Author: mlj012

By Mackenzie Halfhide and Jason Brown

Contributing Writers

We all know it happens to us: those moments as we’re walking by ourselves on campus at some odd hour, and in the distance another human or astronaut of the green space, navigating their person, appears as if on a crash collision course with your own bodily vehicle. Your heart begins to race as many questions flash through your mind.

“Who is that unknown alien? Do I know them from somewhere? Should I greet them? Smile? Maybe I should pretend I don’t have any idea who they are or, better yet, just completely ignore their existence.”

Too often it seems the latter of those possibilities is the go-to method that we act out upon our fellow students and therefore continue to create disconnect between our neighbors and ourselves. In examining these situations, does it call to mind the ways we react during other moments in our lives in which we are asked to come to resolution? Take for instance those when we are engaged in problems in class, dealing with conflict among friends and family, or entered into some type of artistic or intellectual exchange. In these situations, there seems to be a correct path out of the maze of conflict that one generally seeks to resolve the issue, so as not to remain in anxious suspension. If each of these circumstances has the potential for a positive outcome, there too must be something to learn from the mysterious encounter with the other.

Then comes the overarching question: how do we make this move towards what is good and resolving by departing from our own universe and entering into the enlightenment of the multi-verse?

Well, the only advice needed is to start by smiling and saying, “What’s good, homie?” and then it’s all downhill from there. You’ve bridged the gap and connected with the other to form an understanding and agreeable meaning through the connection. This movement from the individual to the ethical reflects the fact that it is in our human nature to be social beings. So please then, let us embrace our unity through as many aspects of life and community as possible.

For all those in agreement with the beliefs expressed here, a lot of good people have been working very hard to provide a fantastic opportunity to get down and dirty with some electrically charged connections. On Saturday, Nov. 12, there will be a Party for Peace, a charitable music and arts festival, held from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. at the University’s late-night venue, Uptown, located in Swartz Hall. The meaning of the event comes from its triangular form. The first point is to raise money to support Amnesty International in their promotion of peace and love around the world; the second is to showcase the artistic talent of our campus affiliates; and the third is a personal challenge, directly from that tall kid with the ‘fro who people call J-Brown, to participate in an out-of-comfort, out-of-body event.

The Party for Peace features a variety of talent from the visual, musical, and theatrical arts, which aims to parallel the historical progression of performing arts. The night will begin with the more ancient forms, including spoken word from Stadler Center poets and a performance from the improv troupe, We Break for Nobody. From there it will progress to live musical acts ranging from singer-songwriters, such as Max Kortlander, to full bands, like The Away Birds, and will conclude with the digital arts of live DJ sets. If the discovery of the desire to meet new people, see new colors, feel new sounds, and engage in novel experience sheds its light on you, then please join us for a night of positivity, peace, and art.

“You enter alone; we leave together.”

By Carolyn Williams

Staff Writer

South American author Isabel Allende’s eighth novel “Island Beneath the Sea” is a historical romance set in 18th century Haiti, characterized by the sweeping scale and attention to detail which have come to be Allende’s hallmarks.

In 1770, young Frenchman Toulouse Valmorain reluctantly arrives in Haiti, determined to return immediately to the civilized France to which, he is adamant, he rightfully belongs. Unfortunately, his syphilis-stricken father has left the family plantation in ruin, and if there is to be any hope of maintaining the financial status to which the Valmorains have become accustomed, Toulouse will have to settle in Saint-Domingue for some time, to his considerable displeasure.

As years pass, Valmorain turns the plantation into a success but realizes that for him, the return to Paris must wait, and he decides to marry. Enamored of a young Spanish woman, Eugenia, Valmorain marries. In preparation for his new wife, he purchases a child slave, a mulatto named Zarité–Tété for short–who becomes the novel’s protagonist.

Eugenia and Toulouse are hardly a picture of marital bliss, as she slowly devolves into insanity. Tété is the unparalleled favorite slave of both master and mistress, she for comfort in her muddled state, and he for domestic help and a warm body at night.

