“All Suffering Soon to End!” Not just the saying on a Jehova’s Witnesses pamphlet. It’s the title of the new exhibit at Callicoon Fine Arts. It has been open, but will really kick off Saturday with a reception, joined by M.G.M. Grand, a dance troupe from Brooklyn that uses modern styles and experimentation.

That’s our cover this week. Elsewhere we have an interview with the legendary George Benson, info on all the upcoming shows (including the Bad Company concert at Bethel Woods) anda review of “My Sister’s Keeper,” the newest film starring Cameron Diaz.

Check out Go! on Friday.

Yesterday, I had to go to Kingston right after work in order to drop off some audio cassettes for transfer to CD. I took the job to a company called the Ellenbogen Group, which used to be in uptown Kingston, in a little ol’ hard-to-find building. Now, however, Ellenbogen (which does excellent work, btw) is part of an impressive enterprise called Seven21 Media, with a big building on upper Broadway.

Anyway, after I found someone to write up my order (it was after hours and the place was basically closed), I met my pal Bryn at a really good Mexican restaurant right across the street from Seven21, El Danzante. After we ate (a lot!) and shot the breeze (la brisa) and had a bottle of Negra Modelo (cerveza), we bid each other adios. Bryn took off for Bearsville while I, dauntless seeker of cheap thrills, walked a block up Broadway to the Basement, my now-favorite club/bar in Ulster County.

The Basement is everything a bar that books bands should be. It is gritty, it is dark, with a black-and-red paint scheme, it has a very good sound guy, a very good bartender, cool beers on tap, a young crowd that doesn’t look at me as if I am a troll who crawled out from beneath the compost heap, and it has heavy, LOUD music.

The famed pitcher Satchel Paige said something* about jangling your body around a bit, just to keep the juices flowing, and in keeping with that advice, I like to take my sexagenarian self to hear rock music on a pretty regular basis — a lot more often than I avail myself of massages or whatnot. Works for me. So I was happy to get a chance to stop in at the Basement to hear a band called Full On, made up of some people I know - Shawna on guitar and vocals, Dee on bass and backing vocals (aka roaring), and a drummer whose name I don’t know but who is darn good at his job. A talented, passionate, good-looking band is Full On.

Anyway, I paid the modest cover charge ($4) and got a Blue Moon Honey Moon Summer Ale ($4) and enjoyed the music. A lot. It made the furniture vibrate. It made me very, um, “jangled,” which was the desired effect.

I had to go home before the next bands played. One of them, the headliner, was Jucifer. They had set up a little display table with merch and some terrific-looking posters, from past shows, I presume. I’ll have to check them out on MySpace or something. I love hardcore music, but I don’t love the vocals, generally, because there’s no tunefulness, no melody. But, you know … talkin’ ’bout my ggggeneration. I do love what it does for the adrenalin, so I rock on as best I can.

I really recommend the Basement if you like hard, driving, loud, grindcore (or whatever you call it) rock. Really a good place. It’s on the beginning part of Broadway just off Albany Avenue, down a bit from the Health Department building where you can get tested free for STDs and across from the Probation Department (irony? I think not).

And remember: Drink responsibly. Do not drink and drive. 

* Satchell’s advice: “Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move.” Collier’s magazine, 1953  

There is a Twentieth Century Fox film looking for a suburban community. These are the details: • Suburbs that appear to be “planned suburban communities” (Scotchtown?)• Middle class• Built at least twenty years ago to dateSend photo ideas (with contact info) to filmcommission@me.com 

I really kind of wish George Lucas had less control of “Star Wars.” If he did, maybe we would have been treated to the kind of prequels fans really wanted to see.

I mean, I love the man and his “Star Wars” saga. I grew up on it and have been loyal to it almost to a fault since I was 2 years old. However, the thought of Lucas not making the prequels ran though my head this week after seeing the new “Star Trek” movie. I’m not even a “Trek” fan and I walked out of that movie pumped. The prequels never really gave me that juice and I wondered, if they were handled in a way similar to “Star Trek,” if the prequels would have been better.

Here’s my logic.

As George Lucas is to “Star Wars,” Gene Roddenberry is to “Star Trek.” However, when Roddenberry died in 1991 the brand sort of went off on its own. We got spin off TV shows, a plethora of movies and more, all within this strict “Star Trek” canon. It was overkill and slowly, the brand went stale. When it was finally considered dead, the owners of the property - Paramount Pictures - turned to fans to give it new life. Not nerds who go to conventions and stuff, but talented Hollywood screenwriters and producers who grew up on the franchise, were inspired by it and would treat it with an almost unnatural respect.

A few years and many twists and turns later, we have this “Star Trek” movie. Sure, many purists hate it, but many others find it exhilarating and in tune with the “Star Trek” mythos. And it was all done without a Big Brother creator breathing down their necks.

