It’s become a usual occurrence for a Hollywood studio to refuse to screen a new movie for critics if they think it is unlikely to get good reviews, and in many cases, critics have actually been “disinvited” – told specifically not to review a given film. That was supposed to be the case with Sony’s new comedy, The Benchwarmers – only someone forgot to tell a few critics in Florida, who gave the Rob Schneider vehicle the blistering reviews it probably deserved. Sony’s response was to accuse the critics of “sneaking” into the film (and into a roped-off row marked “press,” as one critic points out) and lie to other newspapers about the reviews.
Tag: 04.05.06
Will Podcasting Threaten Public Radio’s Revenue Stream?
Podcasting has been a godsend for many public radio shows, allowing them a way to distribute their product far more widely than traditional radio allows. But the phenomenon may be hurting America’s public radio stations – after all, when a listener gets used to hearing his favorite shows through downloadable audio, he’s no longer listening to his local public station, which puts him out of range of the dreaded pledge drives.
From Bombs To Music: A Kurdish Life
By the time Serwan Serini was 30, he had founded the Kurdistan National Symphony Orchestra despite a near-total lack of arts infrastructure in his homeland in the north of Iraq. He had dreams of using his love of music and art to help craft a true national identity for his people. But the endless cycle of violence in Iraq drove him to the U.S., and now, from his home base in the Twin Cities, “[he] has a new dream — to open a school to give Kurdish children a chance to learn music in ways he couldn’t.”
Richmond Arts Supporters Splinter By Age
“In the wake of stalled plans for a downtown [Richmond, Virginia] arts center and a struggling Virginia Performing Arts Foundation, a group of young supporters has separated from the foundation to carve out its own identity. Opus, an organization of men and women younger than 40 whose mission is to promote performing arts downtown, originated in 2003 as an outgrowth of the foundation. Now it’s working to become a nonprofit corporation with bylaws and a board.”
MN Arts Groups See Mixed Results In Funding Push
It’s bonding bill time at the Minnesota State Legislature, and for Twin Cities arts groups, that means it’s time to hit up the state for extra cash for special projects, expansions, and the like. But there’s only so much money to go around, and for those lobbying at the Capitol, it winds up being a zero-sum game, with definite winners and losers.
The Year Of Rembrandt
“This year, the 400th anniversary of Rembrandt’s birth, will be celebrated with a broad spectrum of artistic activities across Europe, ranging from a major exhibition which contrasts Rembrandt with that other great painter of light, Caravaggio, to a stage musical about the Dutch master and a walk in his footsteps in his home city.”
This Year’s Beck’s Futures? It’s All About The Shoes
“Shoes pervade the London instalment of this year’s Beck’s Futures show, which opened at the ICA on Friday. Gallery-goers in Glasgow and Bristol, where the same shortlisted artists will soon be showing a different selection of works, may come away with a different impression. But in London, feet and shoes seem to be everywhere.”
Everyone Wants Guernica
Picasso’s “Guernica may denounce war, but Spaniards appear determined not to allow one of their most famous paintings any peace. Everybody in Spain, it sometimes seems, wants to get their hands on it. The latest claim comes from the Basque country.”
Rostropovich To Give Up Cello
Mstislav Rostropovich has told a German magazine that he will no longer perform in public on the cello. The renowned cellist/conductor, now aged 79, was quoted as saying that a Penderecki premiere he played in Vienna this January would be his last performance. “Rostropovich said that he would continue to maintain an active schedule as a conductor, noting that he was completely booked for the next two years.”
What Illegal Downloads Cost The Big Music Biz?
A lot, says a new industry report. “The rise in illegal piracy cost the UK music industry £1.1 billion over the last three years, despite the fact that the number of Britons downloading illegally has fallen since last year. But the dent to the music industry coffers has increased largely because those downloading music illegally are the individuals expected to spend the most on music.”