Big Boi put a new twist on his collaboration with Kid Cudi, "She Hates Me," remixing the track with Stevie Wonder's "Part Time Lover." The Outkast alum mashed up his verses with Wonder's 1980s hit, giving the 2012 track new life. Big Boi is currently gearing up for summer tour dates with his Outkast partner Andre 3000. The pair is reuniting for their first live shows in years, hitting major music festivals including Coachella and Governors Ball. Listen to Big Boi's "Part Time Hater" below.
Big Boi's 'Part Time Hater' Enlists Stevie Wonder, Kid Cudi
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Inside Maya Pedal, Guatemala
"The Other Hundred" is a unique photo book project aimed as a counterpoint to the Forbes 100 and other media rich lists by telling the stories of people around the world who are not rich but whose lives, struggles and achievements deserve to be celebrated. Its 100 photo stories move beyond the stereotypes and clichés that fill so much of the world's media to explore the lives of people whose aspirations and achievements are at least as noteworthy as any member of the world's richest 1 percent.
This project has a special meaning for me because for as long as I can remember, lists of the rich and famous have had a perverse hold on me. Populated with figures unlike anyone I had ever met with lifestyles the opposite of what I had always been taught was the right way to behave, they clearly could not be held up as models for emulation. And yet, with their wealth, power and influence, weren't they also meant to be models of success -- figures we should be looking up to? Clearly there was confusion here -- possibly even a contradiction. My conclusion was that rich lists were built around a lie. The reality is we can't all be rich. Most people on this planet can't even aspire to having even the tiniest fraction of wealth; 8 out of 10 live on U.S. $10 or less a day.
This is not something to celebrate, but nor should it have us despairing. Rather, it should tell us that if we want to look for success, then we should look elsewhere than those celebrations of excess epitomized by the Forbes' billionaires list and its many imitators. From this insight emerged the idea of "The Other Hundred": to turn the notion of a rich list on its head and celebrate instead not just those at the other end of society, but also the myriad ways in which people around the world use multiple means to gauge their own success and satisfaction -- some material, others not. Developing this idea took a while. I knew I didn't want to celebrate poverty. Being poor is a bad thing; everyone should have enough to satisfy his or her fundamental needs. But nor do people wake up with the dream of becoming millionaires; rather, people set about realizing more concrete, local tasks with the ideas and materials at hand.
One year later the end result of this musing was "The Other Hundred" (www.theotherhundred.com), the first book in what I now know will be a series -- a collection of 100 photo stories from 91 countries across six continents and selected from more than 12,000 images from 156 countries.
Many other ideas, themes and questions came up in the making of this book, and I hope it takes readers on a journey that helps them understand the world a little bit better. But the main goal remains to show the incredible variety of human life that exists in the world and which we almost never hear about. I would like to think that we succeeded.
We are currently working on the second edition of "The Other Hundred" for a December 2014 publication, focusing on the entrepreneurs left out of the mainstream media. These are the millions of people around the world who have ventured out and done things their own way without ever graduating with an Ivy League MBA, hiring an investment bank, planning an IPO or dreaming of fame and fortune.
Below is a series of photos capturing the story of one of these otherwise overlooked "Other Hundred."
San Andres, Guatemala
Photographer: Anna Kortschak
Carlos Enrique Marroquin runs Maya Pedal, a non-profit organization that turns unwanted bicycles into pedal-powered machines. Set up in 1997 in the small southern Guatemalan town of San Andrés Itzapa, Maya Pedal’s products include blenders for making fruit drinks or grinders for processing corn. Some are used in small businesses, others to make daily life less arduous.
One local women’s group uses a Maya Pedal machine to make aloe vera shampoo. Sales of the shampoo, as well as providing income for the women in the group, have also helped buy saplings for a local reforestation project. Another group uses a pedal-powered pump to raise drinking water in a 30-foot well.
Staffed by volunteers, Maya Pedal also puts together fully working bicycles from donated parts, selling them to local people at affordable prices. With its tools and machines, the workshop is also an important resource for local needs –- from sharpening a machete to mending a football.
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This project has a special meaning for me because for as long as I can remember, lists of the rich and famous have had a perverse hold on me. Populated with figures unlike anyone I had ever met with lifestyles the opposite of what I had always been taught was the right way to behave, they clearly could not be held up as models for emulation. And yet, with their wealth, power and influence, weren't they also meant to be models of success -- figures we should be looking up to? Clearly there was confusion here -- possibly even a contradiction. My conclusion was that rich lists were built around a lie. The reality is we can't all be rich. Most people on this planet can't even aspire to having even the tiniest fraction of wealth; 8 out of 10 live on U.S. $10 or less a day.
This is not something to celebrate, but nor should it have us despairing. Rather, it should tell us that if we want to look for success, then we should look elsewhere than those celebrations of excess epitomized by the Forbes' billionaires list and its many imitators. From this insight emerged the idea of "The Other Hundred": to turn the notion of a rich list on its head and celebrate instead not just those at the other end of society, but also the myriad ways in which people around the world use multiple means to gauge their own success and satisfaction -- some material, others not. Developing this idea took a while. I knew I didn't want to celebrate poverty. Being poor is a bad thing; everyone should have enough to satisfy his or her fundamental needs. But nor do people wake up with the dream of becoming millionaires; rather, people set about realizing more concrete, local tasks with the ideas and materials at hand.
One year later the end result of this musing was "The Other Hundred" (www.theotherhundred.com), the first book in what I now know will be a series -- a collection of 100 photo stories from 91 countries across six continents and selected from more than 12,000 images from 156 countries.
Many other ideas, themes and questions came up in the making of this book, and I hope it takes readers on a journey that helps them understand the world a little bit better. But the main goal remains to show the incredible variety of human life that exists in the world and which we almost never hear about. I would like to think that we succeeded.
We are currently working on the second edition of "The Other Hundred" for a December 2014 publication, focusing on the entrepreneurs left out of the mainstream media. These are the millions of people around the world who have ventured out and done things their own way without ever graduating with an Ivy League MBA, hiring an investment bank, planning an IPO or dreaming of fame and fortune.
Below is a series of photos capturing the story of one of these otherwise overlooked "Other Hundred."
San Andres, Guatemala
Photographer: Anna Kortschak
Carlos Enrique Marroquin runs Maya Pedal, a non-profit organization that turns unwanted bicycles into pedal-powered machines. Set up in 1997 in the small southern Guatemalan town of San Andrés Itzapa, Maya Pedal’s products include blenders for making fruit drinks or grinders for processing corn. Some are used in small businesses, others to make daily life less arduous.
One local women’s group uses a Maya Pedal machine to make aloe vera shampoo. Sales of the shampoo, as well as providing income for the women in the group, have also helped buy saplings for a local reforestation project. Another group uses a pedal-powered pump to raise drinking water in a 30-foot well.
Staffed by volunteers, Maya Pedal also puts together fully working bicycles from donated parts, selling them to local people at affordable prices. With its tools and machines, the workshop is also an important resource for local needs –- from sharpening a machete to mending a football.
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Sofia Coppola Will Direct A 'Little Mermaid' Adaptation, But Don't Expect The Disney Approach
Imagine Sofia Coppola's quiet, arty aesthetic in a rollicking fantasy land set under the sea. It's about to happen, as the director of "Lost in Translation" and "The Bling Ring" is in negotiations to lead a live-action update of "The Little Mermaid," Deadline.com reports.
This version isn't a Disney special, however, meaning the songs that have come to define "The Little Mermaid" probably won't be featured. Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's much darker 1837 fairy tale, the Universal Pictures/Working Title production is based on a script by Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands," "The Secret Garden") that saw original drafts by Kelly Marcel ("Saving Mr. Banks," "Fifty Shades of Grey") and Abi Morgan ("The Iron Lady," "Shame"). Coppola is stepping in for Joe Wright ("Pride & Prejudice," Atonement"), who was previously eyeing the director's chair. (Wright, meanwhile, is set to direct an update of "Peter Pan.")
There's no release date or casting notices as of yet, but Deadline.com indicates the plan for "Mermaid" is to "move quickly." Either way, don't expect any "Kiss the Girl" sing-alongs here.
This version isn't a Disney special, however, meaning the songs that have come to define "The Little Mermaid" probably won't be featured. Adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's much darker 1837 fairy tale, the Universal Pictures/Working Title production is based on a script by Caroline Thompson ("Edward Scissorhands," "The Secret Garden") that saw original drafts by Kelly Marcel ("Saving Mr. Banks," "Fifty Shades of Grey") and Abi Morgan ("The Iron Lady," "Shame"). Coppola is stepping in for Joe Wright ("Pride & Prejudice," Atonement"), who was previously eyeing the director's chair. (Wright, meanwhile, is set to direct an update of "Peter Pan.")
There's no release date or casting notices as of yet, but Deadline.com indicates the plan for "Mermaid" is to "move quickly." Either way, don't expect any "Kiss the Girl" sing-alongs here.
