Culture

the great, venerable golden oldie-but-goody movie musical classic film, West Side Story has withstood the test of time beautifully and is a good, clear indication of one thing: The more things change, the more they stay the same. Imho, anybody who says that WSS is passe, dated, obsolete, just for older pre-teens and starry-eyed adolescents, or too "white-bread" is wrong. West Side Story is a beautiful movie-musical classic modeled somewhat on Romeo and Juliet, which is about realities that take place even today: racial & ethnic tensions, urban gang warfare, and people crossing the racial/ethnic/color/religion barrier to date, fall in love and even marry, sometimes even amid conflict. WSS is a classic for people of virtually all ages and of all walks of life. No matter who becomes POTUS, the above-mentioned things will always exist.

Hey...I know that in real life, street gangs don't dance through the streets. I know that in real life, people don't generally fall in love at first sight, or even if they do, it still takes time for it to develop into something really, really substantial, if one gets the drift, and sometimes it doesn't happen at all. I'm also aware that in real life, today's street gangs are far more violent and far deadlier than they were back then, frequently resorting to the use of high-tpowered, high-tech assault rifles and handguns, rather than fisticuffs or switchblades.

In my eyes, the only shortcoming of the film West Side Story was the casting of Richard Beymer as Tony, and the fact that he and Natalie Wood got along extremely poorly off-screen and in real life (Natalie Wood had, in fact, tried to get Richard Beymer kicked off the set on several occasions) really didn't help. In fact, Beymer's being bothered by it was somewhat obvious. Yet, that has not stopped me from going to see a screening of WSS virtually everytime it comes to town (I only missed one screening in our area--March 2001, when an afternoon screenng in town conflicted directly with my late dad's memorial, so I didn't go that day. ) and loving every minute of it, as always.

As a neighbor put it, West Side Story is fiction, and yet closer to reality in some respects. I'm still waiting for some decent movies to come up, and for WSS to reappear. As a devout fan of this great film who has also seen a half dozen stage productions of this great musical and owns the CD soundtracks to both the film and the original Broadway stage play, I fully savor this great classic and hope that, regardless of who comes into the White House this fall, or what else happens, that this great classic never, ever becomes obsolete. The MGM adage "Unlike other classics, West Side Story grows younger" has a strong element of truth to it. I call it "The Classic that Never Grows Old".

For starters, I saw the film No Country for Old Men, which was well done, and definitely not for the faint of heart!!

Secondly, my alltime favorite film, West Side Story made the number two spot, between Wizard of Oz and Singin' in the Rain in this issue of Entertainment Weekly's 26 Best movie musicals! Woohoo!! I'm heartened because I believe that the time for WSS to take the numero Uno spot is approaching. Can't wait for that day of reckoning. LOL.

Here's the link

:http://www.ew.com/ew/gallery/1,,20041669_20041686_20164491,00.html

This spring, I plan to take a road trip (driving) to Albany, NY for another screening of my alltime favorite film, , in early April. Since the WSS screening is in the evening, I plan to make a day of it by also viewing the great outdoor sculpture garden that Albany also has. I've already bought a ticket for the movie, which will be playing at the beautifully-renovated Palace Theatre in Albany. Woohoo!

is one of the few Dennis Lehane books I haven't read. Great movie, who knew Ben Affleck could direct.

Lehane also wrote Mystic River and a whole bunch of detective novels set in Boston that you'll particularly enjoy if you know the area. For non-detective stuff, his Shutter Island is a good read, very hard to put down.

Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson

I saw two movies this weekend: The Golden Door and Shrek the Third

Both were good movies. Golden Door was a movie about Italians who emigrated to America after living an almost-medeval existence in their old country, and the prejudices and ugly experiences, including the marriage market, and determination of who could and could not enter the United States, upon arrival. This movie showed the universal immigrant experience, and how it's still going on right now, today.

Although I'd never seen either Shrek I or Shrek II, my sister, my 6 y/old nephew and I all enjoyed Shrek III immensely.

came out with a new list today (1st since 1998) of the top 100 films of all time.

The biggest surprises were the addition of a few movies (Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring and The Sixth Sense) and the removal of several movies (including Doctor Zhivago and Close Encounters of the Third Kind).

Your thoughts?

The first was Ousmane Sembene, the granddaddy of African cinema. I missed the obit when he passed away last week, but a dkos diary alerted me to it. His Moolaadé should be required viewing for the human race: he covers an enormous amount of ground (tradition v. change, men v. women, social law v. natural law, religion v. science) with an equally enormous amount of sophistication, but manages to keep it funny, warm, and human.

