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https://www.gameinformer.com/2021/04/30/call-of-dutys-new-battle-pack-and-in-game-challenge-will-help-fund-veteran-employment
Call Of Duty's New Battle Pack And In-Game Challenge Will Help Fund Veteran Employment
by Marcus Stewart on Apr 30, 2021 at 11:00 AM
May is Military Appreciation Month, and Activision is lending a helping hand to veterans in need by launching the Call of Duty Endowment Medical Heroes campaign. The initiative aims to raise money to place combat veterans, such as medics and hospital corpsmen, into high-quality jobs. Beginning today, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and Call of Duty: Warzone will feature a special battle pack with proceeds from its sale helping fund the initiative.
This pack, dubbed the Call of Duty Endowment Battle Pack (posted above), includes a new Operator skin created in partnership with Timothy Hobbs Jr., an Army Veteran Combat Medic and Call of Duty fan. Endowment helped find Hobbs a job once he returned home, and all net proceeds from the pack will fund the campaign with $2 million being the goal. You can get a look at the battle pack and hear all about Hobbs' story in the short video below.
Also beginning today is the Revival Challenge. Until May 9, reviving five people while playing Warzone unlocks the unique Endowment calling card. If one million players complete the challenge, all Warzone players will be treated to a double-XP day. Furthermore, Activision will donate $1 to Endowment for every completed challenge up to $1 million.
Activision hopes to raise $3 million total between the Battle Pack and Revival challenge, which would be enough to help $5,800 veterans find work. The Call of Duty Endowment program has used similar events through the years to help place over 81,000 veterans into quality jobs and hopes to raise that number to 100,000 by 2024.
Helping veterans successfully transition back into the workforce has been a growing issue in the U.S. for decades. If you're interested in helping veterans get back to work beyond this specific campaign, you can visit the Call of Duty Endowment webpage to learn other ways of providing aid.
Products In This Article
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Marcus Stewart
Marcus is an avid gamer, giant wrestling nerd, and a connoisseur of 90's cartoons and obscure childhood references. The cat's out of the bagel now!
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Sayed Ahmed Al-Mosawi
Bahrain court should overturn Ahmed Humaidan's conviction
New York, August 22, 2014 — The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on the Bahrain High Court of Appeals to overturn the baseless conviction of freelance photojournalist Ahmed Humaidan. The court is expected to rule on Humaidan's appeal on August 25, according to news reports.
Bahrain racing in circles
March 7, 2014 2:09 PM EST
Thursday, the official Bahrain News Agency announced the "final 30-day countdown [to] the Formula One extravaganza" to take place the first week of April. Every year the race acts as a lightning rod for criticism of the Bahraini government, which seeks to use high-profile international events like the F1 to gloss over human rights violations…

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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New Extreme Country Stampede Tour Coming to York
A rodeo, country music concert, extreme freestyle motocross show, monster truck rides, hot air balloon rides, wrapped up into one extreme package for a one of a kind entertainment experience – the Extreme Country Stampede Tour - is coming to York for the first time ever!
The event kicks off Friday, June 3, at 6 p.m. at The American Legion Post 96 in York with an Extreme Cowboy Auction and Casino Night featuring live country bands, cowboys, casino games, hot air balloon rides and an auction. Proceeds from the Casino Night will benefit The American Legion Post 96 and proceeds from the auction will benefit Breast Care at York Hospital. Admission is free.
The Extreme Country Stampede Tour follows on Saturday and Sunday, June 4 and 5, at York's Wild Kingdom (gates open at noon). Up and coming country musicians including Corey Cox and Rachel Timberlake will perform, and motocross sensations the Ive's Brothers and their Ball of Steel, and of course, the World Cup Bull Riders will keep Stampede attendees on the edge of their seats.
Former bull riding champion, Kenny Churchill, and owner of A1 Entertainment Ryan Conley wanted to create a unique, inexpensive, family-friendly event. They also wanted to help organizations like York Hospital. This is their way of giving back.
"I had a great career, now I want to raise awareness for great organizations," said Churchill.
For tickets, call York Hospital's Friendraising Office at (207) 351-2385. $5 of every advanced ticket sold at York Hospital will be donated to Breast Care.
Photo caption: From Friday, June 3 to Sunday, June 5, York will be home to the Extreme Country Stampede Tour, coming to town for the first time ever with a portion of proceeds benefiting The American Legion Post 96 and Breast Care at York Hospital. (Photo courtesy www.extremecountrytour.com)
Revolutionary War Officer to Receive Veteran Marker in Eliot
On Memorial Day, Monday May 30, at 2:00 p.m., General Andrew Pepperell Fernald will receive a veteran marker in a Dedication Ceremony at his grave in the Fernald Family Cemetery at 52 Goodwin Road in Eliot. This ties in nicely with the conclusion of the town's Memorial Day Parade. The general has laid in rest all these years without appropriate recognition for his service.
General Fernald served with the Second Regiment of York County Militia as well as Col. John Frost's Regiment of Massachusetts State Troops during the Revolutionary War. He then came home to Eliot where he represented the Parish at General Court in Boston to petition the Massachusetts government to grant the formation of the Town of Eliot in 1810.
Major General Lee Downer, USAF (Ret.) will preside over the program. Also participating will be members of the Fernald family, the Eliot Historical Society, The Second Regiment of York County, American Legion Post 188, and the Eliot Police Department Honor Guard. Eric Christian will present a biographical overview of General Fernald.
In the words of W. J. Cameron, "Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes – Remember there is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth."
So, as you plan your Memorial Day activities, which for many will include the town's parade, give some thought to stopping by the Fernald Family cemetery to participate in this special dedication ceremony, which will serve as a tribute to the general but will also bring to life the true meaning of the morning's parade.
Again, the ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. at the cemetery at 52 Goodwin Road in Eliot. For additional information please contact either (207) 752-0174 or (207) 439-5155.
Photo caption: Influential Revolutionary War officer from Eliot, Gen. Andrew Pepperell Fernald, will finally receive a proper veteran's burial marker on Memorial Day Weekend. (Courtesy photo)
Steel from World Trade Center Makes Procession to Freeport
KITTERY/FREEPORT—
A 20-foot steel beam from the World Trade Center left Kittery Trading Post at around 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, May 21 and made its way up Route 1 to Freeport with much fanfare. The beam was transported on a flatbed truck, escorted by the Maine Army National Guard with a police escort (several departments), the Patriot Guard Riders, the Freeport Flag Ladies and veterans groups. The beam was welcomed in Freeport with a special ceremony. Freeport Commemorative arranged the events. The beam will be used in a September 11 memorial in Freeport, designed to be reminiscent of the towers and set to be dedicated this September in honor of the 10th Anniversary of the 2001 attacks.
Photo caption: A 20-foot beam from the World Trade Center passes by Wells Junior High School on its way to Freeport on Saturday, May 21. (Photo by Reg Bennett)
Columbus Replica Ships to Land in Kittery
On Tuesday, June 14, the "Pinta" and the "Nina," replicas of Columbus' ships, will open in Kittery. The ships will be docked at Badgers Island Marina East, 4 Island Ave., until their departure early Tuesday morning, June 21.
The "Nina" was built completely by hand and without the use of power tools. Archaeology magazine called the ship "the most historically correct Columbus replica ever built." The "Pinta" was recently built in Brazil to accompany the "Nina" on all of her travels. She is a larger version of the archetypal caravel. Historians consider the caravel the Space Shuttle of the fifteenth century.
