#david de coteau

[schlock-luster-video]

"The Legacy Begins ..."

Recently wrapped-up this new drawing of Cyclops inspired by Retro Puppet Master (1999)!

[fearsmagazine]

DEADLY TEN is an immersive cinematic initiative that will see Full Moon Features boldly producing a series of ten original genre films, live-streamed in front of fans. These ten films will include sequels of beloved Full Moon franchises, a spin on classic cult favorites, and daring soon-to-be essential genre films.  Principal photography will begin shooting in June 2019 and continue throughout the year in Europe and North America.  Release for the DEADLY TEN is slated for Spring 2020, and will premiere exclusively on Full Moon's Amazon Prime Channel.

In an unprecedented move, Full Moon will be giving fans an all access pass to this unique production by providing an inside peek into the magic of genre filmmaking.  Fans will be able to log into the DEADLY TEN website (www.DeadlyTen.com) and watch the current motion picture being shot in real time. Live feeds, exclusive on-set interviews, special effects secrets, pre-and post-production videos, interactive director's blogs and more.  Through this immersive experience, cineastes and budding young filmmakers can delve deep into mechanics of the movies and learn first-hand all about the joys, struggles, creativity, and hard work that goes into making a fully produced, independent feature film.

"This is one of the most exciting Full Moon production initiatives since our '90s video store heyday," says Full Moon founder and cult movie legend Charles Band.  "It's ambitious, high concept, a bit insane and there's never been another interactive filmmaking concept quite like this. As Full Moon thrives in the new terrain of streaming and takes viewers to places not many have gone before, we hope fans will love being a part of our new adventure!"

The DEADLY TEN film slate will include:

BLADE: THE IRON CROSS (Dir:John Lechago)

BRIDE OF THE HEAD OF THE FAMILY (Dir: Charles Band)

NECROPOLIS: LEGION (Dir: Chris Alexander)

SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-O-RAMA 2 (Dir: David De Coteau, Brinke Stevens)

BLOOD RISE: SUBSPECIES V (Dir: Ted Nicolaou)

HALLOWEED NIGHT (Dir: Danny Draven)

THE HOURGLASS (Dir: Ryan Brookhart)

FEMALIEN: COSMIC CRUSH (Dir: Lindsey Schmitz)

THE SHADOWHEART CURSE (Dir: Charles Band)

THE GRIM RAPPER (Dir: Billy Butler)

[geekynerfherder]

'Escape From New York' and 'Prince Of Darkness' 4K UHD bluray steelbooks exclusively from Zavvi for £24.99 each.

'Escape From New York' features include:

Box cover art by Matt Ferguson

Region B

3 Discs

Purgatory: Entering John Carpenter’s ESCAPE FROM NEW YORK: A brand new feature-length documentary featuring interviews with Writer Nick Castle, cinematographer Dean Cundey, composer Alan Howarth, production designer Joe Alves, special visual effects artist/model maker Gene Rizzardi, production assistant David De Coteau, photographer Kim Gottleib-Walker, Carpenter biographer John Muir, visual effects historian Justin Humphreys, and music historian Daniel Schweiger.

Snake Plissen: Man of Honor – featurette from 2005 featuring interviews with John Carpenter and Debra Hill

Intro by John Carpenter - an interview with director John Carpenter originally recorded for a French DVD release in 2003

Deleted Opening Sequence “Snake’s Crime” with Optional Audio Commentary

Photo gallery incl. Behind the Scenes

Original Trailers

Audio Commentary with actor Kurt Russell & director John Carpenter

Audio Commentary with Producer Debra Hill and production designer Joe Alves

Big Challenges in Little Manhatten: Visual effects featurette – from 2015, features interviews with both Dennis Skotak, Director of Photography of Special VFX, and Robert Skotak, Unit Supervisor and Matte Artist

I am Taylor - Interview with actor Joe Unger – from 2015

Audio Commentary with actress Adrienne Barbeau & DOP Dean Cundey

On sale for pre-order Saturday September 15 at 6pm UK from the Zavvi website. (Release date October 29 2018).

'Prince Of Darkness' features include:

Box cover art by Matt Ferguson

Region B

3 Discs

Malevolent: Unearthing John Carpenter’s PRINCE OF DARKNESS: A brand new feature-length documentary featuring interviews with Cinematographer Gary Kibbe, actor Peter Jason, actor Alice Cooper, composer Alan Howarth, script supervisor Sandy King, visual effects supervisor Robert Grasmere, stunt coordinator Jeff Imada, Carpenter biographer John Muir, film historian C. Courtney Joyner, music historian Daniel Schweiger and Producer Larry Franco

Intro by John Carpenter – an interview with director John Carpenter originally recorded for a French DVD release in 2003

Scene Analysis by John Carpenter - Director John Carpenter analyses key scenes from Prince of Darkness, in an interview from 2003

Audio commentary with John Carpenter and Peter Jason

Sympathy for the Devil: Interview with John Carpenter - from 2013

Horror's Halloween Hallowed Grounds with Sean Clark - a fun tour of the film’s locations hosted by Sean Clark

Trailer

Photo gallery including Behind the Scenes

On sale for pre-order Saturday September 15 at 6pm UK from the Zavvi website. (Release date October 29 2018).

[toutmontbeliard-com]

