NEW HAYAO MIYAZAKI DOC

New release: A beautiful new documentary film was released on DVD in January that offers an intimate visit with Japanese artist/director Hayao Miyazaki. From the editorial review on Amazon: "Granted near-unfettered access to the notoriously insular Studio Ghibli, director Mami Sunada follows the three men who are the lifeblood of Ghibli the eminent director Hayao Miyazaki, the producer Toshio Suzuki, and the elusive and influential other director Isao Takahata over the course of a year as the studio rushes to complete two films, Miyazaki s The Wind Rises and Takahata s The Tale of The Princess Kaguya. The result is a rare fly on the wall glimpse of the inner workings of one of the world s most celebrated animation studios creators of successful films including Princess Mononoke and the Oscar winning Spirited Away, the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time and an insight into the dreams, passion and singular dedication of these remarkable creators." US readers can now stream the film on Netflix. Enjoy!

LAURIE ANDERSON LIVE IDEAS

Laurie Anderson is curating the 2015 Live Ideas festival in NYC. Events are scheduled to start on Wednesday April 15th with performances and work by Anderson, Julian Schnabel, Pauline Oliveros, Chris Marker, and John Zorn. Readers on the west coast can see Laurie Anderson during her four-night run at SF Jazz in May (info here). NYC Live Ideas info here. 

MUSIC FOR 6 DRUMMERS

Here is the brilliant 2001 Swedish short Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers. The Six Drummers are a group of artists who "want to challenge the preconceptions of music and explore the boundaries between sound, music and image." Their work is a genius cocktail of performance art, music, and filmmaking. Apartment was nominated for a Palme d'Or at Cannes and the group followed up with a feature film, Sound of Noise, in 2010. The female lead in both films is actress/musician Sanna Persson. Enjoy!

LA OPERA SINGS MARIO BAVA

The LA Opera will be performing Mario Bava's 1961 film Hercules VS Vampires (Hercules in the Haunted World) this month. In an interesting twist to live-movie accompaniment  the opera cast will be singing the dialog! Bava's cult-classic is an operatic, gaudy vision that I think will translate beautifully to this form of presentation. If you think it might be strange to hear Christopher Lee's dialog sung, remember he was dubbed by another actor for the English-language cut of the film anyway! Don't miss it if you are in the LA area. More info here. 

NEW BOWIE PRODUCTION

David Bowie and Enda Walsh have created a new production of The Man Who Fell to Earth for the New York Theatre Workshop. Inspired by the original novel by Walter Tevis (David Bowie starred in the 1976 film adaptation), Mr. Bowie has also written new music as well as new arrangements of previously recorded tunes for the production. More info here.