viewfromaloft

'Thriller' Viral Film Festival

Downtown can easily have a simple tribute to Micheal Jackson by recreating the Palace Theater marquee as seen in its cameo in "Thriller".

The John Landis directed 14 minute short is considered a benchmark for MTV and Micheal Jackson.  It has also kept the song alive for years.

Others may call the many versions of Thriller just parodies. Not so. The Elvis hip swing is mocked. The Beatles are imitated. But the dance of head nods, and arms extended up and out while step shuffling to the side are performed with conviction and affectionate participation.

As for the performers on the most popular alternative version of Thriller, they were performing for the Philippine International Tourism Fair only a few hours before Micheal Jackson died.  After being told of Jackson's death, the inmates practiced for nine hours as a tribute, and performed for a crowd of about 700 locals and foreign tourists.
Watch CBS Videos Online

The Thriller Viral Film Festival, after the jump.

Notes on "The Soloist"

As "The Soloist" opens April 24, journalists are finding angles in the story of the friendship between a big city journalist and a troubled homeless musician. For many mental health is the subtext. Some say it's a last celebration of the power of newspapers.

Skid Row Solos

Jamie Fox plays Skid Row musician Nathaniel Ayers.  Robert Downey Jr., as LAT's Steve Lopez,.

NOW SHOWING: The first trailer for “The Soloist” is now online. The film is based on a series of columns by LAT's Steve Lopez about Skid Row musician Nathaniel Ayers, and focuses on the relationship between the newspaper columnist and the schizophrenic musical genius. . . ––  While being filmed in Central City East, “The Soloist”  employed Skid Row residents as background extras. The film is scheduled for a November 21 release.

OTHER STORIES: Last weekend, KNBC4's homeless special "Forgotten Neighbors" won a local Emmy  in the category Crime/Social Issues . .––  If you remember, the segments included reporter Mekahlo Medina's story on a blogger who captures stories about the homeless through words and pictures . .––  No . . . I don't get an Emmy, but I'm still a celeb at family reunions. "Downtown Dwellers" [view]

Trailer via youtube added 9.16

April 22, 2008

The Los Angeles Times writes about one of five journalists honored today with a stamp. [Mexican American Journalist to be honored with U.S. postage stamp.][Los Angeles Times Blog]

Stamp: US Postal Service
Ruben Salazar, from the Los Angeles Times Photographic Archive (Collection 1429), Department of Special Collections, Charles E. Young Research Library, UCLA

Two from 'Tu'

The April 2008 edition of tu ciudad features a computerized rendering of a proposed renovation of the old Boyle Hotel located next to Mariachi Plaza. It's part of a report by Dennis Romero and Rocio Zamora on the four story Victorian / Italianate hotel that opened as the Cummings Block. They also give an overview of the the non-profit East LA Community Corporation purchasing of the hotel, and ongoing plans to keep it low income housing for mariachis. The article is gentler in writing about the sluggish renovation efforts than previous reports. tu cuidad (no online version). Previously VFAL + CurbedLA

Also in tu ciudad is a story of Alma Martinez, an assistant professor of Theater and Dance at Pomona College who was in the original cast of  Zoot Suit. She is remounting and directing the same musical April 3-13 at Pomona College to mark it’s 30th anniversary. It will be complete with panel discussions and exhibitions. Good idea? I think so. 

Richard Barron Architects via tu ciudad

'Cho-lo-sphere' represented in local mural

There's a new mural in town and if you look on the Main St sign, you can see a figure wearing shades.  At the time, he was a local reporter and blogger standing on the middle of Main Street with one foot on the west side and the other on the east side. Since then, his dual citizenship expanded into Mexico.  The original photo is after the jump:

The All-New Ethos for 2008

After years of being the generic background player in ads hawking cars, Main Street gets to play the growing reincarnation of itself––as seen in this photo from an e-mail blast sent to interested buyers who stated they are planning to purchase a car soon. 

It's the All-New Nissan Rouge, a "crossover for work and play" waiting for a green light in front of Pete's Cafe. In the email, the headline reads "Leave no Café unattended, no gallery unexplored."  For one creative director, Downtown L.A. as generic slick is so two hours ago. It's an asphalt party with a touch of bad boy on a Bluetooth.

Pictured: Nissan Rouge in Gotham Gray. Also available in Wicked Black. Downtown myth may appear larger in the mirror.

Community Enabled

Eric posts about his current opinion column in the Los Angeles Downtown News that expands his "Five Steps for a Better Downtown." In step three, he wrote, "Organizations should aggressively look for ways to enable Downtown residents to help them further their causes."  He then uses September 11 posting about the hearing on Conditional Use Permits for Kor Group's Santa Fe Lofts, and the post just after the meeting as an example.

The Los Angeles Times writes about One Santa Fe in an article takes the residents opposing the development seriously. Artists are sharply divided over project near L.A. River. [view LAT]  New Angeles Monthly also covers the OneSantaFe story in their November issue.

Ripped from the Headlines

Sgt Friday about to dramatically step on two trade newspapers in 1954's 'The Big Producer'. The headline on one reads "Local in Studio Labor Stew."

Media WGA strike coverage via blogs:
Variety [Scribe Vibe]
THR [Strike Zone]
LAT [ShowTracker]

Someone should take all the YouTube coverage of writers talking to the camera while picketing, edit it into a reality TV show.

Exposed Print

This amazing shot by LAT's Karen Tapia-Anderson may be the most memorable photo taken by scores of photographers covering the California wildfires.  LAT's Janet Wilson follows up on these volunteer fire fighters caught between flames in Modjeska Canyon.