F.W. Murnau's Sunrise was screened at the Paradiso... June 1997 F.W. Murnau's Sunrise was screened at the Paradiso with live accompaniment by Zita Swoon. This film, which was quite an artistic achievement in 1927, had new life infused into it for a largely younger audience. Naturally, it remains an exciting and enduring film, but it was fun to see how a bit of contemporary music, when appropriately rendered, can help a new generation accept the wonders of creativity from an earlier period in a fashion similar to that experienced by the audiences of the past. Not everything grows old so quickly; take Dorian Gray, for example. Roseanne has opened up in Madison Square Garden as the wicked witch in The Wizard of Oz. Need I say more? Henry Rollins was in town again. Now that's a showman. Lou Reed managed to do his Amsterdam turn with Robert Wilson in Time Rocker. As far as that goes, it almost looks as if the Holland Festival this June might just as easily have been called the Robert Wilson Festival, considering the number of performances, lectures, videos, etc. revolving around the man. It almost makes one dizzy. Shane McGowan (previously of The Pogues) was in town, performing at the Paradiso, with the Popes. They didn't have to carry him off the stage this time. Katherine Hepburn has turned ninety; a tribute to staying power for one of the industry's monuments. The wonderful, weird, and whimsical Roland Topor has left us. A great loss. The EuroTop is in Amsterdam this month and the demonstrations protesting the event promise to make it one the biggest theatrical performances in the city this year. The Day of the Dutch Film is about to arrive. Although it sounds like it could possibly be the title of a new disaster movie, it should actually be a very exciting event resulting from extensive planning which will include discussion among professionals concerning the financial and artistic opportunities for the future of the Dutch film as well as throwing the doors of the Tuschinki cinemas in the Hague open to the general public for an opportunity to view many of the best Dutch films from the past. More about this in July's Buzz. © 1994-2006 The Green Hartnett