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Philadelphia Film Festival: Blood Ties
; "Cover Story :: Philadelphia Film Festival: Blood Ties")
Fifty years ago, Bob Bechtel killed a fellow Swarthmore student. His family says he grapples with his actions every day. So why won't he say he's sorry?
by Sam Adams
Bob Bechtel doesn't sound like a killer. If you didn't know better, you'd never suspect you were talking to a man who once planned to wipe out an entire dormitory full of college students.
Philadelphia Film Festival Shorts
Week One Reviews (A-L)
Following are reviews of movies, titled A-L, premiering in the first week of the Philadelphia Film Festival, April 5-11.
Philadelphia Film Festival Shorts
Week One Reviews (M-Z)
Following are reviews of movies, titled M-Z, premiering in the first week of the Philadelphia Film Festival, April 5-11.
Not without Merritt
Catching up with the deadpan and generally unelaborative Stephin Merritt, who'll spin the Film Fest opening party.
by Brian Howard
City Paper: Is the music in your sets stuff that's been influential for you as a songwriter? Stephin Merritt: What I play when I deejay is usually things that I've more recently discovered, so it couldn't have been influential because I haven't heard it.
Slant:
The Culture Vote
Why the arts matter in the mayoral primary
by Peggy Amsterdam
On April 15, voters will have the opportunity to hear directly from the Democratic candidates for mayor about what they would do to build on the arts and culture legacies of the last two mayors
Editor's Letter:
The Weapons We Need
It's fun to read about the U.S. government's new and improved ways to profoundly hurt people.
by Duane Swierczynski
Then there's the Vomit Beam, which uses radio waves to disrupt a target's hearing and equilibrium. The result: puke city. And it even works through walls!
Loose Canon:
A City of Two Tails
Philly is divided into shit and no-shit zones.
by Bruce Schimmel
"Oh God, oh God, oh God," I groaned, as I whipped across four lanes and bounced into the parking lot of a Mobil. Gas stations have to have bathrooms, right?
Feedback:
Letters to the Editor
What You Say: about Voodoo, Skaterats, Knoxie, The Phillies, Recycling and Irish Smokers.
If 24,000 people say they want to see Bob Brady on the ballot, then let democracy reign! We, as a city, are poised and perched to be the Next Great City, and quite frankly, we don't have time for this BULLS***! —C.R. Robinson
Independence MaulPhilly's more fun when you get the facts straight.
by Joel Tannenbaum
It's not unheard of for Philadelphians living abroad to pick up a USA guidebook from somebody's bookshelf and, in a moment of geographic narcissism, flip to the Pennsylvania section and be flabbergasted at the contents.
Running NumbersA scholarly look at the digits that matter.
by Nick Norlen
After reports that a number of the new George Washington dollar coins left the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia without the "In God We Trust" inscription, the Running Numbers Quality Inspection Team was quickly deployed to the facility.
Fine Print:
Freedom Fighting
Eight Easy Pieces
IcepackAngela Davis and Sister Helen Prejean spoke on war, crime and prisons.
by Mary Wilson
"I heard that crime is war in slow motion," said Prejean.
Eight Easy Pieces
And then there were eight in City Paper's Philly Madness bracket.
Nick Norlen: Booing Santa Claus: Better luck next year when you appear as "Throwing Batteries."
Brian Howard: The Roots: You'll be back.
Brian Howard: Against The Hooters.
Brian Howard: The Roots: You'll be back.
Brian Howard: Against The Hooters.
Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.
by A.D. Amorosi
It's Philly film crunch time. They removed the Jeanne Moreau bust from the Ritz 5. Has anyone seen Ish Klein? Philly Film Fest. And more, more, more.
Arrested DevelopmentCan we keep kids from repeating their incarcerated parents' mistakes?
by Francesca Heintz
More than 2 million children have a parent in prison, and statistics say they're up to six times more likely to go down that same road than other children.
The Bell CurveCity Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter
When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.
The Bottom Line
Public Safety
by Tom Namako
The candidates' stances on… public safety
Political Critters
If animals were allowed to vote, Marianne Bessey wuld lead them to the polls.
by J.F. Pirro
"We have very caring, animal-friendly citizens. It's a matter of getting organized and getting the word out."
by Kevin Haney
After 20 years of running Philadelphia Weekly, with newspapers everywhere losing readers to digital competitors, Anthony Clifton is looking for an alternative to owning it.
