A new survey shows that “nearly 70 years after it was made, the Civil War classic “Gone with the Wind” ranked No. 1, just ahead of science-fiction space adventure “Star Wars,” in the Harris poll of people’s favorite films that stand the test of time.
Tag: 02.22.08
The Myth Of Web Social Networking Democracy
Social-media sites like Wikipedia and Digg are celebrated as shining examples of Web democracy, places built by millions of Web users who all act as writers, editors, and voters. In reality, a small number of people are running the show.
Unconventional Theatre, Unconventional Seating
“Obviously accessibility in conventional theatre spaces isn’t a problem that’s been adequately resolved. Far from it. But the more adventurous a production, the more problems it poses in terms of being accessible to all those wanting to experience it. Is this just a trade-off we have to accept?”
Play Or Novel – Which Is More Powerful?
“A play, by virtue of its public performance, can re-arrange consciousness in a way that the novel rarely does: a great piece of theatre leaves you changed as well as spiritually re-charged. But the novel’s great weapon is time…”
Is NY Phil’s N Korean Adventure Appropriate?
“That America’s oldest and finest should play to the successors of Josef Stalin and Mao Zedong as an act of cultural diplomacy was acceptable inasmuch as history had turned a page and successors had renounced their tyranny. In North Korea, no page has been turned.”
Canadian Copyright Tough Guys Get Nailed On Copyright Violation
Canada’s government is trying to toughen the country’s copyright laws. So why did the ruling party make an ad using music it didn’t have the rights to? The legislation “is strongly opposed by many culture activists because it emphasizes the ability of copyright holders to control and be remunerated for precisely these sorts of uses of their intellectual property.”
One Man’s Amazing Route To Dance Stardom
“As a child, Li Cunxin endured poverty so extreme that children from his commune raided rats’ nests for food. In a fluke, he was chosen to go to China’s leading ballet school, overseen by Mao’s notorious wife, Jiang Qing, even though he had never danced a step. Then there was his dramatic defection to the US in 1981, and an acquaintance with former US first lady Barbara Bush that helped reunite him with his parents.”
University Bans Performance Of Sondheim’s Assassins
“A student production of Assassins, the award-winning musical, was to have premiered Thursday night at Arkansas Tech University, but the administration banned it — and permitted a final dress rehearsal Wednesday night (so the cast could experience the play on which students have worked long hours) only on the condition that wooden stage guns were cut in half prior to the event and not used. Assassins is a musical in which the characters are the historic figures who have tried to kill a U.S. president.”
BBC Postpones Suicide Drama After Rash Of Teen Suicides
“The Corporation has decided to postpone its transmission until a later date following the suicide of a 17th teenager in Bridgend, South Wales, since the beginning of last year.”
The Louvre Gallery That’s All ABout Touching The Art
“The Louvre’s Tactile Gallery, targeted to the blind and visually impaired, is the only space in the museum where visitors can touch the sculptures, with no guards or alarms to stop them. Its latest exhibit is a crowd-pleaser: a menagerie of sculpted lions, snakes, horses and eagles.”