Pulitzer-winning author N. Scott Momaday to visit OCU
Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and storyteller N. Scott Momaday will give a free presentation at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 2 in Kerr-McGee Auditorium at the Meinders School of Business as part of Oklahoma City University’s Distinguished Speakers Series. “Scott Momaday is at least a quintuple threat. He is a novelist, an artist, a lyric oralist, a historian…
The Pacific
As a sister production to “Band of Brothers,” “The Pacific” doesn’t quite live up to the epic success of HBO’s first miniseries on “The Greatest Generation.” But it comes damn close. The similarities are obvious. “Band of Brothers” writer Bruce McKenna spearheaded the 10-part companion series with Stephen Ambrose’s son, Hugh Ambrose, serving as project…
The Goonies: 25th Anniversary Collector’s Edition
<iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B000QFW7UA&fc1=000000&IS2=1 Two warnings about the new, quarter-century anniversary Blu-ray set of “The Goonies”: 1. It will make you feel really old. 2. That damn Cyndi Lauper tie-in song will lodge in your brain for hours, if not days. The Steven Spielberg-produced, Chris Columbus-penned, Richard Donner-directed spectacle holds up…
Saw 3D
serve himself, and that’s because he’s not a Jigsaw survivor at all. He’s a pants-afire liar, so Hoffman (Costas Mandylor), the killer since the real Jigsaw (Tobin Bell) died many movies ago, kidnaps Bobby and forces him to navigate through an underground maze where each room poses a deadly threat to Bobby’s PR army. Bobby…
Alien Anthology
<iframe marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" style="width: 120px; height: 240px;" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B001AQO3QA&fc1=000000&IS2=1 OK, Blu-ray technology, now I get it. Initially a skeptic that Blu-ray was a marked improvement over DVD, I’m a convert after stripping the shrink wrap off 20th Century Fox’s “Alien Anthology” box set, containing all the films in the franchise (at least those without “vs. Predator”…
Hunt to Kill
<iframe src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?t=oklahgazet-20&o=1&p=8&l=as1&asins=B003Z94WB6&fc1=000000&IS2=1 To be completely honest, I only agreed to review “Hunt to Kill” for one reason, and it wasn’t because it stars Steve Austin (né Stone Cold). It was because of Emilie Ullerup. If you’ve seen the Danish dazzler as Ashley Magnus on TV’s “Sanctuary,” then my admission should come as no big surprise.…
Damned by Dawn
Let it be. But then Nana (Dawn Klingberg) dies, and the ghostly, bloody-eyed banshee shows up, screaming like a teakettle and emitting a breath so fierce that it shakes the house and freaks the eff out of the family, so an unnerved Claire pushes the spirit out the home’s second story to be impaled on…
An Oklahoma City family will again turn their home into an elaborate, free haunted house for Halloween
1512 Terror Lake Road 8 to 11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 8-10 p.m. Sunday 1512 Turtle Lake, Moore Free It all started with a Halloween party for a 12-year-old girl at 1512 Terror Lake Road, but has since evolved into a full-fledged, seasonal spook house. After six years, the Berger family’s annual haunted house, which is actually…
The Fort Reno ghost tour introduces guests to some of the historic site’s more permanent, paranormal residents
Once a month, in the thick of the night, groups of people young and old traverse the trodden grounds of the historic landmark of Fort Reno with only a couple dozen bobbing lanterns lighting their way. The fort ” a quaint, tidy site tucked away miles outside of El Reno ” is a place lost…
StoryCorps will record, preserve and perhaps broadcast stories Oklahomans record with loved ones
StoryCorps Civic Center Music Hall 201 N. Walker Thursday, ongoing Through Nov. 20 $25 donation 800-850-4406, www.storycorps.com A son sits across from his mother and asks her probing questions that divulge a wealth of history that might have otherwise been forgotten. StoryCorps is a nonprofit organization that preserves such moments through audio recordings featured within…
Four local shutterbugs remember one of their own, Tom Lee, a beloved artist and activist who was quietly outspoken
Tom Lee’s photographs were exhibited throughout the country. He’s won numerous competitions, received two Governor’s Arts Awards and earned recognition from the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Out of frame, Lee was a dedicated supporter of local art. In 2000, he came across a Gothic Revival-style church built in 1842 while surfing the Internet.…