Both ships tour together as a new and enhanced 'sailing museum' for the purpose of educating the public and school children on the 'caravel,' a Portuguese ship used by Columbus and many early explorers used to discover the world.
While in port, the general public is invited to visit the ships for a walk-aboard, self-guided tour. Admission charges are $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $6 for students age 5 to 16. Children 4 and under are free. The ships are open every day from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. No reservations necessary.
Teachers or organizations wishing to schedule a 30-minute guided tour with a crewmember should call 1-787-672-2152. Minimum of 15 people required. $4 per person. No maximum. Visit the website at www.thenina.com or email columfnd@surfbvi.com.
Photo caption: The "Nina" and the "Pinta," replicas of Columbus' ships, will open in Kittery in June. (Photo courtesy of www.thenina.com)
Ogunquit Mourns the Loss of Hospitality and Community Leader
Robert E. Hanson passed on May 14, 2011 at his home in Ogunquit, Maine. He was born on July 21, 1941, in Waterbury, CT, the son of Ralph and Beatrice Hanson.
Bob graduated with a B.S. in Engineering from the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT in 1963. He was a Tau Beta Pi recipient and a member of the Eta Kappa Nu Association. After graduation, he accepted a job at the Manned Spacecraft Center (NASA) in Houston, Texas. While in Texas, he met and married his wife, Karen. In 1968, a desire to return to New England for the four seasons brought them back to Connecticut, where he was employed as an electrical engineer at Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation in Stratford, Connecticut.
In 1971, Bob moved with his family to Wells, Maine and began a career in the hospitality industry. Their original property was the Somerset Motor Court located in Wells. Eventually, they moved to Ogunquit and owned and operated the Sea View Motel. After selling the Sea View Motel, they built the Juniper Hill Inn and subsequently acquired the Milestone and the Gorges Grant Hotel. Bob always had a thirst for knowledge and growth and obtained both his real estate broker and surveyor licenses while operating his varying properties. Bob was a proud man and always possessed a heartfelt gratitude for those at all levels that contributed to his success. He was a firm believer in treating everyone with respect, dignity and honesty, and considered all those that were a part of his organization as family, realizing that nothing was attainable without their efforts. He was a proud member of the Ogunquit business community, dutifully serving on the Planning Board, Board of Assessment Review as well as the Ogunquit Appeals Board and cared a great deal about the beauty, community and people of Ogunquit.
An active supporter of local land conservation efforts, Bob loved the outdoors and was a proud member of the American Tree Farm System in Maine. He often spent his down time on his land in North Berwick, cutting wood, gathering with friends, or simply taking in the beauty of the region. He enjoyed daily early morning walks on Ogunquit Beach. Bob and Karen spent much of their winters in Marco Island, Florida and made many lasting memories in the warmth of the area. Bob was also an avid reader, with particular interest in history and genealogy.
Bob enjoyed family above all else; it was his first and only priority. The challenges, hard work and effort all made sense – it was for his family. He is survived by his loving wife of 43 years, Karen, 4 children and seven grandchildren: Shari L. and partner, Kevin Griffin, grandson Justin Snell; David F. and wife Kelly, granddaughter Gracie; David R. and wife Nancy, grandchildren Ethan, Ella, Claire; Robert C. and wife Michelle, grandsons, Samuel and Jonah; one sister, Olive H. Peterson.
Memorial visitation was held on Thursday, May 19, 2011 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Bibber Memorial Chapel, 111 Chapel Road, Wells. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 20, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Parish/St. Mary's Church, 236 Eldridge Road, Wells. Interment will be private.
The family has requested that in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to your charity of choice; or: The York Land Trust Inc., PO Box 1241, York Harbor, ME 03911, www.yorklandtrust.com; or: Beacon Hospice, Inc., 42 Brickyard Court, York, ME 03909, www.beaconhospice.com. Arrangements are in care of Bibber Memorial Chapel, Wells, www.bibberfuneral.com.
Photo caption: Robert E. Hanson, local hotelier and community leader, passed away on May 14 at his home. (Courtesy photo)
Gen 'X' Messiah
By Chip Schrader
"Nazareth, North Dakota" is Tommy Zurhellen's first novel that spans from 1980 to present day, and depicts the lives of common people in the barren northern mid-west. The story takes a biblical spin on the lifestyles of the lower middle class American community, which invites plenty of social and political comparisons while also allowing the author fodder for clever wordplay.
The novel follows Roxy, a down on her luck ex-waitress whose poor taste in men is nearly as tragic as her inability to meet a decent man. She finds herself in Cairo, Illinois, after a baby is dropped into her care, and another loser boyfriend runs off with legal problems. Her journey with this mysterious baby, Sam, leads her to Joe, a hard working and honest carpenter.
Back in North Dakota, her family manages through life by maneuvering around corrupt town police officer Severo Rodriguez. His business in illegal stills and penchant for throwing Molotov cocktails into outsiders' vehicles reveal how badly this town is in need of salvation. Roxy's nephew, Jan, preaches his evangelical shtick as his mother swore he was a miracle child. As time moves along, the real miracle child presents himself above false prophets, as the oldest man in the world (who also lives in Nazareth) predicted would happen.
Written in tight prose with little flash or pretense, "Nazareth, North Dakota" is like reading James Joyce's "Dubliners" or Louise Erdrich's "Love Medicine." Even if the biblical parallels are lost on the reader, the characters are interesting at how they manage through the doldrums of day to day life. As the novel seems to settle into this cozy study of small town dynamics, we see Sam develop into an interesting, misunderstood, and rebellious youth who just might change the world.
Among the interesting scenes with Sam's transformation are a debate he has with an Ethics professor, although only this debate's aftermath is depicted, and his friendship with Daylene Hooker. Daylene's nickname "prostitute" hearkens readers back to Christ's befriending of Mary Magdalene, showing one way in which Zurhellen weaves ancient characters into new ones.
Each chapter is divided like a short story, and has a date with the title. The book only runs a little over two hundred pages, and like the testaments depicting the life of Christ, it leaves large portions of time unaccounted for.
The first one hundred pages are interesting and read well, but some readers might be lost on the point for such detailed accounts of so many villagers. Eventually these eccentric stories tie into a finely woven tapestry of modern legend. To the unsuspecting reader, the leaps in time are also jarring at first. But, once the reader realizes the timeline spans in a short space, like the Bible, the story moves along smoothly.
"Nazareth, North Dakota" is a strange and fascinating trip, and an astute retelling of the story of all stories. Born in New York City, Zurhellen convincingly portrays not only small town life, but that of mid-western life with great fluency. Readers who are weary of the run of the mill bestseller, or are looking for a good story that is written well, should look for this title.
Pub Date: April 15, 2011. ISBN: 978-0-9845105-6-6. Page count: 212pp. Publisher: Atticus Books.
Photo caption: (Courtesy book cover image of "Nazareth, North Dakota")
York County Special Olympics Brings Athletes and Community Together
A very special annual event was held on the fields at Shapleigh School last week when approximately 400 participants took part in the York County Special Olympics Spring Games.
Special Olympians from throughout York County attended the annual event, the results of which are used to place participants in competitive divisions in the Maine Special Olympics Summer Games held each June in Orono.
