Category Archives: Reviews

SYLVIO is Simply DiVine at Hofstra

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
October 31, 2017

Q:  Where does a 180-pound gorilla sit?

A:  If he’s the gentle gorilla who’s the title character of SYLVIO – the fantasy film based on “Simply Sylvio” Vine videos – he wants to sit on the floor behind a table he uses as a stage to act out scenes of “Quiet Times with Herbert Herpels” with his hand puppet Herbert.

Hempstead, New York, USA. October 30, 2017. Film event of screening of SYLVIO, a fantasy feature film, and Q and A with ALBERT BIRNEY, KENTUCKER AUDLEY, and mdoeraotr RUSSELL HARBAUGH, is hosted by Radio, Television, Film Department of Lawrence Herbert School of Communication of Hofstra University.

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 30, 2017. SYLIO screening and Q&A with (R-L) ALBERT BIRNEY, KENTUCKER AUDLEY, & moderator RUSSELL HARBAUGH, is presented by Herbert School of Communication, Hofstra. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

When Vine, the hosting service for short-form videos, was online, “Simply Silvio” had over 500,000 followers. But when I heard Hofstra’s Herbert School of Communication was having a screening of SYLVIO, followed by a Q&A with ALBERT BIRNEY and KENTUCKER AUDLEY – the film’s co-directors & more – it was the first time I’d heard of the character.

Based on the movie poster, I could tell Sylvio was a gorilla who wore clothes and red sunglasses, and that’s about it, so I was curious.

Hempstead, New York, USA. October 30, 2017. At screening of SYLVIO, a fantasy feature film, Sylvia the gorilla has Harold the puppet act out scenes of

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 30, 2017. At Hofstra screening of SYLVIO film, Sylvio the gorilla uses hand puppet Harold to act out scenes of “Quiet Times with Harold Herpels.”  (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

SYLVIO

Sylvio, who doesn’t speak, works at a debt collection agency and must make an outside call to collect a debt from a man who hosts a talk show in his basement.

When Sylvio arrives, he’s mistaken for a juggler and sent onstage, where he ends up dropping things that break, loudly.

The talk show audience loves this, and Sylvio ends up chained to a wild on-air persona the opposite of who he wants to be, so he has tough decisions ahead of him….

Hempstead, New York, USA. October 30, 2017. Film event of screening of SYLVIO, a fantasy feature film, and Q and A with ALBERT BIRNEY, KENTUCKER AUDLEY, and moderator RUSSELL HARBAUGH, is hosted by Radio, Television, Film Department of Lawrence Herbert School of Communication of Hofstra University.

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 30, 2017.  Sylvio reluctantly becomes the “What’s the Ape Gonna Break?” TV personality, in SYLVIO, screened at Hofstra. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

Q&A

After the SYLVIA screening, Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley and Prof. RUSSELL HARBAUGH held a Q&A.

VIDEO: Panel discusses the central concept of the movie,  what’s most important to Sylvio the gorilla, and more in this excerpt:

[videopress r839HpHg]

Birney is the creator of the “Simply Sylvio” Vine character, and he and Audley are the film’s directors, and, with Meghan Doherty, its screenwriters.

The gorilla who doesn’t talk and the talk show host make a solid team.

Wordlessly, Birney expressively plays Sylvio Bernardi, who at least gets to grunt a few times. I’m not surprised I didn’t figure out on my own who played Sylvio, but I didn’t even realize Audley co-starred as Al Reynolds, the financially strapped talk show host, until he talked about it.

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 30, 2017. After SYLVIO film screening and a Q&A, KENTUCKER AUDLEY and ALBERT BIRNEY chat with Prof. WILLIAM JENNINGS, of Radio, Television, Film Department of Lawrence Herbert School of Communication of Hofstra University. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Hempstead, NY, USA. Oct. 30, 2017. After SYLVIO film screening and Q&A, (L-R) KENTUCKER AUDLEY & ALBERT BIRNEY chat with Prof. WILLIAM JENNINGS at Hofstra University. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

PEACE & QUIET

Sitting in the audience at Hofstra’s Breslin Hall that night, I was so moved by Sylvio and his quest to lead a simple, peaceful life that I have a feeling he’ll quietly be with me for a good while.

