Welcome to my retitled blog: Brian Presents:. Duh! What was I thinking? That should have been the name of my blog all along.
For the uninitiated, Brian Presents: is the name of the film lecture series I started up during my senior year of high school. I have always been a serious film lover and I felt a burning desire to share some of my favorite films with my friends because I knew that otherwise they might never even know about them, let alone ever see them. For each installment of Brian Presents: I prepared a brief introduction about the film to provide some historical context and explain the film's significance. Then we all watched the film, discussed our thoughts and reactions, ate some foodstuffs and engaged in general merrymaking. Brian Presents: ran for 14 installments from February to May of my senior year, shutting down operation around graduation time.
Six years later, after being flooded with dozens of petitions with tens of thousands of signatures and e-signatures (okay, not really), I decided to relaunch Brian Presents: for a new generation. Since then I have hosted a new Brian Presents: every few months, bringing the current grand total to 24 installments. I just love doing it - whenever I'm showing someone "The Third Man" or "The Gold Rush" or "Radio Days" or "Bonnie and Clyde" or "The Night of the Hunter" for the first time I envy them for the experience they are about to have.
I feel like Brian Presents: is just one manifestation of one of my favorite things in life: championing things that I love that I feel like other people may never otherwise encounter. Whether I'm showing "The Palm Beach Story" at Brian Presents:, producing an obscure Offenbach gem with Zero Budget Productions, or presenting a lecture/recital of Brazilian art songs, it's all the same thing: I love all of those things and I want other people to be exposed to them and perhaps fall in love with them as well.
Hopefully this blog can follow suit and help me share some of the things I think are wonderful and beautiful in the world.
(Although I might have an easier time seeing wonderful and beautiful things in the world if it would stop snowing all the time! It's the end of March! Be spring already!)
15 years ago
6 comments:
I like it! It’s a perfect fit for you, Brian. And, how well you explained your passion and your joys. You brought back memories of many years of having my life enriched by your passions, your expertise, and your enthusiasm. Imagine never having been introduced to film classics like “The Third Man” and “Vertigo,” to grand opera as well as Gilbert and Sullivan, to composers, authors, and ideas! Along the way, you have championed people, as well, giving those with unknown talent a chance to shine and be appreciated, in the process of championing things that you love. So, I’m glad that you are back with Brian Presents in its different incarnations. And, I’m excited once again to be enlightened, entertained, and educated with Brian Presents.
Yeah, seriously. Why does mother nature keep playing tricks on us?! And fyi, in that long list of movies you mentioned I had heard of one, and hadn't even seen that one. I think the next installment of Brian Presents should be soon!
I love the fitting new name, but will miss the optic yellow walrus icon.
I just wrote on my blog about my experience with Brian Presents. It really was great, thank you for sharing it with me. I listed most of the movies I remembered. I forgot Night of the Hunter, I didn't really get that one though anyway. I'll have to see what you recommend that I haven't seen yet.
Hey, I just stalked Maggie's blog and you now have my permission to proceed with all plans for Brazil. (I know you were waiting for it). You're going to have a great summer!
You should have a showing of "Touch of Evil" in memory of the late Charlton Heston. That's another movie I forgot to list on my blog.
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