The York County Games are the third largest in the state with only the games in Penobscot and Cumberland counties drawing larger fields, Mark Capano of Special Olympics said. There are 13 events held in the state each year.
The athletes take part in track and field events including a special division for athletes using wheelchairs and other devices.
There were, Capano said, 26 teams included in this year's field. The numbers of athletes and teams, he said, are about the same as last year.
Dennis Dean of Kittery, the event manager from 1992 until this year, said the event "has grown a lot" over the years. He said there were 100 or 150 athletes involved when the event was initiated in the late 1980s.
Dean said this year "seemed like time to make the transition" but stayed on to help Capano. He said there was "no special reason" for stepping down. "It just felt like the right time to do it."
There were, this year, well over 100 volunteers on hand to assist in the games. These included student athletes from Traip Academy in Kittery who ran the track and field events. "They did an exceptional job," Capano said.
The event was held in Wells for its first two years but then it was moved to Kittery. Dean immediately contacted Traip Athletic Director Al Young and the involvement of the school's track team began.
Community involvement in the games is high, he said. Organizations involved include the Knights of Columbus, York Hospital and Kittery Rotary.
Capano said that more than 30 workers from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard were also involved to "set up and break down" for the day's activities.
A large number of York County law enforcement officers were also involved, he said. These included the York County Sheriff's Department, Berwick, North Berwick, York, Kittery and Wells police departments.
The large number of volunteers also included people from First Congregational Church of Kittery Point and the Kittery Public Works and Recreation Departments.
Athletes compete for ribbons in each event, with the top six finishers winning ribbons.
Special Olympics, founded in 1968, is the largest sports organization in the world for children and adults with special needs. The program includes millions of athletes in 175 countries.
According to its web site, the Special Olympics hopes to "give them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in sharing of gifts, skills and friendship."
Photo caption: Officer Candice Noble and Officer Michael Grogan from the Eliot Police Department help award and congratulate young participants in the York County Special Olympics ceremonies on May 5. (Photo courtesy Officer Candice Noble)
Bill Green to Deliver YCCC's 16th Commencement Address
York County Community College president, Dr. Charles M. Lyons, is pleased to announce that Bill Green, news reporter/anchor and host of WCSH 6 Bill Green's Maine, will deliver the 2011 commencement address to 138 graduates on Saturday, May 14, at the Ogunquit Playhouse. Mr. Green will share from his personal experiences, congratulate the students on their accomplishment as well as challenge them to live and work in Maine.
Bill Green is a lifelong Mainer. Born in Bangor, he was educated in Bangor schools and the University of Maine. He worked his way through college as a full-time studio cameraman at WLBZ2 in Bangor.
Bill has worked at all levels of on-air television. His Bill Green's Maine, now in its twelfth season, is the most watched program in its time period. He debuted as a sportscaster on WLBZ 2 in 1975 and has currently been on-air in Maine longer than any other television broadcaster.
In 1993, Bill came off the anchor desk to produce feature stories and documentaries, including 10 documentaries on Maine and the environment under the banner "Color Me Green," in addition to his weekly features, "Green Outdoors" and "My Hometown." In 2000, Bill Green launched an original series, "Bill Green's Maine." This program has made him one Maine's best-known storytellers.
York County Community College, established in 1994, is one of seven community colleges in the Maine Community College System. The college enrolls more than 1,400 students in associate degree and transfer programs and over 2,000 individuals in non-credit continuing education and professional development areas.
Photo caption: Bill Green, of "Bill Green's Maine" on WCSH 6, will deliver the 2011 commencement address to YCCC graduates on May 14. (Photo courtesy www.wcsh6.com)
Maine Receives Nearly $21 Million to Upgrade Rail Service
Governor Paul LePage learned on Monday, May 9, that the Amtrak Downeaster, which is operated by the Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority, was approved for a $20.8 million grant from the US Department of Transportation.
"We are extremely pleased that the Downeaster will be receiving over $20 million dollars in federal grant money that will make the Downeaster not only faster, but also will allow for more frequent trips between Portland and Boston," said Governor LePage. "More frequent and faster trips will benefit not only passengers, but Maine businesses as well."
In March, Governor LePage had sent a letter of support with the grant application for the Downeaster, and also authorized the application for the funds. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood thanked Governor LePage for his support of improved rail service between Maine and Boston in a letter last month.
Maine was one 24 states that applied for over $2 billion in available high-speed rail funds. This money became available when money originally awarded to Florida was rescinded after plans for a Florida high-speed rail line were canceled.
The $20.8 million will be used to construct a 10.4-mile section of double track between Wilmington and Andover, Mass. These track upgrades will allow two trains to operate at the same time on this section of the line, shortening delays and improving the dependability of the Downeaster.
The project is part of nearly $800 million in projects to improve rail service in the crowded Northeast, and $2 billion going to rail projects in 15 states nationwide.
Photo caption: Recently announced funding from the U.S. Dept. of Transportation will help improve Maine's rail service. (Photo courtesy www.nationalcorridors.org)
Goat Island Light Goes Back In Time: Complete Historic Renovation Underway
Tom Bradbury, Executive Director of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, announced on April 28 that contracts have been signed for the restoration of the Goat Island Light Station in Cape Porpoise, which began construction on May 2.
This is the culmination of 5 years of planning, permitting, negotiating and fund raising by Mike Weston and Scott Dombrowski, the co-project managers.
The restoration work, awarded to Bartlett Builders of Kennebunkport via a competitive bidding process, will include the rebuilding of the bell tower that was torn down in 1962, the covered walkway from the keeper's quarters to the light tower damaged by the blizzard of 1978 and the original fuel storage building. The cost of this phase of the restoration will be in the neighborhood of $380,000.
The period chosen for the restoration is the decade of the 1950s. Significant photographic evidence exists for that period and that is the period when all of the structures scheduled to be rebuilt were in place and water and electricity were available.
The process to secure the final approvals for construction included work to obtain permits from the DEP, Army Corps of Engineers, Inland Fish and Wildlife, Indian Tribes of Maine, the Town of Kennebunkport and the Maine Historical Preservation Society. Also required was a change to the Kennebunkport Land Use Ordinance for the island to be designated a Contract Zone and the voters of Kennebunkport overwhelmingly approved that change 2 years ago.
Because of the historical nature of the Goat Island Light Station, two archaeological digs were required to assure that no buried artifacts would be destroyed during the rebuilding phase. During this process, some of the original foundations and pilings were uncovered allowing rebuilding in more historically accurate locations. Crane and Morrison completed the dig and analysis that provided the Trust with a treasure trove of historical documentation. Goat Island Light was first lit on August 15, 1833 so historical accuracy would have been difficult to assure without the results from the dig.
Harvey Wells, a Kennebunk architect, first provided a scale model of the project and volunteered hundreds of hours to complete it. Mr. Wells was chosen to provide all of the detailed plans for the rebuilding and restoration based on the photographic evidence and old historical articles to assure historical accuracy. Dustin Roma, an engineer with Sebago Technics of Westbrook, completed all of the site work, permit applications and technical detail. Engineering expertise for the foundations and structural specifications were provided by Group Design of Saco. The bell tower has been designed to withstand high winds and flooding---without compromising the historical integrity of the building exterior.
Construction is scheduled to be completed by September 1 this year with dedication ceremonies to be held shortly after Labor Day.