As the French Revolution takes Paris by storm, and Toussaint L’Ouverture’s slave rebellion follows closely upon its heels, Valmorain moves himself and Tété to the bustling, exciting city of New Orleans. Despite their unique relationship and unusual degree of codependency, Tété longs for her freedom.

As is Allende’s wont, “Island Beneath the Sea” is dramatic, richly textured and deeply felt. Unfortunately, it does not touch the spectacular “House of the Spirits” or even “Daughter of Fortune.” Given her prior writings, we have come to expect a certain lightness woven into the more serious fabric of her story, a multigenerational tale, perhaps, which might accept in that uniquely South American way. We expect a certain degree of magic, receiving these surprising turns with good humor. But “Island Beneath the Sea” spends too much time in the lavish details of its historical setting, leaving its characters flat and rather unlike the captivating creatures we expect of Allende. Most disappointing is our heroine, Tété, who fails to excite or intrigue, despite her historically rich context and the number of atrocities she witnesses related to slavery.

At the end of the day, “Island Beneath the Sea” is not a bad book by any means. It simply fails to meet Allende’s own usually excellent standards. For an author with such a large English translation readership of her original Spanish, some disappointment is inevitable.

By Michelle Joline

Arts & Life Editor

This year, the Samek Art Gallery has improved the quality of art presented in the exhibits it brings to campus. At the beginning of this academic year, the gallery showcased Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ Black List Project, featuring 25 portraits of successful African Americans, seeking to redefine the negative connotations associated with the term “blacklist,” and Myra Greene’s photography conveying the themes of society’s obsession with race and identity.   

The International Collage Center, better knows as the ICC, has brought an exhibition titled “Remix” to the Elaine Langone Center (ELC) with an entirely new perspective on collaging. The exhibition opened Oct. 14 and ends Dec. 4. This exhibit proves that collage is a great deal more than just a third-grade interpretation of paper cutting and glue.

Although the exhibition opened Oct. 14, discussion about the exhibit was held in the ELC Forum last Friday night. Artists Alice Attie and Mark Wagner from the “Remix” exhibition spoke on their own interpretations of the practice of collage, as well as their individual artistic endeavors. Also, on Monday, Nov. 14, the Campus Theatre will be hosting a film screening of “Portraits of three artists included in the ‘Remix’ exhibition—Joseph Cornell, May Wilson and Ray Johnson.”

The non-profit art organization ICC, based in Milton, works to publicize the artistry behind collage and mixed media, making for non-traditional and experimental exhibitions. The exhibition is co-curated by founder and artistic director Pavel Zoubok and director Rachael Lawe, who have utilized pieces from ICC’s permanent collection to create “Remix.” The University is fortunate that it is the first stop on their national tour.

The ICC has funded the creation of this exhibition to unite the philosophies and styles behind past and present movements in art. This plays on the essential idea of collage, uniting alternative mediums onto one surface to form a unique piece of art. “Remix” is an ideal title for this exhibition, which will be an excellent addition to The Samek Art Gallery’s exhibit history.

By Elyas Harris

Writer

From Martincich’s perspective, theatre and dance share narratives through kinesthetic and emotional cues.  As a professor, she has discovered that art, in a university setting, has the ability to broaden perspectives on an emotional and intellectual level.

“Art demands the intersection of technologies with humanity in innovative ways which communicate an experience,” Martincich said.

Martincich received her Masters of Fine Arts from Smith College and her B.A. in Theatre/English from Marquette University. She was invited to the University as a visiting professor in 2007.  The University was in search of a dance professor with expertise in jazz dance, dance conditioning, ballet and musical theatre choreography. Martincich taught in Minnesota for a year prior to being offered a permanent position on campus.

Martincich’s work at the University allows her to teach both theatre and dance courses.

