Henry Miller Memorial Library

There are a few tickets left! It will sell out.  Get’em here: http://koyaanisqatsi.eventbrite.com/

 

Not content with showing the best short films in the world to just a few hundred lucky souls in Big Sur, the Henry Miller Library and the Big Sur International Short Film Festival bring their magical blend of film, literature, and music to the Independent Marketplace, at 600 Ortiz. Ave in Sand City on September 6th!

This event is by donation, but seating is limited – reserve your spot today here.

We admit, it’s a lot of amazing stuff to process, so let’s take it one at a time.

First, the Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series.  The series is one of the most innovative and acclaimed gatherings of short films in the world, and its esteemed jury includes Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Kirsten Dunst, and Oscar winner Vilmos Zsigmond.

Beginning in 2011, the selection committee received over 1,000 submissions from over 40 countries and ultimately whittled the field down to the 50 best films, which were shown across the summer.  Then the jury had the final word, selecting the five greatest films of them all. 

After screening these five films on August 31st in Big Sur, they’ll be shown again, this time – you guessed it – at the Independent Marketplace beginning at 8 pm.  

(Better yet, there will also be an exclusive screening of a Big Sur-shot “adventure film” featuring the notorious (and mysterious) “Hippie Sven.”)

Then there’s the Henry Miller Memorial Library.  That’d be us.  We’ll set-up a “pop-up” bookstore at the Marketplace, replete with books, posters, t-shirts and more.

Lastly, Songs Hotbox Harry Taught Us, Big Sur’s own ragtag band of misfits, will perform set of classic country and rock n’ roll tunes.  

About the Independent Marketplace

In its first year, the Independent Marketplace brings the area’s finest restaurants, artists, and vendors to Sand City on the first Thursday of the month.  Part farmer’s market, part arts and crafts fair, part street party (though it’s indoors), the Marketplace is like your first child: you never knew you had a void inside of you until you actually had one.

How’d we live so long without the Independent Marketplace? 

Check out this Monterey County Weekly article that provides 27 reasons to check out the Independent Marketplace.

To summarize: 

Who: The Henry Miller Memorial Library and the Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series “come to town”  More info here.

What: A magical night of internationally-acclaimed film, literature, and local music courtesy of your friends in Big Sur.

When: Thursday, September 6th.  Doors open at 4 pm; admission is free.  Music at 7 pm, movies at 8 pm.

Where: The Independent Marketplace, 600 Ortiz Ave, Sand City, California 93955

On the heels of their May 2012 “Glass Half-Full” article, the Montery County Weekly continues the pun parade this week with a cover story on Philip Glass and his Days and Nights Festival ["Smooth as (Philip) Glass."*)]

It’s a fantastic article about Mr. Glass and pays particular attention to this Friday’s screening of Koyaanisqatsi, to be held at the Henry Miller Library.

Tickets are only $30.  They’re going fast, so get yours here.

Money quote:

If you get to see it, though, in high-definition among the redwoods of the Henry Miller Library this Friday, with composer Philip Glass and director Godfrey Reggio there, the experience may be transcendent.

Read the whole thing!

* Should Philip collaborate with Debby Harry in the future, we call dibs on “Heart of (Philip) Glass.”

It’s really cool to be name-dropped in a Magnetic Fields song.  And though I can’t say from experience, it actually is fairly common, because much like the Tin Pan Alley lyricists of yore, Stephin Merritt shameless employs the rhyming dictionary.  So cool!

That said, it’s not very often that an upcoming Library performer is name-dropped in a Merritt song, which makes the October 3rd Steve Earle show (tickets here) all the more exciting: in addition to Gwar, Merritt name-drops the country/Americana legend in the Magnetic Fields tune “Acoustic Guitar!”

Is that a reason to see Steve Earl at the Library on Oct. 3rd?  Yes, but it’s at the bottom of the list.  A more compelling reason is that it’s a rare, intimate performance with a legend under a towering redwood grove.  These things are relative, after all.

Take it away, Monterey County Weekly, who can say it better than we can:

“The great American composer Philip Glass returns to Carmel and Big Sur for a short weekend-only version of his Days and Nights Festival that was inaugurated last year.

The festival last summer spanned more than two weeks and featured music, dance, poetry, theater and film for audiences in Carmel Valley and Big Sur.

This season Glass presents his 2012 Festival Weekend on Friday, Aug. 31, at the Henry Miller Memorial Library in Big Sur and Saturday, Sept. 1, at Carmel’s Sunset Center.

The Friday event in Big Sur features the cult classic film “Koyaanisqatsi” with its soundtrack composed by Glass.  Tickets here!

The screening will be held under the stars at the library’s outdoor theater beginning at 7:30 p.m. Filmmaker Godfrey Reggio will join Glass for a Q&A with the audience.”

It’s us again now…The festival has much more planned, so read more here and check out the Days and Nights site.   See you Friday!

 

We can’t think of a better way to start your work week than this illuminating interview with Mssr. Miller talking about the tortured artistic spirits of the 19th century. Can you?

