The Arts Fuse Newsletter, July 9
Coming Attractions! Preview of a retrospective of the films of a Japanese master, a look at Brian Wilson's "God Only Knows," reviews of "Sorry, Baby" and albums from Terry Kitchen and Matteo Paggi
More on the magazine this week: Peter Keough gets into the post-apocalyptic vibe of 40 Acres: Cyrisse Jaffe celebrates two new children’s books that explore how scientists are helping preserve and manage the natural world; Ralph Locke is overjoyed by five hours of music by Bizet that is mostly unknown to music lovers and performers alike.
From The Editor's Desk:
August 6th marks the 80th anniversary of the U.S. military dropping an atomic bomb, from the B-29 bomber Enola Gay, over the Japanese city of Hiroshima. Three days later, Nagasaki would suffer the same fate. Boston’s arts community has taken little notice of the occasion, which is not surprising. America’s performing arts culture is often indifferent to issues of war and peace, particularly when it requires confronting our problematic history of violence. Choosing to do that makes for challenging, rather than empowering, theatrical experiences.
Compelling plays about the bombings exist, such as Michael Mears' The Mistake and Minoru Betsuyaku’s The Elephant, which tells the story of an atomic bomb survivor (hibakusha) battling health issues along with a society eager to forget the catastrophe. Despite their relevance and power, these scripts—and others like them—are not being produced here.
That said, a coalition of Boston-area peace, justice, and environmental organizations will mark the date with a major event. I also highly recommend Greg Mitchell’s new documentary, The Atomic Bowl: Football at Ground Zero — and Nuclear Peril Today, which will begin streaming on PBS on July 12. (Art Fuse review) For years, Mitchell has written perceptively and with investigative depth about Hiroshima and Nagasaki; his 1996 book with Robert Lifton, Hiroshima in America: Fifty Years of Denial, is a favorite of mine.
There’s not been much buzz about the WWII A-bombs here, but it’s another story in Japan. President Trump’s recent comment, comparing his decision to strike Iran’s nuclear facilities—“That hit ended the war. I don’t want to use an example of Hiroshima, I don’t want to use an example of Nagasaki, but that was essentially the same thing”—has drawn plenty of criticism, including invitations for Trump to visit the cities. I’m not holding my breath on that one. In his soon-to-stream doc, Mitchell points out that Barack Obama was the first—and, to date, only—sitting U.S. president to visit Hiroshima. He did not, however, travel on to Nagasaki.
—Bill Marx, Editor-in-Chief
Archive: From the Editor's Desk 2025
Film Retrospective: “Floating Clouds … The Cinema of Naruse Mikio” — Dedicated to Women’s Passions
By Betsy Sherman
Film scholars, programmers and the many filmmakers influenced by Naruse Mikio value him as having crafted well-rounded portraits of women and their lives across decades of Japanese cultural changes.
Music Commentary: Analyzing the Greatness of Brian Wilson’s “God Only Knows”
By Larry Hardesty
I hope this close look makes clear the exquisite craftsmanship that went into “God Only Knows.” But for many of us, the song has a magic that goes beyond the mere exercise of compositional skill, even skill of a very high order.
Film Review: “Sorry, Baby” — A Tragicomic Vision of Coping with Trauma
By Nicole Veneto
In a film that maintains a deft, tightrope balance of tone, writer-director-star Eva Victor has delivered an acerbically funny depiction of how we learn to cope in a world where bad things can (and often do) happen.
Pop-Folk Album Review: Singer-Songwriter Terry Kitchen Offers Up a Splendid Batch of New Songs (and a Couple of Covers)
By Ed Symkus
In his new album, Terry Kitchen moves effortlessly through lilting songs of happiness and sadness.
Jazz Album Review: Trombonist/Composer Matteo Paggi’s “Giraffe” — Surprisingly Tall
By Michael Ullman
The planned variety of sounds and rhythms is the adroit work of a composer dedicated to both freedom and his own version of continuity.
Coming Attractions through July 21 — What Will Light Your Fire
Compiled by Arts Fuse Editor
Our expert critics supply a guide to film, visual art, theater, author readings, television, and music. More offerings will be added as they come in.
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Questions, comments, concerns?
Editor-in-Chief
Bill Marx
wmarx103@gmail.com
