Written by Jon Williams
It’s been
nearly six months since we’ve checked in with news on the upcoming Star Wars films. In that
post, one of the items we speculated on was who would write the score for
the new trilogy. This past weekend, at the Star Wars Celebration event held in
Essen, Germany, that question was put to rest. Fans will be able to breathe
easy with the news that John Williams, who has scored all six Star Wars films to this point, will
return, at least for the first installment (Episode VII).
Williams,
81, is perhaps the best-known composer of classical music today, due primarily
to his work in film. He began his career as a Hollywood orchestrator and
musician under other composers. His first credit for a score he composed
himself was on 1960’s Because
They’re Young. He composed music for a number of television shows
throughout the ‘60s, including Lost
in Space and Land
of the Giants. He also continued to work on feature films, such as Valley
of the Dolls (1967) and Goodbye
Mr. Chips (1969), which earned him his first two Academy Award
nominations. He won his first Academy Award in 1971 with his score for Fiddler
on the Roof.
In 1974,
Williams scored The
Sugarland Express, the debut film of a young director named Steven
Spielberg. This would turn out to be a profitable partnership. The next year he
scored his second Academy Award for Spielberg’s second film, Jaws,
with its unmistakably ominous theme. Spielberg, of course, has gone on to a
career as one of the most successful directors in Hollywood history, and
Williams has scored all but two of his films. This includes such memorable
movies (and scores) as Close
Encounters of the Third Kind, the Indiana
Jones series, E.T.
the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic
Park, and Schindler’s
List.
This
collaboration paid off in other ways as well. It was Spielberg that recommended
Williams to George Lucas, who put him to work on the score for his space opera Star
Wars. Williams delivered with one of the most recognizable movie themes
of all time, and followed it up with the equally recognizable “Imperial March”
(Darth Vader’s theme) on the score for The
Empire Strikes Back. His work on the saga has been the high point of an
epic career. Indeed, it’s difficult to imagine a Star Wars film without his iconic sound; other Star Wars-related spinoffs (the Clone
Wars animated TV show and the Shadows
of the Empire project) have leaned heavily on Williams’s themes for
their music.
Williams has
won a total of five Academy Awards for his film scores, to go along with four
Golden Globes and 21 Grammy Awards. He is certainly best known for his work in
movies, but that is by no means the whole of his career. For a full selection
of titles composed or conducted by John Williams, SmartBrowse his name on our
website.
Written by Kyle Slagley
Folks in the United States are accustomed to seeing dead
presidents and other political figures on banknotes. Folks in Canada branch out
a little bit to include more than just dead Prime Ministers, but with only one
or two exceptions, most of the faces on Canadian bills are political figures as
well.
The money is clearly a bit stuffy and stodgy here in North
America.
Europe, on the other hand, seems to be a bit more
open-minded with their funds. The other day I heard on the radio that the Bank
of England recently released the proof for the new Jane
Austen ten-pound note, which will go into circulation sometime around 2017,
according to BBC News. Austen will replace famed naturalist and author Sir
Charles Darwin.
Obviously on this side of the pond, we are unaccustomed to
seeing authors and writers on the cash lining (or not lining, as the case may
be) our wallets, but after my curiosity got the better of me, I found there are
a surprising number of writers who graced various currencies at one time or
another.
A couple of the more unsurprising faces are Benjamin
Franklin and Nelson
Mandela, who also happen to be famous for much more than just their
writing. Franklin’s image currently graces the U.S. one hundred dollar bill, and
also was pictured on the two-dollar note, which is now out of print. South
Africa’s currency, known as the rand, issued five new notes in 2012 – all of
which feature Mandela on the front.
From there we delve into writers who were primarily just
writers and only delved into political satire on the side. Probably the most
satirical of the bunch would be Jonathan
Swift, author of Gulliver’s
Travels, who was pictured on the Irish ten-pound note issued in 1976.
Swift was replaced in 1993 by Ulysses
author James
Joyce.
Though the Bank of England is the central bank for the
United Kingdom, the crown permits eight different banks to issue legal
currency. Scotland is home to three of those banks, and each of them has issued
notes featuring a different writer. In 1994, the Royal Bank of Scotland issued
a one-pound commemorative note picturing Robert
Louis Stevenson, author of Treasure
Island. In 1998, Clydesdale Bank issued a five-pound note picturing Robert
Burns, author of the poem “A Red, Red Rose.” Finally, in 2007, the Bank of
Scotland released four notes featuring Ivanhoe
author Sir
Walter Scott – the bank had previously released one note in 1999 featuring
Scott.
