Articles for April 6th, 2011
Allyn’s Network Funds Moviemaking Venture
Rob Allyn, whose Dallas-based Allyn & Co. helped mastermind many a winning campaign for
well-connected local pols and causes, has moved on to new endeavors these days, like making movies. But Allyn continues his moving and shaking among some of the heaviest hitters around. Consider, for example, the development of his film company Margate House Films Ltd., whose Indonesian revolutionary-war flick Blood of Eagles–co-directed by Allyn’s son Conor (pictured here with Rob in photo by Jeanne Prejean)–will show again Thursday at 4 at the Dallas Angelika, part of the Dallas International Film Festival.
The elder Allyn says he got into making these Indonesian war movies when Dallasites Ray Washburne (of Highland Park Village) and Al G. Hill Jr. introduced him to Hashim Djojohadikusumo, one of Indonesia’s wealthiest businessmen. Two of Hashim’s uncles had been killed in 1946 in Indonesia’s budding revolution against the Dutch, and the businesman told Allyn that more people should know about the war. Rob and Hashim talked about making flicks together to do that and, to help finance his part, Allyn proceeded to call upon a tony network of Texas A-listers. Among them: former W adviser Mark McKinnon; former Federal Judge Joe Kendall; Hill Jr.; Dallas mayoral candidate Mike Rawlings; oil magnate Albert Huddleston; Lee Roy Mitchell of Cinemark; Blockbuster CEO Jim Keyes; and state Sen. John Carona. So far the partners have coughed up $6 million in equity, Allyn says, which he’s leveraged up to a total of $20 million for Margate’s moviemaking.
Texas Is Having Some Drought-type Issues
So according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, Texas is pretty droughty. Is that a word? It should be. Anywho, it’s probably not going to get better, so this is pretty much permission to let your lawn get nice and brown and for you to drink beer in a bid to save water. You should also probably just shower in your clothes, so everything gets clean at once. If you really want to help, time your shower for after you eat your morning cereal, and just pile up all the dishes in the bottom of the tub, too.
Various and assorted water people who are wringing your hands, you’re welcome. I’m here to help.
You Want Diversity? We Got Diversity!
DFW International reports that 44 percent of North Texans were either born in another country or are children of parents born in another country.
I don’t believe it. But I don’t have the facts or the time to find the facts to contradict it. So click the link, and you decide for yourself.
Top countries of origin represented in Dallas-Fort Worth are Mexico (natch) at 1,000,000 (even if I don’t believe the 44 percent, that estimate seems low), El Salvador and India at 100,000, Vietnam at 80,000, China at 60, 000, Pakistan and Korea at 50,000. Poland — who knew? — comes in at 40,500.
Mission Accomplished! The Tom Leppert Story, As Told to Zac Crain, Foreword by Gary Sinise
Apparently, the erstwhile Mayor of Handtown is now all like, “It’s cool, whatever, bro” on his quitting his job early to apply for another one. Why? Because he’s already “completed” NAY “exceeded” all of the “specific objectives and priorities” he’d laid out. And you know what? He’s right. At least he appears to be, based on a note we retrieved from an open records request we filed recently — on a hunch — looking into his first few months in office. A copy is available after the jump.
Jerry Jeff: Let’s Focus More on “Nuts and Bolts”
Country music star Jerry Jeff Walker thinks lawmakers looking to cut school budgets have their priorities
all wrong. “There’s too much high-falutin’ stuff going on, and not enough nuts-and-bolts stuff” like education being stressed, Walker said during an appearance in Dallas’ West Village last night. Arts education is important but especially vulnerable these days, he added, pointing out how it had benefited his son, musician Django Walker.
Jerry Jeff, who’s 69, and his wife Susan (pictured in photo by Jeanne Prejean) were doing the red-carpet thing in support of OK Buckaroos, a new documentary about Walker’s life that’s being featured this week at the Dallas International Film Festival. Susan and Jerry Jeff–he’s one of the Austin-based musicians who helped start country’s so-called Outlaw Movement in the early ’70s–have worked as a team for years pioneering ways to book his shows and market his music independently via the Internet, direct-mail, and TV infomercials.
The big takeaway from Buckaroos, Jerry Jeff said, is “that you can be a free spirit” and make it in your chosen field.
Dallas Must-Do List: Slide the NorthPark Planters
It's been a long time since Katie's had this much fun.
I can finally say that I’ve accomplished 12 of the Things Every Dallasite Must Do. My latest opponent was a brick planter outside of Neiman Marcus at NorthPark Center, which doubles as a slide for kids. And, now, for D Magazine interns too.
Here’s what you need to know if you too have never participated in this rite of passage:
First, and most obviously, if you are over 4 feet tall, accomplishing this feat will be a challenge.
Secondly, you must leave your pride at home, at the office, in your car, or wherever you keep it, because this is not a very flattering undertaking.
Third, there was a mall cop watching me the entire time, and he just laughed. No worries about getting reprimanded. (more…)
Big Pink Continues To Confuse My Phone
I promise I won’t put up a picture of Big Pink every day that it’s sitting in front of the Nasher. But have a look at this one I took yesterday on the way home. I promise: no Photoshop. I did use a filter on my iPhone that saturates colors and ups the contrast. That’s it, though.