I know that, as much as I fell in love with the “Star Wars” prequels at the time of the release, I now feel like they’re nothing but 3-4 amazing moments each, filled in between with nonsense. Important moments are rushed, new information is extraneous (mide-chlorians, etc) and they’re wildly uneven. I rewatch “Phantom Menace” waiting for the lightsaber duel, period. Anakin and Padme’s blink-and-you-miss-it wedding on Naboo is the highlight of “Attack of the Clones” and the birth of Luke and Leia is completely awesome, but underplayed, in “Revenge of the Sith.” So basically you watch until that perfect moment, love it, and forget that for forty minutes you were given young Boba Fett, Jar Jar Binks and flying R2-D2. Nothing is every given its proper due in those films.

Now imagine if Lucas did what he did on “Empire” and “Jedi” and brought in people to help. Imagine he stayed on as an Executive Producer but let someone else, like J.J. Abrams or Kevin Smith or Edgar Wright or any number of talented filmmakers/screenwriters, play in his world. These fans grew up on the material and probably know it better than Lucas does. They would have known what beats to hit and also what the fans would want to see.

Wouldn’t those films have been much better if we didn’t have to wait three movies to get to the money shot of Anakin becoming Vader? Imagine film one and two are the pushed together, film three is the second one, and film three bridges the gap to “A New Hope” with Vader killing all the Jedi.  Now you’ve lost all the fat, given moments more room to breath and, hopefully, done it with some passion.

Because come on, “Star Wars”/”Star Trek” fans. If you were given hundreds of millions of dollars to make one of these movies, you would never have released an inferior product. You would have made a movie that you wanted to see. And maybe you would have made the new “Star Trek.”

So “Star Trek” got geekified last week and it was a success. “Star Wars,” on the other hand, is still the brainchild of a crazy old man. Just think how amazing it might have been to breath some youth into a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far, away.

This is a belated blog on the WCO’s final performance of the season, Sunday afternoon at the Bearsville Theater. Just wanted to say how delightful the program was — from the overture to “Cosi fan Tutti” by Mozart to the “Eroica” by Beethoven. The orchestra is fun to watch, and Bearsville lets you get up close and intensely personal. In fact, there were at least three young kids sitting on the front row of the audience who were literally within spittin’ distance of the string section!

The orchestra has a wide range of abilities represented, and the playing isn’t the sharpest, but the joy of music abounds, and that’s really what counts (as long as things stay tuneful and IN tune, which they did).

Looking forward to next season, and all hail the Woodstock Chamber Orchestra for its dedication to performing the classical classics.

The Hudson Valley Film Commission just sent out a mass email. They need your help.

Walt Disney and Jerry Bruckheimer are currently in production on a live action version of “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” starring Nicolas Cage. Yup, the famous scene from “Fantasia.”

Anyway, they are looking for an abandoned train track, preferably with a platform, to possibly film a scene on. Know of any? Send photos and contact info to filmcommission@mac.com with “TRAIN” in the subject line.

But wait, there’s more!!

Upcoming independent feature film Whisper Me a Lullaby, will begin shooting in the Hudson Valley June 10, 2009 under the SAG Ultra Low Budget Agreement.  

The story follows a family coping with emotional illness, while addressing the issues of domestic abuse and suicide. 

The production is still in need of a few locations and they are seeking applicants for several crew positions and principle roles. Here is a list of necessary locations  and crew positions / roles still available. Feel free to visit their website at http://whispermealullaby.com

LOCATIONS:

·      Cobblestone or Brick Church 

·      Hospital Room / Emergency Room with Curtains (preferably with a hallway containing a swinging door or double doors with windows)

·      Contemporary Home with a River or Mountain View (Exterior needs to have a large patio, porch or deck. Interior needs open floor plan with two bedrooms.)

·      Mid to Lower End Hotel (Preferably with a front desk that can be viewed through large windows from outdoors; long straight hallways; a room with two beds and a decent size bathroom)

·      Gazebo (Preferably white, suitable for an outdoor cocktail party)

PAID CREW POSITIONS:

·      Assistant Director

·      Gaffer-Grip(s)

·      Sound

·      Hair & Makeup

VOLUNTEER CREW POSITIONS:

·      Production Assistants

·      Interns

ROLES:

·      Aunt Jane - Female. 40s. Caucasian. Quirky, eccentric, fun and down to earth. 

·      Poppy - Male. 50s-60s. Caucasian. Salt & Pepper hair. Ethereal, animated. 

·      Church Lady - Female. 40s. African American. Bubbly, outgoing. 

·      Glenn - Male. 18 to 23. Any Ethnicity. Athletic. 

·      Extras - Males & Females. All ages. All ethnicities. To attend Church service. Need about 50. 

·      Males & Females. Age 18 to 25. To play touch football. Need about 20-30. 

·      Featured Extras - Males & Females. Early 20s. Prefer Non-Caucasian. Need 2 female, 2 male. 

