Willow is a 1988 American high fantasy film directed by Ron Howard, produced and with a story by George Lucas, and starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Billy Barty.
Davis plays the eponymous lead character and hero: a reluctant farmer who plays a critical role in protecting a special baby from a tyrannical queen who vows to destroy her and take over the world in a high fantasy setting. soap2day
Val Kilmer as Madmartigan
Lucas conceived the idea for the film in 1972, approaching Howard to direct during the post-production phase of Cocoon in 1985. Bob Dolman was brought in to write the screenplay, coming up with seven drafts before finishing in late 1986. It was then set up at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and principal photography began in April 1987, finishing the following October.
The majority of filming took place at Elstree Studios in Hertfordshire, England, as well as Wales and New Zealand. Industrial Light & Magic created the visual effects sequences, which led to a revolutionary breakthrough with digital morphing technology.
The film was released in 1988 to mixed reviews from critics, but was a modest financial success, received two Academy Award nominations, and has developed a cult following amongst fantasy fans. Full Cast and Crew
On Saturday July 14 2018 at Atomic Cafe Gallery in Hamtramck comes a grand event of tiny proportions called “Small Wonders – An Exhibition of Tiny Art“. This curated exhibition will feature numerous fine works in various mediums from artists local and international, created with only one guideline in mind…all artwork must 5 inches and under.
Now in its 6th year, Small Wonders has grown to include a small festival of short films, a gallery of artists creating tiny art live and, returning once again, the smooth lounge singer extraordinaire Konrad Lee (close friend of Satori Circus) will be singing a selection of tiny themed songs.
Admission is $5 and all ages are welcome. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Small Wonders 6 – An Exhibition of Tiny Art & Films
Saturday July 14 2018 – 7pm until midnight – All Ages
First official career retrospective compilation for the guitar virtuoso Mick Ronson. As well as key tracks from Ronson’s solo records, the compilation includes material from key collaborations with David Bowie, Elton John, Ian Hunter, Queen & Michael Chapman plus previously unreleased & unheard songs. The soundtrack is on red heavy-weight 180-gram vinyl and includes extensive essay & liner notes. The soundtrack accompanies the critically acclaimed film ‘Beside Bowie: The Mick Ronson Story’.
All The Young Dudes (Live) - Queen, Ian Hunter, David Bowie, Mick Ronson, Joe Elliott, Phil Collen (Side A) Soulful Lady - Michael Chapman (Side A) Madman Across The Water - Elton John, Mick Ronson (Side A) Moonage Daydream - David Bowie (Side B) Cracked Actor - David Bowie (Side B) Time - David Bowie (Side B) Once Bitten Twice Shy - Ian Hunter (Side B)
I'd Give Anything To See You - Mick Ronson (Side A) HardLife - Mick Ronson (Side A) Midnight Love - Mick Ronson (Side A) Like A Rolling Stone - Mick Ronson (Side B) This Is For You (Previously Unreleased)- Joe Elliott (Side B) Heroes (Live) - Queen, David Bowie, Mick Ronson (Side B) Tribute To Mick Ronson (Previously Unreleased) - Mike Garson (Side B
With close to 600 commissions in his job book, Parducci’s work is still almost unknown. He came to Detroit in 1924 at the urging of Albert Kahn – one of Detroit’s most prolific architects – with the intent to only stay for two months. Fortunately for Detroit, he ended up staying for the rest of his life and left his fingerprints on countless commercial buildings, private homes, churches and schools.
