In late FebÂruÂary, Charles FerÂguÂson’s film – Inside Job – won the AcadÂeÂmy Award for Best DocÂuÂmenÂtary. And now the film docÂuÂmentÂing the causÂes of the 2008 globÂal finanÂcial meltÂdown has made its way online. A corÂrupt finanÂcial indusÂtry, its corÂroÂsive relaÂtionÂship with politiÂcians, acaÂdÂeÂmics and regÂuÂlaÂtors, and the trilÂlions of damÂage done, it all gets docÂuÂmentÂed in this film that runs a litÂtle shy of 2 hours.
Inside Job can be purÂchased on DVD at AmaÂzon. We all love free, but let’s rememÂber that good projects cost real monÂey to develÂop, and they could use real finanÂcial supÂport. So please conÂsidÂer buyÂing a copy.
HopeÂfulÂly watchÂing or buyÂing this film won’t be a pointÂless act, even though it can rightÂly feel that way. As Charles FerÂguÂson remindÂed us durÂing his Oscar accepÂtance speech, we are three years beyond the Wall Street criÂsis and taxÂpayÂers (you) got fleeced for bilÂlions. But still not one Wall Street exec is facÂing crimÂiÂnal charges. WelÂcome to your pluÂtocÂraÂcy…
There was a good deal of time-travÂel in the ABC hit series Lost, one of the more ambiÂtious and popÂuÂlar shows of the past decade. But neiÂther Jack, Sawyer, HurÂley, nor any of our othÂer beloved 21st cenÂtuÂry castÂaways ever went back to the year 1969. If they had, and if they’d had access to a TV, they might have found themÂselves watchÂing a show about — themÂselves.
Well, sort of. The New PeoÂple ran on FriÂday nights on ABC from SepÂtemÂber 1969 through JanÂuÂary 1970 (It lastÂed only 17 episodes). We’ll take a shot at sumÂmaÂrizÂing the genÂerÂal premise, which might ring a couÂple of bells:
A plane crashÂes on a remote island in the PacifÂic, leavÂing its motÂley group of surÂvivors strandÂed and fightÂing about what to do next.… As they explore their new home, they find an entire town, fulÂly stocked with proÂviÂsions and weapons, but creepÂiÂly empÂty. Soon the surÂvivors disÂcovÂer that this island was once set up .…to be an AtomÂic EnerÂgy ComÂmisÂsion testÂing site!
No Lost fan can live withÂout a conÂspirÂaÂcy theÂoÂry, but we’re pretÂty sure there was nothÂing fishy in the comÂmonÂalÂiÂties, and in the end, are we not all chilÂdren of GilliÂgan? FurÂtherÂmore, there’s a good deal more to the plot, which includes racial conÂflict, adoÂlesÂcent angst (the surÂvivors are all colÂlege stuÂdents), and a healthy dose of Lord of the Flies-style chaos. Full episodes are not online, but at TVobÂscuÂriÂties you can find a wealth of relatÂed conÂtent, clips, links to reviews, and even the theme song, with lyrics.
Also, be sure to check out the episode guide, which realÂly does intrigue. NumÂber 12, for examÂple:
The Pied Piper of Pot. StepÂpenÂwolf thinks his felÂlow islanders are too uptight, so he grows potent marÂiÂjuaÂna that threatÂens to send the stuÂdents into a harÂrowÂing, one-way trip.
The New PeoÂple was proÂduced by Aaron Spelling, who went on to bring us CharÂlie’s Angels, The Love Boat, Hart to Hart, and BevÂerÂly Hills 90210, among many, many othÂers. But we’re not sure if he ever did come up with anothÂer charÂacÂter as comÂpelling as StepÂpenÂwolf.
(Thanks to Bryan Thomas)
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 must take issue, howÂevÂer, with your warnÂing: “Be advised, it will indeed break your heart.” At Open CulÂture we approach the arts with a disÂcernÂing, engaged and unsenÂtiÂmenÂtal eye — our heart does not break, it blogs.
It will thereÂfore take much more than an 8‑minute carÂtoon, no matÂter how artÂfulÂly renÂdered, underÂstatÂed, critÂiÂcalÂly laudÂed, or Dutch, to move us. Please keep this in mind for the future.
All best,
Open CulÂture.
P.S. OK, fine you win. This post was typed from the floor, drownÂing in the pudÂdle we’d been reduced to by the 6 minute mark. And yes, bawlÂing like babies.
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.
On March 11th, Japan sufÂfered a 9.0 earthÂquake, folÂlowed by a masÂsive tsunaÂmi. Just weeks latÂer, NOVA has proÂduced a 47 minute docÂuÂmenÂtary that does an impresÂsive job of explainÂing the sciÂence behind these twin geoÂlogÂic catÂaÂstroÂphes. The proÂgram folÂlows Roger BilÂham, a seisÂmolÂoÂgist at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of ColÂorado, who arrived in Japan two days after the quake. And what you get is a blow-by-blow account of the unfoldÂing events, couÂpled with some sound analyÂsis and stunÂning footage (like the ground splitÂting open and pushÂing water to the surÂface.) This is by far the most subÂstanÂtive treatÂment of Japan’s quake/tsunami that we’ve encounÂtered to date…
Our othÂer favorite is of course litÂerÂary critÂic ChristoÂpher Ricks’ nutÂty and wonÂderÂfulDylan’s Vision of Sin. Ricks and MarÂcus approach the artist through very difÂferÂent prisms — for a fun chance to comÂpare and conÂtrast, check out their recent joint lecÂture at the HeyÂman School for the HumanÂiÂties. (The video clocks in at over an hour and forty minÂutes, too long for some, not nearÂly long enough for the Dylan-obsessed.)
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.
