1.
Morocco
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Morocco, officially known as the Kingdom of Morocco, is a sovereign country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. Geographically, Morocco is characterized by a mountainous interior, large tracts of desert. Morocco has a population of over 33.8 million and an area of 446,550 km2 and its capital is Rabat, and the largest city is Casablanca. Other major cities include Marrakesh, Tangier, Tetouan, Salé, Fes, Agadir, Meknes, Oujda, Kenitra, a historically prominent regional power, Morocco has a history of independence not shared by its neighbours. Marinid and Saadi dynasties continued the struggle against foreign domination, the Alaouite dynasty, the current ruling dynasty, seized power in 1666. In 1912 Morocco was divided into French and Spanish protectorates, with a zone in Tangier. Moroccan culture is a blend of Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African, Morocco claims the non-self-governing territory of Western Sahara as its Southern Provinces. Morocco annexed the territory in 1975, leading to a war with indigenous forces until a cease-fire in 1991. Peace processes have thus far failed to break the political deadlock, Morocco is a constitutional monarchy with an elected parliament. The King of Morocco holds vast executive and legislative powers, especially over the military, foreign policy, the king can issue decrees called dahirs which have the force of law. He can also dissolve the parliament after consulting the Prime Minister, Moroccos predominant religion is Islam, and the official languages are Arabic and Tamazight. The Moroccan dialect, referred to as Darija, and French are also widely spoken, Morocco is a member of the Arab League, the Union for the Mediterranean, and the African Union. It has the fifth largest economy of Africa, the full Arabic name al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyyah translates to Kingdom of the West, although the West in Arabic is الغرب Al-Gharb. The basis of Moroccos English name is Marrakesh, its capital under the Almoravid dynasty, the origin of the name Marrakesh is disputed, but is most likely from the Berber words amur akush or Land of God. The modern Berber name for Marrakesh is Mṛṛakc, in Turkish, Morocco is known as Fas, a name derived from its ancient capital of Fes. The English name Morocco is an anglicisation of the Spanish Marruecos, the area of present-day Morocco has been inhabited since Paleolithic times, sometime between 190,000 and 90,000 BC. During the Upper Paleolithic, the Maghreb was more fertile than it is today, twenty-two thousand years ago, the Aterian was succeeded by the Iberomaurusian culture, which shared similarities with Iberian cultures. Skeletal similarities have been suggested between the Iberomaurusian Mechta-Afalou burials and European Cro-Magnon remains, the Iberomaurusian was succeeded by the Beaker culture in Morocco
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World Heritage Site
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A World Heritage Site is a landmark which has been officially recognized by the United Nations, specifically by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Sites are selected on the basis of having cultural, historical, scientific or some form of significance. UNESCO regards these sites as being important to the interests of humanity. The programme catalogues, names, and conserves sites of outstanding cultural or natural importance to the common culture, under certain conditions, listed sites can obtain funds from the World Heritage Fund. The program was founded with the Convention Concerning the Protection of the Worlds Cultural and Natural Heritage, since then,192 state parties have ratified the convention, making it one of the most adhered to international instruments. As of July 2016,1052 sites are listed,814 cultural,203 natural, in 1959, the governments of Egypt and Sudan requested UNESCO to assist their countries to protect and rescue the endangered monuments and sites. In 1960, the Director-General of UNESCO launched an appeal to the Member States for an International Campaign to Save the Monuments of Nubia, the campaign, which ended in 1980, was considered a success. The project cost $80 million, about $40 million of which was collected from 50 countries, the projects success led to other safeguarding campaigns, saving Venice and its lagoon in Italy, the ruins of Mohenjo-daro in Pakistan, and the Borobodur Temple Compounds in Indonesia. UNESCO then initiated, with the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the United States initiated the idea of cultural conservation with nature conservation. The International Union for Conservation of Nature developed similar proposals in 1968, the Convention came into force on 17 December 1975. As of June 2016, it has been ratified by 192 states, including 188 UN member states plus the Cook Islands, the Holy See, Niue, a country must first list its significant cultural and natural sites, the result is called the Tentative List. A country may not nominate sites that have not been first included on the Tentative List, next, it can place sites selected from that list into a Nomination File. The Nomination File is evaluated by the International Council on Monuments and Sites and these bodies then make their recommendations to the World Heritage Committee. There are ten selection criteria – a site must meet at least one of them to be included on the list, up to 2004, there were six criteria for cultural heritage and four criteria for natural heritage. In 2005, this was modified so there is now only one set of ten criteria. Nominated sites must be of outstanding value and meet at least one of the ten criteria. Thus, the Geneva Convention treaty promulgates, Article 53, PROTECTION OF CULTURAL OBJECTS AND OF PLACES OF WORSHIP. There are 1,052 World Heritage Sites located in 165 States Party, of these,814 are cultural,203 are natural and 35 are mixed properties
3.
Geographic coordinate system
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A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system used in geography that enables every location on Earth to be specified by a set of numbers, letters or symbols. The coordinates are chosen such that one of the numbers represents a vertical position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation, to specify a location on a two-dimensional map requires a map projection. The invention of a coordinate system is generally credited to Eratosthenes of Cyrene. Ptolemy credited him with the adoption of longitude and latitude. Ptolemys 2nd-century Geography used the prime meridian but measured latitude from the equator instead. Mathematical cartography resumed in Europe following Maximus Planudes recovery of Ptolemys text a little before 1300, in 1884, the United States hosted the International Meridian Conference, attended by representatives from twenty-five nations. Twenty-two of them agreed to adopt the longitude of the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, the Dominican Republic voted against the motion, while France and Brazil abstained. France adopted Greenwich Mean Time in place of local determinations by the Paris Observatory in 1911, the latitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle between the equatorial plane and the straight line that passes through that point and through the center of the Earth. Lines joining points of the same latitude trace circles on the surface of Earth called parallels, as they are parallel to the equator, the north pole is 90° N, the south pole is 90° S. The 0° parallel of latitude is designated the equator, the plane of all geographic coordinate systems. The equator divides the globe into Northern and Southern Hemispheres, the longitude of a point on Earths surface is the angle east or west of a reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves of great ellipses, which converge at the north and south poles, the prime meridian determines the proper Eastern and Western Hemispheres, although maps often divide these hemispheres further west in order to keep the Old World on a single side. The antipodal meridian of Greenwich is both 180°W and 180°E, the combination of these two components specifies the position of any location on the surface of Earth, without consideration of altitude or depth. The grid formed by lines of latitude and longitude is known as a graticule, the origin/zero point of this system is located in the Gulf of Guinea about 625 km south of Tema, Ghana. To completely specify a location of a feature on, in, or above Earth. Earth is not a sphere, but a shape approximating a biaxial ellipsoid. It is nearly spherical, but has an equatorial bulge making the radius at the equator about 0. 3% larger than the radius measured through the poles, the shorter axis approximately coincides with the axis of rotation
4.
