Invisible Circus

thereal_p46_47

2007-02-14T12:47:00.003-08:00

The Real Napolean Dynamite, originally uploaded by lennon818.

thereal_p46_472, originally uploaded by lennon818.

thereal_p46_472

2007-02-14T12:47:00.001-08:00

thereal_p46_472, originally uploaded by lennon818.

efren ramirez

2007-02-14T12:46:00.001-08:00

efren ramirez, originally uploaded by lennon818.

efren ramirez2

2007-02-14T12:45:00.001-08:00

efren ramirez2, originally uploaded by lennon818.

IKAR Grey Area (Trembling Before G-d)

2006-11-17T11:15:00.002-08:00

Flash Slideshow

UPDATE!!

2006-11-02T15:32:00.000-08:00

Yes its been a long time since I last wrote something. When you are a freelance writer you sort of lose track of time, actually you lose track of reality but that is something different altogether.

Anyhow here is a quick update on what is going on and what you can expect:

1) AFI FILM FEST
Yes it is once again time for AFI so I should be posting frequently. They have an open bar so that might change .

2) Election Time
Just wrote this article about the CA Election, let me know what you think.

3) Gestalt Magazine
Working on something big for this magazine. I will keep you updated.

I think that's it. Thanks for those of you who are actually reading this.

'till I complain again

Golden Star Shorts Fest

2006-09-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

I attended the Golden Star Shorts Fest preview party last night. It is a rather interesting idea; a quarterly shorts film fest. As usually the films were hit and miss. Two where rather awful while one, The Day of the Grackle, was funny and innovative.

The review will be published in Gestalt magazine and when it is finalized here as well.

I might also might post the Q & A onto my podcast.

As for future plans, I have no idea; I am sure something will come up.

'till I complain again

The Real Viper Room

2006-09-05T12:13:00.000-07:00

The Myths of Hollywood

With the echoes of the amplifier still ringing in your head, your eyes bleary from that appalling movie, where do you go to escape the vicissitudes of modernity; to find your island of stillness? Ironically, The Viper Room on a Sunday night is the place of respite.
LA is a town of myths; nothing is really what it seems to be. The Viper Room is a perfect example of this. For many it is synonymous with sex, drugs, and rock n roll; it is, after all, the place where River Phoenix died. Once you get pass the velvet ropes you are faced with Frost’s dilemma. Head up the stairs to the den of iniquity or go off the beaten path and stroll into their secret bar. While many head up the stairs to the main showroom, you are far better off following Frost’s advice and taking the road less traveled. Bravely pass the stairs and head into the secluded bar in front of you.
Instantly you are transformed to . . ., (feel free to pick your decade) For me it is 1940’s Hollywood. The mahogany walls and low ceiling radiate warmness; the plush booths beg you to sit down and fade away. I have no idea what a speak-easy was like but I’m sure it was something like this place. Stroll over to the bar and in your best James Bond impersonation order a martini or some other libation. Find a corner booth and melt into it. If you happen to have a girl with you, put your arm around her and stare in her eyes, looking for the day when you first feel in love.
If you are lucky enough to be there during an acoustic set, let minor cords wash over you and be reminded of the warmth and comfort of mom tucking you in at night. Regardless of why you came you will be glad you did.

The Viper Room
8852 Sunset Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA.

Acoustic sets Sunday Nights 7ish.

Our Roots

2006-09-05T12:07:00.000-07:00

Our Roots
There are myths in Rock n Roll. There are myths about 24 hour sets. There are myths about jam bands that started a jam sometime in the mid sixties and are still playing that same song. There are myths about musicians selling their souls to the devil. There are myths about lead singers being possessed, live on stage, by the spirit of Robert Johnson, James Brown, and Prince. There are myths about bass players playing their bass with a cordless drill. At least I thought these were myths; for I now know some of these to be true.
These are just some of the things, some of the others are not fit for print, I witnessed when I saw The Toledo Show at Harvelle’s. We children of the digital age have sacrificed a lot; vinyl records and b-sides are just two examples. Perhaps our greatest sacrifice has been the live show. Sure, Bruce Springsteen still has a great show and when Prince feels like it he parties till the wee hours of the dawn, but when was the last time you saw an unknown act that knew how to jam.
When was the last time you saw something new and unexpected? Heard a lead singer sing in a way that you never knew existed? Saw a man possessed by the ghosts of the blues, jazz, soul, and rock n roll? Saw the bassists cast a spell like a voodoo priest, bewitching the entire audience. Heard the echoes of Jimmy on the guitar and Louis on the trumpet? Before we called it jazz, soul, blues, or Rock n Roll, there was MUSIC. Ancient rhythms used to cast away evil spirits, to usher the dead to the other side, or to celebrate life. The Toledo Show returns us to our roots.
Their music makes you want to dance. Makes you want to grab the first girl you see and engage in ancient rituals banned by the Church. Their music makes you stop thinking and start feeling.
It reminds us that we are young. It reminds us that beautiful dancers moving in front of us can simply be dancers. It remind us of a time when we were able to just have fun without psychoanalyzing every thing we saw and heard. It reminds us that the professed reason we drop bombs on Afghanistan and Iraq, the reason we treasure our freedom, is so we can go out, lose ourselves in the music, get drunk, and well . . .

