A new biopic – if that’s the word – of the ninth-century Englishwoman who allegedly disguised herself as a man and eventually sat on St. Peter’s Throne has attracted the controversy the film’s producers were surely hoping for. The Vatican, which has insisted for centuries that the entire story of Pope Joan is a slander invented by Protestants, is predictably angry about the new film; the Church’s displeasure has, predictably, helped the movie become a big hit in Italy.
Tag: 06.20.10
Tilda Swinton Just Didn’t Understand The Oscars
“I remember asking my agent in London, … ‘Can you take some time at some point to explain to me what the Academy Awards are because I feel a little guilty that I’m in this sort of strange circus and I don’t really understand what the Academy Awards are. I’ve never seen them on the television and I’ve certainly never been to one and I don’t really understand why they’re such a big deal for people who have access to them on the television’.”
As BBC Cuts Back On Radio Drama, Is The Form In Danger?
“As everyone connected with radio will tell you, its cheapness is its strength. It’s the perfect medium for raw, experimental or ultra-topical writers. And, of course, the audio experience itself remains as potent as ever, bringing an intimate book-like intensity to storytelling by doing it inside the listener’s head.”
Art Spiegelman On The Trouble With Drawing For Dance
Said the cartoonist of his Pilobolus collaboration: “The reason this [piece] is called ‘Still Moving’ is ’cause there was a point about two days in when I was so unhappy, and [choreographer] Michael [Tracy]’s saying, ‘What can we do to make this a better experience for you?’ ‘I really don’t know, but my main problem is that these [expletive] dancers keep moving.'”
What Ails America – A Lack Of Restraint?
“In the late 1970s, the historian Christopher Lasch famously described America as a culture of narcissism. Today we might well be called a nation of dysregulation. The signs that something is amiss in our inner mechanisms of control and restraint are everywhere.”
Michael Jackson, Billion-Dollar Man
“Michael Jackson’s estate has generated at least $1 billion in revenues since the singer died a year ago, thanks in part to a lucrative new record deal with Sony Music and the most successful concert film of all time, according to Billboard estimates.”
Painter Thomas Kinkade Arrested DUI
“According to police reports and the Monterey Herald, Kinkade, 52, was stopped by a sheriff’s deputy shortly after 9 p.m. because his 2006 Mercedes-Benz didn’t have a front license plate. The deputy detected the smell of alcohol, and requested the assistance of a California Highway Patrol officer.”
Calgary Jazz Festival Abruptly Canceled
“For several months, the board had been asking the C-Jazz executive director for a detailed rundown of expenses and cash flow required for the 2010 festival. It wasn’t until … two days before the festival that we finally got a look. We were surprised that our wishes to scale down the festival following the difficult 2009 festival were, for the most part, disregarded.”
Toy Story Opens To Record Opening Weekend
“Toy Story 3” had the biggest opening day of all time for an animated film — but not the biggest-ever opening weekend.
What Defines A Movie Flop (Who Knows?)
“Foreign markets have, at least from a strictly financial standpoint, changed the definition of a flop. A film like “Ishtar” — considered one of the great all-time flops — pulled in $14 million against a $55 million budget, according to boxofficemojo.com. Today it might recoup some of its money overseas.”