1. Thai Town on Hollywood Boulevard marks the spot.

2.A proud display of Thai music with beaming elders in the audience.

3.Dessert to die for. Shaved ice with fruit flavoring and sweet, condensed milk.

4.Clearly men with swords can cut the coffee line.

5. Vendors made papaya salad for the masses, not holding back on the spice factor.

6. People walked the street in costume, even at the bus stop.

7.Traditional song and traditional outfits. Behind? The traditional liquor store.

8.Much like in Thailand, health codes seemed to have gone out the window for at least a day. Skewer upon skewer of meat was sold.

9.Kids had a great time, with many arts and crafts tables just for them.

10.Longtime craftswomen proudly displayed their talents in booths.

11.Advertisers took every advantage, from billboards to sample-giving.

Photos by author, except 2 by Tim Schiavelli.

Community Connection

Missed LA’s Songkran? There’s always next year. If you’re looking for cheap things to do in the City of Angels, MatadorTravel Community member SSaraiya has just the blog for you with 7 Things to do in Los Angeles for Under $5.

If you’re looking for worthy volunteer opportunities, hop over to MatadorChange and read Urban Volunteering: Los Angeles.

Noraeband: Shark Shots

That’s not to say foreign teachers are all living the rock star lifestyle; Korea just has an alcohol-fueled social system, and regular and heavy boozing does not carry the stigma it does in the Western world. It is an important way to bond and connect with coworkers, friends, and potential business associates.

As a ritualized activity, drinking alcohol comes with strict etiquette. If you can follow the protocol and hold your own, you’re in.

The rules for imbibing are rigid in Korea, and following them will score you major points with your Korean hosts.

First and most importantly, never pour your own beverage. Someone will pour it for you. You must also pour for others, watching diligently to be sure your companions’ glasses are never empty.

Hold your cup with both hands. It’s polite.
Photo: grahamhills

When another drinker fills your vessel, hold the cup with both hands. This is the polite gesture for accepting anything given to you in Korea.

Finally, turn your back to anyone of higher rank as you drink. Stratification is deeply embedded in Korean society, so you should always be aware of the pecking order. Anyone older or higher on the corporate ladder should be treated deferentially, and one easy way to do that is to turn away from them as you sip.

In addition to basic etiquette, there is a standard 5-step drinking process that you should be aware of. The procedure can be flexible in the order or the omission of steps, what’s important is that you do “Five Rounds” or Oh Cha of drinking in five different locations.

Round One: Dinner and soju (let’s just think of soju as watery vodka for the sake of simplicity).

Round Two: The group generally moves on to a Hof, a Korean bar where you will be required to order snacks like fried chicken with your beer.

Round Three: Another Hof or a Western-style bar where only libations are served and you are not required to purchase food. By this time the party is probably getting pretty raucous and will more than likely proceed to

Round Four: Noraebang, a karaoke bar where patrons rent private singing rooms by the hour.

Round Five: To wrap up the evening, those still standing will move to a nightclub or disco.

Soju Photo: grahamhills

Middle rounds are a great time for drinking games, which usually involve shouting, chanting, and singing. You may be commanded to oneshot (finish your brew) or loveshot (hook arms with the person seated next to you and swig together like a wedding toast). You will almost certainly hear “gun bae!” Korean for cheers. Taking a slug after you clink glasses is universal.

Once you have established that you know and can follow the rules and procedures of Korean drinking, you can relax and turn your focus to basic survival. If you plan to make it through Five Rounds alive, this can quickly become a priority.

Regardless of the occasion, you will likely find that the people around you are drinking in large quantities. For the sake of your physical and mental well-being, it’s good to have a firm plan in place for avoiding overindulging, which can be tricky in a culture where refusing alcohol is considered rude.

Remember to pace yourself. Take time to chat and socialize and don’t be too eager to tie one on. Continuing to snack throughout the night both defers drinking and can fortify your stomach. And when all else fails, toss that shot of soju over your shoulder when no one is looking.

Given the exuberant attitude towards drinking in Korea, it is inevitable that some poor soul in your company is going to overdo it.

Never mention this again.
Photo and Feature Photo: BlackOutKorea

Let’s hope this is not you. The best thing to do for this person is allow them to “take a rest” at the table without much fuss and then pour them into a cab when the time comes.

Drinking yourself into a drooling stupor is not shameful in Korea. You will be expected to cut anyone who does it some slack.

The last and most important thing to remember is to never mention it again. Whether your buddy got into a belligerent, drunken shouting match or simply fell asleep upright and snoring in his captain’s chair, protocol is to pretend that it never happened.

It may be difficult to refrain, but perhaps someday you will have a reason to appreciate this rule.

Gun bae and good luck!

Community Connection

Korea on your horizon? Did you know your smile might be out of place there? Uh oh. Better read 10 Korean Customs to Know Before You Visit Korea.

