Epoch Arts 12-4-2015

DONATA WENDERS/NEUE ROAD MOVIES GMBH/AN IFC FILMS RELEASE

‘Every Thing Will Be Fine’ Every line, image, and action takes on an almost iconic significance in 3-D.

2015 DISNEY/PIXAR

‘The Good Dinosaur’ Helps toddlers stamp out fear of life!

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See C8 ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE RICHARD AVEDON FOUNDATION VIA THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

C1 December 4–10, 2015

In Celebration of Style Icon

Jacqueline de Ribes

By Kati Vereshaka | Epoch Times Staff

I

t took eight years to bring to fruition the Jacqueline de Ribes: The Art of Style exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s The Costume Institute.

It opened on Nov. 19 amid much commotion as Countess de Ribes herself was due to attend.

However, Harold Koda, curator in charge of The Costume Institute announced with regret that she would not be coming due to the recent tragic events in Paris.

“Her feeling was that it was unseemly to be celebrated that way, and that she would rather be associated with the families of those that are mourning in Paris,” said Koda.

However in her message, she expressed her hopes that the exhibition will represent the joy associated with the freedom of creation.

See Jacqueline de Ribes on C3

Jacqueline de Ribes, 1955.

Jacqueline de Ribes in Yves Saint Laurent, 1962.

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

Shen Yun Performing Arts

Shen Yun’s performances depict both celestial and earthly scenes, from ancient to contemporary China.

A Revival of Chinese Culture New York-based Shen Yun Performing Arts is reviving the essence of China’s traditional culture through breathtaking performances Shen Yun continued from W1

A dancer portrays a practitioner of the spiritual practice Falun Gong in a dance set in modern-day China.

Bringing Cultivation to Life China has traditionally been called the “land of the divine,” and its culture was believed to be divinely inspired. The name “Shen Yun,” which the company’s website defines as “the beauty of divine beings dancing,” reflects this ancient understanding.

The key to China’s ancient culture was the practice of cultivation—the purification of the individual’s body, mind, and spirit through disciplines such as Buddhism and Daoism.

As the individual’s morality improved, he or she became less attached to various desires and ambitions, and more kind, tolerant, and honest.

Shen Yun’s artists follow in the footsteps of this tradition and draw inspiration from the Chinese spiritual discipline Falun Gong. In an interview on the company’s website, soprano Haolan Geng said: “To reach a higher realm as an artist, I think morality plays a vital role.

It’s about leading a life of integrity. If you go about pretentiously offstage, you won’t be able to express any sincerity onstage. When the sounds and feelings you let out are pure, your song will be able to truly touch your listener.”

The audience feels the difference in Shen Yun’s performers. After seeing the show in New York’s Lincoln Center, Gale Remington, a painter, said, “It’s like taking you into another world of purity and goodness that is active.”

“It is a kind of a depth of experience that can be meditative, but here it is presented as art,” Remington said.

“I see the freedom of souls through Shen Yun and a path to the heavens,” said Chung SoYoung, professor of the Department of Dance at Chungnam University in South Korea. “The dancers are all very pure. I have never seen dancers so pure. In time, mainland China will follow Shen Yun.” “I am completely in awe,” said Tachibana Shino, a dancer from a classical Japanese dance school. She saw Shen Yun’s 2015 performance in the city of Nishinomiya. “The beauty expressed in the dances shows a China that is different from the country today.”

After seeing Shen Yun, Mayor Chang Tongrong of Keelung, Taiwan, encouraged his city’s residents to do the same: “The spirit of the Buddha Law or the beliefs performed by Shen Yun can help the audience gain more insight into life as well as the philosophy of righteousness.”

A Most Expressive Art One of the most expressive and demanding art forms in existence, classical Chinese dance can convey a broad range of characters, stories, legends, and traditions.

Classical Chinese dance incorporates “yun,”

To reach a higher realm as an artist, I think morality plays a vital role.

Haolan Geng, soprano, Shen Yun Performing Arts

Shen Yun Performing Arts Lincoln Center David H. Koch Theater Tickets Online: ShenYun.com/NYC Hotline: 800-818-2393 Running Time 2 hours, 15 minutes (one intermission) Date & Time Jan. 14 & 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 16 at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 17 at 1:30 p.m.

Classical Chinese dance is one of the most expressive and demanding art forms.

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

a Chinese word that means “inner bearing.”

Dancers learn to portray the inner spirit of a character, giving them the ability to represent a wide variety of emotions.

Classical Chinese dance also places emphasis on superior technique and form, including complex flips and tumbling motions.

Shen Yun performances give a kind of tour through the millennia of China’s 5,000-yearlong history and across the space of China’s vastly differing landscapes, portraying both the high art forms of the imperial court and folk and ethnic dances passed down in the hinterlands.

Some dances capture the lives of folk heroes whose stories express traditional virtues such as reverence for heaven or the belief that kindness is rewarded and evil is punished.

Also portrayed are representative ancient myths and legends and episodes from wellknown Chinese literary classics such as “Journey to the West” and “Outlaws of the Marsh.”

The dances range from the emotional intensity of a mother sending her son off to defend the motherland to the comedy of young monks playing joyfully among themselves.

Shen Yun’s vocalists perform original songs full of philosophical reflections about the meaning of life. By using a traditional bel canto technique that had been lost, Shen Yun’s singers have mastered singing with power in high registers.

The orchestra combines the spirit, beauty, and distinctiveness of Chinese music with the precision, power, and grandeur of the Western symphony orchestra, according to Shen Yun’s website.

Standing Up to Persecution While Shen Yun’s performances represent China’s ancient culture, they also show China today, in particular the persecution and triumph of those daring to follow the ancient traditions of spiritual cultivation.

The practice of Falun Gong was introduced to the Chinese public in 1992 by Mr. Li Hongzhi and was taken up by tens of millions of Chinese in the following years. It is now practiced in over 80 countries around the world.

Falun Gong (also known as Falun Dafa) includes both meditative exercises and spiritual development in accordance with the principles of truthfulness, compassion, and tolerance. Its practitioners report extraordinary improvements in health, better morality, less stress, and enhanced relations with their families and colleagues.

In 1999, then-Communist Party leader Jiang Zemin, citing Falun Gong’s spiritual faith as an affront to the Party’s atheist ideology, launched a systematic campaign to eradicate the

Legendary strategist Zhuge Liang outsmarts forces 16 times the size of his own troops in a story from the classic Chinese novel “Romance of the Three Kingdoms.”

SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS

practice. Since then, regime authorities have jailed and murdered Falun Gong adherents by the tens of thousands, according to human rights researchers.

