“Will the 70’s never end? Or are they finally, totally, over? Are we, that is, nearing the end of a pop-culture business cycle that began 30 years ago? Maybe. The summer blockbuster – legend-shrouded mutant offspring of “Jaws” and “Star Wars” – laying waste to the noble traditions of the Old Hollywood even as it trampled the blossoming potential of the New: this has been received wisdom among people who write about movies for as long as much of the current movie audience has been alive.”
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The Rocky Road To Choreography
“Emerging choreographers face a variety of obstacles, financially and logistically, to their artistic development. There is no clear path to becoming a choreographer, and until companies or funders start to recognize a name, artists are left to secure dancers, studio space and training in a world without apprenticeships. Even for people who grow up in dance, what it takes to be a choreographer remains something of a mystery.”
Meat In A Lab?
Scientists say that it may be possible to grow meat in a lab, producing as much as the world needs. “With a single cell, you could theoretically produce the world’s annual meat supply. And you could do it in a way that’s better for the environment and human health. In the long term, this is a very feasible idea.”
Nobel Winner Claude Simon, 91
Claude Simon, the last French writer to win the Nobel Prize for Literature, has died at the age of 91. He won the Nobel in 1985 He was hailed as a novelist who “incarnates the renewal of French literature in the post-war period .Rejection of conventions, or rather, man’s fundamental originality, are at the heart of his work, the source of his creation.” His books included “The Wind” (1957), and “The Flanders Road” (1960).
Harry’s All-Ages Appeal
Why are even jaded older teenagers anxiously awaiting the latest installment of Harry Potter? “It’s a delicious juxtaposition. They are reading about Harry, who is charged by the Ministry of Magic with underage sorcery, while they are careful not to be caught for underage drinking. Teens whose parents have found beer store receipts and seized their fake ID are asking mom for a ride to the bookstore Friday to be among the first with their own copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. They want to engage again in that other world that makes “walking to the cottage at night scarier.”
Maazel’s 1984 – Vanity Or Integrity?
Was Lorin Maazel’s opera 1984 a failure because it was a vanity project? Or did paying for a production of it himself at Covent Garden give him the control and integrity of a project in a way he otherwise not have had? This is certainly true in other artforms…
Where Britain Hid Its Art
“Sixty-five years ago many of London’s art treasures were moved north and stored in a remote slate mine to protect them during World War II. These included works by artists such as Titian, Michelangelo and Constable. After the war ended, the 2,000 works were returned intact. Many of the pieces even arrived home in a better condition, preserved and improved by the humidity and low temperatures inside the mine.”
Why Opposing The Patriot Act’s Library Provision Is Important
“The US government says it’s not interested in nosing around libraries, and an expensive study would appear to confirm that claim. So what’s the big deal? Why are so many groups, from the American Library Association to a bipartisan collection of members of Congress, so opposed to Section 215? Last month, the U.S. House approved a measure barring the Justice Department from spending money on library and bookstore searches under Section 215. Are these opponents of 215 ‘soft on terrorism,’ as some Bush administration members charge? Do they want to provide a “safe haven in bookstores and libraries”? Well, no.”
Ring Tone Symphonies?
Cell phone ring tones are getting more sophisticated. “When combined with technology that allows them to sound like music instead of its tinny shadow, and programs that allow anyone to make, mix or otherwise devise his or her own ringtones, the seven songs on the Timbaland album – among the first meant to be played on a phone, not a radio or CD player – suggest that ring tones are not merely a new money-maker; they are a new art form.”
Blockbusteritis?
“James Cuno is among a growing number of museum directors who have grown queasy at the way the “major” temporary exhibition has become a nearly annual fixture at art institutions like the Chicago Art Institute. Yes, blockbusters create excitement, draw huge crowds and massive media hype — all of which gives museums chances to shine and, oh by the way, earn wads of cash from increased concessions and memberships. But at what cost? Through the ’90s, there was too much emphasis on temporary exhibitions because they came to dominate the museum’s activity and, worse, people’s expectations of the museum.”