Friday, November 2, 2007
Regent Theatre (1914) - Tour This Sunday
The Los Angeles Conservancy will be hosting a tour of downtown's Main Street this Sunday, November 4th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be docent-led tours at sites including: - The former Cathedral of St. Vibiana (1876), the subject of one of the Conservancy’s toughest preservation battles, now a beautiful performance and event space;
- Pacific Electric Lofts (1905) and National City Lofts (1924), two great examples of historic buildings adapted into loft housing;
- The Edison lounge, one of downtown’s newest destinations and a truly unique space filled with artifacts from its past life as a power plant; underneath the 1910 Higgins Building;
- The Regent Theatre (1914), one of the last vestiges of a once-vibrant theatre district, soon to be transformed into a restaurant/bar/music venue; and
- Gallery Row, a vibrant art community with nearly two dozen galleries, home to the wildly popular monthly Downtown Art Walk.
For more information: Los Angeles Conservancy
The Scent of a Woman (1992) - Bo Goldman
June 13, 1991
SCENT OF A WOMAN
Screenplay by Bo Goldman, Novel by Giovanni Arpino
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
CHARLIE SIMMS, 17, is from a middle-class Oregon family and is attending The Baird School, an expensive New England prep school, on a scholarship. His rich buddies, HARRY, GEORGE, TRENT, and JIMMY are taking off to spend Thanksgiving on a snow trip. Charlie takes a weekend job to raise enough money to fly home for Christmas. His job is to take care of COLONEL SLADE, a blind, retired soldier who appears to be just as rowdy and horny as ever. Meanwhile, Charlie and George are witness to a prank pulled by Harry and Jimmy who have poured concrete into DEAN TRASK's new Jaguar. Trask demands Charlie and George tell him who was responsible. The four boys make a pact to keep quite. Trask bribes Charlie to talk with an offer to secure his admission to Harvard and threatens to expel him if he doesn't cooperate. Charlie has the weekend to consider his reply.
Slade's family has barely left the driveway for their weekend away, when Slade orders Charlie to accompany him on a wild weekend trip to New York City. Charlie reluctantly goes along. In New York, Slade and Charlie check into the Waldorf-Astoria. Slade passes out $100 bills like candy as they have a grand dinner and time on the town. Charlie is a bit put off by Slade's obnoxious behavior, but begins to learn how to enjoy life. Slade gives Charlie advice on how to solve his school dilemma. Charlie gets angry and wants to leave. Slade reveals that he is planning to commit suicide at the conclusion of his weekend. Charlie agrees to stay if he can have the bullets to Slade's gun. On Thanksgiving, they take a limo to Slade's brother's house in Westchester and crash their dinner. Slade acts rudely and cruelly to his relatives who don't care for his presence. He is ashamed when he leaves. The next day, they test drive a Ferrari. Slade even drives and is stopped by a cop, but convinces the cop that he can see. Slade goes to a hooker.
Charlie convinces Slade not to kill himself. They miss their plane home and take a limo instead. Meanwhile, Charlie has found out that George is going to tell his rich father who will use his influence to help his son. Slade warns Charlie to save his own ass. Back at school, George, under advisement from his father, says that because he didn't have his glasses on, he can't identify the pranksters. The pressure is on Charlie to tell the truth. Slade appears and defends Charlie. He preaches about integrity and loyalty. He convinces the school board to leave Charlie alone, suspend Harry and Jimmy, and not credit George for his actions. Slade goes home to his family, happy and content to be alive.
Summary Criticism: This is sort of THE LAST DETAIL meets THE DEAD POET'S SOCIETY. Unfortunately, the plot and characters are predictable and formulaic.
The Scent of a Woman - imdb
Bo Goldman - imdb
Giovanni Arpino - imdb
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Copying Beethoven (2006) - Stephen J. Rivele & Christopher Wilkinson
July 23, 2003
COPYING BEETHOVEN
Screenplay by Stephen J. Rivele & Christopher Wilkinson
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
In the manuscript room of the British Museum, researcher SARA WHITLOCK informs curator CODD that Beethoven's last copyist was a woman - ANNA FREISS.
In Vienna 1825, Anna Freiss, an aspiring composer in an era when female composers didn't stand a chance of success, studies at the conservatory and lives in a convent where her provincial family thinks she will be safe from the city's evils. Dying music publisher WENZEL SCHLEMMER hires her to be a copyist for BEETHOVEN, the "beast" who is in the process of finishing his 9th Symphony. Deaf and eccentric Beethoven thinks he is a god and treats everyone with contempt and abuse. When Anna arrives, he doesn't take her seriously until he reads her improvements to the pages of his score she copied. He realizes she knows his soul like no other before. When Beethoven is not working in his filthy apartment, he drinks at his friend KRENSKI's tavern and has sex with barmaid MAGDA. He confides to his Bohemian friend RUDY that Anna was sent to him by God.
