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Inside 2004, VALERIE BERRY Stated So you’re able to ALICIA TALBOT, Aesthetic Manager Off Metropolitan Cinema Methods (UTP), One Her Aunt, WRITER/DRAMATURG PASCHAL DAANTOS BERRY, Try Creating A performance Section For her Passionate Because of the Their Sense Because FILIPINO MIGRANTS. TALBOT Was Immediately Interested. All together Australia’s best social and you will political cinema companies (Talbot refutes the expression “area cinema”) every one of UTP’s work is concerned about latest Australian lifetime and you can how we are navigating all of our way due to cutting-edge metropolitan people, especially in Western Questionnaire where company is oriented. Talbot didn’t come with idea if UTP create feel in it into the Berry opportunity but believed naturally it was something this new business is support. They generates all sorts of most private and you can idiosyncratic dating however, indeed it is more about an artistic processes which can be fun “They started out as just giving them an excellent week’s earnings and rehearsal room within the service system so they you will go through the program and view what they must manage inside”, says Talbot. An Asialink abode upcoming got Paschal to your Philippines to function on the Anino Shadowplay Cumulative, a small grouping of young multimedia artists, just who turned involved in the project. 3 years into the, UTP was presenting the latest resulting really works, Brand new Foldable Wife, in colaboration with Blacktown Arts Hub. “So it is become a lengthy processes”, states Talbot. “The way that matchmaking progressed is very different to someone else. But all are novel. The organization is continually responsive. ” The latest projects one to arise is equally book. Few or no other Australian cinema people have constantly composed for example diverse work for a wide variety of audience. TrackWorks (1997) got people into an unique travel did towards the railway channels and you can teaches. To possess Speed Highway (1998) the location try a genuine path inside Liverpool and you may seemed customers. delivered Goths, revheads and you will stylish-hoppers together on the top out of a good Bankstown playground. To have Asylum (2001) the business turned into good disused wallpaper showroom from inside the Lidcombe for the good prison telephone to share with refugees’ stories. Quick Trucks Tractor Motors (2005) watched three stars having headsets telling eight Bankstown residents’ reports of the continual interviews using them keyword-for-phrase. Past year’s Back was performed over a barbeque within the a garden inside the Blacktown. Just like the Talbot states: “There’s absolutely no aesthetic cohesion and there really should not be. There is certainly a beneficial synthesis out of suggestions however in regards to exactly how one manifests, it’s interestingly additional [for every manufacturing].”

Deepti Naval Remembers Her Heartbreaks, Says It’s Devastating When A Serious Actor Is Ignored In Cinema Deepti Naval is perhaps one of the most underrated actors of Bollywood. With her simple, likeable and totally relatable roles, Deepti Naval, her subtle performances struck a chord with the audiences. But did she get the recognition that she deserved? After a four-decade-long career in the industry, Deepti Naval talks about the struggles, heartbreaks, disappointments and frustrations she has been through. She says she didn’t follow the trend and she is proud of that fact. However, she did face a lot of ups and down and that it was disappointing when a serious actor was ignored by the Indian cinema. The veteran actor is thankful that she never became "convoluted" during the highs and lows. Despite being advised to do roles in commercial cinema, Deepti Naval spearheaded her career in parallel cinema that she was told “no one watches.” But she still, starred in movies like Chashme Buddoor, Ankahee, Mirch Masala in the ‘80s. She most recently starred in Amazon Prime’s Made In Heaven. "Every decade there's a new trend of films. Something else is more liked by the audience, something else is more popular. People say you need to realign your career with the new, of course, but you have to basically stick to what you believe in doing," Naval told PTI. "You've to stand for the work that you do. The trend in cinema will keep changing, but do the kind of work you want to do within that changing scenario, keep picking what convinces you," she adds. Talking about the ups and downs in her four-decade-long career, the 67-year-old actress said, "I have gone through mine, when I felt the kind of cinema I want to be a part of isn't there at all. The 80s were marvellous, splendid years for all of us- Shabana (Azmi), Me, Smita Patil, Om Puri, Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, we did our best work then. "Then in the 90s there was some lucky work coming along but after that, somewhere in the late 90s, I felt that not much is happening and I was not getting the stuff I wanted to do." She says the lean period she experienced could have hit her hard if she hadn’t branched out to find more outlets of creativity. "I had been writing throughout for a long but (during that phase) I went back to painting in a major way because I felt I have to be creative at all costs, under all circumstances whatever it is. My creative process shouldn't stop. "Because I had other means of expressions, I was lucky that I didnt go under and start becoming all convoluted in my head. That can happen, if you're a serious actor and you're here to really be a part of cinema, and when cinema ignores you, it can be devastating," she says. For Deepti Naval, the phase lasted for a few years before she picked up steam again with films like Firaaq, Memories of March and Listen Amaya. "My painting and writing has always been parallel. That's why probably where my colleagues have done 300 films, I have done only about a 100, out of which I'd say at least 30-35 films I am even proud of." "You can't be in the industry without your share of heartbreaks, disappointments, and frustrations also. But as long as you're able to stick to your guts and pick the roles you really want to do, the whole journey becomes worthwhile," she added. Naval was recently honoured with Excellence in Cinema award at the JIO MAMI Mumbai Festival with Star.

Wala Bok: Une histoire orale du hip hop au Senegal: An Oral History of Hip Hop in Senegal by Fatou Kande Senghor [Please note: This book is published in French language text.] Wala Bok: An Oral History of Hip Hop in Senegal explores and reflects on the evolution of generations of hip hop artistes and practitioners, from the early pioneers to the new kids on the block, producers, and the social critics involved in this complex movement. In Senegal, hip hop has been very political from the go, from ‘Set Setal’ cleanliness campaigns of the 80s and 90s, to the Y’en a marre movement that became instrumental to derailing the monarchic wishes of an octogenarian president to usher in a second ‘alternance’ in 2012. The images and testimonies of this movement, shaped by the recognition for cultural diversity and motivated by the quest for making the world a better place, unveil a heterogeneous eclectic community pulled between individual artistic promotion and political commitment. Includes photographs and contributions from scholars such as Greg Thomas, Eugene Adams, Ousmane Sene, Abdoulaye Niang and many hip hop artistes and practitioners in Senegal including Daara J Family, Didier Awadi, Fou Malade, Keur Gui, Daddy Bibson, Lord Alajiman, Chronik 2H, ALIF, Moona, Rapattack and many others. Kande Senghor studied cinema, civilizations and languages at the Universite Charles de Gaulle in Lille, France. She worked with the director Wim Wenders on The Invisible (2007), a documentary on women raped by the May May fighters during the civil war in Congo. She was a privileged collaborator of Sembene Ousmane. In 2006, she presented photographic works in the exhibition Snap Judgements at the invitation of Okwui Enwezor at the New York Contemporary Photography Museum. The documentary The Other in Me (2012) explores the threads in connection, identity, belonging and the Diaspora between two identical twin brothers. In 2015, her documentary film Giving Birth on the enigmatic Senegalese sculptor Seni Camara was an official selection at the Venice Biennale.

The romantic Shah Rukh Khan - Kajol musical DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE better known as DDLJ finally bid adieu from Mumbai’s majestic Maratha Mandir cinema after creating the unbeatable record run by any movie around the world. The movie ran uninterrupted for over 20 years! The only movie that came ‘little’ close to its hurricane record is Amitabh Bachchan’s SHOLAY that run for five years at Mumbai’s Minerva Cinema hall. On Thursday February 19, 2015 the Management of Maratha Mandir played the last show of DDLJ at 9.15 a.m. thus curtailing the historic 1009 weeks run at the cinema hall. The reason behind the movie being removed according to Yash Raj films is that the theatre management had pre-poned the movie’s timing from regular 11.30 a.m. to 9.15 a.m. As result the occupancy of the theatre had reduced drastically compelling the theatre management to remove the movie. Manoj Desai, Managing Director of Maratha Mandir theatre briefing the media said, “Earlier the movie had 40 to 50 per cent occupancy on weekdays and on the weekend it run for houseful. However post its 1000 weeks run the occupancy has reduced. We have 1105 seats in one screen and out of which hardly 100 to 200 seats used to get occupied so it doesn't made sense to run it any longer." He added, “To add salt to injury the tickets for DDLJ were sold at Rs 20, Rs 17 and Rs 15 - much cheaper than the prices charged by multiplexes hence it was inevitable to stop the screening.” Readers may recall on December 12, 2014, DDLJ completed 1000 weeks at the cinema and it was celebrated with great gusto with its lead actors Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol (despite injury in her leg) present at the theatre to celebrate the memorable occasion.

The life of Dr. Salam is not properly explained by Ahmadiyya sources. In this essay, we will present the proper data and leave it to the readers to draw their own conclusions. However, you will notice that during the life of Dr. Salam, he never allowed anyone to mention his second wife (girlfriend) and those circumstances (see the Al-Nahl of 1997, which has 200+ pages of data on Dr. Salam, however, they barely mention his second wife and those 2 amazing kids, see page 200, it is nevertheless from a Pakistani newspaper). We (the writers at this blog) don’t see his relationships as a meaning of shame or anything, we are just pointing out that Dr. Dame Louise Napier Johnson, who per British law, was never his wife, instead a life-long girlfriend, was never given any acknowledgement by the Ahmadiyya Movement. We all know that Dr. Salaam eloped with Dr. Johnson in 1968…they were not married in any ceremony. Dr. Salaam didn’t care about any islamic laws, he was above the laws in Ahmadiyya and was never even questioned. However, a few years later, he had an ahmadi-mullah read the Nikkah. His son was born in 1974 (Umar) and a daughter was born in 1982 (Saeeda). Both of these children are shunned by the Ahmadiyya Movement. Dr. Salaam had allegiance to his cult-like religion and he respected the religion of his father, he thus never challenged anything in Ahmadiyya, he also believed that his intelligence was based on a revelation of MGA (see Tajalliyyat-e-Ilahiyyah, pages 20-21), in fact, in 1979 at the Jalsa in Rabwah, Salam claimed that it was the prayers of MGA which helped him become a nobel winner. IMHO, he was an Atheist, however, out of respect for his family, he supported Ahmadiyya as much as he could. However, he never had the courage to attempt to solve the dogmatic irregularities of the Ahmadiyya religion, like Yus Asaf and the eclipses. Salam’s life lasted over these years, born-January 1926, died on 21 November 1996. He was born in British-India, he chose to become a Pakistani after 1947, however, he began to hate Pakistan in 1953, right after the 1953 anti-Ahmadiyya riots. He moved out of Pakistan in and began working at Cambridge and joined St John’s College, and took a position as a professor of mathematics, this was in the UK of course. By 1964, when Ahmadi’s were thriving in Pakistan, he decided to help the country of Italy, which is unethical, since Mussolini supported Hitler in WW-2. Nevertheless, per the order of his Khalifa, he worked for Pakistan and Italy simultaneously and as an esteemed College Professor at Cambridge. However, after Ahmadi’s were declared Non-Muslim in 1974, he left his job with the Pakistani government and began to focus on his school of Physics in Trieste, Italy. Oct 1974 to late 1978 seems to be a dead era in his career. In 1979, he won the Nobel Prize in Physics. In 1979, the President of Pakistan and head military dictator, Zia ul Haq invited Dr. Salaam to Pakistan and gave him full presidential treatment, they asked him to build a center of Physics, he was wined and dined, nevertheless, he still left Pakistan in 1980 and continued to work for Italy. Eventually, he died in 1996 of a rare brain disease wherein he had become a mute and at the house of his 2nd wife. Polygamy in the UK was illegal, hence, his second wife, Dr. Johnson was more like a lifelong girlfriend in British law. Abdus Salaam’s son, Ahmad Salaam, recently gave an interview herein wherein he discusses his father. Singh, Jagjit. Abdus Salam (1992) Ghani, Abdul (1982). “Science Advisor to the President (1960–1974)”. Abdus Salam: a Nobel laureate from a Muslim country : a biographical sketch abdus-salam-bio–Cosmic Anger, Fraser, Gordon. (2008). Free download Al-nahl, an Ahmadiyya magazine, 1997 tribute to Dr. Salam: Al-Nahl-1997-v008-No_04 – Prof Muhammad Abdus Salam Issue https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsbm.1998.0025–“Abdus Salam” by Kibble (1998) _____________________________________________________________________________________________His father was an educational official employed with the British Government Abdus Salam was born as a citizen of British-India to Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain and Hajira Hussain, into a Punjabi family that was part of the Ahmadiyya Movement in Islam. In terms of caste-affiliation, they were Jats of Rajput descent from Jhang on his father’s side while his mother was a Kakazai from Gurdaspur. His grandfather, Gul Muhammad, was a religious scholar as well as a physician while his father was an education officer in the Department of Education of Punjab State in a poor farming district. It is unclear how any of these people became Ahmadi’s, they are not tied to any of the early converts to Ahmadiyya. Abdus Salam was born in Santokdas in the District of Sahiwal, this is 100 kilometers from modern day Jhang, Pakistan. Abdus Salam’s mother and her family were from Santokdas, his maternal grandfather was working, he also seemed to be an employee of the British government, it in unclear whether he was an Ahmadi or not. The reason that Abdus Salam was born in Santokdas instead of Jhang was because it was some type of cultural custom for their family that when a child is born, he is born in the family home of the woman, instead of the man, most likely because child birth requires great care and etc. Abdus Salam’s only sister Hamida was also born in Santokdas, however, his additional 6 siblings (boys) were all born in Jhang, British Indian (See Kibble). Abdus Salam was thus the eldest in a family of 8 children, however, he did have a half sister from his fathers first marriage which makes a total of 9 siblings. By age 5, it was obvious that Abdus Salam was special. His parents forced his siblings to serve him food and to clean his clothes and etc. Abdus Salam never worked any manual labor, nor did he play any sports. By today’s standards, he was a privileged kid. At age 14, Salam scored the highest marks ever recorded for the matriculation (entrance) examination at the Punjab University (See Fraser). There was a huge celebration in the city of Jhang as Salam’s scores were reported to the entire city. Abdus Salam graduates with a B.A. in Mathematics from Government College University, Lahore. While in Lahore, Abdus Salam went on to attend the graduate school of Government College University. He received his MA in Mathematics from the Government College University in 1946. That same year, he was awarded a scholarship to St John’s College, Cambridge the UK, where he completed a BA degree with Double First-Class Honours in Mathematics and Physics in 1949. This was a special Punjab Government scholarship to Cambridge program. Salam was really lucky, the head of the Punjab government has been collecting money to help in Allied war effort. The War ended in roughly 1945, there was lots of money that was left over. 150,000 rupees were left over (see Kibble), the head of the Punjab government agreed to allocate this money to the sons of poor farmers to study abroad. However, Salam was not the son of a farmer. Somehow, by buying some land, Salam’s father had qualified to receive the scholarship. On top of that, some other student had unexpectedly dropped out of Cambridge, thus leaving a seat open. The scholarship was totally cancelled the next year, Salam seems to have been the only beneficiary. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam meets Zafrullah Khan in 1946 in Liverpool Co-incidentally, they both met as Dr. Salaam had arrived in the UK for higher studies. They both scammed and schemed on behalf of Ahmadiyya their entire life. However, it is important to note that Dr. Salaam never volunteered for Ahmadiyya and never wrote any articles in support of any Ahmadiyya theory. He was silent on Jesus in India, the eclipses and many other scientific phenomenon. _____________________________________________________________________________________________1949, August 19th, Salam marries his first cousin This topic is barely covered by all sources. In this era, Dr. Salam left home for the first time ever, in other words, he left his country, which was British-India, but, by 1947 it was the newly formed country, Pakistan. Salam was back and forth from the UK and Pakistan quite a bit in this era. (see al-Nahl). Salam deeply respected his father and always obeyed him. When he graduated from GC in 1946, he had never gone to the cinema because his father had forbidden him to do so. He was also scolded by his father for playing chess after which he never played the game. He used to say that he owed his success to his father’s prayers. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam married his cousin, Amtul Hafeez (she died in 2007), she was the sister of Col. G.M. Iqbal, They had 4 children. In order of their ages: Daughter–Dr. Aziza Rahman (born in June of 1950, in Multan), she married Dr. Hameed ur Rehman in the L.A. area Daughter—Asifa (Born November 1954 in London) Daughter–Bushra Salam Bajwa (Born in November of 1956 in Pakistan) Son—-Ahmad Salam (Born in 1960, in the UK)(check his interview here) Aziza has a PhD in biochemistry, while Ahmad has a degree in Finance and works for a Kuwaiti company from London as an investment banker. All three daughters are housewives. _____________________________________________________________________________________________1951 to 1953 Salam lived in isolation, his wife and daughter lived in Multan, Salam lived in Lahore. In the future, he would continue to live like this. He spent the summers of 1952 and 1953 in London. Salam completed his PhD thesis in 1951: Developments in quantum theory of fields. This was a rather brilliant work: in addition to making his name as a physicist, it resulted in him winning a share of the highly prestigious Adams Prize for mathematical sciences in 1956. In 1953, Dr. Salam moved to Cambridge, with his wife and young daughter Aziza See Al-Nahl of 1997. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Salam was in love with a girl named Urmilla at the Govt College Lahore It seems that Dr. Salam was already cheating on his new wife. See Cosmic Anger. _____________________________________________________________________________________________January of 1954 Abdus Salaam turned his back on Pakistan after the 1953 riots on Ahmadiyya Is Abdus Salaam a traitor to Pakistan? Well, in this book, on pages 26-31. It is stated that Dr. Salaam purposely and willfully was upset with Pakistan and moved away. He then helped the UK and other countries develop educational programs in terms of physics. This was the first time that Dr. Salaam turned his back on his country, however, it wasn’t the last. Singh tells us that Salaam was personally threatened, and the riots were about his close friend, Zafrullah Khan, so Salaam was now eager to leave his people in Pakistan, and he fled to the UK and began giving up all of his islamic ideals on life (see pages 28-29, Singh). _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam neglected all 6 of his children Dr. Salam was so busy being an ambassador for Ahmadiyya, that he never truly enjoyed his life. He never took a real vacation, nor did he even spend substantial time with his children. Ahmad Salam stated in an interview for a documentary being made on Salam that he saw so little of his father that when he was six or seven years old he would ask his mother if he could bring his bedding into Salam’s bedroom and put it on the floor just to be close to him. “I wanted to be with him as much as possible.” Two of his daughters have given us valuable glimpses of his family life and his work habits. They write: “”””His travels took him all over the world Thus, his work left him little time for the family life. … He was quite strict at home, especially where our studies were concerned. He would bring us each workbooks and before going to his college he would set us certain pages that we had to do. Whenever he returned from an overseas trip, he would call us into his room and check on our grades and progress. He encouraged us and gave us confidence by constantly reminding us of one of his favorite sayings, “Do your best and leave the rest to Allah.”… He himself never stopped working…. My father maintained his meticulous work habits in an unflagging routine punctuated by “catnaps” and endless supplies of sweets and hot tea…He would go to bed around eight or nine o’ clock in the evening, and arise a very few hours later to work in the silent hours before dawn when his level of concentration and creativity would perhaps reach its peak, sustained by a thermos of hot, sweet tea and some snacks that we would place by his bedside before sleeping.”””” _______________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam’s nephew, Nasir Iqbal, son of the late Col. G.M. Iqbal He was with Dr. Salam in his final years in Italy and spent lots of time with Dr. Salam. He gave lots of details about Dr. Salam’s lonely life. His nephew Nasir Iqbal, was employed at ICTP for some time also, call it nepotism. Salam adjusted to life in the UK with his family. In 1957, he was invited to take a chair at Imperial College, London, and he and Paul Matthews went on to set up the Theoretical Physics Department at Imperial College. As time passed, this department became one of the prestigious research departments that included well known physicists such as Steven Weinberg, Tom Kibble, Gerald Guralnik, C. R. Hagen, Riazuddin, and John Ward. Punjab University conferred Salam with an Honorary doctorate for his contribution in Particle physics. The same year with help from his mentor, Salam launched a scholarship program for his students in Pakistan. Salam retained strong links with Pakistan, and visited his country from time to time. At Cambridge and Imperial College he formed a group of theoretical physicists, the majority of whom were his Pakistani students. At age 33, Salam became one of the youngest persons to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 1959. Salam took a fellowship at the Princeton University in 1959, where he met with J. Robert Oppenheimer and to whom he presented his research work on neutrinos. Oppenheimer and Salam discussed the foundation of electrodynamics, problems and their solution. His dedicated personal assistant was Jean Bouckley. His father, Chaudhry Muhammad Hussain came to the UK (he landed on 4-15-1959) and lived with Dr. Salaam until 1962, at that point he returned to Pakistan. He didn’t seem to like the lifestyle of the UK. His father was diabetic. He returned to Pakistan in December of 1962. They all performed Umrah at Mecca. Abdus Salam returned to Pakistan in 1960 to take charge of a government post that was given to him by President Field Marshal Ayub Khan. From her independence, Pakistan has never had a coherent science policy, and the total expenditure on research and development represent ~1.0% of Pakistan’s GDP. Even the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission (PAEC) headquarters was located in a small room, and less than 10 scientists were working on fundamental concepts of physics. Abdus Salam replaced Salimuzzaman Siddiqui as Science Advisor, became first Member (technical) of Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. Abdus Salam expanded the web of physics research and development in Pakistan by sending more than 500 scientists abroad. In September 1961, Abdus Salam approached President Ayub Khan to set up the country’s first national space agency. On 16 September 1961, through an executive order, Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission was established, in which Abdus Salam served as the first director. Before 1960, very little work on scientific development was done, and scientific activities in Pakistan were almost diminished. Abdus Salam called Ishfaq Ahmad, a nuclear physicist, who had left the country for Switzerland where he joined CERN, to Pakistan. With the support of Abdus Salam, PAEC established PAEC Lahore Center-6, with Ishfaq Ahmad as its first director. In 1962, Salam took his wife and parents to Mecca to perform Umrah, the small pilgrimage. Involving a single lap of the Ka’aba, this can be done at any time of the year, and involves much less organization and effort than the elaborate full pilgrimage, the Hajj. The experience nevertheless impressed him deeply. Every Muslim is supposed to make the full Haj once: making Umrah does not absolve a believer from the responsibility of making the full pilgrimage. But it was to be Salam’s only trip to Saudi Arabia. In the same year, he met a very young Physics student, Louise Dame NapierJohnson. Attending an antinuclear proliferation meeting in London in 1962, Salam had met Louise Johnson, then a physics undergraduate at University College London (UCL), who was helping with the meeting’s administration. It was what the French call un coup de foudre, an emotional lightning strike, such as Salam had not experienced since seeing the inaccessible Urmilla at Government College, Lahore, some twenty years before. Louise was only 20 years old, and Salam was 36. Salam founded the International Centre for Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, in the North-East of Italy and served as its director until 1993. Salam never intended to help Pakistan develop any international science center or nuclear weapons. However, he played games and acted like he was interested. His Khalifa most likely controlled Salam, and thus he never helped Pakistan do anything. He attends the first ever Jalsa Salana in the UK. Bashir Ahmad Rafiq organized it and used to regularly have breakfast with Abdus Salam and Zafrullah Khan. Dr. Salaam’s grandchild (a son of his daughter) Dr. Faiz ur Rahman, who is a son of Dr. Hameed ur Rahman and Dr.Azeeza Salaam, is engaged to marry my granddaughter Madeeha Henna Khan, a daughter of Abd ul Waheed Khan and Amat un Naseer (Neeno). His father, Chaudhry Mohammad Hussain dies in Karachi and is buried in a special area of Bahishti Maqbara, in Rabwah, Pakistan. Dr. Salaam had a change of heart, and this is the most peaceful era of Ahmadis in Pakistan. In 1958, he was named as the Chief Scientific Advisor to the President, Ayub Khan (see Singh, pages 96-97). Abdus Salaam was thus able to get lots of Ahmadis hired into the government and etc. This was the era when Ahmadis were Economic Advisors, military generals, and held disproportionate employment with the government. Dr. Salaam wanted to start an international physics center, however, there was a shortage of funds and no projects could ever be funded. Dr. Salam was a workaholic, he seems to have been working 3 jobs simultaneously in this era. From 1965 onwards, Dr. Salam was back and forth from Italy to the UK. _____________________________________________________________________________________________His marriage to Louise Johnson Fraser, “Cosmic Anger”, page 230-231 Dr. Salam had both of his wives living less than a mile apart in 1990–1996 era. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam married Dr. Napier illegally British law does not allow for polygamy. Hence, Dr. Salam was cheating on his wife of almost 15 + years and having an affair with Dr. Napier. Furthermore, in 1968, Dr. Salam’s eldest daughter was 18 years old, whereas Dr. Salam’s girlfriend was just 26. We are unsure if they ever met in life. Sources tell us that in 1973, a proper nikkah ceremony was held, however, the Ahmadiyya movement has never confirmed this. We know that Dr. Salam was best friends with Zafrullah Khan and a VIP at the London Mosque, hence, anything could be done for him. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Another biography: Dr. Abdus Salam, by Jagjit Singh. Says, he admired Muhammad Iqbal, the poet philosopher. Singh was silent on Dr. Salaam’s wife, Professor Dame Louise Napier Johnson. This is the proof that this book was purposely biased. We all know that Dr. Salaam eloped with Dr. Johnson in 1968…they were not married in any ceremony. Dr. Salaam didn’t care about any islamic laws, he was above the laws in Ahmadiyya and was never even questioned. However, a few years later, he had an ahmadi-mullah read the Nikkah. His son was born in 1974 (Umar) and a daughter was born in 1982 (Saeeda). Both of these children are shunned by the Ahmadiyya Movement. _____________________________________________________________________________________________How did Dr. Salam meet Dr. Napier? Singh tells us that in 1968 they seem to have eloped together. In 1968, Salam was living in the Uk and working at the Imperial College. Salam was also back and forth to Pakistan in these days since he worked as Scientific advisor to Ayub Khan. Dr. Napier finished her studies in 1965, After her PhD, she moved to the laboratory of Frederic M. Richards at Yale University for postdoctoral research in 1966. At Yale she worked as part of a team with Frederic M. Richardsand Hal Wyckoff on the crystal structure of another enzyme, ribonuclease, which was solved shortly after she left: the fourth protein structure solved. Dr. Napier transferred to the Royal Institution for postgraduate research, she spent a year at Yale and was working as Departmental Demonstrator in the Department of Zoology, University of Oxford. She became faculty in 1973. Dr. Salam seems to have been very busy in these days, since his first family was also in the same geographic area, i.e. London. When Dr. Salam went to pickup his Nobel prize, he had both of his wives with him and wearing a full burka. Swedish officials seated them in different parts of the auditorium while the King decorated their husband. Dr. Salam was 42 and Dr. Napier was 28 years old. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Salam and Dr. Napier had 2 children They had two children: a son born in 1974(Umar Salam) and a daughter born in 1982 (Syeda Hajira). Johnson’s husband died in 1996. She died on 25 September 2012 in Cambridge, England. Their whereabouts are unknown. Their religion is unknown. Iftikhar Ahmed, a physicist who worked very closely with Salam, recalled them as being “madly in love – it was always ‘my darling’ this, and ‘my darling’ that … I never saw him happier than when he was with Louise”. Umar has completed his Ph.D. in mathematics from Cambridge. I remember that it was during a summer of the mid 1980s, that Salam asked me to teach Urdu to Umar. I did so for a few days. When I asked Umar if he was really interested in learning Urdu, Umar said that he was doing it only because his father wanted him to learn Urdu. Interestingly, one day Salam checked the words I had taught him and their transliteration. (this was taken from here: http://www.mujahidkamran.com/articles.php?id=44, see footnote number 31). (Not sure who this person was who was teaching Dr. Salam’s son Urdu). _____________________________________________________________________________________________Umar Salam and Stephen Hawkings It seems that they both worked together at the University of Cambridge. See here: https://realnoevremya.com/articles/2287-stephen-hawking-from-newtons-department-to-einsteins-rostrum _____________________________________________________________________________________________Singh is wrong on Ahmadiyya persecution and the 1974 NA Singh writes that after legislation was passed, violence vs. Ahmadis broke out..that is an open lie. He was most likely lied to by Ahmadi-mullahs or other Ahmadis who are fond of lying about their cult-like non-profit business. In fact, after Oct-7th-1974, the data proves that violence vs. Ahmadis was dead for 4 years until late 1978, even then, these isolated cases are not honest, these people may have been killed in family disputes, not Ahmadiyya related issues. In fact, uptil Ord-XX and 1984 there was 10-years of relative peace for Ahmadi’s in Pakistan. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Salaam turns his back on Pakistan again in Sep-1974 Ahmadis were declared non-Muslim in Sep-1974, and Dr. Salaam resigned immediately. Salaam grew a beard and seems to have changed his lifestyle….or that was the outward behavior. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Oct–1974 to Oct 1979 This seems to be a dead era in the life of Dr. Salam. _____________________________________________________________________________________________When he won the Nobel Prize in roughly Oct 1979 Singh lies to us and claims that Abdus Salaam wasn’t fond of alcohol. He claims that he Salaam only drank grape juice while his colleagues drank wine. However, that is a lie…his colleagues tell us different. _____________________________________________________________________________________________The Ahmadi press mentions Salam “I am filled with praise and glory to that holy Being Who accepted regular and continuous prayers of my present Imam, my parents and my friends of the Jamaat, thereby gladdening the hearts in the Islamic world and Pakistan”. (Qadiani newspaper Al-Fazl, Rabwah, Dated December 31, 1979). Q: What do you have to say about the ‘Science Foundation’ established by Islamic Conference? A: “A step in the right direction, I am indeed happy. But my original proposal was better than the present decision. I had prevailed upon Mr. Bhutto in 1974 to establish a Foundation with a capital of one billion dollars and the Summit Conference had agreed upon it, but nothing happened after that. Then in 1981, General Zia-ul-Haq agreed to raise this issue in the Summit at Taif. The ‘Foundation’ was established but the proposed capital was reduced to only 50 million dollars. I have now learnt that the actual amount received so far by the ‘Foundation’ is only 6 million dollars. You would agree with me that Muslim governments can give more than that”. (Daily ‘Al-Fazl’, Rabwah, Oct. 8,1984). ______________________________________________________________________________________________Zia invites Dr. Salaam to Pakistan From December 15th–23rd of 1979, after he wins the Nobel After winning the nobel prize, with other scientists, Zia-ul-Haq wooed him to come back to Pakistan and possibly help Pakistan fight off the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and to . Dr. Salaam didn’t fly on commercial aircraft, instead, he flew on the Presidents aircraft (see pages 96-97, Singh). Salam arrived at the Karachi airport on 12-15-1979 (See Al-Nahl of 1997, page 112), only his Pakistani wife was with him, his British wife was not. On 12-16-79 he visited his sister in Multan. He then flew to Sargodha (in the afternoon)(which is barely 20 miles from Rabwah), he was received at the Pakistani Air Force base in Sarghoda, he was received by Mirza Tahir Ahmad and Mirza Khurshid Ahmad. They then drove to Rabwah under police escort. Dr. Salam attended the Ahmadiyya Jalsa in Rabwah in December of 1979 under govt. escort. On 12-18-1979, he flew from Rabwah to Islamabad via military helicopter. He was received by military and civilian government leaders and was allowed to spend the day and night at “Sindh house”. He met Zia ul Haq on that day also(See Al-Nahl of 1997, pages 112-113). Zia ul Haq then allowed Dr. Salam to read his prayers separately and called him a better Muslim than himself. On 12-19-1979, Sala visited PINSTECH, Major General Shafiq was also there. On 12-20-1979, Zia gave Salam the country’s highest civilian honour, Nishan-e-Imtiaz, some Ahmadi’s were also there and vouched for all of this info in the Al-Nahl. On 12-21-1979, Salam flew to Peshawar and was again met by all the top military and civilian leaders of that area. Lt. general Fazal Haq was also there. Again they traveled via Military aircraft. In the afternoon, they flew to Lahore. Lt.General Sawar Khan hosted Salam and gave an amazing dinner at the Governor’s house, many Ahmadi’s were there also. On 12-23-1979, Salam gave a speech at the Punjab University of Lahore. A private dinner was arranged wherein mostly Ahmadi’s ate with Dr. Salam. On 12-24-1979, Dr. Salam left via military helicopter for Jhang, many Ahmadi’s were with him. He slept in a government rest house. On 12-25-1979, Salam left Jhang for Sargodha, via military helicopter, he then drove to Rabwah to attend the Jalsa, which lasted until 12-27-1979. On 12-28-1979, Salam was driven by Ahmadi youth to Lahore. On 12-29-1979, Salam headed out for Karachi. On 12-30-1979, he visited Sindh University. Lt. General Abassi hosted dinner of Salam that night, he was the governor of Sindh at that time. On 1-2-1980, Salam returned to England. After that, he got a visa for India (which is really hard) and visited his old teacher in India. Then again in 1987, Zia invited Dr. Salam as an official guest of the Government of Pakistan. When Zia died in 1988, Dr. Salam rejoiced. Sharing this memorable picture from my father’s (Sultan Mahmood Anwar Sahib) collection. (Karachi 1980) pic.twitter.com/M2DQabkBda — Fauzia (@Rabwhian) August 8, 2022 Sharing this memorable picture from my father’s (Sultan Mahmood Anwar Sahib) collection. (Karachi 1980). Jalsa Salana 1980 in Qadian with Mohtaram Hadayatullah Hübsch Sb. Marhum Dr. Abdus Salam and Mian Waseem Sahib (Credits to Maryam Hübsch Sahiba, daughter of Hadayatullah Hübsch Sahib رحمه الله), https://twitter.com/khurramshah74/status/1561406309882220547?cxt=HHwWhsCqqYSxnasrAAAA Dr #AbdusSalam,Pakistani Nobel laureate in Physics visited #India after he won Nobel, reached his pre-partition Physics teacher #AnilendraGanguly‘s house in #Kolkata-who was bed ridden, placed his Nobel medal in Ganguly’s hands & said, ‘Sir, this is yours, not mine’ He got a visa for India and traveled there. He was interviewed by Illustrated Weekly of India. I would like to give here few questions he was asked. Q: Do you believe in Destiny? A: I don’t know what destiny is. Q: What is your concept of God? A: There are many concepts of God. For instance, there is the concept of God as the Law givers… say such as Einstein’s God. And there is God of moral order. If you do well, the outcome will be good. And if you do evil, you will reap evil. Most of us believe in such things without ascribing them to God of moral order. Some people believe in God of history, a God who controls history. Then there is the personal God, to whom we pray. Q: Could you describe your philosophy of prayer? A: It is very difficult for a physicist to discuss prayer. I don’t know what it does to you. _____________________________________________________________________________________________He turned his back on Pakistan 3 times It should be noted that Salaam had many beefs with his own people. Shortly after visiting Pakistan, he also visited India, with full governmental permission. In fact, 99% of Pakistani’s are never given access to India after 1947. But Ahmadi’s are given visit visa’s every single year for the Qadian Jalsa. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Norman Dombey on Dr. Salam’s Nobel Normal Dombey recently posted on the arXiv Abdus Salam: A Reappraisal. PART I. How to Win the Nobel Prize which more or less seems to argue that Salam didn’t deserve his 1979 Nobel. He describes a lot of history I didn’t know, but I’m not completely convinced. Part of the argument seems to be that he stole the idea from Weinberg, and didn’t even know the importance of what he had stolen, but my impression was that no one, not even Weinberg, thought very much of the unified electroweak theory at the time. A quick look at the paper in his collected papers that I take to be the 1968 one that justified the Nobel to him appears to discuss the crucial points: a gauge theory with Higgs mechanism. Unfortunately I don’t have more time now to look into this history carefully. If someone expert on this history has comments on the Dombey claims, that would be interesting. _____________________________________________________________________________________________April 26th, 1984-When Ord-XX passed in Pakistan He seems to have been living in the UK in this era and never commented on this law. The Khalifa had moved to London also. April 27th, 1984, Abdus Salam was in France giving a speech This speech was delivered by Professor Abdus Salam, Nobel Laureate in Physics (1979), in Paris at the UNESCO House on April 27, 1984 at the invitation of the Organization ‘Islam and the West’. The Secretary General of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, Dr. Habib Chatti, inaugurated the meeting. The format of the meeting was to invite two representatives of Islam and two Western representatives to speak comparatively. Thus, on the Muslim side were Professor Salam and Dr. Hussein AlJazaeri, former Minister of Health of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and presently regional director of the World Health Organization. From the Western side there were Professor Louis Leprince-Ringuet, Emeritus Professor of Physics at the Ecole Polytechnique and Professor Jean Bernard, President of the French Academy of Sciences and Director of the Leukemia Research Institute. This speech was reproduced in the ROR of 1995, just a year before Abdus Salam died. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Dr. Abdul Qadeer, our renowned nuclear scientist said about Salam Q: “What do you have to say for the Nobel Award which Dr. Abdus Salam Qadiani has received”? A: “That too has been awarded on the basis of motives. Dr. Abdus Salam had been trying to get a Nobel Prize since 1957. At last, on the hundredth birth anniversary of Einstein, the desired Prize was given to him. The fact is that Qadianis have a proper mission operating in Israel since long. Jews wanted to please some like-minded person on the occasion of Einstein�s anniversary and so Dr. Abdus Salam was favored”. (Weekly Chattan, Lahore, February 6,1986) His famous interview exists. This is the last time he spoke publicly. Per Ahmadiyya sources, Dr. Abdus Salam begins working with the Benin government to connect his International Center of Theoretical Physics with the Benin Institute for Mathematics and Physics, which opened in 1988. By 1989, Dr. Salam was permanently in a wheel chair. He had fell many times in Trieste, Italy, and now lived as a totally disabled human. (see Cosmic Anger, page 260). Salam carried on at Trieste, Italy, however, his speech became incomprehensible. In the last 3 years of his life, he was mute, he was unable to speak, he was bed-ridden and unable to communicate with anyone. He died of a rare brain disease. _____________________________________________________________________________________________Salam died in Oxford, Uk in 1996 and his body was transferred to Rabwah Nasir Iqbal tells us: “””Nasir told this author that one night Salam fell down in his Trieste residence where he resided all alone. He was hurt and bled and lay on the floor all night as he could not get up. He also was unable to call anyone or raise any kind of alarm. Pierre Agbedjro, who used to drive his official car, went inside his residence around 7.00 AM the next morning and saw him lying where he had fallen.”” (see http://www.mujahidkamran.com/articles.php?id=44). Apparently his Pakistani wife never wanted to live in Trieste as she felt lonely there. Salam suffered from PSP – para supranuclear palsy. Salam seems to have moved back to London while he was dying and eventually died in the house of Dr. Napier, and he lived his final days there. After Salam died, his body was transported to Rabwah for burial. Dr. Napier and her son were also in attendance. Their son was 22 years old. We are not sure where his daughter was. Aziza, the eldest daughter of Abdus Salam and probably all of her sisters and brothers were there. Umar Salam and his mother visited GCU on January 22, 2003 on an invitation from the university. He says a ceremony was held at the Salam Hall, also named after the Nobel Prize winner. He remembers different speakers appreciated the services of the scientist on the occasion. Links and Related essays #ahmadiyya #ahmadiyyatrueislam #ahmadiapartheid #Ahmadiyyat #rabwah #qadian #meetthekhalifa #ahmadiyyat #muslimsforpeace #ahmadiyyafactcheckblog #nolifewithoutkhalifa #drabdussalam #abdussalam #salamonnetflix #drsalam

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Arc 2: Murder Island Chapter 39: Invitation Su Min could faintly guess what the discs sent by the cinema would contain. He checked the time. Father Su was still on his way back from work and he guessed that there was still some time until dinner. It wouldn’t hurt checking the discs. Earlier, Su Min was reading through the movie reviews when Mother Su knocked on the door and he felt a little guilty. It was probably like a junior high school student who has been secretly dating being caught by his parents. So this time he ensured that he locked the door. There was only a notebook in the room and there wasn’t anything written on the discs. Su Min casually picked one up and put it in. After waiting a while, the video player started. Su Min’s eyes widened. The name of the movie was still “New Murder Island” but the length of it was five hours. He had seen the movie already and it was just a little more than two hours long. What’s with these extra three hours? Su Min’s eyelids twitched. He selected the fast-forward button and he soon understood why it was so much longer. Because it included scenes that were not included in the movie. Su Min subconsciously thought back to the posts he read earlier and quickly skipped over to the relevant scene. But because of the advancement in technology, the scene was either covered up or mosaiced, and it didn’t expose him. Su Min looked at himself covered in mosaic listening to the scream. It feels a little strange……… What made him feel even more complicated was that the scenes following that only revealed his upper half and wasn’t considered as exposing him, so the mosaic was also gone. It’s like he is watching himself showering. This was especially the case when the other ghost later appeared in the bathroom………. Although Su Min believed that Chen Su wouldn’t peek at him while he’s showering, the time was just too coincidental. So coincidental that he felt that he must have been completely exposed. Su Min breathed out and furrowed his brows. After falling in thought for a moment, he continued playing. Fortunately, there weren’t any more bathroom scenes after that. The five-hour long movie however included many scenes that weren’t included in the two-hour long movie. Because he is not the protagonist, some of his scenes were not broadcasted. And in this disc, it included the scene at the end when Su Min and Chen Su ran into the headless ghost. Even the scene where he was lying on top of Chen Su was shown. Although Su Min couldn’t make out Chen Su’s appearance and just thought that the scene in the movie was too ridiculous, he couldn’t help but feel goosebumps forming when he recalled what happened. He moved to pause the movie. The movie was stopped at the scene with Su Min’s surprised expression. He could clearly distinguish the emotions in his eyes. With Chen Su’s arrival, Su Min felt safe. Since young, Su Min had not been taught things like this and he had also not met anyone like that so the experience itself was very stimulating. It was like a stone being thrown into a calm pool of water. But this stone didn’t feel unfamiliar. Su Min didn’t feel any aversion towards him and even went along with him. He himself also didn’t know why. Su Min doesn’t remember anyone called Chen Su in his memories and there doesn’t seem to be a classmate called Chen Su, let alone a friend called Chen Su. As he was thinking about this, a knock suddenly came from his door. Su Min was startled. He then realised that he had locked the door himself and quickly closed the notebook. It was Mother Su: “Come have dinner.” Su Min answered: “Okay, coming.” He packed things up and then walked out the room. From outside, the pleasant aroma of food filled the air. He could instantly tell that they were all his favourite foods. Mother Su and Father Su were already sitting at the dining table. The dishes on the table were abundant and flavourful. Just looking at it stimulated Su Min’s appetite. In the movie all he ate was clear soup and murky water. There was even that case of an eyeball in the fish soup. Although it was something that wouldn’t happen in reality, it affected his ability to enjoy a meal properly for the last few days. Mother Su said: “There are some dishes that I haven’t made yet. It would be a waste if I cook too much so I’ll make it tomorrow. Will you be home tomorrow?” Su Min nodded: “Tomorrow I’ll have lunch and then I’ll need to go back to school in the afternoon. There are still two more classes.” This time it was chicken stew. Chopped green onion and mushrooms floated on the surface and there were bright yellow oil spots mixed with it. It appeared very appetising. As Su Min filled his bowl with soup, he asked hesitantly: “Mum, did I have a classmate called Chen Su?” The crisp sound of a spoon hitting the bottom of the bowl was heard. Mother Su stopped her movement of picking up vegetables and asked: “Why are you asking? Do you not remember your own classmates name?” This question was something Su Min couldn’t answer. He found an excuse: “I ran into a classmate called Chen recently and thought that it was a good surname.” Mother Su laughed and ask: “A girl?” Su Min casually answered: “Yeah.” His answer was nonchalant, so Mother Su guessed that there probably wasn’t anything going on and she didn’t probe any further. Father Su interjected: “When are you going to bring a girlfriend back?” Su Min said helplessly: “Dad, stop worrying about me and my relationships.” Father Su glared at him: “Look at you. Since you were young and until now, you haven’t been in a relationship. Why shouldn’t I be worried?” The words Su Min originally wanted to say was blocked. He ate a mouthful of vegetables and said: “Even if I’m dating, I might not necessarily bring a girlfriend back.” The movements at the dining table stopped. Su Min looked up at his parents and could sense that he had spoke too soon: “I was just saying it casually. Don’t worry about it.” Mother Su spoke hesitantly: “Did something happen?” Sun Min shook his head in denial: “No, don’t worry about it. I don’t have a boyfriend or a girlfriend.” The atmosphere at the dinner table was quiet. Hearing him say something like that, Father Su’s smiling expression turned solemn, but he didn’t ask any further questions. After a while, Su Min finally felt the atmosphere returning to normal. After eating for half an hour, he helped clean up the dishes and coaxed Mother Su to rest while he washed the dishes. The water that fell onto his hand brought along a slight cool sensation. After washing up, Su Min returned to his room. He once again took out the things in the gift box and placed the second disc into the notebook. Just as he thought, this one was a copy of “New University Thriller”. This movie was still rather normal. Su Min watched the entire movie and felt that although the movie itself wasn’t that great, the experience was pretty good. After watching it, he became a lot calmer. After this movie was released, it was also uploaded online and only members could watch it. The money obtained from this would be divided and a part of it is given to him. Although the funds that he received from this cannot be compared to his share that he received from the ticket sales, it could be considered a steady stream of income and a stable investment. Although Su Min didn’t know how the movie side of things worked, the share the actors receive is rather low and usually it’s just a payment for their work. The viewership for “New Murder Island” is more than “New University Thriller” so he naturally would also receive more from that. Su Min logged into the movie website, purchased a membership and then selected the movie. Because it was already almost a month since then, the number of view that it had gathered was plenty. Naturally, it couldn’t compare with those popular TV dramas. “I heard through word of mouth so I have to see how good it is.” “Watching it the second time. Please note that this movie is very compacted and will immediately reach high tension!” “Good quality, good actors. Although I don’t recognise them, they are very good looking. Anyone know their Weibo?” “Oh ho. Today I have also become a member of the alliance. I announce you two to be together! Get married today!” “Congrats, congrats, congrats.” Su Min continued to fast-forward through it and saw that every time he appeared in the movie, the entire screen would be covered in comments. Even his face couldn’t be seen. Although some were complaints, most were fine. After watching it for a while, he closed the video and once again placed it back into the gift box. At this moment, Su Min noticed that there was another movie ticket under it. It was from New Century Cinema. The movie name was “Love Examination”. Just by looking at the name Su Min could tell that it is set in a hospital and is probably a fluffy film. He guessed that it probably had nothing to do with horror movies. After all, there are no horror movies that is about to be released and the closest one will be at the end of October. The time written on the ticket was five o’clock tomorrow evening. Su Min has had experience with holographic viewing so he could tell in one glance that it was a ticket to a holographic movie. He had never experienced a romance movie like this before. He looked back inside the gift box and found a piece of paper. A script was written on it. The character was a doctor. It was a similar cannon-fodder role like his last ones. The script mentioned that the doctor was very popular and is treating several patients who were recently hospitalised. Their hospital stay was long term and they would only be discharged when they get better. There won’t be any deaths in a romance movie. Li Wenxin and the others have talked about their romance movie viewing experience to him before. In fact, most people don’t even end up sharing the same screen as the male and female protagonist, let alone a small cannon-fodder. The script in Su Min’s hand didn’t even mention the male and female protagonists. There’s a movie ticket and a script…….Was the cinema thinking that he’s having it too hard and wanting him to relax? Since he has it, he might as well give it a try. The next day, when class ended it was already almost 4 o’clock. The cinema isn’t too far from school, so Su Min went straight over. On the way he even ran into Li Wenxin and his junior sister. “Love Examination” is acted out by good-looking casts. Adding to that the theme, the audience that the movie caters for is rather widespread and, not only fans, even passers-by will come and watch. Su Min had previously seen the movie introduction online. It was a story about two rival families. He didn’t even pay too much attention to the specific plot. There wasn’t a need to sign an agreement this time. Although it is a holographic movie, unlike a horror movie, the theatre was almost full. Su Min’s seat was the best one. Everything was the same as before. There was a couple next to Su Min watching the movie through the couple viewing experience. They were even discussing how they need to meet each other as soon as possible and try to counterattack the main couple. He silently put on his helmet and decided to experience it himself. The introduction for “Love Examination” began to play. Unlike those of a horror movie, the music and scenes were bright and cheery. The staff checked to ensure that everyone was wearing their helmet before darkening the room and leaving the theatre. After a moment of silence, all the audience entered the movie. After a long 100 minutes, the movie ended. Su Min took off his helmet revealing an angry red face. It even raised concern from the other viewers. A viewer asked: “Are you okay? Do you want me to call for the staff? Most viewers would be able to experience a romance movie until the very end. Apart from those who left earlier, there were still about 80% of the original viewers in the theatre. The viewer wondered if he was too excited dating a big star. Su Min quickly waved his hand: “I’m fine, thanks.” Seeing that he had recovered, the viewer felt relieved and turned to leave with the others. Su Min stood in place and turned to look at the big screen that was still playing the ending credits. Inside, he was a little angry. He had originally come to experience a romance movie and had even thought about how he would just watch from the sidelines. But in the end, while others where flirting around and enjoying the movie, he was in the hospital and the romance movie had turned into a horror movie instead? Please support the translator and read this from If possible, please support the author and purchase the original chapters! Each chapter only costs a few cents! The links to the raws are on the main novel page (You can go there via ‘Table of Contents’) and here are some handy guides: Link 1 and Link 2. KK has something to say: And that’s the end of this arc! To be perfectly honest, I didn’t like this arc very much (too many plotholes, too confusing) and I was even a liiittle tempted to drop this novel because I didn’t find myself enjoying the translation process much. But I saw the reviews and I figured that the novel will probably get better later (I hope? I’m reading as I’m translating so I don’t know and please no spoilers!). Anyway, I have translated worse novels coughmyfirstnovelcough so I PROMISE I will translate this until the very end no matter what!!! 💪💪 Or maybe it’s just because I’m still recovering from KTCSG withdrawal…..It was really fun translating it so….

Pioneer DCS-232 home cinema system All-in-one systems should be easy to set up and easy to live with. Pioneer’s new entry-level system certainly fits the bill on both counts. With colour-coded speaker sockets and small, attractively designed satellite speakers, this system will be up and running in no time - and you’ll hardly notice it’s there. Budget systems tend to scrimp on the speakers though, and those supplied with the DCS-232 are certainly on the lightweight side. They carry 77mm drivers and have quoted frequency responses as low as 90Hz (front and centre) and 100Hz (rear). These figures seem realistic and will mean that a lot will depend on how well the subwoofer fills the bottom end of the soundstage. The sub in question is rather small, but carries a 160mm drive unit capable of reaching down to 30Hz - so this sub isn’t getting as down and dirty as some, but it should still be enough to add the muscle to a home cinema performance. For those who don’t like the idea of speaker cables snaking all over their living room, Pioneer offers an intriguing option. The ‘3-Spot’ configuration sees the rear speakers mounted on top of the front stereo pair. You need to engage the Front Surround mode on the receiver and then you will get a pseudo-surround sound experience. In action the Pioneer DVD player included in the system wins laurels for its excellent picture. The lack of progressive scan output is a shame, but the RGB Scart signal is obviously coming through loud and clear. Images are very detailed and colours are beautiful. The sound system however, doesn’t do this picture justice, struggling to remain coherent at anything other than modest volume levels. The subwoofer needs to be seriously reined in (why are subs always set their highest levels out of the box?) or it runs riot over the weaker satellites. At lower volumes things hang together fairly well but there remains an issue with indistinct dialogue. And what of the 3-Spot surround feature? It does add extra width to the soundstage, but does not come close to matching a conventional setup. VerdictIf you have a small room and only need modest sound levels this system could still do the job, and the picture should be good enough for anyone not set on progressive scan. Anyone looking for a really powerful sound system, however, should look elsewhere, although it's hard to be too critical given the competitive price.

For my performance and installation at Stereolux in Nantes I answered a few questions about my work from Laurent Diouf, chief editor of MCD. The short version will be at stereolux website, but here is the long version: 01_ First, a few sentences about Radiant… about the meaning of this installation… and also about the use of laser and phosphorescent paint… My work with Radiant started out with some thoughts on extinction, growth and decay, the fascination with how plants create food from light and the material qualities of laser and the phosphorescent pigment. Laser light is more intense than sunlight, and phosporecent pigment are actual natural minerals that are able to capture light and slowly release it as a green glow (In the times of Galileo they were called solar sponges). Radiant is also much about time and speed: The intense quick drawings of the laser point versus the slowly fading out when the light is released. The interesting things happen in the layering of these drawings, where you can see traces of multiple pasts mixed with fresh drawings: different time scales (or Bergson´s duration) coexist on the surface of the screen. For the audience I think it works also in a different sense when thinking about scale. It contains both a macro and a micro scale: You could be staring into the universe or be looking at a cell or subatomic processes. 02_ Your works / installations are “conversations with spaces” (with light, projection, sound and motion)… is it the same way for/with Radiant ? Normally my process is to start with the space where I will make a work, spend time exploring it, using improvisation as a method: I bring my set of tools and start experimenting my way towards a path that creates an interesting amplification or transformation of the space. With Radiant it is a bit different since I started it out as making a big flat quadratic light painting (the one at Stereolux will be 3.6×3.6m), and not particularly thinking about the space it would be presented in. However the installation is transformed by the spaces it is presented in, and it also has the power to transform and intensify the spaces it is presented in. It is a quite different setting from a rough concrete environment at Kraftwerk during Berlin Atonal to a circular floor projection with a custom made arced wall in at Kunsthall Grenland in Norway. Also the light of the white laser beam is quite intense so the resulting shadows in the space is quite similar to my other light installations. 03_ Following the opening of the exhibition, you’ll do a performance. What about this live a/v ? Will you use some elements from the installation in/for your set ? Radiant started out as an installation, and I always thought of it as a loop piece because of the constant layering of time creating new images, where the installation becomes a place or a state you walk into. As a live performance time is not circular, it has a direction so this changes quite a lot the experience of the piece I think. Also a live set is more of a communal experience while the installation is maybe better experienced alone or with a few people. The raw material of the installation and the live set is more or less the same, it is the structuring that is the main difference. Also, the live set introduced the soundtrack, which is created in real time using the amplified mechanical sounds produced by the laser mirrors. The sound from the laser is amplified and played through the speakers, but also recorded and reappearing as new sound layers (similar to the visual material) during the performance. My exhibition at Stereolux will actually be the first time I will try use this sound setup for the installation as well. 04_ Generally speaking, how do you manage your live’ set ? What do you want to show, to give to the audience through a live A/V. ? Is it also a “space for co-working” with other artists ? I guess I partly answered that in the previous question, but for me this performance is about creating a focused intensified experience for the audience, in contrast to the installation which is more of a meditative piece. Almost all of my other live A/V performances are quite different from this one, as they are real time free improvisations with musicians or other visual artists, where the process unfolding through the collaboration is the interesting part. So Radiant Live is a very controlled piece in that sense, with a quite fixed structure but with room for variations. 05_ If you have some others projects… I recently created a site specific light installation for four interconnected rooms in a gallery space. The piece was called Red White Black and consisted of two rails of LED strip that followed the contours of the rooms and doorways. One pulse of white light moved in one direction, one pulse of red light moved in the other. Super simple in one way, but it created a very dynamic space of opening and closing, revealing and hiding, a space that expands, collapses, twists and turns in the light from the red and the white pulse of light that chases along the walls, corners and door openings of the space. Probably one of my favourite pieces 🙂 A very different work but which has been my most shown work the last years is Barents (mare incognitum). It is a single channel video installation of the Barents Sea slowly turning around. It was filmed at the border of Norway and Russia with my custom built camera pointing towards the North Pole. It is one of many works that came out of my involvement with the Dark Ecology project; a series of journeys and projects initiated by Sonic Acts and Hilde Mehti in the Norwegian-Russian border area. Another work that came out the Dark Ecology project was my film rift, combining my love for the experimental film maker Len Lye and an interest in the deep time of plastic. It was part of the Vertical Cinema program: experimental 35 mm cinemascope films in the vertical format. Finally I would like to mention speiling, which is the latest in a long series of projection spaces: solid coloured organic forms projected onto a highly reflective floor, creating a dynamic light space. Right now I am working on two quite different projects: an installation for a stalactite cave in an old fortress to be presented in August, and a series of installations for next year where I give myself the challenge to work with light, sound and motion but in a normally lit space. 06_ Feel free to add or highlight anything you might think relevant. This is my first solo show in France, although I showed my installation in transit X in Marseille as part of Chroniques Festival in 2017. I have also had a few screenings in various locations in France, including Cinemateque Francaise and Centre Pompidou, due to my involvement with the video art publisher lowave, which released my DVD Cityscapes back in 2005.

