In production: "Dark Matter"

I posted photos taken during the production of The Devil Wears Prada a while ago, so I thought I'd chuck up a few photos from the making of Meryl Streep's latest project - Dark Matter.


Due in 2007 Directed by Chen Shi-zheng

Inspired by the true story of Lu Gang, DARK MATTER tells the story of Liu Xing (Liu Ye), one of thousands of Chinese academics awarded special visa status in the 1990’s to study in the United States. At university, Liu Xing devotes himself to research on the origins of the universe for the eminent and charming Professor Jacob Reiser. He rises quickly to the top, establishing himself as the star pupil through his brilliant aptitude and hard work.

Liu Xing boasts to his family in China of his rapid academic progress, sending money home and promising them a life in America very soon. But his pride is tempered by his struggle to understand the social and political dynamics of American university life. Joanna Silver (Streep), a wealthy socialite and patron of the university, reaches out to befriend Liu Xing. A woman of great passions and a fascination for China, Joanna devotes her time to helping the Chinese students as they assimilate into American culture.

Shortly into his studies, Liu Xing fixates on the Dark Matter theory, one of the great unchartered areas of physics. He announces to Professor Reiser that he wants to pursue Dark Matter for his thesis. To Liu Xing’s dismay, Reiser discourages him, demanding Liu Xing pursue topics that support his own research, specifically the Reiser Model. Against Reiser’s wishes, Liu Xing publishes a brilliant article on Dark Matter, but rather than finding success, he is hit with insurmountable obstacles.

Soon, his dreams of a brilliant career are dashed and ultimately, destroyed. With nothing, Liu Xing lashes out at his former mentor and colleagues with tragic and devastating consequences.

(Images and syopsis from www.simplystreep.com)

MJ interview - as interpreted by Rowan Atkinson & Lenny Henry

This is much funnier if you saw the "Living with Michael Jackson" documentary in 2003.

Thoughts from Germaine...2001

I heard a very enjoyable interview with Germaine Greer on Phillip Adams's program on ABC Radio National recently. On Friday nights, the program goes into reflective mode and plays interviews that are a few years old. This particular interview was recorded in August 2001 at Brisbane's Powerhouse.

The entire interview was great. I could listen to Germaine Greer for hours on end. The Bulletin said it well: she has a "drop-dead gorgeous way with words". Anyway, she spoke primarily about Australian Aboriginality (her views on which I have highlighted previously), but several subjects were discussed, including feminism, naturally...

Here are some of the many responses that I found profoundly interesting.

FEMINISM IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Adams: What part of feminism survives for this shiny, bright new century of ours?

Greer: Well, we haven't got it together yet. Nothing's really happened yet. All that's happened is women have shaken their ears and looked about. They haven't worked out what it is that they want. The most basic questions are still to answer. I mean, I would hope that feminists were pacifists. I would hope that 'women playing a more important part' would mean that war was no longer an option.

Adams: You'd put that right at the top of the list? Pacifism.

Greer: Yeah, I think so. Although 'pacifism' is, in some ways, the wrong word. It seems, to me, madness that we still have war. It's so obviously not a solution to anything. And, to me, it's quite shocking that 'New Labor' in England is incredibly bellicose. They can't wait to get into a fight. But there's lots of things. There's lots more things.

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ART

Adams: You said we've got to reconsider what art is. And you've talked about a mother braiding a child's hair, and how this has got to be perhaps considered art, within a relationship. Not so much the pattern, but the act of doing it.

Greer: It's entirely up to you what you see as a work of art, nowadays. It's got nothing to do with putting colour on a flat surface, or sculpting a lump of something into a lump of something else. It's to do with giving the thing you do another kind of importance. And women are not very good at that. I mean, a woman cooks - we eat. A man cooks - he's a chef. And he's got a series on television. And he can be a frightful cook, as well, as far as I can judge.

Adams: As long as he's cute. Cute as a button.

Greer: And can talk. And presents things in a particular way. I'm not sure anymore what art is. Art is what you say is art. So if you decide that doing your daughter's hair in the morning is your artwork, then that's what it will be.....

Adams: But you extrapolated from this, and you said some things with which I wholeheartedly agree. You implied that a great deal of what is characterised or presented as art in our culture is, in fact, nonsense. And I think you talked about art rushing like a stram engine towards smashing into the buffers. And you said it can't happen quickly enough for you.

Greer: Yeah, something's got to happen to the whole sort of 'gallery business', because it's over-inflated. It's got itself into a mad position; Where one piece of paper that Picasso threw on the floor of the studio and stood on for several years is worth the income of a small African republic.

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MEN THE NEW 'SILENT VICTIMS'?

Adams: Doris Lessing argued that men are the new silent victims in the sex war - "continually demeaned and insulted", said Doris, "by women, without a wimper of protest".

