Jornal da Mostra

Subscribe here the 'Jornal da Mostra'

The Maltese Falcon, by John Huston

GREAT NEWS FROM THE USA

Two great pieces of news: the preserved heritage of movie classics is heading to a new home and Hollywood’s political dedication changes parties

One hundred and twenty five thousand cans of film containing 30,000 movie titles, some of which date to the 1890s, are being relocated. These movies are all gathered by The Library of Congress Motion Picture Conservation Center. The priceless original negatives and prints of classics such as Frank Capra’s ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Hollywood’ (1939) and John Huston’s ‘The Maltese Falcon’ (1941) are moving to a new facility being built in Culpeper, Virginia, southwest of Washington, D.C.

The move, which will begin in the spring (in the northern hemisphere) and finish by September, is an effort to consolidate federal preservation and storage programs. Ken Weissman, head of the conservation center, assures that the facility will have top-notch equipment with better temperature and humidity conditions to preserve the reels of cellulose nitrate films, used until 1951, when it was replaced with cellulose acetate. Most of the twenty employees at the Wright-Patterson center plan to relocate to Virginia. True movie lovers go wherever its past lies.

And now looking at the future, many Hollywood celebrities initiated a huge campaign for the return of the Democrats to the power of the United States. Some support Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton or even John Edwards while others clearly support Senator Barack Obama, considered to be the political figure that has “star quality”. George Clooney calls him a friend. Halle Berry has said she`d "collect paper cups off the ground to make his pathway clear." Oprah Winfrey says he`s her man. And three of the most powerful men in Hollywood -- Steven Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen -- have just invited Democrats to a high-profile fundraiser reception for Obama at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, with a dinner later at Geffen`s home for top donors.

In 2000, the movie, television and music industries injected US,6 million in the political campaign: 64% directed to the Democrats; in 2004, the amount went down to US,1 million, but this time 69% of the total amount directed to the Democrats. Hopeful movie lovers turn their eyes to where a better future may lie.