Cmdr. Dick Froderman, deputy chief of Military Planning at the Navy Information Operations Command in Maryland, was touched by the dance “The Power of Compassion.” It depicts a Chinese police officer being transformed by the kindness of Falun Gong practitioners whom he was initially trying to arrest and brutalize.

“That was a teachable moment,” Froderman said, because the practitioners didn’t let the abuse from the policeman stop them “from doing the right thing.”

The commander noted Shen Yun’s universal appeal. “There are a lot of nuances. If you pay attention to it, Americans in the way we live our lives can transform ourselves too,” he said.

The Taiwanese poet Lin Fu-yin said that the show’s depiction of the Chinese regime’s brutality against Falun Gong was so touching that he was inspired to write several poems on the spot.

‘A Part of Life’ Despite its international acclaim, Shen Yun cannot be performed in mainland China, where the communist regime has sought to rip out China’s ancient civilization by the roots.

Chinese expatriates, however, have lauded Shen Yun for its genuine depiction and renewal of the lost spiritual essence of their culture.

In 2014 the blind human rights activist Chen Guangcheng attended a Shen Yun performance in New Jersey.

“In a world without freedom,” Chen said, “people now worship money and pursue only immediate interests—this is quite out of tune with our traditional culture. Therefore, seeing [Shen Yun] causes many people to reflect on themselves—that our every word and action should once again adhere to the righteous values of the past.”

“This is not just a stage performance. It is true history,” said Ms. Qi, a Chinese pottery artist in Germany, at the opening night of Shen Yun at the Stage Theater at Potsdamer Platz, Berlin, in March 2014. “This performance is so close to our lives and connects our memory of ancient and contemporary, as well as heaven and earth, reality and the future.”

Over a month prior, the cultural counselor at the Chinese Embassy had tried to pressure the theater into canceling the four scheduled Shen Yun performances. The theater did not comply with the Chinese regime’s demands, which local media, recalling the former Soviet domination of Eastern Germany, described as “cold war on Potsdamer Platz.”

Sheng Xue, president of the Federation for a Democratic China, attended Shen Yun this year in Canada. For Sheng and others, seeing Shen Yun has “become a part of life.”

“Traditional Chinese culture was seriously damaged after the establishment of the totalitarian communist regime,” she said. “But Shen Yun is leading the return of traditional Chinese culture. People all over the world also really hope to learn about the true traditional Chinese culture. Therefore, Shen Yun [has become] the only choice.”

During the 2016 season, Shen Yun will make stops in over 100 cities worldwide.

For more information about Shen Yun, visit ShenYunPerformingArts.org

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts

COURTESY OF VICTOR SKREBNESKI PHOTOGRAPH 1983 VIA THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

COURTESY OF ROLOFF BENY ESTATE VIA THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART

KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES

KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES

In Celebration of Style Icon

(Top left) Jacqueline de Ribes in her own design, 1983.

(Center left) Evening dress, Spring/Summer 1985, in ivory silk charmeuse.

(Bottom left) Costume du Bal Oriental, 1969.

Jacqueline de Ribes Jacqueline de Ribes continued from C1

Unfilled by her presence, it’s as though the garments leave a lot to be desired despite their creative merits.

KATI VERESHAKA/EPOCH TIMES

“Vicomtesse de Ribes,” June 1956, Vogue, illustrations by Claudio Bravo.

She was admired not only by her peers, and the public, but fashion designers as well.

Destined for Style Born in 1929 and married to Count Edouard de Ribes (1923–2013) in 1948, Jacqueline de Ribes has been emulated since the early 1950s when she became a public figure. She was admired not only by her peers, and the public, but fashion designers as well.

“The couturiers admired her so much, that in some instances they would hand over their ateliers to do her designs,” said Koda.

An example of such a unique collaboration is the (Spring/Summer 1969 haute couture) evening ensemble, in ivory silk crepe fringed with ivory silk conceived by Jacqueline de Ribes for the White Ball given in London, and realized by House of Dior, which was headed by Mark Bohan at the time.

The exhibition is a collection of photos of de Ribes through the years, clothing from her personal collection, and clothing of her own design.

But the reason it took eight years to organize was partly due to de Ribes’s reservations about the idea that her clothing would represent her.

Koda recounted that he was able to convince her by explaining that the position the MET would take is the “narrative arc of her creative side”—first as a creative young girl, later as a wearer of haute couture, and finally, as a fashion designer in her own right.

Part of the allure of de Ribes is, of course, her beauty and her svelte elegance. By her mid 20’s she had been initiated to the best dressed list and was photographed by Richard Avedon in 1955.

Meanwhile, American designer Oleg Cassini, a favorite designer of the other famous Jacqueline—Kennedy, that is—declared that de Ribes’s aristocratic face would have fit perfectly in ancient Egypt or a 17th century royal court.

Fashion Was Her Language The exhibition features approximately 60 ensembles of haute couture and ready-to-wear primarily from de Ribes’s personal archive, dating from 1962 to the present. Also included are her creations for fancy dress balls.

While all the ensembles are certainly elegant, what becomes increasingly clear is that, unlike an exhibition where fashion designs are on display to exemplify a historical theme, trend, or technique, in this case they seem to be missing the magical ingredient—the countess herself, in the sense that she is the theme as well as what made the clothes, in the figu-

rative sense of the word. Unfilled by her presence, it’s as though the garments leave a lot to be desired despite their creative merits.

Judging by the photographs, screen projections, and ephemera showing de Ribes in her element, clearly she had a penchant for drama and an intuitive, unerring approach to the art of dressing. As a client of haute couture, she was hands on and always made changes.

The exhibition truly celebrates Jaqueline de Ribes, the woman, the fashion icon, the creative individual who drapes, cuts, mixes and matches with just enough irreverence so as not to be limited by dressmaking techniques, yet guided by a keen sense of elegance and beauty.

Designer at Last Finally, in the 1980s she fulfilled her desire to become a couture designer. An aristocratic woman does not become a designer. Yet her husband gave her his blessing with the proviso that she raise her own money to start the business. She did just that in New York.

When designing her own creations she would most often be guided by the drape of the fabric.

One of the most statuesque and accomplished evening gowns on show is an evening dress from de Ribes’s Spring/Summer 1985 collection in ivory silk charmeuse, with sculptural draping and a crisscrossing front bodice. It is timelessly elegant and shows de Ribes’s refined sense of proportion and keen affinity with her material.

What Remains At the ripe old age of 86, photographers no longer flock to shoot de Ribes in famous profile, clad in the latest haute couture. Her legacy as aristocrat, fashion icon, designer, producer, and philanthropist is impressive to say the least, but for us as audience to the exhibition, there are many things worth taking away.

