THE RISE AND FALL OF ROBERT JOHNSON by Jeffrey Abelson LOGLINE: Exploration of the life of the elusive blues singer Robert Johnson whose exceptional talent has been shrouded in the Faustian myth that he sold his soul to the devil at a crossroad in Rosedale, MS in exchange for success. The man, the myth and the legend has inspired and influenced numerous musicians including the likes of Bob Dylan & Eric Clapton. ACTION: PASS. The lives of poor, itinerant black musicians in the rural South of the late 1920s and 30s aren’t the most well documented of lives, and when it comes to Robert Johnson it’s very hard to separate fact from fiction. More importantly though, is that his fabled legacy although inherently original, on a conceptual level is heavily clichéd. The idea that a musician sold their soul for success is a trope we’ve seen time and time again, and with the recent wave of internet conspiracy theories about the Illuminati, et al it just seems banal. Although Johnson’s music has influenced many, without factual insight into his life and his mysterious death it’s hard to see the appetite or appeal of film. …show more content…
ACTION: PASS. An episodic, anthology series of glorified music videos has no real audience appeal. The only place I could see this is as a weekly segment on a sketch comedy show like SNL featuring the guest musician of the week. For us it seems too small, and lightweight. ZOMBIE PROM by Vince
Throughout the novel, All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren, the characters are constantly feeling the effects of their action later in the book. Every one of their sinister, sketchy actions were dealt with again later in the book and not in pleasant circumstance. As Cass Mastern had figured out:
Samuel L Jackson has then came to appear in many great movies such as Jurassic Park, Pulp Fiction, A Time To Kill, One Eight Seven, Shaft, Coach Carter, Star Wars and many others. He has also been nominated for many of these and has received many awards for a lot of these films. He is still acting and does not seem to be thinking of retirement any time soon. He truly is a great example of a great actor who rose to fame in the time of blaxploitation and also an inspiration to all those with addiction problems as someone who was able to overcome his problem and make something of himself.
A little later Johnson says to Sheppard: "'The Devil has you in his power'" (185). He then disappears.
When first reading “Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin, it may initially seem that the relationship between musicians and drugs is synonymous. Public opinion suggests that musicians and drugs go hand and hand. The possibility lies that Sonny’s passion for jazz music is the underlying reason for his drug use, or even the world of jazz music itself brought drugs into Sonny’s life. The last statement is what the narrator believes to be true. However, by delving deeper and examining the theme of music in the story, it is nothing but beneficial for Sonny and the other figures involved. Sonny’s drug use and his music are completely free of one another. Sonny views his jazz playing as a ray of light to lead him away from the dim and dismal future that Harlem has to offer.
This realistic and demanding movie gives a very detailed and emotional look into the painter Jackson Pollock’s life. Director, and main character, Ed Harris released “Pollock” in September 2000. This was Harris’s personal project after reading a biography on Jackson Pollock. Harris does an excellent job at recreating the artwork of Pollock and really showing what it is like to be an alcoholic dealing with the demons of your work and home life.
Working in the fields of Mississippi Delta, Water’s was brought up surrounded by the “field hollers” that provided blues with its distinctive vocal textures. Amongst these were also a number of musicians who were able to begin to break free from the confines of working the fields. Arguably the most notable being that of Robert Johnson who created a body of work which summed up the Delta culture and sound. At first this received little attention outside of Delta but it did influence other blues musicians in the area such as Muddy Waters and this is evident in his early acoustic recordings such as “Country Blues”. Johnson’s recordings also inspired Alan Lomax to visit Delta on behalf of the Library of Congress in search of similar artists. After recording some early acoustic tracks with Lomax, Water’s was able to hear himself back and he later recalled that the experience of hearing himself on these records convinced him he could be a serious professional.(2)
Shank, Barry. “”That Wild Mercury Sound:” Bob Dylan and the Illusion of American Culture.” Boundary 2 29.1 (2002): 97-123.
Before listening to Robert Johnson’s version of “Crossroad,” my perception of rural blues consisted of assuming that the vocalist would be a male soloist,
Before the war started, a wealthy white man by the name of John Hammond worked to integrate black and white music.1 Since his childhood, he enjoyed the music of numerous black artists, and he wanted to share his love with the rest of America. He used much of his inherited fortune to make this possible. He went against the general opinion of society and his parents, who despised black people. Hammond refused to ignore black artists’ musical abilities because of their color, “I did not revolt against the system, I simply refused to be a part of it.”2 He used his money to organize the most eclectic group of musicians ever assembled, for an integrated audience of his time. Hammond’s efforts made an indelible impact on the music industry. The musicians Hammond introduced in...
One of the most famous scenes in Henry IV: Part I is the scene in which Prince Hal and Falstaff put on a play extempore. This is often cited as the most famous scene because it is Hal’s turning point in the play. However, the scene is much more than that. The play extempore is a moment of prophecy, not epiphany because is cues the reader in to the play’s major themes, and allows readers to explore the possibilities of the play’s continuance.
"Sir, I love you more than words can wield the matter, dearer than eyesight, space, and liberty, beyond what can be valued…" In this quote from King Lear, Goneril is proclaiming how much she loves her father, King Lear. The fact that she refers to eyesight as being a priceless thing foreshadows the whole "sight" theme of this play. Throughout King Lear, there are references to characters' sight and perception. The perceptions of King Lear and Gloucester are changing and expanding throughout this whole play.
...mprove on what he has already done. Hugh Laurie has many talents, and has not yet reached his full potential. One Elvis Costello, when asked in an interview about Hugh Laurie, said "This guy is a musician before he's anything else. He's probably a better musician than an actor." (Green 3). It is not only the fact that Hugh Laurie made exquisite blues music, but also what he did for the new artists that makes him worthy to deserve this monument to be built in his honor.
... is very exciting and joyful to hear. The singing of male against female is particularly interesting, and the video helps to show that clash of voices against each other.
An interesting aspect of the famous literary work, "The Canterbury Tales," is the contrast of realistic and exaggerated qualities that Chaucer entitles to each of his characters. When viewed more closely, one can determine whether each of the characters is convincing or questionable based on their personalities. This essay will analyze the characteristics and personalities of the Knight, Squire, Monk, Plowman, Miller, and Parson of Chaucer's tale.
"What tongue speaks my right drawn sword may prove" is the sentence which concludes a short speech delivered by Henry Bolingbroke to King Richard II (1.1.6). These words are but the first demonstration of the marked difference between the above-mentioned characters in The Tragedy of Richard II. The line presents a man intent on action, a foil to the title character, a man of words.