The Quill Award Nominees

It's the second year for the Quills, which hopes to bring some of the glamor and attention of the Oscars and Grammys and Emmys to the book industry. Here's a link to the five nominees in all the major categories. Poetry is especially weak, but the five best fiction novels is a decent list:

Black Swann Green by David Mitchell (I have GOT to read this guy)
A Dirty Job by Christopher Moore
March by EL Doctorow
Suite Francaise by Irene Nemirovsky
Water For Elephants by Sara Gruen.

The New Chop-Socky Superstar

Here's an article I've pitched and want to write: a profile of Thai martial arts actor Tony Jaa, who starred in the cult hit "Ong-Bak" and returns in September with the even better (but still delightfully hokey B-movie-ish) "The Protector." Jet Li says he won't make any more martial arts movies and Jackie Chan is getting really old (he makes an amusing cameo in "The Protector") so Jaa is the man now. He loves Charlie Chaplin and isn't afraid to include references to his absurdly pretty face and bee-stung lips in the film. (The guy probably had to learn how to fight as a kid because he was so darn pretty.) And he really knows how to scare you: Jaa wants to direct. He'll direct and star in "Ong-Bak 2" starting in October.

No Pixie Dust for The Pixies

That lucrative reunion tour wasn't such a happy-fest off-stage. I love how Frank Black excoriates a documentary filmmaker for making it look like the band had troubled times on the tour and then turns around and admits the others don't trust him anymore and he may not be able to coax them into the recording studio. Killer quote: "I used to have a band," he laments. "And now I don't have a band anymore. That's why I'm off doing my little solo tour. That's why I'm sitting in a hotel room telling you all about it".

Trend! "Daily Show" Reporters Branching Out

Demetri Martin, who is in his 30s and looks like he's in his 20s, is doing a clever show at the Fringe Festival.My favorite bit: a reference to a Stephen Wright-like joke -- how fast does a zebra have to run before it looks grey?

Tower Records Declares Bankruptcy

Oh dear. Someone remind me to go buy a bunch of their large shopping bags with handles -- I use those things to get mail, and cart books and stuff around and they last a really long time, but they don't last forever. Apparently, just like Tower Records itself. If Trans World is their new owner and Trans World uses its own buyer to stock Tower, the heart and soul of my favorite music retailer will be dead.

Meryl In The Park

The reviews are in and most agree Brecht's "Mother Courage and Her Children" (in a new translation by Tony Kushner) is a bit unweildly but that Meryl Streep is always worth seeing. So sayeth the NY Post, the NY Times, and the very friendly USA Today.I say I haven't seen it yet because I'm too old to wait in line for 12 hours, even for a free ticket to see Meryl.

Warner Bros. Starts Direct-To-DVD Unit

Because there isn't enough crap coming out on DVD already. We need to fill up the pipeline with cheapo sequels and original fare that could never get a theatrical release in the first place. Good idea.

Will Dixie Chicks Get Their Revenge On Bush?

Some think a documentary about the harassment and vile attacks the Dixie Chicks faced simply for voicing their political beliefs will be a factor in the mid-term elections. I'd have to see it to believe something with that narrow of a focus (however well-done) could impact voters. Will the travails of the Chicks really anger voters? I think Spike Lee's moving Katrina documentary and Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth will wake people up much more. One factor in the Chicks' favor: they've got the marketing muscle of the Weinsteins behind them. The movie comes out this fall.

I Feel Sorry For Bob Costas

It's a bit absurd feeling bad for a millionaire broadcaster, bt there you are. Bob Costas hitched his wagon to NBC and they have slowly but surely divested themselves of almost every sporting event they ever aired. About the only thing remaining is the Olympics and (starting this fall) Sunday Night Football. He literally had nothing to do. Costas is adding to his hobbies -- like his HBO chatfest -- by returning to radio: he'll be doing a weekly two hour show for Clear Channel covering sports, entertainment, politics and the like. Nice to know the poor guy wil be keeping busy.

