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Death and the Samurai
Fairly or unfairly, death has always been linked to the samurai. It is in fact the samurai's presumed affinity for death that seems to set him aside from other warriors and captures the imagination. Of course, there can be little doubt that the manner in which he viewed his own death was considered most important. But was he as obsessed by it as we have been led to believe, ready to toss his life away at a moment's notice? Perhaps we, both Japanese and foreign, owe much of our 'death-intensive' view of the samurai to the Hagakure, a book composed in the 18th Century. Written long after the last samurai army had marched into battle, the Hagakure - and books like it - sought to stiffen the flagging martial spirit among a samurai class nearly destitute and directionless. Needless to say, a good deal of idealism found its way into the pages of these 'how-to' books, but at the same time, the wisdom contained within was (and is) often distorted or misconstrued. Perhaps the most famous example is provided in the opening chapter of the Hagakure itself… "The Way of the Samurai is found in death. When it comes to death, there is only the quick choice of death."1 These oft-quoted lines find their way into many 'populist' books and magazines on the samurai and/or Japanese martial culture. Yet, if we read a bit further, we encounter this passage… "We all want to live. And in large part we make our logic according to what we like. But not having attained our aim and continuing to live is cowardice. This is a thin dangerous line. To die without gaining one's aim IS a dog's death and fanaticism. But there is no shame in this. This is the substance of the Way of the Samurai. If by setting one's heart right every morning and evening, one is able to live as though his body were already dead, he gains freedom in the Way. His whole life will be without blame, and he will succeed in his calling."2 In these words we find a depth and thoughtfulness lacking to some degree from our image of the samurai and death. Another Edo samurai, Daidoji Yuzan, wrote… "One who is a samurai must before all things keep constantly in mind…the fact that he has to die. If he is always mindful of this, he will be able to live in accordance with the paths of loyalty and filial duty, will avoid myriads of evils and adversities, keep himself free of disease and calamity and moreover enjoy a long life. He will also be a fine personality with many admirable qualities. For existence is impermanent as the dew of evening, and the hoarfrost of morning, and particularly uncertain is the life of the warrior…"3 Yet, how much can be drawn from the writings of peacetime samurai? Granted, any Edo samurai faced the prospect of suicide should he greatly displease his lord, or commit some notable transgression (the penalty for striking another with a sword in anger was often suicide). Additionally, even life in Edo Japan was fraught with all manner of hardships, including fires, earthquakes, and disease. In this respect life differed little from the days when Kamo no Chomei had written,
"Where to find a place to rest?
And how bring even short-lived peace to our hearts?"4
With this in mind, then, we'll take a brief look at two of the two ways a samurai might prefer to die, and how they were intertwined. Battlefield Death "Those who cling to life die, and those who defy death live."8 The sengoku daimyô Uesugi Kenshin left these words for his retainers just prior to his own death. The Hagakure provides a somewhat similar bit of wisdom. "A person who does not want to be struck by the enemy's arrows will have no divine protection. For a man who does not wish to be hit by the arrows of a common soldier, but rather those of a warrior of fame, there will be the protection for which he asked."9 In other words, while a peacetime samurai was free - and encouraged - to contemplate death, a fighting samurai was probably better off not thinking about it.
'Then, in time, His Majesty's ship sailed,
It may be of some interest to note that the play 'Atsumori' was reputed
to be a favorite of the often-ruthless 16th century warlord
Oda Nobunaga. Nobufusa rushed a man to [Takeda] Katsuyori to say, "Sir, leave this place at once. I beg you. I will stay here and die." He stayed on with eighty horsemen and lost all of them. He climbed a hill and, seeing that Katsuyori was now far away, shouted loudly to the enemy, "I am Baba, Governor of Mino. Kill me if you can and win a big reward!" Enemies gave him multiple stabs, and he died.11 The death of Nobufusa is given added poignancy by the knowledge that he and the other old Takeda generals had urged Katsuyori not to attack the allied army the night before. When Katsuyori ignored their advice, Baba and his colleagues dutifully led their men from the front and were killed almost to a man.
"I have seen enough," said the New Middle Counselor Tomomori. "It is time to take my life." He summoned his foster brother, Iga no Heinaizaemon Ienaga. "What do you say? You will stand by your promise, won't you?"
Note that Tomomori's retainers were quick to follow him in death, an impulsive reaction not at all uncommon, especially under such devestating conditions.
…Munemori and his son Kiyomune lingered at the side of their boat, looking around in bewilderment, with no apparent thought of jumping. Some of the Taira samurai, shamed by the minister's conduct, pushed him overboard under pretense of brushing past him. Kiyomune promptly leaped after him.
Munemori's impulse towards self-preservation is altogether human, but occasionally death was actively avoided for the greater good of the cause. This is nowhere better illustrated then by the actions of Kusunoki Masashige, the famous Imperial loyalist of the early 14th Century. He is particularly well remembered for engineering two classic defensive stands, at Akasaka and Chihaya, where he tenaciously resisted much larger enemy armies. The Taiheki records the events surrounding the fall of Akasaka… Kusunoki had built this castle in great haste, with no time to prepare adequate provisions. In a mere twenty days after the battle had started and the castle was surrounded, there were only four or five days' worth of provisions left in the castle. So Masashige faced his men and said:
Masashige's decision allowed him to embarrass the Eastern forces at Chihaya, but in the end he was ordered to a battle he knew he could not win. Dutifully accepting the wishes of the Emperor, who desired a decisive battle to end the war in one stroke, Masashige prepared to depart for Minatogawa, first visiting with his eleven-year-old son… "…If you retain a single word of mine in your ear, please do not go against what I now have to say. I think the coming battle will decide the fate of our land, and this will be the last time for me to see your face in this life.
Masashige then departed for the battle where, as he had predicted, his side was defeated. Surrounded by the enemy, Masashige commited suicide. His son, Masatsura, took his father's parting words to heart, and carried on his fight on behalf of the 'Southern Court'. Sadly, Masatsura himself fell in battle, but not before leaving the names of his kinsmen and these lines etched on a temple door that remain to this day… I could not return, I presume,
As we have seen, a meaningful or dramatic suicide (or de facto suicide) was one of the ways in which a samurai could achieve posthumous fame. Here are some other men noted for the manner in which they died… Taira Noritsune (d.1185). At the same Battle of Dan no Ura where Tomomori would drown himself, Noritsune was determined to take the head of his clan's great foil, Minamoto Yoshitsune. He jumped from boat to boat, seeking out his quarry, until he finally shouted a challenge in frustration. Three Minamoto warriors came forward, seeking to subdue him, but straightaway suffered the loss of one of their number kicked into the sea. Noritsune then grappled with his other two assailants. '…he clamped the second man, Sanemitsu, under his left arm, and the younger brother, Jiro, under his right, gave them both a mighty squeeze, and sprang into the waves, saying, "All right, come on! Be my companions in the Shide Mountains."17 He was twenty-six years old.' Shiaku Saburozaemon (d.1333). Saburozaemon was the son of a low ranking member of the Hojo Bakufu. In 1333 the Hojo were defeated by the supporters of the Emperor Go-Daigo and Kamakura was attacked. Saburozaemon's father decided to commit suicide along with his masters, but advised his young son to escape and assume the life of a Buddhist monk. Saburozaemon refused. "Even though I have not been actively and personally connected with our master, as your son I have been brought up under the benevolent protection of his grace. If I already followed the life of monkhood it would be a different matter. Having been born into the family of a samurai, how can I leave you and our master and save myself to become a monk? No shame is greater then this. If you are to share the destiny of our master, let me be your guide into the next world."18 Before he had even finished speaking, he slit his own belly open. He was followed by his father, who first wrote the lines… "Holding forth this sword, I cut vacuity in twain; In the midst of the great fire, A stream of refreshing breeze!'19 Makara Naotaka (d.1570) This great warrior, better known by his title of Jûrôzaemon, rode out to cover the retreat of the Asakura after they had given way to the forces of Tokugawa Ieyasu and Oda Nobunaga at Anegawa in 1570. He killed a certain Ogasawara Nagatada in single combat, then, aided by his son and a long sword, bought his clan as much time as possible . Finally surrounded in the shallow waters of the Anegawa, Makara and his son Naomoto were cut down - but not before the Asakura had made good their escape. Matsunaga Hisahide (d.1577) Having failed in a rebellion against Oda Nobunaga, Matsunaga was faced with committing suicide even as enemy troops assailed the walls of his castle. It happened that Matsunaga was a tea master of some note, and knew that Nobunaga had always coveted his famous teakettle 'Hiragumo'. Hisahide therefore determined that Nobunaga would be denied the two things he wanted most from him. He ordered that, after he had commited suicide, his head and Hiragumo were to be fastened together and blown apart with gunpowder.
Nishima Morinobu (d.1582) Morinobu was the 5th son of the late warlord Takeda Shingen. His elder brother Katsuyori had lost the aforementioned Battle of Nagashino in 1575, and now Oda Nobunaga's troops were pouring into the Takeda lands. Almost everywhere the long-since disillusioned Takeda men were deserting, but at Takato Castle Morinobu held out. Though they resisted wave after wave, the defenders, which included all of the castle's able-bodied women, were finally worn down, and Morinobu mounted the battlements and shouted down at the attackers. He listed Nobunaga's crimes, and predicted the timely downfall of the Oda, then slit his belly in full view of both besieger and besieged. His head was spirited away in the ensuing confusion, and, in fact, Oda Nobunaga was dead just a few months later. Sanada Yukimura (d.1615) Few other samurai warriors earned the fame accorded to Sanada, whose greatest glory came in the service of the defenders of Hideyori's Osaka Castle. Thanks in part to Sanada's skill, Osaka Castle held out against Tokugawa Ieyasu's initial assaults, and a peaceful settlement was arranged. Yet this peace was to be undone by treachery on the part of Tokugawa and indecision on the part of Hideyori and his mother. Faced with another siege they stood less chance of winning, Sanada and the other defenders of the castle elected to make a bold attack, which culminated in the Battle of Tennôji. The fighting was savage and often much in doubt, but finally, the Osaka troops began to give way. Sanada's men had borne more then their share of the fighting, and their leader, realizing that their cause was lost, slumped onto his campstool. A Tokugawa warrior burst forth and leveled a spear at him.
Worthy of mention are Nitta Yoshisada, whom legend says had enough willpower in his body to stab an enemy warrior to death even after he had slit his own belly and been burned; and Miura Yoshinobu (d.1518), who is reported to have commited suicide by chopping his own head off! Seppuku
The act of slitting one's own belly is such an unbelievable way in which to commit suicide that it is possibly the most famous element of the samurai mythos. Known in the West as hara-kiri (in fact a 'vulgar' expression probably never commonly used by the samurai themselves), the origin of disembowlment as suicide is impossible to pinpoint but the first notable acts were provided by Minamoto Tametomo and Minamoto Yorimasa in the latter part of the 12th Century. The original motivations for this method of death may well have been purely practical. Miura Yoshinobu's example aside, cutting off one's own head is a bit difficult, and as the spirit was felt to reside in the stomach, slitting the belly open was felt to be the most straightforward (if not quickest) way to die. Over the centuries, the philosophy behind seppuku was refined. One samurai wrote many centuries after the deaths of Minamoto Tametomo and Yorimasa that the spirit of a man was like that of an apple's core, unseen and locked within the skin.