Harry Potter, Danny Boyle's slumdogs and James Cameron's futuristic blue aliens helped make 2009 the best year for cinemas since 2002, a raft of figures from the UK Film Council (UKFC) showed today. Doom-mongers who predicted the slow death of cinema, as viewers sat at home watching box sets and downloaded movies would appear to be off the mark. In the UK last year, cinema admissions hit 173.5m and the combined box office takings in the UK and Ireland exceeded £1bn for the first time. The messages were more mixed for film production. While there was the highest ever level of inward investment – that is, largely Hollywood films made in the UK – the amount spent on co-productions fell to a low of £35m, compared to £169m in 2003. In terms of film numbers, there were 22 co-productions in the UK in 2009 compared to 106 in 2003. The UKFC says that is a result of "the one flaw" in the film tax credit scheme introduced by Labour: that films have to be made in the UK, and that a co-production filmed in another country does not get tax relief. The figures also show a drop in market share for British films, down to 16.5% from 31% in 2008 – although that was a particularly strong year because of films including Mamma Mia! and Quantum of Solace. British independent films, however, took their biggest market share of the decade – 8.5% – helped by Slumdog Millionaire, St Trinian's 2 and In the Loop. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, the sixth film in the franchise (there are only two left to go), was the top grossing film at UK cinemas in 2009, taking £50.7m, closely followed by Avatar, a film that will soon overtake the wizard altogether. The biggest surprise in the top 10 is arguably the Todd Phillips comedy The Hangover, at number seven, which also did extremely good DVD business at Christmas. The ebbs and flows of moviegoing in 2009 also make interesting reading and will be pored over by studio bosses attempting to understand audiences. January was a strong month, up 8% on 2008, mainly thanks to Slumdog Millionaire and animated 3D film Bolt. The real standout month was April, with 13.8m cinema admissions representing a rise of 40.8% from 9.8m. That was the biggest increase all year although the films fuelling it may surprise some: Monsters vs Aliens and Fast & Furious, with Vin Diesel and endless fast cars. The good figures carried on in May – a 24% year-on-year rise – with big Hollywood releases including Wolverine, Star Trek, Angels and Demons, and Night at the Museum 2. Things went downhill in the summer with releases such as GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra. There was a 6% fall in July, a 24% fall in August and a 9% fall in September. But the arrival of Avatar in December saw a 32% increase in admissions. Creative industries minister Siôn Simon paid tribute to the "superb production statistics and incredibly buoyant box office receipts". He said: "It's hard to imagine that there was a time not so long ago that UK production was in the doldrums and cinema was under threat from new forms of home entertainment." In a statement released by the film council, chief executive John Woodward said the figures showed "the UK film industry is weathering the recession well". He said: "British cinema-goers are voting with their feet – they want to see big event movies, many of which depend on outstanding British talent and are made in the UK." He added that what is "particularly encouraging is that the public appetite for low-budget, independently produced British films is rising once again despite the blockbuster phenomenon". UK/Ireland box office 1 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince £50.7m They're all at it, hormones and stuff. Don't worry - only two more left 2 Avatar £41m Saying it's rubbish hasn't stopped everyone going to see it 3 Ice Age III £35m 4 Up £34.2m 5 Slumdog Millionaire £31.6m Eight Oscars, seven Baftas says it all

Zermatt: skiing on top of the world - Recommended for: - Winter Sports, Expensive Have you always wanted to go to Zermatt but just weren't sure? Well it really is as good as everyone says. Read on to find out more Some ski resorts boast of the world’s longest runs or steepest couloirs; others talk of unrivalled lift systems and locations beyond compare. And then there’s Zermatt, in the German-speaking Valais canton of Switzerland. Once a farming village with simple aspirations it welcomed its first visitors in 1838 when an inn with three beds opened. Today a place of international renown it is, undeniably, one of the most beautiful, dramatic and majestic resorts in the world. And that’s with or without the skiers. Zermatt is a year-round destination; summer walkers are as keen to see and enjoy the most naturally shaped and instantly recognisable Matterhorn, as much as winter skiers are. Add to this mix extensive skiing, the best mountain restaurants in the world and a dizzying high point of 3,820 metres, which ensures snow reliability at altitude, and it’s easy to see why Zermatt is a resort without easy equal. Of course there are drawbacks. It’s not great for beginners despite recent progress in this area and any holiday here usually involves plenty of walking to and from the lift departure points. But, in an impatient world of instant satisfaction, a little walking in fresh mountain air surrounded by stunning mountain peaks really isn’t such a hardship. Part of the Matterhorn’s uniqueness is that it stands, in all its glory, completely alone. Rather like the resort. One thing Zermatt isn’t is a ski-in, ski-out resort. Ease of access to the resort’s main ski areas – Rothorn, Gornergrat and the Klein Matterhorn – depends largely on where you stay but expect to start and end each day with a walk. The Sunnegga/Blauherd/Rothorn sector is reached by the fast underground funicular, the Sunnegga Express, and then two over-ground lifts to the top. For beginners there’s now a good, relatively new beginner area just below the Sunnegga lift station. For skiers who go on up to Rothorn there’s a good selection of red runs once you get to the top while from Blauherd it’s easily possible to connect to the neighbouring Gornergrat/Stockholm ski area via the Gant to Hohtalli cable car. Gornergrat, the second ski area, is as memorable for the way you get to it as it is for the skiing itself. The old cog railway, which marked its 100-year anniversary in 1998, still winds its way to the top. Get there early, get a seat and enjoy the view. It’s a long way if you have to stand. Below Gornergrat the slopes are mainly blues with some reds. Skiers in search of more challenging runs, like the impressive bump runs at Triftji, need to go head up rather than down the mountain. Klein, means ‘small’ in German but there’s nothing small about the Zermatt’s third sector, the Klein Matterhorn ski area. For a start these are the highest runs in Europe and this wide, open glacier will flatter, and entertain, the most nervous skier. It’s also the access point to nearby Cervinia in Italy if any more skiing, or indeed culinary, options were needed. Talking of which there aren’t many resorts where the restaurants are as famous as the ski runs, but in Zermatt they are. Particular favourites include Zum See (www.zumsee.ch) below Furi, which has fabulous Matterhorn views and a menu to match including delicious home-made pasta and fresh calf’s liver. At Findeln, the Julen family has run Chez Vrony (www.chezvrony.ch) for generations. Ingredients are both organic and local. If this is full try the excellent food and views at nearby Adler (www.adler-hitta.ch). On that note, as with all Zermatt’s distinguished eateries, booking is essential. No matter how much you want to make the most of Zermatt’s skiing area and ensure value from the lift pass it is worth taking time to have a wander around. Away from the bustle and glamour of the main Bahnhofstrasse with its shops, cafés and international clientele you don’t have to go far to find quieter, narrow streets offering a glimpse of time gone by. It’s also car free, if not traffic free, which makes it easier to get around. With so many great shops, cafés, restaurants, a cinema, museum and spas, this really is a resort where non-skiers won’t feel out on a limb. There are also winter hiking paths allowing non-skiers the freedom to access the mountains without skis. Where to stay If budget is not an issue then stay in five-star style at the Grand Hotel Zermatterhof which, as the name suggests, sits in a grand, imposing manner on the main street. Two-thirds of all rooms have Matterhorn views. Close to the train station the Hotel Alex is a friendly, welcoming hotel with good rooms and food. There’s a pool and men’s and women’s saunas to relax in after a day on the slopes. The three-star Hotel Derby, in the main street just up from the train station, is small, understated and accordingly priced. Where to eat For serious gourmet try Le Corbeau d’Or in the Hotel Mirabeau (www.hotel-mirabeau.ch). Le Mazot does excellent meat dishes (www.lemazotzermatt.ch) while the Whymperstube, named after British climber, Edward Whymper, the first man to successfully ascend the Matterhorn in 1865, keeps the spirit of adventure alive with great food, friendly service and reasonable prices (www.whymper-stube.ch). More information on Zermatt: skiing on top of the world: - Cathy Wood - Traveller type: - Travel Professional - Guide rating: - 5(2 votes) - Total views: - First uploaded: - 25 November 2009 - Last updated: - 5 years 6 days 18 hours 26 min 19 sec ago - Destinations featured: - Trip types: - Winter Sports - Budget level: - Free tags / Keywords: - skiing, mountain restaurants, matterhorn, non-skiers

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Wellcome Trust and BFI launch screenwriting prize to inspire science in films 18 June 2012 Judges of the prize will include representatives from the BFI and Film4. As well as receiving a £20 000 cash prize to develop their idea to first draft, the winning screenwriter will receive support from the Wellcome Trust to connect them with world-leading scientists and to help identify commercial partners and producers. The BFI will provide the writer with access to professional development executives to help them develop their screenplay. Clare Matterson, Director of Medical Humanities and Engagement at the Wellcome Trust, says: "Science and medicine have inspired some of the most memorable, and often challenging, films in the history of cinema, from 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' and 'Inception' to 'Blade Runner' and 'Memento'. These are films that question what it is to be human or even just to be 'normal', that express the hopes and fears of society towards scientific progress. "At the Wellcome Trust, we work with the brightest minds with the best ideas in medicine. The Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize is aimed at identifying and supporting their counterparts in the film world and creating some truly original British films." Lizzie Francke, Senior Development and Production Executive, BFI Film Fund, says: "Science in film is by no means restricted to science fiction or science-inspired biopics. We want to hear from screenwriters with bold, innovative projects that draw inspiration from science and medicine to tell stories that challenge and entertain audiences." The Wellcome Trust Screenwriting Prize aims to develop feature-length dramatic films, with both live action and animation projects eligible to apply. First and foremost, the judges will look for great stories with interesting characters and compelling screenplay ideas, which are creative in the way they incorporate biomedicine into the story. Judges - including experts from the Wellcome Trust, the BFI and Film4 - will shortlist 5-10 entrants. Shortlisted writers will meet the judges and discuss their ideas. They will be invited to an event at the Wellcome Trust in London in the autumn, where they will be introduced to a range of high-profile scientists and given a 'behind the scenes' tour of the Wellcome Trust and Wellcome Collection. The winner will be announced at an awards ceremony at Wellcome Collection. Eva Yates, Development Editor at Film4, says: "Film4 is delighted to be working with the Wellcome Trust on this significant new opportunity for screenwriters. We'll be looking for ambitious cinematic ideas that explore the realms of science and medicine in original and exciting ways, and wish the best of luck to all the entrants." Media Relations Manager T +44 (0)20 7611 7329 Notes for editors About the Wellcome Trust The Wellcome Trust is a global charitable foundation dedicated to achieving extraordinary improvements in human and animal health. It supports the brightest minds in biomedical research and the medical humanities. The Trust’s breadth of support includes public engagement, education and the application of research to improve health. It is independent of both political and commercial interests. About BFI Film Fund The BFI Film Fund champions creative excellence and boldness of vision, supporting filmmakers at every step of their journey to create distinctive and entertaining films. Working with writers, directors and producers, from first time filmmakers to established, world class talent, BFI Film Fund invests Lottery funding in the development, production and completion of short and long form projects. Four films backed through the BFI Film Fund premiered In Selection at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival, with two picking up prestigious awards: - Ken Loach's 'The Angels' Share', screened In Competition and won the 2012 Jury Prize - Rufus Norris' 'Broken', opened the Critics' Week - Ben Wheatley's 'Sightseers', screened in the Directors' Fortnight - Fyzal Boulifa's short 'The Curse', screened in the Directors' Fortnight and won the Illy Prize for Best Short Film Films supported by the BFI Film Fund and currently in production include: Steve Dwoskin's 'Age Is...', Nick Murphy's 'Blood', Neil Jordan's 'Byzantium', Richard Ayoade's 'The Double', Mike Newell's 'Great Expectations', Ralph Fiennes' 'The Invisible Woman', Omid Nooshin's 'Last Passenger', Julien Temple's 'LONDON - The Modern Babylon', Sophie Fiennes' 'The Pervert's Guide to Ideology', Martin McDonagh's 'Seven Psychopaths', Scott Graham's 'Shell', Mat Whitecross' 'Spike Island', Ken Loach's 'Spirit of '45', Andrew Kötting's 'Swandown', Jonathan Glazer's 'Under the Skin' and Eran Creevy's 'Welcome To The Punch'. By working with a range of ambitious and innovative filmmakers, the BFI Film Fund has built an impressive and diverse portfolio of projects, including Tom Hooper's Academy Award®-winning 'The King's Speech'; Phyllida Lloyd's Academy Award®-winning 'The Iron Lady'; James Watkins' box office hit 'The Woman in Black'; Steve McQueen's BAFTA-nominated 'Shame'; Lynne Ramsay's 'We Need To Talk About Kevin'; Carol Morley's 'Dreams of a Life'; Andrea Arnold's 'Wuthering Heights'; and Paddy Considine's BAFTA award-winning 'Tyrannosaur'. The BFI is the lead body for film in the UK with the ambition to create a flourishing film environment in which innovation, opportunity and creativity can thrive by: - connecting audiences to the widest choice of British and World cinema - preserving and restoring the most significant film collection in the world for today and future generations - investing in creative, distinctive and entertaining work - promoting British film and talent to the world - growing the next generation of film makers and audiences. Film4, headed by Tessa Ross, is Channel 4 Television's feature film division. Film4 develops and co-finances films and is known for working with the most innovative talent in the UK, whether new or established. Film4 has developed and co-financed many of the most successful UK films of recent years, films like Danny Boyle's 'Slumdog Millionaire' and '127 Hours', Martin McDonagh's 'In Bruges', Steve McQueen's 'Hunger' and 'Shame', Mike Leigh's 'Another Year', Chris Morris' 'Four Lions', Richard Ayoade's 'Submarine', Joe Cornish's directorial debut 'Attack The Block', Lone Scherfig's 'One Day', Ben Wheatley's 'Kill List', and Paddy Considine's debut feature 'Tyrannosaur'. Recent releases include, Ben Palmer's 'The Inbetweeners Movie',Andrea Arnold's 'Wuthering Heights', Terence Davies' 'The Deep Blue Sea', Carol Morley's 'Dreams of a Life', Phyllida Lloyd's 'The Iron Lady', Steve McQueen's 'Shame' and Pawel Pawlikowski's 'The Woman in the Fifth'. Forthcoming releases include Bart Layton's 'The Imposter', Sophie Fiennes' 'The Pervert's Guide to Ideology', Walter Salles' 'On The Road', Peter Strickland's 'Berberian Sound Studio', Roger Michell's 'Hyde Park on Hudson', Jonathan Glazer's 'Under the Skin', Ben Wheatley's 'Sightseers', Martin McDonagh's 'Seven Psychopaths', Danny Boyle's 'Trance' and Michael Winterbottom's 'King of Soho'. In 2011 Film4 launched its pioneering role in exploring innovation in filmmaking with the appointment of Anna Higgs as Head of Film4.0. Film4.0 is a talent- and idea-driven hub within Film4 that will work with emerging and established talent, supporting them to tell unique stories and connect with audiences in new ways.

The running time of his new picture Winter Sleep, three hours and change, suggests weight, but at it happens, this movie struck me as both… * This filmography is not intended to be a comprehensive list of this artist’s work. Instead it reflects the films this person has been involved with that have been reviewed on this site. An interview with film critic Leonard Maltin. The director and subject of "Barbaric Genius," now available on iTunes. Matt Fagerholm interviews the stars of "The Retrieval," Tishuan Scott & Ashton Sanders. Writer Brian Tallerico responds to our Movie Love Questionnaire. Scott Jordan Harris argues that disabled characters should not be played by able-bodied actors. Generation X has midlife crisis; Oscar predicability; Popular Twitter accounts making money; Casting directors getting praised for their work; Charlie Chaplin's monologue. The calculation of odds is finished. The campaigning is done. Erik Childress predicts the winners of the Oscars. Erik Childress analyzes the impact of the recently-awarded BAFTAs on the Oscar race. Seasonal anticipation: as 2013 debuted, many were feeling it. The 28th iteration of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, aka "SBIFF," was on the wind, with jazzed moviegoers soon to converge elbow-to-elbow in a familiar, even familial, and happy bustle on downtown's State Street. I was among the excited, as this would be my third year covering the festival. And for me, extra sweetening would be provided by the tribute to Daniel Day-Lewis, the oft-reticent acting genius whose reanimation of Abraham Lincoln seemed certain to bring another Best Actor Academy Award -- his 3rd, making him the only actor to surpass Marlon Brando, who received 2. This year's Outguess Ebert contest seems a little like shooting fish in a barrel. For the first time in many a year, maybe ever, I think I've guessed every one correctly.A few years ago, I came across an article about the newly identified psychological concept of Elevation. Scientists claim it is as real as love or fear. It describes a state in which we feel unreasonable joy; you know, like when you sit quiet and still and tingles run up and down your back, and you think things can never get any better. I tried applying it to that year's Oscar nominees. Did it work any better than any other approach? You need Elevating nominees. An example of Elevation would be when the bone morphs into a space station in "2001." Did I feel Elevation in making any of my Guesses this year. That doesn't mean it was a bad year at the movies. Harvey Weinstein, accepting his achievement award from the Producers' Guild, said he thought 2012 was the best in 90 years. Maybe he felt Elevation when he gazed upon the Weinstein Company's box office figures. Michael Haneke's "Amour," which won the Palme d'Or last May at Cannes, was voted Saturday the best film of 2012 by the prestigious National Society of Film Critics. The award, coming on the eve of voting for the 2013 Academy Awards, confirms "Amour" as a Best Foreign Film frontrunner. Other NSFC winners will also draw welcome attention. "Lincoln," a new movie directed by Steven Spielberg, overflows with talk, large chunks of which are delivered by the titular character. It opens, however, with an instance of Lincoln listening. After a brief outburst of violence, which allows us to witness the Civil War strife in all its mud-drenched brutality, four soldiers of various ranks and differing races casually approach the sixteenth President and talk to him. Their demeanor varies, running the gamut from celebrity-struck goofiness ("Hey, how tall are you?") to brave political confrontation by a Black corporal, demanding equal opportunities for a military career. And yet, as the scene closes, the soldiers end up literally speaking in Lincoln's words. By showing they have memorized the "Gettysburg Address," they give the ultimate proof of political trust in one's leader: they allow Lincoln's mind to merge with their own. A funny thing happened on the way to the Oscars. Not to the Oscars. To me. I sustained a hairline fracture of my left hip. I didn't fall. I didn't break it. It just sort of... happened to itself. Most of the time, it causes me no pain at all. But my left leg won't bear any weight, nor can I walk on it. This pain is off the charts. It has nothing to do with cancer. It's plain bad luck. The good news is that I've seen the films of one of the best recent years in cinema. I wrote more than 300 reviews in 2012 -- a record -- and it was unusually difficult to leave out many of the quote-unquote "best" films in 11th place. At the heart of Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" is a quiet scene between President Abraham Lincoln (Daniel Day-Lewis) and two young men, Samuel Beckwith (Adam Driver) and David Homer Bates (Drew Sease), in an otherwise empty telegraph cipher office. Lincoln has to make a crucial decision: Does he consider a peace proposal from a Confederate delegation on its way to Washington, and thus perhaps immediately end the bloody Civil War that has claimed the lives of more than half a million Americans, knowing that it would doom his attempt to pass the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution, officially banning slavery in the United States? Or does he try to legally solidify and extend his Emancipation Proclamation by getting the Thirteenth Amendment passed during a narrow window of opportunity (during the lame duck session of Congress between his re-election and second inauguration) at the cost of extending the war? Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (2102) is exactly what we would expect it to be. It is reverent. It is of such epic scope, with such microscopic attention to detail, that it competes with any period piece in the history of cinema. Daniel Day-Lewis disappears into Abraham Lincoln. So many supporting players ornament this film that a familiar face appears on screen every few minutes, adding depth, personality, and charm. Tony Kushner's script is complex, pious, and at times mesmerizing. Janusz Kaminski's cinematography, mixed with Rick Carter's production design, provides a portrait in every frame. With the 2013 Oscarcast moved up to Feb. 24, movie fans are already in a lather over the possible nominees, especially since again this year there can be "up to" ten finalists in the Best Picture category. I claim no inside knowledge (I'm still waiting to hear from my friend Deep Oscar), but it's never too early to speculate. Marie writes: I may have been born in Canada, but I grew-up watching Sesame Street and Big Bird, too. Together, they encouraged me to learn new things; and why now I can partly explain string theory.That being the case, I was extremely displeased to hear that were it up Romney, as President he wouldn't continue to support PBS. And because I'm not American and can't vote in their elections, I did the only thing I could: I immediately reached for Photoshop.... (Click image to enlarge.) I apologize for the lack of postings the last few weeks. A recent flare-up of heart problems left me with little energy to write. But as the emaciated old man in "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" says: "I'm feeling much better!" At one point well into Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" I thought that the movie was going to reveal itself as a story about the meaninglessness of human existence. But that notion was based on a single piece of aphoristic, potential-thesis-statement dialog that, like much else, wasn't developed in the rest of the movie. Which is not to say that "The Master" isn't about the meaninglessness of human life. The line, spoken by Lancaster Dodd (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the cult guru known to his acolytes as Master, is addressed to the younger man he considers his "protégé," a dissolute mentally ill drifter named Freddie Quell (Joaquin Phoenix), and the gist of it is that the itinerant Freddie has as much to show for his life as somebody who has worked a regular 9-to-5 job for many years. The point being, I suppose, that for all Freddie's adventures, peculiarities and failures, he isn't all that much different from anybody else. Except, maybe, he's more effed-up. Marie writes: Intrepid club member Sandy Kahn came upon the following recipe and wisely showed it to me, so that I might share it in turn with all of you. Behold the morning chocolate cookie - a healthy breakfast treat loaded with good stuff; like fiber and imported French chocolate. The Academy Award winners for the past thirty years have followed consistent molds, primarily in the categories of Best Actress, Best Actor, and Best Picture. It is a very simple set of templates that I will explain with excessive evidence. This is not to say that the Academy Awards are a conspiracy run by some secret society, although that idea would be quite fun. Rather, at the very least, there is a subtext to American culture that plays out in the ideas and ideals in American cinema, and it plays out consistently. At the very least, I'm illustrating some unwritten ideals in American culture. Whether or not they are healthy or corrupt, they are there in us. So, "Best Picture" is not a great movie; rather, it is a great movie that fulfills the mold. Awards season again. Last year, as you may recall, a many months pregnant Natalie Portman received the Oscar for Best Actress for "Black Swan." Her lithesome acceptance speech, without notes, thanked many colleagues she knew had helped her stand there. As both a lifelong moviegoer and a worker on films, my spirit lifted at these words: "There are people on films that no one ever talks about, that are your heart and soul every day, including Joe Reidy, our incredible A.D..." Along with so many others, I was thrilled by her sentiment -- and especially pleased for Joe Reidy. What's the last great love story you've seen on film? I don't mean your typical "rom-coms" with contrived meet-cutes that rely heavily on celebrity star power. I'm talking about a genuine romance between two richly defined characters. If your mind draws a blank, you're not alone. Hollywood, along with much of the filmmaking world, seems to have either forgotten how to portray love affairs in ways that once made us swoon. Whatever the reason, be it due to our changing times or priorities, we might not see any significant ones for some time. He had these smiling eyes. And a self-deprecating manner which seemed to belie his very good looks ("He's so cute," my 19-year-old assistant exclaimed), about which he was fairly oblivious. Most of all, he was simply a very good guy. Gary Winick, a many-hats-wearing filmmaker and digital pioneer, died of complications following a 2 year battle with brain cancer on February 27th, the day of the Academy Awards --- an especially sad irony for a vital man, weeks shy of 50, whose passion for film and storytelling had filled the decades of his adult life. The private memorial service was held at the Time-Warner Center in Winick's beloved New York. Overlooking Central Park as the sun set, an invited group of 400 (some going back to childhood, some famous, many with whom he'd worked, even some he'd made sure got a decent meal when they were struggling) assembled to watch film clips, to hear and tell stories - to cry, yes, but also to laugh at so many experiences they certainly cherish now. For tax day, the editors at MSN Movies came up with an idea for contributors to write short essays about the most, ahem, "taxing" people in modern movies. Each of us picked a person whose presence, behind or in front of the camera, we find wearisome and debilitating -- as in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition of taxing: "onerous, wearing." You've probably already guessed my choice. I've written quite a bit about why I find Christopher Nolan's post-"Memento" work lackluster, but this exercise gave me an opportunity to condense my reservations about his writing and directing into one relatively concise piece: Let me say up front that I don't think Nolan is a bad or thoroughly incompetent director, just a successfully pedestrian one. His Comic-Con fan base makes extravagant claims for each new film -- particularly since Nolan began producing his graphic-novel blockbusters with "Batman Begins" in 2005 -- but the movies are hobbled by thesis-statement screenplays that strain for significance and an ungainly directing style that seems incapable of, and uninterested in, illustrating more than one thing at a time: "Look at this. Now look at this. Now look at this. Now here's some dialogue to explain the movie's fictional rules. Now a character will tell you what he represents and what his goals are." And so on ... You won't experience the thrill of discovery while looking around in a Nolan frame. You'll see the one thing he wants you to see, but everything around it is dead space. [...]

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. - t was a big night for a local couple after a film they wrote, directed and produced hit the big screen. Thomas and Courtney Russell spent one month and nearly $200,000 to make "Redemption: For Robbing the Dead." "It's fun," said Thomas Russell. "This is our favorite screening. This is so many of our friends, family and loved ones, and in a community that we know and love. We've lived here for years, so this is our favorite screening because we get to watch it with them." It was a packed house Wednesday night for the Bakersfield premiere of the movie. The film was written and directed by local Highland High School graduate Thomas, and produced by his wife and Garces High School graduate, Courtney. "It's a fascinating story," said actor John Freeman. "It was all a tremendous gift to me in a lot of ways -- as an actor, as a person, to meet someone like tom (and) to be involved in a project like this." The movie is set in 1862. It tells the story of a lawman who finds himself responsible for the well-being of a prisoner who was caught robbing graves.. Those involved with the movie said while it sounds like an unforgivable crime, they hope the story makes people think twice. "I hope they just have a little bit more sympathy, understanding, compassion," said Russell. "I hope they come out with a little bit more of humanity toward those who may not deserve a whole lot of humanity and compassion." "Things aren't as black and white as you might think," Freeman said. "I want them to think (and) be more thoughtful ." The premiere was at the Reading Cinema at the Valley Plaza Mall. The entire cast and crew were in attendance on Wednesday night.

Roundhay Garden Scene is hardly the only short film that transcends its brief running time. Here are seven other shorts whose impacts are much larger, and last much longer, than their respective running times might indicate. 2003: Stan Brakhage’s Chinese Series (2 min): Stan Brakhage created this, his final film, while lying on his deathbed. Using his saliva, he moistened black film leader, then scratched images in it with his fingernails. His instructions were that the film end “wherever he stopped scratching.” 2000: Guy Maddin’s Heart of the World (6 min): Maddin created this epic short as a trailer for the Toronto Film Festival; many attendees argued that it should have won the festival prize for best film. It was later named one of the best movies of the year by The New York Times and The Village Voice. The film is extremely dense, containing hundreds of shots (the Average Shot Length is supposedly somewhere around 2 seconds), and referring heavily to 1920s Soviet and German cinema. The title is (presumably) swiped from D.W. Griffiths’s Hearts of the World (1918). Kino eventually stuck Heart of the World on the same DVD as Twilight of the Ice Nymphs (one of Maddin’s few feature-length flops) and Archangel (easily Maddin’s best unwatched/underrated film). I bet that many who bought the disc did so mainly to get the short. 1953: Chuck Jones’s Duck Amuck (7 min): When did postmodernism begin? Chuck Jones created this cartoon in 1951; its release was delayed for two years because Warner Bros. worried that audiences wouldn’t like so much Daffy (and so little Bugs). It has since gone on to be considered one of the greatest cartoons of all time. 1981: Laurie Anderson’s O Superman (8 min): Anderson’s simple and haunting music video expresses seemingly every nuclear era fear (and then some), tracing the military-industrial complex from the home (and home technology) out into the broader social sphere, through the USPS and the military, then back home again. The melody is Anderson’s version of the aria “O Souverain, o juge, o père” from Jules Massenet’s opera Le Cid (1885) (hence her dedication “for Massenet”). The song’s popularity led to Anderson being signed by Warner Bros., and O Superman‘s inclusion on her first album, Big Science (1982). Later, the song and video resurfaced for a while, resonating with new meaning, following the September 11th attacks. 1977: Ray and Charles Eames’s Powers of Ten: A Film Dealing with the Relative Size of Things in the Universe and the Effect of Adding Another Zero (9 min): The Eames’s, best known for their mass-produced molded plywood furniture (such as the Eames Lounge Chair and ottoman), made this educational film for IBM. It’s an adaptation of Kees Boeke’s book Cosmic View: The Universe in 40 Jumps (1957). No other film explores so thoroughly the twin edges of human understanding. …These next last two short films are a bit longer, but I really wanted to include them, as they’re two of my favorites. And both are rather epic considering their respective lengths. 1983: Cecelia Condit’s Possibly in Michigan (12 min): Like Maddin’s film, Possibly in Michigan contains a vast amount of footage, which Condit has edited down into a punk fairy tale opera about the war of the sexes, consumerism, cannibalism, and more. You can watch only the first five minutes at YouTube, but they convey some sense of the project’s ambitious scope. 1936: Joseph Cornell’s Rose Hobart (19 min) Long available only in 16mm prints (which were in private collections), Cornell’s first film was released to DVD in 2000 on the National Film Preservation Foundation’s invaluable Treasures from American Film Archives. Cornell took a print of the 1931 film East of Borneo and cut out the shots featuring star Rose Hobart. These he reassembled and projected through a blue-tinted piece of glass at silent speed (16 frames per second, rather than 24), accompanied by songs from Nestor Amaral’s “Holiday in Brazil” (which Cornell had bought used). Salvador Dalí famously disrupted the first screening by knocking over the projector, crying out that Cornell had stolen the idea for the film from Dalí’s subconscious.

Bradley Beach NJ Palace / Beach Cinema 80th Anniversary BRADLEY BEACH, NJ – The Beach Cinema, formerly The Bradley Palace of Bradley Beach NJ will present an 80th anniversary showcase on Fri-Sat-Sun, Dec 16-17-18, 2005. Evening shows are at 7:30 PM for all three dates, 1:30 Matinees Sat & Sun. A tentative show will feature shorts (3 Stooges, others possible as well) and “White Christmas” with Bing Crosby. There will be a trivia contest, door prizes, and history presentation at the Fri & Sat evening shows. The Beach Cinema opened as a motion picture venue called The Bradley Palace in Dec 26, 1925. The independent owner-operated 520 seat house is the last regularly operating single-screen cinema in the area, still uses two projectors (1938 Super Simplexes), and still offers REAL butter on the popcorn! Call 732-774-9089 (theater recording line) The address is…110 Main St. Bradley Beach NJ 07720 (physical) (Mailing address is 510 McCabe Ave, Bradley Beach NJ 07720, attn John Esposito, owner.)

Director Quentin Tarantino and actress Uma Thurman arrived in London on Thursday for the UK première of Kill Bill: Volume 1. Filming was delayed for Uma Thurman's pregnancy They joined the film's co-stars Julie Dreyfus, Darryl Hannah and Michael Madsen for the British opening of Tarantino's controversial martial arts movie. The director defended the film against accusations of graphic violence, saying it was so outlandish and bloody that it was obviously set in "fantasy "This is definitely not taking place on planet Earth," he said. Tarantino's first movie since 1997's Jackie Brown has already been hailed as a masterpiece by US critics. The film, inspired in part by martial arts films of the 1970s, stars Thurman as The Bride, an elite assassin who is shot on her wedding day and left for dead by her boss Bill, played by veteran actor David Carradine. Five years later she wakes from a coma and seeks revenge on those responsible. The film also stars Lucy Liu and Japanese actor Sonny Chiba. Tarantino is best known for Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction, both of which have become cult classics. Kill Bill, which is only his fourth film to date, mixes various film genres and styles, featuring black and white sequences as well as Japanese anime. It is also his most violent film to date, according to early reviews, with lengthy samurai sword fights and a high body count. Tarantino said he took him a year to write just one fight scene. The scene, in which Thurman tackles 88 adversaries, took eight weeks to shoot. "I wanted to make the most exciting sequence in cinema" he said. He said the film was meant as a "black comedy". "I have done violence before but never in such an outrageous way. Not that I have any problem with violence if it isn't outrageous." In one bloody set piece, Thurman's character takes on a small army of samurai warriors single-handedly. He said he was inspired by Japanese cinema and that he wanted the film to be a "great night at the movies". "It is the standard staple of Japanese cinema to cut someone's arm of and have them have waterhoses for veins," he said, explaining the blood-thirsty nature of the movie. Explaining his favoured style of movie-making, he said: "I like movies about people who break rules, who are mavericks." A second instalment of the film will follow next year, after Tarantino and studio Miramax opted to split Kill Bill in two after they found the finished production lasted over three hours. Miramax was worried it would lose ticket sales on account of the length, but executives were reluctant to cut any scenes from the film. Tarantino said of his lead actress: "She is my Marlene Dietrich." The director had delayed production of the film for six months while Thurman was pregnant. Thurman said she was "pleased, amazed and overwhelmed" that Tarantino would hold up the film for her. "It is a testament to his friendship, patience and general goodness," she said. Volume 1 is released in London from 9 October, with the rest of the UK following on 17 October. The second film is due for release in February 2004.

Lawrenceville is about to be blessed with a new single screen theater. Located on Butler and Main in the 15201, Row House Cinema is set to open softly (meaning they’re still learning, so go easy on them) on Friday, June 6th with an official grand opening expected on June 21 (Pulp Fiction at 7pm). The theater itself can squeeze in up to 88 moviegoers, and will show three features per day. The schedule is kicking off with American Graffiti, along with other classic titles including Gangs of New York, The Matrix, Spaceballs and more. Check showtimes at rowhousecinema.com. We’re hoping the theater will use social networking as their primary way to curate the selection. So far, they don’t even have Twitter or Facebook links on their site, but after reading this post maybe that will change. Tickets are 9 bucks for regular folks. If you’re a Larryville hipster or still in school, you’ll save a dollar. Thursdays are $6, as are daily matinees before 6pm. Oh yeah, and they serve draft beer with natural popcorn covered in “real butter”.

2010-2019 was a fantastic decade for cinema. We’ve been introduced to some breakout stars, surprising hits, plenty of record breaking achievements and some of the finest movies to ever grace cinema. By far my most challenging list yet, I have compiled my top 5 movies from this decade. Obviously, there’s been a lot of films to come out in that time and its no easy feat getting through them all, so if you see something missing, the chances are I may not have gotten round to see it yet, or it simply didn’t leave as much of a mark as the five listed below. Without further ado, here’s my list for the five best movies this past decade had to offer. This is how you reinvent yourself. Jordan Peele, known mainly for his comedy in both tv and film, debuts with one of the most unique, raw, and ultimately refreshing horrors of the last 20 something years. His controversial but essential political commentary on the racial issues is platformed in a nerve-racking, unprecedented thriller. Although perhaps not a horror film in the conventional sense, Jordan Peele’s directional debut manages to remain an unsettling experience with its chilling realism, well timed jump cues and unrelenting soundtrack. Thanks to a stunning central performance from Daniel Kaluuya, the horrors he lives on screen feel genuine and horrifying. Each distressing event his character Chris, encounters throughout his time in the Armitage household, are met with squirms or whimpers of an uncomfortable nature. With the director predominantly working in the comedy genre though, there are understandably moments of hilarity scampered throughout its script. Mainly coming from Chris’ TSA agent best friend, Rod Williams (Lil Rel Howery). Rarely does he appear without cracking a joke, or making light out of a very dark situation. Get Out certainly wasn’t a fluke for Peele’s surprising career change, as he doubled up on his success with the highly discussed Us. But it was his first major dive into directing, that has left the lasting impression. Another directional debut makes its way onto the list, this time it’s Damien Chazelle. His 2014 classic centred around an inspired and dedicated drummer Andrew (Miles Teller), and his no-nonsense, mean-spirited mentor, Fletcher (J.K. Simmons). In its opening scene we meet our student drummer slumping over his drum set, where he’s seemingly been for sometime. Shortly enters a stoic looking Fletcher, and things immediately start to feel uncomfortable. Interrupting his rhythm and ability to speak at every turn, allowing his nervousness to fuel Fletcher’s dissolution. Their relationship is the cornerstone to Whiplash’s success. The further the film progresses, the more their behaviours deteriorate. Andrew is pushed to the edge, and then some because of Fletcher’s constant pressure. It’s as exhausting to watch as it is for Andrew and his fellow orchestral band members to endure. It has a tempo that once it hits, it consistently remains. Every beat of the snare and crash of the cymbal are delivered to musical perfection. Chazelle’s admoration for Jazz music shines through with his professionalism and clear eye for the details. Whiplash’s overnight success was certainly warranted, and remained one of the standouts ever since its release. It’s tremendously written and well paced narrative structure, leave you constantly breathless. From its opening sequence, to its vigorous crescendo, Whiplash serves as an exemplary addition to the world of cinema. Nicolas Winding Refn’s 2011 action drama Drive, has remained one of the most popular movies of this past decade. It’s an artful, stylistic, 80’s-esque, pop culture phenomenon. Starring Ryan Gosling as ‘Driver’. A freelancer who uses his talent for an array of jobs. From garage mechanic to stunt driver and getaway driver. The latter of which, is what this movie predominantly exploits. As he specifically mentions, he doesn’t get involved in the robbery, he doesn’t carry a gun, he just drives. As simple of a concept you can get, certainly in terms of how it treats its plot. But with such great writing, a cool techno soundtrack and enticing cinematography, from its enthralling opening sequence, Drive never loses its traction. With great support from Ron Pearlman, Bryan Cranston, Carey Mulligan and Albert Brooks, Gosling isn’t left being a one man show. Having said that, this is a decade in which elevated the actor to new heights and possibly gained the most impressive filmography of any actor in the last ten years, this is right up there as one of his best pieces of work. Possibly the most controversial pick on my list, but Argo is a perfect example of why it can be a great thing going into a movie knowing as little as possible. Despite picking up the Best Picture Oscar back in 2013, it’s a film that has been slightly left behind in the wake of all the bigger pictures to come out in the later part of this decade, and that is a real shame. Directed and performed by a more matured Ben Affleck, Argo is an intense drama that covers the true story of the ’79 Iranian hostage crisis. I guess a story you’re only really familiar with if you’re an American or happened to be around when such event occurred. It has a humorous tone that was a welcoming treat, and manages to coincide with its gripping (if not a little on the nose) dramatic pandering, without feeling too forced. It’s a hero’s story and you can feel a real sense of satisfaction when the final credits roll around. With that being said, it’s ironically two of the men who remain out of harms way, that are the real hero’s of Affleck’s direction. Alan Arkin and John Goodman, representing Hollywood hot heads, deliver the brunt of the jokes, softening the heart racing energy which becomes prominent in its final act. Ever since being wonderfully surprised when I begrudgingly went to see it in the movie theatre, it has remained one of my favourites, and although you may disagree with my pick, I got a few words for ya. ‘Argo f*@k yourself!’ Although it could be argued that Denis Villeneuve has only gotten better with each film he directs, it was his debut English speaking title Prisoners, that not only put him on the map, but left the biggest mark in terms of viewing experiences for me. An intricate, well paced thriller starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano. Prisoners is a dark, gritty and often uncomfortable maze of twists and turns wrapped up in a chilling, child-abduction concept. It utilises each of its main cast to perfection, prompting perhaps career highs from each of its leads. Denis certainly gets the most out of his cast, with its harrowing and troubled script creating a consistently distressing spectacle. It’s an edge of your seat affair that constantly pulls you in with its alluring atmosphere and beautifully gloomy cinematography. It asks the question how far are you willing to go? Then doesn’t hold back on its answer. When asked by others ‘what film do I really need to see?’ 9 times out of 10 this is the answer. Denis stormed into the mainstream with this dark and twisted drama, and he’s remained at the top of his game ever since. Do you agree with any of my picks? What makes your list? Drop a comment below.

Two groups of men have a heated argument in the cinema garage lobby, before the shooting Two people have been critically wounded and one has suffered non-life-threatening injuries in a movie theater shooting in Las Vegas.According to Fox 5 Vegas, the incident occurred in the lobby of the Regal United Artists Showcase Theater on Wednesday, February 6. A fight broke out in the cinema parking garage on the Las Vegas Strip right, near the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino. Just after midnight, gunshots were reported as the quarrel escalated, leading to a shooting in the garage lobby. According to a Metro Police spokesperson, the incident does not appear random, as witnesses have described that 2 groups of people were involved in the incident. Police believe that the shooter and his group have met the victims before the incident. A member of one of the gangs, the gunman left the premises for a short while when the fight became heated. He then returned and went on to pull a gun, inflicting serious injuries to two of the members of the other group. KLAS TV Las Vegas indicates that two people have been transported to the University Medical Center after the incident, and they are currently fighting for their lives. One of them was lying in the lobby as first responders arrived, while the other had fallen into an elevator and was recovered on the fifth floor. A third person has been treated at the scene and appears to have suffered a shallow injury. He was found in front of the elevator lobby, near the street exit. "When the shots were fired, one of the individuals fell in the lobby of the theater. Another individual fell into an elevator and ended up on the fifth floor," explains Officer Bill Cassell, speaking for the Metro Police. As the gunman has not been apprehended yet, law enforcement officials are asking for the public's help in identifying him.

(PhysOrg.com) -- Many believe that 1950s cinema portrayed women as complacent, conservative housewives who liked nothing better than to rustle up a three-course meal for their hardworking husbands, but a new book has shown it was not so clear-cut. Dr Melanie Bell, of Newcastle University, has written Femininity in the Frame (published 7 January 2010), which argues that, rather than being a decade where popular cinema was hostile towards women and offered audiences a bland reflection of gender conservatism, it actually created female roles that were challenging, ambiguous, contradictory, and frequently surprising. “What has emerged from my research is a sense of how remarkably bold some popular cinema was,” said Dr Bell. “Many concerns of the time were explored through film, such as whether women should give up work to look after their children or have sex before marriage. “Equally evident were the messages that choosing marriage over a career was ‘dangerously romantic’ and that women were more than housekeepers, mothers and sex objects.” These concerns were articulated in films which spanned the cultural map, from low-budget productions like The Perfect Woman and Easy Money to more prestigious productions such as A Town Like Alice and Madeleine. Films and critical writings at the time played an integral role in mainstream society and showed how British cinema was engaging with, negotiating and working through social change in relation to women. In the early 1950s, women were bombarded with a number of contradictory messages. They were simultaneously addressed as housewives and mothers while the employment rates for women actually increased. Female sexual desire was increasingly recognised whilst women continued to navigate double standards and different attitudes to pre and extra-marital sex. “To be commercially successful, what women saw in the cinema had to engage with the shifts that were taking place in women’s roles in the real world,” said Dr Bell. “While the popular consciousness may be dominated by the figure of the housewife, women’s experiences in real life were varied and diverse, and to date only a partial account has been offered concerning gender and femininity in this decade. “There is another, more challenging side to British cinema and when we engage with that a completely different picture emerges.” Femininity in the Frame draws across a range of genres - war, comedy, science fiction, crime, social problems and key figures - the prostitute, the femme fatale, the incarcerated woman - to explore in depth how British popular film engaged with the new ideas and contradictory understandings of femininity that were surfacing in the 1950s. Explore further: Personalized advertising attracts more attention, makes the contents of ads easier to remember

‘Asia’s Songbird’ delivers in promised repeat show Regine Velasquez’s silver anniversary concert was indeed lovelier the second time around. “Asia’s Songbird” kept her promise to make up for the initial staging of her 25th Silver concert last November, which was cut short after she lost her voice. Reg did not disappoint her avid fans who came back in full force to cheer her on. Her hubby, Ogie Alcasid, was obviously very proud of Reg last Saturday night. “I admire my wife for her extreme faith that both the first and repeat concerts were part of her journey with God,” beamed Ogs. “It is really by His grace that all of it was possible. Obviously, setting up the concert was a Herculean task for (her sister-manager) Cacai (Mitra) and Reg but God provided the means. I am only a husband and my role at all times is to support my wife, which I try to do with my utmost best.” He is equally proud of their son, Nate. “He is so adorable. He now walks and pretends that he can talk like an adult. Reg sings ‘Angel of Mine’ to him. I sing all kinds of songs to him. He already loves to sing—at least that’s what it sounds like.” A few hours after “Silver Rewind,” Regine posted a pic of sardines and red eggs on her Instagram account with this caption: “Salamat sa lahat ng nanood ng ‘Silver 2.’ Yehey, natapos na rin. Puwede na lumafang Lola n’yo kaya lumafang na tayo. Diva mode off, ‘Lola’ mode on.” Come Valentine’s Day, Ogie and Regine will be singing duets again. “For the first time, we will have a concert with Martin (Nievera) and Pops (Fernandez),” Ogie said. “It’s called ‘Foursome.’ The audience can expect wonderful love songs, wisecracks and the vocal arrangements that we have always wanted to do.” Ogie and Regine make music and love go together well. Derek Ramsay is all revved up for his new telerserye on TV 5, “Kidlat” (Monday to Friday, 6:45 p.m.). In what ways is he like the superhero he’s portraying? “I like helping people and I want to get things done right,” he says. He considers his parents his personal heroes because “they are the source of my strength.” On the super power he wishes to have, he says: “It would be cool to be able to teleport because I love exploring new places. This year, one of my immediate plans is to visit Alaska.” Wherever Mr. Kidlat goes, people get awestruck. Eskimo girls, better be ready! Dindong Dantes has been very visible in the shows of ABS-CBN lately. Is it just for the promo of Star Cinema’s “One More Try” or is the MMFF Best Actor being lured to move to the Kapamilya network? “I have no plans of switching networks,” Dong clarifies. “I am thankful to my home network GMA 7 for allowing me to do a project with ABS again. And I am also grateful to ABS for making me feel so welcome. I wish there is no network war but that’s a given already. Being able to work with stars from both networks has taught me a lot about the biz and its inner workings.” Dong’s appeal knows no boundaries. He shines wherever he’s planted! Catch John Lapus, Phillip Lazaro, Kim Idol, Michelle O’Bombshell and Petite as they take centerstage in Viva Concert’s “Queers of Comedy” with their special guest, Allan K on Jan. 18 and 19 at the Music Museum. Experience a night of pure laughter with these divine comedians. (For tickets, call 891-9999 or 687-7236.) Disclaimer: The comments uploaded on this site do not necessarily represent or reflect the views of management and owner of INQUIRER.net. We reserve the right to exclude comments that we deem to be inconsistent with our editorial standards. To subscribe to the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper in the Philippines, call +63 2 896-6000 for Metro Manila and Metro Cebu or email your subscription request here. Factual errors? Contact the Philippine Daily Inquirer's day desk. Believe this article violates journalistic ethics? Contact the Inquirer's Reader's Advocate. Or write The Readers' Advocate: c/o Philippine Daily Inquirer Chino Roces Avenue corner Yague and Mascardo Streets, Makati City,Metro Manila, Philippines Or fax nos. +63 2 8974793 to 94

Things to see and do - Troyes Modify the search Why book on MICHELIN Travel? More than 200,000 hotels worldwide Cancel on the same day without charges* Book without fees* *according to the hotel terms and conditions Results 1 to 13 on 13 Sort by : 35 Rue Emile Zola F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 106.25 EUR This Best Western Hotel is located in the historic downtown of Troyes within a pedestrian zone just a 5-minute walk from the town hall. The property is a former posting office and is decorated with a horse and carriage theme. It offers air-conditione.. 51 rue Paillot de Montabert F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 98 EUR The Relais Saint Jean is a 4-star hotel located in the historic centre of Troyes, in the Champagne-Ardenne region. Guests have free access to a fitness centre with a hot tub in the 16th-century cellar. Guest rooms at the Hotel Clarion Collection Rel.. 56 Rue De La Monnaie F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 65 EUR Built in the 16-century, Hotel Comtes De Champagne is in the heart of historic centre of Troyes. It offers a cosy flower-filled patio with outdoor furniture. Each room is individually decorated in a classical style décor with exposed beams and stone.. 50 Rue Turenne F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 60 EUR Hotel Arlequin is located in Troyes, just 800 metres from the Train Station. This family-run hotel offers air-conditioned rooms with Wi-Fi access and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Each room features a wooden floor, an LCD TV and a privat.. 51 Boulevard du 14 juillet F - 10000 TROYES Prix from : 49.00 EUR The ibis budget Troyes Centre (formerly Etap Hotel) is a stone's throw from Troyes' historic city center and is an affordable place to relax after a trip to the factory shopping outlet 3.1 miles (5 km) away, after a concert or show at the Exhibition .. 18/20 rue Linard Gonthier F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 154 EUR Hotel : The 15th century residence, located around a medieval courtyard, was entirely dismantled, restored by the Compagnons du Devoir (a journeyman's association)and then reconstructed. Situated in the historical centre of the town of Troyes, the Hô.. 18-20 rue Linard Gonthier F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 200 EUR Hotel : Located in the historic centre of Troyes, the Maison de Rhodes is centred around an ancient garden. The restoration of this former property of the Knights of Malta was entrusted to the Compagnons du Devoir, which has restored this medieval ho.. 22 boulevard Carnot F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 69 EUR Air-conditioned hotel equipped with the modern comfort - restoring traditional Close toold town of Troyes 10 mn from factory outlets. 44 Boulevard Carnot F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 43 EUR Located in Troyes, Le Splendid is just a short walk from the Old Town and 300 metres from the train station. It offers en suite rooms with free Wi-Fi and a flat-screen TV with satellite channels. Each room at Hotel Le Splendid has a desk and some ro.. 8 Boulevard Carnot F - 10000 Troyes Prix from : 67 EUR This hotel is located just a 5-minute walk from Troyes city centre, a few steps from the train station. The Troyes cultural centre, Espace Argence, is 400 metres away. The hotel offers soundproofed rooms with free Wi-Fi access and private bathrooms. .. 11 rue des bas Trévois F - 10000 TROYES Prix from : 126.00 EUR Located right in the heart of the city with nine churches, 500 m from the pedestrian quarter of Troyes, the Mercure Troyes Centre hotel offers a range of comfortable rooms equipped with all the comforts necessary for your well-being. Want to relax be.. rue Camille Claudel F - 10000 TROYES Prix from : 59.00 EUR The Ibis Troyes Centre Hotel is located in the historic city center, near the city hall, a host of restaurants and a cinema multiplex. Just 3.1 miles (5 km) from the airport, the hotel boasts 77 air-conditioned rooms, 3 of which offer disabled access.. Rue Camille Claudel F - 10000 TROYES Prix from : 108.00 EUR Breakfast and unlimited WIFI are included in all prices at the ibis Styles Troyes Centre. Built in 2010 to be environmentally friendly (the energy-saving building is equipped with solar panels), the hotel has 77 air-conditioned and soundproofed rooms..

Not that WALL·E is entirely lacking in virtues: the film's famed first forty minutes are as good as everyone says. Where critical laurels truly seem misplaced (for this writer) is in the praise lavished on Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York and Tarsem's The Fall (2006), my joint selections for the year's worst. With regard to the Kaufman, Synecdoche provided 2008's most unrelentingly bleak vision of the world, effectively extrapolating from the filmmaker's proxy's own unhappiness a world in which all suffer from this same despair. Clear point-of-view? Yes. Unbelievably myopic and staggeringly unpleasant self-portrait of extreme self-concern? Certainly. The Tarsem, on the other hand, manages a balance of cloying sentimentally and sadism, supported by, as Lisa K. Broad puts it, a film grammar that is the functional equivalent of a novel penned by an illiterate. Now on to the not awful... heck, on to the very good. For Tativille's two authors, Anderson and Broad, the distinction of the best American narrative film of the year belongs to Michel Gondry's evidently-undervalued Be Kind Rewind (pictured). Improving on his strong The Science of Sleep (2006), Gondry once again pulls together the often antithetical spheres of the cinema and the visual arts in his relational aesthetic-inspired latest foray into videotape nostalgia. This wasn't the funniest of a handful of strong American comedies in 2008 (Pineapple Express, Tropic Thunder, Role Models and Forgetting Sarah Marshall were all funnier individually; Adam McKay's Step Brothers had its moments, most of which made their way into the film's many trailers, though McKay's mise-en-scène was mind-numbingly lazy) but it was certainly the finest in many other respects. Then again, Japan provided a number of challenges to Gondry on the comedy front: Adrift in Tokyo (Satoshi Miki, 2007), Dainipponjin (Hitoshi Matsumoto, 2007) and Fine, Totally Fine (Yosuke Fujita), the purely funniest of the group, represent three rare instances of comic filmmaking that all touch on human transience and the institutions of its country of origin - which is to say, these were three remarkable works of art. Yet, none of the above could touch a fourth Japanese film of the past twelve months, Kiyoshi Kurosawa's masterpiece Tokyo Sonata, which like the former grouping dissects its nation's mythology and its present-day economic situation. Tokyo Sonata was Broad's choice for the film of the year and a very close second for Anderson. My own choice for the film of the year - and Broad's #2 - was Lucrecia Martel's career-peak The Headless Woman (Argentina). For me, The Headless Woman proved the year's fullest inter-mixture of form and discourse, providing a genuine attempt to remake film language in the image of its material. It was the un-Diving Bell and Butterfly (2007, Julian Schnabel) in its achievement in providing a plausible platform for its protagonist's perceptual irregularity. In fact, from global reports, 2008 may well be a year defined ultimately by the Latin American cinema generally and Argentine film specifically. But back to the local. Posted below are Lisa and my choices for the year's top ten, selected from our favorite New York and New Haven theatrical and festival screenings (with an additional unreleased picture from Northern Europe making the cut). Through the New Year, I will also link to our favorite colleagues' selections on various sister sites. Please check back in the coming days for these updates. -Michael J. Anderson, 12/23/2008 - Michael J. Anderson, Tativille - Lisa K. Broad, Tativille - Andrea Janes, Spinster Aunt - Pamela Kerpius, Scarlett Cinema - Mike Lyon, Tits and Gore - Matt Singer, Termite Art - Richard Suchenski, Ten Best Films - R. Emmet Sweeney, Termite Art - Karen Wang, Scarlett Cinema - Alberto Zambenedetti, Termite Art Updated: A 'mini' year-end poll, comprised of tabulations of the above lists, is also available on Tativille affiliate Ten Best Films.

Africa, Fourth Edition Publication Year: 2014 Since the publication of the first edition in 1977, Africa has established itself as a leading resource for teaching, business, and scholarship. This fourth edition has been completely revised and focuses on the dynamism and diversity of contemporary Africa. The volume emphasizes contemporary culture–civil and social issues, art, religion, and the political scene–and provides an overview of significant themes that bear on Africa's place in the world. Historically grounded, Africa provides a comprehensive view of the ways that African women and men have constructed their lives and engaged in collective activities at the local, national, and global levels. Published by: Indiana University Press Title Page, Copyright Download PDF (84.9 KB) Download PDF (142.1 KB) More than fifteen years have passed since the third edition of Africa was published. Much has changed in Africa, in the continent’s relations with the world, and in scholarship during the intervening years. Our vision for this edition is to focus on contemporary Africa in all its dynamism and diversity, to emphasize African agency and resourcefulness, and to stress social pro cesses as well as institutions... Download PDF (108.6 KB) Africa has moved dynamically into the twenty- first century. It has more mobile phone users than the United States, for example, and cables placed along its Atlantic and Indian Ocean coasts recently have expanded broadband internet access. Africa still has some of the poorest countries in the world, but it also has six of the world’s ten fastest- growing economies of the past de cade. Africans increasingly are city... 1. Africa: A Geographic Frame Download PDF (3.3 MB) Africa is a continent, the second-largest after Asia. It contains fifty-four countries, several of them vast. Each of Africa’s biggest countries— Algeria, Congo, and Sudan— is about three times the size of Texas, four times that of France. Africa could hold 14 Greenlands, 20 Alaskas, 71 Californias, or 125 Britains. Newcomers to the study of Africa often are surprised by the simple matter of the... 2. Legacies of the Past: Themes in African History John Akare Aden and John H. Hanson Download PDF (1.1 MB) Africa and its peoples have a long and distinguished history. The earliest evidence for humankind is found on the continent, and some of the fi rst successful efforts to domesticate plants and produce metals involved African pioneers and innovators. Africans constructed complex societies, some with elaborate political hierarchies and others with dynamic governance systems without titular authorities... 3. Social Relations: Family, Kinship, and Community Maria Grosz- Ngaté Download PDF (1.3 MB) News accounts of violent conflict in Africa frequently make reference to “tribe” and “tribalism” as potent ingredients of discord. The use of “tribe” in the African context is a legacy of colonialism and the research of early anthropologists. Anthropologists wanted to know how African societies without centralized leadership maintained order and stability, while colonial officials demarcated African societies... 4. Making a Living: African Livelihoods Gracia Clark and Katherine Wiley Download PDF (945.0 KB) Impressive tenacity and ingenuity enable Africans to survive and even prosper under extremely challenging circumstances. The widespread stereotype of the passive victim crumbles away in the face of Africans’ incessant efforts to protect their families’ interests and ensure security and progress for the next generation. It is a struggle that some people shirk and that many do not win. Even so, people’s agency 5. Religions in Africa John H. Hanson Download PDF (495.9 KB) Spirit possessions, harvest festivals, and other activities associated with African traditional religions (or religions with African roots) remain vital, but attendance at Christian churches and Muslim mosques in Africa has increased significantly during the last century. From 1900 to 2010 the number of Christians in Africa grew from less than 10 million to 470 million, more than 20 percent of the world... 6. Urban Africa: Lives and Projects Karen Tranberg Hansen Download PDF (849.4 KB) In Africa and everywhere else, cities are where the action is. Cities are gateways to the global world, the prime sites for globalization’s translation into local understandings and experiences. This urban global exposure demands that scholars of urban life in Africa pay attention to people’s engagements with a diverse sweep of... 7. Health, Illness, and Healing in African Societies Tracy J. Luedke Download PDF (770.0 KB) In African societies, as elsewhere in the world, health and illness are experienced both at the level of the individual body and at the level of the social body. Individual suffering often reveals social structures and tensions, for example when a child’s illness strains family relationships or when a treatable disease proves fatal... 8. Visual Arts in Africa Patrick McNaughton and Diane Pelrine Download PDF (899.7 KB) African art has been made for many thousands of years, undergoing numerous major and often dramatic changes through the centuries and right up until today. Its forms and materials, meanings and functions have always been tremendously varied, deeply imaginative, and dynamically part of people’s individual and social... 9. African Music Flows Daniel B. Reed and Ruth M. Stone Download PDF (1.1 MB) A man walked down the street in the busy Adjame marketplace in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, in West Africa. Amid the sounds of the street— honking horns, ringing cell phones, goat cries, people’s’ voices— he heard the latest hit song by reggae singer Tiken Jah Fakoly drifting toward him from a CD seller’s stall in the market... 10. Literature in Africa Download PDF (710.9 KB) When most Americans and Europeans use the expression “African literature,” they are referring to the poetry, plays, and novels written by Africans that reach Western and Northern shores. These have typically been written in English, French, and, increasingly, Portuguese. If one takes the long or broad view, however... 11. African Film Download PDF (344.7 KB) It is a truism of African cinema that one cannot productively discuss the films that make up the field without keeping in mind the social and economic conditions under which they are made. Fifty years after the first feature film to be written, produced, and directed by an African, and with this cinematic tradition becoming as globally important an art form as African literature and the Afropop component of... 12. African Politics and the Future of Democracy Amos Sawyer, Lauren M. MacLean, and Carolyn E. Holmes Download PDF (862.4 KB) African political systems have a long history that substantially predates the arrival of Europeans in the 1400s or the political boundaries of nation- states found on any current map. The peoples of Africa have organized many different types of political systems and witnessed tremendous political changes over time... 13. Development in Africa: Tempered Hope Raymond Muhula and Stephen N. Ndegwa Download PDF (209.9 KB) Sub- Saharan Africa, home to more than eight hundred million people in more than fifty countries, is the least-developed continent in the world. It continues to have relatively low levels of industrialization and urbanization, and instead subsists on narrow economic bases, overly dependent on primary commodities and foreign... 14. Human Rights in Africa Download PDF (262.0 KB) Human rights norms are critical measures of human existence and development in the contemporary period. Within the community of nations, they have become the third institutional pillar of the United Nations since the setting up of the UN Human Rights Council in 2006. This is a fairly recent development in the long 15. Print and Electronic Resources Marion Frank- Wilson Download PDF (330.0 KB) “Digital technologies, in reshaping the information landscape, also have altered the relationship between recorded knowledge and the activities of research and teaching.” This statement by Dan Hazen points to several developments that have shaped the way we conduct research and that are worth keeping in mind before embarking on research in African studies. Electronic information is widely Download PDF (109.2 KB) Download PDF (654.1 KB) Page Count: 376 Illustrations: 64 b&w illus., 26 color illus., 7 maps Publication Year: 2014 Edition: Fourth Edition

This post is in defence of Extremely Loud and Incredible Close (EL + IC). There have been two key points of complaint about the film which was released in 2011. One is the universal disdain for the lead performance, teenager Thomas Horn, who portrays Oskar Schell. Many have made fun of his performance by mocking the film’s title- ‘Extremely Loud and Incredibly Annoying’ is one such joke. Most have found his performance irritable. Secondly, many have felt the film’s central emotion to be contrived, manufactured – and as some have put it – solely for the purpose of the Oscar voters. But despite that, the film did receive a Best Picture nomination – which surprised almost everyone apart from The Hollywood Reporter’s leading awards blogger Scott Feinberg, who predicted its nomination. On Oscar’s night itself, the film received a less than flattering round of applause when its name appeared on the Best Picture montage. But the film is not terrible. The performance is not irritating. The emotion is not forced. When I voiced my initial review of EL + IC on twitter, I was met with many tweets expressing surprise, some thought I was joking. A handful of those hadn’t even seen the film. I became irritated at what I felt was a collective gathering of negative comments and derailment of the film by critics and websites. So let me put in black and white what I think of EL + IC. It is the best of the 9 films nominated for the Best Picture Oscar. It will be considered as one of the best films of 2012, when my time comes to review the year. Thomas Horn’s performance is totally genuine. He is clearly a kid who carries with him a difficult ability at social interactions (the film rules out Asperger syndrome), which is heightened after a traumatic event at the film’s beginning. His way of contact and the use of a tambourine as a security blanket are totally acceptable in the scheme of his motives – and are the furtherest from an irritant as you can get. Infact all the performances in the film are outstanding – their motivations, and their emotions are sharply felt by the viewer. Even those whose screentime amounts to just a few seconds are devastatingly emotional. A montage of characters who Horn had touched, and even unintentionally harassed, each deliver a deep connection to the young kid’s journey. My irritation can’t be direct just at other film folk. It also lies with the film’s trailer. It is a total mash-up of emotions, an awful 2 minutes 29 seconds of spoilers, and overlays a U2 song that tries to force rapidly upon the viewer, emotions that are better elicited slowly through out the film. Let me be clear on how I think films should be viewed. Do not watch a film’s trailer. Cover your ears, leave the cinema if you must. Come into a film blind. Know as little as you can. Let it lead you. If you do that with EL + IC, you will be rewarded. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close – 4 stars. You can follow me on twitter – @dialmformovies

The Resident 2011 is not so much horror as it is so much more thriller. However as a thriller the film’s premise is thinner than the paper it’s typed on. The horror genre is able to embolden a paper thin premise and cut up the audience with it. If a (supposedly) young beautiful girl solo rents an apartment in a horror film she will experience a haunting. When a young beautiful girl rents an apartment in a thriller she experiences stalking. The premise is paper thin. The horror-thriller subgenre is told in straight narrative sans the metaphysical (though this is not exclusive to the subgenre eg The Wicker Man 1973). The horror-thriller antagonist may be adorned in a mask to imbue menace and/or a hint of the demonic (The Strangers 2008). The plots mirror horror films in build up and reveal and include horror tropes (the apartment as battleground – Ils 2006). The Supernatural is embedded in the horror film. Thus a lone female in an oversized apartment (haunted house) can be terrorised by a galaxy of demons (The Others 2001). The possibilities are infinite. If that same female is being stalked in a horror-thriller she is then at the mercy of one man/woman. That is a limitation. The human stalker confined to an apartment has nowhere to go but inward. Ergo the fallible stalker is best placed in the psychological thriller. The psychological thriller works by dissecting the character’s fault lines. Horror works by overwhelming the protagonist. A fallible and limited antagonist in horror is underwhelming. There is an argument that the reveal in Vertigo 1958 comes too early. It is an argument of opinion; the (early) reveal does not hurt the film. The reveal in The Resident comes too early. It extinguishes all intrigue. The audience is placed in front of the main character’s knowledge and she doesn’t catch up until the third act. The filmmakers have destroyed their own story and the viewer is left to watch the rest of the film in tedium. The main character is played by two time Academy Award® winning actress Hillary Swank. In the 21st century Horror is mainstream which explains why she accepted this role however she does have form in the genre; The Reaping 2007 scores 8% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Hillary Swank is a talented actor but not a gifted one. Her status in the industry is evidence of the lack of depth in her peer group. If a producer wants to hire a white female over the age of 30 who doesn’t rely on sex appeal to retain audience interest then he has no other choice. Swank is competent. She can rise to the occasion above her station (Boys Don’t Cry 1999). What she can’t do is add to and enhance the roles she plays. She does not have that gift. It is the gift of the greats when they were her age – Meryl Streep (Out of Africa 1985), Susan Sarandon (Atlantic City 1980), Alfre Woodard (Passion Fish 1992), Marcia Gay Harden (Millers Crossing 1990). A word on Swank’s sex appeal; in this film her body is fetishized much like Bridget Fonda in Single White Female 1992. Fonda is the type of actor-lite who fit the part. Swank is miscast in this role: it’s beneath her. The clue to her inclusion is the production company. Hammer Films evokes memories of past British glory. Once upon a time the UK had a film industry. There were the Ealing comedies. There were the Hammer horror films. ‘Not in production since the 1980s’1 the Hammer will rise again as it is being ‘aggressively reinvigorated through new investment in the development and production of film…’ 1. I laughed. I cried. Hammer went out to get the best actress they could. Shame about the script. They also brought back an old stalwart. Christopher Lee was the poster boy for Hammer Horror at its height in the 70s. An 88 year old man is supposed to look like Nelson Mandela; full of gravitas and age. Christopher Lee looks like a Tijuana surgical experiment gone wrong. Cosmetic surgery does not make man or woman look younger – it reveasl them as vain and pathetic. It is the prophecy and tragedy of Brazil 1985. Lee doesn’t have much to do in this film. His character does not advance the plot. He serves more as a declaration that Hammer Films lives again. The jury’s out. At its height Hammer was the world leader of horror film production and recuperation2. They’ve missed the post millennium wave by a few years. If The Resident is their coming out party then their golden age will remain behind them. This type of film shouldn’t be seen at the cinema or on Blu Ray. It should be watched on Syfy riddled with commercials during a bout of insomnia. The Hammer will fall again. Read more Thrill Fiction: 100 Best Horror Films #1Technorati Tags:the resident, hillary swank, christopher lee, hammer films, horror films, reviews Generated By Technorati Tag Generator

Hollywood has an established tradition of comedians signing up for comic book cinema. Jim Carrey went from "Ace Ventura" to playing The Riddler in "Batman Forever." Ryan Reynolds, star of "Van Wilder," is now set to headline "Green Lantern" and "Deadpool." Could Dane Cook make a similar leap by way of Captain America? "Had [to] get shredded [for] Captain America audition," the comedian revealed in the unexpected Twitter announcement. Asked by one of his followers if he was being serious about auditioning, Cook replied: "I did already. They might [be going] young. I say go [the Robert Downey Jr.] route — gimme the part!" Cook's comments that producers are looking for a younger actor seemingly reflect the previously released list of alleged frontrunners, the vast majority of whom are 30 years old or younger. Cook, on the other hand, is almost 38 years old. As Cook's name was not mentioned in the alleged candidate pool and he's seemingly out of the target age range, the comedian's chances of landing the role of Rogers aren't necessarily high — though it's certainly interesting that he auditioned for the part. "Captain America" isn't the first superhero project that Cook has expressed interest in. Last year, Cook told MTV News that he'd love to play The Riddler in a sequel to "The Dark Knight." Tell us what you think of Cook's surprising revelation about "Captain America" in the comments section and on Twitter!