The second was Rudolf Arnheim, the graddaddy of film theory. Arnheim was living here in Ann Arbor, at the ripe old age of a hundred and two. The essays collected in his Film as Art were among the the first to consider the nuts and bolts of treating cinema as its own independent medium (rather than as an inferior nephew to theatre or photography). A comprehensive obit is here .

Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. - Ambrose Bierce

is pretty sweet, a lot more mellow than their previous stuff, but rich melodies and hard-hitting lyrics.

Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson

coming out this weekend. Time review here . Most interesting part for me:

His attempt at gangsta swagger doesn't cut it either. There's a weird racial aspect to the goo-suit: it gives Peter not just black impulses but a black (Afro-American) attitude. Bopping down the street to a hip-hop rhythm, he's laughably gauche — a white kid playing at soul man, a good kid who's not very good at being baaad.

Whaddya think?

Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson

Here is my list for the top five campiest/strangest videos:

1) "Knights of Cydonia " by Muse
Not so strange, but kind of campy. The song grew on me (kind of like a Queen song), but the video contains a great bricolage of a lot of your favorite cult-classic favorites genres (everything from sci-fi to kung-fu to spaghetti westerns). Political too!

2) "Rock and Roll McDonalds " (by Wesley Willis) Any Wesley Willis is good stuff, but this video does it a little justice, though Quafshizzle does a bit too much self-advertising. (You say you want more Wesley Willis ?)

3) "I Wanna Love You Tender " The Swedes, you gotta love 'em.

4) "Lose You " Poor Jan Terri. She alone proves that the American Dream is a sham. (Another Jan Terri classic for any fans.)

5) "Spirit of Truth " Not officially a music video, though the background soundtrack is some funky stuff from Parliament. This guy gives the most enlightening and inspirational sermons ever.

http://www.tonometric.com/

There are three tests on the site: pitch, tone, and rhythm. I suggest you do this only when you can concentrate becaue the tone test doesn't allow you to repeat the string.

I am obviously musically challenged. Good thing I only sing in the shower.

don't ask me, I'm just improvising
Political Compass Score: Econ L/R -0.12 Social Lib/Auth -1.33

I recently saw the early-1970's film, Dirty Harry, at the Brattle Theatre, in Cambridge, MA. Although I'd seen it a couple of times when it first came out, I was more impressed with how well Clint Eastwood played the part, how well done the film was, and...the rather disturbing, 2-edged message that the movie Dirty Harry carried: That it's OK for cops to go above the law and do whatever they want, and deny suspects due process, but that this kind of actions and behaviours also have consequences, the latter of which was indicated when Dirty Harry threw away his badge and resigned from the S. F. Police Force after having shot the suspect to death, and realizing that he'd completely gone way overboard and botched up the case, hereby resulting in an acquittal of a serial murder who could've/would've ordinarily been brought to justice. Although fiction, Dirty Harry is based on a true story.

was very funny if you like Will Ferrell.

Come, my friends. 'Tis not too late to seek a newer world -- Tennyson

God I love that show :) There is some real talent among the girls - I thought Lakisha, Jordin, and Melinda were awesome (in that order) while there is barely any talent on the men's side this season.

"To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it." AR

due out in May: "Snakes and Arrows"

don't ask me, I'm just improvising
Political Compass Score: Econ L/R -0.12 Social Lib/Auth -1.33

very well done movie and extremely moving. I recommend you all see it if you haven't yet.

"To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it." AR

came out this morning, and you can catch the list here .

Reactions? Surprises? Disappointments?

I'm thrilled to see Pan's Labyrinth, easily the best film of the year, with 6 nominations. That's not so common for foreign-language films, especially when they're as unmarketable as this one. A win in the foriegn film category is the closest thing to a done deal this year.

Also very pleased to see Children of Men picking up a nod for cinematography, since it's arguably one of the most technically accomplished pieces of camerawork i've ever seen.

The documentary category is extremely leftist this year, with global warming, Christianism, child-molesting priests, and Iraq dominating the field.

Everything else - I'm feeling pretty blah. Not a shining year in movies, in my opinion.

thoughts?

Saint, n. A dead sinner revised and edited. - Ambrose Bierce

.. in my opinion at least:

1. Heroes
2. Jericho
3. House
3. Engineering an Empire (History Channel).

Other than that, I don't watch much TV. Oh, and Family Guy of course. I also saw the new 24 preview. Anybody excited?

http://wealthweekly.blogspot.com
Wii FC:2805-8311-8040-2678
Brawl: 2277-7051-2186

I saw the new James Bond on Friday night, and it was excellent. Definitely one of the better in the series.

Also has anyone seen the Andromeda sci fi tv show? Is it any good? I am looking to buy another dvd series, now that I've finished House MD.

"To discuss evil in a manner implying neutrality, is to sanction it." AR