Hollywood’s mantra for popular success has been “dumb it down.” But now a wave of smart, interesting movies seems upon us. Are we entering a new Golden Age? – The Globe and Mail (Canada) 01/09/00
Tag: 01.09.00
THE ART(?) OF SCREENWRITING
With the help of the internet, there are so many ways to formularize and automate the writing of a screenplay, the process and form has become hackneyed. – New York Times 01/09/00
“ANNA” ARREST
The Thai government has banned the film “Anna and the King” for being disrespectful to the royal family. Now two men are arrested for selling bootleg copies. Could face 15 years in jail. – BBC 01/09/00
FOOD RULES
Nothing has succeeded in television’s new niche universe as cooking shows. They’re everywhere. But how much cooking is going on? Samurai chefs? Elton John clones? Iron Chef? The next thing you know, Hulk Hogan will be… – National Post (Canada) 01/09/00
PROUST RECONSIDERED
A new movie based on “Time Remains” and a new volume of letters are out. – The Telegraph (UK) 01/09/00
BIGGER, BETTER, BEST
Australia has gone festival-happy, with international arts festivals proliferating, and this summer’s $17 million Sydney Festival for the Olympics poised to outdo them all. “Every time a leaf falls they create a festival,” declared Tony Brett-Young, a press spokesman at the Australian Embassy in London. – New York Times
THE DOME NEVER SETS
The British government’s Dome Minister (yes, we kid you not, there’s a Dome Minister) charges that there is an effort in the media to sabotage the success of the Millennium Dome. It is, he says, a great popular success among the everyday people. – BBC
- Nonetheless, the British Cabinet hasn’t seemed to take to it. Here’s a list of cabinet visits. – The Telegraph (UK)
EPIC DESIGN CHALLENGE
In remaking Berlin, architects and politicians are facing monumental challenges of history and expectation. So far, so good… – Washington Post
A NOTORIOUSLY TROUBLED RELATIONSHIP WITH CONTEMPORARY ART
New York’s Metropolitan Museum was set up to be an encyclopedic collection. Nonetheless, its attitudes about art of our times have been complicated. And the museum’s leadership are prickly when asked about it. – New York Times
NEW RULES
Ground was broken on the Washington Mall last fall for the National Museum of the American Indian, set to open in 2002. Assembling and moving collections into any new facility is an enormous ritualized task. For this museum a whole new set of rules also apply. – Los Angeles Times