The Japanese call it cultural heritage. So, too, the Eskimos who hunt whales. I think anyone who claims to be a civilized human being should call it barbaric. And that includes sport hunting and the slaughter of animals so we can wear their skins or eat their flesh.
May 17, 2018
May 14, 2018
Considering Those in Desperate Need of Relief
Critical thinking and risk assessment needed urgently. This country always overreacts. https://www.statnews.com/2018/03/06/cms-rule-limits-opioid-prescriptions/
April 09, 2018
New Nomination for I Did Her Wrong
March 21, 2018
Racial Profiling
No one living in this country who is not a criminal should be living in fear of the police. It is disgusting. It won't stop without a torrent of public outrage.
March 20, 2018
THE WHY OF SHAKESPEARE?
Frequently I
see posed the question: “Is Shakespeare important and relevant to our modern
world?” followed by its concomitant: “If so, why?”
So long as
human beings survive, Shakespeare’s importance and relevance is timeless
because:
March 19, 2018
I DID HER WRONG at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival
February 16, 2018
January 25, 2018
Exposing Layer upon Layer of Moral Rot
Afghan Pedophiles Get Free Pass From U.S. Military, Report Says
By Rod Nordland
On
5,753 occasions from 2010 to 2016, the United States military reported
accusations of “gross human rights abuses” by the Afghan military,
including many examples of child sexual abuse. If true, American law
required military aid to be cut off to the offending unit.
Not once did that happen.
December 05, 2017
November 29, 2017
Perfect statement from Iris Murdoch
Shakespeare's people, enduring individuals known all over the world,
are like icons, secure inhabitants of an art which comprehends human
nature from its deepest evil to its highest good, together with its
funniness, its happiness & its beauty.
-Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals
-Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals
November 20, 2017
Why the Kurds are Paying for Trump's Gift to Iran
The Kurds are an incredible people. Historically, they have suffered terribly and unjustly. Currently, they have done more to defeat Isis than any other fighting group. They have been betrayed by every country that has dealt with them.
November 07, 2017
I Did Her Wrong
I Did Her Wrong slated for the Alexandria Film Festival.
Working on this project was a unique experience. Since all of the dialogue was improvised by Catalina Lavalle and me it was especially challenging.
European Release for King Lear
My film of King Lear screening in English across the European continent. Details here.
October 27, 2017
October 22, 2017
King Lear Released
My film has been released in the United States, the United Kingdom, and in libraries throughout the US and Canada. The 15 episode version of the film is also available worldwide.
October 04, 2017
September 30, 2017
On Filming The Eyes of Van Gogh
The opening shots of The Eyes of Van Gogh are of the grounds of the asylum at St. Remy in May of 1889. The head of the asylum, Dr. Peyron, escorts Vincent through the park.
Narrow eye-level view as the camera moves slowly along the path through the park, skirting from left to right. Through Vincent's eyes we see numerous thick trees, open areas and benches scattered throughout the park, but much of the vegetation is dense and overgrown. Upkeep is obviously not a main concern.
There is a fog in the air that lends a haunting, dreamlike quality to the scene. Things that we see seem to appear suddenly and unexpectedly. As the camera continues through the park we see brief glimpses of isolated patients.
Although their afflictions are different, their commonality dominates. All the patients appear to be stranded in space. Any prior understanding or clarity is frozen inside them. The policy of the Asylum being what it is, they have absolutely no distractions, nothing to do and nowhere to go. They have no direction, no focus, no purpose. But being human there is a reflexive search for them. They don't live, they exist: eating, sleeping and digesting. The result is an atmosphere inundated with silence; a screaming silence. It is truly the home for the accursed.
One stands in the bushes looking around fearfully, suspecting everyone of spying on him. He searches ceaselessly for the evil presence that is trying to destroy him. One sits on a bench, shaking his head frantically in disapproval and carrying on a silent argument with an invisible person.
One lies on the ground, his body tight, withdrawn, trembling with fear. One stands near a tree and scans the Park, his eyes glowing and a vicious smile on his face. One imagines he is being chastised by voices from on high. He shakes his head, fretting nervously, pleading for the voices to leave him in peace: all to no avail.
One sits on the ground, motionless, his mouth hanging open, studying a tiny, invisible spot.
