大象传媒

The best of the world's arts, film, music, literature and music brought to you every day. Presented by Mark Coles.

Tony Curtis
Legendary American actor Tony Curtis spills the beans about what it was like to make the classic film Some Like It Hot - which was released 50 years ago. He talks to us candidly about his affair with Marilyn Monroe, the challenges of working with her - and why he believes the film is so iconic.

Sergio Ramirez
Novelist and former Nicaraguan Vice President Sergio Ramirez discusses his novel "A Thousand Deaths Plus One." He explains why, after happening upon an exhibition of works by the unknown Nicaraguan photographer Juan Castellon, he felt compelled to find out more about the man and how his story linked into the history of the country.

The English translation of former Nicaraguan President Sergio Ramirez's book A Thousand Deaths Plus One is Published by McPherson & Company.

Garth Cartwright.
Armed with only a Greyhound bus ticket and enough money for his next meal, the New Zealand music writer Garth Cartwright set out on a journey across America looking for the roots of the music he loves - blues and country, folk and soul. What he discovered was not only the past but also a very vibrant present. He came into the Strand's studio with a shoulder bag full of CDs to tell Mark Coles all about it.

Michael Jackson - This Is It
Reviewing the cinema release of This Is It, the Michael Jackson rehearsal and concert documentary, we find out about the huge tour that the pop star had been working towards before his death. Our reviewer Robert Sandall finds Jackson's voice in great shape and enjoys an unexpectedly emotional film experience.

Mein Kampf
A Jewish group in Germany is calling for Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf to be republished - it's been banned since the end of the war. We discover why they would want such a virulently anti-semitic book back in the public domain.

Robert Crumb
The work of the cult cartoonist Robert Crumb has been favourably compared to that of the great masters Breugal and Goya. His brightly coloured satires are also known as misanthropic and sex-obsessed. And now he's taken on the biggest project of his career - an illustrated book of Genesis. The Strand talks to Robert Crumb and gets the verdict on this biblical work.

Olafur Arnalds
Icelandic pianist/composer Olafur Arnalds' music is ethereal, haunting, beautiful and has achieved extraordinary success through his internet-led project to compose 7 tunes in 7 days; This has resulted in 10s of thousands of hits on his website and pleading messages from fans around the world to come and play in their country as well as being commissioned to compose ballet music, and even a Hollywood film director who wants him to score his next film. His All this and he's only 22 years old.

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