I will admit, "Tosca" has never been one of my favorite operas. Puccini's music is lovely — and at many points in the opera even achingly beautiful — but the melodramatic, even pulpy plot, along with some questionable compositional choices, has led many critics to dismiss Tosca, as contemporary musicologist Joseph Kerman put it, as a "shabby little shocker."
Though this summer's "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World" might not have struck it rich in the box office, the film garnered its fair share of critical praise. Happily, high quality and low revenue pair with engrossing, geeky appeal to propel "Scott Pilgrim" down the path of cult classics. The DVD and Blu-Ray of the film arrived in stores yesterday, and director Edgar Wright sat down with the Daily in a roundtable interview on Nov. 1 to discuss his experience with the film.
This article is the first in "Second Chances," a recurring feature looking at TV shows that deserve a second chance from viewers. Their ratings may be low, but the quality is high, so if you tuned out early on, here's our case for why you should give each show another try. First up: "Cougar Town."
When people think of Pink Floyd, warring egos, spectacular light shows and expansive, lush albums usually come to mind. Few people think of the band's early years under Syd Barrett, when Roger Waters and David Gilmour were just backup players and Pink Floyd had a much quirkier sound.
There are only a few things more alien and foreign to me than a Californian. Despite my frequent interactions with these beings, I have yet to decipher some of their odder quirks. They avoid exposing themselves to any temperature below 65 degrees, scorn inauthentic burritos and use the word "bootsy" with only a very loose idea of what it truly means. Even after sharing a room with one and forging friendships with a healthy handful, I still don't know what Californians mean when they go "hyphy"; humans though they might be, they are certainly a breed apart.
How does one represent the Holocaust? Moreover, how does one represent it in the theater? The Nazis' carefully crafted plan to destroy Jews, the disabled, gypsies, homosexuals and other "deviant" members of society is no easy subject to stomach or stage.
"Sidewalks," Matt and Kim's newest release, is the ultimate feel-good music. Evidence of the band's skill and talent is clear with their incorporation of an eclectic array of instruments and unique beats that are heard in each of the album's songs. "Sidewalks" remains lighthearted and fun without becoming fluffy. It emanates a cheerful vibe without losing its substance or maturity.
Danny Boyle is the acclaimed director of such films as "Trainspotting" (1996), "28 Days Later…" (2002) and "Slumdog Millionaire" (2008), for which he won the Academy Award for Best Director. The Daily spoke with Boyle as part of a roundtable interview to discuss his latest film, "127 Hours."
"Heaven and Hell in Japanese Art" is an eclectic mix of statues, paintings and tapestries exhibited in the Buddhist wing of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston through May 1, 2011. Most of the pieces on display are from the Edo period in Japanese history and represent conceptions of heaven and hell in the Pure Land Buddhist tradition.
Though a university professor and a struggling female student make up the entire cast of David Mamet's "Oleanna," it only takes two to create engrossing drama in this evocative play. Tufts' Pen, Paint & Pretzels (3Ps) on Monday will present the haunting interaction between John (senior Gideon Jacobs) and Carol (senior Lily Zahn) and its devastating aftermath.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston's "New Works: Prints, Drawings, Collages" tackles an interesting shift in the classification and labeling of two−dimensional art in the latter half of the 20th century. The works are united by attempts to layer ideas, techniques and materials, but each piece finds its own place in the range between these three categories.
Electronic music occupies a unique place in the modern music industry. Even though file-sharing and social networking have affected every genre, electronic music has, by far, integrated the most with these technological advances.
Today is an important day in the history of the United States. Never mind the recent elections or the fact that it's President Barack Obama's second anniversary of being elected to presidential office, LIL WAYNE IS GETTING OUT OF PRISON! After serving eight months of his one-year sentence for criminal weapon and marijuana possession, Lil Wayne is scheduled to be released today due to good behavior. Here's what we think Tha Carter should do as soon as he gets out.
Screenwriter Michael Arndt boasts an impressive resume, which includes Academy Award-winning "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) and "Toy Story 3," the highest-grossing film of 2010 and the top-grossing animated film of all time. Arndt spoke with the Daily in a roundtable interview about his experience writing "Toy Story 3."
After traveling to India for her daughter's engagement party in India, playwright Leslie Harrell Dillen was inspired to write "Two Wives in India." Her play may seem like an accurate depiction of what happens when two middle-aged women travel to Delhi for wedding festivities, but the playwright's limited knowledge about India is conspicuous as unsophisticated stereotypes and flinch-inducing soliloquies litter the two-hour production.
Holidays are always important on TV. They're a way for writers to bring their whole casts together, throw parties and let out-of-the-ordinary hijinks ensue. Halloween is an even more special case because characters can get dressed up in costumes and shows can delve into a scarier side, with some even breaking continuity to allow for the occurrence of entirely unrealistic events.
I am dedicating this column to the downfall of the miniskirt. Cue the nostalgic sighs from boyfriends everywhere. As various fashion controversies have rocked the media with the cast of "Glee" posing seductively in Lolita-like outfits on the cover of GQ and Lady Gaga wearing nothing but meat to the VMAs, it's considerably ironic that the fashion industry has responded with such conservative trends.
Gentleman Jesse is Jesse Smith. Formerly the bassist in the Atlanta punk rock band The Carbonas, Smith is now the frontman of Gentleman Jesse and His Men. His first album, "Introducing Gentleman Jesse" (2008), was a 1970s style power-pop romp that hit all the right spots. With a long history of music under his belt, Smith knows how to write catchy pop songs that are rich with hooks. The Daily had a chance to talk to Smith after he and his band opened for Those Darlins at T.T. the Bear's Place in Cambridge, Mass. last month.
In this region of the country, a specific subculture is bred to be classy, exclusive, intelligent and well-dressed. No, not Tufts students — although, yes, of course, Tufts students. Think more along the lines of boarding schools, plaid, polo shirts, popped collars, pearls, sailboats, tennis clubs and summering on Nantucket. I speak, of course, of the world of prep.
Hollywood frequently turns to zombies to provide entertainment in the form of apocalyptic horror and gore. From George Romero's classic "Dawn of the Dead" (1978) series and Zach Snyder's 2004 remake to "28 Days Later" (2002) and its sequel (2007), to "Zombieland" (2009), the undead have never been in short supply at the movies.
