#patron saint of central nj

[bleedingcoffee42]

[citizenscreen]

Two days ago, I stood underneath a street marker in Fort Lee, New Jersey alongside members of the Fort Lee Film Commission (FLFC). The marker reads “John Barrymore Way” and it sits on the corner of Main Street and Central Road. We were there to honor the great Barrymore, who was born on February 15, 1882, and we stood on the very spot where he made his stage debut in 1900 at the age of 18. That debut performance was to raise funds for the Fort Lee Company #2 Fire House where Barrymore’s father, Maurice volunteered. Maurice, was a famed Broadway star and a resident of Fort Lee.

At the wreath-laying on John Barrymore Way. Photo courtesy of the BFC, photographer Donna Brennan

Fort Lee, NJ takes its history very seriously and as such, it has been on a quest to ensure that its important role in the motion picture industry is recognized and remembered. Now, however, Fort Lee is planning much more than mere remembrances as a structure rises and the culmination of many dreams come to life on a corner one black away from John Barrymore Way.

After the wreath was laid under the sign honoring Barrymore’s 138th birthday, we headed toward a standing-room-only membership reception for the Barrymore Film Center (BFC) set to open in October of this year. Already nearly completed on a prominent corner of Fort Lee’s Main Street, the Barrymore Film Center which will consist of a 250-seat movie theater and film museum where film pioneers like Alice Guy-Blaché, Oscar Micheaux, Theda Bara, D. W. Griffith, Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand, and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle will be honored for paving the way for Hollywood. We should also expect studios like Universal and Fox to play prominent roles at the BFC since they stood not far from where the new building will open.

I should mention that writing luminaries Anita Loos and Frances Marion also worked in Fort Lee productions early on in their careers. The possibility of honor these pioneering writers is exciting. In addition, there are numerous early film productions that boast Fort Lee as their home base. These include the first gangster film and the first American slapstick comedy, both directed by D. W. Griffith. Any knowledge of the latter’s history is new-to-me. The Curtain Pole, which stars Mack Sennett was one of the films shot exactly where the entrance to the Barrymore Film Center is. In addition to the planned museum, which will honor film history in its entirety, the BFC will host film festivals, educational programs, retrospectives, and showcases for emerging filmmakers. All in my own backyard.

All of that is beyond exciting, but it’s The Barrymores that hold a special place in the hearts of Fort Lee residents and the reason behind the Film Center’s name. John Barrymore has been referred to by important BFC players as “Our patron Saint!” which makes me smile to think of Mr. Barrymore contemplating that title. On hand to celebrate Barrymore and the BFC on Saturday were Chair Nelson Page, Executive Director Tom Meyers, Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich, several Councilpersons, local news personalities, excited Fort Lee residents, and filmmaker Marc J. Perez who presented clips of his upcoming documentary on the Barrymores to be released in conjunction with the opening of the BFC in October. Perez also directed The Champion: A Story of America’s First Film Town, a 2014 must-see documentary about Fort Lee’s glory days as a film town. The new Barrymore documentary promises to be as compelling.

John Barrymore and Fort Lee film history spotlighted at the reception

BFC Chair Nelson Page and Executive Director Tom Meyers during the presentation. Photo courtesy of the BFC, photographer Donna Brennan

The event’s own Jack Barrymore, Peter Kingsley

The crowd watched clips of Mark Perez’s upcoming Barrymore documentary. Photo courtesy of the BFC, photographer Donna Brennan

Adding gravitas to the reception on Saturday was Peter Kingsley of The Lambs. Mr. Kingsley resembles John Barrymore and will play him in a production of “Barrymore” next year also presented by the folks at the BFC. The entire evening was magic. I was both surprised and delighted by the energy in that reception hall and hope I can play a part in helping promote the Barrymore Film Center through its opening and beyond. Perhaps the tables will turn a bit for some of my West Coast friends who have taken the time to show me Hollywood and its surroundings each year. Soon I can play tour guide as I think the BFC will return Fort Lee and the surrounding area to its film history prominence.

