Palm Pictures

International Reggae Day

2010-07-01T15:43:00.009-04:00

Who knew - in addition to July 1st being the first day of UV Safety Month, it is also International Reggae Day. Visit their site here for information on symposiums, classic clips, Twitter Trivia, and more. And enjoy your reggae the other 364 days!

Free Download - Baaba Maal "Miracle" (The Very Best remix)

2010-06-24T14:39:00.005-04:00

Listen below to the The Very Best remix of Baaba Maal's "Miracle", from Television. For a free download, go here.

Patti Smith's debut recording honored by Library of Congress

2010-06-23T11:38:00.003-04:00

No surprise to her fans: Patti Smith's debut recording "Horses" has been added to the select list of important recordings in The National Recording Registry. With classics like "Birdland" and "Redondo Beach", as well as her own take on classics like "Gloria", the recording introduced to the world the power, punk, and poetry of this music pioneer.

Congratulations Patti. . .visit here for more information

Baaba Maal 2010 US Tour

2010-03-24T16:07:00.005-04:00

Fans from LA to NY (and many points in between), get ready - Baaba Maal and his band are on tour!! With the first stop April 2nd in Toronto, and big shows in LA (Royce Hall), DC (LIsner Auditorium), and New York City (Fillmore East), Baaba will be bringing the soul of Senegal to America for his first full tour in years. And for you fans in the South - Baaba will be appearing this year at JazzFest in New Orleans

Visit Baaba's site to see if your city is on his itinerary.

Patti Smith = STYLE!

2010-03-22T16:46:00.006-04:00

Patti Smith and her. . .sense of Style? The NY Times talks to the punk-rock icon about her image and, yes, that sense of style that has defined punk goddesses for decades. Candy Slice anyone?

Patti Smith: A Rare Spirit, a Rarer Eye

Newton on The Iditarod!

2010-03-08T16:46:00.004-05:00

Newton Marshall, musher-supreme and star of the Jamaican documentary Sun Dogs, has taken on the ultimate dogsled adventure - THE IDITAROD. Having mastered the sport while working with pound dogs in Jamaica (as documented in the film), Newton is now on his greatest adventure on the thousand mile plus trek across Alaska.

UPDATE: Newton Marshall completed his first Iditarod. Congratulations mon!!!!

Amoeba online supports Haitian relief

2010-02-04T14:45:00.003-05:00

Amoeba Hollywood is running a one month online program, where they will make a donation to Doctors Without Borders for every sale of select titles. One of the choice titles is the new Blu-ray edition of Stop Making Sense. So go to Amoeba.com, buy the classic Talking Heads movie, and support Amoeba's effort.

SIDESTEPPER IS BACK!

2010-02-03T18:10:00.004-05:00

Sidestepper, your favorite Colombian / World Beat band, is back with a new 7 piece live band and two shows on the West Coast. If you ever saw any of their legendary US performances (Coachella, Brooklyn's Prospect Park), you know it's a treat to have them back in the States. Check them out February 19th at The Independent (San Fran) and the 20th at the Luckman Theatre (Los Angeles). For more updates, visit their Facebook site.

Tribute to TOWNES VAN ZANDT wins a Grammy

2010-02-01T17:02:00.003-05:00

Steve Earle's heartfelt tribute to songwriter Townes Van Zandt, appropriately entitled TOWNES, has won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album.

You can find out more about this recording here and more about Townes here.

"Just Kids" - Patti Smith reflects on Robert Mapplethorpe

2010-01-19T11:07:00.004-05:00

This week Patti Smith celebrates the release of 'Just Kids', her book on her early years and life with Robert Mapplethorpe, her friend / confidant / roommate in the '70s. The NY Times reports, "'Just Kids' carries its author to the verge of fame. . .becoming pregnant at 19 and heading to New York for a fresh start. . .(a) tenderly evocative memoir."

Read the full The New York Times Review

FREE MUSIC FROM PALM!!

2010-01-12T13:02:00.003-05:00

In association with Amazon, Palm proudly announces the release of "THE PALM SAMPLER", a free full-length download featuring tracks from some of your favorite Palm artists. From the world beat rhythms of BAABA MAAL and SIDESTEPPER to indie rock favorites EARLIMART and MOVING UNITS, the Palm Sampler give you 10 choice cuts as an introduction to our catalog.

Go HERE to check it out!

Baaba Maal "Best of 2009" - Nat Geo Music

2010-01-06T12:21:00.004-05:00

Among the many accolades given to Baaba Maal's latest CD "Television", National Geographic has chosen it one of the best new discs of 2009. Calling it "a complex, heady album that gets more rewarding with each listen," Nat Geo Music celebrates "Television" as a highlight in a great year for international music.

See the full list at National Geographic's site here

Patti Smith DREAM OF LIFE on PBS

2009-12-21T15:55:00.002-05:00

On December 30th , Patti Smith's 63rd Birthday, the documentary DREAM OF LIFE will be making its on-air broadcast premeire as part of the PBS series POV.