The Toledo Show
Harvelle’s Sunday’s at 9:30 pm

Hollywoodland vs. Citizen Kane

2006-09-01T15:41:00.000-07:00

Moving Pictures

In this post-modern world of ours it is easy to get lost. With no past to cling to we are often lured by the siren song of the future. Hollywoodland reminds us of our film past. It takes us back to a world before digital technology and special effects ran amok; before George Lucas threw up on everything.
Hollywoodland is a filmmaker’s film. Every shot is exquisitely framed and lighted; every shot captures the beauty of light and the harshness of shadow. It reminds us of the need for harshness and contrast; a quality digital film fails to capture.
I’ll let you in on a little secret. When I watch a movie, in my critical capacity, I have two tests:
First, I will randomly pause a film and treat the image like a still photograph. I will look at how it is framed; how it is lit. Many people fail to realize that a movie is simply a string of photographs linked together. Needless to stay a vast majority of films fail this test.
Second, I like to turn off the sound. This might seem weird at first, but you have to remember that you are watching a film and not attending the theater. In theater the images are superfluous, it is all about the dialogue. In film, however, the dialogue is not the key component, the images are. A truly brilliant film will captivate and enthrall you with the simple use of images. It will convey its meaning without the use of a single word. In fact, sometimes the words get in the way.
Many believe that Citizen Kane is the greatest film ever made; many also find it to be extremely boring. How can this be? One can only answer this by watching it with the sound turned off. Once the mind is freed from concentrating on the words it can truly appreciate the beauty of light and the revolutionary camera angles employed in this movie.
I found the plot of Hollywoodland to be superfluous as well. The plot is simply a vehicle to heighten the cinematography. Think about it. If this film focused on our modern era would the cinematography have been the same? The softness of the light, for example, would seem a little ridiculous. If this film was not a detective-noir film would such extensive use of shadows been permissible?
One of the main debates in film today is about the small screen versus the big; the theater versus the home-theater. Many believe that with the creation of home theaters attending a movie theater has been rendered unnecessary, and while for many films I would agree with this, nothing could be further from the truth in regards to this film. Ironically, a detective noir film set in the late 50’s might be the saving grace of film studios.

UPDATE

2006-08-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

Long time no blog. Things have been crazy on my end so I apologize. Also, I am not as young as I remember; I am dead tired after only two nights of going out. There will be a lot of posts in the near future so please come back often.

Here is what has been happening and what will be happening.

Last Saturday I was at the Soul Cafe to catch Chelsea Williams. She is one of the last coffee house singer/songwriter and she is great. She actually is a street performer on 3rd street. Trying to set up an interview and write an article on her.

Last night, Sunday I think, I was at the Viper Room. Hollywood is a funny place. There are these great myths surrounding places like the Viper Room, the place where River Phoenix died, but when you actually go there things are 180 degrees different. I am working on an article trying to articulate all of this and work in two great acoustic acts I saw.
Oh and for any new bands out there who want a music critic to fall in love with you two words of advice: minor cords.

Tonight there is a big party at Cinespace, so if I survive I will no doubt have something sarcastic to say about the whole thing.

Thursday I am going to a preview of Hollywood Land at the Arclight.

I am also working on a grant application.

Also I might be joining some new magazines.

That's it for now.

'till I complain again

Gestalt/TOMS Shoe party at Maude Carrin

2006-08-18T12:41:00.000-07:00

Michael Schmidt Photography-
Gestalt/TOMS Shoe party at Maude Carrin

Originally uploaded by lennon818.

Hey look I'm famous, or at least cool. I thought it was about time this blog got some class and sophistication so here is a glossy, professional photo by a great photographer Michael Schmidt. I strive to bring only the best to my faithful twenty readers. Speaking of cool people, hi Ellen Rosner Feig.
Ellen is the editor in chief of this great new magazine I will be writing for called Gestalt.
Here I am at the Gestalt, TOMS Shoe party at Maude Carrin. I have always found these events to be very funny. They are filled with beautiful people staring at modern art. What, you might ask, is funny about this? What is funny is the point of modern art is to make fun of these people. Modern art is ugly. Only through sheer hubris has it become art and thus thought of as beautiful. So the next time you are at one of these events do the following:
stand next to a pretty young thing, wait for the inevitable moment when she will utter, "isn't it beautiful?", nod your head, leave the room, and proceed to giggle.

'till I complain again

I didnt know I Loved You Till I Saw You Rock n Roll

2006-08-17T11:52:00.000-07:00

BECKY, The Lead Singer

Originally uploaded by lennon818.
I didn’t know I loved you till I saw you Rock n Roll

My first love has always been rock n roll. When I first became a writer I dreamed of writing for Rolling Stone. In order for my dream to come to fruition I decided to write for any magazine that would have me as a music critic.
After my second show I knew I could never be a music critic; I simply did not have the patience for it. It seems like in LA everyone has a band and 90% of them are horrible, 9% are tolerable, and 1% are great. At that rate I would have to sit through 100 performances I did not care for, to have the chance of finding one great band.
Even though she broke my heart she still is my first love, so every now and then I write a music review.

The history of women in Rock n Roll is a strange and very ironic one. In my opinion women have better voices yet there are very few female rockers. Ironically the ones who make it are not the ones with the best voice, e.g. Janis Joplin. Why this is so probably requires a twenty-page essay on feminism. So what to make of a female rocker who has an amazing voice?
There she was on stage, all five feet of her, well if you include her hair doo and her shoes you can add a good six inches to that. This stature belies an amazing voice. She is Michigan J. Frog minus the green skin (He is the singing WB Frog, who only sings when nobody is there and when he sings he sounds like Pavarotti) Unlike the fembots who dominate music today this pixie has an operatic voice, she is actually a trained opera singer. What this means is she has perfect pitch and an amazing tone to her voice.
She is Becky Jensen, the lead singer of a new band called Hotwired. I would like to describe their sound but we got into a fight over this at the local diner so there is no definitive answer. It is a mix of punk meets heavy metal; think lots of power cords.
While the clash of the guitar and her voice create an interesting dynamic, old people like me don’t care too much for dissonance. If it were up to me she would be up there with an acoustic guitar. Don’t get me wrong I love punk rock but the problem with punk is most people don’t get it.
Here is a bit of advice for a new punk band: you don’t have to kill the melody. Yes, you might technically be called new wave instead of punk but hey its still rock n roll. I think what was missing most from this band is the melody. I know that it exists in her voice but her voice was drowned out by the guitar. If you are in a three-piece band you can’t just abandon the rhythm guitar and just play lead and power cords. The bassist also has to pick up the slack and play a more melodic bass, not an easy thing to do.
This is why there are so few three-instrument bands, very few people can pull it off. So while I think this band needs some good soul searching and rummaging through the discount bin at Amoeba for garage punk it has potential. Becky Jensen just might be the next great rock diva and she has the shoes to match.

