At 44 1/2, Creative Time’s presentation of video art on MTV’s outdoor, gilded screen located in the heart of New York City’s Times Square, will showcase the work of legendary artist Bruce Conner (1933-2008) in a mini-retrospective from February 1-28, 2010. Bruce Conner has influenced generations of artists, and his oeuvre spans more than 50 years. Creative Time will present three of his film works At 44 1/2 from the early years of his output to the year of his death: TEN SECOND FILM (1965), CROSSROADS (1976), and EASTER MORNING (2008). “For years we have dreamt of showing the films of Bruce Conner,” said Anne Pasternak, president and artistic director of Creative Time, “an artist who has been enormously influential to so many other artists and whose videos have done so much to shape video art, independent film, and music videos as we know it. And what could be a more interesting place to show a short survey of his emotionally charged and visually stunning works than in the heart of popular culture, Times Square?” TEN SECOND FILM 1965, 16mm, b&w/silent, 10 seconds Bruce Conner’s TEN SECOND FILM was commissioned by the 1965 New York Film Festival, and Conner intended for it to act as a television commercial and a prelude for the film programs in the theater. It is comprised of just ten film strips, each 24 frames long, of “countdown leader”—the universal cinematic signifier that announces the imminent start of a film, causing a hush to fall across the audience as it tics off the final, suspenseful seconds. With his agile re-editing, Conner manages to heighten the energy and exhilaration of this now-obsolete convention. This fervency was lost on the festival, however, which rejected the film for being “too fast.” It seems only fitting that TEN SECOND FILM ushers in this series of Conner’s work, shown on a screen of cinematic proportions amongst the breakneck speed of Times Square. CROSSROADS 1976, 35mm, b&w/sound, 36 minutes Original music by Patrick Gleeson and Terry Riley On July 25, 1946, “Operation Crossroads” detonated Baker, the first underwater atomic bomb test, 90 feet under Bikini Atoll. The bomb forever altered the course of human events and it yielded a horrific vision of the apocalypse documented by 500 cameras on ships, on land, and in the air. Conner’s editing and composition of 27 individual shots from declassified U.S. Government footage of this event from the National Archives transforms nuclear holocaust into hypnotic abstraction, rendering a real-world tragedy amidst the corporate pitch of Times Square. EASTER MORNING 2008, 8mm/Digital, color/sound, 10 minutes Music: “In C” by Terry Riley Departing from an inimitable film repertoire of tour-de-force editing technique, visual comedy, and apocalyptic themes, avant-garde master Bruce Conner envisioned EASTER MORNING (2008)—a metaphysical quest for renewal beyond the natural and ephemeral worlds—to be his last finished masterpiece. Keeping with his ritualistic reworking and re- imagining of his films, the image source originates from the 8mm Kodachrome footage of EASTER MORNING RAGA (1966), expanded in duration, gauge, and frame rate to devise an effect of visual transcendence. EASTER MORNING celebrates Conner’s reverence for experiential cinema, aleatoric sound, and discoveries within the realm of the spirit. EASTER MORNING will be screened At 44 1/2 concurrently in a solo show of Conner’s work at Susan Inglett Gallery, NY, opening January 28. Creative Time kicked off At 44 1/2 with the overwhelmingly successful presentation of Shallow by Malcolm McLaren in June 2008, and was followed by selections from Mark Tribe’s Port Huron Project; early work by the legendary Gilbert & George; a series curated by artist Marilyn Minter; the work of acclaimed artist Steve McQueen; and two series by young artists. The larger than life, high definition 44 1/2 screen is located on Broadway between 44th and 45th Streets, directly across the street from MTV’s offices and studio. At 44 1/2 is part of Creative Time’s long history of presenting public art in Times Square. Bruce Conner (1933-2008) was born in Kansas but spent most of his active career in San Francisco, California. Conner worked in multiple mediums and often combined collage, prints, tapestries, and film in a single piece. He was one of the first to fuse popular music and video and collaborated in his later career with several musicians including Terry Riley and David Byrne. He often incorporated found footage into his films as a way of dealing with media and its effects on culture and society as a subject.

source-http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=35782

Netflix announced that it will treat America to a free and commercially uninterrupted online screening of the newly restored 1939 classic, “The Wizard of Oz,” on Saturday, October 3, 2009. The film, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year and to be reissued later this month by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group, can be instantly streamed for free for 24 hours, from 9:00 a.m. Eastern Time on Saturday, October 3 to 9:00 a.m. Eastern the following day, by visiting www.netflix.com/wizardofoz.