Above:The big chief,native american carved in limestone,by Corrado Parducci, above the Griswold st. entrance of the Penobscot building -- Detroit, Michigan
Corrado Parducci - The Man Who Made Detroit Beautiful Sunday 22nd April 2018 - 3:00 PM Doors Open at: 2:00 PM Click here to buy tickets General Admission Tickets - $10
Tour tickets - $25 1 General Admission ticket. This also includes a pre-show tour highlighting the unique architecture of the Masonic Temple created by Corrado Parducci
Detroit Composer Ken Joseph’s Latest Award Winning Documentary
“SOUFRA” Will Be Screened at His Alma Mater, Wayne State University
Freep Film Festival
WSU Welcome Center,
42 West Warren Avenue,
Detroit MI 48202
April 13, 2018 from 5:00pm – 6:30pm
Detroit, MI (March 29, 2018) – Michigan native Ken Joseph has traveled a long road, through the Hollywood music industry, before securing a career as a film composer. Creating with fellow composer Alex Seaver (Juilliard trained front man for Pop/Electonic project Mako), Joseph’s recent work, the film “Soufra,” will be shown at his alma mater, Wayne State University where he received his degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media. The film is part of the Freep Film Festival and will screen on April 13th at 5 pm.
“Soufra” is an inspirational story about a generational refugee, Mariam Shaar, who has spent her entire life in the Burl El Barajneh refugee camp south of Beirut, Lebanon. The film follows Mariam, with a diverse team of fellow refugee women, as they set out to change their fate by launching a catering company, and then expanding its reach outside the camp with a food truck business.
Together, they heal the wounds of war through the unifying power of food while breaking down barriers with Syrian, Iraqi, Palestinian and Lebanese women working side by side. This is a story of hope, grit, and passion.
“While attending Sterling Heights High School, I played my first professional engagement with Johnny Trudell’s Big Band in Detroit. That’s the moment I knew that I wanted to make music my career,” confessed Joseph. “I was influenced by the local sounds of Motown.”
Ken Joseph was born and raised in the Detroit area and grew up emulating former Motown staff musicians and arrangers. Additional influences include Jazz legends Bill Evans, Oscar Peterson, and Herbie Hancock. Ken studied piano at The Center Of Creative Studies Conservatory and at the age of 12, he studied jazz piano at Wayne State University where he later received his music degree in Jazz Studies and Contemporary Media.
His early classical education was in the orchestral inspirations of Debussy, and Ravel while training in the techniques of the Masters. Ken was educated in the classroom as well as “On the bandstand” while earning a place at music school.
In addition to extensive composition classes at school, he was able to perform and study with composers, arrangers and performers that he admired in Detroit. They were part of the classic Motown sound.
After relocating to Los Angeles, Ken has had the opportunity to score feature length films and documentaries (receiving the Gold Medal of Excellence at Park City Film Music Awards during the Sundance Film Festival). Ken is an alumnus of the prestigious ASCAP Film and Television scoring workshop.
Directed by Michigan native and Central Michigan University graduate Thomas A. Morgan, the film was produced by another Michigan native, from Flint, Kathleen Glynn (Founded Dog Eat Dog Films; her projects have been the recipient of the Cannes Palme d’Or, Academy Award, and Primetime Emmy), as well as producer Trevor Hall (President Rebelhouse Group) and Executive Producer Susan Sarandon.
“Soufra” is a Michigan premiere. Directed by Michigan native and Central Michigan University graduate Thomas A. Morgan it screens at the Wayne State University Welcom Center, 42 W. Warren Ave. in Detroit during the Freep Film Festival. 1 hour, 13 minutes. Tickets are $10 in advance online at https://tickets.freep.com/e/soufra/tickets, $12 at the door.
On April 6, the untold true story will surface. Watch the new Chappaquiddick trailer now. Don’t miss #JasonClarke, #KateMara, Jim Gaffigan, and Academy Award nominee #BruceDern in theaters April 6. #ThisReallyHappened
In the riveting suspense drama, CHAPPAQUIDDICK, the scandal and mysterious events surrounding the tragic drowning of a young woman, as Ted Kennedy drove his car off the infamous bridge, are revealed in the new movie starring Jason Clarke as Ted Kennedy and Kate Mara as Mary Jo Kopechne.
On July 18, 1969, Sen. Ted Kennedy drives his car off of a bridge on Massachusetts' Chappaquiddick Island. The accident results in the death of passenger Mary Jo Kopechne, a 28-year-old campaign strategist who worked for Kennedy.
The ongoing investigation into the mysterious and scandalous events forever alters his political legacy -- and ultimately changes the course of presidential history.
