Writers often worry about the dangers of outside influence, but what about the non-literary inspirations they are far more comfortable admitting to? Andrew O'Hagan talks to six novelists about their passion for a second artform
The divine counsels decided, once upon a time, that influence is bad and that too much agency is the enemy of invention. Harold Bloom can't be blamed for that: he certainly pointed to the danse macabre of influence and anxiety, but to him the association was perfectly creative. Elsewhere, writers have always been blamed for being too much like other writers, or too much like themselves, and even now, in the crisis of late postmodernism, we find it hard to believe that writers might live happily in a state of influence and cross-reference. Yet anybody who knows anything about writers knows that they love their sweet influences.
What I've noticed, though, is that the influences...
The divine counsels decided, once upon a time, that influence is bad and that too much agency is the enemy of invention. Harold Bloom can't be blamed for that: he certainly pointed to the danse macabre of influence and anxiety, but to him the association was perfectly creative. Elsewhere, writers have always been blamed for being too much like other writers, or too much like themselves, and even now, in the crisis of late postmodernism, we find it hard to believe that writers might live happily in a state of influence and cross-reference. Yet anybody who knows anything about writers knows that they love their sweet influences.
What I've noticed, though, is that the influences...
- 4/27/2013
- by Andrew O'Hagan, Lavinia Greenlaw, John Lanchester, Alan Warner, Sarah Hall, Colm Tóibín
- The Guardian - Film News
Freddie Mercury was a musician, a performer, an icon. A new book, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender ($34.99, Insight Editions) contains photographs from the private collections of his parents, as well as Brian May, and portraits by famous photographers including Snowdon and Mick Rock.
Officially sanctioned and coinciding both with the release of a new documentary about Mercury's life, and the re-release of his recording Barcelona with Montserrat Caballé, this is a celebration of a unique life whose real story is only now being told.
With a new movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen in the works, this is the time to start learning about the remarkable tale of the boy from Zanzibar.
Here's a selection of fabulous photographs from the book:...
Officially sanctioned and coinciding both with the release of a new documentary about Mercury's life, and the re-release of his recording Barcelona with Montserrat Caballé, this is a celebration of a unique life whose real story is only now being told.
With a new movie starring Sacha Baron Cohen in the works, this is the time to start learning about the remarkable tale of the boy from Zanzibar.
Here's a selection of fabulous photographs from the book:...
- 11/15/2012
- by Andrew Losowsky
- Huffington Post
The magnetic Queen singer is still attracting fans, 21 years after his death – yet he was remarkably hard to fathom. Can a BBC documentary, and a Hollywood film starring Sacha Baron Cohen, cast any new light on the man behind the legend?
In November 1991, days before he died, Freddie Mercury met his manager to discuss how best to reveal to the world that he had Aids. Once they had agreed the wording of an announcement, the 45-year-old singer began to wonder how he would be remembered. "You can do what you want with my music," he said, "but don't make me boring."
He got his wish. Twenty-one years later, Mercury is still the rock star's rock star, exerting enough magnetism to reel in new fans who are too young to remember him firsthand. There is a Hollywood biopic starring Sacha Baron Cohen in the works, and next month a new BBC documentary,...
In November 1991, days before he died, Freddie Mercury met his manager to discuss how best to reveal to the world that he had Aids. Once they had agreed the wording of an announcement, the 45-year-old singer began to wonder how he would be remembered. "You can do what you want with my music," he said, "but don't make me boring."
He got his wish. Twenty-one years later, Mercury is still the rock star's rock star, exerting enough magnetism to reel in new fans who are too young to remember him firsthand. There is a Hollywood biopic starring Sacha Baron Cohen in the works, and next month a new BBC documentary,...
- 9/28/2012
- by Caroline Sullivan
- The Guardian - Film News
Island Records has announced the 25th anniversary re-release of Freddie Mercury's Barcelona album, recorded with operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé. The entirely newly-orchestrated re-working will be released as a special edition 4-disc box set. Barcelona - The Special Edition will be released on September 3 to mark the 25th anniversary of the lead 'Barcelona' single. It will also be available as a standard CD, vinyl and download. The album re-release (more)...
- 8/1/2012
- by By Mayer Nissim
- Digital Spy
Blu-ray & DVD Release Date: Sept. 25, 2012
Price: DVD $14.99, Blu-ray $19.98
Studio: Eagle Rock
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender offers a music-filled documentary of the late co-founder and lead singer of the rock band Queen.
Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, life-long Queen fan and expert and the man behind the acclaimed Queen: Days of Our Lives BBC documentary, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender goes way back to reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie’s life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen.
The extensive archive footage is drawn from rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballé, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong...
Price: DVD $14.99, Blu-ray $19.98
Studio: Eagle Rock
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender offers a music-filled documentary of the late co-founder and lead singer of the rock band Queen.
Produced and directed by Rhys Thomas, life-long Queen fan and expert and the man behind the acclaimed Queen: Days of Our Lives BBC documentary, Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender goes way back to reveal more than ever before the inside story of Freddie’s life and career and the solo projects he worked on outside of Queen.
The extensive archive footage is drawn from rare interviews with Freddie, concerts, video shoots and personal material, much of it being seen for the first time, along with newly filmed contributions from fellow Queen members Brian May and Roger Taylor, Queen manager Jim Beach, soprano Montserrat Caballé, composers David Arnold and Mike Moran, lyricist Tim Rice, comedian and lifelong...
- 7/24/2012
- by Laurence
- Disc Dish
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