Check your local listings to confirm and for rebroadcast times. Meanwhile, today's NY Times has a feature article on the upcoming Patti Smith celebration (including her annual end-of-year concerts at the Bowery Ballroom and a new gallery exhibit (with director Steven Seibring) in the new year.

A Legend as Muse: Patti Smith Fills Role, The New York Times, December 20, 2009

Jonathan Demme directs for theater

2009-11-05T11:27:00.004-05:00

Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs, Stop Making Sense) will be directing his first play in NYC this spring:

Apr 7-May 23, 2010
Family Week
by Beth Henley

A year after the death of her son, Claire checks into a recovery center in the desert, searching for a way to cope. When her mother, daughter and sister arrive to participate in "family week," long-dormant traumas collide with recent tragedies in surprisingly comical, shocking and deeply moving ways. United in this family struggle, the women rage and reach out in an effort to reconcile their love with the way things are. Making his theatrical debut, Academy Award-winning director Jonathan Demme (Silence of the Lambs) collaborates with Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Beth Henley (Crimes of the Heart) on a new version of this bitterly funny play. Acclaimed actresses Rosemarie DeWitt (Rachel Getting Married) and Sarah Jones (Tony Award-winner for Bridge and Tunnel) will join the cast.

"With Jonathan Demme in charge, there’s a guarantee of taste and skill.” -New Yorker

For more information, go to MCC Theater

Baaba Maal completes promo tour at Joe's Pub

2009-10-22T17:29:00.008-04:00

Baaba Maal completed a whirlwind visit to the US (Los Angeles, Chicago, and New York), culminating in a sold-out show at Joe's Pub on Saturday October 17th. Billed as IN CONVERSATION WITH BAABA MAAL, the show featured a dialogue between Baaba and MTV's Bill Flanagan, followed by a short acoustic set by Baaba and guitarist Barry Reynolds. Other shows included the UCLA campus and the Chicago Cultural Center, plus live radio appearances on World Cafe and WNYC Soundcheck. [Photos by Kevin Yatarola]

Look for Baaba's return in April for a full tour with band!

Talking Heads STOP MAKING SENSE on BLU RAY TODAY!!!

2009-10-13T11:02:00.002-04:00

Get Your Copy Today!

Stop Making Sense Blu-Ray featured in LA Times: 'Pop & Hiss'

2009-10-06T12:46:00.001-04:00

Read the full entry here

Bicycle Diaries

2009-10-05T12:50:00.006-04:00

Bicycle Diaries

Bicycle Diaries – the title may be an ironic echo of Che Guevara's The Motorcycle Diaries; who knows? – is a deceptively straightforward book, an impressionistic glimpse of some of the cities that Byrne has explored on his pushbike. As anyone familiar with David Byrne's oeuvre might expect, it is not really a book about cycling per se, more a book in which cycling is, if you'll pardon the pun, the cog for Byrne's thoughts about architecture, music, art, travel, politics, religion, kitsch, decay and – a recurring theme – our "quality of life". [cont'd]
source: The Guardian UK

Look for it in bookstores near you!

I Salute You Brother

2009-09-14T10:53:00.007-04:00

Jim Carroll - poet & punk icon - died on Friday, leaving behind classic songs ("People Who Died", "Catholic Boy") and a rich written legacy, including the classic novel "The Basketball Diaries".

You can read his obituary from The New York Times.

Patti Smith reminiscence about her friend Jim Carroll in an exclusive interview on the PBS Newshour with Jim Lehrer. . .listen online here.

Toronto International Film Festival 2009

2009-09-04T12:55:00.004-04:00

September 10-19 2009

This year’s Toronto International Film Festival (Sept. 10-19) will show 271 feature films and 64 short subjects, most of them premieres, at more than a dozen theaters and multiplexes all over the city.

One Program in Yonge and Dundas Square is the free TIFF Live in Concert series, featuring a terrific batch of music-related films including “The Harder They Come,” “Don’t Look Back,” “The Last Waltz,” “Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man,” “Monterey Pop,” “Woodstock,” “Stop Making Sense,” and more...

source: morningsun.net

Spike Jonze, MoMA & the Wilds Things

2009-09-03T14:44:00.007-04:00

The Museum of Modern Art has announced the first-ever exhibition to focus on Spike Jonze, "celebrating his work as a director, producer, cinematographer, writer, actor, choreographer, and sometime stuntman." I love the title of the exhibition, Spike Jonze: The First 80 Years. Apparently Jonze came up with the wry title for the early mid-career retrospective title himself. The exhibition runs October 8th through 18th, 2009, in The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters. The exhibition covers Jonze's entire filmmaking and television career. Included are Jonze's first two feature films, Being John Malkovich (1999), for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Director, and Adaptation (2002), as well as two films that he co-produced: Jackass: The Movie (2002), based on the popular MTV show he helped create, and the documentary Heavy Metal in Baghdad (2008).
source: Brooklyn Vegan

Peep the trailer for his latest release
Where the Wild Things Are

Baaba Maal - TELEVISION

2009-09-01T15:58:00.004-04:00

available NOW on iTunes

Rolling Stones Exclusive Clip!

