P. Diddy and Rosario Dawson
Nicole Kidman, Naomi Watts and Juan Valdez
Hugh Hefner (forgive the watermark)
(Thanks TK)
Month: January 2005
Categories
Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Headline
Rashomon, in case you were wondering, is Akira Kurasawa’s 1950 classic in which the account of a murder-rape is told from four very different points of view. There’s nothing quite like it — an opinon borne out by newspapers’ insistence on invoking the film whenever accounts of any given event differ, which is, like, all the time. A brief Lexis-Nexis search later and it becomes apparent — the New York Times is by far the most egregious abuser of the “Rashomon” shorthand. Confer:
Rashomon in Melbourne
To hurl a bustling, kaleidoscopic, Rashomonian novel into the present climate is to indulge in a gamble — a bid for space and quiet and the willing suspension of disbelief — that is either foolish or heroic or, most likely, both.
by Daphne Merkin, 1/16/05
The Suspense Is Killing Me
Burt makes the most of a Rashomon approach, deftly demonstrating that what lives vividly in one person’s memory can be erased or deeply buried in another’s.
by John Hartl, 12/19/04
Five Faces of Antigone, From Surfer Babe to Widow
”Antigone Project” fast-forwards its Greek heroine to the present, then offers a Rashomon-ized view of her tragic plight, interpreted by five female writers paired with five female directors.
by Phoebe Hoban, 10/27/04
“Rashomon” Meets “Gilligan’s Island”
”Lost,” a new ABC drama about air-crash survivors marooned on a spooky deserted island, sounds ludicrous — ”Gilligan’s Island” meets ”The X-Files.’
by Alessandra Stanley, 9/12/04
Moody Loners Vs. Bad Guys
[…] and on “Boomtown,” the Rashomon of crime shows, all the characters get a chance to interpret the evidence their own way.
by Alessandra Stanley, 10/26/03
Partly Mozart Followed by the Real Thing
Mozart got the Rashomon treatment at the Mostly Mozart festival on Tuesday night.
by Anne Midgette, 8/7/03
Corrections
An article last Sunday about the Albany budget negotiations misstated the source of the “Rashomon” narrative technique, which reveals shifting views of the same event through different witnesses. It was used in the 1950 film of that name by Akira Kurosawa, not in the short story by that name. (The film was based on two stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa — “In a Grove,” which uses the technique, and “Rashomon,” which does not.)
6/1/03
We could go on, and we will — more “Rashomon’s” after the jump.
“I’m going to Disneyworld!” (via AFP)
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One Happy Fat Cat
Top, Dick and Denny verify the election, Jan. 6, 2005. (via, Reuters);
bottom, the Cheshire Cat, from Alice in Wonderland
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Blind Item Guessing Game
Despite low culture’s attorney’s protestations, we’re pushing through with our New York Times Op-Ed Page blind item guessing game, pesky legal troubles be damned.
From yesterday’s Maureen Dowd column:
A few years ago at a White House Correspondents’ dinner, I met a very beautiful actress. Within moments, she blurted out: “I can’t believe I’m 46 and not married. Men only want to marry their personal assistants or P.R. women.”
Send your (nonlibelous!) theories to tips@gaw, er, just post them in the comments or something.
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The Krush Groove Asana
Russell Simmons offers up some truly troubling stills from the set of Phat Farm’s new sneaker campaign.
At least it doesn’t look like his maids are going to make another appearance…
Apparently, The O.C. is all popular and shit, and a lot of people seem to like it. They’re all, like, “We love The O.C.!” We, however, are alternative-minded types. We vote Nader. We drive Toyota Scions. We shop at fucking Trader Joe’s and buy their cheap-ass wine. And then we don’t get drunk, we get intoxicated. And, also, you know what? We watch Joey.
That sounded more hostile than was intended.
Actually, I’ve never seen The O.C.; I’m sure it’s pretty good.
The O.C. airs at 8PM EST on FOX.
Earlier: When we had a bit more time than at the present, it turns out we were all just a bit too O.C.-centric.
Aide to Top Iraqi Cleric, and 5 Others, Are Killed in Attack, the New York Times, January 13, 2005:
Ayatollah Sistani’s representative, Sheikh Mahmoud al-Madaini, was killed along with his son and four guards after leaving sunset prayers at a mosque in Madain, about 12 miles south of the capital, said an official in Ayatollah Sistani’s office.
In further pre-election violence that is predicted to escalate, seven Iraqis were killed and a Turkish man was kidnapped in front of a Baghdad hotel by a group of gunmen today, according to an employee of the hotel.
Gosh, what sort of downbeat attitude is that? Why would such violence be “predicted to escalate”? What we, the American people need, is some goddamned optimism! You know, the kind of peppy good cheer we heard one short week ago:
Bush Rejects Growing Pessimism on U.S. Foreign Policy, the Washington Post, January 7, 2005:
“The Iraqi elections, rather than turning out to be a promising turning point, have the great potential for deepening the conflict,” Scowcroft said at the New America Foundation luncheon, expressing a view increasing shared by both Democratic and Republican foreign policy specialists.
Asked if he shares Scowcroft’s concerns, Bush told reporters today, “Quite the opposite. I think elections will be such a incredibly hopeful experience for the Iraqi people.”
[…]
Bush said in response to a question, “I think we’re making great progress” in Iraq. He added, “And it’s exciting times for the Iraqi people. And it’s so exciting there are some who are trying to intimidate people from going to the polls.”
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Truly Shocking!
Hols from £9.50? That 8-Page pullout and booking form must be amazing.
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Perfect For Airline Travel!
[via bOING bOING, via waxy, via Eye Beam, via Pop Gadget, so you’ve seen it]