#Charles Steinberg

[assorted-aesthetics]

okay i promise i get why vane had to die i get it but like. if he had lived we would have gotten the good ending. i understand the good ending wasn't the writer's goal but like. the war would have been won if vane had lived. who could better navigate the alliance between the maroons and the pirates than him. vane would have kept jack on assignment. and like. maybe this is optimistic. but i actually think that vane could learn so much from madi (re: building a world that protects the vulnerable) and vane i truly believe would have introduced madi and max and they could have built the world where max could have been inside the house. like I do think that vane is what could have connected all these characters together and gotten them on the same page. but it was always going to end this way nassau is owned by england so therefore vane had to die

[gogoosecross]

I wanted to do something full-fledged, but I put off the idea of dressing up as Hellsing characters for a long time... I'm so tired... So far the first batch.

Old sketches.

[ulfgbohlin]

Saul Steinberg’s cat cozies up on the Eames armchair - BALAZS GASPAR, HYPE&HYPER · 16 05 2023

[addictivecontradiction]

Blazing saddles, 1974

[claudia1829things]

Top Favorite Episodes of “BLACK SAILS” Season Three (2016)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Three of the STARZ series, “BLACK SAILS”, a television prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, “Treasure Island”.  Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the series starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New and Luke Arnold:  

TOP FAVORITE EPISODES OF “BLACK SAILS” SEASON THREE (2016)

1.  (3.10) “XXXVIII” - Former pirate Captain Benjamin Hornigold and the British forces come for the pirates led by Captain James Flint during a battle planned by Quartermaster John Silver.  Captain Jack Rackham and Anne Bonny unite with Captain Edward Teach aka Blackbeard’s fleet during the battle.  Billy Bones creates the “Long John Silver” legend by killing a pardoned pirate captain in Nassau and blaming Silver for the murder.

2.  (3.09) “XXVII” - Flint prepares for the upcoming battle, while Billy plots to save the captured Captain Charles Vane from being hanged.  Nassau madam Max must decide who she can trust.  And Eleanor Guthrie finds herself in charge of Nassau when her lover, Governor Woodes Rogers falls ill with fever.

3.  (3.03) “XXII” - The conflict between Flint and Silver escalates as starvation and dehydration set in within the Walrus crew, while stuck in becalmed sea.  Woodes and Eleanor arrive to troubling circumstances in Nassau.  Blackbeard develops a plan to help those pirates not pardoned make their escape from the island, following Rogers’ arrival.

4.  (3.07) “XXV” - Flint, Silver and the Walrus crew return to Nassau to recruit more men and acquire weapons.  The captured Rackham’s fate is tied with the Spanish’s demand for the gems that used to be part of the Urca gold.  Eleanor and Rogers begin a romantic relationship.

5.  (3.04) “XXII” -  Flint and his crew end up captured and imprisoned by mysterious islanders, who proved to be a community of enslaved fugitives known as Maroons.  After escaping from Nassau, Vane learns from Blackbeard that Eleanor is with Woodes Rogers.  While helping a group of enslaved fugitives make their escape from Nassau, Mr. Scott and the others encounter a group of hostile British Marines.

[mikyapixie]

35 years ago today All Dogs Go To Heaven released in theaters!!!

I can never watch this movie without crying!!!🥹🥹🥹

[timothykendall]

Sonic “No Running” BTS

In this business you make friends. Also, you’ve had friends you’ve met along the way. My buddy Charles is a talented CD at Bond agency whom I met as an editor early on. Charles invited us to collaborate on a launch of a new Sonic the Hedgehog game.

We had one day to ambitiously film multiple locations with lots of moving parts. It was our roots relationship and clear communication that allowed the trust to get it all done. Then, during edit, I felt the cut needed a dynamic transition shot so we invited Charles to wear the talent’s wardrobe and play the part. We piled into the back of the Key Grip’s pickup truck (strapped down for safety) and filmed the quick shot using an FX3 and super slow shutter speeds. Charles moved like he was running in super slow speeds as my wife blazed him with a leaf blower and we rolled down an empty street in San Marino. DP Reuben Steinberg donated his morning to ensure the images all looked right. The end result was a dynamic shot looking like Sonic was running at warp speeds.

[alicefredrickson]

only a comic sensibility can grasp the character of our country and our national myths.”

-Simic on Steinburg

[storybursts]

The Christmas Special Day 2: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

The Christmas Special Day 2: A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Director: Bill Melendez Writer: Charles M. Schulz Cast: Peter Robbins, Christopher Shea, Kathy Steinberg, Tracy Stratford, Chris Doran, Geoffrey Ornstein, Karen Mendelson, Sally Dryer, Ann Altieri, Bill Melendez Plot: It’s nearly Christmas, but Charlie Brown (Peter Robbins) can’t seem to find it within himself to enjoy the season. Nobody is sending him any Christmas cards, his little sister Sally…

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

Why 'Black Sails' Is Still Worth a Watch

These pirates' lives made for some great television.

(Spoiler alert for people haven't watch!)

The Big Picture

Black Sails is an underrated pirate series that serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island.

The show explores the origins of Captain Flint and John Silver, and their journey from noblemen to pirates.