Hotwired will be playing at the Viper Room on Sunday August 27th.

THE DERBY

2006-08-15T19:53:00.000-07:00

A new band, fronted by one of my favorite people, called Hotwired is playing tomorrow night at 10:30 at the Derby!!

The Derby is located at:
4500 Los Feliz Blvd.
Hollywood, CA 90027

stay tuned for my review of the show and pictures

'till I complain again

MUSE Project

2006-08-09T14:20:00.000-07:00

The girls over at the Muse Project were kind enough to post my review on their site. So I thought I would recipicate by posting a link to their site.

Please visit their site to learn more about their unique show and when it is playing. I am actually going to be attending another showing tonight.

'till I complain again.

Another Crazy Japanese Video

2006-08-09T14:13:00.000-07:00

Japanese Video

The foreign trend continues. This time its not even in English; the entire video is in Japanese. This leads to the question of are only people who speak Japanese watching this video or for some crazy reason those who, like me, do not speak Japanese but like crazy videos watching this as well. I am pretty sure it is the later rather than the former because if it were not roughly 1% of the Japanese speaking world has seen this video.

Osama's Pussy

2006-08-01T15:24:00.000-07:00

Big Mouth Cat

Another foreign video in the top two? Or at least one that makes fun of foreigners, in this video the Cat has an Indian accent. What is going on?
While this video and the previous one hint at it, the answer is not revealed until one visits Gizmoz.com. What is at play are the twin factors of isolationism and diminution during the crisis of war.

Gizmoz.com is a site where one can pick a talking head, its background, and then either insert your own voice or use the text-voice feature. Among the choices for heads are two interesting choices: Osama bin Laden and George W. Bush.

In essence we are taking our enemy, depends where you find yourself on the political spectrum, and transforming him into a cartoon character or worse. This of course is nothing new.

As early as the beginnings of Christianity, when the new dominant religion shrunk the idols of paganism into fairies and trolls, we have been shrinking our enemies and dehumanizing them.

This website is simply the newest way to do this. While it might be fun for some it can also be dangerous. If we dehumanize our enemies then we also refuse to hear anything they have to say and dismiss them outright. While we would love to belief that Osama is simply insane, there does exist the possibility that while his ideas are improperly expressed and his tactics abhorrent, while he is on the fringe of his religion, we still must listen to the minority when the majority is over one billion people.

The Next Pokemon

2006-07-31T23:32:00.000-07:00

私のblogです Blog #2 (my pets & home)

One word: Japanese. I do not know what it is but if something is in Japanese and is all crazy and epileptic then it is cool and popular. It worked for Pokemon and Iron Chef.
In all reality there is probably a subliminal message embedded in this video somewhere so if we all start turning Japanese then we can blame this video.

YOUTUBE Critic

2006-07-31T23:13:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know its been a while since my last post. Yes, I know the secret to ever making this blog a success is to write everyday. Here is my conundrum. I am a post modern pop-culture critic so in order for me to write everyday I would have to attend some sort of event, movie, play, etc. every single day and then write about it. The reason for this is because I refuse to write about something that I have not personally seen or interacted with; I see no point in simply reposting stuff. This is entirely unfeasible. So have I given up on the notion of writing everday? No, being the genius that I am, I have come up with a brilliant solution. I will be the world's first YouTube critic. Everyday I will post at the very least the highest rated YouTube video for the day and more than likely a few more down the line. I will then write an explanation of why I think they became the most popular video(s) for that day. Wish me luck.

'till I complain again

Little Miss Sunshine

2006-07-24T14:14:00.000-07:00

The definition of brilliance is the creation of a concept or object that no one else could have fathomed. Little Miss Sunshine is brilliant.
Little Miss Sunshine is a post-modern adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath. A post- modern adaptation is not a literal adaptation but the transformation of a work to emphasize a post-modern theme or provide a new insight into reality. For those who might doubt the connection between these two works the following is a short list of their commonalities:

A poor family, as their mode of transportation attests to, who set of to California in search of the better life

An ineffectual and silent head of the household, who do to his inability to provide for the household, sinks in the background

A mother who tries at all costs to keep the family together

An uncle who is prone to depression and is very morose

The young daughter who is the sole source of optimism.

The reclusive son who is silent

The feisty grandfather who is forced to go on the journey, but dies along the way.

While any adaptation of The Grapes of Wrath would constitute brilliance the transformation of this somber and religious text into a dark comedy is beyond brilliance. It is very hard to describe why this is so to an individual who has not trudged through this epic work.
It is sufficed to say there is nothing funny about this book, yet the movie is hysterical. This raises the fundamental question of how this can be.
In order to understand this one must delve into the problems of the two families: the Joads (from Grapes of Wrath) and the Hoovers (from Little Miss Sunshine).
While the problems of both families have economic roots they are fundamentally different. The Joads have real problems. They are living in the dust bowl and just have been forcibly removed from their home. The entire world around them is suffering and there is no relief in site. In short their problems are real.
The problems of the Hoovers, on the other hand, are entirely in their minds. The father is a failure because he refuses to acknowledge the possibility of failing. The son is a failure because he refuses to interact with the outside world. The Uncle is a failure because he has reduced life to black and white. The world is not coming to an end, they have not been forced from their homes, and they still have a future. This is why this movie is so funny.
In order for us to create the illusion of despair and denial in our heads we must create ridiculous and far fetching philosophies about the world; our brains do not accept minute lies. While we cannot realize the absurdity of these lies, outsider can. In this power of laughter lies the most profound statement of this movie.
The most profound thing, and fundamentally different, notion of this movie is that the cure is given—laughter. Our post-modern world is nothing more than a ridiculous farce. We have two choices: drugs (whether legal or not) or laughter; escape or acceptance. Only once someone accepts the ridiculous nature of this post-modern acceptance does this world lose its power over you.

The Los Angeles Journal

2006-07-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

Recently two of my reviews have been published by the Los Angeles Journal. I encourage you to view them by clicking on the images below. The Los Angeles Journal is a new voice in LA and will appreciate as many new readers as possible.

