30 September DVD/Blu-ray Update

In foreign DVD news, Artificial Eye has announced Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank for 25 January. After a May delay, M6 Vidéo in France has set 12 November as the new date for their Édition Prestige of Marcel Carné's Les visiteurs du soir, which is set to include a documentary by Marc Caro on "le cinéma fantastique français." As expected, no English subtitles will be included on the disc. For those of you who can read German, Alive has announced a three-disc Jean Cocteau set, which will include Orphée, as well as the unavailable-in-the-US The Eagle with Two Heads [L'aigle à deux têtes] and Les parents terribles. The set will be available on 31 December.

And, just as all of Akira Kurosawa's films are finally becoming available on DVD in the US, Japan is one-upping us by putting all of them on Blu-ray. Jesnet released Madadayo, Ran, Rashômon and The Quiet Duel on Blu-ray earlier this year. Toho will unleash several more starting in October. Set for 23 October: Kagemusha, Seven Samurai, Sanshiro Sugata, Sanshiro Sugata 2, The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail, Sanjuro and The Bad Sleep Well. 18 December: The Lower Depths, The Most Beautiful, I Live in Fear, Ikiru, The Hidden Fortress, Stray Dog and Yojimbo. And for 19 February 2010: Red Beard, Dodes'ka-den, Throne of Blood, One Wonderful Sunday, High and Low, No Regrets for My Youth and Drunken Angel. Most Japanese Blu-rays are Region A, which is also the US code, so you might want to check 'em out (assuming English subtitles are present).

Anyway, on with the US DVD announcements. I suppose there's a chance that the dates could change, but it looks as though Anchor Bay has made a quick turn-around on a trio of their titles before the end of the year. Both Pandorum, a space horror directed by Christian Alvart (Antibodies) and starring Dennis Quaid and Ben Foster, and Peter Hyams' remake of Fritz Lang's Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, with Michael Douglas and Amber Tamblyn, will bow on DVD and Blu-ray 22 December; and Michael Moore's latest, Capitalism: A Love Story, with hit both formats the following week.

- The Mighty Boosh, 2004-2007, BBC/Warner, 13 October
- Psycho Love Story [Cennet], 2008, d. Biray Dalkiran, Pathfinder, 13 October
- P, 2005, d. Paul Spurrier, Palisades Tartan, 20 October
- Criminal Justice, 2008, d. Otto Bathurst, Luke Watson, BFS, 3 November, w. Ben Wishaw, Pete Postlethwaite
- The Band, 2009, d. Anna Brownfield, Breaking Glass Pictures, 17 November
- Kobe Doin' Work, 2009, d. Spike Lee, ESPN/Buena Vista, 24 November
- The Hangover, 2009, d. Todd Phillips, Warner, also on Blu-ray, 15 December
- Let Them Chirp Awhile, 2007, d. Jonathan Blitstein, Cinevolve, also on Blu-ray, 15 December, w. Justin Rice, Brendan Sexton III
- Beyond a Reasonable Doubt, 2009, d. Peter Hyams, Anchor Bay, also on Blu-ray, 22 December
- Kartemquin Films: The Early Years, Volume 1 (Parents / Thumbs Down), 1968, d. Gerald Temaner, Gordon Quinn, Kartemquin/Facets, 22 December
- Pandorum, 2009, d. Christian Alvart, Anchor Bay, also on Blu-ray, 22 December
- Capitalism: A Love Story, 2009, d. Michael Moore, Anchor Bay, also on Blu-ray, 29 December
- Blade of the Ripper [Lo strain vizio della Signora Wardh, aka The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh], 1971, d. Sergio Martino, MYA, 26 January, w. Edwige Fenech
- Desirable Teacher [Pierino contro tutti], 1981, d. Marino Girolami, MYA, 26 January
- Goodbye Gemini, 1970, d. Alan Gibson, Scorpion Releasing, 26 January, w. Michael Redgrave
- Hello Goodbye, 2008, d. Graham Guit, Liberation, 26 January, w. Fanny Ardant, Gérard Depardieu
- Not Now Darling, 1973, d. Ray Cooney, David Croft, Jezebel/Alternative Distribution Alliance, 26 January
- Sex Advice [Sesso in confessionale], 1974, d. Vittorio De Sisti, MYA, 26 January
- Troma's War, 1988, d. Michael Herz, Lloyd Kaufman, Troma, 26 January