The series features an ensemble of real-life pirates, has a prolific cast, and delves into darker and more introspective themes than other pirate shows.

Pirates make for great entertainment. From the swashbuckling thrills of the Pirates of the Caribbean films to the animated antics of One Piece, and recent hit shows like Our Flag Means Death, buccaneers and their battles on the high seas have provided a wealth of stories for screens large and small. One of the most underrated pirate stories happens to be the Starz series Black Sails. Over the course of four seasons, a gripping narrative of blood and betrayal was woven.

Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, Black Sails was crafted to fill the void left by Starz's previous heavy hitter Spartacus. And much like the Rome-set series, Black Sails features an ensemble cast and drew inspiration from another creative work. In this case, the show serves as a prelude to the novel Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson, and focuses on two characters from the novel: Captain Flint (Toby Stephens) and new crew member John Silver (Luke Arnold). While other prequels to famous works feel the need to explain every little detail that surrounds the preceding source material, Black Sails takes a different path and explores how its pirates came to be the men they are.

Captain Flint and John Silver Are at the Center of This Swashbuckling Story

In the second season, Flint is revealed to have turned from a nobleman's life to that of a pirate following the imprisonment and death of his lover Thomas Hamilton. Adding salt in the wound is the death of Thomas' wife Miranda, which pushes Flint over the edge. Throughout the series, he attempts to gather his fellow pirates into a force that will rival the British fleets; he also tracks down and kills those who wronged him. By the series finale, Flint has finally won his war and becomes the ruler of the pirate nation Nassau. Stephens portrays Flint with a quiet intensity that often boils over into bloodlust and/or rage given who he interacts with.

During his quest, Flint must deal with Silver, who often schemes against him and ultimately winds up betraying him in order to gain a greater share of the gold hidden in the Spanish ship known as Urca de Lima, which drives the plot of the first two seasons. However, over the course of the series, Silver grows to be a loyal ally to Flint and the crew of the Walrus, and uses his schemes to help them survive. True to the book, Silver suffers extreme torture in Season 2 that forces him to have his leg amputated — but even though he has a peg leg, it doesn't make him any less dangerous.

'Black Sails' Explored the Lives of Real-Life Pirates and Deeper Themes

Black Sails was also notorious for introducing several real-life pirates into its narrative. Chief among them was Blackbeard (Ray Stevenson), who goes by his real name of Edward Teach. Teach enters into a partnership with Flint and the other pirates when they seek to retake Nassau from Captain Woodes Rogers (Luke Roberts), who Teach wants revenge against for reasons initially unknown. Stevenson is utterly terrifying as Teach; he towers over everyone and even defeats Flint in a sword fight — when Flint is the one who challenged him! Other real-life pirates include Zach McGowan as Charles Vane, Toby Schmitz as Jack Rackham (otherwise known as "Calico Jack"), and Clara Paget as Anne Bonny.

Black Sails contains what may be one of the most prolific ensemble casts for a cable series; each member went on to star in more genre fare. Tom Hopper, who portrayed Billy Bones, is a major part of The Umbrella Academy on Netflix. Jessica Parker Kennedy, who plays Max, made an appearance on The Flash as Barry Allen's daughter Nora. Stephens has appeared in the James Bond film Die Another Day, as well as Netflix's Lost in Space. Stevenson has been in all sorts of genre fare including Ahsoka (in his final performance), Punisher: War Zone, Thor, and G.I. Joe: Retaliation. This is another thing it shares in common with Spartacus, as that show has seen many of its alums go on to alternate genre fare (none likely more famous than Lucy Lawless, who defined early genre TV when she played a certain warrior princess).

Black Sails stood out from other pirate series by going into darker places, especially where its characters were concerned. Though Flint was the protagonist, he'd commit cold-blooded murder, especially if anyone crossed him. Betrayals were second nature; one minute two of the pirates could be allies and the next they'd be at each other's throats. And for all the blood, sex, and swearing, the series was rather introspective; it explored the mental cost Flint's past took on him, and was willing to question whether or not he could truly find peace. Black Sails was definitely a series ahead of its time, not just in pirate media but in genre storytelling on the whole, and the map it laid out would lead to many similar elements playing out in shows that would soon follow, like Game of Thrones and The Witcher.

Black Sails is available to stream on Starz.

Note from admin: Black Sails coming to Netflix US on 1st January, stay tuned!

Source: Collider

[strawberryqueen00]

Hell no we are not letting this OFMD finale distract from that THIS LETTER.

Had a signature from Taika Waititi. I understand the sensitivity here this issue with Taika being Jewish(and that’s not my place as someone that’s Not Jewish or in those regions to condemn him on that perspective’s behalf) but this letter is directly bastardizing the situation.

Now, when there is a major production from a major figure in this platform that did this, is when we can make the most impact. Remember our values, even when those values involve a show that is strengthening the LGBTQ community.

Because this letter tore down the strength of the movement in support of Gaza. There are going to be so many people that saw this letter and take it completely uncritically, unchallenged.

Standing up for our values means sacrificing our interests, holding accountable the things we enjoy.

And also. I don’t want to see ANYONE. Being fucking antisemitic or racist towards Taika here. That is never appropriate and absolutely inexcusable behavior. You should he ashamed if you think that’s okay even after Taika’s actions.