From the onset of reading the title of this article he sounded to me that Amell was going to fight cancer and The Flash. Maybe, it’s just me. Now, on with the show with this topic on hand, should DC continue to keep their shows on TV separate from their movie counterparts? About a week ago, I came across this article from Cinema Blend which talk about this very point. Geoff Johns goes on to tell Buzzfeed that DC has no desire to just recreate what Marvel has already been doing for several years. Instead, the company wants to forge its own path and do something a little different. I’m okay with DC calling it a multiverse provided this leads to more and greater things. I’m all for DC to go something different since Marvel is literally blowing them out of the water. With being said, Marvel is not the all around comic book company juggernaut. A perfect example would be Agents of SHIELD which I was so looking forward to last year but after a few episodes, the quality became poor. Yes, I know that the show picks up after the event from Captain America The Winter Soldier but I don’t have the will to keeping watching. Besides, Arrow, The Flash, Gotham, and Constantine (which I have to finish the pilot) are DC strongest efforts to combat Marvel’s dominance. With that said, Marvel does have that deal with Netflix coming in 2015 with Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist with a possible Defenders mini series. Let’s not forget, Agent Carter on ABC will becoming sometime early January. Marvel has a lot to prove on the small screen. However, if they can tie this all together with the MCU, then Marvel will have an unprecedented capacity to entertain us that is beyond any comic book fan boys wet dream. As for DC, not so much except for this – Infinity Crisis. Before I delve into the Infinity Crisis, Amell said something in the article below which I agreed with. I’d put making 23 hours of interesting content in a TV season up against anything on the film side. The reason why I agreed with this statement is how rewarding it is to have a show a payoff towards the season finale for those who spent the time over the course of the season. Whereas watching Thor The Dark World movie bored me. The build up between Thor and the Dark Elf Malekith failed to be compelling nor interesting because there was no history, though there was a quick backstory, but with Loki we do. Imagine if Loki was not in the Avengers movie leading the Chitauri attack. We would have a very simple and a non compelling nemesis in the Chitauri for The Avengers to fight. Moving from Loki to Thanos, here we are getting seeds planted from the Avengers movie and Guardians of the Galaxy which leads us for seeing him in the third Avengers film. If we are just given Thanos in Avengers 3, the movie would have to spend a great time to giving him a quick backstory, then goes off to fight, he loses and the end. Who cares? With Arrow, we have two amazing years in which storylines of Oliver’s time on the island was mixed in with the current day storylines. Deathstroke build up would not have been pulled off masterfully if there was no investment of a long story arc. You can’t get that in just two hours and have to wait for a couple years for the next chapter. Now, let’s get back to the heart of the matter. DC has made their movie lineup known for the next several years. Within those films, we will have crossovers. Right off the bat, no pun intended, we get Batman v Superman Dawn of Justice and within that movie we will also get Wonder Woman. As DC does their thing on the big screen, we could ultimately have a true DC multiverse. There’s good discussion of Supergirl being brought to the small screen which makes me want to believe The Infinity Crisis could happen. There was another show the CW was looking to do was Amazon which could have been Wonder Woman’s return to tv. If all this goes, we could and will have two actors playing the same role like the Flash, Green Arrow, Batman, Superman, or Wonder Woman? Having the multiple universe would be compelling and freeing as storylines don’t have to be restricted by comic book canon. This would incredible venture for DC to take but I know this is just wishing thinking. Stephen Amell’s TV show, “Arrow” is in its third season, while the comic book spinoff from “Arrow,” “The Flash” is setting ratings records for The CW. Amell’s fans have also lobbied for him to play Green Arrow in DC’s upcoming Justice League film. The actor talked with Speakeasy about life as a comic book icon. Congrats on season three of “Arrow.” I would say that it is everything that we expected but that wouldn’t really be true because there hasn’t been a recent history of successful comic book shows on television, with the exception of “Smallville.” Aside from the success of our show, the appearance and relative abundance of comic book properties on TV is really gratifying. Aside from “Smallville,” comic books had a pretty spotty history on TV until “Arrow” came along. Now “Flash” is doing well and so is “Gotham.” Last season saw “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” score big ratings. Yeah. A lot of reviews of “Arrow” at first said “This is an interesting concept but we know that comic book shows don’t work long-term on TV.” Well, that has now been proven wrong. I think the success of “Flash” and the other comic book properties is because of the quality of the material in those shows. But if we had been a bust, I don’t think any of those shows would exist. They stand on their own two feet, but I think we led the way.

Academy Running Oscars Outdoors Screenings in LA This Summer "Goonies never say die!" If you live in Los Angeles, you might want to stop by here this summer. AMPAS, aka The Academy, is hosting a packed summer of screenings called simply "Oscars Outdoors." The series kicks off in mid-June and runs all the way through August, set at a custom-built outdoor park venue with a 40 x 20 foot screen and sound system and lawn to sit on. Food trucks will also be around for dinner, they're screening classic Oscar winners (and fan favorites) and providing a charming opportunity for moviegoers to watch great cinema under the stars. Bring a blanket and escape to the movies under the stars this Summer! The screenings are only $5 to get in, first come first serve, with tickets on sale starting in June. Gates open at 6:30PM and the screenings begin at sunset each night. For more info on the events, visit the Oscars.org site, where they've got more info and a full schedule. Here's a look at their summer schedule and the movies: Friday, June 15: Casablanca (1942) Saturday, June 16: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) Friday, June 22: Raising Arizona (1987) Saturday, June 23: Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986) Friday, June 29: A Star is Born (1937) Saturday, June 30: The Goonies (1985) Friday, July 6: Shane (1953) Saturday, July 7: The Nutty Professor (1996) Saturday, July 14: The Princess Bride (1987) Friday, July 20: Pillow Talk (1959) Saturday, July 21: The Karate Kid (1984) Friday, July 27: Dreamgirls (2006) Saturday, July 28: The Dark Crystal (1982) Friday, August 3: North by Northwest (1959) Saturday, August 4: Steamboat Bill, Jr. (1928) Friday, August 10: Young Frankenstein (1974) Saturday, August 11: Back to the Future (1985) Friday, August 17: Audience Choice! Saturday, August 18: The Wizard of Oz (1939) Sing-A-Long To get tickets or more details, visit: Oscars.org or Entertainment Weekly. In related news, The Weinstein Company is also re-releasing The Artist this weekend, another Oscar winner coming back (rather quickly). These Oscars Outdoors events will take place at a park the Academy spent $2 million building and preparing with a projection setup worthy of the Academy Awards. "The world knows all about the Oscars, but today we're going to talk a little about the other 364 days of the year," said Randy Haberkamp, managing director of programming for the Academy. "For a movie theater, of course, this is literally outside the box." Indeed. The venue seats about 500 people located at 1341 Vine Street in Hollywood, CA. The AMPAS is hosting a private invite-only screening of Field of Dreams (how perfect - "build it and they will come") to kick things off on May 19th, but after that the screenings listed above are open to the public all summer. See you there!

Here are the new Wtf-Film reviews for the past week:Dead Snow Tommy Wirkola [Norway] "It's fun to finally see a throwback to the exploitation of the 70's and 80's that isn't based directly on a studio property. SNOW offers a number of truly original gore highlights - a snowmobile used as a multi-tool of dismemberment, a thrilling cliff-side battle at the end of a small intestine, and even a disemboweling seen through the eyes of the victim . . ."The Ship of Monsters Rogelio A. Gonzalez [Mexico] "Angered that Gamma has her sights set on the finest male she's yet encountered, Beta does the only thing she can - turns into a Gothic-style cape-clad vampire and begins feeding on the local drunkards!"Caltiki - The Immortal Monster Riccardo Freda / Mario Bava [Italy] "CALTIKI may be set in Mexico, but it's really 100% pure cinema fantascienza - produced in Italy by a man who, though he received no on-screen credit, would go on to become the most recognized name in Italian horror."Plan 9 From Outer Space Edward D. Wood Jr. [United States] "An evenly paced and easy to appreciate bit of z-grade science fiction hokum - a sort of bad movie-lite for those not wishing to torment themselves unnecessarily with certified neuron-destroyers like MONSTER A-GO-GO. It could well be the epitome of the tired 'so bad it's good' cliche." Wtf-Film is currently updating twice weekly with new reviews - don't forget to sign up for our RSS feed to keep up with the latest new articles. As always, thanks for reading!

Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp |Associated Provincial Picture Houses v Wednesbury Corporation| |Court||Court of Appeal of England and Wales| |Decided||November 10, 1947| |Citation(s)|| EWCA Civ 1| |Judge(s) sitting||Lord Greene, Somervell LJ, Singleton J| Associated Provincial Picture Houses Ltd. v Wednesbury Corporation 1 KB 223 is an English law case that sets out the standard of unreasonableness of public-body decisions that would make them liable to be quashed on judicial review, known as Wednesbury unreasonableness. The court gave three conditions on which it would intervene to correct a bad administrative decision, including on grounds of its unreasonableness in the special sense later articulated in Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service by Lord Diplock: |“||So outrageous in its defiance of logic or accepted moral standards that no sensible person who had applied his mind to the question to be decided could have arrived at it.||”| In 1947 Associated Provincial Picture Houses was granted a licence by the Wednesbury Corporation in Staffordshire to operate a cinema on condition that no children under 15 were admitted on Sundays. Associated Provincial Picture Houses sought a declaration that such a condition was unacceptable and outside the power of the Corporation to impose. The court held that it could not intervene to overturn the decision of the defendant simply because the court disagreed with it. To have the right to intervene, the court would have to conclude that: - in making the decision, the defendant took into account factors that ought not to have been taken into account, or - the defendant failed to take into account factors that ought to have been taken into account, or - the decision was so unreasonable that no reasonable authority would ever consider imposing it. The court held that the decision did not fall into any of these categories and the claim failed. As Lord Greene, M. R. said (at 229), |“||It is true the discretion must be exercised reasonably. Now what does that mean? Lawyers familiar with the phraseology commonly used in relation to exercise of statutory discretions often use the word "unreasonable" in a rather comprehensive sense. It has frequently been used and is frequently used as a general description of the things that must not be done. For instance, a person entrusted with a discretion must, so to speak, direct himself properly in law. He must call his own attention to the matters which he is bound to consider. He must exclude from his consideration matters which are irrelevant to what he has to consider. If he does not obey those rules, he may truly be said, and often is said, to be acting "unreasonably." Similarly, there may be something so absurd that no sensible person could ever dream that it lay within the powers of the authority. Warrington LJ in Short v Poole Corporation Ch. 66, 90, 91 gave the example of the red-haired teacher, dismissed because she had red hair. That is unreasonable in one sense. In another sense it is taking into consideration extraneous matters. It is so unreasonable that it might almost be described as being done in bad faith; and, in fact, all these things run into one another.||”| The test laid down in this case, in all three limbs, is known as "the Wednesbury test". The term "Wednesbury unreasonableness" is used to describe the third limb, of being so unreasonable that no reasonable authority could have decided that way. This case or the principle laid down is cited in United Kingdom courts as a reason for courts to be hesitant to interfere with decisions of administrative law bodies. In recent times, particularly as a result of the enactment of the Human Rights Act 1998, the judiciary have resiled from this strict abstentionist approach, recognising that in certain circumstances it is necessary to undertake a more searching review of administrative decisions. The European Court of Human Rights requires the reviewing court to subject the original decision to "anxious scrutiny" as to whether an administrative measure infringes a Convention right. In order to justify such an intrusion, the Respondents will have to show that they pursued a "pressing social need" and that the means employed to achieve this were proportionate to the limitation of the right. - Compare: patently unreasonable, fairness, fundamental justice and due process. - In the United States, a similarly dominant case is Chevron U.S.A. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, 467 U.S. 837 (1984), which describes the level of deference accorded to final legislative rulemaking made by federal agencies with the authority to do so. The legal standard most comparable to Wednesbury unreasonableness is the "arbitrary and capricious" standard applied to most regulatory decisions undertaken without trial-type procedures (those rendered after trial-type procedures must be "supported by substantial evidence"). - Re Smith & Fawcett Ch 304, a company law case dealing with the control of discretion - Wednesbury unreasonableness in Singapore - Associated Provincial Picture Houses v. Wednesbury Corporation EWCA Civ 1, 1 K.B. 223, Court of Appeal (England and Wales) - Council of Civil Service Unions v Minister for the Civil Service UKHL 6 at para. 410, 3 All ER 935, 3 WLR 1174, ICR 14, AC 374, IRLR 28, House of Lords

Soundtrax: Episode 2013-08 August & September, 2013 By Randall D. Larson Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Bear’s Emmy, THE 25TH Reich, and a look back at Colin Towns’ FULL CIRCLE This week we feature no less than three new interviews - Bear McCreary on scoring Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. and Starz’s DA VINCI’S DEMONS; Ricky Edwards and the sci-fi Nazi spectacular, THE 25TH REICH, and Colin Towns on his remarkable 1977 synth score for FULL CIRCLE (aka The Haunting of Julia). Soundtrack Reviews include: COLETTE (Örvarsson), THE CONSPIRACY (Darren Baker), CONTINUUM Season 1 (Jeff Danna), GRAVITY (Steven Price), JOBS (John Debney), KICK-ASS 2 (Jackman & Margeson), LOST PLANET 3 (Jack Wall), LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED (Söderqvist), MUSIC FROM THE IRON MAN TRILOGY, SALINGER (Balfe), TEXAS, ADDIO (Abril), and THE ULTIMATE LIFE (McKenzie). The announcement at Comic-Con last July that Bear McCreary would be scoring Marvel’s new TV super-hero spin-off, AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. set off a wave of excitement from fans eager to hear how McCreary would approach music within the Marvel Universe. I spoke with Bear last week and asked him what he could tell us about scoring the new ABC series; this chat was added to an earlier interview about DA VINCI’S DEMONS, which just garnered Bear his first Emmy Award (for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music) and THE WALKING DEAD to provide the following. Q: How did you get involved with Marvel’s AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. TV show? Bear McCreary: Joss Whedon and Jed Whedon and Maurissa [Tancharoen] and Jeff Bell, all of the producers, were aware of my work from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA and THE WALKING DEAD, so I think that was primarily the influence. I certainly have been a huge fan of their work for many years, so when they called me in to show me the pilot and discuss the possibility of working on it I was very excited. In many ways it’s sort of a dream come true – I’ve wanted to work with Joss for a long time and I’ve always wanted to work on a Marvel property, and to be able to do both at the same time is pretty amazing! Q: How far into the project are you now? Bear McCreary: I have finished the first episode, I’ve written the major character themes, and am just setting out on doing the rest of the show. But have written the main character themes and the show’s main theme, which was a huge hurdle to have completed. Q: How would you describe your approach to the Marvel Universe and the Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.? Bear McCreary: It’s a challenge because this show takes place in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the world of super-heroes, but our main characters are not themselves super-heroes. So there is a very delicate balancing act that I’ve had to work in, where the score needs to feel like it belongs in that Marvel universe, but it can’t be so big that it doesn’t acknowledge the more human, the more quirky, and the more vulnerable elements that make the show unique. For example, early in the process before I was even hired, the producers and the editors were temp-tracking the show with cues from big Marvel movies and they were finding that it didn’t actually work, it was actually hurting the drama and hurting the characters. So they started temping with themes that were a lot smaller. When I came in, I actually leaned the score back in the other direction, so I feel like the score that I’ve written definitely sounds super-heroic, but it has elements to it that make it feel a little more human and a little more quirky and fun. I think that it’s going to find that balance between those two disparate ideas. Q: How would you describe your main theme for the show? Bear McCreary: The main theme is big and brassy and heroic. I think fans of my music are going to recognize an influence from HUMAN TARGET and THE CAPE, which are two orchestral shows that I did. Clearly this is a well that I am drawing from again – very proudly. It’s the kind of scoring I grew up listening to –you’ll hear everything from Jerry Goldsmith and Elmer Bernstein and John Williams – but I think it also definitely sounds like my music. I’m very excited that Marvel is encouraging me to be expressive and write the kind of super-hero score that I’ve always wanted to write. Q: Now you’re working on DA VINCI’S DEMONS, a different concept with a different kind of music. How would you describe your work on this show? Bear McCreary: DA VINCI’S DEMONS is a fantastic experience. I really enjoyed working with David S. Goyer, and he encouraged me to make a score that is highly thematic and really pushed me out of my comfort zone. The show takes place in Renaissance Florence and it features a number of historical figures, so for me this is a real departure. I’m used to working on science fiction/fantasy worlds where I can make up any rules I want! If I want DEFIANCE to sound like synthesizers and distorted accordions, then I can do that. But this is different, it was my first historical drama. There’s a musical heritage and a culture there that I really wanted to represent, and I just adored researching Renaissance music and texts and old vocal pieces and even used some original music from the time period. For example, the theme for the Medicis and their family was written by their court composer, so if Lorenzo De Medici watched this show he would recognize his theme as one that was written for him five hundred years ago! So that’s really exciting for me to be able to roll up my sleeves and just dive into music history. Q: Did you have an actual orchestra available to record the scores? Bear McCreary: Yeah! Absolutely, we had a full orchestra and I also worked with the Calder Quartet, which is a fantastic group; they’re rising superstars in the classical world. I had a number of ethnic specialty players including viola de gamba and Renaissance woodwinds, lutes, and I played hurdy gurdy. [That] was really an eclectic, beautiful sound. We had choirs, too – on half the episodes we had beautiful choirs come in. So I think the score to that show I personally think is the most sophisticated writing that I’ve done so far. I’m very proud of it. Q: You’re about to start scoring the fourth season of THE WALKING DEAD. Would you describe how that score was developed over its three-plus seasons, and where it will be going, if you can talk about that yet. Bear McCreary: The show, like a lot of great shows, evolved naturally. It has a natural evolution that the music follows. This happened with me on BSG and it is in the process of happening on THE WALKING DEAD. The music started out very minimal and it had a Bernard Herrmann meets bluegrass quality; that’s still there, but in Season 3, when we introduce The Governor and Woodbury and this whole new arc, there’s a new sound that snuck in there and one of the sounds that seems to have resonated immediately with the fans is this thing that they’ve called “the pulse,” which is essentially The Governor’s theme. That’s actually another example of synthesizer programming that was inspired by the work that I did on EUROPA REPORT. So that’s a new texture that has an almost John Carpenter-like quality. I think it’s really kind of ominous and it almost doesn’t feel like music, it’s so low and cold and emotionless, which I think is why it captures The Governor’s personality so beautifully. So that’s something that I hope continues as we move on into season 4. I’m looking forward to expanding into new sounds and new territories. Q: A cool thing about that is some of the most effective and affecting dramatic moments on current television come out of that show. It’s so much more than just a zombie apocalypse story. Bear McCreary: Oh, I know! Q: I think the music plays a big part in that too, as far as expressing the emotional quality of what’s going on with these people. Bear McCreary: One of the other things that makes WALKING DEAD so special, for me, is how relatively little music there is. What happens when there are scenes that can be effective without music, it just means that when there is music, I can be much more subtle and still have a really powerful impact. So I feel like I can approach THE WALKING DEAD with a very delicate hand, and build up tension gradually. You get episode after episode where there is some music but it’s very restrained and reserved and you’re letting the actors do the work – you’re letting them carry the emotional weight whenever it’s possible. Then you get to an episode like the fourth episode of Season 3 [“Killer Within”] where we have a major character’s death and one that shocked viewers and fans of the comic book alike. And in that scene I just took the training wheels off and I just went full-on emotional and the result was devastating because you never hear music like that [on this show]. Or there was a moment in Season 2, the mid-season finale [“Pretty Much Dead Already”] which was another moment where we waited and waited and waited, and then that emotion comes it’s very powerful. As a composer, it’s really exciting. Q: I wanted to ask about DEFIANCE, which of course is not only a sci-fi TV show but a video game. What was your approach to scoring this post-apocalyptic, alien world? Bear McCreary: For me, scoring a post-apocalyptic, alien world is a bit of a challenge not because it’s new but because I’ve done it a [few] times already. With BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, THE WALKING DEAD and TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES, this is familiar territory for me. I wanted to find a way to do something I hadn’t done before and in fact the tone of DEFIANCE is very different than those other shows, and that’s the reason I took it on. It’s actually nothing like those at all. It had a very optimistic, upbeat, fun quality. It really reminds me more of, almost like EUREKA when you just smile when you’re watching it. So that was really exciting for me, to take on a show where we can have some fun, and I could write alien pop songs and do covers of familiar songs and, at the same time, create a culture – actually create multiple cultures – where we use music to delineate these various alien races. And of course, on top of all that, I get to score the video game and create sounds for the gamers as well, in this shared universe. And I do think it’s worth noting, to eliminate confusion, that this is not a situation of a game being based on a show, or a show being based on a game; these were developed simultaneously and premiered simultaneously. So, for me, musically, this was a once in a lifetime opportunity where I got to create music for this world and create it for two different mediums. Q: To what extent are your scores shared between the mediums? Bear McCreary: They are shared musically as much as possible, but ironically tonally they are very different. I wanted them to connect as much as possible, and it is sincerely my hope when gamers watch the show they feel that connective DNA in the music, it feels like the same universe. However, these are different animals. The show has action and adventure but it’s really a character piece. It has quirky, bizarre characters and interesting and dramatic political situations. The game is very much an adrenalin piece, blowing up aliens and running around. This worked out to my advantage, I think, because to get the full picture you should listen to both. There’s really no overlap in terms of style. The instrumentation is the same, but the game album is like my most upbeat, aggressive album I’ve ever done – to me, it’s almost like a dance record, and the album for the TV show has interesting dramatic pieces and quirky songs and some really great blues numbers. Q: Another thing I wanted to ask about was a TV show you did called SHELF LIFE, which was kind of a quirky, comedy science fiction. Bear McCreary: Oh yeah! This was done for my buddy Yuri Lowenthal and Tara Platt, these are two friends of mine who go way back. They produced this web series about action figures living on a little boy’s shelf. I wanted to do really primitive 1980’s music, because to me, I mean, I know kids still play with action figures, but to mine and Yuri’s generation when I think action figures, it’s He-man and Transformers! The glory day for us was in the ‘80s, so I used a lot of 8-bit synthesis and cheap Casios and things like that. Itt was a fun way for me to write music and try and imagine if I was an action figure how would I score my own TV show? Q: And then you’ve done HOLLISTON, which is kind of like a quirky horror show… Bear McCreary: Yeah. HOLLISTON is director Adam Green’s passion project. I’m pretty close to Adam, and Joe Lynch is his co-star, who I work with a lot. These guys are some of my best friends in the world, and when I heard they were both starring in their own TV show about their own lives I had to jump in. It’s great: it’s like Heavy Metal SEINFELD! It really is a sitcom score but it’s scored in a heavy metal and horror style that is really fun. It’s really funny, I think genre fans who are familiar with horror movies and stuff that Adam has done will find that it’s full of so many great little in-jokes. The funniest thing to look for is a character played by Dee Snider, from Twisted Sister, and his character is a wanna-be rocker, and he comes in and he’s always glammed to the hilt. He’s got his wig and his tights and the make-up and he moves his hands like he’s on stage all the time. I got the idea that I would score his every movement with a heavy metal band, as if he were conducting a metal band – even though he’s not on stage, he works in an office, but it’s really funny. The problem was that I set myself up for an incredible challenge because it’s like that really tight, Mickey Mouse scoring where I’m counting frames and trying to hit every tiny movement – his head, his hands, his feet! – and I’m hitting it with these really big, distorted guitar hits. It’s so much fun! Q: Finally - I understand you’ve also done some session work – specifically by bringing your accordion to play on Jack Wall’s game score, LOST PLANET 3. What was that experience like? Bear McCreary: Oh that was great. Jack and I have been friends for a long time, and I love his music. I’m not asked to play on other sessions very often, but it’s always fun to be able to get my accordion or my hurdy-gurdy and go play for someone else, and let them worry about the details. I just want to play! An homage to the classic war and science fiction B-movies of the 1940s and 50s, THE 25TH REICH tells the story about Hitler’s secret weapon – a spaceship fleet – and the five American agents on a mission to stop the Nazi space invasion! It’s a time travel war story in which five US GI’s stationed in Australia during World War II are duped into testing out a time machine that transports them back 50,000 years into the past where they are (1) chased by marsupial lions, (2) attacked by a swarm of giant mosquitos, and (3) discover a pristine alien spaceship, which is also being sought by Nazi’s in order to win the war. Composer Ricky Edwards turns in a very good sampled-orchestral score, much influenced by John Williams, featuring a sweeping Nazi theme at its heart. Edwards’ score was just released on CD by MovieScore Media/Kronos Records. (see: http://www.kronosrecords.com) Q: How did you get the assignment to write the music for THE 25TH REICH? Ricky Edwards: I first met Stephen Amis, the director, in 2004. I was recommended to him as an orchestrator for a project he was working on that already had a composer attached. That film didn’t get made unfortunately but during that meeting he asked if he could hear something of mine. I played him some compositions I had finished for two computer games released by Atari Australia, Terminator 3 Rise Of The Machines and Transformers. He obviously liked them and made up his mind to book me for his next project. Q: When you first met with Amis to take a look at THE 25TH REICH, how did you determine the kind of music needed for the film? Ricky Edwards: Stephen had a very good idea of the score he wanted for the film before we got together. He is very music savvy. He grew up listening to a lot of film scores from a young age. He had a lot of requests and suggestions right from our first meeting, both stylistically and structurally. He’s not a musician or a composer but he is very respectful in all of his requests. His main concerns were stylistic and thematic. He wanted a very motivic driven score in somewhat of a Williamsesque style. In fact, he had already put a lot of John Williams on the film as temp. Q: The film mixes the genres of science fiction and horror with that of the traditional World War II film. How did you reflect and contrast these elements musically – and how did the interplay between the characters resonate in the score? Ricky Edwards: There was a lot of genre to cover throughout the film. I think the thing that binds the score together is in the orchestration. There are certain devices and consistencies in the use of the instruments, particularly in the brass and lower strings, that is the sound of the score. The various genres were addressed from a more thematic or motivic point of view, with the obvious adjustment in the orchestration. Right at the start of the film there are shots of German tanks and swastikas. It’s very World War II and the images look quite period or old-fashioned. Then some big iron doors roll back to reveal a good old-fashioned flying saucer. So right from the start of the film the style of the score is pretty much dictated. It felt quite odd for the score to be anything other than early 20th century and Germanic in style. And it also meant that right from the start of the film the score was orchestral. While there’s a bit of synthesizers and atmospheric textures in the music, the score remained predominantly orchestral throughout. We did look at using more electronic percussion elements like some of the contemporary scores around today but the modern thing just didn’t stick. It felt wrong. Mainly because of what was established from the start. As the film unwinds, each of the characters’ true nature comes to the fore. So Stephen and I wanted to highlight each character and their shifts in behavior, firstly with particular motives and then with orchestration reflecting the development in their character. All in all, there is a lot of thematic development in the score and as a result, the music really does drive the film a lot. Q: Your thunderous martial theme for the Nazi’s and the Theremin-like motif for the time machine nicely dominate the musical landscape. How did you choreograph the score’s thematic structure to enhance the film’s dramatic arc? Ricky Edwards: I did put a lot of thought into this. The film is quite big during the opening Nazi bunker scene, not to mention the big opening credits piece. It immediately becomes more intimate while the film introduces the five characters. Even though we know what is coming, because we’ve seen the tanks and flying saucer, the film spends enough time dealing with the characters’ personal dynamics that we almost forget what the film is about, not quite. It certainly drops the dynamic down a lot and deals more intimately with character development. Consequently character development also became an important part of the role of the score throughout the film. There are basically five climaxes in the film, and naturally each one gets a bit bigger. There are the obvious horrors that happen in the film that get progressively bigger and nastier and these usually come at the end of the climax. But the film also gets its emotional shape from two developing elements in the story that progress in parallel. Two of the characters, who turn out to be not so nice, become progressively more important in the story and at the same time the surroundings or scenery change. As you watch the film, you’re not fully aware at first why certain things are happening, like the scenery changing, nor do you know who is responsible. But the shape and build in tension comes from these two parts of the story as much as it comes from the action scenes. The build to each climax is piggy-backed on the character development as much as it is dependent on the dangerous stuff. I should mention that thematically there is a relationship, albeit subtle, between the bad guys, the flying saucer and the robots in reel four. These themes naturally worked together to build the climax in reel four where the robots attack. Finally, I also used what we call bookends. I used the same theme that opens the film in the Nazi bunker scene, for the final scene. Q: What was your process of creating and mixing the score, giving it a very credible orchestral sound, using digital samples? Did the budget permit the inclusion of any live instruments to sweeten the sound? Ricky Edwards: The budget for the whole project was pretty tight. I think Stephen did a remarkable job with the budgetary limitations throughout the whole film making process, as did the rest of the film making team. The budget didn’t allow for any live musicians and the score is fully sequenced and synthesized. I must admit that I was a little nervous at first at the thought of fully sequencing such an orchestrally driven score, particularly one in the style it is in. But both Stephen and I didn’t want to take the score in an alternative direction. We both felt that the film was better with the orchestral score of choice but it needed to sound as realistic as possible. The writing process for this score began with pencil and paper. Most of the score was written and orchestrated in short score format. There are only a few small sections of the score that relied on synth textures and ambient effects and those bits were mostly improvised and played straight to the film. Most of the jobs that I do which are sequenced, particularly the TV series, are often just played straight into the computer without the need to write it all down. But in this case, I found it much easier to maintain the integrity of the style and the shape of the cues by working with pencil and paper first. It also helped me to develop the polyphony and inner orchestral parts which definitely helps the synths sound more realistic. Usually I’d write a cue or two and then later, or even the next day, sequence it up. Sometimes I would make small adjustments to the orchestration during the sequencing process but any large change to the cue usually involved picking up the pencil again. Another process that ensured as much realism as possible was to sequence each part individually. For me, orchestral music is about line and ensemble. So I seldom sequence groups of instruments together. I also mixed the score. I put a fair bit of time into picking my audio processing and mixing plugins. I sequenced and mixed the whole score in Apple’s Logic Pro. Q: Did you have a temp track to deal with? Ricky Edwards: Stephen did a pretty good job of temping the film. It was mostly John Williams with a bit of Steve Jablonsky’s TRANSFORMERS and some Marco Beltrami. Q: How difficult was it to get the samples to sound as real as possible? Ricky Edwards: I love this style of writing. I have been involved with symphony orchestras since I was a teenager, firstly as a French horn player and then a pianist. This style is kind of natural for me. Part of the challenge of scoring any film is how far you underscore or lead the scene. Without sounding pretentious, I’ve always considered this process as a kind of ensemble with the actors. As a composer you don’t want to get in the actor’s way. You can have such a big influence and effect on the direction and the feeling of a scene by pushing one emotion or the other. So when scoring a drama you have to be careful about overtaking the acting. The beauty about scoring a sci-fi film is that the music is expected to push the film past normal boundaries. A sci-fi film is not based on reality so the job of the music is in fact to push the film outside of reality. Consequently the composer gets to overtake a bit, sometimes. Q: You’ve also scored the family TV series, LIGHTNING POINT, about a pair of alien girls marooned in a small Australian town. How did you approach providing the right musical tone for this series? Ricky Edwards: The film makers did not want the score to be too scary. They were quite conscious of the demographic but more importantly they wanted to heighten the mystery and magic of these girls from another world. So we played the wonderment and mystery of the aliens. The aliens weren’t trying to take over the world, in fact they’re just trying to get home. I used a fair bit of synth effects and included a Theremin for a leitmotif which gave the score the alien feel. Even though I was scoring THE 25TH REICH at the same time, the Theremin wasn’t actually my idea. Coincidently both clients asked for Theremin themes at approximately the same time. Strangely enough, they were the first scores I had ever used Theremin on. But the scores are very different. Q: How were the science fiction elements of the story reflected musically? Ricky Edwards: The series looks at the way that the alien girls, who are unfamiliar with earthly ideas of love and friendship, discover new relationships in ways they hadn’t experienced before. It is about their journey through friendships, their discovery of romance or love and how they need to adjust to fit these new friendships into their lives. The score was kept quite intimate and small in texture for that reason. None of the film makers, including me, wanted to turn the feeling of the series away from that journey. Q: What were the musical needs of an earlier family series, THE ELEPHANT PRINCESS, about a suburban girl who discovers she is a princess of a mystical kingdom? Ricky Edwards: The first thoughts I had about this series was to have a very different feel about the score when dealing with the real world and dealing with the mystical one. In the real world, the girl is just a girl. But in the mystical world she is a somewhat reluctant princess, a little intimidated by all the magic around her. I felt this should be done mostly with texture and style. The mystical world should be a blend of orchestral and ethnic instruments and the real world should be more fresher and perhaps a bit more contemporary sounding. Jonathan Schiff (the producer) wanted an element of popular appeal in both worlds so I used a lot of electronic and ethnic percussion elements for the score when in the mystical world and I used more conventional sounding percussion and drums when dealing with the real world. The score is quite percussively driven. It is intended to appeal to a younger audience and while it is not “pop,” it is designed to sound fresh. Q: Your first TV series was h2O: JUST ADD WATER, about a trio of teenage girls who are transformed into mermaids. Would you describe your approach for this series, which again mixes family drama with fantasy - and as your first experience with episodic TV, what challenges it posed for you? Ricky Edwards: I have to say, when I got the call to do this series I was really happy. This was my first large TV series and it was a fantasy aimed at youths. The palette you get to pick from for this type of fantasy, particularly in terms of style, is enormous. You can do just about anything. We kept it young and comical most of the time. But there are some lovely moments in the score as well. It is perhaps the most successful series I’ve done to date. I even get quite a few young people emailing me to say they liked the music. I think my biggest challenge with this series was my introduction into having to deliver one episode per week. You have to hit the ground running and just keep running. They don’t like it if you’re late. Q: In shows like those, what did you feel was the responsibility of the music to evoke and enliven the story’s fantasy/sci-fi elements while expressing the emotional credibility of the characters – and how did this contrast with the grittier world of THE 25th REICH and its characters? Ricky Edwards: It’s a really good question. Mind you, I’ve got to say that I think that there couldn’t be a bigger contrast. THE 25TH REICH is a big and confronting sci-fi film while the TV shows are all very family oriented. I think that every show has its own feeling and ambience. And each actor and director has their own sense of timing and dynamics. It has been very interesting working on such a broad spectrum all in fantasy and sci-fi. For example, I felt that h2O and LIGHTNING POINT really needed more support for character development. Not because the actors needed it, but because we wanted to endear these characters to the audience and to give them a more human or personable feel. After all, one show was about mermaids and the other about aliens and we wanted them to feel like the girl next door. So a lot of the score was character driven and at times quite intimate. THE ELEPHANT PRINCESS, on the other hand, felt very different because the girl in the series was a real girl, not an alien, and who was taken into an alien environment. For the ELEPHANT PRINCESS series I didn’t need to work on making her more human. Obviously there were still intimate moments and character driven cues but the score wasn’t focused in the same way, and as a result it is actually a bigger sounding score than h2O and LIGHTNING POINT. I think that with all these shows, it is important to work out how far forward the music is going to be in the scheme of things. And I don’t just mean how loud. Some shows require a very open score with less going on and a smaller emotional footprint, while others need dramatic support. I must say, it’s been great working on such a variety all in similar genres. One of the most memorable and effective synthesizer scores of the 1970s was composed by Colin Towns for FULL CIRCLE (1977; later rereleased in 1982 as THE HAUNTING OF JULIA), based on the Peter Straub novel of a woman (Mia Farrow) grieving the loss of her daughter being affected by the ghosts of other dead children. The film was an attractively stylish and very subtle ghost film, and Towns, a former keyboard player with ex-Deep Purple singer Ian Gillian’s pop band, provided a beautiful, stylish blend of vocals, synthesizer and piano. The music is simple, but haunting. Its roots are in rock, but it is by no means a rock score. The main theme is an unforgettable melody evocative of both joy and sorrow, played first by melancholy piano and later by a strong, high synthesizer, over shimmering, mid-range synthesizer drones and a slowly repeated up-and-down piano riff. Towns’ musical score mirrors the stylish approach taken by the film itself – it approaches horror indirectly, providing not shocking scenes and terrifying suspense, but a sad, melancholy feeling. The paradoxical moods evoked by the score perfectly underlie the mood of the film, Towns’ melody captures an essence of joy, but the tempo is tinged with regret, and in many ways FULL CIRCLE is a film exploring regret and resignation. I interviewed Towns by email last July about his work on FULL CIRCLE and other horror and science fiction scores. (Special thanks to Jo Lilley for facilitating our cybernetic discussion.) Q: On 1977’s FULL CIRCLE I understand you were brought in early, prior to filming, in order to have a music track ready to show potential investors in the film. How did you become involved, and from what did you draw your inspiration for the music at this early stage, without any footage to look at? Colin Towns: I had a small publishing deal with April Music (CBS publishing) and mentioned many times that I wanted to get into scoring films. One day Peter [Fetterman, producer] approached April Music as he was looking for a composer for his film which at the time was called THE LINK. Alan Parker was also with him – he was preparing to make BUGSY MALONE although I didn’t meet him. I was given the script and a very generous two hour recording/mix time to produce a demo. Having just joined Ian Gillan’s Band, I had a synth (ARP 2600) which was new to me but made great sounds. The band wasn’t working much at the time, and I knew it was important to produce a good track. Not being academic I wrote a simple haunting tune and it kind of just happened. Richard Loncraine, the director, immediately booked me and I demoed more ideas at a friend’s studio. I was given complete freedom and, being new to film making, I had no ‘experience’ to hinder my ideas. Q: Your melodious theme from FULL CIRCLE is a splendid melody – and one flexible enough to appear in many different variations – lullaby, furtive, suspenseful, disquieting, a rapturous melody of redemption, and so on – would you describe how you rearranged the theme into various settings to fit the storyline – and what the music was intended to represent in its different appearances. Colin Towns: All melodies can have other lives, you need to explore and open the door marked ‘DARE.’ Joe Cocker’s version of ‘A Little Help from my Friends’ is a good example. With FULL CIRCLE I just ‘felt’ the various scenes. My composing has continued this way ever since – no analysis. Sometimes a simple movement of the bass line or a pause can take you by surprise – make you uncomfortable, tearful, etc. The melody here mainly represents Mia Farrow’s feelings for her dead daughter but of course because the music has a haunting feeling it also feeds the ‘ghost’ feel. Q: The late 1970s were a formative year for electronic music in films, especially horror films where the use of throbbing synths became especially synched to slasher movies; but I’ve found FULL CIRCLE to be a profound example of electronic music used melodically in a very sublime sense. Do you recall your perspective regarding electronic music during those days and just what it was you wanted to express musically within the bounds of this film? Colin Towns: I didn’t like the Moog/Switched on Bach approach but I was interested in a sound that has emotion. The sound on the film has a sweet feel and with vibrato (carefully) helped to make the instrument ‘sing’ as opposed to shout clever/modern etc. Q: In addition to the main theme there is also a love theme, mostly configured for flute, and a melancholy piece of piano music during Julia’s lonely walk through the park which is reminiscent of Satie. Would you describe how you wove these pieces together along with the main theme to convey the impressions you and the filmmaker’s want? Colin Towns: Again, I simply wrote a sweet piece and presented it to Richard. Before this film I had always written instrumental pieces (from the age of 14) and now at last I found my natural home. Yes, Satie was an influence but more Parade than Gymnopedies. Q: The film is intentionally ambiguous in its depiction of the supernatural – is there really a ghost, or is it a psychological manifestation of Julia’s grief? Your score seems to remain ambiguous on this point. Colin Towns: Andre Previn (who was married to Mia Farrow at the time and who I admire) didn’t think much of the score because he couldn’t relate the theme – well that was the point. Yes it’s Julia – or is it? Q: How closely did you work with the filmmakers in creating your score – and what changes did it go through during the process? Colin Towns: I created many demos and re-recorded for the film (lengths etc.). We didn’t change much but there was one scene where Richard insisted on using my original demo because of the atmosphere. Q: Do you recall what synthesizers and other instruments were used in the performance of the score – and did you play them yourself or bring in session players? Colin Towns: Yes, I played all instruments. I used the ARP 2600, piano, and a Solina String machine. Q: By the time you scored George Pavleau’s RAWHEAD REX (one of, if not the, first films based on Clive Barker’s work) I believe you had gone into film scoring full time. This film is the antithesis of FULL CIRCLE’s sublime and poignant fragility – would you describe your recollections of working on this project and how you approached writing music for a very aggressive monster movie? Colin Towns: I was keen to explore my musical possibilities. The film had a country/pastorale backdrop, so I chose a pastiche orchestral feel whereas FULL CIRCLE had a stronger, more original approach. I was very aware of composers who work extensively in the horror movie area. It was fun to do but I knew Christopher Young (wonderful composer) was concerned at one time that he may be typecast and only called for horror scores. For better or for worse, I didn’t want to be typecast. So the film was good to do but not a road I intended to follow. Today, with the game industry so big, I’m sure many people would follow the horror road. I have avoided the game business. Q: While RAWHEAD is certainly a monster in the true sense, the movie also carried through some of the religious aspects found in Barker’s story – did these nuances allow you to add any additional musical elements as you treated the creature in your score? Colin Towns: It’s difficult to remember my thought process at the time. Scoring was fast as I recall and yes the church was important but not my main approach, which was larger than life; another world; fear. Q: Your score for VAMPIRE’S KISS was an alluring mix of contemporary romantic saxophone and spooky/scary electronics. Do you recall how this musical approach was determined and how this score was developed? Colin Towns: Bob Bierman, the director of VAMPIRE’S KISS, had shot an opening sequence that showed New York with church spires shown prominently, and it was to create a ‘world within a world’ atmosphere. It was my starting point and I simply took the N.Y. landscape with a touch of jazz and ‘tipped’ it slightly, which gave the music an edge but promised something (but you didn’t know what). The high violin phrase (difficult for a whole section to play) was a crucial motif for Nicholas Cage’s character – he was mentally ‘losing it.’ The music was mainly orchestral. One sequence was an interesting challenge - our ‘man’ goes to a ‘disco’ with his trick shop cheap ‘fangs’ and chats up a girl then kills her by sinking his teeth into her neck - à la vampire. He leaves the club early morning about four A.M. and staggers down the street covered in her blood. The people passing think he’s in ‘fancy dress’ but are not sure of him and step out of his way. Musically we needed a dance track that would lead into the orchestral score. The budget was tight so an existing disco track was not really possible, so I did the whole thing myself. I created/played the pop track and then sung it (sort of!). I could then slide into the orchestra without the change being that noticeable. Q: You scored two (very different) films for Stuart Gordon, DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS and SPACE TRUCKERS. What can you describe of these experiences and the music needed for these pictures? Colin Towns: DAUGHTERS OF DARKNESS starred Anthony Perkins who had a natural edgy aura, which was perfect for this film. The music was recorded in Budapest, Hungary. From what I remember the movie was set in Europe and I scored it for orchestra with a European/classical type feel. SPACE TRUCKERS was director Stuart Gordens’ idea for a comic space movie which at that time no-one had produced. Musically it was STAR WARS meets country and western with Dennis Hopper doing a great job as the main man. Good fun. Q: You scored THE PUPPET MASTERS for Disney’s Hollywood Pictures. The film gave you the opportunity (and the budget) to contrast your electronic ensemble with a large symphony orchestra, which really created an unsettling and very discordant sound world for the alien invaders. How was this score developed and what challenges did it pose for you? Colin Towns: I hadn’t worked for Disney before when THE PUPPET MASTERS came up. Their plan was to let me score two reels and if they liked it I could score the whole movie. The guy making the fuss disappeared and so I was just left to finish the score, which we recorded at Abbey Road in London. I spent a month in L.A sketching ideas and meeting all the main people. I love energy so the film was a great opportunity for me to create orchestral effects and driving themes. The music editor was Ken Wannberg (a composer himself) who has had a long working relationship with John Williams. I remember sitting with the director Stuart Orme and explaining the orchestral scores to him. Quite difficult to portray an orchestral effects on the piano! Nowadays, samples have made this process a bit easier. Yes it was an exciting time. Q: FAERIES, on the other hand, allowed you to compose music for an animated children’s story. How did you approach the musical needs of this project and how would you describe the music you provided? Colin Towns: I’ve composed for a number of children’s animations. They have often had a period or historical connection - THE TALES OF BEATRIX POTTER, WIND IN THE WILLOWS, etc. FAERIES was also created in a period fashion and featured the voice of Kate Winslet. Again it was mostly orchestral in flavor as it was 1940’s/50’s English countryside. The music had to reflect this and have a mysterious but charming touch that would engage children up to the age of around 10-11 (although faeries have a fascination for some adults too and historically have been around a long time). You can write ‘literal’ music very often (happy/sad etc.) but the priority is to engage children and so melody was (and is sometimes now) very important. That was always my main challenge – to use good melodies. [Orme’s] FUNGUS THE BOGEYMAN had many different characters who needed themes. This had a more Tim Burton touch to the story and the music was all samples/electronics. One short film I worked on was THE SANDMAN. It collected awards around the world and the two guys who made it, Paul Berry and Ian Mackinnon, were immediately taken into the Tim Burton film productions. The Sandman character (which came first) is very similar to NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS – its stop frame animation and designed like a 1930’s art film. The perspectives are sometimes distorted. Musically it was all electronics, and it had a very simple, almost Stravinsky chamber feel. Sadly Paul Berry died young but Ian Mackinnon (as Mackinnon & Saunders) still makes the models for Tim Burton films. Q: You’ve certainly experienced and endured a great many changes in electronic music since you began in films in 1977 – in terms of technology, acceptability, integration within symphonic orchestras, all the way to the prevalent use of digital samples and computerized music systems. What do you feel have been the most significant benefits – and challenges – of electronic music as an element of film scoring in your own experience? Colin Towns: Electronic music has come a long way from the early sounds of the 20th century. People’s ears have opened up a great deal due to pop and rock (Beatles; Pink Floyd; Kraftwork etc.) ambient (Brian Eno) and movies of course. Sample sounds have created a world where ‘sound’ can reflect mood and drama in a very interesting and challenging way. New doors have opened and we can all choose whether to go through or not. My work place is all computers and screens and of course a piano. My mobile studio (which contains all the same data and samples as my studio) enables me to work anywhere be it traveling on a tour bus, at a hotel, working at a theatre, etc. – and I can send music cues all over the world from almost any location. That said, I’m not a believer in ‘you must’ follow the pack. It’s simply up to us to use this freedom and not have our visions distorted by too many ‘must have’ moments. ‘Special’ is always worth the wait and computers can destroy this with the immediate response everyone seems to crave. Time to think and develop is still crucial for me. FULL CIRCLE was my first film and I was left alone to create my own musical world. That is a very rare occurrence these days, but still the fact remains - a good idea and a strong vision will always take you places. Who knows, maybe some directors/producers will be brave in the future. New Soundtrax in Review COLETTE/Atli Örvarsson/MSM Kronos In one of the first releases since MovieScore Media of Sweden and Kronos Records of Germany began to jointly produce soundtrack albums (see below under Film Music News for details), COLETTE presents Atli Örvarsson’s understated and fluid music for this Wartime romantic drama. Although well-versed in the world of major Hollywood productions (having just scored THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES and had a hit with HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS earlier in the year [see my interview with Atli in my Feb. 26 column]), COLETTE provided composer Atli Örvarsson with a chance to write music he had never done before. Directed by Milan Cieslar, the film is a powerful screen adaptation of A Girl from Antwerp, a novella by Pulitzer Prize nominated author Arnošt Lustig who chronicles a tragic love story from the time of the Holocaust. “When the opportunity to score this film came about, I realized that I didn’t really have a good piece to send to the director as a demo” recalls Örvarsson. “The first thing I wrote was the so-called Birkenau theme. Milan Cieslar really liked it a lot but he wanted to hear a love theme as well and, while I’ve composed a few of those, I had never written one that was suitable for this film. So I wrote that as well and sent to him before I was even hired to do the film! So, in truth, I’ve never demoed as much for any project but I really wanted to do this film so it was all worth it!” Örvarsson’s score flows deliberately but often disconsolately, the shadowy specter of Nazi racism and execution looming large over the growing romance between the characters, and thus the romantic theme carries a dark undertone, reaching its musical culmination at the end with a beautiful epiphany, adding a female voice to the omnipresent string orchestra we’ve heard since the beginning. Örvarsson has provided a richly tonal score for bittersweet romance – love blossoming but shrouded by terrible circumstances – and in so doing shows that he can convey the multifaceted and difficult emotions of this kind of story just as well as he can enrich the muscular fantasies of the effects-laden Hollywood action films he’s been doing recently. THE CONSPIRACY/Darren Baker/Screamworks Canadian composer Darren Baker has created a thoroughly haunting and scare-inducing score for Christopher MacBride’s horror thriller with a thick textural score that seems to bellow from the gaping maw of the devil itself. Exploring the dark underbelly of conspiracy theories, MacBride’s part-mockumentary, part found footage horror show is about two filmmakers who grow fascinated with an insane preacher who spouts out frighteningly complex conspiracy theories. When the man vanishes, the heroes start looking for clues and are soon sucked into the world of secret societies and worldwide conspiracies he spoke of. Baker’s score to has been described as an intelligent mixture of György Ligeti (as heard in 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY) and the lo-fi industrialist electronica recently popularized by the film scores of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. I don’t find that description too far from the mark. There are lighter moments such as the Wendy Carlos-like classico-electronica of “Scherzando,” “Pattern Refraction,” “Pattern Recognition,” and their much darker cousin, “Steganographia,” but the score’s dramatic highpoint is certainly a howling atmospheric barrage called “Threnody For Mithras,” which distills Ligeti and Krzysztof Penderecki into a blaring 2-note minimalistic siren progression moaning like a Lovecraftian fog horn atop the inescapable hoof-beats of synthesized percussion, burgeoning ever closer. It’s a tremendous track and one of the most horrific pieces of film music I’ve encountered in recent years. The earlier track, “Three Words: New World Order,” provides a foreshadowing of “Threnody” and, when the latter track appears, the former’s quietude makes sudden sense. Elsewhere, Baker’s facility for unearthly sonic textures (“Vanity and Complacency”) and classical pianistic renderings (“C'est ce qu'elle dit Valse”) are quite evident, while “Atlas V” develops his basic ambiance into an up-tempo, driving action track counterpointed with violin figures and drum machine; the burbling electronic pulse that opens “Occupy Tarsus” is eventually drawn into a radiant rhythm piece; “Occupy Tarsus” sets up a twanging synth drive that reminds one of early Vangelis. Concluding with the symphonic resolution of the title track, “The Conspiracy,” this is a thoroughly engaging score that flies with musical epiphanies and plummets into the darkest depths of the diabolical soul of depravity with some insidiously dense musical patterns. Yet for all the breadth of its synthesis and sound design, Baker’s score never loses its musical sensibility or progressive direction. It’s a stunningly potent and mindblowing piece of music on the album; I can only imagine how intrinsically effective and scary it will be in partnership with MacBride’s film. The Canadian TV series CONTINUUM (which debuted on Showtime May of 2012) is about group of fanatical terrorists escaping their scheduled execution in 2077 by traveling back in time to 2012. Inadvertently, they take City Protective Services officer Kiera Cameron (Rachel Nichols) with them. Becoming trapped in a more “primitive” past, Kiera infiltrates the local police department to try to track down the terrorists, led by the vicious Edouard Kagame (Tony Amendola) before they change the course of history. The series’ musical score, by Jeff Danna, enhances the show’s futuristic sensibility and present-day stetting through a wash of atmospheric tonalities, light electronica, sparkling electric guitar fingering, and string patterns both airy and strident. The score is associated most often with the two primary antagonists, Kiera and Kagame, although it’s clearly the former whose focal point is the show’s musical touchstone. “When [series creator] Simon Barry and I were conceiving the approach to the score to CONTINUUM, we agreed that the musical thread that anchored the score should be the same thing that anchors the show itself, Kiera.” said Danna. “Kiera's theme needed to be something that could be strong and self-assured, but also have aspects to it that could be vulnerable and even wistful for the past (future!) she has left behind.” Frequently minimalistic while given moments to shine, often reflective in its gleaming electronic flair, as organic as it is synthetic, Danna’s musical design crafts a very agreeable ambiance, and Lakeshore has compiled an excellent compendium of the first season’s musical highlights in this digital album. GRAVITY/Steven Price/Water Tower It’s difficult not to consider a film like GRAVITY science fiction, since films taking place in space have been such a part of science fiction for so many years (and only science fiction for a good many of those); but GRAVITY is clearly a contemporary drama/thriller, evoking events that are happening and could very well happen in our contemporary times. In GRAVITY, director Alfonso Cuaron (Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN, HARRY POTTER AND THE PRISONER OF AZKABAN) tells the story of two astronauts (Sandra Bullock and George Clooney) banding together to survive after a disastrous accident wipes out their crew and sets them adrift in space. British composer Steven Price (THE WORLD’S END – see below under Film Music News) scores it without any futuristic or “syfy” trappings, but rather focuses on building tension and musically conveying the vast spaces of… space. A unique responsibility was placed on the music in GRAVITY: with no sound in the vacuum of space, the score provides the soundtrack for the emotion and character of the film while also taking on the role of more traditional sound effects through ever evolving musical sound design. “From my earliest meetings with Alfonso, it was clear the score in GRAVITY would play a crucial and expanded role,” said Price. “With no sound in space, the music was required to not only underscore the emotional journey, but also to express musically what might ordinarily be covered by more traditional sound design. The music is occasionally abstract, often melodic, and always complex in terms of its layered construction.” The score thus blurs the lines between electronic and organic sounds, incorporating a wide range of elements, from glass harmonicas to string and brass sections, that capture the on-screen emotion while reflecting the vast landscape of the film. Price’s music is decisively ambient, textured electronically, remarkable in sustaining a visceral quotient of tension throughout the film, suggesting not only the inconceivable vastness and emptiness of space that faces the astronauts on one side, and the inflammatory friction of Earth’s atmosphere on the other. Despite the seemingly hopeless odds facing the astronauts, Price manages to evoke some honest optimism and poignancy, such as the beautiful string melodies that waft through the perilous “Don’t Let Go,” contrasting beauty and terror in its simple, focused ambiance. The music here ultimately drifts away into an ambiance of hopeless lament – yet even that melancholic character is tinged with that same melodic beauty, as hope endures despite all odds. These contrasting feelings, and plenty of synthesized ambience and sonic textures, characterize the score, and its resonances drift and are carried on waves of nothingness to provide a remarkably articulate musical embodiment of the story’s predicament, character behavior, and emotional levels which make it quite remarkable. “To be involved in Alfonso’s creative process is to be invited to try anything you can think of and push further than you ever have before,” said Price. “The score didn’t need to abide by traditional rules, but it did need to be immersive. As you sit in the theater, the music literally moves around you and seeks to put you within the experience.” JOBS/John Debney/La-La Land Reuniting with director Joshua Michael Stern after their collaboration on 2008’s SWING VOTE, John Debney’s music for this biopic of Apple founder Steve Jobs is an enjoyable blend of mostly up-beat tempos that capture the many aspects of its titular character. The music, like Jobs himself, is multi-faceted and energetic, thoughtful and articulate, and Debney conveys them into a consistent whole built around a driving pulse that keeps the energy focused, as with Jobs as well. As Debney writes in the album booklet, “How does one crystallize the essence of Steve into music? Having read the books, I embarked on a quest that would lead me in many directions… [ultimately] I decided to concentrate on Steve’s ultimate effect on mankind. I hung out at numerous Apple stores in prep and realized something very basic. Humankind would be much different had Steve Jobs not lived. A much darker, less Technicolor world would most likely be the reality of life. Steve and his cohorts have literally formed the tangible world, formed it in Steve’s vision. The music started to flow once I grasped a bit of the zeitgeist of Steve. His music is the following: noble, fun, jangly, classical, electronic, and organic at the same time. This is not a musical cop-out… it is Steve. Hard to categorize, never dull, ever changing and morphing.” The score is similarly changeable even while it is drawn from a consistent vibe and rhythm; but the singularity of all of this is magnificently captured in the album’s opening track, “Think Different.” Over a running riff of acoustic guitar and drum-kit (and in a manner differently from the straightforward optimism found in the closer, “Steve’s Theme – Main Title”), Debney evokes the sense of vision, inspiration, obligation, tenacity, and considered imagination that seems to fit most peoples’ image of Steve Jobs (certainly the filmmaker’s image). It’s progressive cadence with a modern sensibility and drive; its growing force reflects such a powerful musical idea of innovation and invention, and, to use Debney’s own term, nobility, that it truly serves as a contemporary tone poem, evoking the inner character in a kind of a musical monument to the man who led the world into the information age. Throughout the score there are moments of orchestration that are quite striking – the subtle inflections of sitar in “Cold Calls” and “Think Different,” the pained, dark resonances of “Jobs Fires His Girlfriend,” the soprano melisma that resonates through the concerto-like piano performance of “Going Public,” resonating with an incipient glory, subtle swirls of winds and strings floating in an ether of ambience in “Steve’s The Problem,” the hushed, reflective tonalities floating above piano in “Worst Mistake I Ever Made,” the anthemic arena rock vibe of “Jobs Returns,” and the hushed interaction of violin and flute over mercato strings in “Resignation.” A thoroughly engaging score in every way. KICK-ASS 2/Henry Jackman & Matthew Margeson/La-La Land Henry Jackman is joined by Matthew Margeson (TRANSFORMERS PRIME, additional music for G. I. JOE: RETALLIATION, etc.) to revisit and expand the music Jackman (along with John Murphy, Ilan Eshkeri, and Marius De Vries) wrote for the first KICK-ASS. That first movie largely utilized “Stand Up” by The Prodigy for its anthemic musical core (along with a ton of licensed rock tunes, which the second movie also accommodates), but KICK-ASS 2 seems to allow the score to hold a stronger place in the film’s sonic dimension. Released by La-La Land Records, the music is full of exciting flair and electric guitar-led symphonic and synth orchestrations. It’s a fairly simple score, melodically, its main theme (reprised from KICK-ASS) is essentially a heraldic 3-note progression enhanced by a propulsive rock-based rhythmic riff, but it works very effectively to build a sense of heroic mettle and/or epic triumph; the whole score achieves such a persuasive attitude of exuberance that is quite encouraging. The composers have also arranged the main theme into more poignant, reflective moments when the titular hero is forced to question his identity as a costumed hero. The album provides nearly an hour’s worth of music (including five cues not available on the label’s digital download version), most of it at full throttle, most of it formulaic in its development and execution – but this is the kind of movie that thrives on that and the result is a score that’s a lot of fun in its muscular energy and exciting rhythmatics. LOST PLANET 3 (game score)/Jack Wall/Lost in Sound Records Game composer Jack Wall (Mass Effect, Jade Empire, Myst) has crafted an interesting musical mix for Capcom’s sci-fi action adventure video game Lost Planet® 3. The soundtrack is presented in two volumes to reflect the distinct musical approaches for the game’s soundtrack. Volume 1 features country and rock instrumentation combined with organic drum and percussion elements, infused with modern synthetic elements to create a country music of the future. “When Spark and Capcom asked me to write alien country as roughly half of the soundtrack to Lost Planet 3, I was really intrigued,” said Jack Wall. “It would be the main character’s mix tape. This is the music Jim Peyton listens to when he’s on mission in his rig - the music his wife Grace, back on Earth, sends him to remind him of home. The challenge was to make it real, but add just enough elements and context to make it seem like it is music from the future.” Presented as Volume 2, Wall’s cinematic score is a blend of sci-fi orchestral and acoustic themes, suspenseful atmospheres, and breathy, ambient textures, which serves to support the game’s compelling narrative and mysterious environments. “For me the score needed to be two things: mysterious and wild,” explained Wall. “If I could inject those ideas into the music, I would be doing my job. I’m very excited by what we’ve put together for players. The script, acting and story seamlessly intertwine with this music to create a tangible world.” The mix makes for a striking musical experience; the country flavors on Volume 1 range from progressive country music-tinged instrumental tracks (“Hoedown Showdown,” “Ballad of Jim Peyton”), bluesy action riffs (“Bayou Country”), and very dramatically structured guitar pieces (“I Walk Alone,” with its fine synth woodwind melody entwined around the low timbres of an electric guitar). There’s a little crossover between the two on both Volumes (i.e., Volume 2’s “The Ice Planet” is a score track, but is built with the country instruments most often used for the tunes in Volume 1; creating with close-miked acoustic and slide guitars a very similar kind of tangible atmosphere that the mesmerizing and deeply-textured electronics and choir does in, for example, “Lost Planet 3 Theme”). Percussively-driven action tracks like “The Vorgg” embody electronics, flailing violin figures, thickly twanging electric guitar tendrils” while spookier cues like “You Give Me The Creeps” comprise intricately assembled electronica sound design and the album closer, “The Forgotten,” embodies a captivating light melody of respite or perhaps redemption. Nicely separated and sequenced across the two discs, the score’s twin stylistic patterns both contrast and complement a compelling listening experience; Wall’s textures, whether acoustic, choral, or synthetic, create the kind of atmosphere you can almost inhale, and pervade the game’s story structure, visual landscape, and gameplay with a very stimulating aural accompaniment. LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED/Johan Söderqvist/MovieScore Media MovieScore Media releases the soundtrack album for acclaimed Danish director Susanne Bier’s romantic comedy starring Pierce Brosnan and Trine Dyrholm. Swedish composer Johan Söderqvist, best known for his darkly enchanting score for LET THE RIGHT ONE IN as well as his highly sensitive scores for many of Bier’s previous films, contributes a light-hearted and spirited orchestral score for the film. Söderqvist opens the score with a gentle interpretation of the 1952 Harry Warren/Jack Brooks song, “Amore” before moving into a number of musical set-pieces which provide local color (the film takes place in Italy; accordions and mandolins abound, and the song is reprised in to signify the location change in “To Italy”) while also accommodating the growing romance between the two as their bitter personalities bloom with newfound love. The score’s main theme, presented on its own at the end as a reflective, almost nostalgic, solo piano piece, suggests their previous loneliness and despondency, a tonality that earlier cues have turned into magic. The score is full of delightful romantic and pastoral melodies, punctuated by jazzier moments such as the acoustic guitar and accordion duet in “Taxi” and the enchanting “Mattress.” It’s a very cheerful and expressive score which is quite likeable and heartfelt. As a bonus, this album also includes music from one of the first collaborations between Bier and Söderqvist, a five-track suite from the 1994 comedy FAMILY MATTERS (“Det bli’r i familien”) which is very much in compatible territory to the previous score and captured must of the same moods with similar instrumentation; its primary themes are fairly melancholy, but particularly striking is “The Adoption” which contains a thoroughly captivating violin and accordion melody over quickening steps and strums of piano and acoustic guitar; it’s interplay is simply remarkable and almost magical. MUSIC FROM THE IRON MAN TRILOGY/Djawadi, Debney, Tyler/Silva Screen Silva Screen’s latest compilation brings together five tracks from each of the three IRON MAN movies in powerful new recordings from the London Music Works (one track is by the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra). Listening to the collection proffers an impressive overview of the scores for the three films, including their mix of heroic brass orchestral anthems with shredding metal guitars of IRON MAN 1 and 2 and the purity of IRON MAN 3’s symphonic prowess. From Djawadi’s awkward but interesting mix of distorted and processed guitars and electronics interlaced among punchy drums and massed strings in the first film, John Debney followed a similar template with IRON MAN 2, albeit leaning more towards a potent, percussively-driven brass theme while still accommodating signature guitars that gave Tony Stark’s steel suit its mettle. With the third film, Brian Tyler shed the shred and focused on a purely orchestral accompaniment led by the series’ most powerful melodic anthem with its stepping ascent of horns and trumpets backed by choir. The gives each composer’s theme a powerful rendering while faithfully interpreting the highlights of each score. While it won’t replace the original recordings, the compilation, as with most of Silva’s striking orchestral re-recordings, remains true to the composer’s palette and provides for a very pleasing abridgement of each score’s landmark moments. TEXAS, ADDIO/Antón García Abril/Quartet Records In a limited edition of just 500 copies, Quartet Records has issued an expanded release of Ferdinando Baldi’s 1966 Italian Western, one of the few Western scores composed by acclaimed Spanish composer Antón García Abril. This is a fine score in the characteristic Italian Western style; originally issued only on a compilation EP in Japan in 1967, the score saw its first full rendition on a 1995 CD issued in Japan by King (Seven Seas), followed by its European debut from Italy’s ScreenTrax in 2000. Both had very different tracking, with King’s 29-tracks totaling just 49 minutes, while ScreenTrax’s 18 tracks totaling just over an hour, largely due to a 13-minute “Suite” compiling most of the shorter cues that King left separate (additionally alternate tracks differed between both of those releases, making each fairly unique in its presentation of the score. Quartet’s release contains 27 tracks totaling an hour and three minutes, expanding the ScreenTrax release by a couple of minutes, adding some previously unreleased music, and leaving the integrity of the individual cues un-messed with. Abril was adept at stepping into the then-standard Italian Western musical formula, influenced of course by Ennio Morricone’s work for Sergio Leone. While TEXAS, ADDIO’s score is grounded in a standard symphonic orchestration, Abril does find significant moments to highlight those characteristic instruments of Italian Western film music: solo electric guitar, the late Franco De Gemini’s harmonica, and the indispensable voices of I Cantori Moderni di Alessandroni. I’ve never cared much for the source saloon or fiesta music that is inevitably mixed in with dramatic score cues in Italian Western albums and these continue to be the least interesting tracks to me, but Abril is adept at crafting some credible honky tonk (“Polka Saloon”) and Mexican folk music (“Canto Del Corazón,” “Cantina,” “Mariachi,” “Fiesta”). Singer Don Powell performs the title song “Texas, Goodbye”) with his usual smooth flair in three tracks. But the score hinges on Abril’s dramatic music, and this is naturally where the score shines. He articulates his main theme in a number of effective ways – for proud trumpet in “Free and Wild,” less stalwart trumpet in “Anguish and Tenderness,” a sad oboe in “To The Sun,” “Loneliness” [concluded by a rolling chorale rhythm in its second half], and “Nostalgic Mood”, an electric guitar version of the theme in “Horses,” melancholy harpsichord and flute in “Sad Love.” Abril also supplies a splendid Degüello in “Sundown.” His action cues are orchestrated with unusual instrumental mixes, including “Fight,” consisting of a rhythmic mélange of castanets over a dreamlike vibe of wavering violin figures, opens into a rolling, aggressive mix of drum-kit, tympani, and bongos; “Revenge” reprises the castanets but adds organ, harpsichord, guitar, harp, and additional percussion to lead into a heroic statement of the main theme’s chorus from French horn and strings; while “Ambush” creates a very interesting percussive sound design out of all manner of tapped, thumped, ratcheted, and struck instruments. It’s a fine score overall, and improves on both previous releases to claim definitive status in its presentation of Abril’s score. Quartet’s package is completed by album notes from writer Gergely Hubai, who examines the film and its score in moderate detail and conveys some fascinating insights (such as why Abril was able to score a number of Spanish-Italian co-productions while other Spanish composers were not). Lorne Balfe has provided a very effective and likable atmospheric score for Shane Salerno’s documentary that purports to offer an unprecedented look inside the private world of J.D. Salinger, the reclusive author of The Catcher in the Rye. Salerno’s much speculated-upon documentary, which has been in production for nine years – including the six years while the project was being shot under wraps – has made front page news since 2010, offers direct eyewitness accounts from Salinger’s World War II brothers-in-arms, his family members, his close friends, his lovers, his classmates, his neighbors, his editors, his publishers, his New Yorker colleagues, and people with whom he had relationships that were unknown even to his own family. Providing unparalleled access to never-before-published photographs, diaries, letters, legal records, and documents, the highly anticipated SALINGER is said to paint a definitive portrait of one of the most fascinating figures of the twentieth century. “Because of the array of emotions to musically compliment in Salinger – not to mention the decades Salinger’s story spanned – it was a very complicated job for a composer,” said Balfe of scoring the film. “The secretive nature of the film, though exciting, also made scoring the film particularly difficult. Even during scoring there were numerous scenes that I was not allowed to see.” Balfe’s score for SALINGER is a very provocative one; with a few exceptions it’s a pretty subdued work that reflects the enigmatic nature of the reclusive writer. Balfe captures the mood of many events that shaped Salinger and his secluded personality with a compelling and likable atmosphere. Many tracks are infused with tension and ambiguity (“D-Day,” “Surveilance,” “Assassins,” “Injured and Alone,” “Editorial Control”); others are highly reflective, like the rolling cycles of keyboard and strings in “Leaving Catcher” and “Long Walks”), or suggestive of confident creativity (“Nine Stories,” “Correspondence”), while still others, like “Selling Catcher,” segue through all of that into warm melodic reassurance, and some, like the glorious crescendoing “Gasoline Rainbows” or the noble trumpet melody of “V.E. Day,” “Life of a Recluse,” and the closer, “Helluva Talent,” resonate with expressive dignity. It’s a somber and sobering score that creates a musical picture of the depths of personality and the aesthetics of thought that characterize J.D. Salinger, as if it were fashioning musical ambience out of patterns of thought and nuances of humanity. Musically, on its own, the low-keyed melodies, depth of textures, and varied flavors of Balfe’s score makes for quite intriguing listening. THE ULTIMATE LIFE/Mark McKenzie/Varese Sarabande Mark McKenzie brings his remarkable gift for profoundly sensitive melody to this sequel to the 2006 film THE ULTIMATE GIFT, which he also scored for director Michael O. Sajbel. Both films set the protagonist, originally an arrogant, self-serving young man, on a journey of discovery in which he discovers lessons that make him a better person. This is the kind of sensitive drama that McKenzie excels at, since he is able to exert such a melodic beauty corresponding to the soul and humanity of characters like THE ULTIMATE LIFE’s Jason. McKenzie’s score for the first film (released by Varese in 2007), favored piano with a very intimate tonality throughout; THE ULTIMATE LIFE links with the former film by opening with piano but, although the piano is certainly present in this score, it relies more on a heavier palette of lush strings to convey its melodic substance and a new melody which is even more stirring than the quiet poignancy found in ULTIMATE GIFT. McKenzie evokes the period and environment of his journey in this film through his grandfather’s diary with a roots country/bluegrass flavor in some tracks (“Train Hopping,” “Pickin’ A Lawyer”), but the focus elsewhere remains steadfast on evoking the learning spirit of Jason as he discovers lessons from his grandfather. It’s a score quite moving in its graceful harmony and melodic passion. Soundtrack & Music News Creative Emmy Award Winners 2013: Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music DA VINCI’S DEMONS, Music by Bear McCreary Outstanding Music Direction 66th Annual Tony Awards, White Cherry Entertainment in association with Tony Award Productions Elliot Lawrence, Music Director Outstanding Music Composition For A Series (Original Dramatic Score) DOWNTON ABBEY • Episode 6 • Music by John Lunn Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics 66th Annual Tony Awards • Song Title: If I Had Time • CBS • White Cherry Entertainment in association with Tony Award Productions’ Adam Schlesinger (Lyrics), David Javerbaum (Music). Outstanding Music Composition For A Miniseries, Movie Or A Special (Original Dramatic Score) World Without End • Medieval Life And Death • Music by Mychael Danna The World Soundtrack Academy has announced the list of its nominees for the 2013 World Soundtrack Awards: FILM COMPOSER OF THE YEAR James Newton Howard BEST ORIGINAL FILM SCORE OF THE YEAR ANNA KARENINA (Dario Marianelli) THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY (Howard Shore) LIFE OF PI (Mychael Danna) THE MASTER (Jonny Greenwood) SKYFALL (Thomas Newman) BEST ORIGINAL SONG WRITTEN DIRECTLY FOR A FILM The Bathtub (from BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD) Young & Beautiful (from THE GREAT GATSBY) Pi’s Lullaby (from LIFE OF PI) Oblivion (from OBLIVION) Skyfall (from (SKYFALL) For full details, see worldsoundtrackacademy.com Golden Globe winner Angelo Badalamenti has gone into battle with his score for the upcoming Russian film STALINGRAD, a stylized 3D spectacle about the epic confrontation between the Germans and Russians during World War II. Directed by Russian actor/director Fedor Bondarchuk, the film stars Thomas Kretschmann, Yanina Studilina, and Philippe Reinhardt. Set for release on October 10th. La-La Land Records and Twentieth Century Fox mark the 20th anniversary of the beloved television series THE X FILES with this second, 4-CD volume of Mark Snow's original score to the award-winning landmark program. More than 5 hours of incredible X-FILES music, complied from many episode favorites, have been assembled in this strikingly attractive collection, produced by Mark Snow, Nick Redman and Mike Joffe and mastered by James Nelson. The 40-Page CD booklet contains exclusive, in-depth liner notes from film music writer Randall Larson and features comments from show creator Chris Carter and writer/producers Frank Spotnitz, Glen Morgan and James Wong. Limited to 3000 units, the set's CD Booklet and 4-CD Clamshell case are housed in a hard cover slipcase, in the same fashion as our acclaimed, sold-out first volume. Also new from La-La Land Records is a deluxe, 2-CD expanded archival collection release of Don Davis’ phenomenal original score to the 2003 motion picture THE MATRIX RELOADED, the second installment in THE MATRIX SAGA directed by the Wachowski Siblings. Experimental and atmospheric, yet orchestral and thematic, Don Davis’ score is a sci-fi action wonder onto itself. Clocking in at more than 150 minutes, this spectacular 2-CD set is limited to 3500 units. In another wartime drama, Alexandre Desplat rejoins director/star George Clooney again after their collaboration on THE IDES OF MARCH when he scored Clooney’s latest directorial effort THE MONUMENTS MEN, about a crew of art historians and museum curators rushing to recover renowned works of art stolen by Nazis before Hitler destroys them. The adventure thriller starring Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, Cate Blanchett, Jean Dujardin and John Goodman, has a guest appearance by Desplat himself. Desplat has also recently scored Stephen Frears’ PHILOMENA and Roman Polanki’s drama VENUS IN FUR, as well as Jerome Salle’s ZULU starring Orlando Bloom and Forest Whitaker. He is also set to Gareth Edwards’ new version of GODZILLA, which will stomp into theaters on May 16, 2014. Award winning French composer Cyril Morin scores the critically acclaimed international hit ZAYTOUN. The film follows an unlikely alliance of a 12-year-old Palestinian refugee and an Israeli fighter pilot shot down over Beruit in 1982. Christopher Lennertz creates a comedic, heartwarming score for the Lionsgate film THANKS FOR SHARING. Directed by Stuart Blumberg and starring Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow, the film follows Adam, a five year sober sex addict who struggles with his sobriety when a new girlfriend enters his life. THANKS director Stuart Blumberg stated, “Christopher Lennertz’s score brought a heart and an emotional resonance, which elevated my film in lovely and unexpected ways.” Creating an instrument palette of a vintage Steinway piano, cello, guitar, and Mellotron, Lennertz’s score resonates with the simplicity similar to the advice given to individual’s part of a 12 step program. “With its elegant and simple phrasing, the score beautifully communicates the emotional feelings I wanted to leave the audience with,” said Blumberg. Milan has released the score album on Sept 17th. Lennertz also recently scored the comedy IDENTITY THIEF, the break-dance drama BATTLE OF THE YEAR, and this fall will return to score the second season of NBC’s REVOLUTION and his ninth consecutive season of the CW’s SUPERNATURAL. (WaterTower Music has just released a digital-only soundtrack to Lennertz’s music from REVOLUTION with 76+ minutes of music). Blake Neely’s music for the superhero TV series ARROW has been released digitally (and on CDR by Amazon) from WaterTower. The album features selections from the first season’s score. ARROW is a modern retelling of the DC Comics character Green Arrow and stars Stephen Amell as the vigilante superhero who fights crime under his secret identity as Oliver Queen, a wealthy playboy and billionaire industrialist-turned-outspoken politician in Star City. A digital and CDR soundtrack release (WaterTower Music again, seeming to have dispensed with real CDs) to the Denis Villeneuve thriller PRISONERS, featuring the score by acclaimed Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson. The soundtrack will also be released on vinyl via Jóhannsson’s own NTOV Records label this October. Jóhannsson and Villeneuve decided to try something radical for the soundtrack: “Denis wanted the music to be a poetic voice that worked in counterpoint to the action of the film,” Jóhannsson says. “Even though the film is a thriller, the music is lyrical and beautiful, in stark contrast to the intensity that the film depicts.” Jóhannsson composed the score watching an early cut of the film, reacting to the images on screen. He scored the music for an orchestra with large string and woodwind sections and also featured the sounds of two little known instruments: The Cristal Baschet, an instrument similar to a glass harmonica, with huge metallic resonators; and the Ondes Martenot, an early electronic instrument similar to a Theremin, but with a softer sound. By blending those unfamiliar sounds with string instruments, Jóhannsson created music with a delicate, glassy surface. Despite its ambient sound, his tranquil music serves to heighten the tension of the film. “My ideal is music where the electronic and the acoustic sounds blend seamlessly,” says Jóhannsson, whose approach to film music is informed by influences as diverse as Pergolesi, Wojciech Kilar, Steve Reich, Einstürzende Neubauten, Swans, Coil, Arvo Pärt, Ennio Morricone, Morton Feldman and Bernard Herrmann. Following his acclaimed work on the Oscar-winning short PAPERMAN, Christophe Beck tackles his first animated feature film, FROZEN. The Disney production is based on Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale The Snow Queen and features a voice cast that includes Kristen Bell and Idina Menzel. – via Kraft-Engel Management Music Box records has announced LES VISITEURS/L’HOMME QUI REVIENT DE LOIN, two TV scores composed and conducted by Georges Delerue, in a limited edition of 750 copies. The release includes 55 minutes of music never released before, and an 8-page CD booklet with French and English liner notes by Gilles Loison. This edition is the first volume of coming CD releases dedicated to the television soundtracks composed by Georges Delerue. See: http://www.musicbox-records.com Master horror composer Joseph LoDuca has scored the return of the genre’s most infamous doll in CURSE OF CHUCKY. Featuring Chucky’s original voice, Brad Dourif, the Universal film was directed by series veteran Don Mancini and stars Danielle Bisutti and Alex Vincent. Scheduled for Oct 8 release. Composer Michael McCormack (The JAWS documentary THE SHARK IS STILL WORKING) has released his score from the 2006 BACK TO THE FUTURE documentary, LOOKING BACK AT THE FUTURE. His inspiration, of course, came from Alan Silvestri’s score for the Zemeckis film trilogy. The soundtrack is available through www.BTTF.com (click on store, then on music) and a sampler is available on McCormack’s youtube page Masters of the horror film music vinyl LP, Death Waltz Records has released The Fog – Blake’s Gold Edition, a double vinyl album of THE FOG which includes John Carpenter’s original movie score as released in 1984 as well as a bonus vinyl including all of the original movie cues which have never been made available on vinyl before. The one off pressing was made on heavy weight 180g gold vinyl, which is packed to black polylined inner sleeves and featuring a heavyweight casebound (tip on) full color gatefold sleeve with matt lamination, featuring Exclusive new cover art by Dinos Chapman. Liner notes by John Carpenter & Dinos Chapman. http://deathwaltzrecordingcompany.com/ Director Harald Zwart was so taken aback by composer Atli Örvarsson’s musical style that he hired him on the spot following the premiere of HANSEL & GRETEL: WITCH HUNTERS to score his film MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES. Örvarsson was hired in place of an Academy® award winning composer and was brought on with only three weeks to complete the score. “I came out of a screening of another film Atli previously scored and there was a certain energy about it. I thought ‘He’s the perfect man for the job’,” stated director Zwart. Composer Atli Örvarsson infuses gypsy influences with a full orchestra and choir to create a mystical and haunting score, which is now available on CD from Milan Records. Based on the fantasy world of Shadowhunters, Örvarsson created several themes for the film. Incorporating bells and dulcimers to exemplify the presence of new and old, Örvarsson’s theme for Clary is inspired by New Age music with gypsy undertones. After attending a screening of the film’s first cut, Örvarsson immediately presented Zwart with a piece of note paper. “He handed me music scribbles and said ‘This is the theme’ and it is the beautiful ‘Clary’s Theme’ we hear in the film,” said the director. The composer also incorporates the power of a choir throughout the score, creating the feeling of virtuosity and majesty while also utilizing the vocals to tell the darker tales of the Underworlders. Coming soon from Varese Sarabande: Henry Jackman’s CAPTAIN PHILLIPS (Oct 8), Steve Jablonsky’s ENDER’S GAME (Oct 22), and Ramin Djawadi’s PERSON OF INTEREST, Season 2 (Nov 5) Marco Beltrami has teamed up for the first time with Korean cult director Bong Joon-ho to score the thriller SNOWPIERCER starring Ed Harris, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell and Octavia Spencer. The composer’s “excitingly big, brassy original score” was singled out by Variety. Beltrami has also scored CARRIE, the reimagining of the classic horror tale based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, directed by Kimberly Pierce and stars Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore. – via Kraft-Engel Management Lakeshore Records has released soundtracks to AIN’T THEM BODIES SAINTS composed by Daniel Hart (whose “haunting score” was described by Indiewire thusly: “Cripple-creek fiddles pluck away anxiously, cellos drone, banjos twang out with ghostly notes and violins cry into the night sky, creating a sonorous musical backdrop for this brooding picture to lay its ten gallon hat on”) and Wong Kar Wai’s elegant kung fu film THE GRANDMASTER, scored by Shigeru Umebayashi and Nathaniel Mechaly. “Working with a very tight schedule they [Umebayashi and Mechaly] toiled day and night to create this beautiful music that has inspired me and audiences around the world,” said Wong Kar Wai. ”Their ingenuity helped define and create three different chapters in our Chinese history within the film and on the soundtrack: 1936 in the South of China, the 1940s in the North, and the 1950s in Hong Kong. Each period was distinct in terms of the score, and not only did we utilize original music to hit on the historical context in the film but we used authentic music from those periods as a reference.” Tyler Bates has composed original music for AMC’s new drama, Low Winter Sun. The series, set in Detroit, features the new song “Hustlin’ In The Motor City,” co-written by Bates, Nan Vernon, series creator Chris Mundy, and Detroit soul legend Bettye LaVette who performs the song for the main title sequence. In his series underscore, Bates has matched the gritty themes with a gritty sonic palette to heighten the tension of the story. Bates wrote a large volume of music during production – essentially creating a music library that the show’s editors have worked with from the beginning of post-production. “With Detroit currently in a crisis state bordering an apocalypse, the show calls for a sound that blurs the lines between music and the hollow din of the scarcely populated Motor City,” said Bates. Kronos Records has released the complete score of the 1989 Italian horror film, KILLER CROCODILE. This is the first time ever release in any format of Riz Ortolani’s score, which has long been sought by soundtrack collectors. Kronos’ edition is limited to just 500 copies. For soundsamples and pre-ordering go on http://www.kronosrecords.com/K20.html In his score for the new Simon Pegg/Nick Frost comedy, THE WORLD’S END, composer Steven Price combined a full live orchestra with electronic design to create a score that is both epic and unique. “When I first watched the film, I saw an opportunity to create a score for a comedy, action thriller, and sci-fi apocalyptic film, all at the same time! Edgar’s films have multiple layers and it was an enjoyable experience for me to create synthetic sounds and subtly plant ideas within the music that add to the film. Additionally, I incorporated the different sounds of communication devices, manipulating them and layering with a full orchestra,” explained Price. The composer also incorporates choral vocals building intensity with the orchestra’s more percussive moments. Working closely with the director, Price said, “Edgar and I share a love for the sounds of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop and that influenced much of the musical sound design that I created for the film as well.” Scott Glasgow, fresh from slicing up a tremendous score for HATCHET III (recently released on DVD-Blu-Ray), has scored the new horror film from the amazing, colossal director/producer Bert I. Gordon. SECRETS OF A PSYCHOPATH, Gordon’s first feature film since 1990, stars Kari Wuhrer and Mark Famiglietti, and is scheduled for release in 2014. Glasgow’s director for BONE DRY, Brett Hart (currently helming the second season of AIN’T IT COOL WITH HARRY KNOWLES), helped Gordon temp-track the film, which brought Glasgow into the gig as composer. Silva Screen has released DOCTOR WHO SERIES 7, featuring the music of Murray Gold, as a double CD edition packaged in a double gatefold wallet (the first 5000 copies) and a standard double jewel case. For more DOCTOR WHO, Silva will release, on October 21st, a pair of DOCTOR WHO Christmas Specials, THE SNOWMEN/THE DOCTOR, THE WIDOW AND THE WARDROBE. This release brings together the music of the last two Specials which were broadcast on Christmas Day 2011 and 2012. This ninth release in the series brings the full canon of Murray Gold’s prolific output up to date, eight years of elaborate and dazzling scores for one of the BBC’s most popular shows worldwide. The booklet for this release is reversible to allow the display of a separate cover for either Special. Prolific soundtrack label MovieScore Media, based in Sweden, and quality niche label Kronos Records, based in Malta, have reached an agreement to collaborate in the fields of producing and distributing quality film score albums to both wider audiences and targeting the special soundtrack collectors market. “We are two small independent European labels growing strong together, building a new and solid platform for the nurturing of contemporary quality film music as well as never before released classic film scores,” said MovieScore Media’s producer, Mikael Carlsson. Added Kronos Records’ Godwin Borg, “This is the beginning of a very fruitful collaboration. Expect some true gems to come out of this teamwork!” The deal will result in more of MovieScore Media’s albums being released on CDs, while more of Kronos Records’ albums will also be available in digital format. “We take advantage of each others’ distribution niches,” said Mikael Carlsson and continued, “While MovieScore Media has released almost 150 albums on CD, many of our releases have been digital only. Our collaboration with Kronos Records will make more physical releases possible.” Disques Cinemusique has released Christian Gaubert’s score to THE LITTLE GIRL WHO LIVES DOWN THE LANE, a 1976 film adaptation of the novel by Laird Koenig. Starring Jodi Foster and Martin Sheen, this thriller depicts a clever pre-adolescent, Rynn, living alone with her father in a rented house set back from the town. Some residents, distrustful of newcomers, suspect her of hiding a dreadful secret. The score features alternately and sometimes simultaneously, acoustic and synthetic sounds. On one hand, a formation of strings with solo cello and piano creates an intimate atmosphere, full of gentleness and melancholy; on the other, electronic instruments are used for dramatic scenes. Even in the most romantic parts with violins and piano, Gaubert sometimes uses an electric organ to hold the melody, a combination that is often found in Francis Lai’s compositions of the 1970s. Originally released on LP in Japan only, DCM’s soundtrack makes the score available on CD for the first time in a limited edition of 500 copies. Also released is Jorge Arriagada’s score for the historical film, LINES OF WELLINGTON. Howlin' Wolf Records has released Tony Riparetti’s scored to a pair of horror films directed by Albert Pyun. INVASION, originally titled INFECTION, was released in 2005 and features a mesmerizing synth score. COOL AIR, based on an HP Lovecraft short story, won the "Best Film Score" at the PollyGrind Underground Film Festival. Both scored are presented on one disc, packaged in a jewel case with full color inserts, featuring a 6-panel foldout insert with a reversible cover, designed by Art Director Luis M. Rojas. Worth reading: While acknowledging the inroads in film music genre inequality made by Rachel Portman, Anne Dudley, Miriam Cutler, and Shirley Walker, writer Allison Loring, in an article posted online at filmschoolrejects.com, remains concerned that “It’s been nearly two decades since a woman was lead orchestrator on a tentpole film.” Loring quoted composer/orchestrator Penka Kouneva (who was the first female to fill that role in almost 20 years, serving as lead orchestrator role on ELYSIUM): “The number one reason” it has taken this long for another woman to take on the challenge of being the lead orchestrator for a major film is ‘lack of mentoring for this profession.’” Kouneva also noted that she is “happy to see that changing, and be the change myself.” In a related comment on her Facebook page, Kourneva explains that “Lead Orchestrator is defined as the one who makes various leadership and executive decisions (e.g., how many players to hire to establish the desired orchestral sound), who leads the music prep team, makes budgets, communicates daily with the entire score team (composer, contractor, music editors, engineer), writes [many, many] emails on a job and oversees the entire work flow.” Read Loring’s full article here Games Music News On September 7th Lorne Balfe headlined the second annual PlayFest - Music, Animation and Videogames Festival in Málaga, Spain with a 30-minute concert set of his music including a sneak peak at the music for the upcoming release of Beyond: Two Souls, and his now-award winning music for Assassin’s Creed III. After the performance, the organizers of the festival presented Balfe with the prestigious GoldSpirit Award for Best Video Game Soundtrack 2012. “I am so proud to have won the GoldSpirit Award for Assassin’s Creed III,” said Balfe. “It means especially a lot to have been given the award by the fans and to have the game’s music recognized at such a fantastic festival as Playfest with a very special concert was a wonderful experience. The score to Assassin’s Creed has been a fantastic part of my life and so it was a wonderful achievement for the music to be recognized.” In collaboration with composer, Rachel Portman, Lorne has just completed the music for 10×10′s feature documentary, Girl Rising, directed by Academy Award nominee Richard E. Robbins, which features narration by actresses such as Meryl Streep and Cate Blanchett. This second annual PlayFest event also launched a new strategic partnership with US-based BuySoundtrax. The festival featured a special performance of Star Trek Video Games Music, to celebrate the release of the new album on BSX Records. Kevin Kiner, the co-composer of Star Trek: Borg, conducted this special performance. Playstation will release Lorne Balfe’s score for the BEYOND: Two Souls video game on October 8th. Balfe’s ability to travel between the two worlds of film and video games is a perfect fit for the upcoming release, said Playstation. ”Games are just the same as films. You start off with stills or the actual artwork that’s drawn inspiration to them,” said Balfe. “People ask is it a film or is it a game? There is no difference, not to me. You could sit there and watch it as a film. The way to musically tell the story is the same process.” Disney Interactive and Harmonix Music Systems have teamed up with award-winning composer Inon Zur to develop original music for the game Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved, a breakthrough musical/dance motion video game inspired by Walt Disney’s classic animated film FANTASIA. Zur, a Hollywood Music Award winning and BAFTA nominated composer, is internationally renowned for his emotionally dynamic orchestral music scores featured in film, television and interactive entertainment. “Working with Disney and Harmonix on Disney Fantasia: Music Evolved was a great adventure for me,” said Inon Zur. “Recording and producing classical masterpieces, as well as writing original music that had to coexist with the works of the great classical composers presented exciting new challenges.” Sumthing Else Music Works has released an official digital soundtrack for Resident Evil® 6. The original music score was created by a team of composers including Thomas Parisch & Laurent Ziliani, Daniel Lindholm, Sebastian Schwartz, as well as Capcom veterans Kota Suzuki (Resident Evil® 5, Devil May Cry® 4), Akihiko Narita (Resident Evil 5, Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet®: Extreme Condition) and Akiyuki Morimoto (Monster Hunter™ 3, Lost Planet® 2). The score was recorded with the Sydney Scoring Orchestra at Australia’s Trackdown Studios. “Composing the main theme of Resident Evil 6 was a great honor for us, having been fans of the series for years,” said composers Parisch and Zilani, who also orchestrated and supervised the orchestral score recording sessions. “However, it was a challenge maintaining the franchise’s tradition while creating something new for this latest release. Also, it was important to keep the music cohesive since it had to address very diverse dramatic situations throughout the gameplay. To keep that overall integrity, repeated thematic ideas were essential, and recording with a 90-piece orchestra brought key moments of the score to another level.” Music samples are available at Sumthing.com. Sumthing Else has also released the soundtrack to Saints Row® IV, the ball-busting next chapter in the Saints Row franchise developed by Volition and published by Deep Silver. Composed and produced by recording artist/musician Malcolm Kirby Jr. (Saints Row: The Third, Brooklyn’s Finest, Cop Out, Pimp My Ride, The Love Guru). “There is definitely a huge sci-fi/electro influence on the music but I also wanted to mix in elements from modern styles such as trap, hip hop, ambient, and dub,” explained Kirby. “There is also so much original music in this game for the both the cinematics and missions, with themes ranging from modern stealth combat to retro 8-bit, to epic orchestral. It’s always an amazing experience working with Volition and I feel that we really created a unique signature sound that defines Saints Row IV, and the over the top insane world of virtual Steelport.” As a bonus, Sumthing Else and Deep Silver are giving away five explosive tracks, including Malcolm Kirby Jr.’s “Saints Row IV Theme” and “Saints Row (Remix).” To download these free tracks, visit: http://www.sumthing.com/p/saints-row-iv/ Ivor Novello nominated and Telly award winning composer Walter Mair has scored Sony Computer Entertainment Europe's (SCEE) new PlayStation®Vita title, Killzone: Mercenary, lauded by critics as “setting a new bar of quality for FPS on handheld” and “one of the better first-person shooters, period.” Mair's music for the latest installment in the blockbuster series reflects a new story set in the Killzone universe and captures the emotional drama, fear and undying courage of war. The official soundtrack is available for digital download via Sony Entertainment Network. Classically trained in Vienna, Walter Mair has previously created dramatic original scores for feature films such as THE LIST, SEAMONSTERS and ALONE IN THE DARK. His previous video game scores include the Ivor Novello nominated Empire: Total War and Viking: Battle For Asgard. Mair's diverse repertoire ranges from epic full orchestral scores recorded with 80-piece choirs to intimate, small ensembles and hybrid electronic scores featuring solo instruments and found sounds. To create unique sounds for each score, Mair employs his extensive collection of analog digital synths and effect processors, blending live orchestral arrangements with experimental post-recording techniques. Randall D. Larson was for many years senior editor for Soundtrack Magazine, publisher of CinemaScore: The Film Music Journal, and a film music columnist for Cinefantastique magazine. A specialist on horror film music, he is the author of Musique Fantastique: A Survey of Film Music in the Fantastic Cinema and Music From the House of Hammer. He has written liner notes for more than 120 soundtrack CDs for such labels as La-La Land, FSM, Perseverance, Silva Screen, Harkit, Quartet, and BSX Records. A largely re-written and expanded Second Edition of Musique Fantastique is being published: the first of this four-book series is now available. See: www.musiquefantastique.com Special thanks to Benjamin Michael Joffe. Randall can be contacted at [email protected]