"The History Boys" Are Coming

That should be "is" coming, since a movie is singular, but wouldn't it read funny? I'm nervously awaiting a screening of "The History Boys," one of the most enjoyable plays (with one of the most enjoyable casts) I've seen in many a moon. It has triumphed completely on Broadway; let's see how it will fare with Oscar. The UK premiere date is October 13 at a benefit for the Prince's Trust. We'll have to wait till November 24 to get a glimpse.

Simon Cowell; Midas Touch?

I really like Simon Cowell -- the man knows exactly what he's dealing with in "American Idol" (an inexplicable phenomenon that he and the other producers do a terrific job of keeping fresh) and he's always quotable. But that's no reason to blow wind up his arse. One story about Cowell's new show "Celebrity Duets" says he has a "Midas touch" and then goes on to cite the flop show "American Inventor" (which it calls a "modest performer") and the summer series "America's Got Talent" (which actually was a nice, if modest performer) and says breathlessly that "it did so well, NBC ordered another season." Uh, isn't that the MINIMUM standard for success -- not being cancelled? I also think AGT will not do well in January when "Idol" will be on the air as well. If they'd air it on Saturday nights, I'd be pleased. And the story fails his biggest flop ("Cupid") AND Cowell's biggest success outside of "American Idol" -- "The X Factor," which has done so well in the UK that "Pop Idol" has simply gone away.

Harry Crews: Still Growling

Harry Crews has published a new novella, his first work in eight years. The imprint is called Blood and Guts, which suits him just fine. The NYT talks to the ornery son of a bitch and paints a pretty good portrait of him. I had no idea Crews taught fiction (on and off, of course) for the University of Florida for some 30 years. His description of academia is typical of him: self-aggrandizing and contemptuous.

“Everybody in the system is scared to death,” he said in the telephone interview. “Professors are scared of department heads,” he said. “They’re just scared little people hiding out. And these other scared little people come and sit in a scared little class and tremble. I didn’t want to do that. Let’s do something memorable, and if we can’t do something memorable, then let’s go home. Or we’ll go across the street and get a drink.”

I took his class, though unfortunately it was at a stage when you were lucky if he showed up. Not much of a teacher -- especially if you didn't traffic in the manly, two-fisted fiction he wrote -- but at least he had passion for the work and a basic respect.

British Slang Makes Everything Sound Nicer

Case in point: a British TV special about children with parents who have had sex change operations. What's it called? "My Mums Used To Be Men." I would have slightly preferred "My Mums Used To Be A Bloke," but we can't have everything and doesn't it sound charming?

"Idlewild: The Movie" -- The First Reviews

Hollywood Reporter thinks this "Cotton Club"-looking flick is an entertaining mess but emphasizes the mess. Variety thinks it's an entertaining mess but Variety emphasizes the entertaining. They both agree Paula Patton-- who I profiled in the NY Daily News Sunday -- is a find. But the Hollywood Reporter makes the mistake of thinking she does her own singing. (Her vocals were in fact, dubbed.)

Movie Industry: Confused, Scared, Rich

The New York Times says movie studio people are confused and scared and hate how corporate honchos make them focus on the bottom line instead of just making "films." Mind you, this is an industry that has seen the pot of money it makes from movies grow from say $15 billion some 20 years ago (and that's being generous) to $50 billion today (even after the "slow-down" of DVDs, which is really just the natural leveling in sales for a new product). On the other hand, you can never trust them. Warner Bros. president Alan Horn admits "Superman Returns" cost $209 mil to make (that doesn't count some $50 mil or more in development costs, including pay or play deals for Nicolas Cage, etc.), says the movie will be lucky to make $400 mil worldwide, ignores the massive $100 mil or more in marketing costs and then insists he's puzzled by other people's reactions. Mr. Horn said, “People are asking, ‘Are you disappointed?’ I don’t know how to relate to that. I don’t know what to say.” I do. How about saying, "Yes, of course I am."

"Snakes" -- Sizzle Or Fizzle?