A John Barrymore quote played a role on Saturday and throughout the BFC project since its inception, “A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” Barrymore himself may have had a few regrets, as we all do, but there are no regrets in Fort Lee who takes pride in the famous profile of the man who is making dreams come true.

Fort Lee, Close to Making a Barrymore Dream a Reality Two days ago, I stood underneath a street marker in Fort Lee, New Jersey alongside members of the…

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Ghost” by Badflower

Badflower is probably a new band to many, though the Los Angeles-based quartet has spent several years cutting their teeth, preparing for the noteworthy tours they have since been a part of, where they made certain that they were a supporting band that patrons would want to check out. The heavy touring schedule they’ve kept (which has included some appearances at major festivals) has been instrumental in them getting to where they’re at now, where they’re poised to be one of the next biggest things in the modern rock era. That’s sure what their latest single, “Ghost” (out via Big Machine Records / John Varvatos Records), leads one to believe as Badflower continues to build anticipation for their forthcoming debut LP. “Ghost” has become a smashing success on some of the rock charts, probably becoming one of the most played songs currently on radio, and for good reason. However, where a lot of songs in this modern era achieve that because they’re catchy and have a good vibe, Badflower went a different route in scoring this hit: they made something with substance.

“Ghost” is a testament to the fact that bands can still write something meaningful, something with passion and heart and find an audience for it. There are multiple ways to interpret “Ghost”, all depending on the listeners’ perspective. Some may consider it outright morbid and depressing, while it may offer some sort of hope to others thanks to the artfully way it deals with the sensitive topic of depression and self-harm that can result from some cases. Whichever way you choose to view it, there’s no arguing that it’s an incredibly visceral song that delves into the complex emotions people in those circumstances are experiencing, neither condemning nor glorifying their choices, all while trying to offer some sort of insight for those struggling as well as those close to them. The story depicted by the lyrics begins innocently enough, introducing the listener to a person making a cry for help, cutting themselves, but being measured with their actions. The final lines from the first verse then set the tone, “…And all I really wanted was someone to give a little fuck. But I waited there forever and nobody even looked up,” Josh Katz mournfully croons, depicting a person who feels ignored an unimportant, and therefore doesn’t believe there’s much reason to keep going. Katz and fellow band mates Joey Morrow (lead guitar), Alex Espiritu (bass) and Anthony Sonetti (drums) cover a lot of ground in the slightly less than four and a half minutes that “Ghost” runs, the severity of the situation becoming more apparent, the character in the song acknowledging their thoughts aren’t normal and expressing their fears, though it’s countered by steadily feeling as if existing is too much of a burden to bear, as the line, “…this life is overwhelming and I'm ready for the next one,” makes so painfully clear. It’s a story that’s real and raw, and bound to strike a chord with quite a few, but as bleak as it often sounds, there are little things peppered in meant to make anyone who may need to hear it second guess their potential actions. The vivid bridge is the best example of that, especially how it ends, “…The cutting part was easy but regretting it is so fucked.” Whether it’s the idea of suicide or actually following through with it, that’s a tricky subject matter for any band to try to tackle, yet Badflower has done it masterfully. With “Ghost” they’ve created a song that does it’s best to capture how some people may feel, like as if they don’t matter and have no direct impact on anyone’s lives, especially when an attempt at getting a helping hand goes unnoticed. It also tries to offer a different perspective, though, such as the thoughts that occur once there’s no going back and how it may not actually be as freeing as how some might imagine it will be. As well as it’s written in regards to the story it tells, the emotive layers of “Ghost” are only bolstered by the music bed. It’s a prime example of how music and lyrics