Movies and more. People ask me to give advice and how to set up a movie screening room. My answer is:” anyone can set up a space and show movies—technology is readily available to do just this—but the question is what and why do you want to show a particular movie”—there are many many options available both old and new movies—the curator now is more important than ever—when it comes to selecting movies for an audience. 

TSL has over a long period of time (since the early 1990’s ) produced a steady selection both classic art house cinema as well as contemporary movies—as technology developed so did our ability to present better and better formats for screening movies at our space—BUT the competition to bring an audience to a public space is ever increasing with all of the new “streaming services presented by Amazon, Net-Flix & more we have to work even harder—Please read the whole article by Richard Brody that I have quoted below it is from the Dec. 4, 2019 edition)—I do agree that there is a lot of great material that will never be seen on the screen or via the “stream”—but rest assured it will more often than not be on our screen at TSL because it is our mission to bring to our audiences the work of outliers—those who have a new way of approaching the cinema of our time—and those who (YES) have something to say about the times in which we are living and are witness to crucial events or want to show the story of real lives that have shaped the landscape by the use of the “documentary”.…..if you want to know more about TSL look at our calendar of events past and present and you will see a host of interests and points of view that the TSL curators take when creating our programs—it is about what we are thinking and our search for the new movie makers that will more often than not reach any of your screens—we believe in the public space that shares a work in a screening room with theater seats rather than the  comfortable couch in your living room—isolated from the maddening crowd—Bertolt Brecht believed we should view the theater with our hats on and a cigar in our mouth—be experts—know the game—and sit on the edge of our seats —eyes wide open—me too!!!!

—this past article in the New Yorker by Richard Brody —Dec. 4, 2019 is short statement of the state of the cinema……

“With a price per viewing of zero, Netflix and Amazon Prime shows only have to be endurable. The situation brings to mind a word of wisdom from family lore: “For free, even vinegar tastes sweet.” Streaming is more than consumption; it’s compulsion. As the Netflix executive Reed Hastings said, in 2017, “We actually compete with sleep. And we’re winning.”

This flood of so-called content is a threat to something more than sleep—it’s a threat to the cinema. The danger is best understood in political terms, albeit ones that are ugly to cite. Last year, Steve Bannon told Michael Lewis, “The Democrats don’t matter. The real opposition is the media. And the way to deal with them is to flood the zone with shit.” Putting “independent filmmakers” in the place of “Democrats,” and “critics” in the place of “media,” clarifies the way that the current audiovisual content-sphere is approaching the cinemascape at large.”

Minimalism is on the big stage—– ears fill with a whirling- dervish of sound using repeating phrases and threads of recognizable themes–a kind of Wagner on speed–and jugglers to boot to keep the eye engaged as the slow moving performers –focus on the delivery of extremely difficult musical business—worth the ticket of admission–a hit for even those who are in love with the steady war-horses that prance at the MET.

“Please step aside little woman”—“I don’t think she will mind at all”—stepping aside has been the role of women for far too long—stepping aside to all kinds of movements has met with on going wars and continued disenfranchisement of women and their rightful rights—we now are swimming in the land of gender fluidity—gender politics is—BUT—I am advocating for women to be considered  FIRST—that the “female gender” be realized FIRST before we dismiss the value of “Female”—or shall SHE continue to wait– like Penelope as her man travels the world—or like Cassandra— the one who tells the truth but never is believed or like many mothers, sisters, wives, and women lovers who never get to realize their power because they “step aside” to “let” others pass before them—I am advocating less “stepping aside” —instead– ask women to step up—step on and step over and use their power to make changes that we so desperately need. If we wait much longer we will be left with nothing to hold on to as the gyre of our time twists us into nihilistic chaos.

The Bubble is manufactured by soap–slippery stuff–hard to hold—can cause a fall–make a bad taste –bubbles are enclosed spaces that capture space for a moment–not a lasting space–but a space nevertheless. News is often found in Bubbles–truth in the Bubble is hard to prove–sometimes we say people live in a “Bubble” this means they live in a space that is fragile — and tentative—available to collapse in a moment. Not to despair but yet to come to a realization here we are —the Bubble has surrounded us–lies/confusion/media overload have us in a Bubble that blinds us—now we need the shelter—and we need to find who can share this shelter so we can emerge with some action to defend ourselves from the “Bubbleheads.”

The merger has happened—some thought wall street was the scene of the accident–but there was another marriage between truth and fiction—the thin red line that divides these two dancers had been erased—now these dance a tango that distracts us from the real reel of our diminished mediated lives.