Le 19, CRAC Montbéliard : programme de janvier 2023

Voici le programme du 19, Centre Régional d’Art contemporain, de Montbéliard de janvier 2023 : Trois p'tits tours et puis s'en vont Jusqu'au 15 janvier 2023 au 19, Crac de Montbéliard. Avec Aurore-Caroline Marty, Cécile Meynier, David Posth-Kohler, Chloé Serre, Louise Siffert, et Sarah Tritz. Visite accompagnée dimanche 4 décembre 2022 à 15h30 / gratuit. LA BOX DE NOËL, Membrane de Léa Chemarin La Box du 19 est un dispositif invitant une étudiant ou jeune diplômé des Écoles d'art des régions Bourgogne-Franche-Comté et Grand Est à produire une œuvre inédite s’inscrivant également dans le parcours des Lumières de Noël de la Ville de Montbéliard. Cette année, c'est l'artiste Léa Chemarin, jeune diplômée de la Haute École des Arts du Rhin de Strasbourg, qui a investit la vitrine du centre d'art. Visible jusqu'au 15 janvier 2023. AINSI FONT : soirée de performances avec Sarah Tritz et Chloé Serre Vendredi 13 janvier 2023 à 17h00 Les œuvres Memory Matrix de Sarah Tritz et D’entrée de jeu de Chloé Serre s’incarneront lors de deux performances inédites. Une soirée croisant jeux d’acteurs et jeux de l’enfance pour conclure l’exposition. 17h00 : Memory Matrix, performance de Sarah Tritz avec les élèves de l’École Coteau-Jouvent de Montbéliard ayant participé au projet Petits Médiateurs. 18h00 : Présentation de l’œuvre Duplicata par l’artiste Chloé Serre. 18h45 : D’entrée de jeu, performance de Chloé Serre avec les comédiennes Clémence Rivalier et Constance Rutherford. Gratuit Le projet Petits médiateurs a été mené tout au long de l'exposition avec l'artiste Sarah Tritz. Il est financé par la DRAC Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. L’œuvre Duplicata de Chloé Serre a été produite dans le cadre de la résidence Excellence Métiers d’art initiée par la Région et la DRAC Bourgogne-Franche-Comté. Avec les élèves de la section Maroquinerie du Lycée des Huisselets de Montbéliard en mars 2022. LES ATELIERS DU MERCREDI : L'œil et la main, accessoires et compagnie Mercredi 11 janvier 2023 de 14h00 à 17h00 Crée des accessoires et des sculptures inspirés de l’univers du cirque et de l’exposition Trois p’tits tours et puis s’en vont. En piste ! Clown ou Acrobate, qui seras-tu sous le chapiteau ? De 6 à 12 ans. Tarif 7€, sur réservation 03 81 97 13 47 ou mediation@le19crac.com PROCHAINES EXPOSITIONS Du 18 février 2023 au 30 avril 2023. Vernissage le vendredi 17 février 2023 à 18h30. "La Parabole du Bièvre", de Suzanne Husky. Commissariat Adeline Lépine. Suzanne Husky considère son travail comme lieu d’une possible propagande. Y sont formulées des propositions d’alternatives afin d’"œuvrer avec" la terre, d’en tirer les enseignements et ainsi de restaurer nos environnements. C’est en explorant les liens entre le folklore, l’artisanat et les rituels qu’elle a fait une rencontre décisive avec le castor... Co-production avec le CAP de Saint-Fons et le programme Veduta de la Biennale d'art contemporain de Lyon. "Pas de cerise sans noyau", de Ju Hyun Lee. Commissariat Adeline Lépine. Ju Hyun Lee fait appel à la sagesse populaire avec son titre proverbial, Pas de cerise sans noyau. Celui-ci évoque le processus de production du Kirsch AOC de Fougerolles dans son ensemble, au-delà du fruit : à partir de la graine et en lien direct avec le sol et son environnement. Attachée tout particulièrement aux plantes et aux liens qu’elles entretiennent avec les humain·e·s, l’artiste privilégie les projets au long cours lui permettant de développer des processus artistiques partagés. Ainsi, Crystal Kirsch, résidence de deux ans, a favorisé la multiplication d’expériences esthétiques et culinaires en lien avec les cycles de la nature. infos > 03 81 94 13 47 ou mediation@le19crac.com (source communiqué) Read the full article

[ilya100ans]

Les Annales de Lyre: juillet-août 1922

Juillet-Août 1922 - des Annales de Lyre No. 189.

1.

REVUE DE MOIS

Du 24 Juin au 10 Août 1922

___________

Rien d’important à signaler, sauf l’échec prévu de la conférence de la Haye.

Les bolchevicks s’engageaient à rembourser les vingt milliards qui nous sont dus, à la seule condition que nous leur prêtions cinquante milliards ! Merci du peu.

LYRE ET LA RÉGION

DANS LES POSTES

Nomination. – Par décision du 6 mai, Mme. Lefèvre, précédemment Dame Employée à Paris, a été nommée Receveuse des postes à la Neuve-Lyre.

MONUMENT HISTORIQUE

BOIS-NORMAND. – La commission des monuments historiques a classé l’église de Bois-Normand, dans sa séance du 8 juillet. – Après M. L. Régnier, l’éminent archéologue d’Evreux et M. Eulart, directeur du Musée du Trocadéro, - un ami de M. le curé des Bottereaux, - il convient de remercier M. Lebreton, qui n’a épargné ni les peines ni les démarches pour arriver au résultat souhaité.

ŒUVRES D’APRÈS-GUERRE

La filleule du canton est la commune dévastée d’Herleville (canton de Chaulne, Somme, 350 habitants). Pour la tombola qui a été tirée le 12 mars … la Neuve-Lyre a versé 900 fr. y compris les 400 fr. votés par le conseil municipal. Au total, M. M., adjoint de Rugles et trésorier de la tombola, a reçu 4.500 fr., y compris les 500 fr. votés par la municipalité de Rugles. – La filleule sera contente de son parrain.

ŒUVRES PAROISSALES

BOIS-NORMAND. – A la souscription pour le Calvaire c’est à peine s’il y a huit familles qui n’aient pas contribué. Les paroisses des environs ont porté leur secours. La somme versée par diverses personnes à Lyre a atteint 200 fr…

VIEILLE-LYRE. – La procession du 15 août. Elle partira de l’église de la Neuve-Lyre à 3 h. et demie. Ne manquons pas d’y participer une fleur à la main, - une rose de préférence…

MAISON JEANNE D’ARC

SOUSCRIPTION. – Les sommes remises … forment au 24 juillet le total de 2.910 fr. 50. – il ne manque donc plus que 589 fr. 50 pour que la somme de 3.500 soit atteinte. – Merci du fond du cœur à tous nos bienfaiteurs.

Juillet-Août 1922 - des Annales de Lyre No. 189.

2.

FAITS DIVERS

_________

VISITE PASTORALE ET CONFIRMATION

La Neuve-Lyre ! Un nom qui est plein de poésie, c’est la Neuve-Lyre. Le paysage n’en manque pas non plus. La Risle, cette faiseuse de pittoresque, coule au bas du coteau ; la forêt de Conches y apporte sa verdure et le murmure de ses frondaisons nemorum increbescere murmur. Mais d’où vient ce nom de Lyre ? Sans doute de cde que des âmes vibrantes sont passées là qui ont su interpréter, rendre la poésie qui flotte sur ce coin de terre. N’a-t-on pas dit qu’un paysage un état d’âme, que toujours plus ou moins les paysages reflètent les âmes. A la Neuve-Lyre ça continue.

        Entrez à l’église et vous verrez. N’est-il pas tout un poème cet ange de Lyre silhouetté dans la pierre ? Et ce distique explicatif, étalé autour, plein, sonore, harmonieux, frappé comme une médaille, je vous le recommande :

                  Qui cecidere pii tingentes sanguine lauros

                  Lauris nunc fulgent nitidis sine fine Lyrantes.

Lisez : Ceux de Lyre, qui pieusement tombèrent au champ d’honneur, cueillant la victoire avec leur sang, brillent maintenant et à jamais laurés d’une gloire et lyrant des harmonies qui ne finiront plus sine fine Lyrantes.

        La poésie, elle est partout à Lyre, dans le paysage, à l’église, à la Maison Jeanne d’Arc….

        Et d’abord sur le passé brille un grand souvenir. Là est né Nicolas de Lyre dont les ouvrages sur la Bible ont eu du renom de son temps dans toutes les écoles de l’Europe….

        Souvenir aussi la vieille église, un monument dont les assises en grison remontent au haut moyen âge et en font une filiale de Breteuil. Son clocher à la croix quintuplement lyrée rend également le consolant témoignage qu’il y a huit cents ans la religion était florissante à Lyre….