Coming soon, you can follow the construction by visiting www.kporttrust.org and selecting the Goat Island web-cam that is being installed in the coming days.
Photo caption: Goat Island Light in the 1950s, the period chosen as a model for the restoration. (Courtesy photo)
Senator Collins Reads to Second Grade Students at WES
On the afternoon of April 29, U.S. Senator Susan Collins visited Wells Elementary School to read to a group of 60 second grade students. The Senator made a rain check visit to honor a previous invitation extended to her to read at the school's annual "Celebration of Reading Day," which took place on March 4.
WOCSD Superintendent Elaine Tomaszewski and Principal Marianne Horne escorted the Senator and introduced her to students seated in a common area on the second floor of the school. Also present were Assistant Principal Ken Spinney, numerous WES teachers, and three members of the Senator's staff including State Office Representative in Biddeford, Cathy Goodwin.
According to Goodwin, Senator Collins naturalized 41 new citizens at a naturalization ceremony in Kennebunk that morning. "There was a lot of wonderful patriotism shown today," said Goodwin.
The Senator read "Antlers Forever" to the group, occasionally walking around to show the illustrations. After reading the book, the Senator asked the students what their favorite books were. She told the students that she received (appropriately enough) the Dr. Suess book, "Oh the Places You Will Go" when she was first elected to the Senate in 1996 and commented she reads everyday.
One second grade student, Hayden Barker, was recognized by the Senator for recently receiving 1st place for his entry in the Second Grade category in the 25th Annual Literary Achievement Awards Contest sponsored by the District and People's United Bank.
After leaving the atrium on the second floor, the Senator and entourage descended to the first floor to meet with multi-age grade 1-2 students who had put together a hall display honoring the nation's most recognizable monuments. Students explained their work including models of the White House, the National Mall's Reflecting Pool (that actually reflected), Mount Rushmore, the Statue of Liberty, the Alamo and the Liberty Bell. Senator Collins asked the children about their display.
The "Guest Reader Day" and the Senator's visit were arranged by Community Resource Coordinator Maryanne Foley.
Photo caption: Senator Susan Collins recently visited Wells Elementary School to read to students. (Photo by Reg Bennett)
Barn Gallery Presents 33rd Annual Student Art Show
Join us as area elementary through high school students show their latest work at the 33rd Annual Student Art Show at the Barn Gallery on Bourne Lane at Shore Road in Ogunquit on May 7 and 8 from 1 to 4 p.m. each day. All are invited to a reception on Friday, May 6 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Barn Gallery will be filled floor to ceiling with imaginative paintings, photographs, collages, prints, sculpture, and mixed media pieces. The artistic energy and enthusiasm of the young artists shine forth in a variety of media and subjects.
"I love this show," says Nancy Davison, President of the Ogunquit Arts Collaborative and the Barn Gallery. "The students try so many different images and techniques. And they delight in finding their work on the walls of a 'real' gallery. Our annual Mother's Day event is one of the most festive shows we have at Barn Gallery."
Art teachers from schools in southern Maine, including Wells, York, Kittery, Lebanon, Berwick, North Berwick and South Berwick, select individual and group student art projects for this traditional celebration of the year's work in area art classes.
Barn Gallery will open for the season on Wednesday May 25 at 11 a.m. For more information call 207-646-8400 after May 25, 2011.
Photo caption: Barn Gallery in Ogunquit will host its 33rd Annual Student Art Show on May 7 and 8, with an opening reception on May 6. (Courtesy photo)
Revolutionary War Officer to Receive Veteran Marke...
Steel from World Trade Center Makes Procession to ...
Ogunquit Mourns the Loss of Hospitality and Commun...
York County Special Olympics Brings Athletes and C...
Bill Green to Deliver YCCC's 16th Commencement Add...
Maine Receives Nearly $21 Million to Upgrade Rail ...
Goat Island Light Goes Back In Time: Complete His...
Senator Collins Reads to Second Grade Students at ...
Barn Gallery Presents 33rd Annual Student Art Show...


I've noticed that when posting in subforums the parent forum doesnt show that anything has been posted in it. Is this normal or a bug? If its normal I think we should have something changed so that subforum topics show on from the main forums parent when browsing forums list in general so that it doesnt look like its just empty.


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Richard Hammond Complains About Safety During New Show 'Big'
by Steven Douglas January 15, 2020, 1:32 pm
The Grand Tour presenter has complained about the amount of safety gear he has to wear during his new show Richard Hammond's Big.
Hammond shouldn't be the type of person to complain about safety after his what seems to be endless relationship with getting into trouble. It started during Top Gear with a jet-powered drag car. Thanks to a tyre blowing, the vehicle launched itself off the track at high speeds. Veering to the side, it spun and Hammond was injured suffering brain damage and lasting effects.
More recently, during The Grand Tour, Hammond flung a Rimac Concept One off the side of a Swiss hillclimb course. The car was written off and he escaped the all-electric supercar just before it burst into flames. He fractured his knee as a result of this accident.
Now, with his new show edging closer to a February release, he can be seen in a video he posted to Facebook complaining about the sheer amount of safety gear he has to wear. This includes a very bright and reflective jacket with matching trousers, a hard hat, and a pair of snazzy gloves.
"One of the things I never thought through when I set out to make this show was, than when you're looking at big stuff you have to put on, you know, safety gear. Dressing up," he says to the camera.
"This particular get up pretty much takes the biscuit.
:There's a lot of man-made fibres, I am a fire hazard. I'm visible but heating up rapidly, and these gloves are, well, they're sleeping bags.
Another day another hard hat."
Richard Hammond's Big starts tonight, January 15th on the Discovery Channel.
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Cusco is one of Peru's top holiday destinations, thanks to its proximity to Machu Picchu and its own vast array of attractions.
Andean Trails' owner Kathy Jarvis has been visiting Cusco for more than two decades, while Fiona Cameron lived in the bubbly and bustling Inca city for more than 12 years.
Here we share these experts' Top 10 of things to do in Cusco – all without a sniff of Machu Picchu.
(There are in fact 12 and we could easily have written 20).
Head to Chicha restaurant, home to Gaston, the Peruvian super-chef earning international plaudits. We recommend booking in advance.
Caviidae? That'll be a guinea pig then (a rodent not a pig, and from The Andes, not Guinea). And called Cuy – or Cuyo – in South America.
Confused? No matter. Head to Tipon town, just outside Cusco, the best and most traditional place if you want to bite into these pets/treats. Locals fight for the eyes – the tastiest part.
Learn everything there is to know about chocolate in a hands-on experience at the Choco Museo on Garcilaso 210 (tel: (050) 244 765).
Wander through the San Blas streets to San Cristobal for superb views over Cusco.
See the mummies at the Inca Museo, just off the Plaza de Armas. One of Peru's least-visited but best museums.
Walk or horse ride to the Devil's Balcony, known locally as Chacan, just above Sacsayhuaman, 2.5 km outside Cusco. A natural rock bridge crosses a gorge, with a large cavern beneath. Sacsayhuaman is a great spot to fly a kite, too.
Explore the huge variety of local produce in the local markets: flowers, un-nameable fruit, delicious fresh juices and large chunks of meat at San Pedro Market, shop until you drop at the Artisan markets or head (by taxi) to Molino, a huge covered market selling clothes, music, cameras and just about everything you can think of (except fresh food and crafts).