Everyone is calling "Snakes On A Plane" a disappointment because it didn't do massive business over the weekend. Remember my rule: the only two numbers that matter are the movie's budget and the final box office gross. "Snakes" cost $30 mil per the studio and the final gross should equal that. Throw in overseas and very healthy DVDs and they've done quite well for a movie that practically marketed itself. And anyone who says the Internet is useless for marketing movies has already forgotten that one week earlier, "Step Up" opened huge thanks to MySpace and other online ads and is already at $40 mil and counting. By the way, why do people keep making features starring Hilary Duff? "Material Girls" is her third film in a row to open wide at only $5 mil. The Top 10:

1. Snakes On A Plane -- $15.3 mil
2. Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby -- $14.1 mil ($114.7 mil total)
3. World Trade Center -- $10.8 ($45 mil total)
4. Accepted -- $10.1 mil
5. Step Up -- $9.9 mil ($39.4 mil total)
6. Barnyard -- $7.5 mil ($46 mil total)
7. Little Miss Sunshine -- $5.7 mil ($12.8 mil total)
8. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest -- $5 mil ($401.1 mil total)
9. Material Girls -- $4.6 mil
10. Pulse -- $3.5 mil ($14.7 mil total)

Paul McCartney/Heather Mills -- Money Changes Everything

Paul McCartney didn't ask Heather Mills to sign a prenup because it wasn't romantic. Good for him. But there's nothing less romantic than an ugly divorce. Now word is that Paul will offer Heather a lump sum of 35 million to 50 million pounds (that's quite a range) and then "top-off" her payments (British slang for when you add money to, say, your subway pass or phone card) with another 3 million pounds every two years as long as no stories about their private life come out that he believes cama from her. Sweet. She can collect about $6 million every two years, wait for him to die or just wait 10 or 20 years and THEN write her memoirs without violating the agreement. Now how can I arrange a date with Ringo?

Emmy Awards: Buzz For Helen Mirren Grows

Helen Mirren looks a lock to win an Emmy for Best Actress for her performance in "Elizabeth I." The HBO production cleaned up at the early Emmy awards, a ceremonty honoring technical categories before Sunday's big event. "The Simpsons" beat out "South Park's" Tom Cruise episode. "I guess this is what happens when you don't knock Scientology," "Simpsons" executive producer Al Jean said in accepting the Emmy onstage. Finally, Cloris Leachman (who is brilliant in "The Last Picture Show" has won a record eight primetime acting Emmys, breaking a tie with Mary Tyler Moore and Tracey Ullman (!). "I'm 80, and if your heart doesn't stop beating and you stay with it, I guess that's what can happen," said Leachman.

Madonna Brazenly Trumps German Bureacrats

The threat of German censors deciding to charge Madonna will breaking the law by singing a song from a crucifix (while calling on people to fight AIDS) has naturally ended. The censors said, duh, her actions are protected by free speech. Madonna is usally the smartest gal in the room, especially when the room is filled with pencil-pushers.

Harold and Kumar Go To CTU

Kal Penn of "Harold and Kumar" joins the cast of "24" next season. I hope he's a good guy: seeing him as a henchman to Lex Luthor in "Superman Returns" was amusing but distracting. The best news of all? A sequel to his very funny pot flick called "Harold & Kumar Go To Amsterdam." If it's a trilogy, the only place that could top that is Jamaica.

Jay-Z: Humanitarian

Jay-Z supposedly retired from music. But he's awfully busy mounting a world tour and what is expected to be a new CD this fall. Meanwhile, Jay-Z's decided to use his world tour to spotlight the water shortage we are facing (certainly water rights could prove a sparking point for violence just as oil has for decades). The whole affair will be chronicled in a documentary for MTV. Laugh all you want, but it's better than some other rapper jawing about bitches and hos.

"Dr. Who" Spinoff Cancelled

I saw this headline and assumed they meant the spinoff featuring out actor John Barrowman as bisexual adventurer Captain Jack. But no, show runner Russell T. Davies is referring to a secret spinoff involving Billie Piper, who played Rose, the Dr.'s sidekick for two seasons. He rightly understood that a series showing Rose having adventures AFTER her time with the Dr. would spoil the premise of the show, even if it meant his turning down buckets of money. Besides, one spinoff from the series is plenty.