“Every jazz class, I learn something new about natural rhythm and community. Every class I deal with new humans. Setting dance on them informs me because everyone moves differently. It’s always about an individual expressing his or her style,” Martincich said.

In addition to teaching, she spends time researching in both fields and performing as a dancer. In April of 2011, “Then Again,” a collaborative piece by Martincich and her colleague Kathryn Borrows, opened in Chicago. Martincich’s current work, “Lone Windows,” is a physical narrative as an ekphrastic work, inspired by Edward Hopper’s paintings and flash fiction from Joseph Scapellato.

“My favorite thing is collaboration. Collaboration is key. It’s what develops the form,” Martincich said.

Art has been a major influence throughout Martincich’s life, who was introduced to arts at an early age by her mother and father. She identifies her parents as the guiding force motivating her engagement with creative processes. Growing up outside of Chicago, Martincich had an enviable access to the arts. She got her first dance experience training at Shirley’s Dance Studio of Crest Hill in Illinois. There were many quality jazz music and dance offerings in the Chicago area, she said. Martincich’s parents helped her take advantage of the rich arts scene in the region and to connect the arts with issues of social justice. They even recruited her as an emerging artist to choreograph performances for charity and local community events. From those early experiences, Martincich internalized the power of art to address issues of diversity and/or gender inequality.

Martincich attempts to bring to her work here, and to her students, her embrace of the transformative and pragmatic potentialities of art. She sees art as an important aspect of the social balance on campus.

She believes that students are rising to the challenge and noted the “Double Take Project” of Tina Cody ’12, a show which addresses student concerns and experiences on campus.

Martincich believes that after acquiring an artistic and intellectual toolbox, students can begin to integrate arts into everyday life.

“Be educated in everything. Take as many classes as you possibly can. Know that everything can be used. Be able to make connections. Community is where the heart of art is. Synthesize all those connections you make. Research. Be generous. Give as much as you take in. Contribute,” Martincich said.

By Juliet Kelso

Writer

Your Halloween was likely filled with copious amounts of bad candy and dorm-made costumes, but what about new music releases? There must be something to be said about an artist who chooses to drop their latest album around the world’s spookiest holiday. Turns out, it’s not that popular of a move. Florence and the Machine and Down with Webster were two of the only groups to make the statement this year, releasing CDs on October 28 and 31, respectively.  

In terms of notoriety and mass appeal, the headliner of the day was inevitably Coldplay’s “Mylo Xyloto.” The general reaction to “Mylo Xyloto” is that of relief: the tracks are somewhat refreshing, a change from the expected Coldplay conventions. But if you’re like most Coldplay fans and your love of the group is rooted in emotional attachment to their earlier material, you will be very disappointed.

My personal recommendation from the October 25th list is Surfer Blood’s EP “Tarot Classics.” The short six tracks include two remixes and four eclectic songs with a West coast-post-punk-revival vibe. The opening track, “I’m Not Ready,” is a bouncy pick-me-up and “Voyager Reprise” is the highlight.

The Italian indie band A Classic Education has dropped their highly anticipated LP,”Call it Blazing,” which is another must for the adventurous listener. The break-out band exhibits the fashionably ennui style of yawning indie elitism. This inclination is heavily present in the LP: preppy meets a contrasting above-society-coolness, a healthy balance which resonates but lacks originality.

For a busier selection, I would suggest Justice’s album “Audio, Video, Disco” which I have listened to extensively with satisfaction. As expected, Pitchfork graced the album with a scathing review and insulting grade of 5.3 out of 10. Their fickle critics gave a much more appropriately stinging mark of 3.9 to Deer Tick’s “Divine Providence.” Do not waste your time, it’s really that bad. With that said, I have provided a list of new album releases:

A Classic Education, “Call it Blazing”

Florence and the Machine, “Ceremonials”

Down with Webster, ” Time to Win- Vol. 2″

65Daysofstatic, “We Were Exploding Anyway” (U.S.-only two-CD release)

