Fixed on Red
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Read more“The vision of the Harlem Book Fair is to partner with local and national leadership organizations under the banner of literacy awareness…”
Mr Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Even though he passed away last week, one of my favorite books, “100 Years of Solitude” written by Colombian author Gabriel Garcia Marquez, will remain one of the best and unforgettable reading experiences on any “great” list for years to come.
Written in 1967, the book recounts the history of a family that presides over a South American town called Macondo. It is the perfect “did it happen or didn’t it?” story. Critics refer to García Márquez as a pioneer of “magical realism”. His work is often time shifting, mystical and surreal, it takes the reader to a different space, a different time.
“100 Years of Solitude” is a magical story – a definite adventure, a great book.
20th Century Movie Poster Art
“Now Playing: Hand-Painted Poster Art from the 1910s Through the 1950s”
At the beginning of the last century, posters that hung in the lobby of the old neighborhood movie palaces were simple black and white drawings. Very quickly, theater owners realized that these cardboard advertisements brought in customers.
The posters then became more artful and sophisticated – pretty, or dramatic (Valentino), or scary (“King Kong”), or, just high style (Gloria Swanson rendered in Art Deco), to the lurid “Noir” films of the 50’s.
These examples of movie art have been collected into a nice coffee table book.
“Now Playing: Hand Painted Poster Art from the 1910s Through the 1950s”
(Academy of Motion Pictures/Angel City Press – hardcover, 14″ x 11″, 160 pages)
The Dallas Buyers Club
Photo by Anne Marie Fox – © 2013 – Focus Features
Over the years, actors who’ve transformed their bodies, in a commitment to a role, have been awarded for the changes in physical appearance. In the Dallas Buyers Club, both Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto look to have also sacrificed their personal well being and I wonder could the story have been told without the physical trauma? Leto and McConaughey are both brilliant, and this story was or could have been much bigger.
The story takes place in the late 1980’s.One of my favorite parts of the movie was when the Woodroof character has to use a microfiche reader to find out which drugs were effective in treating HIV around the world. This was all pre Google and WebMD and most everyone prayed that they had a knowledgeable doctor who had time to care and worry about their health, and that getting a second opinion might be seen as a sign of betrayal. Woodroof’s time (he was not the only person) was our awakening to our own responsibility for our health. Doctors know what they know and they know that they don’t know everything.
Ron Woodroof was a big deal and he was a part of a revolution whose impact can be seen today in the sometimes unreasonable debate on healthcare and it’s cost. More than 80% of all prescribed medicines are manufactured outside of the USA (China, India, etc.) and these same drugs can be purchased in other countries at a fraction of the cost we pay in the States.
I wish that the movie had the resources to tell more about the number of people who benefited from his uncompromising commitment to living. The Dallas Buyers Club is a good movie and I am glad that it finally got made. Congratulations to McConaughey and Leto.
“30,000 YEARS OF ART”
Just in case you’re curious:
30,000 YEARS OF ART- THE STORY OF HUMAN CREATIVITY ACROSS TIME AND SPACE “…is an accessible, fun and informative compendium of world art that offers a fresh perspective on the whole of art history, from 28,000 BC to the present day. It debunks art historical classifications and hierarchies by presenting 1,000 masterworks of art in simple chronological order, demonstrating what was being created all over the globe at the same time.”