“Abortion is one of the last taboos in mainstream American film — a no-flyover zone of many years’ standing. No matter how realistically presented, it’s just not something that’s done if you want to keep the sympathy (and ticket sales) of multiplex audiences. That said, each moviegoing generation confronts and/or backs away from the subject in its own fashion, and three current releases have opted to carry to term, whether it makes dramatic sense or not.”
Tag: 06.17.07
Iran Blasts Rushdie Knighthood
“Iran has criticised the British government for its decision to give a knighthood to author Salman Rushdie. His book The Satanic Verses offended Muslims worldwide and led to Iran issuing a fatwa in 1989, ordering Sir Salman’s execution.” An Iranian official told the international press that “giving a medal to someone who is among the most detested figures in the Islamic community is… a blatant example of the anti-Islamism of senior British officials.”
Trusting Merce
Much has been written and said about Merce Cunningham’s unique style of choreography, and his willingness to let different aspects of a performance progress on their own. “According to [Cunningham’s] rules the choreography, design and music are created separately and may be brought together as late as opening night, with the artists knowing little if anything about one another’s plans save the dimensions of the stage, the number and physical details of the dancers, and the work’s duration in time.”
The Out-Of-Towners
It’s been well documented that Broadway relies on out-of-town ticketbuyers to fill a majority of its seats, especially for big-budget musicals. “In addition to the tickets they buy, those who come to the city just for theater spent more than $2 billion on hotels, restaurants and other expenses in 2004-5… By the millions, day-trippers visit New York every year, to see the biggest Broadway shows. The matinees [in particular] rely on the bus trips.”
The Rise Of The Older Woman
There was a time (like, five years ago) when an actress over the age of 40 had a better chance of being asked to host the Oscars than of landing a starring role in a TV series. But all of a sudden, TV has been embracing middle-aged and older characters, and that has led to a new rush of opportunity for actresses.
Hockney On Turner (Among Other Things)
David Hockney is one of Britain’s greatest living artists, and also one of its most outspoken. But in between sounding off on cigarette bans and the new prime minister, Hockney has been talking a lot about his obsession with JMW Turner, widely believed to be the best artist ever to come out of the UK.
Have We Forgotten About The Composers?
Mark Kanny says that the focus of musical performances has changed decisively over the past several decades, with the bulk of the audience’s attention now firmly focused on the performers, rather than the composer. “Performer-oriented music appreciation goes beyond what we see at concerts. The best selling CDs are often compilations featuring superstars… Yet for listeners, I think it is ultimately more rewarding to pay attention to composers than performers.”
NEC’s Sick Puppy Gets Underway
“Every year pianists and other instrumentalists gather at New England Conservatory under the direction of pianist Stephen Drury to sink their teeth into some of the most enigmatic, esoteric, and downright weird music the 20th and 21st centuries have to offer.” The event is known to participants as Sick Puppy, and it has attracted some of the top living composers in the world to serve as composers-in-residence.