At the convent, MOTHER CANISIUS cautions her about working for Beethoven and getting too romantically involved with MARTIN BAUER, her engineer boyfriend who she hopes to marry after he wins the ARCHDUKE's competition with his designs for a new bridge. Schlemmer begs Anna not to show Beethoven any of her own compositions until after the 9th's premiere. Besides himself and his work, Beethoven is obsessed with his nephew KARL, a weak young man addicted to gambling and morphine who would rather live a normal life than become a talentless musician. Not showing respect or affection, he only visits his uncle to beg money from him. Beethoven, blind to Karl's contempt, treats him like a favorite son, lavishing money, praise, and promise on him. Even when Anna catches Karl stealing money from Beethoven's apartment, Beethoven refuses to believe Karl is anything less than a promising artist. As Anna and Beethoven work together, they begin to speak to one another with great frankness and truth.
When Beethoven insists on conducting the premier of the 9th even though his deafness may cause him to lose track with the orchestra, Anna helps him, guiding him from the stage manager's podium. The performance is a huge success. Even Martin and Karl are reduced to tears by the beauty of Beethoven's music. Still, Martin expresses his dislike of her association with Beethoven as well as her aspirations. Having nothing but praise for her help, Beethoven and Anna begin work on his new series of quartets. Anna shows him one of her own compositions. Unthinking Beethoven ridicules her attempt and she is so humiliated that she flees his studio ready to give up her aspirations and return to the provinces a failure. Beethoven realizes his mistake and wants her back. His rehearsal with the Schuppanzigh Quartet doesn't go well. Dying Schlemmer begs Anna to return to Beethoven. After Schlemmer dies, Beethoven apologizes to Anna and she agrees to return to work with him. Certain he is creating a new way to consider music, Beethoven shares his genius with her. Mesmerized, Anna offers her body to him, but he turns her down, explaining their relationship is spiritual, not physical. When Beethoven learns Karl is suicidal, he runs to his aid, but Karl rejects him. Beethoven's health begins to decline. Anna nurses him as they work together on his final composition. Despite his failing health, Beethoven shows up to the Archduke's competition and embarrasses Martin, questioning his artistic integrity and smashing the model of his bridge. After she confronts Beethoven, he helps her with her own work. They finish his composition. The Quartet is premiered at the Archduke's palace, but the audience doesn't like or understand the work. Anna learns her own father is dying, but decides to visit Beethoven on his deathbed. Karl says goodbye. Beethoven gives Anna a final encouragement. Anna finishes her symphony. In the present, Sara Whitlock premieres Anna's symphony.
Summary Criticism: While frequently as indulgent and talky as Beethoven himself, the script is well-crafted and the relationship of the two main characters is enchanting to watch develop. The themes of art and love are honorable and uplifting.
Copying Beethoven - imdb
Stephen J. Rivele - imdb
Christopher Wilkinson - imdb
Pete's Cafe and Bar - Pt. II - The Decor
Pete's Cafe and Bar - Pt. II - The Food
Pete's Cafe and Bar - Pt. I - The Exterior
Pete's Cafe & Bar
400 S. Main St.
Los Angeles, CA 90013
213-617-1000
Absurd Alfred Jarry 1873-1907 RIP
Modernism was in transition. The end of the century was approaching. The Symbolist movement was all the rage. But French poet and playwright Alfred Jarry (September 8, 1871 - November 1, 1907) preferred the future. His experiments define the word "avant-garde." He is the grandfather of DADA, SURREALISM, and ABSURDISM. Like L. Ron Hubbard, he even invented his own religion, "pataphysics," but no one took that one too seriously. Like contemporary comedians Andrew "Dice" Clay and Stephen Colbert, Jarry adopted the mannerisms of one of his characters when in public. A man of small stature, but giant ideas, Jarry had his demons and fought them with the green goddess Absinthe. In manner similar to how young Hollywood sought out Charles Bukowski in San Pedro, young writers and artists visited their idol Jarry in Paris during his final years. Poverty and alcohol eventually led to his death from tuberculosis at 34.
Alfred Jarry - nndb
Alfred Jarry - wiki
Ubu Roi - wiki
Pataphysics - wiki
Symbolism - wiki
Modernism - wiki
Dada - wiki
Surrealism - wiki
Absurdism - wiki
Theatre of the Absurd - wiki
Avant-Garde - wiki
Absinthe - wiki
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