By Austin Dale | Indiewire May 29, 2012 at 1:51PM The Los Angeles Film Festival today announced that Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm Entertainment Group, will be the Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Festival. McGurk is a film industry leader who came to Cinedigm with 25 years of experience with MGM, Overture Films, Anchor Bay, Universal, Disney, Pepsico and Price Waterhouse. LAFF's Keynote Speech, which takes place June 16, is an annual state-of-indie-film address that kicks off the festival's many panels and conversations. It will be followed by a live "WTF" podcast with Marc Maron and more of the festival's popular Coffee Talks, set to include Lawrence Kasdan, Catherine Hardwicke, and Melanie Lynskey, among others. There are also panels with Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister and the crew of "When You Find Me," a new short from Ron and Bryce Dallas Howard. LAFF's full festival event details are reprinted below: FILM INDEPENDENT ANNOUNCES CINEDIGM’S CHRIS MCGURK AS 2012 LOS ANGELES FILM FESTIVAL KEYNOTE SPEAKER - Panelists Announced for Coffee Talks, Poolside Rant, Spotlight on the Craft & More - - Official Festival Mobile App Now Available - LOS ANGELES (May 29, 2012)– Today the Los Angeles Film Festival, in conjunction with Presenting Media Sponsor the Los Angeles Times and Host Partner L.A. LIVE, announced that Chris McGurk, Chairman and CEO of Cinedigm Entertainment Group, will be the Keynote Speaker for the 2012 Festival. The Keynote serves as a kick-off to multiple panels and conversations running for a week during the Festival that gives movie lovers and emerging filmmakers a behind-the-scenes look at the entertainment industry. Coffee Talks, a Poolside Rant and free Spotlight on the Craft and Café Latino panels all feature some of today’s most fascinating film personalities discussing their craft with their peers in a fun and accessible environment. In addition, comedian Marc Maron will pull back the curtain on his wildly popular “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast by recording an episode in front of a live audience at the Festival. “The LA Film Fest is a unique opportunity for us to share with a wider audience what Film Independent does year-round for filmmakers—go behind the scenes to provide a comprehensive view of the art and craft of filmmaking. This year, we have a wide selection of panels that explores online short storytelling, animation, television, cinematography and sound with some of the top leaders in their field,” said Maria Bozzi, Film Independent’s Director of Education. McGurk will present his Keynote Speech on June 16about the art and business of independent film by addressing the Renaissance of Indie Film. It will also serve to open a full day of panels presented by different film organizations at the AFCI Locations Show, which runs June 15-16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. The Los Angeles Film Festival Keynote is recognized in the filmmaking community as the mid-year, state-of-independent-film address, with past speakers including Graham Taylor, Jim Stern, Mark Gill, Ted Hope, Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger. With over 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions at MGM Studios, Overture Films, Anchor Bay Entertainment, Universal Studios, Disney Studios, Pepsico and Price Waterhouse, McGurk is well-versed in all areas of the entertainment business, including financing, marketing and globally releasing entertainment projects as diverse as big budget blockbusters, social action documentaries, horror pictures, network and syndicated TV series and independent films. On June 19, Marc Maron brings his wildly popular and critically acclaimed “WTF with Marc Maron” podcast to the Festival by recording an intimate conversation in front of a live Festival audience with a special guest. Maron’s 25-year career in comedy has exploded in recent years, thanks to his hilariously irreverent and refreshingly honest podcast. Past guests have included comedians, actors and artists, such as Judd Apatow, Louis CK, Jon Hamm, Patton Oswalt and Amy Poehler. The Festival’s popular Coffee Talks return on June 17 with a focus on Directors, Actors, Screenwriters and Composers. Enjoy a cup of coffee and listen to actors Jason Isaacs, Melanie Lynskey, directors Lawrence Kasdan, Catherine Hardwicke, screenwriters John August, Zak Penn, composers Rolfe Kent, Cliff Martinez, Michael Penn and more talk about the various aspects of their craft. Coffee Talks are sponsored by the Directors Guild of America, SAGIndie/Screen Actors Guild, BMI and Writers Guild of America, West. With the Poolside Rant on June 23, gather at the JW Marriot ION Rooftop Pool Bar where the Festival brings together a group of comedians to riff about movies in general, and what bugs them in particular. The Poolside Rant is sponsored by JW Marriot Los Angele L.A. LIVE. For Spotlight on the Craft, free multiple panels will be held that explore the various filmmaking tools and digital technologies that have revolutionized the way we make and see movies. The Festival will explore the impact these changes bring to the craft and the process, and help deepen one’s understanding of what happens behind the screen. On June 16, “Long Story Short,” sponsored by FOCUS FORWARD Short Films, Big Ideas, will delve into the art and power of online storytelling with Thom Zadra (Head of Business Development for Original Video, Yahoo!), Amber Lawson (Chairman of The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Interactive Media Peer Group Membership), Jake Avnet (COO, WIGS), and Eddie Schmidt (director, Good Bread; executive producer, Beauty is Embarrassing). “Capturing Ron Howard’s Imagin8ion: A Case Study from Canon U.S.A., Inc.,” on June 23, will join some of the key creative and technical minds behind When You Find Me—a short film from Ron and Bryce Dallas Howard, presented by Canon’s Project Imagin8ion—for a special screening and unique discussion of the production. Moderator Tim Smith (Canon Advisor, Film & TV Division) will lead the panel with Andres Lascarsis (Director of Photography), Kevin Chinoy (Producer, Freestyle Picture Company) and Evan Pesses (Chief Lighting Technician). “Kodak Focus” on June 23 will shine the spotlight on Oscar-winning cinematographer Wally Pfister (Inception, Moneyball), best known for his long-time collaboration with director Christopher Nolan. He will discuss his craft, his career and screen highlights from his work. On June 17, “In the Air and On the Go: Pioneer Filmmaking,” sponsored by Virgin America, will include a screening of the short film Departure Date, the first film to take extreme location shooting (and editing) to a new high: 35,000 feet, and clips from the feature film Olive, which is the first full-length film shot entirely on a camera phone. Hear from directors Kat Coiro, Hooman Khalili and their cinematographers Doug Chamberlain and Patrick Gilles about how they pulled it off. “The Sound of Stories,” on June 23 and sponsored by Dolby Laboratories, will bring together filmmakers, sound designers, technology innovators and industry experts to speak about what’s involved in achieving the ultimate immersive sound. Carolyn Giardina (Contributing Editor, Tech, The Hollywood Reporter) will be moderating, with panelists to be announced. On June 21, “Talk Score To Me: Emerging Filmmakers on Collaborating with Composers,” sponsored by ASCAP will bring together Film Independent’s Project Involve Fellows for a screening and discuss on collaboration between directors and composers and their experience in the inaugural ASCAP/Project Involve Composers Workshop. Panelists include Project Involve Fellows Erin Li, Mason Richards, Susana Casares, Aaron Celious and ASCAP composers Dan Mufson, Robert Allaire, Kevin Teasley and Sarah Schachner. Café Latino, sponsored by HBO, brings together the filmmakers of Latin American films at the LA Film Fest on June 17 and explores their roles as storytellers in an increasingly global world. Join moderator Reed Johnson (Arts and Culture Reporter, Los Angeles Times), directors Arturo Pons (writer/director, The Compass is Carried by the Dead Man), Everardo González (director, Drought), José Alvarez (writer/director, Canícula), Dominga Sotomayor (writer/director, Thursday till Sunday), Bernardo Ruiz (director, El Reportero), and Alejandro Brugues (writer/director, Juan of the Dead) for this free discussion, as they compare notes about their filmmaking experiences in Argentina, Chile, Cuba and Mexico. To keep track of all the fun happenings at the Los Angeles Film Festival, iPhone users can now download the official mobile app by visiting the App Store. Features include a real-time, searchable film guide, ability to customize a personal schedule, purchase tickets, stream trailers, navigate the L.A. LIVE campus and parking, find Festival discounts at downtown restaurants, and engage with the Festival via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest. To access features of the iPhone app on other mobile devices, visit http://lafilmfestival.quickmobile.net/ Returning to downtown Los Angeles and headquartered at L.A. LIVE for a third year, the Festival will run from Thursday, June 14 to Sunday, June 24. Now in its eighteenth year, the Festival is widely recognized as a world-class event, showcasing the best in new American and international cinema, and is produced by Film Independent, the non-profit arts organization that also produces the Spirit Awards. Passes and tickets are currently on sale to Film Independent members and the general public. In addition to screenings and events, Festival passes provide access to a series of networking receptions and entry to the Filmmaker Lounge, where Festival pass holders can interact with Festival filmmakers and professionals in the film community. Contact the Ticket Office for passes, tickets and event information by calling 866.FILM.FEST (866.345.6337) or visit LAFilmFest.com. For the seventh year, the Los Angeles Times will serve as the Festival’s Presenting Media Sponsor and will once again produce the Official Film Guide, the comprehensive source for all movie info, screenings, locations and related special events. The Film Guide will top the paper on Sunday, June 10 in Los Angeles and Orange County, and will be made available throughout downtown Los Angeles during the ten-day event.

Revenge (El Desquite) Description: In the early 1900s, young orphan Anita is hired to work for landowner Don Pablo. Exploited and impregnated, Anita is eventually kicked out of the house but she hatches an elaborate plan to take revenge on Pablo. Movie summaries and listings powered by Cinema-Source Sign up for our free email newsletters and receive the latest advice and information on all things parenting. Enter your email address to sign up or manage your account.

Born Raymond Ginn in Tucson, Arizona, Pettibon was raised in Los Angeles, California where he completed a BA in economics at the University of California in 1977. As a student he drew political cartoons for the college paper, The Daily Bruin; after leaving university he taught maths at the local high schools and began designing record covers and flyers for the punk band Black Flag, in which his brother Gregory Ginn was the lead guitarist, as well as the bands Minutemen and Sonic Youth. In 1978 he set up the magazine Tripping Corpse, providing himself with a platform to express the post-1960s political disillusion he and many of his generation had developed. He refined these attitudes and his personal style during the 1980s, creating a blend of image and text which, although superficially derived from cartoons, invokes more complex levels of meaning through juxtapositions and deliberate ambiguity. Initially, the text component in his drawings was small, constituting a caption or simple comment. From the mid-eighties it became increasingly large, introducing the voice of more than one commentator and combining many more diverse elements into one page. The words, phrases and sentences Pettibon uses are derived from literary texts, proverbial expressions and period turns of phrase. They refer to aspects of the social and political landscape of the United States from the 1950s onwards, as well as referencing clichés of Cinema Noir. Newspaper photographs, television and video and film stills have contributed to Pettibon’s imagery; the relationship between image and text throws up a wide range of associations. Untitled (Oscar Meyer Wishes...) is a pen and ink drawing combining image and text in equal measure. Its complex structure – which combines several speaking ‘voices’, in red and black, around an image on a single page – suggests that it dates from the late 80s or early 1990s. As is frequent in Pettibon drawings, the title is taken from the first line of text at the top of the paper which reads: ‘Oscar Mayer [sic] wishes he could whistle this loud...’. This is a reference to the German immigrant Oscar Ferdinand Meyer who set up a meat production company in Chicago at the end of the nineteenth century, expanding to become a brand which is now part of the corporation Kraft Foods. His name is part of American popular culture, featuring in jingles about bologna and wiener, two classic American processed meat products. The central image is a naked woman climbing out of a square black hole, saying: ‘Brian? Can you come out to play?’. She is framed by a series of long, phallic pole-or column like objects extending down towards her like a ring of prison bars. Each is labelled with the name of a rock or pop musician from the 1960s and 70s, including ‘Fang’ the fictional husband of comedienne Phyllis Diller (born 1918) referred to in Pettibon’s drawing Untitled (Like a Gumdrop) 1991 (Tate L02283). The columns are echoed by a similar form in blue ink extending into the lower left corner of the page, partly concealed by a square containing another phallus, captioned ‘the real Paul’, drawn over it. Fragments of text dotted over the page make bawdy references to microphones, meat, size and ‘rock n’ roll’. The pole-like phallus extending into the page from the margin, or from a hole, is a recurring image in Pettibon’s work. In Untitled (The Fragment Has...) 1986 (Regen Projects, Los Angeles) it is identified overtly as an erection but in other drawings, such as Untitled (Hiding Behind) 1990 (private collection) and Untitled (Well, I mean...) 1991 (Regen Projects, Los Angeles), it is coupled with captions which evoke a range of ambiguous readings. Pettibon has commented: the phallic symbol to me could almost go across the board and be exchanged with the way I use the letter I ... There are very, very phallic writers and the most extreme to me is Henry James ... That’s like all he was ever writing about ... That’s something that I anyway can’t help seeing when reading his works, and you wonder how much of yourself you’re bringing into it, because in my own work ... that is the last thing I would be preoccupied with. For me it’s just a representation of life force ... so it tends to be kind of phallic in kind of a pagan rather than modern sense. (Quoted in Loock, 1995, p.68.) The phallus also features in Pettibon’s drawings as a shooting arrow, as in Untitled (Like a Gumdrop). Dennis Cooper, Robert Storr, Ulrich Loock, Raymond Pettibon, London 2001 Ulrich Loock, Raymond Pettibon, exhibition catalogue, Kunsthalle Bern and 14/16 Verneuil – Marc Blondeau, Paris 1995 Raymond Pettibon: The Pages Which Contain Truth Are Blank, exhibition catalogue, Muzeion, Bozen and Galleria D’Arte Moderna, Bologna 2003

The 2014 World Cup is upon us. Not just a feast of football but a good reason to reassess your AV system (even if many of us will be keeping up-to-date on mobile this year). But don't just focus on your picture. Even the best World Cup TVs around will deliver fairly average sound, sadly, so it's best to add some external speakers for everyday viewing, let alone movies and sport. A home cinema speaker system is the best way to really immerse yourself in your TV viewing but if your budget or floorspace is a little tight, or your other half isn't as keen on the idea, then soundbars provide a fine alternative. We've rounded-up four of the best around at the moment, with a range of cost and size options, to help you boost your TV's sound for the big match and beyond. Monitor Audio ASB-2 Monitor Audio, a British hi-fi specialist, has nailed the soundbar premise at its first attempt. Sensational sound quality is the crucial box to tick on the check-list but the ASB-2 follows up with plenty of features, too. Three HDMI inputs ensure you can connect the likes of a digital TV box, Blu-ray player and games console, while AirPlay and DLNA connectivity means you can play music from a compatible phone, tablet or computer – ideal for getting the party started when it's time to celebrate (or commiserate) come the end of June... Yamaha was one of the original soundbar manufacturers and still delivers class-leading products. The company prefers the term 'sound projector', and Yamaha's USP remains that the company's products aim to deliver something approaching surround sound. Low on connections but ideal if you only want to connect your TV, the surround sound effect is excellent, and there's integrated Bluetooth for wireless streaming. A fine budget soundbar option. MORE: Yamaha YSP-1400 review More after the break Philips won the Product of the Year Award from us with its HTL9100, so we had high hopes for this, its cheaper sibling – and we weren't disappointed. If you're on a strict budget, this soundbar is a treat. For not a lot of cash you get a solid, stylish design, a thorough selection of connections, including wireless streaming via Bluetooth, and fine sound quality. MORE: Philips HTL5120 review Cambridge Audio Minx TV The soundbar market has exploded in recent years but there is now an alternative: the soundbase. Also known as sound plates or sound plinths, these speakers sit directly beneath your TV, saving you some space and giving your TV a mini pedestal stand. If this type of design works for you, then the Minx TV might just be the best option on the market. There are no HDMI inputs, so you'll need to connect via your TV's optical connection, but there is integrated Bluetooth. If space is at a premium, this is a great solution. by Joe Cox

October 13: The Faubourg Quartet & Jazz Guests Present “Sounds of the Cinema” The NOCCA Institute & the Faubourg Quartet hit the silver screen with SOUNDS OF THE CINEMA Featuring your favorite movie themes Saturday, October 13 at 7:30pm • Sounds of the Cinema features classical ensemble the Faubourg Quartet, performing alongside some of New Orleans’ best jazz musicians. • The Faubourg Quartet will perform works from The Living Daylights, Schindler’s List, The Pianist, Scent of a Woman, Cinema Paradiso, and other great films. • Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by visiting The NOCCA Institute’s online box office(www.NOCCAInstitute.com) or by calling 504 940 2900. Join The NOCCA Institute for a celebration of music and movies on Saturday, October 13, 2012 at 7:30pm as we present Sounds of the Cinema, featuring the Faubourg Quartet! This one-night-only event will be held in the spectacular Freda Lupin Memorial Hall, on NOCCA’s campus at 2800 Chartres Street, New Orleans. Joining the Faubourg Quartet for this special night are some of New Orleans’ best-known jazz musicians, including Darrian Douglas (drums), Khari Allen Lee (saxophone), Michael Pellera (piano), and Jason Stewart (bass), with Hristo Birbochukov (piano). The night’s repertoire includes hits from movies like The Living Daylights, Death and the Maiden, Schindler’s List, The Pianist, Scent of a Woman, Cinema Paradiso, and many more. Tickets to Sounds of the Cinema are $20 and can be purchased by visiting The NOCCA Institute’s online box office (www.NOCCAInstitute.com) or by calling 504 940 2900.

AFI, LACMA Honor French Director Agnes Varda This story first appeared in the Nov. 15 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Some things just don't seem to change. At 85, director Agnes Varda still sports a version of the bobbed haircut she wore as une jeune fille, back when she was breaking into the boys' club of young filmmakers, known as the French New Wave, who were redefining cinema in the '60s. And her love of Los Angeles -- which she first visited in 1967 -- has remained just as strong and distinctive. "I found it very dreamlike," says Varda of her first impressions of L.A. "It had the quality of daydreams, which I like. And a quality of strangeness. And it's so different, from Bel Air to Venice." Varda is returning to Los Angeles from her home in Paris at the invitation of both AFI Fest, the American Film Institute's film festival running from Nov. 7 to 14 at the TLC Chinese Theatre and other venues in Hollywood, and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. At AFI Fest, she will serve as guest artistic director, introducing a quartet of films she personally selected and also attending a screening of her seminal 1962 feature Cleo From 5 to 7, which follows a young French woman as she waits, for two hours, for the results of a medical test. Meanwhile, LACMA has mounted an exhibition, Agnes Varda in Californialand -- which opened Nov. 3 and will run through June 22 -- that is billed as the first U.S. museum presentation of Varda's work as a visual artist, featuring photographs she shot during her time in California. Speaking from her home in Paris before making the journey, Varda says the prospect of a return visit excites her, expressing delight about coming "back to Los Angeles, which I love so much, and to be welcomed as an artist, as a filmmaker and visual artist." On her inaugural L.A. trip, she accompanied her husband, director Jacques Demy, who had been invited by Columbia Pictures to make his first U.S. feature on the strength of his musical hits The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort. While he focused on a picture called The Model Shop, which captured the sprawling, car-crazy city as it existed at the time, she initiated her own projects: a short documentary about the Black Panthers and a celebration of hippie culture, the feature Lions Love (... and Lies), starring Viva, one of Andy Warhol's superstars, and Gerome Ragni and James Rado, creators of the musical Hair. "The films are about sex and politics, like they were at the time," Varda proudly declares. For the LACMA installation, Varda has created a shack out of celluloid film strips from Lions Love because, as she explains, "I live in cinema." The director returned to L.A. for a second stay during the late '70s, when she became fascinated with the murals sprouting on walls throughout the city. Befriending a whole range of Chicano artists, she filmed many of them for her 1981 documentary Mur murs. While her husband died in 1990, Varda -- whose son, Mathieu Demy, is an actor and daughter, Rosalie Varda, is a costume designer -- has pressed on, reflecting on her life in documentaries like 2008's The Beaches of Agnes. "She has an incredibly strong personal vision, and she is an uncompromising artist," says AFI Fest director Jacqueline Lyanga of Varda. "She is a true director in every sense of the word, and she has made terrific selections for her sidebar program. It has been a delight to work with her." Says Varda of the films she'll present, "I chose films I like and admire." They include Robert Bresson's 1959 Pickpocket; John Cassavetes' 1974 A Woman Under the Influence; Rainer Werner Fassbinder's 1979 The Marriage of Maria Braun and Martin Scorsese's 1985 After Hours. During her stays in Hollywood, she says she and Demy met Cassavetes and his wife, Gena Rowlands, "but we were shy and didn't become friends." As for Scorsese's movie: "I don't like violent films, but this one is such a sweet nightmare. It bounces around like a pingpong ball. He's a good director, Mr. Scorsese."

The teaser is just a small taste of the 5 minute short (without the sound design). Sykkelen Min world premiere was at The Norwegian International Film Festival 22nd August 2012. Sykkelen Min is distributed by The Norwegian Film Institute. Written & directed by Kristian B.Walters Produced by Kay Garred & Kristian B. Walters Starring Lauritz Helgesen & Alida Mørch DOP Kai Roger Melkevik Editor/camera assistent Martin Trosnavåg Music Pete Swift Sound design Tom Poole Kerr Everything appears normal in the small Norwegian town of Skudeneshavn, with its white wooden houses from the 1800's and its friendly locals. But cycling along the beach road is Lauritz, an eleven year old boy en route to treat himself to an ice cream at The World's Smallest Café. The best ice cream for miles around. Peddles spinning, wheels skidding, he rides his beloved bike like a pro through majestic woods and narrow roads to get to the café. Before sunset he will have lost something valuable, but perhaps gained something more precious. OFFICIAL SELECTION screened at - Premiere at The Norwegian International Film Festival, Haugesund Skudeneshavn International Festival of Literature and the Arts Minimalen Short Film Festival, Trondheim ViewFinders: Atlantic Film Festival for Youth, Nova Scotia, Canada Kristiansand International Children's Film Festival BCN Sports Film Festival, Barcelona Festival Internacional de Cine para Ninos, Mexico City 31st Carrousel international du film de Rimouski, Canada 30th Chicago International Children's Film Festival 55th Nordic Film Days Lübeck, Germany KORT Kinokino, Stavanger 31st Poznan International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino, Poland 23rd Festival Internacional de Cine del Paraguay On 21st December 2014 My Bike will be playing in 18 cinemas in The Netherlands under The Shortest Day banner: EYE, Amsterdam (in the photo) De Balie, Amsterdam De Lieve Vrouw, Amersfoort Groninger Forum, Groningen Heerenstraat Theater, Wageningen Het Ketelhuis, Amsterdam Filmtheater Kriterion, Amsterdam Louis Hartlooper Complex, Utrecht Lumière Cinema, Maastricht NatLab door Plaza Futura, Eindhoven Slieker Film, Leeuwarden Loading more stuff… Hmm…it looks like things are taking a while to load. Try again?

For the first time it was possible to stay overnight as an urban adventurer under the viaduct ‘Strijps Bultje’, at Strijp-S; the design heart of Eindhoven. The space underneath the viaduct was the stage for a city-campsite and the hangout of the Dutch Design Week. Both in day- and nighttime, there was a varied program with interactive, relaxing and informative activities during which the CampScape was constantly changing form and meaning: outdoor cinema, salsa room, restaurant, design studio, stage for concerts and local café. Together with the local parties we worked with, we transformed the viaduct into an attractive space, which made citizens and visitors curious. They felt home right away, sitting in the seats made by Ontwerpstudio Bomm and eating local and organic breakfasts, lunches and dinners of (H)Eerlijk Anders. The choice for this location wasn’t coincidental: ‘Strijps Bultje’ is an underexposed, but at the same time much discussed space in Eindhoven, full of potential. It also forms one of the intersections on the – still to develop – Green Corridor: the lush green connection between Eindhoven and the green forest. Through the Urban CampScape and all the activities attached to it, the potential of the place and the roll she can play in the city has been researched. By working bottom-up with local parties and citizens, Urban CampScape tried to accomplish a certain degree of social sustainability. It was a showcase of what temporary art, urban design and events can mean for a city and how a temporary project can reach a lasting, positive contribution to the place and its surroundings.

The actor talks about playing the notorious underworld don in Shootout at Wadala Bollywood actor Sonu Sood is excited to essay underworld don Dawood Ibrahim in Shootout at Wadala, and he is doing his bit to carry off the role perfectly. “I am super excited to play Dawood Ibrahim. My homework is on. I am reading about him and doing research on him. I am all set to play the role,” said Sonu. The actor says Shootout At Wadala, based on the 1982 shootout in which criminal Manya Surve was killed, is all about gangsters. “It is a film based on gangsters. It’s about the rise of Dawood. It’s more of an action drama,” he said. While the shooting of the film has already started, Sonu will join the crew next week. “I will start the shooting from April 24. We will be shooting at locations like Nariman Point and Mahim (in Mumbai),” the 38-year-old said. The actor, who is playing a negative role yet again after essaying Chhedi Singh in blockbuster Dabangg, has no issues with the shade of any role. “I don’t believe in negative or positive roles. Cinema has changed. For me, it’s all about good and bad roles. I am just looking forward to this film,” he said. Directed by Sanjay Gupta, the film, a prequel Gupta’s 2007 film Shootout at Lokhandwala, also features John Abraham, Anil Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, Kangna Ranaut, Manoj Bajpayee, Ronit Roy and Mahesh Manjrekar.

Community consultation over Wellington CBD project to start soon The Mayor of Wellington hopes a beautification project slated for the town, will create the sense the CBD is inside a park. Councillor Rod Buhr hopes nearly half of the almost $3m project will be funded out of the state government's Cobbora Transition Fund. Councillor Buhr says there will be basic work like improving crumbling footpaths, but also some special elements. "We're looking at things like standalone artworks," he said. Our sunken garden area which is down on the Bell River, we're looking at turning that area into a cinema type arrangements. It's a natural amphitheatre.Wellington Mayor, Rod Buhr "Our sunken garden area which is down on the Bell River, we're looking at turning that area into a cinema type arrangements. "It's a natural amphitheatre. "Looking at doing some works at our existing tourist information centre, to open that right up. "Sort of creating the sense that the town is inside a park." A special drop-in centre will be established in Wellington over the coming weeks, so local residents can learn more about the council's plans to beautify the town's CBD. Councillor Buhr says public consultations will start soon. "We're going to open up a shopfront in Wellington, that's going to be manned by councillors," he said. "People will be able to come in and we've got some great big poster pictures of conceptual drawing on what it'll look like and people can make comment. "We'll have a questionnaire. "That'll happen over the next couple of weeks and then at the end of that process we'll hold a public meeting."

A bandh was being observed in Sangareddy and other towns of Medak district of Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday even as majority of the shops and business establishments in Old City in Hyderabad remained closed to protest the remand of MIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. The local unit of Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (MIM) had given bandh call in Sangareddy town, a day after Hyderabad MP Asaduddin was remanded in judicial custody by a court here in connection with a 2005 case against him for allegedly obstructing the then Medak Collector AK Singhal and other officers from discharging their duties. The bandh witnessed a complete shutdown with shops, petrol pumps, cinema theatres, business establishments, educational institutions remaining closed in Sangareddy town. The bandh in Sangareddy evoked a good response and was going on peacefully. However, state-run RTC buses were plying normally, officials said. Police imposed prohibitory orders under section 144 CrPC and additional forces were deployed in Sangareddy town. Even some local MIM leaders were taken into custody as a preventive measure. A bandh was also being observed in Zaheerabad and Sadasivapet towns of Medak district. MIM supporters took out a protest rally from Eidgah grounds in Zaheerabad, but police stopped them near Baga Reddy statue on Tandur cross roads and took as many as 60 MIM workers and supporters in preventive custody who were later released. Prohibitory orders were also imposed in Zaheerabad and Sadasivapet towns by police. Though there was no official bandh call in Hyderabad, shops and commercial establishments pulled downed their shutters in several parts of the Old City while educational institutions also remained closed in protest against remand of Asaduddin. As a precautionary measure, additional forces were deployed in communally sensitive parts of Old City since yesterday, with contingents of RAF also keeping a vigil. The otherwise busy areas surrounding Charminar, wore a deserted look following the bandh-like situation. Asaduddin was sent in judicial remand till February 2 by the Judicial First Class Magistrate (JFCM) and Prohibition and Excise Special Court in Sangareddy town yesterday after his plea for cancellation of the non-bailable warrant against him in the 2005 case was dismissed by the court.