To wrap up, lets venture outside the realm of
English-speaking nations to Denmark and Germany. From 1952 to 1975, Denmark,
whose currency is the krone, circulated a ten-krone note picturing Hans
Christian Andersen – author of such fairy tales as “The Ugly Duckling,” “Puss
in Boots,” and other characters you would now find in Shrek films.
Finally, from 1992 until they joined the EU in 2002, Germany
circulated two 1,000-mark notes featuring the Brothers
Grimm, one of Jacob and one of Wilhelm. The Brothers Grimm are of course
responsible for “Hansel and Gretel,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Rumplestiltsken,”
and the other half of the Shrek cast
of characters.
If you’re as curious as I was, check out this Wikipedia
page to see who is pictured on the currencies of nations across the world.
Written by Jon Williams
Earlier this
month, Entertainment Weekly magazine
published an issue containing their lists of the Top 100 movies,
TV
shows, albums,
and novels
of all time, respectively. While one can debate the order of these lists, and
in some instances even their content (that’s what they’re for, after all), there’s
no doubt that they’re a great starting point for anyone hoping to sample some
of the best that pop culture has to offer.
For their #1
novel of all time, EW chose Anna
Karenina by Leo
Tolstoy. They’re hardly alone in their praise; William Faulker said the
novel was “the best ever written.” This tragic romance between the protagonist
and the dashing Count Vronsky has captivated readers since it was first
published in complete form (it originated as a serial
tale) in 1878. It’s been adapted for film a number of times, most recently starring
Keira Knightley and Jude Law in 2012.
Of course,
while Anna Karenina is Tolstoy’s
greatest masterpiece, it is by no means his only renowned work. He is also the
author of War
and Peace (#28 on EW’s list),
The
Death of Ivan Ilyich, and a number of other novels, short stories, and
plays. More to the point, he is just one well-known writer of Russian
literature that has provided a treasure trove of novels and stories over the
years.
Coming
slightly later, and influenced heavily by both Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, was Anton
Chekhov. A doctor by trade, he once said of himself, “Medicine is my lawful
wife, and literature is my mistress.” He wrote a number of classic plays, and
his roster of short stories is among the finest ever written. Chekhov then led
into Vladimir
Nabokov, author of a number of modern masterpieces, both in Russian and in
English. His best-known, Lolita,
clocks in at #19 for Entertainment Weekly;
it was a finalist for the National Book Award in 1959. Nabokov never won the
National Book Award, but was a finalist seven times in all.
As
outstanding as the history of Russian literature has been, it’s likely that
none of it would have come to be without the influence of Nikolai Gogol. Gogol
was the author of Dead
Souls, a novel (although Gogol himself referred to it as a poem) that
paints a broad portrait of life in the Russian countryside in the early 19th
century. He envisioned it as the first in a trilogy; however, he suffered from
writer’s block and then died young, burning what he had written of the second
book before he did so. Nevertheless, the one volume he did write paved the way
for the rich tapestry of Russian literature to come.
Written by Kyle Slagley
Just a couple days ago, I had a mild “geek-out” moment – or,
at least, as much as a man will admit to geeking out over country music. This,
however, is no ordinary country music – no sir, this is the very first bluegrass
album by country music legend Alan
Jackson.
The album is simply and appropriately titled The Bluegrass Album and includes eight
original songs written specifically for the project. Also included are covers
of three bluegrass staples: “There Is a Time,” “Wild and Blue,” and “Blue Moon
of Kentucky.”
As an unabashed fan of good bluegrass music, I’m sure you
can imagine how excited I am about hearing this album. Combining one of the
greatest country music artists of the generation with arguably the most
quintessentially American music genre promises to deliver some exceptional
music. The album doesn’t drop until September 24, so until then, here are my
favourite bluegrass artists to keep you going.
Nickel
Creek – This group is my absolute favourite in the genre, hands down. Made
up of guitarist Sean Watkins, his sister Sara
Watkins on fiddle, and Chris
Thile on mandolin and banjo, this group has all but perfected the art of
storytelling through song. To get the full picture of their skill, check out
their greatest hits album titled Reasons
Why.
Though the band announced an indefinite hiatus in 2006, all
three have gone on to either solo careers or other projects. Sara Watkins and
Chris Thile both went on to find success in solo careers. Getting away from
pure bluegrass, Sean Watkins joined with Switchfoot
frontman Jon
Foreman to form Fiction
Family – a band officially billed as alt rock, but with a definite folk
influence. Finally, after his successful solo album, Chris Thile stuck to his
bluegrass-mandolin roots and formed the Punch
Brothers.
Alison
Krauss – Whether she’s performing solo, with the band Union
Station, or partnering with a whole slew of fellow artists, Krauss has been
a power in the music industry since she cut her first album in the 1987 at age
16. When she made it big in the mid ‘90s, she was almost singlehandedly
responsible for bringing the bluegrass genre to an entirely new audience. I would
begin with her breakout album Now
That I’ve Found You, and then move on to the Live
album.
