Cover Story
Securing the Substance
Richard Linklater on his adaptation of A Scanner Darkly
World Cup Wrap-Up
You hate to see a game, let alone a championship, get decided by penalty kicks, but it does make for perhaps the most exciting five minutes in sports. Great ending to a great World Cup. Afterwards, of course, all the talk has been about the head-butt (see below for some links and video clips). Crack…
Revenge Is My Destiny
Revenge Is My Destiny 1971, NR, 95 min. Directed by Joseph Adler, Starring Chris Robinson, Sidney Blackmer, Elisa Ingram, Joe E. Ross. This hard-to-find movie tells the story of a Vietnam vet who comes home with an eyepatch and then has to go to war again on his home turf of Miami when his wife…
The Fifth Floor
The Fifth Floor 1978, R, 90 min. Directed by Howard Avedis, Starring Bo Hopkins, Dianne Hull, Patti D’Arbanville, Sharon Farrell, Robert Englund. A disco-dancing college student is wrongly committed to an insane asylum.
Wilderness River Trail and 1970s Pollution Shorts
Wilderness River Trail and 1970s Pollution Shorts 1953. Directed by Charles Eggert. Director, cinematographer, and film editor Charles Eggert was a photographer in the U.S. Navy during World War II before shooting this film on 16mm color stock in 1953. The film documents a commercial river run taken with an experienced crew down the Green…
A Scanner Darkly Extravaganza
A Scanner Darkly Extravaganza 2006, R, 100 min. Directed by Richard Linklater, Starring Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr., Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, Rory Cochrane. These two special screenings of Linklater’s latest will be preceded by a half-hour concert by the film’s music composer, Graham Reynolds, who will perform a suite of themes from the movie.…
Daddy
Daddy 1973, NR, 90 min. Directed by Peter Whitehead, Nikki de St. Phalle, Starring de St. Phalle, Mia Martin. Co-made with artist Nikki de St. Phalle, the film is a gothic and surreal rant about a woman’s attempts to exorcise the influence of her sexually domineering father. The Alamo bills this one with a warning…
Sound Unbound Vol. 2: Modern American Composers
Sound Unbound Vol. 2: Modern American Composers 2006, NR, 87 min. Directed by Anne Heller. Documentary examines the contributions of modern American composers from the 1940s to the 1980s who have broken with tradition to follow their own muses by creating their own theories of musical composition and, using unusual instrumentation, with an emphasis on…
Big Time
Big Time 1988, PG, 87 min. Directed by Chris Blum. A very rare screening of this Tom Waits concert film, which is unavailable on DVD and out-of-print on VHS. It was filmed in San Francisco and Los Angeles theatres during the 1987 tour and contains all or part of 22 songs, mostly from the album…
Championship Weekend Preview
Saturday, 1:55pm: Germany-Portugal. I know: who cares about third place? But this could be a fun game. The Germans are playing essentially an exhibition game for their home fans — a final game together for this very popular squad. Portugal has nothing more to lose, but some prestige to gain. Let’s hope for a beautiful…
Page Two: Flip It and Reverse It
Bush abandons troublesome action for the sanctity of meaningless battles and ideological purity
Texas Platters
Sara HickmanMotherlode (Sleeveless) It’s been years since Austin songstress Sara Hickman made music for mommies and daddies – her last “adult” record was 2003’s endearing Faithful Heart – but the local singer-songwriter catapults herself back into the world of grownups with the 2-CD Motherlode, in which she mines the complexities of modern-day motherhood. Despite a…
Media Watch
“Austin” mags wrestle for naming rights, and Snoop gets a shot on The Beat
Xs and Os
Ward Serrill on ‘The Heart of the Game’
Letters at 3AM
The pattern repeats across the country. Talk tough against immigrants for the redneck vote, then stop any anti-immigrant operation that costs businesses money – which means all of ’em.