2009-08-28T11:09:00.003-04:00

Rolling Stone.com has posted an EXCLUSIVE clip from the 1999 Talking Heads Reunite Press Conference! Click the logo above to watch the clip.
Stop Making Sense is out on Blu Ray October 13th, 2009

by the way...

Isn't this t-shirt awesome!

Man Man & The Phenomenal Handclap Band open for Brazillian Girls!!!

2009-08-19T14:55:00.004-04:00

Brazilian Girls (featured on Baaba Maal's new album TELEVISION out this Tuesday 8/25/09) will be hitting the stage October 2nd at the Beach at Governor's Island.

For more information and tickets, click here :)

enjoy!

Playing the Building: An Installation by David Byrne

2009-08-13T14:43:00.005-04:00

If you're in London August 8th - August 31st check out the ROADHOUSE where David Byrne (co-founder of Talking Heads) has turned the 160 year old building into an instrument!

Here's footage from the 2008 NYC installation courtesy of BoingBoingTV Enjoy!

New short film directed by Jonathan Glazer

2009-08-12T14:41:00.006-04:00

The Dead Weather have called on Jonathan Glazer to direct their new short film "Treat Me Like Your Mother" Check it out!

Directing music videos for Radiohead, Massive Attack, Richard Ashcroft & Jamiroquai to name a few, Glazer's debut film, SEXY BEAST, starring Sir Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone was nominated for Academy Award® Best Supporting Actor, Independent Spirit Awards®: Best Foreign Film, BAFTA®: Best British Film, & Golden Globe Awards: Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture.

Check out Jonathan's video roster on the Director's Label

Patti Smith at the MoMa NYC

2009-07-28T12:36:00.005-04:00

Deciding to maximize on the Target Free Friday's at New York's Museum of Modern Art, we came across the LOOKING AT MUSIC: SIDE 2 exhibit.
A very cool collection of albums, artwork, posters, journals and other über cool things that'll make you glad you were born in the 70s (or wish you were)
Featured artist include:
Laurie Anderson
Beth B
Judith Barry/Richard Kern
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Ericka Beckman
Blondie
Coleen Fitzgibbon
Bob Gruen
Richard Hell and The Voidoids
James Nares
Glenn O’Brien
The Ramones
Patti Smith
Sonic Youth
Suicide
Talking Heads
Television

"This exhibition looks at the far-reaching and interconnected influence of artists and their musical and literary aspirations in the 1970s and early 1980s. It features photographers and magazines that assiduously documented the crossover between the music and art scenes of the time and highlights the harbingers of a new era of No Wave, hip-hop, house, and garage bands. These groups and activities coalesced at a time when New York, despite financial struggles, was an incubator of innovation. This time of phenomenal successes for a few artists and musicians marked the transition into a new, more commercial decade." - MoMa site

A must-see for anyone whose a fan of Punk, the exhibition is on until November 30th.
enjoy!
-corren

Weekly Popcast: Discovery, Gerald Clayton and Baaba Maal

2009-07-23T18:35:00.003-04:00

Baaba Maal performs a song from his new album, “Television,” and talks to Ben Sisario in our studio.
Click here to listen

Enjoy!

Baaba Maal - Electric Lady Studios NYC

2009-07-21T16:32:00.012-04:00

With the highly anticipated release of Baaba Maal's latest album TELEVISION - first studio release in over 5 years & due out in the US August 25th - members of the press were privy to a private performance at the historic Electric Lady Studios in the West Village, recording home of Jimi Hendrix.

footage: n.corren conway
photos: kevin yatarola

Baaba Maal, Barry Reynolds, Jim Palmer, and Matumbu

Mandela Day Celebrations - July 18, 2009

2009-06-30T17:12:00.008-04:00

Details are emerging on the first "Mandela Day" events, celebrating the birthday of Nelson Mandela. This year events will center in New York City, with a week-long series of tributes and events, culminating in a birthcy celebration concert a Radio City Music Hall. Artists performing in this unique event range from Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder to African superstars Angelique Kidjo and Baaba Maal.

More details on the event can be found on the Mandela Day website.

Michel Gondry's latest is a documentary

2009-05-26T16:31:00.005-04:00

Michel Gondry, whose stellar film work ranges from music videos to features, has found a home for his latest work, a documentary about his aunt, entitled "L'epines dans le couer" ("A Thorn in the Heart"). Recently screened at Cannes, the film will be released by Oscilloscope (the video imprint run by those Beastie Boys).

Much of Michel's early work - biographical as well as music-related - can be found on his epic Directors Label DVD, available here.

Directors Label Directors Jonathan Glazer and Anton Corbijn get new assignments. . .

2009-05-21T10:40:00.004-04:00

Director Jonathan Glazer has been linked to a new project, based on the novel "Under The Skin". Check out the news on the MTV Movie Blog.

Also from Cannes: Anton Corbijn has been announced as director of a new feature starting George Clooney. Details from Variety.

Baaba Maal: NEW ALBUM PREVIEW ON CNN INTERNATIONAL!!!

2009-05-13T16:54:00.008-04:00

Baaba Maal will be featured on the latest edition of CNN International's African Voices. Included will be the world exclusive premiere of the video "Television", as well as Baaba's reminicenses on his musical upbringing and his thoughts on Africa's future.