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'Divergent' Author Veronica Roth On The Upcoming Film Adaptation
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — "Divergent," the latest young adult novel poised to become a blockbuster movie, meets all the criteria for the YA genre: The movie is adapted from a best-seller; the story is rooted in sci-fi; and the cast consists of hot, young stars-to-be. But unlike the "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games" series, this one was actually written by someone under 30.
In 2011, writer Veronica Roth was just 22 years old when her book hit shelves. Based on a future dystopian society where people are segregated by their values, her debut landed on the New York Times children's best-seller list, where it remained for 11 weeks. She followed it up with the sequel "Insurgent" and completed her trilogy with "Allegiant." Her books have sold over 11 million copies. Summit Entertainment, the same studio behind the "Twilight" franchise, acquired the film rights before the first copy of "Divergent" was sold. "It's been surreal," Roth said during a recent interview. "When I found out Summit wanted to make a movie, I was like, 'They want to do what?' I was really nervous, but I was relieved when it started doing well. That they were interested was really encouraging."
Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet, the film opens Friday.
During an interview with The Associated Press, Roth talked about letting the studio take her book and run with it, the inevitable comparisons with "The Hunger Games" and how she's grown as a writer:
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AP: The first time you saw the film adaptation of "Divergent," did it look the way you'd envisioned it?
Roth: Not until I saw the shot of the Sears Tower (now Chicago's Willis Tower) and the characters going into the choosing ceremony did I really go, 'Oh that's really it.' I got really emotional. And I was happy because I didn't want any sleek or super polished future and it does look kind of destroyed. You can't micromanage the movie adaptation of your book. First of all, they won't let you. Second of all, I didn't want to.
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AP: Your stories have been compared to writer Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" series. Both focus on heroines in dystopian societies. Feel any pressure to match the box-office numbers of those adaptations?
Roth: I think it's a double-edged sword. I try not to think about it, but I don't succeed most of the time. "The Hunger Games" did something remarkable. So in that sense, it's a flattering comparison. But you can't hope to replicate that experience. It was unique.
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AP: What are your thoughts on the casting choices of Shailene Woodley as the character Tris and Theo James as Four?
Roth: (Shailene and Theo) transported me right away. They had great chemistry. That is what I was most concerned about because that has to carry the story.
____
AP: What was the inspiration for the story?
Roth: My freshman year of college I learned about exposure therapy, which is a method of treating anxiety and phobia. Someone is repeatedly exposed to the thing that makes them afraid, so they become habituated to it. I wanted to use it in a sci-fi context.
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AP: Writer Stephenie Meyer was 31 when her first book from the "Twilight" collection came out. Suzanne Collins was 46 when the first novel from her "The Hunger Games" trilogy released. How does it feel to be a young adult generating young adult material?
Roth: I feel acutely aware of how young I am. In a way that is good. It's productive. It makes me realize that I should be growing as a writer and a person.
____
AP: How have you grown as a writer?
Roth: I take things that I am putting on the page more seriously now. In the subsequent books I thought more about violence and young people. It's very serious. That doesn't mean I'm limiting the content. I just handle it different. In terms of writing skill, I think more detail and less repetition.
____
AP: Does the pressure to produce a good follow-up weigh on you?
Roth: It depends on the day. The only time I'm able to write is when I can let that go. It's been helpful to have a series finished and think that whatever I do next just gets to exist between me and my screen for as long as I want it to. It's a way of coaching myself into relaxing.
____
AP: Have you finished your next book?
Roth: I wrote a collection of short stories that's coming out in July. (The collection is told from Four's perspective.) It's kind of a prequel to "Divergent." I'm just finishing them now.
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Follow AP Film Writer Jessica Herndon on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/SomeKind
In 2011, writer Veronica Roth was just 22 years old when her book hit shelves. Based on a future dystopian society where people are segregated by their values, her debut landed on the New York Times children's best-seller list, where it remained for 11 weeks. She followed it up with the sequel "Insurgent" and completed her trilogy with "Allegiant." Her books have sold over 11 million copies. Summit Entertainment, the same studio behind the "Twilight" franchise, acquired the film rights before the first copy of "Divergent" was sold. "It's been surreal," Roth said during a recent interview. "When I found out Summit wanted to make a movie, I was like, 'They want to do what?' I was really nervous, but I was relieved when it started doing well. That they were interested was really encouraging."
Starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James and Kate Winslet, the film opens Friday.
During an interview with The Associated Press, Roth talked about letting the studio take her book and run with it, the inevitable comparisons with "The Hunger Games" and how she's grown as a writer:
____
AP: The first time you saw the film adaptation of "Divergent," did it look the way you'd envisioned it?
Roth: Not until I saw the shot of the Sears Tower (now Chicago's Willis Tower) and the characters going into the choosing ceremony did I really go, 'Oh that's really it.' I got really emotional. And I was happy because I didn't want any sleek or super polished future and it does look kind of destroyed. You can't micromanage the movie adaptation of your book. First of all, they won't let you. Second of all, I didn't want to.
____
AP: Your stories have been compared to writer Suzanne Collins' "The Hunger Games" series. Both focus on heroines in dystopian societies. Feel any pressure to match the box-office numbers of those adaptations?
Roth: I think it's a double-edged sword. I try not to think about it, but I don't succeed most of the time. "The Hunger Games" did something remarkable. So in that sense, it's a flattering comparison. But you can't hope to replicate that experience. It was unique.
____
AP: What are your thoughts on the casting choices of Shailene Woodley as the character Tris and Theo James as Four?
Roth: (Shailene and Theo) transported me right away. They had great chemistry. That is what I was most concerned about because that has to carry the story.
____
AP: What was the inspiration for the story?
Roth: My freshman year of college I learned about exposure therapy, which is a method of treating anxiety and phobia. Someone is repeatedly exposed to the thing that makes them afraid, so they become habituated to it. I wanted to use it in a sci-fi context.
____
AP: Writer Stephenie Meyer was 31 when her first book from the "Twilight" collection came out. Suzanne Collins was 46 when the first novel from her "The Hunger Games" trilogy released. How does it feel to be a young adult generating young adult material?
Roth: I feel acutely aware of how young I am. In a way that is good. It's productive. It makes me realize that I should be growing as a writer and a person.
____
AP: How have you grown as a writer?
Roth: I take things that I am putting on the page more seriously now. In the subsequent books I thought more about violence and young people. It's very serious. That doesn't mean I'm limiting the content. I just handle it different. In terms of writing skill, I think more detail and less repetition.
____
AP: Does the pressure to produce a good follow-up weigh on you?
Roth: It depends on the day. The only time I'm able to write is when I can let that go. It's been helpful to have a series finished and think that whatever I do next just gets to exist between me and my screen for as long as I want it to. It's a way of coaching myself into relaxing.
____
AP: Have you finished your next book?
Roth: I wrote a collection of short stories that's coming out in July. (The collection is told from Four's perspective.) It's kind of a prequel to "Divergent." I'm just finishing them now.
____
Follow AP Film Writer Jessica Herndon on Twitter at: https://twitter.com/SomeKind
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'Star Wars: Episode VII' Will Start Production In May, Takes Place 30 Years After 'Jedi'
Time for some actual news about "Star Wars: Episode VII." According to Lucasfilm, production will begin on J.J. Abrams' science-fiction sequel in May at Pinewood Studios in London. Meanwhile, during a Disney shareholders meeting on Tuesday, it was revealed that the plot of "Episode VII" will take place 30 years after the events of "Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi."
Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan wrote "Episode VII" after they "assumed screenwriting duties" from Michael Arndt back in October of 2013. No word yet on who will actually appear in the new "Star Wars" film beyond R2-D2, but fans should expect some "familiar faces" as well as "trio of young leads," per a tweet from The Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz.
"Star Wars: Episode VII" is due out in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.
Abrams and Lawrence Kasdan wrote "Episode VII" after they "assumed screenwriting duties" from Michael Arndt back in October of 2013. No word yet on who will actually appear in the new "Star Wars" film beyond R2-D2, but fans should expect some "familiar faces" as well as "trio of young leads," per a tweet from The Wall Street Journal's Ben Fritz.
Star Wars Episode VII will take place 30 years after Return of the Jedi, Iger says. "Very familiar faces" along with trio of young leads
— Ben Fritz (@benfritz) March 18, 2014"Star Wars: Episode VII" is due out in theaters on Dec. 18, 2015.
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Rolling Stones Cancel 14 On Fire Tour After L'Wren Scott's Death
NEW YORK (AP) — The Rolling Stones have called off tour dates in Australia and New Zealand following the death of Mick Jagger's girlfriend L'Wren Scott.
The iconic band said in a statement Tuesday they "are deeply sorry and disappointed to announce the postponement of the rest of their 14 ON FIRE tour." Band members thanked fans "for their support at this difficult time."