are meant to interact with one another, striking up a sort of harmony in order to convey the full depth of emotions that any quality song should have. In this case it’s the more tranquil, at times even barren first verse that is reflective of the isolation and depression, the gentle riffs and atmospheric percussion enhancing that mood. The first chorus sees a dramatic rise in emotions, the guitars, bass and drums unleashing a sudden onslaught that sounds blistering before slipping back into some feeling of being disconnected. There’s something marvelous about the way it’s so restrained, roars to life and then tapers back off. It so accurately captures the internal struggle that is transpiring, growing more painful and even chaotic during the interlude as everything comes to a head. The near a cappella delivery of the first segment of the bridge is absolutely phenomenal, Katz sounding desperate, broken and at the end of his rope, the track ultimately unleashing the full potential it has been hinting at by becoming a beast of a song in its final moments. “Ghost” is everything a truly amazing song should be, the members of Badflower having essentially caught lightning in a bottle with this one. It carries a powerful message and is executed so meticulously in order for said message to fully resonate with people. Katz, Morrow, Espiritu, and Sonetti didn’t hold anything back when it came to penning this one and it shows, the heart and soul being evident throughout this palpable piece that is alt rock at its finest. It’s of such a high caliber that it’s one of those songs a band could spend a whole career trying to write and still not succeed at it. The kind of song that, in a way, is timeless and will be crucial to the legacy that Badflower is sure to have. It also sets a high standard for their upcoming full-length record. “Ghost” will be central to it, no doubt, but will the other songs they’ve written be on par with this one? Hopefully so; and if they are, it will ensure Badflower ranks as one of the most elite of the next group of future rock stars. Purchase “Ghost” on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit Badflower’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Youtube Current Shows: 2018 September 13--Saint Paul, MN--Amsterdmam Bar 15--Chicago, IL--Riot Fest @ Douglas Park Mini Golf 16--Spartanburg, SC--Ground Zero 17--Huntsville, AL--SideTracks Music Hall 19--Tampa, FL--The Orpheum 20--Destin, FL--Club LA 22--Las Vegas, NV--iheart Radio Festival Day Time Stage @ Las Vegas Festival Grounds 25--Columbia, MO--The Blue Note 27--Ringle, WI--Q and Z Expo Center 28--Louisville, KY--Louder Than Life 30--Fort Wayne, IN--Pierre's Entertainment Center October 2--Joliet, IL--The Forge 3--Belvidere, IL--The Apollo Theatre Ac 4--Detroit, MI--Saint Andrew's Hall 5--Cleveland, OH--House of Blues Cleveland 6--Camden, NJ--Rock Allegiance @ BB&T Pavilion 9--Watertown, NY--Exhibition Hall 10--Rochester, NY--Montage Music Hall 11--Sturgis, MI--Nikki's 12--Madison, WI--High Noon Saloon 25--Grand Prairie, TX--Freaker's Ball @ Grand Prairie Theatre 26--Amarillo, TX--XR Downtown 27--The Woodlands, TX--The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion 29--Little Rock, AR--iHeartMedia Metroplex 30--Oklahoma City, OK--Diamond Ballroom 31--Lubbock, TX--Jake’s Backroom November 6--Tucson, AZ--The Rock 7--San Diego, CA--Voodoo Room 10--Portland, OR--Paris Theatre 11--Seattle, WA—Corazon 13--Salt Lake City, UT--In The Venue 14--Denver, CO--Marquis Theater 15--Omaha, NE--The Waiting Room Lounge 16--Lawrence, KS—BOTTLENECK 17--St. Louis, MO--Delmar Hall 21--Grand Rapids, MI--The Pyramid Scheme 23--Buffalo, NY--Rec Room 24--Columbus, OH—Skullys 26--Cambridge, MA--The Sinclair 29--New York, NY--Gramercy Theatre 30--Baltimore, MD--Baltimore Soundstage December 1--Asbury Park, NJ--Asbury Lanes 3--Nashville, TN--The High Watt 4--Atlanta, GA—Purgatory 6--Tulsa, OK--The Vanguard 9--Austin, TX--Stubbs JR

[bleedingcoffee42]

[citizenscreen]

Two days ago, I stood underneath a street marker in Fort Lee, New Jersey alongside members of the Fort Lee Film Commission (FLFC). The marker reads “John Barrymore Way” and it sits on the corner of Main Street and Central Road. We were there to honor the great Barrymore, who was born on February 15, 1882, and we stood on the very spot where he made his stage debut at the age of 18 in 1900. That debut performance was to raise funds for the Fort Lee Company #2 Fire House where his father, Maurice Barrymore, volunteered. Maurice, was a famed Broadway star and a resident of Fort Lee.