[Text of Letter]

October 23, 2023

Dear President Biden, We are heartened by Friday's release of the two American hostages, Judith Ranaan and her daughter Natalie Ranaan and by today's release of two Israelis, Nurit Cooper and

Yocheved Lifshitz, whose husbands remain in captivity. But our relief is tempered by our overwhelming concern that 220 innocent people,

including 30 children, remain captive by terrorists, threatened with torture and death.

They were taken by Hamas in the savage massacre of October 7, where over 1,400

Israelis were slaughtered - women raped, families burned alive, and infants beheaded. Thank you for your unshakable moral conviction, leadership, and support for the Jewish people, who have been terrorized by Hamas since the group's founding over 35 years ago, and for the Palestinians, who have also been terrorized, oppressed, and victimized

by Hamas for the last 17 years that the group has been governing Gaza. We all want the same thing: Freedom for Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in peace. Freedom from the brutal violence spread by Hamas. And most urgently, in this

moment, freedom for the hostages. We urge everyone to not rest until all hostages are released. No hostage can be left behind. Whether American, Argentinian, Australian, Azerbaijani, Brazilian, British, Canadian, Chilean, Chinese, Danish, Dutch, Eritrean, Filipino, French, German, Indian, Israeli, Italian, Kazakh, Mexican, Panamanian, Paraguayan, Peruvian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, South African, Spanish, Sri Lankan, Thai, Ukrainian,

Uzbekistani or otherwise, we need to bring them home.

Sincerely,

[Text of the names presented. This isn’t all of them, just the copy of this with Taika’s name on it)