                                                                                     (Chanoine P. David)

[the-master-cylinder]

The rise of Empire as a low budget producer with their “Beyond Infinity” video line resembles the start-up of AIP during the drive-in boom of the late ’50s, when a definite market existed for a certain product: films for the teenage audience, the wilder and more outrageous the better. The drive-ins “made” American-International Pictures, and like AIP, the VCR spurred Empire and other companies to produce films for a new market. But-having seen most of Empire’s Beyond Infinity offerings to date-one thing is obvious: unlike AIP, Empire lacks the creative genius of a low-budget auteur like Roger Corman. Imagination is not necessarily related to a film’s budget; low-budget films could be original, entertaining, and thought-provoking. But, Beyond Infinity’s releases thus far have proved to be inane, routine, and boring.

The Empire films follow a standard pattern: an exploitative, campy title; garish ad art; scripts which slavishly follow tried-and true formulas; varying amounts of nudity, gore effects, and juvenile humor. Of course, these traits apply equally well to the offerings of Empire’s competitors, particularly Troma Pictures, although Beyond Infinity product has a California pastel plasticity as opposed to Troma’s sleazy New York sheen. The fact that there is little of real interest to be found in any Beyond Infinity film certainly contributed to the commercial downfall of Empire and its video arm. Though the films themselves may not be completely devoid of entertainment value, most of the creativity seems to have gone into dreaming up the exploitable titles.

Dave DeCoteau, director of several projects released by Empire’s “Beyond Infinity” video label, pegged the fall of Band’s Empire to “the market place. It’s changed,” said DeCoteau. “There was a time that horror and fantasy fans saw just about anything that was made available on video. These days, quality prevails among genre movies, including films that are squarely made for direct-to-video release. You have to make the best movie you can and spend the money to do it right. If someone tries to pawn off a piece of shit, they’re shown the door.”

Reflecting on his three picture stint at Empire, DeCoteau said, “Charlie Band’s company was the young filmmaker’s first stop after college. There was a lot of experimentation as young people learned to work with low budgets. As a result, Empire wound up with a lot of product that was not all that wonderful. The company has been called the Sausage Factory of the Cinema. But you can’t keep making sausages, one after the other, sometimes a steak falls off the conveyor belt. Sometimes that steak is a picture like Stuart Gordon’s RE-ANIMATOR. There’s also a lot of sausages. Creepozoids is one of those sausages … but I’m learning.”

DeCoteau tied Empire’s loss of revenue to an aborted video output deal with New World Pictures, announced in August 1987, as the event which triggered Empire’s collapse. Over a two-year period, New World Video was to release five Empire titles, including Prison (1987), Cellar Dweller (1988), Buy & Cell (1988), Pulse Pounders (1988), and APPARATUS. “Empire made four of the pictures back to back,” said DeCoteau. “But because of the 1987 stock market crash, the deal between Empire and New World seemed to change; New World refused to pick up all of the Empire films as quickly as planned. They eventually released two of the films: PRISON, which had a limited theatrical run, and also CELLAR DWELLER, but the others are still being worked on.” Empire was purchased last May by Epic Pictures, a European financial consortium supervised by Eduard Sarlui, owner of Transworld Entertainment. “Basically, Empire and Transworld are owned by the same company,” said DeCoteau of the Epic umbrella. “Epic Pictures is finishing all the movies that Charlie [Band] started, which is a good dozen … ARENA, CATACOMBS, DOWN UNDER, SPELLCASTER, ROBOJOX.

DeCoteau, trained as a production assistant on films as diverse as ANGEL and Ken Russell’s CRIMES OF PASSION, made his debut as a producer-director with Empire on DREAMANIAC (1986), released on the company’s Wizard video label, distributed by Vestron. “I started pre-producing it as a picture called SUCCUBUS,” said DeCoteau. “Helen Robinson, who wrote the script knew the head of creative development at Empire Pictures, Debra Dion. Helen mentioned to Debi that she’d like to write a movie for Empire. Debi asked for a sample of her work and Helen gave her the SUCCUBUS script.” Empire, impressed with Robinson’s work, offered to purchase the screenplay; Robinson declined, insisting that De Coteau already owned it.

“Empire reacted by wanting to get involved in the production,” said DeCoteau. “Only four days before we were scheduled to start principal photography, I met Charlie Band, president of Empire Pictures.” Band not only doubled the movie’s original budget to $60,000, but vowed to reimburse DeCoteau for his personal investment “upon completion of principal photography.”

Wrapped in 15 days, the $70,000 movie was filmed in the abandoned studio of Hustler photographer Suze Randall. The film a blend of critters, slime and skin reunited DeCoteau with Kim McKamy, who made her film debut in DREAMANIAC. “Ironically,” remembers the director, “Kim refused to do any nudity. She was very shy and an all around sweet person.” McKamy later transformed herself into X-rated starlet Ashlyn Gere (aka Kim Patton), whose films-SORORITY SEX KITTENS, BUSH PILOTS, LAID IN HEAVEN—were about as demure as their titles.

“During a screening of the dailies,” recalls DeCoteau, “Charlie Band looked at me and held up ten fingers. I asked what it meant and he said, ‘Ten picture deal.’ I nearly fell out of my chair. We went upstairs, he drew up a contract and opened a $100 bottle of Dom Perignon champagne and we drank it out of Dixie cups. The next day, the cover of Daily Variety read in big bold letters, ‘CHV 10 PIC PACK DEAL WITH EMPIRE.’ [Cinema Home Video partner] John Schouweiler and I went crazy. I was only 25 years-old!

“Whenever Charles had big picture deals, I would be the slave to the market and make the smaller horror, erotic, high concept T&A movies…whatever was hot. I rarely did an ‘A’ movie for him, but I was constantly working.”

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DeCoteau’s subsequent project for Empire was CREEPOZOIDS, produced as a Beyond Infinity release for $169,000. “We wanted to do our own version of ALIENS,” said DeCoteau. “So we put together a picture called MUTANT SPAWN 2000 and I was developing a picture called CREEPOZOIDS, which was actually a hybrid of GREMLINS and GHOULIES. We just flip flopped the titles, referring to the ALIENS rip-off as CREEPOZOIDS.”

“I first met David when he worked as a caterer on a short film called THE CAYTONSVILLE ELEVEN,” says Linnea Quigley. “I was excited to work with him. There’s no huge ‘I’m a director’ ego. He’s not into himself. He’s a good businessman and he talks about stuff besides movies. He even had vegetarian food for me every day, and warm Sparklett’s water for my lusty shower scene in CREEPOZOIDS.”

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DeCoteau not only directed, but also functioned as the movie’s co producer and co writer. In spite of its diminutive budget, CREEPOZOIDS was theatrically released on a double-bill with SLAVE GIRLS FROM BEYOND INFINITY. The twin bill was released by Urban Classics, the theatrical arm of Empire’s Beyond Infinity video line. CREEPOZOIDS made the transition to video a few months later in January ’88, selling 15,000 tapes for Empire, according to DeCoteau.

DeCoteau’s next film for Empire, THE IMP, was limited to a shooting schedule of two weeks. Budgeted at $190,000, with ten per cent in above the line costs for DeCoteau’s expenses as director and co-producer, locations were selected outside of Los Angeles to conserve funds. “Los Angeles is the most expensive city in the world to make a movie,” said DeCoteau, “because of the permits, location costs, and everything like that. It’s hard to rent a basic middle-class tract house in the Valley for less than a grand a day. You have to go to places like San Marcos two hours south of Los Angeles–and you can get those same locations for $100 or $200. We found all of the cooperation there we really wanted.”