The
Wailin’ Jennys – These Canadian ladies dance the line between bluegrass and
traditional folk with voices that will take you to a cabin in the holler. In a
single album you’ll hear original tunes, a sea shanty, a traditional drinking
song, and a Celtic ballad. They are regulars on NPR’s A Prairie Home Companion, and their live
album showcases just how beautiful and hauntingly their voices blend.
Did I miss an artist or band? Let me know in the comments.
Written by Stephanie Narciso
The Polaris
Music Prize is an award given to the best Canadian album each year. The prize
is based solely on artistic merit, with factors such as genre and sales figures
playing no role. Honourees are selected by a jury made up of Canadian music
journalists, broadcasters, and bloggers from across the country. On Tuesday, the
2013 short list was announced, ten diverse albums from which the ultimate
winner will be selected.
Every Opposite by Zaki Ibrahim
Nation II Nation by A Tribe Called Red
The winner
will be announced at the Polaris Gala on September 23 at the Carlu in Toronto.
Past short list honourees Kathleen Edwards and Shad will host the event.
The Polaris
Music Prize has been given each year since 2006. Past winners are:
These albums
represent the best of the best that Canadian music has to offer. Make sure you
have them all available for your patrons to check out.
Written by Jon Williams
The literary
world was abuzz this weekend with the news that the book The
Cuckoo’s Calling, ostensibly written by debut author “Robert Galbraith,”
was in fact written by none other than Harry
Potter creator J.K. Rowling.
Rowling made
her own debut in 1997 with the publication of Harry
Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. That was the beginning of a seven-book
series detailing the exploits of the boy wizard and his friends as they
fought the evil Voldemort in his quest for power and immortality. The books
were both a critical and commercial success; Forbes magazine declared Rowling the first person to become a
billionaire by writing books. The books also spawned eight film
adaptations.
The final Harry Potter book was published in 2007,
leaving a question of where Rowling’s writing career would go from there. That
question was answered in 2012 with the release of The
Casual Vacancy, her first novel aimed at adults. It focuses on the
fictional English town of Pagford, which is thrown into chaos by the death of
one of its council members. The novel is set to be adapted into a television
series for the BBC, to begin airing in 2014.
After the
success of Harry Potter, the hype for
The Casual Vacancy was enormous. It
sold well, but responses were mixed, with critics noting the complete thematic
departure from her children’s series—Potter
focused on friendship and love, whereas The
Casual Vacancy portrayed situations that were dire and bleak. Many felt
there was no way Rowling could publish anything without it being compared to
the cultural phenomenon that was Harry
Potter.
It was
partially for that reason that Rowling took on a pseudonym to publish her
latest work, which was published in April. She had previously expressed a
desire to write a crime novel, and leaving her own name off of it allowed it to
stand on its own. The plan worked, with the book drawing strong reviews from
such sources as Publishers Weekly and
Library Journal. The publisher has
since announced that a second book in the series will be published next summer,
and that Rowling will continue to write them as Robert Galbraith.
Since it was
confirmed on Sunday that Rowling is indeed the author of The Cuckoo’s Calling, sales of the book have exploded, and demand
is sure to remain strong. Be sure to have plenty of copies on your shelves for
patrons when the audio version comes available in September.
Written by Kyle Slagley
Every so often, you come across a story in the news that
sounds just like a Lifetime movie or a novel by Nicholas Sparks, and this week
I read just
such a story. The story began in 2002 when an eight-year-old girl named
Sidonie threw a glass bottle into the water off Long Island with a note inside
it that said, “Be excellent to yourself, dude!” along with the family phone
number.
Fast forward to December 2012; the bottle was found by a
cleanup crew pulling debris from Hurricane Sandy out of the Atlantic near
Patchogue, New York. A crewmember excitedly called the phone number, only to
discover that Sidonie had died in 2010. In the end, the cleanup crew returned
the note and bottle to Sidonie’s grieving mother, Mimi, who managed to find
some closure from the incident.
The message is, of course, (almost) a quote from Bill
& Ted’s Excellent Adventure, and is quite the mantra for a young girl
of eight. It also got me thinking about movies in which letters are crucial to
the plot. The first of which would be Message
in a Bottle, in which Robin Wright finds a letter tossed into the sea and
tracks down the author, a widower shipbuilder played by Kevin Costner.
The next film that came to mind was You’ve
Got Mail, in which rival bookstore owners Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan
unknowingly fall in love via email. This film is also a nostalgic throwback to
the days when you logged on to AOL via the dial-up modem and hoped to hear the
cheerful little voice announcing the arrival of email.