The Stones were scheduled to play Wednesday in Perth, Australia, and at other stops this week and next week, including Melbourne and Sydney.
Scott, a noted fashion designer, died Monday in New York City of an apparent suicide.
Tickets holders should keep their tickets, the statement said.
The iconic band said in a statement Tuesday they "are deeply sorry and disappointed to announce the postponement of the rest of their 14 ON FIRE tour." Band members thanked fans "for their support at this difficult time."
The Stones were scheduled to play Wednesday in Perth, Australia, and at other stops this week and next week, including Melbourne and Sydney.
Scott, a noted fashion designer, died Monday in New York City of an apparent suicide.
Tickets holders should keep their tickets, the statement said.
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Christopher Walken Can't Stop Dancing
If you've ever seen the music video for Fatboy Slim's "Weapon of Choice" then you know that Christopher Walken has got the moves. If you're a real fan of his you might even know that before becoming a film star, Walken initially trained as a musical theater dancer at the Washington Dance Studio. But unless you've seen every one of Walken's movies -- and there are a lot of them -- you might not realize just how many times he has danced on screen. Whether it's a song-and-dance extravaganza such as 1988's "Puss in Boots," or a quick jig inserted into an otherwise serious role, such as 1990's "King of New York" (which was reportedly improvised on the spot), the man simply loves to dance. And we love to watch him. In honor of the national treasure that is Christopher Walken, here is a music video of him dancing his way across the silver screen and into our hearts.
Below is a complete list of the films used in the video:
"Roseland" (1977)
"The Deer Hunter" (1978)
"Brainstorm" (1983)
"Pennies from Heaven" (1981)
"The Dead Zone" (1983)
"A View To A Kill" (1985)
"At Close Range" (1986)
"Puss in Boots" (1988)
"Homeboy" (1988)
"Communion" (1989)
"King of New York" (1990)
"The Comfort of Strangers" (1990)
"Sarah, Plain and Tall" (1991)
"All-American Murder" (1991)
"Batman Returns" (1992)
"Skylark" (1993)
"True Romance" (1993)
"Wayne's World 2" (1993)
"A Business Affair" (1994)
"Pulp Fiction" (1994)
"The Prophecy" (1995)
"Search and Destroy" (1995)
"Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" (1995)
"The Funeral" (1996)
"Suicide Kings" (1997)
"Mousehunt" (1997)
"New Rose Hotel" (1998)
"Blast from the Past" (1999)
"Sleepy Hollow" (1999)
"The Opportunists" (2000)
"Scotland, Pa." (2001)
"Joe Dirt" (2001)
"America's Sweethearts" (2001)
"The Affair of the Necklace" (2001)
"Poolhall Junkies" (2002)
"The Country Bears" (2002)
"Undertaking Betty" (2002)
"Catch Me If You Can" (2002)
"Gigli" (2003)
"The Rundown" (2003)
"Man on Fire" (2004)
"Envy" (2004)
"The Stepford Wives" (2004)
"Around the Bend" (2004)
"Wedding Crashers" (2005)
"Romance & Cigarettes" (2005)
"Domino" (2005)
"Click" (2006)
"Fade to Black" (2006)
"Man of the Year" (2006)
"Hairspray" (2007)
"Balls of Fury" (2007)
"$5 a Day" (2008)
"The Maiden Heist" (2009)
"Stand Up Guys" (2012)
"A Late Quartet" (2012)
"The Power of Few" (2013)
Below is a complete list of the films used in the video:
"Roseland" (1977)
"The Deer Hunter" (1978)
"Brainstorm" (1983)
"Pennies from Heaven" (1981)
"The Dead Zone" (1983)
"A View To A Kill" (1985)
"At Close Range" (1986)
"Puss in Boots" (1988)
"Homeboy" (1988)
"Communion" (1989)
"King of New York" (1990)
"The Comfort of Strangers" (1990)
"Sarah, Plain and Tall" (1991)
"All-American Murder" (1991)
"Batman Returns" (1992)
"Skylark" (1993)
"True Romance" (1993)
"Wayne's World 2" (1993)
"A Business Affair" (1994)
"Pulp Fiction" (1994)
"The Prophecy" (1995)
"Search and Destroy" (1995)
"Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead" (1995)
"The Funeral" (1996)
"Suicide Kings" (1997)
"Mousehunt" (1997)
"New Rose Hotel" (1998)
"Blast from the Past" (1999)
"Sleepy Hollow" (1999)
"The Opportunists" (2000)
"Scotland, Pa." (2001)
"Joe Dirt" (2001)
"America's Sweethearts" (2001)
"The Affair of the Necklace" (2001)
"Poolhall Junkies" (2002)
"The Country Bears" (2002)
"Undertaking Betty" (2002)
"Catch Me If You Can" (2002)
"Gigli" (2003)
"The Rundown" (2003)
"Man on Fire" (2004)
"Envy" (2004)
"The Stepford Wives" (2004)
"Around the Bend" (2004)
"Wedding Crashers" (2005)
"Romance & Cigarettes" (2005)
"Domino" (2005)
"Click" (2006)
"Fade to Black" (2006)
"Man of the Year" (2006)
"Hairspray" (2007)
"Balls of Fury" (2007)
"$5 a Day" (2008)
"The Maiden Heist" (2009)
"Stand Up Guys" (2012)
"A Late Quartet" (2012)
"The Power of Few" (2013)
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'Nymphomaniac: Volume II' Trailer Says You Probably Misunderstood The Whole Thing
Lars von Trier's "Nymphomaniac" was split into two parts for general audiences. "Volume 1" is out now via on-demand services and in limited release in theaters on March 21. It's wild. ("It made me blush," co-star Uma Thurman told HuffPost Entertainment about the film's sex scenes, which she witnessed on set.) "Volume 2," of course, comes next: it's available through VOD beginning on March 20, with a theatrical release set for April 4. Hulu debuted the film's new trailer on Tuesday, and it's kind of off-putting and bizarre and funny and weird in that way only von Trier can do. Watch below. (It's pretty suitable for work, all things considered.)
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'Glee' Star Lea Michele Was The Cutest Baby Ever
She's one of the most famous faces on TV these days, but once upon a time Lea Michele was just an adorable little baby.
Snakkle.com got their hands on the "Glee" star's baby picture, and it's officially the cutest thing we've seen all week.
Check out Michele then and now, below:
![lea michele split]()
For more photos of the "Glee" cast before the fame, head over to Snakkle.com.
Part 1 of the "Glee" 100th episode airs Tuesday, March 18, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Snakkle.com got their hands on the "Glee" star's baby picture, and it's officially the cutest thing we've seen all week.
Check out Michele then and now, below:
For more photos of the "Glee" cast before the fame, head over to Snakkle.com.
Part 1 of the "Glee" 100th episode airs Tuesday, March 18, at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
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'Drunk In Love' Performed Vintage Big Band-Style Is Swingin'
Scott Bradlee and Postmodern Jukebox have done it again.
The music collective is famous for performing pop hits in various genre styles, and this time they have reinvented Beyoncé and Jay Z's "Drunk in Love." Vocalist Cristina Gatti sings the 1940s swing remake of the song with the band, and it really is the bees knees.
If you love this version of "Drunk in Love," check out Postmodern Jukebox's rendition of Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" as a gothic R&B Song.
The music collective is famous for performing pop hits in various genre styles, and this time they have reinvented Beyoncé and Jay Z's "Drunk in Love." Vocalist Cristina Gatti sings the 1940s swing remake of the song with the band, and it really is the bees knees.
If you love this version of "Drunk in Love," check out Postmodern Jukebox's rendition of Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" as a gothic R&B Song.
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'Pretty Woman' Is Heading To Broadway
Twenty four years ago Julia Roberts stole the hearts of Americans everywhere as Vivian Ward, a Hollywood prostitute with the curliest locks to ever hit the silver screen. "Pretty Woman," one of the defining rom-coms of the nineties, taught us all valuable lessons about the importance of true love, being yourself and shaming snooty salespeople in public.
Now, director Garry Marshall is set to bring Vivian and her rich businessman boyfriend to Broadway as -- get ready for it -- a musical.
The New York Post first reported the news last week, disclosing Marshall's plans to work with the film's screenwriter J.F. Lawton and film and theater producer Paula Wagner for the stage adaptation. The musical plans have since been confirmed by Entertainment Weekly.
According to multiple sources, Marshall is in New York this month meeting with potential composers, lyricists and directors to help adapt the $500 million blockbuster. Many are comparing the film's format to rags-to-riches stories like "Pygmalion" and its adapted musical version "My Fair Lady," guessing that "Pretty Woman's" similar storyline will make it a roaring success.
(There's also Broadway's history of dramatizing forms of prostitution -- see "Sweet Charity," "Les Mis" and "The Sweetest Little Whorehouse In Texas," among others.)