Berber languages
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Berber or the Berber languages or the Amazigh language are a family of similar and closely related languages and dialects indigenous to North Africa. Large Berber-speaking migrant communities, numbering today about 4 million, have been living in Western Europe, about half of this population was born in Europe. Berber constitutes a branch of the Afroasiatic language family, and has been attested since ancient times, the number of Berbers is much higher than the number of Berber speakers. The bulk of the populations of the Maghreb countries are considered to have Berber ancestors, in Algeria, for example, a majority of the population consists of Arabized Berbers. There is a cultural and political movement among speakers of the closely related varieties of Northern Berber to promote and unify them under a standard language, called. The name Tamaziɣt is the current native name of the Berber language in the Moroccan Middle-Atlas region, the Rif regions, in other Berber-speaking area this name was lost. There is historical evidence, from medieval Berber manusctipts, that all native North Africans from Libya to Morocco have called their language, Tamaziɣt. The name Tamaziɣt is currently being used by educated Berbers to refer to the written Berber language. Around 90 percent of the Berber-speaking population speak one of six major varieties of Berber and they are, in the order of demographic weight, Tashelhit, Kabyle, Atlas Tamazight, Riffian, Shawi and Tuareg. The Berber languages and dialects have had a tradition, on and off, for about 2,500 years, although the tradition has been frequently disrupted by cultural shifts. They were first written in the Libyco-Berber and Tifinagh abjad, still used by the Tuareg, the oldest dated inscription is from about 200 BCE. The Berber Latin alphabet was used by most European and Berber linguists during the 19th and 20th centuries. In the 19th and 20th century European and native Berber linguists, a modernized form of the Tifinagh alphabet, called Neo-Tifinagh, was adopted in Morocco in 2003 for writing Berber, but many Moroccan Berber publications still use the Berber Latin alphabet. Algerians mostly use the Berber Latin alphabet in Berber language education at public schools, Mali and Niger recognize a Tuareg-Berber Latin alphabet customized to the Tuareg phonological system. However, traditional Tifinagh is still used in those countries, the term Berber has been used in Europe since at least the 17th century, and is still used today. It was borrowed from Latin Barbari, the Latin word is also found in the Arabic designation for these populations, البربر, al-Barbar, see names of the Berber people. Etymologically, the Berber root Mazigh means free man, noble man, the feminine Tamazight traditionally referred specifically to the Riffian and Central Atlas Tamazight languages. European languages distinguish between the words Berber and barbaric, while Arabic has the same word al-barbari for both meanings, some other Berber writers, especially in Morocco, prefer to refer to Berber with Amazigh when writing about it in French or English
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Arabic
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Arabic is a Central Semitic language that was first spoken in Iron Age northwestern Arabia and is now the lingua franca of the Arab world. Arabic is also the language of 1.7 billion Muslims. It is one of six languages of the United Nations. The modern written language is derived from the language of the Quran and it is widely taught in schools and universities, and is used to varying degrees in workplaces, government, and the media. The two formal varieties are grouped together as Literary Arabic, which is the language of 26 states. Modern Standard Arabic largely follows the standards of Quranic Arabic. Much of the new vocabulary is used to denote concepts that have arisen in the post-Quranic era, Arabic has influenced many languages around the globe throughout its history. During the Middle Ages, Literary Arabic was a vehicle of culture in Europe, especially in science, mathematics. As a result, many European languages have borrowed many words from it. Many words of Arabic origin are found in ancient languages like Latin. Balkan languages, including Greek, have acquired a significant number of Arabic words through contact with Ottoman Turkish. Arabic has also borrowed words from languages including Greek and Persian in medieval times. Arabic is a Central Semitic language, closely related to the Northwest Semitic languages, the Ancient South Arabian languages, the Semitic languages changed a great deal between Proto-Semitic and the establishment of the Central Semitic languages, particularly in grammar. Innovations of the Central Semitic languages—all maintained in Arabic—include, The conversion of the suffix-conjugated stative formation into a past tense, the conversion of the prefix-conjugated preterite-tense formation into a present tense. The elimination of other prefix-conjugated mood/aspect forms in favor of new moods formed by endings attached to the prefix-conjugation forms, the development of an internal passive. These features are evidence of descent from a hypothetical ancestor. In the southwest, various Central Semitic languages both belonging to and outside of the Ancient South Arabian family were spoken and it is also believed that the ancestors of the Modern South Arabian languages were also spoken in southern Arabia at this time. To the north, in the oases of northern Hijaz, Dadanitic and Taymanitic held some prestige as inscriptional languages, in Najd and parts of western Arabia, a language known to scholars as Thamudic C is attested
6.
Ksar
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Ksar, plural ksour is the North African Meghrebi Arabic term for castle, possibly loaned from Latin castrum. The counterpart of Maghrebi ksar in literary Arabic, qaṣr, means castle or palace, the Berber original word for ksar used in North Africa by the Berber-speaking populations is aghrem or igherman. In the Maghreb, the term has a general meaning of fortified village. The Berber word igherman might be a word, with an identical meaning, with the word Garamantes. Ksour in the Maghreb typically consist of attached houses, often having collective ghorfa and other structures like a mosque, bath, oven, ksour / igherman are widespread among the oasis populations of North Africa. Ksars are sometimes situated in locations to make defense easier, they often are entirely within a single. The building material of the structure is normally adobe, or cut stone. The idea of the ksar as a granary is a notion of two things, the granary itself, found within a ksar, and the ksar, which is a village. Ksars form one of the manifestations of Berber architecture. ksour-tunisiens. com Complete documentation of all ksour of southern Tunisia
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Caravan (travellers)
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A caravan is a group of people traveling together, often on a trade expedition. Caravans were used mainly in areas and throughout the Silk Road. In historical times, caravans connecting East Asia and Europe often carried luxurious and lucrative goods, Caravans could therefore require considerable investment and were a lucrative target for bandits. The profits from a successfully undertaken journey could be enormous, comparable to the later European spice trade, the luxurious goods brought by caravans attracted many rulers along important trade routes to construct caravanserais. Caravanserais provided water for human and animal consumption, washing, and they also kept fodder for animals and had shops for travelers where they could acquire new supplies. In addition, some shops bought goods from the traveling merchants, however, the volume a caravan could transport was limited even by Classical or Medieval standards. For example, a caravan of 500 camels could only transport as much as a third or half of the goods carried by a regular Byzantine merchant sailing ship. Present-day caravans in less-developed areas of the world often still transport important goods through badly passable areas, an example are the camel trains traversing the southern edges of the Sahara Desert. Convoy Camel train Wagon train Kevin Shillington, Tuareg, Takedda and trans-Saharan trade in, Encyclopaedia of African History, Fitzroy Dearborn,2004, ISBN 1-57958-245-1 T.12, No. 12-22,1931, pp. 101–115 Ernest Will, « Marchands et chefs de caravanes à Palmyre », Syria, vol.34, 34-3-4,1957, pp. Avec une carte itinéraire, et des remarques géographiques, par M. Jomard, membre de linstitut. Imprimé à Paris en mars 1830, par limprimerie royale, en trois tomes et un atlas, une réédition en fac-similé a été réalisée par les éditions Anthropos en 1965. Downloadable version modern edition, Voyage à Tombouctou, Paris, La Découverte,1996 ISBN 2-7071-2586-5 20th century Lattimore, Owen The Desert Road to Turkestan. London, Methuen and Co, & various later editions, caravan logistics and organization is discussed in Chap. VIII, Camel-Men All Tuladhar, Kamal Ratna, caravan to Lhasa, A Merchant of Kathmandu in Traditional Tibet. Contemporary caravans Julien Brachet, « Le négoce caravanier au Sahara central, histoire, évolution des pratiques et enjeux chez les Touaregs Kel Aïr », Les Cahiers doutre-mer, No. 226-227,2004, pp. 117–136 Michel Museur, « Un exemple spécifique déconomie caravanière, léchange sel-mil », Journal des africanistes, vol.47, No. 2,1977, pp. 49–80 Mhammad Sabour and Knut S. Vikør, Ethnic Encounter and Culture Change, Bergen,1997, media related to Caravans at Wikimedia Commons
8.
Sahara
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The Sahara is the largest hot desert and the third largest desert in the world after Antarctica and the Arctic. Its area of 9,200,000 square kilometres is comparable to the area of the United States. The desert comprises much of North Africa, excluding the fertile region on the Mediterranean Sea coast, the Atlas Mountains of the Maghreb, and the Nile Valley in Egypt and Sudan. It stretches from the Red Sea in the east and the Mediterranean in the north to the Atlantic Ocean in the west, where the landscape gradually changes from desert to coastal plains. To the south, it is bounded by the Sahel, a belt of tropical savanna around the Niger River valley. The Sahara can be divided into several regions including, the western Sahara, the central Ahaggar Mountains, the Tibesti Mountains, the Aïr Mountains, the Ténéré desert, the name Sahara is derived from ṣaḥārā, the plural of the Arabic word for desert. The Sahara covers large parts of Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Western Sahara, Sudan and it covers 9 million square kilometres, amounting to 31% of Africa. If all areas with an annual precipitation of less than 250 mm were included. It is one of three physiographic provinces of the African massive physiographic division. The Sahara is mainly rocky hamada, Ergs form only a minor part, wind or rare rainfall shape the desert features, sand dunes, dune fields, sand seas, stone plateaus, gravel plains, dry valleys, dry lakes, and salt flats. Unusual landforms include the Richat Structure in Mauritania, several deeply dissected mountains, many volcanic, rise from the desert, including the Aïr Mountains, Ahaggar Mountains, Saharan Atlas, Tibesti Mountains, Adrar des Iforas, and the Red Sea hills. The highest peak in the Sahara is Emi Koussi, a volcano in the Tibesti range of northern Chad. The central Sahara is hyperarid, with sparse vegetation, the northern and southern reaches of the desert, along with the highlands, have areas of sparse grassland and desert shrub, with trees and taller shrubs in wadis, where moisture collects. In the central, hyperarid region, there are subdivisions of the great desert, Tanezrouft, the Ténéré, the Libyan Desert, the Eastern Desert. These extremely arid areas often receive no rain for years, the northern limit also corresponds to the 100 mm isohyet of annual precipitation. To the south, the Sahara is bounded by the Sahel, the southern limit of the Sahara is indicated botanically by the southern limit of Cornulaca monacantha, or northern limit of Cenchrus biflorus, a grass typical of the Sahel. According to climatic criteria, the limit of the Sahara corresponds to the 150 mm isohyet of annual precipitation. The Sahara is the worlds largest low-latitude hot desert and this steady descending airflow causes a warming and a drying effect in the upper troposphere
9.