In The
Lake House, the typical pen-pal love story gets a little bit of a shakeup
in that Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock both occupy the same house, albeit at
different points in time. Because they live about a year apart, they have to
get creative if they want to meet in person.
The last title I’ll mention is Letters
to Juliet, in which Amanda Seyfried plays an American tourist in Italy who
goes on a hunt for the lovers mentioned in a letter written to the fictional
Juliet Capulet from Shakespeare’s Romeo
& Juliet. Interestingly enough, though the film is fictional, the
thousands of letters written to Juliet each year are entirely real, as are the
‘Secretaries of Juliet’ who answer each and every one.
Do you have a favourite movie about letter-writing that isn’t
on this list? Let us know in the comments.
Written by Jon Williams
Earlier this
week saw the release of the latest album from rap legend Jay-Z. Magna
Carta Holy Grail, the first release from Jay-Z since 2009’s The
Blueprint 3, features guest appearances from a number of hip-hop and
R&B superstars, including his wife Beyonce, plus Justin Timberlake, Frank
Ocean, and more. The album had been rumoured since 2010, but the actual
announcement didn’t come until a commercial during Game 5 of the NBA Finals on
June 16.
Of course,
Jay-Z hasn’t been idle in the four years since his last album. In 2010 he
collaborated with Kanye West on the acclaimed Watch
the Throne album, which the pair is reportedly planning to follow up.
Then, earlier this year, he served as musical director for the film adaptation
of The Great Gatsby, and served as
producer for the soundtrack,
which features a variety of musical styles.
Jay got his
start in 1995 with the release of Reasonable
Doubt. This followed years of toil and effort to make a name for
himself, which culminated with the formation of his own record label,
Roc-A-Fella. The album was well received, eventually being listed at #248 on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of
All Time. He followed that up with In
My Lifetime, Vol. 1 in 1997, and Vol.
2…Hard Knock Life (currently out of print) catapulted him to superstardom,
winning a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album.
Five more
albums followed between 1998 and 2003, the last of which was The
Black Album. After a “Fade to Black” concert in November of 2003, Jay-Z
announced that he was retired. It soon became apparent, though, that it would
be an active retirement, as a number of side projects soon commenced, including
Unfinished
Business, a second album of collaborations with R. Kelly.
In any case,
the retirement only lasted until 2006, when Jay-Z returned with Kingdom
Come. He had lost little of his game in the meantime, with his comeback
album being certified multiplatinum and earning a Grammy nomination. In 2007 he
released American
Gangster, a concept album inspired by the film
of the same name directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and
Denzel Washington.
Now it looks
like Jay-Z is back to stay, which is great news for rap fans everywhere. For a
full list of Jay-Z albums available from CVS Midwest Tape, SmartBrowse ‘Jay-Z’ on
our homepage.
Written by Jon Williams
The makers
of the upcoming Justice League movie have announced that Christian Bale will
not star as Batman. His run will come to an end after three ultra-successful
films: Batman
Begins, The
Dark Knight, and The
Dark Knight Rises. The latter two are #4 and #8, respectively, on the
list of highest-grossing films.
Of course,
#3 on that list is Marvel’s
The Avengers, which is about a
team of superheroes including Iron Man, the Hulk, Thor, and Captain America.
Justice League, currently scheduled for a 2015 release, is DC Comics’ answer to
Marvel’s team, with their super lineup said to include Superman, Wonder Woman,
the Flash, and Green Lantern, in addition to Batman. It’s unknown if Henry
Cavill will reprise his role from Man of
Steel, or Ryan Reynolds from Green
Lantern, although both seem likely.
Whoever dons
Batman’s cape and utility belt for Justice League will be stepping into a rich
tradition. The superhero was first portrayed by the little-known actor Lewis
Wilson in 1943’s Batman
serial. That was followed up with another serial, Batman
and Robin, in 1949, which starred Robert Lowrey. In 1966, Adam West
took over in a Batman TV series that
led to a theatrical
film after the first season.
When that
series went off the air in 1968, that was it for Batman for twenty years. Then
Tim Burton brought him back in a big way in a 1988
film starring Michael Keaton, who would also return for the 1992
sequel. After Keaton, Val
Kilmer and George
Clooney played Batman once each before Bale took over in 2005. And of
course, the character has also had any number of animated
adventures in addition to these live-action versions.
SmartBrowse
‘Batman’ on our website for a complete listing of what CVS Midwest Tape has to
offer relating to the Caped Crusader, including film scores and even audiobooks
in addition to DVDs and Blu-rays. In the meantime, feel free to use the
comments section to let us know who you think would make a great Batman.
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