One is on his knees, frantically pounding the ground.
Narrow eye-level view as the camera moves slowly along the path through the park, skirting from left to right. Through Vincent's eyes we see numerous thick trees, open areas and benches scattered throughout the park, but much of the vegetation is dense and overgrown. Upkeep is obviously not a main concern.
There is a fog in the air that lends a haunting, dreamlike quality to the scene. Things that we see seem to appear suddenly and unexpectedly. As the camera continues through the park we see brief glimpses of isolated patients.
Although their afflictions are different, their commonality dominates. All the patients appear to be stranded in space. Any prior understanding or clarity is frozen inside them. The policy of the Asylum being what it is, they have absolutely no distractions, nothing to do and nowhere to go. They have no direction, no focus, no purpose. But being human there is a reflexive search for them. They don't live, they exist: eating, sleeping and digesting. The result is an atmosphere inundated with silence; a screaming silence. It is truly the home for the accursed.
One stands in the bushes looking around fearfully, suspecting everyone of spying on him. He searches ceaselessly for the evil presence that is trying to destroy him. One sits on a bench, shaking his head frantically in disapproval and carrying on a silent argument with an invisible person.
One lies on the ground, his body tight, withdrawn, trembling with fear. One stands near a tree and scans the Park, his eyes glowing and a vicious smile on his face. One imagines he is being chastised by voices from on high. He shakes his head, fretting nervously, pleading for the voices to leave him in peace: all to no avail.
One sits on the ground, motionless, his mouth hanging open, studying a tiny, invisible spot.
One is on his knees, frantically pounding the ground.
August 22, 2017
King Lear in US and UK Libraries
I am very pleased to learn that Hoopla Digital
has ordered the 15 episode series version of my film of King Lear.
Hoopla Digital is a North American streaming
media service. It allows users throughout
the United States and the United Kingdom to borrow digital movies, music
and eBooks with their library cards.
It should be available from libraries sometime
in October 2017.
Kent (Peter Holdway) tries to console Lear (Alexander Barnett) |
July 02, 2017
June 27, 2017
Trailer King Lear
April 13, 2017
Another reason to keep Taiwan out of China's reach.
Breaking News: Taiwan bans the trade in dog and cat meat · A Humane NationThis
week, our fight against the global dog meat trade got an enormous lift
with Taiwan’s legislature amending its anti-cruelty law and banning the
trade and the…blog.humanesociety.org
March 28, 2017
Cries from Syria
This searing documentary is extraordinary both for the astonishing footage that was captured and its utter indictment of Assad and Putin. They are war criminals. Watch it -- difficult though it may be. http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/cries-from-syria
March 27, 2017
Seal Hunting Continues
This is disgusting. http://www.northernpen.ca/…/seal-hunt-to-reopen-by-early-ne…
Although unfortunately it is not hard to believe that anyone could this, it shouldn't be hard to think that anyone viewing it would not insist it stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1E_X6c4c6A
Although unfortunately it is not hard to believe that anyone could this, it shouldn't be hard to think that anyone viewing it would not insist it stop. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1E_X6c4c6A
February 20, 2017
King Lear Cast
Some new production stills of the cast of my upcoming film of King Lear are posted on the website http://www.kinglearfilm.org/king_lear_cast.html.
February 05, 2017
Press Photos
I enjoyed working with photographer Charles Butler very much.
I had the pleasure of shooting #press photos of #actor #AlexanderBarnett For the feature film @ididherwrongmovie . He had such an #expressive face full of #character, I couldn't resist doing some #stylized #artistic edits. @union206 @camposlopez
January 05, 2017
January 03, 2017
King Lear on stage
These are 4 scenes from the Classic Theatre International tour of King Lear - the first American production of a Shakespearian play to tour Europe.
December 20, 2016
Upcoming film release
Info on a screenplay I co-wrote with Francisco Campos-Lopez to be released in 2017.
From Francisco: Amazing engineer Jim Curtis from Omega Recording Studios is mixing the soundtrack of our movie I Did Her Wrong composed by Alberto Shwartz . And it's sounding like from heaven!!!!
From Francisco: Amazing engineer Jim Curtis from Omega Recording Studios is mixing the soundtrack of our movie I Did Her Wrong composed by Alberto Shwartz . And it's sounding like from heaven!!!!
