alas, it has been found!
We're talking about Alfred Hitchcock's very first film.
Here's an excerpt of the story from London's Telegraph:
All copies of The White Shadow, a silent feature film released by Hollywood in 1924, had been thought lost to posterity, and cinema historians have described the discovery as "priceless".
Three dusty reels containing the first half of the film – about 30 minutes of footage – had been stored deep in the bowels of the New Zealand Film Archive, where the search is continuing for the other three reels.
The acclaimed director was 24 when he worked on what was billed as a "wild, atmospheric melodrama" starring actress Betty Compson as twin sisters, one angelic and the other "without a soul". He was credited as assistant director and also wrote the scenario, designed the sets and edited the footage.
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Wednesday, August 3, 2011
MUST SEE: Rembrandt Openes Tomorrow In Philly
Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus, an exhibition of works by the great painter, draftsman, and printmaker of the Dutch Golden Age makes its U.S. debut in Philadelphia tomorrow, the exhibition's only east coast venue.
Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus explores the remarkable change in the artist’s treatment of Jesus. Including more than 50 paintings, drawings, and prints, the exhibition features major loans such as the Musée du Louvre’s Supper at Emmaus (1648) and reunites a group of oil paintings of Christ that have not been seen together since they left Rembrandt’s home and studio in 1656.
I've had the pleasure of seeing this exhibition and can tell you that it is extraordinary.
The show will be on view through Sunday, October 30. Put it on your calendar now!
Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus explores the remarkable change in the artist’s treatment of Jesus. Including more than 50 paintings, drawings, and prints, the exhibition features major loans such as the Musée du Louvre’s Supper at Emmaus (1648) and reunites a group of oil paintings of Christ that have not been seen together since they left Rembrandt’s home and studio in 1656.
I've had the pleasure of seeing this exhibition and can tell you that it is extraordinary.
The show will be on view through Sunday, October 30. Put it on your calendar now!
Penn, Teller, Vegas And 'Vegas, The Show'
For us Las Vegas always means live entertainment with real, live, bigger-than-life personalities, live music, showmanship and a bit of magic (or the newer term, illusion) thrown in just for good measure.
So the first show we decided to see here this time around was Penn & Teller at The Rio.
We like to feel that we sort of discovered Penn & Teller. We first saw them decades ago when they performed in a VERY small venue in San Francisco. They were part of a group called The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society.
The group must have disbanded (or whatever) because Penn & Teller emerged as themselves and the second time around we saw them perform at the McCarter Theater in Princeton.Their tricks and illusions became bigger, sometimes scarier and more complex and they became a hotter and hotter ticket. Then, they achieved near superstar status via television (most notably on the Showtime network) and their irreverent approach to the "magic" of magic.
When our good friend Nessa Forman was inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame we actually got to meet Teller since he came to perform at Nessa's induction luncheon.
Now, Penn & Teller have their own big, beautiful theater at The Rio and their show is a non-stop delight -- funny and astounding. And, each night they change the order of things and add new and different elements. Plus, there's audience participation so, be forewarned.
The next show that we decided to see was 'Vegas, The Show' at the Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile.
If you're looking for pure, Las Vegas style entertainment with songs, dances, great costumes, high production values, comedy, impressions and even some acrobatics then this show's for you.
Vegas, The Show recreates the greatest moments in Vegas' history and tells the story of the most influential and exciting entertainers who made Vegas...Vegas.
From Vegas icons like The Rat Pack and Elvis to today's hottest stars the young and energetic cast of more than 40 performers, a 12-piece big band orchestra and beautiful showgirls make this one of the biggest stage productions on the Strip in almost 20 years.
The performance takes you back in time to experience true Las Vegas entertainment the way it was meant to be. You will relive the best moments of the most dynamic singers, dancers, and unforgettable personalities to ever step foot on the world-famous Strip.
This production takes the stage at the new $34 million Saxe Theater a 22,000 square foot facility that features premium stadium seating.
The Saxe Theater stage incorporates state-of-the-art lighting, sound, fiber optic video curtains and other cutting-edge theatrical equipment so the audience won't miss a beat.
Though Vegas, The Show is tinged with a bit of nostalgia, it's a lively, irrepressible, fast-paced presentation that never misses a beat.
And you don't have to remember the "old" vegas to enjoy the show. We sat next to a newly-married couple in the early 20's and the loved every minute of this first-class production.
So the first show we decided to see here this time around was Penn & Teller at The Rio.
We like to feel that we sort of discovered Penn & Teller. We first saw them decades ago when they performed in a VERY small venue in San Francisco. They were part of a group called The Asparagus Valley Cultural Society.
