PG | 1 h 40 min | Drama, Comedy | 1946 Director Archie Mayo prefaces his fantasy film with a phrase of exposition, “This story is about Eddie Kagle, who based his way of living on what Omar Khayyam once said: ‘Live fully while you may and reckon not the cost.’” That can be read…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Angel on My Shoulder’: The Devil Wields No Power Over a Good Man
Fashion Plate à la Française
April 18, 2023
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and Empress EugénieArts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightEmpress JoséphineFashionQueen Marie Antoinette
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Oscar Wilde quipped, “Fashion is ephemeral. Art is eternal. Indeed what is a fashion really? A fashion is merely a form of ugliness so absolutely unbearable that we have to alter it every six months!” It’s true that models, trends, and even designers often come and go. It is rare for something or someone to…
Château of Azay-le-Rideau: A Gem of the French Loire Valley
April 18, 2023
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Arts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightChâteau of Azay-le-RideauGilles BerthelotHonoré de BalzacLoire Valley
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French-writer Honoré de Balzac described the Château of Azay-le-Rideau as “a faceted diamond set in the Indre.” A gem among the numerous châteaux of the Loire Valley, it is also one of the earliest examples of French Renaissance architecture. The primary structure was built between 1518 and 1528 by Gilles Berthelot, a financier of King…
If Music Be the Food of Art
William Shakespeare wrote famously, “If music be the food of love, play on.” That same sentiment could be applied to music as fuel and inspiration for fine art. Music has been a muse for artists from antiquity through subsequent centuries, with musicians and singers depicted as raconteurs, divinities, and in myths. Examining a selection of historical artworks…
The Golden Age of Country Music
April 17, 2023
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American EssenceArts & CultureBrightcountry musicLife & TraditionmusicNASHVILLEPatsy ClineRyman Auditorium
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While country music of the 1940s was known for its honky-tonk ditties perfect for two-stepping, the 1950s ushered in a more polished, story-driven approach to the genre. This transformation paved the way for a new kind of country, a style focused on relatable, poignant cowboy tales and classic romance pieces. The genre’s modernized songwriting focus…
Film Review: ‘Matter out of Place’: A Film About Waste Mostly a Waste of Time
NR | 1h 46min | Documentary, Ecology | 14 April 2023 (Austria) Of all film genres, documentaries have the greatest amount of creative leeway. There are no structural guidelines regarding content, narrative style, or presentation and, thus, no rules with which to adhere: Almost anything goes. No one working within this genre knows these things better than Austrian director Nikolaus Geyrhalter….
Red Flags, Bright Hopes: Four Presidential Farewell Addresses
April 17, 2023
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American EssenceArts & CultureArts & TraditionBrightDwight D. EisenhowerHarry S. TrumanHistoryRonald Reagan
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In his article “Presidential Farewell Addresses,” Gleaves Whitney notes that before Harry Truman only three presidents had composed formal farewell addresses to the nation. As Whitney tells us, three factors likely account for this circumstance. First, some of the early chief executives held George Washington and his farewell address in such esteem that they deemed…
Rewind, Review, and Re-Rate: ‘It Happens Every Spring’
1949 | Not Rated | 1h 27m | Comedy, Family, Sci-Fi Like American westerns, the 1940s and 50s saw a massive proliferation of sports films. But while the popularity of westerns began to wane in subsequent decades, sports movies continued to evolve, giving us some of the more inspirational films in cinema. As America’s national…
Popcorn and Inspiration: ‘Dragonheart’: A Knight’s Oath to Do the Right Thing
PG-13 | 1 h 43 min | Fantasy, Comedy | 1996 No matter how quaint it sounds, the “Old Code” of knighthood honors an ancient principle: right action can lead to right thought. If you’re persuaded to behave selflessly, committed to a cause bigger, higher than you are, you will find it harder to plot…
Horace Mann Pioneers Change in the American Education System
Although Horace Mann grew up poor and without a solid means of education, he went on to become a pioneer that would change the way Americans received education for centuries to come. In fact, Mann was a lawyer, politician, and educator who had many beliefs and ideals that were well ahead of his time. His…
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