Marrakesh
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Marrakesh, also known by the French spelling Marrakech, is a major city of the Kingdom of Morocco. It is the fourth largest city in the country, after Casablanca, Fes and it is the capital city of the mid-southwestern region of Marrakesh-Safi. Marrakesh is possibly the most important of Moroccos four former imperial cities, the region has been inhabited by Berber farmers since Neolithic times, but the actual city was founded in 1062 by Abu Bakr ibn Umar, chieftain and cousin of Almoravid king Yusuf ibn Tashfin. In the 12th century, the Almoravids built many madrasas and mosques in Marrakesh that bear Andalusian influences. The red walls of the city, built by Ali ibn Yusuf in 1122–1123, Marrakesh grew rapidly and established itself as a cultural, religious, and trading centre for the Maghreb and sub-Saharan Africa, Jemaa el-Fnaa is the busiest square in Africa. After a period of decline, the city was surpassed by Fes, beginning in the 17th century, the city became popular among Sufi pilgrims for Moroccos seven patron saints, who are entombed here. In 2009, Marrakesh mayor Fatima Zahra Mansouri became the woman to be elected mayor in Morocco. Like many Moroccan cities, Marrakesh comprises an old fortified city packed with vendors and their stalls, bordered by modern neighborhoods, today it is one of the busiest cities in Africa and serves as a major economic centre and tourist destination. Tourism is strongly advocated by the reigning Moroccan monarch, Mohammed VI, despite the economic recession, real estate and hotel development in Marrakesh has grown dramatically in the 21st century. Marrakesh is particularly popular with the French, and numerous French celebrities own property in the city, Marrakesh has the largest traditional market in Morocco, with some 18 souks selling wares ranging from traditional Berber carpets to modern consumer electronics. Crafts employ a significant percentage of the population, who sell their products to tourists. Marrakesh is one of North Africa’s largest centres of wildlife trade, much of this trade can be found in the medina and adjacent squares. Tortoises are particularly popular for sale as pets but Barbary macaques and snakes can also be seen, Marrakesh is served by Ménara International Airport and the Marrakesh railway station, which connects the city to Casablanca and northern Morocco. Marrakesh has several universities and schools, including Cadi Ayyad University, a number of Moroccan football clubs are located here, including Najm de Marrakech, KAC Marrakech, Mouloudia de Marrakech and Chez Ali Club de Marrakech. The Marrakesh Street Circuit hosts the World Touring Car Championship, Auto GP, the exact meaning of the name is debated. The probable origin of the name Marrakesh is from the Berber words amur akush, the word mur is used now in Berber mostly in the feminine form tamurt. The common English spelling is Marrakesh, although Marrakech is also widely used, the name is spelled Mṛṛakc in the Berber Latin alphabet, Marraquexe in Portuguese, Marraquech in Spanish, and Mer-reksh in Moroccan Arabic. From medieval times until around the beginning of the 20th century, the name for Morocco is still Marrakesh to this day in Persian and Urdu as well as many other South Asian languages
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Kasbah
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A kasbah, or in older English casbah, and qasbah or qassabah in India, is a type of medina, or fortress. It was a place for the leader to live and a defense when a city was under attack. A kasbah has high walls, usually without windows, sometimes, they were built on hilltops so that they could be more easily defended. Some were placed near the entrance to harbors, having a kasbah built was a sign of wealth of some families in the city. When colonization started in 1830, in northern Algeria, there were a number of kasbahs that lasted for more than 100 years. The word kasbah may also be used to describe the old part of a city, the Spanish word alcazaba is a cognate naming the equivalent building in Andalusia or Moorish Spain. In Portuguese, it evolved into the word alcáçova, in Catalan, the evolution resulted in alcassaba. In Turkish and Urdu the word refers to a settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city, in short. In Serbo-Croatian, kasaba means an undeveloped, provincial small town, in India, a qasbah is a small town distinguished by the presence of Muslim families of rank. Bab Ksiba Kasbah of the Udayas, in Rabat, Morocco Casbah of Algiers, Algeria Kasbah of Béja, Tunisia Battle of Port Lyautey Alcazaba Rock the Casbah The Casbah Coffee Club Ksar
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Moroccan architecture
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Moroccan architecture is a term describing Moroccan architectural style. Morocco is in Northern-Africa bordering the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, the countrys diverse geography and the land’s long history marked by successive waves of settlers and military encroachments are all reflected in Moroccos architecture. Its architecture reflects the rich cultural and historical heritage. Morocco’s first independent state called the Berber kingdom of Mauretania was ruled by the Berbers clan and it was first documented during 110 BC. During the time of the Berbers, the country has been through several sieges by a number of invaders, nevertheless, the Berbers ritual and beliefs still remained and became the country’s cultural heritage including its antique architecture. The Berbers are known for their use of earth or mud brick called pisé, many of the massive pisé buildings had defensive functions as main trading posts and ports or guard walls against pirates and rivals. This ancient building method prevails in all sizes of buildings, moreover, Moroccan traditional architecture also gained influences from neighboring countries and intruders. Morocco was not originally an Islamic country, the conversion of the Berber tribes in Morocco to Islam by Idris I of Morocco greatly influenced the architectural style of the country. The elegance of Islamic features is blended in and adapted into buildings and interior designs such as the use of tiling, fountains, geometric design, which could be seen in mosques, palaces, plazas as well as homes. The materials chosen for the interiors of Moroccan classical architecture, are due in part to the necessity of cooling in the arid climate of Morocco. Tiles – Zellige tiling, often wrongly labelled mosaic, is used to decorate the surfaces of buildings and objects, principally interior walls, floors, modern use of zellige has extended the use to furniture and other interiors. Thus, fountains, also representing paradise, could be everywhere in order to serve everyone. Mosques – Following the introduction of Islam, mosques were built in Morocco with their architectural features. Geometric Design and Floral Motifs Arabesque – Based on Islamic beliefs, avoiding the use of human or animal images is preferable resulting in the spread of floral motifs, the motifs in Moroccan architectural decor are chiefly carved into stone, plaster and wood. Modern day Spain was a Moorish domain from the early 8th century to the late 15th century and was known as Al-Andalus 711 AD to 1492 AD, the Almoravid dynasty ruled Morocco and the southern half of Spain through the 12th century. The Marinid dynasty from the 13th through the 15th century, rule both Moroccan and Southern Spain until the Reconquista with the fall of Granada in 1492, effectively ending the Moorish era in Iberia, Moorish architecture therefore evolved into a distinct form. The elements of which are as follows Arches – Arches are common feature in Morocco, the first arch is the horseshoe which is clover shaped. The second is cusped like a rounded keyhole, tiling – Overlapping roof tiling became popular after the influence of Spain, the tiles are mostly hand glazed
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UNESCO
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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations based in Paris. It is the heir of the League of Nations International Committee on Intellectual Cooperation, UNESCO has 195 member states and nine associate members. Most of its offices are cluster offices covering three or more countries, national and regional offices also exist. UNESCO pursues its objectives through five major programs, education, natural sciences, social/human sciences, culture and it is also a member of the United Nations Development Group. UNESCO and its mandate for international cooperation can be traced back to a League of Nations resolution on 21 September 1921, on 18 December 1925, the International Bureau of Education began work as a non-governmental organization in the service of international educational development. However, the work of predecessor organizations was largely interrupted by the onset of World War II. On 30 October 1943, the necessity for an organization was expressed in the Moscow Declaration, agreed upon by China, the United Kingdom, the United States. This was followed by the Dumbarton Oaks Conference proposals of 9 October 1944, a prominent figure in the initiative for UNESCO was Rab Butler, the Minister of Education for the United Kingdom. At the ECO/CONF, the Constitution of UNESCO was introduced and signed by 37 countries, the Preparatory Commission operated between 16 November 1945, and 4 November 1946—the date when UNESCOs Constitution came into force with the deposit of the twentieth ratification by a member state. The first General Conference took place between 19 November to 10 December 1946, and elected Dr. Julian Huxley to Director-General and this change in governance distinguished UNESCO from its predecessor, the CICI, in how member states would work together in the organizations fields of competence. In 1956, the Republic of South Africa withdrew from UNESCO claiming that some of the organizations publications amounted to interference in the racial problems. South Africa rejoined the organization in 1994 under the leadership of Nelson Mandela, UNESCOs early work in the field of education included the pilot project on fundamental education in the Marbial Valley, Haiti, started in 1947. This project was followed by missions to other countries, including, for example. In 1948, UNESCO recommended that Member States should make free primary education compulsory, in 1990, the World Conference on Education for All, in Jomtien, Thailand, launched a global movement to provide basic education for all children, youths and adults. Ten years later, the 2000 World Education Forum held in Dakar, Senegal, UNESCOs early activities in culture included, for example, the Nubia Campaign, launched in 1960. The purpose of the campaign was to move the Great Temple of Abu Simbel to keep it from being swamped by the Nile after construction of the Aswan Dam, during the 20-year campaign,22 monuments and architectural complexes were relocated. This was the first and largest in a series of campaigns including Mohenjo-daro, Fes, Kathmandu, Borobudur, the organizations work on heritage led to the adoption, in 1972, of the Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The World Heritage Committee was established in 1976 and the first sites inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1978, since then important legal instruments on cultural heritage and diversity have been adopted by UNESCO member states in 2003 and 2005
13.