Greer: In England, in particular - but I think in Anglo-Saxon society wherever - , men really dislike women and put them down all the time. There's a whole dimension of their culture which is sneering remarks about women and assumptions about women and so on. And we've just put up with it. We know it's there, and we can't do much about it. We've tried to outlaw it, which I think was a mistake. Misogyny is so real and so pervasive, that for women to at last be public about their feelings about men, and putting their contempt for men into words... It's just much too early to be saying 'Oh, but the balance has shifted in the wrong direction'. Because, basically, the men don't give a fuck what we say about them. The difference between the two of us is that men don't care what women say about them, and women care passionately what men say about them.

______________________________________

BULLSHIT IN POLITICS

Adams: There's a lot of bullshit about. It doesn't diminish in magnitude. I mean, there's President Shrub and all that brand of bullshit over there.

Greer: Yes.

Adams: I mean, everywhere you look -

Greer: There's Tony 'Blur'.

Adams: Tony Blur, is that bullshit?

Greer: Oh, I can't stand him, honestly. I mean, the problem is that we don't have ideology anymore. We don't have policy anymore. Governments sell themselves like soap-powder. They just find a form of words that the electorate will accept. Which isn't to say the electorate is in favour of it. It means the electorate can't be bothered being against it. So, we have sloppy thinking. We have trendy words used all the time. I mean, it's Ad-Man politics and it is awful.

Big fat so-and-so vs Weak worthless tablet-taker

I couldn't find the full version. But this is most of it.

"Bush's Favourite Democrat" loses to anti-war challenger

Television debate: Ned Lamont and Joseph Lieberman

Joe Lieberman, the once invincible Democratic Senator from Connecticut, has been ousted. Yep, seeya Joe. That's what happens (or, at least, what should happen) when you align yourself closely with people like George W. Bush and when you support his war-mongering, catastrophic actions.

Lieberman's fellow Democrat, the little-known Ned Lamont, challenged for the position of Connecticut Senator in a vote that took place only a few hours ago. The campaign almost entirely revolved around Iraq, with Lamont taking a strong anti-war stance against Lieberman's infamous pro-Iraq position. He has supported the Iraq war since the beginning, and is not in favour of a timetable for troop withdrawal. His many parallels with Mr. Bush on various issues earned him the title, "Bush's favourite Democrat". Lieberman ran for Vice-President in 2000 on Al Gore's Democratic ticket, and attempted to gain the presidential nomination in 2004 during the Democratic primaries.

In 1998, Lieberman was openly critical of Bill Clinton's behaviour re: Monica (a decision that led to the president's impeachment). As far as I know, Lieberman has only been supportive of George Bush's bloodthirsty decision to invade Iraq. But, look, we all know that oral sex with an intern is far more deserved of criticism and scrutiny.

For information on Ned Lamont, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ned_Lamont. The importance of Iraq as a political issue has been demonstrated by this result.

Here's the very interesting online letter that Michael Moore posted on his website shortly after the Lieberman loss.

Wednesday, August 9th, 2006

It's All About Who You Sleep With ... a Cautionary Note from Michael Moore

Friends,

Let the resounding defeat of Senator Joe Lieberman send a cold shiver down the spine of every Democrat who supported the invasion of Iraq and who continues to support, in any way, this senseless, immoral, unwinnable war. Make no mistake about it: We, the majority of Americans, want this war ended -- and we will actively work to defeat each and every one of you who does not support an immediate end to this war.

Nearly every Democrat set to run for president in 2008 is responsible for this war. They voted for it or they supported it. That single, stupid decision has cost us 2,592 American lives and tens of thousands of Iraqi lives. Lieberman and Company made a colossal mistake -- and we are going to make sure they pay for that mistake. Payback time started last night.

I realize that there are those like Kerry and Edwards who have now changed their position and are strongly anti-war. Perhaps that switch will be enough for some to support them. For others, like me -- while I'm glad they've seen the light -- their massive error in judgment is, sadly, proof that they are not fit for the job. They sided with Bush, and for that, they may never enter the promised land.

To Hillary, our first best hope for a woman to become president, I cannot for the life of me figure out why you continue to support Bush and his war. I'm sure someone has advised you that a woman can't be elected unless she proves she can kick ass just as crazy as any man. I'm here to tell you that you will never make it through the Democratic primaries unless you start now by strongly opposing the war. It is your only hope. You and Joe have been Bush's biggest Democratic supporters of the war. Last night's voter revolt took place just a few miles from your home in Chappaqua. Did you hear the noise? Can you read the writing on the wall?

To every Democratic Senator and Congressman who continues to back Bush's War, allow me to inform you that your days in elective office are now numbered. Myself and tens of millions of citizens are going to work hard to actively remove you from any position of power.

If you don't believe us, give Joe a call.

Yours, Michael Moore mmflint@aol.com www.michaelmoore.com

P.S. Republicans -- sorry to leave you out of this letter. It's just that our side has a little housecleaning to do. We'll take care of you this November.

Clarke & Dawe

Watch this recent one from the ABC's John Clarke and Bryan Dawe.

Kim Beazley's new political strategy: impersonating John Howard.

Very funny.

http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/200607/r97061_294352.asx

Some more Kate...

A nice little profile.