The Memphis Scene

Memphis always seems to show up on undesirable lists compiled by various magazines. Now here comes Newsweek, slapping Memphis at No. 2 on its list of America's Unhealthiest Vacation Destinations. Apparently it has something to do with our city's penchant for property crimes (No. 1 robbery rate in the country!). I think it's all part of Memphis' unique charm.

For your consideration, a recent pet peeve of mine, though not necessarily a major one: Bands who pick silly genres for the categories on their MySpace pages. For instance, MGMT has "surf/jungle/country." That would be pretty witty -- even ironic! -- if every other indie pop-rock band didn't list stuff like "nu-jazz/polka/gamelan" or "minimalist/zouk/boogie."

If this grinds your gears, too, drop me a comment.

Commercial Appeal film critic, Bloodshot Eye blogger, and now New York Times contributor John Beifuss compares the 1976 horror B-movie "Grizzly" with our -- or is it "your"? -- Memphis Grizzlies, and the NBA squad comes out squarely on the losing end (figures, right!?). In fact, just about all the Grizzlies seem to have going for them is the dance team (the movie apparently is short on scantily clad lovelies).

Commercial Appeal film critic John Beifuss, blogging at The Bloodshot Eye, calls "Persepolis" a must-see.

If you went out clubbing in the 1990s in Memphis, or, more recently, checked out the legendary Monday night parties at Melange around the turn of the millennium, you might be familiar with deejay Sean O'Daniels. The dimunitive spinner with outsize energy never fails to rock a crowd, and although he has since moved on to Buffalo, N.Y., he's still putting it down. Check out his bimonthly podcast for your regular dose of house and garage goodness.

Rapper Pimp C, of underground legends UGK, died of an accidental overdose of the key ingredients in the Dirty South intoxicant known as "syrup." Recall that UGK guested on the 2000 hit "Sippin' on some Syrup" with Memphis' Three 6 Mafia. The Los Angeles Times has more.

One of Memphis' most beloved and most creative bands, Vending Machine has offered up some original Christmas tunes for those holiday-themed iPod playlists. Check out the four tracks here at Vending Machine's blog: They're free to download!

Among Christmas music getting airplay around my crib: "ZE Christmas Album," various Stax Christmas tunes (some of which were played earlier tonight on WEVL by The Hook Up), and Sufjan Stevens' "Songs for Christmas."

Be sure to check out Memphis Music Confidential, the new Commercial Appeal-hosted music blog penned by Andria Lisle, the writer who has contributed over the years to The Commercial Appeal, the local alternative weekly, as well as a host of other well-known periodicals and Web sites.

Don't worry, this particular Indian film has none of the over-the-top song-and-dance numbers that Westerners usually associate with the Mumbai movie industry. Rather, "Vanaja" is billed as a subtle, settings-driven coming-of-age drama that crackles with the colors and music of rural southern India. The film by Columbia University MFA candidate Rajnesh Domalpalli has been taking home the trophies, including Best Feature Debut at the Berlin International Film Festival and Best Feature at the Memphis International Film Festival.

Here's the synopsis ...

This beautifully detailed film tells the story of Vanaja, a girl from a low caste in Southern India, whose dreams of becoming a classical dancer are ignited with a soothsayer’s prediction of greatness. Sent to work in the house of the local landlady, who was herself once a famous Kuchipudi dancer, Vanaja seems to be on a steadily ascending path. However, when the landlady’s handsome son returns from the US to run for local political elections, the story takes a dramatic turn. Set in Andhra Pradesh, a place where social barriers are built stronger than fort walls, Vanaja explores the elements of class distinction and conflict that divide this rural Indian society.

Written and directed by Columbia University student Rajnesh Domalpalli for his MFA thesis project, Vanaja is a far cry from the theatrics of Bollywood that American audiences have come to expect from Indian films. The ability of the cast members to portray their roles in such a subtle, realistic way is likely due to the fact that none of them are actors. Only one person in the cast had any acting experience, as Domalpalli’s conviction was that only locals could portray the story accurately. “The performances in Vanaja prove that life experience is more important than your pedigree or taking acting classes,” Domalpalli said of his cast. The result is a vibrant film that glows with the color and music of Southern India.

Catch a screening of "Vanaja" at 7:30 p.m. next Thursday at Memphis Brooks Museum of Art. Admission is $5 for members and $7 for nonmembers. And remember, the museum's collections are open every Thursday until 8 p.m. Hop over to the Brooks calendar page here, and scroll down to the "Vanaja" entry; you'll find a link to purchase tickets online.