A moral (“be careful what you wish for, you may get it”) is extrapolated from the film’s title character, a mean-spirited genie. Since DeCoteau was not budgeted for elaborate special effects, he settled for a cable operated puppet to play the imp, preferring Grimm’s Fairy Tale simplicity to a “realistic” interpretation. Nevertheless, the movie proved to be so ambitious that the production exceeded its budget; extra expenses came out of DeCoteau’s own pocket.

“If we went over budget, our salaries were on the line,” said DeCoteau of Empire’s modus operandi. “So I walked away from THE IMP with very little money because I ended up spending some of my own salary on pick-up shots and things like that. Charlie (Band) isn’t the type to write you a check if you go over budget; you decide on a budget, you shake his hand, and either bring it in on budget or you don’t work anymore. I didn’t make much on that film, but such is life.”

In the film. Michelle Bauer, acquitted herself not only as a B-movie sex kitten but as a thoroughly credible actress and sterling comedienne. “David has a keen sense for people,” says Bauer. “There’s a side of him which is completely understanding. He’s more relaxed than most directors, and likes to have fun. When he was under pressure, it didn’t seem to affect the cast. He kept it under control. We were having fun as friends. It never seemed like we were working at all.”

Nevertheless, production of SORORITY BABES shot during evenings in a San Diego mall and adjacent bowling alley-was sometimes grueling. “There were personal conflicts among, some of the cast,” recalls Stevens. “The late Robin Rochelle Stille drank way too much on the set, and was always beating the crap out of Linnea in their fight scenes. Poor Linnea was constantly applying muscle rub to her many livid bruises. And she had to deal with the teenage angst of young co-star Andras Jones in the room next door. He even dumped his mattress over the hotel balcony, irrationally screaming, ‘I’m in my sexual prime!’ Andras went on to become a rather famous folk singer.”

Stevens experienced her own trauma, “dealing with another actress who clearly felt threatened by me and spared no punches while shooting our fight scenes. She pushed me down so hard, I dislocated my knee, which I had to pop back into place myself.” DeCoteau recounts, “It wasn’t pretty. She had to take four days off, but was a trouper…did her job without complaint.”

Flying furniture and torn ligaments notwithstanding, the set was infused with a party panache. “It’s the only film I’ve directed where I was continuously drunk,” chuckles DeCoteau, “— many people were! It had an open bar that we put to good use.”

“It’s one of my favorite films,” says Quigley, “because I played a tough girl and kept my clothes on. It’s fun to be mean.”

Charlie’s father, Albert Band, head of production at Empire, startled DeCoteau by insisting that nudity, playfully performed for slapstick scenes, “must” be trimmed from the director’s cut of the movie. DeCoteau, realizing nudity is a commercial exponent of the exploitation formula, appealed to Charles Band. Band inquired about the running time that was assembled for the movie’s rough cut. “I told him we were well under 80 minutes,” said DeCoteau, “When I shoot a picture, rarely does the final footage pass the 80-minute length. So they can’t do much editing because a feature-length film shouldn’t run that short. As a result, Charlie told me to put the nude scenes back in.”

Band retitled the picture SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIMEBALL BOWL-A-RAMA (according to DeCoteau, Band had wanted to make it BITCHIN’ SORORITY BABES … ) and released it theatrically through Urban Classics on a double bill with GALACTIC GIGOLO (originally titled CLUB EARTH), directed by Gorman Bechard.

Like DeCoteau, Bechard was another Band discovery whose independently financed feature PSYCHOS IN LOVE was picked up by Empire for release. Unlike DeCoteau, Bechard had nothing good to say about his stint at Band’s company. “I know what it’s like to be raped, “said Bechard about producing and directing two other features for Empire.

For his next feature, PSYCHOS IN LOVE, a black comedy (a “working woman” addresses the camera with “I guess I thought me being both a manicurist and a psychotic killer would, well, turn a guy off”), Bechard chose to ally himself with Empire.

“They offered me what I thought at the time was a good advance for PSYCHOS IN LOVE,” said Bechard. “I didn’t know better. And they offered me a four-picture deal with it, as an enticement to give them PSYCHOS IN LOVE. When you’re an independent filmmaker, finding the money is the worst thing in the world, and here I was able to do four pictures and pretty much have control. Charlie Band gave me tons of wonderful promises, saying, “Well, you can come up here, assist in the editing …,’ and all these other lines of bullshit. Being basically a fellow who wanted this very badly, I believed everything he said.”

CLUB EARTH, the first of Bechard’s four-picture deal with Empire, was an omen of the discord and mistrust that would sour the relationship. Bechard conceived the movie as a social satire involving an intergalactic tourist. Empire preferred to push CLUB EARTH as GALACTIC GIGOLO, and re-edited Bechard’s original cut into their concept of a more exploitable product.

“When I gave them PSYCHOS IN LOVE, I had it in writing that they wouldn’t change it at all,” said Bechard. “If I had not done that, they probably would have raped that film and it would have never been a film that I’m proud of. I am proud of PSYCHOS IN LOVE. But I think GALACTIC GIGOLO was sodomized by Charlie Band. We filmed it as a non-animated adult cartoon. That was my concept. We used the brightest colors … I mean, every different set looked like a color cartoon frame from the Sunday paper. In [color] timing the film, [Empire] took out all of the colors and left it really flat and ugly. Their editing and pacing is nothing short of pathetic; they left out some wonderfully funny stuff, and they left in all of the shit. Their motto is ‘when in doubt, cut to a pair of tits.’ I found out that CLUB EARTH was retitled GALACTIC GIGOLO through a brochure from Empire’s Urban Classics; they never had the decency to tell me they were changing the name of my movie.”

Bechard’s next film for Empire, a black comedy titled TEENAGE SLASHER SLUTS, was presold by the company in foreign markets as Assault of the Killer Bimbos (1988). “They found the word ‘sluts’ to be offensive,” said Bechard of Empire’s logic behind the title change. “And then they go and propose two other movies with the word ‘sluts’ in the title!” Empire eventually completed Bechard’s movie under the title HACK ‘EM HIGH, turning over the ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS title to DeCoteau.

“That title presold so well, at [1987’s] American Film Market, it actually scored better than the movies in Empire’s bigger budgeted, non-Infinity division,” said DeCoteau. “Gorman Bechard completed the movie and set up a screening for Empire. It turned out to be a disappointment. Let’s just say that Gorman’s movie did not justify all of the enthusiasm. ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS had to be brilliant, or close to it, considering the enormous presales money that was attracted from its title.”

Bechard said he deserves some of the credit for the title’s fabulous presales at the AFM, having instigated an eye-catching spread on the film in People magazine which featured Ruth Collins and Debi Thibeault, the actresses in his version. Bechard laid the blame for Empire’s dissatisfaction with the final film to the manner in which Band ran his company.