Texas Platters
The Ginn SistersBlood Oranges (Sweetbird) There are few sounds sweeter than siblings harmonizing, and like dessert to their 2004 debut, Generally Happy, the Ginn Sisters’ Blood Oranges is a ripe, tasty offering. They wear their small-town Texas upbringing with familial pride, while Bradley Kopp’s production balances their rich vocals with austere, outstanding musicianship. Lead vocalist…
AISD: Students Rein in Recruiters
Austin students yank the chains of over-aggressive military recruitment
DVD Watch
THE LOVED ONEWarner Home Video, $19.98 “He’s just trying to exploit me,” groused Lenny Bruce in 1964, declining an offer proffered by fellow provocateur Terry Southern to take on a role in the maverick screenwriter’s latest project – and thus missing out on one of the great casting coups in pop-cinema history. As it was,…
After a Fashion
Why did Stephen get back into the clothing-design business?
Texas Platters
Maneja BetoAccidentes de Longitud y Latitud “This album is dedicated to possibility.” That’s more than an opening to the liner notes for Accidentes de Longitud y Latitud. Those words succinctly describe the second album by local Spanish-language pop-rockers, Maneja Beto. There’s no doubt that the musical mixture Maneja Beto conjures is worth a spin. Old-school…
Naked City
Headlines and Happenings from Austin and Beyond
TV Eye
Mekka Lekka Hi-Mekka Hiney Ho!
Day Trips
‘Day Trips’ visits Paris, France
Texas Platters
BalisticaPromise Land (CardinalZen) Rock en Espanol’s musical paella, a mouthwatering mulch of native North, South, and Central American styles (often Euro-spiced), is only as delectable as the exuberance of its server. In both respects, Austin is well represented by Balistica, whose versatile barrage of stabbing guitar and double bass, fattened with electronics and pounded by…
Cold Case Charges
Mexican native charged with capital murder in connection with two old cases
Watching, Breathing, and Eating the World Cup
France vs. Italy is one for the true gourmand, but what of the third-place game?
To Your Health
What’s new in vitamin D research?
Texas Platters
Tacks, the Boy DisasterThe Parish, July 1 There seems to be a national (and local) trend toward having a lot of people onstage. Alex Dupree, a tall, wiry 21-year-old with a shock of curly hair, opened the Saturday night triple bill with a few solo songs before slowly bringing the five other members of his…
Fight Against Cervical Cancer Advances
National Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommends routine vaccination of 11- and 12-year-old girls with new drug that prevents cervical cancer
The Common Law
Annulment – as if the marriage never happened?
Texas Platters
Wasn’t easy unmelting the creamy, white-vinyl Datsuns’ 10-inch off my turntable, but with Austin’s John Schooley grinding through his own quartet of tunes on 7 coal-black inches of Live on Australian Radio (Hook or Crook), the Kiwis took five. Schooley’s no less redline, his burp blues slidin’ ‘n’ stompin’ into “Aberdeen Mississippi” like a race…
Weed Watch
U.S. House of Reps once again votes down measure that would prevent Department of Justice from spending tax money to raid, arrest, and prosecute sick people using medi-pot
Mr. Smarty Pants Knows
Ancient wines, the Texas Whip, and the truth about tequila
Texas Platters
Foot FootYe Olde Pitchshift The cover of Foot Foot’s latest looks like some sort of Mayan rave, while titles like “Mystical Jackass” sound like they were recorded in a bathroom. And yet somehow, this rehearsal-space aesthetic works. Ye Olde Pitchshift begins with a nursery rhyme slowed down, which leads into the woozy “AM Radio,” with…
Louisiana Lege Tries Outlawing Abortion, Flag Burning
Gov. Kathleen Blanco signs bill criminalizing access to safe and legal abortion services; Lege also passes ban on flag burning