Two interactive art events are slated for Friday in Norman, including a seasonal iron pour and a wearable fashion show
“Fuego Friday” 1 p.m. Friday in the Northbase studio complex 1700 Lexington, Norman $20 in advance, $25 the day of the event “Wearable Art Show” competition 7 p.m. Friday Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art 555 Elm, Norman 325-2691, art.ou.edu All Hallows’ Eve looms, and while some are getting ready to scour the streets in…
View a sample ballot before Tuesday’s election
It’s easy to get overwhelmed when faced with 11 state questions and a myriad of elected official races. But panic isn’t necessary if you check out the ballot before it’s handed to you. Below is Tuesday’s ballot. Read on to get informed. Front of ballot Back of ballot
The Chaser/Yoga
It’s purely by accident I watched 2008’s “The Chaser” and 2009’s “Yoga” in the same night. Both films come from our friends in Korea, but couldn’t be more different. Other than begin new to DVD, the one thing they have in common is a reminder that subtitles need not be a barrier to Americans’ enjoyment.…
House
Late in the 1977 film “House” (aka “Hausu” in its native Japan), one of its young women in peril comments on their predicament, “It’s like a horror movie. That’s out of date.” Director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s cult hit indeed was, but in a good way, being ahead of its time. And, one could argue, it still…
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20)
In the middle of the last century, avant-garde filmmaker Kenneth Anger threw a masquerade party called “Come as Your Madness.” One of the invited guests was the Piscean writer Anais Nin. She appeared as the ancient fertility goddess Astarte, but with an unexpected wrinkle: She wore a birdcage over her head. This Halloween I urge…
In your Face
You talk, we listen! Here’s what readers said on some of last week’s Oklahoma Gazette stories, via unedited comments left on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/okgazette: On the Whole Foods rendering at Classen Curve: “”this looks like the mini mall I used to work at in McAlester.” “Kelly Moore “”I don’t think people who drive…
House
Late in the 1977 film “House” (aka “Hausu” in its native Japan), one of its young women in peril comments on their predicament, “It’s like a horror movie. That’s out of date.” Director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s cult hit indeed was, but in a good way, being ahead of its time. And, one could argue, it still…
Local engineer Roger Johns worked at ground zero of the Chilean miner rescue operation
Roger Johns drove through four security checkpoints to reach the drill site. He saw the family members’ faces when he passed. They lived in the tent city named Camp Hope. “It’s a pretty emotional deal. You drove that road every day, and all those family members are there, greeting you at the mine,” Johns said.…
TAURUS (April 20-May 20)
In an exhibition at New York’s Museum of Modern Art, performance artist Marina Abramovic stared into the eyes of a succession of different strangers for 700 hours. Actresses Marisa Tomei and Isabella Rossellini were among those who received her visual probes, as well as 1,400 less famous folks. I think it would be fun for…
Waiting for ‘Superman’
The documentary “Waiting for ‘Superman'” examines the issue of America’s damaged public school system, mainly focusing on who’s getting shorted, who’s shorting them and why. Director Davis Guggenheim (“An Inconvenient Truth”) begins and ends his examination with a bit of self-criticism. He explains in the opening that in 1999, he shot a documentary called “The…
Elf Power’s greatest strengths are new projects; an ever-changing, psychedelic sound; and knowing when to take breaks
Elf Power with Wurly Birds 9 p.m. Monday Opolis 113 N. Crawford, Norman www.opolis.org 447-3417 $8 advance, $10 door $10 advance, $12 door under 21 Longevity is hard to come by, especially in the realm of independent music. Buzzed-about bands fizzle before full debuts even appear, and if groups can’t keep things new, fresh and…
Bicyclists’ rights
Here are some things that bicyclists do not have the right to do: 1. Nobody has the right to travel around at 10 mph, impeding the flow of traffic. 2. Nobody has the right to cause someone to drive dangerously close to oncoming traffic to avoid hitting someone that is traveling around at 10 mph,…
Paranormal Activity 2
