issue 21 // volume 42

Render unto Caesar

> The changing times of cinema

Jerrison Oracion
Senior Columnist

 

OOOO

I the 1950s, the landscape of
cinema was rapidly changing.
Televisions were becoming a
part of people’s lives, the major
film studios were making big
epics and musical productions,
and everybody was worried
about the atomic bomb. Joel and

Ethan Coen’s latest film, Hail
Caesar!, explores those changes.
When one of Capital
Pictures’ biggest stars, Baird
Whitlock (George Clooney), is
kidnapped by an organization
called The Future, studio head
Eddie Mannix (Josh Brolin)
tries to rescue him. Along the
way, Eddie helps solve the
problems of the studio’s other
top stars, including Deanna
Moran (Scarlett Johansson),

who is having a child, and
western film star Hobie Doyle
(Alden Ehrenreich), who is
starring in his first period
piece directed by Laurence
Laurentz (Ralph Fiennes).
The film explores the
capitalistic star system of
the 1950s film industry, as
well as the film production
clichés of the time. There are
many jokes involving stunt
doubles, elaborate musical

Arts at One: French Melodies

> Local artists present classical French music

Adam Tatelman
Arts Editor

 

Ithough France’s
contributions to the
evolution of modern film and
music are many and varied,
I must admit that I am fairly
illiterate when it comes to French
culture. I rarely have a chance
to see music performed live, so
this week’s Arts at One offering,
Café Terrace at Night, was anew
and affecting experience for me.
The performance was
organized by local soloist
and music teacher Melanie
Adams, piano instructor and
church pianist Rita Attrot,
piano teacher Alyssa Stoffberg,
and tenor Clinton Bradley
Stoffberg. Though he was not
in attendance, local illustrator
Isaiah Karesa provided additional
visual artwork, recently
presented in his debut exhibit

at the RAW artists showcase
in downtown Vancouver.

The musical selection was
largely taken from the mid-to-
late 1800's, including works from
iconic French composers like
Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Faure,
and Henri Duparc. Most of these
were popular love songs and
the upbeat party music of the

  

Clinton Stoffberg via postmoderncamerata.com

time, though many of Claude
Debussy’s pieces were more
solemn, such as his mythological
dedication “The Tomb of the
Naiads.” This created an effective

thematic contrast with the more
bombastic like “The Tresses,” and
kept each next piece interesting.
Most were solo vocals
accompanied by piano.

numbers, and Gene Kelly-styled
dance numbers—including a
humourous scene where Burt
Gurney (Channing Tatum) does
a dance number as a sailor.

As is common with the Coen
brothers’ films, most of the actors
had worked with them previously.
While the film’s plot primarily
focused on Eddie, Baird, and
Hobie, the rest of the actors could
have had a little more screen
time. For example, a government

Considering the size of the
Muir theatre, the vocalists’
skills should be commended.
Although I did not understand
the French lyrics, their vocal
clarity carried the meaning quite
effortlessly despite the large
space they had to fill. “Claire
de Lune,” my personal favorite,
was a purely instrumental piano
piece, played to hypnotic effect.
The performers also told a
little of the history surrounding
the songs and their composers,
making Arts at One an
educational experience as well.
Some of the most interesting
anecdotes involved Debussy’s
“Three Songs of Bilitis,” which
were based on characters in
ancient Greek myth, as well as
the tragedy of Henri Duparc,
who destroyed most of his work
ina fit of depression, leaving
little to survive in posterity.
Having somewhat expanded
my knowledge of France’s musical

arts // no. 9

  

Image via www.shockya.com

agent named Joseph Silverman
Jonah Hill) only appears in one
scene. There were a few other
surprise cameos in the film,
such as Frances McDormand

as an editor at Capital Pictures,
and Oscar Isaacs as one of the
members of The Future.

Hail Caesar! is an intriguing
look back at the golden age of
cinema, and well worth your time
if you enjoy period pieces or the
filmography of the Coen brothers.

history, I can confidently say

that | enjoyed my afternoon with

Arts at One. The artists were

all professional-level, and their

performances clearly impressed

the music students in attendance

as much as they impressed me.

Their eclectic selection and

effective use of the space created

a compelling presentation, and

I would most certainly attend

again in the future, if only

to see what musical style the

department will explore next.
Although Arts at One

is presented mainly for the

benefit of Douglas College’s

music program students,

the performances are open

to the public for free. If you

are interested in musical

performance of any kind,

catch next week’s Arts at One:

Inavolatura in the Laura C.

Muir Theatre on Thursday,

February 25 at 1:00p.m.