International Titbits – May 1

Botox, To The Rescue

The debate has long been about Why Prince Charles chose such an ugly mistress, as his sidechick, when compared to the celebrated beauty of his wife, the late Lady Diana Spencer

It is widely acknowledged that Lady Diana, was indeed a head-turning beauty, and that Camilla Parker Bowles, was anything but. And even on her best days, Queen Elizabeth looked way younger, and more beautiful than her son’s sidechick. Despite the Queen being 2-decades older than Parker-Bowles, who, incidentally, is one year older than Charles.

Her unflattering looks and dowdy dressing style, provided running commentary for the British media for years, and they drove home the point with relentless candor, until recently when the Media transferred its vitriolic coverage from Camilla the ‘Home-Wrecker’, to Meghan Markle, a beautiful and elegant young lady, whose Cardinal sin, was being bi-racial. And as it turned out, it seems if not Parker Bowles herself, then her camp was busy leaking unfavourable stories to the British media, in exchange for less hostile coverage of Parker-Bowles, herself. 

Anyway, the word, out of the UK, and Palace sources, is that Camilla Parker Bowles has had Botox treatment to have her crinkly-Wrinkles, removed in time for her Husband’s Coronation, next month. when the notorious sidechick is set to become Queen of England…

Seems as if the old wrinkly face of Camila Parker Bowles, was not good enough for her new role, as Queen of England, so she has reportedly undergone Botox treatment to iron out those unsightly wrinkles, for a more pudgy, Queenly look…But the question for many is: Why did she wait this long? And While she’s at it, She should arrange a ‘little touching up’. For Prince Charles.

 

Rewriting Egyptian History

The ethnicity of Pharoah Cleopatra has been a source of debate since the days, she ruled as Pharoah of Egypt.

Much has been said of her Greek/Macedonian heritage, but few documented facts to support this claim,or rule out her possible Black or Biracial ethnicity. And assertions that she was of Greek/Macedonian extract, are drawn largely from Claims The Pharoah Cleopatra, made herself. Considering that it was not unusual for Rulers to seek to align their lineage to historical figures, Pharoah Cleopatra’s claim, which saw her becoming a descendant of Alexander the Great, was fortuitous. 

And the confusion only gets deeper as, some historians claim that Cleopatra, and Alexander were siblings. This too is not unusual, as Few historians agree on very few things when it comes to Pharoah Cleopatra. And even the very act of calling her Queen Cleopatra, Instead of Pharoah Cleopatra, is an act of patriarchal condescension. But whether it was the manner of her life and or death, suicide by poison, or by the bite of an Asp, and even her Ancestry.

Well, Centuries after her death, Pharoah Cleopatra, is still the subject of international debate, and this time the Debate is all about her Ancestry. Was she Black and Whitewashed by historians, like most of the other Black Pharaohs, of ancient Egypt, or Was she White/Greek/Macedonian?

The fact that few images of this Great Pharoah, survived the passage of time, does not help. Nor does the fact that she was a linguist who spoke at least 4 Languages fluidly, one of them being the Egyptian tongue of the time. 

With historians focussing on her life of supposed debauchery, and legendary beauty, few have bothered to unearth a credible Historical picture of the Pharoah’s ancestry. As even the supposed surviving Sculptors, Coins from the era, supposedly bearing her likeness have been disputed.

But a White Cleopatra, Being an Egyptian Pharoah, sounds as credible as a Young White Jesus, hiding out in Egypt, when the unearthed historical artifacts, hieroglyphs and recovered Mummies, have debunked the White Egypt yarn,

Well, what do you know, NetFlix, is currently airing a documentary on Pharoah Cleopatra, and for the first time in Hollywood, Pharoah Cleopatra, was cast as a Black Woman, starring Adele James;  And, needless to say, this is not going down well in some quarters in Egypt.

This however, is not surprising, as Egypt has been colonized from Ancient times, up until the current day, but it was the British, with their all-pervasive indoctrination, that managed to persuade the Current crop of Egyptians that they and or their ancestors were not ever even remotely Black. So much so that some Egyptians are offended when you remind them that Egypt is part and parcel of the Continent of Africa And not Europe!

