Vanity Fair, based on the comic 19th century novel by William Thackeray, stars Reese Witherspoon and Gabriel Byrne. Critic David Edelstein says the supporting cast is superb, but the tone of the film is directly opposite that of the novel.
tine was having limited success in the secular world, decided to pray for help, and landed on his feet in the evangelical church circuit. He has since moved back to playing for larger audiences as well as churchgoers. His DVDs are the new A Conservative Unleashed and last year's Put A Helmet On.
Richard Pryor calls Dave Chappelle his favorite comedian, and Chappelle himself claims he's America's No. 1 source for offensive comedy. Chappelle's Show is Comedy Central's top-ranked broadcast. Season one is now out on DVD, and it is uncensored.
Book critic Maureen Corrigan reviews The Wasp Eater, the first novel by William Lychack. Corrigan says the book, about a dysfunctional family splitting up in late '70s Connecticut, succeeds at a small goal: conveying the ordinary sadness of connecting with other human beings.
The Republican platform committee has approved a draft reaffirming the party's endorsement of a constitutional ban on abortion. We talk with Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA), one of the Senate's staunchest abortion opponents.
He was once crowned "The Pope of Trash" by William Burroughs. Waters started photographing video stills off his television screen that became the raw material for his artwork. Many of those are collected in his book John Waters: Change of Life. His 1988 film Hairspray was made into a Tony award-winning Broadway musical. Waters' new film, A Dirty Shame, opens next month. (Rebroadcast from Feb. 25, 2004)
Victoria Price is the daughter of actor Vincent Price, who was best known as the "king of horror" for his performances in horror films. He starred in a number of Roger Corman's films including House of Usher, The Pit and the Pendulum, Tales of Terror, The Raven, and The Masque of the Red Death. Victoria is the author of the book: Vincent Price: A Daughter's Biography. (Rebroadcast from Oct. 28, 1999.)
Film critic David Edelstein reviews We Don't Live Here Anymore, based on two novellas by the late Andre Dubus. The film centers on acts of infidelity between two couples in a small college town. Edelstein says the movie is "like a bad marriage greatest hits collection."
Bernstein died Wednesday at the age of 82. He was nominated for 14 Academy Awards, but won only one — for his music for the film Thoroughly Modern Millie. His best known film score was for The Magnificent Seven (which was later used for a Marlboro cigarette commercial). His other film scores include The Man With the Golden Arm, To Kill a Mockingbird, Great Escape, Sweet Smell of Success and The Ten Commandments. (Originally broadcast on Jan. 10, 1991.)
Dr. Rowan Gillies is the International President of Midecins Sans Frontihres (Doctors Without Borders). He is a medical doctor and surgeon from Sydney, Australia. Dr. Gilles began working with Doctors Without Borders in 1998 as a field doctor in Afghanistan. Since then he has worked with the organization in Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Liberia. He recently returned from Sudan.
John Prendergast is the co-director of the Africa Program for the International Crisis Group. He's the author of the book God, Oil, and Country; Changing the Logic of War in Sudan. Before joining ICG, he was a special advisor to the U.S. State Department, where he worked on a number of issues, including Sudan policy.
Dr. Rowan Gillies is the International President of Midecins Sans Frontihres (Doctors Without Borders). He is a medical doctor and surgeon from Sydney, Australia. Dr. Gilles began working with Doctors Without Borders in 1998 as a field doctor in Afghanistan. Since then he has worked with the organization in Sierra Leone, South Sudan and Liberia. He recently returned from Sudan.
Dr. Jerry Avorn is a Harvard Medical school researcher and clinician. His new book, Powerful Medicines, uses patient vignettes, scientific critique and statistics to examine the benefits and side effects of prescription drugs.
Ross McElwee has made a career out of filming his life. He's made seven feature-length documentaries, including Sherman's March, Time Indefinite, Something to Do with the Wall and Six O'Clock News. His latest film is Bright Leaves about his family's connection to the tobacco industry. His great-grandfather created the brand of tobacco known as Bull Durham. McElwee is a visiting lecturer at Harvard University's Department of Visual and Environmental Studies.
James Bennet just completed his 3-year stint as Jerusalem bureau chief for The New York Times. He wrote the cover story for this week's New York Times Magazine: "A Nation Unto Himself: Where is Ariel Sharon Leading Israel?"
McLagan played with the first generation of British rockers, handling keyboards for both the Small Faces and Faces, led by vocalist Rod Stewart and guitarist Ron Wood. McLagan produced a new box set of Faces recordings, Five Guys Walk Into a Bar.
Film critic David Edelstein reviews the new film Open Water. The low-budget film is based on the true story of two Australian scuba divers who were left stranded by their charter boat.
