Short Cuts

File this one under the Things You Don't See Everyday Department: Austin's Theaterless Theatre Corps is presenting the "first ever authorized staging of a Werner Herzog film" with a version of Stroszek, the director's 1977 cult classic about a man named Bruno and his battle with the bottle. (Timing is everything and this staged version of old-school Herzog conveniently coincides -- more or less -- with the impending Austin release of My Best Friend, Herzog's new documentary on the late actor/bon vivant/madman Klaus Kinski, which will begin a five-day run at Landmark's Dobie Theatre on Sun., Mar 19.) Adding to the Herzogicity of the event, although they call themselves theaterless, they're actually performing at the Hyde Park Theater, Thursdays-Sundays at 8pm through March 18. Tickets are $8-10 and more information is available by calling 454-TIXS... Speaking of the Dobie, manager Holden Payne has announced that due to the fickle financial whims of the late-night-moviegoing public, the theatre has slashed (well, scratched, anyway) ticket prices for all midnight screenings from an outrageous $7 to a vastly more palatable $6. According to Payne, some customers had long been irked by the fact that the second- and third-run features that make up the bulk of Dobie's midnight shows were being tagged with first-run prices and had begun threatening to stay at home on weekends with a copy of Ms. .45 from Blockbuster rather than pay the extra buck. Thanks to Payne and Landmark for caving with class... From Barna Kantor at the Cinemaker Co-op comes disturbing news for small-gauge filmmakers everywhere: Kodak is looking at phasing out its much-loved black-and-white reversal film stock due to pressure from the Environmental Protection Agency. According to Kantor, the EPA is demanding that Kodak discontinue the stock due to the fact that the reversal process "uses a bleaching solution which is rife with heavy metals that are extremely hard to keep out of the environment." The complete phase-out could take years, according to Kantor, although at this point a replacement stock doesn't seem to be on the horizon. More information on this issue can be had by e-mailing Kantor at cyc@501studios.com... Aspiring NYPD Blue scriptwriters take note: The University of Texas' James A. Michener Center for Writers is sponsoring a lecture by Emmy-nominated writer and producer John Romano titled "TV and Literature: The Cop Show from Dickens to Bochco," Thu., Mar. 9, 7:30pm, in the Fourth Floor Auditorium of the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center on the UT campus. Romano is the executive producer on NBC's Third Watch and has worked previously on Hill Street Blues and L.A. Law, as well as penning the Ed Harris/Anne Heche vehicle The Third Miracle, which will be screened on Mar 10, 3pm, in CMB Studio 4-E with a Q&A to follow. Both events are free to the public. Call 471-1601 for more info. (The Third Miracle coincidentally opens in Austin this Fri., Mar 3, at the Arbor.)... Is that Spike Lee in your pocket or are you just glad to see me? Mr. Bed-Stuy-Do or Die is speaking as part of the KLRU Distinguished Speaker Series, Thu., Mar 9, 7pm, at the LBJ Library Auditorium (2314 Red River), so do the right thing, you clocker, and get on the bus to see the man, the myth, the mookie. Tickets are $40 (lecture only) and $75 (lecture and reception) from UTTM, 477-606.