The group must have disbanded (or whatever) because Penn & Teller emerged as themselves and the second time around we saw them perform at the McCarter Theater in Princeton.Their tricks and illusions became bigger, sometimes scarier and more complex and they became a hotter and hotter ticket. Then, they achieved near superstar status via television (most notably on the Showtime network) and their irreverent approach to the "magic" of magic.
When our good friend Nessa Forman was inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame we actually got to meet Teller since he came to perform at Nessa's induction luncheon.
Now, Penn & Teller have their own big, beautiful theater at The Rio and their show is a non-stop delight -- funny and astounding. And, each night they change the order of things and add new and different elements. Plus, there's audience participation so, be forewarned.
The next show that we decided to see was 'Vegas, The Show' at the Saxe Theater at Planet Hollywood's Miracle Mile.
If you're looking for pure, Las Vegas style entertainment with songs, dances, great costumes, high production values, comedy, impressions and even some acrobatics then this show's for you.
Vegas, The Show recreates the greatest moments in Vegas' history and tells the story of the most influential and exciting entertainers who made Vegas...Vegas.
From Vegas icons like The Rat Pack and Elvis to today's hottest stars the young and energetic cast of more than 40 performers, a 12-piece big band orchestra and beautiful showgirls make this one of the biggest stage productions on the Strip in almost 20 years.
The performance takes you back in time to experience true Las Vegas entertainment the way it was meant to be. You will relive the best moments of the most dynamic singers, dancers, and unforgettable personalities to ever step foot on the world-famous Strip.
This production takes the stage at the new $34 million Saxe Theater a 22,000 square foot facility that features premium stadium seating.
The Saxe Theater stage incorporates state-of-the-art lighting, sound, fiber optic video curtains and other cutting-edge theatrical equipment so the audience won't miss a beat.
Though Vegas, The Show is tinged with a bit of nostalgia, it's a lively, irrepressible, fast-paced presentation that never misses a beat.
And you don't have to remember the "old" vegas to enjoy the show. We sat next to a newly-married couple in the early 20's and the loved every minute of this first-class production.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Christie Applauds City/County Camden Cooperation
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today welcomed progress made among the City of Camden, Camden County and the State’s Division of Local Government Services in the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to further the goal of regionalizing police services in the county. The MOU, reached after months of work between the Christie Administration, Camden County and the City of Camden, signals real progress in a cooperative effort to adopt a new model to more efficiently and effectively keep communities and families safe.
“Today marks a critically important milestone on the path to making regionalization of police services a reality and innovating the way government works in order to fulfill our number one priority as elected leaders – keeping communities and families safe. I have no doubt that the work being done today in the City of Camden and Camden County will serve as a model for the rest of the state in how to more effectively protect the public,” said Governor
“I want to thank Mayor Dana Redd, Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, and the many local elected officials for the time and energy devoted to this effort, and for having the courage to take on this challenge in a candid and unafraid manner that will truly modernize law enforcement in order to best meet the public safety needs of today. By putting the people they serve first, Camden will show that local governments can lead through difficult economic times and work together to ensure our residents are safe,” concluded Governor Christie.
The MOU furthers the common goal of assisting financially distressed municipalities that continue to deal with difficult budgetary pressures, increasing costs and tough choices by providing an avenue for cost savings, while maintaining a high level of public safety and confidence. Regionalization of services is intended to combine and maximize the deployment of public safety resources by eliminating overlap and duplication while reducing costs.
Participation will be open to every municipality in the county on a voluntary basis.
“Today marks a critically important milestone on the path to making regionalization of police services a reality and innovating the way government works in order to fulfill our number one priority as elected leaders – keeping communities and families safe. I have no doubt that the work being done today in the City of Camden and Camden County will serve as a model for the rest of the state in how to more effectively protect the public,” said Governor
“I want to thank Mayor Dana Redd, Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli, and the many local elected officials for the time and energy devoted to this effort, and for having the courage to take on this challenge in a candid and unafraid manner that will truly modernize law enforcement in order to best meet the public safety needs of today. By putting the people they serve first, Camden will show that local governments can lead through difficult economic times and work together to ensure our residents are safe,” concluded Governor Christie.
The MOU furthers the common goal of assisting financially distressed municipalities that continue to deal with difficult budgetary pressures, increasing costs and tough choices by providing an avenue for cost savings, while maintaining a high level of public safety and confidence. Regionalization of services is intended to combine and maximize the deployment of public safety resources by eliminating overlap and duplication while reducing costs.
Participation will be open to every municipality in the county on a voluntary basis.