TAKING THE JESUS PILL

I'm Back

2006-07-24T12:29:00.000-07:00

I must apologize to my faithful readers for the long absence; a lot has happened since I last wrote. First, and foremost, I got a real 9 to 5 job in PR. Thankfully, that lasted all of three days. Here is a warning to all serious writers: DO NOT GO INTO PR. PR is like prostitution, you have to be unnaturally happy. The problem with PR is everything you write has to be up-beat and happy, it has to pop. Well, any serious writer knows that in order to write you must be miserable. If one looks at all of the great writers they were all miserable. So, I am back to writing for my blog and freelance writing hoping to get paid along the way. If you would like to pay me to write for you, please email me, I would greatly appreciate it.

'Till I complain again

Learning Annex II

2006-07-11T11:57:00.000-07:00

Perez Hilton never showed. Now I have nothing to write about (if I don't have anything to write about then what am I writting about now?).
I was very dissapointed to say the least. I have very little human contact and getting to meet someone as cool as Perez Hilton would have been the cherry on top of my sunday.

It turns out it is not all Perez's fault; the learning annex stiffed him for his last class and thinking he was not going to get paid, he never showed up (That is at least what one source told me).
I have never been one to take sides so here the emails of the two principals:

To personally complain to Perez as to why he never showed up email him.

To complain to the learning Annex email Oliver W.

P.S. The Learning Annex is a great place to meet women.

Till I complain again.

The Muse Project

2006-07-10T13:01:00.000-07:00

This Wed. July 12, I will be attending a rather interesting cabaret show called THE MUSE PROJECT at the King King Club in Hollywood. Tickets are $15.00 at the door and doors open at 9:00 pm. Stay tuned for interview and pictures of me w/ hot chicks : - )

Learning Annex

2006-07-10T12:56:00.000-07:00

I shall be attending the Harvard of Hollywood, otherwise knows as the Learning Annex tonight. I shall be attending Perez Hilton's class on entertainment blogging. I have three main reasons for doing this:
1) Because I can always use a good laugh
2) To try and make some money, so I can laugh at people who work hard.
3) Attend parties so I can get a good laugh.

I will keep you informed on all of the shenanigans.

Taking the Jesus Pill

2006-07-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

I just recently attended a great new show called Taking the Jesus Pill at the King King Club in Hollywood. It is the epitome of what post modern theater should be. 1) A lot of fun and available to the masses. 2) based on Hamlet.
I highly recommend the show to one and all. Pictures of the show will be available soon. For now here is my review. (This review will be appearing in a future issue of the LA Journal)

Glory, Glory Hallelujah

Glory, Glory Hallelujah, praise the LORD! Finally, someone knows what Post-Modern theater is supposed to be. Taking the Jesus Pill , created by Charlie Terrel and produced by Polly Parsons, is that rare show that brilliant uses the two hallmarks of Post Modern theater: the use of geography and a dialectical combination of the sacred and the profane.
The true revolution in Post-Modern art has been the abandonment of the restriction of space. Artists, like Jackson Pollock, did not paint on canvas but on air; the canvas being a mere echo of the process. Taking the Jesus Pill, follows this tradition by abandoning the stage. The production uses every single square inch of the King King club and encourages the audience to participate, although to a lesser extent than the Rocky Horror Picture Show. By blurring the line between actor and participant, this show introduces a key aspect of the profane.
Art, like religion, is defined by the delineation between the sacred and the profane. The Theater has always been a sacred art form, while Film has filed the profane niche. Art, like religion, also follows a dialectical path and this has forced the Sacred to be mixed with the Profane, giving birth to mixed media production like this. As a result Theater is no longer restricted to theaters but can be seen on the street and even in bars like the King King. While this combination might seem at first to be effortless, it in fact takes a great deal of talent and brilliance to strike the right balance between these two.
If a show is too sacred and adheres to theatrical dogma the common man will never see it. If it is too profane then it simply loses it message. The secret is to create a profound message and introduce high art to the masses in a sexy package. Taking the Jesus Pill achieves its sacredness by paying homage to the two great canons of writing, one sacred and one profane: Hamlet and Ask the Dust.
One cannot escape the allusions to Hamlet that fill this production. Tina is the embodiment of Ophelia, the beautiful, naïve youth who is tragically in love. Johnny 3:16 is Hamlet, the boy who must leave home to become a man but who will always be in love with his mother. After this things get a little weird, as the traditional Shakespearean relationships either evaporate or characters take on dualistic roles.
The most complex character is by far, the Preacher who embodies parts of at least three Hamlet characters. He is in one sense Claudius, the king of Denmark who attains his power through guile and deception. When he goes mad, he then embodies Hamlet himself. Finally, he becomes Laertes, hell bent on revenge only to die as a result of his own treachery. This is the sacred aspect of this play.
The more profane, although to any writer living in LA it is our sacred book, is the allusion to Ask the Dust, by John Fante. The principal allusion is to that of the ocean, the symbol of rebirth and renewal. Tina’s aggressiveness and madness can also be seen as an homage to Camilla. The unsure religiousness of Johnny 3:16 hints at the moral struggle of Arturo Bandini.
The question that begs to be asked is will an everyday audience grasp any of these allusions or will they simply be staring at the scantly clad women? The beauty of culture is that it works on a subconscious level. The message needs to merely exist and in fact the better hidden it is in scantly clad women and Rock n Roll music the more powerful it is. Post-modern theater is a collaborative process between critic and play write.
The primary job of a critic is to bring the subconscious message of the play into the light of consciousness. This theory believes that by hiding philosophy and high art in the guise of low art cultural journalism it will be more appealing to the reader.
It is true that there are draw backs to this approach. The play write must infuse his play with scantly clad women and thus create a disjointed work. The writer must mingle among the commoners and attend hundreds of awful shows in order to find a gem. In short the playwright and the critic must play the role of Jesus, they must sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

RUSH LIMBAUGH

2006-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

I am chaning course.
My original idea for this blog was to just provide movie reviews and other important reviews, i.e. not just my thoughts.
Well as the lack of updates has shown I am not getting into as many things as I would like so I have decided to just publish my rants and raves about what is wrong with this world.