Blu-ray

- The Living Dead at Manchester Morgue [Non si deve profanare il sonno dei morti, aka Let Sleeping Corpses Lie], 1974, d. Jorge Grau, Blue Underground, 27 October
- Stargate, 1994, d. Roland Emmerich, Lionsgate, 27 October
- Logan's Run, 1976, d. Michael Anderson, Warner, 10 November
- Monsters, Inc., 2001, d. Peter Docter, David Silverman, Lee Unkrich, Disney, 10 November
- The Mask of Zorro, 1998, d. Martin Campbell, Sony, 1 December
- The Mel Brooks Collection [Blazing Saddles / Spaceballs / Young Frankenstein / High Anxiety / History of the World: Part 1 / Robin Hood: Men in Tights / Silent Movie / To Be or Not to Be / The Twelve Chairs], 1970-1993, d. Mel Brooks, Alan Johnson, Fox, 15 December
- Versus, 2000, d. Ryuhei Kitamura, Tokyo Shock, 29 December
- The Green Berets, 1968, d. Ray Kellogg, John Wayne, Mervyn LeRoy, Warner, 5 January
- Magnolia, 1999, d. Paul Thomas Anderson, New Line, 19 January
- The Toolbox Murders, 1978, d. Dennis Donnelly, Blue Underground, 26 January

Date Changes/Delays

- Rage, 2009, d. Sally Potter, Liberation [available now, as opposed to in November]
- Made in France [Origine contrôlée], 2001, d. Ahmed Bouchaala, Zakia Tahri, Synkronized USA, now 10 November
- The House of the Devil, 2009, d. Ti West, MPI, now 8 December [moved up]
- Hansel & Gretel, 2007, d. Yim Pil-Sung, Tokyo Shock, now 29 December
- The Brothers Bloom, 2009, d. Rian Johnson, Summit [according to a friend, available for rental everywhere, but won't be for purchase until a later date]
- Tennessee, 2008, d. Aaron Woodley, Vivendi [sorry, Mariah fans, delayed until further notice]
- Casualties of War, 1989, d. Brian De Palma, Sony, Blu-ray [postponed indefinitely]
- Punch-Drunk Love, 2002, d. Paul Thomas Anderson, Sony, Blu-ray [postponed indefinitely]

Curly Hair Cuts trends for women in 2010

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents Curly Hair Cuts trends for women in 2010

Curly hair can be unmanageable, frizzy and worst of all, unpredictable when it comes to haircuts. Every woman with curly locks can tell stories about haircut disasters. However, with a bit of know-how and careful planning, you can be certain about choosing haircuts that show off your curls and your features to the best advantage.

Curly Hair Cuts trends for women in 2010

Curly Hair Cuts trends for women in 2010

Trendy Layered Hairstyles for fall winter 2009 2010

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents Trendy Layered Hairstyles for fall winter 2009 2010

Layered hairstyles are one of the most trendy haircuts these days and another plus the layered haircuts are not difficult to maintain but also provide you with different style. You can have many hairstyles that can be dome with the combination of layers like choppy layers, short layers and the other styling additions. Layered haircuts are much defined with both the front and the sides of the hair are layered.

Trendy Layered Hairstyles for fall winter 2009 2010

Long choppy layers are a unique look with the combination of the choppy cuts and the layers. This layered cut is a lot longer than the others but still it is full of definition. The layers in this hairstyle are a little defined and also it balances the choppy ends.

Trendy Layered Hairstyles for fall winter 2009 2010

Trendy Layered Hairstyles for fall winter 2009 2010

Spiral Perm Hairstyles

2009, 2010 Spiral Perm Hairstyles

Spiral perms were all the rage back in the 1980’s. Today they are making a comeback and if they are done correctly, a spiral pem can be truly beautiful. A badly done spiral perm will leave you looking like you just stuck your finger in a light socket, so make sure you go to a reputable stylist. Spiral perms make a woman look saucy, flirty, and extremely sexy.
The name spiral comes from how the hair is permed. Traditional perms use small rollers and your hair is rolled horizontally. A spiral perm uses long, slender rollers and your hair is rolled vertically, from the ends to your scalp, in a corkscrew fashion, hence the name “spiral”. Depending on the size of the vertical roller, your curls can be loose or extremely tight. You are not limited to always having one particular curly hairstyle when you get a spiral perm. Use a hairdryer with a diffuser to dry your curly hair and one without if you want to blow-dry it straight. Straightening your hair with a hairdryer will leave it appearing thicker and full of body; your curls will come right back when you wash your hair again. You can even use the diffuser for a little bit longer than it takes to dry your hair to change your hairstyle into attractive waves. Add some hair gel and you can scrunch your hair into even tighter ringlets for yet another look.
Spiral perms can cost almost twice as much as a regular perm. This is because they look best on longer hair and require more work. You could try giving yourself a spiral perm but you run the risk of a frizzy perm, and since spiral perms last months longer than a normal perm, you may not want to risk that. Also, remember to be careful after you get your spiral perm – use lots of conditioning products (perms dry out hair) and avoid any hair products that have alcohol in them. Alcohol will make the drying much worse. And if your hair is not in good condition, stay away from any type of perm or you’ll look like a dust bunny rather than a sexy woman.
Photo by Ikue

