-the future, he is travelling in space with a tree ,seeking the supernova that will transcend the death of his beloved into life once again. 

In the end, this film is a poem about love, life and death. About the desperation of losing the love of our life and being unable to accept the loss, unable to find rest, peace and finally, closure. 

I believe that this is one of the very few films that capture the agony of copying with mortality and the stages of grief after a loved one's passing. Life is so fragile, so temporary that a Godless life might resemble a hell, at least for me. There must be some reason, a meaning, a purpose, something....

PROMETHEUS- a review

Just finished watching "Prometheus" and I am quite excited...

_SPOILER ALERT_

I am a dedicated fan of the Alien mythology. Although I do not usually enjoy sci-fi movies, Alien has a certain attraction, a "je ne sais quoi". Perhaps it owes it to the strong performance of Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley or the aesthetics of the artist Giger that has been in charge of the visual effects (and won an academy award for it).  Or maybe it appeals to a catastrophological side of me. Or I just enjoy a good pop corn movie... 

That being said, I consider Prometheus more than a decent prequel to the Alien mythology, although I believe that fans would like some more elaboration on the Engineers story line and perhaps a bit less predictability. To be honest, the scene of the crash of the spaceships looked to me flat and awkward on behalf of the characters.  

I am not sure whether the producers intended for so many similarities between the movies but definitely there were moments that Alien scenes popped in my mind although I had no clue of the relevance of the movies. Other than the likeness of death occurrences,( like eel-like creatures crawling inside the hosts and laying eggs that hatched and their acid blood exploding on a face), I couldn't help but notice that the leading role was once more entrusted on a woman, this time Noomi Rapace. And she might not have exhibited the same hardiness of Ripley's character in the last Alien films but reminded the femininity and youth of Sigourney in the first movie along with some fragility.

Additionaly, I could only be content by the presence of Michael Fassbender that is really noticeable in the role of the android David (the android key role is another similarity with Alien).  Charlize Theron however, might have contributed more in the film if she had more space to unfold her character as Meredith Vickers. The same goes for Guy Pierce in the role of Peter Wayland.

Well, I am not a critic to be able to analyse in more extend, but personally I enjoyed the film and I can't wait for the sequel which is said to be in production. Weeee! Gimme more Aliens!!! :P

PS. That Engineers looked a bit like Predators, didn't they? 

Bible: 1 Corinthians 13. On love...

1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 
2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. 

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror;then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.


Never again such beautiful words have been written on love. In Greek, these verses spoken, are sweet to the tongue, flow like honey. They melt in our soul and calm the heart, warming the cold, vanishing loneliness, inspiring the mind. 

Krzysztof Kieslowski, in his movie "Three Colors: Blue (1993)" ,

used the prototype Greek translation of these Bible verses in the "symphony for the unification of Europe". The Greek translation is the following:


Εάν ταις γλώσσαις των ανθρώπων λαλώ και των αγγέλων, 
αγάπην δε μη έχω, γέγονα χαλκός ηχών ή κύμβαλον 
αλαλάζον.
και εάν έχω προφητείαν και ειδώ τα μυστήρια 
πάντα και πάσαν την γνώσιν, και εάν έχω πάσαν την πίστιν, 
ώστε όρη μεθιστάνειν, αγάπην δε μη έχω, ουδέν ειμι.
και εάν ψωμίσω πάντα τα υπάρχοντά μου, και εάν παραδώ το σώμα 
μου ίνα καυθήσομαι, αγάπην δε μη έχω, ουδέν ωφελούμαι.

 Η αγάπη μακροθυμεί, χρηστεύεται, η αγάπη ου ζηλοί, η αγάπη 
ου περπερεύεται, ου φυσιούται, ουκ ασχημονεί, ου ζητεί τα 
εαυτής, ου παροξύνεται, ου λογίζεται το κακόν, ου χαίρει επί 
τη αδικία, συγχαίρει δε τη αληθεία. πάντα στέγει, πάντα 
πιστεύει, πάντα ελπίζει, πάντα υπομένει. η αγάπη ουδέποτε 
εκπίπτει. είτε δε προφητείαι, καταργηθήσονται. 

είτε γλώσσαι παύσονται. είτε γνώσις καταργηθήσεται. εκ μέρους δε 
γινώσκομεν και εκ μέρους προφητεύομεν. όταν δε έλθη το 
τέλειον, τότε το εκ μέρους καταργηθήσεται. ότε ήμην νήπιος, 
ως νήπιος ελάλουν, ως νήπιος εφρόνουν, ως νήπιος 
ελογιζόμην. ότε δε γέγονα ανήρ, κατήργηκα τα του νηπίου. 
βλέπομεν γαρ άρτι δι΄εσόπτρου εν αινίγματι, τότε δε 
πρόσωπον προς πρόσωπον. άρτι γινώσκω εκ μέρους, τότε δε 
επιγνώσομαι καθώς και επεγνώσθην.
νυνί δε μένει πίστις, 
ελπίς, αγάπη, τα τρία ταύτα. μείζων δε τούτων η αγάπη.

Zbigniew Preisner, the composer of the original music, created indeed, a haunting soundtrack, that compliments this exceptional film.  "Three Colors: Blue" is concentrated on a woman's mourning and her grief process. Words cannot express the depth and intensity of this film, as the makers explore the complexity of Julie's emotions towards her only daughter's loss and her later husbands infidelity. Key element in Blue, is a blue sphere, the only remaining link between Julie and her child and a symphony, her husband's work that is left unfinished with his death. I will say no more, because in the end, Blue is a "heavy" film that has to be seen with the heart, to be experienced and only once you immense yourself in Julie's world you can acknowledge the directors perspective.  Below is the fore mentioned "song for the unification of Europe", a title that probably does no right to this beautiful piece.