You can watch the first segment of the half hour interview below, or visit the African Voices webpage for links to the complete show.

Steve Earle's Tribute to Townes Van Zandt

2009-05-07T11:44:00.004-04:00

On May 12th, Steve Earle will release his latest CD, "Townes", a tribute to his mentor and friend Townes Van Zandt. Intimately recorded in Steve's living room (and polished off in the studio), "Townes" is a collection of TVZ's songs that mark both a tribute to Townes' majestic songwriting and Earle's masterful way with a song.

Steve's CD will be available at all the usual suspects; for more about Townes, check out Margaret Brown's intimate documentary Be Here to Love Me.

Nelson Mandela makes suprise appearance

2009-04-29T11:37:00.005-04:00

Nelson Mandela made a unexpected appearance last week at the ANC conference, to support Zuma's candidacy. See it now on youtube.com:

Patti Smith in Asbury Park - Photos

2009-03-31T13:27:00.003-04:00

On Sunday, Patti Smith wowed the crowd with an intimate acoustic performance after the screening of Steven Sebring's DREAM OF LIFE documentary. Here are some shots, courtesy David Verdini.

Special Thanks to the Asbury Park Film Initiative!

Patti Smith DREAM OF LIFE screening in Asbury Park

2009-03-23T12:20:00.004-04:00

Patti Smith: DREAM OF LIFE, the feature-length documentary on this music icon, will have a special screening at the home of Jersey Rock, Asbury Park. The showing will be on SUNDAY MARCH 29th 3:00PM at THE PARAMOUNT THEATRE and will feature a post-screening Q&A with Director Steven Sebring and the legend herself Patti Smith. An event not to be missed!

IDRIS ELBA ON "THE OFFICE"

2009-03-19T10:57:00.004-04:00

You know him from "The Wire"; you may have seen him on stage or DJing in New York; now, Idris Elba joins "The Office" in a reoccuring role as Michael's boss. Listen to his interview with Terry Gross on Fresh Air.

And of course you can see him in a different role, in the cult-classic UK vampire TV series Ultraviolet.

"Ugly Betty" Enters the MoWo

2009-02-17T13:24:00.004-05:00

Enjoy Ugly Betty even more. . .this week's episode will feature the track "Tres Tres Chic" from Mocean Worker's disc Aural & Hearty, a classic of hip/loungy/jazzy bachelor pad vibe, and previously featured in the film The Devil Wears Prada. Oh so chic!

Of course, this track is available from our friends at iTunes.

Celebrating "Island 50" in 2009

2009-02-02T14:21:00.003-05:00

This year marks the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of Island Records. Formed in 1959 by industry legend Chris Blackwell, Island Record has served as the home for some of the most famous (and infamous) artists of the 20th Century: from Bob Marley to U2, Amy Winehouse to Melissa Ethridge, Nick Drake to Grace Jones and beyond.

Follow the events on the Island 50 website.

The Music World Mourns the Passing of John Martyn

2009-01-29T14:25:00.004-05:00

Legendary guitarist/singer John Martyn passed away today at the age of 60.

An early non-Reggae signing to Chris Blackwell's Island Records, John Martyn had for over 40 years combined virtuosic guitarplaying and epic songwriting, influencing generations of musicians. From befriending icon Nick Drake to penning songs covered by everyone from Eric Clapton to Beck, Martyn's influence is wide and deep and lasting.

Visit John's site to learn more.

(photo: Kevin Yatarola/Joe's Pub)

Klaus Nomi gets love from The New York Times

2009-01-28T10:59:00.008-05:00

Times fashion blogger Armand Limnander has documented what fans have always known - the influence of singer / artist / visionary Klaus Nomi is everywhere, even on the runway: "The Ghost of Klaus Nomi" (photo: Julie Jacobs)

2009 Sundance Winner Ondi Timoner!!

2009-01-26T10:45:00.003-05:00

Congratulations to Ondi Timoner for her latest Sundance award, US Documentary Grand Jury Price for We Live in Public.

In 2004, Ms. Timoner also won the Documentary Grand Jury Prize for her film following the exploits of Brian Jonestown Massacre and Dandy Warhols in Dig!

Nelson Mandela praises Barack Obama

2009-01-23T14:58:00.002-05:00

Nelson Mandela and the Obama Presidency

Patti Smith Indictment of George Bush

2009-01-16T13:45:00.004-05:00

In honor of George Bush's departure from the Oval Office: here is a live audio clip of Patti Smith in concert, with her unbias review of the Bush administration (this was the before the economy collapsed):

(from the documentary PATTI SMITH: DREAM OF LIFE)

Last chance for William Eggleston exhibit at the Whitney

2009-01-14T11:52:00.000-05:00

William Eggleston: Democratic Camera Photographs and Video 1961-2008, a major retrospective on the influencial and controversial photographer, is finishing its run at the Whitney Museum on January 25th. After the New York show, the exhibit will travel the US. Check the Palm website for updated tour information as it becomes available.