Coldplay,  “Mylo Xyloto”

Deer Tick, “Divine Providence” 

Dub Trio, “Dub Trio IV”

Haken, “Visions”

Junius, “Reports From the Threshold of Death”

Justice, “Audio, Video, Disco”

Kathryn Calder, “Bright and Vivid”

Lights Resolve, “Feel You’re Different”

Roots Manuva,  “4everevolution”

Russian Circles,  “Empros”

She & Him,  “A Very She & Him Christmas”

Surfer Blood, “Tarot Classics”

Tom Waits, “Bad As Me”

Vince Gill, “Guitar Slinger”

Woodsman, “Mystic Places EP”

By Carolyn Williams

Staff Writer

“Moneyball,” a newly released sports drama film, is based on Michael Lewis’ 2003 novel of the same name. The plot tells the true story of the Oakland Athletics team’s 2001 and 2002 baseball seasons. As the general manager of a team with only a sliver of the financial backing compared to what is offered to the New York Yankees, Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) finds himself forced to reevaluate the way he plays the game.

Upset after being defeated in the 2001 World Series by the Yankees and losing many of his star players to the powerhouses in New York and Boston, Beane is discouraged to find himself once again having to rebuild his team. Working within his very limited budget, Beane finds himself at odds with his aged staff of scouts who are looking for players of similar star power to replace the ones they’ve lost. 

Taking matters into his own hands, Beane approaches recent Yale graduate Peter Brand (Jonah Hill, “Get Him to the Greek,” “Superbad”), from the Cleveland Indians, impressed by his strategy of compiling players based on their specialized, statistical performance rather than their overall potential. By choosing such undervalued, unexpected players, Brand theorizes a potentially successful team within the A’s price range.

Naturally, the old-timers working under Beane are displeased. Art Howe (Philip Seymour Hoffman, “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead”), the recalcitrant team manager who outright refuses to conform to Beane’s new standards, undermines the system until Beane forces him into compliance by trading all of the traditional players Howe prefers. This results in a 20-game winning streak, proving, beyond any shadow of a doubt, exactly how well his new system works.

Director Bennett Miller’s (“Capote”) restrained sensibility behind the camera paired with a screenplay by Aaron Sorkin (“The Social Network”) and Steven Zaillian (“Gangs of New York”) renders “Moneyball” a sports film which does not necessarily conform to its circumscribed genre. Pitt’s portrayal of Beane, a jaded 40-something with a high school diploma and a failed marriage under his belt is colored also by his endearing relationship with his preteen daughter and his recollections of his own unsuccessful major league career. Regardless of his obstacles, he wants to prove that it takes talented players rather than big bucks to secure a World Series title. Hill is also surprisingly good, stepping out of his typecast of raunchy comedies, and gives a warm portrayal of the nerdy, pudgy Brand who, while probably never playing much serious baseball, has catalogued and memorized every player’s strengths, weaknesses and value to a specific team.

“Moneyball” is not meant to be a joyous film, although it has its moments of comedy. It transcends the sports movie stereotype of a last-minute victory or an 11th-hour upset. This is a story based in recent history, and we all know how it goes. Not to say that sports fans won’t enjoy it as well, but there really is something for everyone here. It’s the actors’ performances, the writing and the spirit of the film which give “Moneyball” the strength to stand on its own rather than the game itself.

By Michelle Joline

Arts & Life Editor

We all know what it’s like to live in close proximity to a prison in Lewisburg. After all, the sparkling lights and shiny barbed wire fences of the Lewisburg Penitentiary are a staple in the view from the Academic quad. Most of us can say that this sighting is as close as we have ever dreamt of coming to a prison, though some recreational scaring appears to be cause enough to change that. 

