Edmund White: “His first night in Banville’s maid’s room, he stood in the illuminated window stark naked and threw down his lice-laden clothes into the street. Within a week Banville had asked the miscreant to leave, but only after Rimbaud had smashed the china in his room, soiled the bed sheets with his muddy boots and sold some of the furniture.”
Tag: 01.10.09
Outrage Among Tintinophiles At Suggestion Their Hero Is Gay
As the intrepid boy reporter celebrates his 60th birthday, it seems that le tout France is up in arms over a (tongue-in-cheek?) newspaper column asking this: “A callow, androgynous blonde-quiffed youth in funny trousers and a scarf moving into the country mansion of his best friend, a middle-aged sailor… and whose only serious female friend is an opera diva… And you’re telling me Tintin isn’t gay?”
Edinburgh Fringe Seeks £600K Government Bailout
“The festival’s board is preparing to ask for emergency funds to meet basic running costs after a box office crisis last year saw sales slump by almost 10 per cent… The Fringe’s acting director, Tim Hawkins, said at least £300,000 was needed in the next three months alone to pay for the emergency box office service and recruitment costs of last year.”
A Strategy For Movies In The Downturn
“Since this past September’s economic meltdown, moviegoers have continued to support challenging films. Yet the studios and distributors can turn this slowdown into a rare opportunity, provided they follow the safest policy, which is not playing it safe at all — not settling for musty formulas when audacious ideas are at hand.”
Prediction: Sundance Festival Won’t See Many Sales
At the moment, “buyers just aren’t in the mood to take a gamble on a picture that doesn’t have obvious broad appeal. So much of the success of this industry is generated by taking risks, and if you’re not willing to take risks, then what are you left with?”
Prediction: Video Games Will Be Our Dominant Entertainment
Video games are prospering as interest in almost every other category of entertainment declines. Social gaming, more interactivity and better technology will help gaming dominate the entertainment landscape in future.
Scientist Believes Life Is Toxic; Earth Needs Humans To Save It
Peter Ward “believes that the only help for the planet over the long run is management by human beings – whether that means actively adjusting the chemical composition of the atmosphere or using giant satellites to modify the amount of sunlight that reaches us. As Ward sees it, the planet doesn’t need our help destroying itself. It will do that automatically. It needs us to save it.”