Czechoslovakian writer and publisher Josef Skvorecky (shkor-et-skee). Since fleeing Czechoslovakia in 1968, Skvorecky and his wife have lived in Toronto, where they run "68 Publishers," an outlet for dissident writers. For years, the output of his publishing house has been smuggled into his former homeland, and secretly passed from hand-to hand, keeping alive the voices of Czech writers such as Vaclav Havel and Milan Kundera.
British novelist Martin Amis (pronounced like Amos). Newsweek magazine calls his new novel, "London Fields," "an upside-down murder mystery, morality tale, nuclear science fiction and postmodern love story." His earlier novels, such as "The Rachael Papers," "Other People" and "Money," have made him a literary star in England, and also placed him under attack from British feminists, who object to his satirical portrayals of women.
Television critic David Bianculli two Showtime cable specials about the British comedy group, Monthy Python's Flying Circus. The specials are called "Life of Python," and "Twenty Years of Monty Python--Parrot Sketch Not Included." David says they're both fun, but both fall short of telling the full story of the group.
Film director Kathryn Bigelow. Her new film, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Ron Silver, is called "Blue Steel." Bigelow also directed "The Loveless," in which a motorcycle gang faces off against small-town rednecks. It starred Willem Dafoe. And she gained a cult-following with the film "Near Dark," a film which mixed vampire and western genres.
Journalist and essayist Francine Du Plessix Gray. In her latest book, "Soviet Women: Walking the Tightrope," Gray documents the lives and attitudes of contemporary Soviet women in the era of glasnost. They talk about everything from birth control to Stalin to the constant struggle to balance the demands of work and family in their lives. ("Soviet Women" is published by Doubleday.)
Rock historian Ed Ward has a retrospective on the Five Keys, a black harmony group that turned out a number of pop and R&B hits in the early 1950's. Their hits included "The Glory of Love," "Ling Ting Tong," and "Close Your Eyes."
Journalist John Dinges (pronounced DING-gess, with a hard G in the second syllable). Dinges' new book, "Our Man in Panama," traces the history of Manuel Noriega's relationship with the United States, from his recruitment by the CIA in the 60s to his fate in the wake of the U. S. invasion of Panama. Dinges has covered Central and South America for many years. Currently he's a foreign editor for National Public Radio. ("Our Man in Panama" is published by Random House).
Actor Peter Riegert. In "Local Hero" he co-starred with Burt Lancaster, playing a young oil executive who goes to Scotland with the intent of buying a Scottish village. And in the romantic comedy "Crossing Delancey," he played a Lower East Side pickle merchant smitten by an ambitious and literary single Manhattan woman. He's also acted in "Animal House," and "Chilly Scenes of Winter." He'll soon be appearing in the film, "A Shock to the System," with Michael Caine and Elizabeth McGovern.
Film critic Stephen Schiff reviews the new comedy, "Joe Versus the Volcano." It stars Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. John Patrick Shanley is the writer/director. He also wrote "Moonstruck."
Linguist Geoffrey Nunberg tells us why cursing ain't what it used to me. He explains how in Elizabethan times an oath carried with it the true fear of God. (Note: Nunberg uses some examples in this commentary, for example "Jesus Christ!" "Goddamn it," and "son of a bitch.")
Actor Michael Moriarty. He's best-known for his roles in the films "Bang the Drum Slowly" and "Who'll Stop the Rain," and in the TV miniseries, "Holocaust." Moriarty is the star of a new TV series called "Law and Order," and he's also just produced an album of original jazz songs, called "Reaching Out."
Film historian Leonard Leff. His new book is "The Dame in the Kimono: Hollywood, Censorship and the Production Code from the 1920's to the 1960's. It's a history of the Motion Picture Production Code and its impact on American life. The Production Code was a set of Hollywood guidelines to help regulate morals in the movies. (The Dame in the Kimono is published by Grove Weidenfeld).
Rock critic Ken Tucker gives an update on the hard-rock scene and plays some music by three talented new groups: the Southern band "The Black Crowes," the Irish folk-influenced "Raindogs," and the "Rave-Ups," who aren't really new, but have just released their first album on a major label.
Classical music critic Lloyd Schwartz reviews a reissued series of performances by German conductor Otto Klemperer. Klemperer was a disciple of Gustave Mahler, and Lloyd says his performances of classical German pieces are one of this century's greatest musical legacies. The series has been digitally remastered by Angel Records.
Lester Brown, president of the Worldwatch Institute, a Washington-based think tank that monitors the state of the environment. The Institute has just issued it's 7th annual "State of the World" report. Brown's been nicknamed "Doctor Doom," for his dire predictions about subjects such as the dwindling forests and the global warming trend. But critics use that term less and less these days as more of Brown's predictions have come true. The 1990 edition of "State of the World" is published by Norton. (Part 2 of a two-part interview.
Film director John Frankenheimer. His films include The Manchurian Candidate, French Connection 2, and The Birdman of Alcatraz. Frankenheimer's latest film, The Fourth War, stars Roy Scheider and Harry Dean Stanton.