The Insider:
The Brady Crunch
$100 says Bob Brady never thought he'd have this much campaign trouble.
by Anonymous
Brady's campaign has been beset by problems, far too many of his own making. Let's start with the recent spate of problems connected to his financial-interest statement and Tom Knox's efforts to get him kicked off the ballot.
Cocktails With...:
David Oh
Ask A Candidateat-large City Council candidate, Republican
by Brian Hickey
A few months back, aspiring legislator David Oh stopped by the office to share one of those big ideas he thought would remove the second word from "America's Next Great City."
Reader Mike Felker has a question for Chaka Fattah. Fattah has an answer.
Handgun violence is turning the streets of Philadelphia into a combat zone. If the proposed one-handgun-per-month legislation passes, how do you assess the impact? What can we do to end this cycle of violence?
Political Notebook:
Knox Landing?
Is this the sound of coming down?
by Mary F. Patel
Last year, Tom Knox was such a political unknown that, when he showed up at almost every local rally for Gov. Ed Rendell and U.S. Sen. Bob Casey, he sported a large campaign button on his lapel. Much has changed since.
Philly Blunt:
A Perfect Storm Returns
How the Alberto Gonzales scandal could revive Bug-gate.
by Brian Hickey
Regardless of where you fall on the "Mayor Street's re-election was a sham born of opportunism" spectrum, one thing's sure: You probably are going to start hearing a lot more about it in the next few weeks.
First Friday FocusLori Hill's First Friday hit list.
by Lori Hill
In the wilds of Space 1026 this month lurk lonely-hearted lovers, cops and a Magic Rat. In this "Jungleland," and in the classic song by The Boss, four friends find inspiration in spades.
Culture Shock:
Things That Matter To People Who Matter
All Things ConsideredKrazy Kat | Charles Gocher | Kingdom of Loathing | Dodgeball
One cat, one mouse, one cop. And many bricks. These were the main ingredients to George Herriman's comic strip Krazy Kat.
Author Tom Bissell finds his father in Vietnam.
by Sam Tremble
In his new book, The Father of All Things, Tom Bissell cuts a narrative path through the war-torn jungles forming both his father's identity and the history of Vietnam.
Re-View:
Reunited
Robin Rice on Visual Art
by Robin Rice
It was love at first sight. The tall, blue-shadowed, crisply modeled painting was Mother and Son. The place was the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts; the time, my first visit to PAFA.
Dance Review:
Keyed Up Down Under
Graeme Murphy's evening-length Grand for Sydney Dance Company is a love letter to the piano.
by Janet Anderson
The curtain rose on a large lacquered shell in the shape of a grand piano, which obscured the actual instrument although the audience could hear pianist Scott Davie playing Bach's Goldberg Variations Aria.
Opera Review:
Better With Age?
You're in trouble when the composer declares the libretto of his own opera to be "a piece of obscene trash."
by Peter Burwasser
Puccini is not associated with comedy, but on the rare occasions when it is called for, he shows an easy mastery.
Theater Review:
Insane in the Membrane
Silly Love
Fall of the Legends
In the Rough
Steps Lively
Now See ThisChekhov Lizardbrain is distinctly Pig Iron — physical and funny, moments of startling visual clarity and emotional intensity.
by Mark Cofta
Another Pig Iron Theatre creation, so: 1) We're in a different performance space, and 2) We don't know what to expect.
Silly Love
The Robber Bridegroom started as a gory Grimms' fairy tale. Then Eudora Welty sweetened it.
by Mark Cofta
The musical, developed improvisationally at New York's Music Theatre Lab, is well-suited to Villanova Theatre's thrust stage.
Fall of the Legends
citypaper.net exclusive: The legend of James Butler "Wild Bill" Hickok is explored in the seldom-seen 1978 drama with music, Fathers and Sons.
by Mark Cofta
Fathers and Sons is punctuated with music — not only James Santangelo's bluesy underscoring, but brief, surprisingly sincere songs that reveal the tortured personalities beneath.
In the Rough
citypaper.net exclusive: Radio Golf doesn't meet the high standards of Wilson's greatest, but poses an intriguing moral dilemma
by Mark Cofta
The late August Wilson's last play, also the finale of his 10-play cycle chronicling black American life, decade by decade, through the last century, is set in 1997 but feels very modern.