Charlie [Band] never read the script,” said Bechard. “I had the script approved by David Ross, who used to be in Empire’s development department, and by Debra Dion, who is now Charlie’s wife. I have a written letter from David Ross which says, ‘Yeh, we like the script. Just make a couple of little changes here and there.’ Basically, we agreed that it was good. Afterwards, I started filming and almost two or three weeks after we wrapped, Charlie calls me up and said he finally read the script. He said he didn’t like it. I don’t know how you run a company and allow someone to use your money to make a film without ever having read the script. That, to me, is not really the way to do business but, again, Empire is not the way to do business. When it became HACK EM HIGH, I said, ‘Wait a minute, there’s no hacking and there’s no high school.’ Of course, they came up with some new scenes that we had to reshoot which were along the lines of the usual Empire quality.”

While Empire fobbed off Bechard’s film as HACK ‘EM HIGH to foreign buyers at Milan’s Mifed Film Market, ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS, scheduled for imminent release and eagerly awaited by distributors, existed as nothing more than a concept. Empire frantically searched for an existing script that would qualify as an adaptation of their most exploitable title.

Charles Band gave up WIZARD VIDEO after he ended his deal with VESTRON. WIZARD was distributed by LIGHTENING which was owned by VESTRON and when he left that deal and went over to NEW WORLD VIDEO which then he only released one movie with them, he started a new label called URBAN CLASSICS which he would handle the physical distribution eternally. He wouldn’t do a label deal and the first released was SLAVEGIRLS and that was doing pretty well and CREEPZOIDS was doing pretty well. And they were doing okay and then they started to make these movies back in Connecticut and they were making them cheaper in Connecticut than they were here in LA. They even had a guy out in New York, Tim Kincaid, who was making movies and those weren’t that bad. But there was a guy in Connecticut named Gorman Bechard who I guess was not only producing, writing, and directing, he was the cameraman and he did lights. And he was making these 35mm movies for only $30,000. Charlie was going wow, I got this great deal. And I was saying, Charlie if you want to give me $30,000 I’ll give you $30,000 but it’s going to look like $30,000. But give me $75,000 – $90,000 and you’ll get better movies. But anyway. Gorman did his first movie and what happened was this major snafu with ASSAULT OF THE KILLER BIMBOS. It was pre-sold with huge amounts of numbers and the URBAN CLASSICS films were presented to foreign buyers as pictures made between $1-2 million. He was showing these films to people overseas after he made them to the movie here and I brought in another director, Anita Rosenberg, who at the time didn’t think she knew what she was doing. But it ended up being the best of the URBAN CLASSICS movies. – Director Dave DeCoteau on the start of URBAN CLASSICS

A serviceable script, described by DeCoteau as a “generic but cute girls-on-the run” adventure, was considered from screenwriter Anita Rosenberg, who had previously written MODERN GIRLS for Atlantic Pictures. DeCoteau postponed his preparation of Beyond Infinity’s SPACE SLUTS IN THE SLAMMER to direct the movie. Rosenberg, however, demanded complete autonomy.

Anita Rosenberg

According to DeCoteau, “Rosenberg told Empire, ‘Sure, I’ll sell you the script for 100 grand.’ I said, ‘What do you mean, 100 grand? We pay five grand per script!’ She said, “I’ll sell it to you for five grand if you let me direct it.’ I said, “What other films have you done?’ She said, ‘Nothing, though I have done a short film.’ Empire looked at her short film, thought it was adequate enough, and agreed to let Rosenberg direct it.” DeCoteau was hired as producer for “double the usual budget and triple his customary salary.

Though he was reimbursed for services rendered on GALACTIC GIGOLO and HACK ‘EM HIGH, Bechard claims he was shortchanged on the proceeds from PSYCHOS IN LOVE. “We were promised wonderful percentages of the gross, not of the net, on the film,” said Bechard. “I made sure they couldn’t pull any accounting tricks. But they did pull a great accounting trick; they just never bothered reporting to us. We were supposed to be getting quarterly statements and checks. We never got anything. My letters to Charlie Band, complaining about this situation, and the shabby treatment of my films, were ignored.”

A forthcoming documentary by Kathy Milani, B-MOVIE, traces the production of HACK ‘EM HIGH from the film’s preproduction phase to Band’s phone call alerting Bechard of Empire’s resistance to his adaptation of “a script that Band, up to that point, had not read.” Bechard promises B-MOVIE will enlighten prospective filmmakers to the hazards of low-budget filmmaking. (Milani is currently seeking completion funds and or grants.)

Meanwhile, Bechard is also exorcising his frustrations with Empire through a manual titled “Assault of the Independent Filmmaker;” as the book’s author, Bechard vowed to “paint a no holds-barred picture of the making of each of my films, from the detailed budgets to the whole filming process, to dealing with not-always reputable distributors and investors. Filmmaking is, unfortunately, the sleaziest business in the world, and it bothers me that I can’t picture myself doing anything else.”

When Empire hit the financial skids last year, some theatrical projects like GHOULIES II and CELLAR DWELLER went straight to home video while others were shelved as incomplete. For a company that in the past boasted production agendas cluttered with a dozen titles pegged as either in production “or” in preparation,” in 1988 Empire launched only one-Dave DeCoteau’s Dr. Alien (1989) (I Was a Teenage Sex Mutant), started on a budget of $400.000. The company folded before production was finished.

But Band opened up shop again late last year, calling his new operation the Bandcompany, like Empire specializing in international sales, with a video line dubbed Phantom Home Video, and a production arm called Full Moon Productions. Band’s first announced project was Edgar Allan Poe’s THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM, to be directed by Stuart Gordon. “He’s back into making pictures,” said DeCoteau. “He won’t be making as many and they won’t be as cheap.”

When Band jumped ship from Empire, his deal to sell the company gave him ownership of a trio of productions, according to DeCoteau. Band used the films, including DeCoteau’s I WAS A TEENAGE SEX MUTANT, THE INTRUDER (formerly NIGHT CREW), and JUNGLE HEAT (formerly PIRANHA WOMEN) to form his new company and subsequently negotiated a contract with Paramount Home Video for their release. I WAS A TEENAGE SEX MUTANT, now retitled DR. ALIEN!, was scheduled to be released in November.

Interview with Dave DeCoteau

Looking back on the beginning of your career, how would you appraise Dreamaniac? Dave DeCoteau: Dreamaniac was an experiment; it was my little film school project, wrapped up in ten days. It was like learning how to do it, and learning how do it quickly, because I only had ten days to learn a career’s worth of information and make a decent movie. It was made on a $60,000 budget.

The ending of Dreamaniac-with the abrupt disclosure of a succubus as a mental patient-seems like a postproduction afterthought. Who was responsible for the cop-out compromise? Dave DeCoteau: Me. I decided to go with kind of a triple-twist ending, just for the hell of it, since the film had nothing else to offer.

Your films have gotten even more exposure on cable TV, what with broadcasts on USA, Pay-Per-View… Dave DeCoteau: But, you know, Creepozoids and Sorority Babes In The Slimeball Bowl A-Rama did better, during their original release, in foreign territories than domestically. We were well received in Britain. Creepozoids was number seven on the Top Ten Selling-Rental charts during the month of its release; The Untouchables was number eight! Sorority Babes, released in the United Kingdom as The Imp, did almost as good business as Creepozoids.