2010 Short Trendy Haircuts For Women

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents 2010 Short Trendy Haircuts For Women

Women have a huge choice when it comes to short haircuts for ladies. You can have any type of face, you can not just enhance your facial features using the perfect hairstyle, you can also better your personality through short haircuts for ladies.



Short haircuts for women are ideal during winter, short haircuts for ladies look especially good for women with thick hair.

2010 Short Trendy Haircuts For Women

2010 Short Trendy Haircuts For Women

Trendy Chic Short Hairstyles -- Winter 2009 2010

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents Trendy Short Hairstyles -- Winter 2009 2010

Girls don't like the idea after their hair stylist suggests a short hairstyle. Getting one of those cute short hairstyles can become your advantage. A trendy short hairstyle can be really nice and easy to maintain.

Trendy Short Hairstyles -- Winter 2009 2010

Get one of those chic & sexy short hairstyles today to look smarter, charming and to save time on maintaining your hair. Gone are the days when you needed to style your hair every time you went out, with a short hairstyle you will just need to comb it.

Trendy Short Hairstyles -- Winter 2009 2010

2010 Short Shag Hairstyles Pictures

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents 2010 Short Shag Hairstyles Pictures

The Shag Haircut, a hairstyle that will continue to be revived and reintroduced in the hottest modern trends. Shag hairstyles are very popular and creative styles that can be worn in many different ways. The shag hairstyle was introduced by popular musicians throughout the 60’s and 70’s and than later introduced in the 80’s by popular musicians like Rod Stewart, David Bowie and many other celebrities alike.

Short Shags frame the face and are full of lots of layers on the top and the front of the head, while the back of the hair has a little less layers, but is still does not compromise the volume of the hairstyle.

2010 Short Shag Hairstyles Pictures

2010 Short Shag Hairstyles Pictures

More Foreign Oscar Submissions

7 more countries have announced their selection for the Foreign Language Oscar. In a surprise move, Portugal did not select either João Pedro Rodrigues' To Die Like a Man [Morrer Como Um Homem] or Manoel de Oliveira's Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl [Singularidades de uma Rapariga Loira], but instead Doomed Love [Um Amor de Perdição], directed by one of de Oliveira's regular cinematographers, Mário Barroso. Denmark chose Henrik Ruben Genz's Terribly Happy [Frygtelig lykkelig], which Oscilloscope picked up earlier this year.

Bolivia: Zona sur, d. Juan Carlos Valdivia
Denmark: Terribly Happy [Frygtelig lykkelig], d. Henrik Ruben Genz, Oscilloscope Pictures
Luxembourg: Réfractaire [Draft Dodgers], d. Nicolas Steil
Mexico: El traspatio [Backyard], d. Carlos Carrera
Philippines: Ded na si Lolo, d. Soxy Topacio
Portugal: Um Amor de Perdição [Doomed Love], d. Mário Barroso
Slovakia: Nedodrzaný slub [Broken Promise], directed by Jirí Chlumský, Picture This! Entertainment

Finally. Ballast Coming to DVD Through Kino

Just over a year after it made its New York City premiere last October, Lance Hammer's universally lauded Ballast will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from Kino on 10 November.

Megan Fox Hair Color

Megan Fox Hair Color - Fall, Winter 2010 Edition

The bombshell Megan Fox has captured the hearts of men and women worldwide. Some love her for her acting, some for her modeling, and women love her hair. She always has a beautiful style and unique color. Here is how to get this beauty’s hair color for yourself.
If you already have black hair, lucky you – you and Megan have the same natural color. If you naturally have very dark brown hair, you could probably manage to get this look without needing to dye it black. To get the perfect color, you should have black hair. Be aware that for those with really fair skin the contrast between your new black hair and your skin can be startling; some people end up hating that look. If you dye your hair black, you either will have to wait for it to turn back to your natural color or get it bleached, which will damage your hair badly. Start by dyeing your hair black. Your own natural highlights will help bring out highlights in the black hair color. If your hair is naturally dark, you can just start highlighting. If you want to copy Megan’s look exactly, then add some dark brown highlights and some medium brown lowlights. Chestnut brown would be a good color for this. Another way you could achieve this look is by dyeing your hair black, then dye it again with a dark brown. If you choose this method, make sure to condition your hair since dyeing it could damage it. But you’ll have that same sexy look either way.
Photo/PR PHOTOS

Like reading the telephone book; also, who was (dying or) reading what and when.