OPPO Find 5 Smartphone Announced With Dirac HD Sound UPPSALA, Sweden, December 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Dirac Research announces the introduction of a new smartphone with Dirac HD Sound optimization built in. At the OPPO Find 5 launch event held in Beijing's 798 Art District on Wednesday, in front of over 500 members of the international press, Dirac's CEO spoke of the high-class sound quality obtained through the use of innovative sound processing. OPPO yesterday announced the launch of their flagship smartphone Find 5. Dirac's CEO Dr. Mathias Johansson was a guest speaker at the event. In his speech, he emphasized Dirac's approach to sound technology as distinct from conventional sound technologies: "Different from sound effects, we are actually restoring the music as it was intended by the artist." The event also featured a large-scale demonstration of a Dirac-optimized cinema theater sound system, where the audience emphatically noticed the difference when Dirac's optimization was turned off. The technology used in the OPPO Find 5 - Dirac HD Sound® - optimizes the acoustic properties of the earphones shipped with the new mobile phones for the best possible mobile music experience. Precise acoustic measurements of the earphone have allowed a tailored digital sound processor to improve the acoustic properties of the earphone. Technologies from Dirac are also used in high-performance HiFi, luxury cars, digital cinemas and studios. Dirac HD Sound removes the sound defects introduced by the earphone itself due to its physical constraints. The result is a clear and natural sound for music playback, a philosophy that OPPO has embraced. The technology is unique in that it corrects both the amplitude and the timing of each tone reproduced by the earphone. Dirac HD Sound has stirred a lot of reactions and comments on Internet forums, as it allows an earphone to perform at altogether new levels. Mr. Ken Kreisel, one of the founders of M&K Speaker, known for high-end studio monitor speaker systems, listened to the sound of the OPPO mobile phone and earphone. He stated: "While listening to the new OPPO Mobile Phone with Dirac HD Sound, the sound improvement is tremendous and I feel almost like I am in the recording studio with my new studio monitors. I applaud OPPO for their innovative and pioneering spirit in embracing this new Dirac HD Sound technology." Dirac Research, Founded in 2001, is a premier R&D company specializing in high-performance digital sound optimization, room correction and sound field synthesis. The company was founded by researchers from the Signals & Systems Group of Uppsala University, Sweden, which has fostered 8 Nobel Prize laureates. With Dirac's patented toolbox for efficient and accurate audio system optimization, customers such as BMW, Bentley, Rolls Royce and Datasat Digital Entertainment have achieved dramatically improved sound quality and a shortened time-to-market. Dirac Research maintains offices in Sweden, Tokyo, Detroit, San Diego, Seoul and Shanghai. http://www.dirac.se OPPO, established in 2004 in China, is a large globally registered high-tech enterprise incorporating R&D, manufacturing and marketing. Through the strength of its phenomenal independent R&D capacity, OPPO is dedicated to products with superb quality, fashionable design and handy operation. Following the successful launches of MP3 players and MP4 players in China, OPPO officially released its first mobile phone in May 2008, and since then has been committed to building a world-class brand in the industry of high-quality and fashionable digital devices. SOURCE Dirac Research

Jeanne Mas at Cannes (2001) |Birth name||Jeanne Marie Mas| |Born||28 February 1958| |Occupation(s)||Singer, songwriter, actress| XIII Bis Records Red Rocks Productions Jeanne Mas, born on 28 February 1958 in Alicante, Spain, but naturalised in France. She is both a French pop singer and actress. She is well known in France, Switzerland and Belgium for a number of hit singles released in the 1980s. Her first success was "Toute première fois" in 1984. This song was simultaneously released in the United Kingdom in English. Two of her singles charted at number one in France: "Johnny, Johnny" and "En Rouge et Noir" in 1985 and 1986, respectively. Her 1980's albums are good examples of the Euro disco electro-pop style popular in Continental Europe at the time, featuring synthesizers and very catchy melodies. - 1 Biography - 2 Discography - 3 Filmography - 4 References - 5 External links Jeanne Marie Mas was born on 28 February 1958 in Alicante, Spain. She started studying languages at the University of Nanterre (near Paris). After one year studying Spanish and Italian, she took off for Italy giving up her studies at the university. She settled in Rome when she was only 18 years old. In Rome, she took dance and acting classes. She started landing small parts in commercials as well as in full-length films and she hosted her own show on a private channel: La Uomo TV. Music was her true passion. In 1979, she signed her first contract with RCA Italia and recorded her first single : "On the moon", and toured with a rock group which was rather hardcore. She recorded several 45's, one in English and the others in Italian. In 1984, she signed a contract with the Major EMI MUSIC FRANCE. Roberto Zaneli and Romano Musumara wrote her first French Hit : "Toute premiere fois". First time (1984–1985) "Toute première fois" It was an instant success: she sold more than 900,000 copies of the single which was played on the radio all the way until December. French people discovered a young woman on their TV screen entirely dressed in black, with jet-black hair, an emaciated face, and very pronounced make-up: a bland version of the punk look. Stimulating choreography with jerky gestures reinforced the image of a woman "who wants some action", almost aggressive. This striking combination of dance and image seduced the young public. The press, the radio, the television and even the discos grabbed hold of this phenomenon. At the start of the following year, she successively released a second single "Johnny, Johnny" followed by an album simply called Jeanne Mas. To reach a wider audience, she asked Daniel Balavoine for help. He produced two of the songs for the album. Another single "Coeur en stéréo" was a hit in its own right. In October, she played the Olympia club in Paris for the first time for four triumphant concerts. A few weeks later, she won the equivalent of a grammy for female performer of the year during the first Victoires de la musique. Triumphant Olympia (1986) Building upon this success, ravaging and full of energy, she locked herself in a studio in Denmark to record her next album. Heavily into her work, she'd already started writing her own lyrics. Jeanne Mas had a critical view on music and knew what she wanted. This is why she refused a song written by Musumara which would become "Ouragan" interpreted by the gloss and glitter Princess Stephanie of Monaco. At the beginning of 1986, she released Femmes d'aujourd'hui which went on to sell over 1 million copies. The single from the album "En Rouge et Noir" quickly became a hit. In June, the album and the single were number one on the French charts. In the autumn, she played for seven days at the Palais des Sports in Paris and continued with forty concert dates in the rest of France. This tour commenced in March 1987 for twenty dates, one of which was a concert in Lyon where a live record and a ninety-minute film were made. She then decided to take a break and take advantage of this time to return to Italy to have a baby, a little girl named Victoria. 1988 allowed her to look closely at her career, her artistic doubts. In September she got involved publicly for a subject that she held close to her heart, crimes against children. Jeanne nevertheless didn't stay inactive and got back to work quickly with Piero Calabrese. She went into a studio for three months and chose the best musicians for the recording: Manu Katché on drums, Steve Shehan on percussion, Tony Levin on bass and David Rhodes on guitar. In February 1989 a new album titled Les crises de l'âme was released. The lyrics seemed more committed with songs like "J'accuse", "Tango" or still "Y'a des bons..." which denounced violence in the world. The latter song was in fact the first track on the album and Jeanne would make the video clip. In September, she played at Bercy. The tour was cancelled and this was the beginning of her decline. Her first time Los Angeles and Declining years (1990–1995) Far from letting herself be beaten, the singer gathered her team to write a new album at the beginning of 1990. Recorded in Los Angeles, L'art des femmes came out in October. She recorded "Tous les cris les S.O.S." by Balavoine. EMI promoted the first single, "Shakespeare", but both the album and singles were complete flops. A year later, EMI released a compilation Depuis la toute première fois. In 1992, Jeanne Mas gave birth to a boy, Christopher. Au nom des rois was the new album which came out on AB Productions in September, her collaboration with EMI having ended. The first single of the album was "Au nom des rois" of which the video clip was once again directed by the singer. "Dors bien Margot" followed a few months later with a slightly different mix. 1993 saw the release of a new version of the album including three new songs, one of which was the third single "Aime-moi". In September 1993, she played three nights at Casino de Paris and followed with a fifty-five-date tour. With her career floundering she withdrew from public life for a while and settled in the South of France. In 1994 "C'est pas normal", a more dance floor-oriented song, was released but interest was minimal, received limited airplay and was another flop. She came back in 1996 with a new album on Arcade records. Jeanne recorded Jeanne Mas & les Égoïstes in Toulouse which had 14 songs that she had written, more rock so as to a return to her initial roots. The record received little attention. After this attempted comeback, Jeanne Mas, became interested in cinema and took screen a writing course in Paris. She also made a short film. By 2000 the record company XIII Bis enabled her to release a further album. Désir d'insolence her seventh album. Amongst the songs, three have texts by the poets Paul Verlaine, Alfred de Vigny and Guillaume Appolinaire's "Le pont Mirabeau". In 2003, Jeanne Mas released a new album: Les Amants de Castille in hommage to the famous play Le Cid by Corneille. In 2004–2005 she toured to celebrate her 20 years of career and performed at the Espace Pierre Cardin and the Casino de Paris. Jeanne Mas left France in June 2005 and settled in California where she created her own label Red Rocks Productions. In 2006 a new album : The missing Flowers was recorded between Paris and Los Angeles and produced with Dj Esteban. A new chapter commenced with this new album and a new look. Blond hair and feminine. In 2007: the album was released in Europe by Edina Music France. 2008 Concert and her renewed popularity In June 2010, Jeanne Mas announced four nights of concerts at the Trianon in Paris. 2009 Olympia Theatre – Paris, France In May 2009, Jeanne Mas performed two nights at the Olympia Theatre in Paris with her band – Mike Pachelli & Willis Clow (guitars), Todd Connelly (bass), Matt Lesser (drums) and Balint Sapszon (keyboards). In July 2011, Jeanne Mas released her 13th album, Blue Lemon, with a single,Sundays being well received by critics. In 2012 she released the album Made in France, which received a mixed reception. From this the single It's Raining moons season, and EP dance with DJ Esteban Gil was released. On 24 October 2012, Jeanne Mas is back on the big screen with the film Stars 80 , which tells the story of the two producers of the tour RFM Party 80. The film was a box office success. August 10, 2013, Jeanne Mas began a tour of seven dates in Obernai in Alsace, ending in Romans 28 September. - Jeanne Mas (1985) - Femmes d'aujourd'hui (1986) - Les crises de l'âme (1989) - L'art des femmes (1990) - Au nom des rois (1992) - Jeanne Mas & les Égoïstes (1996) - Désir d'insolence (2000) - Je vous aime ainsi (2001) - Les amants de Castille (2003) - The Missing Flowers (2006) - Be West (2008) - Divas Wanted (2010) - Bleu Citron (2011) - Made In France (2012) - En concert (1987) - Depuis la toute première fois (1991) - Les plus grands succès de Jeanne Mas (1996) - L'essentiel (2000) - J'M – Le meilleur de Jeanne Mas (2001) - Best of (2004) - Most of the best (2006) - My 80's (2007) - The Flowers Collection" (2009) - 1978 : On The Moon - 1984 : Toute première fois - 1985 : Johnny, Johnny - 1985 : Coeur en stéréo - 1986 : En Rouge et Noir - 1986 : L'enfant - 1987 : Sauvez-moi - 1987 : La bête libre - 1989 : Y'a des bons... - 1989 : J'accuse - 1989 : Carolyne - 1990 : Bébé rock - 1990 : Shakespeare - 1991 : Angela (L'art des femmes) - 1992 : Au nom des rois - 1992 : Dors bien Margot - 1993 : Aime-moi - 1994 : C'est pas normal - 1996 : Côté H côté clean - 1997 : Anna - 2000 : Désir d'insolence - 2001 : Je vous aime ainsi - 2003 : Chimène - 2003 : Poussière de Castille - 2004 : Toute première fois (FDP Remix) - 2005 : Johnny, Johnny (Remix) - 2006 : Màs alli màs allà - 2006 : On A Summer Day - 2007 : Un air d'Argentine - 2007 : C'est interdit - 2008 : Be West - 2009 : Plus jamais - 2011 : " Les dimanches" - The Count of Monte-Cristo (1975) - Porca società (1978) - Caro papà (1979) - Ricomincio da tre (1981) - Il cavaliere, la morte e il diavolo (1985) - Malone (TV episode Génération braqueurs) (2003) - L'instit (TV episode Privé d'école) (2004) - Stars 80 (2012) - Official site - English biography - Review of Bleu Citron (in English) - Jeanne Mas at the Internet Movie Database

Well-known musicians Ayaan and Amaan Ali Khan, who will perform before an invited audience at The Hindu Best Fiction Award function in Chennai on November 1 open up on the responsibility of being sons of sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan and how music is an intrinsic part of their lives. They are not just their father's sons. Ayaan Ali Khan and Amaan Ali Khan, musicians in their own right, play the sarod with a finesse and expertise that speaks of their legacy. Music runs in their blood and the duo from the Bangash Gharana are all set to perform in Chennai at the Award Ceremony of the Hindu Best Fiction Award 2010. Born in a family of musical stalwarts, both of you carry an ancient legacy. What does that responsibility say to you? Ayaan: I feel fortunate to have been born in a household where the family language was music. It was in the very air we were breathing. And, as children, we were deeply influenced. I don't even remember when I first started playing the sarod. Of course the relationship with my father was first of a son and then of guru and student. I don't feel pressured by high expectation. Instead I feel lucky to be compared to the best in my field. Amaan: To be born in a family that already has a rich legacy and has achieved a very high standard was fortunate but made things less easy. These things can either matter or not, depending on how much hard work you are ready to put it. We could have rested on my father's laurels, enjoyed the fame and fortune that came with it. Instead, we chose to use the opportunity of learning from the best. Would you agree that Indian classical music is on the way out? Ayaan: I don't agree. It is not only unfair, it's also wrong. Classical music originated as an art form that was not meant for the masses. It was for intimate gatherings. The concert hall performance of classical music is a fairly recent phenomenon. It started sometime in the 1960s. So from 1960s till now, the audience has increased. Be it the Carnegie hall or halls in Mumbai and Bangalore, our shows are always sold out. Despite the changing times, if people come to listen to two hours of classical music, I'll say we have no reason to complain. Amaan: I don't think the statement is correct either. Classical music is meant for a small gathering of people. Its western counterpart would perhaps be chamber music. Its audience can vary from 50 to 5000 and but that doesn't mean it's on its way out. There is a general perception that youngsters do not understand classical music. Ayaan: I don't think that's true since, in all our shows, we see youngsters in the audience. Not only that, there is young and budding talent everywhere and is more focussed and interested not just in listening to classical music but also learning it. Amaan: The thing is, music isn't supposed to be understood. It is meant to be enjoyed. I have no reason to complain as far as the young generation is concerned. A large part of my audience is youngsters, and I have always been able to connect with them. How fair is it to pit classical music against the instant popularity of Bollywood music? Amaan: Actually not at all. Bollywood is about instant celebrity. In classical music, it takes years of practice for a person to become a big name. It is great that reality shows and talent hunts on TV are discovering new talent. But in classical music, one hit or flop does not make a great musician. I tell our students that they should not be in a rush to perform. They should chase excellence instead. Tell us more about the two books both of you have co-authored. Ayaan: Our first book was a candid personal journey. The second one, 50 Maestros 50 Recordings, was a challenge as well as an honour. It was an honour because HarperCollins approached us with the faith that we'd be able to do justice to such an enormous project. We chose 50 records we grew up listening to and then identified those we thought were the pillars of Indian classical music. We cover everyone from Vilayat Khan to M.S. Subbulakshmi to Pandit Ravi Shankar. This book recommends all these records and masters to anyone looking to become familiar with Indian classical music at its best. What about the stereotype attached to the appearance of classical musicians? Ayaan: In our case, we grew up travelling for performances. It made us city people. We don't dress or appear a certain way to cater to or break any stereotypes. It's who we are. I don't believe that looks or clothes can change the degree of your talent. Amaan: I don't believe in convention but I do believe in tradition. The kurta-pyjama is like my uniform for performances and concerts, but I like to mix with the crowd when I go out. Then I don't need to look like a musician. I am one, and wearing or not wearing something won't change that. How important is it to blur the lines between a performer and an artist? Ayaan: It is very important to be a performer as well as a musician. If you see, every legend who has been loved and accepted has also been a performer. You can be the greatest musician but, on stage, you also need to be a performer. I think you owe that to the audience who comes to watch you play. If you can achieve a blend of both and balance it perfectly, only then can you achieve greatness. Amaan: I think the sound is definitely more important. But, to a certain level, so is the need to connect with the audience. Your appearance should complement the music but not overshadow it. What do you think about collaborations between classical music and cinema? Amaan: The thing is: the base of film music has to be Indian classical music. I am not trying to be arrogant, but I do say that with some pride. Ayaan: Ironically, the evolution of Bollywood began with classical music. Many great classical musicians created music for movies in the past. Now, Bollywood is about instant hits and flops. Classical musicians are not used to that. We don't work around hits and flops. We are also not comfortable with our creativity being dictated to. But the collaborations that did happen produced some beautiful music. Personally, would either of you consider working for movies in the future? Ayaan: The entertainment industry is in a transitory mode. There is space for change; nothing is set in stone. I can't make a definite statement right now. I would certainly love to work with a director who understands music and has faith in me. Ironically, every time we have been approached by directors, it's been to act. Amaan: I don't think I'll be working for movies anytime soon. I have had one bad experience with Bollywood and, for now, I am not looking for any more work there. I have a lot to learn and achieve right now and want to concentrate entirely on my music.

Tonight, Martha (the excellent Maxine Peake) gets some surprising news, and clerk Billy sets her up in opposition to smug Clive in a rape trial. Meanwhile, Niamh (it should be Naive) is sent to make a bail application for last week's über-villain on another charge of burglary. Martha's post-work life remains a mystery but still mainly seems to consist of kicking off her heels in her beige flat and drinking 10 bottles of beer while poring relentlessly over case notes lit by a moody anglepoise. Every night. But the aforementioned surprising news hints at other goings on. Heston's Mission Impossible 9pm, Channel 4 In tonight's instalment, Heston Blumenthal – suspecting that Cineworld is only interested in profit and not food – ventures to the High Wycombe branch in an attempt to revolutionise what cinemagoers eat. Treating staff to a unique sensory experience, he comes up with a range of new foods in keeping with the cinema theme to go head to head with audience favourite – popcorn. This fly-on-the-wall series follows housing officers in the Greater Manchester area as they try to help association tenants. This week's episode finds a pretty good "cycle of tenancy" story to tell: Owen, recently arrived in the UK, is struggling in homeless accommodation and desperate to find a flat, which he does using the "bid" system. Meanwhile Steve has turned his property into a home for exotic pets and seems to be actively asking for eviction. It's sensitively made, though seems a little voyeuristic in spite of its best intentions. Paul Merton And Nicholas Parsons: Me & Arthur Haynes From the 1950s to 1966, Arthur Haynes was the biggest name in British television comedy. He followed the usual path for comedians from this era, working variety shows and joining the army entertainment division before finding stardom on independent television. His comedy dealt with puncturing the pomposity of the ruling classes. Paul Merton talks to Haynes's old comedy partner Nicholas Parsons, about him. Justice: The Good Citizen Another lecture with Michael Sandel, the drily witty professor of government at Harvard, before a live – and very engaged – student audience. This week, Aristotle's theory of justice, and how it cannot leave room for individual freedom (he believed, for example, that some people were meant to be slaves). Interestingly, the debate further segues into a discussion about a modern-day golfing controversy. In theory, this series should have been laughed out of the first pitch meeting ("It's about a Canadian paramedic who can discern people's thoughts, and … " SECURITY!). However, while self-evidently preposterous, The Listener is beautifully shot, relatively plausibly acted and wryly written. In this first episode of the second series, psychic ambulance jockey Toby Logan rescues a drowning woman who proves to be suffering from amnesia – a challenge for a mind-reader. Muddying matters further, a canny police detective starts to notice that Logan knows more about the unfolding case than he should.

MOVIE LISTINGS | NEW VIDEO RELEASES MOVIE REVIEW ARCHIVE | THEATER INFO Bad boys challenge fate. BY LOIS WADSWORTH THE DANGEROUS LIVES OF ALTAR BOYS: Directed by Peter Care. Written by Jeff Stockwell, based on a novel by Chris Fuhrman. Produced by Jodie Foster, Meg LeFauve and Jay Shapiro. Executive producers Graham King, David A. Jones, John Watson, Pen Densham. Cinematography, Lance Acord. Animation by Todd McFarlane. Editor, Chris Peppe. Music, Marco Beltrami. Production design, Gideon Ponte. Costumes, Marie France. Starring Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone, Emile Hirsch, Vincent D'Onofrio and Jodie Foster. ThinkFilm, 2002. R. 105 minutes. This peculiar, moving film grapples with the absurd, anguished phenomenon blithely dismissed as "coming of age" by critics safely removed from their own disturbed youth (or hoping to forget it). Surprisingly, the film communicates a rare appreciation of the awkward emotional territory its main characters inhabit. And don't underestimate this achievement just because former music video director Peter Care uses interwoven animated segments by comic book luminary Todd McFarlane (Spawn) to express the violence of these conflicted inner feelings. MARGIE (JENA MALONE), FRANCIS (EMILE HIRSCH) AND TIM (KIERAN CULKIN) PAUSE AT THE COUGAR DEN. A trio of extraordinary young actors give lovely performances here. Francis Doyle (Emile Hirsch) is a burgeoning comic book artist, and Tim Sullivan (Kieran Culkin) is his best friend. Tim instigates pranks, and Francis follows, willingly. Tim involves several other boys as well, and all contribute to the ongoing comic book project Francis manages. When Francis becomes interested in Margie (Jena Malone), a vulnerable beauty, his relationship with Tim falters, then recovers. Margie has tried to take her own life over serious issues that she confides to Francis. His response: uncertainty and confusion. Their impasse is as mysterious to him as it is to her. These are the emotional bones on which a series of comic and tragic misadventures play. The kids all attend Blessed Heart Catholic High School in the 1970s, where the boys' least favorite teacher is Sister Assumpta (Jodie Foster). Burdened with the long black robes and white wimple not yet abandoned by her order, Assumpta purses her lips, prays for her young charges and tries to influence their lives for the better. But the boys see her as the Wicked Witch of the West, and Francis draws her as Nunzilla, a motorcycle-riding hellion who cavorts lasciviously with Father Casey (Vincent D'Onofrio), the school's kindly, easy-going principal. Francis's comic book drawings evolve into brilliantly executed animated fantasies he daydreams. Along with the escalating danger of the pranks Tim cooks up, they give Francis a way to escape from his perceived-as-boring life. Tim's most elaborate trick involves removing the statue of the saint displayed above the school door, hiding it and hoping eventually to ransom it. The second stage of the prank is even more daring: to capture the live cougar at a local zoo and put it in Sister Assumpta's room. During their more ordinary moments, the boys ride their bicycles, read comics, smoke tobacco and drink vile alcoholic concoctions culled from the open bottles in the liquor cabinet at home. Francis and Margie explore love cautiously. Tim is an unrepentant bad boy who knows he doesn't fit in — "too smart for his own good," the older generation might put it. His parents' constant bickering makes home a place to avoid. Based on the late Chris Fuhrman's semi-autobiographical novel, Dangerous Lives is the first film I've seen since Don Roos's engaging 1998 comedy, The Opposite of Sex, that lights up new ways to look at the upheavals of adolescence. It's a very good film, thanks especially to Hirsch, who lets Francis's feelings show in a natural, luminous performance that reminds me of the late River Phoenix. Like Phoenix, Hirsch's star quality is visible in his feature film debut. Highly recommended, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys is now playing at the Bijou in its new late night program. Don't say there's nothing to do after 10 o'clock . You can see first-run films. It beats getting arrested. OPENING OR RETURNING: Films open the Friday following date of EW publication unless otherwise noted. See archived reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com. Ascent, The (Russia, 1972): Larisa Shepitko's WWII tale of two Soviet partisans who fall into German hands. Subtitles. At 7:45 pm on 10/16 in 115 Pacific Hall, UO. Free. Battle Royale (Japan): Contemporary Japanese film, with English subtitles. At 7 pm on 10/12 in 214 McKenzie Hall, UO. Free. Brown Sugar: Beautiful childhood friends Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan must now choose others or each other. Rick Famuyiwa directs. Queen Latifah and Mos Def co-star. PG-13. Cinemark. Fast Runner, The (Atanarjuat, 2002): Zacharias Kunuk directs the first feature film in 80 years about the Inuit people of northern Canada. The New York Times called it "a masterpiece," noting: "You are so completely caught up in the codes and rituals of a nomadic, tribal society governed by complex ideas of honor and loyalty that it is easy to overlook the artistry that has put them before you." It's based on a traditional Inuit folk epic. R. Bijou. King of Hearts (France, 1967): Phillipe de Broca's light-hearted comedy about the patients from a nearby asylum who are running a French city at the end of WWII. Stars Alan Bates as the Scottish soldier who discovers them. Powerful, funny, anti-war film. At 7 pm on 10/16 in 110 Fenton. Free. Knockaround Guys: Four wannabe Mafiosas — Vin Diesel, Seth Green, Barry Pepper and Andrew Davoli — sort of follow instructions from Uncle Teddy (John Malkovich) and Benny Chains (Dennis Hopper) to buy the silence of a Montana sheriff but manage to find lots of trouble on their own. "The Sopranos" probably does it better. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Lilo and Stitch: Animated Disney comedy about Lilo, a lonely Hawaiian girl, and her small, ugly dog named Stitch. The dog is an alien experiment that's crashed to earth. Six by Elvis on the soundtrack. PG. Movies 12. Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat: New routines by the Bad Boy of Comedy include personal anecdotes as well as social commentary. R. Movies 12. Master of Disguise: Dana Carvey plays Pistachio Disguisey, a waiter who turns into whatever he thinks of next - a cherry pie, a rockstar, a sports hero. PG. Cinemark. Once Were Warriors (New Zealand, 1994): Lee Tamahori directs this drama about a Maori family struggling with domestic violence and urban ghetto life. Unbelievably good performances by Rena Owen, Temuera Morrison and the Maori teen actors who play their children. Emotionally difficult to watch, but fascinating, beautiful and moving. R. At 7:30 on 10/15 in 122 Pacific, UO. Free. Pumpkin: Christina Ricci stars as a sorority girl who falls for a student with disabilities she is supposed to be helping. Critics say the film is confused but memorable. R. Late night Bijou. Ring, The: Gore Verbinski finds a solid cast in Naomi Watts (Mulholland Drive), Chris Cooper and Brian Cox for this remake of Hideo Nakata's 1998 Japanese horror film. Sneak at 7:30 pm on 10/12. Cinema World. Rules of Attraction: Roger Avary writes and directs James Van Der Beek, Shannyn Sossamon, Ian Somerhalder and Jessica Biel in what The New York Times calls "a high-octane adaptation" of Bret Easton Ellis's novel. R. Cinemark. Cinema World. Transporter, The: Corey Yuen directs, Luc Bresson produces and co-writes this crime thriller starring Asian star Shu Qi and Jason Statham. PG-13. Cinema World. Cinemark. White Oleander: Peter Kosminsky directs the film adaptation of this best-seller about a young girl (Alison Lohman) who moves through several foster home after her mother (Michelle Pfeiffer) goes to prison. Also stars Renée Zellweger, Robin Wright Penn, Billy Connolly, Patrick Fugit and Noah Wyle. R. Cinemark. Austin Powers in Goldmember: Third time is charmed as Mike Myers comes back in multiple roles as Austin Powers. Michael Caine plays his secret-agent dad and Beyoncé Knowles is Foxxy Cleopatra. Directed by Jay Roach. Mini-Me takes the cake! PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Banger Sisters, The: Susan Sarandon and Goldie Hawn play 1960s-era rock star groupies who get reacquainted in Bob Dolman's comedy. With Geoffrey Rush and Eva Amurri. Highly recommended. R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Barbershop: Sweet-natured comedy about a day in the life of a south side Chicago barbershop stars Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas, Troy Garity, Eve. This movie makes you feel good. Recommended. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Blood Work: Clint Eastwood's film adaptation of a sensational crime novel by Michael Connelly stars Eastwood as a retired FBI agent with a heart condition who chases down a serial killer. Connelly's book lends itself to the Eastwood treatment. Also stars Anjelica Huston, Jeff Daniels, Wanda De Jesus, Paul Rodriguez. R. Movies 12. Online archives. Blue Crush: Directed by John Stockwell, this romantic surfer adventure stars Kate Bosworth, Michelle Rodriguez (Girlfight) and Matthew Davis. PG-13. Movies 12. Bourne Identity, The: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen and Brian Cox star in Doug Liman's character-based spy thriller based on Robert Ludlum's best seller. A man with amnesia tries to discover who he is and why everyone wants to kill him. A subtle skewing of the genre, it's highly recommended. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Country Bears, The: An 11-year old bear decides to reunite his favorite bear rock ban for a benefit concert. Musical performances or appearances by Don Henley, John Hiatt, Elton John, Queen Latifah, Willie Nelson,. Bonnie Raitt and Brian Setzer. G. Movies 12. Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys, The: Set in 1974 in a North Carolina Catholic school, the long-awaited film by British music-video director Peter Care arrives. Stars Emile Hirsch, Kieran Culkin, Jena Malone and Jodie Foster as the unholy trinity and the nun who takes the heat for their anti-adult anger. Based on the late Chris Fuhrman's cult-hit novel. R. Late night Bijou. See review this issue. Eight Legged Freaks: Stars David Arquette, Scarlett Johansson and others in this campy sci-fi movie about really big, poisonous, mutating spiders. "Let the squashing begin!" PG-13. Movies 12. Four Feathers, The: Surely the only reason to remake this old racist chestnut about the imperialistic Brits in the Sudan, 1898, is to give Hollywood hunk Heath Ledger something to do. Kate Hudson may help, as well as casting Wes Bentley and Djimon Hounsou. Directed by Shekhar Kapur (Elizabeth). PG-13. Cinemark. Jonah: A Veggietales Movie: Christian-themed direct-to-video franchise goes big screen in this version of Jonah and the Whale. Biblical figures are played by talking vegetables. Directed by Mike Nawrocki and Phil Vischer. G. Cinemark. Men in Black 2: Jay (Will Smith) drags a reluctant Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) back into the agency with the mission of "Protecting the earth from the scum of the universe." Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, it also stars Lara Flynn Boyle as Serleena, an alien masquerading as a Victoria's Secret model. With Rosario Dawson, Johnny Knoxville, Tony Shalhoub and Rip Torn. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Minority Report: Steven Spielberg directs Tom Cruise in this sci-fi where killers are arrested and convicted before they commit murder. In 2054, Cruise heads the Pre-Crime unit until he's accused of the murder of a man he hasn't yet met. Based on a short story by the genre's master, Philip K. Dick. One of Spielberg and Cruise's best. Highest recommendations. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Mostly Martha: Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste and Sergio Castellitto star in Sandra Nettlebeck's delightful romance, comedy, drama about the kitchen life and home life of a great chef. Highly recommended. G. Bijou. Online archives. Mr. Deeds: Adam Sandler plays an ordinary guy who inherits $40 billion in this remake of Frank Capra's 1936 comedy, Mr. Deeds Goes to Town. Also stars Winona Ryder, Peter Gallagher, Steve Buscemi, Jared Harris and John Turturro. PG-13. Movies 12. My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Based on Nia Vardalos's one-woman stage show, it's about the 30-year old, unmarried daughter (Vardalos) in an engaging, passionate but demanding Greek family in New York. She meets the man she wants to marry (John Corbett), and he isn't Greek. Yikes! Another humorous reminder that weddings are also a family and community affair, this sweet romantic comedy entertains. Recommended. PG. Cinema World. Cinemark. Online archives. One-Hour Photo: The New York Times calls writer/director Mark Romanek's debut film "gripping but not wholly successful psychodrama." Focused performance by Robin Williams, who's a photo shop employee without a life of his own. When he falls in love with the "perfect family," he really needs them to be perfect. Chilling. Also stars Connie Nielson, Eric La Salle. R. Bijou. Red Dragon: The first literary appearance of Hannibal Lector was in Thomas Harris's 1981 novel, Red Dragon; his film debut was in Michael Mann's 1986 Manhunter. Now we have Anthony Hopkins returning as the cannibal, serial killer made famous by Jonathan Demmme's 1991 blockbuster, Silence of the Lambs. Edward Norton, Ralph Fiennes, Harvey Keitel, Emily Watson, Mary-Louise Parker and Philip Seymour Hoffman flesh out the cast. Directed by Brett Ratner (Rush Hour). R. Cinema World. Cinemark. Scooby Doo: TV's 1969 Great Dane, Scooby, returns as a computer-generated detective dog in this comedy starring Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, and Matthew Lillard. PG. Movies 12. Signs: Written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan and starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, this supernatural thriller about crop circles looks like a box-office bonanza. Also stars Rory Culkin and Abigail Breslin. PG-13. Cinemark. Online archives. Spider Man: Tobey Maguire stars in Sam Raimi's film and makes Spidey a comic book superhero we can all appreciate. Also stars Willem Dafoe as the Green Goblin, Kirsten Dunst as the girl, James Franco, Cliff Robertson, Rosemary Harris and J.K. Simmons. Highly recommended. Double feature with Men in Black II. PG-13. Movies 12. Online archives. Star Wars: Attack of the Clones: George Lucas' second of three Star Wars' prequels comes to the screen with Hayden Christensen, Natalie Portman, Ewan McGregor, Ian McDiarmid and Samuel Jackson doing all the heavy lifting. PG. Movies 12. Online archives. Sweet Home Alabama: Andy Tennant directs the fabulous Reese Witherspoon in this comedy about a hot fashion designer who returns to the South to get a divorce from scruffy hubby #1 (Josh Lucas) so she can marry rich Patrick Dempsey. PG-13. Cinemark Cinema World. Tuxedo, The: PG-13. Jackie Chan's a limo driver who borrows his boss' tux only to discover that it's a high-tech killing machine. With Jennifer Love Hewitt and Peter Stormare. PG-13. Cinema World Use the links provided below for specific show times. Bijou Theater 686-2458 | 492 E. 13th Cinema World 342-6536 | Valley River Center Springfield Quad 726-9073 | Movies 12 741-1231 | Gateway Mall Movies before 12:30 are Sat. Sun. only. $1.50 all shows all days. Cinemark 17 741-1231 | Gateway Mall New Releases on Video Releases subject to change. Available the Tuesday following date of EW publication, sometimes sooner. See archived movie reviews at www.eugeneweekly.com Table of Contents | News | Views | Arts & Entertainment Classifieds | Personals | EW Archive

No set agenda, just an opportunity to meet new friends at various events such as walking, cycling, restaurant/pub meals, live bands, cinema outings, weekends away, holidays abroad, pub/club nights and much more. Make new friends, have a laugh and have some serious fun with great company. Open to anyone 18+ who would like to widen their social circle. NOTE: THIS IS NOT NOT A DATING SITE. Although many events are centred around Newcastle-Gateshead,many events are held outside this metropolis. Members from the surrounding Cities of Sunderland and Durham are also most welcome! Feel free to put forward suggestions and ideas for events. We look forward to meeting you. Membership - £10.00 per year- Membership dues are paid on joining The £10 covers the daily upkeep and maintenance of the site. Please note : Organisers and Event Hosts volunteer & do not get paid. Click here to pay membership dues (you can pay by PayPal or credit / debit Alternatively you can pay by bank transfer . NFiN Facebook Page - New members must be approved by the Organizer Content of this Meetup Group is only visible to members Sunday, December 28, 2014 11:00 AM Tuesday, December 30, 2014 12:00 PM Wednesday, December 31, 2014 7:00 PM Wednesday, December 31, 2014 7:30 PM Thursday, January 1, 2015 11:45 PM Sunday, January 4, 2015 11:00 AM Tuesday, January 6, 2015 7:30 PM Friday, January 9, 2015 7:30 PM Saturday, January 10, 2015 7:00 PM Sunday, January 11, 2015 1:00 PM Friday, January 16, 2015 7:00 PM Sunday, January 18, 2015 7:30 PM Saturday, January 24, 2015 7:00 PM Sunday, January 25, 2015 7:00 PM Wednesday, January 28, 2015 7:00 PM Friday, January 30, 2015 7:00 PM Friday, January 30, 2015 8:00 PM Saturday, January 31, 2015 2:00 PM Sunday, February 8, 2015 7:30 PM Friday, February 13, 2015 7:00 PM Refunds are not offered for this Meetup. I decided to start Reno Motorcycle Riders Group because I wanted to be part of a group of people who enjoyed my passion... I was excited and nervous. Our group has grown by leaps and bounds. I never thought it would be this big. — Henry, started Reno Motorcycle Riders

Brit Awards 2014: Beyonce and One Direction make Brits most-tweeted about UK show ever Harry Styles' thank you message to his fans was retweeted over 150,000 times The first social media vote for Best British Video attracted another two million responses, after each nominated video was assigned its own unique hashtag. One Direction won that contest or rather, their 17.8 million followers did. John Newman, Naughty Boy, Ellie Goulding and Calvin Harris barely got a look in. Harry Styles, the curly-haired one who claimed he "needed a wee" as an excuse for rocking up late on-stage, sent the most retweeted message in gratitude to his devoted 'Directioners'. For some reason, more than 150,000 people saw the following post worthy of sharing: Thank you to everyone who's voting... We love you until it almost hurts in special places- Harry Styles (@Harry_Styles) February 19, 2014 The Brit Awards also set a new UK TV record of 78,000 tweets per minute – that's 1,300 each second. Beyoncé sparked the strongest Twitter storm to be crowned the most-tweeted about performer of the evening. The US pop star sung her latest single "XO" live for the first time ( scroll to read other highlights). Some of the other 'highlights' included: One Direction's Louis Tomlinson responding to James Corden's question of what advice he would give to Justin Bieber in prison with: "Stay strong and keep doing what you're doing" Prince presenting Ellie Goulding with her award and James Corden snapping a selfie with him James Corden kissing Radio 1 DJ Nick Grimshaw once again, because that's not 'done' at all Lorde duetting with Disclosure despite the acts having met mere hours before James Corden introducing award presenter Rosie Huntington-Whitely with a dig at double-barrelled surnames usually being for "horse-faced inbreds" Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner trying so, so hard to be like the Gallaghers it hurt Watch One Direction collect their award - as Harry nearly misses out tv Review: Miranda Hart and co deliver the festive goods tvReview: Older generation get hot under the collar this Christmas Arts & Ents blogs - 1 President of Argentina adopts Jewish godson to 'stop him turning into a werewolf' - 2 ALS ice bucket challenge co-founder Corey Griffin drowns, aged 27 - 3 Stoke-on-Trent becomes first British city to be classified as 'disaster resilient' by the United Nations - 4 Sir Winston Churchill’s family begged him not to convert to Islam, letter reveals - 5 AirAsia flight QZ8501 missing: Search for plane carrying 162 passengers from Indonesia to Singapore suspended overnight Downton Abbey Christmas special 2014, review: Love is everywhere, actually The golden age of TV comedy is here The Boy in the Dress, TV review: David Walliams' Boxing Day treat is a celebration of being different From Marvel to Star Wars: The rise of cinema’s shared universes Game of Thrones is most-pirated TV show of 2014 British actor Idris Elba cannot star as James Bond because he is black, says shock jock Rush Limbaugh Millions of Britons struggling to feed themselves and facing malnourishment Ukip member gets into Christmas spirit with Union Flag plea to Santa 'for our country back' Germany anti-Islam protests: 17,000 march on Dresden against 'Islamification of the West' Nigel Farage: Ukip leader named 'Briton of the year' by The Times Immigrants make UK racist, says Ukip councillor Trevor Shonk

The beauty of Blu-ray becoming the dominant home entertainment medium is that studios are diving into their vaults to re-release legendary films for the format, often taking great care to deliver top-notch special editions that showcase these Hollywood jewels. Arguably one of the most well-known works in cinematic history and a recipient of numerous special editions, the CASABLANCA: 70TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION is arguably the must-have version of this seminal screen romance. Warner Bros. has outdone itself with this handsome limited-edition set, with a near-flawless transfer of Michael Curtiz’s 1942 classic. Now this doesn’t mean the film is “perfect,” in the dictionary definition of the word – the natural flaws of a film this age are apparent, but the stunning cinematography and warm tones are clearly evident. The three-disc set contains more than 13 hours of special features, including an hour of all-new material to thrill film fanatics and newcomers alike. And if that wasn’t enough, the set also includes a 60-page book detailing the film’s production, a mini-poster from the film’s theatrical release and four drink coasters in a keepsake box. It’s an amazing amount of material not even counting the film itself, featuring transcendent performances from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in a movie that remains as potent as it was 70 years ago. For the “Casablanca” fan in your life, this is a no-brainer, but if you’ve been interested in finding out more about Rick and Ilsa’s doomed relationship, you couldn’t go wrong with this set. A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE is perhaps an ideal place to experience the raw sensuality of Marlon Brando, and how his intense smoldering paved the way for tortured pretty boys for decades to come. Yes, people my age and younger only can recall the caricature that he became in the twilight of his career, but for many, Brando was an acting god. Brando originated the role of Stanley on Broadway, the part that “made” him a star. He brings the same ferocity to the film adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ play, and receives great support from Vivien Leigh as Blanche and Kim Hunter as Stella. Williams’ sultry blend of Southern Gothic is on full display here, as this tawdry love triangle certainly pushed the envelope for 1950s cinema. Modern viewers may find the film quaint and stagy, but it remains an important piece of cinematic history featuring some of the finest method acting put to film. This special edition features a commentary with remarks from co-star Karl Malden, a very intriguing documentary on the life of director Elia Kazan and a stunning look at Brando in a screen test for the film. Check it out and discover that Brandon wasn’t always a punching bag, but one of our finest actors.

Work to install new rain garden between the old Cinema 6 parking lot and Tidal Creek Co-op on Oleander Drive, an area prone to flooding, began on April 28. The project is being done as part of a long-term initiative to improve water quality in the Bradley and Hewletts Creek watersheds. The city is working with UNCW, Tidal Creek Co-op, The Surfrider Foundation and NC State University to install the rain garden. Rain gardens are built in shallow depressions to reduce flooding by capturing stormwater runoff that flows off streets, driveways and rooftops when it rains. The soil in the garden naturally filters pollutants from the stormwater before it flows untreated into waterways. This rain garden will help to improve water quality in Hewletts Creek which is closed to shellfishing, primarily due to polluted runoff. Educational signage will be installed as part of the project to help inform the public about stormwater pollution and how rain gardens and other methods, such as rain barrels and rerouted downspouts, can improve local water quality. The city has worked with other local and state organizations to install rain gardens on several public properties as well.

Before her career as an actress, Keralite Gopika always maintained that she was never interested in acting. But when she won a beauty contest in Thrissoor, followed by a jewelery commercial and advertisement, a film offer virtually landed in her lap. Although this film did not do well, it got her noticed, and she soon signed up for a second film called "4 the People", which was a huge hit, and even had its prints dubbed in several different Indian languages. In 2004 noted Tamil movie director, Cheran, took note of Gopika in this movie, and signed her up for another Tamil movie "Autograph", which was also a huge success. Attractive and talented, she stole the limelight in "Autograph" from the leading lady (Sneha). She also looks gorgeous in "Kana Kandein", and her fans are anxiously awaiting her new release "Thottijaya", in which she stars opposite Simbu. ya Madhavan is the most favourite Actress in Malayalam Cinema today. She was born on September 19, 1984 at Neeleswaram in Kasargod district of Kerala. She has a wonderful film career history with lot of hit movies to her credit. She started acting in films when she was 7 years old. Her debut film was Pookalam Varavayi released in 1991. Major Kavya Madhavan Movies Kavya Madhavan has acted opposite to almost all Malayalam heroes. Her major films include Chandranudhikkunna Dikkil, Runway, Lion, Meesha Madhavan, Dosth, Thenkasi Pattanam, Darling Darling, Thillakkam, Oomapenninu Uriyadapayan, Anandabhadram, Kochi Rajavu, Perumazhakkalam and Greetings. She was the centre character in the films Gaurisankaram and Mizhi Randilum. In the film Mizhi Randilum she acted in double role. Awards received by Kavya Madhavan Kavya was honoured with Best actress Award in 2004 for her film Perumazhakkalam. She had also won Film Critics Award 2000 for 2nd best actress (Chandranudhikkunna Dikkil) and Kerala Film Audience Award 2003 for best Actress for (Oomapenninu Uriyadapayan). beautiful Tamil actress Trisha's Slide show beautiful malayalam actress

Ristorante Sotto La Mole Dine under the arched brick ceiling of Ristorante Sotto La Mole, housed in a former horse stable by the National Cinema Museum. Thin strands of eggy saffron tajarin are freshened with raw tomato and herbed oil. Rugged hand-shaped agnolotti bulge with roasted meat filling. And for dessert, that sine qua non of Piedmontese sweets: baked peach stuffed with a wicked almondy mousse of cocoa and crushed amaretti biscuits. Tune in on Wednesdays at 10PM ET for Top Chef: Boston, the 12th season of Bravo's Emmy-Award winning, hit reality series.

- Rated: Not Rated - Run Time: 1 hours, 22 minutes - Video: Black & White - Released: July 25, 2000 - Originally Released: 1924 - Label: Image Entertainment - Encoding: Region 0 (Worldwide) - Single Side - Single Layer - Aspect Ratio: Full Frame - 1.33 - Dolby Digital Stereo - English - Additional Release Material: - Interactive Features: - Interactive Menus - Scene Access Performers, Cast and Crew: Sergei Eisenstein's first film is, without doubt, one of the most astonishing debuts in film history. His introduction of dialectical montage--which included then-innovative shock cuts to such violent images as a raised club, a bloody face, and a bull's throat being cut--both disturbed and galvanized contemporary audiences. Combined with the expressionistic compositional style Eisenstein had absorbed from French and German films, it established its director as a new force in world cinema. Commissioned by the government to commemorate the first, failed Bolshevik revolution, the film covers a 1912 strike at a metalworks factory whose workers have been bullied and humiliated by the plant management. When a fired worker commits suicide, the workers organize a peaceful strike. But the plant bosses make use of agents provocateurs and eventually bring in the czar's troops, who crack down on the strikers with maximum brutality. Aside from his editing innovations, Eisenstein pioneered the concept of the collective group as a character, influenced by the example of the newly formed Soviet Union, as well as the Constructivist art of the period. Description by Image Entertainment: Sergei Eisenstein's "Strike," with Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane," mark the most outstanding cinematic debuts in the history of film. Triggered by the suicide of a worker unjustly accused of theft, a strike is called by the laborers of a Moscow factory. The managers, owner and the Czarist government dispatch infiltrators in an attempt to break the workers unity. Unsuccessful, they hire the police and, in the film's most harrowing and powerful sequences, the unarmed strikers are slaughtered in a brutal confrontation. This edition of "Strike" is digitally remastered from a mint-condition 35mm print made from the original camera negative and features new digital stereo music composed and performed by the Alloy Orchestra. - This silent film features an orchestral score. - The film marked the feature-film directing debut of Sergei Eisenstein. - Eisenstein borrowed many of the actors from his Proletkult theater troupe. - Among the many directors to pay homage directly to Eisenstein's shock-cut technique was Francis Ford Coppola near the end of APOCALYPSE NOW.

University of Texas at Austin senior Irene Georghiades is the producer of two short films that have been selected to premiere at the 2012 Austin Film Festival (October 18-25). Andrew Tilley‘s Incident at Public School 173 and Zach Endres‘ The Teleported Man could not be more different from each other, but they share strong artistic visions and impeccable production values. Thinking back to the olden days when I was working on student films, I cannot believe that students are able to churn out such high quality work nowadays. It is really exciting to me that these films represent the future of the Austin film community. I chatted with Georghiades about working in the Austin film community, her role as a producer, and what she hopes to get out of her first film festival experience. What is your role as a producer? Everyone has different ideas about what a producer does, and it can be different with every project. The way I look at is, I make sure that everyone has what they need in order to do their jobs. So, setting up casting so the director has the actors that he wants to work with; making sure locations are set up and that the crew is informed about what they need to do and where they need to be. Basically, helping everyone with their jobs and making sure they are happy and have what they need. What attracts you to producing films? I really like planning and organizing. I tend to approach problems with a big picture view of things then I break things down into steps. I have a lot to learn, but once I started producing it really clicked and its really fun. I really love it. What attracted you to work on Incident at Public School 173 and The Teleported Man? With The Teleported Man, I thought that the script was really unique, fresh and interesting. Zach [Endres] has a really distinct point of view as a director. I had seen some of his other work, and I think its great for a young filmmaker to have such a clear point of view. With Incident at Public School 173, I just thought that it was super ambitious and would be a lot of fun. It was really different from The Teleported Man, so that was cool. Andrew [Tilley] was super dedicated to the project and super gung ho about it. I knew that one was going to be a lot of work, so I had a co-producer on that one, Mystie Pineda. Incident at Public School 173 seems like it would have been a difficult film to produce, with all of the young kids involved. We had a lot of meetings. Most of the time was spent figuring out how we were going to structure everything and create a really solid plan for how we were going to deal with all of the kids. On our biggest day we had about 70 kids on set; we needed to make sure they were all there and taken care of. We had people assigned to each group of kids, so everything would go smoothly. Everything went according to plan and I am really happy with the way it all turned out. What impressed me the most about both Incident at Public School 173 and The Teleported Man is the very high production value. These are both very professional-looking productions. We have access to really great equipment through UT, but I got to give a lot of credit to both directors of photography — Cameron Jones for The Teleported Man and Taylor Washington for Incident at Public School 173 — they were really great. Both directors had very clear visions about how they wanted their films to look. I think the most important thing for both films is that everybody worked together really well. The crews were both very similar and we shot the films two weeks apart. We all just really gelled and we had a great time. In the end, that’s what made both films come out so well. Everyone was on board with both projects to make them the best that they can be. What do you hope to get out of your Austin Film Festival experience? This is my first festival so I am really excited. I am still a student, so this will be like stepping out and beginning what I hope is a long career. I just want to meet a lot of people and see great films. Just get out and about, and get a feel for the industry that I hope to work in. Do you plan on continuing to work as a film producer in Austin after graduation? What are the benefits of filmmaking in Austin, versus moving to Los Angeles? I think there is a lot of creativity and up and coming talent in Austin. I feel like if I was to move to LA, I would need to start at the very very bottom. Here, if I get some experience at school and get out and show my stuff on the festival circuit, I feel like I can start moving up the ranks faster here. Also, its a small film community, so its easier to meet people here. From my understanding of LA, it is much more studio controlled, and I think there is a lot more freedom here. Austin Movie Events This Week 10/15 – Violet Crown Cinema – Cinema East presents the regional premiere of Ry Russo-Young’s Nobody Walks. (More info) 10/17 – Driskill Hotel – The Austin Film Festival throws their 10th Annual Film & Food Party to benefit AFF’s Young Filmmakers Program. (More info) 10/17 – Mexican American Cultural Center – Cine Las Americas presents Soldeirs of Salamina. (More info) 10/18-10/25 – Various Venues – The Austin Film Festival takes over downtown Austin (More info) 10/18 – Alamo South Lamar – AFS’ Essential Cinema presents my favorite Ernst Lubitsch film, Ninotchka. (More info) 10/19-10/20 – Blue Starlite at AFS – The Blue Starlite kicks off its Halloween series off with screenings of Monster House, Poltergeist, The Addams Family and Addams Family Values. (More info) 10/21 – Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar – Cinema East presents the regional premiere of Stephen Gurewitz’s Marvin, Seth and Stanley. (More info)

Playing catch up is rarely much fun but this time it's proving to be. Since writing last, we cooked lots of Thanksgiving turkey, threw many a private Christmas party and catered a good handful of offsite celebrations. Basically, we've been busy having a good time. When so much piles up, it's a lot easier to use photos to tell the story than try and recall through words. We won't cover everything but here are a few highlights of what's been happening at Feast. The point is: we need to get you up to date so we can fill you in on the stuff going on NOW! Dare I say that we did a catering for Mr. Armani? We did. Actually, what I thought was going to be a high end affair, turned out to be a promotional event out of an eyeglass store off of Friedrichstrasse. Oh well, but it was still a lot of fun and quite special- it certainly challenged our ability to make big things happen out of little spaces! One of the most exciting parts of the event was making these delicious and oh so sweet looking Guyere-Thyme Icebox Crackers. We topped them with a dollop of Delice Argental (a luxurious, double cream cow's milk cheese from France) and our own (makes 20 crackers) 1 cup all purpose flour 1 teaspoon sea salt 1/4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme 3 tablespoons very cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 1/4 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese 1/4 cup milk 1 large egg white, lightly beaten 1) Combine the flour, salt, pepper, and chopped thyme in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse to combine. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a course meal. Add the cheese and pulse until combined. With the machine running, add the milk. Process until the dough comes together and is well combined. 2) Transfer the dough onto a clean work surface. Shape the dough into a 2-inch wide log. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 24 hours. 3) Heat the oven to 163°C/325°F. Slice the well chilled log into 1/4-inch think slices. Place on baking sheet and bake immediately, rotating the baking sheet half way through cooking until crackers are golden brown and firm in the center. Cooking time is approximately 25-35 minutes. Don't let them get too dark! Transfer them to a cooling rack until completely cool and store in air tight container. We took these caramelized figs and put them on top of goat cheese smeared crostini. Then we drizzled them with our homemade balsamic-rosemary syrup. A fast, tasty and elegant hors d'œuvre. I've got my sights on starting my own product line in 2011- a little Feast to take home. I offered a small selection of things during December to get an idea of how it would look and of course, how it would taste. People really took to it.. buying 'em up for Christmas gifts and everything! The salted caramel coulis was a big hit, especially after I went around dipping my cut-out Christmas cookies in it and offering samples. Expect more of this soon... We made time to throw a little Christmas Party/Open House of our own. People came around for some cheer, the buffet and our "honey-pomegranate" prosecco libation. I found a gorgeous honeycomb in a jar of honey at the corner Turkish market and next to it some beautifully plump pomegranates. It was only logical to mix them with alcohol. Quite delicious and don't forget to throw in a few ruby-esque seeds for garnish! This is my Blue Ribbon Photo of the entire day: Ella. She's the daughter of friends of mine and though she started out quite demure, she was break dancing to Frosty the Snowman before long. A few candy canes and some sugar cookies- would make anybody wanna bust a move. Moving into the new year, we teamed up with Network Awesome for some viewing fun. Here, the guests anxiously await the showing of Winter of the Witch, an old favorite of mine from elementary school. I had been looking for it for years but our friends at the Network of Awesomeness worked their own magic and made it appear- live streamed- in our Cellar Cinema. Network Awesome is a free online TV network that digs up good old stuff. Watching TV is fun again!

Now the life and work of the legendary writer, director and producer is set to come into focus during a unique event on 07 June, as part of the 16th annual Tongues on Fire London Asian Film Festival, Europe’s oldest and most respected showcase for independent South Asian arts and cinema. ‘Remembering Yash Chopra’ will see Pam Chopra, the late director’s wife, in conversation with Rachel Dwyer, the respected Professor of Indian Cultures and Cinema at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and an authority on the work of Yash Chopra, having penned a comprehensive biography on the filmmaker a decade before his passing. Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who appeared in a string of Yash Chopra productions, including such famous films as Darr, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, Mohabbatein and Lamhe, to name but a few, will also make a special appearance during the event, to be held at the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts in London. The evening promises a unique and unprecedented insight into the two most important aspects of Yash Chopra’s life, his cinema and his family. Writing soon after the director’s passing, Professor Dwyer said: “The work of Yash Chopra is one of the glories of Indian film, his career bridging the Hindi cinema of the 1950s and the globalising India of today. Nothing made him happier than making films; then having his family and friends around him for a great meal: “Family, films and food”. His wife Pamela was the centre of his world and his strength.” Pam Chopra, who married Yashji in 1970, was the filmmaker’s closest confidante and most scrupulous critic and worked variously as a producer, writer and costume designer on a number of her husband’s most memorable hits, including ‘Kabhie Kabhie’, ‘ Silsila’ and ‘Dil To Pagal Hai'; all that whilst forging a successful career in her own right as a playback singer. Mrs Chopra’s tete-a-tete with Professor Dwyer will be preceded by a documentary short film written and directed by award-winning Delhi-based documentary filmmaker Vinky Singh.

Fashion Cultures Revisited Theories, Explorations and Analysis, 2nd Edition Edited by Stella Bruzzi, Pamela Church Gibson Routledge – 2013 – 420 pages Following on from the ground-breaking collection Fashion Cultures, this second anthology, Fashion Cultures Revisited, contains 26 newly commissioned chapters exploring fashion culture from the start of the new millennium to the present day. The book is divided into six parts, each discussing different aspects of fashion culture: Fashion Cultures Revisited explores every facet of contemporary fashion culture and the associated spheres of photography, magazines and television, and shopping .Consequently it is an ideal companion to those interested in fashion studies, cultural studies, art, film, fashion history, sociology and gender studies. Introduction Stella Bruzzi and Pamela Church Gibson Part 1: Shopping, Spaces and Globalisation Chapter 1. A New World Order? Fashion and its capitals in the 21st Century David Gilbert Chapter 2. Branding Brazilian Fashion: Global Visibility and Intercultural Perspectives Nick Rees-Roberts and Silvano Mendes Chapter 3. India and Fashion’s new Geography Clare Wilkinson-Weber Chapter 4. A New Fashion Capital: Shanghai Armida de la Garza and Peng Ding Chapter 5. Sydney Style: Camping it up in the Emerald City Sally Gray Part 2: Changing Imagery, Changing Media Chapter 6. Yesterday’s Emblems and Tomorrow’s Commodities: the Return of the Repressed in Fashion Imagery Today Caroline Evans Chapter 7. Digital Fashion Film Gary Needham Chapter 8. Personal fashion blogs: Screens and mirrors in digital self-portraits Agnes Rocamora Chapter 9. Styling The Street – Fashion Performance, Stardom And Neo-Dandyism In Street Style Blogs Monica Titton Chapter 10. Exhibition-making: A Conversation Christopher Breward and Judith Clark Part 3: Altered Landscapes, New Modes of Production Chapter 11. Fashion Photography in the Seventies Alistair O’Neill Chapter 12. Escaping to reality: fashion photography in the 1990s Elliott Smedley Chapter 13. Fashioning indie: the consecration of a subculture and the emergence of "stylish" femininity Rachel Lifter Chapter 14. Capitalism’s Favourite Child: The Production of Fashion Adam Briggs Chapter 15. Tailoring and tweed: mapping the spaces of ‘slow fashion' Louise Crewe Part 4: Icons and their Legacies Chapter 16. The "fashion arts", Jean Michel Frank, Elsa Schiaparelli and the interwar aesthetic project Peter McNeil and Giorgio Riello Chapter 17. The Pink Suit Stella Bruzzi Chapter 18. Fab lesbianism and family values: costuming of lesbian identities in The L Word and The Kids are Alright Fiona Cox Chapter 19.Fashion as mythology: considering the legacy of Alexander McQueen Nathalie Khan Part 5: Contestation, Compliance, Feminisms Chapter 20. Fashion, Feminism and the Neo-Feminist Ideal: From Coco Chanel to Jennifer Lopez Hilary Radner and Natalie Smith Chapter 21. New Clothes, New Faces, New Bodies: Cosmetic Surgery and Fashion Meredith Jones Chapter 22. Female slenderness and the case of perverse compliant deception – or why size matters … Lorraine Gamman Chapter 23.Hijab stories: choice, politics, fashion Reina Lewis Chapter 24. Fashion, fears and ageing: contradictions and complexity across the media Pamela Church Gibson Part 6: Making Masculinities Chapter 25. ‘Heroes and villains: when men wear makeup’ Janice Miller Chapter 26.The Italian Job: Football, Fashion and that Sarong Stella Bruzzi Chapter 27. Vampire Dandies: fashionable masculine identities and style in popular culture Vicki Karaminas Chapter 28. "I’m saving the world, I need a decent shirt": masculinity and sexuality in the new Doctor Who Claire Jenkins Chapter 29. Suiting up and stripping off: The Male Makeover Lauren Thompson Stella Bruzzi is Professor of Film and Television Studies at the University of Warwick and Fellow of the British Academy. Her publications include Undressing Cinema: Clothing and Identity in the Movies (1997), New Documentary (2000 and 2006), Bringing Up Daddy: Fatherhood and Masculinity in Post-war Hollywood (2005) and Men’s Cinema: Masculinity and Mise-en-scene in Hollywood (2013). She is currently writing Approximation: Documentary, History and the Staging of Reality, the culmination of a Leverhulme Major Research Fellowship due to be published by Routledge in 2015. Pamela Church Gibson is Reader in Cultural and Historical Studies at the London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London. She is Principal Editor of the journal Film, Fashion and Consumption and has published widely on film, fashion and gender. Her publications include The Oxford Guide to Film Studies (1998), More Dirty Looks: Gender, Power, Pornography (2004) and Fashion and Celebrity Culture (2012). In 2012 she helped to found the European Popular Culture Association and was its first President. Her forthcoming project will examine the history of the fashion documentary.

Cos the other one's dead. (obvs we can discuss them in here too) E AND C! E AND C! SE17 BRAAAAAAAAAAAAAP And my local. It's an old cinema and is big, you can always get a seat. Not full of idiots. Did mean I thought my bladder would rupture during the fireworks display later. No worse than the Pommeler's Rest on Tower Bridge Road (see below), and a step up from The Moon on the Square in Basildon (likewise). The Goldengrove in Stratford is moody too. I loved the goldengrove. worst spoons ever will be in Battersea It's on a horrible road near Clapham Junction. I went there on a Sunday morning for breakfast once, was full of people smoking and drinking and staring at us. Used to be my sister's local, who frequented it quite a lot but said it was one of her *least* favourites. because I didn't have a ticket for the Arsenal game on that evening. So close. CROUCH END 4 LYFE Best Spoons? Surely the best loos. whilst I was dealing with a particularly provocative Beer and Burger Surely the worst loos Of course it may well pick up a bit after that and I've certainly got leathered there a few times in my life, but if the shakey is one of your favourite pubs you need to take a long hard look at yourself. When I was working around there it wasn't even in the top three pubs on Kingsway. This is always on the agenda. I've seen some beautifully bleak things in that one. And it's a lovely big space (though rammed with City Boys after work, as you'd imagine). Luckily it's massive and (if it's open) very quiet on a weekend someone else has been in Aylesbury at least once D= :D Turns out Ayslebury is a total DiSser hotbed. think a friend from school's mum was the landlady MAYBE? it wasnt a spoons in the 90s was it? only very recently a spoons I once saw a Santa deck another Santa here <3 never been in, looks terifying run by a reassuringly terrifying circus strongman looking dude. Always get a booth though. Never sit out in the open. also is it just me or is the manager at the glasshouse a complete wanker? i used to go there when it was just called WETHERSPOONS :') full of crazies but way less terrifying than the turnpike lane one Terry Dixon (ex Tottenham, West Ham player) drinks in there cheap drinks, cheap food, three cinema tickets for £3 each. BEST OF DAYS and yeah, i went into the Turnpike Lane one once, got abused by some old men, and never went back. It's okay - isn't grimy enough (yet). I had the worst eggs ever been laid I'll see myself out. Ceiling is too high. I get confused. And they made a right mess of our breakfasts (took forever to come out and when they did, they were cold. Despite being brought out one or two at a time... There were maybe 10 of us though...) except maybe the isaac wilson The Observatory - Ilkeston Standing Order - Derby FYI: Try to pre-empt the need for a piss about 10 mins in advance - the walk to the gents is unfeasibly long is two minutes walk from my flat. They must literally ship in middle aged alcoholics and screaming kids. that I've been in. WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US Turns out I was there last week. Might have a problem. Foot of the walk - Leith If anyone this' this I'll be impressed / scared The other one on North Street's quite nice. It's not one of the other horrible bars around there. Food's not bad. Crowd decent. Plays music though which is never good in a spoons. The only place, other than an airport, where I have been asked to remove personal items and walk through a metal detector. thank you very much Sitting over the sea, drinking a dirt cheap ale... lovely aka the one that horse went in that one time recently did my successful job application in there, so not all bad, also dirt cheap. I went there recently on a saturday night and it turns into a night club?! I love a good Spoons. As far the city centre, have you ever been in the counting house? The ones in scotland are mostly 100% grim and stabby and, with so many other nice pubs around from smaller chains/ breweries or independents, I can't see why you'd really go into one unless you were at gunpoint or totally fucking stupid (see below). I went to the one at queen street station when I was waiting on a friend recently whose train had been delayed into the station and I was thirsty. You know me and you know that I am not easily scared. But I was scared, I was hassled and my ridiculously cheap double rum did not compensate. This one- http://www.pubsgalore.co.uk/pubs/67622/ That said, I've been to a very nice one in edinburgh and several nice/ lovely/ great ones in Manchester and London. (in the airport) Alas, I can never go back there again. Spent an evening there with my friend from the Navy and his shipmates from the Invincible. It was a bit much. Navy folk are weird. can't remember though it's kind of weird and awkwardly stuck in a new development unit opposite a Subway Feels more classic Wetherspoons than other Llloyds bars to me hoping for zero ^s The Joseph Conrad, Lowestoft (so named because it's the heart of darkness!!) The Lord Keeper of the Great Seal, Oadby why are they all called SOMETHING AND/IN/ON THE MOON? Theo deleted it. Is not a Wetherspoons (accidental this). Sunday night Spoons' became a tradition during my final months there. Only place service after 11pm on a Sunday more or less. Is not a Wetherspoons Anyway! The London Inn, Torquay. Awful, awful place. Something bad happened to me in here that led to me writing a complaint and getting £20 in vouchers. I remember when Northern Ireland were playing Poland in Windsor Park a few years ago and loads of Belfasters and Poles had a big fight in there. its generally fine I think I've heard one or two other people describe it that way as well so I assumed it was a correct assumption. I think there's just so many properly nice pubs in Belfast that it doesn't feel like there's any reason to go there. I used to go there with a friend from Burnley and I think Wetherspoons made him feel at home. You're right - definitely far better pubs around the town. Or The Shrewsbury Hotel if you're feeling a bit more rustic I'd be excited if anyone had been to either of these I was more surprised that someone had been to the one in Bridgnorth upthread. the main entrance on bishopsgate, the building on the left of that is the spoons. There's a door at the back that leads to the station but don't think you're suppose to use it. But yeah. the building just out of shot on the left here. and never knew that, good to know though! I don't think I had quite come down yet And said something indistinguishable to me just as the Barwoman was about to serve me, and I just turned, smiled and said, 'No'. That was my way out of an awkward conversation. I hope he wasn't offering me a grand. I'm skint as fuck. 'the longest bar in England/Britain/Europe' Having discussed with PlasticNiki, how would people feel about a Social Board-centric Wetherspoons pub crawl? how close are the spoons in london? going to one then tubing to the next for a day would be tiring, duude Par example, using my old place of work just off The Strand as a point of reference, there are 8 within 1 mile: The Knights Templar The Sir John Oldcastle The Moon Under Water The Lord Moon of the Mall The Montagu Pyke The Green Man the Sir John Oldcastle isn't even in this thread! but yeah sounds good that. I actually work on the Strand and didn't even realise a load were that close. If you like your ales though would be remiss of us to not visit the Crosse Keys near bank, although that is a bit of a ballache. my only reservation on this was that the actual movement can be a bit of a ballache. (we should do this on the afternoon of the next retrospectacular and make dan_thw hate us forever) when is the next retrospectacular? but you have to go to all of the Wetherspoon's in the UK? actually we could run simultaneous crawls in london, manchester and one of those Scottish cities. JUST IMAGINE. like a cheap and dirty tart (put me down for a maybe) Wetherspoon pubs have some absolute batshit names. so most of them are quite dated either the name of the pub they took over, something related to the building's usage before it became a pub or another nearby building/famous person/event. Saw a mahooooosive toff fight in here after the boat race that got abandoned in 2012. Sauce sachets everywhere followed by a 12-man banning. Lovely stuff. Had some lovely "mini pies" in here. once saw a man have his head stamped on by his own father in there. on a tuesday afternoon. (Better ale than the Standing Order) It's a bit like being in a ship. P'raps I have. Odd. Although I was once in there and someone nicked a chip off my plate as they walked past and left. I shouted something as he was by the door but was so taken-aback I kinda didn't know what to do. it's home to many the extreme right-wing tract from tim martin as well as a cornucopia of photographs of things happening in remote pubs and people smiling through gritted teeth. i like it. I did it once in the Tyburn when hungover and had to give up because it was making my head hurt even more. never been in. But they've all gone. I don't like Wetherspoons anyway. it's like watching somebody saying something awful in front of the telly cameras without realising he's being filmed, and everyone around is trying to gently point out he shouldn't saying it with subtle 'um's and 'excuse me's What a dick I've been. let's be honest. You will never live this down. was shit before it was made into a Weatherspoons, now is just cheap shit... I saw Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles here when it was a cinema... Also joined a queue waiting for opening time once. That was a bad day... A couple in Leeds and one in Rochester. And the central Reading one. I probably shouldn't have been to so many of these places. Also made me sad to see a 'Spoons in St Ives last time I was there. I didn't go in. I watched Brazil v Chile there.