Sodom and Gomorrah (1962 film)
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Sodom and Gomorrah — known in the USA as The Last Days of Sodom and Gomorrah — is a 1962 epic film which is loosely based on the Biblical tale of Sodom and Gomorrah. The film was a Franco-Italian-American co-production made by Pathé, SGC and it was directed by Robert Aldrich and produced by Maurizio Lodi-Fe, Goffredo Lombardo and Joseph E. Levine. The film has a time of 155 minutes. The twin cities of Sodom and Gomorrah prosper because of their deposits of salt. The decadent citizens, who have become wealthy by trading salt, live in luxury and use slaves as servants and for violent games of entertainment. After a night of revelry, Astorath, the Prince of Sodom, tells slave girl Tamar to carry a message to the king of the Elamites, with whom he plans to overthrow his sister, Bera, Queen of Sodom. Returning from her meeting in the desert with the Elamite leader, Queen Bera demands the name of her co-conspirator. Tamar refuses to speak under interrogation and Bera has her and her two sisters killed. Meanwhile, Lot leads his family and a Hebrew tribe through the desert, by contrast with the people of the twin cities the Hebrews are presented as a pious and austere people with high moral standards. As the Hebrews approach their destination, Lot meets the beautiful Ildith, Lot assumes that Ildith owns these women. She tells him that she is also a slave, albeit the chief of the Queen of Sodoms body slaves, Lot tells her that owning slaves is evil. The following dialog ensues, Ildith, Evil, where I come from, nothing is evil. Everything that gives pleasure is good, Lot, Where do you come from. Once Lot and his people reach the Jordan, he negotiates the use of the land on one side of the river with Queen Bera, in a surprising turn, she gives Lot Ildith, who does not wish to leave the queen and her life of luxury in Sodom. Astorath is disgusted and baffled by his sisters easy terms with the Hebrews, however, he soon turns his attentions to Lots flirtatious daughter, Shuah. Ildith dislikes the rough conditions of the Hebrew camp, but soon becomes a friend to Lots daughters and she and Lot also fall in love and plan to marry. Love also blooms elsewhere in the camp as Shuah and Prince Astorath begin a secret affair, Lots other daughter, Maleb and his headstrong lieutenant, Ishmael also plan a marriage. Lot and Ildiths wedding day celebrations are interrupted by an Elamite attack, although the Hebrew farmers and the Sodomite soldiers fight valiantly, they are nearly defeated by the fierce nomadic warriors
14.
Oedipus Rex (1967 film)
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Oedipus Rex is a 1967 Italian film directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Pasolini adapted the screenplay from the Greek tragedy Oedipus Rex written by Sophocles in 428 BC, the film was mainly shot in Morocco. A son is born to a couple in pre-war Italy. The father, motivated by jealousy, takes the baby into the desert to be abandoned, the child is rescued, named Edipo by King Polybus and Queen Merope of Corinth and raised as their own son. When Edipo learns of a foretelling that he will kill his father and marry his mother, he leaves Corinth believing that Polybus. On the road to Thebes, Edipo meets Laius, his biological father, later Edipo solves the riddle of the Sphinx. For freeing the kingdom of Thebes from the Sphinxs curse Edipo is rewarded with kingship and marriage to queen Jocasta, when they discover what they have done, fulfilling the prophecy, Edipo blinds himself and Jocasta commits suicide. com
15.
The Man Who Would Be King (film)
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The Man Who Would Be King is a 1975 Technicolor film adapted from the Rudyard Kipling novella of the same title. It was adapted and directed by John Huston and starred Sean Connery, Michael Caine, Saeed Jaffrey, the film follows two rogue ex-non-commissioned officers of the Indian Army who set off from late 19th-century British India in search of adventure and end up as kings of Kafiristan. Peachy tells Kipling the story of how he and his comrade-in-arms Daniel Danny Dravot traveled to remote Kafiristan, became gods, Carnehan claims to be an expert in whiskey, women, waistcoats and bills of fare. Both Dravot and Carnehan are in the process of blackmailing a local Rajah by posing as newspaper correspondents of The Northern Star newspaper-which outrages the real correspondent. In order to save their lives Kipling has the district commissioner detain both Dravot and Carnehan - who obliquely blackmail the commissioner himself. Kipling, after attempting to dissuade the men, gives Dravot his masonic emblem as a token of brotherhood, fighting off bandits, blizzards, and avalanches, they make their way into the unknown land of Kafiristan. They chance upon a Gurkha soldier who goes by the name Billy Fish, Billy speaks English as well as the local tongue. Peachy and Danny muster a force to attack the villagers most-hated enemy, during the battle, Danny is struck by an arrow, but is unharmed, leading the natives to believe that he is a god. In fact, the arrow was stopped by a bandolier hidden beneath his clothing, as victory follows victory, the defeated are recruited to join the swelling army. When Danny flinches, the monks grab him and open his shirt, by coincidence, the symbol on the jewel matches one known only to the highest holy man, the symbol of Sikander, who had conquered the country thousands of years before and promised to return. The holy men are convinced Danny is the son of Sikander and they hail him as king and lead the two men down to storerooms heaped with treasure that belonged to Sikander, which now belongs to Danny. As the months pass, Peachy is anxious to leave with the treasure before winter closes the passes, Danny is against it, however, and develops delusions of grandeur. First, Danny suggests that Peachy bow to him like the others, ostensibly to keep up appearances in front of the natives and he adjudicates disputes among local people and villages, and issues proclamations overseeing their administration. He begins making plans to turn the land into a modern country, resigned that Dannys mind is made up, Peachy decides to take as much loot as he can carry on a small mule train and leave alone. Meanwhile, Danny decides to take a wife after seeing the beautiful Roxanne, Roxanne, having a superstitious fear that she will burst into flames if she consorts with a god, tries frantically to escape, biting Danny during the wedding ceremony. The bite draws blood, and when everyone sees it, they realize that Danny is human after all, the angry natives pursue Danny and Peachy. Billy is killed amidst the mob and Peachy and Danny are soon captured, Danny apologizes to Peachy for spoiling their plans, and Peachy forgives him. Now resigned to his fate, Danny is forced to walk to the middle of a bridge over a deep gorge as the ropes are cut
16.
The Message (1976 film)
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The Message is a 1976 epic historical drama film directed by Moustapha Akkad, chronicling the life and times of Muhammad. Released in Arabic and English, The Message serves as an introduction to early Islamic history, the film was nominated for Best Original Score in the 50th Academy Awards, composed by Maurice Jarre, but lost the award to Star Wars. While creating The Message, director Akkad, who was Muslim, consulted Islamic clerics in a attempt to be respectful towards Islam. He received approval from Al-Azhar in Egypt but was rejected by the Muslim World League in Mecca, Akkad had to go outside the United States in order to raise the production money needed for the film. Lack of financing nearly shut down the film because its initial backers pulled out, King Hassan II of Morocco gave Akkad full support for the production, while King Khalid bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia and then-Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi provided financial support too. The film was shot in Morocco and Libya, with production taking four, production took one year, Akkad filmed for six months in Morocco, but had to stop when the Saudi government exerted great pressure on the Moroccan government to stop the project. Akkad went to al-Gaddafi for support in order to complete the project, Akkad saw the film as a way to bridge the gap between the Western and Islamic worlds, stating in a 1976 interview, I did the film because it is a personal thing for me. Besides its production values as a film, it has its story, its intrigue, besides all this I think there was something personal, being a Muslim myself who lived in the west I felt that it was my obligation my duty to tell the truth about Islam. It is a religion that has a 700 million following, yet its so little known about which surprised me, I thought I should tell the story that will bring this bridge, this gap to the west. Akkad also filmed an Arabic version of the film simultaneously with an Arab cast and he felt that dubbing the English version into Arabic would not be enough, because the Arabic acting style differs significantly from that of Hollywood. The actors took turns doing the English and Arabic versions in each scene, therefore, the person of Mohammad will not be shown. The rule above was extended to his wives, his daughters including Fatimah, his sons-in-law. This left Muhammads uncle Hamza and his adopted son Zayd as the central characters, during the battles of Badr and Uhud depicted in the movie, Hamza was in nominal command, even though the actual fighting was led by Muhammad. Whenever Muhammad was present or very close by, his presence was indicated by light organ music and his words, as he spoke them, were repeated by someone else such as Hamza, Zayd or Bilal. When a scene called for him to be present, the action was filmed from his point of view, others in the scene nodded to the unheard dialogue or moved with the camera as though moving with Muhammad. Sunday Times film critic Dilys Powell described the film as a Western … crossed with Early Christian. She noted a similar avoidance of direct depictions of Jesus in early biblical films, under the mistaken belief that Anthony Quinn played Mohammed in the film, the group threatened to blow up the building and its inhabitants unless the films opening was cancelled. The standoff was resolved after the deaths of a journalist and a policeman, the film proved a huge success with Shiite Iranians
17.