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Blink Premieres at Select Houston and Atlanta AMC Theaters March 2-8.
Chilling new film that explores the psychology behind domestic violence.
BLINK follows Nailah Belle as she tries to navigate the depths and effect of domestic violence, discovering that the calmest seas are often the most turbulent below the surface.
From the outside, the meticulous facade of Nailah and husband Christopher relationship looks perfect. Those in the community don’t suspect the violence it takes to maintain that immaculate front.
Nailah’s class doesn’t imagine that Chris verbally and physically beats Nailah in the endless, and ultimately impossible, pursuit of perfection. Although life may look flawless, Nailah’s story shows how everything can change in just one blink.
I just love the Pixar shorts that play before one of their films. Today I found this cool video and thought my readers and their kids would enjoy it too! The Birds on the Wire are my favorite, leave your's in the comments below!
Picturehouse Entertainment are thrilled to announce the blues-banishing news that The Beatles’ legendary animated hit film YELLOW SUBMARINE is returning to cinemas across the UK and Ireland on 8 July 2018.
An unmissable cinema event, this momentous big-screen revival will give generations of audiences the golden opportunity to revisit Pepperland for the 50th anniversary of the film’s original release.
The visionary feature film designed by the great art director Heinz Edelmann can now be experienced in glorious surround sound with the groundbreaking animation presented in stunningly-remastered 4k. Looking and sounding better than ever before, join John, Paul, George and Ringo on the technicolour adventure of a lifetime.
Illustrated with mind-bending moving images, YELLOW SUBMARINE tells the story of how The Beatles battle the music-hating Blue Meanies armed only with the power of love.
From Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds to Nowhere Man, and Eleanor Rigby to All You Need Is Love, YELLOW SUBMARINE features some of the most-loved songs from the greatest band the world has ever known.
An exuberant fusion of music, film and art, YELLOW SUBMARINE is a landmark cinematic experience that is as fun and vibrant as it was in 1968.
With tickets on sale from 17 April, get ready to set sail for the Sea of Green with the Fab Four once again. Go to the brand new Facebook page for updates and news about this exciting event: facebook.com/yellowsubmarinethefilm
It can be classified as a thriller with political content, but also as a controversial historical drama about England’s Golden Age.
At the very beginning in a theatrical atmosphere we have the one and only Derek Jacobi who inserts us in the revealing of the truth about Shakespeare.
The story took us at the time of the Elizabethan era or more precisely at the very end of Queen Elizabeth I (Vanessa Redgrave) reign passing through the political intrigues from William Cecil (David Thewlis) and his son Robert Cecil (Edward Hogg) over her succession.
We see London where ordinary people struggle for their own place and moment in history by creating a public theatre called The Rose. This place is often visited by a nobleman Edward de Vere (Rhys Ifans), the 17th Earl of Oxford who is actually the central figure.
There he sees how easily spectators can be influenced by interpreting stories. In the same place another important figure, Ben Jonson (Sebastian Armesto) a play writer is arrested for insurrection against the established order through his play.
This is the moment where de Vere decides to use Jonson’s position and employ his plays written in secrecy with a hidden message for the spectators (the people) and promote the rebel cause of Robert Devereux (Sam Reid), 2nd Earl of Essex against the Queen.
It was rumored that the Earl of Essex is an illegitimate son of Elizabeth I, what makes the cause even greater vis a vis Cecil’s plan to bring James VI of Scotland (James Clyde), son of Mary, Queen of Scotland as a crowned king of England and end the Tudor dynasty.
Jonson is rescued by de Vere in return to materialize the plan.
The first play is Henry V, and the crowd bursts out for the writer’s name. But he could not get risque his name so as an author puts a semiliterate, drunk and below average young actor William Shakespeare (Rafe Spall). Although this was an unexpected start, Jonson will stay confidant to de Vere.
The other legendary plays follow, such as Romeo and Juliet where Shakespeare himself is to play Romeo. Hamlet is performed at court for the Queen in which there is also a hidden moment (death of Polonius) that tells us for the unresolved past between de Vere and the Cecils.