Now that Halloween is right around the corner, with hayrides, apple cider and pumpkins on our minds, we are looking to get into the real spirit of Halloween. Who doesn’t love a good scare this time of year? Luckily, we live in Pennsylvania, not too far from Philadelphia, where the Eastern State Penitentiary holds a haunted house that could literally scare you to death, judging by the waiver they make you sign as you walk in. “The Terror Behind the Walls” portion of the penitentiary offers an experience that is “The Blair Witch Project” meets “The Shining,” but a lot more realistic than just sitting with popcorn in hand at a horror film.

The Eastern State Penitentiary is now a historic landmark, but it is famous for jailing Alphonse “Scarface” Capone, the Chicago mob boss, and Freda Frost, a female inmate who poisoned her husband. The fame of these inmates and many others has attracted guests to the site for many years and is a perfect place to hold a frightening Halloween haunting, if you aren’t too scared to attend.

If you are looking for something slightly more thrilling than a hayride at Ard’s and apple cider at Seventh Street, then hop in your car with a group of friends and be prepared to experience some of the best haunting on the East coast.

By: Caitlin Falco

Contributing Writer

Experimental filmmaking is far from a novelty in the film and media industry, and these “independent” films compose a relatively large part of the market. But some filmmakers, in addition to experimenting with content, have begun to develop innovative ways to shoot and present a film. Roger Beebe, an experimental filmmaker, will be coming to the Campus Theatre on Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. to present his most recent work, “Films for One to Eight Projectors.”

“My form of experimental filmmaking is at least partially about finding a way of making films that it’s easy to embrace as a maker. My filmmaking is based in a DIY culture that values those things that society has deemed worthless, like the 16-millimeter projectors that I buy for $10 apiece–or like the thrift store clothes, couches, etc. that are a big part of the rest of my life,” Beebe said.

Transforming the theater into a multimedia landscape, Beebe will utilize several projectors to completely alter how the film is viewed. What’s the inspiration for this multi-projector project? 

After being invited to do a show in a planetarium, “[I got] really got excited about the possibility of making giant compositions of different kinds of images interacting with each other,” Beebe said.

No longer bound by what he calls “the limitations of the frame,” Beebe believes that multiple projectors add tremendously to the presentation of the film.

“The quality of liveness is something we’re losing in society. Sure, you can stream lots of things through Netflix, but there’s a kind of indifference to that process that the multiple projections contests. It’s almost like watching a tightrope walker, complete with the thrills of the stumbles and near falls. But there’s also a rhythmic complexity that you can get with multiple projections that you can’t get with a single projector,” Beebe said.

Aside from experimenting with how his films are shown, he shares a unique perspective on how his films are made. While Hollywood and more mainstream filmmakers embrace the constant onslaught of new technology by releasing movies in 3D and Blu-ray, Beebe reinforces his belief of living modestly by shooting with more simple technology.

“Sure, everyone loves their iPhones or their new Canon 5Ds or whatever, but I shoot on a camera that was made in 1971, and other than an occasional repair, I basically don’t have to do anything to keep it looking great. With video or new media, the tools become outmoded incredibly quickly, so every few years you need new software, a new computer, a new camera, etc. You’ll blow thousands of dollars on these, and the old gear just goes in the landfill. So I’m standing there at the landfill trying to make treasure out of your trash. And it turns out that 16-millimeter especially is still a pretty incredible, and incredibly simple, technology.”

Although his newest film requires eight projectors, Beebe takes pride in the fact that everything he needs fits into the back of his Toyota Prius.

“I do like being able to transform almost any space into a microcinema. It makes me feel like cinema could happen anywhere, not just at the multiplex or arts house,” Beebe said.

 

By: Michelle Reed

Contributing Writer

In the commotion of midterms, homecoming football games and never-ending coursework, it can be easy for students to overlook an area of campus life that’s constantly growing and changing: the arts.

The University’s creative community is always quietly (and sometimes loudly) at work, looking for new ways to engage students and faculty in artistic experiences. Kathryn Maguet, executive director of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts, is always on the lookout for inspiration.