In case you're wondering why no one thought of this before -- someone had! The Post also reported on the project's possibility in 2001, that time with Marshall and former Disney exec Peter Schneider. We're hoping this time around the happy couple actually makes it from the streets of Beverly Hills to the Broadway stage. No word on a timeline for the show, so stay tuned for more details.
"Pretty Woman" is the latest of a string of iconic cult films slated to receive theater makeovers. "Heathers" and "The Princess Bride" are two other pop culture savvy productions in the works. Plus, we're all keeping our fingers crossed for "Mean Girls: The Musical."
Watch the best scene from the film below and let us know your thoughts in the comments:
Now, director Garry Marshall is set to bring Vivian and her rich businessman boyfriend to Broadway as -- get ready for it -- a musical.
The New York Post first reported the news last week, disclosing Marshall's plans to work with the film's screenwriter J.F. Lawton and film and theater producer Paula Wagner for the stage adaptation. The musical plans have since been confirmed by Entertainment Weekly.
According to multiple sources, Marshall is in New York this month meeting with potential composers, lyricists and directors to help adapt the $500 million blockbuster. Many are comparing the film's format to rags-to-riches stories like "Pygmalion" and its adapted musical version "My Fair Lady," guessing that "Pretty Woman's" similar storyline will make it a roaring success.
(There's also Broadway's history of dramatizing forms of prostitution -- see "Sweet Charity," "Les Mis" and "The Sweetest Little Whorehouse In Texas," among others.)
In case you're wondering why no one thought of this before -- someone had! The Post also reported on the project's possibility in 2001, that time with Marshall and former Disney exec Peter Schneider. We're hoping this time around the happy couple actually makes it from the streets of Beverly Hills to the Broadway stage. No word on a timeline for the show, so stay tuned for more details.
"Pretty Woman" is the latest of a string of iconic cult films slated to receive theater makeovers. "Heathers" and "The Princess Bride" are two other pop culture savvy productions in the works. Plus, we're all keeping our fingers crossed for "Mean Girls: The Musical."
Watch the best scene from the film below and let us know your thoughts in the comments:
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11-Year-Old Boy With Autism Is Asking Lego To Help Him Be Even More Awesome
Brynjar Karl is an 11-year-old Icelandic boy with autism who has two dreams -- and they both involve Lego.
"It's kind of tough being autistic ... I'm learning every day to behave like other 'normal' kids. Whatever normal means," he says in the video above. "I'm still trying to figure that one out. But also, I'm artistic ... and creative."
With the help of his mom, Brynjar used that creativity to make this charming video plea directed at the people at Lego. He enthusiastically expresses his passion for the building bricks, and asks for an invitation to Legoland in Denmark.
Brynjar also politely asks Lego to provide him with enough Lego bricks to build his dream masterpiece -- the Titanic. The up-and-coming engineer and artistic master knows everything about how to recreate the ship, down to the very last measurement.
He concludes the cute video by saying, "Please be so kind to help me make this, my dream, come true."
We're rooting for you, Brynjar!
h/t RightThisMinute
"It's kind of tough being autistic ... I'm learning every day to behave like other 'normal' kids. Whatever normal means," he says in the video above. "I'm still trying to figure that one out. But also, I'm artistic ... and creative."
With the help of his mom, Brynjar used that creativity to make this charming video plea directed at the people at Lego. He enthusiastically expresses his passion for the building bricks, and asks for an invitation to Legoland in Denmark.
Brynjar also politely asks Lego to provide him with enough Lego bricks to build his dream masterpiece -- the Titanic. The up-and-coming engineer and artistic master knows everything about how to recreate the ship, down to the very last measurement.
He concludes the cute video by saying, "Please be so kind to help me make this, my dream, come true."
We're rooting for you, Brynjar!
h/t RightThisMinute
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Pixar Announces Plans For 'Cars 3' And 'The Incredibles 2'
Here's some good news for kids, parents and Pixar fans of all ages. The animation studio has officially announced plans to extend the stories of "Cars" and "The Incredibles."
The announcement was made at a shareholders meeting on Tuesday, March 18, and it seems that all creative details pertaining to the films are being kept under wraps for now.
The "Cars" franchise, which debuted in 2006, will get its third film ...
![tv show gifs]()
While 2004's "The Incredibles" will finally receive the sequel that fans have been clamoring for.
![tv show gifs]()
Pixar is also currently working on "Finding Dory," the much-anticipated sequel to "Finding Nemo," which is slated to hit theaters in 2016.
It’s official: we’re currently working on new films featuring your favorite characters from The Incredibles and Cars! pic.twitter.com/HzdvF0rvpA
— Disney•Pixar (@DisneyPixar) March 18, 2014The announcement was made at a shareholders meeting on Tuesday, March 18, and it seems that all creative details pertaining to the films are being kept under wraps for now.
The "Cars" franchise, which debuted in 2006, will get its third film ...
While 2004's "The Incredibles" will finally receive the sequel that fans have been clamoring for.
Pixar is also currently working on "Finding Dory," the much-anticipated sequel to "Finding Nemo," which is slated to hit theaters in 2016.
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Two Years Of 'Nymphomaniac' Controversy In One Timeline
Lars von Trier's "Nymphomaniac"; or, the movie of endless controversy. The notorious director, known for his distinctive aesthetic and abrasive persona, has been the subject of a two-year media onslaught for his new sex drama, which was spilt into two parts for release: "Nymphomaniac: Vol. I" is currently available via on-demand services and opens in theaters on Friday; "Vol. II" arrives in April. We've charted the endless controversy in one timeline, because even if you know a lot about this wild movie, you can never know enough.
March 2011: Lars von Trier tells Screen Daily that he's working on a movie about "a woman who discovers her eroticism." The director says Peter Aalbæk Jensen, who's produced each of von Trier's movies since 1991's "Europa," told him that a tentative title such as "The Nymphomaniac" would "already be financed."
May 2011: While promoting "Melancholia" at a Cannes Film Festival press conference, von Trier says he "understand[s]" Adolf Hitler and jokingly claims to be a Nazi. He apologizes hours later, saying he's "not anti-Semitic or racially prejudiced in any way." The following day, the festival directors declare him persona non grata.
August 2011: It's revealed "Nymphomaniac" will see both a hardcore version including penetration scenes and a softer cut that can be shown "in more mainstream cinemas."
October 2011: Von Trier walks back his Cannes apology during an interview with GQ. "To say I'm sorry for what I said is to say I'm sorry for what kind of a person I am, I'm sorry for my morals, and that would destroy me as a person. It's not true. I'm not sorry," he said. "I am not sorry for what I said. I'm sorry that it didn't come out more clearly. I'm not sorry that I made a joke, but I'm sorry that I didn't make it clear that it was a joke. But I can't be sorry for what I said -- it's against my nature." During an interview with Danish police, he says he'll never speak to the press again.
December 2011: Unsurprisingly, Charlotte Gainsbourg emerges as the actress sought to play Joe, the film's title character. Gainsbourg also starred in von Trier's previous two features, "Melancholia" and "Antichrist," which combine with "Nymphomaniac" to form the director's Depression Trilogy. We also learn the movie will be split into eight chapters.
February 2012: The "Nymphomaniac" logline is revealed at the Berlin Film Festival: "'Nymphomaniac' is the light and poetic story of a woman’s erotic journey from birth to the age of 50 as told by the main character, the self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, Joe. On a cold winter’s evening Seligman, an old bachelor, finds Joe semi-unconscious and beaten up in an alleyway. After bringing her to his flat he sees to her wounds while trying to understand how things could have gone so wrong for her. He listens intently as she over the next eight chapters recounts the lushly branched-out and multifaceted story of her life, rich in associations and interjecting incidents."
April 2012: Gainsbourg and Stellan Skarsgård officially sign on. The movie will be shot simultaneously but released as two volumes, eyeing a 2013 Cannes Film Festival premiere (despite von Trier's banishment).
May 2012: Louise Vesth, a producer for Danish film company Zentropa confirms that "Nymphomaniac" will contain an abundance of graphic sex, mostly shot using porn doubles and "groundbreaking" technology. “We shot the actors pretending to have sex and then had the body doubles, who really did have sex, and in post we will digital-impose the two,” Vesth told The Hollywood Reporter. “So above the waist it will be the star and then below the waist it will be the doubles.”
August 2012: Shia LaBeouf eyes the drama, and Nicole Kidman hints that she'll take a small, unspecified role in the movie. A few weeks later, LaBeouf's casting is made official. Jamie Bell and Connie Nielsen join the cast as well.
August 2012: LaBeouf reveals during an MTV interview that he's nervous about what he's gotten himself into because the sex scenes may be unsimulated. "For instance, there's a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we're doing it for real," he said. "Everything that is illegal, we'll shoot in blurred images. Other than that, everything is happening." The movie begins filming in Germany.
September 2012: Whoa there, Shia. Skarsgård contradicts LaBeouf's comments, telling The Hollywood Reporter that "body doubles" and "visual effects" will be used during the movie's sex scenes. "When we call this a porno, it's meant ironically, but irony doesn't work well in print," he said. "The film is sexually explicit, but, believe me, it will be a very, very bad wanking movie."