Jesus of Nazareth (miniseries)
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It stars Robert Powell as Jesus. Extra-biblical traditions were used in the writing of the screenplay and some characters, notably, Jesus of Nazareth depicts Judas Iscariot as a well-intentioned man initially, but later as a dupe of Zerah who betrays Jesus largely as a result of Zerahs false platitudes and pretexts. However, in accordance with the Gospels, the film depicts Nicodemus, Jesus of Nazareth premiered on the Italian channel Rai 1 on 27 March 1977 and was first aired in the United Kingdom on the ITV Network on 3 April 1977. It is generally well-praised, but was not received without controversy, the storyline of Jesus of Nazareth is a kind of cinematic Diatessaron, or Gospel harmony, blending the narratives of all four New Testament accounts. It takes a fairly naturalistic approach, de-emphasising special effects when miracles are depicted and presenting Jesus as more or less evenly divine, the film’s storyline concludes with the non-Biblical character Zerah and his colleagues gazing despairingly into the empty tomb. At the end of the interview, the Pope told him he hoped his next project would be about the life of Jesus, two weeks later, while dining with an RAI executive, Grade told him he intended their companies to prepare such a film. The director rejected the proposal at first, but Grade finally convinced him to agree, the project struck some as blasphemous, others as ecumenical. Fired by this announcement, the Romans laid on a great, as it were, First Supper, sir Lew Grade was made a Cavaliere of the Republic. Both Grade and Zeffirelli insisted their adaptation of Jesuss life should be ecumenical, coherent, even to non-believers, to ensure the films accuracy, the producers consulted experts from the Vatican, the Leo Baeck Rabbinical College of London, and the Koranic School at Meknes, Morocco. However, when Zeffirelli asked Rabbi Albert Friedlander to help him create Jesuss Bar Mitzvah scene, principal photography was carried out in Morocco and Tunisia from September 1975 to May 1976. The synagogue scenes were shot with extras from the Jewish community in the island of Djerba, the city of Monastir served as 1st Century Jerusalem. Ernest Borgnine, who portrayed Cornelius the Centurion, recalled that since regulations required hiring local extras—most with poor English—for many of the smaller roles, they had to be dubbed. Zeffirelli decided to avoid recording sound altogether in many parts, the standing sets of the film were later used by the British comedy troupe Monty Python for their religious satire Life of Brian. Other sources give the sum of $18 million, in his autobiography, Lew Grade wrote that in the final accounting, Jesus of Nazareth took $45 million. The producers at first considered choosing a well-known star, who would draw a large audience, the first actor thought of was Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino was also a candidate. However, the filmmakers feared that their looks would not match the popular perception of Jesus held by the American public, the Virgin Mary, too, was depicted without regard to historical or ethnographic accuracy by the definitely Caucasian Olivia Hussey. Powell came under criticism from religious groups for living in sin with his companion. The couple married shortly before production began, Powell almost never blinks throughout the entire film, he mimics H. B
18.
Time Bandits
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Gilliam has referred to Time Bandits as the first in his Trilogy of Imagination, followed by Brazil and ending with The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. All are about the craziness of our awkwardly ordered society and the desire to escape it through whatever means possible, one night, as Kevin is sleeping, an armoured knight on a horse bursts out of his wardrobe. The next night he prepares a satchel with supplies and a Polaroid camera but is surprised when six dwarves spill out of the wardrobe, Kevin quickly learns the group has stolen a large, worn map and is looking for an exit from his room before they are discovered. They find that the wall can be pushed, revealing a long hallway. Kevin is hesitant to join until the visage of a menacing head – the Supreme Being – appears behind them, Kevin and the dwarves fall into an empty void at the end of the hallway. They land in Italy during the Napoleonic Wars, as they recover, Kevin learns that Randall is the lead dwarf of the group, which also includes Fidgit, Strutter, Og, Wally, and Vermin. They were once employed by the Supreme Being to repair holes in the spacetime fabric, with the map and Kevins help, they visit several locations in spacetime and meet figures such as Napoleon Bonaparte and Robin Hood. Kevin uses his camera to document their visits, through Evils actions, Kevin becomes separated from the group and ends up in Mycenaean Greece, meeting King Agamemnon. After Kevin inadvertently helps Agamemnon kill a minotaur, the king adopts him, Randall and the others soon locate Kevin and abduct him, much to his resentment, and escape through another hole, arriving on the ill-fated RMS Titanic. After it sinks, they are forced to tread water while they argue among each other, Evil manipulates the group and transports them to his realm, the Time of Legends. Evil takes the map and locks the group in a cage over a bottomless pit. While looking through the Polaroids he took, Kevin finds one that includes the map, and they escape from the cage, steal the map again and split, Kevin must distract their pursuers while the others go through the hole. Evil confronts Kevin and takes the map back from him, the dwarves return with various warriors and fighting machines taken across time, but Evil has no trouble overpowering them all. As Kevin and the dwarves cower, Evil prepares to unleash his ultimate power, suddenly, he is turned into stone and explodes, from the smoke, a besuited middle-aged man emerges, revealed as the Supreme Being. He reveals that he allowed the dwarves to borrow his map and he orders the dwarves to collect all the pieces of concentrated Evil, warning that they can be deadly if not contained, recovers the map and allows the dwarves to rejoin him in his creation duties. The Supreme Being disappears with the dwarves, leaving Kevin stranded behind as a piece of concentrated Evil begins to smoulder. Kevin passes out and awakes in his bedroom to find it filled with smoke, firefighters break down the door and rescue him as they put out a fire in his house. One of the finds that his parents new toaster oven caused the fire
19.
Marco Polo (miniseries)
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Marco Polo is an American-Italian television miniseries originally broadcast by NBC in the United States, by Antenne 2 in France, and by RAI in Italy in 1982. It starred Kenneth Marshall as Marco Polo, the 13th-century Venetian merchant, the series also featured appearances by Denholm Elliott, Anne Bancroft, John Gielgud, Burt Lancaster, Ian McShane, Leonard Nimoy, and others. It was originally broadcast in four episodes, where episodes 1 and 4 were twice as long as episodes 2 and 3, the series is sometimes divided into six equally long episodes. Set in the 13th century, the series follows the adventures of Marco Polo and his journey through Asia lasts three and half years and leads him through barren deserts and vast steppes. Marco spends several years in Beijing as a guest of the Great Khan, earning the trust of, Marco Polo accompanies a Venetian merchant fleet as it stops for the night. A raid results in Marco being taken prisoner, in the year 1299, in the Italian city of Genoa, Rustichello da Pisa is held in a prison cell and questioned for information about Marco Polo. Marco Polo is revealed to be another prisoner, but is accused of lying, the people questioning him are Brother Damien of Milan and Fillipe of Genoa, both members of the Order of Saint Dominic. Both are concerned that the tales of Marco Polo are heretical and will corrupt the minds of people, as Rustichello narrates, the story shifts to Marco Polo in his youth. In his youth, Marco Polo was eager to hear merchants tell stories of their travels, as his mother lays on her deathbed, Marcos aunt Flora laments for his father, who has sent nothing but items that she sees as idols of another god. His father Niccolò and uncle Matteo Polo return home and they appear before the Council of the Republic of Venice, hoping for a possible alliance between the Mongols and the Republic. The Polo brothers show the council Mongolian currency and tell stories of the might of the Mongols, the Council has no interest in an alliance with the Mongols. Marcos father and uncle tell him of stories of the great Kublai Khan, intrigued, Marco asks them to take him with them, but he is refused. As Niccolò and Matteo attempt to find a sponsor for their next voyage, Niccolò and Maffeo realise that they must take Marco with them on their journey, but only as far as Jerusalem until the heat dies down in Venice. A few days before arriving at Jerusalem, Marco has his first taste of the world when he witnesses a contingent of Crusaders massacre a tribe of Bedouin and they bring along Marcos long time friend Jacopo. In the city church, the Polos, at the favour of the cardinal of Acre, the priest of the church is extremely reluctant to do it, but grants it. The oil is given to the cardinal of Acre, who reveals he has chosen to be the new pope by the college of Cardinals. In real life, it corresponds with the election of Teobaldo Visconti as Pope Gregory X, as the Polo family ready themselves to go East again, they are caught up in an ambush that kills Jacopo. As they are taken prisoner, the party is taken before the Bedouin leader, the captor leader is an Italian who converted to Islam after being taken prisoner in Tripoli
20.
