1. 6 A&E
What’s
G
November 13, 2008 Mount Holyoke News
Haute
show a little —or a lot—of skin, to indulge
BY JOANNA ARCIERI ’10 the fantasies of its viewers. But when sex
AMANDA AULTMAN ’10 is used in this sense, it becomes a gimmick
n 2005, Crash became the little and unfortunately, this alone cannot keep
BY KATIE FRICK ’10
MANAGING EDITOR
I movie that could when it unex-
pectedly won the Academy
Award for Best Picture, beating out the
the audience’s attention.
Crash benefits from being a
13-episode series and not a two
heavily favored Brokeback Mountain. hour film. While the film can feel
ls flat
As you read, shoppers across
sm
The movie, starring Hollywood heavy- as though it is simplifying issues
the globe are scrambling to pur-
al
weights Don Cheadle, Sandra Bullock and placing a very obvious
all on f
chase a piece from the long and Terrence Howard, depicts a three-
i
awaited Comme des Garçons col- day period in Los Angeles where sev-
scr
Hollywood message onto
tat
lection for H&M which hit stores eral interrelated events events, the tel-
een adap
today. So you better buckle up; it bring strangers to- evision
appears that the fast fashion phe- gether. It is a com- s h ow
nomenon has just shifted into pelling look at race and goes into great
high gear! gender relations, discrimina- depth. Characters and situa-
The collaborative line with tion and bigotry. The executive pro- tions are not just cornerstones and
H&M is exactly what one would ducers of Crash have adapted the stereotypes of a larger picture.
expect from Rei Kawakubo: de- successful film into a television series for played
constructed jackets, the huge This being said, there is still nothing
Starz. by Brian Tee, spectacular about Crash as a television se-
statement coat, some pleated Like the film, the television series brings must make a choice between his past and his
skirts and a micro-dotted button ries. While there is a possibility for amazing
to the forefront the tensions between ethnic- future, placing him at a constant crossroads characters and intriguing story lines, in the
down. What wasn’t expected ities, religions and gender. Through a collec- with his former friends and co-workers. At
from the collection, however, was first five episodes, the viewer is left without
tion of interrelated cases of prejudice, the one point, a homicide detective tells him, a tangible connection to the series. Instead of
a dress selling for the mass re- show serves as a window into the quiet injus- “Make a choice, Korean or American.”
tailer for a whopping $350. As generating a necessary conversation about
tice that occurs within law enforcement, the Crash exposes the racism and sexism race, like the movie did, the audience is left
most of you are aware, these rich and powerful and the world of medicine. within law enforcement which is supposed
aren't H&M prices. But choosers thinking, “So what?”
Veteran actor Dennis Hopper headlines to be representative of justice and equality. What made the 2004 film so compelling
can’t be beggars—we are talking the cast as a drug-addicted music producer There are two-faced cops and sexist agents.
about Comme des Garçons here. for audiences was its overall message and re-
looking for his next star, who may just be his In episode three, homicide detective Axel minder that we are all more alike than we
H&M is not the only retailer driver, played by Jocko Sims. Other charac- Finet (Nick Tarabay) abuses his power and
that’s ratcheting up a roster of de- imagine and what we do affects others. This
ters include a model-turned-police officer, a holds the father of a suspected murderer at message is not carried throughout the tele-
signers. Target recently an- Brentwood housewife, a real estate developer gun point in order to arrest his son. This re-
nounced that Thakoon would vision series. The relationships between the
and an illegal Guatemalan immigrant. veals inequality in both society and the characters are not apparent or profoundly
design a line to launch on Christ- The pilot episode begins with a steamy forces that regulate it.
mas day. And in the spring of moving.
sex scene that twists into an eye-opener on The overall coverage of prejudices in the Adapting a successful movie is a difficult
2009, Alexander McQueen will gender discrimination. After this scene, the show is very touching, exposing the subtle in-
also open his lower-priced collec- task. Sometimes it works (MASH) and other
episode walks the viewer through several stances of abuse through discrimination that times it does not (My Big Fat Greek Life).
tion McQ for Target customers. more instances that reflect the crimes com- occur every day, unchecked and overlooked.
As a phenomenon, it seems Crash, unfortunately, represents the latter.
mitted behind-the-scenes: bribery, inde- It seems that in a world which feels the need
that this speedy style market, cency, robbery, discrimination and unfair to systemize and govern its own, those with
personal prejudices.
often referred to as “fast fash- Crash airs Fridays at 10 p.m. on Starz.
Twilight:
arrests. power never really escape from their own
ion,” has shook the industry and The show focuses upon issues of na-
brought the look of the moment Images courtesy of Starz
tional identity versus race and heritage. A However, Crash certainly isn't afraid to
BLUEBIRD
to the main street, with the col- Korean gang member-turned-paramedic,
laboration of leading designers.