While anyone in America can instantly watch “The Wizard of Oz” online on a computer on October 3, Netflix members on an unlimited plan will be able to instantly watch “The Wizard of Oz” in hi-definition on their TVs via a range of Netflix ready devices. Those devices include Netflix ready Blu-ray disc players and new Internet TVs from LG Electronics; Blu-ray disc players from Samsung; the Roku digital video player; Microsoft’s Xbox 360 game console; and TiVo digital video recorders.

To celebrate the iconic film’s return to the spotlight, Netflix also announced it will host a free live concert and movie screening on Tuesday, September 29 in New York’s Central Park. The concert will feature contemporary interpretations of classic songs from the “The Wizard of Oz” by the Academy Award®-winning actress and Grammy® Award-winning singer Jennifer Hudson and two-time American Country Music® Award and two-time “Dancing with the Stars” winner Julianne Hough. The show is being directed by and will also feature The Roots’ Grammy Award-winning drummer and record producer Ahmir “?uestlove” Thompson and a band assembled especially for the show. Following the concert, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. at Central Park’s Rumsey Playfield, the movie will be shown on a giant inflatable screen.

Earlier that day, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will issue the digitally re-mastered “The Wizard of Oz” on Blu-ray, DVD, On Demand and Digital Download. And, to celebrate the film’s first time in the Blu-ray format, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group will issue “The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition.” With six times higher resolution than standard DVD, along with the sonic excellence of Dolby TruHD, the film will be at its pristine best, marking an historic benchmark in the Blu-ray format. The limited and numbered “Ultimate Collector’s Editions” will feature 16 hours of bonus features, four hours of which have never been available before now. Every package will bear a silver label containing a specific numbered version; once these packages are sold out, they will never again be available to consumers. Instantly watching movies and TV episodes streamed from Netflix has become an increasingly popular way for members to enjoy the service. With an unlimited membership, Netflix members can instantly watch unlimited movies and TV episodes streamed to their TVs and computers and can receive unlimited DVDs delivered quickly to their homes. Members can choose from over 17,000 movies and TV episodes that can be watched instantly and over 100,000 titles on DVD and a growing number on Blu-ray.

The instant streaming of “The Wizard of Oz” over the Internet on October 3 is being powered by Microsoft Silverlight™, a web browser plug-in that works with Windows and Mac operating systems, as well as all major browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Internet Explorer. Silverlight installs in less than 10 seconds for new users, without requiring a system restart. When viewers click the “Play” button, “The Wizard of Oz” will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds. Viewers will also have the option of fast-forwarding, rewinding and pausing the video stream.

“Making a movie of this stature available for free over the Internet on an uninterrupted basis is a first,” said Ted Sarandos, chief content officer for Netflix. “At the same time, it’s a great opportunity for people to get a taste of what instantly watching movies streamed from Netflix is all about. We’re thrilled to be able to do this on both scores.”

Warner Bros. Entertainment has for the past year been celebrating the 70th anniversary of this iconic film with a slate of spectacular festivities spanning the globe. Events included exhibitions of “The Ruby Slipper Collection,” consisting of 20 noted designers re-imagining Dorothy’s famous ruby slippers for modern times, as well as “The Inspirations of Oz” collection of fine art, featuring one-of-a-kind interpretive works by acclaimed artisans.

Source-http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Jennifer_Hudson_to_Headline_Free_Outdoor_Concert_and_Screening_of_

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New York City has gone crazy for Outdoor Movies recently, mostly because there is something that is really great about hanging out with family and friends while watching a film outside.

Outdoor Movies are also the best way for grown ups to go see kid movies because you can just enjoy being out on a nice summer evening even if you aren’t that into the movie. And, depending on your kids, it can be a great way to get out to see a grown up movie without spending the college savings on a sitter, as many kids will enjoy the classic films frequently shown or will just enjoy being out at night enough to sit (or sleep) through it.  Films begin at dusk which is generally at around 8:30 and many of these series include other entertainment.

Here’s a rundown of the best free outdoor movies for kids in NYC this summer:

RiverFlicks in the Hudson River Park is the only kid-only film series. Shown at Pier 45 on Fridays, the 2008 series will be The Wizard of Oz, Bee Movie, E.T., The Iron Giant, The Goonies, the original Willie Wonka and Shrek. Grown-up movies are shown on Wednesdays at Pier 54 and a few, such as La Bamba, Almost Famous and The Blues Brothers could be fun for older kids.

