Basically the YouTube Clips from the Zeppelin shows have become blocked and the claims are that this is from Warner Bros., however, there seems to be no official word regarding this as of yet why this is occurring.
Interesting story nonetheless and something to follow-up on.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315194,00.html
You have to love this story, however, it makes me sad that someone that is so out of it is able to land themselves a Nationally Syndicated Television show like the view.
As much as it can be said for the writer’s guild strike, I will be curious to see just how much America will end up missing the writers. While a couple shows have some merit on television, for the most part it is something that can be readily avoided at all costs.
However, I think it can be stated that the Writers Guild strike is more than entertainment but information. The future of America is wrapped up in data, information systems and a way to distribute said data.
It is not the idea that these shows only exist on Television or the Movie Theatre, but on DVDs and the Internet as well. The Writer’s Guild’s argument is that they want a bigger piece of that pie.
However, I think that this idea is just a microcosm for the Information Age in general. As distribution methods change, those that are creating that data have to be mindful of all these aspects (see Radiohead). Radiohead realized that there are different distribution networks and instead of allowing Corporations dictate what their profits would be, they decided to do that on their own.
It doesn’t cost corporations as much to put into distribution the cost of a show, performance or album on the internet as much as it costs them to distribute those same elements in a CD, DVD or other medium. What corporations are complaining about is that they do not have numbers as far as profits are concerned with new media and claim they have been losing money. However, they fail to realize they still need to put money into that aspect of distribution, i.e. Technology and in the long term they will lower costs.
As horrifying or atrocious that we see in Myanmar, we are reminded that technology is finally making the right impact. Rather than follow our rock stars and movie stars, real pictures of the despair that is going on in this world as trumped the national news spotlight the last week or so.
The image has a way of conveying much more than words can ever portray and technology will be a constant reminder for any country, government or other entity that they are being watched.
The theme from ‘1984’ has in many respects shown a dualistic role where the public is just as wary at the government as it of the public. There are enough cases over the years of police brutality on tape, photos coming from the Iraq war (see Abu Garaib prison), and other assorted events that have made their way onto YouTube, Flickr or some other site.
We are seeing a changing of the guard where the public are the real police and it will become even more challenging in the years ahead where more and more video and photos are in the hands of Joe Nobody rather than a news organization.
What is interesting is that the Promotional Pundits at ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX are following public interest rather than their own polls, that the real stories are not what they force feed us on a nightly basis but something else.
At the end of the day, we see very low approval ratings for our government as they are caught off-guard about what is expected and what the public wants.
To be honest, I have not seen as much of either of their works that I should. Part of the issues behind living in a disposable world of the great ole US of A is that it looks down upon great cinema. However it is easy to say that both have made lasting impressions in their professions.
For me, Fanny and Alexander was the best of Bergman. For those of you that have not seen this film I would highly recommend you picking up the full 5 hour Criterion Collection version and not the 3 hour version that cuts out, well, 40% of the film.
For Antonioni, the most popular film of his has to be Blow Up, the 60’s artsy thriller with enough weird cameo appearances such as the Yardbirds to Jane Birkin to fill your brain with. The movie is dated somewhat, however I must suggest that I find how the word “Dated” is used. If you make a period piece, isn’t that dated too? But making important films in the present can feel odd when the cultural behaviors are represented poorly. I, however, find that more realistic rather than dated. The movie became popularized because of its sex scenes that in todays standards are somewhat dull and boring. It is still a fascinating film that leaves you with more questions than answers.
Sometimes there are movies that for whatever reason you never go out of your way to watch. This movie was always recommended by this person and or that and so late on a Saturday Night I searched Comcast’s free movies and New York Doll was staring me in the face. At two in the morning and only 78 minutes I thought this was the perfect time to enjoy this little nugget. However, the movie surprised me more than what I had expected.
New York Doll centers around the story of Arthur “Killer” Kane, the bassist of the previously defunct punk act the New York Dolls. We follow Arthur in dealing with his inner demons following the break-up of the Dolls recounting the depression of how his life never materialized to anything. Constantly, jealous of his former bandmates success, Kane became self-destructive only able to find solace in of all things the Mormon Church.
In a way, the punk in all of us might want to scoff at this and spit this out. How could Kane find any type of comfort in a religious entity and how does this supposed relationship work out as both being an uplifting story for the church, for Kane as well as the other Dolls?
