John Turturro on his Naples music doc Passione ... tour the new dino exhibit at the Natural History Museum ... Kidz Karmen at the Bowl ... The Man Harshes Good Vibe at SaMo Pier Concerts ... CyberFrequencies on Sexting ...
John Turturro's 'Passione' opens in L.A.
You've seen actor John Turturro in films like "Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?," "Transformers" and "Barton Fink." But did you know he's also a director? "Passione," his fourth film, is a musical exploration of the Italian city of Naples, and it opens in L.A. this weekend. He talked with Off-Ramp producer Kevin Ferguson.
“[Naples] is one of those places that really reminds me of New York City in the 70s,” Turturro said. “It can be a little dirty at times, but it’s really beautiful, it’s mysterious, it’s very sexy, and it’s really really alive. There’s an authenticity to it. And the people are really really expressive.”
“And music, it probably has the biggest jukebox in the world because it’s one of the oldest cities in the world. They have a tremendous classical culture and popular culture, and those two sides of the street exchanged ideas. It’s where the mandolin was built, and first guitars were built. What we think of as folk music, the guys who sing these ballads with a guitar, they were one of the cultures that invented that,” he said.
Turturro also touched on the differences between American and Italian response to the film:
“The only difference is that Italian audiences are familiar with the song. That’s it. The reactions are not that different. Italian audiences are maybe more willing to applaud during the movie,” Turturro said. “Music is a universal language; it’s everyone’s second language. I’ve loved plenty of music, I’ve loved the Buena Vista Social Club, I didn’t know what the songs were about. It’s like an arrow to your heart or your soul. People are surprised [after viewing the film], ‘Wow, I didn’t know that kind of music came from Naples or Italy,’ because they know the stereotype or the nostalgic version of it, which becomes a cliché. And you’ve got to destroy a cliché to get down to the genesis of that expression.”
Pier (Concert) Review - Or Hank Rosenfeld v The man
Off-Ramp correspondent Hank Rosenfeld loves the concerts at the Santa Monica Pier, but he's not sitting on a wooden bench on the pier, paying for booze. He's down on the beach with the masses.
Inside the Natural History Museum's new Dino Hall
Just this past weekend, the Natural History Museum opened up its newly revamped dinosaur hall, home to Sauropods, Triceratops, and three Tyrannosaurus Rex! Ilsa Setziol got a sneak peak at the exhibit while they were putting on finishing touches.
Charles Solomon on Dinosaur Drawing
Charles Solomon reviews "Tyrannosaurus Rex!" It's a DVD that that promises to fulfill the dreams of children everywhere: how to draw the perfect dinosaur.
Congresswoman Karen Bass remembers civil activist Lillian Mobley
South Los Angeles activist Lillian Mobley, who advocated for better education, transportation, healthcare and other public services for the community, has died. She was 81.
Her son Kenneth Mobley says his mother died Monday at Centinela Medical Center in Los Angeles from natural causes.
Mobley was part of a group that spearheaded the fight to bring a hospital to South Los Angeles residents after the 1965 Watts riot. The result was Martin Luther King Hospital, later known as Martin Luther King/Drew Medical Center.
Her son says Mobley also was instrumental in the opening of the Charles Drew Medical School, which opened doors for African-Americans and other minorities to train in the health care field.
Congresswoman Karen Bass, whose district stretches from Griffith Park to South L.A., remembers when she first met Mobley.
“If there was a matriarch or mother of Los Angeles activism, Lillian Mobley was certainly one of those Los Angeles mothers. And I think of her and Mary Henry and the work that they did together — you know going back as far as the 60s — especially and most notably in the establishment of Martin Luther King Hospital,” she told KPCC.
Funeral services will be held July 29 at Ward AME Church in Los Angeles.
CyberFrequencies on the science of sexting
In a decidedly risque CyberFrequencies: Queena Kim and Tanya Jo Miller report on sexting: the act of sending and receiving steamy text message or pictures. A few new studies have found that more and more couples are staying together--and that you might be able to credit that to sexting. Queena and Tanya talk to Marketplace Paddy Hirsch for insight.
Eat LA and Off-Ramp Relish America
In yet another installment of the Eat LA/Off-Ramp Collaboration, John Rabe goes to Vicente Foods in Brentwood with Eat LA contributor and LA Times food writer Jenn Garbee. This time, they try some of the best relishes in Los Angeles. Click through to find out where to try some Jenn's favorites!