:vorige::index::volgende:

He's BIG, he's BAD and he's GREEN !!!!!!

(February 2003)

  • He's BIG, he's BAD and he's GREEN !!!!!!!!!! Of course, we love him. Who is he? "The Hulk" (due to be released in The Netherlands this July) has already made his premiere appearance during the American Super Bowl. Naturally, he was right at home among all those bulging shoulder pads. For your personal pleasure, we have included a picture of Bruce Banner's alter-ego as embodied for the new millennium.

    "The Hulk" photo courtesy United International Pictures, copyright 2003

    Stan Lee's comic-book creation has become a virtual powerhouse of modernity in the hands of director Ang Lee (no relation). Can't wait for the whole treatment? In that case go straight to http://www.thehulk.com and check out the trailer. Warning: you don't want to get on his bad side.

  • The 53rd annual Berlin Film Festival (Filmfestspiele) opens this month (February 6th through 16th), so get yourself ready to become a donut. Among the treats on offer this year are Pascal Bonitzer's "Petites Coupures" ("Small cuts"), Rolf de Heer's "Alexaandra's Project", Hiroyuki Morita's "The Cat Returns", Olivier Dahan's "Ghost River" ("La Vie Promise"), Im Kwon-Taek's "Chihwaseon", Peter Sollett's "Long Way Home" and " Karim Ainouz' "Madame Sata". The Festival this year opens with Rob Marshall's "Chicago" and closes with Martin Scorsese's "The Gangs of New York". Not restricting itself solely to American cities, the 5rd Berliniale will also concentrate on Eastern European filmmaking with a selection of screenings under the title of "From the Caucasus to Moscow". There'll be a lot going on, as usual, so, for proper planning, look for further information about screenings and all events at: http://www3.berlinale.de.

    Will you be wearing your lederhosen near the Zoo too? Auf wiedersehen?

  • The 75th Oscar® ceremony will take place for the second time in the Kodak theater in LA on the 24rd of March. More about that in next month's TGH BUZZ. Or, if you prefer, you can start coming up to speed by running your ruby slippers on down the red carpet to http://www.oscar.com.

  • "Data Knitting, from 'Wunderkammer' to Metadata" >>> Does this catch your attention? Well, it should. Ever wonder what's really going on in the really virtual world as well as the virtually real world? Can't keep up with what became obsolete tomorrow and don't know what's going down today? Take a voyage to the other side of the world you thought you knew and travel into the largest harbor of Holland for. DEAF03 (Dutch Electronic Art Festival 03), which will be held from Tuesday 25 February through Sunday 9 March, 2003 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.

    DEAF03 Data Knitting will focus on the conditions of the information and knowledge-based society and the role of the media therein, specifically exploring the ways in which information is gathered, ordered and made accessible through databases and archives. Nowadays, digital media are an essential part of gaining information about the world around us and the manner in which we perceive this world through images that have been selected and constructed by these media. Data visualization and interaction with data through media are reactions to our awareness that we should regard the world as a complex and dynamic system. Data Knitting explores these issues from a social, cultural and technological perspective and in doing so goes to the heart of our information and knowledge based society.

    Organized by V2_ Institute for Unstable Media, an interdisciplinary center for art and media technology (also situated in Rotterdam) DEAF is an interdisciplinary "biennale" in the field of art, technology and society. Presenting and reflecting on the current state of affairs in electronic art, it also serves as a forum for critical discussions that explore and develop relationships between art disciplines and science. The past twelve editions of DEAF have earned the event an international reputation.

    "Not information is power, knowledge is power. Knowledge is intelligently ordered and combined information. Knowledge is the result of data management, be it private or public, controllable or associative, open or covert. An increasing number of artists and architects are developing (software) systems wherein data is self-organized into dynamic knowledge systems, lending new insights into complex processes and visualizing these processes. They provide us with new images and experiences about the world as a multi-layered and continually changing fabric. At DEAF, artists show us, in their often idiosyncratic way, how they respond to these developments. DEAF03 is based on a fundamental interest in the present as it coalesces into an archive in front of our eyes."

    The activities during this thirteen day event include: an exhibition of interactive installations, Internet projects and presentations, evening programs with guest curators, live performances (sound, music, installation, film, images), concerts, an international Art Academy Day, seminars, master-classes, workshops, an academic symposium and, naturally, an interactive website (which has been in operation since January 25th). All program divisions are thematically linked by DEAF03's theme Data Knitting.