The apple certainly exists, but to the core [soul] this existence as yet seems inadequate; if words cannot endorse it, then the only way to endorse it is with the eyes. Indeed, for the core the only sure mode of existence is to exist and to see at the same time. There is only one method of solving this contradiction. It is for a knife to be plunged deep into the apple so that it is split open and the core is exposed to the light-to the same light, that is, as the surface skin. Yet then the existence of the cut apple falls into fragments; the core of the apple sacrifices existence for the sake of seeing.21
The above was clearly an esoteric point of view. Others have written that the act of belly slitting required an exceptional bravery, and over the years it became a 'privilege' reserved for the samurai. Commoners might hang or drown themselves, whilst samurai women might slit their own throats; only samurai could commit Seppuku. To be simply executed was a mark of particular shame, and generally reserved for notorious traitors.
By the Edo Period, the act of seppuku had become a fully developed ritual with Shinto undertones.
Junshi: this act of suicide involved following one's lord in death. Not entirely uncommon in the days of open samurai warfare, junshi was banned in the Edo Period as wasteful. The last famous example was that of the General Nogi Maresue in 1912 following the death of the Emperor Meiji.
Kanshi: Suicide through remonstration. Not common, this involved killing one's self to make a point to a lord when all other forms of persuasion had failed. Perhaps the best known example of this is provided by Hirate Nakatsukasa Kiyohide (1493-1553), who commited suicide to make a youthful and irreverant Oda Nobunaga change his ways.
Sokotsu-shi: Here, a samurai would kill himself as a way of making amends for some transgression. This is possibly the best-known reason for seppuku, and has perhaps been popularized far out of proportion to its frequency. One well-known instance involves the Takeda general Yamamoto Kansuke Haruyuki (1501-1561), who flung himself into the enemy after his plans had put his lord in grave danger. Badly wounded, he withdrew from the fray and commited suicide.
Finally, it should be remembered
that as ever-present as death may have been to many samurai (of Oda
Nobuhide's many sons, for example, eight died untimely deaths-including
the famous Nobunaga) most died the old-fashioned way: of old age. There
are numerous examples of famous long-lived samurai, including Môri
Motonari (74), Môri
Terumoto (72), Nabeshima Naoshige (82), Ryûzôji Iekane
(92), Sanada Nobuyuki (92), Shimazu Yoshihiro (84), and Ukita Hideie
The noted swordsman Tsukahara Bokuden probably best summed up the philosophy of death as it related to the samurai with the words...
For the samurai to learn
1. Hagakure pg. 1
2. Hagakure pg. 1-2
3. Code of the Samurai pg. 15
4. Hojoki pg. 58
5. Hojoki pg.38
6. Hojoki pg. 46-47
7. Both of these men are popularly held to have met much more 'unatural' deaths: Kenshin at the hands of an assasin, and Shingen as the result of a sniper. The scholarly consensus seems to be that illness, much more 'mundane', was the culprit in both cases.
8. Zen and Japanese Culture pg. 78
9. Hagakure pg. 154
10. Japanese No Dramas pg. 48
11. Legends of the Samurai pg. 228
12. Tale of the Heike pg. 381
13. Tale of the Heike pg. 379
14. Legends of the Samurai pg. 164
15. Legends of the Samurai pg. 184
16. Samurai: a Military History pg. 97
17. Tale of the Heike pg. 380
18. Zen and Japanese Culture pg. 83
19. Zen and Japanese Culture pg. 84
20. Maker of Modern Japan pg. 289
21. Way of the Samurai pg. 32
22. Zen and Japanese Culture pg. 73


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"Orange Couch" gets a Youtube Channel [posted January 22nd, 2014]... Webb's show on StageIt.com, "The Orange Couch" is off to a great start, and now has it's own YouTube channel! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/user/orangecouchshow Other "Orange Couch" links we've shared in our mailings also include: • The Orange Couch site Webb Wilder Fan Fest Eight is Coming [posted June 10th, 2013]... The time for Webb Fest is once again almost upon us! This time around is our eighth straight year! Webb and the boys are coming back to Bowling Green, Kentucky for another go-'round on Saturday, October 5th, 2013. The Warehouse at Mt. Victor is once again the venue of choice. Full details can be found by clicking here. New Book Mentions Webb Wilder [posted February 8th, 2013]... Rev. Keith Gordon's new book, The Other Side of Nashville, includes material sourced from interviewing Webb. Check out the story found here for more details. Webb's Pal Farmer Jason Gets Reviewed in the UK Telegraph [posted June 24th, 2012]... As many of you know, Webb is a frequent collaborator with our friend Jason Ringenberg, AKA "Farmer Jason," also known for his rock-and-roll handiwork with Jason and the Scorchers. Earlier this year, Farmer Jason. along with a colorful group of guests including Webb, Mike Mills (of REM fame), Todd Snider, and Iris DeMent, and others, released a new CD entitled "Nature Jams." This unique production has since received a nice write-up by a critic with the UK's Telegraph. You can check that review out, by clicking here. Neat stuff, pick up on it! Press from the Fijian Cultural Tour [September 15th, 2011]... As you may know, Webb and the guys are currently serving as cultural ambassadors to Fiji, taking their unique brand of Swampadelic bliss overseas to share with the island nation. The Fiji Times has published a story about this mini-tour, complete with a neat photo (and we're hoping more turn up). You can check that story out by clicking here. Don't forget to click the pic, to see a bigger version. They also published this article the week before, noting Webb and the Beatnecks' arrival. Credit for finding both of these articles goes to WW documentarian Hunter Goatley. Nice work! Webb Wilder Fan Fest SIX! [posted July 18th, 2011]... Are you READY? It's almost that time of year again. Here it comes, bigger and better than ever, it's WEBB FEST SIX! This year's Webbfest will be on Saturday, October 1st, 2011. The Capitol Arts Theater in Bowling Green, Kentucky is on a roll, and will be the venue of choice once again. Full details can be found by clicking here. MS Musicians Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony Pics [Tuesday, January 11th, 2011]... Webb's induction into the Mississippi Musicians' Hall of Fame took place on January 18th. The event was photographed and the Hall of Fame sent us the photos. You can view these photos, by clicking here. The following inductees people were present, (or represented by family members: ����Webb Wilder ����Dr. Benjamin Wright ����Gayle Dean Wardlow ����Dardanelle Hadley (family) ����Delaney Bramlett (family) ����David Banner (family) Also inducted, but not attending, were: ����LeAnn Rimes ����Keith Carlock ����Jim Dickinson ����Tyrone Davis ����Steve Rouse ����Paul Overstreet ����Elmore James ����Mickey Gilley ����Pilgrim Jubilees ����Paul Davis ����William Brown ����Rufus Thompson ����Clyde Otis ����Bob Pittman Also in attendance were past inductees Dorothy Moore and Ace Cannon. Webb To Enter Mississippi Musicians' Hall of Fame [Tuesday, January 11th, 2011]... Next Tuesday, January 18th, 2011, Webb Wilder will take part in this year's Mississippi Musicians' Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and become an inductee! This is an enormous honor, and is bestowed upon only a small handful of respected and beloved artists whose roots run deep in the state of Mississippi. A press release with full details can be found by clicking here. There's also a nice article at Country Standard Time about this huge honor... (thanks, Glen!). And finally, you might also want to visit the Hall of Fame's website for a closer look at the inductees section. Webb is joining a very exclusive group! Webb Wilder Fan Fest FIVE! [July 20th, 2010]... It is almost that time of year again! WATCH OUT, here comes the LANDMARK FIFTH ANNUAL Webb Wilder Fan Fest! The big event will be on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010. The Capitol Arts Theater in Bowling Green, Kentucky was such a great place for Webb Fest, this year's 'fest is gonna take place there one more time! Full details can be found by clicking here. Aldo Kerfeld and Like The Dew cover "Hillblilies for Haiti" [February 11th, 2010]... This upcoming week, Webb and a talented, multi-genre army of musical performers are pulling out all the stops to support Haitian earthquake victims. "Hillbillies for Haiti" will take place Tuesday, February 16th, 2010 at the Mercy Lounge in Nashville. Online journal Like the Dew and blogger Aldo Kerfeld each have published a human interest piece about this event. You can read them here: ��Aldo Kerfeld's Weekend Revue ��Like The Dew Webb Pops Up in Martin Guitar's Newsletter [January 21st, 2010]... The January 2010 issue of the Martin Guitar official newsletter features a picture of Webb (From his "She's Not Romantic" video by Steve Mims) along with a short commentary. You can check it out here, on page 13. Please note, the newsletter is in PDF format. Adobe Acrobat Reader or another PDF reader is required. Also worth mentioning: Martin's newsletter back issues can be found here... but if you're on dialup, brace for impact! Some are nearly 10MB in size. Webb on the Cover of Alternative Root [November 30th, 2009]... November's cover of Alternative Root magazine features a slideshow that includes of Webb, Son Volt, Yarn and the Bottlerockets. Check it out! Their article about Webb starts on page 70. The article they've got about Webb, starts on page 70. Webb Appears on New Disney "Cars" related CD [September 10th, 2009]... As you may already know, Webb's performance of "I've Been Everywhere" was included on Disney's 2006 CD "Lightning McQueen's Fast Tracks." Now, three years later, they're releasing a new Cars-related assortment, named appropriately enough, "Mater's Car Tunes," and once again Webb's on it! He performs the vocals on "Rosie's Place." You can hear a sample on Amazon.com. Also, watch this space for more on this subject. Word is the Tennessean and Disney's website have some press coming up regarding this release, and we're working on getting some links to those. Webb Featured in Elmore Magazine Review [August 25th, 2009]... Webb's received a nice write-up in the September/October 2009 issue of Elmore Magazine. The text is available here. We also recommend you visit Elmore Magazine's website, which is chock full of American Music goodness!! Independence Weekend Simulcast on Lightning 100 [June 9th, 2009]... Webb and the guys will be playing Third and Lindsley on July 5th, the Independence Day holiday weekend. This gig starts at 9pm Central, and will be broadcast simultaneously on 100.1 FM, Nashville's Independent Radio, Lightning 100. Check out their website's "listen live" page by clicking here! Webb Wilder Fan Fest #4, Coming in October! [May 1st, 2009]... We are pleased to announce that there will be a FOURTH edition of the ever-popular Webb Wilder Fan Fest! This time around, the date is Saturday, October 3rd, and the place is Bowling Green, Kentucky, at the Capitol Arts Theater. Co-founder and organizer Tater Bodine (AKA Jim Chandler) has posted a thread with the initial details on the Webb Board. You can read it by clicking here. This event is now also listed on the Tour Dates page (see October 3rd). Webb to Guest on The Lowdown Hoedown 5/4/09 [May 1st, 2009]... On Monday, May 4th, Webb will be doing a phone-in interview to Greg Martin's weekly "Lowdown Hoedown" Radio program. The theme for the program will be "The Blues Influences of Webb Wilder." The program airs on D93, WDNS in Bowling Green, KY, every Monday from 7-10pm. The WDNS website is located here, and Greg Martin's Lowdown Hoedown website is available here. Webb