Enjoy a post-trek relaxing massage at Yin Yan, Calle Triunfo 392.
Down-hill bicycle ride at Yuncaypata, book with a local biking company.
Play darts at the Cross Keys pub.
Swimming at high altitude is only for the well acclimatized. Get to the Colisea Cerrado early morning and it's almost empty, perfect for a swim.
Lake Huacarpay, 35km/45 minutes south of Cusco on the Sicuani road. Then visit the nearby village of Lucre, famous for its traditional desserts and the excellent restaurant Quinta Lucre, set in large gardens with good local food.


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Q: Getting image and list to appear on the same line This is my code: http://jsfiddle.net/FMfDM/1/
I can't seem to get my logo image to sit on the same line as my list, even if I put display:inline on the image.
Can anyone please tell me what is the proper approach to this, since using float: right is also making my list items appear in reverse order!

A: That will do it:
#nav img {float:left;}

A: try

A: jsfiddle
html

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and css
* {
    padding:0px;
    margin:0px;
}

ul li{
  display: inline;
    float: right;
}
li {
    list-style-type: none;
    background:gold;
    width:80px;
    border:1px solid black;
    text-align:center;
}

#nav {padding-top: 30px;}

you can change color and everything else what you like!

A: Like Cliff mentioned, you'll need to float the left img or anchor.
http://jsfiddle.net/scottmey/BKWrR/
#nav a, #nav img {
    float:left;
}

and consider:
#nav ul {
    float: right;
}

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L13FC: Play into Film
It's Friday the 13th. You all are my lucky charms. Welcome back to this month's rendition of the Lucky 13 Film Club. I have been thinking about plays which were adapted to film. Ever wonder why what works on the stage somehow gets lost in translation on the screen? Why do some films feel like a play but never were? Whether a satire or silly or serious, a successful adaptation from the stage to the screen is not easy. Why? Let us focus our discussion on plays and NOT MUSICALS.
Thinking beyond a list of favorites, who are your favorite characters? Often I am so-so about the film adaptation as a whole, but an actor's delivery or a line by the author has been tattooed on my heart. What are some of your lasting impressions?
Cindy's choices:
When Rev. Hale tries to atone for the death warrants he has assigned in Arthur Miller's The Crucible, he begs Elizabeth Proctor to persuade her husband John to confess to witchcraft in order to save his life.
John Proctor (DDL), Joan Allen as Elizabeth Proctor
For the principle of honesty, she answers, "I believe that be the Devil's argument." I see and hear actress Joan Allen say this on the Cape Cod shore in the 1996 film version. When situations arise in my life where I hear people bend and rationalize the truth including interior dialogues with myself–should I or not? I hear Goody Proctor's voice.
The Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams is an enjoyable 1964 film in all regards. Richard Burton gives an energetic performance especially when he's sweating it out wrapped up and trapped in the hammock.
Deborah Kerr with Richard Burton in The Night of the Iguana (1964)
T. Lawrence Shannon: I thought you were sexless. But you've just become a woman. And do you know how I know that? Because you like me tied up! All women, whether they wish to admit or not, would like to get men into a tied-up situation.
Is there truth in his statement? Hmmm. The gender relations in the 1960s. The dynamic between a mother and son. A husband and wife. The femme fatale and her victim. What intrigues me about the comment is that Hannah Jelkes (Deborah Kerr) is "good" and "cerebral" thus lacking the qualities that make her female. To be sexless also means she lacks the qualities that make her male. How interesting to be neither sex. She abstains from the hypocrisies and degradation of both sexes and becomes the Buddha in the film whether she likes it or not.
David Mamut's play/film Glengarry Glen Ross (1992) scorched with an excellent script and meaty acting from the entire cast. Alec Baldwin played the worst boss imaginable and typecasts himself for twenty more films in his future. Anyway, Shelley Levene (Jack Lemmon) was exceptional. The scene that stuck was the one where he was battered and worn by his colleagues and Blake, and then, with a snap of a finger, he got on that phone to made a sale like his life depended on it. His demeanor changed from weak to aggressive remarkably. I was wowed by Lemmon's performance and truly felt horrible for Shelley and his outcome. Here's more on Jack Lemmon found HERE.
Al Pacino as Shylock in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice (2004) made me smile. It is my second favorite play by Shakespeare and the film version directed by Michael Radford was entertaining and visually interesting due in part to the cast: Jeremy Irons, Joseph Fiennes, and Lynn Collins. The Act III, scene I monologue by Shylock rouses indignation, and I see Shylock in a whole new light.
A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams, 1947, starring Marlon Brando and Scarlett O'Hara as Blanche
My ultimate favorite line is Blanch DuBois when she pitifully says, "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers." Poor Blanche. When her beauty faded, so did her options. Loss of hope and desperation makes for desperate decisions. Haven't we all been there at some point in our lives? Is Williams suggesting there's a bit of Blanche in all women? Trying to exist with the cards stacked against us, encouraged by men to use whatever charms for their enjoyment while simultaneously condemned for using them? Smarts and ingenuity were not readily accepted by society prior to roughly 1980. We've come a long way, baby. Right?
Plays bring up issues that are fun to think about and discuss. I'll list some plays to jar your memory. What character or line sticks with you?
Raisin in the Sun, Amadeus, Barefoot in the Park, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Arsenic and Old Lace, Doubt, Closer, Long Day's Journey into the Night, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, August: Osage County, Fences, Driving Miss Daisy, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Dial M for Murder, On Golden Pond, The Lion in Winter, and countless Oscar Wilde & Shakespeare adaptations…
Arthur Miller, David Mamut, film adaptations, Lucky 13 Film Club, movies, plays, Tennessee Williams
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86 thoughts on "L13FC: Play into Film"
The first film adaptation of a play that always springs to my mind is 'An Inspector Calls'. (1954). This transferred well to film, allowing for flashbacks describing how everyone became involved in the life of the tragic young girl who has taken her life. Alastair Sim was perfect as the Inspector who represents their consciences, but never actually existed. Or did he?
And I have to mention 'Alfie' (1966) again, with Caine taking the stage play to a new level with his outstanding performance.
My favourite filmed Shakespeare is still Olivier's 'Henry V' (1944), which managed to turn from historical recreation to epic, scene by scene.
Best wishes, Pete. x
Tell me about Caine in 'Alfie' since I think of him as your alter-ego (Caine not Alfie (?)) due to your accent and your love for him in your posts.
What's the line or scene that makes you think Caine did an outstanding job?
Branagh's Henry V was good for me. I ought to revisit the Olivier performance.
I hope someone mentions Hamlet.
Who did him best? While I would have paid a lot to see Cumberbatch, Daniel Day-Lewis, Ian Kellen or Ralph Fiennes play the quintessential role on stage, for film, I was surprised at Mel Gibson's performance and impressed with Branagh's.
Anyway, I'm glad you mentioned Henry V.
Caine talked to the camera, making me feel as if he was just talking to me, and I was standing next to him. He has some good lines, but the throwaway stuff like these quotes are what stuck with me.
"My understanding of women only goes as far as the pleasure. When it comes to the pain I'm like any other bloke – I don't want to know."
"She's got a little ginger moustache. But I find I'm quite willing to overlook the odd blemish in a woman, providing she's got something to make up for it. Well, that's what we're all here for, innit – to help each other out in this life."