Koda mentioned that de Ribes questioned the relevance of the exhibition asking, “Does anybody want to be elegant rather than sexy” these days? So at the very least, Koda is hoping that the exhibition will raise these issues.

“Her style is so strong that no matter what the period, she was always in fashion but she was not following every trend. She had filtered that fashion moment to conform to Jaqueline de Ribes’s own identity,” he said.

The exhibition is on view at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Anna Wintour Costume Center through Feb. 21, 2016.

Holiday Gift Guide Need help finding the perfect gift for him or her?

Check out the NYC Holiday Gift Guide compiled by the Epoch Arts & Style team. www.EpochGift.com

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts DONATA WENDERS/NEUE ROAD MOVIES GMBH/AN IFC FILMS RELEASE

Film Review

‘Every Thing Will Be Fine,’ Not a Sad Fairy Tale for Adults Wim Wenders’s 3-D drama

By Milene Fernandez | Epoch Times Staff A man wakes up in a tiny wooden hut, just barely larger than the cot where he sleeps. Sunbeams light up a small notebook lying on a table, taking on larger-than-life proportions on the screen—its presence is ominous.

Tomas (James Franco) sips his coffee kept warm on a wood-burning stove. The struggling novelist writes a few lines in the notebook.

Then from the outside we see him looking out of the window, with a snow-filled landscape reflected in the glass. He walks out of the hut.

It’s cold and barren in a way that makes one turn inward.

The whole scene—following Tomas’s sleep to awake state, from interior close-ups, to exterior wide-angle shots—invites the viewer to enter the character’s head, heart, and hopefully, even his soul.

Director Wim Wenders would have never shot an opening scene like that in such a tight space had it not been in 3-D, he said at a Q&A (during a retrospective of his films in September at the IFC Center in New York). The title of his new film, “Every Thing Will Be Fine,” suggests a fairy tale—something like “and they lived happily ever after,” Wenders said. But this is not your usual Disney fantasy, Hollywood action, or special-effects-driven 3-D movie.

Tomas lives mostly through his work to a degree that is paradoxical in how he affects others. One day a road accident changes his life. A boy dies. Nobody blames him for the tragedy; still he has to learn to live with himself somehow.

In the course of over 10 years, he breaks up with his girlfriend, retreats further into his writing, becomes a celebrated author, and tries to rebuild his life with a new girlfriend and her daughter. With the generosity of the grief-stricken mother of the boy he accidentally killed, he learns to forgive himself and eventually come to terms with the lives of the strangers he has affected.

“Healing is a very important part of our lives and a way to it is not always so obvious,” Wenders said.

Based on an original script by Bjorn Olaf Johannessen, “Every Thing Will Be Fine” is obviously not a happy story, but it’s not a sad story either. It’s an emotionally powerful film about trauma, forgiveness, and the ineffable long-hidden process of healing.

Approaching healing from a trauma from the inside, Wenders has taken on quite a challenging process to convey.

The exposition and dialogue are minimal, so every line, image, and action takes on an even greater, almost iconic significance, especially in 3-D: a notebook, a man carrying a boy on his shoulders, a book in flames, a long hug, to name a few. The music score, with a reoccurring theme, by Alexandre Desplat, seamlessly complements the narrative, as in most Wenders films.

Healing is a very important part of our lives and a way to it is not always so obvious.

Wim Wenders, director

WATCH TRAILER AT ept.ms/ WimWenders3-D

‘Every Thing Will Be Fine’ Director Wim Wenders Starring James Franco, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Rachel McAdams, Marie-Josée Croze, Robert Naylor Running Time 1 hour, 58 minutes Release Date Dec. 4

Marie-Josée Croze (Ann), Lilah Fitzgerald (Mina) and James Franco (Tomas) in Wim Wenders’s “Every Thing Will Be Fine.”

Wenders chose his director of photography, Benoît Debie very well. The 3-D photography was calibrated to be as close as possible to our natural vision—apart from a short scene of some snowflakes that appear to enter the movie theater. The images are intense and stunningly beautiful. The photography enhances every nuance of the characters and the development of the story.

Time Is Not the Healer When Tomas accidentally kills a boy, he can only deal with it initially in the worst possible way—by attempting suicide.

Restrained and self-absorbed, he’s a man of few spoken words. His girlfriend Sara (Rachel McAdams) finds out about the details of the accident months later. Their long-strained relationship eventually breaks apart. The dealbreaker, she wants children; he cannot have children or does not want to have children with her. It’s not clear.

While others may question his motives or find him not easy to live with, like his second girlfriend Ann (Marie-Josée Croze), Tomas is confident about who he is and what he is: Writing is his raison d’être. But while writing brings him recognition, it doesn’t relive him of his suffering.

The most developed dialogue, and one of the most satisfying parts of the film, happens between Tomas and Kate (Charlotte Gainsbourg), the grieving single mother of the boy he blamelessly killed. Kate shows compassion toward Tomas—both are bound by the same tragedy.

Kate forgives him as much as she comes to terms with her own grief, while living a rather solitary life working as an illustrator at home and as a mother of her youngest surviving son, Christopher (5–8-year-old Jack Fulton; 12-year-old Philippe Vanasse-Paquet).

Four years after the accident, Tomas becomes a more celebrated, famous novelist with his third novel. When he visits the scene of the accident, he runs into Kate. She asks him poignant questions, while still showing her scarified grief.

Gradually the dialogue develops, with plenty of silences for viewers to insert their own interpretations of what is transpiring within and between them. Apart from Tomas promising Kate that he would do anything to help her because it would make him feel better, the nonverbal communication says so much more.

During another visit, Tomas looks at a drawing Christopher made, depicting the moment

when he had carried the shell-shocked boy on his shoulders right after the accident. The emotionally charged image reoccurs a third time, toward the end of the film when Christopher, at the age of 18 (Robert Naylor) asks Tomas if the part in the novel where a boy is carried on a man’s shoulders, if that’s him. Tomas does not confirm that, echoing what his publisher (Peter Stormare) told him about the paradox of being a writer. Anything in life could influence the writing, but the writing isn’t an exact reflection of life itself.

Christopher, who’s had his own share of emotional baggage to deal with, having witnessed the death of his brother and yearning for a father, is hung-up on Tomas. Toward the end of the film he acts out, in stalker-fashion, resulting in a suspenseful and touching boyhood-to-man confrontation with Tomas.

And They Lived Happily Ever After …

Wim Wenders has entered a class of his own with the use of 3-D to create a narrative drama feature. He has ventured into unexplored territory, showing a process that is ineffable, even for those experiencing or witnessing it. He felt that the hyper-realism of 3-D was very fitting for revealing “something that happens very much inside somebody,” he said.