and MLM, Featured on Guitarmania Tomorrow [April 22nd, 2009]... This week's episode of Andy Ellis' Guitarmania program will include Webb (and his new album, More Like Me) as his featured artist! Several tracks will air, and Andy did an interview with Webb as well. Please visit their website at GuitarManiaShow.com to find out where you can listen in, whether by radio or the internet. New CD, "More Like Me," to be Released April 21st [April 2nd, 2009]... The new Webb Wilder album,"More Like Me," will be released by Blind Pig Records on CDs and digital downloads April 21st. This is all-new material, and the first WW studio album since 2005's "About Time." The new album is comprised of five self-penned WW songs and seven solid senders from the songbooks of American music icons Larry Williams, Percy Sledge, Roky Erickson, Jim Ford, Eddie Hinton and Jimmy Swan. Joining Webb are longtime associates Jimmy Lester, Tom Comet, George Bradfute, Joe V. McMahan, and Bob Williams, as well as some other stellar personages whose talents were lent to the making of this fine audio disc/download/musical postcard from the "Full Grown" musical mailbox of Webb Wilder, Electrifying Artist. WebbWilder.com is accepting pre-orders at this time. You can order the new disc either with or without Webb's autograph. Visit our merchandise page to pre-order yours today! Please note that orders including the CD will ship on or shortly after the April 21st release date. You can also visit Webb's discography page for additional information about "More Like Me." Webb to be on Beale Street Caravan Radio Program [March 23nd, 2009]... Webb will be featured on the Beale Street Caravan radio program starting Wednesday, March 25th! In October 2008, Webb and the band played the venerable Arkansas Blues Heritage Festival, formerly known as the King Biscuit Fest. Beale Street Caravan recorded this performance, and will be retransmitting it via their syndication network of many stations around the world. Click here to visit their website, for more information. WW Interviewed for the Peverett Phile [January 2nd, 2009]... Webb was recently interviewed by the Peverett Phile. The author is the son of Foghat's Lonesome Dave Peverett, famous in his own right, and an old friend of Webb's. The interview can be found here.. Webb on the Bob and Tom Show, December 11th [November 26th, 2008]... Webb will be appearing live on the Bob and Tom Radio Show out of Indianapolis on Thursday, December 11th! Time will be 8:25am Starting this month, Bob and Tom expanded to TV - a "Best Of" that day's show runs that evening on WGN TV, which is another way to catch highlights and perhaps see Webb too. UPDATE 2008-Dec-10: Previously the time stated was 8-ish "CST" but Indianapolis is actually Eastern time, not Central. Sorry for any confusion! BTBW Nominated for Grammys [November 3rd, 2008]... Webb's 2008 most recent CD release, "Born To Be Wilder," is on the current Grammy ballot, which is being voted on at this time! This is a preliminary ballot, which can only be accessed by members of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences (NARAS). Its outcome of which will determine the "final five" in each respective voting category. The votes will be tallied and the final ballot determined on December 3rd, at which time the final nominees will be made widely known. The album's broad appeal is reflected in the fact that it is represented under both "Rock" and "Country" genres. It was nominated for the following categories: Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals - Human Cannonball and Tough It Out Best Rock Instrumental Performance - Sputnik Best Rock Song - Human Cannonball Best Rock Album - Born To Be Wilder Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals - If You're Looking for a Fool Best Country Song - If You're Looking for a Fool WW Swag Page Grand Reopening [October 29th, 2008]... WebbWilder.com is excited to announce that we have updated and re-launched our Swag Page! In addition to having added some new items, we now also support online shopping and payment by either PayPal or Credit Card! You can still order by mail though, if you prefer to do so, or need to pay by check or money order. Additional information is on the Swag Page itself, or have a look at these Webb Board threads posted by Mike-o-Matic and the Swag Czar. Webb Wilder Selected to Honor Les Paul [October 24, 2008]... Webb has been picked to honor Les Paul as part of the Rock Hall of Fame Celebration in Cleveland! Les Paul is an American Hero who is certainly one of the major influences in guitars, audio recording technology and Rock n' Roll. Webb Wilder participated in a panel honoring the man at the Americana Conference in Nashville this September. Now he and his band are being included in the week-long celebration of Les Paul at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland - part of the American Music Masters Series. Les has chosen the Rock Hall to be the place most of his inventions and memorabilia will be displayed. The band will play on Friday, November 14th at Wilbert's, and attend the Tribute Concert on Saturday, November 15th at the Rock Hall. Other appearances are possible. For more information, visit this page about the American Music Masters Series. WW Films to be Featured at Austin Festival [October 14, 2008]... The AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL has chosen three short Webb Wilder films to include in its 15th Annual event! Catch screenings of The Saucer's Reign, Horror Hayride, and Scattergun here: Friday, Oct. 17 at the Rollins Theater - 9:30pm. Sunday, Oct. 19 at the Alamo Drafthouse Lakecreek - 7:30pm. Webb will be in attendance at the October 19th showing. More information is here. Article about Webb on Jambands.com [February 27th, 2008]... Jambands.com has posted an article about Webb's recent sit-in with Atlanta favorites Delta Moon, which took place after his own gig at Smith's Olde Bar last week. Webb Wilder Shares ?Sugar Coated Love? With Delta MoonThe original article is located here. UPDATE: Photos taken from this guest jam are now available on our Fan Photos gallery! "Born to be Wilder" #1 on Root Rock Charts! [February 25th, 2008]... Webb's recent live CD release, "Born to be Wilder," is really hitting some big milestones! Based upon radio airplay (largely due to listener requests, so keep 'em coming!), the album has taken over the top spot on the Roots Rock charts in just a couple of short weeks since its release! You can read the Blind Pig Records release on this achievement by clicking this link! You can always find the up-to-date chart here. "Born to be Wilder" Ink Begins to Flow [January 29th, 2008]... Webb's newly released live CD "Born to be Wilder" has received a very positive writeup by Cashville411's Daryl Sanders. You can read it here. Thanks to our eagle-eyed regulars, we've also spotted some other BTBW reviews. Check 'em out! ? Time Out Chicago ? Gazz Blogs Beatneck Bowles to Appear on Hank Jr. Special [November 15th, 2007]... As some of you know, our friend and Beatneck Tony Bowles also regularly plays with Hank Williams, Jr. and his band. Recently, Tony participated in a tribute to Hank Jr., alongside such notables as Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Gretchen Wilson, Buddy Guy, Toby Keith, Kid Rock, and even Steven Tyler of Aerosmith! This production will air as an episode of "CMT Giants" this coming Saturday, November 17th, on CMT (Country Music Television) at 8pm Central, 9pm Eastern. Check local listings if in doubt. If you have CMT you won't want to miss this! PS. I'll add a website link and doublecheck the times if I can. |
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text:
This section contains 7,346 words (approx. 25 pages at 300 words per page) |
Critical Essay by Lynn Wardley
SOURCE: "Reassembling Daisy Miller," in American Literary History, Vol. 3, No. 2, Summer, 1991, pp. 232-54.
In the following essay, Wardley explores the role of flirtation in Daisy Miller.
There is only one way to improve ourselves, and that is by some of us setting an example which the others may pick up and imitate till the new fashion spreads from east to west. Some of us are in more favorable positions than others to set new fashions. Some of us are more striking personally, and imitable, so to speak. But no living person is sunk so low as not to be imitated by somebody.
William James
When, at the end of the nineteenth century, critics of the "New Woman" discovered in her the features of the androgyne—the person who "flirted with hermaphroditism"—their description might have applied just as...
This section contains 7,346 words (approx. 25 pages at 300 words per page) |


text:
O wanted to evaluate a EL expression... usually what i would do is i would get a page context and then get the ExpressionEvaluator, and that would be fine. That works for servlets and jsps. But I wanted to do that in a filter..
I cant get the page context from the filter, therefore i cant get the expression evaluator.
Is there any other way to do this without creating a servlet and forwarding/including the request to it with the J2EE API? or would I have to get a component? if so, does anyone know any libs that would help me do this?


text:
It's sad. I was (and I guess I still am) a Braves fan since I was six. I'm 38 now. But I just get SO tired of them choking year after year after year. It wears on your emotions. Last year they were out of first place ONE day. ONE. And they lose in the Playoffs. What was it, 14 division titles in a row? And ONE World Series win? Are you serious? Two years ago they lose that play in game after having a stellar season. I'm sick of it.
So for one year I'm giving the Yankees a trial run. I'm going to 18 games. The Braves seem to gave an amazing pitching rotation but I'm not falling for it. They'll choke again. The Yanks may not even make the Playoffs and I don't care if they buy championships. I just have to take a break from Atlanta.
It's weird. We always rag on guys who root for other teams in our cities. So while I may not be rooting for the Hornets or for the regional Braves for now, I'll always be a Panthers and Tar Heels fan for life.
So to end my long answer to your question, no, I didn't pick the Yankees because I moved here. I'm going with them for now because the Bravos piss me off beyond belief. OH ... and guess who struck out tonight with men on during a rally? YEAH, McCann. Classic. I still have to deal with that blind schmuck.
So you're switching teams because you're mad that your team is consistently slightly above average? Have you ever said that out loud to yourself to hear how terrible it sounds?
Sorry, I don't settle for mediocrity. The Braves can kiss my ass.


text:
Lawrence of Arabia (film)
This article needs additional citations for verification. (September 2013) |
Lawrence of Arabia | |
Theatrical release poster
Directed by | David Lean |
Produced by | Sam Spiegel |
Screenplay by | |
Starring | |
Music by | Maurice Jarre |
Cinematography | F.A. Young |
Edited by | Anne V. Coates |
company |
Distributed by | Columbia Pictures |
Release dates
Running time
222 minutes |
Country | United Kingdom |
Language | English |
Budget | $15 million[1] |
Box office | $70 million[1] |
Lawrence of Arabia is a 1962 British epic adventure drama film based on the life of T. E. Lawrence. It was directed by David Lean and produced by Sam Spiegel through his British company, Horizon Pictures, with the screenplay by Robert Bolt and Michael Wilson. The film stars Peter O'Toole in the title role. It is widely considered one of the greatest and most influential films in the history of cinema. The dramatic score by Maurice Jarre and the Super Panavision 70 cinematography by Freddie Young are also highly acclaimed.[2] The film was nominated for ten Academy Awards and won seven in total including Best Director, Best Sound Editing, Best Film Editing, and Best Picture.