As if to assert their claim to being “Europeans”, and align itself with the White West,  there’s a legal challenge, that would be comical, if it weren’t for the misguided zeal behind it, Egyptian Lawyer Mahmoud al-Semary, is accusing Netflix, of: “attempting to erase the Egyptian Identity”.

When the fact is, it is the current Egyptians (descendants of the early marauding invaders) who are complicit in seeking to erase Egyptian History, in favour of imposing the more ‘palatable’ (Hollywood version of Egyptian history). 

We hope NetFlix responds by producing more documentaries featuring Black Pharaohs of Egypt!

 

The Chevalier:

So, how do you like your Art?

Well, some of us are partial to the spoken word; others to the stroke of the brush, so we collect paintings; There are those who are moved by the Artistic repose of the Body, as in Dance; Some are attracted to the beauty of the spoken word as in, poetry; Then there’s the allure and beauty of music. And there’s the contemporary beauty of cinematography. 

Well, once in a while, maybe once every one-Hundred years, there’s an awesome breakthrough that produces the very rare occurrence sees, Happenstance even, where the Stars align, to produce that stellar event, where whatever is your preferred Art-form, they all come together in one medium, in a unique synergy, that unites all the various artforms and delivers it to you on one platform, that is literally so mind-blowing, it changes not only your own perspective but the way you view the entire artistic spectrum, it causes the world to Question its outlook, acceptance, and understanding of what it has been taught, accepted and promoted!

We are talking revolutionary here, and then some! And this only comes along every one hundred years or so…And How!

My daahlings, we are talking ‘Tres Magnifique’ here and nothing but. The beauty of this generational, inspirational, historic introspection, and game-changing perspective, coming from Jamaican-born Canadian  Film Producer/Director, Stephen Williams using the movie genre, to articulate a gem of a story, that is simply magnificent Theatre, and nothing but!

Now this Game-changing Cineomagraphique production is currently the world’s most talked-about Movie, that movie, The Chevalier, is simply Art!!!

Now here’s one part of the story that makes it a compelling blockbuster – The Chevalier is reportedly, the untold true story of a Guadelupian/French Prodigy, the Offspring of a Frenchman and a Slave woman, from Guadalupe, who despite racism, and institutional obstacles, rose from obscurity to the pinnacle of French Society, where he bedazzled, mesmerized and seduced, to the delight of some at the French Court, and the horror and Dismay of other courtiers.

A Period film that captures the supposed prevailing sensibilities of the period, but so artfully narrated, and executed, it captures the expectations and sympathies of the contemporary audience. The Wow, factor, is ever-present. As we are talking about an extraordinary composition here, that manages to showcase the material beauty of the period, its spectacular fashion, architecture, the excesses of the haves; and the wretched existence of the have-nots, in a non-judgemental manner, but sans the artificial or sanitized orchestrated narrative, contrived to appease so it becomes a brown-nosing spectacle. 

No! This is not that kind of a story, as we are talking about A Superb Masterpiece here, brilliantly brought to life by Kingston-born, Canadian Producer/Director Stephen Williams, known and celebrated for his earlier contributions And with the rakishly handsome 28-year-old black-American actor, Kelvin Harrison, As Joseph Bologne Chevalier de Saint George; We really couldn’t say this was A Star-studded Cast, but what we can say is the Cast was the Cast gave A Star-studded performance.

Kudos to Director Stephen for bringing this little-known story of this accomplished, but nearly forgotten man, back to consciousness and with such verve!

Described as A “Creole-Free-Man-Of-Colour” Joseph Bologne, was a French champion fencer, violinist, and composer, and the earliest (Known) European musician/composer of African descent to receive widespread critical acclaim. Who published numerous string quartets, sonatas, symphonies, and stage works. It is said a lot of his musical works were lost, (Destroyed by Napoleon Bonaparte), who suspected The Chevalier of funding the French Resistance. 

The Point is, for such a historical figure to have been literally interred by historians, to be disinterred in such glorious style by Stephen Williams, is fabulosity, worthy of the life and style of The Chevalier, de St George!

Simply Put – The Movie is A Must See!!!!

 

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
WhatsApp
Scroll to Top