The Pacific Film Archive has announced their September and October schedule and they will mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Free Speech Movement with some special showings of movies such as "Berkeley in the Sixties" and "KPFA on the Air." They will simultaneously be presenting Stanley Kubrick and Jean-Luc Godard retrospectives. (Google Hint: Pacific Film Archive.)
This is an auspicious opportunity for us to mention that we are reading "American Fun," by John Beckman, and will be referring to its underlying premise in future columns. If we understand the author correctly, he is making the assertion that participating in political protests adds zest and spice to a young couple's courting ritual and sometimes brings about change.
Speaking of books, we missed our chance over the weekend to get photos of John Waters doing a promotional appearance at the Beat Museum on Saturday for the movie director/writer's new book titled: "Carsick."
Here is the homework assignment: Since one case got massive coverage and the Ezell Ford case was ignored; write a thousand word essay on why that discrepancy occurred and what you think is the meaning of the disparity in coverage that is usually touted as being "fair and balanced." Post the results on some social networking site and grade your own efforts.
Forty nine years ago, the media was covering the Watts Riots, the possibility of mission creep for the boots on the ground in South Vietnam, and whatnot.
[Note from the photo editor: Believing St. Ronald Reagan's philosophy regarding redwood trees (If you seen one; you've seen 'em all.) applies to protests of Police brutality; we went to a protest in Oakland on Monday, August 18, 2014, and got some adequate images to use with to illustrate this week's column.]
On page 225 of "The Armies of the Night," Norman Mailer wrote: "He (Jerry Rubin) had also run for Mayor of Berkeley on a platform opposing war and supporting black power and the legalization of pot, collecting in the process 7,385 ballots or 22 percent of the vote."
George Carlin said: "I put some money in a machine that said: 'change.' Nothing changed." If we can summon the energy we'll be back next week, same bat time, same bat channel with more of the usual.
Now the disk jockey will play Eric Clapton's "I shot the sheriff," Cher's "Bang Bang," and the soundtrack album for "A Clockwork Orange." We have to go see "Sin City." Have a "Hands up! Don't Shoot!" type week
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
