As DeLay-connected Republican lobbyist “Casino Jack” Abramoff attempts some modicum of damage control in both Time and the Sunday NYT Magazine, the WP delves into the details of another federal investigation involving Abramoff, casino ships, and likely bank fraud.
Month: May 2005
The Ape Wrangler.
“The one thing that the Lord of the Rings had taught us that we did not know in 1996 is that fantasy is best told in a very realistic way. The lesson we took in re-writing Kong last year was that the best fantasy experience in the cinema is one in which you utterly believe in what’s happening and in which the characters believe in what’s happening.” Three Monkeys talks Kong with Peter Jackson.
Witches and Warlocks.
Glimpses of fantasy in our future: Newsweek offers some new shots from The Chronicles of Narnia (including Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, at right), and ABC airs some very brief Goblet of Fire footage, with more to come next week.
Video killed the Death Star.
Lucasfilm releases a Episode III music video entitled A Hero Falls, which includes occasional bits of new footage scattered amongst the trailer stuff (as well as some cringeworthy Hayden Christiansen line readings.) For what it’s worth, John Williams’ Sith score (which will include an impressive-sounding DVD of music from all six films) generally sounds much darker and more intriguing than this rather bland excerpt.
Also in SW news, Episode III gets the Corliss treatment for a Time cover story which includes this gallery from the film. (Hey, I’ll take it over Ann Coulter.) And, in another cover story, Wired queries George Lucas about his post-SW plans. “‘I’ve earned the right to just make things that I find provocative in my own way,’ he says. ‘I’ve earned the right to fail, which means making what I think are really great movies that no one wants to see.’
Ladies and Gentlemen…
Bob at the Beacon, Night 3 (for me) [Monday/Tuesday]:
Maggie’s Farm / To Ramona / Cry A While / Bye And Bye / Ballad Of Hollis Brown / If You See Her, Say Hello / Lenny Bruce / Honest With Me / The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll / High Water (For Charley Patton) / I Shall Be Released / Highway 61 Revisited
Encore: Po’ Boy / All Along The Watchtower
In all honesty, I think this was my least favorite setlist of the three shows (that missed Wednesday gig still haunts me.) Although I did get to hear my favorite song on Love & Theft this time around — “Cry A While” — I generally prefer the Time Out of Mind cuts when it comes to the new stuff. Still, the show wasn’t a bad one by any means, and while my own personal highlights came early in “Maggie’s Farm” and “If you See Her, Say Hello,” it was also nice to hear “Hollis,” “Hattie,” and “I Shall Be Released.” (And even after two previous shows, nine of tonight’s 14 songs were new to me during this Beacon stand.)
So, that wraps up this leg of the Never-Ending Tour…Next up for Dylan: A ball park summer swing with Willie Nelson, which unfortunately won’t be making it to the city. Catch it if you can. (And by the way, if you ever hit up the Beacon for a summer show, dress light. It’s a great venue in terms of acoustics and view, but the air flow in there leaves something to be desired.)