There is no exact date for this silent home movie shot at the ReseÂda, CA home of Stan LauÂrel’s daughÂter, Lois. But the year must have been 1956, because, durÂing that year, OlivÂer Hardy, the othÂer memÂber of the great comÂic duo, lost more than 150 pounds, resultÂing in a comÂplete change of his outÂward appearÂance. Hardy had a mild heart attack in 1954 and startÂed lookÂing after his health. But letÂters by Stan LauÂrel indiÂcate that OlivÂer was also sufÂferÂing from canÂcer. In SepÂtemÂber 1956 — probÂaÂbly not long after this movie was made — OlivÂer sufÂfered a major stroke, which left him unable to speak and conÂfined to bed for sevÂerÂal months. Then, at the beginÂning of August 1957, he had two more strokes and slipped into a coma from which he nevÂer recovÂered. He died on August 7 that year.
ExactÂly one week after OlivÂer’s death, Stan gave a rare radio interÂview and recountÂed the moment when he and OlivÂer met for the first time. The full, one-hour interÂview can be enjoyed here. Stan died on 23 FebÂruÂary 1965 after sufÂferÂing a heart attack of his own. He was buried at ForÂest Park MemoÂrÂiÂal Park in BurÂbank. Footage from the funerÂal shows celebriÂties such as Dick Van Dyke, Buster Keaton and George ChanÂdler in attenÂdance. Stan’s friend Dick Van Dyke delivÂered this movÂing euloÂgy.
Robert JohnÂson, the legÂendary bluesÂman, would have turned 100 this week. That’s well beyond the age he actuÂalÂly lived to – a very young 27. DurÂing his short life (1911–1938), JohnÂson recordÂed 29 indiÂvidÂual songs. But they could not have been more influÂenÂtial. Songs like Cross Road Blues, Sweet Home ChicaÂgo, and Kind HeartÂed Woman Blues (all found in this newÂly-released CenÂtenÂniÂal ColÂlecÂtion) had a remarkÂable influÂence on musiÂcians growÂing up genÂerÂaÂtions latÂer. KeiÂth Richards, Eric ClapÂton, Robert Plant – they all acknowlÂedge a deep debt to JohnÂson.
SpeakÂing of debts, you can’t talk about Robert JohnÂson withÂout talkÂing about the famous devÂil legÂend. The legÂend holds that JohnÂson made a FausÂtÂian barÂgain with the devÂil, sellÂing his soul in exchange for boundÂless musiÂcal talÂent. It’s a great tale, and it all gets brought back to life in “DevÂilÂish Detail,” a new aniÂmatÂed film (above) feaÂturÂing illusÂtraÂtions by ChristoÂpher DarÂling. You can view it in a largÂer forÂmat on Nowness.com…
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
The 64th AnnuÂal Cannes Film FesÂtiÂval opens tonight, and the cineastÂes among you have probÂaÂbly already bookÂmarked the film site MUBI, where you can find all things Cannes (and all things interÂnaÂtionÂal cinÂeÂma, for that matÂter) at the site’s blog: the MUBI DaiÂly.
EditÂed by Daniel KasÂman, the MUBI DaiÂly feaÂtures stelÂlar writÂers, includÂing Glenn KenÂny, Ignatiy VishÂnÂevetÂsky, and the wonÂderÂful David HudÂson, whom you may recÂogÂnize from his days at Greencine and IFC. You’ll find review round-ups, comÂmenÂtary, interÂviews, updates, trailÂers for many films at Cannes, and finalÂly, quirky entries like this one: ConÂtribÂuÂtor AdriÂan CurÂry’s comÂmenÂtary on a L’ExÂpresscolÂlecÂtion of 64 year’s worth of offiÂcial Cannes FesÂtiÂval posters. CurÂry highÂlights the best and worst of the lot (along with a speÂcial wince d’or for 1995’s pasÂtel nightÂmare of a seascape, to which designÂer Ryszard Horowitz may as well have added rainÂbows and uniÂcorns).
The site is defÂiÂniteÂly worth keepÂing tabs on, espeÂcialÂly this week, when they’ll be offerÂing a virÂtuÂal tickÂet to the south of France, minus the lines, mobs, and high likeÂliÂhood of lapÂtop theft.
A last note: you can find sevÂerÂal prize-winÂning films from the Cannes Film FesÂtiÂval (includÂing two by Andrei Tarkovksy) in our colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly
In one of his very best earÂly essays, David Lynch Keeps His Head (1996), the late novÂelÂist and essayÂist David FosÂter WalÂlace did his best to pinÂpoint exactÂly what it is that makes Lynch such an odd and wonÂderÂful direcÂtor. The artiÂcle is pure pleaÂsure (and a reminder of just how fresh and origÂiÂnal WalÂlace was, and how rarely his imiÂtaÂtors ever do him jusÂtice). One line in parÂticÂuÂlar stands out — the writer’s now-famous comÂparÂiÂson between Lynch and TaranÂtiÂno: “Quentin TaranÂtiÂno,” wrote WalÂlace, “is interÂestÂed in watchÂing someÂone’s ear get cut off. David Lynch is interÂestÂed in the ear.”
