The Little Fugitive (1953)
Directed by Ruth Orkin &  Ray Ashley

I use to always watch this film on TV as a boy on "Kookla, Fran, and Ollie". It is still as fresh and powerful as it was back then

Allegro Non Troppo (1977)
Directed by Bruno Bozzetto

It's very funny, yet much deeper than Disney's Fantasia.

Top Hat (1935)
Directed by Mark Sandrich
Starring Astaire and Ginger Rogers

The dialogue in this film is just as amazing in its rhythm and its sophistication as Fred Astaire's incomparable dancing and choreography.

White Dawn (1974)
Directed by Philip Kaufman

A tragic clash of cultures ensues when a group of stranded whalers are rescued and taken in by a tribe of Inuits.

Attack of the Giant Leeches (1959)
Directed by Bernard L. Kowalski

A must-see classic for 50's B-horror movie enthusiasts. For maximum effect, put your TV in the driveway and watch it while sitting in your car.

To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Directed by Robert Mulligan, starring Gregory Peck

Cool Hand Luke (1967)
Directed by Stuart Rosenberg, starring Paul Newman

La Strada (1954)
Directed by Frederico Fellini, starring Anthony Quinn, Guilietta Massina

Captain Courageous (1937)
Directed by Victor Fleming, starring Spencer Tracy

These films should be seen one after the other during "your own private film festival weekend at home". It's not only a spiritual, educational and
emotional experience, it's fun as well.  These four films together brought
me closer to "God" than Mel Gibson's comic book "Passion" ever will.

Fantastic Planet (1973)
Directed by Rene Laloux, Starring Barry Bostwick

This animated sci-fi masterpiece takes place on a beautiful yet strangely menacing planet inhabited by a race of aliens that keep humans as domesticated pets.

The Sword of Doom (1966)
Directed by Kihachi Okamoto

A great film noir samurai movie. Really accentuates the art of fencing.  Which I did for 12 years.

Baseball (1995)
A Film by Ken Burns

An 18-hour documentary series about America's greatest sport.

The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream
Paul Coelho

So far there have been three novels the truly affected me during my life, Thomas Mann's "Doctor Faustus", Italo Calvino's "Baron of the Trees" and Paulo Coelho's "The Alchemist."

Myths to Live By
Joseph Campbell

How we re-create ancient legends in our daily lives to release human potential.

Snow Crash
Neal Stephenson

It's my favorite cyberpunk novel.

HYPERSPACE:A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps, and the 10 Dimension
Michio Kaku

Mr. Kaku is the Dylan Thomas of theoretical physicists.

World of Wisdom
Philip Novak

Sacred texts of the world's religions.

I,Claudius:
From the Autobiography of Tiberius Claudius, Born 10 B.C., Murdered and Deified A.D. 54
Robert Graves

It's a always a great read but especially resonates now with our modern
times.

Constantine's Sword: The Church and the Jews -- A History
James Carroll

A historical work that chronicles the Catholic Church's legacy of intolerance toward Judaism.

Popol Vuh
Complete Works

The Penguin Gafe
Complete Works

Brainwashed
George Harrison

George was always my favorite Beatle.

Word Jazz
Ken Nordine

He's the Dylan Thomas of our day.

Eskimo
Residents

The legend says that these guys holed themselves up for months to learn to play Eskimo musical instruments and learn about their culture before making this album. This may or may not be true.

There is also a DVD available.

Mutter
Rammstein

I love these guys.  I can really hear the musical thought.  The Wagnerian and Morricone influence. They're melodic (I mean from a classical sense, not pop sense) yet extremely hard and intense.  These are extremes that I respond too. I often listen to them as my own personal life-journey soundtrack.

The Count of Monte Cristo (Book)
Alexandre Dumas

9th Symphony
Franz Schubert, Conducted by Sir Georg Solti (another one of my favorites) with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  

These two masterpieces are perfectly in sync. I couldn't believe it.    No movie can come close to what your mind will create for you when you read and listen to these two masterpieces simultaneously.  It was as if they were written with each other in mind.

Cello Suites
J.S. Bach, Pablo Casals performing

Carmina Burana (Cantiones profanae)
Carl Orff

New Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by (and this is important) Rafael Frubeck De Burgos (he's does the best intrepretation).

After The Requiem
Gavin Bryars

I've always been a fan of Mr. Bryars way back in my days with University of Redlands New Music Ensemble and Barney Childs, especially "Jesus blood" and "The Sinking of the Titanic". I just popped this CD in recently. I like how Bryars' music sets a hypnotic mood and forgotten memories of specific pinpoint-like moments of your past gently fade in and out of your mind like a ghostly 8mm home movie-- walking down lonely railroad tracks in my worn corduroy slippers with a blood orange sunset above savoring the taste of my first bowl of Albondigas soup in 1978. I'm pretty sure he's aware that his music has that power.

Cabo Verde
Cesaria Evora 

She has an incredibly soulful voice.  And I love hearing Portuguese language sung.

Benjamin Britten's Serenade for Tenor Solo, Horn and Strings, Op. 31
Conducted by Carlo Maria Guilini with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.  Robert Tear, Tenor; Dale Clevenger, Horn.

Magic of the Bamboo Flute, Music from the Land of Dreams
Rey Ortega

I'm not a big fan of "easy listening" or "new age crystal messiah" musical crap and unfortunately this is listed in those sections.  But, it is definitely not that.  It is real and soulful without all the feel good, wind-chime harmonies.  I highly recommend it.

Music for your Spirit, Mind and Body
for booking info contact: (760)366-8929
E-mail: reyortega@msn.com