🙂 x
LOL. Awesome quotes, Pete.
What a charmer, Alfie he is.
allthingsthriller says:
Alfie, the Michael Caine version, of course, is stellar. It was Caine's breakout performance–some might say that it was The Ipcress File. It's scary to contemplate that there are so many guys out there like Alfie. Scarier still that there are so many guys–these days, especially–that are like Alfie but more covert. God forbid we think we are getting an enlightened partner and under the charm, the degree and good table manners, ta dah!…It's Alfie!
A complicated character, for sure. I appreciate the balance between Alfie and his counterpart, Shelley Winters.
Yes. Wonderful chemistry. So good to see Alfie get his comeuppance at the hands and bidding of a woman–a woman that has so many of Alfie's undesirable qualities.
The sexual bravado and recklessness seem odd nowadays but what comedic fuel! Same as Hawkeye in MAS*H. Loveable scoundrels.
Yes indeed. That behavior always turned me off. I've always been sensitive to it, but that doesn't mean I don't have a sensitivity towards these scoundrels or even an attraction to their rogue charm.
Rogue charm has been equal to the femme fatale. You know you can't trust them but their pheromones are like heroin.
Ha! Ha! So true. And you shouldn't mess with heroin. Not even a little bit.
I reviewed it here, Pam.
https://beetleypete.wordpress.com/2018/05/04/retro-review-alfie-1966/
Sorry, I forgot to add that I am not a huge fan of Hamlet, though Geilgud was supposed to have done a great job with the role on stage.
was unimpressed by all the hamlets you mentioned although gibson gave the character a worthy physicality, especially in the flute scene with R ad G, the adaptation, however, was one of the worst. my favorite hamlets are burton and jacobi, althou i wish i could get a copy of nicol williamsons, since i had problems with it when it was released 50 years ago and would like to reasses it. ad also to see marianne faithful,
As I mentioned at the beginning of the post, the version of the adaptation as a whole could be lame, but there might have been a particular performance, or in general, a comment about the favorite line of the author I wanted to open up for discussion.
that is why i mentioned the one aspect of gibsons hamlet i found interesting,
Yes, I enjoy hearing about your examples.
i agree about henry,,, an amazng version from olivier, and his richard was nearly as good. i loved alfie. in many ways it bridged the kitche sink and the mod eras .
Thanks, Bill. Alfie was indeed a real 'moment' in British cinema history.
jcalberta says:
Yes I hear you. Same with books. I often hear people say "the Book was better".
I think perhaps musicals fare the best? Camelot? The Music Man? there are many. Yet as you say…
Perhaps it's the intimacy of Theatre? And the accent on dialogue and character – without distraction?
I really don't know it sometimes doesn't. You'd think it would be superior. After all you can get that camera right up in their faces – and elsewhere. And reshoot things till their perfect … ?
Last play I watched was 'Fences' which won many awards for the stage and Viola Davis won an Oscar (deservingly so!). Yet, many filmgoers didn't like the claustrophobic and long monologues. I don't have an answer for you. I thought it was excellent–especially Viola–the scene where she stands up to her cheating husband and decides to keep their baby–OMG–I bawled.
i saw fences when in an out of town run preview prior to its broadway opening and i loved it. the movie was an excellent adaptation and it is criminal that it was overlooked. first time i have ever liked a performance from Viola Davis,
I don't go to cities very often, but when I do, I really must try to see a play. Not community theater so much, but professional troupes.
i dont go much anymore. the quality is usually so poor that it is truly painful.
when you see a lot of the classic broadway plays in touring revivals these days, they seem cheap and superfiial compared t the movie versions. but i would hve loved to see camelot and west side story o broadway in their first productions.
fragglerocking says:
A highbrow post to which I can contribute very little 🙂 not having seen any of those movies, though I've done my share of Shakespear plays when a schoolgirl.
Oh, no! You don't have to be a lover of Shakespeare to participate. There's gotta be a play you've seen from the list at the bottom of the post?
Lol, sorry, I saw the Fonda family in On Golden Pond way way back in my Jurassic era, but can only remember the jumping in the pool bit.
Well, there you go! The backflip Jane made on the dock. I didn't like her character or Jane Fonda much even though I knew in real life Jane and Henry were estranged and had a difficult father-daughter relationship.
What I remember is Ethel Thayer really loved Norman. When she says, "Listen, Mister. You are my Knight in Shining Armor!" I always tear up. Hepburn was perfect in the role. It's a film whose adaptation really works on the screen because of the incorporation of the setting. I have many times pined for a house on the lake like the one on Golden Pond.
I love A Streetcar Named Desire. The play and the movie. Blanche DuBois is considered the plum role for any actress in theatre. And of course Vivian Leigh was spectacular in the movie. She owned it. That said, I think Kim Hunter was equally good, in a harder, less showy role. Elia Kazan is one of the few film directors that could really bring a Tennessee Williams play to life on screen. Of course, Tennessee Williams co-wrote the script so that helped.
In complete agreement, Pam. Blanchett did a remarkable job on stage and the Woody Allen 'Blue Jasmine' is a newer loose adaptation I like.
Kazan is one of my favorite directors–of course, having Marlon Brando as your actor couldn't hurt, eh?
SO, what's your favorite scene in Streetcar? Which scene immediately pops into your mind when you think about the play to film?
Well, it's been a long time sense I've seen the film or read the play, but here's my recollection (as flawed as it may be): The scene where Blanche realizes that Stella has betrayed her–that Stella and Stanley are sending her away. Oh, my gosh, it's heart wrenching.
And yes, Marlon Brando is a huge asset. So sexy and so rogue, but not in a "relatively harmless" way like Alfie is. No. Stanley is diabolical. Dangerous. Callous and mean. Yet, I am drawn to him. I'm not proud of it, but it is what it is. Unlike Stella, I wouldn't marry him. So tragic that Blanche, "the crazy one", actually sees Stanley for who he is. And Stanley can see through Blanche too. Stella is willfully blind. She sees what she wants to see.
What woman in her right mind wouldn't be attracted to him? Goodness, he's perfection.
But yeah, what woman in her right mind would marry him? Only Stella, as you say. The love the dynamic between Stanley and Blanche. And poor Mitch! Karl Malden was interesting to watch.
Marlon Brando was so perfect in this film version.
What masculinity and energy.
What do you think about Sam Sheppard Cindy? Did you know that in addition to him being a terrific actor, he was also a great playwright? In fact that's where he got the initial "show biz" attention. His play Buried Child is a literary work of art. It would make a great film adaption if someone had the gumption to take it on. Very bleak subject manner.
But back to your list…Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf is an amazing play to screen adaption. Talk about a toxic relationship. Whew!
Big breath. There is a lot to say. Sam Shepard. I didn't know he was a playwright. I really enjoyed his role in August: Osage County. There's a line he says before he departs for the last time in the boat on the lake. "LIfe is very long." I love that T.S. Eliot line.
Virginia Woolf. Another utterly depressing film which showcases reality way too close for comfort. What are your favorite scenes?
I'm a huge Sam Sheppard fan. So sad that he passed away. He elevated everything he was in. Even the Right Stuff. It's a better film because he was in it.