This animosity is based on the love affair between de Vere and the Queen during their youth (Edward de Vere – Jamie Cambell Bower /Elizabeth I Joely Richardson) because de Vere is Willliam’s son in law for his daughter Anne (Amy Kwolek/Helen Baxendale).
Edward de Vere and Elizabeth have a son, Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton (Xavier Samuel), whose identity is known only by de Vere and the Cecils. He wrote Venus and Adonis to remind Elizabeth of their love.
But Shakespeare discovers the true author of the plays and extorts money, and that’s how he builds the Globe Theatre and gains patronage. Jonson is disappointed, they have a quarrel, but he fails to reveal the fraud. Shakespeare is dangerous, even Christopher Marlowe (Trystan Gravelle) ends up dead for discovering the truth about the other author.
The climax of the story is the performance of the play Richard III in which Robert Cecil is ridiculed (he was a humpback), but also sways the crowd and starts a riot that will help Essex and Southampton to march in the Palace and claim the throne in peace. But the plan failed because of the betrayal of Ben Jonson to Robert Cecil, so Essex and Southampton are arrested as rebels and are set to be executed.
This happens in front Edward de Vere eyes, and Robert Cecil then tells him a disturbing secret about Elizabeth’s many illegitimate sons including de Vere himself what makes them caught in incest. Edward de Vere is broken, but he has a private meeting with Elizabeth and tells her about their son, so Earl of Southampton is saved. However, she insists that the true author of “Shakespeare’s“ plays is never to be revealed.
Robert Cecil wanted the manuscript destroyed like he has stated “ Plays are the work of the devil – born from a cesspool of plague, whoredom, thievery, fornication, and heresy“ so he burns The Rose theatre with them inside it.
But Ben Jonson at the end discovers they’ve survived the fire and leaves us with the thought that the truth is still out there.
Director: Rolland Emmerich
Writer: John Orloff
Runtime: 130 min
Interesting: Joely Richardson who plays young Elizabeth is Vanesa Redgrave’s daughter
About the Author: Carol James is an EssayLab psychology department writer and senior editor. She has MA degree in social sciences and is an excellent specialist in this field. Carol worked with numerous materials on the subject and is eager to share her knowledge with our readers.
Chick Corea first laid eyes on New York’s Greenwich Village in 1959, fresh from high school, with a head full of music that only he could have imagined. With this new release The Musician, recorded in the epicenter of Chick’s original NYC haunts and more than 50 years later, Corea finally brings all that music together at once.
The new live 3-CD and Blu-ray set captures Corea’s 70th birthday celebration at the famed Blue Note Jazz Club in 2011, where he assembled a staggering lineup of musical friends and fellow-travelers – among them Herbie Hancock, Bobby McFerrin, Wynton Marsalis, John McLaughlin and Stanley Clarke – for a month-long residency featuring 10 different bands, including triumphal sets by his own Chick Corea Elektric Band and Return to Forever.
All of it is captured brilliantly in the first feature-length documentary on Corea’s life, music and genius musical partners. The film takes you inside the heads and “hangs” of some of the greatest artists of our time – backstage and personal – and the CDs capture almost four hours of live recordings of every band.
The deluxe hardcover edition, including the film on Blu-ray, in addition to the 3 CDs, an essay by Robin D. G. Kelley and exclusive photos, will be available from Concord Jazz on April 21, 2017, as well as a 3-CD edition. A 3-LP edition on 180-gram vinyl is planned for June 2.
The CDs capture the music with Corea’s characteristic thrilling live sound, and the documentary goes even further: with total access to Chick’s creative process, the film features live footage, but also rehearsals, backstage hangs and candid interviews with the musicians.
Everything that goes into making music at this level – the hours of practice, rehearsals, gear moving in and out – is in full view.
The Musician shows Corea welcoming his 70th year with friends and thousands of fans. Now, five years later, he shows no sign of slowing down. He continues to look forward to more tours, more gigs, and more sessions.
Looking back on the month-long celebration that is now remembered on The Musician, Corea calls it motivation “to keep on experimenting and researching and putting new bands together and playing music. It’s that simple.”
