It is not that I am shunning or afraid of technology even though I am well within the age bracket where that could be the case. I am a tad reluctant to adapt new technology until it is clear there is a clear winner. MySpace and other forgetful similar failed apps versus Facebook? I could not and did not choose until it was clear that Facebook was the winner.
One of the reasons I have avoided the music streaming services is because of my taste in music. I love Armenian music especially what is called kef style and the Turkish, Greek, Arab, and Persian styles that overlap with that style. At the beginning, music streaming services like Spotify and Pandora did not have much to offer for the style of music I want to listen to like 98% of the time.
That has changed. With time, the major streaming service have expanded their catalogs and have gotten around to having an awesome array of playlists that appeal to me. They still do not have it all. I still have esoteric recording that still are not in the catalogs of these services. Lastly, I doubt they will ever be able to provide the live recordings my musical buddies and I have. But… I know better to say never when it comes to such things.
The motivation for this post is my recent experience with Amazon Prime Video. It was something I have had access to for a long time. On a whim, I decided to poke around and see the breadth of their offering. I accessed the search and started to type Armenian. I had only typed “armen” when the header offered me Armenia, Armenian, Armenian movies, Armenian genocide, and more. It must be noted then while I was typing armenia I noticed that there were a surprising number of movies and documentaries on arm wrestling.
When I clicked on Armenian, there were 148 selections. I was kind of astonished. Of course, Ararat and The Promise were there. There were several other minor films I have seen such as The Cut and Lost and Found in Armenia but many I have yet to see such as Lost Birds, The Bridge from Vegas, Mariam’s Day Off, and Ultimate Heist to name a few. There were documentaries on the Near East Relief, the murder of Hrant Dink, Anjar, travelogues, and more on the Genocide. I was amazed and, at the same time, not surprised.
What to watch first? It took a while to decide. My first selection was the Eye of Istanbul. It is a most excellent documentary of the famed Istanbullu photographer Ara Güler (nee Terteryan). I have seen his photos online and in a coffee table book I bought. As the documentary was produced in 2016, two years before he passed, it was wonderful to see the man, hear his words, and get a feel for his personality.
After that documentary, I opted for humor and rewatched Lost and Found in Armenia starring Jamie Kennedy a movie that makes me laugh out loud. This weekend, I watched two more documentaries.
Anjar: Flowers, Goats, and Heros
The History of One Village: Hatchik
I recommend them both.
Clearly, I am hooked on Amazon Prime Video's Armenian catalog.
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