The Jewel of the Nile
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The Jewel of the Nile is a 1985 action-adventure romantic comedy and a sequel to the 1984 film Romancing the Stone, directed by Lewis Teague and produced by one of its stars, Michael Douglas. The film reunites Douglas with Kathleen Turner and Danny DeVito, all reprising their roles, like Romancing the Stone, the opening scene takes place in one of Joans novels. This time, instead of Jesse and Angelina in Joans wild-west scenario, Joan, the Jewel of the Nile sends its characters off on a new adventure in a fictional African desert, in an effort to find the fabled Jewel of the Nile. The Jewel of the Nile is notable for its top 40 theme song performed by Billy Ocean, When the Going gets Tough, while moored at a port in the South of France, Joan Wilders and Jack Coltons romance has grown stale. Joan, suffering writers block, wants to return to New York, while Jack prefers aimlessly sailing the world on his boat, at a book signing engagement, Joan meets Omar, a charming Arab ruler who wants Joan to write his biography. Joan accepts and leaves with Omar over Jacks protests, Jack later runs into Ralph, the swindler from Jack and Joans previous adventure in Colombia who demands Jack turn over the gem Jack and Joan found. Ralph and Jack team up to find Joan and the fabled jewel, Joan soon discovers that Omar is a brutal dictator rather than the enlightened ruler he claimed will unite the Arab world. In the palace jail, Joan encounters Al-Julhara, a man who is the Jewel of the Nile. The pair escape and find Jack, and they flee into the desert in Omars hi-jacked F-16 fighter aircraft, Ralph is captured by Taraks rebel Sufi tribe who are sworn to protect the Jewel so he can fulfill his peoples destiny. After encountering a Nubian mountain African tribe, Joan and Jacks romance is rekindled, Joan tells Jack that the jewel is Al-Julhara and not a gem stone. In Kadir, Omar intends to use a smoke-and-mirror-special effect to convince onlookers that he is the prophet who will unite the Arab world, Jack, Joan, and Al-Julhara arrive to expose Omar but are captured. Omar suspends Jack and Joan with ropes over a pit while Al-Julhara is in a stockade, Ralph, along with the Sufi tribe. As Omar takes center stage to address the Arab people, Jack, a fire breaks out, engulfing Omars stage. Jack and Joan are separated, and Omar corners Joan atop the burning scaffolding, Jack knocks Omar over the side, killing him. Al-Julhara rises and safely walks through the flames, fulling the prophecy that he is the spiritual leader. The following day, Jack and Joan are married by Al-Julhara, Ralph laments having gained nothing for his efforts, but Tarak acknowledges that he is a true Sufi friend and presents him with a jeweled dagger as Jack and Joan happily sail away down the Nile. With a $21 million budget, principal photography began April 22,1985 with filming wrapped on July 25,1985. At the time, both Kathleen Turner and Michael Douglas only made the sequel because they were obligated to do so
21.
The Living Daylights
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The Living Daylights is the fifteenth entry in the James Bond film series and the first to star Timothy Dalton as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond. Directed by John Glen, the title is taken from Ian Flemings short story The Living Daylights. It was the last film to use the title of an Ian Fleming story until the 2006 instalment Casino Royale, the film was produced by Albert R. Broccoli, his stepson Michael G. Wilson, and his daughter, Barbara Broccoli. The Living Daylights was generally received by most critics and was also a financial success. James Bond is assigned to aid the defection of a KGB officer, General Georgi Koskov, covering his escape from a hall in Bratislava. During the mission, Bond notices that the KGB sniper assigned to prevent Koskovs escape is a female cellist from the orchestra. Disobeying his orders to kill the sniper, he shoots the rifle from her hands, then uses the Trans-Siberian Pipeline to smuggle Koskov across the border into Austria. In his post-defection debriefing, Koskov informs MI6 that the KGBs old policy of Smiert Spionam, meaning Death to Spies, has been revived by General Leonid Pushkin, Koskov is later abducted from the safe-house and assumed to have been taken back to Moscow. Bond is directed to track down Pushkin in Tangier and kill him to forestall further killings of agents, Bond agrees to carry out the mission when he learns that the assassin who killed 004 left a note bearing the same message, Smiert Spionam. Bond returns to Bratislava to track down the cellist, Kara Milovy and he determines that Koskovs entire defection was staged, and that Kara is actually Koskovs girlfriend. Bond convinces Kara that he is a friend of Koskovs and persuades her to him to Vienna. They escape Bratislava while being pursued by the KGB, crossing over the border into Austria, meanwhile, Pushkin meets with arms dealer Brad Whitaker in Tangier, informing him that the KGB is cancelling an arms deal previously arranged between Koskov and Whitaker. During his brief tryst with Milovy in Vienna, Bond visits the Prater to meet his MI6 ally, Saunders, as he leaves their meeting, Saunders is killed by Koskovs henchman Necros, who again leaves the message Smiert Spionam. Bond and Kara promptly leave for Tangier, where Bond confronts Pushkin, Pushkin disavows any knowledge of Smiert Spionam, and reveals that Koskov is evading arrest for embezzlement of government funds. Bond and Pushkin then join forces and Bond fakes Pushkins assassination, inducing Whitaker, meanwhile, Kara contacts Koskov, who tells her that Bond is actually a KGB agent and convinces her to drug him so he can be captured. Koskov, Necros, Kara, and the captive Bond fly to a Soviet air base in Afghanistan, the pair escape and in doing so free a condemned prisoner, Kamran Shah, leader of the local Mujahideen. With the Mujahideens help, Bond plants a bomb aboard the plane carrying the opium. Meanwhile, the Mujahideen attack the air base on horseback and engage the Soviets in a gun battle, during the battle, Milovy drives a jeep into the back of the plane as Bond takes off, and Necros also leaps aboard at the last second
22.
The Last Temptation of Christ (film)
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The Last Temptation of Christ is a 1988 American epic drama film directed by Martin Scorsese. Written by Paul Schrader with uncredited rewrites from Scorsese and Jay Cocks, the film, starring Willem Dafoe, Harvey Keitel, Barbara Hershey, Andre Gregory, Harry Dean Stanton and David Bowie, was shot entirely in Morocco. Like the novel, the film depicts the life of Jesus Christ and his struggle with various forms of temptation including fear, doubt, depression, reluctance and lust. This results in the book and film depicting Christ being tempted by imagining himself engaged in sexual activities, the film includes a disclaimer explaining that it departs from the commonly accepted biblical portrayal of Jesus life and is not based on the Gospels. The film received polarized reviews from critics on its release but Scorsese received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, hersheys performance as Mary Magdalene earned her a nomination for the Golden Globe for Best Supporting Actress. Peter Gabriels music score also received acclaim, including a nomination for the Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score, Jesus of Nazareth is a carpenter in Roman-occupied Judea, torn between his own desires and his knowledge that God has a plan for him. His conflict results in self-loathing, and he collaborates with the Romans to crucify Jewish rebels, Judas Iscariot, a friend of Jesus originally sent to kill him for collaboration, instead suspects that Jesus is the Messiah and asks him to lead a liberation war against the Romans. Jesus replies that his message is love of mankind, whereupon Judas joins Jesus in his ministry, Jesus also has an undisclosed prior relationship with Mary Magdalene, a Jewish prostitute. After saving Mary Magdalene from a mob gathered to stone her for prostitution and working on the sabbath and he acquires disciples, but remains uncertain of his role. He visits John the Baptist, who baptizes him, and the two discuss theology and politics, johns primary goal is to gain freedom from the Romans, while Jesus maintains people should tend to matters of the spirit. Jesus returns from the desert to the home of Martha and Mary of Bethany, who restore him to health and attempt to persuade him that the way to please God is to have a home, a marriage, and children. Jesus then appears to his disciples to tear out his own heart. With newfound confidence he performs miracles and raises Lazarus from the dead. Eventually his ministry reaches Jerusalem, where Jesus performs the Cleansing of the Temple and leads an army to capture the temple by force. He begins bleeding from his hands, which he recognizes as a sign that he must die on the cross to bring salvation to mankind, confiding in Judas, he persuades the latter to give him to the Romans, despite Judas inclination otherwise. Jesus convenes his disciples for Passover seder, whereupon Judas leads a contingent of soldiers to arrest Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, Pontius Pilate confronts Jesus and tells him that he must be put to death because he represents a threat to the Roman Empire. Jesus is flogged, a crown of thorns is placed on his head, while on the cross, Jesus converses with a young lady who claims to be his guardian angel. She tells him that although he is the Son of God, he is not the Messiah, and that God is pleased with him and she brings him down off the cross and, invisible to others, takes him to Mary Magdalene, whom he marries
23.
