Bring Back Her Majesty.
photo credit: Håkan Dahlström As the phantasmagoria of the Queen prepares to exit stage left, we ponder dramatically an Ireland stuck somewhere between the post modern Castle Rackrents of NAMAland and The Royal RM. EXT: An old court house in a 19th Century Ireland. A queue of rural Irish peasants are lining up for their vote. PEASANT Gud evenin’ sir. I’m here, for me vote or there for them that are about to make the decisions on... Read More
Where Were You in Whenever?
The whole concept of crowd funding fascinates me. It’s an excellent means of getting some start up cash together for a project. Some of what has been seeded through these means, like the bittorrented sci fi series Pioneer One prove that it can work for rather large scale productions as well as more individual labours of love. Where Were You? looks like its going to unearth many of the subcultures and street styles that strutted their stuff... Read More
Film Review: Waste Land
photo credit: Marat In The Bath The Christ the Redeemer statue holds its arms open in an embrace to the mega-polis of Rio, and as it does so, it also turns its back on the world’s largest landfill site, Jardim Gramacho. Hardly shocking either, that upper class Brazilan society also ignores the reality and consequences of its cult of disposable consumerism. Nominated for an Oscar, new documentary Wasteland by Alice Walker goes some way to correcting... Read More
Captain Moonlight – Banana Republican
Thank fuck. Finally, in an election mired by the mediocrity of a possible Fine Gael government, and scarred by a deep apathy rather than any clear emergence of a “get them all the fuck out” attitude, someone has stepped up to the mark to codify the visceral hatred of most of us for the politician class seeking our vote. While there has been little signs of any outbreak of rage among the population out there as we plod through austerity... Read More
Videocracy.
Just saw this down in the She-d, as part of a series of screenings they are doing on the many faces of power. There’s no real information on line about the series other than this post on Indy. Videocracy is an observational documentary that moves around the edges of power and fame in Italy. You can read more about it over here. It caused a wee share of controversy in Italy, with its trenchant criticism of the hegemony of Berlusconi’s... Read More
Eye Candy: Cuba Mia
photo credit: Rodrigo Moya Over the past few years, the Instituto Cervantes has popped up on my radar for various cultural events. It’s some sort of appendage of the Spanish government – existing to promote assorted Hispanic activities, with similar institutes across the world. I wondered in randomly on culture night, from the outside it looked like I’d stumbled into some sort of finance house. There was a pleasant surprise.... Read More
Calling All Dole Fiends.
photo credit: popculturegeek.com Volunteers in Dublin Community TV are trying to get a regular magazine format discussion show together. Its’ called Scratcher TV and will have a focus on all issues dole related. From lifestyle and culture, to government attacks on the dole and answering back to the employers. They are appealing for all unemployed media makers and creative types to give them a bell. Surely some of you have material... Read More
Punk and New Wave Hedge School.
A fascinating event happened outside the Phibsbronx library on Sunday, entitled “Punks or posers?: Dublin’s late ‘70s New Wave scene” it featured contributions from Billy McGrath (UCD Ents 1976-’77), Eamon ‘Dev’ Delaney, David ‘Black Catholic’ Donnelly, and Councillor Cieran ‘Punk’ Perry. Hosted by History Ireland, the audience consisted of a strange blend of locals, punks from across the generation divide and various... Read More
Review Of Diarmuid Ferriter’s Limiting Liberty
photo credit: (Carrie Sloan) In The Limits of Liberty, historian Diarmuid Ferriter has been given three one hour episodes to lay out the social history of the Irish Republic. It is, of course, too brief, but the first episode is encouraging for its dissection of the new-state’s failure to deliver on promises of equality. The first episode is shot through with indignation, as Ferriter centres his ire around the lip-service paid to the social... Read More
Bob Marley Cigarette Papers To Be Made Illegal
photo credit: sludgegulper …elsewhere today, the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern confirmed that cigarette papers bearing the image of Bob Marley will be made illegal. Normal Rizlas, however, will go untouched by The Criminal Justice (Psychoactive Substances) Bill 2010. Yesterday, callers to Joe Duffy’s Live Line Show were highly critical of a potential new legal loop hole in this new piece of legislation. One woman, identifying herself... Read More
