A Farewell To Robin Williams, Whose Antics Never Hid The Tenderness Beneath
As the entertainment world mourns the loss of comedian and actor Robin Williams, NPR film critic Bob Mondello offers an appreciation.
Arts
In The Irish Film 'Calvary,' A Priest's Crisis Of Faith Is Weirdly Jokey
John Michael McDonagh's new movie stars Brendan Gleeson as a priest who must eventually face off against a killer. It's excruciatingly obvious and inept, but Gleeson brings it alive.
Robin Williams, Comedic Master And Oscar Winner, Dies At 63
Robin Williams has died at the age of 63. Williams is remembered for his roles in TV and film, including an inspiring teacher in Dead Poet's Society and an Oscar-winning turn in Good Will Hunting.
Robin Williams, A Stand-up Act — On Stage, On Set And In Life
For NPR's film and TV critic Linda Holmes, a long-time love of Robin Williams began with his stand-up show A Night at the Met. Despite lauded dramatic turns, Williams always displayed humor and charm.
After Decades In Storage, Damaged Rothko Murals Get High-Tech Restoration
In the early 1960s, abstract artist Mark Rothko created five murals for a penthouse dining room at Harvard University. By the late '70s they were trashed — sun-faded and splattered with cocktails.
When It Comes To Creativity, Are Two Heads Better Than One?
Joshua Wolf Shenk says it's time to debunk the myth of the lone genius. His new book explores creative partnerships — and explains how Emily Dickinson wasn't actually as much of a loner as we think.
Effort To Preserve Yiddish Works Not 'Bupkes'
The preservation of Yiddish as a spoken language gets more attention, but Yiddish once had a vibrant written tradition as well, filled with plays, poetry, novels and political tracts.
As Film Stocks Dwindle, Movie-Makers Weigh What May Soon Be Lost
Film isn't dead — not yet, at least. Kodak recently announced that it will keep making film stock for motion pictures despite a dramatic drop in sales, after a handful of high-profile directors advocated for it. But, since the medium's days may yet be numbered, it's worth asking what film can offer that digital media can't.