December 19, 2016
King Lear on stage
Here are some clips from the Classic Theatre International European tour of King Lear. Currently I'm working on the rough cut of my film version.
November 17, 2016
The Zoo Story
Here is a clip from a New York rehearsal for the Classic Theatre International European Tour of The Zoo Story.
November 16, 2016
Gwen Ifill
My god, will she be missed. She was one of a kind: enormously charming, intelligent,warm, gracious, talented, inspirational, dignified and so much more. What a tremendous, wonderful woman. She will be terribly missed, in a present day culture which rarely projects these qualities.
Ifill was a veteran Washington journalist who covered seven presidential campaigns and moderated the vice presidential debates in 2004 and 2008.
npr.org
November 12, 2016
November 03, 2016
Syria
As in Rwanda, the world frets and worries and debates and threatens and denounces ad infinitum ad nauseum, while innocent people are being murdered by their own government.
President Obama, like the European leaders, has proven that he is one of those people who is incapable of true outrage against moral turpitude.
There are no heroes here, neither presently nor historically.
Turkey, while trying to broker a ceasefire, still refuses to admit to the murder of over one million Armenians and makes it a crime even to say it occurred.
After the communists took over in China more than 20 million people were murdered. Under Stalin more than 20 million also were murdered. Naturally, China and Russia are the strongest supporters of Syria although the ultimate honors go to Hezbollah and Iran.
How interesting that the people who detest Israel the most have little or nothing to say against Syria.
It's called "selective outrage."
President Obama, like the European leaders, has proven that he is one of those people who is incapable of true outrage against moral turpitude.
There are no heroes here, neither presently nor historically.
Turkey, while trying to broker a ceasefire, still refuses to admit to the murder of over one million Armenians and makes it a crime even to say it occurred.
After the communists took over in China more than 20 million people were murdered. Under Stalin more than 20 million also were murdered. Naturally, China and Russia are the strongest supporters of Syria although the ultimate honors go to Hezbollah and Iran.
How interesting that the people who detest Israel the most have little or nothing to say against Syria.
It's called "selective outrage."
September 29, 2016
Film Clips
Here are some clips from stage and film: Glengarry Glen Ross,
No Deposit No Return, Winds Way, The Final Resolution, I Did Her Wrong.
September 05, 2016
June 24, 2016
June 10, 2016
Winterset
One of the first plays I did -- Maxwell Anderson's glorious Winterset -- has what may be my all-time favorite role: Mio Bartolomeo. The play deals with the imagined aftermath of the Sacco and Vanzetti case.
Here is a still from the production.
Here is a still from the production.
Alexander Barnett as Mio
June 05, 2016
March 31, 2016
The Eyes of Van Gogh: Behind the Scenes
January 07, 2016
December 24, 2015
Trailer - Upcoming Film
The trailer for a recent film has been released:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1t5dkWBAc0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1t5dkWBAc0
October 19, 2015
New stills from King Lear.
Lear: "I did her wrong." |
Gloucester (Jim Zidar), Lear (Alexander Barnett), Goneril (Leah Filley) |
Fool (Aaron Strand), Lear (Alexander Barnett) |
Lear, Cornwall (William Le Dent), Regan (Samantha Dena) |
September 26, 2015
Production Stills from The Eyes of Van Gogh
August 03, 2015
May 02, 2015
King Lear has Wrapped
My film wrapped on 4/28 - a difficult, but incredible journey. For post I will be looking for an assistant editor, a sound designer, and a colorist. www.kinglearfilm.org
April 21, 2015
April 06, 2015
New production stills
#KingLearFilm Some set production stills posted - we are midway through principal photography now.
February 01, 2015
January 08, 2015
January 03, 2015
Mario Cuomo
Mario Cuomo, a man of enormous dignity, integrity, humanity, passion, courage and towering intellect has left us and the loss is enormous. Aside from Bernie Sanders, there is no one in the political arena today who can come anywhere close to matching what he stood for. Again, that repugnant malignant monster death, has taken a great one from us. I am enormously grateful that he lived, but to lose him is heartbreaking. His greatest hero was Lincoln. As they say "like attracts like." He will always be an inspiration.
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