Monday, October 17, 2005

Cover Story

The American Society of Magazine Editors has picked forty magazine covers that they say are the "top covers" of the last four decades. I'm not sure what the criteria are. Got the most attention? Sold the most issues? Some of the covers seem to be special because of the concepts, some because of the art direction and some just because they were on important issues. Here are the choices.

• Posted at 11:11 PM · LINK

The Rocket Report

I somehow missed the news item when former Saturday Night Live cast member Charles Rocket was found dead on October 7 but I saw the reports today that his death has been ruled a suicide. What a sad ending for a man who — and this compounds the sadness — will probably only be remembered for being on SNL during a season everyone hated and for uttering the "f" word on live TV. This article provides a long and compassionate view of the man.

UPDATE: The above link doesn't seem to be working all the time. Here's a link to a newsgroup posting that reproduces the text.

• Posted at 12:08 PM · LINK

Along Comes Bialy

A few weeks ago, we were discussing whether the upcoming movie of The Producers (the Broadway version) would be one of those rare adaptations to include the entire score of the stage production. Turns out, not. "Where Did We Go Right?" was dropped. "The King of Broadway" was filmed but is missing from the prints of the film currently being previewed here and there. It will presumably be on the DVD and I'll be curious to see whether there's any indication of why it was cut because I think it's one of the better songs in the show. It also means that Nathan Lane has only one solo in the film — "Betrayed."

There are two new numbers — "You'll Find Your Happiness in Rio" and "There's Nothing Like a Show on Broadway." The latter is sung over the closing credits.

I'm looking forward to this film with mixed anticipation. Loved the movie, loved the show on stage...but fear that when the show on stage becomes a movie, it will be impossible to not compare it more directly to the movie. And that's a tough standard to live up to.

• Posted at 11:59 AM · LINK