The film depicts Lawrence's experiences in the Arabian Peninsula during World War I, in particular his attacks on Aqaba and Damascus and his involvement in the Arab National Council. Its themes include Lawrence's emotional struggles with the personal violence inherent in war, his own identity, and his divided allegiance between his native Britain and its army and his newfound comrades within the Arabian desert tribes.
Plot summary[edit]
The film is presented in two parts, separated by an intermission.
Part I[edit]
In 1935, T. E. Lawrence is killed in a motorcycle accident. At his memorial service at St Paul's Cathedral, a reporter tries to gain insights into this remarkable, enigmatic man from those who knew him, with little success.
During the First World War, Lawrence is a misfit British Army lieutenant stationed in Cairo, notable for his insolence and knowledge. Over the objections of General Murray, he is sent by Mr. Dryden of the Arab Bureau to assess the prospects of British ally Prince Faisal in his revolt against the Turks. On the journey, his Bedouin guide is killed by Sherif Ali for drinking from a well without permission. Lawrence later meets Colonel Brighton, who orders him to keep quiet, make his assessment of Faisal's intentions, and leave. Lawrence promptly ignores Brighton's commands when he meets Faisal. His knowledge, attitude and outspokenness pique the Prince's interest.
Brighton advises Faisal to retreat to Yenbo after a major defeat, but Lawrence proposes a daring surprise attack on Aqaba which, if successful, would provide a port from which the British could offload much-needed supplies. While strongly fortified against a naval assault, the town is lightly defended on the landward side. He convinces Faisal to provide fifty men, led by a sceptical Sherif Ali. Two teenage orphans, Daud and Farraj, attach themselves to Lawrence as his servants. They cross the Nefud Desert, considered impassable even by the Bedouins, travelling day and night on the last stage to reach water. Gasim succumbs to fatigue and falls off his camel unnoticed during the night. The rest make it to an oasis, but Lawrence turns back for the lost man and against all odds brings him back. Sherif Ali, won over, burns Lawrence's British uniform and gives him Arab robes to wear.
Lawrence persuades Auda abu Tayi, the leader of the powerful local Howeitat tribe, to turn against the Turks. Lawrence's plan is almost derailed when one of Ali's men kills one of Auda's because of a blood feud. Since Howeitat retaliation would shatter the fragile alliance, Lawrence declares that he will execute the murderer himself. Stunned to discover that the culprit is Gasim, he shoots him anyway. The next morning, the intact alliance overruns the Turkish garrison. Lawrence heads to Cairo to inform Dryden and the new commander, General Allenby, of his victory. During the crossing of the Sinai Desert, Daud dies when he stumbles into quicksand. Lawrence is promoted to major and given arms and money to support the Arabs. He is deeply disturbed, confessing that he enjoyed executing Gasim, but Allenby brushes aside his qualms. He asks Allenby whether there is any basis for the Arabs' suspicions that the British have designs on Arabia. Pressed, the general states they have no such designs.
Part II[edit]
Lawrence launches a guerrilla war, blowing up trains and harassing the Turks at every turn. American war correspondent Jackson Bentley publicises his exploits, making him world famous. On one raid, Farraj is badly injured. Unwilling to leave him to be tortured, Lawrence is forced to shoot him before fleeing. When Lawrence scouts the enemy-held city of Daraa with Ali, he is taken, along with several Arab residents, to the Turkish Bey. Lawrence is stripped, ogled, and prodded. For striking out at the Bey, he is severely flogged and possibly raped. He is then thrown out into the street. The experience traumatises Lawrence, who attempts to return to the British headquarters in Cairo, but he never fits in there. A short time later in Jerusalem, Allenby urges him to support the general's "big push" on Damascus, but Lawrence is a changed, tormented man, unwilling to return. After Allenby insists that Lawrence has a destiny, he finally relents. Lawrence naively believes that the warriors will come for him rather than for money.
He recruits an army, mainly killers, mercenaries, and cutthroats motivated by money, rather than the Arab cause. They sight a column of retreating Turkish soldiers who have just slaughtered the people of the village of Tafas. One of Lawrence's men from the village demands, "No prisoners!" When Lawrence hesitates, the man charges the Turks alone and is killed. Lawrence takes up the dead man's cry, resulting in a massacre in which Lawrence himself fully participates, with disturbing relish. Afterward, he realises the horrible consequences of what he has done. His men then take Damascus ahead of Allenby's forces. The Arabs set up a council to administer the city, but they are desert tribesmen, ill-suited for such a task. The various tribes argue among themselves and in spite of Lawrence's insistence cannot unite against the British, who in the end take the city back under their control. Unable to maintain the utilities and bickering constantly with each other, the Arabs soon abandon most of the city to the British. Promoted to colonel and immediately ordered home, his usefulness at an end to both Faisal and the British diplomats, a dejected Lawrence is driven away in a staff car.
- Peter O'Toole as Thomas Edward "T. E." Lawrence. Albert Finney, at the time a virtual unknown, was Lean's first choice to play Lawrence, but Finney was not sure the film would be a success and turned it down. Marlon Brando was also offered the part, and Anthony Perkins and Montgomery Clift were briefly considered, before O'Toole was cast.[3] Alec Guinness had previously played Lawrence in the play Ross, and was briefly considered for the part, but David Lean and Sam Spiegel thought him too old. Lean had seen O'Toole in The Day They Robbed the Bank of England and was bowled over by his screen test, proclaiming "This is Lawrence!" Spiegel disliked Clift, having worked with him on Suddenly, Last Summer, but acceded to Lean's demands after Finney and Brando rejected the role. Pictures of Lawrence suggest also that O'Toole carried some resemblance to him, in spite of their considerable height difference. O'Toole's looks prompted a different reaction from Noël Coward, who after seeing the première of the film quipped "If you had been any prettier, the film would have been called Florence of Arabia".[4]
- Alec Guinness as Prince Faisal. Faisal was originally to be portrayed by Laurence Olivier; Guinness, who performed in other David Lean films, got the part when Olivier dropped out. Guinness was made up to look as much like the real Faisal as possible; he recorded in his diaries that, while shooting in Jordan, he met several people who had known Faisal who actually mistook him for the late prince. Guinness said in interviews that he developed his Arab accent from a conversation he had with Omar Sharif.
- Anthony Quinn as Auda abu Tayi. Quinn got very much into his role; he spent hours applying his own makeup, using a photograph of the real Auda to make himself look as much like him as he could. One anecdote has Quinn arriving on-set for the first time in full costume, whereupon Lean, mistaking him for a native, asked his assistant to ring Quinn and notify him that they were replacing him with the new arrival.
- Jack Hawkins as General Allenby. Sam Spiegel pushed Lean to cast Cary Grant or Laurence Olivier (who was engaged at the Chichester Festival Theatre, and declined). Lean, however, convinced him to choose Hawkins because of his work for them on The Bridge on the River Kwai. Hawkins shaved his head for the role and reportedly clashed with David Lean several times during filming. Alec Guinness recounted that Hawkins was reprimanded by Lean for celebrating the end of a day's filming with an impromptu dance. Hawkins became close friends with O'Toole during filming, and the two often improvised dialogue during takes, much to Lean's dismay.
- Omar Sharif as Sherif Ali. The role was offered to many actors before Omar Sharif was cast. Horst Buchholz was the first choice, but had already signed on for the film One, Two, Three. Alain Delon had a successful screen test, but ultimately declined because of the brown contact lenses he would have had to wear. Maurice Ronet and Dilip Kumar were also considered.[5] Sharif, who was already a major star in the Middle East, was originally cast as Lawrence's guide Tafas, but when the above actors proved unsuitable, Sharif was shifted to the part of Ali.
- José Ferrer as the Turkish Bey. Ferrer was initially unsatisfied with the small size of his part, and accepted the role only on the condition of being paid $25,000 (more than O'Toole and Sharif combined) plus a factory-made Porsche.[6] However, he afterwards considered this his best film performance, saying in an interview: "If I was to be judged by any one film performance, it would be my five minutes in Lawrence." Peter O'Toole once said that he learned more about screen acting from Ferrer than he could in any acting class.
- Anthony Quayle as Colonel Harry Brighton. Quayle, a veteran of military roles, was cast after Jack Hawkins, the original choice, was shifted to the part of Allenby. Quayle and Lean argued over how to portray the character, with Lean feeling Brighton to be an honourable character, while Quayle thought him an idiot.
- Claude Rains as Mr. Dryden.
- Arthur Kennedy as Jackson Bentley. In the early days of the production, when the Bentley character had a more prominent role in the film, Kirk Douglas was considered for the part; Douglas expressed interest but demanded a star salary and the highest billing after O'Toole, and thus was turned down by Spiegel. Later, Edmond O'Brien was cast in the part.[7] O'Brien filmed the Jerusalem scene, and (according to Omar Sharif) Bentley's political discussion with Ali, but he suffered a heart attack on location and had to be replaced at the last moment by Kennedy, who was recommended to Lean by Anthony Quinn.[8]
- Donald Wolfit as General Murray.
- Michel Ray as Farraj. At the time, Ray was an up-and-coming Anglo-Brazilian actor, who had previously appeared in several films, including Irving Rapper's The Brave One and Anthony Mann's The Tin Star.
- I. S. Johar as Gasim. Johar was a well-known Bollywood actor who occasionally appeared in international productions.
- Zia Mohyeddin as Tafas. Mohyeddin was one of Pakistan's best-known actors.
- Gamil Ratib as Majid. Ratib was a veteran Egyptian actor. His English was not considered good enough, so he was dubbed by Robert Rietti in the final film.
- Ian MacNaughton as Michael George Hartley, Lawrence's companion in O'Tooles first scene.
- John Dimech as Daud.
- Hugh Miller as the RAMC colonel. Miller worked on several of Lean's films as a dialogue coach, and was one of several members of the film crew to be given bit parts (see below).
- Fernando Sancho as the Turkish sergeant.
- Stuart Saunders as the regimental sergeant major
- Jack Gwillim as the club secretary. Gwillim was recommended to Lean for the film by close friend Anthony Quayle.
- Kenneth Fortescue as Allenby's aide
- Harry Fowler as Corporal Potter
- Howard Marion-Crawford as the medical officer. Marion-Crawford was cast at the last possible minute, during the filming of the "Damascus" scenes in Seville.
- John Ruddock as Elder Harith.
- Norman Rossington as Corporal Jenkins
- Jack Hedley as a reporter
- Henry Oscar as Silliam, Faisal's servant.