Most sequels are content to just repeat whatever was good “? and sometimes bad “? about the first film under the assumption that what the audience wants is merely more of the same. When a sequel gets uppity, it brings something new to the party and improves on the original, hence “The Godfather: Part II”…
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)
Sunlight may smell spicy or musky to you these days. The wind might have a flavor like chocolate liqueur or a ripe peach. The hum of the earth as it turns may sound like a symphony you heard once in a dream. Your body? Electric. Your soul? Sinewy. In other words, Aquarius magic is afoot.…
Court car
There are lots of different ways to get to municipal court. Catch a ride with a friend, pedal your 10-speed, hop on the bus. Stealing an attorney’s SUV? Yeah, that doesn’t really rank up there as a great idea. But according to KWTV News 9, that’s exactly what David Bryan Crawford is accused of doing.…
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Five white tigers at a Chinese wild animal park became way too tame for their own good. Maybe they’d hung around humans too long or their lifestyle was too cushy. Whatever the reason, one of their essential instincts atrophied. A zookeeper put live chickens into their habitats, hoping they would pounce and devour, but instead…
Boo, OU’
Open letter to the Sooners and Bob Stoops: I am a dyed-in-the-wool Sooner fan. When I say “Boo, OU,” I have the right to say it. I travel to watch you play, and I try to catch every home game on TV. I love the Sooners. At great expense, my husband and I traveled…
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Is the highest form of courage embodied in a soldier fighting during a war? Irish poet William Butler Yeats didn’t think so. He said that entering into the abyss of one’s deep self is equally daring. By my astrological reckoning, that will be the location of your greatest heroism in the days ahead. Your most…
Republican Scott Pruitt and Democrat Jim Priest have differing views of the attorney general’s office
The attorney general’s race features two candidates with remarkably similar values and a completely different understanding of the job. For Democrat Jim Priest, the role is tied to core programs that directly benefit the state. Republican Scott Pruitt is convinced that the line between state and federal issues is now blurred to the point that…
Halloween rocks, if you hit up these events
Here are three Halloween happenings for those who want to rock costumes, or just rock. HALLOPOLIS: A two-night costume contest led by Colourmusic, Jacob Abello, Depth and Current, Student Film and Gentle Ghost is 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Opolis in Norman. Tickets are $8 in advance, $10 door; $10 advance, $12 door…
Three candidates will be on the ballot for lieutenant governor
Three candidates are on the Nov. 2 general ballot for lieutenant governor. State senators Todd Lamb, R-Edmond, and Kenneth Corn, D-Poteau, and independent Richard Prawdzienski of Edmond are vying for the open seat. The new lieutenant governor will replace Lt. Gov. Jari Askins, a Democrat, who is running for governor. Askins has held the lieutenant…
Hereafter
itably befalls us all, but “Hereafter” follows a few whose lives are consumed well before their time. Written by Peter Morgan (“Frost/Nixon”) and directed by Clint Eastwood (“Invictus”), the film follows three people driven by death in different ways. George Lonegan (Matt Damon, “Green Zone”) is a factory worker trying to turn a blue collar…
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
You could really use your own personal doorman or doorwoman ” someone who would accompany you everywhere you go and help you gain entrance through the portals you encounter. In my vision of what you require, this assistant would go further. He or she would find secret camouflaged doors for you, and do the equivalent…
Cosmic Iowa quintet Mondo Drag faces little resistance with its retro inspiration and enormous wall of sound
Mondo Drag with The Boom Bang and The Dull Drums 9 p.m. Thursday Blue Note Lounge 2408 N. Robinson 600-1166 $5 “Mondo” ” falling somewhere in between “gnarly” and “tubular” in the surfer lexicon ” is a term used to describe all things big and awesome, not unlike the huge, layered, cosmic psychedelic anthems of…
GEMINI (May 21-June 20)
Have you ever seen the edible fungi known as truffles? They are bulbous, warty clumps. Because they grow underground near trees, specially trained pigs and dogs are needed to sniff out their location. In parts of Europe their taste is so highly prized that they can sell for up to $6,000 per pound. In my…
How patriotic!