Looking for a livelier experience? MatadorAbroad has you covered with Eating Live Animals: One Eater’s Experience in Korea.

If you need to know more, connect with MatadorCommunity members through their blogs and start asking questions or start your own blog today.

Bawk Bawk. Photos by author.

A friend had posted a picture on his Facebook and I became intrigued. What could this bizarre concoction be? Had a fast food chain broken new ground? Had they invented…a new MEAT?

It turned out to be a photo of KFC’s Double Down, a ’sandwich’ which slaps two white meat chicken filets together with a filling of bacon, monterey jack cheese and Colonel’s Sauce (a white goo that tastes hollandaise-y but looks like whatever came out of the head of Ash from the movie Alien). One google later and I found out that it was the center of a country-wide debate.

And probably front page news at Chickens For The Ethical Treatment of Chicken’s newsletter, too.

Never one to shy away from a large meal, I zipped right over to KFC and ordered one. Stunt food or not, I was going to try it.

Ready for your close up?

Unwrapped, it’s an embarrassing thing to marvel at, as strange as being caught eyeing a new prosthetic leg or choosing between two marital aids. The bacon lipped out of the sandwich, as if it had already been positioned for a photo shoot. The goo oozed perfectly and the cheese looked like it’d been tarted up for a TV commercial, half-melted but not runny. I was thankful for the wrapper that held the whole thing together, lest something grime up my fingers real bad-like.

If KFC’s goal was to create a Frankenstein sandwich, something foreign and bizarre, then they succeeded. This was not anything like a burger, or even some of the crazy churascos I’d seen.

One bite in and I knew that I wasn’t going the distance. An overpowering salty taste hit the system first, followed by a bit of spicy sauce that felt like it was poured straight from a gallon jug that’d been purchased at the dollar store. The two fillets were indeed juicy, but the double-juicy factor made it feel just plain strange without some kind of bread. Imagine eating a warm popsicle. It made no sense.

The guts.

The whole affair was a bit too boingy. I wondered if it might not be a late night kind of item, one that you love at the minute but regret a dizzy mile later. It wasn’t bad. It just wasn’t good and certainly didn’t feel good for me. It made me wonder if British food wasn’t that terrible, after all.

I was left hoping that this new trend of creating something outrageous just for the sake of it would not have legs, that this was something a hungry world wouldn’t substantiate. That people with thinking minds could ignore and blast past. Then I ate the strip of bacon that was left laying there.

We are a weak people, really.

Photo by Tom Gates.

Matador is crazy about Chile. While your guidebook may offer popular sightseeing spots—La Moneda and the museum under it, the teleferico (cable car) in Cerro San Cristobal, and the Pre-columbian Museum—take a break from the norm and discover the city locals love and tourists hardly ever find.

Here are five to start with:

Nightlife: La Habana Vieja

Most of the guidebooks will tell you to head to Barrio Bellavista for a good time, and with good reason. From midnight to 4am, Bellavista is the place to drink cheap beer and carretear (party). But if the fraternity-feel to Bellavista starts to get old, try La Habana Vieja for live music, live dance shows, great food and dance lessons, too.

On Friday and Saturday at 9pm and 10:30pm, you can take salsa lessons with other locals. The live band begins to play at 11:30pm. If you come on the right night, you can catch the Afro-Columbian dancers shaking their hips in authentic long, wide skirts and peasant blouses. The club is three blocks from the Santa Lucia metro.

Remember, the metro closes at 11pm, so call a cab when you’re ready to get back to your hostel.

Photo by author.

Food: Boulevard Lavaud

Boulevard Lavaud is THE best restaurant in Santiago, Chile for its ambiance alone. Boulevard Lavaud is an old French barbershop and salon founded in 1868. The building has been restored to its 1870’s look, complete with its barbershop and antique accoutrements.

Not only are the food and drinks good, but if you have a penchant for antiques, you can buy any of the hundreds you see decorating the walls and shelves.

Boulevard Lavaud is open Monday through Friday 9am to 1am and Saturday from 9am-3am. It’s closed on Sundays. You can find the restaurant/bar at the corner of Compania de Jesus and Libertad in the Patrimonial Yungay Barrio, closest to the Cumming metro station.

Calypso in Cajon de Maipo

Calypso, an Italian restaurant, makes you feel like you’re in Italy. A quaint house with a large patio, the restaurant offers views at every window of the countryside and mountains beyond.

Calypso’s genuine Italian recipes transport you. Their picante (spicy) olive oil and garlic sauce is the perfect blend of spice and rich flavors, adding to the heavenly plate of homemade pastas. Traveling and in love? This is the place to go. You can sit outside to dine on warm summer days, a glass of vino in your hand.

After lunch or dinner, take a nap in the hammocks next to the duck pond. The country air alone will invigorate you for the return trip to city life.

