“George Clooney, one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars who earns up to £15 million a movie, has taken a swipe at the film industry, saying he believes the golden age of cinema is dead… Clooney places the glory years of cinema firmly between 1964 and 1976 when he says studios produced almost a masterpiece a month.”
Tag: 02.05.08
Audiences Stunned To Find Sweeney Todd A Musical
“Nowhere does the [movie trailer] mention the fact that Sweeney Todd is a musical. In fact, it goes out of its way to conceal the fact that the movie is entirely sung, save for a few snippets of dialogue… Stung at paying to see a collection of tortuously constructed Stephen Sondheim tunes when they were expecting a gory Gothic thriller, a fair proportion of cinema audiences has been walking out of Sweeney Todd.”
Gallery Sues To Get Warhol Back
“An Andy Warhol painting stolen from a Manhattan art gallery a decade ago has resurfaced at Christie’s auction house, and on Tuesday the gallery sued to have it returned. The painting, one of Warhol’s Dollar Sign portraits that was created in 1981, is worth at least $100,000.”
Toronto Symphony Launches Record Label
The Toronto Symphony has announced the launch of “a record label dedicated to releasing the orchestra’s [live] performances,” both on CD and in downloadable form. “Sales of TSO Live CDs are expected to be concentrated in the Toronto area.”
Classical Clubs Springing Up In Helsinki
A prominent Finnish violinist is leading an unusual movement, helping to establish classical venues that resemble pop music clubs and attract an audience that normally wouldn’t be found in a traditional concert hall. The clubs hearken back to Finland’s early days as an independent nation, when classical performances were common at bars and restaurants.
Composer Jorge Liderman, 50
“A 50-year-old man who was struck and killed by a train in [the San Francisco Bay Area] on Sunday morning has been identified as Jorge Liderman, a prominent local composer and a professor in the music department at UC Berkeley. Liderman was struck by a Richmond-bound train at 9:42 a.m. in what appeared to be a suicide”
Symphony Supporters Plead For End To Acrimony
“Problems that have plagued the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra for months got a full airing at the symphony society’s annual general meeting Monday night.” Among the orchestra’s challenges: a conductor who is suing several of his musicians.
Has The Writers’ Strike Ruined TV Forever?
The dial is full of “reality” shows. These shows are typically rife with product tie-ins and placements, a trend that gleeful advertisers say is sure to grow. During the May sweep, NBC will air a reality special, “America’s Favorite Mom,” that was actually created and will be overseen by Los Angeles-based flower purveyor Teleflora.
Bush Proposes Increased Smithsonian Budget
It looked like the Smithsonian’s budget would be trimmed, as politicians warned the institution that it needed to shape up. But despite the turmoil, the Smithsonian received $682.6 million for fiscal 2008, which ends in October. That was a $47 million increase from the previous year.
Nobel-Winner Accused Of Plagiarism
The Spanish Nobel prize-winning writer Camilo José Cela has been accused of plagiarising the work of a lesser known author for one of his best-selling books.