Biden Makes Fool Of Himself -- Again,
The Vice President of the United States is a national embarrassment and a disgrace.
Now he has called tea party members "terrorists."
This man can't seem to poem his mouth without making a fool of himself.
Why? My theory is that he loves the spotlight and he's desperate for attention. Such a person is not cut out to be Vice President -- a job for someone who doesn't mind being in the background.
Joe Biden isn't content to be in the background.
He's got to make news himself, no matter when; not matter where; no matter how.
So, he blurts things out. He's always been this way.
But since he became Vice President, he's gotten worse.
He's older, he's mo reckless and he's increasingly irrelevant. He's becoming a rather sad sideshow.
That wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't in a prominent position. But he is. And' thanks to the Democrats and their friends, we're stuck with him -- at least for another year or so.
Now he has called tea party members "terrorists."
This man can't seem to poem his mouth without making a fool of himself.
Why? My theory is that he loves the spotlight and he's desperate for attention. Such a person is not cut out to be Vice President -- a job for someone who doesn't mind being in the background.
Joe Biden isn't content to be in the background.
He's got to make news himself, no matter when; not matter where; no matter how.
So, he blurts things out. He's always been this way.
But since he became Vice President, he's gotten worse.
He's older, he's mo reckless and he's increasingly irrelevant. He's becoming a rather sad sideshow.
That wouldn't be so bad if he wasn't in a prominent position. But he is. And' thanks to the Democrats and their friends, we're stuck with him -- at least for another year or so.
Las Vegas And The 'Cirque' Phenomenom
During our stay here In Las Vegas we thought we thought we'd touch for a moment on the tsunami known as Cirque.
If you come here, will invariably be tempted to see a Cirque du Soleil show.
These shows have taken over nearly all of the large casino showplaces. They have no standout "name" stars. They employ large casts of beautiful, athletic performers and stunning special effects and illusions. Each show is organized around a central theme although there is often no discernible storyline and no dialogue as the shows are usually performed in mime. They incorparetd elements of the crcus and elements of the simplest, often most whimsical forms of entertainment. For the most part they are designed to be dazzling visual feasts. And one more thing: Each show has an unusual name -- usually French or vaguely foreign.
The last time we were here in Las Vegas we saw one of the best known Cirque shows, called simply O. It was big -- VERY big. And it had many performers. But it was dark and eerie and somewhat obscure. We can't say that we ever caught the "thread" of the show. And, despite all the athleticism and incredible special effects, it left us underwhelmed.
It left us cold. We felt no real connection with any of the performers and/or characters, such as they were.
These shows are manufactured.
They all come out of a huge show factory in Canada.
And you can't come to Vegas without being confronted by a Cirque show. So, if you must -- go. And if you like what you see, go see the others. You'll spend a ton of dough to get into the shows but you won't see or hear any star entertainers and you may not even experience any live music.
We worry that the Cirque phenomenon will suffocate real, old-fashioned entertainment: real personalities, live music, real song and dance.
And we also wonder when enough is enough -- which is to say how big Cirque can grow before it effectively destroys itself.
So far, there seems to be no end to Crique's dominance. And while these shows are most ubiquitous here in Las Vegas, on any given day various Cirque companies are performing in various forms in numerous cities all over the world. It's entertainment as business -- totally manufactured, with no divas or prima donnas to worry about, many interchangeable parts and no recognizable language or language barriers.
You can't avoid it -- unless you really, really want to.
After all (for now, anyway) you DO still have a choice.
If you come here, will invariably be tempted to see a Cirque du Soleil show.
These shows have taken over nearly all of the large casino showplaces. They have no standout "name" stars. They employ large casts of beautiful, athletic performers and stunning special effects and illusions. Each show is organized around a central theme although there is often no discernible storyline and no dialogue as the shows are usually performed in mime. They incorparetd elements of the crcus and elements of the simplest, often most whimsical forms of entertainment. For the most part they are designed to be dazzling visual feasts. And one more thing: Each show has an unusual name -- usually French or vaguely foreign.
The last time we were here in Las Vegas we saw one of the best known Cirque shows, called simply O. It was big -- VERY big. And it had many performers. But it was dark and eerie and somewhat obscure. We can't say that we ever caught the "thread" of the show. And, despite all the athleticism and incredible special effects, it left us underwhelmed.
It left us cold. We felt no real connection with any of the performers and/or characters, such as they were.
These shows are manufactured.
They all come out of a huge show factory in Canada.
And you can't come to Vegas without being confronted by a Cirque show. So, if you must -- go. And if you like what you see, go see the others. You'll spend a ton of dough to get into the shows but you won't see or hear any star entertainers and you may not even experience any live music.
