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Geek Vibes Nation
20-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'Swimming To Cambodia' Blu-Ray Review - Jonathan Demme Captures An Electrifying Performance
Noted playwright, novelist and monologuist Spalding Gray spent eight weeks in Asia as an actor in Roland Joffé's Academy Award Winning historical drama The Killing Fields, chronicling the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. In his famed one man show, Swimming to Cambodia, Gray laid bare his experiences on set and contextualizes his anecdotes with the stark history of the region. Directed for the screen by Jonathan Demme (Stop Making Sense), rendering Gray's heartfelt, often very funny, monologue cinematic with the help of collaborators like cinematographer John Bailey (Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters), editor Carol Littleton (Beloved), and multidisciplinary artist Laurie Anderson, who is responsible for the film's evocative score. Cinématographe is proud to bring one of the great performance films, and an oft-overlooked entry in Jonathan Demme's career, to blu-ray for the first time in the world in a 2K new restoration from its original camera negative. For thoughts on Swimming to Cambodia, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality This new Blu-Ray debut from Cinématographe gives Swimming to Cambodia an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a 2K restoration from the 35mm Original Camera Negative. The fact that this title has been missing on the format for so long is unfortunate, so it is greatly appreciated that the label rectified the situation. This is a gorgeous transfer that all but eliminates any blemishes to the print including any white specks, tiny cuts or other potential blemishes. The transfer maintains impeccable film grain support throughout with nothing looking unnatural and no major instances of spiking. When you consider the age of the film and the source material, it is pleasing to see the footage looking so strong. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts or any other such digital anomalies. The frame shows off some fine detail in the clothing of Gray and in some of the background elements of the stage. Colors present with a nice vividness that livens up the screen. This presentation does a stellar job of giving life to the performance. Audio Quality This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that captures every word spoken by Spalding Gray with the utmost clarity. These stories are balanced perfectly with the light amount of manufactured environmental effects. There is not much in the way of music featured in this movie, but anything that comes up has great clarity and fidelity. This track shows no signs of age-related wear and tear such as hissing, humming, or popping. Cinématographe delivered the goods with this remastered audio track. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film. Special Features The Limited Edition version of Swimming to Cambodia comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new essays by film critics Marya E. Gates, Chris Shields, Keith Uhlich and David M. Stewart, author of There's No Going Back: The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme, plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: Audio Commentary: Film critic Scout Tafoya provides a commentary track that in no way comments directly on the film as it plays and instead gives a thorough cradle-to-grave overview of the life of Spalding Gray. Interview with Director Jonathan Demme: A nearly 17-minute archival interview with the iconic filmmaker in which he discusses Spalding Gray, his reasons for wanting to direct the film, developing the style for the film, collaborating with Gray, opening up the subject, and more. Interview with Director of The Killing Fields Roland Joffé: A new 21-minute interview with the filmmaker who directed Gray in the film featured in Swimming to Cambodia in which he discusses The Killing Fields , how he got involved with the film, shooting in Thailand, pushing his performers, and more. Interview with Executive Producer Ira Deutchman: A new nearly 13-minute interview with the producer in which he discusses the murky role of a producing credit, working with Demme, the competition for the rights to film the production, distributing the film, and more. Interview with Producer Edward Saxon: A new nearly 14-minute interview with the associate producer in which he discusses his partnership with Jonathan Demme, his thoughts on Spalding Gray, and more. Pure Nonfiction Podcast: Two episodes of the podcast that interviews documentary filmmakers featuring conversations with Jonathan Demme. Jonathan Demme's Characters (1:04:20) Jonathan Demme and Renée Shafransky on Spalding Gray (29:08) Theatrical Trailer (0:50) Final Thoughts Swimming to Cambodia is not the first movie you consider when evaluating the career of Jonathan Demme, yet it stands as a strong example of his uncanny command over the camera. The impassioned performance from Spalding Gray is captivating in its own right, but it is how it is captured by Demme that gives it a degree of execution suitable for the big screen experience. Even if you have never seen The Killing Fields, this one-man show will stir something in you with the intrigue and wit of the stories. The art of storytelling has rarely been so deftly translated to screen. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a spectacular A/V presentation and a great assortment of supplemental features. Recommended Swimming to Cambodia is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
New York Times
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Guy Klucevsek, Multi-Genre Accordion Virtuoso, Is Dead at 78
Guy Klucevsek, a masterly accordion player who developed an eclectic body of work for his beloved, if sometimes mocked, instrument that expanded its repertoire well beyond polkas and other traditional fare, died on May 22 at his home on Staten Island. He was 78. His wife and only immediate survivor, Jan (Gibson) Klucevsek, said the cause was pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer. Praise for Mr. Klucevsek (pronounced kloo-SEV-ek) typically noted that he had elevated the profile of the accordion beyond the realms of beer halls and 'The Lawrence Welk Show.' Writing in The Village Voice in 2015 about a series of performances by Mr. Klucevsek in the East Village, Richard Gehr noted that, 'having mastered the instrument in virtually all of its classical, modern, jazz and international manifestations,' Mr. Klucevsek 'has extended it into another dimension altogether.' He recorded more than 20 albums, composed dozens of pieces and commissioned others, in multiple genres. He accompanied the performance artist Laurie Anderson on her 1994 album, 'Bright Red,' and collaborated with the dancer Maureen Fleming on 'B. Madonna,' a 2013 multimedia piece based on the myth of Persephone. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
State scores major win for clean air after battling polluting industry: 'A huge achievement'
Colorado just scored a big victory for clean air — and communities that have been facing the consequences of industrial pollution. As reported in the Environmental Defense Fund's Vital Signs newsletter, state regulators finalized a plan in February 2025 to reduce harmful air pollution from oil and gas operations. After local groups started raising concerns about oil and gas operations near homes, Colorado adopted new standards that will require companies to replace outdated equipment that intentionally vents harmful pollutants in the air. Once this is fully implemented by 2029, it's expected to reduce methane pollution, a planet-warming gas that can be harmful to human health, by 10% in the state. The new standards will also improve air pollution monitoring. Companies will be required to keep a more detailed account of the pollutants they're releasing, such as toxic gases like benzene and xylene. This is a big deal for local residents, especially those living near oil and gas facilities. Public health is on the line, with locals having higher rates of respiratory illnesses, gastrointestinal diseases, and even leukemia. The EDF's Vital Signs newsletter is a great source of inspiring climate solutions, policy wins, and actions we can take to support a healthier planet for all. Colorado joins other states making progress toward a healthier environment, like New York's plan to electrify buses and Illinois' investment in clean energy. While the current administration has been working to roll back some federal environmental protections, this move by Colorado shows how progress can still be made on a state level. "These Colorado safeguards are a huge achievement," said Nini Gu, an EDF policy expert for the Western region, per Vital Signs. "And Colorado did all this with consensus across the board from environmental groups, industry trade groups and state regulators. It's really an example for other states can follow." "If you can accomplish this in Colorado, you can do it in other places, too," said Laurie Anderson, an advocate with Moms Clean Air Force, according to Vital Signs. Do you worry about air pollution in and around your home? Yes — always Yes — often Yes — sometimes No — never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