My SYLVIO at Hofstra event photos:  GALLERY

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LIIFE 2017 Long Island International Film Expo

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
July 22, 2017

“Laugh about it, Shout about it….”

Wednesday afternoon I visited the Filmmaker’s Lounge and the Bellmore Movies theater, where the Long Island International Film Expo was in full swing. LIIFE was celebrating its 20th Anniversary!


After capturing photos and a short video of MAGGIE WAGNER, the vivacious actor who plays Mom in the short film MOM, I spoke with TRISH APPELLO, the festival Coordinator and Secretary of the non-profit LITV/Film Foundation, which, along with the Nassau County Film Commission, presents the Festival.

When Appello told me about the feature documentary Where Have You Been, Lou DiMaggio? – the last filmed being screened that last night of the festival – I decided to return after dinner to catch it.

“MARIAM’S DAY OFF”

That night I arrived in time to first watch Mariam’s Day Off, a foreign film by Director ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN, who filmed it in Armenia.

“Look around you, all you see are sympathetic eyes….”

I found the placid-on-the-surface story about a young prostitute who ends up spending a day with an artist and his family at his art studio so emotionally compelling and poignant that it wasn’t until about half way into the short film (0:44:22 min) that I thought to myself, “Oh, it’s in black and white!”

Bellmore, New York, USA. 19th July 2017. Director and writer ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN speaks during a Q&A at the Long Island International Film Expo LIIFE 2017. (© 2017 Ann Parry)

Bellmore, NY, USA. 19th July 2017. ARSHAK AMIRBEKYAN, Director of “Mariam’s Day Off” short film, speaks at LIIFE 2017. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

“WHERE HAVE YOU GONE, LOU DiMAGGIO?”

The next and final screening was the documentary Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio? – a feature film (75 min) directed by BRAD KUHLMAN about comedian LOU DiMAGGIO considering returning to comedy after being away from the stage for 20 years.

For more than one reason, I was glad Appello had enthusiastically recommended seeing, Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio?

For starters, it was fun to see so many of DiMaggio’s fellow comedians – including Joy Behar, Richard Belzer, Rebecca Corry, Larry David, Susie Essman, Jeff Garlin, Howie Mandel, Colin Quinn, Chris Rock, Ray Romano, Jerry Seinfeld.

And Lou DiMaggio’s stand up comedy sets on his road to comeback were certainly memorable, and for wildly different reasons.

“We’d like to help you learn to help yourself….”

And what likely made the strongest impression on me in Where Have You Gone, Lou DiMaggio? was cautionary advice DiMaggio’s fellow comedian gave him about returning to stand up comedy – for it reminded me, in a way, of advice my late mom, an opera singer, gave her voice students, including my talented younger brother:

The world has more outstanding singers than it can afford to support. And the difference between the best and next best in a major competition or audition can be imperceptible even to an expert – so luck will play a big part in the career each has.

When choosing if you’ll pursue a living in the arts, follow that path only if you’re absolutely driven to AND you can handle the competition and pressure.

Bellmore, New York, USA. 19th July 2017. L-R, HENRY STAMPFEL, BRAD KUHLMAN, LOU DiMAGGIO, TRISH APPELLO, woman, and ANNE STAMPFEL pose during final Screening Night of Long Island International Film Expo 2017 at Bellmore Movies. The last film screened was the feature documentary

Bellmore, NY, USA. 19th July 2017. L-R, HENRY STAMPFEL, BRAD KUHLMAN, LOU DiMAGGIO, TRISH APPELLO, MARIA PUSATERI, and ANNE STAMPFEL pose during final Screening Night of Long Island International Film Expo 2017 at Bellmore Movies. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

FILMMAKERS Q&A

“We’d like to know a little bit about you for our files….”

For the Q&A, eight filmmakers associated with the films screened that night participated. After hearing the candid, detailed answers to the audience’s thought-provoking questions, I wished I’d arrived in time to watch all the films.