Film Industry in the United States The story of Jewish women in film reflects that of Jewish women in America in this century. Although, like their male co-religionists, a large number of Jewish women have contributed to the development of the film industry, they have had to fight for their place. From the early years of the silent era through today, the struggle of Jewish women to be recognized for their talents has been a difficult one. Any discussion of Jewish women in film must address several different areas. First, there is employment opportunity. How have they been treated as women at their work? What jobs have they been allowed? Second, there is the communication of the Jewish woman’s experience to the screen. How has their Jewishness influenced the way screenwriters wrote, actors acted, and directors directed? And finally, more broadly, how have Jewish women been represented as characters on film, and have those characters been played by Jewish women? In the early days of film, the silent era, the majority of women of all ethnicities were limited to acting. However, Jewish women also made their presence profoundly felt in the area of screenwriting, and continued to do so for the rest of the century. The first three decades of the twentieth century were a time of unusual freedom and discovery for the film industry, which was then more open than it would be in later decades. It made more films with ethnic story lines and roles, stereotypical and sometimes degrading as they were. In fact, by the 1920s, a distinct genre of films about Jewish life had developed: melodramas about Jewish life in the ghettos of New York. Some were sentimental, others harshly realistic, and still others broadly comic; all illustrated the dilemma of the immigrant Jews. During the teens, the films’ sympathies were with the older generation, but by the 1920s it was the children who were heroes, as those children chose assimilation over Orthodoxy. Jewish-Irish movies, a subgenre of the ghetto film, also promoted the “melting pot” philosophy, which was very prominent at the time. Story lines about adoption—an Irish child into a Jewish family, never the other way around—or intermarriage were used to create happy, assimilated endings. During the same period, the Yiddish film industry added to the profusion of Jewish roles and stories. The Jewish roles for Jewish women during this period fall into several categories. Most memorable were the Jewish mothers, matronly women who cooked for their families and provided unqualified love to their children. Such a type was played by Vera Gordon in Humoresque (1920). She also played Rosie Potash in the silent comedies Potash and Perlmutter, Mrs. Horowitz in Four Walls (1928), and later Mrs. Cohen in the popular comic series The Cohens and the Kellys, which spans the silent and the early sound years. Rosa Rosanova became identified with Jewish motherhood with Hungry Hearts (1922), His People (1925), The Younger Generation (1929), and Pleasure Before Business (1927). Other Jewish mothers included Ida Kramer as Mrs. Cohen in Abie’s Irish Rose (1928) and Anna Appel in The Heart of New York (1932). The younger women played the sweet ingenues of the ghetto. Two examples are Jetta Goudal, who appeared in Salome of the Tenements (1925), and Carmel Myers, a rabbi’s daughter, who starred as Sonya Schonema in Cheated Love (1921). Myers also appeared in Jewish roles in Intolerance (1916) and Ben-Hur (1925), which were not films told from a Jewish perspective. (The Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith had to persuade D.W. Griffith to cut scenes from Intolerance that showed Jews as Christ killers.) Both actors also acted in non-Jewish roles, which fell into the third stereotype Jewish women were allowed to play: the vamp. Carmel Myers’s career is even summed up in Halliwell’s Filmgoer’s Companion as “in the vamp tradition.” But the woman who defined “vamp” was Theda Bara (born Theodosia Goodman). Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, she made her first screen appearance in Carmen (1915), but is best remembered for her performances in A Fool There Was (1915) and Cleopatra (1917). She made thirty-eight films between 1915 and 1926, when she retired. Theda Bara’s ethnic looks were perfect for the silent era, when there was great popular interest in the so-called exotic. Spanish, Latino, and Jewish actors found themselves employed as the “Arabs” or mysterious foreigners in a great number of films. Studio publicists promoted Theda Bara’s name as an anagram for “Arab death” and informed the public that she was the daughter of an Eastern potentate. Her image was not too ethnic, and certainly not openly Jewish, but ethnic enough to be considered exotic by the public. Ethnicity was less a problem for those out of the glare of the limelight, but jobs such as directing and producing were closed to most women. Many women, however, became screenwriters, and Jewish women obtained such work from the beginning. Some of the most influential films with Jewish themes were either written by Jewish women for the screen or adapted from novels and stories they wrote. Anzia Yezierska wrote stories of exceptional quality. Two of her works, adapted for the screen, were the aforementioned Hungry Hearts and Salome of the Tenements. Both films attest to the harsh circumstances of immigrant Jewish existence, much of it drawn from her Orthodox Jewish background. However, the contradictions between her Orthodox background and the make-believe world of Hollywood seem to have been too much for her. She returned to the East after only five years in Hollywood and was never produced again. Another writer whose novels and stories contributed to silent and later sound films was Fannie Hurst. Among these were Humoresque (1920, remade in 1946), The Good Provider (1922), The Younger Generation (1929), and Imitation of Life (1934, remade in 1959). While the stories of Yezierska exposed the harsher side of Jewish life, Hurst tended to treat life in America more sentimentally. With the advent of sound (corresponding with the 1930s and the Great Depression), films began to focus more and more on “WASP” characters. To a greater degree than in the teens and 1920s, the roles Jewish women played in mainstream Hollywood films did not reflect their ethnic or religious heritage. And after a golden age from 1936 to 1939, the Yiddish film industry began its rapid decline. By 1939 Jewish representation in film had all but disappeared, for a great many reasons. As the major Jewish film moguls became more assimilated themselves, they reflected the American philosophy of the time: It was un-American to focus on an individual’s ethnicity, as opposed to his or her “Americanness.” At the same time, movies were becoming the most popular form of entertainment in America, from the large metropolitan areas to small rural communities; the moguls believed that ethnic stories would be unpopular with this broader audience. Finally, in the late 1930s, with antisemitism on the rise in America as well as Europe, and attacks against the Jewish influence in Hollywood increasing in the right-wing media, it made sense for Jews not to call attention to themselves. The threat of what openly Jewish stars, characters, and stories would do to the sale of Hollywood films in Europe and to their popularity at home was very real. This trend continued through the end of the 1950s, with a few notable exceptions. Jewish actors with successful Hollywood careers during this period included Sylvia Sidney, Paulette Goddard, Luise Rainer, Lauren Bacall, Joan Blondell, Judy Holliday, Shelley Winters and Lee Grant. Stage stars who also made successful forays into film included Fanny Brice, Sophie Tucker, and Stella Adler. Among the most famous of the thousands of stage performers who “went Hollywood” in the 1930s was Fanny Brice (born Fania Borach), who appeared in several early sound films, including My Man (1928), The Great Ziegfeld (1936), and Ziegfeld Follies (1946). Sophie Tucker (born Sophia Abuza) was a popular singer and the star of vaudeville. During her heyday, she was one of the few women in entertainment to make more than men doing the same job. Her first film role was in Honky Tonk (1929). She later appeared in Broadway Melody of 1937 (1937), Atlantic City (1944), and Follow the Boys (1944), among others. Stella Adler, best known as an acting teacher—of Marlon Brando and Robert De Niro, among many others—came to Hollywood for a short period in the late 1930s, and appeared in three films: Love on Toast (1937), Shadow of the Thin Man (1941), and My Girl Tisa (1948). Sylvia Sidney (born Sophia Koscow), on the other hand, was pure Hollywood. Starting her career in the early 1930s, she found her fame and fortune by avoiding any kind of ethnic stereotyping. Portraying a huge variety of working-class urban heroic women, neither her name, her looks, nor the parts she chose to play gave any hint of her Jewish identity. In a career that spanned eight decades, her most famous roles included Street Scene (1931), You Only Live Once (1937), Fury (1936), and Sabotage (1936). She was nominated for a “best supporting actress” Academy Award for her performance in Summer Wishes, Winter Dreams (1973). In 1996, she appeared in Mars Attacks! Not until the 1970s did Sidney play any openly Jewish roles, among them a part in Raid on Entebbe, a 1977 TV movie. Luise Rainer began as a stage actor in Vienna, Austria. After moving to Hollywood, she won two Academy Awards. The first was for her performance as Anna Held, the great Jewish musical comedy artist, in The Great Ziegfeld (1936). The second was for her role as a Chinese peasant (!) in The Good Earth (1937). Paulette Goddard (born Marion Levy) played few openly Jewish roles; her role as Hannah in Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940) proved a powerful exception. Goddard began her career when she was selected by Chaplin for the female lead in Modern Times (1936). (She also married Chaplin.) Other films in which she appeared in include The Women (1939), Reap the Wild Wind (1942), Unconquered (1947), and The Diary of a Chambermaid (1946). When Chaplin chose Goddard for Hannah—a spunky Jewish waif who sets an example by her fearless response to Nazi brutality—he broke with Hollywood tradition in two ways: by casting a young, attractive woman in an openly Jewish role, and by dealing with the issue of Jews and Nazism. One of the greatest Jewish-but-never-known-as-Jewish stars hit the big screen in 1944, when Betty Joan Perske debuted in To Have and Have Not. The film not only established her as the star Lauren Bacall but also led to her marriage with leading man Humphrey Bogart. Later films included The Big Sleep (1946), Key Largo (1948), How to Marry a Millionaire (1953), The Shootist (1976), Murder on the Orient Express (1974), and Misery (1990). Her most recent film, The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), garnered her an Academy Award nomination for “best supporting actress” and is one of her few openly Jewish roles. Another performer who started in the 1940s was Joan Blondell. At one time Blondell could have been characterized as the blonde of the year. However, she graduated into character roles as her career progressed. Blondell made more than eighty films during her long career, as diverse as Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (1944). Her most famous were probably Nightmare Alley (1947) and The Cincinnati Kid (1965); her last was The Champ (1979). The enormously talented Judy Holliday never played a Jewish role, but won fame on Broadway as a not-so-dumb blonde in Born Yesterday and repeated her comic performance in the 1950 film version. She made other memorable appearances in Adam’s Rib (1949), The Solid Gold Cadillac (1956), and her last film, Bells Are Ringing (1960). Shelley Winters (born Shirley Schrift), who rose to fame in the 1951 version of A Place in the Sun, was an attempt on the part of the studios to create another bombshell, but here they failed. While producers succeeded in getting Winters to bleach her hair, she refused the nose job. She also insisted upon taking her acting with great seriousness. As a result, her career has spanned fifty years. In the 1950s, her major films included The Big Knife (1955) and The Night of the Hunter (1955). Most important, from the perspective of the image of Jewish women on film, she performed the role of Mrs. Van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), for which she won an Academy Award. Lee Grant (born Lyova Haskell Rosenthal) was of the same era as Shelley Winters, but her career took a very different turn. She made her first film, Detective Story, in 1951, receiving an Oscar nomination for “best supporting actress.” Shortly thereafter, she was blacklisted for not testifying before the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) against her husband, playwright Arnold Manoff. Over the next twelve years, she acted in only two films. Later in their careers, both Shelley Winters and Lee Grant would play the ubiquitous Jewish mother. Indeed, this stereotype never completely disappeared from the screen, even during the relatively arid period from the 1930s through the 1950s. The roles were played by both Jewish and gentile women. Several examples are Tamara Shayne in The Jolson Story (1946), Gusti Huber in The Diary of Anne Frank (1959), and Claire Trevor in Marjorie Morningstar (1958), which was adapted for the screen by a Jewish woman, Francis Goodrich, with her husband, Albert Hackett. Goodrich and Hackett also created the very popular Thin Man series (beginning in 1934), which was based on Dashiell Hammett’s novel but soon took on a life of its own. Subsequently, the pair wrote The Hitler Gang (1944), It’s a Wonderful Life (1946), and Father of the Bride (1950). Both The Hitler Gang and The Diary of Anne Frank dealt with the atrocities of Nazi Germany and were rarities of the period for that reason. The most prolific Jewish woman writer was one whose name is little known. Over the course of her career, Sonya Levien wrote more than seventy screenplays, ten with humorist S.N. Behrman, at least two with William Ludwig, and at least thirty-one on her own. Among her most famous scripts were Liliom (1931), Daddy Long Legs (1931), Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1932), Quo Vadis (1951), Oklahoma! (1955), and Bhowani Junction (1956). She won an Oscar for Interrupted Melody (1955). Dorothy Parker, the Manhattan wit, began her successful Hollywood career in the late 1930s. She wrote the original A Star Is Born (1937) with her husband, Alan Campbell. Later Parker worked with other writers on Saboteur (1942) and contributed dialogue to several films, including The Little Foxes (1941), which was based on the play by Lillian Hellman. Hellman herself not only wrote original, highly successful theatrical plays but also adapted most of them to the screen and penned some original screenplays. Betty Comden, who also established her reputation on Broadway, was brought to Hollywood by MGM in the late 1940s. Together with Adolph Green, she wrote the scenario and songs for three Hollywood musicals released in 1949: The Barkleys of Broadway, On the Town, and Take Me Out to the Ballgame. They went on to write some of Hollywood’s greatest musicals, including Singin’ in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), It’s Always Fair Weather (1955), and Bells Are Ringing (1960). Comden and Green maintained a working partnership for more than forty years. One of the most prolific women writers was Phoebe Ephron, who worked as a team with her husband, Henry. Together they wrote What Price Glory (1952), the remake of Daddy Long Legs (1955), dialogue for Carousel (1956), and Desk Set (1957). Fay Kanin also worked with her husband, Michael Kanin, on Rhapsody (1954), The Opposite Sex (1956), and Teacher’s Pet (1958). Alone she wrote the TV movie Tell Me Where It Hurts (1974). She also served as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the first woman in history to hold this position. Sylvia Fine and Danny Kaye were also a husband-and-wife team. Unknown to many, Fine wrote most of the lyrics for Kaye’s screen performances. As Kaye himself said, “I am a wife-made man” (Halliwell’s). Adeline Schulberg proved that it was possible, though not common, for women (and Jewish women) to move beyond the actor or screenwriter boundary. Her Ad Schulberg Agency, operating in the 1930s, represented such stars as Marlene Dietrich, Frederic March, and Herbert Marshall. During World War II, Schulberg lived in London, where she set up an “underground railroad” for refugee talent from Nazi Germany. After the war, she worked as a talent scout for Columbia Pictures. She is credited with giving Shelley Winters her start in film. Many Jewish women working in Hollywood in the 1950s had commitments to liberal and social causes. Some, like Schulberg, had been active in the fight against Nazism. Others were members of socialist or communist groups. Some did little but support these efforts financially. However, along with their male counterparts, many were caught up in the HUAC investigations, cited correctly or incorrectly as Communists. Among the many Jewish women from Hollywood who were blacklisted during the McCarthy era were Judy Holliday, Lillian Hellman, Lee Grant, and Gertrude Berg. In this atmosphere, with antisemitism more open, fervent, and frightening than ever before in America, it is amazing that any films that openly represented Jewish actors, characters, and stories were made. In 1949, Gertrude Berg took her beloved radio character, the irrepressible matriarch Molly Goldberg of “The Goldbergs,” to television, becoming one of the medium’s first stars. Molly, a film version, was released in 1951. Molly was one of the few films since the silent era, outside the Yiddish cinema, to deal with the everyday life of Jews in America. Unfortunately, it failed to find an audience. By the end of the 1950s, the number of exceptions to the unwritten rule against Jewish themes and stories was increasing. Perhaps as a reaction to the Holocaust, or to the creation of the State of Israel, or to the fact that America, albeit belatedly, had rejected McCarthyism—or all of those things—the Hollywood studios began making more films dealing with themes of antisemitism and, more specifically, American antisemitism. In 1947, the Motion Picture Project had been created, funded by major American Jewish agencies that wanted to encourage Hollywood to make more films with Jewish themes and depict Jewish characters more positively. The influence of this agency, which somehow survived McCarthyism, can be seen in the films of the late 1950s that explore religious tolerance and ethnic hatred. As positive a step as these films were, most did not have leading female characters or explore in any way what it meant to be a woman and Jewish. But the door that had closed on portrayals of Jewish women in film was opening, if just a crack. One example was Marjorie Morningstar (1958). Like Molly before it, this feature film was unusual because its story revolved solely around Jewish issues and characters and many of its main characters were women, including Marjorie herself. A sign that Hollywood hadn’t changed all that much was the casting of Natalie Wood in the title role. It was becoming somewhat acceptable to introduce the idea that Jews, including Jewish women, did in fact live in America, but the studios were not ready to cast “real” Jewish women to play them. Another film that succeeded, hugely and on many levels, was Hollywood’s 1959 version of the successful Broadway play The Diary of Anne Frank. Again, although Susan Strasberg had played Anne on Broadway, the film role was given to a non-Jew, Millie Perkins. As critic Pauline Kael noted, “In the movies, the unfortunate fact that Anne Frank was Jewish and hence not acceptable as the heroine of an expensive production, was rectified by casting Millie Perkins in the role.” The film was important in that it constituted one of Hollywood’s first treatments of the Holocaust. Although it did not depict the horrors of the camps, it did introduce the subject to a mass audience. Maya Deren was the exception to all the rules limiting women to the makeup table or typewriter. Considered the “mother of underground film,” she operated completely outside the Hollywood system and was therefore not governed by any of its rules. Deren was one of the earliest of the experimental avant-gardists. From 1943, when she made her first film, Meshes of the Afternoon, until her death in 1961, she influenced actors, artists, photographers (including Diane Arbus), and filmmakers. Her other films include Ritual in Transfigured Time (1946), At Land (1944), and The Very Eye of Night (1959). Twenty years before the largest social revolution in American history, Maya Deren was laying the groundwork. In the 1960s and 1970s, America experienced huge social and political changes. Reflecting those changes, Jewish women’s roles in films and in the film industry began to expand. The movements promoting racial and ethnic pride led to an increase in Jewish stories and characters. Marching through the doors opened by the women’s movement, Jewish women moved into previously male jobs such as producing and directing. For many Jewish actors who had established careers before the 1960s, the changes of the period gave their careers a new boost. Lee Grant’s film career revived in 1963 when she made two films, An Affair of the Skin and The Balcony. She soon established herself as an actor of substance in such films as In the Heat of the Night (1967) and The Landlord, for which she received her second Oscar nomination for “best supporting actress.” Her third and fourth nominations came for Shampoo (1975) and Voyage of the Damned (1976). For Shampoo she won the award itself. Shelley Winters built the latter part of her career around the role of the Jewish mother. She has appeared as Jewish characters in the following films: Enter Laughing (1967), The Poseidon Adventure (1972), Blume in Love (1973), Next Stop, Greenwich Village (1976), Over the Brooklyn Bridge (1983), and The Delta Force (1989). Susan Strasberg began her career in Hollywood with Picnic (1956). Although she was passed over for the role of Anne in The Diary of Anne Frank, she did appear later in two Jewish roles of note—Maritou (1978) and Delta Force (1989)—in addition to non-Jewish roles in films such as In Praise of Older Women (1978). Molly Picon, a veteran of the Yiddish stage and film, took roles in several Hollywood films during the 1960s and 1970s. She appeared in Come Blow Your Horn (1963), as a Jewish matchmaker in Fiddler on the Roof (1970), and as a Jewish madam in For Pete’s Sake (1974). The actor who changed all the rules on how women, and especially Jewish women, could look and behave was Barbra Streisand. She proved that a woman actor could simultaneously be openly Jewish, attractive, sensual, and a “romantic heroine.” She also proved that an openly Jewish story could be a blockbuster hit. Her breakthrough performance, appropriately enough, was as Fanny Brice in the Broadway and Hollywood versions of Funny Girl (1968). (She also played Brice in the 1975 film sequel, Funny Lady.) In subsequent roles, she was either clearly identified as Jewish or her ethnicity was implied in her characterization. Some of her most famous early films include Hello, Dolly! (1969), What’s Up, Doc? (1972) and The Way We Were (1973). It could be argued that without Streisand many, if not all, of the other Jewish actors of the last few decades would have had very different roles in Hollywood. Dyan Cannon, Carol Kane, Jill Clayburgh, Goldie Hawn, Barbara Hershey, Gilda Radner, Janet Margolin, Bette Midler, and Carrie Fisher have played fuller, more arresting characters because of the ground Streisand broke. Dyan Cannon (born Samille Diane Friesen) began her film career in 1959. Among her best performances were those in Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice (1969) and The Last of Sheila (1973). She has particularly distinguished herself in comedy. Jill Clayburgh made her first film in 1969. Since then she has starred in such films as An Unmarried Woman (1978) and Gable and Lombard (1976). She played a Jewish defense attorney in Hannah K (1983). Carol Kane rose to fame in Hester Street (1975), for which she received an Academy Award nomination for “best actress.” She also played Jewish women in Annie Hall (1977) and Over the Brooklyn Bridge (1983). Other films of note include Carnal Knowledge (1971), Dog Day Afternoon (1975), and The Princess Bride (1987). She has also had major success on television in such shows as Taxi and Pearl. Goldie Hawn became famous on Rowan and Martin’s Laugh-In and won an Academy Award for “best supporting actress” for her film debut in Cactus Flower (1969). Among her better-known films are Sugarland Express (1974), Shampoo (1975), and Swing Shift (1984). In The First Wives Club (1996), with Diane Keaton and Bette Midler, she helped to prove that women in their fifties can score box office successes. Barbara Hershey (born Barbara Herzstein) started in films in the late 1960s. For a short period in the early 1970s, she also used the name Barbara Seagull. Among her works are Boxcar Bertha (1972), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Beaches (1988), and A World Apart (1988), which was based on the life of a Jewish activist, although religion went unacknowledged in the film. In 1996, she earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in the film adaptation of Portrait of a Lady. Gilda Radner, best known for her comedy work on television’s Saturday Night Live, died before her film career had a chance to blossom. However, she did appear in Hanky Panky (1982), The Woman in Red (1984), and Haunted Honeymoon (1986). Janet Margolin started her career with David and Lisa (1962), playing a Jewish adolescent with emotional problems. She later appeared in The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965), Enter Laughing (1967), Take the Money and Run (1970), and Annie Hall (1977). Bette Midler, who started her career in gay bathhouses, was already famous as a singer before she made The Rose (1979), based on the life and death of Janis Joplin. She has appeared as a Jewish character in Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), Beaches (1988), Scenes from a Mall (1991), and The First Wives Club (1996). She also took starring roles in Ruthless People (1986) and Stella (1990). Midler, like Streisand, has a strong celebrity persona and tends to be seen as Jewish, even in roles for which the script does not identify a specific ethnicity. Carrie Fisher, daughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, made her first film, Shampoo, in 1975. But her real fame came when she was cast as Princess Leia in Star Wars (1977). She went on to star in the next two films of the trilogy, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). Her other films include The Blues Brothers (1980), Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), and When Harry Met Sally (1989). However, Fisher may be remembered for her work as a writer. She has written three novels: Postcards from the Edge, Surrender the Pink, and Delusions of Grandma; when her Postcards was made into a film (1990), she wrote the screenplay. Currently she works in that great uncredited Hollywood profession of script doctor—or, as Fisher calls it, script nurse. To date she has nursed more than fifteen filmscripts, among them Hook, Lethal Weapon 3, and Sister Act. In the “new Hollywood” of the 1960s and 1970s, Jewish women continued to have major influence as screenwriters. Films by Harriet Frank Jr. and her husband, Irving Ravetch, who began a long and successful career toward the end of the 1950s, include The Long Hot Summer (1957), Hud (1963), Hombre (1967), and Conrack (1974). Their Norma Rae (1983), based on the real-life experiences of the Jewish labor organizer Eli Zivkovich, who helped to unionize the cotton mills in the South, represented a new approach to Jewish issues on the screen: The Jewish character is portrayed as a liberal activist rather than the ubiquitous doctor or lawyer, and the film avoids the commonplace interreligious romance. Jay Presson Allen (born Jacqueline Presson) has an impressive list of screen credits, writing or adapting Marnie (1964), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969), Cabaret (1972), Travels with My Aunt (1972), Funny Lady (with Arnold Schulman, 1975), Prince of the City (1981), and Never Cry Wolf (1983). She also wrote the novel Just Tell Me What You Want, about Jewish producers in Hollywood. It was made into a film starring Alan King. Among many other significant writers are Eleanor Perry (born Eleanor Rosenfeld), Gloria Katz, and Vicki Polan. Perry began her career in the burgeoning world of independent filmmaking with David and Lisa (1962). Subsequent work included The Swimmer (1964), Diary of a Mad Housewife (1970), and The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing (1973). Katz cowrote American Graffiti (1973) and Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984). Polan wrote Girlfriends (1978). Stephanie Rothman began writing and directing low-budget productions in the mid-1960s. Because her output was mainly in exploitation films, her work is less well known. However, films such as The Student Nurses (1970), The Velvet Vampire (1971), and Terminal Island (1973) have become cult classics. A major trailblazer was the writer, director, and actor Elaine May. After starring in Enter Laughing (1967), she turned to writing and directing films at a time when few women had won this opportunity. Her first screenplay was Such Good Friends (1971), but she was so dissatisfied with the final product that she insisted she be listed under the pseudonym Esther Dale. This experience led her to move into directing, where she thought she would have more control. Her first production was The New Leaf (1971). She next directed The Heartbreak Kid (1972), based on a screenplay by Neil Simon. The film depicts a newly married Jewish couple in an extremely negative manner. May’s daughter Jeannie Berlin took the role of the unattractive bride. However, May’s disappointment with the studio’s changes to her films led to problems in Hollywood. Though she continued to write and act, she has directed only two more films to date: Mickey and Nicky (1976) and Ishtar (1987). As opportunities continued to open up during the 1970s, many more Jewish women turned to directing. It is interesting to note that among the few films of this period that deal with the Orthodox and religious aspects of Jewish life—a subject the Hollywood studios have always resisted treating—the majority have been brought to the screen by Jewish women, in such films as Hester Street, Crossing Delancey, and Yentl. Many Jewish women directors of the 1970s began their careers independently, especially as documentary filmmakers. Such was the case with Claudia Weill, who worked for several years on Girlfriends with Vicki Polan before Warner Brothers picked it up for distribution in 1978. Her second film, It’s My Turn (1980), starred Jill Clayburgh and Michael Douglas. Weill has since appeared as an actor in Calling the Shots (1988). At about the same time, Joan Micklin Silver, who began in educational filmmaking, struggled to interest a Hollywood studio in making a film about early Eastern European immigrants to New York, which would incorporate some Yiddish. No one was interested, so she wrote, directed, and produced (with her husband) Hester Street (1975) by herself. Silver went on to write and direct Between the Lines (1977), Chilly Scenes of Winter (1979), and Crossing Delancey (1988). The latter offered a wonderful character role for veteran Yiddish stage and film actor Reizel Bozyk. And then there are the actors who turned to directing. For many Jewish women who became stars in the 1960s and early 1970s, the world of acting proved too narrow. They wanted more creative control. Recognizing their own power to draw audiences and backers, they became their own writers, producers, and directors, wielding an influence in Hollywood that was unheard of for women. Again, Barbra Streisand led the way, producing as well as starring in A Star Is Born (1976). On Yentl (1983), based on a story by the Yiddish writer I.B. Singer, she produced, starred, and directed for the first time. She continued doing triple duty with Prince of Tides (1991), which was nominated for several Academy Awards, and The Mirror Has Two Faces (1996), which won a “best supporting actress” Oscar nomination for Lauren Bacall. Streisand supports Jewish filmmaking on a broader level as well by underwriting an award for the best independent Jewish film. In 1980, Goldie Hawn starred in and produced Private Benjamin, the comic story of a “Jewish American Princess” who enters the United States Army and emerges as a strong, autonomous woman with feminist ideas. In 1995, she produced Something to Talk About and currently runs Cherry Alley Productions with Teri Schwartz. Among the other actors turned directors and/or producers are Lee Grant, Dyan Cannon, and Bette Midler. Grant produced her first full-length film, Tell Me a Riddle, in 1980. Based on a novella by Tillie Olsen, it is about the life and death of an elderly Jewish immigrant woman. She won an Oscar for her documentary Down and Out in America (1985). Cannon directed a semiautobiographical film entitled The End of Innocence in 1990. And Bette Midler, in addition to acting in Beaches, produced the film. Screenwriters too began to expand their worlds in recent years. Nora Ephron, born into a Hollywood family, coauthored the scripts for Silkwood (1983) and Sleepless in Seattle (1993). On her own, she wrote Heartburn (1985), which was loosely based on her marriage to Carl Bernstein, and When Harry Met Sally (1989). She made her directorial debut with This Is My Life, (1992) which starred Julie Kavner as a contemporary Jewish comedienne. This was coauthored with her sister, Delia. Jay Presson Allen began producing with It’s My Turn, directed by Claudia Weill. The generation of women directors of the 1980s rose from the ranks of independent filmmakers, like Claudia Weill and Joan Micklin Silver before them. Many attended university film programs. Many also had been active in the women’s movement and were well aware of the demeaning and distorted images of women that pervaded the film industry. Singly and as a group, these women set out to provide new images and new narratives. After attending New York University film school, Susan Seidelman wrote, produced, and directed Smithereens (1982). This led to opportunities in Hollywood, where she directed Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), as well as Looking for Mr. Right (1987) and She-Devil (1989), both of which she also produced. Jill Godmilow began as a documentary filmmaker. She later shifted to fiction features with Waiting for the Moon (1987), based on the lives of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas. Similarly, both Mirra Bank and Donna Deitch were documentary makers. Bank moved into feature filmmaking with Enormous Changes at the Last Minute (1983, codirected with Ellen Hovde), while Deitch switched to fiction features with Desert Hearts (1987), which attempted to provide a more positive and realistic representation of gay women. Joyce Chopra (1938), who appeared in an early documentary by Claudia Weill, has directed two films in Hollywood: Smooth Talk (1985) and The Lemon Sisters (1989). Beeban Kidron is another Jewish director who started in independent filmmaking. Her works include Antonia and Jane (1990), which focuses on a friendship between a young Jewish woman in London and her gentile girlfriend, and Used People (1992), starring Shirley MacLaine as a Jewish widow who is courted by an older Italian widower. Her latest film is To Wong Foo: Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). In the less well known areas behind the scenes, Jewish women have been making their presence felt as editors, costumers, scenic designers, and composers. Composer Marilyn Bergman, who worked with her husband, Alan Bergman, won Oscars for the theme of The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) and another for The Way We Were (1973). They also composed music for Brian’s Song (1971) and Yentl (1983). Carly Simon wrote music for Torchlight (1984) and Working Girl (1988). Karyn Rachtman has done the soundtracks for Pulp Fiction (1994), Get Shorty (1995), and Clueless (1995). Actors doing film work in the 1980s and 1990s have been able to build upon the breakthroughs of their predecessors and play more varied and interesting roles, many of them Jewish women. Among these actors are Lainie Kazan, Julie Kavner, Jennifer Grey, Sandra Bernhard, Debra Winger, Alicia Silverstone, and Natalie Portman. Kazan, previously known as a singer, appeared as a Jewish mother in My Favorite Year (1982) and has had supporting roles in half a dozen other films. Kavner played the younger sister on the television program Rhoda before moving into film. She has appeared in Hannah and Her Sisters (1986), Radio Days (1987) and starred in This Is My Life (1992), all Jewish roles. Grey became famous as the young Jewish co-star of Dirty Dancing (1987). Bernhard has had an impressive career on and off the screen. Among her film work, she appeared in King of Comedy (1982). Debra Winger appeared in Urban Cowboy (1980), An Officer and a Gentleman (1982), Terms of Endearment (1983), The Sheltering Sky (1990), and Shadowlands (1993). In the latter work, Winger plays Joy Gresham, the American Jewish poet who married the British writer C.S. Lewis. Alicia Silverstone and Israeli-born Natalie Portman both began working while still in their teens. Silverstone had her breakthrough in Clueless (1995). Portman’s first role was in Heat (1995). Other new talent includes Gina Gershon, who appeared in Showgirls (1995), and actor Julianna Lavin, who wrote and directed Live Nude Girls (1995). Screenwriters include Carol Seltzer and Ellen Simon, who coscripted One Fine Day (1996) and Moonlight and Valentino (1995). It is mainly in production, however, that Jewish women have made the largest strides. One of the earliest examples is Julia Phillips, who in 1976 became the first woman to win an Academy Award for best picture, for producing The Sting with her husband, Michael. Sherry Lansing was the first woman to head a major studio, becoming president of production at Twentieth Century–Fox in 1980, at the age of thirty-five. She held the position for two years, before leaving to work independently. As a producer, she was responsible for films such as as Fatal Attraction (1987), The Accused (1988) and School Ties (1992), a film about antisemitism at a boys’ boarding school. In 1992 Lansing became the first female chairperson of Paramount Pictures, a post she held until 2005. During that time, Paramount released the Oscar-winning Forest Gump (1994), Titanic (1997) and Saving Private Ryan (1998). Dawn Steel became the second woman to direct the production of films at a major studio when she was appointed president of production at Paramount Pictures in 1982. Between then and 1987, she produced such hits as Flashdance (1983), Top Gun (1986) and Fatal Attraction (1987). She then served as president of Columbia Pictures from 1987 to 1989, during which time Columbia released the popular When Harry Met Sally (1989), written by Nora Ephron. In the early 1990s, Steel became an independent producer. She died of a brain tumor in December 1997. Since the beginning of the 1990s there seems to have been a deluge of Jewish women behind the scenes. The following list, which is by no means complete, attests to the immense energy and talent of Jewish women who are now working in production: Susan Arnold, Bonnie Bruckheimer, Lauren Schuler Donner, Connie Field, Wendy Finerman, Ellen Geiger, Liz Glotzer, Lynn Harris, Susan Hoffman, Gale Ann Hurd, Donna Isaacson, Gail Katz, Nana Levin, Rachel Lyon, Nancy Meyer, Linda Obst, Polly Platt, Mimi Polk, Jane Rosenthal, Midge Sanford, Deborah Schindler, Sondra Schulberg, Arlene Sellers, Shelby Sher, Sandy Stern, Shelby Stone, Roselle Swed, Anthea Sylbert, Paula Wagner, Paula Weinstein, and Laura Ziskin. The years 2001 to 2003 saw three Jewish women rated “the most powerful woman” in the entertainment industry by trade magazine The Hollywood Reporter. Stacy Snider led the list in 2001, Sherry Lansing in 2002 and Amy Pascal in 2003. Stacy Snider became CEO of Universal Pictures in 1999, presiding over the studio when it became the first in history to have five one hundred million dollar films in one summer. Films produced during her tenure included such Academy Award-winning films as Erin Brokovich (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and The Pianist (2002). Previously, Snider had been president of production at Tri Star, a position she took up in 1992. Amy Pascal was named chairwoman of the Motion Picture divison of Sony Pictures Entertainment in 2003, also receiving the title of vice-chair of Sony, after having served as president of Columbia Pictures from 1996 to 1999, and then as Columbia’s chairwoman. Under Pascal’s leadership, Columbia released the record-breaking films Spider-Man and Spiderman 2. Spider-Man, released in 2002, grossed more than $820 million worldwide, while Spiderman 2 earned $40.5 million on its release date of June 30, 2004, beating the previous opening day record of $39.4 million set by the original Spider-Man. The history of Jewish women’s contribution to the Hollywood film industry has been one of gradual progression toward ever higher levels of participation. For most of Hollywood’s history, the dominant tendency was to achieve a universal image that revealed no traces of ethnic heritage. This trend held until the 1960s and affected all ethnic groups. Only a few dozen Jewish actors were able to make their way into stardom under these constraints. Since the 1960s, however, Hollywood films have reflected a higher degree of ethnic diversity. The result of this change is that increasing numbers of Jewish actors have been able to establish careers in Hollywood. The real change in the past few decades has been the number of Jewish women in positions of power and influence. Jewish women have always worked behind the scenes, most often as writers. More recently, and especially in the exponential leap of the early 1990s, they have moved into directing and producing, both independently and as studio executives. For many, there is no question that Jewish women have gained higher access because of their connections to Jewish men in the industry. An earlier evidence of this pattern is the large number of Jewish husband-wife teams who coauthored screenplays during the 1940s and 1950s. In this way, they have sometimes had an advantage over other ethnic groups. The irony is, of course, that despite the fact that there have always been relatively high numbers of Jews working in Hollywood, since the days of the ghetto films there have been very few stories about Jewish life and experience. Even fewer have been about Jewish women; fewer even than that told from a Jewish woman’s point of view. This still holds true for the new batch of women initiating and bringing projects to fruition. And while the majority of their films have not highlighted Jewish themes or issues, the “notable exceptions” are constantly increasing. The new opportunities created by these Jewish pioneers have affected all women who want careers in the film industry, as well as all women who watch their films. These women have used their newfound influence to bring more of women’s lives and experiences to the screen. And many have used their creative talents to bring Jewish stories to the screen. Though it is too early to assess what the new breed of Jewish producers will achieve, it is clear that the major contributions by Jewish women to the film industry will lie more in the future than in the past. Boxer, Tim. “Film Stars.” In The Jews in American Culture; Cohen, Sarah Blacher, ed. From Hester Street to Hollywood: The Jewish-American Stage and Screen (1983); The Encyclopedia of Film. Edited by James Monaco and the editors of Baseline (1991); Erens, Patricia. “Film.” In The Jews in American Culture, and The Jew in American Cinema (1984); Freidman, Lester D. Hollywood’s Image of the Jew (1982), and The Jewish Image in American Film (1987); Halliwell’s Filmgoer’s and Video Viewer’s Companion, 9th ed. (1988); Haskell, Molly. From Reverence to Rape: The Treatment of Women in the Movies (1973); Kael, Pauline. “Commitment and the Straightjacket.” In I Lost It at the Movies (1966); Navasky, Victor S. Naming Names (1980); Rosen, Marjorie. Popcorn Venus: Women, Movies and the American Dream (1973). How to cite this page Erens, Patricia. "Film Industry in the United States." Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women's Archive. (Viewed on December 18, 2014) <http://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/film-industry-in-united-states>.

(director: Kevin Bray; screenwriters: Ronald Lang/Ice Glen MacPherson; editor: Suzanne Hines; music: John Murphy; cast: Ice (Bucum Jackson), Mike Epps (Reggie Wright), Eva Mendes (Robert Williamson), Valarie Rae Miller (Pam), Carmen Roger Guenveur Smith (Julian), Bob Carter (Mr. Barkley), Hall (Lil J), Anthony Giaimo (Martinez); Runtime: 95; MPAA Rating: R; Ice Cube & Matt Alvarez; New Line Cinema; 2002) "This one is a waste of your Washingtons." Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz "All About the Benjamins" is just another familiar wisecracking buddy action flick played by the genre's well-defined formulaic rules, whose chief asset is how easy the mismatched action/comedy duo act together. Otherwise, this one is a waste of your Washingtons. The Benjamins in the title, I gather is slang for $100 bills in the hip-hop world. The film is targeted for a teen audience, and all others might find themselves underwhelmed by its slight plot line and/or disturbed by its needless vulgarities. The likable Ice Cube stars as Bucum Jackson, and he also was co-screenwriter with Ronald Lang. He plays a self-righteous maverick, who is a money-strapped Miami bounty hunter with a reputation of getting his man but doing it in an unorthodox way with lots of gunplay. His role calls for him to be the straight man. While Mike Epps plays the comical role of Reggie Wright, the one with the endless big lip who is a longtime petty con man with a history of lying and being in the wrong place. The movie opens with a scene that has nothing to do with the remainder of the story, but at least hints at some kind of sly humor pointed between the races that unfortunately never materializes in the rest of the film. This scene offers an adrenaline rush of gratuitous violent action, as Bucum has the drop on a redneck fugitive (Michael Hall) living in a trailer park in the Florida Everglades. Whitey is watching Bugs Bunny cartoons on the TV and his wall is draped with a huge Confederate flag. When Bucum tries to bring him in there's some gunplay and resistance from his other white trash family members, but finally the fugitive is controlled by a stun gun to his crotch--one knows from watching so many films of this routine nature that this will be repeated later on in the story. You can put a lot of Benjamins down on that. On Bucum's next bounty hunter assignment he's to bring in Reggie Wright, whom Ice Cube tells us has been to jail more times than Robert Downey Jr. (In this witless comedy, that just might be the film's funniest line). While chasing him down through the streets of Miami, the hustler runs into a commercial photo shoot and witnesses a diamond heist and a gangland-style execution. The photographer Julian (Smith) and his sister Ursula (Chaplin-granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin), who is the model, turn out to be robbers who execute everyone on the set including the insider, Mr. Barkley, who set the heist up. The unholy duo is working for a ruthless gangster with a vicious Scottish accent named Williamson (Tommy Flanagan), who when not fencing diamonds owns a place that sells luxury boats. Reggie hides in the van of the fleeing killers and overhears them say they were duped, that the uncut diamonds worth $20 million that they took are fake. When Reggie is spotted by them, he flees but loses his wallet. Inside his wallet he has the $60 million winning ticket in the Florida lotto, which he shares with his girlfriend Gina (Eva Mendes). Bucum shakes off some of his bad attitude and reluctantly becomes partners with Reggie, as he wants to get the gang because they shot at him and because he can show up the Miami police and gain free publicity by his heroics. He therefore can follow his dream and open his own private investigation firm. There's also all those loose Benjamins lying around that a street-smart guy like Bucum might profit from in a handsome way.While Reggie just wants the lotto ticket. Pam (Rae Miller) is the receptionist in the bail-bond office where Bucum works and is attracted to him because his job is exciting. She's around to make it a foursome in search of the thugs and diamonds and lotto ticket. The real point is that not only whites can win the lottery and make bad films, but blacks when given the chance can follow suit. The story remains uninteresting throughout, and the film's pacing is lazily managed. The attempt to spice it up with the odd touch of exotic fish as Bucum's hobby, simply fails because it is unable to provide any funny jokes about the expensive fish. Hey, word up, you're better off chilling and drinking some malt liquor than catching this flick. The inexperience of commercial and music video director Kevin Bray shows, who in his debut feature film is not able to have a grip on putting this story right. As a result everything attempted seems sloppy. The two male leads spend the entire film mugging for the camera, all the action seems terribly awkward, and the film seems more like a plug for Coca-Cola or a poor imitation of "Miami Vice." REVIEWED ON 3/19/2003 GRADE: D Dennis Schwartz: "Ozus' World Movie Reviews" © ALL RIGHTS RESERVED DENNIS SCHWARTZ

Friday, October 26, 2012 From ninjas to tumbleweeds I still maintain that "discovering" something new is one of the greatest feelings in life. Given my long-time passion for music, finding a great new band is no small accomplishment to me. For a long time, I had a tendency to simply re-watch my favorite movies over and over again. While I still do that fairly often, the film class I decided to take this semester has given me some inspiration to go and actually look for new movies to watch. (Fittingly, I unearthed a fantastic piece of cinema last night.) Of course, there's a tremendous amount of joy to be had in "discovering" a new baseball card as well. Even though I've probably found thousands of great cards during my time in this hobby, the sheer excitement of it never goes away. A major source for a lot of my newer "discoveries" has been the blogosphere. Heck, quite a few bloggers have been nice enough to send a few of them my way. Recently, blogger TTG of "Friars on Cardboard" sent me a few "congrats" cards for this blog's ten-month anniversary. Although he hasn't blogged much as of late, it's apparent that he's still keeping with his extremely generous ways. He won the first contest I held on this blog, and he's been sending great cards back to me ever since. (If you're reading this, TTG, I'll have some more cards I think you'll like out to you very soon.) While there were a few terrific new "discoveries" in the cards he sent, this '98 Score Vinny Castilla was my runaway favorite. Immediately after it popped out of the trade package, I couldn't help but imagine Castilla leading a double life as a ninja. Hence, I've decided to dub it as the "ninja card". That semi-odd thought process of mine got me thinking. Some of my favorite blog posts have come from Night Owl's "Define the Design" series, both from what he has to say on the topic and the other blogger's input on the given designs. The Castilla inspired me to see what kind of "definition" I could come up with for some of my other single cards, rather than entire sets. While I could probably go all day with a topic like this, tonight's post will showcase a few I came up with at first glance. I have to give credit to one of my friends for coming up with the nickname for this one. He was over at my house one afternoon, an afternoon that happened to take place after one of my many flea market excursions. Because of this, he decided to take a look through all the cardboard that was scattered across the living room table. When he came across this Earl Weaver, he turned to me and said, "This guy looks like a mad scientist." The unconventional genius of Weaver, coupled with his extremely unkempt hair on this particular issue made it the absolute perfect "definition" for his '83 Topps manager card. From that day on, I've called it the "Mad Scientist" card. Both of these sit right next to each other in my Blue Jays binder. You have no idea how glad I am about that. I don't think I've ever seen such a rapid year-to-year shift in a player's cards. When Pinnacle's 1994 set rolled around, Dave Stewart seemed to be as happy as could be, even sporting a cowboy hat for good measure. In terms of sheer comedy, it's one of my favorite cards. For better or worse, Pinnacle captured a different side of Mr. Stewart in 1995. You'd be hard-pressed to find an angrier player on a baseball card. For now, I've decided to call these the "Jekyll and Hyde" of baseball cards. Ben Weber is one of the most obscure guys I collect. Given how crazy my collection can be sometimes, that's saying something. For ten years, Weber kicked around the minors and even found himself playing in Taiwan before finally making his big league debut with the Giants in 2000. My first clear World Series memory was seeing the Angels take the title in 2002, an experience that probably played a large role in my love for the franchise today. Although he's all but forgotten now, Weber was one of the best relief pitchers on that team. His quirky windup and bespectacled presence on the mound was and will always be awesome to me. While he has quite a few great cards to his credit, this one is most likely my favorite. I've always defined it as the "Tumbleweed" card. Between his Old West-like facial hair and that mountain behind him, I keep expecting to see a tumbleweed pass by Weber any minute. It's got that kind of aura. While "mad scientists" and "tumbleweeds" are great, this is probably the best "themed" card I own. As most baseball fans know, Harvey Haddix was the author of what could be considered the greatest pitching performance in the history of baseball. In a 1960 contest, Haddix unbelievably pitched 12 perfect innings against the Braves before allowing a homer to slugger Joe Adcock in the 13th. (Officially, Adcock's homer was only counted as a double because passed up Hank Aaron on the basepaths in the process.) Because of that amazing accomplishment, I've become obsessed with picking up as many Haddix cards as possible. He's one of my single favorite players to collect. However, his '64 issue might be the greatest Haddix card I own. Unlike his spectacular '56 Topps card, it doesn't have a terrific action shot or anything. On the surface, it actually looks like a fairly generic piece of vintage cardboard. As I looked closer and closer, though, I couldn't help but see this... ...and now I can't unsee it. Every time I admire my '64 Topps Harvey Haddix, I find myself reminded of Alfred E. Neuman, whether I like it or not. For that reason, it will forever be known as the "Mad Magazine" card. With a something as great as that, who knows what else is still out there? What other "themed" cards can I find? There's still tons of gems just waiting to be "discovered". I can't wait until the next one. After all, that's what keeps me going as a collector.

Back Door to Hell (1964) Description: In this WW II actioner, three soldiers are assigned to gather desperately needed information about Japanese occupation in the Philippines as the US prepares a major attack. During their arduous jungle journey, the soldiers lose their radio transmitter. Now totally on their own, the two not only succeed with their mission, they also manage to capture a Japanese outpost.~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide Movie summaries and listings powered by Cinema-Source Sign up for our free email newsletters and receive the latest advice and information on all things parenting. Enter your email address to sign up or manage your account.

Emmanuelle is famous for being a sexually graphic (but not pornographic) film released by a major studio with an X rating and subsequently making a lot of money. It’s not a masterpiece in any sense, although it’s certainly better than most films of this sort; and it is, in many ways, a product of its time (the mid 70s). There’s also a debate about whether it’s a ‘feminist’ sex film. I think it is, but not in any way we would be quick to recognize, which I think says more about the feminist movement than about the film. Based on the novel by Emmanuelle Arsan, the movie tells the story of a French diplomat’s wife, played by Sylvia Kristel, who moves to Bangkok with her husband and settles into the life of the consular community. This life apparently involves great boredom and diplomatic wives cheating on their husbands. This is not an issue for Emmanuelle, however, because her husband encourages her to take lovers; he’s not jealous but is French. The film, then, is a story of innocence coming into a world of experience and into her own as a sexual woman. The film has a dream-like and languid tone, and seemingly everyone she encounters is more open sexually than Emmanuelle, from Marie-Ange a young girl who masturbates in front of her to Bee, the bisexual archaeologist who seduces and leaves her, from her husband who encourages her to have sex with others to Mario, an older European decadent who introduces her to opium, underground boxing matches and being sodomized before a crowd. His philosophy holds that all of the limits of bourgeois morality must be transgressed and he becomes sort of a tutor to Emmanuelle. In the end, however, she seems to have graduated and no longer needs anyone in particular to fulfill her sexual desires. Sitting before a mirror in the last shot, she has passed from innocence to experience. Or it was all a dream. Of course, none of this is particularly realistic or even always coherent. Emmanuelle is clearly a fantasy about female sexuality, and yet it’s strange to think of how rare films like this- an erotic film about a woman coming into her own as a sexually liberated adult- have become. It really is a product of its time. Current mainstream cinema generally portrays adult women as having few or no sexual desires of their own, while pornography is much more often about female degradation than liberation. The sort of argument the film makes is not often heard anymore, especially not in cinema. That argument: that in order for a woman to be sexually liberated and self-actualized she must have several sexual partners, and so monogamy is anathema to female liberation- well, let’s just say it’s still shocking. Is it feminist? I think it is a valid feminist argument in the sense that it’s a radical statement about female liberation and self-actualization. It is not feminist in the sense that it is not an argument that has been widely embraced by the feminist movement. Some feminist thinkers have said as much, but the feminist movement has tended far more generally towards renegotiating the terms of monogamy than arguing for its abolition. Emmanuelle has more often been read, by feminists, as a male fantasy (written by a woman), since women naturally desire monogamy. Mais, bien sûr! I think maybe it’s most interesting to see Emmanuelle as a path not taken. Its case is totally valid, in my opinion, but it’s also not one that many people- feminist or not- are willing to side with. At least, not outside of fantasy.

Unknown White Male Web Site: http://www.unknownwhitemale.com Description: Doug Bruce woke up in Coney Island with no memory of any day of his life. After turning himself into the police, he was sent off to a psychiatric hospital and eventually rescued by a friend. Movie summaries and listings powered by Cinema-Source

Criterion Corner is a monthly Cinematical column dedicated to the wide and wonderful world of the Criterion Collection. Criterion Corner runs on the last Wednesday of every month, and it will make you poor. Follow @CriterionCorner & visit the Criterion Corner Tumblr for daily updates. "The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return." - 'Moulin Rouge' "'Need?' That's a bigger word than 'Love.'" - 'Victim' Can you guess which one of those two films has been released through Criterion? I'll give you a hint, it's not the one in which Ewan McGregor shouts a Phil Collins song at Nicole Kidman on the roof of a Parisian boudoir shaped like a giant elephant. It's the other one. The one about an ill-fated homosexual affair at a time when such a thing was punishable by law as a criminal act, the one in which love is a lamentable and destructive force that serves as an anguished plea for social upheaval. It's easy to tell, because while "Love" is spoken time and time again in a smorgasbord of different languages throughout the 550+ films of the Criterion Collection, in few of them is it ever just a word. "Love means never having to say you're sorry." - 'Love Story' 'Love Story' is not in the Criterion Collection. As far as Criterion is concerned, love doesn't have a definition, only symptoms. Valentine's Day -- the only holiday worse than 'Valentine's Day.' It's a perennial pain in the ass that thoroughly reduces love -- that most mysterious catalyst of human behavior -- into a one-size-fits-all miasma of crass iconography. Reservations at swanky restaurants, those gross candy hearts... you know how it goes. It's an event that exhausts itself trying to overlook the fact that although love is a universal phenomenon, it's also invariably unique to the people and characters who give it form. To apply the same precepts to almost 7 billion people is like assuming the same pair of jeans will fit both Natalie Portman and Kevin Smith (and somewhere in Hollywood a treatment for 'Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 3' is born). Whatever the nature of your relationship, a cursory look at the films in the Collection is proof enough that your romance doesn't have to subscribe to a certain formula in order to be valid. Over 550 films, and only 'Ali: Fear Eats the Soul' springs to mind as even kind of evincing a "love is an end to itself" philosophy. It's a movie directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder, the enfant terrible of the German New Wave who once said that "Love is the best, most insidious, most effective instrument of social repression." Moreover, the Criterion film that most outwardly fetishizes normalcy and stock human behavior (Hitchcock's riotously archaic 'Spellbound'), is directly repudiated by the opening scene of Samuel Fuller's 'Shock Corridor,' a flick so beloved by Criterion that they've now released it twice. Most romances provide ideals, those in Criterion titles tend to provide mirrors. Most of us aren't going to be in the movies, but we can still see ourselves in them. If Valentine's Day has got you thinking that your relationship isn't legitimate or worthy because you don't recognize it in the movies, odds are you just need to watch different movies. So consider this a guide for couples who could use a reminder that they're not doing it wrong, a small selection of Criterion films about lovers who dance to their own beat (a beat that sounds like this). Your relationship is ultimately singular in its dynamics and particulars, but seeing films dedicated to partners of a different stripe should quell any underlying anxiety that there's a way to do it right. And for those of you feeling bummed not to have Valentines of any kind, there's always 'Scenes From a Marriage.' Happy Valentine's Day. 'That Obscure Object of Desire' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Anyone who likes their romance explosive. Sexual gamesmanship in a Luis Bunuel film? Surely you jest. Mathieu is an older French gentleman with a hankering for Conchita, a young flamenco dancer he can't quite fit under his thumb. He gives her his money, she refuses to give him her virginity. It's a power struggle for the ages -- surrounded by terrorism and social decay, they mercilessly humiliate each other in a mutual struggle to avoid being owned. Further complicating matters is the fact that Conchita is played by two actresses, a casual swap Bunuel implements at random as if to underscore Mathieu's inability to gain the upper hand. This is one of those romances that's kindled by destruction, the kind of romance that's less like a blooming flower than a slowly dying sun, constantly erupting in order to sustain itself. Bunuel deploys flashbacks, violence, and chastity panties to confuse your sympathies, clear only about the fact that the only thing their war of attrition can't survive is an armistice. 'Wings of Desire' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Couples convinced their love is impossible. Is the rift between some people so vast that it's just easier (and perhaps more gentle) to call it love than infatuation? It's a cosmic mystery that's hounded humankind for millennia (which is weird, because the answer is obviously "Yes"), and in few films are they so tenderly explored as they are in Wim Wenders' unspeakably gorgeous 'Wings of Desire.' The film follows Damiel (Bruno Ganz!), an angel enamored with a trapeze artist who'd be close enough to touch if only it weren't for that pesky dimensional divide (appropriately, the film's lesser sequel is titled 'Faraway, So Close!'). A meditation on time, post-war Berlin, and the indifferent rhythms of earthly existence, 'Wings of Desire' doesn't depict a forbidden romance so much as one that requires life to be fundamentally re-wired from the ground up. To the self-loathing types for whom this doesn't sound like sufficiently agonizing Valentine's Day viewing, there's always 'City of Angels.' 'In the Realm of the Senses' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Couples concerned that they're not intimate enough... And sometimes love is just comes too easy. Sometimes it's not a reprieve so much as it's a rabbit hole, a shared space in which to hide from the world when it can't be escaped. Sometimes that gambit works out just fine -- for Kichizo Ishida, it ended with his lover killing him, amputating his penis, and carrying it around pre-war Japan like a primitive Tamagotchi. Nagisa Oshima's landmark film fearlessly recounts the true enough story of Sada Abe, a servant who in a subconscious attempt to ignore Japan's militarization retreated with her employer into a small room wherein their bodies were remapped as the edges of the world. More titillating and less distasteful than Pasolini's 'Salo,' 'In the Realm of the Senses' is an indelible reminder that commitment is nice, but it doesn't hurt to come up for air every once in a while. It also makes a great double feature with 'Antichrist.' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Hopeless romantics who could use some more hope. So this Valentine's Day isn't shaping up as you'd hoped, but every passing moment is a chance to turn it all around. Penelope Cruz said that in 'Vanilla Sky,' and then she proved it by immediately fleeing the set of 'Vanilla Sky.' 'The Lovers' by Louis Malle (pro tip: never forget that second "l" during that Google search) is a gorgeous film, a rather provincial drama bisected by the cinema's most jarring meet-cute. Jeanne Moreau is the kept wife of a newspaper tycoon (Alain Cuny!) less enamored with her polo-playing lover Raoul than she is with telling her friends about her polo-playing lover Raoul. Resigned to a lifetime of quotidian crises, Jeanne seems headed for a fall. But then -- at the eleventh hour -- a slight wrinkle of fate, and overnight she's whisked away from her dreary doldrums and into a gilded reverie from which she'll never return. Lots of films intone that "Love can be born in one glance," but 'The Lovers' makes you believe it. 'Woman in the Dunes' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Couples who feel mutually trapped. There's always a choice. Until you're stuck in a house at the bottom of a giant sand pit with an oversexed widow who forcefully insists that you marry her and never leave, there's always a choice. An erotic nightmare of a parable in which that very fate befalls a young entomologist, Hiroshi Teshigahara's film is a sober and disorienting adaptation of the Kobo Abe novel, a story in which logic is deliberately undermined in order to foster an atmosphere free of all options. The widow explains that she and the entomologist must live there and dig not just to prevent the house from being buried, but also to spare the other houses that dot the dunes. That doesn't make a lick of sense, but it keeps things in line. It's simple and self-sustaining, and it resolves itself in acceptance. If you're feeling a bit suffocated by your relationship, 'Woman in the Dunes' might serve as a haunting prompt that it's easier to be content than to spend a lifetime searching for bliss. 'The Honeymoon Killers' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Anyone whose partner in life is also their partner-in-crime. It's never a good sign when your relationship is scored to Gustav Mahler. Not all relationships are built on trust and mutual respect -- some are built on sociopathic insanity and a growing pile of fresh corpses. In Leonard Kastle's 'The Honeymoon Killers,' Ray is a con artist who swindles lonely hearts for a living, and Martha a lonely heart too smitten to live without her new man. Their love is a sacred union, one that's only strengthened as they join forces to elevate Ray's criminal activity from stealing money with blackmail to taking lives with hammers. Their relationship is rockier than the Aggro Crag, but only through each other are they able to reach their full potential. Perfect Valentine's viewing for couples who swore not only to honor and obey, but also aid and abet. 'Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters' Valentine's Day Viewing For: Anyone spending Valentine's Day alone. Filmmaker, literary icon, and spirited nationalist figurehead Yukio Mishima engaged in a romance so fierce that it made Romeo And Juliet look like TOP TEN OF THE MONTH: 10 Great Oscar-Winning Films in the Criterion Collection So we're back with another video countdown, and this month it somehow seems as if production values have actually gotten worse. One of these days we'll employ fancy industry tricks like "editing" and "professionalism," but for now we offer you Coraline inexplicably (and kinda disturbingly) introducing 10 great Criterion films that have earned Oscar gold. 52 of the films in the Collection have snagged at least one award, and these are my 10 favorites. #18 'The Naked Kiss' (Samuel Fuller) 1964 The Film: To witness the first 98 seconds of 'The Naked Kiss' is to be formally acquainted with Samuel Fuller, and watching Constance Towers assaulting her pimp so hard her wig falls off is one hell of a handshake. Except, of course, Towers' wig doesn't fall off so much as it's pulled off by Fuller himself, who briefly lunges into frame in order to get the job done. It's a filmic faux-pas of the highest order, but I doubt he ever gave it a moment's pause. That was just his style: Rough and transgressive, and by the time Towers prepares for the title sequence by staring into the camera lens like it's a mirror, Fuller has made it plenty clear that viewers should prepare themselves for a confrontational flick that's got a jones for the ugly truth. Constance Towers is Kelly, and the next time we see her she's trying to make a new life for herself in the kind of Utopian suburbia that only exists in the movies. Grantville is so idyllic it makes Mayberry look like downtown Mordor, and it's there that Kelly finds work as a nurse for adorable handicapped children (who have a penchant for staging eerily beautiful musical numbers) and love in a too-perfect husband. But like a pea beneath a princess' mattress, something always feels a bit off. There are dark cracks in the canvas, ghouls under the masks, and the moral morass doesn't fully congeal until Constance Towers has been reborn as a Maria Falconetti for the acid-jazz era. The Technical Stuff: The image can be a bit soft at times, but it's detailed enough to spy Constance Towers' bald cap -- the film grain is intact but never distracting. The audio is problem-free, but the film's unique vernacular encourages subtitles regardless. The Extras: An unbounded improvement from the bare-bones disc Criterion releases over 10 years ago, 'The Naked Kiss' is just brimming with that Sam Fuller charm. There are two interview conducted for French TV, one from 1967 that finds the bedraggled curmudgeon waxing poetic about everything from journalism to politics ("I hate politics!"), and one from 20 years later that illustrates his enduring vitality. Elsewhere, Constance Towers pops up to participate in a charming and affectionate video in 2007. The Best Bit: A 71 year-old Fuller leads a tour of his garage in 1983 that should be compulsory viewing for all cinephiles. Standing amidst his reams of unfilmed shooting scripts he digs into a humidor and unleashes his inner showman, smugly opining that "A woman is just a script, but a cigar is a motion picture." The Package: Amazing. Criterion contracted 'Ghost World' graphic novelist Daniel Clowes to illustrate both these Fuller re-issues, and his unique style -- a surprisingly perfect compliment to Fuller's cartoonishly sober style. Click here for a gander inside the box. The Verdict: A lynch-pin of the American cinema, to explore this release of 'The Naked Kiss' is to get acquainted with the film laureate of surly grandfathers on his best day. #19 'Shock Corridor' (Samuel Fuller) 1963 The Film: Time has been kind to 'The Naked Kiss' -- while no longer revelatory, it's still plenty damning -- but the infamous 'Shock Corridor' isn't quite so lucky. Ostensibly obsessed with psychotherapy, the film tells the story of a muckraking reporter who commits himself to an insane asylum in order to solve a murder. Fuller's film is in line with Ken Kesey's novel One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (first published just prior to 'Shock Corridor's' production), in which society is sick and its people merely symptoms, the busted cogs in an extraordinarily broken machine. Peter Breck -- here looking like the improbable love-child of Ewan McGregor and Charlie Sheen -- stars alongside Constance Towers as reporter Johnny Barrett. Fuller characteristically makes little attempt to mask his true intentions, as the murder plot which supposedly drives the narrative is never more than a flimsy frame on which to hang Barrett's time with the three suspects, each of whom have been irrevocably anguished by American society. The oratories these men retain a palpable rage, memorably interspersed with some of Fuller's own (full-color) travel footage. On the other hand, Barrett's telegraphed descent into madness is a mighty slog, and never metaphorically motivated enough to compensate for the degree to which it flouts basic psychology. Fuller is typically at his best when he's genuinely pissed, but in 'Shock Corridor' his anger outpaces his writing. The Technical Stuff: Cinematographer Stanley Cortez, he of 'Night of the Hunter' fame, did some of his best work in 'Shock Corridor,' elevating a threadbare production on a single set into an insidious labyrinth of sharp lines and deep shadows. It's mighty praise indeed to say this transfer does Cortez's work justice. The Extras: Another lovely interview with Constance Towers and an original trailer that's every bit as great as you'd expect. The Best Bit: It's a bit of an injustice to consider Adam Simon's 1996 documentary 'The Typewriter, The Rifle, and The Movie' as an "extra." This 55-minute gem, co-produced by IFC and the BFI, is as engrossing and thorough a documentary as has ever been afforded a filmmaker. I may not be high on 'Shock Corridor,' but Simon's film makes this disc every bit as valuable to me as that of 'The Naked Kiss.' The Package: Check it out. Eric Skillman's hypnotic and ingeniously woozy menus will keep this thing glued in your player. The Verdict: Not my favorite vintage of Fuller, but Criterion presents it in such a way that you need to taste it for yourself. #385 'Army of Shadows' (Jean-Pierre Melville) 1969 The Film: Back in October I ranked the 'Army of Shadows' DVD as one of my ten favorite Criterion releases, so to say that I encourage you to partake in this HD upgrade would be something of an understatement. Slow-burning, richly atmospheric, and drearily gorgeous, Melville's masterpiece doesn't offer a peek inside the clandestine French Resistance so much as it plunges you deep inside their ranks. Lino Ventura and Jean-Pierre Cassel lead the way, but it's Melville's rewarding patience and Pierre Lhomme's washed out photography that linger. A blissful slice of pure cinema, my latest viewing left me convinced that this is the film Michael Mann so desperately tried (and failed) to recall with 'Miami Vice' -- dislocating from the first frame and constantly tightening the noose, 'Army of Shadows' perverts the traditional narrative of war to the point that words like "Honor" and "Heroism" are obliterated of all meaning. If that's not enough, a scene which proves that narrow corridors and Gatling guns don't mix is one of the cinema's great action set pieces. The Technical Stuff: Given this film's history, to see it all on these shores is something of a blessing, but this... they should have sent a poet. The DVD was nothing to scoff at, but the Blu-ray smooths the edges without sacrificing the bedraggled muck critical to its tone. It feels exacting but not pristine, as if there's something threatening but shapeless hiding in the film grain. The Extras: Identical to the DVD, 'Army of Shadows' remains one of their most satisfyingly stuffed releases. The features are a bit overwhelming (click here for the full litany), backstopped by a commentary from Ginette Vincendeau, who quite literally wrote the book on Melville. Her track, as you might imagine, is riddled with raw information but ultimately a bit dry and stiffly read. For what it's worth, her book is invaluable. The Best Bit: An interview in which Academy Award-winning editor Francoise Bonnot ('Z') candidly discusses her formative relationship with Melville, whom she met as a child and who played a pivotal role in both her personal and professional life. The Package: Crammed into a plastic jewel case and adorned with some of the finest artwork to ever grace a Criterion release, 'Army of Shadows' is as much a joy to hold as it is to behold. The essays included are extensive. The Verdict: One of the best films ever made presented in its ultimate incarnation. Fans of the DVD will feel considerably rewarded by the upgrade. #404 'Robinson Crusoe on Mars' (Byron Haskin) 1964 The Film: Byron Haskins's sci-fi oddity -- a retelling of the Daniel Defoe novel for the space-age, and a film that was on the precipice of being forgotten before Criterion provided it a DVD release in 2007 -- is a masterpiece of production design, few B-movies of this caliber have illustrated such fleet visual storytelling or elicited such feeling from their kitsch. Paul Mantee is Commander Draper, a MacGyver of a man marooned on The Red Planet with only a pet monkey for company. Most of the film is devoted to Mantee's survival (things become a touch less urgent when he's inevitably provided a supporting cast), but the real stars here are Haskin's impressive sets and lighting, which alchemically marry 'War of the Worlds' with 'The Red Shoes' in a way that's never as tacky as it is transportive. Screenwriter Ib Melchior calls it "total nonsense," but this is the kind of nonsense we need. The Technical Stuff: The unsparing precision of 1080p should expose the silly deficits of Haskin's sets, but I was surprised to find that the film is so richly devised and committed to its tone that the extra gloss just makes it all easier to appreciate. The close-ups and wide Martian vistas are particularly stunning, amounting to what I'm surprised to admit is my favorite Criterion transfer in months. The Extras: Unchanged from the original DVD release, Criterion offers a rather decent set for such a relic of a movie. Features include 'Destination: Mars' is a nifty 20-minute doc about Mars in the movies that rocks a lot of Comic Sans, a ridiculous music video to a song about the movie written by character actor Victor Lundin, and a rich gallery of stills. The Best Bit: Hearing Paul Mantee's voice on the commentary track, recorded in 1994 some 30 years after the film's debut. His voice hasn't changed one iota, and it's great to hear him express the same delightful surprise with the film's keen exuberance that you'll probably experience yourself. Byron Haskin, who died in 1984, is edited into the commentary by way of an audio interview he conducted for the D.G.A. in 1979. The Package: Nicely nestled in Criterion's custom plastic Blu-ray case, I only wish the cover art was truer to the film's giddy color scheme instead of the dull red of the Mars we know. The Verdict: Perhaps a bizarre choice to receive the 1080p treatment, 'Robinson Crusoe on Mars' is nevertheless joyful surprise made all the more fun in high-def. Essential for anyone jonesing for a hit of nostalgia or a whiff of visual whimsy. #552 'Broadcast News' (James L. Brooks) 1987 The Film: James L. Brooks' seminal seriocomic glimpse inside the blitzkrieg of a nightly news show is so rich, resonant, and relevant that I forgive it for inspiring 'Morning Glory.' 'Broadcast News' isn't just a romantic comedy, it's a romantic comedy the size of the Chrysler Building. The most textured and assured of Brooks' sprawling fanciful fables, 'Broadcast News' busts out of the gate like a film on fire, overcoming an awkward prologue to match the rocket-fueled verve and anxiety of the world in which it's set. It's the late 1980s, and the nightly news is beginning to teeter on the precipice of infotainment. Albert Brooks understands the news, William Hurt can read it with a square jaw, and both of them are vying for the affections of their frazzled but fiercely intelligent producer, Jane (Holly Hunter in a star-making performance that somehow manages to sublimate her character's batty contrivances into something charming and unforgettable). Love triangles are nothing new but Brooks keeps changing the angles -- nothing ever seems too pat or comfortable because the film's core triumvirate are constantly re-drawing the battle-lines of their romantic entanglements. The boundaries between personal and professional lives become hopelessly knotted and snarled, and everyone learns the hard way that it's easier to report than it is to decide. In this age of pundits and talking heads it's tempting to call 'Broadcast News' prophetic, but that might deny how finely attuned it is to its own time and place (or misleadingly suggest that any subsequent film ground to a halt every 10 minutes in order to ogle Joan Cusack). The Technical Stuff: James L. Brooks movies need Blu-ray about as much as they need Reese Witherspoon. The picture is heavy on grain -- even weighed down, perhaps -- but it's sharp enough to get the job done and doesn't distract from the dialogue. The Extras: Criterion's most loaded release of the month. A 36-minute doc about Brooks is fluffy but endearing, and a commentary track between Brooks and his editor is wry and revealing if a bit spotty -- his insight into his characters is uncommonly appreciated. A chat with CBS news producer / advisor to the film Susan Zirinsky is brief but provides further context. The Best Bit: Brooks admits that the film's ending is "notorious for being unfulfilling," and shares with us a very alternate, improvised ending. In a nice touch, Criterion has recorded Brooks watching it for the first time since it was shot some 13 years ago. As Brooks opines afterwards, it's "...Something." The Package: I imagine this was quite a challenge for Criterion's graphic design crew, but they make 'Broadcast News' feel sleek in spite of itself. The booklet is a bit of a wash, and the clever menu might inspire a twisted 'Broadcast News' / 'Videodrome' double feature. The Verdict: One of the most fun, accessible Criterion releases in ages, and the perfect reminder to anyone smothered by Brooks' recent output that he was once more than a Clippers fan with studio support. Eclipse Series #25: Basil Dearden's London Underground Has a thoroughly mediocre filmmaker ever been so deeply valuable and inspiring? Click over to the blog to see me try and parlay that rhetorical question into a raving, indignant review of these landmark films. NEWS & LINKS - Criterion's April slate has been announced, and it's a doozy. Huge Blu-ray upgrades, Claire Denis finally joins the Collection, a legendary De Palma film gets the treatment it deserves, and more. Here's a clip of the Radiohead chaps expressing their excitement. - Unexpectedly touching video of Orson Welles -- on his deathbed -- reading from Charles Lindbergh's autobiography. - Roger Ebert and Werner Herzog have finally merged into one superhuman being. - Criterion Corner #1: It's Cheaper Than Film School - Criterion Corner #2: Great Movies Are Chosen, Not Made - Criterion Corner #3: The Trouble With Women

It’s no big thing these days when you head down to watch a PG or PG-13 movie and see lots of things blowing up. Action and violence have become mainstays of modern cinema and, truth be told, it’s almost less common to witness a movie where there isn’t a bit of chaos and destruction. So you can pretty much expect that the fourth installment of the Transformers franchise, Transformers: Age of Extinction is going to be just as explosive as the last three. However, one of the actors in said movie, Titus Welliver, is stepping up to voice his opinion that this PG-13 action-fest may not be quite as family friendly as people might otherwise assume. Check out this excerpt from a recent interview with The Nerdist and see what you think: How was it for the actor, best known for his roles on The Good Wife and Argo, stepping into the huge Transformers summer movie franchise? “I’ve now won the hard earned respect of my children because I’m in a Transformers film, and I’ve always wanted to work with Michael Bay and certainly Mark Wahlberg and Kelsey Grammer.” And what can fans look forward to in this installment? “It’s a bit more of a darker vision of the Transformers world… It’s not a kids movie, I’ll tell you that much.” Whether he’s voicing his own opinion on what constitutes a “kids movie” or is legitimately concerned about the content of Age of Extinction is unknown. I’m guessing it won’t be much worse than the others. Well, as far as violence goes. Whether the movie as a whole is going to be worse… that one’s up the air. Check out Transformers: Age of Extinction when it hits theaters on June 27th. And bring the kids! Or don’t. Thanks to The Nerdist for the interview.