October 2012: Uma Thurman signs on for an unspecified role, seemingly replacing Kidman.
February 2013: Peter Aalbæk Jensen reveals the movie won't be ready in time for May's Cannes Film Festival.
May 2013: The first image -- an explicit tableau featuring the entire cast -- is released on the movie's website.
![nymphomaniac]()
June 2013: The first of eight "appetizers" (clips from each chapter) is unveiled.
July 2013: LaBeouf in the buff makes its "Nymphomaniac" debut with this photo.
![nymphomaniac shia]()
July 2013: The second clip features LaBeouf and newcomer Stacy Martin, who plays the younger version of Joe.
August 2013: Thurman's clip is introduced with a curious description: "Keeping track of a large network of lovers isn't always easy, and Joe is soon confronted with the unpleasant consequences of being a nymphomaniac. After all, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs."
September 2013: Apparently von Trier wants to turn the movie into a TV spinoff, because we won't have already seen enough.
October 2013: A series of salacious posters depicts 14 characters mid-orgasm.
![nymphomaniac poster]()
October 2013: Maintaining his promise not to interact with the media, von Trier does not attend a private press screening of the film.
November 2013: LaBeouf's sex scene marks the fourth clip.
November 2013: An incredibly NSFW trailer for the entire two-part movie debuts. Producer Louise Vesth reveals that von Trier also plans to release an extended five-and-a-half-hour cut that features "more close-ups of genitals."
December 2013: Gainsbourg gets her first clip.
December 2013: Gainsbourg is front and center in another clip, but this one's considerably tamer. Is "Nymphomaniac" going soft on us? (Yeah, that's a pun.)
December 2013: Families at a Florida theater are treated to what some think is the "Nymphomaniac" trailer while waiting for their delayed screening of "Frozen" to begin. It's later revealed to be the opening moments of "Dallas Buyers Club."
December 2013: The movie has its world premiere in Denmark. Critics are generally fond of it, noting surprise at the humorous approach and less-explicit-than-expected sex. Skarsgård calls it "a really bad porn movie."
December 2013: Gainsbourg is back at it in the movie's final appetizer, which finds her using a man's genitals as a "very reliable truth detector."
January 2014: The Romanian Cinema Board bans "Nymphomaniac: Vol. II." (The first part was already running in Romanian theaters.)
January 2014: The international trailer for "Vol. II" is surprisingly tame.
January 2014: The Romanian Cinema Board revisits the movie two days later and lifts the ban.
February 2014: When a reporter at a Berlin Film Festival press conference asks LaBeouf about the movie's sex scenes, he responds, "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much." He then gets up and walks out. Later in the festival, LaBeouf appears on the red carpet donning a paper bag over his head that reads "I am not famous anymore." He will participate in no further press for the movie, unless his bizarre art installation counts.
![shia labeouf berlin]()
March 2014: Turkey's film board bans "Nymphomaniac: Vol. I."
March 2014: Don't worry, "Vol. II" isn't that tame. The U.S. trailer is technically suitable for work, but it's bizarre and implies there's a lot that isn't shown (which is totally true). Witnessing the sex scenes being filmed on set made Thurman "blush."
March 2014: "Vol. I" opens in U.S. theaters.
April 2014: "Vol. II" opens in U.S. theaters.
March 2011: Lars von Trier tells Screen Daily that he's working on a movie about "a woman who discovers her eroticism." The director says Peter Aalbæk Jensen, who's produced each of von Trier's movies since 1991's "Europa," told him that a tentative title such as "The Nymphomaniac" would "already be financed."
May 2011: While promoting "Melancholia" at a Cannes Film Festival press conference, von Trier says he "understand[s]" Adolf Hitler and jokingly claims to be a Nazi. He apologizes hours later, saying he's "not anti-Semitic or racially prejudiced in any way." The following day, the festival directors declare him persona non grata.
August 2011: It's revealed "Nymphomaniac" will see both a hardcore version including penetration scenes and a softer cut that can be shown "in more mainstream cinemas."
October 2011: Von Trier walks back his Cannes apology during an interview with GQ. "To say I'm sorry for what I said is to say I'm sorry for what kind of a person I am, I'm sorry for my morals, and that would destroy me as a person. It's not true. I'm not sorry," he said. "I am not sorry for what I said. I'm sorry that it didn't come out more clearly. I'm not sorry that I made a joke, but I'm sorry that I didn't make it clear that it was a joke. But I can't be sorry for what I said -- it's against my nature." During an interview with Danish police, he says he'll never speak to the press again.
December 2011: Unsurprisingly, Charlotte Gainsbourg emerges as the actress sought to play Joe, the film's title character. Gainsbourg also starred in von Trier's previous two features, "Melancholia" and "Antichrist," which combine with "Nymphomaniac" to form the director's Depression Trilogy. We also learn the movie will be split into eight chapters.
February 2012: The "Nymphomaniac" logline is revealed at the Berlin Film Festival: "'Nymphomaniac' is the light and poetic story of a woman’s erotic journey from birth to the age of 50 as told by the main character, the self-diagnosed nymphomaniac, Joe. On a cold winter’s evening Seligman, an old bachelor, finds Joe semi-unconscious and beaten up in an alleyway. After bringing her to his flat he sees to her wounds while trying to understand how things could have gone so wrong for her. He listens intently as she over the next eight chapters recounts the lushly branched-out and multifaceted story of her life, rich in associations and interjecting incidents."
April 2012: Gainsbourg and Stellan Skarsgård officially sign on. The movie will be shot simultaneously but released as two volumes, eyeing a 2013 Cannes Film Festival premiere (despite von Trier's banishment).
May 2012: Louise Vesth, a producer for Danish film company Zentropa confirms that "Nymphomaniac" will contain an abundance of graphic sex, mostly shot using porn doubles and "groundbreaking" technology. “We shot the actors pretending to have sex and then had the body doubles, who really did have sex, and in post we will digital-impose the two,” Vesth told The Hollywood Reporter. “So above the waist it will be the star and then below the waist it will be the doubles.”
August 2012: Shia LaBeouf eyes the drama, and Nicole Kidman hints that she'll take a small, unspecified role in the movie. A few weeks later, LaBeouf's casting is made official. Jamie Bell and Connie Nielsen join the cast as well.
August 2012: LaBeouf reveals during an MTV interview that he's nervous about what he's gotten himself into because the sex scenes may be unsimulated. "For instance, there's a disclaimer at the top of the script that basically says we're doing it for real," he said. "Everything that is illegal, we'll shoot in blurred images. Other than that, everything is happening." The movie begins filming in Germany.
September 2012: Whoa there, Shia. Skarsgård contradicts LaBeouf's comments, telling The Hollywood Reporter that "body doubles" and "visual effects" will be used during the movie's sex scenes. "When we call this a porno, it's meant ironically, but irony doesn't work well in print," he said. "The film is sexually explicit, but, believe me, it will be a very, very bad wanking movie."
October 2012: Uma Thurman signs on for an unspecified role, seemingly replacing Kidman.
February 2013: Peter Aalbæk Jensen reveals the movie won't be ready in time for May's Cannes Film Festival.
May 2013: The first image -- an explicit tableau featuring the entire cast -- is released on the movie's website.
June 2013: The first of eight "appetizers" (clips from each chapter) is unveiled.
July 2013: LaBeouf in the buff makes its "Nymphomaniac" debut with this photo.
July 2013: The second clip features LaBeouf and newcomer Stacy Martin, who plays the younger version of Joe.
August 2013: Thurman's clip is introduced with a curious description: "Keeping track of a large network of lovers isn't always easy, and Joe is soon confronted with the unpleasant consequences of being a nymphomaniac. After all, you can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs."
September 2013: Apparently von Trier wants to turn the movie into a TV spinoff, because we won't have already seen enough.
October 2013: A series of salacious posters depicts 14 characters mid-orgasm.
October 2013: Maintaining his promise not to interact with the media, von Trier does not attend a private press screening of the film.
November 2013: LaBeouf's sex scene marks the fourth clip.
November 2013: An incredibly NSFW trailer for the entire two-part movie debuts. Producer Louise Vesth reveals that von Trier also plans to release an extended five-and-a-half-hour cut that features "more close-ups of genitals."
December 2013: Gainsbourg gets her first clip.
December 2013: Gainsbourg is front and center in another clip, but this one's considerably tamer. Is "Nymphomaniac" going soft on us? (Yeah, that's a pun.)
December 2013: Families at a Florida theater are treated to what some think is the "Nymphomaniac" trailer while waiting for their delayed screening of "Frozen" to begin. It's later revealed to be the opening moments of "Dallas Buyers Club."
December 2013: The movie has its world premiere in Denmark. Critics are generally fond of it, noting surprise at the humorous approach and less-explicit-than-expected sex. Skarsgård calls it "a really bad porn movie."