  • View VIDEO of comedian Lou DiMaggio at the Q&A to hear behind-the-scenes info, including what the biggest obstacle was he faced making the documentary:

[videopress dLvsiu2X]

VIDEO above: Lou DiMaggio answers Q&A question at LIIFE 2017. [Q&A did not take place aboard a ship on stormy seas, despite appearances to contrary.] 

“And here’s to you….”

The next night at the Long Island International Film Expo Awards Ceremony, LIIFE celebrated its 20th Anniversary and 2017 winners, including the Best Documentary Feature:  “Where Have You Gone Lou DiMaggio?”

“Wo, wo, wo….”

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Roslyn Harbor, New York, USA, January 2, 2017. Docent MAXINE HERSH (in red top) leads visitors on tour of Nassau County Museum of Art photography exhibitions covering over 100 years of photography. (© 2017 Ann Parry, annparrycom)

More Than a Century of Photos at Nassau County Museum of Art

From LONG ISLAND – by Ann Parry (ann-parry.com)
February 4, 2017

Entering the first gallery of the “Over a Hundred Years of Photos” exhibits at the Nassau County Museum of Art, I spotted a docent with a group of visitors at the far right end of the room – and I love tours – so my friend Bob and I headed over to join them.

Roslyn Harbor, New York, USA, January 2, 2017. Antique camera of Ralph J. Golsen, Chicago, Illinios, is on display at Nassau County Museum of Art photography exhibitions covering over 100 years of photography. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Roslyn Harbor, NY, USA, Jan. 28, 2017. Ralph J. Golsen vintage wooden camera, Chicago, Illinois, is on display at Nassau County Museum of Art photo exhibitions covering over 100 years of photography. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

After a detour to study a large vintage wooden camera, I joined the tour as docent MAXINE HERSH was discussing first  “Animal Locomotion, Man and Donkey” in 1887, a series of 30 photo capturing the movement of subjects by groundbreaking motion-capture photographer EADWEARD MUYBRIDGE (American – 1830-1904), and then the iconic “Migrant Mother” in 1936, by American photographer DOROTHEA LANGE.

Roslyn Harbor, New York, USA, January 2, 2017. Docent MAXINE HERSH (in red top) leads visitors on tour of Nassau County Museum of Art photography exhibitions covering over 100 years of photography. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Roslyn Harbor, NY, USA, Jan. 28, 2017. Docent MAXINE HERSH discusses Identity #1, 2014, by RUUD VAN EMPEL (Dutch – b. 1958)  at Nassau County Museum of Art. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)

On the second floor was the “New Photos, Long Island Collects” exhibit. One of my favorite photos in the gallery rooms was an Eden-like image of two black girls by Dutch photographer RUUD VAN EMPEL. The young girls and their verdant paradise setting don’t actually exist in real life, however, for the image is composited from hundreds of photos, material swatches….

After the tour was over, Bob and I lingered In the hallway to enjoy two composite photos, “Conductor” and “Man on a Pier,” by Long Island photographer ALAN M. RICHARDS (b. 1944). Richards is a fellow member of the Long Island Center of Photography (LICP), and I’ve also admired his work during opening receptions at Long Island galleries in Huntington.

Roslyn Harbor, New York, USA, January 2, 2017. Second floor hall of Nassau County Museum of Art photography exhibitions covering over 100 years of photography. (Ann Parry/Ann Parry, ann-parry.com)

Roslyn Harbor, NY, USA, Jan. 28, 2017. (Top right) ‘Conductor’ and (bottom right) ‘Man on a Pier,’ 2015, are image composite photos by ALAN M. RICHARDS (American – B. 1944) in 2nd Floor hallway of Nassau County Museum of Art. (© 2017 Ann Parry/Ann-Parry.com)


Feature Photo  (at top of post): Roslyn Harbor N.Y., U.S. January 28, 2017. Docent MAXINE HERSH discusses ‘Migrant Mother,’ 1936, by photographer Dorothea Lange (1895-1965) at Nassau County Museum of Art.  (© 2017 Ann Parry, annparry.com)


Over 100 Years of Photos: my GALLERY

Nassau County Museum of Art

Alan M Richards Art

BobStuhmer.com

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