Posted at 9:45 AM on August 14, 2008 by Jeff Horwich According to the ceremonies' musical director, "The reason why little Yang was not chosen to appear was because we wanted to project the right image, we were thinking about what was best for the nation." The interview where he said that was later wiped from the web site Sina.com. The Chinese say it was a valid choice, and they don't see any problem with keeping in secret. Peiyi's father, on the other hand, says he's glad the news is out. Seems like little Peiyi is cute enough -- are we really judging seven-year-olds if their teeth aren't perfectly straight? It's one of those things I tend not to really notice in young children. It wasn't until that story started floating around that I caught wind of the fireworks thing, though. One of the most amazing sequences -- one I recall I called my wife in from the kitchen to see -- was fake: Digital animation in the works for more than a year. The footprints, stamping out their way to the Bird's Nest, could not actually have been seen from above because of smog. It sounds like fireworks actually were set off in this sequence (just for the sake of intellectual honesty? I don't get it) but what TV viewers saw was a canned 3-D graphics sequence. Matt Lauer and Bob Costas, "calling" the play-by-play, knew. And addressed it in this cagey fashion: "You're looking at a cinematic device employed by Zhang Yimou here," Lauer said. "This is actually almost animation. A footstep a second, 29 in all, to signify the 29 Olympiads." Costas responded, "We said earlier that aspects of this Opening Ceremony are almost like cinema in real time. Well this is quite literally cinematic." Say what you mean, fellas: "By the way, this is a 3D-rendered animation sequence showing what Olympic organizers would have liked you to see if the air hadn't been so crappy we couldn't even put a helicopter in the air." The Olympic Ceremonies were amazing. Almost too amazing--and in a way it's good to know they couldn't entirely pull it off. (Can't fake 2008 synchronized drummers though.) Guess I'll reserve my thoughts on Costas as a newsman (which he has often been forced to play during these games) for another post. Why am I watching so much Olympics, anyway, you ask? Wife's out of town, and I'm filling my lonely evenings with televised comfort. Posted at 2:59 PM on August 14, 2008 by Jeff Horwich Some of you might know I'm an instrument junkie. The other day, our former editor Jim found one of these in a dumpster and brought it to me: It's called an ehru, apparently -- Chinese two-stringed bowed instrument. Especially unusual because the hair of the bow actually threads between the two strings. Some guy was throwing it out, and Jim found it by the dumpster at his building. I used to say I don't have "good instrument luck" -- never found a beautiful vintage accordion in my attic, for instance. But I can't say that any more. This thing is cool, even though at the moment I sound like a screeching cat on it. Surfing around today brought me to another instrument I had never heard of, but which I now deeply covet: An instrument called a Hang drum, believe it or not invented in Switzerland of all places. Check this thing out. He picks up the Hang drum mid-way through, after messing around with the little Indian book-like thing called a Shruti Box: Beautiful. I'm in love.

[UPDATE: Pearce's involvement in Prometheus has been confirmed.] Ridley Scott has been notoriously tight-lipped when it comes to the details of his new film Prometheus, but we’ve still been able to get some sense of which direction the film is headed and what sort of connection it will share to Scott’s 1979 classic Alien. Originally designed as a straightforward two-part prequel to the original film, Scott later insisted that Prometheus would be a separate story capable of standing on its own. Despite the fact that several cast members have already confirmed the project’s connection to the Alien franchise, Scott’s still playing coy on the matter. Initially, many fans believed that Prometheus would simply take place in the same universe as the previous films, but that it wouldn’t feature any obligatory or direct tie-ins. If recent rumors are to be believed, however – that’s not exactly the case. Even in the earliest stages of the film’s development, there was talk that the Space Jockeys would be making in appearance. Back in February, another report teased that a new incarnation of the Alien xenomorphs would definitely turn up as well. Not only that, but we also received a fairly detailed account of how both species would factor into the plot of the film and just how closely Prometheus was tied to the original Alien after all. These rumors gained even more credibility after an insider on the film’s set saw actors dressed in xenomorph costumes that matched the prior descriptions. It’s easy to see why Scott would want to keep these sort of details under wraps – but the truth is that all of the Alien-related information has actually been building a lot of positive buzz for Prometheus. According to CHUD, plot points aren’t the only thing Scott has been attempting to keep secret. They’ve received confirmation from several sources close to the production that Guy Pearce (Memento, The King’s Speech) has joined the already impressive cast of the film. Unfortunately, there’s no word on what role he’s playing. Pearce can definitely elevate the quality of any film in which he takes part – and the thought of him going toe-to-toe with the likes of Idris Elba and Michael Fassbender is pretty exciting. While the news hasn’t been officially confirmed, Pearce certainly is the type of actor that Scott could enlist. For as much as we think we may know about Prometheus, there’s still more that we don’t. That said, going into a film without previously picking-apart every morsel of information can be a good thing – especially in a modern cinema world where so many of the best moments in a film are spoiled in the trailer. Even though some things have leaked out, you have to admire Scott for at least trying to give his audiences a few surprises when Prometheus finally releases. Update: It’s official – The Playlist has received confirmation from Pearce’s reps that he has indeed joined the cast.

Khushamdeed to whosoever is reading this abstract, absurd lover of life who thrives on Sartre and Camus and their existentialism and has always wondered about his own existence and fundamentals of life which could be brought to books and be charged under laws of life. I am an actor, who in Camus’ words, “is an outsider and very favorably placed in the milieu of Hindi films. Now, I am writing this from the city of San Francisco in California, USA — a memoir of a city captured in two different lenses of magnification at two different times in life (circa 2008 and 2011) in a span of three years where life has grown in leaps and bounds. San Francisco is a city of revolution, evolution, flowers and music and an era gone by. A city with parabolic streets curving up and down on one another and the trams and cable cars, music, food, people and an island of Alcatraz, where prisoners were kept off bounds. ’Frisco is where the hippies’ time has a stamp-like impression as if on a postcard of America .It has the famous Haight-Ashbury street or the gay population of Castro where Harvey Milk camped and fought for his brothers like a fighter. This city had loads to offer me — an inadequate man with lots of principles was gifted the role of Mikhail in Kaminey. It catapulted me in the big league — from a hippie theatre actor to a film star. It all happened one night on a phone call from Frisco to Bombay after a night of drink-and-debauchery and the actor in me was greedy enough to know the results of screen tests of Kaminey. I had tested for the role and left for America for my shows of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by Tim Supple, one of the authors of my acting life. I was performing for a month in a swanky theatre on Geary Street where all the Broadway plays happened and lived on Sutter Street. Aapparently, I had been selected for the part but I was absconding with no way to be contacted. Casting director Honey Trehan was livid. Had I not made that call that windy night, I would have gone unnoticed by indian cinema. However, destiny had other plans. So, I am here again, revisiting this city under the arclights for a Bengali film directed by National award winner Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury and shot by ace lensman Ranjan Palit of Saat Khoon Maaf. The shadows of time are still written on the walls of Sutter Street where I used to walk down with noises in my head and Radiohead’s In Limbo playing on my iPod and Bloc Party’s Like A Glass. It was all written there and will be written and lines are gonna grow with time on not just the walls of San Francisco but Adelaide, Rome, Manchester, London, Perth, Venice, Verona, Chicago, New York, Sydney, New Castle, Toronto, Ottawa and many more cities which i visited then as a hippie with a ink in my hands and stains of a great life in celebration. The camera is still rolling and the script is still being written… I hope the actor in me never dies.

The Los Angeles indie animation event of the season takes place tomorrow, Saturday March 8th, at The Cinefamily. (An encore has been added for March 28th because tomorrow’s screening is sold out.) Animation Breakdown Roundup! is a collection of over two dozen shorts by seasoned indie stars (Vince Collins, Emily Hubley), current filmmakers (Kirsten Lepore, Takeshi Murata, Devin Flynn, Allison Schulnik, Galen Pehrson, Amy Lockhart, Matt & Paul Layzell, Garrett Davis, Charles Huettner, Caleb Wood, Alex Schubert) and next-wavers (Peter Millard, Sean Buckelew, Quique Rivera Rivera.) The program harks back to the pre-Internet glory days of touring animation festivals when the easiest way to see new cartoon shorts in the United States was with an audience at an independent cinema. The new Roundup! program is curated by Animation Breakdown director and programmer Alex McDonald and Nickelodeon’s director of animation development and former Yo Gabba Gabba! animation producer Kevin Sukho Lee. Cartoon Brew interviewed Alex and Kevin via email about their current and future plans for Animation Breakdown. Cartoon Brew: Break down Animation Breakdown, what is it? Alex McDonald: Animation Breakdown is an ongoing programming residency based out of The Cinefamily, LA’s popular, eclectic non-profit cinematheque. Animation is to me the purest, most magical form of cinema. I mean, it’s literally the art of making something inanimate move or conjuring something from nothing, and I think that makes it one of the most visceral and direct—regardless or perhaps because of its arduous process—forms of artistic expression. My initial pitch was to have a monthly showcase where the only parameters were that the films were animated and were great (which is of course a bit subject to my own taste and predilections as a programmer). Features, shorts, old, new, classic, experimental — I wanted it to be a place where Golden Age Fleischer cartoons would rub shoulders with Piotr Kamler’s Chronopolis and the latest David OReilly short. The general public so often has a predetermined notion of what animation is and I wanted to detonate that by showcasing the full breadth of the artform. Cinefamily got wholly on board, we dubbed the brand “Animation Breakdown” (a little tip of the hat to Zeppelin) and kicked it off with a super successful six-day festival in 2011. I’ve been lucky enough to program monthly events for an enthusiastic, loyal audience ever since. This show, “Animation Breakdown Roundup!” is ABD’s first all-original contemporary shorts festival, curated and commissioned over the past year by Kevin and I. Kevin Sukho Lee: My involvement in this show started with me pitching the idea to Alex of an event for mostly local animators to make films and get together to screen them for each other and an adventurous audience. My initial inspiration was Midsummer Night Toons in New York City, where every year filmmakers have a venue and a deadline they work towards on their own personal projects as if they were students working on their theses. I’d been following it from afar and it just seemed like a no-brainer to do something like that in LA with all the great animators and filmmakers here. My aim was to foster the growth of a community of filmmakers and filmgoers interested in personal, non-commercial animation, and most importantly do it at a physical venue to encourage people to interact. After a while we had amassed a lot of interested filmmakers, local and non-local (we may have gotten a little carried away!) but many didn’t have time to do something for the show, so this led to us offering to show films already released or about to be released, which led to us splitting the one show up into two: the original program of premiere ‘commissioned’ films which we’re calling “Free For All,” and the newer omnibus program of films we’re calling “Roundup.” The first edition of “Roundup” is this Saturday, March 8th. “Free For All” will happen in November’s Animation Breakdown Festival, as will a second edition of Roundup. Our hope is to do both programs annually thereafter. Cartoon Brew: Are there plans to tour the program beyond the Cinefamily screening tomorrow? Kevin: Alex has been really pushing for this and I hadn’t really thought of it at first, but the more we talked about it the more it made sense. We both didn’t grow up in LA or NY, so the idea of a show like this reaching smaller cities is motivation enough to try to tour this show. Alex: Yeah, I’m starting to look into the logistics of booking and touring the show. If you want it in your city (or country), let us know! It’s complicated, of course, because I want to make sure it’s financially viable — if it hits the road we need to be sure we can get some money to all the artists for their amazing work. Barring that, or maybe in addition, we were looking into doing some sort of V.O.D. type thing. Provided all the animators are into it, we want people all over to be able to see it together as one piece. Cartoon Brew: How do you convince an audience to attend a show like this against a competitor like the Internet, which provides a 24-hour on-demand animation festival. Kevin: While I very much love the Internet and all of its amazing and easily accessible content, I think the one critical thing it’s missing is the human, face-to-face interaction and reactions that comes with screenings and festivals. Just think of the difference between going to a physical university vs. taking online classes. Meeting other humans is in our DNA and doing it online is great but doing it in person is even better. It’s a whole other experience, and just plain more fun, watching films with an audience. And while you’re at our show, you can meet and have a beer with the filmmakers as well as other people with similar interests as yours. What more could you ask for as a fan? The other thing I’d point out with the Internet and this never-ending 24-hour stream of content is it’s not programmed because it isn’t an actual festival. Visiting Youtube or Vimeo and looking for something to watch is like walking into a never-ending library. It’s wonderful it exists, but it’s also daunting and most people are not programmers. I would argue most people want another human, not just an algorithm, to pick through tons of stuff for them and present them a selection rather than wade through everything themselves—like any DJ does at a club. Let us make a mix for you and maybe you’ll see things you’ve never heard of and didn’t expect, but end up discovering something you love and sticks with you the rest of your life? That’s what we’re offering with our programming. Cartoon Brew: You mentioned the ‘Free For All’ screening later this year. Can you talk more about that? Alex: Yes, yes. It’s true. We are finally, funding willing, bringing back the fully-blown Animation Breakdown Festival (ABD II) in November. It was meant to be annual but has been pretty tricky to pull off, financially. I admittedly have pretty lofty ambitions for the follow up. I mean, the first fest contained three sold-out shows with Don Hertzfeldt in person, a Polish animation retrospective with prints flown in from Europe, a Space Ghost: Coast to Coast cast and crew reunion, a sneak preview of Pixar’s La Luna with a making of presentation by Enrico Casarosa, an evening with Bruce Bickford, and an impromptu karaoke performance by Brad Neely (he tore the house down with George Michael’s “Father Figure”, for the record). That’s a hell of an act to follow! The U.S. doesn’t have an animation festival quite like this, and we want to step up and provide that. This first “Roundup!” on March 8th was initially meant to be a part of the festival, but we felt it was too good to sit on. We had commissioned a lot of works specifically for it and didn’t want the filmmakers to have to wait. I commissioned Emily Hubley’s new film back in 2012 when we thought the next fest would be right around the corner. She’s been patiently holding onto it ever since! It’ll finally get its world premiere on Saturday. Cartoon Brew: Talk about programming the screening. How did you find filmmakers and what was your criteria for selecting shorts? Kevin: It started with the filmmakers we wanted to approach and champion. It was their work that inspired us to do any of this in the first place. We didn’t set out to take submissions and say “no” to tons of filmmakers and be at the mercy of what gets submitted to our small venture. I suppose it’s lucrative to accept filmmakers’ money [editor’s note: many festivals charge a submission fee], but I’ve been on that side of things and it sucks, that rejection and the accumulating expense. We do want to emphasize that Roundup is not meant to be a comprehensive “best of 2013″ program. It’s just a very select program of films we like and want to shine a light on. Most of them are recent or brand new. In fact, we’re very proud and thankful that we have several films in our program that have not screened anywhere or posted online yet. For a first time show like this that isn’t part of an established festival, we’re offering a very unique opportunity for filmgoers in LA. Cartoon Brew: How does the Breakdown program differ from other omnibus-style animation programs that we’re familiar with, like ADHD, Spike & Mike, Animation Show, and Liquid TV? Alex: Well, admittedly we are taking cues from a lot of that stuff. When we initially started talking about the show we were lamenting the loss of touring programs like The International Tournee, The Animation Show or the original Spike & Mike fest. I think it’s a lot more like that. I grew up on that stuff, my library seemed to have the entire Expanded Entertainment VHS catalog, thank god. I think the distinction is that it’s riffing on that original Spike & Mike Festival of Animation rather than its Sick & Twisted iteration — which I think in its own way led to ADHD, Adult Swim and Liquid TV. We love all of that stuff too, of course, but those programs by their very nature curate things that are kind of all of a similar vibe. Those original fests were way more diverse. You’d have something intense, outrageous and hilarious right next to something meditative, beautiful and haunting. I like that feeling of not knowing where you’re going to get plopped down next. For me it makes for a much more rewarding trip. Kevin: Also, I feel like there are varying degrees of commercialism at work in those programs you list. Many of those are selling what I would consider product versus art. I’m a fan of all of them, so this is no knock on commercial work. I think I wouldn’t have the open mind for animation I have if it weren’t for Spike and Mike and Liquid TV. What we’re going for is personal filmmaking ultimately. That doesn’t mean everything is abstract and requires a degree to understand. On the contrary, it means filmmaking that is pure, from the heart, where the aim is not to impress a small academic audience, or make tons of money but to just do what you are personally driven to do for whatever high or low minded motivation you happen to have, and ultimately to just connect with other humans.

Studio film will also compete PARIS — Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s 20th Century Fox-backed “Moulin Rouge” will open the 54th annual Cannes Intl. Film Festival in competition, organizers said Tuesday.The Nicole Kidman/Ewan McGregor starrer, a musical set in the world of the infamous Paris nitery of its title, will be the first Cannes opener to compete for the Palme d’Or since Patrice Leconte’s “Ridicule” in 1996. Following reaction to early test screenings and the unspooling of a promo reel, Fox also announced Tuesday that it has moved the film’s U.S. release date up to a summer slot. Fox will platform “Moulin Rouge” in a single run each in New York and Los Angeles bowing May 18, followed by a national launch June 1. “I am particularly happy to welcome to Cannes a studio film that is in the finest show tradition to launch the festival,” fest chief Gilles Jacob said of “Moulin Rouge.” That a Hollywood film will open Cannes indicates that recent Stateside visits by fest’s new artistic director Thierry Fremaux have paid off. As part of a trio of toppers at the fest with new managing director Veronique Cayla and Jacob, Fremaux has been assigned the task of luring the quality mainstream fare that Hollywood sometimes is reluctant to hand over. Return to Cannes In Tuesday’s statement, Jacob pointed out that the fest “discovered” Luhrmann in 1992, when it presented the Australian director’s first film, “Strictly Ballroom.” That pic bowed in Un Certain Regard but was given a special screening thanks to great buzz. The $3 million film, which won the Prix de Jeunesse and was runner-up for the Camera d’Or in 1992, went on to earn nearly $30 million worldwide. The director followed that with “Romeo+Juliet” for Fox. Luhrmann said he had “marvelous memories” of his Cannes debut, and that he was “especially gratified that a film financed by the U.S., almost entirely created in Australia and about French history and culture should be chosen by Cannes. “I think the opening night of Cannes should be about heralding a new energy, and not just for the festival,” Luhrmann told Daily Variety. “I hope that night will mark the beginning of the return of musical cinema.” Although featuring modern tunes, “Moulin Rouge” is set in the legendary Paris cabaret at the turn of the 20th century. McGregor plays a writer, plunged into the decadent world of the nightclub, who falls in love with its most notorious star (Kidman). Pic also stars John Leguizamo (as Toulouse-Lautrec), Jim Broadbent and Richard Roxburgh. “We always knew Baz was creating something very special with ‘Moulin Rouge,’ ” said Robert Harper, vice chairman of 20th Century Fox. “But after seeing the film this month, we were completely blown away by what he’s done — and we’re thrilled that the Cannes Film Festival agrees.” Festival staff said Tuesday that the last Cannes opener to win anything at the fest was “The Victory Prize,” by Japan’s Nobulo Chibuya, which picked up best short film in 1964. Ironically, it was a knee injury sustained in “Moulin Rouge” that forced Kidman to pull out of David Fincher’s “The Panic Room” earlier this year. In turn, Jodie Foster stepped down as Cannes jury president to replace her. The fest then appointed Liv Ullmann as jury prexy. Follow @Variety on Twitter for breaking news, reviews and more

We continue your Friday night-party into the early hours, with back-to-back Party Classics until 4am. Non-stop Great Songs Just for Erewash taking you through the night David starts your weekend with Saturday breakfast, featuring local news and events, the latest showbiz news and the Saturday Soundtrack competition. Join Pete for a Saturday Challenge, two tracks from his Classic Album, forthcoming cinema releases and a look at upcoming events across the Erewash borough. One hour of Great Songs Just For Erewash completely non-stop as you eat your lunch. Bringing you the latest results from the borough and regional sporting fixtures, with Great Songs Just for Erewash throughout a Saturday afternoon. Steve Rawlings has the best music from across our local area in GEMS. If you want to get your material on the show then send it to him at [email protected] April starts your Saturday night with best in soul and disco music from 7pm until 9pm David Smedley plays Party Classics on a Saturday night to keep you in the weekend mood.

Judge Gordon Sullivan knows what evil lurks in the hearts of filmmakers. Our review of John Cassavetes: Five Films: Criterion Collection, published November 8th, 2004, is also available. "The film you have just seen was an improvisation." It's somewhat embarrassing to admit, but this DVD of Shadows is my first introduction to the work of John Cassavetes. I became interested in film during the heady days of Miramax's reign as the leader in American independent cinema. I traced the lineage of American independent cinema from Tarentino back through Jim Jarmusch in the '80s to directors like Scorcese in the '70s. Somehow, I never made it back to Cassavetes, the guy who most people consider the father of independent cinema in America. Although I'm a little late to the party, John Cassavetes' Shadows is a worthy entry into the American film canon, and this single-disc release by Criterion is an excellent way for fans old and new to appreciate his groundbreaking first film. Facts of the Case Although Cassavetes' film is more about character than plot, the story revolves around a trio of siblings: Ben (Ben Carruthers, The Dirty Dozen), Lelia (Lelia Goldini, Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore), and Hugh (Hugh Hurd, Mafioso. Although the three are African-American, both Ben and Lelia are "passing" as white. Ben is a trumpeter who spends his days with his friends, while Hugh hustles work as a blues singer introducing chorus girls. Meanwhile, Lelia is seduced by Tony (Anthony Ray, The True Story of Jesse James), who has some difficulties dealing with his discovery that Lelia isn't white. John Cassavetes is the kind of brilliant filmmaker who easily calls to mind other brilliant filmmakers. He's like Orson Welles because he used his Hollywood acting to fund his personal films. He's like Godard for making a daring, borderline anarchic debut film. He's like Howard Hawks for his willingness to spin yarns about his filmmaking, never letting the truth get in the way of a good story. But really, he's nothing like any of those other directors. What sets Cassavetes apart are his roots in the acting world. I know Welles was an actor before he made Citizen Kane, but he didn't have the fully formed theory of film acting that Cassavetes developed before embarking on Shadows. Fed up with film's insistence on technical perfection in lighting and focus, Cassavetes long to make films where the actors and their acting were just as important, if not more important, than any concerns of focus, lighting, or even overarching narrative. This concern is everywhere evident in Shadows. The film grew out of improvisations between the actors (even if the final dialogue was scripted), and Cassavetes stays with his characters. The scenes don't feel like scenes, but actual moments seen or overheard in the street. Cassavetes doesn't just stay with his characters in terms of story; he uses his 16mm camera to go places that traditional 35mm film cameras couldn't go. This lends a fluidity to the cinematography which still seems fresh today, despite the ubiquity of the moving camera. Even more impressive is the fact that these photographic techniques do not feel at all pretentious or showy, but merely stand as the best way to present the characters in the film. And what characters. They sound like caricatures or stereotypes: the black blues singer, the hip jazz trumpeter, and the innocent young girl. However, the situations they find themselves in, like an interracial relationship, and their reactions to those situations, are anything but stereotypical. It's a brave film that deals subtly with a number of difficult social situations without preaching or simplifying any of the difficult situations. In 2004, Criterion released a box set of five Cassavetes films with numerous supplements, including a 2001 documentary on Cassavetes, A Constant Forge. It was perfect for the discerning Cassavetes fan, offering informative extras and excellent audiovisual presentations. However, for the casual fan, or the newcomer, the set was a bit overwhelming, making it difficult to enter Cassavetes' world because of the price and the sheer amount of material being offered. Criterion has since decided to release those five films separately, just as they were in the box set. Shadows is one of those films. Shadows looks and sounds as good as you can expect from a low-budget 16mm film being released on DVD on its fiftieth anniversary. The video is a little grainy, sometimes shifts in contrast, and the print is not quite pristine, with scratches and dirt on occasion. However, all these elements add rather than detract from the film's gritty feel. The audio is far from pristine as well, but I had no problem discerning dialogue, while the film's jazz-inflected score stood out. Extras on this disc are fairly extensive. We get video interviews with both Lelia Goldoni and Seymour Cassel. Both share their insights and recollections about the making of this groundbreaking film. There is also some silent 16mm footage of the acting workshop that Burt Lane started with John Cassavetes. It was from this workshop that Cassavetes drew the actors for Shadows. There is also a restoration demonstration that shows how far the film has come, as well as a stills gallery featuring production shots. Finally, the disc ends with the film's trailer. As usual, Criterion has provided a pair of essays in the booklet for this DVD. The first is a critical appreciation by Gary Giddins, and the second an article by Cassavetes himself. The Rebuttal Witnesses I suspect that Shadows is a polarizing film. Many will certainly be turned off by the improvisatory nature of the actors and the lack of narrative drive. Cassavetes makes the kind of films that are best rented first because they are so strong they might turn the viewer off. As for the DVD itself, both essays included in the booklet mention an alternate version of Shadows first screened in 1957. A Cassavetes scholar claims to have found a long-lost print of that first version (a fact Cassavetes widow, Gena Rowlands, denies). Whether the new print is merely a work in progress, or the original version of Shadows, the inclusion of that version would have made this disc a true standout for film fans, scholars, and historians. Even if the print turns out to be an elaborate ruse, including some information about the stunt would only add to the legacy of this rich film. As it is, this disc feels a little incomplete without more discussion and presentation of that earlier version. Shadows is an obviously influential bit of American cinema and should probably be sought out by anyone with an appreciation for independent filmmaking. Those who already have the Five Films box set have no reason to buy this single-disc version of the film, but those looking to get their toes wet in the waters of John Cassavetes are urged to seek it out immediately. For its unflinching depiction of life, Shadows is not guilty. Give us your feedback! What's "fair"? Whether positive or negative, our reviews should be unbiased, informative, and critique the material on its own merits. Scales of Justice Review content copyright © 2009 Gordon Sullivan; Site design and review layout copyright © 2014 Verdict Partners LLC. All rights reserved.

The Hitchcock/Truffaut Tapes #11 Call me a skeptic, but Alfred Hitchcock's rationale, the one he would admit to, for directing a textbook Screwball Comedy by Norman Krasna entitled Mr. and Mrs. Smith has always struck me as extremely dubious. To hear him tell it in Part Eleven of The Hitchcock/Truffaut Tapes, it was all the doing of Carole Lombard. She simply asked him to direct a film for her and . . . in what Hitchcock calls "a weak moment" . . . he did it. Just like that. While Hitchcock had far greater respect for actors than he ever let on (a self-constructed myth discussed in this excerpt), it's hard to imagine an artist of his single-mindedness directing anything at the request of an actor or a producer or . . . anyone; absent some form of contractual obligation. George Cukor? Sure. Hawks? Hmmm. Maybe. Hitchcock?? It doesn't wash. Barring a barefoot run through RKO Production records, I'm left to surmise his true intent for taking on the project. To me his participation in Mr. and Mrs. Smith had more to do with re-establishing in Hollywood what had always been a crucial part of his filmmaking in Britain, now that it looked as though he was over here for good. During the 20s and 30s, Hitchcock was usually able to weave his creative identity out of the Suspense pieces he'd achieved great success with and take up different narrative forms almost at will. Sometimes the results were utterly disastrous (Waltzes from Vienna, for instance; which was a failure on every level), but more often (the sublime Rich and Strange, or vastly underestimated works such as Juno and the Paycock, The Manxman, The Skin Game, The Farmer's Wife and Easy Virtue) they were anything but. What's more, the commercial Thrillers that heralded the dawn of his world-wide recognition were generally suffused with elements (mostly comic, but not always) that had little to do with that form as audiences knew it, then or now. He was, in short, a much more adroit and varied filmmaker in England . . . . this is not, necessarily, to say that he was a better one (which I don't believe) . . . than he was ever permitted to be in the US. Why the leash? It was mainly institutional. America's film industry was structured in such a way as to deter, as much as possible, any impulse toward creative risk. It was a counter-impulse rather than a mechanized function. If a certain director . . . even a relatively autonomous director like Cecil B. DeMille, let's say . . . had a firmly established commercial track record with a specific kind of motion picture, then those with an overdeveloped sense of duty to the stockholders saw no point in encouraging said director to try their hand at anything else. Which is not to say that every filmmaker worthy of our attention didn't attempt to wrest themselves from the niches they themselves had created (such struggles are nothing less than the history of American Cinema), its simply that the economics of the industry weren't geared toward versatility then. They aren't now, either. In the case of Alfred Hitchcock, he tried several times in his Hollywood career to reclaim some measure of this long-ago versatility, but he could only succeed insofar as he buried it within his commercially-proven Suspense model. On those rare occasions when he boldly tried something different (though one might argue that the basic elements, as it were, of his ebullient black-comedy pastorale, 1955's The Trouble With Harry were in his work all along) he was met with the uncomprehending stares of a nation. After this intriguing opening, marked as it is by a rather odd tirade about stage actors and 'New York' writers who work in the film industry solely for financial inducements, the excerpt moves into a discussion of Joan Fontaine and his 1941 film Suspicion that . . . save for an entertaining (if not altogether believeable) anecdote about that film's momentary fate at the hands of Sol Lesser when he ran RKO Pictures for a half-hour . . . is sheer Snoresville.

wow! with warpaint, sleigh bells, yeasayer, girl talk, z-trip, hot chip, black lips and the rapture, this may be one cruise i can make an exception for! Entries Tagged as 'girl talk' July 18th, 2012 No Comments August 6th, 2011 No Comments Friday Lollapalooza popped off a little late in my world; that’s what happens when you have a final exam to polish off in the morning, hmph. Hitting up the press area by late afternoon, Pete Wentz was already busy doing multiple interviews and the tent was buzzing with the likes of MTV, FUSE, RIAA, VH1, [...] Tags: Belvedere · chicago · christina m. felice · crystal castles · girl talk · Jamie Delaney · lolla · lollapalooza · lollapalooza 2011 · mark hunter · pizza! · the cobra snake · the cobrasnake · two door cinema club · W Chicago City Center August 4th, 2011 No Comments Lollapalooza 2011 from Lollapalooza on Vimeo. my lolla, how far you’ve come. my first show was summer of ’93 in outside-boston massachusetts; i remember painting “rage against the machine” down my arm (um, still have the photos) and watching alice in chains and tool from the crowd (much smaller back then). so thrilled to start [...] Tags: alice in chains · atmosphere · beirut · best coast · black lips · Bright Eyes · cee lo · chicago · cold war kids · crystal castles · Damian Marley · Eminem · Explosions in the Sky · friendly fires · girl talk · kid cudi · lolla · lollapalooza · lollapalooza 2011 · Mayer Hawthorne · Nas · perry farrell · Rage Against the Machine · Ratatat · Sam Adams · Switch · the cool kids · The Kills · tool · White Lies March 1st, 2011 No Comments rumors are ripening about the lineup for lolla 2011; who wants to bet eminem, foo fighters and muse will all be headlining? other acts whispered about: best coast, girl talk, crystal castles and lykke li thank this guy.

Pioneer Elite Pro-610HD What Is ItThe Elite range of rear projection TVs (RPTV) is Pioneer's top of line the displays. There are three models, of varying sizes, and I have the middle one, the 610HD which has a diagonal screen size of about 58". The others are the 710HD (64") and 510HD (53"). The Device ItselfThis is a huge TV, not just the screen but the whole thing (it weighs 311 pounds and measures 54x26x53 unpacked). It only just fits in doorways, if you have any stairs it needs to go up, measure things carefully before delivery. Once unpacked, it looks glorious. Its got a classy black shiny finish (called urushi apparently) like other Elite equipment, and its on wheels so you can easily move it (once you've managed to get it into the right room). The back has three separate inputs and there is an additional input on the front, but not all inputs can be all types: Screen ModesThe TV has five screen modes, and it takes some getting used to before you select the right one for the right source information. I get a certain level of 'spousal feedback' when at the start of every movie I madly switch modes until I find the right one. Regular TV (antenna A)The TV has two antenna inputs, one of which I have tried. I get pretty good OTA reception (I should do, I can easily see the transmitters from any room in the house), but we never watch actual TV on this (we watch via the TiVo). There are a bunch of trick modes for TV watching, such as split screen (two full pictures side-by-side), Freeze (makes the right side have a frozen copy of the image while the live image continues on the left) and Search (which lets you see 3 or 9 additional channels in the right hand pane). They are good to show the set off, but we never use any of them. If you watched regular TV on one of these they would probably be useful. The Elite has an outstanding line doubler, so can take low resolution images such as OTA and make them look respectible on such a large screen. Of course it can't work miracles with low quality signals such as your average cable or OTA signal... VCR via Composite Video (input #2)The VCR is the only device that is used to generate the lowly composite video signal, and the Elite does a good job, given the source material. I enjoyed watching the Dune mini-series which had been TiVo-ed then archived to tape, then watched in Cinema mode as it was widescreen. 4:3 tapes are watched in either Natural or Zoom modes. TiVo via S-Video (input #2)The TiVo's best output is s-video and we occasionally watch it on the Elite (though to be honest most TiVo watching is upstairs on the regular TV. The line doubler does a really good job with a clear s-video input. TiVo is watched in either Natural or Zoom modes. Input #2 has both composite and s-video connections to it and automatically uses the right one. DVD via Component Inputs (input #1)I connect my DVD to the Elite via a 15' Monster component video lead. This was the most expensive cable I have ever bought, but it is probably the most important - slight improvements in video quality are more noticable to me than the same for audio. As I required quite a substantial length to get from the system rack to the TV I wanted to make sure I didn't lose any signal on the way. The Elite has 3/2 pulldown in its line doubler, which means it does a great job of converting film (which is usually 24 frames/second) from DVDs into the best rate for the display (which is 30 frames/second). What this translates to is crystal clear pictures from anamorphic DVDs in particular. For anamorphic DVDs we use Full, for non-anamorphic widescreen DVDs we use Cinema and for the occasional 4:3 DVD we use Natural or Zoom modes. A progressive-scan DVD player (such as the new Sony) should give even higher quality pictures, although the difference won't be as marked as it is with lesser TVs due to the high quality of the built-in line doubler. HDTV via VGA (input #3)On the back is a slot for Pioneers own HDTV decoder, the SH-D09. This is a now-obsolete first generation off-air HDTV decoder, with a retail price of several thousand dollars. No sane person should pay more than $200 for this now that integrated OTA/Satellite HDTV decoders are now available for less than $600. I really hope Pioneer do produce an updated decoder that can do satellite and that costs sensible money as the full integration would be great - one less remote and a much simpler user experience. As I am not insane enough to buy said Pioneer decoder, I waited and waited for the Mitsubishi OTA/Satellite decoder, and also the Sony one, and the Panasonic too. All of them were delayed numerous times during the latter half of 2000, so I gave up waiting for all of them and bought a RCA DTC100 which had the advantage of actually existing. [Only the Panasonic has been sighted in the flesh even by the time of writing - Feb 1, 2001]. I got a 15' VGA cable from a local supplier, connected it to input #3 on the Elite and, well, nothing happened - no picture. It took a bit of head scratching before I realized there was a tiny switch on the back of the TV that determined if input #3 was S-video or VGA, so I flipped it and got my first taste of HDTV. If you've never seen HDTV, run now to your local dealer and check it out. It is massively clearer than anything you've seen. I checked out the four local stations who bother to broadcast in HD and most have some kind of demo loop they run, which looks awesome. Sadly few of them have any actual programming in HDTV, though some do broadcast their local news in 16:9 HD. The CBS franchise is the only one making any kind of effort at this point in time. Anyhow, the HDTV picture is amazing. I got a DirecTV Plus dish installed so I can also get the meagre HDTV signals from that (currently one HBO channel that seldom broadcasts in HD and one HBO PPV channel the contents of which are amazingly hard to discover in advance). The TV has a detachable protective screen, which slightly reduces the picture quality and increases glare. For optimal viewing you can remove it, but if I did the dog would destroy the expensive screen pretty quickly. The glare isn't an issue for me as the media room is totally window-less anyway. All HD viewing is in Full mode, the TV won't let you change it to anything else. This can be a problem as some HDTV broadcasts are 4:3 (sometimes upconverted) so you get black bars on the sides (black, not grey), which could burn in. If you could change modes to one of the others this problem would be averted. The TV can accept 1080i, 480i and 480p signals, but not 720p. This isn't a problem today, but it looks like the next generation DVD system will generate 720p signals so in a few years this might be an issue. Screen BurnThe instructions state "continous operation for extended periods in 4:3 normal mode may burn out the screen" and also "we do not recommend the use of this monitor for video games, still pictures, or computers due to the potential damage to the CRTs". These statements have made me quite paranoid about watching in 4:3 mode, playing video games, and accidentally leaving a freeze frame up from a DVD. I don't know how easy it is to damage the CRTs, but I really don't want to find out. RemoteThe remote is great for controlling the TV, and its best feature is that is is backlit, my only remote that has this. You can also configure it to control some of your other devices, but the list is pretty limited, and you can teach it codes for a few of the buttons, but not many. I programmed it to control my RCA satellite receiver but I still had to manually teach it several of the keys (e.g. Enter and Info). I did also manage to teach it how to control the volume on the Sony receiver. The remote allows access to a bewildering array of screen setup options including convergence and color control for each input. After spending some time with the Avia DVD I really couldn't tell if I improved anything, so I left it on the general Film setting. The TV has a Pioneer SR Remote socket which you can plug into other Pioneer equipment, but I have nothing to connect. As the IR receiver is the entire screen itself, it isn't possible to stick an IR transmitter anywhere, so controlling this TV from anything other than the remote seems pretty hard. For this kind of money it should have an IR socket and/or an RS232 connector for easy external control. I could then plug it directly into the Slink-e or the PC. SoundThe TV has speakers, and you can use them as a center speaker if you like. I don't use the TV speakers at all, so can't really say much about them. I use the speakers connected to my receiver and sit my center speaker on top of the TV. Additional InfoSupplier: Magnolia HiFi ControlAV is a trademark of Andy Pennell.

Over the many years I have served in pastoral ministry, I have grown to understand that the ‘weekly´ article has many functions. Its purposes are varied, depending on what needs to be communicated to the members and friends of the congregation. Sometimes, the article is ‘inspirational.´ Sometimes the focus is ‘encouragement.´ Once in a while, the content is ‘correctional´ – when some dynamic of the congregation is out of balance. There are times when the focus is ‘visionary´ – in an attempt to rally the people around congregational goals and objectives. Yet – most of the time, the article is informational. Pastors need a forum where important information can be disseminated for hopefully, the greater good of the community of faith. In my former congregation, I held a "Pastor´s Forum" four times a year that resembled a ‘state of the church´ ideology that was interactive and people could ask whatever questions they had and I could address issues that I thought were important. This week´s article is more of a ‘state of the church´ focus. Several administrative groups know that Annette Erbes has submitted her resignation from the Director of Children´s Ministry position. Annette´s husband, Mark, is a United Methodist pastor and has been re-appointed to be pastor of the Holt United Methodist Church on the Lansing District. Mark and Annette have served at Lake Harbor United Methodist Church since 2007. Annette has commuted from Muskegon for two years to work admirably on our staff. (It is too far to commute from Holt!!) Annette has brought a passion for children´s ministry and gifts for administration, planning and recruitment. She is a ‘team player´ and we will miss her. She will be with us until June and committed to work with us through the transition to hopefully help to train a new person. Children´s ministry experts are difficult to find, but we will be opening the search sometime in April. We will miss Annette and her expertise and passion – but we understand United Methodist ministry. We wish the very best to the Erbes family as they make this transition to Holt over the next few months. We pray God´s blessing upon them as they end one chapter of their lives and prepare for another. Our congregation will have an opportunity to celebrate Annette´s time with us and to express our appreciation. One of the by-products of our study of the ‘Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations´ is that we are in the process of re-organizing our ministry focus areas into Hospitality … Worship … Faith Development … Mission and Outreach … and Generosity (or the stewardship of time, talents and treasures). ALL of the ministry areas need improvement and casting a new vision for what we will be doing as a congregation over the next 3 to 5 years. Four of the five areas … are doing fairly well – because we have established ministries with organizational support. Worship, Faith Development, Mission and Outreach, and Generosity – are moving forward with new energy and passion. They are thinking creatively about possibilities … the fruit of which will be forthcoming by some new innovative programming for the fall. But HOSPITALITY is our most important addition to our ministry paradigm. We need to systematically and organizationally birth a way to invite, welcome and engage guests, constituents and members into our congregation. We have several ingredients for Hospitality in place – LIKE: Patsy´s position in Invitational Ministry … and Greeters … Ushers … Fellowship Committee … Refreshments after worship … etc. But we do not have a designated team for the creative development of a comprehensive ministry of hospitality. We need that. So if you believe that hospitality is one of your gifts, please let us (any member of the staff) know. We will begin to work in that direction SOON. Thanks for your faithfulness – and see you Sunday. Table of Contents MARK YOUR CALENDAR: • March 19, 9:00 am — Caring Connection • March 21, 7:00 am — Men´s Lenten Breakfast • March 24, 3:00 - 7:00 pm — Blood Drive • March 23, 4:30 - 7:30 pm — Jr & Sr High Youth at Sky Zone • March 28-29 — Women´s Retreat • March 30, 12:30 pm — Imagine No Malaria Movie: "Mary Martha" • April 2, 6:00 pm — Taizé Sung Prayer Service • April 3, 9:00 am — Prayer Quilts • April 4, 7:00 am — Men´s Lenten Breakfast • April 11, 7:00 am — Men´s Lenten Breakfast • April 13, 9:15 am ONLY — Palm Sunday Processional • April 13,10:15 am and 12:00 pm — Palm Sunday Brunch • April 16, 9:00 am — Caring Connection • April 17, 6:15 pm — Maundy Thursday Communion Service • April 18, 7:00 am — Men´s Lenten Breakfast • April 18, 7:00 pm — Good Friday Service • April 19, 9:00 am — Feeding America Distribution at Cesar Chavez • April 20, 9:15 and 11:00 am — Easter Sunday • April 21, 12:00 pm — 60+ Luncheon • April 27 — 2nd Best Sale Drop-Off Begins • April 28, 7:00 pm — Leadership Council Meeting • May 1, 9:00 am — Prayer Quilts • May 3 — 2nd Best Sale • May 17, 9:00 am — Feeding America Distribution at Cesar Chavez • May 19, 12:00 pm — 60+ Luncheon • May 21, 9:00 am — Caring Connection • June 1 — Teacher Appreciation Sunday Table of Contents Sunday Schedule: Children & Youth • Infant Nursery — 0-23 months Room 107 • Toddler Nursery — 2 yr. olds - young 3´s Room 106 • Children & Worship (toilet trained) — Older 3´s – Pre K Room 204/201 9:15 AM: Faith Travelers, Junior High, and Senior High begin in worship with their families and are then dismissed to their classes. (Children of all ages are welcome to remain in worship if their families so desire.) • Faith Travelers — K-6th grade Church 3rd Floor • Junior High — 7-8th grade The Vine South • Senior High — 9-12th grade The Vine North • Infant Nursery — 0-23 months Room 107 • Toddler Nursery — 2-3 years Room 106 • One Room Schoolhouse — 4 years-Grade 2 Room 202 (One Room Schoolhouse children begin in worship with their parents. Following the Children´s Moments, they are dismissed to class.) **Worship bags and Children´s Pages are available in the narthex with activities that allow for children to participate in worship at their own level.** Please contact Annette Erbes at 451.2879 or [email protected] with any questions. Table of Contents NEWS AND EVENTS FAITH TRAVELERS MISSION OFFERING The K-4 Faith Travelers church school classes have selected Family Promise of Grand Rapids as their mission offering focus for February through May! The goal is to raise $100 for new toys for our Family Promise guests. Monetary offerings can be brought to any Faith Travelers class; all donations are optional. Any questions? Please contact Annette Erbes, Director of Children´s Ministry, at 616.451.2879. Did you know that…1,800 children have been supported by Family Promise and that 90% of families have found a new home?! KIDS´ CLUB: FIVE WORTH FIGHTING FOR! Children in grades 3-6 are invited to explore the Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations in their own way this spring! Kids´ Club will discover that these practices are Five Worth Fighting For! Kids will learn about the five practices through activities and games such as prayer stations, a game of trust, crossing a river of bubbling lava, a scavenger hunt, and game of Sardines! Join Ken and Emily Mol in Wesley Hall, bring $2 for dinner, on the following Sundays from 5:00 – 7:00 pm for Five Worth Fighting For: • March 23 Extreme Generosity • April 6 Radical Hospitality CALLING ALL K-6 FAITH TRAVELERS This month the students have been learning a song with teacher Pete Muszkiewicz about the Great Commandment. Students will sing in worship Sunday, March 23, at the beginning of the 9:15 am worship service. We hope all students can come join in the singing! WOMEN´S RETREAT Inviting Mary into our Martha Lives - Seeking Attentiveness Even in Chaos March 28, 4:00 pm – March 29, 4:00 pm at Geneva Retreat Center (Holland, MI). Cost $75.00 per person. Martha is worried and distracted by many things. Jesus reminds her there is need of only one thing and that Mary has chosen this better part. Is it possible for Martha to know what Mary knows? Join us as we discover the gift of attentiveness while seeking to live faithful lives. Reserve your spot by sending a check to Sharon Sorensen by March 19. THE CELEBRATION COMMITTEE is pleased to announce the Congregation´s Choice award for 2014. The watercolor, "In Touch with the Elders of Chartres" by Alan Adsmond, will hang in Wesley Hall for all to enjoy. THE MARTIN LUTHER KING LEADERSHIP ACADEMY FITNESS PATH project has passed through all the proper committees and approvals within Grand Rapids Public Schools. We hope the snow clears soon, allowing construction during the month of April ! Thank you to all supporters who contributed to this cause over the past year. We so appreciate being able to provide this means for our families to work on fitness. Half of the current playground will be fenced off during the construction process, which will limit the play space for the children. We hope to have students focus on basketball, Four Square, and jump roping. It would be nice to provide the teachers with equipment to help the kids focus on these activities. Any donations of basketballs, playground balls and jump ropes, for single or double dutch would be greatly appreciated. They may be left in the collection room MLK bins off the north lobby. SOCIAL CONCERNS DONATIONS For the month of March the pantry is in need of soap, body wash, shampoo, and peanut butter and jelly. Please drop off your items in the north lobby donation room. ROAD TRIPS The Road Trips for 2014 are now set! Save the following dates: May 7th - Jackson, Michigan - historical tour, lunch and Armory Arts Village. June 18th - Detroit Tigers vs KC Royals! July 24th - Marshall, Michigan - historical tour, lunch at Schuler´s and a musical at Tibbits. Sept 18-20 - Pennsylvania - includes a dinner cruise in Pittsburgh, Flight 93 National Memorial, Quecreek Mine, Duncan House, Duquesne Incline, and Heinz Memorial Chapel. Details and reservation forms are available in the north lobby and online at www.grandrapidsfumc.org/road-trips! SAVE THE DATE! Sunday, June 1 is Teacher Appreciation Sunday. FAMILY PROMISE WEEK FAST APPROACHING When we hear the term "homeless," most of us don´t think of children and families, and yet they are the fastest growing segment of this population. FUMC will be hosting Family Promise the week of April 6 - 13. During this time, our church becomes a temporary "home" in which families are treated as guests of our church family. By volunteering you can help alleviate the hurt and alienation of homelessness, and both volunteers and guests can grow and learn from each other. You may sign up through the Sunday bulletin insert, online at www.grandrapidsfumc.org/sign-up-sheet. IPADS FOR MLK – A CHALLENGE FROM THE LEGACY MINISTRY A request came to Legacy Ministry for the purchase of 15 iPads, one for each tutoring station at the Martin Luther King Leadership Academy - FUMC Tutoring Center. The request includes the purchase of educational apps, and equipment that will appropriately provide security against theft. According to Jer Hon-Hawkins, iPads would "expose our students to current technology so they will be competitive learners in the future." The estimated cost for this project is $9,500. Legacy does not have the full amount available for this request, therefore, they would like to challenge the congregation. Legacy Ministry will match up to $5,000 for funds received by March 26. If you are willing to help with this project, please specify iPads for MLK on your giving envelope. Thank you for all you do to help with the vital ministries of our church! IMAGINE NO MALARIA Mark your calendar now to attend a screening of the inspirational movie Mary and Martha starring Hilary Swank and Brenda Blethyn on Sunday, March 30 at First Church in Wesley Hall. This story focuses on two women who forge a deep friendship and embark on an epic journey of self-discovery to Africa, dedicating themselves to the cause of malaria prevention. The movie Frozen will be shown to children at the same time in room 304. A simple lunch will be served immediately following the 11 am worship service followed by the movie screenings at 1 pm. A free will offering will be taken to benefit Imagine No Malaria. MISSION UPDATE: CUBA Cuba team t-shirts (designed by Barb Moser) will be for sale after each of the services through March 30. Cost will be $15 each. We are still in need of children and adult over the counter medicines to treat headaches, fevers, arthritis, diarrhea, upset stomach, acid reflux, etc. Also, the ladies of the church love to crochet, but crochet hooks are very hard to come by in Cuba, so donations of crochet hooks would be appreciated. Please drop items off in the north lobby office. THE ANNUAL SWEETHEARTS LUNCHEON will be held at 12:00 pm on Wednesday, April 2 in Wesley Hall. All women of the church age 65 and over are welcome to attend this event sponsored by the Legacy Ministry. This year´s entertainment is provided by Dale & Gail Ziegler and their keyboard capers. The lunch will include a mixed greens salad, chicken breast, wild rice, vegetable, fresh baked breads, and dessert. For reservations, please use the Sunday sign-up sheet or contact Sharon Sorensen at 451-2879 or [email protected]. FATHER/CHILD CAMP Attention dads (grandpas and uncles, too)! Spend Father´s Day weekend (June 13-15) at Lake Michigan United Methodist Camp in Pentwater! Picture you and your kids sitting around a campfire, enjoying the beach, hiking the many trails - all while spending time with God and some of your church family! Platform tents, as well as spots for your own tents and campers, are available. Site rental is $28 per night. Food is $20 for Dad and $15 per child with a max amount of $50 per family. Please contact Jason Smith at 262.7151 or [email protected]. Make sure to ask about the "buy one, get one night free" offer for first timers! Table of Contents FIRST CHURCH FAMILY CONCERNS Concerns & Prayers for: • Lynne Beals • Lynn DeMoss (Butterworth) • Steve Hayes (outpatient surgery 3/18) • Ken McCaw • Julie and Mike Obrecht (Cape Coral Hospital) • Fran Sherman (surgery 3/20) • Shannon Smith • Jan Taylor • Ubuntu Center at Africa University (five members of our congregation who are in Zimbabwe for the dedication of the center) • Chris Bolhouse • Scott Grifhorst • Stephan Mathos • Jesse Mounts • Trevor Norton • Shawn Seher • Peter Taylor, Jr The love and prayers of the congregation are extended to Roland and Fran Sherman and family on the death of Roland´s brother, Richard Sherman, on March 11th; and to Sally Grove and family on the death of her brother-in-law also on March 11th. Table of Contents ||WEEKLY PULSE: Click the link to download a PDF version of the Weekly Pulse. 9:15 and 11:00 am Sunday, March 23 "A Fruitful Congregation is: Focused on Faith Development" Rev. Letisha Bowman Table of Contents Have you stopped to think about what we´ve been through over the past twelve months at First Church? It has indeed been a tumultuous year! First, we learned of the departure of our long time Senior Pastor - Gary Haller. Although this is a common occurrence in United Methodism, it is always a time of some upheaval and uncertainty. It is not unusual for some folks to adopt a "wait and see" approach to the new pastor - which can impact attendance, involvement, and giving. Second, we embarked on a major capital campaign with the Tower Project that caused major disruption to our church building, the creation of temporary parking and traffic problems, and caused our church to appear to be a very uninviting place for several months. Not a very enticing place for prospective visitors! Finally, we entered into a "winter for the ages"! Far too much snow and too many dangerous driving days affected church attendance over the past several months. Fortunately, all of this is behind us. Spring is coming (really!!). The Tower Project is complete except for final spring clean-up. And we have joyfully embraced Pastor Bob Hundley as he brings abundant fresh energy and ideas to First Church. Indeed, we are reawakening! We are lucky that we have remained a vibrant and active congregation - even in the midst of these events. However, our giving and attendance have dropped off a bit. I hope we all can be inspired by the warm sunny days that are starting to occur to re-dedicate ourselves to the ministry of First Church. Let us rejoice at being a part of a wonderful church as we commit ourselves once again to our vows of service, presence and giving. Take this time also to make sure your giving is current as we continue our vital ministries. There is much to be done…let´s get busy. Chris Hawkins, Finance Committee Table of Contents TRANSPORTATION NEED We have two people who would like a ride from Porter Hills (3600 East Fulton St) to the 11:00 am worship service on Sunday mornings and then back home. If you are able to help with this transportation need, please contact Marj Timmerman at 901-9224 or [email protected]. MEALS NEEDED Meals are needed for Lynne Beals who is undergoing chemo and for the Siegel Family who has a new baby. If you are able to help, please sign up at www.grandrapidsfumc.org/meals or contact Marj at 901.9224 or [email protected]. BLOOD DRIVE Our next Blood Drive is Monday, March 24 from 3:00 - 7:00 pm in Wesley Hall. Michigan Blood is running a special promotion for March. Sign in to donate and you could win one of 4 prizes: 4 tickets to a Griffins game, 4 tickets to Celebration Cinema, 4 passes for the Children´s Museum or 4 passes to Meijer Gardens PLUS you may be saving someone´s life! Sign up for a time or to provide cookies by using the Sunday sign-up sheet or contact Marj at 451.2879 or [email protected]. ADULT SUNDAY CLASS: CHRISTIAN PERSPECTIVES ON THE JUSTICE SYSTEM A class featuring speakers and videos. Classes are Sundays through March 23 at 9:30 am in room 3107, led by Ruth Chisnall. This class will attempt to give new understanding to the issues faced by the State of Michigan in making the justice system more equitable. We will have a Circle of Support guest on March 23. Please join us to find ways you may be able to help the justice system become more equitable. MEN´S LENTEN BREAKFASTS 2014 Why First Church Is My Church" Join us Friday mornings at 7:00 am in Wesley Hall. Breakfast each week will be prepared by our resident culinary artist, Jeff Gooder. We will sing together with Norm Bradley leading us and Pastor Bob will share a scripture and spend some time in prayer each week. Sign up using the Sunday bulletin insert or online at www.grandrapidsfumc.org/sign-up-sheet. The speakers are the following: • March 21 Dr. Iain Charnley – Iain is a physician who is involved in many ministries throughout the congregation, serving as Missions Chair, engaged in Young Adult Ministry, and sings in the choir. • March 28 Richard Johnson – Richard is a retired photography businessman who specialized in portraits. He developed a passion for outreach ministry and is on staff of First Church, leading our Work Program ministry. • April 4 Dr. Dale Williams – Dale is a retired physician who has developed an incredible foundation, Koinonia, which provides bright, safe, versatile solar-powered lanterns and panels to the developing world. • April 11 Ed Edwardson – spent his career in law enforcement administration and teaches at Grand Valley. Ed has been significantly involved in raising funds and developing the vision for the Ubuntu Center at Africa University. He will celebrate with us the role First Church played in this important ministry. • April 18 Dan Miller – will share with us on Good Friday morning. Dan is the Chair of the Leadership Council and was a leader in the ‘tower project.´ Dan is a financial planner and serves in management in his firm. FIRST AID STATION CHURCH ASSISTANCE PROGRAM Call the CAP Hotline at 455.6210. They will answer the phone 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and will set you up to meet with a trained counselor. The first two one-hour sessions will be at no charge to you by telling them you are a member or friend of First Church! So don´t wait any longer – call today! Table of Contents Saturday, March 15 Jazz Vespers ........35 Sunday, March 16 Worship 9:15 am ........135 Worship 11:00 am ........248 Church School ........128 Evening Activities ........54 Table of Contents

Dum Maaro Dum managed a decent opening weekend net of Rs. 16.5 crores in India. Zokkomon failed to get a flying start. In spite of the IPL frenzy, Dum Maaro Dum has managed to get a decent opening weekend net of Rs. 16.5 crores in India. The weekend breakup is as follows: Thu (previews) - Rs 0.8 cr, Fri - Rs 5.4 cr, Sat - Rs 4.7 cr, Sun - Rs 5.6 cr. Even in the international market, the film garnered Rs. 6.3 crores. The film has registered a worldwide gross of Rs 29.8 crores. The business was clearly better in multiplexes over single screens for the film's stylized treatment. Interestingly Dum Maaro Dum claims to be the third biggest opening for a Bollywood film in 2011, after Yamla Pagla Deewana and Thank You . Also it is Abhishek Bachchan's third biggest opener after Dhoom 2 and Dostana . With regards to the word of mouth, research has shown that Dum Maaro Dum has recorded the 4th highest score compared to films that have released Dabbang onwards. What's more interesting is the fact that South actor Rana Daggubatti's presence has made Dum Maaro Dum the biggest opener in South India for any Hindi film in 2011. "The film has already recovered its cost of production of Rs 22 crores in the first weekend from theatrical (domestic and International), music (including overflows) and satellite. Propelled by positive reviews and supported by great word of mouth we hope to have a long run at the box office aided by no big release in the forthcoming weeks", says Vijay Singh, CEO, Fox Star Studios. The other release of the week Zokkomon had a very dull weekend opening despite the fact that it was a children's film released in the holiday period. The tacky production values and weak storytelling just doesn't work in times when audiences (esp. kids) have option of world-class cinema like, say a Harry Potter . Releasing along with Dum Maaro Dum also proved detrimental to its business and a better bet would have been to release it a week prior alongside Teen Thay Bhai which was comparatively a weaker opposition. Even Aamir Khan's endorsement of the film didn't help it get a decent initial. The coming week sees a multitude of releases which was apparent considering film releases had been delayed since World Cup days. So we would see as many as 6 releases. The prominent ones include Ekta Kapoor's Shor in the City (Tusshar Kapoor, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Nikhil Dwivedi) and Onir's award-winning I Am (Juhi Chawla, Manisha Koirala, Nandita Das). Lara Dutta's maiden production venture Chalo Dilli takes off where she's unusually paired opposite Vinay Pathak. Then there is Govinda's much-delayed Naughty @ 40 , Red Chillies Idiot Box Production's Men Will Be Men and the supposed sensitive film on trans-genders Queens - Destiny of Dance . Upside: Smart storytelling, decent performances, slick cinematography, good dialogues Downside: Tame climax, somewhat predictable suspense Running Week: 1 Trade Comments: In spite of the IPL frenzy, Dum Maaro Dum has managed to get a decent opening weekend net of Rs. 16.5 crores in India. The weekend breakup is as follows: Thu (previews) - 0.8 cr, Fri - 5.4 cr, Sat - 4.7 cr, Sun - 5.6 cr. Even in the international market, the film garnered Rs. 6.3 crores. Downside: Tacky productions values, ham performances by other cast, cliched screenplay, confused take on superhero film Running Week: 1 Trade Comments: Zokkomon had a very dull weekend opening despite the fact that it was a children's film released in the holiday period. Releasing along with Dum Maaro Dum also proved detrimental to its business and a better bet would have been to release it a week prior alongside Teen Thay Bhai which was comparatively a weaker opposition. Film: Thank You Director: Anees Bazmee Cast: Akshay Kumar, Bobby Deol, Sonam Kapoor, Irrfan Khan, Rimmi Sen Upside: Few random jokes Downside: Convoluted narrative, bad performances by Sonam-Bobby, both Akshay Kumar and Anees Bazmee get repetitive with their brand of humour, lame climax Running Week: 3 Box Office Verdict: Flop Director: Remo D'Souza Cast: Jackky Bhagnani, Pooja Gupta, Angad Bedi, Chandan Roy Sanyal Upside: Good music, good choreography, lighthearted humour Downside: Serious theme frivolous treatment, far-fetched screenplay, inconsistent tone Running Week: 4 Box Office Verdict: Average Director: Abhinay Deo Cast: Abhishek Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Sarah Jane Dias, Boman Irani Upside: Slickly shot Downside: Too convenient and coincidental for a suspense thriller, convoluted plot, dull screenplay-direction-performances

Originally posted by mirko128 Urban Industrial Corp. I was at the Shangri-la yesterday. They've closed. A posted note says that they're transferring (or already transferred) to Vmall, Greenhills. Hey, thanks for the info. Urban is actually the only reason why I even go to Shangri-la Mall when I'm in QC. Hindi pa sila lumipat sa Makati Cinema Square para one-stop-shop na lang... it's like a mini-gun show there

Listen in on Jango to hear TNMG's T@e D and your other favorites like Ludacris, Jay Z, Drake, Kendrick Lamar, Big Sean, Rick Ross, Wale, J. Cole, Chris Brown, Nicki Minaj and more... Download Jango on your I Phone or Android or Visit http://www.jango.com/ or Click the following link below and tune in now... #TheRealTNMG #T@eD Check out my new video "I Bet You Wanna Know" my second official video form my new mixtape "Snap-back's, Graphic Tee's & Plenty Drinks" #TheRealTNMG #T@eD Come Join T@e D and be a part of his first solo video Sunday April 21st at 7pm and be dressed to impress cause you will be on film... *For more information visit* https://www.facebook.com/events/387565964682898/ or email [email protected] "Afton Shows Booking Review: MyAfton.com Presents Awesome Minneapolis Music Showcase" For my first show booking with Afton was really great everything with smooth show manger was really great I would most defiantly book with Afton again. And looking forward to booking my next show with them. Wat Up!!! Yes finally its here... TNMG first offical video with my dude J-Money this sunday 11/11/12 you can check that out on youtube... or on facebook Wat up its yah boy T@e Dizzy just letting err'one know the official get it how we live video by my nigga j-money thanks to red rocket cinema is coming soon be on the look out for that its gonna be hot.... It's yah boy T@E D...D apperciate my new fans and the ones coming by to check me out putting a few tracks from the mixtape up to warm you up and when I drop the tape i will have it avaliable... Can't wait #352 Wat Up!!! It feels good to make new music after a hot lil minute so come show ya boy some love and come check out da new tracks new club banger Rick Flare and two new hot singles She Don't Know Me Like Dat & Roll Wit Me.... I'ts M.M.E!!!! Aint nothin like makin good music because.....