    The role of interactivity has served as a springboard in defining this year's program and made it possible to choose specific art projects which manipulate, transform and individually shape (media) realities. The DEAF program, aimed at a broad audience interested in both current and future developments of the technological society, has, in the past, attracted some 10,000 visitors annually. With a vast array of producers, developers and theorists visiting Rotterdam for DEAF, the mixture of those attending also includes various critics and artists from different countries. You never know who you'll run into.

    Gotcha? Good. Check it out. More information is available at: http://www.deaf.v2.nl and http://www.v2.nl/2003

  • Headlines? Kid stuff! The Dutch children's film "Pietje Bell" was presented with a Platina Film Award in December, having achieved an audience attendance of some 200,000 visitors within four weeks following its premiere. This is quite impressive, considering that the film is only screened for matinee and early evening performances. Since then, it's attendance has climbed to more than 750,000. Director Maria Peters has previously enjoyed success with her film "Kruimeltje", which was generally aimed at a wider age range. (The dubbed English version of "Kruimeltje", known as "Little Crumb", was also screened "in-flight" across the Atlantic last year.) Miss Peter's latest production features Quinten Schram (son of film producer Dan Schram) in the title role as a boy who is considered naughty even by Dutch standards. Second only to Harry Potter in Holland, it seems this little troublemaker has stolen the hearts of the Dutch. Previous winners of The Platina Film Prize, instituted by the Netherlands Federation for Cinematography (NFC), the Netherlands Film Festival and the Dutch Fund for the Film in 2001, have been "Nynke"; "The Discovery of Heaven"; "Costa"; "Minoes"; "Yes, Sister, No, Sister."; and "Full Moon".

  • Principal photography has recently begun on "Shouf Shouf Habibi!", a new Dutch comedy written by Mimoun Oaissa and directed by Albert ter Heerdt. This Theorema film production sports an exciting young cast of both Dutch and Moroccan actors. The story revolves around Ap, a 20-year-old Dutch-born Moroccan, who does everything he can to make his "larger-than-life" dreams come true. Frustrated at every turn, he nevertheless seems to be able to work his way into people's graces.

  • According to a recent report from the Australian press, there has been some trouble Down Under concerning DVDs which suffer from corrosion ("DVD rot") as well as delamination (which occurs when the recorded layer of plastic separates from the base). Some stores there have complained that after only two or three rentals a DVD becomes unplayable. To make matters worse, video distributors are often refusing to accept returns on damaged discs once the 90-day warranty period has passed. Looks like these films may only remain useful as a pair of funky earrings.

  • Dustin Hoffman has added his dissenting voice to the list of those acting notables who have (very understandably) problems considering Bush's present policies (if policies they dare be called) concerning a potential war against Iraq. Susan Sarandon has long made her voice be heard regarding this issue and has proven time and time again in the past that she usually manages to keep an alert eye and maintain awareness toward issues of importance. If something starts going very screwy in the state of Denmark, Dallas, or D.C. (or wherever else one should cast one's eye), we can depend on La Sarandon to lend assistance in trying to sort things out in her inimitable way. Those of you who are not political beasts would do well to follow the activities of Susan S. and at least make an attempt to become somewhat aware yourselves of what evil lurks behind the realms of power (that no longer houses the hearts of men).

  • Kevin Spacey has been named director of the Old Vic Theatre in London. Overjoyed with his new position, he says that he intention is to "continue to strengthen the cultural bridge between our two countries for there could not be greater allies than the relationship enjoyed between the United States and the United Kingdom." While ex-Donmar Warehouse theatre director Sam Mendes has left London for the lure of Hollywood, Spacey (who won an Oscar for his work in Mende's film "American Beauty") now makes a major move to the London theatre. Looks like the traffic on that bridge could start to get very heavy. Who's gonna pay for the inflationary congestion charge? One dreads the thought that prices in the West End might start looking like those on Broadway.

  • Michael Jackson is still getting lots of publicity from "Neverland".

  • Oh, yes. Zsa Zsa is still with us and celebrated her 86th birthday on February 6th. It seems reports concerning her health some months ago were not only exaggerated, but downright false. She wasn't killed in a car accident last November 27th, but merely suffered broken bones and injuries to her head, hands, arms, and legs when her hairdresser, who was driving at the time, collided with a light pole. She intends to celebrate her special day with husband Frederic van Anhalt in a luxury suite at the Motion Picture and Television Hospital for ageing movie stars situated in California's Woodland Hills. Congratulations!

© 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett