TBC forum down for a while

For TimBurtoncollective.com forum users:

The TBC forum is down for some while. Apparently the bandwith load taken up by the forum was so high that it made the whole shared system network run too slow, so the provider shut it down. An upgrade for a dedicated service (expensive) is what the provider suggests, but we will have to see what is the best possible solution.

Meanwhile, hang on tight, all other parts of the website are still operational, as well as all of our other sites and forums. (this is a good time to check out http://www.indeppth.com/forum or http://imaginarycinema.com/phpbb2/index.php for your forum needs!)

Thanks

Interview with Snuggably_Wonkable, winner of 2007 Halloween Costume Contest

The Winner of the 2007 Halloween Costume contest was Burtonite/Depptologist Snuggably_Wonkable, who dressed up as Pyramid Head, from the videogame, Silent Hill. Burtonite morbid_lydia caught up with her to discuss her highly imaginative and macabre outfit, along with her ideas on fake blood, locations, and filmmaking.

Burtonites Blog (morbid_lydia): Alright, thank you for agreeing to do this, Alex. It's an honor to have you featured
Snuggably_Wonkable: No Problem!!

BB: Anyways, do tell me, your costume idea was, to say the least, unorthodox. What gave you the idea to do Pyramid Head?
SW: Well, I am a big fan of the Silent Hill Series, and my favorite character is Pyramid Head. He is just so intimidating! I was playing the part of the game where I am trapped in the same room as Pyramid head, and it just hit me that it would be so fun to be him!

BB: That's neat! Did you think immediately, "Crap, where am I going to get the material for that?" or did it come later, actually planning it?
SW: Well, it came later. I proposed the idea to my mom, who didn’t think I could pull it off. She said it was too impossible of a costume... Later on when I was planning it, I really realized how hard it would be...

BB: What materials did you use exactly?
SW: Well, I made two versions. The first one was made from Styrofoam with poster board over it and wire on the inside. I had started it one day on a whim, and when I was done, it wouldn't even fit through the door. I tried it on, and I couldn’t even really hold my head up, it extended for about four feet in front of me... far to big to walk around in, and I about took my sisters head of when I was turning around. So I scrapped it, and started another version, simply made out of reinforced cardboard and allot of pain and tape, this one was a lot smaller and ended up being the one I used.

BB: Interesting! Did you have any plans for going out on Halloween and showing it off, or was frightening the Burtonites enough for you?
SW: I ended up going Trick Or Treating this year, dressed as Pyramid Head. No one knew who I was, of course, But it was quite enjoyable to walk around it. Before that, me and my best friend walked around our neighborhood, frightening cars, and scaring the hell out of her neighbor’s five year old brother and sister. It was great fun. I think I freaked a few kids out on a passing school bus....


BB: Amusing! And now onto the actual contest: Did you feel at all intimidated entering?
SW: A little bit, I mean, I had never really entered a costume contest before, and I didn’t know what to expect. I get really nervous entering contests, no matter what type.

BB: We're glad you did though! Did you have any particular regrets after entering? Is there anything at all you would change if you could go back in time?
SW: I regretted the location of my pictures a bit. I wanted to take pictures in my dark basement, since I thought it would be more fitting. My sister who was taking the photos refused to go down there, though, so I had to deal with the kitchen. In the end though, I figured I would have to make do with what I could. It was hard keeping my dog out of the shots though. She seemed to like the smell of the fake blood.

BB: My dog does too, when I make it at home out of corn syrup. What did you use, corn syrup, or fake stuff in a tube?
SW: Corn Syrup, It was really hard though, my batch never seemed to get the right color, no matter what I did. My first few batches came out bright pink, which I did not expect at all. It seems that someone had placed the NEON food coloring in the wrong box...

BB: How many bottles of food coloring did you end up using?
SW: Well, certainly more than I should have. I made two large batches. The first one was the perfect color, but when I was outside splattering the butcher robe, My dog raced by me and I ended up spilling the whole container down my front. Ha-ha! My stomach was red for quite a few days. The second one, I used more caution, and it ended up working pretty well. I'd say abut one and a half bottles. I made it in bulk, since I can use it for my movies....

BB: Do you feel as though your love of costumes ties in to your interest in filmmaking? You also participated in the 2007 Golden Borton Awards, and won best costume.
SW: Certainly! In my films, In my upcoming films, I need to do a lot of make up effects and costuming. Making them is much better than buying them, since even if I buy it; I end up modifying it anyways. I am collecting quite a collection of clothes and fabric to redo/make a costume. My films hardly ever take place in modern day, so I always need to find a way to make the correct style for the film....

BB: Would you ever consider costuming or film set design? You seem to have an eye for details and crafting.
SW: Oh yes! Costume making would be wonderful, and something I would really love to look into more. I am a beginner in sewing, but once I get better, I might sign up to help with the costume making in our local Theatre.

BB: And last of all: Will you enter next year's contest? Do you want to join in the fun again?
SW: Definitely! It was awesome to join, and it was wonderful seeing all the costumes! Everyone did so wonderfully!

BB: That's great to know! Thank you for allowing us to interview you, Alex, it's been a pleasure.
SW: The pleasure’s mine!

The Golden Bortons 2007: Winners!

THE RESULTS ARE IN!

I would like to thank everyone who voted on all of these fine films and everyone who submitted their movies. These were all fine films. Seriously; I am not using that lightly. Every single film showed that the people behind the making of them truly felt an earnest inspiration and motivation to create. Not surprisingly, there were several ties and even more near-ties. But (as cliched as it is), winning doesn't matter. Anyone who has made a film with the care, commitment, and dedication that these filmmakers have are already winners. It is a demanding, but thoroughly exhilarating, form of art.

Now let's get to the freakin' winners, already!:

Best Picture:
--William Palacio and Michael Smith, for Two Left

Best Director:
--Michael Smith, for Two Left

Best Leading Actor:
--Dakota Nickels as "The President," in Bullet Race

Best Leading Actress:
--Lorelei Linklater as "Jane," in The Substitute

Best Supporting Actor:
--Craig Shannon as "Frank," in Dream House

Best Supporting Actress:
TWO WINNERS!
--Lisa Diduch as "Mother" and "Hey Babe Girl," in Bullet Race
--Evan Schumann as "Mean Girl," in The Substitute

Best Screenplay:
--Tor Hershman, for AMEN (hotep IV, that is)

Best Editing:
--Michael Smith, for Two Left

Best Cinematography:
--Michael Smith, for Two Left

Best Music Editing:
--Tyler Morgan, for Bullet Race

Best Sound Design:
THREE WINNERS!:
--J. L. Carrozza and Ryan Murphy, for Dream House
--Tor Hershman, for AMEN (hotep IV, that is)
--Michael Smith, for Two Left

Best Art Direction:
--Autumn McPherson, for Instamatic

Best Costume Design:
--Alex Baxter and Jake Hansen, for Until Death Do We Love: A Silent Film

Best Makeup:
TWO WINNERS!
--Lindsay Garallo, for Dream House
--Billy Idle and Autumn McPherson, for Instamatic

Best Special Visual Effects:
--Michael Smith, for Two Left


Once again, congratulations to all who submitted and made these excellent films, and thank you for everyone's participation! I hope next year we have a contest at least as enjoyable as this one. Until next time, Happy Halloween!

EMO by Oz Rembrandt

My name’s Oz Rembrandt, and I’d like to point out before you read this article, which I have tried to write as neutrally as possible, that I do not hate Emo music or it’s subculture, having been a fan of many of the below mentioned bands for many years. I know my words won’t appeal to everyone, but hey, it’s just one mans view.

Emo… The word repels people, makes or breaks a bands potential success and has created one of the most controversial and misunderstood subcultures of our generation. But what does it all mean? Where did it come from? In short: What is Emo?

Many will argue that Emo music is merely a form of rock music characterised by negative lyrics about girls, heartbreak and social alienation… but hey, if that’s true, then what band isn’t Emo? The Police, Reel Big Fish, Black Sabbath, all have written songs in the past about such themes, because they’re common place to everyone, and especially teenagers, so what is it that sets Emo apart as a whole new branch of angst ridden rock?

Emo is short for Emotional Hardcore, and is a musical movement that in fact dates back to the early 1980’s, way before bands like My Chemical Romance had even begun to think about talking, let alone singing. Back then, the term Emo, or even Emotional Hardcore, wasn’t even bounced around. Back in the high days of the DC Hardcore Punk Rock movement of the early 80’s, a genre was already beginning to take the aggression of the Hardcore, but in an effort to escape conformity, they were moving away from the political and social themes in Hardcore, and focusing more on their own thoughts, feelings and experiences, albeit in a very, VERY, angry way. It was these bands (Nation of Ulysses, Shudder to Think, Rites of Spring), along with the DC record label Dischord Records that allowed them some minor exposure, which would cause the foundations of band’s sounds to come. Most of the bands of this time where running along side the Post Hardcore scene developed by Fugazi, and the two fledgling genres were very intertwined at the time.

The real beginnings of the future pop friendly sound of Emo came from the Pop-Punk revolution of the California Bay Area. Bands like Jawbreaker began to incorporate the heavy and emotionally raw sound of the DC scene with the pop and hook filled sounds of the Pop-Punk sound. The style quickly became referred to as Melodic Hardcore, due to the familiar speed and riffs of the earlier Hardcore movement, as well as the melodies and tuneful nature of the California Bay Area. It was around this time, on the back on the angst fuelled Grunge movement that Emo finally began to take shape, riding to stardom just under more Punk bands such as Green Day, NOFX and Lagwagon. It was now that bands such as Sunny Day Real Estate and Jimmy Eat World began their slow ascent to Emo stardom, fusing the typical duel guitar sounds and emotionally passionate lyrics with the hugely popular pop-punk sound.

The most widely considered generation of the modern Emo sound is often attributed, surprisingly, to geek rockers Weezer’s second album, Pinkerton. Their use of catchy melodies, as well as downright depressive lyrics about unrequited love, parental hatred and other frustrations was far more “heart-on-sleeve” than many similar bands had dared to go at that time. Their sound set the benchmark for the Emo bands to come in the mid to late 1990’s. Unfortunately for fans of such Weezer-esque Indie Emo, the movement was short lived, generally dying out toward the new millennium…

So, the few bands that had remained from this melodic, heartfelt movement had to adapt or break. Bands such as Jimmy Eat World quickly began to move toward a more pop-punk sound to try and avoid the stereotype that was beginning to float around amongst the media: Emo. The term had finally started to make itself known, and it almost instantly generated a negative attitude towards bands. As the decade has progressed, bands have gradually evolved to fit this growing musical niche. Dashboard Confessional, My Chemical Romance, Fall Out Boy all began to develop a sound not dissimilar to Pop-Punk, but far heavier and darker thematically. By this time though, it was hard to pin the dyed black tail on the Emo donkey. Bands such as Alkaline Trio and AFI were emerging, stringing lyrics of despair, misery and abject loneliness (as well as in Alkaline Trio’s case, anger, vengeance and alcoholism), with a sound reminiscent of early 1990’s punk rock and pop-punk movement. They bore all the similar hallmarks of Emo, but with more of a focus on bitterness than whininess. Understandably, the bands are now hailed by many modern Emo bands as being major influences, despite the fact that their initial sound doesn’t really relate to those of bands today, but the dark and theatrical approach to music has inspired generations to do the same, albeit a little more emotional. Hence, the modern Emo bands are formed. The ones we love to hate. In some cases.

Now comes the question… what characterises an Emo band’s sound? This can cause some confusion also, as the line between Emo and Post Hardcore is often blatantly ignored by many critics. Emo is characterised by a much more pop-orientated sound than post hardcore, with much more coherent lyrics. The 2 genres do share a use of harsh or screaming vocals as an outlet of emotion, as well as a great use of double guitar riffs in an almost metal style. Bellow is a list arranged as best as I can manage (You can’t please everyone) of Emo and Post Hardcore bands, notable and/or listen-worthy: EMO: My Chemical Romance, Taking Back Sunday, Fall Out Boy, Dashboard Confessional, Something Corporate, Thursday, The Starting Line, Thrice, Finch and Funeral For a Friend (At new album). POST HARDCORE: Hell is for Heroes, Reuben, Million Dead, Hot Water Music, This Girl, Far, Engerica and Funeral for a Friend (The first 2 albums).

Possibly more than the music that has spawned it though, the most controversial factor featuring in Emo is the scene that accompanies in: The fans, the practices and the styles. I’m sure everyone knows what the general Emo kid looks like (Google it, if you don’t), so I won’t go into the clothing style to much. Generally tight jeans, band badges, bad haircuts and gothic related characters, without of the rest of the Goth subculture. And, of course, a great love of Nightmare Before Christmas. These teens are predominantly portrayed in the media as being miserable, mopey and suicidal individuals who are deliberately miserable, despite a fairly good life. But lets look at it a moment. Aren’t many teenagers angsty, rebellious and depressive at some stage of their development to adulthood? Of course they are, and Emo teens are no different, they’ve just received a label that makes them more “susceptible” to this behaviour. I’ve got a lot of Emo friends, and many are bright, cheerful people, who get the odd down period, just like anyone else. Self harm isn’t at all that common place, suicide attempts aren’t weekly, and they have plenty of friends. As with many stereotypes, it’s the few who have cemented the fate and view of the many. So, I ask you, next time you see some kid and think “what an Emo cunt”, think in your head, sure, they look like that now, but what’s to say they aren’t intelligent individuals. I mean, they’ll all grow out of it in the end.

Oz Rembrandt

LAZY TOWN: What Lies Beneath

“Go! Go! Go! Get up Lazy Town!,” the song’s lyrics enthusiastically invites us, and then prevent us: “Things are upside down here in Lazy Town,” which is a statement we’re determined to follow and analyze for we think that line keeps a vast truth underneath.

The colorful frenzied show teaches kids how to consume their energies by jumping, running, doing sports instead of staying at home on the computer. But you don’t have to sweat a lot to realize Lazy Town and Pedo Town could be one and only one place. It’s just a matter of reading between the lines. Or jumping between the cathodic lines of your TV screen.

Let’s say it at once, Lazy Town is the dream town for pederasts: There are no parents or adult guards to be seen – other than a cretin major and an old woman, both literally and metaphorically, puppets – but plenty of playful kids in colorful flashy clothes all around. Stephanie, the only ‘human’ little girl is also designed to be a pervs dream: 13 , pink-dressed, whimsy hot pink wig and quite an elastic and enthusiastic dancer.

And the main adult roles – the hero and the villain – end up being opposite sides of the same coin. They both share the interest of being involved and surrounded by kids.

Robbie Rotten – the villain – is the ‘mean pederast’. He apparently hates children, but that’s merely a manifestation of jealousy to his fellow men. Rotten is a grown up child himself. Angry, jealous, spoiled, candy-lover, lazy, but in the end, a child in the body of an adult. He has the habit of voyeurism and after practicing it a bit, he always turns to his collection of attractive fancy costumes in order to penetrate (no pun intended) into the group of children going unnoticed. And of course, children in Lazy Town are written to fall into Robbie’s deceits with extreme easiness once and again. Rotten is the classic pervert that attracts children by pretending to be a funny attractive playful figure that brings desirable toys to them.

On the opposite extreme we have Sportacus. As Robbie Rotten, Sportacus is also a grown up kid. He talks to them as if he were their best friend and is always very careful to show not even a gram of anger towards them, avoiding this way to be seen as an adult authority in spite of his teacher status. He lives in an ultra-aseptic floating house filled with toy-shaped devices and all kind of sport articles. He’s the nice kid: eats only vegetables and goes to bed at 8 pm. His goal - as Robbie Rotten’s - is to be surrounded by kids. But his approach - opposite to Robbie’s - is to be open, “honest” and friendly. He uses his acrobatics to be the center of attention. This way he makes his muscular body both an object of “eye-sports-candy” admiration and an aspirational goal for children. Sportacus is meant to be the kind of pederast that lives so immerse in his own child-fantasy he doesn’t even assume his condition. Most of time he gets dragged inside his own fantasy and ends up really thinking he IS this kind-hearted ultra-naive impressive children’s superhero.

At then end of every episode, Stephanie in her innocent-pink dress and Sportacus end up dancing together a silly happy song meant to make us enjoy what we are seeing and forgetting the dark implications hidden all over this fantasy town. In their dance there’s always body-to-body steps and leg-spreading movements. And the song - amusingly called “Bing BANG” whose lyrics once again remind us subliminally the message: “Bing Bang Dig-a-rig-a-dong” are described to us as “Silly words that can mean anything”. While dancing with Sportacus, Stephanie invites kids to “go up up, do the jump”. Concluding that “having fun is what it's all about”.

Sports candy sounds like a sweet thing, don’t you think?

Arctic’s Mars Attacks

Our great forum member, Arctic Monkey, wanted to write to the Burtonites Blog about Mars Attacks!, so here it goes, completely unedited, original review from Arctic Monkey. Are you ready?

Arctic’s Mars Attacks

Mostly acclaimed as Burton’s second worst movie and a flop, Mars Attacks was the movie that me made fall really into Burton’s universe. A ode to the old fast canceled Topp’s card and 50’s SF B-movies, Burton opens his big trickbox and let it go on the audience.

Nag nag, nag

Of course there are Alien’s in a SF movie, this ones even beat Alien out the selftiteld movie. Are they good for schocks or thrills? None of both, there just green little stupid things that only live for killing. Why only for killing? God knows why, maybe we can make it up out there Nag, nag, Nag words. But then real powers are the ultra B-film looks and effects. It all looks perfect but Burton didn’t forget to keep the B-film vide alive. Mostly through the already said cliches through some serious weird persons like Jack Nicholson plays a second part as a casino owner how wants to make money out of the Martian’s/Alien’s arrival not knowing there only here to destroy the planet. A other great thing about the movie is to see much well know actors in big or small rolls. Like Jack Black’s appearance as Richie’s brother how get killed, and Michal J Fox in one of his few moments on screen in the mid and later 90’s and of course Mister Tom Jones. In the bigger rolls we see old blackaxption-girl Pam Gier and the later becoming superstar Natahlie Portman. But four actors and make the first part of the movie. Jack Nicholson in a crazy double part as president of the United States and the casino owner. Pierce Brosnan that just did his first james bond movie makes fun out him as British professor how doesn’t know a thing about Alien’s but just try to translate them. And then there is Danny DeVito gambler how want’s to make a deal whit the Alien’s. Glenn Close as cold Ms.President which only thinks for herself.

The change

In the middle of the movie the Alien’s have destroyed most of the adult persons and only Richie, a role by Lukas Haas, and the daughter of the president ,which is played by Natahlie Portman, are alive. Also Danny DeVito is still alive. Richie rescued his grandam from the older people house and is whit Tom Jones and Natahlie Portman’s character trying to find out a way to kill the aliens. A old lp whit jodel-rock(?) blows all the aliens heads up when they hear it and at the end it’s a destroyed city/world whit only Lukas Haas, grandma, Portman and some other on-credit people alive. And then the screen goes black.

Arctic’s critic

Mars attacks is my fourth favorite Burton movie, not a classic tearjerker as Edward or a haunting horror as Hollow but one of the most loving parodies ever made. Of course there are better ones(Top Secret and the Monty Phyton’s movies) but still it hasn’t has one bad or old joke. It’s all-star cast made it still wonder why it wasn’t a major box-office hit, maybe it was a bit to wicked for the cinema people. But it has regain his glory as cult-classic and Hollow was again a box-office success. But if Burton didn’t made this movie it will be never made, and that will hurt my heart.

Nag Nag Nag Part 2

The power of the movie sits in the sadists green fellows mostly labeled in the movie as Martian/aliens. No Ridely Scot Alien alien’s but cartoon like green fellows. Still they have the most horrible laugh ever. The Martians are just like people in the 50’s thought about life in other space. Sadistic green creatures that are only out for killing and destroying planets. Now we know better but lucky a lot of Alien story’s are left. There clothing style is also horrible but just does it for them. They aren’t smatter then people, to be said there lot stupider then most people and have the most playlike guns ever. They aren’t like most haunting alien’s but more some crazy loonaticks escaped from the weirdest zoo in the universe. Maybe people don’t like this kind of Martians to watch at the cinema, mostly they want cool scary aliens but Burton had a major budget and of course his own imagination and thought of these crazy guys. Lucky he did, otherwise it would be just another Hollywood alien movie. It’s quit easy if you see them at the first time to know there planning to destroy then world. And there trying it. There dead also has no shocking of scary thing. There just funny, just like the green fellows. Love live the Martians!

a view on art from the past.

An estonian author called Eduard Vilde, who lived from 1865 to 1933, wrote a book in 1912 called The Uncatchable Miracle ("Tabamata Ime"). Though it may seem like a long time ago, reading that book today (if you can get it in your hands in English) may surprise you: how modern, how up-to-date, how universal. Maybe others won´t see it, but you will - as an artist. Cause this book tells us about an artist still seeking for a breakthrough, but sadly doing many wrong things in its name. It also raises many philosophical questions about the field of arts in general and a creators position in a society.

Leo Saalep, a piano player, returns home from the Grand Europe - home, thats a frog pond, a tiny country with limited chances to stand out or become a big star. In someone else´s case it may be a small town inside a big region inside a huge country, a clique community inside a metropolis, anything, which sets borders to a growing artist. Leo brings with him the echo of praise and ovations from the European audience - he is an instant object of admiration - and big, big, BIG expectations towards his upcoming concert in the home land. Everybody is expecting him to be The One, that big name to bring the tiny, unimportant (and at 1912 not yet independent) country on the map of the world. No, they want more - they need, they want to call him an artistic genius.
Do you remember how the lights seemed to black out, when you had to read a poem on a school concert in front of all the two dozen relatives expecting you to turn into a child star with the power of their minds? Would you die of fear if you had to show your portfolio in front of examination committee of a really high-class art school?
Although I think burtonite nerves are from a different class and not much to worry about when it comes to talent you can at least imagine that situation. Thats how Leo was feeling, and he made several attempts to cancel the concert. He was just not sure he could raise to the occasion, but he pressed these feelings down, he had a desperate desire to be what the others wanted him to be. "Believe in me! Lend me your strength!", he said. Maybe thats the only obstacle that does not allow Leo to doubt himself and thus become truly a great artist who can rely only on his own self.