What’s the background of Sorority Babes In The Slimeball Bowl-A-Rama, your most unique movie? Dave DeCoteau: Charlie (Band) wanted, a “little genie” movie to be called The Imp. I came in the next day, and read off five story lines. The fifth one was a joke, never intended to be taken seriously, about a little genie that was squished inside a bowling trophy back in the 50s and unleashed upon some sorority babes and fraternity initiates on Hell Night. Charlie liked that concept more than any of the other ones, and we decided to go with it.

There’s a frantic chase scene, near the conclusion of Sorority Babes, without music on the soundtrack. Was this intentional or an accidental omission? Dave DeCoteau: The music channel of the entire Reel Seven did not make it to the one inch video master. When you do a final mix on a picture, you mix sound on three stripes-the dialogue, the music, and a (sound) effects track. You do the video mastering by taking your film, and your three channels of sound, and putting them onto broadcast-quality one-inch video tape for half-inch duplication. When they transferred the entire show, they accidentally forgot to drop the music channel from Reel Seven; they only transferred two channels, the dialogue and effects. The music’s omission marred the film. Fifteen or twenty-thousand copies of the tape went out without the musical channel on Reel Seven, which is the climax of the film and (originally) had an incredible musical score. I was very upset because Empire, at the time, did not let me quality control the one-inch masters. First-time viewers of Sorority Babes may prefer to hum their own theme.

Tell me where did you come up with the title SORORITY BABES IN THE SLIME BOWL-O-RAMA? Dave DeCoteau: I didn’t come up with the title. It was shot as THE IMP and Charlie Band came up with the title. He had a little I fun to watch. The experience was a lot of fun, Making movies is never really been that much fun. The two best days of making a movie is the day you get the financing and the rap party. And everything between is a pain in the fucking ass. You always have to compromise, you can’t do exactly what you want to do. Because the budgets are so low the schedules are tight and you can’t always get the actors you want and you get the actor, you could only use him for a couple days and you can’t use him for any overtime. The process is real tough. And I think PUPPETMASTER III as being my best film in most people’s eyes but just had a horrendous time making that film.

Which of your pre-Doctor Alien (1989) films is your favorite? Dave DeCoteau: I have to admit I have this bizarre affection for Creepozoids, I don’t know what it is, but when I was making that film I really took it deadly serious and expected it to be a lot better than it was. The reviews have been horrible, but-God!-every time I show it to somebody, they kind of, like, smile. It’s actually a serious attempt, whereas all the other films we’ve been doing seem to be a little campy or silly.

Didn’t Creepozoids get positive reviews in Europe? Dave DeCoteau: Excellent reviews! The United Kingdom is asking for a sequel and they’re ready to cut a check to finance it. Unfortunately, I don’t have the sequel rights to that film, so I probably won’t do it.

You made some of your past films for under $200,000. What was the budget on Doctor Alien? Dave DeCoteau: About $400,000. It’s a home video, a damn good example of direct-to-video product. I love it. It’s a very entertain. ing film for me, and everyone seems to enjoy it. The only problem about not releasing it theatrically is that it is a comedy, and comedies work very well with large audiences. I’m going to screen it for the Science Fiction Academy here, and for a few other people.

Why did you choose a more mainstream celebrity-Judy Landers-for Doctor Alien and Ghost Writer? Dave DeCoteau: When we were casting for the Doctor Alien role of Ms. Xenobia, we wanted to go with a Mary Woronov type. Well, we auditioned hundreds of Mary Woronov, Barbara Steele and Caroline Munroe types, and we realized it just didn’t work the way it was written… it wasn’t funny. So I said, “Let’s bring Judy in for a hoot.” I just wanted to meet the girl. She came in with the scenes memorized and gave us a reading, and we were falling on the floor laughing our heads off. She played it so wonderful, and so funny, that she was perfect for the part.

With the exception of your first film, Dreamaniac, your movies have avoided the “sex begets violence” syndrome. Did you consciously reject this routine premise? Dave DeCoteau: Yeah… women are not victims in my films. A female victim in my films is very, very rare. Women are the aggressors in my movies, they’re the ones who save the day. Look at Linnea Quigley in Sorority Babes: she never showed a nipple and she kicked ass, and she saved the day…

The History of Empire Films Part Five The rise of Empire as a low budget producer with their “Beyond Infinity” video line resembles the start-up of AIP during the drive-in boom of the late '50s, when a definite market existed for a certain product: films for the teenage audience, the wilder and more outrageous the better.

[paulinecrevillers-blog]

LES VOLTIGEUSES

Liberté animale

Dans la cour de l’îlot urbain de notre quartier, virevoltent des oiseaux. Mais lesquels? Des pigeons, des moineaux, des hirondelles. Ha... ça se précise. J’aperçois également des martinets, des hirondelles de fenêtre qui présentent des caractères physiques similaires.

Depuis les bords de Loire, on observe des colverts, des cygnes, des bergeronnettes, des petites mouettes, des hérons, etc. 

Lorsque les jours rallongent, ces derniers ressentent le besoin d’avoir des petits et la saison de reproduction commence ! Impact positif de ce confinement, où les animaux sont tranquilles et dans lesquelles certaines espèces menacées sont présentes ( Cas des Flamands roses en Camargue ) Ainsi, les hirondelles de fenêtre, identifiables par le bleu sur leur tête, leur dos, et son ventre blanc, nichent sous les gouttières des bâtiments et font des allers-retours pour chercher de la nourriture.

Ils sont bien plus nombreux qu’avant, en tout cas plus présents, visibles toute la journée. Le spectacle est beau. Les fenêtres ouvertes de ma chambre me laissent apprécier leurs chants et leurs acrobaties. C’est comme si, depuis le confinement, la nature reprenait ses droits. Les oiseaux sont moins craintifs et profitent de l’espace disponible, du calme. 

C’est alors que Jérôme Sueur, maître de conférences, éco-acousticien au Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN) explique que « Cette baisse de bruit a des conséquences pour les oiseaux qui communiquent avec le son. On lui enlève un facteur perturbant, un facteur de stress. L'oiseau peut chanter moins fort ou moins longtemps, et donc dépenser moins d'énergie.” Ainsi, diminuer voire effacer partiellement l’antropophonie (soit l’ensemble des sons produits par l’homme et son activité) permet d’augmenter la survie “des animaux chanteurs”. “Des effets potentiels qu'il faudra mesurer dans les mois qui suivront la fin du confinement », continue le spécialiste dans son article d’Actu environnement. D'où l'importance de mesurer les effets de ce confinement sur les écosystèmes et la nature de manière globale. 

Par exemple, bénéficier d’une “pause humaine”, permet à de nouvelles espèces aviaires, mais aussi animales et floristiques, de réapparaître. A Blois et à ses alentours, des coquelicots poussent en quantité ! Nous voyons sans cesse des images publiées sur les réseaux, où les fleurs à belle robe rouge poussent dans les rues piétonnes, en centre-ville, sur les trottoirs. 