Patti Smith: Dream of Life DVD on sale tomorrow

2009-01-12T11:55:00.000-05:00

The Los Angeles Times says "Steven Sebring's PATTI SMITH: DREAM OF LIFE is A DREAM OF A MOVIE; gauzy, free-associative & reverberant." Special features include never-seen-before footage and a 16 page booklet with commentary from Patti Smith and Steven Sebring, as well as exclusive photography! Check out the Palm Store for a rockin’ discount or anywhere DVDs are (still) sold.

Back in Action. . .

2009-01-09T16:31:00.000-05:00

Thanks for visiting the revitalized Palm Blog. Going forward we hope to let you know about the latest happenings within our group: new projects, recent activities by our talented musicians and directors, random updates and contest notifications, and probably a few discoveries we want to share with you. We're glad you took the time to stop here, and we'll try to keep things tight and not ramble on.

Empire II at the Tribeca Film Festival

2008-05-05T13:03:00.000-04:00

So the Tribeca Film Festival officially ended last night. I went to a few screenings, and one of them was a special event screening of EMPIRE II by Amos Poe. The film is an homage to the city and Andy Warhol's original EMPIRE, an 8 hour film made in 1964 of the Empire State Building. Amos Poe's film is actually a year-long time lapse sequence shot entirely out of his apartment window in the West Village. He shot an average of 1 mini dv tape per day for an entire year and then this was sped up and compressed into a 3 hour long film.

The New York premiere at the Gershwin Hotel was actually part-screening and part-performance, featuring Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth, Matt Heyner, and Tom Surgal. Two fellow film students and I were there to film the event. It was an amazing performance that was improvised on the spot for the entire 3 hours of the film. It was fascinating how well the music synced up to the film and created incredible mood swings with the on screen changes in seasons, weather, and through various national holiday events as a backdrop to the Empire State Building.

Here are some screen caps of the show from our cameras. We also recorded the performance, so we'll soon have the cut of the eventful night!

Shortbus

2008-05-03T23:30:00.000-04:00

While I have never been to a sex club, I hope that they are every bit as awesome as the one depicted in Shortbus. The uncensored trailer gives you a glimpse at the kind of scenes in this film by John Cameron Mitchell about a group of New York individuals who are completely detached from their own sexual being but they come together (in more ways than one) at Shortbus, an underground sex club.

The opening sequence starts the movie off with a bang and every subsequent scene driving the narrative seems to be as irritatingly anti-climatic as the central character Sofia's struggle to achieve an orgasm, manually or otherwise. But it is that very element that is so essential to the realistic portrayal of humans, society and sexuality. Oh and somewhere in all this greatness, there are multiple love stories, a musical and very good sex scenes.

Shortbus - Uncensored Trailer

Anita O'Day sings "Honeysuckle Rose."

2008-05-01T16:44:00.000-04:00

Anyone ever heard this song? It's an old Fats Waller jazz standard. My mom used to sing it to my dad during long drives, which really weirded me out; it's pretty erotically-charged.

Anita O'Day sure knows how to scat, though.

Griffin and Sabine

2008-04-29T16:21:00.000-04:00

So I got into these books at the Village Inn in Gambier Ohio, 7 years ago over some 2.65 gin and tonics. I got hooked. I bought them for my mom. I bought them for my girlfriend recently. Then I did a little research and found out that author Nick Bantock has published a new trilogy (OK, I'm six years late on that). The artwork is amazing, but the narrative is what hooks you.

Get into em, they're worth it.

"The Love Guru," Mike? ... Seriously?

2008-04-25T11:51:00.000-04:00

Great Scott this looks awful!

What happened to the funny Mike Myers? It almost makes me question whether or not "So I Married an Axe Murderer" and the "Wayne's World" flicks were actually any good. Maybe nostalgia has blinded me.

Not only does this film seem to debase and stereotype Hinduism as well as its practitioners, but it also appears to repeat all of the horrid problems of the Austin Powers sequels: repetitive gags, stupid cameos, and ridiculous product endorsements.

Let's see some new ideas, Mike!

New Portishead Coming on April 29th!

2008-04-25T11:44:00.000-04:00

Bristol trip-hop geniuses Portishead are releasing their long-anticipated third album, aptly entitled "Third," on April 29th, 2008! Check it out:

"Machine Gun" Music Video

Cedella Booker at Africa Unite

2008-04-25T11:40:00.000-04:00

This is a touching moment that I thought Bob Marley fans would appreciate. Bob Marley's mother, Cedella Booker reads a poem that she wrote for her son's 60th birthday at the Africa Unite concert in Ethiopia.

Cedella passed away on April 8th at the age of 81. She wrote two biographies of her son and recorded two albums. According to Jamaican Prime Minister Bruce Golding, "She was a star in her own right. Her life was one of hardship, struggle and eventual fulfillment and, through it all, she exuded hope, strength and confidence."

Free Tibet

2008-04-23T11:23:00.000-04:00

It's kind of crazy that the Free Tibet concert was 12 years ago. Out of sight, out of mind, I guess.

If Tibet had more (commercially) valuable resources or was occupied by a country other than China, would our government be more involved? In any event I dugg up some info here, which gives some background info about Tibet.