Jessica Biel

Jessica Elbaum

Jessica Seinfeld

Jill Littman

Jimmy Carr

Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps

Joe Quinn

Joe Russo

Joe Tippett

Joel Fields

Joey King

John Landgraf

John Slattery

Jon Bernthal

Jon Glickman

Jon Hamm

Jon Harmon Feldman

Jon Liebman

Jon Watts

Jon Weinbach

Jonathan Baruch

Jonathan Groff

Jonathan Marc Sherman

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan Steinberg

Jonathan Tisch

Jonathan Tropper

Jordan Peele

Josh Brolin

Josh Charles

Josh Dallas

Josh Goldstine

Josh Greenstein

Josh Grode

Josh Singer

Judd Apatow

Judge Judy Sheindlin

Julia Fox

Julia Garner

Julia Lester

Julianna Margulies

Julie Greenwald

Julie Rudd

Julie Singer

Juliette Lewis

Jullian Morris

Justin Theroux

Justin Timberlake

KJ Steinberg

Karen Pollock

Karlie Kloss

Katy Perry

Kelley Lynch

Kevin Kane

Kevin Zegers

Kirsten Dunst

Kitao Sakurai

Kristen Schaal

Kristin Chenoweth

Lana Del Rey

Laura Benanti

Laura Dern

Laura Pradelska

Lauren Schuker Blum

Laurence Mark

Laurie David

Lea Michele

Lee Eisenberg

Leo Pearlman

Leslie Siebert

Liev Schreiber

Limor Gott

Lina Esco

Liz Garbus

Lizanne Rosenstein

Lizzie Tisch

Lorraine Schwartz

Lynn Harris

Lyor Cohen

Madonna

Mandana Dayani

Mara Buxbaum

Marc Webb

Marco Perego

Maria Dizzia

Mark Feuerstein

Mark Foster

Mark Scheinberg

Mark Shedletsky

Martin Short

Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Mary McCormack

Mathew Rosengart

Matt Geller

Matt Lucas

Matt Miller

Matthew Bronfman

Matthew Hiltzik

Matthew Weiner

Matti Leshem

Max Mutchnik

Maya Lasry

Meaghan Oppenheimer

Melissa Zukerman

Melissa rudderman

Michael Aloni

Michael Ellenberg

Michael Green

Michael Rapino

Neil Blair

Neil Druckmann

Neil Paris

Nicola Peltz

Nicole Avant

Nina Jacobson

Noa Kirel

Noa Tishby

Noah Oppenheim

Noah Schnapp

Noreena Hertz

Octavia Spencer

Odeya Rush

Olivia Wilde

Oran Zegman

Orlando Bloom

Pasha Kovalev

Pattie LuPone

Patty Jenkins

Paul Haas

Paul Pflug

Paul & Julie Rudd

Peter Baynham

Peter Traugott

Rachel Douglas

Rachel Riley

Rafi Marmor

Ram Bergman

Raphael Margulies

Rebecca Angelo

Rebecca Mall

Regina Spektor

Reinaldo Marcus Green

Rich Statter

Richard Jenkins

Richard Kind

Rick Hoffman

Rick Rosen

Rita Ora

Rob Rinder

Robert Newman

Roger Birnbaum

Roger Green

Rosie O’Donnell

Ross Duffer

Ryan Feldman

Sacha Baron Cohen

Sam Levinson

Sam Trammell

Sara Berman

Sara Foster

Sarah Baker

Sarah Bremner

Sarah Cooper

Sarah Paulson

Sarah Treem

Scott Braun

Scott Braun

Scott Neustadter

Scott Tenley

Sean Combs

Sean Levy

Seth Meyers

Seth Oster

Shannon Watts

Shari Redstone

Sharon Jackson

Sharon Stone

Shauna Perlman

Shawn Levy

Sheila Nevins

Shira Haas

Simon Sebag Montefiore

Simon Tikhman

Skylar Astin

Stacey Snider

Stephen Fry

Steve Agee

Steve Rifkind

Sting & Trudie Styler

Susanna Felleman

Susie Arons

Taika Waititi

Thomas Kail

Tiffany Haddish

Todd Lieberman

Todd Moscowitz

Todd Waldman

Tom Freston

Tom Werner

Tomer Capone

Tracy Ann Oberman

Trudie Styler

Tyler Henry

Tyler James Williams

Tyler Perry

Vanessa Bayer

Veronica Grazer

Veronica Smiley

Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Ferrell

Will Graham

Yamanieka Saunders

Yariv Milchan

Ynon Kreiz

Zack Snyder

Zoe Saldana

[dear-indies]

full list of biden letter 2:

Aaron Bay-Schuck Aaron Sorkin Adam & Jackie Sandler Adam Goodman Adam Levine Alan Grubman Alex Aja Alex Edelman Alexandra Shiva Ali Wentworth Alison Statter Allan Loeb Alona Tal Amy Chozick Amy Pascal Amy Schumer Amy Sherman Palladino Andrew Singer Andy Cohen Angela Robinson Anthony Russo Antonio Campos Ari Dayan Ari Greenburg Arik Kneller Aron Coleite Ashley Levinson Asif Satchu Aubrey Plaza Barbara Hershey Barry Diller Barry Levinson Barry Rosenstein Beau Flynn Behati Prinsloo Bella Thorne Ben Stiller Ben Turner Ben Winston Ben Younger Billy Crystal Blair Kohan Bob Odenkirk Bobbi Brown Bobby Kotick Brad Falchuk Brad Slater Bradley Cooper Bradley Fischer Brett Gelman Brian Grazer Bridget Everett Brooke Shields Bruna Papandrea Cameron Curtis Casey Neistat Cazzie David

Charles Roven Chelsea Handler Chloe Fineman Chris Fischer Chris Jericho Chris Rock Christian Carino Cindi Berger Claire Coffee Colleen Camp Constance Wu Courteney Cox Craig Silverstein Dame Maureen Lipman Dan Aloni Dan Rosenweig Dana Goldberg Dana Klein Daniel Palladino Danielle Bernstein Danny Cohen Danny Strong Daphne Kastner David Alan Grier David Baddiel David Bernad David Chang David Ellison David Geffen David Gilmour & David Goodman David Joseph David Kohan David Lowery David Oyelowo David Schwimmer Dawn Porter Dean Cain Deborah Lee Furness Deborah Snyder Debra Messing Diane Von Furstenberg Donny Deutsch Doug Liman Douglas Chabbott Eddy Kitsis Edgar Ramirez Eli Roth Elisabeth Shue Elizabeth Himelstein Embeth Davidtz Emma Seligman Emmanuelle Chriqui Eric Andre Erik Feig Erin Foster Eugene Levy Evan Jonigkeit Evan Winiker Ewan McGregor Francis Benhamou Francis Lawrence Fred Raskin Gabe Turner Gail Berman Gal Gadot Gary Barber Gene Stupinski Genevieve Angelson Gideon Raff Gina Gershon Grant Singer Greg Berlanti Guy Nattiv Guy Oseary Gwyneth Paltrow Hannah Fidell Hannah Graf Harlan Coben Harold Brown Harvey Keitel Henrietta Conrad Henry Winkler Holland Taylor Howard Gordon Iain Morris Imran Ahmed Inbar Lavi Isla Fisher Jack Black Jackie Sandler Jake Graf Jake Kasdan James Brolin James Corden Jamie Ray Newman Jaron Varsano Jason Biggs & Jenny Mollen Biggs Jason Blum Jason Fuchs Jason Reitman Jason Segel Jason Sudeikis JD Lifshitz Jeff Goldblum Jeff Rake Jen Joel Jeremy Piven Jerry Seinfeld Jesse Itzler Jesse Plemons Jesse Sisgold Jessica Biel Jessica Elbaum Jessica Seinfeld Jill Littman Jimmy Carr Jody Gerson