Robbie Williams: I'm Just As Big A Tramp As George Michael

Robbie Williams is a huge star in Europe, as big as any American act you can think of. He's strong on catchy pop, strong on witty quotes for the media and, bless him, weak on fidelity. Robbie won't get married for the next ten years, at least, because it doesn't suit him.

"But if you're in a relationship you have to keep your **** in your pants - and I'd struggle with that. Now I don't want one. I look at every relationship and think 'What's in it for me?"'
Williams said he understood George Michael's recent adventures on London's Hampstead Heath.
"If there was a wood near my house full of women who wanted to have sex then I'd find it difficult not to go there."

In 1492, Columbus Sailed The Ocean Blue. But What Happened In 1491?

I wasn't able to place a feature on "1491," the nonfiction book about life in America right before Columbus popped in to say hello. A pity, since the book broke out to be a solid bestseller, selling 175,000 copies. Now Vintage expects to do even better with the paperback, but you know how I hate this: it's being sold at $15. Sure, the hardcover was $30, but sales on best-selling hardcovers easily meant people paid $20-$22 for it. So in fact, the paperback won't be that much less (and for much of its life it WON'T be discounted.) This is exactly the sort of book they would never put out in mass paperback for say $8 -- it's "literary," intelligent, upscale and publishers insist people really want a bulky expensive trade paperback for books like this. Another stupid comment from the publisher? "It did do exceedingly well in hardcover, which certainly never hurts the paperback print run, but the push for 1491 can also be credited to its genre. Books like this... have a sizable and built-in audience in paperback." There's a sizable audience of people who want to read non-fiction history books in paperback? Huh? As opposed to people who only want to read mysteries in hardcover or people who only want to read romance novels online? That makes no sense whatsover.

UK Music Charts

Christina Aguilera tops the album charts with her "Back To Basics" CD. (Though the BBC website hasn't updated that info yet, you can see her triumph mentioned on the home page. The singles chart looks like an endless series of smackdowns: David Guetta Vs. Tne Egg is one group, Micky Modelle V Jessy and Mousse T V Dandy Warhols are two more. Can't we all just get along?

Nixon Frost Interviews Become A Play

I'm just old enough to remember David Frost achieving the "get" of a lifetime: a substantial sit-down interview with disgraced President Richard Nixon that actually resulted in a fascinating new insight into the man. A new play sketches in the build-up to the interview (both men were washed up) and that makes great theater out of their back and forth tussle. Hopefully it will prompt a release of the entire TV special on DVD. But really, what's next? On stage reenactments of Whitney Houston's "crack is whack" chat? An entire festival devoted to Barbara Walters? The possibilities are endless.

Don't Miss Spike Lee Tonight

HBO is showing his two-part documentary on Katrina tonight and tomorrow at 9 p.m. Here's the latest rave review, just one of many. If it's half as good as "Four Little Girls" (Lee's masterpiece), it will be tremendous viewing.

NY Times: Dropping The Ball Again

There is no end to the complaints I could raise about the arts coverage of the NY Times. A minor example: they ran a book feature on short works that just came out towards the end of the summer. It's the sort of random filler piece anyone might do, arguing that no one wants to dive into a big book right before fall. Fair enough. But all the Times did was slap together generic descriptions of the four books that anyone could ahve divined from a press release. Couldn't they have actually reviewed the four books, especially since the whole point of the article was that they were short and easy to read? I was especially annoyed because one of the books -- "Giraffe" by JM Ledgard -- will probably be one of my favorites of the year. How lazy can the NYTimes get?

Okay, Here We Go

Two meaty stories to get you started. IRA member George Robinson pointed out this well-done article in LA Weekly on the fair-use of film clips in documentaries, fictional films and so on. The new docu "This Film Is Not Yet Rated" plans to use itself as a test case -- arguing its many uses of clips need not be cleared or paid for because they fall under Fair Use. And anyone seeing the film would have to agree, none of the clips are lengthy to an unreasonable degree, none would conceivably make someone decide they didn't need to see a film because they'd seen a 30 second clip already and the clips are clearly used for a valid purpose. (Not Fiar Use would be doing a docu on John Wayne and showing, say, ten minutes in one chunk from "The Searchers.") The piece lays all of the issues out quite well. The copyright laws, which have extended copyrights from 28 years to author's life plus 75 years, are absurd. One caveat: the piece claims movie studios own 2/3rds or more of all copyrights, which seems impossible. Maybe 1000 films (an extremely generous figure) are released each year. But easily 100,000 books are published each year, 10,000+ CDs and so on. How could movie studios possibly own 2/3rds of all copyrights?

