Sounds of Cinema Boldly Goes . . .

. . . oh hell, you know the rest.

This Sunday, May 17, 2009, Sounds of Cinema will take a look at the music of the Star Trek film series. I'll play selections from a number of films and composers, including both the original cast and the Next Generation films. I will also have a review of the new Star Trek film directed by J.J. Abrams.

Hindus Join Catholics in Protest Over "Angels and Demons"

From AHN:

The Hindus have joined in the Catholics' fight against the makers of the upcoming Dan Brown novel-adapted film "Angels & Demons."

The novel and film, which stars Tom Hanks and is directed by Ron Howard, revolve around the quest of symbologist Robert Langdon to unravel the mysteries of Illuminati. The story deals heavily on the conflict between science and religion, particularly with the Roman Catholic Church.

According to the statement made by Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, the filmmakers should have handled the subject more sensitively as cinema is a very powerful medium.

He stressed that films should entertain but not at the expense of ridiculing others' faith and spending disinformation. "Angels & Demons" and other such films bring more confusion and create stereotypes in the minds of some audiences.

As to why the Hindus are concerned with the film's subject when the movie deals with the Catholics, Zed said that despite the differences in their beliefs, they are all fellow seekers of the Ultimate Reality and are "all headed in the same direction." With that being said, they should help each other on that journey.

Sounds of Cinema Program Notes

Those listening to Sounds of Cinema from 89.7 KMSU FM in Mankato heard a re-run of last week's show (episode 235) due to a programing error. The current episode (236) will play today at 4pm on 89.5 KQAL FM in Winona. Audio files of the reviews are now available on the Sound of Cinema myspace page and the text of the reviews and playlists have been added to the website.

Next week, both stations will replay The Matrix anniversary show (episode 234).

Jackie Earle Haley is the New Freddy Krueger

According to this article, Jackie Earle Haley (who was featured as superhero Rorschach in Watchman and was nominated for an Oscar a few years ago for his portrayal of a sex offender in Little Children) will play Freddy Krueger in the upcoming remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street.

I have not generally gotten upset with remakes; as long as the original is preserved, my attitude has been to let filmmakers and studios do what they like. However, I felt a little angst when a remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street was announced because that film really is a well made piece of work and it is one of my personal favorites. So to hear that Haley, an accomplished actor (not a stunt man or a no-name performer), is cast in the role gives me hope that there will be a concerted effort to make a good film and not just cash in on a title.

Controversy over "Observe and Report"

The Huffington Post has a brief article about the new film Observe and Report and one of the film's cruder attempts at humor as Seth Rogan's character has sex with a high, intoxicated, and nearly passed out woman played by Anna Farris. The piece quotes Lindsay Beyerstein's take on the scene:

Rogen excels at a brand of awkwardness-based humor where much of the laughter is tension release. Which means that the scene fails on its own terms, unless you believe that an unconscious person can consent. Without the unexpected "evidence" of consent, it's just a rape scene. If you see the encounter as rape, Brandi's slurred semi-conscious interjection just seems piteous. It doesn't make anything "okay."

I will have a review of Observe and Report on next week's episode of Sounds of Cinema.

"The Story" on Film Scores

The public radio program "The Story" has a segment in their most recent episode on film scores and how watching films and listening to music from certain films, namely Star Wars, helped an autistic child become more socially aware and expressive.

The End of Blockbuster?

Could the end of brick-and-mortar video rental stores be imminent? According to this story, Blockbuster may be on the verge of collapse.

Movie rental company Blockbuster Inc. said Monday the risk that it may not complete financing deals raises “substantial doubt” about its ability to continue as a going concern.

Dallas-based Blockbuster, which has struggled amid the rising popularity of DVD-by-mail services like Netflix, disclosed the warning in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company had already cautioned last month that its auditor was likely to raise doubts about its ability to stay in business.

A going-concern qualification refers to an auditor’s assessment of a company’s ability to continue to operate for the foreseeable future.

If Blockbuster goes under, this could be a major problem for a lot of film viewers, especially those who are older or economically disadvantaged, and do not have digital cable or access to the Internet.