“I attend a lot of performances in New York and nearby, and even in international venues,” Maguet said. “I like to take my time to see how an artist is evolving, and how their work might resonate with the campus and the greater community. I want to present artists and performances with the most natural points of connection to Bucknell. ”

Performance art, Maguet said, is unique in its ability to offer a shared artistic experience. “What happens between artist and audience member is the magic; it’s the glue. It’s the beauty of experiencing something profound together.”

Rick Rinehart, director of the Samek Art Gallery, similarly emphasizes the transformative power of contemporary art.

“Art is that space in society that’s carved out for imagining,” Rinehart said. “I honestly, sincerely believe that every student should engage in the arts. That’s the kind of learning that will sustain them through the rest of their lives.”

Rinehart believes a vibrant artistic community is essential to a university setting.

“The arts create an alternate learning space to the formal classroom. A liberal arts college gives students the opportunity to experience the best of the world in a microcosm,” Rinehart said.

So, how can we immerse ourselves more fully in the arts? It’s as simple as venturing up to the third floor of the Elaine Langone Center and exploring the Samek Gallery’s current exhibit, spending an evening enjoying performance art at the Weis Center for the Performing Arts or discovering a new film at the Campus Theatre.

“At no other point in your life will you have opportunities to follow the arts that are as economical and as accessible as you will on a college campus,” Maguet said. “Take advantage of it. When you walk out of here and enter a different chapter of your life, it’s not going to be at your doorstep.”

By Caitlin Falco

Writer

The newly renovated Campus Theatre is “a unique learning environment for everybody who loves the films from yesterday and today,” said Diego Chiri ’12, a film/media studies major. It is a place “to appreciate film as an art form.” And with the presentation of over 20 films spanning several decades during The 70th Anniversary Film Festival, the Campus Theatre has certainly flourished in these ideals.  But the wide spectrum of movies is only one part of this festival’s undeniable appeal. Culminating with an impressive lineup of special events and guests, the festival marks its end with a weekend nothing short of extraordinary.

One such special guest is Nina Paley, animator and filmmaker, who will introduce her film, “Sita Sings the Blues,” tomorrow.  Demonstrating an innovative mixture of the 1920s jazz vocals of Annette Hanshaw as well as animated depictions of the Indian epic “The Ramayana,” “Sita Sings the Blues” was produced entirely on her home computer and has won over a dozen major film festival awards. Because no major commercial studio would distribute her film, Paley began to self-distribute, utilizing what Eric Faden, festival co-coordinator and associate professor of English and film/media studies, deems “a fan-centric method for publicizing her films.”

On Sunday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m., the festival will showcase John Ford’s 1927 silent film, “Upstream.” Lost for decades, this film was just rediscovered in 2009 and was restored by The National Film Preservation Board; Hollywood composer Michael Mortilla and violinist Nicole Garcia will perform live music along with the show, allowing attendees the unique opportunity to “see—and hear—a silent film in its original context,” Faden says.

On Sunday, there will be a special 7 p.m. showing of “Hollywood Home Movies,” personal home movies of famous Hollywood stars and directors that have been stored in the Academy archive. Seeing legendary artists like Alfred Hitchcock, Joan Crawford and Cary Grant without the glare of Hollywood’s spotlight is an exceptional opportunity, made even more so by the fact that this collection will be presented by Randy Haberkamp from The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

For Eric Faden, these special guests are fundamental to the festival experience. “What makes a festival special is not only seeing the films but also meeting the people behind the film’s creation, because understanding the context and the story of the production process allows you to understand and appreciate the film on a whole different level,” he said.

The 70th Anniversary Film Festival has marked the reopening of the Campus Theatre in a memorable way. With its promotion of film culture, appreciation of filmmaking and celebration of the simple film experience, the festival has become a powerful reminder of all the reasons people love movies in the first place.

For more information, please visit the festival’s website: www.bucknell.edu/filmfest.