And the LA Times has a good article on how animation studios screw writers out of residuals for the scripts they write for the likes of "Shrek 2." Animated movies have been a scam for a while: actors love to do them (they're quick and easy, relatively speaking) and they like making a movie for their kids. But these are massively popular blockbusters; why should actors do them basically for free?

Synchronicity (Plus A Book Review)

The IRS better not ever question me when I write off anything and everything in pop culture as part of my job. I don't care if it's a 100 year old mystery novel or an avant gard opera -- everything is connected. Case in point: I just finished reading a terrific novel called "Giraffe" by J.M. Ledgard. It's certainly one of the best novels of the year. Based on a real incident, it tells the story of giraffes captured in the wild and transported en masse to a zoo in Czechoslovakia in the early 70s. Later, all the giraffes are slaughtered and everyone knows never to mention the incident or wonder why. Ledgard, a Scottish reporter, begins the novel rather flashily from the point of view of one of the giraffes. Then the book skips from narrator to narrator: a young specialist who studies the flow of blood (important for the burgeoning space race movement) and is especially fascinated by giraffes. He finds himself assigned to overseeing the transport of the giraffes. There's a young female worker in a factory that makes Christmas ornaments. She sleepwalks at night and -- happily -- this is clearly recognized as the natural state of things for people in a totalitarian state, so somehow the metaphor is unforced for being stated so bluntly. There's a woodsman and various other apparatchiks and all of it climaxes in the bloody, terrible slaughter of the animals in a heart-rending but not sentimental tour de force. The obvious comparison is Milan Kundera, since no one since him has captured so well the mindset of living under the thumb of such self-oppression quite so vividly as Ledgard does here. The odd but compelling impression is of a book that has been translated from another language -- not because it is stiff or awkward in its style but simply because of its otherness. It is a terrific reading group book as long as no one is too sensitive about animals.

And onto synchronicity. Just before "Giraffe" I finished the classic mystery tale "The Moonstone." I've read perhaps thousands of books and "The Moonstone" by Wilkie Collins is the first one I recall where a character has used a book (in his case "Robinson Crusoe") the way some use the Bible. It is his touchstone, his rock and he dips into it time and time again, just to refresh himself or to actively look for a passage that will guide his actions. "Robinson Crusoe" has never failed that man yet. It's a silly conceit that -- without truly mocking those who treat the Bible like a Magic Eight Ball -- manages to be very funny. And suddenly in "Giraffe," our hero -- a hemodynamicist -- uses "Great Expectations" in somewhat the same way. It's not a mystical source of inspiration, but it is a touchstone and he reads it regularly. As if that weren't enough, his name is Emil and another touchstone for him is the German children's book hero Emil, especially the book "Emil and the Detectives." Another frisson for me because "Emil and the Detectives" is a rather obscure book for us, but I happened to have snagged a copy in the Strand years ago. A friend of mine wrote an exceptional biography of director Billy Wilder, and "Emil and the Detectives" was a German language project of his.

That sleepwalker, by the way, is named Amina, after the heroine of a Bellini opera, who is falsely accused of betraying her love because she is a somnambulist. (Like me.) Jump back in time to 1860 or 1861, when Mary Elizabeth Braddon's Victorian thriller "The Trail of the Serpent" is published. I follow "Giraffe," a modern tale of totalitarian Czechoslovakia by reading this Dickensian mystery, only to find our nefarious villain attending the opera where he fatefully realizes a wealthy Spanish heiress is enamored with one of the leading singers. The opera they're performing? "La Somnambula" by Bellini. Everything connects.