Bryant Park Film Festival shows classic films that many kids will at least tolerate if not enjoy. Not all of them are appropriate, but kids might like The Bride of Frankenstein and Superman. You can buy a picnic dinner at kiosks and the park is a wireless hotspot to help pass the time while reserving your spot. Films are free every Monday starting June 16th.

Movies with a View, at the Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park under the Brooklyn Bridge, has a few family pics this summer including Stand By Me and Wallace and Gromit: Curse Of The Were Rabbit and some big no-nos like The Shining (I am still scared from having seen that movie way too young). The setting is lovely, there’s DJ music to entertain you while you wait for the movie to start and child-friendly food from RICE restaurant is available. Free films are on Thursdays in July and August. And this summer, the folks from Transportation Alternatives will provide free valet bike parking.

Celebrate Brooklyn at the Prospect Park Bandshell only has two films this summer, but they are accompanied by live dj and actors which will add an additional level of magic. The films this summer include Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon and Brave New World, neither of which are kid friendly though might be good for teenagers. The nice thing about this venue is that the screen is so large that you can sit back on the lawn behind the general audience and little kids can run around and play.

Movies Under the Stars – Hoboken are shown in that other Hudson River Park, Hoboken Pier A Park. If you’re coming from Manhattan just hop on the PATH train and watch recent films like Juno, Bee Movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Surf’s Up with Manhattan as your backdrop. Films are shown on Wednesdays beginning June 11th.

Movies Under the Stars – Riverside Park shows films on Wednesdays at Pier 1 in Riverside Park South (72nd St) in July and August. They are going for a political theme this year so they aren’t particularly kid-friendly but some of the good ones include The Candidate, Wag The Dog and Election.

Mamalu Friday Nights in Williamsburg begins at 6:30pm and you can expect to see a few shorts and lots of cartoons each night, right now they are showing selections from the Jackson Heights Kids Film Festival and will also be showing the Red Baloon, Beatrix Potter and other kid classics.  Call to find out what will be showing that evening.  What is unique about their film series is that they provide a drop-off service from 4-9pm where you can leave your children (ages 1-7) with a nanny for $15 an hour while you go out to a local restaurant (and they even offer 10% discount on a few restaurants in the neighborhood).  Drop-off service requires 24 hour advance notice and a two hour minimum.

Socrates Sculpture Park every Wed night starting on July 9th, this international film festival focuses on a different culture or country each week and includes regional cuisine from neighborhood restaurants and local musicians or dancers. The most kid-friendly evening is on Aug. 6 when they will show The Red Baloon and Persepolis but the entire line up sounds great and the addition of musicians and the awesome setting will make any night a kid-pleaser.

Movie night in Astoria Park – every Monday night starting July 7th, the line up includes several kid movies including Happy Feet, Mad Hot Ballroom, Ratatouille and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. And, because it is Astoria, they will also be showing My Big Fat Greek Wedding which is sure to draw a huge crowd.

SummerStarz McCarren Park every Wed. evening starting on July 11th in McCarren Park these evenings begin at 6 with a kids event like music, storytelling or arts and crafts which is followed at 7:30 with a band and then the movie which starts at dusk. August8th is kids night with Opus Ditty and the Hoedown Gang band and Happy Feet. Other films include The Last of the Mohicans, My Cousin Vinny, Lara Croft:Tomb Raider and Raiders of the Lost Arc.

Rooftop Films Shorts – While not free (tickets cost $9 or $6 online) and not necessarily or kids, this film festival which is hosted by IFC and runs every weekend from May 31 – September 27 will feature over 38 screenings of short and feature films throughout the city.  Subjects include the rougher side of rural life, the weirder side of work and your best bet for kids, a night of the best new animated short films from around the world on July 25th.  Venues include a roof in Gowanus, a roof in the Lower East Side, Automotive High in Williamsburg and Fort Green Park.

This Week’s issue of The New Yorker featured an Outdoor Movie event at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge in NYC! This is a really big deal for Outdoor Cinema, and shows how popular and widespread watching movies under the stars has become.

The cover art features a Fresh Air Flicks event, a longtime associate and customer of Open Air Cinema’s inflatable movie screens.

We spoke with Glen Sanders, the owner of Fresh Air Flicks, about how the New Yorker chose an outdoor cinema event for their cover.  He related that the artist who drew the cover, Adrian Tomine, simply came to an event and enjoyed his experience so much that he decided to pitch the idea to the magazine.  They loved the idea, and decided to put the image on the cover!

So go pick up a copy of the New Yorker, and enjoy your Open Air Cinema system wherever you are!