- Peter Burton as a Damascus sheik
Various members of the film's crew portrayed minor characters. First assistant director Roy Stevens played the truck driver who transports Lawrence and Farraj to the Cairo HQ at the end of Act I; the Sergeant who stops Lawrence and Farraj ("Where do you think you're going to, Mustapha?") is construction assistant, Fred Bennett; and screenwriter Robert Bolt has a wordless cameo as one of the officers watching Allenby and Lawrence confer in the courtyard (he is smoking a pipe). Steve Birtles, the film's gaffer, plays the motorcyclist at the Suez Canal; David Lean himself is rumored to be the voice shouting "Who are you?" Finally, continuity girl Barbara Cole appears as one of the nurses in the Damascus hospital scene.
- Nonfictional characters
- T. E. Lawrence
- Prince Faisal
- Auda ibu Tayi
- General Allenby
- General Murray
- Farraj and Daud, Lawrence's servants
- Gasim, the man Lawrence rescues from the desert
- Talal, the man who charges the Turkish column at Tafas
- Fictional characters
- Sherif Ali: A combination of numerous Arab leaders, particularly Sharif Nassir—Faisal's cousin—who led the Harith[disambiguation needed] forces involved in the attack on Aqaba. The character was created largely because Lawrence did not serve with any one Arab leader (aside from Auda) throughout the majority of the war; most such leaders were amalgamated in Ali's character. This character was, however, almost certainly named after Sharif Ali ibn Hussein, a leader in the Harith tribe, who played a part in the Revolt and is mentioned and pictured in T.E. Lawrence's memoir Seven Pillars of Wisdom.
- Mr Dryden: The cynical Arab Bureau official was based loosely on numerous figures, including Sir Ronald Storrs, who was head of the Arab Bureau and later the governor of Palestine. It was largely Storrs' doing that Lawrence first met Faisal and became involved with the Revolt. This character is also partially based upon Lawrence's archaeologist friend, D.G. Hogarth, as well as Mark Sykes and Henry McMahon, who historically fulfilled Dryden's role as a political liaison. He was created by the screenwriters to "represent the civilian and political wing of British interests, to balance Allenby's military objectives."
- Colonel Brighton: In essence a composite of all of the British officers who served in the Middle East with Lawrence, most notably Lt. Col. Stewart F. Newcombe. Newcombe played much the same role as Brighton does in the film, being Lawrence's predecessor as liaison to the Arab Revolt; he and many of his men were captured by the Turks in 1916, though he later escaped. Also, like Brighton, Newcombe was not well liked by the Arabs, though he remained friends with Lawrence. (In Michael Wilson's original script, he was Colonel Newcombe; the character's name was later changed by Robert Bolt.) Brighton was apparently created to represent how ordinary British soldiers would feel about a man like Lawrence: impressed by his accomplishments but repulsed by his affected manner. (Lean argued that Brighton was "the only honourable character" in the film, whereas Anthony Quayle referred to his character as an "idiot".)
- Turkish Bey: The Turkish Bey who captures Lawrence in Deraa was—according to Lawrence himself—General Hajim Bey (in Turkish, Hacim Muhiddin Bey), though he is not named in the film. Though the incident was mentioned in Lawrence's autobiography Seven Pillars of Wisdom, some biographers (Jeremy Wilson, John Mack) argue that Lawrence's account is to be believed; others (Michael Asher, Lawrence James) argue that contemporary evidence suggests that Lawrence never went to Dera'a at this time and that the story is invented.
- Jackson Bentley: Based on famed American journalist Lowell Thomas, who helped make Lawrence famous with accounts of his bravery. However, Thomas was at the time a young man who spent only a few days (or weeks at most) with Lawrence in the field—unlike Bentley, who is depicted as a cynical middle-aged Chicago newspaperman who is present during the whole of Lawrence's later campaigns. Bentley was the narrator in Michael Wilson's original script, but Robert Bolt reduced his role significantly for the final script. Thomas did not start reporting on Lawrence until after the end of World War I, and held Lawrence in high regard, unlike Bentley, who seems to view Lawrence in terms of a story he can write about.
- Tafas: Lawrence's guide to Faisal is based on his actual guide, Sheikh Obeid el-Rashid, of the Hazimi branch of the Beni Salem, whom Lawrence referred to as Tafas several times in Seven Pillars. Tafas and Lawrence did meet Sherif Ali at a well during Lawrence's travels to Faisal, but the encounter was not fatal for either party. (Indeed, this scene created much controversy among Arab viewers.)
- Medical officer: This unnamed officer who confronts Lawrence in Damascus is based on an actual incident in Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Lawrence's meeting the officer again while in British uniform was, however, an invention of Wilson or Bolt.
Historical accuracy[edit]
Most of the film's characters are either real or based on real characters to varying degrees. The events depicted in the film are largely based on accepted historical fact and Lawrence's own writing about events, though they have various degrees of romanticisation.
Some scenes—such as the attack on Aqaba—were heavily fictionalised, while those dealing with the Arab Council were inaccurate, inasmuch as the council remained more or less in power in Syria until France deposed Faisal in 1920. Little background on the history of the region, the First World War, and the Arab Revolt is provided, probably because of Bolt's increased focus on Lawrence (while Wilson's draft script had a broader, more politicised version of events). The theme (in the second half of the film) that Lawrence's Arab army deserted almost to a man as he moved further north was completely fictional. The film's timeline of the Arab Revolt and World War I, and the geography of the Hejaz region, are frequently questionable. For instance, Bentley interviews Faisal in late 1917, after the fall of Aqaba, saying the United States has not yet entered the war, yet America had been in the war for several months by that time. Further, Lawrence's involvement in the Arab Revolt prior to the attack on Aqaba—such as his involvement in the seizures of Yenbo and Wejh—is completely excised. The rescue and execution of Gasim is based on two separate incidents, which were conflated for dramatic reasons. The film shows Lawrence representing the Allied cause in the Hejaz almost alone with only one British officer, Colonel Brighton (Anthony Quayle) there to assist him. In fact, there were numerous British officers such as colonels Cyril Wilson, Stewart Francis Newcombe and Pierce C. Joyce, all of whom arrived before Lawrence began serving in Arabia.[9] In addition, there was a French military mission led by Colonel Edouard Brémond serving in the Hejaz, of which no mention is made in the film.[10] The film shows Lawrence as the sole originator of the attacks on the Hejaz railroad. The first attacks on this began in early January 1917 led by officers such as Newcombe.[11] The first successful attack on the Hejaz railroad with a locomotive-destroying "Garland mine" was led by Major H. Garland in February 1917, a month before Lawrence's first attack.[12] The film shows the Hashemite forces as comprising Bedouin guerrillas, whereas in fact the core of the Hashemite forces was the Regular Arab Army recruited from Ottoman Arab POWs, who wore British-style uniforms with keffiyahs and fought in conventional battles.[13] The film makes no mention of the Sharifian Army, and leaves the viewer with the impression that the Hashemite forces were composed exclusively of Bedouin irregulars.
Representation of Lawrence[edit]
Many complaints about the film's accuracy centre on the characterisation of Lawrence. The perceived problems with the portrayal begin with the differences in his physical appearance: the 6-foot 2-inch (1.87 m) Peter O'Toole was almost nine inches (23 cm) taller than the man he played.[citation needed] His behaviour, however, has caused much more debate.
The screenwriters depict Lawrence as an egotist. The degree to which Lawrence sought or shunned attention, such as by his use after the war of various assumed names, is a matter of debate. Even during the war, Lowell Thomas wrote in With Lawrence in Arabia that he could take pictures of him only by tricking him, although Lawrence did later agree to pose for several photos for Thomas's stage show. Thomas's famous comment that Lawrence "had a genius for backing into the limelight" referred to the fact that his extraordinary actions prevented him from being as private as he would have liked. Others disagree, pointing to Lawrence's own writings in Seven Pillars of Wisdom to support the argument that he was egotistical.
Lawrence's sexual orientation remains a controversial topic among historians; though Bolt's primary source was ostensibly Seven Pillars, the film's portrayal seems informed by Richard Aldington's then-recent Biographical Inquiry (1955), which posited among other things that Lawrence was homosexual. The film features Lawrence's alleged sadomasochism as a major part of his character (for instance, his "match trick" in Cairo, his "enjoyment" of killing Gasim). While Lawrence almost certainly engaged in flagellation and like activities after the Deraa incident, there is no biographical evidence he was a masochist before then. The film's depiction of Lawrence as an active participant in the Tafas Massacre was disputed at the time by historians, including biographer Basil Liddell Hart, but most current biographers accept the film's portrayal of the massacre as reasonably accurate.
Although the film does show that Lawrence could speak and read Arabic, could quote the Quran, and was reasonably knowledgeable about the region, it barely mentions his archaeological travels from 1911 to 1914 in Syria and Arabia, and ignores his espionage work, including a pre-war topographical survey of the Sinai Peninsula and his attempts to negotiate the release of British prisoners at Kut in Mesopotamia in 1916.
Furthermore, in the film, Lawrence is only made aware of the Sykes–Picot Agreement very late in the story and is shown to be appalled by it, whereas the "real" Lawrence, while fighting alongside the Arabs, knew about it much earlier.[14]
Lawrence's biographers have had a mixed reaction towards the film. Authorised biographer Jeremy Wilson noted that the film has "undoubtedly influenced the perceptions of some subsequent biographers", such as the depiction of the film's Ali as the real Sherif Ali, rather than a composite character, and also the highlighting of the Deraa incident.[15] (In fairness to Lean and his writers, the Deraa connection was made by several Lawrence biographers, including Edward Robinson (Lawrence the Rebel) and Anthony Nutting (The Man and the Motive) before the film's release). The film's historical inaccuracies are, in Wilson's view, more troublesome than what can be allowed under normal dramatic license. At the time, Liddell Hart publicly criticised the film, engaging Bolt in a lengthy correspondence over its portrayal of Lawrence.[16]
According to Sonoma State University associate professor Ajay Gehlawat, the portrayal of Lawrence also qualifies as a cinematic white saviour.[17]
Representation of other characters[edit]
The film portrays General Allenby as cynical and manipulative, with a superior attitude to Lawrence, but there is much evidence that Allenby and Lawrence respected and liked each other. Lawrence once said Allenby was "an admiration of mine"[18] and later that he was "physically large and confident and morally so great that the comprehension of our littleness came slow to him".[19] In contrast to the fictional Allenby's words at Lawrence's funeral in the film, upon Lawrence's death Allenby remarked, "I have lost a good friend and a valued comrade. Lawrence was under my command, but, after acquainting him with my strategical plan, I gave him a free hand. His co-operation was marked by the utmost loyalty, and I never had anything but praise for his work, which, indeed, was invaluable throughout the campaign."[20] Allenby also spoke highly of him numerous times, and, much to Lawrence's delight, publicly endorsed the accuracy of Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Although Allenby did manipulate Lawrence during the war, their relationship lasted for years after its end, indicating that in real life they were friendly, if not close. The Allenby family was particularly upset by the Damascus scenes, where Allenby coldly allows the town to fall into chaos as the Arab Council collapses.[21]
Similarly, General Murray, though initially sceptical of the Arab Revolt's potential, thought highly of Lawrence's abilities as an intelligence officer; indeed, it was largely through Lawrence's persuasion that Murray came to support the revolt. The intense dislike shown toward Lawrence in the film is in fact the opposite of Murray's real feelings, although for his part Lawrence seemed not to hold Murray in any high regard.