When you look up in the sky, what do you see besides the blue sky, clouds, the occaÂsionÂal bird and plane, the Sun, and the Moon? In this whimÂsiÂcal aniÂmatÂed video from NPR, we learn about the varÂiÂous insects – the wasps, aphids, beeÂtles, etc. – that inhabÂit the upper levÂels of the troÂposÂphere. What’s incredÂiÂble is that in the peak sumÂmer months, there are bilÂlions of these insects high in the sky, with some cruisÂing at an altiÂtude of 19,000 feet, equivÂaÂlent to the height of Mount McKinÂley!
For the botanists out there: the title of the video is a litÂtle misÂleadÂing, as the word bug actuÂalÂly refers to an insect of the order Hemiptera; to be preÂcise, we have to call it the bilÂlion-insect highÂway…
Eugene Buchko is a blogÂger and phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer livÂing in Atlanta, GA. He mainÂtains a phoÂtoÂblog, EruÂdite ExpresÂsions, and writes about what he reads on his readÂing blog.
Since 1990, Dutch artist Theo Jansen has givÂen life to StrandÂbeests. They’re made of nothÂing more than a mass of yelÂlow plasÂtic tubes. But these kinetÂic sculpÂtures feed off of the wind. They roam the beachÂes on their own. And they evolve. Soon enough, Jansen says, you will see StrandÂbeests livÂing in herds, and who knows what the alcheÂmy of art and engiÂneerÂing will bring next.
This clip comes from a BBC proÂducÂtion, Nature Knows Best, that aired late last year. You can also catch Jansen introÂducÂing his self-proÂpelling beach aniÂmals at TED.
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Would the 1963 horÂror film DemenÂtia 13 be rememÂbered today withÂout the subÂseÂquent achieveÂments of its young direcÂtor, FranÂcis Ford CopÂpoÂla? It’s hard to say. ConÂtemÂpoÂraries seem to have thought othÂerÂwise: The New York Times reviewÂer described the film’s direcÂtion as “stolÂid” and its cast as “unlucky,” and the proÂducÂer, B‑Movie king Roger CorÂman, furiÂousÂly took the reins from his proÂtege the minute he saw the first cut.
But DemenÂtia 13 was still the first full-length feaÂture of a man who would go on to direct three of the greatÂest films ever made, and so it’s temptÂing (and fun) to scour DemenÂtia 13 for earÂly manÂiÂfesÂtaÂtions of genius. Watch it and judge for yourÂself — and look out for the dolls.
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.
SciÂfoo is an annuÂal “unconÂferÂence” c0-hostÂed in MounÂtain View, CalÂiÂforÂnia by Google, O’ReilÂly Media and Nature pubÂlishÂing. It’s parÂticÂiÂpant-driÂven, cross-polÂliÂnatÂing, and highÂly unstrucÂtured, relyÂing more on brainÂstorms and erasable white boards than PowÂerÂPoint preÂsenÂtaÂtions and lecÂture halls. AccordÂing to Nature’s page for SciÂfoo 2011:
200 leadÂing sciÂenÂtists, techÂnolÂoÂgists, writÂers and othÂer thought-leadÂers will gathÂer once more at the GoogleÂplex for a weekÂend of unbriÂdled disÂcusÂsion, demonÂstraÂtion and debate.
SomeÂthing that should inspire teachÂers: A good chunk of these experts’ dream projects involved pushÂes for wideÂspread eduÂcaÂtion reform and disÂsemÂiÂnaÂtion of existÂing knowlÂedge, rather than financÂing for advances in their parÂticÂuÂlar speÂcialÂties. We parÂticÂuÂlarÂly liked skepÂtic Michael SherÂmer’s vision of worldÂwide critÂiÂcal thinkÂing proÂgrams that would teach stuÂdents “not what to think, but how to think.” (2:34)
For more inforÂmaÂtion on SciÂfoo Camp, click here.
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.
Not long after takÂing office, PresÂiÂdent ObaÂma hostÂed the first White House poetÂry jam – an evening dedÂiÂcatÂed to the spoÂken word and bringÂing versÂes to life. EsperÂanÂza SpaldÂing’s perÂforÂmance was a high point. And latÂer came James Earl Jones, arguably the best speÂcial effect in Star Wars, who recitÂed lines from ShakeÂspeare instead of Dr. Seuss (since Jesse JackÂson already covÂered that litÂerÂary terÂriÂtoÂry back in 1991). The readÂing comes from OthÂelÂlo. SpecifÂiÂcalÂly, we’re witÂnessÂing Othello’s address to the VenetÂian senÂaÂtors.
You can read OthÂelÂlo, along with the rest of ShakeÂspeare’s comÂplete works, at MIT’s webÂsite for free. Or you can downÂload the works as a free ebook via iTuneÂsU. We have more on that here…
Due to its stylÂisÂtic and linÂguisÂtic comÂplexÂiÂty, James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake ranks among the most difÂfiÂcult works of ficÂtion. And that is why virÂtuÂalÂly no filmÂmakÂer has ever tried to adapt Joyce’s final work for the screen. But after Mary ManÂning Howe adaptÂed pasÂsages from the book for the stage (lisÂten to her readÂing from Finnegans Wakehere), AmerÂiÂcan aniÂmaÂtor Mary Ellen Bute acceptÂed the chalÂlenge and turned ManÂning’s play into a film.
Bonus: You can read Roger Ebert’s 1968 review of Bute’s film here. He admits that he didÂn’t enjoy it too much, but conÂcedes this may have been because he hadÂn’t actuÂalÂly read the book.
By proÂfesÂsion, Matthias RaschÂer teachÂes EngÂlish and HisÂtoÂry at a High School in northÂern Bavaria, GerÂmany. In his free time he scours the web for good links and posts the best finds on TwitÂter.
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