Joe Hipps Joe Quinn Joe Russo Joe Tippett Joel Fields Joey King John Landgraf John Slattery Jon Bernthal Jon Glickman Jon Hamm Jon Liebman Jonathan Baruch Jonathan Groff Jonathan Marc Sherman Jonathan Ross Jonathan Steinberg Jonathan Tisch Jonathan Tropper Jordan Peele Josh Brolin Josh Charles Josh Goldstine Josh Greenstein Josh Grode Judd Apatow Judge Judy Sheindlin Julia Garner Julia Lester Julianna Margulies Julie Greenwald Julie Rudd Juliette Lewis Justin Theroux Justin Timberlake Karen Pollock Karlie Kloss Katy Perry Kelley Lynch Kevin Kane Kevin Zegers Kirsten Dunst Kitao Sakurai KJ Steinberg Kristen Schaal Kristin Chenoweth Lana Del Rey Laura Dern Laura Pradelska Lauren Schuker Blum Laurence Mark Laurie David Lea Michele Lee Eisenberg Leo Pearlman Leslie Siebert Liev Schreiber Limor Gott Lina Esco Liz Garbus Lizanne Rosenstein Lizzie Tisch Lorraine Schwartz Lynn Harris Lyor Cohen Madonna Mandana Dayani Mara Buxbaum Marc Webb Marco Perego Maria Dizzia Mark Feuerstein Mark Foster Mark Scheinberg Mark Shedletsky Martin Short Mary Elizabeth Winstead Mathew Rosengart Matt Lucas Matt Miller Matthew Bronfman Matthew Hiltzik Matthew Weiner Matti Leshem Max Mutchnik Maya Lasry Meaghan Oppenheimer Melissa Zukerman Michael Aloni Michael Ellenberg Michael Green Michael Rapino Michael Rappaport Michael Weber Michelle Williams Mike Medavoy Mila Kunis Mimi Leder Modi Wiczyk Molly Shannon Nancy Josephson Natasha Leggero

Neil Blair Neil Druckmann Nicola Peltz Nicole Avant Nina Jacobson Noa Kirel Noa Tishby Noah Oppenheim Noah Schnapp Noreena Hertz Odeya Rush Olivia Wilde Oran Zegman Orlando Bloom Pasha Kovalev Pattie LuPone Paul & Julie Rudd Paul Haas Paul Pflug Peter Traugott Polly Sampson Rachel Riley Rafi Marmor Ram Bergman Raphael Margulies Rebecca Angelo Rebecca Mall Regina Spektor Reinaldo Marcus Green Rich Statter Richard Jenkins Richard Kind Rick Hoffman Rick Rosen Rita Ora Rob Rinder Robert Newman Roger Birnbaum Roger Green Rosie O’Donnell Ross Duffer Ryan Feldman Sacha Baron Cohen Sam Levinson Sam Trammell Sara Foster Sarah Baker Sarah Bremner Sarah Cooper Sarah Paulson Sarah Treem Scott Braun Scott Braun Scott Neustadter Scott Tenley Sean Combs Seth Meyers Seth Oster Shannon Watts Shari Redstone Sharon Jackson Sharon Stone Shauna Perlman Shawn Levy Sheila Nevins Shira Haas Simon Sebag Montefiore Simon Tikhman Skylar Astin Stacey Snider Stephen Fry Steve Agee Steve Rifkind Sting & Trudie Styler Susanna Felleman Susie Arons Taika Waititi Thomas Kail Tiffany Haddish Todd Lieberman Todd Moscowitz Todd Waldman Tom Freston Tom Werner Tomer Capone Tracy Ann Oberman Trudie Styler Tyler James Williams Tyler Perry Vanessa Bayer Veronica Grazer Veronica Smiley Whitney Wolfe Herd

Will Ferrell Will Graham Yamanieka Saunders Yariv Milchan Ynon Kreiz Zack Snyder Zoe Saldana Zoey Deutch Zosia Mamet

[kwebtv]

From the Golden Age of Television

Season 4 Episode 1

Big Town - Baseball Story - CBS - September 10, 1953

AKA "Heart of the City", "Headline" and "Byline Steve Wilson"

Drama

Running Time: 30 minutes

Written by Lawrence Kimball

Produced by Jack J. Gross and Philip N. Krasne

Directed by Charles Haas

Stars:

Patrick McVey as Steve Wilson

Jane Nigh as Lorelei Kilbourne

Paul Langton as Stan Benton

Adele Longmire as Mady Benton

James Flavin as Tim Donovan

Murray Alper as Noonan

Garbor Curtiz as Dr. Steinberg

[soaog]

Soggy reads: Münkler, Herfried - Marx, Wagner, Nietzsche. Welt im Umbruch (2021)

(It's another Münkler. I do actually think quite highly of him.)

Biographies are good. It might sound like I am regurgitating the great man theory, but if I want to get a feel for a certain place and/or period, the way to go is to read the biography of a pivotal figure and then branch out from there. In fact, here is a short list of biographies I've read in recent years that I've enjoyed;

Jackson, Julian - A Certain Idea of France. The Life of Charles de Gaulle (2018)

Steinberg, Jonathan - Bismarck. A Life (2011)

McPhee, Peter - Robespierre. A Revolutionary Life (2012)

Scurr, Ruth - Fatal Purity. Robespierre and the French Revolution (2006)

Siemann, Wolfram - Metternich. Strategist and Visionary (2019)

... and yeah, I'm really not beating the Great Man allegations.

So, I've read this one in fits and spurs over a period of months whenever I've had some idle time downstairs waiting on my father. As such, my recollection of it is maybe not as good as it ought to be. On top of that, it certainly doesn't help that I am a pseud who has at most a passing familiarity with the oeuvre of the three figures concerned. But, hey, starting points, right?

