eric brochu

O Canadas and High Fives, originally uploaded by Mister Wind-Up Bird.

Robson & Howe about 20 minutes after Canada won the gold in men’s hockey. I’ve never seen such an outpouring of joyous patriotic fervor — you can’t hear it, but the crowd was singing O Canada. I’ll admit it, I was a little choked up and yes, I’ll say it, proud to be a part of it all and proud to be Canadian. Despite going out of my way to really not have much to do with the whole thing at all.

And on that highest of high notes, the olympics left Vancouver, like an annoying house guest that always wants to be doing something when you’re working, but then they leave and you sit alone in your apartment and you’re all “well… now what do I do?” The streets and skytrain were unnaturally quiet, the red and black Canada hoodies were gone, and nobody asked me directions or randomly high-fived me. The olympics came and went, and all I got was two sweet, sweet weeks of uninterrupted thesis work.

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I can’t really see Werner Herzog as a personal role model, but I find him fascinating, both as an artist and a person, and, frankly, a bit of an inspiration. I don’t want to do what he does, but I’m glad he’s out there doing it. His new “rogue film school” is just one reason why.

The Rogue Film School is not for the faint-hearted. It is for those who have traveled on foot, who have worked as bouncers in sex clubs or as wardens in a lunatic asylum, for those who are willing to learn about lock-picking or forging shooting permits in countries not favouring their projects. In short: it is for those who have a sense for poetry. For those who are pilgrims. For those who can tell a story to four-year-old children and hold their attention. For those who have a fire burning within. For those who have a dream.

This is another:

It’s probably no surprise that he does some of the best DVD commentary tracks ever.