The depiction of Auda abu Tayi as a man interested only in loot and money is also at odds with the historical record. Although Auda did at first join the Arab Revolt for monetary reasons, he quickly became a steadfast supporter of Arab independence. Notably after Aqaba's capture, he refused repeated bribery attempts by the Turks (though he happily pocketed their money) and remained loyal to the revolt. He was present with Lawrence from the beginning of the Aqaba expedition and in fact helped plan it along with Lawrence and Prince Faisal.
Faisal, far from being the middle-aged man depicted, was in reality in his early 30s at the time of the revolt. Faisal and Lawrence respected each other's capabilities and intelligence. They worked well together.[22]
The reactions of those who knew Lawrence and the other characters say much about the film's veracity. Its most vehement critic of its accuracy was Professor A.W.(Arnold) Lawrence, the protagonist's younger brother and literary executor, who had sold the rights to Seven Pillars of Wisdom to Spiegel for £25,000. Arnold Lawrence went on a campaign in the United States and Britain denouncing the film, famously saying, "I should not have recognised my own brother". In one pointed talk show appearance, he remarked that he had found the film "pretentious and false". He went on to say his brother was "one of the nicest, kindest and most exhilarating people I've known. He often appeared cheerful when he was unhappy." Later, to the New York Times, Arnold said, "[The film is] a psychological recipe. Take an ounce of narcissism, a pound of exhibitionism, a pint of sadism, a gallon of blood-lust and a sprinkle of other aberrations and stir well." Lowell Thomas was also critical of the portrayal of Lawrence and most of the film's characters, believing the train attack scenes were the only reasonably accurate aspect of the film.
The criticisms were not restricted to Lawrence. The Allenby family lodged a formal complaint against Columbia about the portrayal of him. Descendants of Auda abu Tayi and the real Sherif Ali, despite the fact that the film's Ali was fictional, went further, suing Columbia. The Auda case went on for almost 10 years before it was dropped.[23]
The film has its defenders. Biographer Michael Korda, author of Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia, offers a different opinion. While the film is neither "the full story of Lawrence's life or a completely accurate account of the two years he spent fighting with the Arabs," Korda argues that criticising its inaccuracy "misses the point": "The object was to produce, not a faithful docudrama that would educate the audience, but a hit picture."[24] Stephen E. Tabachnick goes further than Korda, arguing that the film's portrayal of Lawrence is "appropriate and true to the text of Seven Pillars of Wisdom."[25] British historian of the Arab Revolt David Murphy wrote that though the film was flawed due to various inaccuracies and omissions, "it was a truly epic movie and is rightly seen as a classic".[26]
This article needs additional citations for verification. (November 2011) |
Previous films about T. E. Lawrence had been planned but had not been made. In the 1940s, Alexander Korda was interested in filming The Seven Pillars of Wisdom with either Laurence Olivier, Leslie Howard or Robert Donat as Lawrence, but had to pull out owing to financial difficulties. David Lean himself had been approached to direct a 1952 version for the Rank Organisation, but the project fell through. Also, at the same time as pre-production of the film, Terence Rattigan was developing his play Ross which centred primarily on Lawrence's alleged homosexuality. Ross had begun life as a screenplay, but was re-written for the stage when the film project fell through. Sam Spiegel grew furious and unsuccessfully attempted to have the play suppressed, furor at which helped to gain publicity for the film.[27] Dirk Bogarde had accepted the role in Ross; he described the cancellation of the project as "my bitterest disappointment". Alec Guinness played the role on stage.
Lean and Sam Spiegel were coming off the huge success of The Bridge on the River Kwai, and were eager to work together again. For a time, Lean was interested in a biopic of Gandhi, with Alec Guinness to play the title role and Emeric Pressburger writing the screenplay. Despite extensive pre-production work (including location scouting in India and a meeting with Jawaharlal Nehru), Lean eventually lost interest in the project.[28] Lean then returned his attention to T.E. Lawrence. Columbia Pictures had an interest in a Lawrence project dating back to the early '50s, and when Spiegel convinced a reluctant A.W. Lawrence to sell the rights to The Seven Pillars of Wisdom for £25,000, the project got underway.
When Lawrence of Arabia was first announced, Lawrence's biographer Lowell Thomas offered producer Spiegel and screenwriters Bolt and Wilson a large amount of research material he had produced on Lawrence during and after his time with him in the Arab Revolt. Spiegel rejected the offer.[citation needed]
Michael Wilson wrote the original draft of the screenplay. However, Lean was dissatisfied with Wilson's work, primarily because his treatment focused on the historical and political aspects of the Arab Revolt. Lean hired Robert Bolt to re-write the script in order to make it a character study of Lawrence himself. While many of the characters and scenes are Wilson's invention, virtually all of the dialogue in the finished film was written by Bolt.
Lean reportedly watched John Ford's film The Searchers (1956) to help him develop ideas as to how to shoot the film. Several scenes in the film directly recall Ford's film, most notably Ali's entrance at the well and the composition of many of the desert scenes and the dramatic exit from Wadi Rum. Lean biographer Kevin Brownlow even notes the physical similarity between Rumm and Ford's Monument Valley.[29] The film's plot structure also bears similarity to Orson Welles's Citizen Kane (1941), particularly the opening scenes with Lawrence's death and the reporter inquiring notables at Lawrence's funeral.
This section needs additional citations for verification. (August 2014) |
The film was made by Horizon Pictures and Columbia Pictures. Shooting began on 15 May 1961 and ended on 20 October 1962.
The desert scenes were shot in Jordan and Morocco, as well as Almería and Doñana in Spain. The film was originally to be filmed entirely in Jordan: the government of King Hussein was extremely helpful in providing logistical assistance, location scouting, transportation, and extras; Hussein himself visited the set several times during production and maintained cordial relationships with cast and crew. During the production of the film, Hussein met and married Toni Gardner, who was working as a switchboard operator in Aqaba. The only tension occurred when Jordanian officials learned that English actor Henry Oscar, who did not speak Arabic, would be filmed reciting the Qur'an; permission was granted only on condition that an imam be present to ensure that there were no misquotations.
In Jordan, Lean planned to film in the real Aqaba and the archaeological site at Petra, which Lawrence had been fond of as a place of study. However, the production had to be moved to Spain, much to Lean's regret, due to cost and outbreaks of illness among the cast and crew before these scenes could be shot. The attack on Aqaba was reconstructed in a dried river bed in southern Spain (at 37°1′25″N 1°52′53″W / 37.02361°N 1.88139°W); it consisted of over 300 buildings and was meticulously based on the town's appearance in 1917. The execution of Gasim, the train attacks and Deraa exteriors were filmed in the Almería region, with the former's filming being delayed because of a flash flood. The Sierra Nevada mountains filled in for Azrak, Lawrence's winter quarters. The city of Seville was used to represent Cairo, Jerusalem and Damascus, with the appearance of Casa de Pilatos, the Alcázar of Seville and the Plaza de España. All of the interiors were shot in Spain, including Lawrence's first meeting with Faisal and the scene in Auda's tent.
The Tafas massacre was filmed in Ouarzazate, Morocco, with Moroccan army troops substituting for the Turkish army; however, Lean could not film as much as he wanted because the soldiers were uncooperative and impatient.[30] One of the second-unit directors for the Morocco scenes was André de Toth, who suggested a shot wherein bags of blood would be machine-gunned, spraying the screen with blood. Second-unit cinematographer Nicolas Roeg approached Lean with this idea, but Lean found it disgusting. De Toth subsequently left the project.
The film's production was frequently delayed because, unusually, the film started shooting without a finished script. After Wilson quit early in the production, playwright Beverley Cross worked on the script in the interim before Bolt took over, although none of Cross's material made it to the final film. A further mishap occurred when Bolt was arrested for taking part in an anti-nuclear weapons demonstration, and Spiegel had to persuade Bolt to sign a recognizance of good behaviour for him to be released from jail and continue working on the script.
Camels caused several problems on set. O'Toole was not used to riding camels and found the saddle to be uncomfortable. While in Amman during a break in filming, he bought a piece of foam rubber at a market and added it to his saddle. Many of the extras copied the idea and sheets of the foam can be seen on many of the horse and camel saddles. The Bedouins nicknamed O'Toole "'Ab al-'Isfanjah" (أب الإسفنجة), meaning "Father of the Sponge".[31] The idea spread and to this day, many Bedouins add foam rubber to their saddles.
Later, during the filming of the Aqaba scene, O'Toole was nearly killed when he fell from his camel, but fortunately, it stood over him, preventing the horses of the extras from trampling him. Coincidentally a very similar mishap befell the real Lawrence at the Battle of Abu El Lissal in 1917. In another mishap, O'Toole seriously injured his hand during filming by punching through the window of a caravan while drunk. A brace or bandage can be seen on his left thumb during the first train attack scene, presumably due to this incident.
Along with many other Arab countries, Jordan banned the film for what they felt to be a disrespectful portrayal of Arab culture. Egypt, Omar Sharif's home country, was the only Arab nation to give the film a wide release, where it became a success through the endorsement of President Gamal Abdel Nasser, who appreciated the film's depiction of Arab nationalism.
The film score was composed by Maurice Jarre, little known at the time and selected only after both William Walton and Malcolm Arnold had proved unavailable. Jarre was given just six weeks to compose two hours of orchestral music for Lawrence.[32] The score was performed by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Although Sir Adrian Boult is credited as the conductor of the score in the film's credits, he could not conduct most of the score, due in part to his failure to adapt to the intricate timings of each cue, and Jarre replaced him as the conductor. The score went on to garner Jarre his first Academy Award for Music Score—Substantially Original[33] and is now considered one of the greatest scores of all time, ranking number three on the American Film Institute's top twenty-five film scores.[34]
The original soundtrack recording was originally released on Colpix Records, the records division of Columbia Pictures, in 1962. A remastered edition appeared on Castle Music, a division of the Sanctuary Records Group, on 28 August 2006.
Kenneth Alford's march The Voice of the Guns (1917) is prominently featured on the soundtrack. One of Alford's other pieces, the Colonel Bogey March, was the musical theme for Lean's previous film, The Bridge on the River Kwai.
A complete recording of the score was not heard until 2010 when Tadlow Music produced a CD of the music, with Nic Raine conducting the City of Prague Philharmonic from scores reconstructed by Leigh Phillips.
Theatrical run[edit]
The film premiered at the Odeon Leicester Square in London on 10 December 1962 (Royal Premiere) and was released in the United States on 16 December 1962.