Steps Lively
citypaper.net exclusive: In Taking Steps, stairs replace the traditional farce staple of slamming doors.
by Mark Cofta
Ayckbourn was writing for theater in the round, where doors are unmanageable. But the play, in director Ken Marini's insightful production, is not about the steps — it's about the people.
citypaper.net exclusive: Get Out!
Timeless Design | Ma Rainey's Black Bottom | The Life of Galileo
Arts Picks:
Moscow Festival Ballet
Mark Mothersbaugh
Shakespeare Cafe
Wed., April 11, 7:30 p.m., Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, 3680 Walnut St.
by Deni Kasrel
The stage will be filled to the gills when the Annenberg Center presents the Moscow Festival Ballet. The company boasts a whopping 50 members.
Mark Mothersbaugh
Postcard Diaries, Fri., April 6, 6-10 p.m., Bambi Gallery, 1817 Frankford Ave. | DEVOlution!, Thu., April 5, 9 p.m., Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave.
by Kelly White
Since he's responsible for countless movie soundtracks and television theme songs, it's a wonder that Devo's Mark Mothersbaugh has time to tour all over the world
Shakespeare Cafe
Mondays, April 9-May 14, 7 p.m., Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival, 2111 Sansom St.
by Mark Cofta
The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival squeezes some extra festivities around their repertory of Othello and The Taming of the Shrew with a three-course menu of Bard-related entertainments.
Last ChanceCatch It or Regret It
by Lydia Navatsyk
All Alone in the Electro Magnetic Sphere | Radio Golf | Across the Sea
Arts Agenda Picks:
Day Tripper
GalleriesThe Art of the Brick
by Mary Wilson
There are two kinds of kids in the world: those who take the time to assemble the 5,000-piece LEGO Millennium Falcon, complete with rotating radar dishes, and those who'd rather just pretend they did.
Galleries are usually open Tuesdays through Saturdays; please call the gallery for exact days and hours. Receptions are denoted with Reception 201 GALLERY , 1400
Museums/Exhibits
Museums and exhibits have varying schedules; please call for exact days, hours and prices. ABINGTON ART CENTER , 515 Meetinghouse Rd., Jenkintown, 215-887-4882. 2ND SOLO
Performing Arts
dance Please call the phone number listed with the venue for specific dates, times and ticket information. CINDERELLA The 50-member Moscow Festival Ballet performs the
Readings/Book Signings
BILL WUNDER The 2004 Poet Laureate of Bucks County gives a reading of his works; followed by readings of original poetry by local poets and
Loving the LieThe Hoax toys with the mystique of Clifford Irving.
by Shaun Brady
The Hoax, Lasse Hallström's film depicting Clifford Irving's infamous attempt to publish a faked "autobiography" of Howard Hughes, claims to be based on Irving's own book documenting the fraud.
Off the Map
Travel films usually involve roaming the world over in search of adventure. But what about when they don't?
by Mickey Jou
The daylong Reel Travel: A Penn Humanities Forum Symposium will include presentations on Eastern European filmmakers whose works are influenced by the political upheaval of the region.
Set Adrift
A knotty plot prevents First Snow from sticking.
by Cindy Fuchs
Any movie that finds a place for Jackie Burroughs begins with bonus points.
Repertory Film
Send repertory film listings to tami.fertig@citypaper.net.
The Book of RuthIs Ruth Naomi Floyd being held down by the same thing that lifts her up?
by A.D. Amorosi
When singer-composer Ruth Naomi Floyd and manager-producer Keith R. McKinley began working together 14 years ago, they knew the road ahead would be rocky
Suite Spot:
What About Now?
SoundadvicePeter Burwasser on Classical
by Peter Burwasser
Joseph Franklin's new Settling Scores recalls the divisive, even bitter, new music environment of Philadelphia's not-too-distant past.
Get Out!
Loney, dear. | Girls Rock Philly | RJD2 | Lura | Pi Lam Human BBQ XXIX | Popped!
Music Picks:
The Bird and the Bee
Casiotone For the Painfully Alone
Dolce Suono
Verso
Tue., April 10, 7:30 p.m., with Lily Allen and Aaron LaCrate, Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St.
by M.J. Fine
Maybe you'd imagined your life as a sweet French comedy and then were taken aback to recognize yourself in every I Love You, I Hate You item.