Not to be too overtly Palm-centric, but what got me thinking about the whole thing is the documentary we did on the event. There's live/interview footage of Bjork, The Beastie Boys, Cibo Matto, Smashing Pumpkins etc. At the time I was 16, and the concert was a huge deal. Of course I didn't have the money or follow through to actually go, which I regret.

Well, I dug up some youtubes of footage that didn't make the dvd, and you can see all the stuff that did by picking it up here.

Maira Kalman's Principles of Uncertainty

2008-04-18T16:14:00.000-04:00

Artist/designer/children's book author and illustrator/New Yorker contributor/etc Maira Kalman has been writing a column for the New York Times entitled "The Principles of Uncertainty."

Basically, it consists of various colorful sketches of often mundane, urban situations coupled with poetic and witty philosophizing.

Last year, a compilation of many of these pieces hit bookstores. You can find it here: "The Principals of Uncertainty"

The New York Times filmed Ms. Kalman discussing the project at an event: Maira Kalman Interview

Definitely check it out. I grew up reading her zany children's books. She's brilliant and probably motivated me to pursue art/writing at a very young age.

Os

2008-04-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

Hello! I was just on the craziest shoot ever- It was for an experimental short, "Os" directed by Jivko Darakchiev. This period piece is about what happens when a young boy visits a widow living alone in a small cabin in Southern France. I was Assistant Camera to DP JR Skola and it was one of the most intense jobs I've been on. Here's a list of elements that made the shoot memorable:

bonfire, bones one fire, stop motion animation, location owner with 5 dogs and 2 cats and a squirrel, plates shattering, wine glasses shattering, nudity, a live chicken, and 2160 eggs in a bathtub...

I'm sure there's more that I can't remember. I was there for 5 out of the 7 shooting days, the shoot finally wrapped on Saturday and we are now anxiously waiting to see the dailies. It's going to be amazing :)

Porky Pig's Got a Foul Mouth

2008-04-10T14:08:00.000-04:00

Few people realize just how much the old Warner Bros. cartoons pushed the envelope during the Pre-Hayes Code era. Dig this clip of Porky Pig (it's real!):

"Son of a B****"

Where The Wild Things Are(n't?)

2008-04-08T11:53:00.000-04:00

If you haven't been following the drama around the new Spike Jonze (Director's Label!) film, Where The Wild Things Are, you probably saved yourself some serious anxiety. And by serious I mean some of people are getting pretty worked up about this movie about a bunch of muppets.

The film, which features vocal performances by Forest Whitaker, Paul Dano, James Gandolfini and Catherine Keener, and a soundtrack by The Yeah Yeah Yeah's Karen O. + friends (ie Bradford Cox), has already been pushed back to 2009.

According to Slashfilm "Word in the hills is that Warner Bros is extremely unhappy with the finished product. Test screening audiences have complained that the film is too adult and even too scary for children."

Slashfilm also reports that the $75 Million feature may have to be completely reshot.

That's bad news for us, like anyone my age, I loved the book (and anything else Sendak related) and was excited to see what Dave Eggers and Jonze would come up with.

In any event, here's a bigger version of the still (courtesy of MTV) that Jonze alleges was a vfx test, and a shot (courtesy of ego-rapper Kanye West) of one of the little muppets in Jim Henson's workshop.

Also, here are a couple of shots and a clip (presumably another fx test wink wink).

US

2008-03-31T11:56:00.000-04:00

I recently produced a short film, the second of director JR Skola, called US: a love story. We went through some scheduling difficulties and caused a blackout on the entire block of the apartment we were shooting in (my apologies to our neighbors in Hoboken) but we had an amazing time and got some awesome footage! We had a hard working crew and really devoted actors. Our DP Ben Nicholas made movie magic with that HVX camera and lighting of his- check out some of the productions stills:

I'll be updating more on short film shoots... the next will be from a log cabin built in 1810!!!

News: Summer Palace gets reviewed...

2008-03-26T18:13:00.000-04:00

If you like indie films and haven't checked out our most recent release Summer Palace, you should do so.

But don't take our word for it, check our most recent review in the SF Chronicle, where they call the film "“the most important Chinese film this decade”.

Or check the New York Times review (Critics' Pick!), or the New Yorker.

Jazz Ain't Dead

2008-03-26T12:46:00.000-04:00

Quick shout out to those skateboard kids in bushwick that know how to throw a party, check out the house band The Stumblebum Brass Band, coming soon to subway platform near you.

Wild Combination

2008-03-17T18:27:00.001-04:00

Just a quick post to tell you to check out this trailer for a forthcoming doc about Arthur Russell, one of the forefathers of dance music and one of the unsung greats. You've danced to Loose Joints at least once in your life...the film looks great.

For more info, check the website

The doc is by Matt Wolf- read an interview by our friends at Dusted Magazine here

They have a Myspace and a blog

Garfield Minus Garfield

2008-03-14T15:50:00.000-04:00

This is honestly one of the funniest things I've ever seen.

Have you considered the fact that Jon Arbuckle, co-star of the comic strip "Garfield," is essentially talking to himself? Well, remove the thought-bubble spouting cat sidekick and a very, very disturbed individual remains:

Depressing, eh? This is an actual "Garfield" strip (sans the orange cat, obviously).