The Sheltering Sky (film)
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The Sheltering Sky is a 1990 British-Italian drama film directed by Bernardo Bertolucci starring Debra Winger and John Malkovich. The film is based on the 1949 novel by Paul Bowles about a couple who journey to northern Africa in the hopes of rekindling their marriage, three Americans from New York arrive in Tangier in 1947. Port Moresby and his wife Kit are accompanied by their friend George Tunner on a trip that take them deep into the Sahara Desert. Tunner observes Were probably the first tourists theyve had since the war, while Tunner plans to return home in a few weeks, Port and Kit plan on staying for a year or two. While awaiting transport to a hotel, the group meets a pair of English travelers, the Lyles – Mrs. Lyle, a travel writer, erics mother keeps him constantly short of money so he is always asking for credit and loans. After arriving at the hotel, they sit in the bar and are observed by an older man sitting alone at a table. This character is played by the author, Paul Bowles. One year was another year. Port invites Kit to accompany him for a walk in the city, after she refuses and rebuffs his romantic advances, Port angrily leaves. During his walk he meets a pimp who introduces him to a prostitute in a berber encampment, the two have sex and the prostitute attempts to steal his wallet. Port quickly leaves and is chased by a mob from the camp, the next morning Tunner arrives at Kits room to take her shopping. Not wanting Tunner to know that Port stayed out all night, as Kit and Tunner are preparing to leave, a disheveled Port arrives. Seeing his bed, he assumes that Tunner spent the night with Kit, Port and Kit once again encounter the Lyles and are offered a ride in their car to Boussif, their next destination, but are informed that there is no room for Tunner. Port accepts the ride with the Lyles while Kit takes the train with Tunner, Tunner and Kit drink champagne throughout the journey and awake the next morning, naked, in Kits hotel room after a drunken tryst. Suspicious of Kits relationship with Tunner, Port arranges for Eric Lyle to provide Tunner with transportation to Messad on the pretext that Port, Eric agrees but also steals Ports passport. In Bounoura, Port discovers his passport missing, even after being informed by local officials that the passport can be recovered in Messad, Port decides to proceed by bus to El Gaa with Kit in order to avoid a meeting with Tunner. On the journey Port contracts typhoid, the hotel wont accommodate them from fear of infection. Kit transports the delirious Port to a French foreign legion post and he eventually dies alongside her in their room
24.
Kundun
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Kundun is a 1997 epic biographical film written by Melissa Mathison and directed by Martin Scorsese. It is based on the life and writings of Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, the exiled political and spiritual leader of Tibet. Tenzin Thuthob Tsarong, a grandnephew of the Dalai Lama, stars as the adult Dalai Lama, while Tencho Gyalpo, Kundun, meaning presence, is a title by which the Dalai Lama is addressed. The film has a chronology with events spanning from 1937 to 1959. It begins with the search for the 14th mindstream emanation of the Dalai Lama, after a vision by Reting Rinpoche several lamas disguised as servants discover a promising candidate, a child born to a farming family in the province of Amdo, near the Chinese border. These and other lamas administer a test to the child in which he must select from various objects the ones that belonged to the previous Dalai Lama. The child passes the test, and he and his family are brought to Potala Palace in Lhasa, where he will be installed as Dalai Lama when he comes of age. During the journey, the child becomes homesick and frightened, but is comforted by Reting, as the film progresses, the boy matures in both age and learning. After a brief struggle in which Reting is imprisoned and dies. Eventually, despite Tibets pleas to the United Nations, the United States, the United Kingdom, the Chinese are initially helpful, but when the Tibetans resist Communist reorganization and reeducation of their society, the Chinese become oppressive. Following a series of atrocities suffered by his people, the Dalai Lama resolves to meet with Chairman Mao Zedong in Beijing. While Mao initially expresses his sympathies to the Tibetan people and the Dalai Lama and insists that changes must be made as the Dalai Lama sees fit, relations inevitably deteriorate. During their face-to-face meeting on the day of the Dalai Lamas visit, Mao makes clear his view that religion is poison. Upon his return to Tibet, the Dalai Lama learns of more horrors perpetrated against his people, after the Chinese make clear their intention to kill him, the Dalai Lama is convinced by his family and his Lord Chamberlain to flee to India. After consulting the Nechung Oracle about the escape route, the Dalai Lama and his staff put on disguises. During an arduous journey, throughout which they are pursued by the Chinese, the group eventually makes it to a small mountain pass on the Indian border. As the Dalai Lama walks to the guard post, an Indian guard approaches him, salutes, the Dalai Lama replies with the films final line, I think that I am a reflection, like the moon on water. When you see me, and I try to be a good man, once the Dalai Lama arrives at his new residence, he unpacks his telescope and steps outside
25.
The Mummy (1999 film)
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It is a loose remake of the 1932 film The Mummy, which starred Boris Karloff in the titular role. Filming began in Marrakech, Morocco, on May 4,1998, and lasted seventeen weeks, the crew had to endure dehydration, sandstorms, the visual effects were provided by Industrial Light & Magic, who blended film and computer-generated imagery to create the titular Mummy. Jerry Goldsmith provided the orchestral score, the Mummy opened on May 7,1999, and grossed $43 million in 3,210 theaters during its opening weekend in the United States, a surprise hit, the film went on to gross $416 million worldwide. The box-office success led to a 2001 sequel, The Mummy Returns, as well as The Mummy, The Animated Series, seven years later, the third installment, The Mummy, Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, opened on August 1,2008. Universal Pictures also opened a roller coaster, Revenge of the Mummy, novelizations of the film and its sequels were written by Max Allan Collins. In Thebes, Egypt,1290 BC, high priest Imhotep has an affair with Anck-su-Namun. When the Pharaoh discovers the affair, Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun assassinate him, Imhotep flees, while Anck-su-Namun kills herself, intending for Imhotep to resurrect her. Imhotep and his priests steal her corpse and travel to Hamunaptra, the city of the dead, but the ritual is stopped by Setis bodyguards. Imhoteps priests are all mummified alive, while Imhotep himself is sentenced to suffer the Hom Dai, Imhotep is sealed away in a sarcophagus at the feet of a statue of the Egyptian god Anubis and kept under strict surveillance by the Medjai to prevent Imhoteps return. In 1926, Jonathan Carnahan presents his sister Evelyn, a Cairo librarian and aspiring Egyptologist, with a box and map. Jonathan reveals he stole the box from an American adventurer, Rick OConnell, Rick makes a deal with Evelyn to lead them there if they release him from prison. Rick leads Evelyn and her party to the city, where the group encounters a band of American treasure hunters guided by Ricks cowardly colleague Beni Gabor, the expeditions are attacked by the Medjai, led by the warrior Ardeth Bay. Against Ardeths advice to leave the city, the two continue to excavate. Evelyn searches for the famous Book of the Living, a made of pure gold. Instead of finding the book, she, Rick, and Jonathan stumble upon the statue of Anubis, the team of Americans, meanwhile, discover the black Book of the Dead, accompanied by canopic jars carrying Anck-su-Namuns preserved organs. At night, Evelyn takes the Book of the Dead and reads a page aloud, the expeditions return to Cairo, but Imhotep follows them with the help of Beni. Imhotep returns to full strength by killing the Americans one by one, seeking a way to stop Imhotep, Rick, Evelyn and Jonathan meet Ardeth at a museum. Ardeth hypothesizes that Imhotep wants to resurrect Anck-su-Namun again and plans to do so by sacrificing Evelyn, Evelyn believes that if the Book of the Dead brought Imhotep back to life, the Book of the Living can kill him again, and deduces the books whereabouts
26.