December 2013: Gainsbourg is back at it in the movie's final appetizer, which finds her using a man's genitals as a "very reliable truth detector."
January 2014: The Romanian Cinema Board bans "Nymphomaniac: Vol. II." (The first part was already running in Romanian theaters.)
January 2014: The international trailer for "Vol. II" is surprisingly tame.
January 2014: The Romanian Cinema Board revisits the movie two days later and lifts the ban.
February 2014: When a reporter at a Berlin Film Festival press conference asks LaBeouf about the movie's sex scenes, he responds, "When the seagulls follow the trawler, it is because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much." He then gets up and walks out. Later in the festival, LaBeouf appears on the red carpet donning a paper bag over his head that reads "I am not famous anymore." He will participate in no further press for the movie, unless his bizarre art installation counts.
March 2014: Turkey's film board bans "Nymphomaniac: Vol. I."
March 2014: Don't worry, "Vol. II" isn't that tame. The U.S. trailer is technically suitable for work, but it's bizarre and implies there's a lot that isn't shown (which is totally true). Witnessing the sex scenes being filmed on set made Thurman "blush."
March 2014: "Vol. I" opens in U.S. theaters.
April 2014: "Vol. II" opens in U.S. theaters.
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Stolen Rembrandt Painting Found After 15 Years
After 15 years, a stolen Rembrandt painting has finally been recovered.
According to the Agence France-Presse, police in southeastern France seized the work "Child with a Soap Bubble," a source close to the investigation said Wednesday. Accredited to Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, the painting had been swiped from the Municipal Museum of Draguignan in 1999.
French police caught two men trying to sell the stolen painting, daily newspaper Libération reports. The unidentified men, ages 44 and 51, were arrested, and the curator of the museum was called in to identified the work.
The Draguignan museum procured the oil-on-canvas painting in 1794, making it one of the institution's first works. Based on the the artwork's valuation at the time of the theft, the painting is worth about $3.9 million euros ($5.4 million) today, according to the AFP.
As The Connexion notes, "Child with a Soap Bubble," is attributed to the Dutch artist, but has not been confirmed as a Rembrandt original and may have been completed by one of Rembrandt's students. Now that the painting has been recovered, studies may resume to confirm the true artist behind the work.
According to the Agence France-Presse, police in southeastern France seized the work "Child with a Soap Bubble," a source close to the investigation said Wednesday. Accredited to Rembrandt Harmensz van Rijn, the painting had been swiped from the Municipal Museum of Draguignan in 1999.
French police caught two men trying to sell the stolen painting, daily newspaper Libération reports. The unidentified men, ages 44 and 51, were arrested, and the curator of the museum was called in to identified the work.
The Draguignan museum procured the oil-on-canvas painting in 1794, making it one of the institution's first works. Based on the the artwork's valuation at the time of the theft, the painting is worth about $3.9 million euros ($5.4 million) today, according to the AFP.
As The Connexion notes, "Child with a Soap Bubble," is attributed to the Dutch artist, but has not been confirmed as a Rembrandt original and may have been completed by one of Rembrandt's students. Now that the painting has been recovered, studies may resume to confirm the true artist behind the work.
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PSA Reminds Us To Love Later Life And Embrace Aging
Aging isn't about wrinkles or graying hair, it's a state of mind, a new PSA reminds us. "There is no cure for aging, because aging isn't an illness," the narrator says.
A series of quick video spots on aging is part of British charity, Age UK's, newest campaign entitled, "Love Later Life." The videos were designed to remind people that aging isn't such a bad thing and that seniors can still enrich their lives. Try Zumba, design an app, or forget to nap they suggest.
Two of the videos, narrated by veteran actors Sir Christopher Lee and Jonathan Pryce, show the progression from childhood to old age with a touching poem written by famed poet Roger McGough.
"Time flies they say, but it's us that fly. Time sits on its hands as we rush by," the poem goes.
So, what's the secret to aging gracefully? Watch the video above to find out.
How will you think yourself younger?
(h/t AdWeek)
A series of quick video spots on aging is part of British charity, Age UK's, newest campaign entitled, "Love Later Life." The videos were designed to remind people that aging isn't such a bad thing and that seniors can still enrich their lives. Try Zumba, design an app, or forget to nap they suggest.
Two of the videos, narrated by veteran actors Sir Christopher Lee and Jonathan Pryce, show the progression from childhood to old age with a touching poem written by famed poet Roger McGough.
"Time flies they say, but it's us that fly. Time sits on its hands as we rush by," the poem goes.
So, what's the secret to aging gracefully? Watch the video above to find out.
How will you think yourself younger?
(h/t AdWeek)
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Holopaw Releases 'Dirty Boots,' Sexually-Charged Short Film (NSFW)
(Note: The above video contains nudity and graphic content and may not be appropriate for sensitive and/or work environments)
From the incredible band Holopaw comes "Dirty Boots," a sexually-charged short film about a gay biker gang living in Brooklyn, New York.
Shot by filmmaker Adam Baran, the video is based on the song “Dirty Boots (He Don’t)” off of Holopaw's most recent album "Academy Songs Vol. 1." Throughout the course of the video, the members of the biker gang ride together to an underground sex club to initiate new members and push the boundaries of male sexuality.
"It's not so much that I wanted to make a sexually charged video, but that I didn't want a potential collaborator to shy away from the sexually overt content of the lyrics," Holopaw lead singer John Orth told The Huffington Post. "I knew that in Adam's hands the video would be provocative, smart and beautiful. The end result outpaced my every expectation."
In order to better understand the vision behind "Dirty Boots," The Huffington Post chatted with filmmaker Adam Baran about the concept for the video, the film's sexually explicit nature and representations of male sexuality.
The Huffington Post: How did the concept for the video come about?
Adam Baran: The concept of the video really stemmed from two things -- the concept of Holopaw's "Academy Songs Vol. 1" album, which tells stories of boarding school boys who sneak off into the woods and the city for strange, sexy rituals and parties, and secondly, the lyrics of the song, some of which are borrowed from my very favorite Shangri-La's song "Out in the Streets," where singer Mary Weiss laments that her boyfriend has lost his spark after giving up his wild life running around with his gang of rough and tumble wild boys. I started to think about the Shangri-La's, their whole bad girl biker groupie melodrama act -- they were most famous for the song "Leader of the Pack" about a girl who loves a biker who dies in an accident.
From there I started looking at images from the early sixties, images of gay biker gangs like LA's famous Satyrs, then Kenneth Anger's famous "Scorpio Rising," my other favorite early queer erotic touchstones -- Fred Halsted's "LA Plays Itself," Wakefield Poole's "Bijou" and Peter Berlin's "That Boy," all of which feature lead characters entering a secret gay world over the course of an ordinary day. So John Orth and I started constructing a story for the video about a day in the life of a rebellious biker gang who all live together, sleep together, party together and every night descend into this sexual utopia where a million little melodramas play out every night. But in the day everything starts fresh again.
What does the sexually explicit nature of the video add?
Well first of all, it's arousing. I'm not going to lie and say, "Oh I hope people aren't turned on and that they appreciate it only on an aesthetic level." I wanted to make an adult piece that juices you a little, you know? I was happy when someone messaged me yesterday to say he and his roommate both pleasured themselves to the video -- separately, he pointed out, to indicate some sense of decorum, I suppose. This five minute music video is not any more explicit than your typical episode of "Girls" or "True Detective." Also, as I said, I'm a big fan of queer erotica from the early days before that was even a thing, and so we wanted to make something in that style. I also thought it was important to show the playful side of this group sex activity -- the smiling, the laughter, the friends, and the democratization that happens in spaces like that -- to borrow from Samuel Delaney's "Times Square Red, Times Square Blue." We're showing two of the characters finding love and dancing together, another finds sex, another plays as if he was a child, while another has his limits tested and that causes an unexpected moment of reflection. And not to keep running on, but I think I also tried hard to make sure the group was diverse, and not just all gorgeous white muscle boys, and that there would even be a butch female character in the club, who some have read as trans.
I know that some people will watch it and say it's too much, or vulgar, or drag up some tired old argument about it being "bad for gays" to show this behavior, and I'm sure that other people will say it doesn't go far enough and that it's tame or vanilla. But honestly, I just wanted to make something that came from my experiences and represented how I felt when and what I saw in my head when I listened to Holopaw's song.
What were your inspirations for the video?
Aside from the early queer erotic film pioneers I've mentioned above -- Kenneth Anger, Wakefield Poole, Jim Bidgood, Peter Berlin, Fred Halsted and Steve Scott -- we looked at the photography of the great Swedish photographer Karlheinz Weinberger whose work was rediscovered a few years ago via some exhibitions and a great book called "Rebel Youth." Weinberger photographed Swedish teen gangs who did themselves up in outlandish outfits to look like Elvis or some pompadoured tough biker boys -- all very homoerotic of course. I'd been a huge fan of those looks and wanted to recreate them, so we brought in Brooklyn artist Juan Betancurth, whose work also involves making strange sexual fetish wear out of out-of-date kitchen utensils and other ephemera, to build the costumes -- the belts and the jackets, and necklaces and harnesses.