To see more, click here:

GARFIELD MINUS GARFIELD

Music in Films...

2008-03-07T16:03:00.000-05:00

I've found about some of my favorite artists through films and I've imagined films as vehicles for some of my favorite artists.

A great site that deals with music and film is this one. Check the soundtrack series, so great.

Anyway, so I thought I'd highlight some of my favorite film/music moments.

The first is probably the most significant to me, if only because of the great stuff it turned me onto.

The last scene in Paul Auster & Wayne Wang's Smoke aka "Auggie Wren's Christmas Story"

Not only was the the first indie movie I ever saw at Angelika, but it turned me onto Tom Waits...and then onto Jim Jarmusch. It made me want to create my own music videos, which I did here, here and here. I love this sequence.

Jackson C. Frank - MUST LISTEN

2008-03-07T16:02:00.000-05:00

Check out this semi-obscure folk singer/songwriter Jackson C. Frank. "Blues Run the Game," his only album, features sparse yet achingly beautiful compositions, which everyone from Paul Simon (the producer of this recording) to Nick Drake has covered.

Below is a link to Frank's song "I Want to Be Alone (Dialogue)"--my favorite song in the collection:
"I Want to Be Alone (Dialogue)"

And here's a slide show set to Nick Drake's version of "Milk and Honey":
"Milk and Honey"

I thoroughly recommend shelling out some greenbacks for this album (or getting it by some other means... you know, like downloading it). Enjoy!

Jonas Mekas

2008-02-29T10:40:00.000-05:00

Somehow, after cultivating many years worth of art elitism and pretense, I neglected to discover the brilliance of experimental filmmaker Jonas Mekas. Whether or not it's a shameless plug to say so, I first encountered him while viewing Palm's release "Who Gets to Call It Art?" (a documentary about the famous New York art curator Henry Geldzahler).

Check out this guy's frenetic filmmaking style; he often compresses a day's worth of experience into a blur of transient images. It's like viewing a projection of a stranger's childhood memories, each moment hazily impressionistic though imbued with detail.

"Note on the Circus" is definitely one of my favorite Mekas works, and, luckily for all of us, it's on Youtube:

Jonas Mekas's "Note on the Circus"

News

2008-02-27T14:37:00.000-05:00

Palm has a couple releases of note that I thought I'd highlight.

Summer Palace is in theaters now and it's coming to dvd on March 11th. The film is by Lou Ye, who was banned from making movies in China for five years due to the amount of nudity and depiction of Tiananman Square in Summer Palace.

It's a really beautiful film, and the lead actress Hao Lei is amazing.

Here's what the press is saying:

Critic's Pick - The New York Times

“Great triumph....of Lou’s work!” – The New Yorker

Here's a great review by The New York Times/

Buy it here and get 27% off!

Supreme Beings Of Leisure have a song from their self titled album featured in Johnnie Walker ads, maybe you've seen it? They have a new album coming out as well. It's not through us, sadly.

The song's catchy!

Also, the long awaited City Of Men film is finally coming to theaters! Check the series that the film was based on here, released by Palm.

Don't bother watching the Oscars...

2008-02-22T12:32:00.001-05:00

Just in case you didn't already know, the Oscars are coming on this Sunday...

Oh yes, I grasp your trepidation. Why should anyone tune in and subject himself/herself to a never ending slue of bad jokes, weird interpretive dance numbers, and the melting Dali clock that is Joan Rivers's face? Not to mention the inevitable barrage of credit card commercials starring your favorite hack celebrities (pick one). Many of us have better things to do, like make peanut butter sandwiches or check out this week's episode of The Wire...

But, of course, we'll wind up watching every brutal hour of Hollywood's favorite pastime, our bladders bursting in wait for the Grand Reveal--you know, the only award that counts: Best Picture... Cue disappointment:

"Clint Eastwood won again?!"

Well, ladies and gents, I'm going to make it easy for you this time. With the aid of a trusty-dusty list of posters, namely those of the past Best Picture winners (err, "recipents"), I can predict which film will win the grand prize this year.

First, examine this list:
79 Years of Best Picture Winners in Posters

Did you pay particular attention to the most recent Oscar recipients? Okay, good. Then you can clearly see that this year's Best Picture award will go to Juno.

"What?! Not 'No Country' or 'There Will Be Blood'? Are you insane?"

Now take it easy, folks! If you pay close attention, you too can see the subversive messages embedded in these graphics. Hollywood's been prepping American audiences for a Juno Oscar-Sweep for the past four years. Here, I'll prove it to you:

1) "The Lord of the Rings" - I mean, come on! It's pretty clear. This film is clearly about the sanctity of marriage.

2) "Million Dollar Baby" - The word "Baby" is in the title, and Hillary Swank's hair is up, just like Ellen Page's in the "Juno" poster.

3) "Crash" - I'm almost embarrassed at how obvious this one is. The chick in this poster looks like Ellen Page. In fact, I bet it is Ellen Page--they just didn't want us to see her face. Too much too soon, you know? And the guy clutching her also has this look of, "Oh no, you're pregnant" on his face. Shameless, folks--just shameless.