Gladiator (2000 film)
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Gladiator is a 2000 epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott and written by David Franzoni, John Logan and William Nicholson. It stars Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, Derek Jacobi, John Shrapnel, reduced to slavery, Maximus rises through the ranks of the gladiatorial arena to avenge the murders of his family and his emperor. The film was released in the United States on May 5,2000, the film won multiple awards, including Best Picture, Best Actor for Crowe and three other Oscars at the 73rd Academy Awards. It has also credited with rekindling interest in films centered around ancient Greek. In AD180, Hispano-Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius leads the Roman army to a victory against the Germanic tribes near Vindobona on the northern frontier. Now weary of battle, Maximus only desires to retire to his Spanish farm estate, but Emperor Marcus Aurelius tells him that his own son and heir, Commodus, is unfit to rule and that he will appoint Maximus as regent to help save Rome from corruption. When the Emperor reveals his plan to his son, Commodus murders him in a fit of rage, Commodus announces he is the new Emperor and asks Maximus for his loyalty. When the general refuses, he is arrested by his officers and is sentenced to death at dawn, Maximus kills his captors and rides for his farm. However, he too late, and finds it destroyed and his family murdered. Maximus buries his wife and son, and then collapses from his wounds and he is found by slavers who take him to Zucchabar, a colonia in the Roman North African province of Mauretania Caesariensis, where he is sold to a lanista named Proximo. As he wins every match because of his skills and indifference to death, he gains fame. Proximo encourages Maximus to go to Rome and fight in the Colosseum and he could then use the power he commands in the arena as leverage against the Emperor. Maximus first gladiatorial combat in the Colosseum is a re-enactment of the Roman victory over Carthage at the Battle of Zama, although the gladiators are expected to be massacred, Maximus leads them to victory over the legionaries of Scipio Africanus. This prompts a surprised and delighted Commodus to enter the arena to offer his personal congratulations, when the emperors young nephew, Lucius, also joins them, Maximus decides not to kill Commodus. Instead he reveals himself and vows to have vengeance, the Praetorian Guard is ordered to attack but this angers the crowd. Under pressure to keep the mob of Rome happy, Commodus angrily relents, Maximus next fight is a victory against a large undefeated gladiator. Despite Commoduss orders to kill the loser, Maximus spares his opponents life. This defiance earns him the nickname Maximus the Merciful and more cheers of adulation, angered at this outcome, Commodus enters the arena to taunt Maximus about his familys death
27.
Alexander (2004 film)
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Alexander is a 2004 epic historical drama film based on the life of Alexander the Great. It was directed by Oliver Stone, with Colin Farrell in the title role, the film was an original screenplay based in part on the book Alexander the Great, written in the 1970s by the University of Oxford historian Robin Lane Fox. After release, while it performed well in Europe, the American critical reaction was negative and it grossed over $167 million worldwide against a $155 million budget. Four versions of the film exist, the theatrical cut and three home video directors cuts, the Directors Cut in 2005, the Final Cut in 2007. The two earlier DVD versions of Alexander sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States, Oliver Stones third version, Alexander Revisited, The Final Cut has sold to one million copies and became one of the highest-selling catalog items from Warner Bros. The film is based on the life of Alexander the Great, King of Macedonia, who conquered Asia Minor, Egypt, Persia, shown are some of the key moments of Alexanders youth, his invasion of the mighty Persian Empire and his death. It also details his plans to reform his empire and the attempts he made to reach the end of the known world. The story begins 40 years after 323 BC, around 283 BC, with Ptolemy I Soter and we see Alexanders daily life and the strained relationship between his parents. Alexander grows up with his mother Olympias and his tutor Aristotle and his relationship with his father is destroyed when Philip marries Attaluss niece, Eurydice. After Philip is assassinated, Alexander becomes King of Macedonia, also shown are Alexanders private relationships with his childhood friend Hephaistion and later his wife Roxana. Hephaistion compares Alexander to Achilles, to which Alexander replies that, if he is Achilles, when Hephaistion mentions that Patroclus died first, Alexander pledges that, if Hephaistion should die first, he will follow him into the afterlife. After initial objection from his soldiers, Alexander convinces them to him into his final and bloodiest battle. He is severely injured with an arrow but survives and is celebrated, later on, Hephaistion succumbs to an unknown illness either by chance or perhaps poison, speculated in the movie to be Typhus carried with him from India. Alexander, full of grief and anger, distances himself from his wife, despite her pregnancy and he dies less than three months after Hephaistion, in the same manner, keeping his promise that he would follow him. On his deathbed, Bagoas grieves as Alexanders generals begin to split up his kingdom, however, he has it recorded that Alexander died due to illness compounding his overall weakened condition. He then goes on to end his memoirs with praise to Alexander, the story then ends with the note that Ptolemys memoirs of Alexander were eventually burned, lost forever with the Library of Alexandria. Upon closing on 1 February 2005, the film grossed $34,297,191 domestically, based on a $155 million budget, the film was a box office bomb. A group of 25 Greek lawyers initially threatened to file a lawsuit against both Stone and the Warner Bros film studio for what they claimed was a portrayal of history
28.
Kingdom of Heaven (film)
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Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic historical drama film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. The story is set during the Crusades of the 12th century, the film script is a heavily fictionalised portrayal of the life of Balian of Ibelin. The film received mixed reviews upon theatrical release, in December 2005, Scott released a directors cut of the film, the true version of what he wanted, which has been met with universal critical acclaim. In 1184 France, Balian, a blacksmith, is haunted by his wifes recent suicide, a Crusader passing through the village introduces himself as Balians father, Baron Godfrey of Ibelin, and asks him to return with him to the Holy Land, but Balian declines. The town priest, Balians half-brother, reveals that he ordered Balians wife beheaded before burial, Balian joins his father, hoping to gain forgiveness and redemption for himself and his wife in Jerusalem. Soldiers sent by the bishop arrive to arrest Balian, but Godfrey refuses to surrender him, in Messina, Godfrey knights Balian and orders him to serve the King of Jerusalem and protect the helpless, then succumbs to his injuries. During Balians journey to Jerusalem his ship aground in a storm. Balian is confronted by a Muslim cavalier, who attacks him over his horse, Balian reluctantly slays the cavalier but spares the mans servant, and the man tells Balian that his deed will gain him fame and respect among the Saracens. After Baldwins death, Guy intends to break the truce with the sultan Saladin. As the new Baron of Ibelin, Balian settles in his new land of Ibelin, using his skills as a blacksmith, he earns the respect of his subjects by building an irrigation system. Sibylla travels to meet him, and the two become secret lovers, Guy and his ally, the cruel Raynald of Châtillon, attack a Saracen caravan, and Saladin advances on Raynalds castle Kerak in retaliation. At the request of the king, Balian defends the villagers, captured, Balian encounters the servant he freed, who he learns is actually Saladins chancellor Imad ad-Din. Imad ad-Din releases Balian in repayment of the earlier debt, Saladin arrives with his army to besiege Kerak, and Baldwin meets it with his. They negotiate a Muslim retreat, and Baldwin swears to punish Raynald, Baldwin asks Balian to marry Sibylla and take control of the army, knowing they have affection for each other, but Balian refuses because it will require Guys execution. After Baldwin dies, his nephew Baldwin V becomes king, once Sibylla finds out that he too, has leprosy, Sibylla kills him. She becomes queen and Guy becomes king, Guy releases Raynald, asking him to give him a war, which Raynald does by murdering Saladins sister. Sending the heads of Saladins emissaries back to him, Guy declares war on the Saracens and sends assassins to kill Balian, Guy and the Templars march Jerusalems army into the desert for war, despite Balians advice to remain near water. Saladins army annihilates the exhausted Crusaders in the desert battle, executes Raynald
29.
Babel (film)
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Babel is a 2006 drama film directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu and written by Guillermo Arriaga, starring an ensemble cast. The multi-narrative drama completes Iñárritus Death Trilogy, following Amores perros and 21 Grams and it is an international co-production among companies based in the United States and Mexico. The film portrays multiple stories taking place in Morocco, Japan, Mexico, Babel was selected to compete for the Palme dOr at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, where González Iñárritu won the Best Director Award. It was later screened at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film opened in selected cities in the United States on 27 October 2006, and went into wide release on 10 November 2006. Babel focuses on four interrelated sets of situations and characters, the following plot summary has been simplified and thus does not reflect the exact sequence of the events on screen. In a desert in Morocco, Abdullah, a goatherder, buys a.270 Winchester M70 rifle, Abdullah gives the rifle to his two young sons, Yussef and Ahmed, and sends them out to tend the herd. Ahmed, the older of the two, criticises Yussef for spying on his sister while she changes her clothes. Doubtful of the rifles purported three-kilometer range, they decide to test it out, aiming first at rocks, a car on a highway below. Yussefs bullet hits the bus, critically wounding Susan Jones, an American woman from San Diego who is traveling with her husband Richard on vacation, the two boys realize what has happened and flee the scene, hiding the rifle in the hills. Glimpses of television news programs reveal that the US government considers the shooting a terrorist act and is pressuring the Moroccan government to apprehend the culprits. The two boys see the police on the road and confess to their father what they have done, the three flee from their house, retrieving the rifle as they go. The police corner them on the slope of a hill. After Ahmed is hit in the leg, Yussef returns fire, the police continue shooting, hitting Ahmed in the back, possibly fatally injuring him. As his father rages with grief, Yussef surrenders and confesses to the crimes, begging clemency for his family, the police take him into custody. This first plotline is interspersed with scenes of Richard and Susan, the death of their infant third child, to SIDS, has strained their marriage significantly and they struggle to communicate their frustration, guilt, and blame. When Susan is shot on the bus, Richard orders the bus driver to the nearest village. There, a local veterinarian sews up Susans wound to stem the loss of blood, Richard contacts the US embassy to request an ambulance. The other tourists wait for some time, but they demand to leave, fearing the heat
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