“One of the oddest aspects of writing about theatre is the tricky question of how one goes about describing the actors. After all, it is their presence, the way they look and how they sound, that constitutes a large element of seeing a play. The problem for critics is balancing the need to describe the obvious and deliberate dynamics which have been – often calculatedly – set up, while at the same time trying not to offend, appear lecherous, or come across as entirely superficial.”
Tag: 09.28.07
For High Return On Investment, Fund The Arts
“Not many investments return $5 for every $1 put up – at least, not many legal investments. That eye-popping $5-to-$1 calculation comes from a new study of the impact of arts and cultural groups on the economy in Philadelphia and its Pennsylvania suburbs. Given the chance to reap such handsome returns while boosting a key asset to the region, state and local government officials should be more bullish than they are on the funding of arts and culture.”
Can Ang Lee Remove The Stigma Of NC-17?
“The NC-17 rating has long been the movie industry’s equivalent of the scarlet letter. Slap the label on a movie and audiences would shun it, many theater owners would refuse to show it and the film certainly would be a long shot for an Academy Award. But some in Hollywood are hoping the latest film by Taiwanese director Ang Lee will change the way American audiences perceive the NC-17 label.”
Why Video Games Aren’t Art — And How They Could Be
“Thirty-five years after Pong, fans and critics still debate whether video games can legitimately be called art. Certainly, whatever artistic potential that games have, few, if any, have fulfilled it. Halo 3 hasn’t changed that. Games boast ever richer and more realistic graphics, but this has actually inhibited their artistic growth. The ability to convincingly render any scene or environment has seduced game designers into thinking of visual features as the essence of the gaming experience.”
Are Audiences Ready For Hollywood’s Anti-War Fare?
“In the question of whether Hollywood can sell its antiwar agenda, perhaps the issue isn’t liberal versus conservative, but earnest versus escapist. … But Hollywood may not be the most reliable of institutions to serve as a national conscience. Movies are a business first, a harbinger second.” And whether there’s a substantial audience willing to fork over cash to see the new anti-war films is an open question.