Soccer Watch
Italy and France move on to the World Cup final with impressive semifinal victories
Texas Platters
Masonic Without Warning Despite transitioning through three lead singers in as many albums, Masonic still manages to crank out heady doses of wistful, rough-hewn pop on Without Warning. Most of the local, brother-led quartet’s songs are rooted in no-nonsense chord progressions, yet by tricking things out with vintage keyboard flourishes, here-and-there hand percussion, and other…
Town Lake Park Update
Artists want some credit
Energy Abounding
Few words better encompass what the Kathy Dunn Hamrick Company is all about
Independence Freestyle
A brewery benefits a greenbelt
Texas Platters
Banana Blender SurprisePaint the Town Brown (Freedom) Banana Blender Surprise was – and, once in a blue moon, still is – a sugar-crazed combination of Chuck Berry, the Meters, and Fabulous Thunderbirds: nice, normal, middle-class Houston kids as enamored of early rock & roll and Gulf Coast R&B as they were RC Cola and moon…
Point Austin: Supreme Confusion
The Supreme Court ratifies the Texas GOP majority with a shrug
TCB
Anticipating a busy fall, with new records on the way from IV Thieves and Lemurs, and old ones from What Made Milwaukee Famous and Spoon
Bernadette Nason
When Onstage Theatre Company was founded 10 years ago, Bernadette Nason told Michael Stuart he’d direct her in the one-woman comedy ‘Shirley Valentine’ one day – and now that day has come
Wine of the Week
Bogle Chardonnay
Texas Platters
Austin City Limits 2005 Music Festival(Image Entertainment) With 2006’s ACL Music Fest lineup officially on the books, this 2-DVD set takes a fond, heat-exhausted look back at 24 of last year’s performances. It’s a shame more memorable acts weren’t included (Wilco? Fiery Furnaces?), rendering this collection a bit sterile. Standouts include East Texas quintet Eisley’s…
The Hightower Report
Axing Our National Parks; and Connecting the Dots to CEO Pay
Radio: 30
Hyde Park Theatre revives its production of Chris Earle’s play Radio: 30, which creates a pitch-perfect rendering of emotional breakdown in the recording studio
Food-o-File
Let’s just go ahead and get under way …
Texas Platters
Loxsly Whisky Bar, June 29 Is a great idea still great if its execution proves a train wreck? Local fivepiece Loxsly has garnered a reputation for explosive live shows with hypnotic visuals and Cody Ground’s bounce and scream, and while these elements showed up on Thursday night at the Whisky Bar, the $1 wells got…
Arts Review
Although Different Stages’ production of Agatha Christie’s mystery The Hollow demands all one’s focus and concentration, its stylish design, strong acting, and surprises make it worth it in the end
Mesa Ranch
Mesa Ranch8108 Mesa, 853-9480 Dinner: Sunday-Thursday, 5-9:30pm Friday & Saturday, 5-10pm Lunch: Monday-Friday, 11am-2pm www.mesaranchaustin.com Mesa Ranch proprietor Steve Ray grew up around two well-loved Austin steak houses of the Sixties and Seventies, the Barn and the Feedlot, both operated by his dad, Jack Ray. After that early training, Ray spent most of the Eighties…
Texas Platters
The Pilgrim: A Celebration of Kris Kristofferson (American Roots Publishing) Two previous tributes to Kris Kristofferson brimmed with under-the-radar roots rockers like the Handsome Family, Chuck Prophet, and Beaver Nelson, and without widespread distribution, they were generally overlooked. The Pilgrim, the second disc and second tribute released by American Roots Publishing, who won a Grammy…
Tone Setter
Graham Reyolds’ A Scanner Darkly score
The Death of Mr. Lazarescu
Mr. Dante Remus Lazarescu of Bucharest descends into a distinct rung of hell when he calls for an ambulance and is subsequently schlepped through Romania’s uncaring medical system.
