Articles by Joan Holman
The Mystical Marriage: The Transforming Power of Love in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Phantom of the Opera
Harry Potter's Prisoner of Azkaban Takes Children Down the Wrong Road
The Passion of the Christ and Mel Gibson's Death Blow to the Hollywood Oligopoly
The film Solaris starring George Clooney
Violence in video games
Harmony, unity and vibration
Commentary / Film Reviews / Articles
FairyTale: A True Story--film review by Gary Johnson -- "Exactly because the filmmakers refuse to completely embrace the fantastic, Fairytale becomes all the more intriguing, and in the process, the movie's magical elements--dealt out in terms that manage simultaneously to embrace fairies while remaining skeptical--become all the more compelling. Fairytale--A True Story is a wonderful movie and one of the best movies ever made about children and the difference between an adult's conception of magic (i.e. "trickery," as embodied by Harry Houdini) and a child's conception of magic as a natural part of the world.
The Mystical Marriage, The Transforming Power of Love
and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Movie The Phantom of the Opera
copyright © Joan Holman
Gaston Leroux wrote The Phantom of the Opera in 1911. Although there have been a number of film and television versions of the story, none have come close to the phenomenal success of Andew Lloyd Webber's stage musical adaptation of the novel.
MOVIE IS BASED ON LARGEST GROSSING PRODUCTION IN THE WORLD FOR STAGE OR SCREEN -- Lloyd Webber's stage musical ofPhantom is the largest grossing stage or screen production in the world, with worldwide box office receipts of over $3.2 billion. Since its debut in London in 1986, it has reached an estimated audience of 80 million people, with more than 65,000 performances in 18 countries. The original cast recording has sold over 40 million copies worldwide and is the biggest selling cast album of all time.
A STUNNING WORK OF CINEMATIC ART-- Lloyd Webber has met the challenge of transforming his stage musical is an absolutely stunning work of cinematic art. This film works in all levels: artistically, musically and dramatically.
UNIVERSAL APPEAL OF THE PHANTOM -- The powerful and enduring appeal of the story of the Phantom results from its striking a common chord with men and women throughout the world. That chord is the universal archetypal characters and themes that tap into the collective unconscious of mankind.
click here to read entire article
Harmony, Unity & Vibration
and the impact of angry, pessimistic, destructive and violent films on your consciousness and hence your life
by Joan Holman / copyright 2003 Joan Holman
There are unifying, common elements found in all great religions and cultures upon which we can focus to build cooperation in a diverse world. We need to focus on unity by finding common ground among people of different beliefs and backgrounds. A focus on unifying elements creates harmony and brings people together instead of dividing people, whether it be by religion, race, culture, political beliefs, or other differerences.
HARMONY IS CONSTRUCTIVE -- DISSONANCE IS DESTRUCTIVE
Everything is vibration. Harmonious vibrations build, and dissonant vibrations tear down. Creating harmony in a group through focus on common ground builds a resonance that is a foundation for cooperation.
For example, without the use of rules of orderliness, such as Parlimentary Procedure, groups of people with different opinions end up in argumentation, dissension, and nonresolution of issues.
There certainly is a time for debate and discussion of charged political and religious issues. However, as an artist, I want my focus to be on transcendent realities and common emotions that pull people together. I want to create art that builds harmony in society, that builds culture, rather than tears it down.
click here to read entire article