The Obama stimulus package, which has been so maligned and voted against by Oklahoma Republicans in Washington, has brought millions of dollars into the state. Those same Republicans have no problem hypocritically standing in front of the cameras back home with a large, oversized check for a prop, claiming credit for the Obama windfall, as…
What’s it like for independent candidates running for office in Central Oklahoma?
Voter dissatisfaction with both major political parties is reportedly running at record-high levels both nationally and locally. “Tea party” has become a political buzzword, rather than the description of polite afternoon get-togethers of ladies wearing short white gloves. And major party candidates, as they always seem to do, hammer away as if by rote at…
Will tweet for votes
Sure, we know our two gubernatorial candidates’ positions on the economy, health care and education. But how manageable are their tweets? Get your mind out of the gutter ” we’re talking about their entries on Twitter. On the morning of Oct. 19, we randomly selected five full-sentence tweets apiece from the front pages of Jari…
Ghostlight’s ‘Mindgame’ takes on evil and plays tricks with fine acting … and some odd inconsistencies
Mindgame 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, through Nov. 13 Ghostlight Theatre Club 3110 N. Walker www.ghostlighttheatreclub.com 286-9412 $10-$15 “Mindgame,” a tepid 1999 thriller by Anthony Horowitz, now being presented by Ghostlight Theatre Club, is set in the office of the director of a British asylum for the “criminally insane,” a certain Dr. Farquhar, played with great range…
CFN Quote of the Week
“Good morning, Anita Hill, it’s Ginni Thomas. I just wanted to reach across the airwaves and the years and ask you to consider something. I would love you to consider an apology some time and some full explanation of why you did what you did with my husband. So give it some thought and certainly…
Portland’s Lovers break internal boundaries to offer up raw, intimate electro-pop
Lovers with Aquahead and Lights Over Chicago 9 p.m. Tuesday The Conservatory 8911 N. Western www.conservatoryokc.com 607-4805 $6 Being in a band is life-changing. There’s a new set of people to be accountable to; songwriting, promoting and touring to be done. Even if the differences aren’t all that great, it does alter life’s normal routine.…
Emily Virgin and Kent Hunt face off for a chance to represent Norman in the state House
University of Oklahoma law student Emily Virgin, a Democrat, and self-employed lawn care professional Kent Hunt, a Republican, are running for Oklahoma House District 44’s seat, left open by term-limited Rep. Bill Nations, D-Norman. Encompassing much of the University of Oklahoma Norman campus, both candidates for District 44 said they hope to improve education for…
Austin Americana act Band of Heathens conquers the country with three songwriters, invading all influences
Band of Heathens 10 p.m. Friday Wormy Dog Saloon 311 E. Sheridan www.wormydog.com 601-6276 $7 If music were a sprawling party, Band of Heathens would be an unpredictable guest who moves about the room, hanging with everyone. Sure, the Texas quintet keeps with the Americana crowd, but that hardly describes it. Of course, when there…
Kids at the Bar turn a fun project into a near-full-time one
For four years, Robotic Wednesdays has perfected the art of the electronic remix, giving locals a midweek reason to imbibe, gyrate and sweat together. About a year ago, John Bourke moved to New York, leaving a vacancy in the event’s collective of DJs/organizers. Duo Chad “Rad” Raunborg and Matt Buckley ” aka Kids at the…
State Question 756 asks Oklahomans to opt out of the federal health care plan
On the Nov. 2 ballot, Oklahomans will decide whether or not they want Oklahoma to opt-out of federal health care through State Question 756. SQ 756 is based upon Senate Joint Resolution 59, which was co-sponsored by Sen. Dan Newberry, R-Tulsa, and passed in the spring 2010 legislative session. “What (SQ 756) allows is for…
Dunk your head into this lighthearted look at the Oklahoma City Thunder’s new season
The Thunder officially tipoff their 2010-2011 NBA regular season today. Since the Thunder are the hottest thing to happen in Oklahoma City since that van full of cheerleaders broke down on the I-40 Crosstown Bridge in August of 1973, we asked the Gazette if we could write a Thunder season preview for them. They said…
ARIES (March 21-April 19)