We are here where we are and the question is how did we get here and who can hear the truth of what is what and this and that and can we wade through the noise of the sea of chaos to come to a conclusion or are we forever stuck in the mud of confusion –for this is the 21st century—the century of post-modern babble–we communicate but cannot listen or be heard–SO who is winning who is losing—we will never know—the game board called justice is at TILT—ask the weathermen and women which way the wind is blowing if you want some real answers to questions. My cat is a sure thing–he has 9 lives and sleeps more hours than he is awake–he does not have an i-phone and does not watch TV. Is America yet?

A Bread Factory Part 1 & 2 are out and available from Grasshopper movie distributors–you can stream it in your own living rooms—This movie is inspired by places like TSL / Time & Space Limited and Claudia & Linda–we began this project in 2017—most of the movie was filmed here in Hudson and at TSL. The movies kicked off the first screening in October of 2018—from TSL Hudson–it continued to open in New York City and then travel the world–now it is on a form that you can buy and watch at your leisure. The movie is a tribute to the creative spirits that flourish in the underbelly of our nation—it is the Time & Space Limited’s of our time that give space and time to new threads of ideas and inspirations–we launch ideas that are seeds to plant the new ideas in the minds of our audience by artists of all ages—get your copy now from Grasshopper movie distributor—and send us a note–tell us what you think. —Now it is November 2019–thanks Patrick Wang the brilliant director who made A BREAD FACTORY Part 1 & 2–this amazing eye captured a wild spirit right here in Hudson, NY. (for more information about how to buy or host a screening check the website abreadfactory.com

Virginia Woolf’ “The past is beautiful because one never realizes an emotion at the time. It expands later, and thus we don’t have complete emotions about the present, only the past.” 

Yes the past is described here by one of my favorite writers—Woolf. Reading her work long ago becomes a kind of past—that one can remember at the moment of the engagement—and savor for all of one’s life—some writers make a dent in our minds—she (Woolf) is one such writer—as time goes on the writing gets deeper—and the memory of the experience is heightened by the remembrance of reading—words words what an impact they have on us—to read to write is to have pleasure—a private pleasure—a discourse with the writer and the reader is a most private thing.

Have a nice day as we watch winter descend on our door steps — we imagined it and now it is real as we shiver with our shoulders held in a grip—to shield us from the cold— Nov. 13-2019

okay it starts the loss of light—

Time and Space —here we are nearing the close of 2019—World War 1 ended 100 years ago—we landed on the moon 50 years ago. I left Indiana 50 years ago and headed to NYC—here I continued my work in the theater—in 1973 I organized TSL and continued to work at experimental theater (with Claudia Bruce) until the last century ended in 1989—then  we moved the work to Hudson, NY where we acquired a home for TSL and have continued to work at theater—some of the theater work has turned into round the clock presenting of indy movies as well as community engagement as well as more formal work such as the presenting of HD live simulcasts of the MET OPERA and National THEATER of LONDON—now we sell books—host readings —and more —this year we have lost one of our biggest fans—Judy Grunberg—the mother of the cultural scene here in Columbia County—for over 50 years —Judy generated energy and support for a multitude of projects —too numerous to mention—this year I have been elected to serve as an elected official for the City —more about that later—what I wanted to say is that we have a new Mayor and a new day here in our community—as we struggle with the gentrification of Hudson and Columbia County—we face the loss of a small community to a larger corporate community—what does this mean—it means that individuals have less of a shot at building an economy that is sustainable…we watch platforms such as airbnb’s rule our homelands by stealing funds from our housing stock to assist outside investors in making money off of our hard earned work—this is not new to Hudson—it is the state of the nation—we are in a time of brutal economics—a hyper capitalism that is wrecking our nation—no longer can we compete on a level field—we are pitted against the giants—and the giants are eating one another—and we are the crumbs.

So here we are—what can we do—support places like Time & Space Limited —we are a place where ideas can flourish and art is expressed—and that is where the minds are changed and the revolution can happen. 

Happy Birthday Herman Melville. 200 years have passed since your birth. So many whales- so many years- so many readers who have read your amazing book.  I for one am impressed by the writing and your beautiful spirit that sailed on the Pequod.  Time passes and appreciation increases as we see our world soaked in oil and the sea bathed in plastic. We have indeed lost our way. The hunt for oil has taken its toll on us — now we are engaged in a state of denial and our luck is running out. The ship- the whale- the obsession all classic struggles— we still fish for the thing that will kill us.