For Leo Saalep, things are made worse by an especially eager "communicator", his free-marriage spouse Lilli, who has promoted his talents maybe more than would have been reasonable. How often is that the case really in the field of arts, that the communicators - agents, curators, managers or just the cultural establishment you work for, a film company, a theater, a dance group - are doing a bit TOO much for the artist or actor or musicians, which prevents those to be themselves and build a relationship of trust, understanding and FAIR expectations with the audience? They will be like products of the communicator, not individuals... But.... those nasty people are there for a reason, you know. They have a different position in the society than a singular artist, they are institutions, that don´t just present singular talents, but form a school of thought, a way to look at things and have a great influence to public opinion, which very rare artists can have all by themselves.

Leo Saalep was very much absorbed by a low self image, and if not for Lilli, who was constantly pushing him, reassuring him, he would not have worked at all. But being concerned about "making it", receiving praise, Leo forgot about inner development as an artist, listening to his inner voice and self criticism, and his music lacked the meaning, the message - that one thing thats YOURS and that no communicator or critic can alter or take away. Leos ex-lover Eve did not hear that miracle, that spark in his performance, but she had once been an aspiring poet who stopped writing cause she felt her poetry wasn´t good enough. It does raise a question of her objectivity - could she have been envious? Lilli perhaps felt the same from the very beginning, but was too ambitious to admit it, she, for one, tried to fulfill her own artistic ambitions and dreams through somebody else, plus she hoped to marry Leo and become a "famous pianists´wife". Only a personal conflict sparked her to speak out. Lilli revealed Leo had done many things just as a publicity trick, he had forged magazine articles and hid the sources of the assumed praise he got in foreign capitals.

Vilde doesn´t really judge or put down any of his characters. Who IS right, really? Which one of them failed in their task? Did Lilli´s outburst contain any truth, or was she just getting even with estranged housband? Can anyone actually confirm Leo DOESN´ T have any talent? Did he just do what any artist would do to succeed? The communicator, a voice of a muse, had spoken, she had come down on him with fury and a note of disappointment, and the people believed her rather than the artist, because the artist had not really stood up for himself ever before. They already knew he was a weak, paranoid person, but that doesn´t mean he was a hopeless musician, does it?
Or did Leo really just heartlessly use his faithful muse to be somebody, to become a star having himself only a mediocre talent and no distinctively original qualities? Who IS the manipulator, who exactly is messing with the audiences´ minds? The artist, or the communicator? Or is it that the particular audience really was that stupid and they deserved to be fooled and fed with "non-art", cause they wont be able to tell the difference? (which is what I personally find most likely in this story, cause Vilde wrote the play partly to mock and poor out his disappointment at the critics and media of that time, who were absorbed in self- admiration and their own fine words more than searching for the true meanings in art ).
The concert itself is not described in the book, other than through the words of the Mass, the Crowd and some over-the-top cultural wannabes, and we can not tell if they know the criteria for a good or bad performance or just bluff their way through the conversation. Even in stage plays based on this text you would not find out anything more. And that is why people still interpret the story just as hopelessly, shooting blanks at different theories almost a hundred years later.
There is a DVD with 6 short flicks, named "The Untouchable Miracle" ("Tabamata Ime") that should be available in cinemas that are part of the European Cinematic Network . The pack of films is done on extremely low budget by young directors and using the same actors in all films, but playing different roles (which actually benefits the idea very much). In one of them Leo is turned into a shock artist sawing off his arm on an art performance, depicting the irrational assumption art has to cross limits while no one knows where the damn those limits are.
But what else is left to do, if the media is no longer interested in true artist, but fashion-designing singers and singing models and painting bank managers etc etc.? Or is it that drastic really... who will help us decide?
The truth is out there, I am sure. The best thing to do NOW is what you do best. Lets hope thats ALL it takes.

Sincerely,
from Redfox.