So Here goes:

RUSH LIMBAUGH
I have been listening to various monologues about this whole Rush Limbaugh thing, hoping to hear a particular reference but I guess none is as clever as me. So, please bear with me as I present one more Rush Limbaugh joke:

As you all know by now Rush Limbaugh was detained at the airport for having illegal Viagra. Well, I guess they final found those Weapons of Mass Destruction.

THE VIEW

I am so sick and tired of the incessant coverage of this thing; who cares! First, who actually watches the View? Last time I checked none of these people are actually famous or well known; yet, we make them out to be demigods or something. It is because of the way the press handle entertainment stories, such as this, that entertainment reporting has lost all credibility. Entertainment reporting is a way for articulate and brilliant writers to introduce high-art concepts to the masses in a low-art package. If I wrote an article on Nietzsche no one would read it, but if I hint at it in an article about the new Superman movie, no one will notice and subconsciously absorb it . So to all of my fellow entertainment reporters, please do two things: read Nietzsche and please stop writing about Star Jones.

Stephanie Bennett transcript

2006-06-23T14:06:00.000-07:00

Here is a partial transcript of an interview I did with Stephanie Bennett, the producer of the new DVD Hail Hail Rock N Roll.
The Entire Interview can be heard HERE

213 mag: Your take on music in technology, especially Pro Tools as a benefit or a hindrance?

Stephanie: I think it is just a necessity; it is just an evolution as hi definition is. We use the technology, the new technology that comes along.

2. You think it [technology] has pretty much democratized the process, it has allowed people who could not do it before to be able to do it now.

Stephanie: I still think it is a question of the ears of the producer. I do not think it denigrates the quality. It is a question of the mix and getting it right. I think it is all about the people at the end of the day who utilize it.

3. What is the state of the Rockumentary?

Documentaries are difficult now a days because the people who own the footage, old footage, are asking. Partly because all of these libraries have been bought by bigger companies, and they are trying to get their investment back. It is very expensive buying archival footage. Also, music licenses have soared in cost.
Basically VH1 really killed my business, because they did everything in house and I think they did a pretty bad job. With the exception of outside producers such as Hart and Dana Perry, series on Drug Culture who spent two years doing it. I think when you hire people for five hundred dollars a week and they are not experienced at doing something people like us have been doing for 20 or 30 years, you get what you pay for. Anything good you see there is usually done by an outside company. I do not look at VH1 today they sort of lost me when MTV started, John Sykes was there and I did the Complete Beatles it was a whole different thing. I have done shows for them but they have this formula. I had a really bad experience with Behind the Music. . . all they wanted to know was all of the sort of sex and drug aspect. I am not interested in tabloid television or tabloid DVD.

WHY WE FIGHT

2006-06-19T17:56:00.000-07:00

WHY WE FIGHT

     Here is the answer:

History has an inherent inevitability.  Stability and internal peace of great empires brings prosperity, which in turn leads to a population growth.  This population growth eventually leads to over-population.  Over-population, in turn, creates a strain on resources for the poor.  With more people competing for a fixed number of jobs, wages go down.  With more people competing for a set amount of housing, rents increase.  At first this leads to great wealth for the upper class but it also creates more of them.  This in turn leads to greater competition among the upper class and the same cycle that was found in the lower class becomes apparent in the upper class.  In order to prevent the collapse of the upper class two things must occur:  1) the numbers of the lower class must be reduced and 2) there must be new jobs created for the remaining lower class in order to appease them.  The problem is more complex than this because if supply increases without a similar gain in demand then prices plummet; in short what is needed is infinite demand.  While this may sound like a pipe dream there is a product that has infinite demand:

  munitions.  The upper class is able to do this because there is one difference between the two groups, access to the State.  While the lower class are disenfranchised and oppressed, and thus lack access to the State, the upper class compose the State and thus the State is at their mercy.  The upper class thus turns to the State for employment and help.  This increase in expenditures along with a decline in tax revenue eventually causes the State to collapse.  With the collapse of the State comes a collapse of law and order and freed from the restraints of the state civil war among the elites break out along with popular rebellion about the commoners.
This is the message of this film.  Of course the film cannot come out and say this because if it did its producer would be called a lunatic or worse thrown in jail for something; now that tricky problem of warrants and evidence of wrongdoing have been abolished.  In order to convey this message it employs the following tried and true formula for a documentary.

Use of crackpots

Individuals with crazy ideas and conspiracy theories who also have Phd’s are used to state the overall idea of the documentary. Of course, no one really believes these individuals because they are deemed to be nuts so we move on to step 2.

The use of disgruntled individuals

In this step former military officers and sons and daughters of famous people who have ideas against the perceived mainstream ideas of their institutions and parents are used. Since these people have a relationship to famous people and have worked in these institutions they have more authority. The ultimate step is step 3.

The use of the opponent

This is the step made famous by Michael Moore.  What one does is simply let the opposition state their opinions.  What one hopes is that this individual makes some ridiculous or illogical statement that will further the agenda of the film.

This, in short, is how to make a documentary.  There is a problem with all of this, of course.  Outside of the problem of neutrality is the problem of apathy.
     In a post modern world there is no such thing as truth, just a whole bunch of narratives.  The mere fact that a liberal states a position does not make it true; there is no truth.  What must one do in this new environment then?
     One must simply construct a film that forces individuals to think.  This is done through breaching experiments; the use of everyday objects and images in unusual circumstances and ways.  By removing objects from their everyday contexts it forces the individual to rethink these objects.
     We live in a world in which truth no longer exists.  In this world we must create works of art that not only defy normal conventions but shatter them.  We must say to ourselves, “what would Joe Sixpack do here” and then proceed to do not only the exact opposite of what Joe Sixpack would have thought but something Joe Sixpack could not have even fathomed.

Coincidence I think

2006-06-09T11:50:00.000-07:00

Coincidence? I think not.