In the Chinese province of Fujian, there used to be people who believed they could communicate directly with the dead. If they slept on the grave of the person they wished to reach, their dreams during the night might lead to a meeting with the spirit of the departed. I propose that you consider something…
There should be no doubt about 744
You’ve heard a lot by now: “It’s all for the kids.” “We’re going to be a contender.” “We’ll go from No. 47 to head of the line, nationally.” All that’s missing is the Music Man saying, “Right here in River City!” The National Education Association, with its million-dollar ad campaign, teamed up with the Oklahoma…
Tone it down
In response to John D. Carlson in his letter “When worlds (almost) collide” (Oct. 13, Oklahoma Gazette), let me respond first by saying that you don’t win people over to your argument by referring to them as “road geese” or “The Bicycle Bozohood,” or by implying that bicyclists are lazy and don’t work. I am…
Michigan indie-folk foursome Frontier Ruckus surveys new territory while examining old wounds
Frontier Ruckus and Samantha Crain 10 p.m. Thursday The Deli 309 White, Norman www.thedeli.us 329-3534 $5 They say home is where the heart is, and that’s particularly true for Frontier Ruckus, which released “Deadmalls & Nightfalls” this summer. Like its 2008 debut, “The Orion Songbook,” the disc weaves a rich tapestry of images culled from…
How about taxing all religious venues?
Recently, and with much bravado, Rev. Paul Blair stated that he welcomed any challenge to his church’s tax-exempt status because of it’s political involvement. I say let’s grant his wish and set him free, and start taxing his church. Furthermore, while we’re at it, let’s start taxing all religious venues be they churches, temples, mosques,…
Oklahoma City Ballet is just in time for Halloween with ‘Phantom of the Opera,’ two years in the making
features a new score by composer Kermit Polling, who also will conduct the Oklahoma City Philharmonic during Saturday and Sunday’s shows, and original choreography by company ballet master Jacob Sparso. The two previously collaborated on last season’s hit production of “The Wizard of Oz.” “We knew we wanted to work with Kermit again since his…
The Boz is back
Remember The Boz? The University of Oklahoma linebacker Bryan Bosworth, known for his radical buzz cut, wasn’t afraid to criticize the NCAA by wearing a T-shirt that referred to the organization as “National Communists Against Athletes” in the 1980s. Now The Boz is making headlines again. Bosworth alleges that John Blake (then an assistant coach…
Strong acting gives Jewel Box Theatre’s ‘Dracula’ some serious, seasonal bite
Dracula 7:30 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, 2:30 p.m. Sunday Jewel Box Theatre 3700 N. Walker www.jewelboxtheatre.org 521-1786 $10-$15 While only somewhat faithful to the classic Bram Stoker novel of the same name, this particular version of “Dracula” being staged by Jewel Box debuted in 1924. It would go on to define the vampire for generations by introducing…
Candidates for governor debate budget, education, business
The two candidates vying for governor got down to business on Tuesday in Oklahoma City at the 2010 Gubernatorial Candidate Fall Forum organized by the State Chamber of Oklahoma. Both Lt. Governor Jari Askins, a Democrat, and Rep. Mary Fallin, a Republican, voiced their support of several state business incentive funds; the need to examine…
State questions primer
In the weeks leading up to the election, the Gazette ran an article on each of the eleven state questions. Click the bolded headers of each question to access the individual stories. 744 Education A “yes” vote changes the way the Legislature determines funding for common education, constitutionally requiring lawmakers to allocate per-pupil funds equivalent…
The three-way race for House District 85 pits a Republican incumbent against a Democrat and an independent
Access to governmental power is a central question in the House District 85 race. Dr. Edward A. Shadid, an Oklahoma City spine surgeon and independent candidate, believes advocacy in the Legislature is based on money. “The two parties have joined together to create a system where candidates beholden to PACs and corporations are the only…
Splice
ef=”http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003EYVXT6?ie=UTF8&tag=oklahgazet-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B003EYVXT6″>Splice,” but don’t make that decision based on the belief that it’s just another horror movie with more ick than ideas. This picture is packed with thematic material and thought-provoking visuals, from the opening credits to the last shot. Now, that’s not to say the film is all somber contemplation of the themes on which…