Things to Do in Dallas Tonight: April 6
My dad and I are both somewhat terrible Italians: we hate fish. However, I realize that some people do actually enjoy seafood — my poor deprived mother being one. And so in light of the nice patio weather, I bring you today’s decidedly fishy offering.
TJ’s Seafood Market is winding down their series of free grilling demos, and tonight’s is a little more special because it involves wine and a cozy location. Show up at the Veritas Wine Room after work to learn how to cook shrimp skewers, Atlantic salmon, and crab cake-stuffed trout on the barbie. When I spoke with the chef at TJ’s, he told me that most people who come in seem intimidated by the idea of grilling seafood. Since the market basically does everything but cook the fish for you, they’re trying to help with a sort of “beginner’s crash course” in grill maintenance, marinades, and temperature. He’ll use a grill pretty much like one you’d have at home, so you should be good to go for the inevitable onslaught of backyard barbecues.
Winding down your evening, I’d stick around Veritas for some local cheese (their selection is pretty incredible) and a half-price glass of vino. For a more substantial dinner, Neighborhood Services is my go-to down the street.
If fish isn’t your thing, feel free to email me so we can commiserate. You can also find more things to do tonight, including a Books concert over at the Modern in Fort Worth, right here.
Can the Rangers Go Undefeated This Season?
I know it might seem like a long shot. But just think about it for a minute. The Rangers haven’t lost a game all season yet. They are 5-0. One of the biggest question marks this year was how Alexi Ogando would perform as a starter. Last night, in his first major league start, he was great, allowing just two hits in six shutout innings. Michael Young was also a concern as spring training began. Last night he made his first start ever at first base and handled the assignment admirably. No sign of disgruntlement. Surely I don’t need to tell you how well the Rangers are hitting. They are hitting very well. So, yes, the odds are against them. But I think the Rangers have a shot at winning 162 games this season and going undefeated. Stranger things have happened.
Update: The Rangers just beat the Mariners again. They are now 6-0. Only 156 games to go.
Your Stolen Bike/Trike Roundup
I do this to support my fellow bike riders and also for you, gang. There are cash rewards attached to both. We could all use cash rewards.
The First Knoxy Clip of the Season
Rangers sideline reporter Jim Knox, for sports bloggers, pays off like a broken slot machine. (While watching the game, Tim and I had a text back-and-forth, unprintable here, based around this idea.) So the clip below (h/t: Deadspin) will likely be the first of many, and he will feature more heavily in the ones to follow. Anyway, the segment I saw him do after the game was probably more insane, but this will do.
Angelika Audience Cheers as Terrorists Win
Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Blood of Eagles, the second in an Indonesian War of Independence trilogy by Dallas’ son-and-father team of Conor and Rob Allyn. (The second Film Festival showing is Thursday at 4 pm at the Angelika.) The audience let out some cheers and applause when the good guys beat the bad guys. The good guys were, of course, the terrorists whom we now regard as the freedom fighters (history has a way of turning one into the other; see War of Independence, American). The bad guys were our allies, the Dutch. The Dutch had a good rationale for imposing themselves on the poor Indonesians: the disparate peoples of the East Indies were too fractured into ethnic and religious groups to build a nation. To protect the Indonesians from the perils of self-government, the Dutch had to resort to killing and torturing, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do when you are trying to help.
Made me wonder whether a Dutch son and father in the not-too-distant future will make a film about Iraqi or Afghan or, going back 100 years, Filipino good guys against the bad guy Americans. And will a Dallas audience cheer and applaud then?
Probably. History does not pay much attention to good intentions. It tends to pay more attention to results and the carnage inflicted to achieve them. Movie audiences certainly do.
Leading Off (4/6/11)
Dish Network Wins Blockbuster’s Assets in Bankruptcy Auction. “Blockbuster will complement our existing video offerings while presenting cross-marketing and service extension opportunities for Dish Network,” Tom Cullen, an executive vice president at Dish, said, also winning a side bet to see if he could make me care less by using extremely generic biz speak.
Rangers Beat Mariners, Stay Undefeated. I know it’s only five games, so no one should get too excited. On the other hand: CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW CLAW.
A&M Wins Women’s NCAA Championship. Maryann Baker, a guard from Bishop Lynch, scored two points in nine minutes of action. Oh, and then Gary Blair — their 65-year-old coach, who grew up in Forest Hills and went to Bryan Adams — did the Dougie. Sort of.
Southwest Finds Cracks on Five Planes. And not, as I had previously read, crack. Anyway, no big dealOH MY GOD OH MY GOD.
City Still Insists on Building Second Signature Bridge. Even though it seems like it, essentially, is unfunded. And they’re going to have to go after $92 million in federal earmarks to get it funded. Which should make Tom Leppert put out, like, 50 YouTube videos. Oh, and TxDOT would replace the bridge that’s there anyway. Otherwise, seems like a solid idea.
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