This German-Canadian-French-SwedishNorwegian production is geared more toward a European sensibility for a drama unfolding than for anyone expecting a blockbuster filmnarrative structure. Still, “Every Thing Will Be Fine,” is indeed a fairy tale, albeit a serious one for adults showing how the best qualities of a person’s character can play out in the face of unexpected tragic events.

It shows abundance and generosity, despite the inevitability of suffering in life. The moral upshot is that you have to face the consequences of your own actions, otherwise they will come back to haunt you in the most unexpected, even quirky ways.

The film ends as it begins with sunbeams, not on a notebook, but on a warm smiling Christopher cycling away and a smiling Tomas walking straight toward the camera. It leaves one hanging a bit. Perhaps Wenders made this film, like many of his other films, with the hidden agenda of wanting to provide some kind of catharsis, or a springboard for viewers to look into their own lives.

“Every Thing Will Be Fine” shows at the IFC Center in Manhattan for one week only, Dec. 4–10.

Book Review

Greek Tragedies and Myths Help Those Suffering

By Chelsea Scarnegie

‘The Theater of War’

ALFRED A. KNOPF

Author Bryan Doerries Publisher Alfred A. Knopf Pages 304 Price $26.95

Doerries's work reminds audiences that humankind has remained largely unchanged.

Many of us have shied away from the world of ancient Greek tragedies, thanks to inadequate but mandatory high school classes on the topic. Yet Bryan Doerries, in his new book “The Theater of War,” is determined to break the stigma associated with classical tragedies in order to show readers that these works of the ancient Greeks are just as relevant as ever.

The passionate nature of Greek tragedy is given new life as Doerries embarks on a mission to bring these stories of loss to the ones who seem to have lost it all—soldiers, prisoners, and hospital patients.

It all began with a kairos, an ancient Greek word that Doerries defines as “the right moment, the moment that should be seized, or that seizes you.” In his own kairos, Doerries was reading Euripides’s “Medea” and began visualizing a group of imaginary actors performing the piece the way that Doerries would have it done.

It was a moment that would define his theater career, but it wasn’t until he met Laura that his career would gain meaning.

Laura, Doerries’s girlfriend, suffered from cystic fibrosis and died at age 22. Between

If Greek tragedies could touch thousands of soldiers with little or no classical Greek education, why couldn’t they touch everybody who has dealt with trauma?

his relationship with her and his relationship with his diabetic father, Doerries saw that the pain of the Greeks mirrored that of his loved ones, as well as his own in dealing with their suffering. Theater then became the perfect platform for bringing these ancient Greek stories of suffering to an audience of fellow sufferers.

It is clear from reading “The Theater of War” that Doerries wants his audiences to feel a special connection to Ajax, the once-revered Greek hero who descends into madness and takes his own life. This tragic story was originally performed for an audience of Greek soldiers and generals.

While visiting the Theater of Dionysus, where “Ajax” would have been performed, Doerries “imagined what it must have been like to see Ajax—alone on stage before an audience of thousands—voice his most private thoughts of rage, ambivalence, and despair before taking his life.” More importantly, what were those psychologically damaged heroes in the audience thinking as they watched? Doerries believes that the answer can be found by observing modern soldiers’ reactions to the same play.

With a new question in mind, “What do Greek tragedies have to say to us now?” Doer-

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts JOAN MARCUS

JOAN MARCUS

Laurie Metcalf as Annie Wilkes and Bruce Willis as novelist Paul Sheldon in “Misery.”

Bruce Willis plays an author trying to escape with his life from a fan turned fanatic.

Theater Review

‘Misery’ An exciting if uneven thrill ride

By Judd Hollander NEW YORK—In a world in which insanity encroaches on us, it’s good to be reminded once in a while that we have more strength than we might believe. The Broadway thriller “Misery,” a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, taps into that strength as well as the fear of being alone, helpless, and dependent on the kindness of a stranger.

In this case, the stranger might shower you with praise one moment and attempt to kill you the next. The work is truly terrifying at moments but fails to keep the intensity throughout.

In the winter of 1987, near the town of Silver Creek, Colorado, novelist Paul Sheldon (Bruce Willis) wakes up in the isolated farmhouse of Annie Wilkes (Laurie Metcalf). Paul crashed his car during a blizzard and was saved from almost certain death by Annie, his selfdescribed “number one fan.” She saw what happened and dragged him to safety.

With the roads out and phones down due to the weather, Annie, a former nurse, begins nursing him back to health. Paul’s injures, which include severe compound fractures of both legs, leaves him bedridden.

Annie is totally enamored with Paul because of his ongoing series of novels featuring Misery Chastain, a 19th century English heroine.

Her delight turns to rage when Annie learns Paul has killed off her beloved Misery in his latest book. Paul, tired of the character, wanted to concentrate on more serious subjects. Annie, however, has other ideas and forces the now wheelchair-bound author to bring Misery back to life in a new novel.

Both a study in terror and a character examination of a person with psychotic tendencies, “Misery” shows the lengths people will go to get what they want. While Paul is never in danger of being killed by Annie—he can’t bring Misery back to life if he’s dead—just about anything short of that is possible.

Annie goes to great lengths to keep Paul trapped in his room, now equipped with a typewriter, while Paul does everything he can to find a way to escape. Both make the mistake of continually underestimating the other, neither realizing, at least at first, how dangerous their opponent can be when pushed.

“Misery” also looks at the dangers of becoming fixated on something or someone—a sadly all-too-frequent occurrence today. In our celebrity-saturated culture, new media sensations are created almost every day, and such applications as Facebook and Twitter make it easier to connect with people in a way that would be unthinkable even a decade ago. Celebrity mania goes hand in hand with those who would stalk, threaten, and in some cases, kill their objects of desire.

Ironically, Annie actually helps Paul to become a better writer, which he acknowledges at one point. To his great surprise and perhaps mining some inner resources, Paul eventually finds that he has more to say about a character he had thought had run its course.

ries took his translation of “Ajax” to an audience of American soldiers who have seen the horrors of war in Iraq.

Much to his surprise and fascination, soldiers and their wives saw themselves in the characters of “Ajax.” They could relate to losing close friends while overseas, as Ajax lost his friend Achilles. They similarly felt the anger, confusion, and deep sadness that plagued Ajax after the war. Families saw themselves in Ajax’s wife, who was desperate to have her husband back.

It was then revealed to Doerries that his Theater of War project provided a forum for deeply broken individuals to openly talk and relate to one another. Important figures like General Sutton, whom Doerries describes as “the highest-ranking mental health professional in the U.S. military,” saw the project’s profound impact and rallied to support it. Doerries writes, “After a grueling governmental contracting process, we finally reached a compromise—one hundred performances over a twelve-month period on military installations throughout the world.”