We worry that the Cirque phenomenon will suffocate real, old-fashioned entertainment: real personalities, live music, real song and dance.
And we also wonder when enough is enough -- which is to say how big Cirque can grow before it effectively destroys itself.
So far, there seems to be no end to Crique's dominance. And while these shows are most ubiquitous here in Las Vegas, on any given day various Cirque companies are performing in various forms in numerous cities all over the world. It's entertainment as business -- totally manufactured, with no divas or prima donnas to worry about, many interchangeable parts and no recognizable language or language barriers.
You can't avoid it -- unless you really, really want to.
After all (for now, anyway) you DO still have a choice.
Monday, August 1, 2011
Washington Post: Tea Party A Winner
The Washington Post has listed the Tea Party among the top winners in the debt deal. Here's how the Post puts it:
"There were major questions coming into the 112th Congress about who would blink first — the largely establishment-aligned leaders of the new Republican House majority or the tea-party-aligned freshman members. We got our answer to that question late Thursday as House Speaker John Boehner was forced not only to postpone his compromise bill but ultimately to add conservative sweeteners to get the 217 votes he needed. (He got 218.) The tea party — inside and outside Congress — will almost certainly be emboldened by the result of this fight."
Click here for more "winners" and "losers."
"There were major questions coming into the 112th Congress about who would blink first — the largely establishment-aligned leaders of the new Republican House majority or the tea-party-aligned freshman members. We got our answer to that question late Thursday as House Speaker John Boehner was forced not only to postpone his compromise bill but ultimately to add conservative sweeteners to get the 217 votes he needed. (He got 218.) The tea party — inside and outside Congress — will almost certainly be emboldened by the result of this fight."
Click here for more "winners" and "losers."
Romney: 'Cannot Support' Debt Deal
Mitt Romney has issued the following statement:
"As president, my plan would have produced a budget that was cut, capped and balanced – not one that opens the door to higher taxes and puts defense cuts on the table. President Obama’s leadership failure has pushed the economy to the brink at the eleventh hour and 59th minute. While I appreciate the extraordinarily difficult situation President Obama’s lack of leadership has placed Republican Members of Congress in, I personally cannot support this deal.”
"As president, my plan would have produced a budget that was cut, capped and balanced – not one that opens the door to higher taxes and puts defense cuts on the table. President Obama’s leadership failure has pushed the economy to the brink at the eleventh hour and 59th minute. While I appreciate the extraordinarily difficult situation President Obama’s lack of leadership has placed Republican Members of Congress in, I personally cannot support this deal.”
Debt Ceiling Deal: What's It Really All About?
Is it true that the debt ceiling deal only cuts $1 trillion over the next 10 years?
Is it true that it permits the expiration of the Bush tax cuts thus triggering an effective tax increase?
Is it true that it seems to permit a vote on a balanced budget amendment while still preventing such a vote?
And is it true that it defers real confrontation of the debt and runaway spending to a significantly later date?
Are any of these things true? Several of them? Any of them?
Let's pay attention carefully over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The answers to these questions are critical and will determine whether or not this so called "deal" really has the faith and confidence of the American people.
Is it true that it permits the expiration of the Bush tax cuts thus triggering an effective tax increase?
Is it true that it seems to permit a vote on a balanced budget amendment while still preventing such a vote?
And is it true that it defers real confrontation of the debt and runaway spending to a significantly later date?
Are any of these things true? Several of them? Any of them?
Let's pay attention carefully over the next 24 to 48 hours.
The answers to these questions are critical and will determine whether or not this so called "deal" really has the faith and confidence of the American people.
Can This City Be Saved?
Kevin Riordan has a fine column in the Philadelphia Inquirer about a South Jersey power broker and his apparently newfound interest in my hometown, Camden.
Here's part of what Kevin has to say:
"But Norcross is wrong to try to fob off responsibility for the city's situation on some abstract failures of a faceless "leadership" or "administration."
His political organization endorsed, financed, and essentially ran the campaigns of virtually every victorious mayoral, City Council, and school board candidate in the city for decades.
During which time Camden became ever smaller, poorer, and more desperate."
Click here to read the whole column.
Here's part of what Kevin has to say:
"But Norcross is wrong to try to fob off responsibility for the city's situation on some abstract failures of a faceless "leadership" or "administration."
His political organization endorsed, financed, and essentially ran the campaigns of virtually every victorious mayoral, City Council, and school board candidate in the city for decades.
During which time Camden became ever smaller, poorer, and more desperate."
Click here to read the whole column.
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