At first blush I did not think these three people had very much at all in common besides the fact that they are roughly contemporaries, and indeed, the interactions between them are sparse to the point of non-existence. But as it turns out you can fill 720 pages, hardcover to hardcover, with the parallels in their lives. If you for whatever reason just need three 19th century German guys battling health problems, the German nation-building process and messianic delusions; voila, there are your men. All three ended up in their own ways intimately involved with the attempted revolutions of 1848/49, were inextricably shaped by them and forced in one way or another to find a new way of life both for themselves and their respective field because of them.

They also all kind of ended up dependent on the financial, but more saliently, the intellectual patronship of somebody else to help elevate their life's work to the lofty heights of canon. Marx famously had Engels do double duty, Wagner was substantially funded by King Ludwig II. of Bavaria (better known for Neuschwanstein), his family squats on his work to this day and Nietzsche's apparently came to us chiefly through his sister who, because she was sort of an insane Nazi to the point of co-founding an "Aryan" settler colony in Paraguay, shaped it in such a way that at least initially ended up also being primarily received by other insane Nazis, so that's something you want to be careful about if you ever undertake some sort of intellectual project of your own.

I don't know, I thought it was enjoyable. It'd definitely have benefitted from me having more of an education to begin with (but what wouldn't), but even without it, you get a bit of a feel for why this place is like this from the vantage point of its nutty Poets and Thinkers.

[dweemeister]

My Alternative 96th Academy Awards

This is an exercise that has not appeared on this blog since 2019 for the 91st ceremony. But I wanted to revive it. So what would tomorrow's Academy Awards ceremony looked like if I determined all the nominees and the winners? This is my ideal world, my alternative universe, if you will. Prepare for controversy, and my ambivalence towards Poor Things and The Zone of Interest (which doesn't get nominated at all here).

It's been a while since I've done this, so there might be some quirks newer followers are less familiar with. Most notably, if you see a three letter abbreviation anywhere, that indicates a movie not in the English language and indicates the country/countries of origin based on their three-letter FIFA code of all things.

Without further ado!

96th Academy Awards – March 10, 2024 Dolby Theatre – Hollywood, Los Angeles, California Host: Jimmy Kimmel Broadcaster: ABC

Best Picture: KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON

Anatomy of a Fall (FRA), Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion (Neon/Le Pacte)

Barbie, David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley,  and Robbie Brenner (Warner Bros.)

The Holdovers, Mark Johnson (Focus/Universal)

Killers of the Flower Moon, Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese, and Daniel Lupi (Apple/Paramount)

Oppenheimer, Emma Thomas, Charles Roven, and Christopher Nolan (Universal)

Past Lives, David Hinojosa, Christina Vachon, and Pamela Koffler (A24)

Robot Dreams (ESP/FRA), Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé, Sandra Tapia, Jérôme Vidal, and Pablo Berger (Neon/Bteam Pictures/Wild Bunch)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, Avi Arad, and Christina Steinberg (Sony Pictures Animation/Columbia)

The Taste of Things (FRA), Olivier Delbosc (Gaumont)

20 Days in Mariupol (UKR), Raney Aronson-Rath, Mstyslav Chernov, Derl McCrudden, and Michelle Mizner (Associated Press/Public Broadcasting Service)

Am I nuts? A documentary (there's nothing in the rules that say they can't be nominated for Best Picture)? Why not? TWO animated features? Let alone a movie that almost nobody outside of Europe has seen? Well I've seen Robot Dreams, and it is one of the best 2023 release I saw all year.

My full thoughts on my favored film, Killers of the Flower Moon, can be found in my write-up here.

Six of the current Best Picture nominees keep their nomination. American Fiction, Maestro, Poor Things, and The Zone of Interest are dropped. In their place go Robot Dreams, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Taste of Things, and 20 Days in Mariupol. I strongly considered replacing Barbie, but decided against it. Yes, I believe there were more than ten movies better than Barbie this year. But I richly *enjoyed* Barbie, and appreciate its instant spot in film history. It stays in.

Best Director

Joaquin Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

Trần Anh Hùng, The Taste of Things

Justine Triet, Anatomy of a Fall

Folks are saying Martin Scorsese is not nearly as innovative as he used to be. Au contraire, I say. Killers of the Flower Moon exemplifies tons of personal and artistic growth for him... and that extremely risky ending pays off dividends. As a Nolan skeptic, I am indeed impressed with his work on Oppenheimer, but it's not the "best" for me this year.

Those familiar with my affiliation with Viet Film Fest might detect some bias, but hell The Taste of Things was gorgeous, folks.

Best Actor

Bradley Cooper, Maestro

Colman Domingo, Rustin

Paul Giamatti, The Holdovers

Cillian Murphy, Oppenheimer

Jeffrey Wright, American Fiction

It's a toss-up to me. But, having to choose one, I'll go for a man who is probably overdue.

Best Actress

Lily Gladstone, Killers of the Flower Moon

Sandra Hüller, Anatomy of a Fall

Alma Pöysti, Fallen Leaves (FIN)

Margot Robbie, Barbie

Emma Stone, Poor Things

The first acting change from the actual Oscars appears here, with Finnish actress Alma Pöysti replacing Annette Bening in Nyad. But this should be Lily Gladstone's, who would justly be making a lot of history here.

And yes, Barbie fans... I relent. Margot Robbie makes my final cut.