Indeed, it’s an audio interview with Miller, late in his life, in which Miller waxes and wanes on the existential state of man.  In particular, he’s alluding to Time of Assassins, his book on Rimbaud, and he contextualizes by noting how many of the great thinkers of the 19th century were persecuted for their rejection of the material progress that unfolded during that century.  Rimbaud.  Nietzsche.  Van Gogh.

What’s cool is that he’s also challenged by the interviewer, who also has a thick and abrasive (New York?) accent.  There’s a neat juxtaposition between the fact that these guys are talking about deep philosophical questions, yet at the same time, you also expect them make you a nice sausage stromboli.

But getting back to the interviewer; at one point, he asks, “Why are you only focusing on the tortured artists?” to which, without missing a beat, Miller, never an enemy of metaphysical platitudes, replies, “its the tortured spirit who reflects the spirit.”

To which we say….maybe!

Believe it: Mike Nesmith, pioneer of country rock, ex-Monkee, and one of the greatest songwriters ever, will perform at the Library today (Saturday) at 5 pm!

Don’t miss this opportunity to see a living legend in such an intimate setting!!

While you’re at it, check out some of his best jams:

* Joanne: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydNvjQTRSlU

*Different Drum:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSgB338VfIs

* Tapioca Tundra: www.youtube.com/watch?v=xWRnrRauCS8

* St. Matthew:  www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc4uBQqDW4g

 

We’ve said it before, but we’ll say it again: the Big Sur International Short Film Festival is the largest jewel in the Henry Miller Memorial Library’s glittering tiara of the arts.

Maybe it’s a ruby.  They’re nice.  Ooooh, no, an emerald.   So calming.  Either way, it’s the kind of jewel you’d find in a place like India.

But when Sunday arrives, this analogy totally explodes.  Sunday is the grand finale of our 2012 film series (great article in Monterey County Weekly here.)  And for this year’s series, we got over 1,000 submissions this year.  We chose the best 50.

And now our esteemed jury, comprised of Philip Glass, Laurie Anderson, Kirsten Dunst, and others, choose the best of the best. 

The brightest ruby of them all.  The most amazing opal the world has even known (this year.)  The kind of sapphire that makes holy men weep and the bravest kings fools.

So you see how the whole jewel thing can get cumbersome by this point?

Bottom line: come to the Library on Sunday at 7 pm.  There’ll be chocolates, drinks, and, yes, popcorn.  And starting at 8ish, we screen the creme de la creme*.  More info here.  It is not to be missed and your donations are appreciated!

See you then!

* Perhaps next year we’ll abandon the jewel stuff and employ a more dairy-centric analogy

 

While the rest of the world heads to Staples to buy Trapper Keepers (are they still around?) and get ready for school, we’re at the doorstep of another majestic Indian Summer chock full of great events.

So we figured hey, why not do a classic “pull-up” (to steal the old corporate term) and outline where things stand, yeah?

Cool.

• OK, first.  Thanks yet again for Fernwood Resort’s  for their incredible generosity and selfless hard work.  The benefit raffle, ping pong, and poker thing on the 15th was a smashing success.  Check our FB(Facebook) page to see if you won (if you did, you were already contacted though!)
  

  an excerpt from the upcoming HML book!

• And to those who kindly donated and may yet still donate to our fundraising drive: our brand-spanking new t-shirts are ready and they look FABULOUS.  Once they’re in we’ll post pictures and stuff and get’em in the mail.  We’re just waiting on the publication of our amazing HML souvenir book- which is about to go to the printer – then we’ll start shipping out the rewards.  In fact, click on the pic to the left – it’s an excerpt from the book featuring a certain Library cat.  Stay tuned and thanks!

• Speaking of which, here is an update on how things stand with the fundraising drive.

• Upcoming events are still being added – check’em here.  But of note:

 

• This Sat. Aug. 25th – a Literary and Musical Garden Party featuring tons of amazing musicians and writers, including Jane Smiley!  Info here.

• Sunday, Aug. 26th – The Big Sur International Short Film Screening Series Grand Finale!!  The crown jewel of our most beguiling tiara.  Not to be missed.  There will be multiple dudes in tuxes in attendance!   Info here.

• August 31st: Screening of”Koyaanisqatsi,” plus Q&A with director  Godfrey Reggio and composer Philip Glass!  Tickets here.

• September 28th: an evening with Rufus Wainwright!  Tickets here.  All proceeds of this show go to the Library’s 2012 fundraising drive.

• We got a ton of new and amazing books in the store too!  So come on done – we dare you to leave empty-handed.

Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg; there’s a lot more going on, so once again, do check the upcoming events page.

Just wanted to “pull up” for a sec.

Thanks for coming everybody, and we’ll see you at Appleby’s on Friday afternoon for “South of the Border” happy hour!!

 

 

 

Click here to see the amazing raffle prizes generously donated by local artists, restaurants, and shops!

And we’ll see you today/tonight!