John Barrymore Way looking up Main Street in Fort Lee, NJ

Goodnight, sweet prince

Fort Lee, NJ takes its history very seriously and as such, it is on a quest to ensure that its important role in the motion picture industry is recognized and remembered. The yearly John Barrymore birthday celebration is just one of the many ways the FLFC celebrates its movie heritage. There are also commemorative events to honor pioneer director, Alice Guy-Blaché, actors Pearl White, Theda Bara and others in addition to tours, free movie screenings and more. The Barrymores, however, hold a special place in the hearts of Fort Lee residents, which is why the biggest project planned to date, is dedicated to them.

The Barrymore Film Center, which will consist of a 250-seat movie theater and film museum, is scheduled to open in fall 2019. The site of the theater, one block from John Barrymore Way, is rich in film history with such luminaries as D. W. Griffith, Mack Sennett, Mabel Normand, and Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle having shot many scenes for their early films there. (FLFC)

After the wreath was laid under the sign on John Barrymore Way, I headed toward a special screening of The Champion: A Story of America’s First Film Town, a documentary about Fort Lee’s glory days as a film town. Milestone Films released the DVD of The Champion in October, but this screening was the official Fort Lee premiere of the film and many, including Fort Lee Mayor, Mark Sokolich and Amy Heller and Dennis Doros of Milestone Films attended. The evening was as much to honor those who’ve helped keep the legacy alive as it was to celebrate the film and the man whose image took its rightful place at the front of the house. More on that in a moment.

The Champion: A Story of America’s First Film Town is directed by Marc J. Perez and based on a book by Richard Koszarski. Too few are familiar with the story told in this documentary, which is why you should get the DVD. Champion Studio was the oldest movie studio in the U.S. (built in 1910), the first of more than a dozen studios – like Alice Guy-Blaché‘s Solax, William Fox, Metro and Goldwyn – that operated in Fort Lee. Champion was also the first home to Universal Studio as of 1912. Despite the efforts of the FLFC, the historic Champion building was torn down in December 20, 2013. Its fascinating story lives on in The Champion, however from its beginning in 1910 to its last days as a working studio when pioneering African-American filmmaker, Oscar Micheaux helmed the last known movie to be shot on Champion grounds in 1920. Much of the documentary is shot inside the actual Champion building and spotlights many familiar film names people do not associate with Fort Lee, NJ. This is an important story told in about 35 minutes. If you are not familiar with this part of film history then you simply do not know the whole story.

The screening, which was held at the beautiful iPic Theaters, also included two silent short subjects filmed in Fort Lee and the 1935 documentary, Ghost Town: The Story of Fort Lee, which paints a grim picture of Fort Lee in the mid-1930s. These are all included in the two-disc DVD set in addition to three other shorts and the earliest surviving film version of Robin Hood (91912) from Fort Lee’s Éclair Studios.

  When the lights came on in the theater two days ago I immediately looked over to where the John Barrymore image sat on an easel in the front of the house. He’d been contemplating the room as we watched images flow past on the screen. I remembered when Tom Meyers, a friend and the Executive Director of the FLFC, referred to Barrymore as “Our patron Saint!” The statement made me smile at the time, but I put no stock in it. After all, how many times do you think John Barrymore has been referred to as a saint of any kind? But I’ll be damned if he wasn’t in that theater on Tuesday night marveling at the impact he’s had on an entire town. Ever the ham John Barrymore was no doubt getting a kick out of knowing that he is central to the past and the future of Fort Lee, NJ, both of which are shrouded in movies.

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John Barrymore (February 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942)

  Fort Lee Honors John Barrymore and the Premiere of THE CHAMPION Two days ago, I stood underneath a street marker in Fort Lee, New Jersey alongside members of the…