If Greek tragedies could touch thousands of soldiers with little or no classical Greek education, why couldn’t they touch everybody who has dealt with trauma? Doerries’s

’Misery’ is a roller coaster of a thrill ride, where only the most determined survive.

The stage adaptation of Stephen King’s “Misery” was written

by William Goldman, who wrote the 1990 film screenplay.

‘Misery’ Broadhurst Theatre 235 W. 44th St. Tickets 212-239-6200, or Telecharge.com Running Time 1 hour, 35 minutes (no intermission) Closes Feb. 14

next move was to bring a new character— Prometheus—to prisoners and wardens. This would prove to be a more difficult task, as “Prometheus Unbound” empathizes with the prisoner and exploits an unjust punishment system.

“Condemned to live forever, nailed to the side of a cliff at the end of the earth, Prometheus elicits sympathy from anyone who hears his story,” Doerries writes.

However, the character of Prometheus shows audiences that anybody can connect with a prisoner. Missouri prison guards and Guantanamo Bay staff could relate to “Prometheus Unbound” in their own ways. “I’m Prometheus,” one corrections officer confessed. “If I make the wrong choice, I could end up behind bars.” He could relate to Prometheus perfectly. Prometheus, after all, was merely punished for giving fire to man. A guard at Guantanamo Bay could relate to Prometheus’s isolation at the end of the earth.

Doerries’s work reminds audiences that humankind has remained largely unchanged.

More importantly, it reminds us that we have never been alone in our suffering.

Chelsea Scarnegie lives and writes in the Chicago area.

Annie endears herself to every serious reader of novel serials when she refuses to allow Paul to ignore existing stories’ threads when envisioning Misery’s resurrection. She also ends up giving Paul a key idea in this endeavor— one of many moments that add bits of gallows humor to the story.

Metcalf is wonderful in the role of Annie, a woman who starts off as just a bit on the creepy side—with her “number one fan” mantra—and becomes more and more terrifying as time goes on.

Keeping her performance nicely low-key, Metcalf shows Annie to be a ticking time bomb, where anything unexpected might set her off— whether it be the use of profanity, her reaction to Paul’s telling her she bought the wrong grade of typing paper, or dealing with the sudden appearance of the local sheriff (Leon Addison Brown), who’s trying to find out what happened to Paul.

Willis, unfortunately, does not fare as well. A main part of the problem is the way the character is written. Paul is a more reactionary character than a proactive one and often internalizes his emotions; he doesn’t want to upset his caregiver when she’s clearly off her rocker.

While Willis does good work in scenes when alone on stage, these are all plot-driven rather than character-based. The end result is that while we learn much about Annie, we learn very little about Paul.

Willis’s performance is somewhat onedimensional at times, especially when put up next to Metcalf’s. Though one scene where Paul drags himself out of bed to the door of his room, only to find it locked, is particularly affecting.

Will Frears’s direction works well overall, as does the stage adaptation by William Goldman. Goldman also wrote the screenplay for the 1990 film version of the novel.

The tension slowly and inexorably increases from the first moment to the last. As is often the case, some of the strongest moments of fear come when the reason for it is not present. When Paul manages to get out of his room and wanders the house looking for a way to let someone know where he is, the specter of Annie is ever present. We never know if she will emerge from the shadows at any moment.

The one scene that doesn’t come off well is a climatic fight scene between Annie and Paul, which felt artificial and badly staged.

Quite good was David Korins’s revolving set of Annie’s farmhouse. Helping to add to the tension was the strong use of music by Michael Friedman and sound design by Darron L. West.

Filled with stomach-churning moments, with a few hiccups here and there, “Misery” is a roller coaster of a thrill ride, where only the most determined survive.

Judd Hollander is New York correspondent for the London publication The Stage.

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts KEN HOWARD/METROPOLITAN OPERA

La Donna del Lago Dec. 11–26 Metropolitan Opera Joyce DiDonato reprises her stunning portrayal of the “lady of the lake” in Rossini’s dazzling bel canto showcase set in the medieval Scottish highlands. Tenor Lawrence Brownlee is the king who pursues her. Rossini master Michele Mariotti conducts the operatic adaptation of Sir Walter Scott’s classic.

From $25. MetOpera.org

Joyce DiDonato as Elena in Rossini's " La Donna del Lago."

THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN The Frick Collection Marks 80th Anniversary Dec. 16 at 10:30 a.m.–6 p.m.

10 E. 71st St. Eighty years ago, The Frick Collection opened its doors to the public, thereby fulfilling the aim of Henry Clay Frick (1849–1919) to present to New York City his extraordinary art collection and magnificent mansion. The celebration includes a day of pay-whatyou-wish admission, free programming including tours and talks, and a new publication.

Frick.org

NEW ELSEWHERE Neighborhood Concert: Pistolero Dec. 5 at 2:30 p.m.

Bronx Library Center Brooklyn-based rock band Pistolera performs catchy and highly danceable accordion-led Latin pop.

The ensemble’s name, which means “female gunslinger” in Spanish, was chosen by singer-songwriter Sandra Lilia Velásquez to convey a sense of both femininity and fierceness.

Free.

CarnegieHall.org

VISUAL ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Maestà: Gaddi’s Triptych Reunited Dec. 11–March 20 170 Central Park West After conservation and exhibition at the J. Paul Getty Museum and at the Art Gallery of Ontario, the New-York Historical Society's Madonna and Child Enthroned with Ten Saints: Maestà is back on Central Park West. Painted circa 1330–34 by Taddeo Gaddi, the major disciple of Giotto, this panel was originally the central section of a triptych with two shutters (sportelli).

Free.

NYHistory.org Artistic Furniture of the Gilded Age Dec. 15–May 1, 2016 Metropolitan Museum of Art This exhibition reveals the most sumptuous moment in late nineteenth-century America—a period known as the Gilded Age—through the work of some of the most noted design firms at the time. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Tony Capparelli— The Art Sport Gallery FIT Through Dec. 12, Seventh Avenue at 27th Street Tony Capparelli is an adjunct associate professor of illustration at FIT. As an artist, he is an interpreter of the world of sport. Tony Capparelli—the Art of Sport will feature artworks in a variety of media, representing many different sporting activities and sports celebrities, such as the late former Heavyweight Champion of the World “Smokin Joe Frazier,” NBA great Lenny Wilkens, and New York Rangers Hall of Famer Rod Gilbert. Free. FITNYC.edu Masterpieces of Chinese Painting Through Oct. 11, 2016 Metropolitan Museum of Art Over the last forty years, the Metropolitan's collection of Chinese painting and calligraphy has grown to be one of the greatest in the world. Replete with masterpieces dating from the Tang dynasty (608– 917) to the present, the collection encompasses the vast historical sweep of the brush arts of China, from serene Buddhist scriptures to bombastic court portraits to lyrical scholars' paintings.