The original release ran for about 222 minutes (plus overture, intermission, and exit music). A post-premiere memo (13 December 1962) noted that the film was 24,987.5 ft (70 mm) and 19,990 ft (35 mm). With 90 ft of 35 mm film projected every minute, this corresponds to exactly 222.11 minutes.
In an email to Robert Morris, co-author of a book on Lawrence of Arabia, Richard May, VP Film Preservation at Warner Bros., noted that Gone With the Wind, never edited after its premiere, is 19,884 ft of 35 mm film (without leaders, overture, intermission, entr'acte or walkout music) corresponding to 220.93 min.
Thus, Lawrence of Arabia, slightly more than 1 minute longer than Gone With the Wind, is the longest movie ever to win a Best Picture Oscar.
In January 1963, Lawrence was released in a version edited by 20 minutes; when it was re-released in 1971, an even shorter cut of 187 minutes was presented. The first round of cuts was made at the direction and even insistence of David Lean, to assuage criticisms of the film's length and increase the number of showings per day; however, during the 1989 restoration he passed blame for the cuts onto by-then-deceased producer Sam Spiegel.[35] In addition, a 1966 print, used for initial television and video releases, accidentally altered a few scenes by reversing the image.[36]
The film was screened out of competition at the 1989 Cannes Film Festival.[37] and at the 2012 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.[38]
Restored director's cut[edit]
The current "restored version", undertaken by Robert A. Harris and Jim Painten (under the supervision of director David Lean), was released in 1989 with a 216-minute length (plus overture, intermission, and exit music).
Most of the cut scenes were dialogue sequences, particularly those involving General Allenby and his staff. Two whole scenes—Brighton's briefing of Allenby in Jerusalem before the Daraa scene and the British staff meeting in the field tent—were completely excised, and the former has still not been entirely restored. Much of the missing dialogue involves Lawrence's writing of poetry and verse, alluded to by Allenby in particular, saying "the last poetry general we had was Wellington". The opening of Act II, where Faisal is interviewed by Bentley, and the later scene, in Jerusalem where Allenby convinces Lawrence not to resign, existed in only fragmented form; they were restored to the 1989 re-release. Some of the more graphic shots of the Tafas massacre scene—the lengthy panning shot of the corpses in Tafas, and Lawrence shooting a surrendering Turkish soldier—were also restored. Most of the still-missing footage is of minimal import, supplementing existing scenes. One scene is an extended version of the Daraa rape sequence, which makes Lawrence's punishment in that scene more overt. Other scripted scenes exist, including a conversation between Auda and Lawrence immediately after the fall of Aqaba, a brief scene of Turkish officers noting the extent of Lawrence's campaign, and the battle of Petra (later reworked into the first train attack), but these scenes were probably not filmed. The actors still living at the time of the re-release dubbed their own dialogue, though Jack Hawkins's dialogue had to be dubbed by Charles Gray (who had already done Hawkins' voice for several films after the former developed throat cancer in the late 1960s). A full list of cuts can be found at the Internet Movie Database.[39] Reasons for the cuts of various scenes can be found in Lean's notes to Sam Spiegel, Robert Bolt, and Anne V. Coates.[40] The film runs 227 minutes in the most recent director's cut available on Blu-ray Disc and DVD.[citation needed]
Home media[edit]
Lawrence of Arabia has been released in five different DVD editions, including an initial release as a two-disc set (2001), followed by a shorter single disc edition (2002), a high resolution version of the director's cut with restored scenes (2003) issued as part of the Superbit series, as part of the Columbia Best Pictures collection (2008), and in a fully restored special edition of the director's cut (2008).[41]
Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg helped restore a version of the film for a DVD release in 2000.[42]
New restoration, Blu-ray and theatrical re-release[edit]
An 8K scan/4K intermediate digital restoration was made for Blu-ray and theatrical re-release[43] during 2012 by Sony Pictures to celebrate the film's 50th anniversary.[44] The Blu-ray edition of the film was released in the United Kingdom on 10 September 2012 and in the United States on 13 November 2012.[45] The film received a one-day theatrical release on 4 October 2012, a two-day release in Canada on 11 and 15 November 2012, and was also re-released in the United Kingdom on 23 November 2012.[46]
According to Grover Crisp, executive VP of restoration at Sony Pictures, the new 8K scan has such high resolution that when examined, showed a series of fine concentric lines in a pattern "reminiscent of a fingerprint" near the top of the frame. This was caused by the film emulsion melting and cracking in the desert heat during production. Sony had to hire a third party to minimise or eliminate the rippling artefacts in the new restored version.[43] The digital restoration was done by Sony Colorworks DI, Prasad Corporation and MTI Film.[47]
A 4K digitally-restored version of the film was screened at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival,[48][49] at the 2012 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival,[38] at the V Janela Internacional de Cinema[50] in Recife, Brazil, and at the 2013 Cinequest Film Festival in San Jose California.[51]
Upon its release, Lawrence of Arabia was a huge critical and financial success and it remains popular among viewers and critics alike. The film's visuals, score, screenplay and performance by Peter O'Toole have all been common points of acclaim; the film as a whole is widely considered one of the greatest ever made. Additionally, its visual style has influenced many directors, including George Lucas, Sam Peckinpah, Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, and Steven Spielberg, who called the film a "miracle".[52]
The film is regarded as a masterpiece of world cinema and is ranked highly on many lists of the best films ever made. The American Film Institute ranked the film 5th in its original and 7th in its updated list of the greatest films and first in its list of the greatest films of the "epic" genre.[53] In 1991, the film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. In 1999 the film placed third in a BFI poll of the best British films and in 2001 the magazine Total Film called it "as shockingly beautiful and hugely intelligent as any film ever made" and "faultless".[54] It has ranked in the top ten films of all time in a Sight and Sound directors' poll. Additionally, O'Toole's performance is often considered one of the greatest in all of cinema, topping lists from both Entertainment Weekly and Premiere. T. E. Lawrence, portrayed by O'Toole, was selected as the tenth-greatest hero in cinema history by the American Film Institute.[55]
In addition, Lawrence of Arabia is currently one of the highest-rated films on Metacritic; it holds a perfect 100/100 rating, indicating "universal acclaim," based on seven reviews. However, some critics—notably Bosley Crowther[56] and Andrew Sarris[57]—have criticised the film for an indefinite portrayal of Lawrence and lack of depth.
Awards and honours[edit]
Film director Steven Spielberg considers this his favourite film of all time and the one that convinced him to become a filmmaker.[59]
In 1991 this film was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry.[60]
In 2013, artist James Georgopoulos included the Super Panavision 70 camera used to shoot Lawrence of Arabia in his popular Cameras of Cinema series. [61]
In 1990, the made-for-television film A Dangerous Man: Lawrence After Arabia was aired. It depicts events in the lives of Lawrence and Faisal subsequent to Lawrence of Arabia and featured Ralph Fiennes as Lawrence and Alexander Siddig as Prince Faisal.
See also[edit]
- Cinema of Jordan
- Films considered the greatest ever
- BFI Top 100 British films
- White savior narrative in film
- ^ a b "Lawrence of Arabia - Box Office Data, DVD and Blu-ray Sales, Movie News, Cast and Crew Information". The Numbers. Retrieved January 13, 2015.
- ^ eMoviePoster.com
- ^ Turner 1994, pp. 41–45
- ^ Lane, Anthony (31 March 2008). "Master and Commander". The New Yorker.
- ^ Turner 1994, pp. 45–49
- ^ Turner 1994, p. 49
- ^ Turner 1994, p. 51
- ^ Turner 1994, pp. 137–138
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt 1916–1918, London: Osprey, 2008 page 17
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt 1916–1918, London: Osprey, 2008 page 18
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt 1916–1918, London: Osprey, 2008 page 39
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt 1916–1918, London: Osprey, 2008 pages 43–44
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt 1916–1918, London: Osprey, 2008 page 24
- ^ cf. Jeremy Wilson, Lawrence of Arabia: The Authorised Biography of T.E. Lawrence (1990), pp. 409–410
- ^ Wilson, Jeremy. "Lawrence of Arabia or Smith in the Desert?". T. E. Lawrence Studies. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
- ^ L. Robert Morris and Lawrence Raskin. Lawrence of Arabia: The 30th Anniversary Pictorial History. pp. 149–156
- ^ Gehlawat, Ajay (2013). The Slumdog Phenomenon: A Critical Anthology. Anthem Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-0-85728-001-5.
- ^ "The Seven Pillars Portraits". castlehillpress.com.
- ^ "General Allenby (biography)". pbs.org.
- ^ "General Allenby (radio interview)". pbs.org.
- ^ Steven C. Caton, Lawrence of Arabia: A Film's Anthropology, p. 59
- ^ "Prince Feisal". pbs.org.
- ^ Adrian Turner, Robert Bolt: Scenes From Two Lives, 201–206
- ^ Korda, pp. 693–694
- ^ Lawrence of Arabia: An Encyclopedia. Westport, CT: Greenwood, Press, 2004. p. 24
- ^ Murphy, David The Arab Revolt, Osprey: London, 2008 pages 88–89
- ^ Brownlow 1996, pp. 410–411
- ^ Brownlow 1996, pp. 393–401
- ^ Brownlow 1996, p. 443
- ^ Brownlow 1996, pp. 466–467
- ^ Peter O'Toole, interview on the Late Show with David Letterman, 11 May 1995.
- ^ The Economist. Obituary: Maurice Jarre. 16 April 2009.
- ^ Oscars.org. Awardsdatabase.oscars.org (29 January 2010).
- ^ Maurice Jarre on. Afi.com (23 September 2005).
- ^ Brownlow 1996, pp. 484,705,709
- ^ Caton, S.C. (1999). Lawrence of Arabia: A Film's Anthropology (pp. 129–131). Berkeley/Los Angeles, CA: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-21082-4.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: Lawrence of Arabia". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 3 August 2009.
- ^ a b "Karlovy Vary International Film Festival – Lawrence of Arabia". kviff.com. Retrieved 4 July 2012.
- ^ "Alternate versions for Lawrence of Arabia (1962)". imdb.com.
- ^ "Director's Notes on Re-editing Lawrence of Arabia". davidlean.com.
- ^ "Lawrence of Arabia (Collector's Edition) DVD". Retrieved 4 January 2012.
- ^ Wasser, Frederick (2010). Steven Spielberg's America. Polity America Through the Lens. Polity. p. 222. ISBN 978-0-7456-4082-2.
- ^ a b Rob Sabin (20 December 2011). "Home Theater: Hollywood, The 4K Way". HomeTheater.com Ultimate Tech. Source Interlink Media. Retrieved 24 February 2013.
- ^ Lawrence of Arabia on Blu-ray Later This Year. Blu-rayDefinition.com (12 June 2012).
- ^ Lawrence of Arabia Blu-ray Disc Release Finalized. Hometheater.about.com (7 August 2012).