Arts Review
Stepping into D. Berman’s exhibition ‘HEAT’ can transport you to a few alternate realities as powerful and reality-bending as any virtual world inside a computer
Dragon Gate by Phoenix
Dragon Gate by Phoenix3801 Capital of TX Hwy. N., 732-7278 Monday-Saturday, 11am-10pm; Sunday, 11am-9:30pm Restaurateur Phoenix Pai is creating a mini-empire in the Austin area, with three eateries catering to Asian-food lovers who just can’t quite decide which cuisine strikes their fancy. Like her other places – China Cafe by Phoenix on Spicewood Springs and…
Texas Platters
Legions of mostly obscured hip-hop artists continue to pride themselves on their adherence to the so-called true school. Typically this means enthusiastic renderings of DJ Premier-styled boom bap teeming with constant shout-out’s to DJs, B-boys, and graffiti writers. Locals Mike Flo and Alpha 2020 resemble this description to the point that when they aren’t sounding…
A Scanner, Before and After
An interview with producer Tommy Pallotta and animators Jason Archer and Paul Beck
The King
First-time filmmaker James Marsh delivers a Texas gothic that stars Gael García Bernal and William Hurt, but the characters lack depth and humanity.
Arts Review
With her solo exhibition Nevermore, Austin artist Candace Briceño continues her sustained inquiry into landscapes while driving her use of color and line into new territory
Just Another Manic Monday
The Alamo Drafthouse’s music / film synergy: Music Mondays and more
Political Realist
An Interview With Ben Barnes
Off the Wall
AFS Texas Documentary Tour: Rebecca Dreyfus’ ‘Stolen’
A Scanner Darkly
As the title implies, there’s a certain opacity to A Scanner Darkly‘s cautionary drug tale, but at times Richard Linklater’s film can be as naked as the lunch on the end of your fork.
Culture Flash!
Deadline for the Texas State Auditions, Armadillo artist Danny Garrett gets his own day, proposals for the Mueller public art project are presented, and Ann Adams’ ‘Big Chiller Blues’ gets hot press
Coming Soon
July 6, 13, 20, & 27: We Will Rock You: The Queen Sing-Along July 9 & 10: Peter Whitehead’s Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London (see interview in Screens, p.49) July 10: Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man July 15: A Scanner Darkly concert with Graham Reynolds July 17: Sound Unbound Vol. 2, featuring John…
Ben Barnes on Barn Building
Selections from Barn Burning, Barn Building: Tales of a Political Life, From LBJ Through George W. Bush and Beyond, by Ben Barnes, with Lisa Dickey (Bright Sky Press, 2006).On Bush and the National Guard I did make the call to the National Guard on George W. Bush’s behalf, and he did jump ahead of others…
When Hollywood Met Steve Collins
… and other Austin stories from the L.A. Film Festival
The Heart of the Game
Seven years of film footage went into this perceptive documentary about girls who play high school basketball, the situations unique to their gender, and their marginalization by the school administration.
Solving ConMisterio
A preview
Mondays Redux
A Hard Day’s Night A Skin Too Few: The Days of Nick Drake All Tomorrow’s Parties: The Velvet Underground Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley Bubblegum Music Is the Naked Truth! Candy Charlie Is My Darling Contort Yourself: Weasel Walter’s New York No Wave Tutorial Derailroaded: Inside the Mind of Wild Man Fischer DiG! Dream Deceivers: The…
PSEM: City Coy About Coy report
In wake of public release of assessment report of city’s Public Safety and Emergency Management forces, officials announce Park Police Chief Darryl Lewis will step down to division manager, but dance around saying much else
The Word and the Image
The Pop Films of Peter Whitehead
Luv Doc Recommends: Headbanger’s Call Benefit Concert
Many people are accused of having head injuries, but only about one in a thousand can legitimately walk the wobbly walk. Just to be safe, however, you probably shouldn’t be too hard on people who act like they’ve been clocked with a two-by-four. People get smacked in the head with two-by-fours and other painful wooden…