As important as that was, though, the biggest source of inspiration really came from the cast, all of whom inspired me in some way with their art or work. A Bearded Boy is a very explicit documenter of his own life via his Tumblr, Miguel Libarnes and Johnny Taranto are terrific visual artists whose work doesn't shy away from themes of sexuality and Niegel Smith is a brilliant theatrical director who is fearless in the work he tries to bring to the stage. Many of the other cast members make brave and powerful performance work. Michael Tikili, for instance, is a political activist who led a briliant, naked protest against HIV policy in John Boehner's office. So the video became a celebration of these friends of mine. I wanted to have them portray characters, but also just bring their own wonderful, creative energies to the piece.
Do you think that as we move closer and closer to being accepted into the mainstream, there's been a concerted effort to cut back on gay sex and sexuality?
I don't know if I jibe with the concept of us being close to being accepted because clearly all these horrible things are going on around the country and the world that indicate something natural -- which is that when things become more liberal in society, there are always people who try to take it back and push it back. I would say that our goals should not be acceptance but challenging the system that allows one group to be the dominant group capable of offering "approval" or "acceptance." Fundamentally, I think you need to be honest and open to have any progress.
I just read this amazing short story by Glenway Westcott called "A Visit to Priapus," written in 1939 but never formally published anywhere until today. The story's an autobiographical story about a guy who hears from a friend that there's a painter who lives up in Maine who has an enormous penis, and so the guy heads up to Maine to sleep with him. Most of the brilliant story is the author's moment by moment internal thoughts on what the sex is like, how he's interpreting the energy of the guy with the big penis, and his thoughts range from wild and exciting to sad, frustrated, and "I'm tired, I just want to go to sleep." Any gay man who's ever looked on Grindr, found someone in seconds, and gotten off with them needs to read it to see how little has changed. The author himself knew it couldn't be published when it was written, but even after the sexual revolution had happened and other books had come out much more explicit in theme, he never published it. He self-censored. I won't self-censor. I think it's important to be really honest about who you are, who we are as queer people, and what we do in bed.
Check out the video for "Dirty Boots" above.
From the incredible band Holopaw comes "Dirty Boots," a sexually-charged short film about a gay biker gang living in Brooklyn, New York.
Shot by filmmaker Adam Baran, the video is based on the song “Dirty Boots (He Don’t)” off of Holopaw's most recent album "Academy Songs Vol. 1." Throughout the course of the video, the members of the biker gang ride together to an underground sex club to initiate new members and push the boundaries of male sexuality.
"It's not so much that I wanted to make a sexually charged video, but that I didn't want a potential collaborator to shy away from the sexually overt content of the lyrics," Holopaw lead singer John Orth told The Huffington Post. "I knew that in Adam's hands the video would be provocative, smart and beautiful. The end result outpaced my every expectation."
In order to better understand the vision behind "Dirty Boots," The Huffington Post chatted with filmmaker Adam Baran about the concept for the video, the film's sexually explicit nature and representations of male sexuality.
The Huffington Post: How did the concept for the video come about?
Adam Baran: The concept of the video really stemmed from two things -- the concept of Holopaw's "Academy Songs Vol. 1" album, which tells stories of boarding school boys who sneak off into the woods and the city for strange, sexy rituals and parties, and secondly, the lyrics of the song, some of which are borrowed from my very favorite Shangri-La's song "Out in the Streets," where singer Mary Weiss laments that her boyfriend has lost his spark after giving up his wild life running around with his gang of rough and tumble wild boys. I started to think about the Shangri-La's, their whole bad girl biker groupie melodrama act -- they were most famous for the song "Leader of the Pack" about a girl who loves a biker who dies in an accident.
From there I started looking at images from the early sixties, images of gay biker gangs like LA's famous Satyrs, then Kenneth Anger's famous "Scorpio Rising," my other favorite early queer erotic touchstones -- Fred Halsted's "LA Plays Itself," Wakefield Poole's "Bijou" and Peter Berlin's "That Boy," all of which feature lead characters entering a secret gay world over the course of an ordinary day. So John Orth and I started constructing a story for the video about a day in the life of a rebellious biker gang who all live together, sleep together, party together and every night descend into this sexual utopia where a million little melodramas play out every night. But in the day everything starts fresh again.
What does the sexually explicit nature of the video add?
Well first of all, it's arousing. I'm not going to lie and say, "Oh I hope people aren't turned on and that they appreciate it only on an aesthetic level." I wanted to make an adult piece that juices you a little, you know? I was happy when someone messaged me yesterday to say he and his roommate both pleasured themselves to the video -- separately, he pointed out, to indicate some sense of decorum, I suppose. This five minute music video is not any more explicit than your typical episode of "Girls" or "True Detective." Also, as I said, I'm a big fan of queer erotica from the early days before that was even a thing, and so we wanted to make something in that style. I also thought it was important to show the playful side of this group sex activity -- the smiling, the laughter, the friends, and the democratization that happens in spaces like that -- to borrow from Samuel Delaney's "Times Square Red, Times Square Blue." We're showing two of the characters finding love and dancing together, another finds sex, another plays as if he was a child, while another has his limits tested and that causes an unexpected moment of reflection. And not to keep running on, but I think I also tried hard to make sure the group was diverse, and not just all gorgeous white muscle boys, and that there would even be a butch female character in the club, who some have read as trans.
I know that some people will watch it and say it's too much, or vulgar, or drag up some tired old argument about it being "bad for gays" to show this behavior, and I'm sure that other people will say it doesn't go far enough and that it's tame or vanilla. But honestly, I just wanted to make something that came from my experiences and represented how I felt when and what I saw in my head when I listened to Holopaw's song.
What were your inspirations for the video?
Aside from the early queer erotic film pioneers I've mentioned above -- Kenneth Anger, Wakefield Poole, Jim Bidgood, Peter Berlin, Fred Halsted and Steve Scott -- we looked at the photography of the great Swedish photographer Karlheinz Weinberger whose work was rediscovered a few years ago via some exhibitions and a great book called "Rebel Youth." Weinberger photographed Swedish teen gangs who did themselves up in outlandish outfits to look like Elvis or some pompadoured tough biker boys -- all very homoerotic of course. I'd been a huge fan of those looks and wanted to recreate them, so we brought in Brooklyn artist Juan Betancurth, whose work also involves making strange sexual fetish wear out of out-of-date kitchen utensils and other ephemera, to build the costumes -- the belts and the jackets, and necklaces and harnesses.
As important as that was, though, the biggest source of inspiration really came from the cast, all of whom inspired me in some way with their art or work. A Bearded Boy is a very explicit documenter of his own life via his Tumblr, Miguel Libarnes and Johnny Taranto are terrific visual artists whose work doesn't shy away from themes of sexuality and Niegel Smith is a brilliant theatrical director who is fearless in the work he tries to bring to the stage. Many of the other cast members make brave and powerful performance work. Michael Tikili, for instance, is a political activist who led a briliant, naked protest against HIV policy in John Boehner's office. So the video became a celebration of these friends of mine. I wanted to have them portray characters, but also just bring their own wonderful, creative energies to the piece.
Do you think that as we move closer and closer to being accepted into the mainstream, there's been a concerted effort to cut back on gay sex and sexuality?
I don't know if I jibe with the concept of us being close to being accepted because clearly all these horrible things are going on around the country and the world that indicate something natural -- which is that when things become more liberal in society, there are always people who try to take it back and push it back. I would say that our goals should not be acceptance but challenging the system that allows one group to be the dominant group capable of offering "approval" or "acceptance." Fundamentally, I think you need to be honest and open to have any progress.
I just read this amazing short story by Glenway Westcott called "A Visit to Priapus," written in 1939 but never formally published anywhere until today. The story's an autobiographical story about a guy who hears from a friend that there's a painter who lives up in Maine who has an enormous penis, and so the guy heads up to Maine to sleep with him. Most of the brilliant story is the author's moment by moment internal thoughts on what the sex is like, how he's interpreting the energy of the guy with the big penis, and his thoughts range from wild and exciting to sad, frustrated, and "I'm tired, I just want to go to sleep." Any gay man who's ever looked on Grindr, found someone in seconds, and gotten off with them needs to read it to see how little has changed. The author himself knew it couldn't be published when it was written, but even after the sexual revolution had happened and other books had come out much more explicit in theme, he never published it. He self-censored. I won't self-censor. I think it's important to be really honest about who you are, who we are as queer people, and what we do in bed.
Check out the video for "Dirty Boots" above.
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'Muppets Most Wanted' Review: New Sequel Is Missing Something
A strange sense of doom hangs over the rebooted Muppets, and it's not from the Swedish Chef's cooking.