The New York Dolls for me are one of those bands that I have learned to appreciate more and more as the years have gone on. I bought their initial album about 15 years ago on a hunch from reading a book about R.E.M., Berry, Buck, Mills and Stipe all spoke of their influences and during those early 90’s one of my intentions was to pick up old Velvet Underground, New York Dolls, Stooges, Television and Patti Smith albums to name a few. And for me the Dolls were always a bit of a joke reminding me more of a cheaper version of the Rocky Horror Picture show and also slightly not impressed with a full understanding of the music back in the 70s. Please understand, this is coming from a kid who grew up in Wheaton, Illinois and if you know where Wheaton, Illinois is, you will understand the religious presence that surrounded this town 15 years ago and even now.
Of those early albums that I purchased, it was the Velvets that kicked me in the ass and pissed all over my face. The Dolls album cover smeared a bit of lipstick onto my brain but it was one of those albums that aged like fine wine. I would pull the album out more and more every year, sometimes needing a moment to decompress from the serious side of rock and roll music.
The New York Dolls were needed to take the Anal Retentiveness out of rock and roll and I believe right now that they were probably one of the ten most important groups of that era and have important roots in the punk rock explosion that followed a couple years later.
There is not enough white page to fill the amount of groups that were influenced by them.
What I was not expecting to find in this story was a man like Arthur “Killer” Kane, a name that does not suit him. The sweetest, gentlest, humblest men you would ever meet. A man that had lived a full life with plenty of demons battling within himself, but with a huge heart, and always a desire to get the band back together. So when he received information that the New York Dolls would be reuniting again for London’s Meltdown Festival, he could not believe the opportunity of his life.
What I was also not expecting was how the Mormon Church dealt with all of this. The Church became his family, his comfort and his guide and encouraged him at all points to deal with all of these issues, especially his bad feelings with David Johanson. You might expect that the church would look down at an element like the Dolls which is really completely opposite to that which the Dolls were.
All rock fans, mormons and Stephen Patrick Morrissey fans should check it out.
So today, I took a chance on watching my Tivo’ed version of the first episode of Flight of the Conchords and I think it lives up to it’s billing. The show deals with two New Zealander’s trying to make it big with their band in America, however, their current situation in America is lack of success, (only one female fan), a part time band manager who happens to work at the New Zealand consulate and a semi-depressing personal life that they wrap up together amongst a multitude of songs that mock and rock at the same time. Their subtle lyrics allow you for being able to laugh at without being in your face. You don’t feel cheated in the end.
Their subtle dark humor will be a blessing to those rock fans that don’t mind to laugh at themselves and their fandom once and awhile as well as laugh at the bands they love.
As it’s initial episode was on HBO Sunday and I believe streaming on it’s site I would definitely take a gander over to check it out as well as checking out Mel’s Blog or as she says her Vlog as they would say in Russia.
In many respects the finale to the Sopranos left more questions rather than conclusions and the show seems more destined not to be completed rather than to be shifted to a different venue such as a movie. I think what the Sopranos juggernaut would prove is that 5 years down the line there could be a movie. The ending keeps the door open for any possible shift to the big screen.
In a way we are dealt with the same issues that the show has dealt with before: a conflict with the Brooklyn Family that has now been solved in the shooting of Phil which in itself brings peace between the two families, yet again.
But what else, or how else can this show survive with all of its characters getting shot, hacked, stabbed and or otherwise deemed disposable?
The only story that could live on would be the eventual growth of the Soprano children for it is the next generation that we would be most concerned about. Little Anthony is given a chance at an aspiring movie producer role and possible club ownership if he straightens up his act, wereas Meadow Soprano finally came to grips with her upbringing deciding that she wants to be a lawyer and defend the likes of “Italian Americans”.
I think that overall, there is a level of disappointment, however. I think there is a calling for Tony to realize some redeeming aspect in his character and I am not sure that it really shone through. The years of dealing with his issues were for naught, his possible death was for naught and this last season showed him having less trust in his friends than ever.
The demise of Christopher who was trying to change his ways was blocked by Tony as if Christopher’s alcohol and drug addictions could not be handled.
But it really was the last couple seasons that dragged on way too long. I stuck it through thinking that there must be some huge climatic ending to the series and we are just left hanging. I think that is the problem with these cliffhanger shows that gain huge popularity…lets keep them alive so that the series can continue on.