De plus, outre la biophonie (soit l’ensemble des bruits produits par les êtres vivants), la modification des comportements animaux est surprenante ! Proche de l’école, en haut du Jardin du coteau, tenu par les étudiants, David a vu un chevreuil courir à côté des anciens locaux de la Chocolaterie Poulain ! Le confinement entraîne donc une libération de l'espace et attirent de nouveaux promeneurs. Colin Fontaine, directeur scientifique de Vigie-Nature, dans le même article, parle de “preuve de la grande plasticité de la nature”. Un terme artistique qui n’en laisse pas croire à une modification égale du paysage : plus de spontanéité au sein d’une gestion des espaces très maîtrisée et conduite ? 

 En outre, l’arrêt des survols aériens dispense le ciel d’être tracé dans tous les sens et participe à un relâchement des activités humaines, si nausives pour l’environnement.

Le tourisme

Une autre espèce n’est pas mécontente de ce confinement pour profiter des espaces naturels, environnants leur habitat : les locaux. En effet, des villes comme Aigues-mortes en Occitanie, à 30 km de Montpellier, accueille chaque année 1 million de visiteur pour ses salins et ses remparts. Aujourd’hui, les rues sont vides et les espaces naturels aussi. 

> Depuis la fenêtre 

> Aigues-mortes 

> Confinement de l’Homme : un répit pour une biodiversité exsangue

> Les Flamands roses 

[krisrampersad]

Rampersad: Claim our writers, recognise our heroes

Rampersad: Claim our writers, recognise our heroes

Michelle Loubon

Published: 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

First Lady of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Jean Ramjohn- Richards right, chats with Dr Kris Rampersad as she launched her latest book LiTTribute to the Republic at Knowsley Building, Queen's Park East, yesterday. PHOTO: NICOLE DRAYTON

“We cannot continue to view ourselves through the shattered lenses of the past.” Dr Kris Rampersad, author of LiTTscapes Landscapes of Fiction from Trinidad and Tobago, made this comment at LiTTribute to the Republic. The launch was also twinned with Tea Readings with the First Lady Dr Jean Ramjohn-Richards.  She was joined by her daughter Maxine Richards and daughter-in-law Dr Maryam Abdool-Richards.

Rampersad said: “The creating of the society we want has to begin with us. It is not reinventing the wheel. “It is taking charge and setting for ourselves our own benchmarks of public action and accountability. We are taking this (literature) into all our communities. “We are asking them to claim their writers, recognise their heroes and respect their elders for the repository of knowledge and wisdom that they are...and yes, set up monuments, too, to them so the visitors will come honour them and honour us too, as our ancestors did in their land before coming here, so we do not have to go too far to look for our heroes.” 

On a lighter note, the launch featured readings by Saiesh Rampersad, five, an appraisal by cultural activist Pearl Eintou Springer, Chibale Drumming Ensemble and invocation by Kadie Edwards, Jolie Wong and Josiah Persad Rampersad: Claim our writers, recognise our heroes | The Trinidad Guardian Newspaper

Michael Anthony: Save Mayaro Post Office

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Published: 

Sunday, September 16, 2012

The destruction of McLeod House, Chase Village, Chaguanas, sparked a lot of furore recently. Historian Michael Anthony is now appealing to the relevant authorities to act swiftly to save the landmark Mayaro Post Office which he claims is at the point of collapse in his hometown.

He made this comment at the launch of LiTTscapes (Landscapes of Trinidad and Tobago), at Knowsley House, Queen’s Park Savannah, Port-of-Spain, yesterday. Anthony, who hails from Mayaro, was also a special guest of event host Dr Kris Rampersad, who referred to him as her “muse.” Anthony said: “I felt hurt. They were afraid if they called the Government, there would be opposition.”

Sharing his knowledge of McLeod House, he said: “It was called Friendship House. There were competitions and they had banners proclaiming the amount of sugar that was produced.” “But there is another house at Mayaro that has contributed to the development of Mayaro. It is the Mayaro Post Office. And it is part of the historical culture.

“For 30 years, we have been trying to get the authorities to help. The building is crumbling. We called the Ministry of Health to come and get rid of the corbeaux. But they never came.” Anthony said although it belongs to the Mayaro Historical Society, he is hoping they would get help from the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism and the National Trust to restore and beautify the architectural icon.

 Anthony noted legislation was being worked upon to save these heritage treasures. “When it is enforced the people who live in these houses will have to look after them. I am hoping something would be done too because the house would collapse.” In the aftermath of the McLeod House demolition, Vel Lewis, National Trust and Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Arts and Multiculturalism, says Minister of National Diversity and Social Integration Clifton De Coteau plans to meet with with Attorney General Anand Ramlogan to “follow up on the listing.” Lewis said while “properties of interest” had been identified, there was an urgent need to concretise the formal listing.

Yo Ho Ho Piracy and Heritage: https://goo.gl/TvXOHU

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All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age - Demokrissy Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: T&T politics: A new direction? - Caribbean360 Oct 01, 2010 http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Oct 20, 2013 Choosing the Emperor's New Troops. The dilemma of choice. Voting is supposed to be an exercise in thoughtful, studied choice. Local government is the foundation for good governance so even if one wants to reform the ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Demokrissy - Blogger Apr 07, 2013 Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. So we've had the rounds of consultations on Constitutional Reform? Are we any wiser? Do we have a sense of direction that will drive ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2 Apr 30, 2013 Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2....http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K See Also: Demokrissy: Winds of Political Change - Dawn of T&T's Arab Spring Jul 30, 2013 Wherever these breezes have passed, they have left in their wake wide ranging social and political changes: one the one hand toppling long time leaders with rising decibels from previously suppressed peoples demanding a ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Reform, Conform, Perform or None of the Above cross ... Oct 25, 2013 Some 50 percent did not vote. The local government elections results lends further proof of the discussion began in Clash of Political Cultures: Cultural Diversity and Minority Politics in Trinidad and Tobago in Through The ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Sounds of a party - a political party Oct 14, 2013 They are announcing some political meeting or the other; and begging for my vote, and meh road still aint fix though I hear all parts getting box drains and thing, so I vex. So peeps, you know I am a sceptic so help me decide. http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian Jun 15, 2010 T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian · T&T Constitution the culprit | The Trinidad Guardian. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 8:20 AM · Email ThisBlogThis!Share to TwitterShare to Facebook ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Related: Demokrissy: To vote, just how we party … Towards culturally ... Apr 30, 2010 'How we vote is not how we party.' At 'all inclusive' fetes and other forums, we nod in inebriated wisdom to calypsonian David Rudder's elucidation of the paradoxical political vs. social realities of Trinidad and Tobago. http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: DEADLOCK: Sign of things to come Oct 29, 2013 An indication that unless we devise innovative ways to address representation of our diversity, we will find ourselves in various forms of deadlock at the polls that throw us into a spiral of political tug of war albeit with not just ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: The human face of constitutional reform Oct 16, 2013 Sheilah was clearly and sharply articulating the deficiencies in governmesaw her: a tinymite elderly woman, gracefully wrinkled, deeply over with concerns about political and institutional stagnation but brimming over with ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Trini politics is d best Oct 21, 2013 Ain't Trini politics d BEST! Nobody fighting because they lose. All parties claiming victory, all voting citizens won! That's what make we Carnival d best street party in the world. Everyone are winners because we all like ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age - Demokrissy Jan 09, 2012 New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. New Media, New Civil Society, and Politics in a New Age | The Communication Initiative Network. Posted by Kris Rampersad ...http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: T&T politics: A new direction? - Caribbean360 Oct 01, 2010 http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Others: Demokrissy: Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 ... Apr 07, 2013 Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. So we've had the rounds of consultations on Constitutional Reform? Are we any wiser? Do we have a sense of direction that will drive ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2 Apr 30, 2013 Valuing Carnival The Emperor's New Tools#2.  http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Wave a flag for a party rag...Choosing the Emperor's New ... Oct 20, 2013 Choosing the Emperor's New Troops. The dilemma of choice. Voting is supposed to be an ... Old Casked Rum: The Emperor's New Tools#1 - Towards Constitutional Reform in T&T. Posted by Kris Rampersad at 10:36 AM ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Carnivalising the Constitution People Power ... Feb 26, 2014 This Demokrissy series, The Emperor's New Tools, continues and builds on the analysis of evolution in our governance, begun in the introduction to my book, Through the Political Glass Ceiling (2010): The Clash of Political ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Envisioning outside-the-island-box ... - Demokrissy - Blogger Feb 10, 2014 This Demokrissy series, The Emperor's New Tools, continues and builds on the analysis of evolution in our governance, begun in the introduction to my book, Through the Political Glass Ceiling (2010): The Clash of Political ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Futuring the Post-2015 UNESCO Agenda Apr 22, 2014 It is placing increasing pressure for erasure of barriers of geography, age, ethnicity, gender, cultures and other sectoral interests, and in utilising the tools placed at our disposal to access our accumulate knowledge and technologies towards eroding these superficial barriers. In this context, we believe that the work of UNESCO remains significant and relevant and that UNESCO is indeed the institution best positioned to consolidate the ..... The Emperor's New Tools ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K Demokrissy: Cutting edge journalism Jun 15, 2010 The Emperor's New Tools. Loading... AddThis. Bookmark and Share. Loading... Follow by Email. About Me. My Photo · Kris Rampersad. Media, Cultural and Literary Consultant, Facilitator, Educator and Practitioner. View my ... http://ift.tt/1vYaD4K