We’re not quite sure what that line has to do with the direcÂtor’s latÂest proÂducÂtion (a comÂmerÂcial adverÂtisÂing his new cofÂfee line and starÂring a sevÂered BarÂbie head) except that we couldÂn’t stop thinkÂing of either the quote or the essay as we watched it — appalled, disÂmayed, perÂplexed, and, as always with the films of Mr. Lynch, comÂpleteÂly incaÂpable of lookÂing away.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly
If you’ve ever had doubts about the impact of videogame aesÂthetÂics on conÂtemÂpoÂrary cinÂeÂma — not just action movies, but video and indeÂpenÂdent film as well — this romanÂtic short from Spy Films might well disÂpel them. The plot is basic: A man and a woman lock eyes in the street, and dream of what might have been, while sweet notes fill the air. But direcÂtor and cinÂeÂmatogÂraÂphÂer Arev Manoukian updates the familÂiar stoÂry with a comÂpelling visuÂal style which seems inspired by equal parts Matrix trilÂoÂgy and PlayStaÂtion 3. For more inforÂmaÂtion about the speÂcial effects, there’s a “makÂing of” video for your viewÂing.
Francophones/francophiles of more ludÂdite tenÂdenÂcies might find themÂselves immeÂdiÂateÂly rushÂing to play Georges Brassens’ ode to ephemerÂal street romance, “Les PasÂsantes.” We strongÂly encourÂage you to do so, preferÂably at sunÂset, while sipÂping a hot cup of longÂing-infused tea.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
A few weeks ago we directÂed you to a wonÂderÂful three-part BBC docÂuÂmenÂtary about modÂern phiÂlosÂoÂphy called Human, All Too Human, adding that we conÂsidÂered the chapÂter on Jean-Paul Sartre the most satÂisÂfyÂing of the three.
Now we give you a light-heartÂed chasÂer for that docÂuÂmenÂtary’s strong spirÂits: The French philosoÂpher’s teachÂings as interÂpretÂed by the sciÂence ficÂtion overÂlord Darth VadÂer. PerÂhaps more than any othÂer 20th cenÂtuÂry supervilÂlain, the disÂgraced Jedi knight tragÂiÂcalÂly and perÂfectÂly embodÂies the SarÂtriÂan notion that “FreeÂdom is what you do with what has been done to you.”
For those who might conÂsidÂer the JokÂer a betÂter canÂdiÂdate, we humbly subÂmit that with the JokÂer, it’s more of a NietÂzschean thing.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly
96 years ago today, Orson Welles, the “ultiÂmate auteur,” was born in Kenosha, WisÂconÂsin. Hence his earÂly nickÂname, The Kenosha Kid. NowaÂdays, we rememÂber Welles as arguably the greatÂest direcÂtor of the 20th cenÂtuÂry, a superb actor on stage and screen, and a pioÂneerÂing radio dramaÂtist. To celÂeÂbrate his 96th birthÂday, we have dipped into our archives and pulled togethÂer some of Welles’ finest artisÂtic works, all now freely availÂable online:
The Stranger
Welles’ third film, The Stranger, a 1946 film noir thriller, was a comÂmerÂcial sucÂcess upon release. The same couldÂn’t be said for CitÂiÂzen Kane. The Stranger feaÂtures Edward G. RobinÂson huntÂing a Nazi fugiÂtive (Welles himÂself) who marÂries the daughÂter (LoretÂta Young) of a Supreme Court jusÂtice. The film, now availÂable online in its entireÂty, is one of the first post WWII films to show footage of conÂcenÂtraÂtion camps. You can find this film, and othÂers menÂtioned below, in our colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online.
Welles famousÂly starred in The Third Man, a must-see noir film, which won the Grand Prix at the 1949 Cannes Film FesÂtiÂval and an AcadÂeÂmy Award for Best Black and White CinÂeÂmatogÂraÂphy in 1950. A half cenÂtuÂry latÂer, the British Film InstiÂtute namedThe Third Man the best British film of the 20th cenÂtuÂry. Quite a stateÂment. You can watch it here.
FreeÂdom RivÂer
Almost 40 years (and sevÂen presÂiÂdenÂtial adminÂisÂtraÂtions) have passed since Orson Welles narÂratÂed FreeÂdom RivÂer. And although the aniÂmaÂtion shows some age, the paraÂble, a comÂmenÂtary on AmerÂiÂca, still resÂonates today. Or, at least I susÂpect many viewÂers will think so. You can get the backÂstoÂry on this intriguÂing litÂtle project here.
The War of the Worlds
Back in the late 1930s, Orson Welles launched The MerÂcury TheÂatre on the Air, a radio proÂgram dedÂiÂcatÂed to bringÂing draÂmatÂic proÂducÂtions to the AmerÂiÂcan airÂwaves. The show had a fairÂly short run. It lastÂed from 1938 to 1941. But it made its mark. DurÂing these few years, The MerÂcury TheÂatre aired The War of the Worlds, an episode narÂratÂed by Welles that led many AmerÂiÂcans to believe their counÂtry was under MarÂtÂian attack. The legÂendary proÂducÂtion was based on H.G. Wells’ earÂly sci-fi novÂel, and you can lisÂten to it here. We have more links to MerÂcury TheÂatre proÂducÂtions here.
Welles Reads Moby Dick
He only gives you two tanÂtaÂlizÂing minÂutes. And he’s paraÂphrasÂing more than readÂing the text itself. But it’s vinÂtage Welles. You can find him readÂing anothÂer pasÂsage from Melville’s clasÂsic here…
French graphÂic artist MarÂtin WoutisÂseth has put togethÂer this loveÂly filÂmogÂraÂphy of StanÂley Kubrick, based on aniÂmatÂed posters of his own design, and set to a wonÂderÂful score by comÂposÂer Romain TrouilÂlet. WoutisÂseth’s visuÂal interÂpreÂtaÂtions of each film, from Killer’s Kiss (1955) to Eyes Wide Shut (1999) are works of art in their own right. We espeÂcialÂly loved the details on the mask for Eyes Wide Shut at minute 3:00.
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly
We're hoping to rely on loyal readers, rather than erratic ads. Please click the Donate button and support Open Culture. You can use Paypal, Venmo, Patreon, even Crypto! We thank you!
Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