This exhibition, presented in two rotations, will highlight the gems of the permanent collection in a chronological display, with an emphasis on works from the Song (960–1279) and Yuan (1271– 1368) dynasties. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org

ENDING IN MANHATTAN Arms and Armor: Notable Acquisitions 2003–2014 Through Dec. 6 Metropolitan Museum of Art Focuses on approximately 30 works from Europe, the United States, Japan, India, and Tibet. $12–$25 suggested.

MetMuseum.org About Face: Human Expression on Paper Through Dec. 13 Metropolitan Museum of Art The representation of human emotion through facial expression has interested western artists since antiquity. $12–$25 suggested.

METMuseum.org

NEW ELSEWHERE Tsering Phuntsok: The Art of Thangka

Through Dec. 20 The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art, 338 Lighthouse Ave., Staten Island The Tibetan Museum is pleased to exhibit a selection of thangkas from master artist Tsering Phuntsok.

Thangkas are scroll paintings on cloth, usually sewn into a stronger fabric to enhance safety and stability.

Thangkas are easily portable, store-able paintings that have been created in the Himalayas for centuries. $6.

TibetanMuseum.org

his 45-year Met career. From $25. MetOpera.org

NEW ELSEWHERE The Colonial Nutcracker Dec. 13 at 2 p.m.

Brooklyn Center, Whitman Theatre, 2900 Avenue H, Brooklyn An annual holiday favorite, Dance Theatre in Westchester performs its family-friendly, full-length version of Tchaikovsky’s ballet set in wintry colonial Yorktown, complete with a red-coated mouse army, an enchanted nutcracker prince, and simultaneous narration to help young audience members enjoy this timeless classic. $18.

BrooklynCenter.org

PERFORMING MUSIC ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN The Yorkville Nutcracker Dec. 10–13 The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College, East 68th Street between Park & Lexington avenues This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Yorkville Nutcracker, set in 1895, which includes lavish sets and costumes and takes the audience on a tour through Olde New York's most beloved landmarks. $45-85.

DancesPatrelle.org Keith Michael's The Nutcracker Dec. 11 at noon, Dec. 12 & 13 at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., & 3:30 p.m.

Florence Gould Hall, 55 E. 59th St. This holiday ballet, danced to Tchaikovsky's beloved score, is set in Art Nouveau style circa 1907 with innovative choreography by Keith Michael, set design by Gillian Bradshaw-Smith, and costumes by Metropolitan Opera's Resident Costume Designer Sylvia Taalsohn Nolan. $34.

NYTB.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN George Balanchine's The Nutcracker Through Jan. 3 30 Lincoln Center Plaza Tchaikovsky's iconic score transports you to a world of wonder where mischievous mice are foiled by toy soldiers come to life, and a blizzard of ballerinas reveals the enchanting Land of Sweets. $20–$265. MetOpera.org Die Fledermaus Through Jan. 7, 2016 Metropolitan Opera James Levine brings his incomparable musicianship to Johann Strauss, Jr.’s beloved operetta for the first time in

NEW IN MANHATTAN Tara Erraught Henning Ruhe Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Tara Erraught’s career is skyrocketing with stellar performances at the Vienna State Opera, Glyndebourne Festival, and Bavarian State Opera. The Irish-born singer makes her New York recital debut in a program that includes German lieder

by Brahms and Liszt. She also performs songs by English composers Delius and Quilter—both singer and audience favorites. $43.

CarnegieHall.org Baroque Collection Dec. 4 at 7:30 p.m.

Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center The unparalleled Kavafian sisters join an exceptional roster of musicians for a program of musical gems, showcasing the endless variety of the Baroque repertoire. $45–$88.

LincolnCenter.org Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Dec. 5 at 7 p.m.

Stern Auditorium/ Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall In this program, Orpheus presents fresh interpretations of treasured favorites. The Concerto Grosso in C Major, Op. 6, No. 5 is Handel’s masterful adaptation of an earlier work. In homage to Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky’s Divertimento is performed

by Augustin Hadelich in a new arrangement by Dmitry Sitkovetsky. $14.50–$110.

CarnegieHall.org Brilliant Innovations Dec. 6 at 3 p.m.

Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center Park Avenue Chamber Symphony led by its music director David Bernard, featuring two seminal 20th century works Bartók’s

Concerto for Orchestra and Gershwin’s Concerto in F. Performing the Gershwin will be noted jazz pianist Ted Rosenthal. From $15. Jazz. org/events/t-5180 Mannes Sounds Festival Final Concert Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Mannes Sounds Festival 2015 features performances

by Mannes’s young student artists, faculty members, and guests at New York City concert venues and cultural institutions. $25.

CarnegieHall.org Avalon String Quartet Dec. 9 at 7:30 p.m.

Carnegie Hall The Avalon String Quartet has performed in major venues in New York, including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, 92nd Street Y, and Merkin Concert Hall, as well as the Library of Congress and National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The Avalon is quartet-inresidence at Northern Illinois University School of Music. $35.

CarnegieHall.org The New York Tenors Dec. 10 at 8 p.m.

Carnegie Hall The New York Tenors celebrate the holiday season in this evening of Christmas spirit. All of the proceeds from this performance will go to Fr. Francis Pizzarelli and Hope House Ministries to support their efforts to help the lives of broken young people. $33.50–$125.

CarnegieHall.org 10th Anniversary Holiday Concert Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m.

Kaufman Music Center, 129 W. 67th St. Works by Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and more will be performed by NYPS concert pianists. $35–$55.

KaufmanMusicCenter.org The Cecilia Chorus of New York With Orchestra: Handel Messiah Dec. 12 at 8 p.m.

Stern Auditorium/ Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall Music Director Mark Shapiro and The Cecilia Chorus of New York, 2015 Chorus America/ASCAP Alice Parker Award winner, present Handel’s Messiah in a dramatically-oriented performance inspired by the composer’s flair for opera.

The Chorus, which has been together for over a century, performs with orchestra and features emerging vocal artists in both role and Carnegie Hall debuts. $25–$85. CarnegieHall.org Chamber Orchestra of New York: Gershwin & Tchaikovsky, With Di Wu Dec. 12 at 8 p.m.

Weill Recital Hall at

Carnegie Hall Chamber Orchestra of New York's 2015-16 season opener features pianist Di Wu and trumpeter Thomas Boulton in Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Minor, Op. 35. The program also includes Gershwin's Lullaby and Tchaikovsky's Serenade for Strings, together with a world premiere by Italian composer Emiliano Imondi, winner of the 2014 Respighi Prize for Composition. $30– $40. CarnegieHall.org Brandenburg Concertos Dec. 13 at 5 p.m., Dec. 15 at 7:30 p.m.

