The House Next Door

1. Over at GreenCine Daily, Jonathan Marlow offers an open reply to those readers of a much discussed previous article on film distribution. Fascinating commentary throughout.

["We all see the world through our own prism of personal experience. In my "rant" (I'd characterize it as a "ramble" myself) from earlier this week, I attempted to make a case that filmmakers should not view the likely non-acquisition of their work from festival screenings as a failure. There are plenty of other distribution opportunities out there, although not many of them are particularly lucrative at this moment in time. Then again, it's not really about the money, is it? Only a fool makes a movie "on spec" with the notion of some future windfall."]

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2. "Obama quits church, citing controversies": From CNN.

["Sen. Barack Obama said Saturday that he has resigned from the church where controversial sermons by his former pastor and other ministers created political headaches for his campaign. "We don't want to have to answer for everything that's stated in the church," the Democratic front-runner said. "We also don't want the church subjected to the scrutiny that a presidential campaign legitimately undergoes." Obama said he was resigning "with some sadness." "This is not a decision I come to lightly," he said."]

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3. "Those dirty girls": Salon's Susannah Breslin looks at the impact of Sex and the City. (Hattip: Karina Longworth)

["The women of "Sex and the City," asserts Bright, aren't political. "They're desperate to get married. They obsess about their marital status." And they turned the sexual revolution for women of the new millennium into a business. To make her point, Bright references a recent New Yorker essay, "The Fall of Conservatism" by George Packer, in which Pat Buchanan paraphrased social theorist Eric Hoffer: "Every great cause begins as a movement, becomes a business, and eventually degenerates into a racket." Comments Bright: "'Sex and the City' is the racket part of what once was recognizable as the sexual self-emancipation of the feminist movement." For her, the commodification of the 21st century female sexual revolution hits too close to home. "I can't watch these women, you know, make asses of themselves and be so petty and small-minded about sexual possibility. I take it too personally.""]

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4. Some great stuff at Spout Blog: Christopher Campbell reports on the shuttering of Mel Brooks' film production company; Karina Longworth reveals the critic who wouldn't wait for f***ing James Gray; and our own Steven Boone crashes the set of Antoine Fuqua's latest.

["I was on the edge of East NY, Brooklyn, looking for a shop that sold $10 Boost phone cards. Not the $20 ones– what am I, Trump? Somebody told me to go over to Pitkin Avenue in Brownsville, across the L train tracks. Once there, I stumbled across a great commotion at the Vad Dyke Houses housing project. Crowds were gathered and men with walkie talkies darted about. A crime scene. No, a movie shoot. I went up to a short black woman with dreads, a headset and a hardware store full of items hanging from her cargo pants. “What’s shooting?” I asked. “Brooklyn’s Finest, a movie,” she said. “Cop stuff, huh?” “Well, sorta. It’s the director who did Training Day, Antoine Fuqua.” “Ah, Fuqua,” I said, remembering how much I love that director’s tactile widescreen compositions but mostly loathe his vision of humanity. Never mind. I had my digital recorder on me, so I whipped it out and decided to play Film Journalist with the cute P.A. “Can I interview you?”"]

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5. "Talking to Graduates in South Carolina, Bush Calls for Culture of Responsibility": Bitin' my tongue, folks. Bitin' my tongue.

["President Bush called Saturday for a new “culture of responsibility,” and he told students they would never find fulfillment in “alcohol, drugs or promiscuity.” In his last commencement address as president, to students at Furman University here, Mr. Bush emphasized “the importance of a responsibility society,” based on the “bedrock values of faith and family.” “A culture of responsibility means serving others,” Mr. Bush said. “To all of you, my call is to make service to others a way of life. Wherever you live, whatever you do, find a way to give back to your communities.”"]

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Quote of the Day: Edith Wharton

"How much longer are we going to think it necessary to be ''American'' before (or in contradistinction to) being cultivated, being enlightened, being humane, and having the same intellectual discipline as other civilized countries?"

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Image of the Day (click to enlarge): Rachael Ray, muslim extremist.



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Clip of the Day: A particularly stupid video for a sunny Sunday.

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"Links for the Day": Each morning, the House editors post a series of weblinks that we think will spark discussion. Comments encouraged. Suggestions for links are also welcome. Please send to keithuhlich@gmail.com.