King Lear on Set

Some behind the scenes shots.

                                 TRAILER

Death of a Salesman: Director’s Notes

Alexander Barnett on Death of a Salesman

Thematic Content and Structure

This is not the story of a salesman; it is the story of Willy Loman, who just happened to be a salesman. This is not the story of Everyman. Willy’s passion, love and drive go way beyond the norm. Perhaps most people will relate to Willy, be moved by him and, most important, think, contemplate and learn from his life and his mistakes.

Willy, like Eddie Carbone in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge, demands to be “totally known”. Like Eddie, he could never settle for half. He must attempt everything even if it means ending up with nothing. He will risk his very life to achieve his “due”, what he considers his rightful status. As Arthur Miller says, “The commonest of men may take on that [tragic stature] to the extent of his willingness to throw all he has into the contest, the battle to secure his rightful place in the world.” Of course, this willingness automatically removes him from being the commonest of men.

Introducing King Lear on Facebook

I thought you might be interested in taking a look at this page: https://www.facebook.com/KingLearFilm/?ref=settings

Director’s Notes – Episode 5 King Lear

Watch the Scene

There’s tension, intrigue, distrust and anticipation throughout the country.  An imminent civil war is brewing. 

Oswald left Goneril’s at 4:30 in the morning and Kent (Caius) left 15 mins later.  They’ve traveled many hours and they’ve traveled hard.  They’re exhausted. They’ve gone sleepless this past night.  They arrive at 5:00 am.  It’s late Nov so it’s cold and dark.  Regan and Cornwall have just retired.  We know from the opening scene that Kent is a close friend of Gloucester’s so obviously he’s been to Gloucester’s castle before and knows his way around.  

Since Oswald doesn’t know where to set his horses he obviously hasn’t been here before and there’s no reason why he should have. 

Since Oswald never would have gotten a good look at Caius (Kent in disguise) in the third scene and since it’s dark, there’s no reason he’d recognize him now.  Kent, though, would certainly recognize Oswald, simply by his voice.  In his pursuit of Oswald he has unwittingly worked himself into a rage.  What creates even greater outrage is that he thinks Oswald does know who he is.

Still Life with Booze

I've written a new one-act comedy.

Cast of Characters for  Still Life with Booze

Paris - 1887

Paul Gauguin:  Intelligent, virile, domineering and sarcastic, a born leader with an outrageous sense of humor.

Toulouse Lautrec:  A man of remarkable psychological insight and abundant goodwill toward his devoted friend.  He is understanding, witty, gay, lively and outstandingly original.

Camille Pissarro:  Warm, intelligent, emotional and virtually ageless.  Generous to a fault, he has no regard for material things.

Shakespeare Magazine Issue 15

Links are live here

Lear and His Daughters - Character Notes

Some director's thoughts on the characters of Lear, Goneril, Regan and Cordelia.

Lear is a man of massive emotions, uncontrollable passions, dictatorial, uncompromising, magnificently charismatic, a brilliant politician, an iron-fisted leader, totally opinionated, egotistical, dogmatic, and overbearing.  He inspires in some enormous love, devotion, respect and loyalty; in others, loathing and contempt.

Goneril is utterly ruthless, totally compulsive, paranoid, devious, vitriolic.  She is never at peace, never satisfied,

Another terrible nomination.

 William Barr helped establish mass incarceration. Now Trump wants him as attorney general.

Judge Says Federal Law Against Female Genital Mutilation Violates U.S. Constitution

The Federal government should protect the inherent right of individuals to control what is done with/to their own bodies.  Including children who should not be forced into something that will affect the rest of their lives.  That goes beyond which government entity has jurisdiction over crimes.  The remaining 26 states who have not yet criminalized this disgusting practice need to do so NOW. 