Read until the end!

It's not like I'll spend hours doing this, but it is somewhat fun to look over historical lists of names.

[1] For example, see the following from the ספר גל אבנים כולל המצבות בעיר טריאסטי by Aaron Luzzatto, 1851.



[2] The sixth name from the top appears to be "Hymie Heiman Ha-kohen," which is a great name indeed. Unfortunately Hymie was only a young girl, a sobering thing one takes notice of in cemeteries.



[3] Another fertile field are subscription lists in books. For example, the 1866-7 edition of the Karaite commentary the Keter Torah by Aharon ben Aliyahu contains a subscription list with some interesting names and titles (anyone want to take a crack at what הזוג"פ stands for?).



[4] Here you can see some of the subscribers to Iggerot Shadal.





As you can see, the Chief Rabbi at London is on this list, as is R. Azriel Hildesheimer, and other notables. No, R. S.R. Hirsch did not pre-subscribe to a copy (although a letter to him is in the second volume).

[5] From the subscription list of another Samuel David Luzzatto book, his 1836 Prolegomeni ad una grammatica ragionata della lingua ebraica:



The surname "Sacerdote" means הכהן; it's like Italian "Kagan" (which is like Russian "Sacerdote," I guess.)

[6] Here you've got another kind of list, a useful one, actually. This is a list of translators of the haphtaros included in the Etz Chaim edition (Sulzbach 1845) of Mendelssohn's Nesivos Shalom Chumash with Bi'ur:



[7] And here's the list of subscribers from Poland, Lithuania and Russia to Mendelssohn's Or Le-nesivah, the introduction ("Light for the Path") to the Chumash, Nesivos Shalom ("Paths of Peace") printed in 1783:



By contrast, not much action in Paris or London (although one assumes that R' Mendel Hamburg in London felt he could sell or give away those 11 extra copies he subscribed for) :



Another detail from the same list:



It's great how you'll see someone listed as R' Wolf. You know, from Hildesheim. Not even "R' Wolf Hildesheim" or "Hildesheimer," just "R' Wolf." Or look at Fürth. Everyone must know who R' Ya'akov is in Fürth! There's only one Elchanan. And so forth.

[8] David Levi, the learned London hatmaker's 3-volume Lingua Sacra:




[9] If there is such a thing as a Haskalah manifesto, it is Yitzchak Ber Levinsohn's Teudah Be-yisrael. Here is the name of the Rashash (Rabbi Shmuel Strashun) as a subscriber to the first 1828 edition:




In this same volume you've got what was to me at first, a mysterious ר' אלי' הירש סאלעווייציק. I wasn't thinking he was the Beis Halevi's uncle, but I also wasn't thinking he wasn't. Not being a Soloveitchikian genealogist, I immediately saw that Google did not laugh when I typed in "tzvi soloveitchik". Indeed, "Eliyahu Tzvi Soloveitchik" popped up as a definite combination which seems to have survived to the present. When I removed the "t" I hit gold, and saw that he was a grandson of R. Chaim Volozhiner, and is indeed the Beis Halevi's uncle. Marc Shapiro posted about him here, and he also included a photograph of him (which I borrowed from Avakesh.

Cute short razor haircut 2010

2010 Cute Hair Trends presents Cute short razor haircut 2010

The sides of this short razor hairstyle feature layers that have been contoured around the shape of the ears and blended into the short layers through the top and crown area to create the height of this great hairstyle.The back of this short razor hairstyle has been razored short and tapered into the head.

Doctor Luzzatto's British Pills for Bilious Complaints.

Here's one way the notable 18th century Hebrew poet Ephraim Luzzatto made money at his day job:



The ad appeared for several weeks in the London Courier and Evening Gazette November and December of 1794.

Here's a poem of his which someone translated from Italian:



Gazetteer and New Daily Advertiser 11.19.1765

Here's the title page of his famous book of poems:



Unless his name was actually Ephraim Mordechai, then I'm not sure why his name is Angelo. Among Italian Jews "Angelo" was, and hopefully is, used for the Hebrew name "Mordechai," the same way "Zalman" is for "Shlomo." This naming convention is presumably based on Megillah 15a -- אמר רב נחמן מלאכי זה מרדכי ולמה נקרא שמו מלאכי שהיה משנה למלך.

Please see my prior post, A shocking doctor's prescription written by Ephraim Luzzatto.