"The Muppets" (2011) may have been an earnest and largely successful relaunch for Jim Henson's troupe, but it also had a hangdog melancholy, fretting about the obsolescence of Kermit and the gang. Pop-culture insecurity looms in "Muppets Most Wanted," too, which begins with the same self-conscious tone as the last film in the musical number "We're Doing a Sequel." Though Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (still the greatest name in show biz, sorry Sidney Poitier) notes this is technically the Muppets' seventh sequel, they nevertheless sing: "And everyone knows the sequel's not quite as good."
The Muppets don't need a sequel. They need a shrink. It seems they've swapped "the most inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" show for an ongoing pity party. Where is the confident intrepidness that made Gonzo disdainful of breaking through "the easy way" (Hollywood) when you could go through Bollywood instead?
"Muppets Most Wanted," thankfully, soon enough dispatches the previous film's mopey nostalgia and sets things on a more madcap course: a European caper, not unlike 1981's (alas superior) "The Great Muppet Caper." The ingredients are here: Tina Fey as a Broadway-loving Gulag guard in Soviet chic; Ty Burrell in Inspector Clouseau mode; Ricky Gervais as the comically obvious bad guy (name: Dominic Badguy). But "Muppets Most Wanted" fails to whip up the kind of furry frenzy that makes the Muppets special.
What's missing? Many would say Jason Segel, the star and co-writer of "The Muppets." He's the holdout of largely the same, solid creative team: director James Bobin, co-writer Nicholas Stoller and music supervisor Bret McKenzie.
But the bigger problem with "Muppets Most Wanted" is a failure to find the right human-to-Muppet ratio and a screwball feel for how the species interact. Most successful are Fey (who emerges as an unlikely rival to Miss Piggy for Kermit's heart) and Burrell (an Interpol policeman paired with the CIA's Sam the Eagle).
The Muppets instead feel upstaged by the parade of celebrity cameos (they range from Lady Gaga to Christoph Waltz), as if the movie is one big selfie for stars to be seen alongside their Muppet heroes. The plot, too, doesn't yield much time to favorites like the lovingly harebrained Gonzo the Great, the endlessly chipper Fozzie the Bear or the mellow, melodic Rowlf the Dog.
The film picks up literally where "The Muppets" left off, as they disassemble the movie set. Unsure of their next step, the Muppets are persuaded by a slick British agent (Gervais) to embark on a theater tour in Europe. Only Kermit is suspicious, but he's soon kidnapped by an escaped Russian criminal mastermind, Constantine.
Constantine (voiced with a playful Russian accent by Matt Vogel) happens to look precisely like Kermit (again voiced by Steve Whitmire), only with a mole on his cheek and a slightly more pinched nose. While Kermit is mistakenly sent to the Gulag in Siberia (fellow inmates are played by Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo, as himself), his evil doppelganger replaces the Muppet leader on tour. He and Badguy use the performances as a distraction for robbing banks.
Much of the humor stems from the Muppets' failure to recognize the clearly different version of their long-legged impresario. The usually fastidious frog, with Constantine running things, doesn't mind giving Animal an endless drum solo and absent-mindedly calls Gonzo "Zongo."
Judging the Muppets against their own high standards is perhaps unfair, particularly when we've been absent of Henson's genius for nearly 25 years. "Muppets Most Wanted" may not rise to the irreverent slapstick the gang once did, but it is still, after all, the Muppets.
Yet instead of trying to be like other globe-trotting, star-studded sequels, the Muppets ought to be happy with simply being themselves. How does the song go? Keep believing.
"Muppets Most Wanted," a Walt Disney Studios release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for "some mild action." Running time: 106 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
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MPAA rating definition for PG: Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
"The Muppets" (2011) may have been an earnest and largely successful relaunch for Jim Henson's troupe, but it also had a hangdog melancholy, fretting about the obsolescence of Kermit and the gang. Pop-culture insecurity looms in "Muppets Most Wanted," too, which begins with the same self-conscious tone as the last film in the musical number "We're Doing a Sequel." Though Dr. Bunsen Honeydew (still the greatest name in show biz, sorry Sidney Poitier) notes this is technically the Muppets' seventh sequel, they nevertheless sing: "And everyone knows the sequel's not quite as good."
The Muppets don't need a sequel. They need a shrink. It seems they've swapped "the most inspirational, celebrational, Muppetational" show for an ongoing pity party. Where is the confident intrepidness that made Gonzo disdainful of breaking through "the easy way" (Hollywood) when you could go through Bollywood instead?
"Muppets Most Wanted," thankfully, soon enough dispatches the previous film's mopey nostalgia and sets things on a more madcap course: a European caper, not unlike 1981's (alas superior) "The Great Muppet Caper." The ingredients are here: Tina Fey as a Broadway-loving Gulag guard in Soviet chic; Ty Burrell in Inspector Clouseau mode; Ricky Gervais as the comically obvious bad guy (name: Dominic Badguy). But "Muppets Most Wanted" fails to whip up the kind of furry frenzy that makes the Muppets special.
What's missing? Many would say Jason Segel, the star and co-writer of "The Muppets." He's the holdout of largely the same, solid creative team: director James Bobin, co-writer Nicholas Stoller and music supervisor Bret McKenzie.
But the bigger problem with "Muppets Most Wanted" is a failure to find the right human-to-Muppet ratio and a screwball feel for how the species interact. Most successful are Fey (who emerges as an unlikely rival to Miss Piggy for Kermit's heart) and Burrell (an Interpol policeman paired with the CIA's Sam the Eagle).
The Muppets instead feel upstaged by the parade of celebrity cameos (they range from Lady Gaga to Christoph Waltz), as if the movie is one big selfie for stars to be seen alongside their Muppet heroes. The plot, too, doesn't yield much time to favorites like the lovingly harebrained Gonzo the Great, the endlessly chipper Fozzie the Bear or the mellow, melodic Rowlf the Dog.
The film picks up literally where "The Muppets" left off, as they disassemble the movie set. Unsure of their next step, the Muppets are persuaded by a slick British agent (Gervais) to embark on a theater tour in Europe. Only Kermit is suspicious, but he's soon kidnapped by an escaped Russian criminal mastermind, Constantine.
Constantine (voiced with a playful Russian accent by Matt Vogel) happens to look precisely like Kermit (again voiced by Steve Whitmire), only with a mole on his cheek and a slightly more pinched nose. While Kermit is mistakenly sent to the Gulag in Siberia (fellow inmates are played by Ray Liotta and Danny Trejo, as himself), his evil doppelganger replaces the Muppet leader on tour. He and Badguy use the performances as a distraction for robbing banks.
Much of the humor stems from the Muppets' failure to recognize the clearly different version of their long-legged impresario. The usually fastidious frog, with Constantine running things, doesn't mind giving Animal an endless drum solo and absent-mindedly calls Gonzo "Zongo."
Judging the Muppets against their own high standards is perhaps unfair, particularly when we've been absent of Henson's genius for nearly 25 years. "Muppets Most Wanted" may not rise to the irreverent slapstick the gang once did, but it is still, after all, the Muppets.
Yet instead of trying to be like other globe-trotting, star-studded sequels, the Muppets ought to be happy with simply being themselves. How does the song go? Keep believing.
"Muppets Most Wanted," a Walt Disney Studios release, is rated PG by the Motion Picture Association of America for "some mild action." Running time: 106 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
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MPAA rating definition for PG: Parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.
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25 Of Your Favorite Bands Turned Into Legos
What could be better than listening to some of your favorite bands and artists? Listening to your favorite bands and artists while simultaneously playing with their Lego re-creations. Thanks to the brilliant work of Adly Syairi Ramly this is now possible -- well, you can at least look at their Lego twins' pictures in all of their glory. Check out 25 of our favorites below, courtesy of Ramly.
Head over to Adly Syairi Ramly's Twitter and Instagram for more Lego goodness.
Head over to Adly Syairi Ramly's Twitter and Instagram for more Lego goodness.
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Hypnotic Video Explores Wes Anderson's Quirky Obsession With Symmetry
When you think of celebrated auteur Wes Anderson, you likely think of an Instagram filtered palette, a set resembling a dollhouse, a preponderance of uniforms, whimsical handwriting, stories nestled within stories and, of course, Jason Schwartzman. After watching the hypnotic video below, you'll add symmetry to that list.
Vimeo user kogonada combined clips from Anderson's iconic films including "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox," all of which can be split perfectly down the middle. The delicious visual display sheds some light on why watching Anderson's movies is such an aesthetically pleasurable experience. Long live the power of symmetry!
Wes Anderson // Centered from kogonada on Vimeo.
Vimeo user kogonada combined clips from Anderson's iconic films including "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou," "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Fantastic Mr. Fox," all of which can be split perfectly down the middle. The delicious visual display sheds some light on why watching Anderson's movies is such an aesthetically pleasurable experience. Long live the power of symmetry!
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