Globalism. Nothing shines the harsh light of reality onto Globalism better than movies. We constantly complain about losing jobs to Mexico and factories to China. We debate endlessly about the widening trade gap and the decline of the dollar. We, however, ignore the greatest cost of Globalism: our souls.
There is no better reflection of the loss of the American soul than foreign movies. A no name foreign film, like Lovers of the Arctic Circle, is immeasurably better than anything Hollywood has produced in oh I do not know how long. The brilliance of the dialogue, the daring plot, the eloquent use of imagery, are things one simply does not see in American cinema. This loss of America’s soul is a mere prelude to the dangers of Globalism.
In a world based on the harshness of economics and the almighty dollar countries will inevitably specialize, much like factories do. Those countries that are rich and prosperous must demonstrate this with a great white fleet, i.e. today’s Hollywood blockbuster. This allows those countries not named America to do as they please, i.e. produce foreign films that in reality make no sense but are still beautiful and thought provoking. While foreign films might highlight the negative aspects of Globalism they also hint at the positive aspects as well.
First, and most obviously, without Globalism individuals living in the United States would not be able to view films made in Spain and around the world. More importantly film points out the farcical nature of Globalism. We human beings yell, scream, debate, and go on and on about things in reality we have no power over because in the end there is a force greater than us and it is revealed in a singular word: coincidence.

Nacho Libre

2006-06-06T14:47:00.000-07:00

I will be attending the premier of NACHO LIBRE
on Tuesday June 13th at Mann's Chinese Theater.

Stay tuned for the review.

Stephanie Bennett

2006-05-25T11:06:00.000-07:00

To my loyal readers.
Here is an article I wrote for 213 Magazine in regards to an interview I did with Stephanie Bennett, followed by a podcast of the interview.
For those of you would do not know who she is, she is a documentary film maker who is famous for films like Compleat Beatles and her new one Hail, Hail, Rock n Roll.

Living on the Dark Side of the Moon

They are all going to sound incredibly ancient like (warned Stephanie Bennett):

Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd

Sergeant Pepper

Joshua Tree

Blue

Nebraska

Artists live in a weird limbo. They occupy a space between nostalgia and optimism. They live in neither the here nor the now. They are either great visionaries or great storytellers of the past. This causes artists to become very enigmatic individuals.

On the one hand they are fiercely protective of their art form as Stephanie Bennett so eloquently stated, “Basically VH1 killed my business, because they did everything in house and I think they did a pretty bad job.” On the other hand they embrace new technologies that allow anyone to try and dethrone them; “I think it (Pro Tools) is just a necessity, it is just an evolution as hi definition is.” For the artists these issues are not problematic at all because they know the skill involved in creating their art; “I still think it is a question of the ears of the producer”. For others, like myself, this seems to be naïve optimism.

The basic assumption in music has always been that somehow the cream will rise to the top. Legions of fans worshiped The Beatles, John Lennon, and Chuck Berry because they were the best and people always seek the best; John Lennon, I think, I still get moved by Imagine. Or so the story goes.

What if, however, it is not based on talent but marketing? In this day and age it seems like our Rock G-ds are produced through some automated factory process. We have in essence become the generation of Behind the Music; we do not care for the substance but instead the carnage; but they [VH1] have this formula—all they wanted to know was all of the sex and drugs aspect. We no longer believe in gods and reveal when they fall of Mount Olympus.

While Mrs. Bennett acknowledges that my generation might not know who Chuck Berry is I doubt that my Generation knows who Bob Dylan or even Bruce Springsteen are. Maybe it is ambivalence but I fear it is a lack of exposure. Terrestrial radio is dead, Clear Channel owns everything; yeah I know, well that is a whole other story. The RIAA sues anyone who tries to innovate. While these may be the major culprits; the fence sitting of artists is also to blame.

On the one hand artists believe in the dissemination of information; I think people should be taught more about history generally, and not just American History. We all cling to the naive belief that if everyone hears The Times They are a Changing or Live at Folsom the world would be a better place; to me, what changed my life in a way, is the Beatles Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. On the other hand, we want to protect our rights because we also cling to the other naïve belief that someday we will become famous.

For many of us these questions might seem trivial but for a documentary film maker these quandaries combined together create one last, great question: are you creating a film that is based on a living, breathing tradition or are you documenting a dying one?

PODCAST

The Da Vinci Code

2006-05-18T00:28:00.001-07:00

Popcorn.

All hail the resurrection of the popcorn movie. In her grand cathedral, the Cinerama Dome, guarded by burly men who waved magic wands at me and felt me up like a cheap date, she was brought back in all her cheesy and melodramatic splendor. The Da Vinci Code is what a popcorn movie used to be and what a popcorn movie should always be. The following is the proper recipe for a popcorn film:

A ridiculous, far fetched plot
Overacting
Overacting by superstar actors
At least one bad accent but the more the merrier
Fast cuts and other director 101 tricks
Grandiose music
No plot, or at the very least a minimalistic one.
The ability to poke fun at itself.
Melodrama

What gets lost in all of the hoopla surrounding this movie is that The Da Vinci Code is pure pulp fiction. While this fact might have been disguised by the subject matter of the book there is nowhere to hide on a silver screen. The dialogue was revealed for what it was ridiculous and cheesy. Ron Howard, the director, could have traversed down one of two paths.
He could have taken the book seriously and tried to make a serious movie out of this. He could have emphasized the theories behind the book and the persecution of the church, along with a host of other things. This would have made for a terrible movie because, frankly those things are boring.
Instead he choose to highlight the campiness of the book. He realized that the reason people loved the book was not because it was great fiction but because it was very engrossing. You kept reading one page after another because you where dying to find out what was going to happen at the end. A book has the luxury of time, a movie has no such luxury. Thus, in order to keep the movie as engrossing as the book it had to be speed up. When something is speed up out go the theories and in comes the action.
Thus, in the end we are left with a film that damns convention and is simply a fun movie to watch. It takes us back to a pre-political correct world in which the French policemen seem to have all been trained by Inspector Clouseau. The mastermind, in true American fashion, turns out to be one of our allies the British, I knew we could not trust those no ice in their drink bastards. The villain, like our enemies during the cold war, is easily recognizable as evil; he is albino after all. The church is up to no good because Italians run it. In short the whole world is evil because they are not Americans. Oh, and the hero of course is American and he is from a prestigious W.A.S.P. school, Harvard. Yes, the co-hero is French, but she is hot so that is okay. If you think I am crazy, you are probably right, but look at the movie poster: Red, White, and Blue.
So will this movie change the world, of course not. Does it really have a point, no. If you want to see a movie that will leave you thinking and question your existence on this earth, this is not the film for you. If you want a good date movie, then by all means go and see this film.