The concept, which has been an
ongoing process of evolution, is to
Why the hype?
bring the glamour of highfashion
Airport Shuttle & Car Service
down to affordable and accessible
levels. That was the idea when
couture houses produced ready-
to-wear back in the 1960s and
Western Mass Bradley Airport Boston/Logan
when Giorgio Armani led the
J.F.K Airport Including Manhattan
fashion world by starting a sec-
Cruise Docks & Area Colleges
BY KIM BOYD ’10 bly one-dimensional and the
Telephone: (413) 221-4512
ond Emporio Armani line in 1984. CONTRIBUTING WRITER two protagonists both fail the
But designer diffusion into
By now you've probably Mary-Sue litmus test in a
department stores must be attrib-
www.bluebirdairporttransportation.com
heard or seen the hype sur- truly spectacular fashion.
uted to Karl Lagerfeld. Four years
rounding Twilight. From The more rational of Twi-
ago H&M offered a limited range
crazed teenage girls to the light's fans have mentioned
of Lagerfeld clothes in chosen
Chapin to showcase
most recent Entertainment that it's the story of the rela-
outlets for both women and men.
Weekly cover story, everyone tionship which drives the
Only two days after having sup-
seems to be obsessed with novel. But one can easily
plied its outlets, H&M announced
Faculty Dance Concert
this series. Even on the check off the boxes in the
that almost all the clothes were
Mount Holyoke Confessional, “Are you in an abusive rela-
sold out.
people post about their desire tionship?” survey. Edward
Since then designers from
to find Edward Cullen. stalks Bella and watches her
Roberto Cavalli to Viktor & Rolf
On Nov. 21, the movie while she's sleeping. His love
have followed suit, marking a
Twilight, based on the best- for her seems entirely based
seismic cultural shift and creat-
selling teen book, will be re- on the fact that he desires to
ing lines of eager shoppers in cap- cased include a contemporary bal-
leased onto the world. For eat her.
ital cities across the globe. BY SOPHIE JASINSKI ’12 let piece choreographed by Associ-
those who aren't in the know, The movie stands to cre- CONTRIBUTING WRITER
As an avid shopper myself, I ate Professor of Dance Rose Marie
Twilight is Stephanie Meyer's ate even more fans of this ab-
am aware of the growing in-vogue Each year, the annual Mount Flachs, an African dance piece cho-
first book in the series that surd phenomenon. People
insatiability; we want to be able to Holyoke Fall Faculty Dance Con- reographed by Five College lec-
has for some reason con- ranging from teenagers to
buy the things celebrities are cert allows dance professors and turer Marilyn Sylla and “Bones,” a
quered the globe. their mothers are rabid for
wearing or buy the trends that majors to showcase their talents. modern improvisation piece staged
Meyer's novel is the badly this series; Twilight has in-
we've seen from the catwalk as This year a variety of faculty cho- by guest artist Cynthia McLaugh-
written story of her Mary-Sue spired an 80s style mall tour
quickly as possible. Luckily, the reographers, including Rose lin.
“heroine” Bella, who is a mor- that injured people in San
fast fashion market caters to this Marie Flachs, Terese Freeman, One of the most anticipated
tal, and her Gary-Stu “hero” Francisco. The hype for this
type of consumer. Marilyn Sylla, Daniel Trenner, pieces is “Narcoleptic Lovers,” a
Edward, who is a vampire. It film has been so epic, that
A trend could be spotted on Cynthia McLaughlin and Fritha Doug Elkins piece that has been
tells the story of their creepy once Warner Bros. pushed
the runways or on the streets, be Pengelly are showing their pieces. restaged by visiting Assistant Pro-
and borderline abusive rela- back the latest Harry Potter
picked up by these retailers, and The construction at Kendall fessor Fritha Pengelly. It is a series
tionship. A Mary-Sue or movie, Twilight distributors
then be on the backs of shoppers has moved the concert to Chapin of dream-like scenarios that depict
Gary-Stu is a fictional charac- jumped at the opportunity to
in a fortnight. Auditorium, which presents new the theme of love. “I’m really ex-
ter who has no flaws that the release the film in its place.
