New film takes a WIZard all over OZ.

The Mystery of Acting... demystified (not. just a bunch of fucking quotes)

Ok, you're not gonna understand any mystery from this article, that's for sure. It basically serves up a few selected quotes from actors (Lady Gaga?), almost none of them good (reactionary Right Wing nutter/good actor Gary Oldman's is alright), but all put together they're worthwhile in that good acting, or a good actor, is hard to put a finger on. You know it (him/her) when you see it (him/her), but I may disagree with you. What I can tell you (besides the fact that's it's not easily definable) is that it's a gift, it's a dream, it's a challenge, it's a struggle, it rocks and it's not for everyone. How does an actor tap into the illustrious well of "goodness"? Ahhhh, wouldn't you like to know ;).

"Is the use of our skill an embrace? Or is it the snapping of a shackle? We must start asking that neglected question, individually, or we will we only contribute to, or at least be complicit in, a national calamity."

In case you did NOT watch the mind blowing video I refer to in my previous post, which would be a CRIME, because you HAVE to, DO. IT. NOW. Here it is again, preceded by a fwd by the eloquent T.C., esp. tailored for all of our friends in the sham of a mockery we call... The Entertainment Industry. -RM

"Time to Occupy Ourselves after decades of Self-Evacuation. Here it is, the most graphic representation of violence in America, ever. Strangely, as you will see in the video, this is the only kind of depiction of violence the media censors anymore. Any other depiction of violence is hunky dory and A-OK just so long as it entertains.

Thanks to the early inspiration of men like Edward Bernays, the media's job has finally achieved its destiny, and become entirely devoted to perpetuating the illusions mentioned in this video, and meant merely to distract the very people who are most violated...with soporific entertainments and hallucinations (the new opiate of the masses...toothless vampire fantasies, super hero escapism, the artistic cowardice of endless "revivals," which should be called "avoidances," historical dramas bordering on state-sponsored propaganda), all of which are populated by artists whose magnificent razor sharp talents function like the teeth in the maw of a giant anaconda holding its prey, so the rest can slowly squeeze it to death. To my brothers and sisters in The Industry...simply succeeding as an entertainer (which only means, "one who holds" perhaps like the anaconda tooth holds flesh) is empty and without value unto itself. Money? Ha. Think again. So what if you hold America with nothing but your little finger? Now you're king of the world. Fine. Now what? You've had a blockbuster, an open-ended run, had money thrown at you. Ohhh, you've held them all right! Or as they used to say in the biz, "ya killed em!" In a mass market, there might be more literal truth to that than you realize. But, brother, that is an empty achievement. Dear sister, it is utterly without recognizable human intention or substance. What is your motive to hold audiences? To what end? To educate? To encourage? To lift the weary? To validate the courageous? Or to feel validated? Or to placate neurosis? Or to inebriate the spell-bound? To sell a product? Okay, what's the product? You have talent. Okay. So what? Leni Riefenstahl had talent. If you can't answer the larger question, "to what end", you can bet the farm your talent is being misused within a larger purpose that you are only vaguely aware of. The way work is shared in this industry is so overly collateralized, no one can afford to ask the important question. The "good Nazi," was given the task of pushing that button on the wall, then went home to a nice warm meal with the family. But what's the button do? We are trained that it's unprofessional to ask what the buttons connect to. So don't ask. It's unprofessional. And we like warm meals.

"To do great theatre" is an utterly vacuous statement. It means nothing. "To do great film" is even worse, since the form is far more collateralized. An actor doesn't show up on the set "to do great film." If he does, that's going to be one crappy actor. He shows up to enact a limited number of discrete objectives. I do not cotton to an idea like "great theatre." There is great human intention. That's all. I believe only in the achievement of the the objective of the play or story, and if THAT defensible in human terms. Does it belong to what has traditionally be called "The Humanities" -- or not. That is all that matters to me.

So let us ask WHY are we holding people's minds at attention? That must be our daily mantra. Our abilities to hold is a skill, yes; a power even; perhaps, a privilege. But is the use of our skill an embrace? Or is it the snapping of a shackle? We must start asking that neglected question, individually, or we will we only contribute to, or at least be complicit in, a national calamity."

Viral Video Shows the Extent of U.S. Wealth Inequality

Nothing funny about this post. You can view it here. This video is spot-on and well stated, and it saddens me deeply that many people won't even bother to view it (never mind share it), because they haven't the time or interest apparently in their own Country's obviously skewed state of affair$, which are in fact, harming them (if they, like most of us, are not filthy rich). Many will also brush this off as "complaining". That's wrong and weak. Stay asleep then, but I hope (as this video says) you will decide instead to "wake up, and realize that the reality of this country is not at all what we think it is". It's 33 years after Raegan started his trickle down Genocide, 4 years after the Recession "began" and 1.5 years past Occupy and things are NOT getting better. Choose to lose (more) and continue to earn less or strive to change a broken system. Your choice. Pretending this is not an important issue and keeping it snug like venomous bug under the rug merely exacerbates the problem. That the über wealthy pay tax rates x 2 is immaterial when their income is stratospherically higher and increasing at disproportionate rates to absolutely everyone else. You want Victorian England? You're gonna get it. GOP talk about “workers” vs “shirkers” is straight out of antiquated Victorian moralism about those deserving and undeserving.



"This troubled planet is a place of the most violent contrasts. Those that receive the rewards are totally separate from those who shoulder the burdens. It is not a wise leadership." — Mr. Spock, Star Trek