Alice Tully Hall Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos stand at the pinnacle of Baroque musical art. Year after year, audiences welcome the holiday season with these festive performances.

From $45.

ChamberMusicSociety.org Schumann's Piano Quintet Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m.

Kaufman Music Center, 129 W. 67th St. Explore great musical masterpieces with NPR commentator Rob Kapilow.

Find out how Schumann’s struggle with Beethoven’s overwhelming influence helped him find his own voice, and produce his greatest work. $43.

KaufmanMusicCenter.org

ONGOING IN MANHATTAN New World Christmas: Navidad en Latinoamerica Dec. 5–25 Cathedral of Saint John the Divine Early Music New York's superb vocal ensemble and a plethora of plucked strings performs sacred works for Spain's and Mexico's cathedrals, interspersed with instrumental & vocal chanzonetas, villancicos, coloquios, ensaladas, and indigenous dances by Santiago de Murcia. $20-$50.

EarlyMusicNY.org Spiral Music Wednesdays Rubin Museum, 150 W. 17th St. Spiral Music presents acoustic music every Wednesday evening at the base of the museum’s spiral staircase.

Artists who specialize in music from the Himalayas and South Asia are invited to forge a connection between their music and the art in the galleries. Free.

RubinMuseum.org

Dear Readers If you have an event to suggest, please send details to NYC_Arts@ EpochTimes.com in the format you see here.

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December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

Keeping Time With Bovet and Lang & Heyne

By Benjamin Chasteen | Epoch Times Staff

Time is fleeting; seemingly something there is never enough of.

But the two distinguished luxury watch companies Bovet and Lang & Heyne seem to have captured the essence of time in their intricate and pristine timepieces.

Dominique Warmer of Lang & Heyne wears a King Johann watch created with the champlevé technique.

Luxury watch aficionados celebrate the unveiling of Bovet’s new location at Asprey on Madison Avenue on Nov. 17.

Marco Lang, co-founder of Lang & Heyne, at a watch launch at Hellenis-Malvezzi in Midtown Manhattan on Nov. 19.

Lang & Heyne’s King Friedrich August I watch in platinum.

Caitlin Bendersky, U.S. marketing director of Bovet USA, at Bovet’s new location on Madison Avenue.

Bovet’s Amadeo Fleurier Rising Star.

Kim Collins tries on Bovet’s Amadeo Fleurier Miss Audrey.

New Lang & Heyne watches at Hellenis-Malvezzi jewelery store on Nov. 19.

Bovet’s Récital 12 Monsieur DIMIER.

Fall in Love With Writing Again— Go to the Fountain Pen Hospital COUR T

ESY OF

Montblanc fountain pen, Meisterstück Solitaire collection.

FOUNTAIN

PEN HOSPITAL

By Kati Vereshaka | Epoch Times Staff

The Act of Writing There are those of us who miss the way words just flow from the nib of a fountain pen, the smell of ink, the feeling of paper, and the pleasure in giving or receiving a handwritten letter or message.

With the decline in fountain pen usage, cursive writing has, unsurprisingly, also gone out of favor. Having to print each letter by hand is not just a clunky way of writing, it also conditioned us to unreservedly embrace using a keyboard. Now we can simply pound the keys for the sake of a uniform, expedient end result.

According to Jake Weidmann, the youngest by about three decades of only 12 master penmen in the world, “If we abdicate everything

The act of linking the letters together in a (hopefully) elegant flow records the conscientious efforts I have made to read, write, and spell correctly.

Visconti fountain pen, Millionaire collection.

COURTESY OF FOUNTAIN PEN HOSPITAL

n display in Terry Wiederlight’s downstairs office is not a pen, but a sword. This is ironic since he is the owner of the only fountain pen store left in New York— Fountain Pen Hospital. Perhaps the sword, which was a gift from a fountain pen company representative, is as a reminder of the saying “The pen is mightier than the sword.”

No doubt the saying is true. What is not so clear is whether the pen is mightier than the laptop, tablet, or even smartphone. Compared to this modern threat, the sword has become no more than a quaint historical relic, as benign as a butter knife.

Yet the Wiederlight family has braved enough storms to realize that among the never-ending variety of products purveyed on the World Wide Web, there is also a nostalgia for products we loved to use before the digital tsunami engulfed us.

to the machines that we create, what we are doing instead is creating a world that is void of human influence.”

Despite the fact that cursive writing has been reintroduced into the elementary school curriculum, students are not obligated to use fountain pens, for practical reasons no doubt. Yet the ergonomics of using a fountain pen are unique; so is the pleasure and the aesthetic results.

Cursive writing with a fountain pen, as opposed to printing each letter with a ball point, differs greatly in the way it looks—the nib of a fountain pen being able to produce a multidimensional line even in the hands of the beginner, and when it is done well, the effect is undeniably beautiful.

From my own experience of having written only in cursive writing since elementary school, where we were categorically not allowed to use anything but a fountain pen, I have made some interesting observations.

The act of linking the letters together in a (hopefully) elegant flow records the conscientious efforts I have made to read, write, and spell correctly; the marks I make on paper signify my commitment. We have even coined this idea in the expression that we commit our thoughts to paper.

This lends a certain gravitas to our character in general. It taught me patience and perseverance before rewards. Not to mention, everyone’s handwriting is so much a reflection of personal style and personality.

According to Wiederlight, the younger generation is starting to get a taste for writing with fountain pens and children love to experiment with the color inks.

See Writing on C8

NEW PAGODA S P E C I A LT Y I N C .

Beautifully carved coral figure of Manjusri Bodhisattva with a dragon.

Weighs approxiamtely 800 grams.

40 W 25th St #103, New York, NY 10010 • (212) 645-1964 facebook.com/newpagodaspecialty

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@EpochArts

December 4–10, 2015 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

1. Waterman fountain pen, Edson collection.

2. Caran d’Ache fountain pen, Léman Caviar collection.

3. Conklin fountain pen, Mark Twain Chased Crescent collection.

ALL PEN PHOTOS COURTESY OF FOUNTAIN PEN HOSPITAL

1.

2.

3.

4. Aurora fountain pen, Ipsilon Quadra Rose Gold collection.

A fountain pen with actual DNA from Abraham Lincoln’s hair at the Fountain Pen Hospital in Tribeca.

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

A fountain pen with rock from the summit of Mount Everest at the Fountain Pen Hospital.

4.

BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES

Terry Wiederlight, president of Fountain Pen Hospital, on Nov. 12.