Email filmcommission@mac.com with photos and resumes (enter WHISPER in the subject line)

With the sheer amount of people that were at Woodstock 40 years ago, one would think there would be an infinite amount of stories.

Many of those stories, told by the people who experienced them, will be part of the book “Woodstock - Peace, Music and Memories” written by Brad Littleproud and Joanne Hague will be released June 15.

It’s currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com. For more information, visit woodstockpeace.com.

As the 40th anniversary of the legendary festival approaches, the Times Herald-Record will continue to cover all different angles. Keep checking back for more.

Last week we told you that Woodstock producer Michael Lang will launch www.woodstock.com in a few weeks. The Web site will be a combination of music and green living information.

But, you can go there now and purchase what he’s calling “Woodstock Gear.” This T-shirt features original poster art from the Woodstock festival and costs $24.95. He also has T-shirts for women and also clothing for infants.There’s also wall murals and photo prints as well. Happy shopping!

So here’s the rundown with all this Woodstock 40 madness:

Michael Lang is launching a Web site. That should be very soon. Once that launches, we’ll keep an eye and ear out for what Lang does next, and most importantly, if he establishes some sort of tribute/reunion/celebration show in New York City. He wants it to be green-focused. We like that.

Meanwhile up in the HV, nothing has been planned by anyone with clout. Bethel Woods Center for the Arts might schedule some things, but again, eyes and ears.

If anything happens, it’s likely something spotaneous will spark at the old Yasgur’s Farm site. Think a couple groups with guitars and good vibes. The town of Woodstock might do something too, but again, one more time, eyes and ears.

Otherwise we’re planning coverage to celebrate Woodstock 40. That coverage includes multiple platforms.

Keep with us. And visit www.recordonline.com/bethelwoods for more about the 2009 Bethel Woods season. That site relaunched yesterday.

Saturday, Part II

While in Austin, I try to focus on seeing narratives and trying to convince filmmakers to shoot their next film in New York. Still, somehow, when looking through the SXSW catalogue, I missed the fact that a film featuring Mark Duplass (The Puffy Chair and Humpday) and Academy Award® Nominee Melissa Leo (Frozen River, 21 Grams) would be playing at SXSW. The executive director also happens to be WFF advisory board member Gill Holland.

Two hours before the screening, I accidentally sat next to a postcard for the above-mentioned film, TRUE ADOLESCENTS. The movie by first time director Craig Johnson, follows Sam Bryant (Duplass), an aging Seattle rocker with no job, no record deal, and no place to stay until he finds some room at his aunt’s house in the suburbs. A single mom, Sam’s aunt (Leo) guilts him into taking on the role of her absentee husband and taking her son, and his best friend camping for some ‘quality dude time.’ The trip becomes a coming of age story about what it means and what it takes to grow up and the adolescents in this story are not all in their teens. Johnson deliberately avoids bow tying all the complexities. The Alamo Ritz audience cheered enthusiastically as the filmmakers and actors took the stage for a bow and Q&A.

One of my main objectives when coming out to SXSW was to see the world premiere of Brant Sersen’s SPLINTERHEADS, which was filmed in part in Pine Bush, New Paltz and High Falls. The Film Commission worked hard to deliver the entire film to the Hudson Valley but negotiations with local carnivals and fairs could not be contracted so the film turned to Patchogue, NY for those scenes. Sersen won the audience award at SXSW 2004 with BLACKBALLED: THE BOBBY DUKES STORY (also shot in the Hudson Valley/Catskills), starring Robb Coddry.

I am far from objective, but can guarantee that the Hudson Valley scenes jump off the screen with appreciable beauty and vibrancy. Look for Castle Park, swimming holes, flowery meadows, country roads and the swing set featured on the poster.

For Justin Frost (Thomas Middleditch), a typical day is rolling out of bed at one, practicing improvised karate, and mowing grass for his best friend’s landscaping business. But when a traveling carnival lands in his small town, Justin falls for a sexy con artist (Rachael Taylor) and wakes up to the life he has yet to begin living. The cast features Christopher McDonald, Lea Thompson, Dean Winters, Frankie Faison, Edmund Lyndeck, Jason Rogel, Jason Mantzoukas, Lennon Parham, Pam Shaw. In his FSR review, Neil Miller writes “It’s a very funny film with a lot of heart, most of which comes from newcomer Thomas Middleditch, who aptly combines the absurdity of his character’s personality with a tenderness that makes him an easily loved protagonist. And even though he is heaving himself into trouble over a girl who doesn’t always seem to be worth it, we are caught up in rooting for Justin to win in the end. It all works because of Middleditch’s naturalistic charisma, and his ability to do something ridiculous and not make it seem too over-the-top.” Read the entire review online

At the after party, I talked to producers Darren Goldberg and Christopher Marsh about shooting there two upcoming films in the Hudson Valley but they’ve already re-written one to take advantage of Illinois film credits. There is still hope for the other film, which needs a Catholic Boys School and Catholic Girls School in a country setting.