Best Supporting Actor

Sterling K. Brown, American Fiction

Robert De Niro, Killers of the Flower Moon

Robert Downey Jr., Oppenheimer

Ryan Gosling, Barbie

Dominic Sessa, The Holdovers

I don't think RDJ should be sweeping the season as he has. I think it's a lot closer between all of these fellows than it actually has been. Disagree with me all you want, but I think De Niro was truly menacing in KOTFM. And he didn't need any deaging this time, either!

Best Supporting Actress

Juliette Binoche, The Taste of Things

Emily Blunt, Oppenheimer

Danielle Brooks, The Color Purple

Penélope Cruz, Ferrari

Da’Vine Joy Randolph, The Holdovers

Fine, I guess? I think Randolph's character gets cut out of The Holdovers far too soon. But I can't make the case for anyone else this year except for maybe Binoche (whom some people will complain about my placement in Supporting Actress instead of Lead Actress, but that's how the studio campaigned for her).

Best Adapted Screenplay

Pablo Berger, Robot Dreams

Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach, Barbie

Cord Jefferson, American Fiction

Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer

Eric Roth and Martin Scorsese, Killers of the Flower Moon

I'm not going to second-guess the Academy on its placement of Barbie here. It's not winning in this category in any case. American Fiction is a solid, imperfect satire, and finds its due here.

Best Original Screenplay

İlker Çatak and Johannes Duncker, The Teachers’ Lounge (GER)

David Hemingson, The Holdovers

A.V. Rockwell, A Thousand and One

Celine Song, Past Lives

Justine Triet and Arthur Harari, Anatomy of a Fall

I was very, very tempted to give this to Past Lives. But in the end, my sneaking feeling that I don't quite buy the closeness - despite having not talked for so long - of the two lead characters wins out.

Anatomy of a Fall is a hell of a balancing act, domestically and legally, and wins here.

Best Animated Feature

The Boy and the Heron, Japan (GKIDS/Studio Ghibli/Toho Company)

Ernest & Celestine: A Trip to Gibberitia, France (GKIDS/StudioCanal)

Robot Dreams, Spain/France (Neon/Bteam Pictures/Wild Bunch)

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Sony Pictures Animation/Columbia)

Suzume, Japan (GKIDS/Toho Company)

Stoking the flames, but here we are! I think ATSV is slightly better than Robot Dreams as a whole, but the film lacks a resolution and obviously had access to more resources. Spider-Man will return to this category. I'm not so sure about Pablo Berger. The heartfelt and dialogue-free Robot Dreams takes it, while the Ernest & Celestine sequel and Suzume make it in place of Elemental and Nimona.

Best Documentary Feature

Bobi Wine: The People’s President (National Geographic)

The Eternal Memory, Chile (MTV Documentary Films)

Four Daughters, Tunisia/France/Germany/Saudi Arabia (Kino Lorber/Jour2Fête)

To Kill a Tiger, Canada (National Film Board of Canada)

20 Days in Mariupol, Ukraine (Associated Press/Public Broadcasting Service)

Extraordinary filmmaking and, as you can imagine, brutal to watch. It's freely available online for any American readers out there, thanks to PBS.

Best International Feature

Fallen Leaves, Finland

Society of the Snow, Spain

The Taste of Things, France

The Teachers’ Lounge, Germany

20 Days in Mariupol, Ukraine

I follow Academy rules here in terms of one movie per country.

Best Cinematography

Edward Lachman, El Conde

Rodrigo Prieto, Killers of the Flower Moon

Mathtew Libatique, Maestro

Hoyte van Hoytema, Oppenheimer

Jonathan Ricquebourg, The Taste of Things

Best Film Editing

Laurent Sénéchal, Anatomy of a Fall

Kevin Tent, The Holdovers

Thelma Schoonmaker, Killers of the Flower Moon

Jennifer Lame, Oppenheimer

Michael Andrews, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Original Score

Michael Giacchino, Society of the Snow

Laura Karpman, American Fiction

Robbie Robertson, Killers of the Flower Moon (posthumous nomination)

John Williams, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Hans Zimmer, The Creator

The folks who complained that Dial of Destiny was not original enough need to go 1) watch the movie and 2) listen to the score afterwards. There was a distinct lack of older Indiana Jones cues in there, and "Helena's Theme" is the best cue of 2023. Too many people online write about film scores but have little idea about what they're talking about (*cough* David Ehrlich at IndieWire *cough*).

That said, Williams doesn't win here. It's Giacchino, for a score that does a hell lot of the heavy emotional lifting in a grim movie that concludes with its real-life happy ending.

Best Original Song

“I’m Just Ken”, music and lyrics by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt, Barbie

“It Never Went Away”, music and lyrics by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson, American Symphony

“Wahzhazhe (A Song for My People)”, music and lyrics by Scott George, Killers of the Flower Moon

“What Was I Made For?” music and lyrics by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell, Barbie

Four nominees rather than five, because I didn't like much else that was shortlisted. This category has been my personal hell in recent years.

