For decades, Alan Lomax traveled across America, the Caribbean and Europe, with a recorder and a camera in hand, trying to document traditional folk cultures before they disappeared.
Lomax was, in fact, the most famous American folklorist of the 20th century — the first person to record blues greats Muddy Waters and Lead Belly, the man who took down the oral histories of Jelly Roll Morton and Woody Guthrie, the chronicler of religious rites in Haiti and “ring shout” rituals from the Sea Islands off the Atlantic coast.
In his notebooks, Lomax documented his encounters with performers, his extensive travel and his collaborations with famous figures such as Pete Seeger, Zora Neale Hurston and his folklorist father, John Lomax. The Lomax family, friends and colleagues transcribed many of the performances and interviews he undertook during his years of fieldwork — including his stint as a Library employee from 1937 to 1942.
Made in 1898, G.A. Smith’s ‘Santa Claus’ is a film of considerable technical ambition and accomplishment for its period. It uses pioneering visual effects in its depiction of a visit from St. Nicholas.
A former magic lanternist and hypnotist, Smith was one of the first British film-makers to make extensive use of special effects to create fantastical scenes. It comes as little surprise that Smith corresponded with the French pioneer Georges Méliès at about this time, as the two men shared a common goal in terms of creating an authentic cinema of illusion. (Michael Brooke)
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
As many of you know, I am a huge fan of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. I had been meaning to watch this movie for a long time, but when The Man Who Invented Christmas (IMDB) appeared for free viewing on the Kanopy service (available via the LA Public Library and others) it was a perfect opportunity and time of year to settle in with some coffee and cookies, nurse my Christmas cold and enjoy.
The movie is quite good and you hear some of the best lines in the book as it shows Dickens’ characters helping him create the story. Dickens’ real family and real history also become part of the story as he struggles with his own past and own issues as he writes. The movie stars Dan Stevens from Downton Abbey fame and Christopher Plummer delivers a great performance as Ebenezer Scrooge.
This is the story of the magical journey that led to the creation of Ebenezer Scrooge (Christopher Plummer), Tiny Tim and other classic characters from A Christmas Carol. Charles Dickens (Dan Stevens) mixed real life inspirations with his vivid imagination to conjure up unforgettable characters and a timeless tale, forever changing the holiday season into the celebration we know today.
Nominated for Achievement in Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay and Achievement in Make-Up at the Canadian Screen Awards.
“A surprisingly fresh movie about a story we all know very well.” – Peter Howell, Toronto Star
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
Mixed Chorus with orchestra; “Christians, Awake !” – “Oh, Little Town of Bethlehem” – “God Rest You, Merry Gentlemen” – “The First Nowell” – “Silent Night”.
Digitized at 78 revolutions per minute. Three stylii were used to transfer this record. They are 2.3mil truncated conical, 2.8mil truncated conical, 3.3mil truncated conical.
* A portion of each sale from Amazon.com directly supports our blogs ** Many of these books may be available from your local library. Check it out! † Available from the LA Public Library
