From Beginning to End is the upcoming and highly controversial Portuguese-language film from acclaimed Brazilian director Aluísio Abranches ( A Glass of Rage, The Three Marias) which looks to be one of this year's most disturbing, compelling, and brave achievements in narrative film. I found myself tearing up, repulsed, and yet completely empathetic in just this short trailer. I only wish American film makers were working with such taboo subject matter here these days (I include myself in that admonishment
Cooler
Two Portland theatre luminaries are set to drop their curtain on the city and move on to new endeavors on the east coast. defunkt theatre is sending off co-creative directors and actors James Moore and Frances Binder in style with the world premier of Gary Winter's Cooler. The episodic comedy tells the story of four damaged and eccentric individuals who seek refuge from the harsh realities of the outside world by living in a giant cooler. It also weaves stories and songs of the last Russian Cowboy, a rhinoceros with no desire for self-reflection, reading scripts for bad french bodice rippers, and a rather impassioned defense of Cher as a serious artist. While these disparate strands are woven together, the refugees try to make sense of their world and/or each other, which is not always an easy task with this delightfully off-kilter bunch. Rounding out the uniformly excellent cast are new-comer Cyndi Rhoads as sexually frustrated Pearl/ Cher (no really, THAT Cher) and defunkt theare company member Naomi Mos (whose brilliance is showcased in the aforementioned french bodice ripper section)
While the production is not always entirely successful with their endeavor, the sheer intensity of the cast's commitment shines through and when the nonsensical and jaw droppingly hilarious Rhino dance occurs any faltering is immediately forgiven, if not forgotten.
defunkt theatre has long been the champion of new works and avant guard productions and this is no exception. Bill Tripp's set and Josh Ailes sound design (in conjunction with Richard E. Moore's music) engage and alienate in equal measure. The play is otherworldly, satirical and occasionally profound. Lori Sue Hoffman once again proves that she is one of the best costume designers working in the city with timeless gorgeous costumes for the everyday apocalypse. Gary Winter should be proud of this odd and charming world premiere, next set to be stage in New York's Chocolate Factory in the spring of 2010.
At a lean 90 minutes , Cooler is the solid bet in town for a good time, oddly endearing and funny. It's a fitting close to James and Frances time in Portland. We wish them the best of luck in all their endeavors. Go see this show!
defunkt theatre proudly presents
the world premiere of
by Gary Winter
at the Back Door Theater. 4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd. Portland, Oregon.
1 May through 6 June, 2009. Thursday – Sunday at 8.
Opening Fri & Sat are FREE. Pay What You Will Thurs & Sun, $10-15 Fri & Sat.
For reservations, call 503.481.2960 or go to www.defunktheatre.com.
4319 SE Hawthorne Blvd. www.defunktheatre.com
CONTACT: JAMES MOORE
Portland, OR 97215 503.481.2960 503.481.2960
For more on the process of our production of Cooler, check out our website’s journal page.
cast:
Frances Binder* (the Crowtet)
James Moore* (Mud)
Naomi Mos* (The Lesser Magoo)
Cyndi Rhoads
designers: Bill Tripp (set)
Lori Sue Hoffman* (costumes)
Frances Binder* & James Moore* (lights)
Zero Feeney* & Danika Stochosky* (props)
Josh Ailes (sound design)
Richard E. Moore (music)
stage managed by: Katie Ewing.
This production is funded in part through a generous grant from:
defunkt theatre (lowercase intended) is a nationally recognized, 501(c)3 ensemble theatre
company dedicated to creating innovative productions that challenge conventional ideals of society
and theatre at a reasonable price.
* defunkt theatre company member
9-11 What's your emergency?
Regular readers to Digging to China are fairly well versed in my relationship to law enforcement and misconduct. but this shocked even a cynic like me. This comes to us from Lincoln Park, Michigan .
Xiu Xiu
- I'm a huge fan of Xiu Xiu and this Dennis Cooper (another personal favorite!) inspired video for Master of The Bump from the breathtaking album Women as Lovers is absolutely heartbreaking. Xiu Xiu 's Jamie Stewart is certainly an acquired taste and they tend to ere on the side of the avant guard, but I have a really deep affinity for their work.
H2
I have to admit that while many horror purest decried passionately Rob Zombie's re-imagining (not a remake) of the John Carpenter classic Halloween I found it to be a thoughtful albeit furiously violent intelligent film that stands on its own merits while nodding to the original series. He's completing the story with his sequel which begins just moments after the first film ends and follows Laurie Strode ( Scout Taylor-Compton) to the hospital (as did the original sequel) but looks to divert that story immensely leaping two years with a agoraphobic survivor Annie (Danielle Harris) and a wildly out of control Laurie confronted by Michael's inexplicable return after apparently living in the woods talking to the voices in his head for years. Zombie's films are not for the squeamish and timid, full of nudity, extreme acts of violence and nonstop swearing but in their brilliant white trash glory he has come along way to illuminating something about the American psyche. While the truncated House of a 1000 Corpses is clearly not totally successful I'd argue Zombie distilled and perfected with The Devil's Rejects a goal that I feel Oliver Stone failed to accomplish with Natural Born Killers. With Halloween Zombie made us feel empathy and compassion for not only the teen victims of Michael Myer's but also helps us understand how Michael became what he becomes. It's the hero's journey into failure, the origin of a monster mythos. Enjoy our first look at the month of August's (????) most controversial release slate.
Alyssa Milano- Teen Steam
oh holy moses ! Thank you Alia for reminding me of this !
Alyssa Milano provides work out tips/borderline kiddie porn softcore.
I'd say enjoy but-I'd rather not know.
I love my job...
.. sometimes:
"So how was your day? What did you do today?"
"Oh the same ol' same ol' worked with my ex and murdered a robot child and critically injured a second. yeah. That's how I roll ."
I was proud to be apart of my third documentary for EMS-C/OHSU filming pediatric trauma simulations for training, this time in Silverton, Oregon. Yes, the same small town that recently elected the nation's first transgendered mayor Stu Rasmusen. It was a dreary rainy day I created a critical head injury and well judging from the brain matter you can see on the pavement, a fatal head injury in addition to my documentary duties.
Special FX are my husband's area of expertise so I was a tad bit nervous on my own, but this was by far the best simulation shoot I've done. nearly everything went smoothly and according to plan. Which is impressive because in my own shoots I rarely pull that off. Thanks to Dr. Garth Meckler, Phil Engle and Merlin Curry for dragging me into this bizarre line of work. You guys are great.
Special thanks again to Garth for snapping the stills for me while I filmed.
(yes this was a shout-out post and not really news worthy-so sue me!)
Hugh Jackman naked...no really.
Now I fully admit this is tacky post that appeals to prurient interests but - C'mon! It's Hugh Jackman naked! The beefcake icon of our generation , 40 year old Australian film and stage actor, super hero, song and dance man and sex symbol for boys and girls alike Hugh Jackman pretty much sums up hot in my book. Sensitive, yet rugged looks good in leather and knows show tunes- HOT!
Well looks like Wolverine also like to run around naked in his native Australia.
AUSSI AUSSI AUSSI OY OY OY!
(via gaypornocopia)
Patrick Wolf-Vulture
I've written before (a few times actually) about Patrick Wolf hands-down one of the most talented, creative, and vital artists working today. I posted a smolderingly sexy pic of Patrick on the set of the video for Vulture, and now volia! the super hot video has arrived!
From the new album The Bachelor here's Patrick Wolf with Vulture
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