Copyright Law

2006-05-11T12:58:00.000-07:00

Sorry folks but it is time to get serious
I do not like to admit this but I attended law school; I am in therapy because of it so I do not like to talk about it very much. What I specialized in was copyright law and what I learned was that the system is totally screwed up.
For example a copyright is good for the life of the author plus 75 years (this is the Sonny Bono Copyright act) This is ridiculous.

The reason I bring this up is because I had a fantastic idea to rework John Fante's Ask The Dust
into a play I want to produce.
Of course I need the permission of his estate. Here is the email they sent me:

Dear Mr. Emrani:

I am in receipt of your request to exploit certain live stage play rights in the book written by my father, "ASK THE DUST" ( the "Book"). Unfortunately, this is probably impossible. First, there is a legal holdback on those rights until 2009. Therefore, we cannot sell you the rights you seek at this time--but you may contact us again in 2009 if you then wish to proceed with your project. Even after 2009, you may not make any use of the material in the Book unless and until we enter into a signed contract under which you would purchase those rights from us.

I should also note that Robert Towne has the right to release us from our holdback obligation, and therefore, if Mr. Towne wanted to approve your play at this time, we would be prepared to negotiate with you for the use of the Book in your proposed play. Mr. Towne's attorney is named Hilary Bibicoff and she can be reached as follows:

I don't believe Mr. Towne would allow any use of the Book in any play before 2009, but if you wish you may contact him and ask him to authorize such use. If Mr. Towne authorized such use in writing, then you would need to work out a contract with our lawyers to buy the rights from us. Normally, we do not sell any rights in the Book for fees of less than U.S. $10,000, so if you do not have this amount in your budget, we would not be able to reach an agreement allowing you to use the Book.

Thank you for your interest in "ASK THE DUST."

This is ridiculous for numerous reasons:

1) This book is the bible of any writer. It is the book us writers have spent our entire life trying to write.
2) It was published in 1939.
3) John Fante passed away.

As a writer I am all for the protection of my copyright and preventing individuals from using it in unscrupulous ways but I also believe in art and interesting and unique uses of my work.

The whole notion of copyright law is based on a myth called originality. All writers know there is no such thing; we simply write books or manuscripts we have never read.

Finally, the individuals who are in charge of the estates of great writers have a responsibility to the general public. If your fathers wrote a book about a starving writer is not hypocritical of you to deny the use of that work by a starving artist?

Hope I do not get sued.

Da Vinci Code Premier

2006-05-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

It looks like I will be going to the Da Vinci Code Premier at the Arclight theater on May 17th at the Arclight theater. Hopefully I will get to meet Tom Hanks or Audrey Tautou. Look for the review and maybe more.

Oh and I might be doing some music criticism for the Los Angeles Journal. I am trying to get into the Hollywood Bowl shows for Belle and Sebastian and Flaming Lips.

Concert calendar is looking dead this month, so I probably will not be posting anything for a couple of months on that front.

Till I complain again

The Harpeth Trace at Safari Sam's

2006-05-04T13:49:00.000-07:00

The Harpeth Trace is going to be playing at this cool, new club on May 25 around 9:00 ish. Click on the pic for directions and other info. Cover will be around $5.

Update: 213 magazine can be picked up at Tower records and Amoeba records, so pick up a copy.

Till I complain again.

Say for me that I'm all right though things get kind of slow

2006-05-02T15:47:00.000-07:00

Say for me that I'm all right though things get kind of slow
DYLAN

Wow, its been a while since I last wrote something on this blog. I think the quote best sums up how things are going; Slow.

Here is what has happened since I last wrote.

1. As I have previously mentioned my poem was picked up by the women's Outreach Network to help breast cancer. They are going to gave a Gala on May 9th in New York. Here is the invite. Alas I do not live in NY and I have no money to get there, but fanfare is fanfare.

2. Newport Beach Filmfestival rejected my credentials and that is why you do not see any updates from that festival. I think the whole thing is ridiculous because I was going to cover it for an actual print magazine. Oh well, there loss.

Here is what I wrote the guy when I found out he rejected me, and yes I sent it to him:

You are kidding me right?
Since when do film festivals reject print publications? The point of a film festival is to honor the voice of the independent film and no one does this outside of independent publications. Do you really think that "major" publications are going to have in depth coverage of a short film or of films they know will never be picked up by a major studio? You are doing a great disservice to your film makers.

No response from him.

3. New issue of twoonethree magazine came out with some of my stuff in it. It is a print magazine and as soon as I find out where and how you can obtain a copy I will let you know.

4. Saw The Harpethtrace play live; some words on that in another post.

Till I complain again.

Harpeth Trace

2006-04-12T17:18:00.000-07:00

Just got the new album "Man and the Cousin" by a great new band called the Harpeth Trace. If you want to hear what music critics are looking for in new bands, listen to this album.

Here is my review of the album:

Silence. Lingering notes. Unpolished, sand paper voice.

Musicality. Three piece bands. Lyrics. Country roots.

Ode to Bowie and Dylan. Diversity. Originality. Rebellion.

These are the things I use to love about Rock n Roll and never thought I would hear again from an up and coming band; that is until I heard Man and the Cousin, by the Harpeth Trace. As a musical critic I have gone very cynical about the state of modern music:

Everything sounds the same, there is no originality.

Albums based on formulas and marketing instead of musicality.

Love of pro-tools and abandonment of instruments.