Fall in Love With Writing Again Go to the Fountain Pen Hospital Writing continued from C7 But, if there is to be a proper revival, schools would need to lead the way and, at the very least, encourage and educate students in the merits of writing with a fountain pen.

Last Standing There used to be 13 fountain pen stores in New York, and according to Wiederlight, the reason why Fountain Pen Hospital is still in business is due to his, and his team’s, innovative approach to promote the company.

He proudly recounts how the weekly “Tuesday Mania,” a 24-hour sale, attracts over 10,000 people online globally in a buying frenzy that combines the thrill of the chase with a love for writing instruments. Collectors await for the day to acquire much coveted limited edition pieces.

This reflects Wiederlight’s passion for the business side of things and his particularly astute sense of timing.

As fountain pens went out of style during the 1970s, the company started selling office supplies as well. But although they supplied even the World Trade Center, this was a relatively short-lived success.

“When I saw the first Staples come in, I thought, we have to go back to our roots,” said Wiederlight.

So in 1986 they moved to the current premises in Tribecaand only grew the fountain pen business, which turned out to be a wise decision.

“I love what I do,” he said adding: “I still believe in paper.”

Next year, 2016, will mark 70 years since the Fountain Pen Hospital has been in business.

Started by Wiederlight’s grandfather Al, and his father Phillip, it now employs a small army of people that includes his daughter Erica, and Wiederlight’s brother Steve, as a partner.

The name, which Wiederlight would have liked to change, reflects the store’s early beginnings when it used to be a place for repairs.

The moment passes yet the inscription remains, in all its richness.

The name is even less likely to change since it has recently been mentioned in a bestseller. Wiederlight points to the highlighted sentences where the Fountain Pen Hospital is mentioned in “Driving Heat,” the book penned by fictitious crime-writer Richard Castle from the TV show “Castle.” The real writer—the ghost writer who shall remain anonymous—happens to be a friend of Wiederlight and, obviously, a great fan of the store.

Other, less anonymous celebrities who have graced the store are Jack Black, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Tom Hanks, and Kevin Kline.

How satisfying would it be to ask any of them for an autograph and be handed one that is printed?

The handwritten is so much more desirable because it records the writer’s personality and feeling in that particular moment, made by his or her own hand—the moment passes yet the inscription remains, in all its richness.

Film Review

‘The Good Dinosaur’ Helps Toddlers Stamp Out Fear of Life!

2015 DISNEY/PIXAR

By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff With Pixar, you always get good quality. But quality doesn’t necessarily always mean good taste.

In “The Good Dinosaur,” Pixar puts plasticy apatosauruses in a panoramic, hyper-realistic Rocky Mountain setting. I say no to this!

Because what do we end up seeing? Talking, plastic green kiddie-toy dinos (like, from McDonald’s) that work on a realistic farm out West, like they’re in a cinematically gorgeous Sam Peckinpah Western or something.

Isn’t that kind of massive incongruity the very definition of kitsch? Not the dinos-working-the-land part. (Everyone knows dinosaurs were excellent farmers.) I’m talking about the hyper-realistic (for a cartoon) landscapes—peopled with plastic toys! That’s just dino-sized kitsch!

But it matters not. Because it’s a toddler movie. It’s just that “Dinosaur” is, after all, a Pixar film, and therefore fun enough to keep an adult awake, and so I personally object to this kitschy aesthetic of these green toys in my moviegoing experience. The bottom line is, though, that it’s quite a good small-child film.

On Beyond Asteroid “The Good Dinosaur” tells us a story about the logical outcomes of the Earth not getting hit by a giant asteroid—dinosaurs would therefore still rule, of course.

The large herbivore types own farms, you see, and they till the land using their own heads as plowshares, irrigate the crops by sucking up water and spitting vast quantities of it on the cornfields, and collect large, dino-chicken eggs.

Arlo Apatosaurus This particular dino family we’re getting to know, has a little knobby-kneed litter-runt named Arlo (voiced by Raymond Ochoa), who’s main problem in life is he’s terrified of everything.

He goes out for some man-time with dad

out of “The Croods” movie.

By the look it, Spot’s got to be the male twin of that Neanderthal family’s tiniest girl child, except without the topknot—same fearless growling, rabid temper, and the ability to crawl the 100-yard dash faster than Usain Bolt.

They endure all manner of hardships! Floods, famine, hail, antediluvian scary red cobras, an eccentric cross-eyed triceratops, and a gaggle of purple pterodactyls that belong to a cult and and have a hankering to have Spot for dinner.

Finally, they run into a Pecos Bill-like T. Rex, who’s a cowboy with two child-rexes.

Yep. Herd bison, they do. The bison look very real. Pecos Rex … not so much. He’s voiced by Sam Elliott, taking a break from TV commercial voice-overs about trucks made exclusively for cowboys.

‘The Good Dinosaur’ will, to borrow another lyric from a Woodstock band, ‘Teach the Children Well.’

Spot and Arlo finally coming to the journey’s end, in Disney/Pixar’s “The Good Dinosaur.”

2015 DISNEY/PIXAR

‘The Good Dinosaur’ Director Peter Sohn Starring Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Raymond Ochoa, Jack Bright, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, Sam Elliott, John Ratzenberger Running Time 1 hour, 40 minutes Rated PG Release Date Nov. 25

Spot, the super-toddler, on a rock, in “The Good Dinosaur,” directed by Peter Sohn.

(Jeffrey Wright), who gets swept away in a flood. On his own now, little Arlo has to learn to survive, and he’s got to get himself back to the garden.

Tribulation Trip On this wee walk-about, Arlo runs into a tiny tot named Spot, who appears to have crawled

Thoughts?

Well Arlo matures, loses his fear, travels back home, and drops off Spot with a family of humans they meet on the way, in the film’s most emotionally poignant part.

There’s more than a little “Lord Of The Rings” there—Frodo’s taking leave of his hobbit companions at the Grey Havens. And there’s more than a little of LOTR’s Shire-refrain, that appears to have been borrowed, in the score.

As mentioned, the nature realism is pretty.

Nice nature. Nice mountain landscapes, nice forests, streams, rivers, clouds, and flora.

Also as mentioned, it’s the oversimplified cartoon-y fauna running around in all that real-looking flora, that rankles. The kids’ll love it though. “The Good Dinosaur” will, to borrow another lyric from a Woodstock band, “Teach the Children Well.”

What will it teach them? To not be selfish by initially trying to take Spot back to the dinofarm instead of letting him assimilate into early human culture, for one, but ultimately to show that hardship and a tribulation trip through the scary wilderness results in a tempering of character, and the ability to conquer fear.

Which is quite a gift, given the level of scariness existing in the world today.