It is estimated that more than 200 million girls and women alive today have undergone female genital mutilation in the countries where the practice is concentrated.  There are an estimated 3 million girls at risk of undergoing female genital mutilation every year.  We should not be part of this.

 https://www.npr.org/2018/11/21/669945997/judge-says-federal-law-against-female-genital-mutilation-violates-u-s-constituti

Greatly recommend Radley Balko's blog and books.

This one is an excellent indictment of both the moral hazard and perverse incentives of privatizing the criminal justice system - an area of governance that is a true responsibility of government.

About this website

washingtonpost.com|By Radley Balko

Opinion | Georgia’s privatized probation and parole system isn’t working

Stills from Ira Wolf's Sunscreen

From the Ira Wolfe music video Sunscreen:

New photo

Investigation Discovery

Here are some photos from A Doe in the Woods, an episode of the television series "Who Killed Jane Doe?"  I played real life murderer Ralph Penrod.

 

 

The Eyes of Van Gogh: Director's Statement

My film, The Eyes of Van Gogh, is a story, never told before, about the 12 months Vincent van Gogh spent in the insane asylum at St. Remy.  It is a film about his brother, Theo van Gogh (Gordon Joseph Weiss) and about Vincent and Paul Gauguin (Lee Godart) in the Yellow House in Arles.  It is a film about painters and artists, Impressionists and Post-Impressionists.  Most important, it is a film about madness; a film of obsession. 

After the disastrous months spent with Gauguin in the yellow house in Arles, Vincent van Gogh, in desperate search of a cure from attacks that increasingly plague him, voluntarily enters an insane asylum in the town of St. Remy 10 miles from the Yellow House. Van Gogh, portrayed by Alexander Barnett, entrusts himself to the care of Dr. Peyron, played by Roy Thinnes.   

On the anniversary of Van Gogh's death

Vincent van Gogh: "I want to paint action. I want to paint life. I want to show the soul in nature - - the nobility in man.  But no one will ever know.  It's all wasted. Wasted. Wasted."

Why would anyone question Shakespeare's relevance?

Poor naked wretches, whereso'er you are,
That bide the pelting of this pitiless storm,
How shall your houseless heads and unfed sides,
Your looped and windowed raggedness, defend you

Alexander Barnett as Lear and Eric Michael Smith as Edgar

Best Picture Nomination

I Did Her Wrong has been nominated for Best Picture by the Stockholm Independent Film Festival. 

I'm very pleased.   I Did Her Wrong (Filmscript Co-Screenwriter)  

Thoughts on Hunting

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.

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/

New Nomination for I Did Her Wrong

I Did Her Wrong is nominated for "Best Picture" at the Philadelphia Independent Film Awards.

 

I Did Her Wrong - Official International Trailer

Writing Credits

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.

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:

I DID HER WRONG at the Philadelphia Independent Film Festival

My film (along with co-writer Francisco Campos-Lopez) had received three nominations.

Starring Catalina Lavalle and Alexander Barnett

" a muscularity of language and overwhelming emotionalism that is uncommon in Lear films".

This is a review of my film of King Lear from Kurt Daw at PlayShakespeare.com

Exposing Layer upon Layer of Moral Rot

Afghan Pedophiles Get Free Pass From U.S. Military, Report Says

Image

A former Special Forces officer, Capt. Dan Quinn, was relieved of his command and pulled from Afghanistan after fighting with an Afghan militia commander for keeping a boy as a sex slave.CreditKirsten Luce for The New York Times

By Rod Nordland

Jan. 23, 2018

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.

I urge anyone who cares about justice to read this. It was written 41 years ago but believe me, it's as timely as ever.

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

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.

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.

Poster

A new poster from my film I Did Her Wrong.

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.
 

 

www.kinglearfilm.org

A Q&A about the film

Interview with Alexander Barnett for the film The Eyes of Van Gogh

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. 

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)

Stills from my film of King Lear

Trailer King Lear

My film of King Lear will be released in the fall.  In the meantime, here is the trailer.




There are photos on the website -- the IMDb page -- and Facebook

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

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

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