Yet in all of this negativity and sewage I still kept out hope because:

I knew people still listened to Dylan and Bowie.

I knew people still played their own instruments

I knew someone did not care what the music industry wanted.

So thank you Harpeth Trace for re-affirming my faith.

(I always wanted to incorporate my poetic techniques into a music review, and I think I finally succeeded.)

The Madness Continues

2006-04-06T14:42:00.000-07:00

Life is a little crazy right now; okay its really crazy.

Here is Kevin Pollock and I; he just received a lifetime achievement award from Methodfest on Tuesday. He said he would have his people get in touch with me for an interview, so keep your fingers crossed. Does this mean I have decided to become a real journalist; I guess so : - ).

Just saw a great documentary on the Police titled Everyone Stares, the Police Inside Out. In short it is a whole bunch of Stewart Copeland's home movies strewn together into a film. Read my review: Behind Andy's Camel

Both Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers were there.
Their people promised me an interview with both of them so keep your fingers crossed on that end.

I also was able to get Stewart to sign a drumstick for me and get Andy's autograph. And no, it will not be put up on eBay.

Hollywood at night; there is just something about it. Oh and there is this thing called the Holly Trolley that takes you to all of the clubs and stuff, who knew.

Speaking of clubs going to the King King to check out L'EFFLEUR DES SENS, its a cabaret show.
I might be doing something for them so look at for that as well.

Finally, I will not make the end of the Methodfest so no more updates from there.

Next film festival is Malibu, if I make it.

Till I complain again

Method Fest continues

2006-04-03T22:37:00.000-07:00

Man am I tired. I have been to five parties, two movies, and a short movie compilation in under a week. Enough about me though.

I did not see any movies on Saturday but went to an interesting party at a high end auto-dealer on Saturday and meet some very interesting people. Rant of the day why are foreign females so much more affectionate than American women? I hate handshakes; its a medieval custom knights engaged in to show they were disarmed.

Sunday I went to a great Short Program. The heart of any film festival are the Shorts and this Short program (Program 5: Take My Advice) was stellar.
The best short was Christopher Brennan Saves the World. It like a short John Hughes film; it even had a great soundtrack. (the picture above is from it) It is about a guy who doles out advice along with fries at a fast food restaurant. After seeing this film it left me wondering why movies have to be 1:30 hours long. Anyhow you can read my full review here.

Week ahead:
Tue: gonna try to make the 9:30 showing of Turntable at Methodfest
Wed: trying to get pass to the Police Screening at AFI
Thur: Dirt Nap and the closing Night Gala
Fri: spending with friends and Grandma.

Hope I make it to Friday.

Till I complain again

Method Fest Opening Night

2006-04-01T13:34:00.000-08:00

Method Fest is officially underway and lets just say so far its everything one would expect from a film festival in the valley. For those of you who do not know where Calabasas is lets just say, for most people in LA, it is where civilization ends. The people of Calabasas, of course, perfer their blissful isolation and so we will see how this plays out.
As for the first nights film Dreamland, wow what a stinker. In fact I came up with a new term to describe it: a seasick film. Read my full review to understand what that means.
Suffice it to say it was probably the worst film I have ever seen.

I will also be going tonight so lets hope things pick up because one more film like that and I do not think I will make it to the end.

Side note- as most of you have probably noticed there are not very many pictures on this blog. There are many reasons for this but the primary reasons are a) my scanner died and b) I'm jaded

Till I complain again

Lonesome Jim

2006-03-30T18:24:00.000-08:00

Lonesome Jim was great last night! In short it is a comedy about my life; a 27 year old writer who is living with his parents.
You can read my full review here
The Q & A was very interesting and the party that followed was fun as always, fee alcohol as well. Most of the stars were there; Steve Buscemi and Boone and others.
The AFI events are always great and I recomend them to one and all.
Next AFI event I will be attending is their Rock N Roll documentary series. Here is the Link
I hope to be attending the following shows:
April 5th the Police
April 19th Ziggy Stardust
May 10th Leonard Cohen.

You should hurry and buy tickets because they are going to run out. Oh and there should be some cool parties after.

I will also be attending the Method movie festival this weekend so stay tuned for an update on that.

Thats it for now.

Update

2006-03-28T16:33:00.000-08:00

To the three or four people who are actually reading this : - P. Look for lots of updates in the very near future. Here is what I am working on and what you have to look forward to:

1) I will be attending a special Q & A screening of Lonesome Jim at the Arclight tomorrow night. The director Steve Buscemi will be there.

2) I just got a poem published in a book that The Outreach For Breast Health Foundation is releasing. The book is only available at their website and I will post the link when the book is published.
For a sneek preview here is the Poem (With those waves singing Caroline No)

3) April is film fest season and I plan on attending Method Fest and AFI's 5th annual musical documentary series

4) I am doing research for a book. It is more or less a modern Marxist perspective on why wars occur and who profits from them.

I guess I will be very busy.
I would also like to thank anyone who is actually reading this and I would love to receive an Email to validate my existence; yes we writers are very vain people.

: - )

2006-03-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

Hamlet

2006-03-18T22:10:00.000-08:00

Just saw a great production of Hamlet, Thursday night, at the Stella Adler Theatre in Hollywood. Hamlet is what any writer dreams of achieving. You cannot appreciate the genius of Shakespeare until you see a live production of Hamlet; and this is a great production. Two things make it really unique:
1) There is a great media installation by Jesse Russell Brooks. What is really intersting is he uses old tv sets and he also depicts the Ghost through this medium.
2) you get to sit on stage.

To read my full review click here.

2006-03-15T14:49:00.000-08:00

Jason Alexander and I

First Post

2006-03-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

Welcome. This is the first of what I expect to be many posts; I have a lot of ranting and raving to do. I will be honest the main point of this blog is to get me a paid gig as a writter, so if you are reading this and you can offer me such a gig please let me know. Next question is what will this blog be about. The answer is whatever I want it to be about but mostly it will be a cultural criticsm and a way of showcasing my various articles and information on events I have attended. Well that is it for now, thank you for reading.