Casiotone For the Painfully Alone
Fri., April 6, 8 p.m., all ages, with Xiu Xiu and Shearwater, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St.
by Brian Howard
Sure, Owen Ashworth's heroes are hardly heroic — vaguely sympathetic "victims" of modern society, they — but don't hate them: They're just written that way.
Dolce Suono
Wed., April 11, 7:30 p.m., free, Rosenwald Gallery, Van Pelt-Dietrich Library, 3420 Walnut St.
by Peter Burwasser
Flutist Mimi Stillman's delightful Dolce Suono series of chamber music concerts throw off a casual and elegant vibe that makes them feel like coffee-house happenings
Verso
Fri., April 6, 10 p.m., with Thee Phantom, A-Dot, Topaz Wise and Red ID, Liquid Charm, 1207 Race St.
by Deesha Dyer
Philly's Verso isn't your average self-promoting MC; he stays on the low, keeps his ego in check and chills on the side at most events.
That's Amore!Marc Vetri's lo-fi Osteria lives up to expectations.
by Elisa Ludwig
Osteria occupies the ground floor of a spiffy new loft apartment building at the corner of Broad and Wallace, and frankly, after eating there, I won't be surprised if some of Osteria's clientele are inspired to move in.
Sake to Me
Demystifying Japan's most beloved brew.
by Will Dean
In preparation for the third annual Sake Fest on April 11, we're highlighting a few of our favorite sakes.
Forked Tongue:
Amuse Artistry
Feeding FrenzyDespite Americans' bigger-badder-better reputation, we still love little things: iPods, tiny cell phones, Mini Coopers. Enter the amuse-bouche.
by Termeh Mazhari
After sampling numerous local chefs' takes, the following favorites were chosen based on taste, originality and ease of preparation.
Restaurants opening, closing and pending
by Drew Lazor
Now Seating: The Set Table | Waiting List: Bistro Juliana, Pho Hoa, Mochima Café
What's Cooking:
The Week In Eats
Small BitesGet Out!
by Elisabeth Holm
Sushi Spectacular | Titanic Dinner and Demo | Tasting Color: An Exploration of the Wine Spectrum | Spring Flavors Cooking Class
Little Vittles
Hillside Self-Heating Coffee | Chocolate Marquise | Bison Grass Zubrowka Vodka | Yarrow | Stephen Colbert's AmeriCone Dream | Hot and Spicy Chicken
You Ask We Answer
Culinary Mysteries Solved
Q: I'm obsessed with the juice at Papaya King in New York. Is there a place where I can get a fresh-squeezed glass in Philly?
Top 5:
DJ Eats
Choice Platters
by Kelly White
1) Mike Z. 2) Robert Drake 3) Julian S. Process 4) Shawn Ryan 5) Julie G.
Watering Hole:
Bridgid's
It's Where We Drink
by Will Dean
Based on the bicycle-sharing system in Holland, Bridgid's Dutch Umbrella program places a series of "RainDrops" — aka receptacles for free umbrellas — inside area bars, restaurants and shops.
Agenda Lead:
American Beauty
Idol winner Taylor Hicks hearts the Heartland
by A.D. Amorosi
Despite being a spastic 30-year-old who screams "Soul Patrol" at will, Taylor Reuben Hicks swept the fifth season of American Idol with the sheer passion of his voice.
Agenda Picks:
Kids, etc.
Accidental Tourist
Justify Your Existence
On The DL
Just Do It
Big Fun for Little Ones
by Linnay Trail
The Mad Hatter's Easter Tea Party | Ferdinand the Bull | Pop Quiz | Youth Identity Mural | Peep Show
Accidental Tourist
Joey McIntyre
by Monica Weymouth
Before Justin, there was Joey. As the youngest member of New Kids on the Block (NKOTB, for those of you who're down), Joey McIntyre and his dreamy blue eyes were splashed across everything from magazine covers to pillowcases.
Justify Your Existence
"Creating the 24-Hour Downtown" lecture
by Lisa Tauber
Philly's come a long way since the early '90s, when the city was in such distress that it basically shut down at 5 p.m.
On The DL
Japanland
by Lisa Tauber
Karin Muller knows what it feels like to be illiterate. "It's like that incredibly uncomfortable nightmare ... when you can't find your locker and you've got an exam coming up."
Just Do It
Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival 2007
by Naoki Miyakawa
This year marks the 10-year anniversary of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival, a local event that began in 1998.
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