4) "The Departed" - I can't believe Scorsese was in on this Juno conspiracy! There's Jack Nicholson in the back, looking very pregnant. And Matt Damon's saying, "Whoa, I could've sworn it was my kid" because Nicholson just told him that it's actually Dicaprio's. I've got to admit, Leo's acting in this picture is spot on. He looks very paternal. He'll be a good dad.

So, yeah, don't waste your time this year. Do something productive. Save your bladder the stress.

Africa Unite in stores!

2008-02-13T14:50:00.001-05:00

Africa Unite is in stores!

Here's a clip from the film, which features the entire Marley family, Angelique Kidjo, Spragga Benz and more...!

Click here to save 27% on the DVD!

For more info, check the site

2008-01-02T16:31:00.000-05:00

I wanted to start off 08 by thanking some of the people who helped us out so much in 07- namely Tim "The Boss" Myers, Athanasios "Turk" Goltsios, Kristin Seifert and Joe (to the) Conner.

Can't thank you enough!

Now on to lists.

Paul's top 5's:

Albums-
Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson – ST
Devendra Banhart – Smokey Rolls…
Animal Collective – Strawberry Jam
DrugRug – ST
TheBees (aka Band of Bees) – Octopus

Flicks-
The Lives of Others
Great World of Sound
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
King of Kong
Bonus: Ten Canoes

Theo's best of '07

No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood
Daft Punk live
Songs by LCD Soundsytem, MGMT, Yeasayer, UGK, Marco Polo, Blonde Redhead, Studio, Holy Ghost!
Burial - Untrue
Battles live
108 Reunion
Rumors of Carcass reunion
Superbad
Adopting a Polar Bear

Looking forward to
The Wire Season 5
Actual Carcass reunion

The Rocket In Stores! Win stuff!

2007-12-11T12:25:00.000-05:00

THE ROCKET: The Legend of Rocket Richard is finally available on DVD!

The Rocket is the extraordinary story of Maurice “THE ROCKET” Richard, whose tireless fight on and off the ice ignited – and forever - changed a generation.
The DVD features performances by many NHL Stars including Sean Avery, Mike Ricci, Stéphane Quintal, Pascal Dupuis, and 2006/2007 Maurice Richard trophy winner Vincent Lecavalier.

Click The Rocket Website for more info and to test your own hockey skills, the highest scorers will win autographed memorabilia!

Turkey

2007-11-21T12:26:00.000-05:00

A couple things of note...

Michael Haneke's (shot by shot) remake of his 1997 film Funny Games is in theaters soon- check the trailer.

Don't forget Time Of The Wolf, a film he did with Palm. Fans of McCarthy's The Road take note.

Michel Gondry's new film Be Kind Rewind is coming soon as well...here's the trailer.

Featured Movie of the Month

2007-11-12T12:07:00.000-05:00

Check out our Palm Pictures MySpace page for the Featured Movie of the Month: The Sea

And another one...

2007-11-05T19:55:00.001-05:00

Ash killed it with this one. He made the music, too. Can anyone name all the bits and pieces?

More Palm Mashups....

2007-10-22T18:35:00.000-04:00

Sun Dogs + The Rocket = Leave your dog alone, Biff.

Halloween Mashup- Win a DVD!

2007-10-18T12:51:00.000-04:00

Joe made this mashup yesterday..

If you think you can name the films that he took clips from, email us (by Dec. 1st) and we'll send the three best entrants a Palm DVD of their choice

We see you Joe! You're crazy for this one...

Ten Canoes Contest

2007-10-17T16:39:00.000-04:00

We have a bunch of contests running around the DVD release of Rolf De Heer's critically acclaimed film Ten Canoes:

Win a free copy of the DVD here:

Win a free trip to Australia:

If you know have no idea what I'm talking about, then check out the Ten Canoes website. Or just buy it from our store.

It's a beautiful looking film and has been a lot of fun to work on.
-theo

Palm World Voices On MySpace

2007-10-08T11:08:00.000-04:00

A MySpace page dedicated to Palm World Voices has just been created. Take a look here!

"Sun Dogs" The Movie In Stores

2007-10-02T11:13:00.002-04:00

"Sun Dogs" is available in stores today!!! Check out the film's official website Sundogs Movie Website or purchase it directly from here!

“Sun Dogs will melt the coldest heart”. – JIMMY BUFFETT

“In the sport that celebrates partnerships – of people, dogs and communities – the new cry of ‘MUSH MON’ proves the universal appeal of sled dogs sports around the world.”
– The Seattle Times

MUSH MON!

Featured Movie of the Month

2007-09-28T17:52:00.000-04:00

Check out our Palm Pictures MySpace page for the Featured Movie of the Month: DIG!

Palm Pictures Blog

2007-09-28T13:59:00.000-04:00

Palm Pictures finally joins the blogosphere...Stay tuned for further information concerning Palm Pictures and participate in our future polls and contests...there will be chances to win free dvd's and watch full length films in the near future!

Let us know what you think...we always love hearing from you.