Been a while, hasn’t it?
“Former Atlanta mayor and lifelong civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. has died today at the age of 90. Public televised statements from both the Governor of Georgia and the President of the United State are expected within the hour. No figure in black America has transformed the nation over the past 65 years as King did. An admirer of Christ and Gandhi alike, Mr. King lead successful protests throughout the nation for the cause of civil rights and remained a powerful, progressive, and stern voice for a disenfranchised people; Americans of all backgrounds owe much of the improvement in race relations to King and his millions of followers.
“King served a single term as Atlanta mayor as a political independent from 1974 to 1978, his historical election a firm rebuttal to his opponent, the Dixiecrat Lester Maddox. In 1975 he survived an assassination attempt from KKK member David Duke, the incident left King in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but his spirits and wits remained as high an ever. King only pledged to serve a single term as mayor and left with high approval ratings from blacks and whites alike. He never ran for political office again, despite campaigning from both parties for a run for Governor of Georgia. He also rejected cabinet positions in several presidential administrations.
“King spoke out against discrimination on the international stage as well. He was a well-known critic of the segregation systems in South Africa and Rwanda, treatments of minorities in Japan and India, and Spain’s irredentism policies in Northern Africa, which he called “colonialist”.
“A national day of mourning is expected to be declared this weekend and already several world leaders, such as United Kingdom Prime Minister Hugh Laurie, have expressed sympathies.” -CNN broadcast October 2, 2019
“GROUNDWORK LAID FOR FORMER PRESIDENT WILL ROGERS JR’S MUSEUM” -Sacramento Bee, 1982
“Best Feature nominees for the 81st Academy Awards:
“Dewey: Powerhouse performances bring the story of Thomas Dewey, the 34th American president, to life in this biopic that details his evocative political career, personal struggles, and tragic assassination. Adapted from the Pulitzer-winning biography and nearly four hours long, it is epic in production and scope few recent nominees have been and might be a sign that the USA can win in an era in which the Best Picture category is dominated by foreign titles.
“Eternal Way: Shot largely with amateurs in the neorealistic fashion, this low budget title made unexpected headlines and controversy in its home country of India for portrayal of a young Punjabi Hindu’s difficulties with her faith. Described as “an anti-Bollywood film”, you’ll find no musical numbers or fancy outfits here, merely director Indira Mehta’s frank and heartbreaking musings on theology and womanhood.
“Manchester: This pitch-black comedy, directed by George Brown, follows various separate tales of Englanders living in the eponymous city who are stuck in cycles of penury and depression. Having, as one reviewer said, “some of the bleakest laughs ever recorded in film” this is far from the feelgood humorous blockbusters Tinseltown has produced in recent years with an unforgettable ending.
“Their Faces Just Like Ours: This documentary film about the Armenian Genocide of the 1910s created an international sensation when it was released this year, being banned by the Turkish government. Young director Avetis Araratyan crafts a horrifying and intimate look into the past in this landmark motion picture, establishing himself as one of the greats of modern Soviet moviemaking.
“Waking Dreams: A young boy living in the final days of Japanese fascism retreats into his fantasy realm. Both an emotional reflection on childhood and a biting critique of former Prime Minister Otoya Yamaguchi, it has become one of the most praised films to come from Asia this decade. Noteworthy for its combination of live-action with intriguing stop motion animation effects, effectively blending together fantasy and dreams with an equally surreal reality.” -2009 Entertainment Weekly Article