Ozone Layers Quilt Guild members are celebrating Worldwide Quilting Day with a special program March 16 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Causeway Branch of the St. Tammany Parish Library, 844 Girod St., Mandeville. There will be exhibits of various types of quilts and demonstrations of several quilting methods. Anyone interested in learning a little more about quilting is welcome. For information on this or the Guild, contact Stephanie Drewes at [email protected] BENEFITS FOR INJURED NOPD OFFICER A benefit to support New Orleans Police Officer John Passaro, who recently was shot in the line of duty, will be held March 14 from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Times Grill,1827 Front St. in Slidell. A live auction will be held, with 100 percent of the auction proceeds benefiting the Passaro family, and 20 percent of food sales will be donated to the family. Donations of auction items are being sought from businesses and individuals. For details, or to offer support, contact Laura Kavanaugh at 985.643.3998, 985.788.8669, or [email protected]. Direct monetary donations to assist the Passaro family may be made at any Whitney Bank, by mentioning the "John Passaro Benefit Account" (#46-2187733). All money donated will go directly to Passaro and his family. CYPRESS EAGLE SOCIAL The Cypress Eagle Social benefiting Scouting in Cypress District will be held March 14 at the home of Bruce and Lisa Clement, 126 Rue de la Paix, Slidell. The event will feature food, drink, fellowship, music by Those Oliviers, a silent auction and more. RSVP to Bruce Clement at 985.201.0784. NORTHSHORE GARDEN SHOW Find new plants, old standbys, garden tools, mulches and art at the Northshore Garden Show and Plant Sale, being presented March 15-16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds. Event showcases area nurseries with more than 35 plant vendors, plus hear talks by LSU AgCenter horticulturists and St. Tammany Master Gardeners. Bring sick plants for a diagnosis by the Plant Doctor. Admission is $3. Free parking. Children’s activities. Food concessions. This is a covered event, no rain out date required. New this year are an on-site ATM, new benches, garden art tent and more. For information, call 985.875.25635. St Tammany Animal Resource Team (START) will hold a fundraiser March 16 from 1 to 5 p.m. at Tractor Supply on Collins Boulevard in Covington. START supporters are invited to bring their pets or children to have a photo taken with the Easter bunny. Photos are $5 each, with all proceeds going towards food, veterinary bills, and housing costs. START is an all-volunteer, nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization whose goal is to reduce the number of homeless pets in the community. Anyone interested in donating to START may send checks to: START, P.O. BOX 1186, Madisonville, LA 70447, or donate funds through PayPal on www.startfosters@com. For details, call START at 985.727.7827 or email [email protected]. The organization also is on Facebook @ St Tammany Animal Resource Team. BUNNY IS BACK The Animal Assistance League and Slidell Animal Shelter will benefit from a photo session being held March 16, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Cafe' du Bone Dog Bakery and Boutique, 1337 Gause Blvd., 109, Slidell. The cost is $5 to reserve a sitting. Walk-ins are welcome on a first-come, first-served basis. An afternoon of Easter fun is planned March 16 from 10 a.m. to noon at Peace Lutheran Church, 1320 West Gause Blvd., Slidell. Games, crafts, snacks and stories are planned. Call 985.641.6400 to reserve a spot. Northminster Presbyterian Church will once again offer free tutoring March 16 from 9 a.m. to noon at 63140 North Military Road, Pearl River. For information, call 985.864.3331. BASIC VIDEO EDITING Southeastern Louisiana University’s Division of Extended Studies is offering a new non-credit course in video editing that complements its ongoing theater series. “Basic Video Editing: An Introduction to Post-Production Film,” the course is offered for high school students and adults interested in the film industry March 12-21. The course will be taught by Sharon Edwards, former assistant community news editor and NOLA.com video producer/editor for The Times-Picayune’s St. Tammany Bureau. The course is available in two sessions and will be held at the St. Tammany Center, 21454 Koop Drive in Mandeville, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 to 5 or 6 to 9 p.m. The cost is $150. “This course is an introduction to post-production film editing, where students will learn to import video into computer editing software, create a workflow, use editing techniques, transitions and effects, create titles, and turn the edited video into files for viewing on a computer or television,” said Edwards. “This hands-on course will teach the basic film editing skills needed to get professional results from any footage.” Participants are eligible for a maximum of 1.2 theater continuing education unit (CEU) for 12 hours of class time that can be combined with the courses “Basic Film Acting,” “Introduction to Screenwriting,” and “Makeup for Cinema” for a Certificate of Film and Entertainment. The non-credit film and entertainment courses will rotate between Southeastern’s Extended Studies locations in Hammond, Mandeville and Walker and can be taken separately or in any combination for CEUs. For information or to register for these or other Extended Studies courses, visit www.southeastern.edu/es or call 985-549-2301. FALAYA FLING BENEFIT Marguerite Celestin, president of St. Scholastica Academy, recently announced that the Covington Food Bank and the Samaritan Center Food Bank were selected as the charities for SSA’s 29th anniversary Falaya Fling. SSA’s major fundraiser will be held March 16 from 7 p.m. to midnight in the Castine Center at Pelican Park. The attire is dressy elegant. The adult-only gala features silent and live auctions, delicious food donated by area restaurants, dancing to music provided by Harvey Jesus and Fire and a $5,000 cash raffle. New Orleans Assistant Head Coach Joe Vitt will be the celebrity guest. Some of the auction items include a weeklong stay in a 4,000-square-foot log cabin in Tennessee, an autographed Drew Brees jersey and a framed LSU Blue Dog print entitled “A Number One Tiger Fan” signed by George Rodrigue. The majority of the proceeds from Falaya Fling are used to enhance the programs and facilities of SSA. This year’s funds will be dedicated for the tuition assistance program and for Common CORE curriculum initiatives. A portion of the proceeds are also dedicated to the SSA endowment fund for future needs. For information or to purchase tickets, please call Elaine Simmons, SSA’s Advancement Director at 985.892.2540, ext. 132 or [email protected]. “Avoiding Identity Theft” will be the topic of the March 17 week of programming at Lifetree Café’, which meets in Slidell on Sundays at 10:30 a.m. and Wednesadys, 7 p.m. at Bethany Lutheran Church, 1340 8th St., Slidell. Call 985.643.3043 for details. St. Tammany Parish Gamblers Anonymous meets Sundays, 7 p.m., ACER Building, 2238 First St., Olde Towne Slidell; Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m., St. Timothy Church, Main Campus Room 110, 335 Asbury Lane, Mandeville; and Tuesdays, 7 p.m., Bethany Lutheran Church, 627 Gause Blvd., Slidell. For details, call 504.431.STOP. Mandeville Aglow Outreach will meet March 18, 6:30 p.m., at the Mandeville Community Center, 3098 E. Causeway Approach. The speaker will be prophetess/evangelist Judy Laird, whose vision is to see men and women arise and fulfill their destiny. As a leader and a pastor, she has hosted Christian TV and radio programs and coordinated international conferences. Guests are asked to bring a food item to bless the Covington Food Bank. Suggested items include 16-ounce containers of dried pasta or dried beans, and canned pasta sauce. All items are appreciated. Tickets are $5 and may be purchased by calling Dawn Raleigh at 985.778.8356. A free seminar on Veterans Administration Benefits for Aid and Attendance will be presented March 18, 6 p.m., at Summerfield Retirement Community, 4014 Dauphine St., Slidell. The guest speaker will be Michelle Blanchard of Airey & Blanchard Law Office. Veterans, spouses of veterans and family members are all invited to attend. TIME FOR SPRING PLANTING For a bountiful spring harvest, it’s important to know when and how to plant seeds, transplant seedlings, care for and protect your vegetable plants, and when to harvest at the perfect moment. Learn from Master Gardener and commercial vegetable grower Dr. Gerard Ballanco how to grow and harvest vegetables that will taste good and make you proud. Three identical programs will be presented at St. Tammany Parish Library branches: March 21, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Folsom Branch, 82393 Railroad Ave., 985.796.9728; March 23, 10 to 11:30 a.m., Covington Branch, 310 West 21st Ave., 985.893.6280; and, March 26, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Slidell Branch, 555 Robert Blvd., 985.646.6470. Ballanco, a retired pediatrician from New Orleans, is a Master Gardener and owner of Ballanco Farms in Folsom where he grows and sells heirloom seedlings and vegetables. He is graciously sharing his knowledge and experience with the community in this program. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is recommended and seating space is limited to adults. To register call the hosting branch or register online at register.stpl.us/evanced/lib/eventcalendar.asp. Light refreshments will be served. Visit www.sttammanylibrary.org for information about other library-sponsored adult programs. AMERICAN LEGION FISH FRY The American Legion Ladies Auxiliary, Slidell Unit 185, will have a fried catfish dinner March 22 from 4 to 7 p.m. at 1680 St. Ann Place, Slidell. The cost is a $10 per plate donation. Dinners include fried catfish, our famous potato puffs, salad and bread. Call ahead to order at 643.9317. Dine in or take out dinners available. Money generated from this fundraiser enable us to support veterans, their families, community, youth and education. SAVE THE DATE: CHILDREN’S WISH ENDOWMENT The Children’s Wish Endowment annual luncheon will be April 24 at Slidell Municipal Auditorium, 2056 Second St. Doors open at 11:30 a.m.; and the program will begin at noon. “Vogue’s Hottest Looks in Slidell” is the theme of the luncheon held in conjunction with the national celebration of Administrative Professional Day. All money raised through the event benefits Children’s Wish Endowment, a program launched by volunteers in 1987 to grant the wishes of children in St. Tammany facing life-threatening illnesses. Board members are Michelle Badon, Jeanette Babin, Angelle Degruy Morley, Barbara DeGruy, Brian Deveer, Leo Ehrhardt, Gregory Grefer, Adele Lassus, JoBeth Kavanaugh, Gilda Perkins, Howard McCrea and Adele Smith, with assistance from administrative secretary April McCrea. Tickets are $40 per person, and a wide array of sponsorship opportunities are available. For ticket or sponsorship details, call 985.277.0177 or 985.643.9414, or email wishkids@bellsouthnet. MANDEVILLE REPUBLICAN WOMEN Mandeville Republican Women recently heard a presentation from Brian Landry, of Louisiana Association of Business and Industry. The group meets on the first Thursday of each month at 11:30 a.m. at Beau Chene Country Club, and is always open to guests. The group’s April 4 meeting will feature a presentation by Senator Jack Donahue. Donahue is chairman of the Senate Finance Committee and represents St. Tammany and Tangipahoa Parishes in the Louisiana State Senate. RSVP to [email protected] or 626.1745. Lunch and dessert will be served at a cost of $23 for MRW members and $28 for guests. CATHOLIC FOUNDATION DINNER The NorthShore Chapter of The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of New Orleans will hold its second annual dinner May 3. This year the dinner will honoring north shore principals and President of all of the Catholic Schools serving the north shore. The speaker will be Terry Malone, tight end coach of the New Orleans Saints. Dinner is being catered by the Besh Restaurant Group, and will begin at 6 p.m. with cocktails and hors d’oeuvres followed by a sit-down dinner at 7 p.m. The event this year will take place at the St. Luke the Evangelist Family Life Center, 910 Cross Gates in Slidell. Tickets are available at a cost of $100 per person and seating is limited to the first 200 people. Sponsorships are also available at three levels: Gold Level is $1,000, (which includes two tickets); Silver Level is $500 (which includes one ticket); and Bronze Level, $250. All sponsors will be acknowledged in the program. For further information concerning tickets or a sponsorship, please Guy Chiappetta at 504-239-1076. Submit information for Community Connection to [email protected].

The Dark Knight Rises, 2012. Directed by Christopher Nolan. Starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Eight years after the death of Harvey Dent, Bruce Wayne is forced to don the cape and cowl as Batman once more when Gotham is threatened by a terrorist known as Bane. The most anticipated film of the year. It’s a lot of pressure to deliver to audiences expecting so much from just one picture; the scrutiny for The Dark Knight Rises is unlike anything most films will ever be put under and the hype means it will undoubtedly divide some audiences’ opinion after their four year wait since the modern classic and genre-defining piece that was The Dark Knight. I am one such person. I had to watch the film twice before I could write this review; once at the BFI IMAX on opening morning and then again on a standard screen the following day. The difference in screen size, projection, and surround sound made little difference to my enjoyment of the film; the problems I have still remain, but my appreciation of what director Christopher Nolan has done with this, the third part of the his Batman trilogy, has heightened tremendously. The most important achievement of the film is that it feels purposely created to complete a trilogy, not just another Part III made on the back of the money raked in by the previous two (although that is inextricably linked, as is the production of any sequel). Nolan not only re-invented Batman and the comic-book genre, but along with Inception his Batman trilogy has given audiences intelligent, character-led blockbusters that deliver $200 million spectacles with stories worth investing in, and repeated viewings which reward with additional layers of plot and narrative so rarely seen by pictures of their size and magnitude. The film starts eight years after the events of The Dark Knight and in doing so, Nolan creates an environment darker and more foreboding than when The Joker was running riot on the streets of Gotham; Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) is a tormented soul who locks himself away in Wayne Manor after retiring Batman from the public and wallowing in the loss of his love, Rachel Dawes. Alfred (Michael Caine), as always, remains his only true confidant and even he doesn’t want Wayne to remain in Gotham any longer. The scene is set for a very different film than parts I and II both tonally, and as it turns out, structurally. This is not a comic book film – it is a story of people, society, class, and redemption. It is a Bruce Wayne film and Batman is nothing more than a mask. As Alfred says, the people don’t need Batman, they need Bruce Wayne. The most impressive part of the film is the relationships between the characters not wearing masks. This film sees Christian Bale at his best in the Batman series because most of his best work is done without the Batsuit on. The scene when he speaks to Alfred about the loss of Rachel and how he blames himself is the best individual piece of acting in the trilogy from any one. It might be the most memorable scene in this film. The film isn’t all about Wayne however; the introduction of Blake, (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) a police officer and understudy to Commissioner Gordon, is fleshed out well, and by the finale he is a pivotal part of the Gotham world. Moreover, he is essential to the continuation of the Batman franchise. However, I didn’t feel the same about Selina Kyle – I didn’t buy into her story and her role in the criminal underworld, nor did I like her skin-tight costume which made her look like the character we know as Catwoman (although she is never actually referred to as such). The look was far too perfect for a woman who has very little and hates the upper classes. As I said, it’s the non-costumed characters which make this film work and she added nothing to the film’s intrigue in my opinion. As are all of Nolan’s films, The Dark Knight Rises looks stunning and is perfectly shot, edited, framed, and lit. It looks as good as any big budget film you’ll ever see; from the sets of the Batcave to the wide shots of the city, the film never looks anything other than stunning but crucially, never overwrought as it could so easily have been in the hands of someone else. On a first viewing, I thought the film was too big to take in but a second viewing proves it’s not as epic as it might seem from the trailers and promotions, but is rather quite contained within the core group of characters and story arcs, and this is a very important part of its success in the excellent first two hours. However, the film is 164 minutes in length, and this is where the problem lies. Not in the film’s length, but in the final 45 minutes when the film moves into its ‘blockbuster’ phase and the all-action finale begins. Simply put, it is not exciting or thrilling. The film, up until this point, has worked so well as a drama and brooding conclusion to the Bruce Wayne/Batman story that the film’s antagonist is sorely overlooked. Bane (Tom Hardy) undeniably strikes a menacing figure and his confrontations with Batman proved the Caped Crusader has met his physical match, but his plot to destroy Gotham could be carried out by anyone with a master plan, regardless of strength and size. Yes, he looks great in posters and trailers, but he comes into the film as just another bad guy; that is what made The Joker such a pivotal part of The Dark Knight’s success. Batman didn’t engage in physical fights with him because, when he attempts it, it proves futile. Batman could kill The Joker with his bare hands but never does because The Joker always has something going on to keep him alive. With Bane, all we get are fights which soon tire after a short while; a good film is only as strong as its villain, as the saying goes. Bane may challenge Batman, but he doesn’t challenge the audience. Also, the film is not spectacular or even really exciting when it needs to be. The threat to Gotham is almost too great to be believable and I honestly thought this trilogy wouldn’t end with a literal ticking bomb; surely the quality of the output before it lent to a better conclusion than what we’re left with. Batman’s first appearance in the film does not thrill and is a pale imitation of the excellent chase scenes in the previous film; after a long wait to see the character, it is a very tame entrance. The same must be said for the concluding battles; mass fights between nameless people is not exciting or thrilling and sadly, neither is another fist fight between masked men/women. The Bat (or Batwing as it’s better known) is revealed far too early and, despite offering the film’s single best visual scene (3-D can suck it) it doesn’t offer the same thrill as when we first saw the Tumbler or Batpod. Ultimately it was brought in to up the ante, but it does not do so. There are several other issues with the film’s final third which are difficult to explain as part of a spoiler-free review, something which all of my reviews aim to be. There is terrible continuity with the ticking clock; a ridiculously short time frame for a journey which would take untold time to travel; entrance to a city which is securely locked down is never explained; the ‘death or exile’ is instant for one disposable character but significantly delayed without reason for the important ones; there is a needless twist which is far too contrived for a film series of this quality; and the conclusion of what happens to Bane is the biggest anti-climax you could have expected. For all those fights, menace, speeches, and destruction, the audience deserves a LOT more than what we were given. Nothing in the film comes close to the Hong Kong or lorry chase sequences in The Dark Knight and the train sequence which concludes Batman Begins is also much more preferable to anything attempted here. The major flaw of the film is in its attempts to be exciting, fast paced, and adventurous. It never works and is a true shame that it attempted to be so big and epic and the need to out-do anything we’ve seen before. The mistake was to get all of Gotham knowingly involved rather than keeping the battle within the main characters; yes, the people need to know who it is that saves them but it could have been a lot more exciting whilst maintaining the same pathos. Christopher Nolan’s Batman trilogy will be remembered as one of the great film series and rightly and deservedly so. None of the three films are perfect and they all have third act problems due to the brilliance and intelligence of what has happened leading up to those points. They are, however, genre-defining, iconic, and magnificent examples of what came be achieved when money and a clear understanding of storytelling, character, and cinema are combined. Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★

Join Florian on an underwater odyssey through Puget Sound and discover the wonders living around Whidbey Island, in Hood Canal, and in the greater Salish Sea. This popular cinema documentary is packed with stunning underwater images all shot in high definition. Florian's reworked 6th Edition includes new stories about Salish Sea orcas, salmon, porpoises and also features the wild stormy seas at the entrance to the Salish Sea around Cape Flattery...and more. It makes a fun and unique gift! Buy the 6th Edition DVD using your credit card or PayPal. The cost is $25.00.

William Stanney, OFM 11 p.m., Dec. 17 Midnight Madness presents Indiana Jones This weekend's Midnight Madness at Ken Cinema (4061 Adams Ave) presents the 1989 blockbuster Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade. Over the summer, Midnight Madness has celebrated cult classics like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Big Lebowski, and the contemporary throwback movie Drive. Film synopsis: "The great Sean Connery adds a lot of spice (and class) to this action-filled story of the search for the Holy Grail. He plays the father of fearless adventurer Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), an archeologist who teams with his son to foil the Nazis, who are after the same prize. The third film in the original Indiana Jones trilogy, co-starring River Phoenix and Denholm Elliott. Directed by Steven Spielberg (Raiders of the Lost Ark)." Running time 2h 7 m. Tickets cost $8.50 and showings begin at 11:55 p.m. on Friday, August 24 and Saturday, August 25.

The Beach Village is a beachfront village style resort offering everything you need in one place to help make your stay as relaxing, stress-free and pleasurable as possible. Situated just 5 minutes from Thongsala pier and bustling Thongsala town, get straight down to business and cool down by taking a dip in our large tropical swimming pool or relax and sunbathe on the 200m of white sandy beach while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying the view of Koh Samui on the horizon and breathtaking sunsets. For a truly unique and affordable experience, with a touch of Thai culture but with all the Western comforts, the Beach Village has several areas for you to explore and enjoy. The showroom: Multi-functional area including a fully operational restaurant serving authentic Thai and Western Cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner; A lounge area for a nightly cinema, showing latest movies and sports on the big screen; A gaming area with table tennis, pool table, playing cards and board games. Chill Out Park: Between palm trees and lush garden, this grassy area is the extension of the restaurant hosting special nights with live music, open mic and Thai presentation on a professionally built bamboo stage. Tiki Bar: A poolside cocktail bar famous for its mojitos, smoothies, ice cream and fresh fruit. The Tiki Bar plays host to warm up pool parties for all the major events on the island. Ku Club: A beachfront night club experience! The Ku Club boasts a tasteful white decor, intelligent lighting and sound and a beach dance floor, which combine for an unforgettable night! With multi-style bungalows from 400B/night, choose to stay in: - Standard Fan Bungalow - Beachfront Standard Fan bungalow - Garden A/C Bungalow - Poolside A/C Bungalow - Luxury Beachfront Villa For the budget traveller we also have a wide range of dorm style acommodation ranging from budget 24 person part dorms from 250B per night to luxurious beach front dorms with private bathroom from 300b per night. The Beach Village is also the venue for Beach & Beyond, a multi stage beach front party boasting a diverse electronic music policy from deep house to drum and bass featuring world renowned international artists. - FREE Wi-Fi - FREE safety lockers - Motorbike & jeep hire - Internet & print Service - Taxi & laundry service - Massage on the beach - Full travel shop - Island tour & activity booking - Scuba diving & Snorkelling with 5 Star IDC Padi Dive School, - Sail Rock Divers

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As reported in last week's TD, The Children's Shelter must acquire enough funds to operate for one year, with an annual budget estimated at $239,000. While the shelter has two-thirds of the first year's budget at this time, the other third must be raised before state licensing requirements are met. We applaud the efforts of The Children's Shelter Board, and all those who have made donations and have worked so hard to raise funds. This has been a major undertaking and not one for the easily discouraged. We encourage the continued support of area residents. Once this hurdle is met, the shelter should qualify for grants to help meet that annual budget. Local resident Sandy Barrington, an executive and consultant for Arbonne, will be selling Arbonne natural face, body and hair care treatments as a fund-raiser for The Children's Shelter on April 18 and 23. The fund-raiser will take place at The Children's Shelter at 107 Benson Drive. For reservations, call Sandy at 886-2296. Speaking of fund-raising, The Lawrence County Circle of Friends for Arkansas Children's Hospital knows how to raise money. That group consistently, year after year, raises a lot of money to support the hospital, which serves many area children. This year's Tips for Tops event, held recently at the Walnut Ridge Country Club, raised $30,942. A similar amount was raised last year, and this is not the organization's only fund-raiser. The group also has a phone-a-thon and has had other projects in the past. Another group doing good things is Walk of Hope. The sixth annual Lawrence County Walk of Hope is set for Saturday, April 18, at Stewart Park beginning at 9 a.m. Registration will begin at 8 a.m. Volunteers with this organization raise awareness and money for cancer patients. The majority of the funds raised go to Lawrence County cancer patients, with a percentage donated to the American Cancer Society to fund cancer research. Claudia Wheeless and Carolyn Fowler are co-founders of the organization. Everyone is invited to walk in this event. For more information, call Carolyn at 886-7602 or Claudia at 886-7464. The group will also be making final plans for the event on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the Lawrence County Community Room at 115 Walnut Street in Walnut Ridge. Anyone interested in helping is invited. Matt Cavenaugh, who grew up in Jonesboro, is now starring on Broadway in the revival of "West Side Story." Cavenaugh, whose father is Donald Cavenaugh of Walnut Ridge, continues to build on an already impressive career. Lawrence County's Alison Turbyeville, 12-year-old daughter of Scott and Rhonda Turbyeville of Portia, has one of 27 speaking roles in "The River Within," a film directed by Paragould native and Christian filmmaker Zac Heath. The film premiered in Paragould on Thursday night at the Cinema 8 and will continue to be shown at least through April 16.

03 Jun 2010 Olja Jelaska: An Interview by Tom Moore Olja Jelaska (b. 1967) is an important figure in the younger generation of composers from Croatia. Olja Jelaska (b. 1967) is an important figure in the younger generation of composers from Croatia. A disc devoted to her work was issued in the series devoted contemporary Croatian composers on the Cantus label (available for order from www.cantus.hr). The interview was done via e-mail. TM: What was the musical environment when you were growing up? Did your parents or close relatives play music, as amateurs or professionals? OJ: In my family there are no professional musicians — I’m the first one. My father wanted to study music, but instead he completed his studies in electrical engineering. He was the head of the main post-office in Split. My mother taught the arts in primary school. They are both passionately fond of arts generally. In my childhood, they used to take me to theatre and exhibition but very often I was bored because I couldn’t understand what was going on. They have many books on the arts — monographs on great painters, biographies of some artists, books on specific periods in the history of the arts. My father has a collection of CDs, almost all classical music. Throughout my life I have felt their deep love for the arts. When I was between eight and fifteen years old , my mother used to organize exhibitions of pictures by children, and she always took me with her — from organizing the exhibition to the final opening. Today, I think that it influenced my abstract creation. My grandmother on my father’s side was someone who was self-taught in music. My father told me that she had a pianoforte in her flat, and frequently she would play some easier pieces for piano. She knew all the most familiar melodies from operas by Verdi, Puccini and other Italian opera composers. She died when I was seven. My mother comes from Slovenia. Her parents had lived in the countryside, and every evening they used to sing Slovenian folksongs. My mother said that they sang them by heart. My grandfather died before I was born, but I often heard my grandmother sing. Her father ( my great-grandfather) was a maker of simple-style accordions. My paternal uncle was a stage director in the theatre in Belgrade. TM: Where did you live in Croatia? Was it a small town, medium-size, large? OJ: I was born in Split. My hometown is situated on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. It’s a beautiful small town (about 300,000 inhabitants) with many historical monuments: there is the Palace of Diocletian which was built by the Roman emperor at the turn of the fourth century AD. Diocletian built the massive palace in preparation for his retirement on May 1, 305. It lies in a bay on the south side of a short peninsula running out from the Dalmatian coast, four miles from Salona, the capital of the Roman province of Dalmatia. The Palace is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, one of the most important sights in Croatia. Split is a typical Mediterranean town. There is the Croatian National Theatre in Split with drama, opera and ballet, but unfortunately there is no concert hall. For this reason we have no large orchestra nor an administration to organize musical events. TM: Did Split also have active folk musicians? OJ: Yes. Traditional Dalmatian songs are very popular nowadays in Split. There are many groups of singers who sing authentic folksongs. During the summer there are folk music festivals. People here like this music very much. Among the most important perfomances are those at the Festival of Dalmatian Klapas in Omiš, the Evenings of Dalmatian Songs in Kaštel and the Festival of Dalmatian Chansons in Šibenik. Omiš, Kaštela and Šibenik are small towns near Split. There are also many pop singers , and this is a kind of music coloured with Mediterranean melodies. There are important differences between the South and the North. Differences in the way people look at the world, and music reflects thos differences. TM. How long had your family been there? OJ: My father’s family has been living in Split for a long, long time. My mother was born in Slovenia, which was another republic in the former state of Yugoslavia. My father studied in Slovenia, and they met in Ljubljana, the capital of Slovenia. They came to Split together 45 years ago. TM: What was it that prompted you to start playing? What was your first instrument? OJ: When I was seven my parents bought me a piano. They sent me to music school but it was really bad at the beginning, because I was a very introverted child, and my piano teacher had problems making a connection with me. I hated going to music school — it was a terrible period for me. It didn’t take long before I told my parents that I wouldn’t go there any more. But I wanted to take a private lessons with a teacher who was retired. She was very nice to me, and every time I went she would give me some sweets — that was the reason why I started to practise piano. After elementary school I decided to continue in a secondary school for the arts (music department). I composed my first piece in secondary school. It was a simple short piece for piano. Deeply inside I felt that I would be an artist, but still I didn’t know in which of the arts. I drew very well, and I liked painting as much as I did music, so I had to make a decision. And I did. TM: What was the path you took classical composition? Where did you study ? Who did you study with? Were the models which you wanted to emulate in terms of composition? OJ: I received my primary and secondary education in Split before leaving for Zagreb. I graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Music at the Department for Music theory in 1992. Throughout this entire I had the sense that I might do something else. My professor Stanko Horvat taught me the basics of composition.. I liked this subject very much, and after the third year he advised me to start the study of composition. I said : why not? I completed my studies in the class of Marko Ruždjak in 1994, graduating with a chamber mini-opera entitled Chamber Trio. This work was first performed in 1997 at the Croatian National Theatre in Split, preceding the performance at the Music Biennale Zagreb in the same year. It was a great experience for me. The invitation to perform my mini-opera at the Music Biennale came from the present president of Croatia, Mr. Ivo Josipović, who is also a composer. I had great professors. I must say that I was really lucky because I got on very well with them, and I learned a great deal. TM: Who was your professor? What was his pedagogical approach to composition and music history? OJ: My professor was Marko Ruždjak. He graduated from the Zagreb Academy of Music in clarinet and composition. He continued his studies in Paris, with Ivo Malec and Pierre Schaeffer, and Cologne, with Milko Kelemen. He has received many awards for his compositions. To explain his approach to music, I’ll quote him: “Some people see in the development of music and of themselves an organic growth, such as that of a tree, and they consider themselves to be a branch of such a tree, carrying on the growth of the roots and trank. To me, music is rather like grass, renewing itself every year, sprouting from old seeds yet completely new.” He liked to paraphase Borges, who compared writing with a dim view of an island emerging afterwards out of some archipelago. At first you notice one of the tops (which is in fact an island), then you try to connect it to the other tops, and that is how an nonregular process is created, because some islands slowly sink to the bottom, and you never know what will appear in the next moment. At the same time it is sometimes possible to start from the end or from the middle. During my study I had a course on classical instrumentation. We dealt with string instruments (in the second year), woodwind instruments (in the third year), and brass, and during the last year I was writing the mini-opera for soprano, mezzosoprano, tenor and chamber orchestra. At the same time, I did many exercises in modern techniques of composition. During that period I wrote one wood-wind quintet, a piece for chamber trio (oboe, clarinet,and bassoon) and mezzo-soprano, one brass quintet, three songs for mezzosoprano and strings, and finally, the mini-opera. It’s difficult for me to explain our pedagogy, but it was something verging on the abstract — working with certain ideas. My professor had a particular accent on rhythm. It was very good for me because I had to break old rhythmic habits. TM: What was the musical scene in Zagreb? In the city generally? OJ: Zagreb is the capital, much bigger city then Split, and the life there is much different also. There is the Croatian National Theatre but there are also some other theaters as well. There is the Vatroslav Lisinski concert hall, named for the Croatian composer who wrote the first Croatian opera. There are also some smaller halls which are used for concerts. There is the Philharmonic Orchestra, the Croatian Radio Television Symphonic Orchestra and many chamber ensembles specializing in various kinds of music. For me — coming to Zagreb was something extremely important. Coming from Split, I wasn’t aware how it would change myself, my approach to music, to life generally. I was living in a house for students of music. We lived and studied together — it was a special experience. My father brought me my pianoforte from Split. New friendships, new professors, study at the academy, many new things for me . Every evening after lectures and practising, we went out — usually to a concert, but also to the cinema or the theater. There were many excelent concerts and orchestras... and I really enjoyed it very much. It was really wonderful. I sucked in every impression I saw. At the academy ,there was a group of professors/composers who lived what they taught. Their compositions were being performed performing, and their teaching didn’t only take place in the classroom but also in the corridors, at concerts, at breaks in lectures. They had a very open approach for us. As composers, they have been very different. TM: How would you describe your style in your works from the early nineties? OJ: I was studying composition in the early nineties, and I graduated in 1994. In 2007 I produced my first CD with earlier compositions which I had written up until 2002. I could say it was my search for the right colour. I was looking for my own means of expression. All the compositions on the CD belong to the area of chamber music because it has been at the centre of my attention. There are seven pieces which describe that period. At that time my approach to music was mostly intellectual. In beginning to write a piece I would determine the form of composition generally, and then I started to design many details. I tried to avoid the usual scheme of melodies , forms and rhythm...and the result is my first CD which concludes that period. The most recent composition on the CD is Kaleidoscope for flute, clarinet, and string quartet with four movements. During the year when I was composing Kaleidoscope something happened to me in my private life that moved me very strongly to make a change. I had to alter many things in my life, and this also led changes in my approach to music. I had to break off composing for two years. I had to take a step back and see what I was going to do next. There is something very strong in a composer’s subconscious. It is very influential, and the music written by composer is very highly determined by his/her subconscious. It’s avery interesting thing — I believe that every composer is a kind of channel, a connection with the spiritual world . My music is mine, but it comes from an invisible world — music is a very spiritual sphere. TM: Which early works are still in your catalog? What work would you decribe as your opus one and why? OJ: I chose for my CD, I could say , the best of my compositions from my first period. I wrote also compositions which I don’t consider very successful, but even those compositions contribute to my development. My relation to my early pieces is like the mother’s relation to her young child. Nowdays , I’m a very different person from the one I was ten or fifteen years ago, and that goes for my music too. All of my compositions on the CD I could describe as my opus one, because this was my real beginning of learning about instruments, about music, about myself. In that period I wrote several compositions which include flute: DUO for flute, vibraphone and triangle, TAMARISK for flute and string quartet, AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA for flute (alto flute, piccolo) and percussion, KALEIDOSCOPE for flute, clarinet and string quartet and others as well. I also liked clarinet. There are some pieces where I wrote for clarinet and other instruments. Guitar was another instrument which inspired me. I wrote THREE PICTURES for guitar solo, and PINA’s DRESS for guitar trio. Percussion is also very interesting. AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA for flute and percussion ensemble was the piece in which I learned a lot about percussion. MASKS for quartet of saxophones was written in1999. I love the sound of saxophone, its very broad reach of colours and possibilities. I wrote a piece, SPHINX, in three movements, for the Croatian Army Symphonic Wind Orchestra. This piece was a very hard test for me because it called for a large orchestra of wind instruments, but I conquered it. I wrote chamber music because the small form allowed me to explore different combination of registers through different instruments. It was very exciting for me. I discovered that I was a colorist, and it did not bother me that this was not something new in music. I was looking for myself through the music. I liked woodwind instruments very much, because with them I could slowly describe my musical ideas. I could say it’s something near impressionism. TM: A question about compositional technique/practice. Composers often can be divided between two groups those who have an « architectural» approach, designing the large scale scheme, and then filling the details, and those who have a more organic or narrative approach, inventing the details, and then seeing what sort of larger schema those details grow into. How would you describe your approach? OJ: I would say in my first phase I was in the first group. KALEIDOSCOPE was the last piece in that period. The next composition which I made, in 2005, was BUTTERFLIES for flute, clarinet,bassoon and string quartet, and it was the beginning of a new phase which is still going on. Now I am trying to have a more, I’d say, natural approach. At the beginning of a new piece I imagine the form generally, but I don’t stick with it inflexibly. If in the process of composition I feel the form should be something else, I will change the plan. Then I start to invent ideas which I could make use of, but I try not to think too much. It’s hard to explain, but now I do not try to control my ideas, but let them go in their own direction. Every composition for me is like a journey. I can’t be certain that everything will go exactly the way that I imagined before. But I’m trying to refine every idea so that it makes a certain sense. TM: Please talk about your study in Bialystok and Darmstadt. How were these places different from Croatia? OJ: I continued my studies at seminars in Bialystok (Poland) in 1995 and in Darmstadt (Germany) in 1996. I’m very glad that I went. I wanted to see and listen to music by contemporary composers. In Bialystok and Darmstadt, I was able to meet contemporary European composers, and the music which I heard there I could also hear at the Zagreb Music Biennale every other year. During my study of composition I had learned about many contemporary techniques, so it wasn’t something completely new for me. But I must say that after these seminars I realized that I must turn to myself. I said to myself: my music must come from me. Our ears were used to thinking that dissonance was consonance, but from time to time I have felt something rebel deeply inside of me. Yes, some influneces are nesessary at a certain point. But the main direction for my music should come from my spiritual field. Today I think that in a composer’s life the most imporant thing is his/her personality. I have to base my work on my physical body, on my emotions, on my spiritual life, on my intellectual life, my social life, all together. And then music comes very easily without difficulties. The human must be at the center. The Cantus ensemble, conducted by his conductor and composer Berislav Šipuš, is a group which promotes Croatian music. For about ten years they have been performing Croatian contemporary compositions as well as contemporary music from elsewere in te world, and the music of the twentieth century. Thanks to them many Croatian composers have had the chance to have their music performed. There are also other ensembles such as the Zagreb Quartet, Zagreb Saxophone Quartet, Zagreb Guitar Trio, Music Percussion Ensemble. TM: Do you have plans to explore areas and genres that are new to you? What are some current and upcoming projects? OJ: Next year I’m going to have a concert devoted to my music in Split as part of the Days of Christian Culture. So I am preparing new pieces. I have been writing some compositions for Trio Solenza from Zagreb. It’s a chamber ensemble with Mario Čopor, piano, Davorka Horvat, soprano, and Bruno Philipp, clarinet. They will perform my compositions which are based on motives from Bible. We are also trying to arrange for collaboration with ensembles from other countries. I am also writing a new piece for clarinet and strings which will be performed in the autumn this year. I have no plan to explore areas that are new for me, but if an opportunity presents itself, and I think it looks interesting, I will probably try. I am interested also in collaborating on a project which might include acting, music, and singing based on some interesting spiritual stories. We’ll see what will happen.

BAD BOYS II Making up in firepower what it lacks in subtlety, Bad Boys II is a big, bruising addition to the summer blockbuster contest. Crass, derivative and profligate, the film is also tremendously funny and exciting, at least until it starts to take itself seriously. Holding together the slender plot are returning stars Martin Lawrence and Will Smith, whose jazzy, lighthearted chemistry makes the film's sour elements easier to swallow. Lawrence plays Marcus Burnett, a Miami narcotics cop with a wife and family. Smith is Mike Lowrey, his playboy partner. As the film opens, the partnership is placed in jeopardy when Mike wounds Marcus during a drug bust. Marcus will get even angrier when he learns that Mike has been dating his younger sister Syd (Gabrielle Union), an undercover cop from New York. By coincidence, Syd is after the same drug lord that Marcus and Mike have been chasing for years. When he is not smuggling Ecstasy from Amsterdam or muscling in on Miami's Russian-owned nightclubs, Johnny Tapia (Jordi Mollà) is shooting at the rats who are eating the millions in drug money hidden in his mansion. By posing as a money launderer, Syd hopes to gather enough evidence against Johnny to convict him once and for all. Syd's scheme is almost undone by seriously psychopathic Haitians, who try to hijack money she has just laundered for Alexei (Peter Stormare), a Russian who deals drugs for Johnny. But gaining Johnny's trust may cost Syd her life, especially when pressure from Marcus and Mike forces the drug lord to flee to Cuba. While the script is filled with dazzling action sequences and some first-rate comic routines from Lawrence and Smith, keeping track of the plot can be arduous. Realizing that the second hour essentially repeats the first, sometimes as parody, can help, but Bad Boys II isn't about connecting the dots anyway. It's about throwing money around so lavishly that even pointless transitions are shot from helicopters. And in a summer of memorable car chases, Bad Boys II ups the ante with some of the most ferocious stunts ever put on film. When not riffing on John Woo or Jackie Chan, director Michael Bay offers enough innovative ideas to rewrite the action genre, or at least throttle it into submission. One 360-degree shootout is a model of sustained tension. Even more noteworthy is a shot that extends from a helicopter into a nightclub, a trick that's remarkable and irrelevant at the same time. Bouncing between the action scenes and the comic skits, with a few choice bits from a hilarious Peter Stormare, works so well that you can forgive the high body count and Lethal Weapon ripoffs. That is, until the filmmakers decide to get serious, at almost two hours into the story. Puzzling miscalculations like this one could mean mixed word of mouth for Smith and Lawrence's big summer blowout. Here’s an updated Annie for today’s entitled, tech-savvy and racially diverse generation of tweens who can easily relate to the new Annie’s love of luxurious toys. Their parents and other adults may miss the sweet innocence of the original, but they won’t be entirely bored by this frenetic new version of her classic story. More » After rewriting the rules for modern fantasy cinema, for the better and worse, Peter Jackson’s six-film Tolkien saga slams, bangs and shudders to a long-overdue conclusion. More » » Blue Sheets FJI's guide to upcoming movie releases, including films in production and development. Check back weekly for the latest additions. ORDER A PRINT SUBSCRIPTION Subscribe to the monthly print edition of Film Journal International and get the full visual impact of this valuable resource for the cinema business. Learn how to promote your company at the Film Expo Group events: ShowEast, CineEurope, and CineAsia.

Megalon superficially resembles a cross between a cockroach and a rhinoceros beetle, though standing upright. Megalon's costume is colourful, combining silver and grey with an orange-and-black carapace and wings. Megalon's forelimbs terminate with two sharp, drill-like appendages, which are never seen to be prehensile, always moving in tune with the monster's arms. Megalon is the god to the Seatopians, and he was their way to take revenge on the humans who were damaging their world with nuclear tests. They called upon Megalon to destroy the humans and sent the captured Jet Jaguar to guide the monster on his rampage through Japan. The people of Japan revolted and attacked the beast, to no avail. Help arrived when Goro Ibuki, the scientist who created Jet Jaguar, arrived and freed the robot from the control of the Seatopians. He sent Jet Jaguar to Monster Island to find Godzilla. In the time that Jet Jaguar was gone, Megalon was lost and confused. Soon after, Godzilla came to fight the monster, and nearly defeated him. Megalon was sure to be defeated, but the Seatopians contacted the Space Hunter Nebula M aliens to send Gigan. Gigan arrived and helped defeat Godzilla, but Jet Jaguar pulled one of his own tricks. The robot programed itself to grow to the size of Megalon, so he could help Godzilla defeat the monsters. After a troubling fight, Megalon and Gigan were defeated, and Gigan retreated into space. Megalon quickly burrowed underground, and back to Seatopia. Even though Megalon only appeared in one film, he remains a popular character, and has appeared in several computer and video games based upon the Godzilla franchise, including Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee, Godzilla: Domination, Godzilla: Save the Earth, and Godzilla: Unleashed. In Domination!, Megalon has the power to do a leech probe, in which Megalon grabs on to his opponent and bites them four times, each time hurting the opponent and healing Megalon. This move can only be done if Megalon is next to a enemy. He also has the ability to unleash three blasts of energy from his horn, which will quickly fly around him before slamming into the ground. In the same game, Megalon's napalm bombs are altered to resemble real bombs or naval mines. Megalon has the ability to execute an energy punch and create a damaging arc of energy. As a Rage Attack, Megalon can create a Magnetic Vortex, in which Megalon shuffles his wings and all the monsters get drawn close to him. When one is close he releases a mini-pulse of energy, dealing immense damage. Weight: 64,000 tons "Megalon is a guardian monster of the Seatopians, who live beneath the earth's oceans. Having no special love for human beings, he has once again aligned himself with the alien invaders in hope of eliminating the human population once and for all. Megalon is a very well-rounded combatant, with decent melee, grappling, and ranged capabilities. He has a special affinity for electricity, allowing him to employ lightning and EMP attacks without danger to himself. Megalon's hands are high-speed drills, which allow him to burrow underground or simply gore his opponents in hand-to-hand combat." Being an alien Megalon has aligned himself with the Vortaak in their quest to take over the world. Like his film and Save the Earth counterparts he has the same abilities with the exception of flight like his film counterpart and his energy punch from Godzilla: Save the Earth. In the American promotional comic produced by Cinema Shares for Godzilla vs. Megalon, Megalon is depicted as not being alien in origin, but rather appearing from beneath the Earth during an undersea eruption, and coming to attack cities to satisfy his "Energy Hunger." He is killed brutally by Godzilla after having the back of his spine bitten into. Megalon returns from underground in this manga, although it is never stated whether he was under the control of the Seatopians or not. He emerges from underground while Godzilla is fighting Biollante Neo and attacks using his drills, ripping into Godzilla's chest. He accidentally kills Biollante Neo with his lightning beam, and is defeated when Godzilla swipes the top of his horn off, and burns him to death with his Atomic Breath. Godzilla: Rulers of Earth issue #9 where he fought the monster, King Caesar in a flash back explaining the monsters origins. Megalon would fall into the Earth's crust with King Caesar when an alien ship crash landed into the ocean near them as they fought. Megalon's image would be later seen in the mural on Infant Island, under the "fire monsters. " Like Baragon and Gorosaurus, Megalon's roar is an edited pitch of Varan's roar, whose roar was originally from Godzilla at the end of the original Godzilla film. In addition, Megalon also produces screeching sounds which are adapted from Ebirah's chirps and screeches. In Other Languages Do you like Megalon?

And the best sci-fi & fantasy flick of the year is . . . Our regular reviewers pick their best – and worst – genre movies of the year! James O’Ehley (content editor) BEST: Rise of the Planet of the Apes (review) OUR REVIEW: “If you must go about revamping one of sci-fi’s most lucrative albeit long-in-the-tooth franchises, then this is the way to go about it: an intelligent and unexpectedly moving script with some great story-telling. Let’s face up to it: Rise could easily have been Deep Blue Sea . . . but with monkeys instead of sharks! Instead of going the horror movie route it manages to make its simian protagonists both sympathetic and menacing at the same time!” [James O’Ehley] RUNNERS UP: Melancholia, Source Code WORST: Battle Los Angeles Rob Vaux (DVD reviewer) BEST: Source Code (review) OUR REVIEW: ”Jones keeps the sci-fi and ventures into Hitchcockian thriller territory with Source Code, a stunningly crafted suspense tale of alarming surprise and resonance.” [Brian Orndorf] RUNNERS UP: Thor, Rise of the Planet of the Apes WORST: Your Highness Mark Dujsik (reviewer: cinema releases) BEST: Melancholia (review) OUR REVIEW: “This art house science fiction movie is one of those genuine love it or hate it affairs. If you’re the type who likes, let’s say, Transformers 3 and the Resident Evil movies, then you’d be driven to distraction by Melancholia’s deliberate and languid pacing.” [James O’Ehley] RUNNERS UP: Source Code, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 WORST: Transformers Dark of the Moon So what was your best and worst sci-fi & fantasy flick of the year?

Posted by Susan Doll on July 18, 2011 Since its inception a couple of years ago, Facets Night School has morphed into more than a midnight movie series. It’s a place where cinephiles can watch and ruminate on a crazy mix of classic, exploitation, genre, and even silent films. The diversity comes from our unique spin on the midnight movie series: Each week a knowledgeable person introduces a film he/she has selected. Despite the late hour, audiences have been receptive to the pre-screening introduction and post-screening Q&A, because they get a context for appreciating the film and an opportunity to contribute their opinions and perspective. In addition, a weekly raffle and other shenanigans have created a relaxed atmosphere that suits the late hour. Each session gets off to a good start with a reception coordinated by Facets staff member Jenny Grist, who can really get the most out of a tiny budget (or, no budget). Jenny’s specialty is the “theme reception.” The current summer session opened with the blaxploitation film Black Dynamite, so guests were treated to 1970s-style snacks in keeping with the original era of blaxploitation films. Bottles of Cobra Malt Liquor festooned the main table decorated in avocado greens, golden harvest yellows, and burnt browns; guests chowed down on such culinary delights as “ants on a log,” Pixie Stix, and Easy Cheese on crackers. Later, we raffled off the malt liquor as one of our prizes. Only the best for our patrons. We also added a touch of live entertainment to this summer’s session. Before each lecture and film, a five-minute live episode of a serial called Sisters of No Mercy 3-D is staged by Lew Ojeda and Joseph Lewis. Each week, the chapter is recorded and the episodes will come together as a short film by the end of the session. However, the heart of Night School remains the lecture before the screening. As Night School has evolved, our stable of presenters has grown to include cinephiles outside of Facets. Film students, local reviewers, film-website operators, and others have approached me to select and introduce a film. Despite knowing there is no monetary compensation, they willingly prepare an introduction or performance because, like the rest of us, they are in it for the love of the game. And, I am impressed by the angles or approaches they take to their material as well as the level of knowledge in Chicago’s tightly knit cinephile community. Last Saturday, Night School favorite Lew Ojeda introduced a unique program of shorts with a highly informative mini-lecture. Titled “EduPalooza: The Educational & Industrial Film Festival and the Chicago Connection,” the program featured nine short educational and industrial films, many of which were produced in Chicago. The films included: Lunchroom Manners, Care of the Hair and Nails, LSD: Case Study, Fallout, Boys Beware, Why Doesn’t Cathy Eat Breakfast?, The Outsider, Grill Skill, and, my personal favorite, The Flintstones Sell Busch Beer. Though the audience laughed heartily at the dated material and the less-than-stellar acting, Lew made a perceptive and important point: These films reflected and shaped mainstream perspectives on social behavior—for better and for worse. Lew was kind enough to contribute his knowledge and expertise to this blog via a brief interview. If anyone is interested in studying or showing educational and instructional shorts, a conversation with Lew Ojeda is essential. Also, I would love to hear from readers about specific educational or instructional films they may recall. 1. Why do you think Chicago became the capital of educational, industrial, and instructional films? Chicago had been a center of the silent film industry in the very early years of the last century and when film producers moved operations to California, there was still the urge to continue with filmmaking. Film companies found interest with industries and some educational institutions like University of Chicago willing to take a new approach to product advertisement and higher learning. 2. When did all this begin? There was a catalogue of educational films available as early as 1910. However, films were heavy, costly and flammable. Few school districts were willing to risk having their little red schoolhouse go up in flames. The 1920s brought the important developments of a new non-flammable format, 16mm, and Kodachrome, which proved to be wildly popular. The University of Illinois (Chicago) even made some movies with Eastman Kodak in the mid-1920s, but for the most part wasn’t too willing to put up the enormous amounts of money needed to form viable educational film companies. This became especially true with the onset of The Great Depression. 3. What were the major companies and what did they specialize in? The two most noted Chicago based educational film companies were Coronet Films and Encyclopaedia Britannica Films (EBF). Both released educational films, but EBF ventured into industrial films as well. Other major players were Sid Davis Productions in California, Centron Productions in Lawrence, Kansas, and the Highway Safety Foundation (HSF) based in Mansfield, Ohio. Of these others, only Sid Davis Productions seemed to concentrate almost exclusively on classroom educational films. HSF produced industrial films, but is most famous for its gruesome driver’s ed films capturing auto accident victims’ dying moments. They’re the epitome of what some cult movie fans would call “chunk-blowers” [films that induce vomiting]. 4. Was there an aesthetic or style that these films deliberately adhered to? And, what was the craftsmanship like? The styles differed at each production, sometimes dramatically. Coronet Films patterned itself to resemble scenarios that could appear in Hollywood or on television at the time. They set the standard that we generally recognize as traits of the 1950s educational film: lively music, pleasant narration, actors speaking their own lines and identifiable schoolroom characters with conflicts that could be easily solved through gentle guidance. Viewing itself as Coronet’s main competitor and holding a contempt of having Hollywood influences seep into schools, EBF used no music in many of their films, steered away from character development and employed the same monotone narrator for over 15 years. “Entertainment” was not their form, however, they did have to concede Coronet’s success by approaching youth lightheartedly in some films such as Care of the Hair and Nails. For a period during the 1950s, Centron created some well-crafted shorts like The Outsider and The Gossip, little melodramas containing plots, developed characters and allowing for open endings for further discussion. HSF used a cinema verite approach to filmmaking, literally chasing ambulances to the scenes of devastating car crashes. The producers would then “one-up” the horrible images with dour warnings by a serious narrator. 5. What educational films are likely the most famous; perhaps those that many of us may have seen in school? Lunchroom Manners (Coronet Films) has been seen in Pee Wee Herman’s HBO special years ago and gained a cult following. If you were a regular viewer of Mystery Science Theater 3000, you watched a number of these educational films lashed with sarcastic humor. SCTV also aired a segment making fun of the Coronet Film’s Dating Do’s and Don’ts, which, by the way, starred an actress named Jackie Gleason and a young actor named John Lindsay who became an important hardcore porn pioneer in the UK! A few of the earliest educational films like the 1949 short Shy Guy (starring Dick York of TV’s Bewitched fame) were still used in a few classrooms by the early 1970s. Some of you may have seen a few of the gruesome driver’s ed films like Signal 30 or Mechanized Death. If not, you can see clips in the documentary Hell’s Highway, a fascinating film about the very strange history of HSF. A clip from Boys Beware (Sid Davis) was prominent in the recent documentary Stonewall Uprising to demonstrate attitudes towards gays at the time. 6. Are there any that are so dated/badly crafted that they are downright funny? With the exception of the graphic driver’s ed films, most viewers would probably find most of the films quite funny, especially anti-drug films of the 1960s such as The Weird World of LSD and Marijuana (featuring a very stoned-looking Sonny Bono). Most filmmakers weren’t striving for technical quality. The primary purpose was to get the message through, and, for the most part, they felt concentrating too much on story and character development distracted from this goal. That’s why characters tended to be broadly drawn stereotypes and scripts were simplistic for actors. Many times those scripts were non-existent as the performers simply mimed actions and dialogue spoken by the off-screen narrator. 7. Which producers or directors of the educational/instructional/industrial genre deserve to be remembered and why? David A. Smart and Sid Davis could probably be considered the auteurs of educational films. Smart viewed the films from a business standpoint of creating an identifiable style of shorts that would separate his from his competitors. He had to do this while following the guidance of educational advisors listed in the opening credits. Davis was a renegade. He was his own advisor. The calamaties occurring in such shorts as LSD: Trip or Trap? (tragic auto accident) or Live and Learn (a little girl falling on scissors she’s holding while happily greeting her dad) came directly from the mind of Davis, the educational film genre’s ultimate pessimist. Herk Harvey from Centron is probably the most famous directing his one-off feature classic Carnival of Souls, but was very happy making educational and industrial short films. A classic and wildly entertaining industrial film by him is Shake Hands with Danger made in 1980 for Caterpillar. His cohorts—producer/director Arthur Wolf and writer Margaret Travis—were just as prolific, creating a great roster of short films (including the Oscar-nominated Leo Beuerman in 1969) through the end of the 1970s. 8. What made you interested in the topic? Enjoying exploitation and camp films, I was naturally drawn to the topic of educational and industrial films. What surprised me was how many of these films were actually made and shown to captive audiences in classrooms and industrial screenings. Despite this amount of exposure, educational/industrial films seem like a discarded genre of filmmaking. No one thought these shorts were worth salvaging and few people, other than archivists like Ken Smith and Rick Prelinger, seem all that interested in exploring this field as something other than camp entertainment. 9. Why did you select the films you did to show at Facets Night School? First and foremost, they are hilarious even without the MST3K-type back talk they inspire. The last two films Grill Skill and Flintstones Sell Busch Beer fall into the industrial training film category. Fallout is government-sponsored film shown on early television. The rest are classroom educational films. All of them reflect upon the society they served, but misinterpreted how kids felt. In trying to demonstrate to youngsters what was acceptable behavior, which would thus make you “popular,” these producers misread kids’ minds. Many of them would follow the advice given in films like Are You Popular? but a significant number looked up to rebels like James Dean and Marlon Brando. This disconnect would follow educational film producers for many years, eventually putting an end to many productions by the early 1970s. 10. What do you want film lovers/cinephiles/audiences to come away with when they watch these films now? Cinephiles should take note that the golden era of educational films (1945-1970) were an attempt to engineer social attitudes and behaviors on the masses, put another way, a use of propaganda we don’t pay much heed to nowadays. We can look back them as sort of goofy and almost quaint, but they were originally released for the purpose of quelling a truly serious problem in juvenile deliquency. Although the “cure” eventually didn’t work and the production companies went under, similar tactics of persuasion—updated for more sophisticated viewers—exist in advertizing, blogs, opinion media (both on TV and online), etc. The more you learn about these past films and their methods, the easier it is to view persuasion media today with a skeptical mind. MovieMorlocks.com is the official blog for TCM. No topic is too obscure or niche to be excluded from our film discussions. And we welcome your comments on our blogs and bloggers. 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After teaching literature at Monash and Melbourne Universities, and taking a Post-graduate Diploma in Film Studies at University College London, I established Film Studies courses in the Dept of Visual Arts at Monash. In the 1980s, for seven years I was honorary company secretary of the Melbourne International Film Festival, and in this capacity set up links between the Indonesian film world and Australian film festivals and filmmakers. I was the editor of Film in South East Asia: Views from the Region (Hanoi: SEAPAVAA and the Vietnam Film Institute, 2001). I have successfully supervised half a dozen PhDs, on a wide variety of topics; done translations for subtitles for more than a dozen Indonesian films; initiated several film preservation projects; and, in addition to teaching, supervision and research work at Monash, am currently curator of ‘Between Three Worlds DVD’ (a division of the MAI Press) that distributes South East Asian films internationally. At Monash I have taught film form, film history, documentary film, film theory, Asian cinema and European cinema, and in 2000 introduced a unit in video and DVD production. I am currently completing a book on Indonesian cinema from 1950 to 2010. MA (University of Melbourne), PGDip(FilmStudies) (University College London), BA, Hons (University of Melbourne)

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