The Filtered Excellence: December 5, 2019
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Once a week we take a break from comedy to bring you this week’s picks of the best things to watch, the most interesting things to do, great things to try, the best picks to read, our favorite things to listen to and more.
WATCH THIS
The Movies That Made Us. Did you know that audiences booed Bruce Willis during the trailer for ie Hard? Or that Ghostbusters was originally written for John Belushi and Eddie Murphy? Or that Sarah Jessica Parker and Billy Zane were the frontrunners for the lead roles in Dirty Dancing? These are some of the things that are revealed that in this new Netflix series. It tells the numerous obstacles that the producers, directors and writers of Die Hard, Ghostbusters, Home Alone and Dirty Dancing had to overcome to be these now iconic films to the big screen. The series also features some of actors, producers, directors, screenwriters, agents behind these productions, told in a light, brisk manner that doesn’t leave out key, previously untold details. There’s also outtakes and screen tests to help back up some of the hard to believe stories. It’s a fun, informative look back at some of Hollywood’s biggest hits. The Movies That Made Us is available now through Netflix.
LISTEN TO THIS
1999 (Deluxe Edition) by Prince. Released in the fall of 1982, 1999 marked Prince’s breakout into the mainstream, selling over 4 million copies, with the title track and ‘Little Red Corvette’ receiving heavy rotation on MTV. Now as part an ongoing reissue campaign, Prince’s first duel disc triumph is getting the super deluxe treatment. It includes the original album (remastered for the first time), B-sides, 7 inch versions of various singles, and an expansive selection of unreleased material recorded between 1981 and 1983. Rounding out the set is a live show from Detroit’s Masonic Temple from November 1982 and a DVD of Prince & The Revolution at the Houston Summit that was filmed in December 1982. This is a peak of an artist who was on the cusp of defining the decade with an album that would set the bar for where rock, electro-funk, house, and techno for the next 35 years. It’s a must have for any true Prince fan. The Super Deluxe Edition of 1999 by Prince is available now through Amazon, Apple Music and all major streaming services.
READ THIS
Tom Waits by Matt Mahurin (Special Edition). For 30 years, photographer and illustrator Matt Mahurin has been Tom Waits’ main collaborator for magazine portraits, album covers and music videos. Now many of the photos that they’ve done are the heart of this new book. Going back over 100 film negatives, it ranges from traditional portraits and in concert shots, to poetic, surreal images that Mahurin has enhanced with additional visuals that takes it to the next level. There’s also a new forward by Waits, 20 original paints, drawings and digital images inspired by Waits’ song titles and an essay by Mahurin discussing how they their working relationship has endured for over three decades. It’s an intimate look at one of rock’s biggest enigmas. The Special Edition of Tom Waits by Matt Mahurin is available exclusively through www.kingsroadmerch.com.
DO THIS
New York City: Scorsese Non-Fiction. Martin Scorsese is best known for hard hitting dramas such as Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and Goodfellas. But he’s also spent a considerable part of his career, directing and producing critically acclaimed documentaries and specials. As part of the rollout for his latest film The Irishman, Film Forum will present a 11 day retrospective on some of Scorsese’s real life cinematic output. It will include his profiles on Bob Dylan (No Direction Home, Rolling Thunder Revue), Fran Leibowitz (Public Speaking), George Harrison (Living In The Material World), The Rolling Stones (Shine A Light), and even his parents (ItalianAmerican). It will also include the sprawling four hour, A Personal Journey With Martin Scorsese Through Movies; his contribution to the PBS series, The Blues (Feel Like Going Home); and, of course, The Last Waltz. As an added bonus, Scorsese will be in attendance to introduce ItalianAmerican and The Last Waltz, along with his long time editor Thelma Schoonmaker (introducing My Voyage To Italy); Fran Lebowitz speaking ahead of a screening of Public Speaking, as well as other special guests throughout the series. This is a great opportunity to see another side of the Scorsese canon up close and personal. Scorsese Non Fiction will be at Film Forum December 6th through the 17th. You can also go to www.filmforum.org for tickets, a full schedule and more information.
New York City: Theater Of Operations: The Gulf War 1991-2011. For over 30 years, the U.S. military involvement in Iraq has a number of unintended consequences. Not surprisingly, the conflict has made a profound effect on the world of art and popular culture as a whole. Now the Museum of Modern Art is presenting a large scale group exhibition that shows the wars in Iraq – along with the emergence of the Internet, the 24 hour news cycle, and significant leaps in new media technologies found its way into various artistic expressions. It features over 300 works by more than 80 artists based in Iraq and those responding to the war from the West. To see such extraordinary pieces being produced under such intense conditions shows the incredible power of art and creativity. Theater Of Operations: The Gulf War 1991-2011 will be at The Museum Of Modern Art through March 2020. You can also go to www.moma.org for tickets and more information.
Want more excellence? Read last week’s the filtered excellence.
Latest posts by Earl Douglas (see all)
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: September 7, 2021 - September 7, 2021
- Remembering Fez Whatley - August 15, 2021
- Earl’s World: The Filtered Excellence: July 23, 2021 - July 25, 2021