It's an endless cycle from challenges for choreographers. cited to see the Doug Elkins piece
author tries to force the This was something that
runway to retail to shopper. And Since the concert will be in Chapin, ‘Narcoleptic Lovers,’” said Maldo.
reader to love. Bella is a text- many diehard Twilight fans
the speed in between has just got- it will be performed “backwards, “I love how energetic and different
book case. proclaimed to be a victory for
ten faster and faster, spinning at meaning the audience will be on the piece is and how it incorporates
But why is Twilight pop- them and dear Edward.
a rate that can make you dizzy. stage and the dancers will be on Capoeira [into the concert] be-
ular? The story is an old one, Maybe it's just because I
But if you want to be in fashion, the floor,” explained Brittany cause it is not considered to be a
spit out in everything from don't get it, or maybe it's be-
you better Maldo ’11. traditional dance form.” This piece
Dracula to Buffy. The novel cause there simply is nothing
buckle The audience should expect a is being performed by the Five Col-
itself is horrible. The prose is to get, but somehow bad writ-
up. variety of pieces, such as a modern lege Dance Program.
more purple than Bella's ing and a bad story have
somehow united in the void piece choreographed by Terese
knees must be after she
left by Harry Potter to form Freedman, which “involves eight The Faculty Dance Concert is
walks anywhere (her one
this fandom of mush. Hope- dancers using their own vocals to Nov. 13, 14 and 15 at 8:00 p.m. Tick-
fault is that she's clumsy in
fully it is just a fad and will go create a sound score,” said Jacque- ets are free, but reservations are
hilarious plot point ways).
away. Soon. line Adams ’12. recommended.
The characters are all horri-
Graphic by Katie Frick
Other pieces that will be show-

2. Ira Glass on New York City, drug
November 13, 2008 G
Mount Holyoke News A&E 7
experimentation and This American Life
ond season we won awards for directing. We are talking to
Ira Glass: Chicago and New York City…one of the things the network about whether or not we’ll come back with
that I hadn’t expected about New York City is that you can the series or just do some special or something. It’s very
get any kind of food from any of the countries of this world hard to do both a weekly radio series and a television se-
delivered to your home at any hour, day or night. I don’t ries.
think there’s any place else like that in the U.S., it’s just a
luxury that’s really unbeatable. And the other difference MHN: So, my last question is something that other people
between the two is that in New York you never get to drive wanted me to ask. What is your favorite food?
a car, which I miss very much. I know that’s not the most
green-friendly thing to say, but I really miss driving. A car IG: Let me think for a second. I have things I eat all the
is where, really, I think, you get the best radio listening. time but I don’t know about a favorite food...thinking,
And so for someone like me who thinks about the radio thinking…In my mid-thirties I went through a drug exper-
and is on the radio and listens to the radio, its weird not to imentation phase, because I never did drugs when I was in
listen to radio in a car, which I feel like is the natural set- high school or college, and I thought to myself ‘I should
ting for it. try drugs!’ So during that phase, I was high with my friend
Patty, who was even older than me. So we were high, and
MHN: So where do you listen to the radio now? she said to me, ‘What’s your favorite color?’ And I said
‘well wait, are we supposed to still have a favorite color?
IG: Now just in podcasts. So I don’t hear real-time radio. I Weren’t we supposed to give that up when we were nine?’
miss out on the randomness of real radio. And she says ‘No, no no! You’re supposed to have a fa-
vorite color! Mine’s blue!’ I don’t have a favorite color any
MHN: Were there any surprises in working on the TV more, I like all the colors. Each color has their own partic-
BY ANNIKA YATES ’11
A&E CO-EDITOR
show? ular strength for certain situations, I can’t choose one to
be my number one, I have to say, I feel that way about the
Ira Glass is the host of Chicago Public Radio’s This IG: It was really hard to do. I knew it would be hard to do, foods of the world as well. Truthfully, I often wonder what
American Life, a show that paints a weekly portrait of life but I didn’t know in what way it would be hard to do. Writ- would have happened if I had smoked pot in college. I re-
in America through interviews, recordings, essays, mem- ing for radio and writing for television are very different ally just didn’t understand what that was all about, I had
oirs and short fiction. It is one of the most widely distrib- things. One has to be briefer on television. And the words no idea. I was a kinda nerdy teenager. I think I would have
uted public radio shows and one of the most subscribed to work differently. It’s almost like on radio, the writing is ended up in a place better than I did. I think I would have
podcasts. Just like Ira Glass interviews people every week, the scaffolding that holds the whole show together but in been a little more easygoing in a way that wouldn’t have
I called him up to ask a few questions. What resulted was television the writing just one production element among been harmful. For myself, I think that loosening up would
an interview that showed how human Glass is, just like many that creates a feeling for people. have been useful at a younger age.
the show he produces.
MHN: So do you think you will continue with the This Ira Glass is appearing at the Calvin Theater in Northampton
MH News: So you recently moved from Chicago to New American Life TV show? on Saturday Nov. 15. The complete interview with Ira Glass
York City to start creating the This American Life TV se- is available online at www.themhnews.com.
ries. What was the biggest change in that move for you? IG: Well, we finished two seasons and at the end of the sec-