It’s the numÂber one song on Rolling Stone MagÂaÂzine’s list of The 500 GreatÂest Songs of All Time. But could a magÂaÂzine with its name say othÂerÂwise?
As a quick PS, check out the new Bob Dylan PodÂcast (iTunes — Web Site). HostÂed by PatÂti Smith, this podÂcast looks at Dylan’s friends and earÂly influÂences, and also colÂlabÂoÂraÂtors disÂcuss their close relaÂtionÂships with Dylan, the stoÂries behind his greatÂest songs and othÂer memÂoÂrable moments of his career.
What do you get here? We’ve postÂed below a 7+ minute clip from FranÂcis Ford CopÂpoÂla’s AcadÂeÂmy Award-winÂning film on the VietÂnam War from 1979. It feaÂtures the famous “Ride of the Valkyries” scene. It’s worth a look, but I would actuÂalÂly recÂomÂmend watchÂing this longer, 18 minute clip here, which includes the Valkyries scene and takes you to “I love the smell of napalm in the mornÂing.” (We unforÂtuÂnateÂly couldÂn’t embed the longer clip on our site.)
It’s hard to imagÂine The GodÂfaÂther, the iconÂic 1972 film, withÂout MarÂlon BranÂdo. But that’s almost how it turned out.
DurÂing castÂing, ParaÂmount execÂuÂtives origÂiÂnalÂly pushed for LauÂrence OliviÂer. But when he couldÂn’t take the film, and when the direcÂtor, FranÂcis Ford CopÂpoÂla, asked them to conÂsidÂer BranÂdo, they iniÂtialÂly respondÂed: “MarÂlon BranÂdo will nevÂer appear in this motion picÂture.” Below, CopÂpoÂla and co-star James Caan explain how the execs were evenÂtuÂalÂly cajoled into changÂing their minds, and how film hisÂtoÂry fell into place. As you watch this, also keep in mind that ParaÂmount origÂiÂnalÂly asked two othÂer direcÂtors to make The GodÂfaÂther before approachÂing CopÂpoÂla, and they latÂer wantÂed Robert RedÂford or Ryan O’Neal to play Michael CorÂleone. But CopÂpoÂla, who threatÂened to quit proÂducÂtion, evenÂtuÂalÂly got his way and put the relÂaÂtiveÂly unknown Al PaciÂno into the film.
This video takes you on a fairÂly amazÂing tour of the great porÂtraits of women in WestÂern art. It moves from da VinÂci to PicasÂso, and, along the way, the porÂtraits seamÂlessÂly morph one into anothÂer. This morÂphÂing allows you to see how artisÂtic styles changed over time, and also how the human face has been artisÂtiÂcalÂly treatÂed durÂing difÂferÂent periÂods. Watch the video below, which is accomÂpaÂnied by Bach’s Suite No. 1 perÂformed by Yo-Yo Ma. For inforÂmaÂtion on the paintÂings covÂered in the clip, click here. And also see the relatÂed video, Women in Film.
LisÂten closeÂly. What’s that you hear? It’s the sound of AmerÂiÂcan office proÂducÂtivÂiÂty takÂing it on the chin.
YesÂterÂday, “The DaiÂly Show with Jon StewÂart” put its entire video archive online (see www.thedailyshow.com). The archive goes back eight years. It’s comÂpleteÂly free. And it’s all highÂly searchÂable. To get a feel for what this video trove offers, you can spend some time watchÂing these clasÂsic DaiÂly Show moments.
As you’d expect, the video archive includes no shortÂage of funÂny bits, includÂing when Stephen ColÂbert announced his presÂiÂdenÂtial bid earÂliÂer this week (see below), and when the show riffed on Al Gore’s Nobel Peace Prize last week. But, mixed in, you’ll also find some of the show’s more seriÂous moments. Take, for examÂple, when Jon StewÂart asked John McCain the hard-nosed quesÂtions about the Iraq war (hereand here) that most jourÂnalÂists won’t, and also when the show first returned to broadÂcastÂing after 9–11. It’s all here. And apparÂentÂly a simÂiÂlar site for The ColÂbert Report will be launched someÂwhere down the line.
Note to ReadÂers: If you want to share good culÂturÂal conÂtent (podÂcasts, videos, etc.) with your felÂlow readÂers, feel free to drop us a line. We’re always hapÂpy to get your sugÂgesÂtions, and, of course, we’ll gladÂly give you all the credÂit for them.
If you can’t hear the audio, simÂply slide the litÂtle bar immeÂdiÂateÂly above to the right.
When we announced last week that UC BerkeÂley had launched a new chanÂnel on YouTube, we were curtÂly informed by a EuroÂpean readÂer that BerkeÂley wasÂn’t the first to get into this game. ApparÂentÂly, the EuroÂpean GradÂuÂate School (or EGS) has been at it for a while. The school’s YouTube colÂlecÂtion feaÂtures talks by imporÂtant conÂtemÂpoÂrary theÂoÂrists and philosoÂphers includÂing Jacques DerÂriÂda, Jean BauÂdrillard, and Judith ButÂler. (There are also some filmÂmakÂers mixed in — take for examÂple, Peter GreenÂaway and John Waters.) To be frank, much of the conÂtent runs counter to what we’re lookÂing to do here — to make thinkÂing less insuÂlar and emphaÂsize ideas that speak to a thinkÂing pubÂlic. This is not to disÂmiss the calÂiber of the thinkÂing preÂsentÂed here. It’s simÂply to comÂment on where it fits (or doesÂn’t fit) into the kind of project that we’re underÂtakÂing. HowÂevÂer, if the ESG YouTube chanÂnel speaks to you, dig in. It’s yours to enjoy.
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