Sunday, September 26, 2010

On the Bowery

There are only two days left to get down to Film Forum & see On the Bowery, Lionel Rogosin's part scripted/part documentary 1957 film about life on skid row.  This is a haunting, beautifully shot picture of a very different city.  If you see it in New York, you will also get the opportunity to see a documentary by Rogosin's son, which explains the genesis & history of his father's film.  A number of critics have singled out this film, & Morris Engel's Little Fugitive (1953), as pivotal & influential works in the history of cinema.

"Gypsy Circus is Next on France's Expulsion List"

Here's a video of the Cirque Romanes, which has been based in Paris for the past eighteen years, & is under threat of closure .  It seems hard to believe, but according to the Guardian, Romanes is Europe's only Gypsy circus.  I saw a show several years ago. A great experience, but something about those child performers was a little unsettling...

Friday, September 17, 2010

Sixth Avenue & Second Street

Yet Another Tornado Photograph

Our tree problem was pretty small potatoes in comparison to a lot of the damage caused by yesterday's weather.  There are many pictures of fallen trees to be seen online today, but this one, on 10th between 5th & 6th, is particularly dramatic. This hefty tree crushed cars on both sides of the block:

Help Arrives

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Tornado Causes A Little Difficulty Getting In & Out of the House...


























This is something to come home to. Right now I'm getting into the house by climbing over from the next door neighbor's.  From the front door there's a barrier of branches blocking the yard.  The sidewalk is impassable.  The firemen are in action all over the neighborhood, but I don't know when they'll get to us. When I tried to figure out just how the tree was positioned, I startled some roosting birds, who flapped away into the night.


 

























Sunday, September 12, 2010

Soft Cell - Tainted Love

Time for a little music, circa 1981.  You can watch some amusing videos of Marc Almond in action on Youtube, but their sound quality is a bit off.
Froggy's Last Story (NY Times)