- ^ http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0056172/releaseinfo
- ^ CreativeCOW.net., Lawrence of Arabia: Sony's Beautiful 4K Restoration, by Debra Kaufman, 2012
- ^ Cannes Classics 2012 – Festival de Cannes 2013 (International Film Festival). Festival-cannes.fr.
- ^ 'Jaws,' 'Lawrence of Arabia,' 'Once Upon a Time in America' and 'Tess' to Get the Cannes Classics Treatment | Filmmakers, Film Industry, Film Festivals, Awards & Movie Reviews. Indiewire (26 October 2012).
- ^ Janela Internacional de Cinema do Recife | Festival Internacional de Cinema do Recife. Janeladecinema.com.br.
- ^ cinequest.org
- ^ Lawrence of Arabia: The film that inspired Spielberg » Top 10 Films – Film Lists, Reviews, News & Opinion. Top 10 Films.
- ^ American Film Institute (17 June 2008). "AFI Crowns Top 10 Films in 10 Classic Genres". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved 18 June 2008.
- ^ Film, Total. (18 September 2010) Lawrence Of Arabia: Two-Disc Set Review. TotalFilm.com.
- ^ "AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains". AFI. Retrieved 20 December 2013
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (17 December 1962). "Screen: A Desert Warfare Spectacle:'Lawrence of Arabia' Opens in New York". The New York Times.
- ^ T.E. Lawrence. Kirjasto.sci.fi.
- ^ "The 35th Academy Awards (1963) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 23 August 2011.
- ^ DVD documentary, A Conversation with Steven Spielberg
- ^ http://articles.latimes.com/1991-09-26/entertainment/ca-4030_1_national-film-registry. Missing or empty
(help) - ^ The Shooting Range, Treats Magazine, March 2013
- Brownlow, Kevin (1996). David Lean: A Biography. Richard Cohen Books. ISBN 978-1-86066-042-9.
- Turner, Adrian (1994). The Making of David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia. Dragon's World Ltd. ISBN 978-1-85028-211-2.
Further reading[edit]
- Morris, L. Robert and Raskin, Lawrence (1992). Lawrence of Arabia: The 30th Anniversary Pictorial History. Doubleday & Anchor, New York. A book on the creation of the film, authorised by Sir David Lean.
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Lawrence of Arabia (film). |
Wikiquote has quotations related to: Lawrence of Arabia (film) |
- Lawrence of Arabia at the Internet Movie Database
- Lawrence of Arabia at the American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures
- Lawrence of Arabia at Box Office Mojo
- Lawrence of Arabia at Rotten Tomatoes
- Lawrence of Arabia at Metacritic
- Lawrence of Arabia at the American Film Institute Catalog
- 1962 films
- English-language films
- 1960s adventure films
- 1960s drama films
- 1960s historical films
- 1960s war films
- British films
- British adventure films
- British biographical films
- British epic films
- British historical films
- British war drama films
- Arabic-language films
- Turkish-language films
- Films directed by David Lean
- Best Drama Picture Golden Globe winners
- Films that won the Best Original Score Academy Award
- Best Picture Academy Award winners
- Epic films based on actual events
- Films based on biographies
- Films based on plays
- Films featuring a Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe winning performance
- Films set in the 1910s
- Films set in the 1920s
- Films set in the 1930s
- Films set in the British Empire
- Films set in the Middle East
- Films shot in Jordan
- Films shot in London
- Films shot in Morocco
- Films shot in Spain
- Films that won the Best Sound Mixing Academy Award
- Films whose art director won the Best Art Direction Academy Award
- Films whose cinematographer won the Best Cinematography Academy Award
- Films whose director won the Best Director Academy Award
- Films whose director won the Best Director Golden Globe
- Films whose editor won the Best Film Editing Academy Award
- War epic films
- World War I films set in the Middle East
- World War I films based on actual events
- United States National Film Registry films
- Horizon Pictures films
- Columbia Pictures films
- T. E. Lawrence
- Films produced by Sam Spiegel
- Film scores by Maurice Jarre
- Screenplays by Robert Bolt
- Screenplays by Michael Wilson (writer)
- Best Film BAFTA Award winners
- Best British Film BAFTA Award winners


text:
An appellate court judge found in favor of Newhall Land and Farming and the Department of Fish and Wildlife in a lawsuit by the Center for Biological Diversity regarding environmental reports for the 20,000-plus home Newhall Ranch development in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Don't miss a thing. Get breaking Santa Clarita news alerts delivered right to your inbox.
The decision by the three-justice panel of the California Second Appellate District unanimously overturned Judge Ann Jones's 2012 judgment in favor of the plaintiffs, which include local environmental group SCOPE, or Santa Clarita Organization for Planning and the Environment.
"The appellate decision fully vindicates the decade-long effort to secure all of the state environmental permits necessary for Newhall Ranch," said Marlee Lauffer, Newhall Land spokeswoman. "We had great confidence in the diligence the Department of Fish and Wildlife undertook to certify the EIR and the Court's action today affirms that process."
Related article: New Lawsuit Filed Against Newhall Ranch, Sanitation District To Meet
An official with Center for Biological Diversity did not immediately respond to a request for a statement.
"The appellate ruling clears the way for development plans to move forward with initial wetlands restoration and other environmental mitigation," according to a statement from Newhall Land. "In a detailed decision, the appellate panel unanimously rejected the lower court's interpretation of the California Environmental Quality Act, which requires environmental impact assessments for most large-scale developments in the state."
The court's ruling cites the plaintiffs' arguments, and notes several of them lack merit:
"Plaintiffs argue: the department used an impermissible illusory baseline; disclosure of existing greenhouse gas emissions does not satisfy unspecified portions of the California Environmental Quality Act; the air resources board's business as usual (no action taken) standard does not provide a proper baseline for greenhouse gas emissions significance analysis; other significance thresholds would have avoided the use of an illusory environmental baseline; the analysis in the environmental impact report obstructs the goals of unspecified provisions of the global warming act; and the environmental impact report improperly takes credit for existing ecological regulations and legislation.
These contentions have no merit."
The 2012 ruling by the Los Angeles Superior Court set aside the development project's 5,828-page Environmental Impact Report, as approved by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in 2010.
"The appellate court's reversal of the trial court's decision is validation of years of hard work on environmental documents and subsequent permits," said Jordan Traverso, spokeswoman for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "We always work meticulously to ensure documents and permits such as these are sound. We especially do so on a project of this magnitude."
A call to SCOPE officials was not answered Thursday.
The environmental groups that brought forth the suit sought to halt the 20,000-plus home project slated for the west side of the Santa Clarita Valley on the grounds the environmental impact reports were not conducted properly, Newhall Land officials said.
Do you have a news tip? Call us at (661) 298-1220, or drop us a line at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Source: Santa Clarita News


text:
Warp Review
I will turn you inside out.
Video games usually cast us against the aliens. How refreshing, then, that Warp puts us in the skin of a visitor from outer space escaping the cruel experiments of callous humans. The gameplay is described by the title: you can warp through walls and, delightfully, into the bodies of the people hunting you down. Bursting scientists from the inside will be one of this year's great enjoyments.
Warp mixes the old school, top-down stealth action of Metal Gear with the puzzle-solving, sense of humor, and white-and-orange color palette of Portal. Your goal is to warp your way out of the underwater laboratory where you and your fellow aliens are being held captive. For example, if a guard is coming you can warp into a canister and hide until the coast is clear. The underwater setting is both functional and awesome: it answers the question "Why not just warp outside?" and makes for some memorable scenery like when a giant shark swims by.
Teleportation isn't the only trick these aliens are capable of. You'll gradually gain the ability to create decoys of yourself that will distract the guards, launch projectiles in order to push far away buttons, and more. This is not a repetitive game -- each small victory brings new enemy types and new powers to play with, even late in the adventure.
The developers were very clever in how they planned out the facility you must escape. Obstacles can often be overcome in multiple ways, giving players the chance to assess the situation and proceed as they see fit. Even though bursting people is gruesomely enjoyable, it is also possible to finish the game without killing anyone (and there is an achievement for doing so). Exploration is encouraged, as hard-to-reach grub worms can be "spent" to unlock alien upgrades.
Checkpoints are placed in all the right spots, alleviating the frustration you might otherwise feel with this sort of trial and error gameplay. The only time Warp frustrated me was during its final boss fight, an experience I found to be the opposite of fun, unfortunately. In general, the game started to fall apart in its final moments, with framerate issues beginning all of a sudden and a weird glitch that let me see the cut scene after the final boss fight even though I hadn't defeated him, yet.
Warp doesn't boast the highest production values on Xbox Live Arcade and you can tell where corners were cut -- one voice for all the scientists, everyone wears a mask to hide their individual faces, and the one face you do see has lips that don't move. But the game is so much damn fun, all of that can be overlooked (even that terrible final boss fight).
Warp tracks all kinds of data to feed its leaderboards, everything from distance travelled to enemies killed to the number of times you've warped. When you reach a milestone your progress will appear onscreen, measured against those of your friends. It's a really cool way of making a single-player game feel like a communal experience.
It took me just over five hours to complete Warp. Outside of the story are several time challenges that live up to their name.
Brainy and amusing, Warp is highly recommended stealth/puzzle fare, despite some hiccups right at the end. From a humble, enticing premise -- an alien that can teleport needs to escape a laboratory -- layers of gameplay variation are neatly introduced until you've warped your way through a rich, satisfying adventure. It does just the right amount of hand-holding so that you always know what needs to be done and where to go but often leaves the "how" up to you. Perhaps most importantly, it lets us do something we haven't done before -- bring our enemies' insides to the outside. And that's something I'll remember.
Daemon is IGN's Senior Editor. His favorite XBLA game is Limbo. You can follow him on Twitter.
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text:
Description: A full-time or part-time internship opportunity to receive continuous hands-on training and experience while in school or as a recent graduate (within one semester of AS or BS graduation). Selected participants will have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom at world renowned facilities located in Oak Ridge, TN. This program is limited to individuals attending colleges and universities in close proximity to Oak Ridge, TN.
Discipline(s): physical sciences; engineering; Current opportunities in mechanical engineering, electronics, and geographic information systems.
Eligibility: U.S. Citizens and Legal Permanent Residents. Undergraduate students, post-associates, post-baccalaureates. Freshman applicants welcome. Must be attending a regionally-accredited college or university.
Location(s): Tennessee. Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Duration: Full-time or part-time appointments of up to one year, renewable up to two additional years.
Frequency: continuing
Awards made: varies based on availability
Deadline(s): applications accepted on a year-round basis
Benefits: Stipend based on academic level or degree; benefits of full-time or part-time temporary employees of Oak Ridge Associated Universities. Depending on the availability of funding, participants may be eligible for 100% undergraduate tuition reimbursement.
Funding source(s): Oak Ridge National Laboratory
How to apply: Send a request to either person listed below to have an application sent to you.
(865) 574-1751
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