Best Costume Design

Jacqueline Durran, Barbie

Jacqueline West, Killers of the Flower Moon

Janty Yates and Dave Crossman, Napoleon

Ellen Mirojnick, Oppenheimer

Holly Waddington, Poor Things

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby, and Ashra Kelly-Blue, Golda

Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou, and Lori McCoy-Bell, Maestro

Luisa Abel, Oppenheimer

Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier, and Josh Weston, Poor Things

Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí, and Montse Ribé, Society of the Snow

Best Production Design

Sarah Greenwood and Katie Spencer, Barbie

Jack Fisk and Adam Willis, Killers of the Flower Moon

Arthur Max and Elli Griff, Napoleon

Ruth De Jong and Claire Kaufman, Oppenheimer

James Price, Shona Heath, and Zsuzsa Mihalek, Poor Things

Best Sound

Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich, and Dean Zupancic, The Creator

Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich, and Dean Zupancic, Maestro

Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon, and Mark Taylor, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo, and Kevin O'Connell, Oppenheimer

Steven Ghouti, Fabiola Ordoyo, and Laia Picón, Robot Dreams

Best Visual Effects

Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts, and Neil Corbould, The Creator

Sanjay Bakshi, Stephen Marshall, Jon Reisch, Junyi Ling, Elemental

Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi, and Tatsuji Nojima, Godzilla Minus One

Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland, and Neil Corbould, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One

Michael Lasker, Alan Hawkins, Bret St. Clair, Pav Grochola, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Best Animated Short

Letter to a Pig, Israel/France (The Hive Studio/Miyu Productions)

Ninety-Five Senses (MAST/V42 Venture Studio Fund)

Our Uniform, Iran

Pachyderme, France (Miyu Distribution)

War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko (ElectroLeague)

Full write-up on this category by yours truly here.

Best Documentary Short

The ABCs of Book Banning (MTV Documentary Films)

The Barber of Little Rock (The New Yorker)

The Island in Between, Taiwan (The New York Times)

The Last Repair Shop (Los Angeles Times/Searchlight)

Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó (Walt Disney)

Full write-up on this category by yours truly here. Please don't let The ABCs of Book Banning win, I s2g.

Best Live Action Short

The After (Neon/Netflix)

Invincible, Canada (H264 Distribution)

Knight of Fortune, Denmark (TV 2)

Red, White and Blue (Majic Ink Productions)

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (Netflix)

Full write-up on this category by yours truly here. But we all know Henry Sugar is gonna win it due to Wes Anderson name recognition.

Academy Honorary Awards: Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and Carol Littleton

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award: Michelle Satter

MULTIPLE NOMINEES (18) Twelve: Oppenheimer Eleven: Killers of the Flower Moon Eight: Barbie Six: The Holdovers Five: Anatomy of a Fall, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Taste of Things Four: American Fiction, Poor Things, Robot Dreams Three: The Creator, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One, Society of the Snow, 20 Days in Mariupol Two: Fallen Leaves, Napoleon, Past Lives, The Teachers’ Lounge

WINNERS 4 wins: Killers of the Flower Moon

2 wins: The Holdovers, Oppenheimer, Society of the Snow

1 win: American Fiction, Anatomy of a Fall, Barbie, Godzilla Minus One, Knight of Fortune, The Last Repair Shop, Letter to a Pig, Poor Things, Robot Dreams, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Taste of Things, 20 Days in Mariupol

16 winners from 23 categories. 34 feature-length films and 15 short films were represented.

[claudia1829things]

Top Favorite Episodes of "BLACK SAILS" Season Four (2017)

Below is a list of my favorite episodes from Season Four of the STARZ series, "BLACK SAILS", a television prequel to Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1883 novel, "Treasure Island". Created by Jonathan E. Steinberg and Robert Levine, the series starred Toby Stephens, Hannah New and Luke Arnold:

TOP FAVORITE EPISODES OF "BLACK SAILS" SEASON FOUR (2017)

(4.10) "XXXVIII" - In the series finale, pirate Captain James Flint launches a final, desperate attack to destroy England's hold on Nassau. Quartermaster John Silver makes an irreversible decision and Captain Jack Rackham gets the opportunity to finally confront Nassau's Governor Woodes Rogers.

2. (4.01) "XXIX" - The season premiere has Flint and Silver lead the fight against Rogers' forces to reclaim Nassau. Meanwhile, Rackham and legendary Captain Edward "Blackbeard" Teach seek revenge against Rogers for Charles Vane's death.

3. (4.06) "XXXIV" - Thanks to Rogers' machinations, Spanish forces invades Nassau with little resistance. Silver attempts to repair the alliance between the pirates and the Maroons. And former black marketeer Eleanor Guthrie-Rogers, now the Governor's second wife, work together to survive the Spanish invasion.

4. (4.02) "XXX" - Flint submits himself to fellow crewman Billy Bones's authority and plans to raid the plantations inland, in order to retake Nassau. Eleanor tries to find a way to save Rogers. Silver is captured by Israel Hands, a former crewman of Blackbeard, and tries to talk his way into freedom.

5. (4.09) "XXXVII" - The Walrus travel to Skeleton Island for a brief parley with Rogers and to pursue Flint, who has grabbed the treasure cache. Rogers presents a proposition to Madi, daughter of the Maroon Queen and the late Mr. Scott. Before Rogers' devastating attack upon the Walrus crew, Billy commits himself to the Governor's forces.

R.I.P. Ray Stevenson (1964-2023)