I admire you Cindy. You have a terrific mind. You approach film more analytically than I do. I see film more as a whole concept. That's the way I remember it. Especially with films that are more in my wheelhouse. Dialogue, character driven films. So it's been awhile since I saw Virginia Woolf. I remember it more thematically. The destruction of the id. The push pull of the two main characters and their dogged determination to destroy the happiness of the young couple, to dismantle them. It is chilling.
come on cindy, i dont believe you didnt know sam shepard was a playwrite. he was the number one playwrite of the 80s and helped revive interest in the serious drama, an interest that didnt last long, he always acted, though, i first saw him in the 70s with patti smith in a play he wrote about janis joplin and kris kristofferson, shepard played kris. when his last major play a lie of the mind was staged in cambridge MA, i saw a lot of him and his wife Jessica Lange in the neighborhood, at the time i was managing a repertory movie theatre that offered a different double feature every day, and they were frequent customers, what glamour they brought into the shadows cast by the harvard yard,
Now that would be fun to Shepard and Lange strolling into your theater.
we had ots of celebrity patrons. one of our projectonists used to have beers at the saloon ext door whenever john savage came by. and charles durning always looked so funny as he sat in the back row waiting for the movie to start, hoping nobody would turn aroud and spot him.
I bet it was difficult not to approach them and engage in conversation.
i would never dare initiate a conversation with a celebrity, without first having introduced. but i have had some rewarding times with people i did not know to be famous, as Dudley Herschbach, with whome i spent the entire course of a party gabbng with, and we had been talking for an hour before he mentioned he had just returned from sweden where he had accepted the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. Then there was the night when i killed time backstage shooting the shit with Jon Bon Jovi, all the time thinking he was a roadie for the band,
LOL. Great stories, Bill. You are a lucky man, indeed!
dbmoviesblog says:
All are great choices. "A Streetcar Named Desire" is, I think, my favourite from the list. I have no problem with older play-to-film adaptations, such as Hitchcock's "Rope" too, but I find that I am very underwhelmed by some more recent adaptations. I liked neither Polanski's "Carnage" nor Almereyda's "Marjorie Prime". I found that great acting was the only thing that elevated these films. Having said that, I really enjoyed "It's Only the End of the World" which I reviewed too, but there was Xavier Dolan in the director's seat and that man would work out of his skin to ensure that his audience feels the emotion and senses a deeper meaning behind everything.
Welcome back, DB. Thank you for your input. Did you like Polanski's "MacBeth"? So dark, yet beautifully directed. Sorry, I haven't seen "Carnage". What about more recent offerings–Did you like 'Fences'? Viola Davis took my breath away with her authentic performance.
Do you get a chance to go to plays? I confess it's been years since I've seen a play. I wonder why since the experience is so different and rewarding than sitting on the couch to watch an adaptation. It would be the only reason I'd go to NYC–to go to the theater.
It has been years since I have seen a play too and I agree the experience is rewarding. And, yes, I liked "Fences". It had some amazing performances, but I think it is still risky to do a successful play-to-film adaptation. You have to have just these jaw-dropping performances or a creative director not afraid to take risks. I love one-setting, one-location films, so such play-films are not a problem for me, but they could be for some other people, I guess.
Don Ostertag says:
So many great choices, Cindy. (Too bad the Tennessee Williams' plays were made into movies, we so strongly identify with the play in an era of strict censorship.) Over the years I was so fortunate to have worked so many of the plays you mentioned. That presents a problem for me because working the plays 20, 30 times makes it hard to really appreciate the movie. Kind of like reading the book before seeing the movie. And the there is the substitution of an actor who starred in the play being replaced by a bigger 'name'. Brando in STREETCAR,his second movie, is proof that it doesn't have to be that way.
Hi Don. I am a fan of your history as a permanent fixture behind the curtain in the theater in MN. I have enjoyed reading your stories about the actors and performances over the years. So I can completely understand your first love going to the stage performance. Yes, there is a similarity between the play to film as the book to film. In that, books and plays are intimate experiences whereas films are generic and cold. Each stage performance has a life and energy to it. And running 20 or 30 times–man, you own that! Books require the imagination to create the vision from words. I am reading a book right now that is delicious as words and the time and place is real inside my head. Now, when they adapt the book (Sisters Brothers) into a film this fall, I wonder if it won't look silly and boring.
short notes on the ttles you mentioned. Hamlet,,the olviier version sufferes from adherence to the faulty freudian interpretation by ernest jones. branaughs made the mistake of thnking that every scene in the folio was inteneded to be icluded in every production, thus leaded to unnessessary alternate sces cotaining the same information. my favorite version os richard burons, although his performance is ll in the voice and he is physically clumsby,i nominate dekek jacobys as the best all around version….. night of the iguana is a superb adaptation of one of williams minor plays, the castning i perfect…..not so with kazans streetcar named desire. vivian leigh is miscast as blanche, but that wasnt nearly as destructive as brandos fatal misunderstanding of stanley. williams was thriled with his performance, even thoug, even thoughit was nothing like the character he wrote, and the wrld has fallen into the problematic acceptance of his interpretation as being the standard, and most actors simply imitate it. i would cast someonline like jeremy irons in the part, a sensitive intelligent but still alpha male.
"…nothing like the character he wrote." Makes me want to grab the screenplay. Brando managed to create his own character and that all other actors imitate him is paying homage. Same with Vivian. I don't disagree with you that she was miscast. I wish I could have seen Cate Blanchett's performance in Australia in the early 2000s or even Gillian Anderson at the National Theater. Next July I'll be in London, and while I doubt they will still be running, I would like to see Toby Jones in 'The Birthday Party' or Jeremy Irons in 'Long Days Journey Into Night'. Speaking of Jeremy, that you think he'd be a good Stanley made raised my eyebrows. Never would have thought of him in the part.
read the play. forget the screenplay. dont interest me. i also cannot stand the recent interpretations of shakespeare by the RSC, ive seen jeremy rons on stage with get me wrong. i love warching brando as stanley. but its just one interpretatio of the role. kazan was wonderful with actors, but he gave them so much rope that they often hanged the character. dean was fun to watch i east of eden but aron would have been the more suitable character for him to be cast as….but that was not the leadm and so,,,,,,,,,for pinter, we have the movies, and donald pleasance is the face and voice of the playwrite. i dont want to see any new interpretations. pinter wrote with suchh precision that anything he is not personally involced with does not interest me, i saw jeret iros on stage with glenn close and believe me, he would have made a wonderful stanley in the 1980s
one of the worst casting choice of relatively recent times was night mother, i saw kathy bates in the original broadway production, nd you dont cast sissy spacek in a kathy bates character. the play no sense with spacek. i agree with you on glengarry glen ross, imo the best adaptation of a mamet play because mamet was not directing. and the cast was not fominated by mamets acting company. hated merchant of venice, as i ate all productions of this play, becay, because since the holocust it has been impossible to play it with the comedy shakespeare intended. i never ikked millers play the crucible and was not enticed to watch more than an hour of this adaptaion. my favorite play to film is whos afraid of virginia woolf because it is my favorite 20th century american play and mike nichols didnt ruin it. the actng by all four players was excellent.
No, I think The Crucible adaptation was silly. Wynona Rider does nothing for me as an actress. BUT Arthur's lines are memorable, especially the ones by Allen who did a great job in the adaptation.