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i4C – more interesting Chardonnays from Canada and beyond

Here are some more notes on Chardonnays tasted at the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Symposium (i4C). Many are from Ontario, but there are also wines from other parts of Canada, and a few from other countries, too.

Joie En Famille Reserve Chardonnay 2015 Okanagan Valley, Canada Ripe, sweetly fruited and nicely textured with pear and ripe apple, and nice sweet fruit. Lively with some nice spiciness. 90/100

Malivoire Moire Chardonnay 2014 Beamsville Bench, Niagara, Canada  Sweet, supple and textured with lush pear fruit and some apple notes. Nice weight and richness here with a smooth, fine-grained texture and a soft mid-palate. 89/100

Hidden Bench Felseck Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 Beamsville Bench, Niagara, Canada This block was planted in 1992, and 2014 saw low yields. It’s planted in an east/west direction which seems to retain more acidity. Fruity, fresh and textural with subtle spice, grapefruit and pear notes. Nice weight. 92/100

Ravine Vineyard Chardonnay 2015 Niagara Peninsula, Canada Ripe, smooth, textured and quite soft with nice weight of fruit. Has peach and pear notes with a sweetness to the finish. Expressive and broad. 90/100

Westcott Vineyards Estate Chardonnay 2016 Vinemount Ridge, Niagara, Canada Fresh and detailed, this is quite delicious with some bright tangerine and pear notes alongside some richer white peach characters. Fresh with a fine spiciness on the finish. Very attractive, showing nice focus. 91/100

Southbrook Poetica Chardonnay 2013 Four Mile Creek, Niagara, Canada Very sweet and lively with peach and pear fruit and some sweet baked apple notes, as well as a lively spiciness. Very attractive with richness but also balance. Hints of honey and pineapple. Very bold in style. 90/100

Coteau Rougemont Chardonnay La Côte 2015 Quebec, Canada This is exceptional considering that it comes from Quebec, which is properly marginal for winegrowing. It’s from soils that consist mostly of pebbles of various sizes, which heat up fast and then protect from spring frosts, while encouraging ripening in this brief growing season. Very fresh with nice per, white peach fruit and real finesse. Balanced and with fine acidity, showing lovely weight. Ripe yet balanced.

91/100Adamo Oaked Chardonnay Willms Vineyard 2014 Niagara on the Lake, Canada Fresh and herby with some appley, lemony fruit. A crisp style with good acidity and fresh, green-tinged notes. Lovely freshness. Intriguing style. 90/100

13th Street Chardonnay June’s Vineyard 2015 Creek Shores, Niagara, Canada 100% stainless steel ferment. Lovely fruit focus to this wine, with some tangerine and pear. Bright with a fresh stony finish. Very clean and pure. 90/100

Vasse Felix Heytesbury Chardonnay 2015 Margaret River, Australia Really fresh an intense with bright grapefruit, lemon and herb notes. Keen, nervy acidity and a hint of greenness. Intense and incredibly fresh, but a little unripe? Has great acidity. 90/100

Marcel Cabelier Cremant de Jura Brut 2014 France Organic. Fresh and pithy with vivid citrus notes, and a hint of sweetness on the finish. Juicy and lively. Clean with good focus. 89/100

Tawse Robyn’s Block Chardonnay 2013 Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara, Canada Lovely focus to this wine which shows intense citrus fruit with some grapefruit pith and subtle herby notes, backed up by good acidity. Pear and apple richness on the mid-palate. Very stylish. 92/100

Ravine Reserve Chardonnay 2014 St David’s Bench, Niagara, Canada Concentrated and intense with bold, rich peach and pear fruit. Spicy and intense with lovely weight to it. A rich, taut, compact pithy, intense wine with good concentration. Needs a bit of time. 91/100

Trail Estates Chardonnay 2015 Niagara, Canada This is 40% from Foxcroft vineyard. Oxidative juice handling and wild ferment. Nice weight of pear and peach fruit with some citrus brightess. Lovely flavour and depth with a subtle waxy edge. 91/100

De Loach Stubbs Vineyard Chardonnay 2014 Petaluma Gap, Marin County, Sonoma, California There’s a freshness to this wine. It’s supple and fine grained with pear and citrus fruit, showing good balance. Refined and fruit-driven with good acidity. 93/100

Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catherine Blanc de Blancs Carte Blanche 2012 Short Hills Bench, Niagara, Canada Henry of Pelham make really good fizz, and this is lively, fresh and clean with crisp citrus fruit and a bit of pear richness. Crisp and focused. 90/100

Queylus Reserve Chardonnay 2015 Niagara, Canada This is a barrel selection, and spends 18 months in oak. Lovely stuff with nice fine texture and compact pear and white peach fruit. Balanced with weight and purity. 93/100

    from jamie goode's wine blog http://www.wineanorak.com:/wineblog/canada/i4c-more-interesting-chardonnays-from-canada-and-beyond For Fine Wine Investment opportunities check out Twelve by Seventy Five: http://www.twelve-by-seventy-five.com/

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