So, my question to you — what are some of your favorite lines/monologues, soliloquies???
i can only begin to answer that…..trigorins long address to nia in the seagull, aarons eil speech in tius andronicus, just about everything in hamlet and virginia woolf. the suides explanation to her nother by wtwo phtographs in night mother, which made no sense in the movie since spacek never filled out as an adult, stankeys eplaatios of the napoleonic code that showed he had studied a little bit of law and was not the primitive brute that brando portayed him as, he was the most intelligent person in an undereducated working class crowd, if anywonne, mitch was the gnorant brute of he final speech of king lear that signifies the end of the wold is of the most chilling passages in shakespeare. and the transcendant conclusion of the tempest the most optimistic hope for humanity. i could go on but ill stop here for now.
Ah, yes, nice call with Stanley's explanation of Napoleonic Code–gives credence to previous comments about Brando's interpretation. Somehow that floats by under the bridge compared to his explosive outbursts. Hmmm..
The Seagull I'm investigating as we speak. I'm reading Chekov's play and then look forward to watching the adaptation starring Saoirise Ronan for an upcoming post. I'll
pay attention to Boris Trigorin's speech.
King Lear. V.III
What do you think of this version? Who did it best?
also note that the poker game was at his house and how his friends regarded him at the bowling alley. definitely the alpha make, not a brooding sexual brute, what we see in the film is not hw williams wrote stanley, but how blanche perceived him,
for the most part, shakespeare is better on the page than the stage. the only version ive liked was directed by Grigori Kozintsev, who also did a decent version of Hamlet. I will tell you what i think after seeing the new version of the seagull, but i have low hopes for it. few people outside of russia have the slightest idea what the scenes are about. well, maybe woody allen does. in any instace, im sure trigorins speech will be drastically cut, read the play, the speech was written as a gift to the actor who origanated the part. very few actors are at a skill level high enough to carry it off.
I meant the play, not the screenplay. I don't have high hopes, either, but since I have never seen a production of 'The Seagull' I feel I should start somewhere.
the only productio of it i have seen live that was any good was the leninsk comsomol, it was in russian, but i now the play by heart so could understand everything.. the movie versions i have seen were all wretchd mireadings, and the americk productions of the play even worse. i acted in two productions nether very good, but at least the directors vision was intelligent but, being rusia and not used to working with american actors, was not successful in getting them to do a proper job. i played trigorin, in one and konstantin in the other. i was not very good either, but i gained a solid undertanding of the play, for the third production, i was assistant director.
that scene was excellent, had me in tears. i have the whole thing in my library but have been reticent about watching it. now it goes to the top of my list, right after the 70s sleazefest, Wild Honey,
ianscyberspace says:
I had to smile at the comments on the first one. "Men in a tied up situation." What do you think about that Cindy, isn't that sport for a woman? 🙂 🙂
Yes, sometimes for sport, sometimes for survival, women play just as many games as men do. Cat and mouse games are not gender specific. The need for control is a strong motivation, don't you think? What I find interesting is the denial or the ability of manipulators to carry it off because they can pretend they aren't playing a game. A game within a game.
Lovely stuff for stories.
Oh yes I totally agree. I think the manipulations men use as opposed to women are different. Sometimes psychological and sometimes physical. I'm talking generally here. There is an attempt on the part of governments in some countries to give women a fairer share of the action but its superficial and men rule in most countries. That needs to be dealt with more energetically and politically. Women have different weapons to deal with men. However in principle I have to agree with you. It is about power and control in both genders.
favorite scene in long days journey into night was when older brother confesses to younger brother that the purpose in exposing him to decadent literature was to destroy him.
What a dark, biting play. I need to revisit the movie version with Hepburn. I watched Oscar Wilde's 'Mrs. Windermere's Fan' and was surprised that Helen Hunt single-handedly ruined the beautiful adaptation. But I chuckled at Oscar Wilde's witticisms, so it was a pleasant time.
currently watching a marvelous producrion of wilds a woman of no imortace, every line is a gem, hilarious, then becomes inconsolably tragic. almost like ibsen.
What is it? I am in an Oscar Wilde frame of mind.
it is the vaudeville theatre in londons west end from 2017 directed by Dominic Dromgoole if the classic spring theatre company, previouslt of the globe,
John Charet says:
Great post 🙂 As for favorite plays into films, I have an extremely long list, so let me just say two from the top of my head. This one probably be in my top 1,000 or something, but I have to say that William Friedkin did a phenomenal job of adapting both Bug and Killer Joe from stage to the screen. Both film were based on plays by Tracy Letts and If I am not mistaken, he also penned the scripts to the films as well. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
P.S. Sorry, I was not on this blog earlier in the week. The reason for it was because I was on vacation 🙂
Hi John, gad you were able to recreate. Anywhere special?
You got me with Tracy Letts and Bug and Killer Joe. I'll have to check them out!
I went to the Grand Geneva Resort in Wisconsin 🙂 It is a wonderful hotel and I think you would love it 🙂 Once again, keep up the great work as always 🙂
My grandparents had a house on Green Lake. I love Wisconsin…
Tell me a line or scene from a play you mentioned. What's good about it?
Well, here is an example from Bug in a monologue given to Agnes White (Ashley Judd) by Peter Evans (Michael Shannon) concerning the state of things. Let me e-mail you the link because it is kind of long:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470705/quotes
Look for the words "Listen! Listen!" cause their is a lot of quotes on this page from there. Given that the subject matter is paranoia though, everything spoken from Evans feels uncanny especially with the current paranoia that has been sweeping the nation for a very very long time.
P.S. I think it is neat that your grandparents owned a house on Green Lake. And I am also happy that you love Wisconsin 🙂
Wow! Thanks for sharing that, John. I like Michael Shannon and would like to see this. I'm going to rent it.
The film industrys mosr successful experiment in turning plays into films get aa fairly good rundown here. See any of them you can The first season was the best, with my favorties being The Iceman Cometh and A Delicate Balance, Amazon has the whole 14 film set for under $130
forgot to post the link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Film_Theatre oh and teo other favorites,,pinters the homecoming and ionescos rhincerous,
Thank you, Bill. I want to see Iceman Cometh. What a cast.
i would loved to have seen jason robards on stage, but lee marvin is the next best thing.
Enjoyed the post and the comments. A Streetcar Named Desire and Casablanca are the first titles that come to mind. Also Hamlet. It is very difficult to destroy a great play 🙂
Welcome, Inese. Casablanca hasn't been mentioned, so I'm glad you did. It's a wonderful movie. What scene comes to mind when you think of it? There's a lot of memorable lines. One of my favorites is "We'll always have Paris."
'Play it, Sam', 'sing it, Sam' – these were well used on many occasions 🙂
Oh, yes. Amazing how they conjure up the scene in your mind instantly and clearly. Thank you for contributing!
my favorite line in casablanca is ricks answer to why he came to casablanca. For the Water. and the response There is no water in Casablanca, to which rick replies, I was misinformed. Then we see the bottle of vichy water thrown into the garbage. And of curse the Vichy was the Nazi government of France during the occupation.
Hi Bill. Yes! What a great example. The subtleties. Now I want yo watch it again. I bet I would see new ones I missed because I was young.
i have seen dozens of productions of Hamlet, both on stage and screen. Many were terrible, none were perfect,,,but all were touched by the brilliance of the play itself. This play cannot be destroyed, but neither can it be fully interpreted. Whatever direction is taken, something in the play will contradict it.
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