Calypso is open Friday through Sunday from 12pm to 6pm (get there early for a table) and dinner Friday and Saturdays until 10pm. Calypso is in an hour outside of Santiago. You can take a colectivo from the Puente Alto metro station, or rent a car for the day.

Royale de Luxe’s Little Giant. Photo by Tom Gates.

Art: Pequena Gigante (last weekend in January)

From January 3rd through the 31st, Santiago has their theater arts festival featuring music, dance, and theater productions throughout the city, all at very reasonable prices.

The grand finale is a marionette show of gigantic proportions featuring a team of French puppeteers called Royal de Luxe and their two marionettes. The girl marionette, named La Pequena Gigante or The Little Giant, is over 20 feet tall and her uncle, is 35 feet tall. Thousands of people gather each day to watch the marionettes wander through downtown Santiago.

The marionettes walk, sit, blow bubbles, sleep, and even drink water, thanks to a few firemen. The puppeteers, dressed in long, red coats, pull the marionette strings (or, more accurately, ropes) by grabbing the ropes and jumping from the base of the crane which supports the marionettes. Their body weight moves the marionette. The last production brought more than 600,000 Chileans to watch in awe at the giants moving through their city.

Dance: Hip Hop Classes at Arte en Movimiento

Street Style. Photo: Carlos Varela

One of the best ways to feel like a local is to take a dance class–after all, it’s a great way to practice Spanish without having to know a whole lot of vocabulary. And since you will have already done salsa at La Habana Vieja, try hip hop at Arte en Movimiento.

The studio offers a wide variety of hip hop classes from Girly Style and Hip Hop Dance to Popping and Street Style. Popping with J. Popp is a technically difficult class but teaches you how to trick the eye through movement. Hip Hop Dance with Power Peralta, a popular hip hop twin duo in Chile, is a great beginner class.

The studio is located in Barrio Bellavista at 172 Antonia Lopez de Bello on the 8th floor. Most of the hip hop classes are offered between 7pm and 9pm.

Community Connection

Curious about Chile? Check out the country’s hot spots, like the best coast towns and maybe even what NOT to do while visiting . Keep an eye on the Chile’s politics, from unique protests to its debates about natural resources.

Photo: buffawhat

Diplo, the international DJ/Producer with the moniker of a dinosaur, has a far from normal life. It didn’t take the world long to tune in to this guy from podunk, Edgewater, Florida, but for me Diplodocus’ music was a path of discovery, if you will.

The thing that really magnetized me about Arular, M.I.A.’s first album circa 2005, was the production. The beats behind her riley, rebellious vocals kind of blew my mind. I hadn’t ever really heard anything like it and I couldn’t stop listening. I remember peoples’ reactions when I would first play it for them. Some people hated it. Most loved it.

Though Diplo only touched a few of the tracks on Arular in actuality, his involvement in that album and the Piracy Funds Terrorism mixtape was enough to start turning heads. And enough for him to get romantically involved with M.I.A. for awhile…reason #37 guys wish they had his life.

Photo: caesarsbastian

The first time I heard his tracks on Arular it was kind of like a drug. So I kept looking for more and found the solo album, Florida, which actually came out the year before Arular. It was more intricate and focused than the favela and Miami bass inspired roller coaster tracks, and it showcased his chops. The track “Diplo Rhythm” (with Pantera Os Danadinhos, Sandra Melody & Vybz Cartel) has his signature flare recognized by most.

Then the singles and mash ups started popping up on iTunes in 2005, but you couldn’t find them in bulk enough to be satisfied. His 2006 remix of Yeah Yeah Yeahs “Gold Lion” was the jam of the year for all I cared. Same thing goes for “Young Folks Pussy” in 2007, though much sillier.

No one was really doing mash ups as cleanly and coolly as he was. As was the case with most of his music, I then found the Hollertronix Pre-Never Scared mix (not to be confused with the Hollertronix Never Scared mix, which is version 2.0) somewhere on the world wide web.

Made with Philly DJ and friend, Low Budget, whom he met at Temple while finishing college, it was the birth of the Hollertronix duo. You can hear his early influences in the mix. It’s as if he made it in his basement, and it’s full of dirty south raps, a bit of dancehall and other goodness reminiscent of early 2000.

Photo: rileyroxx

There are ten Hollertronix albums now, each with a set of outrageous mashups and featuring various DJs and associates. Hollertronix #10 is the first one to appear on iTunes. Most were strictly vinyl for a long time.

Diplo formed Mad Decent Records in 2006, and their mad decent radio mix #2 (free podcast) introduced me to Blaqstarr, New Orleans bounce, and the Baltimore club movement which has never calmed down. Now the label has a slew of unique artists signed, each from different corners of the world and putting out totally different sounds.

And though there was never a lull in his career, if it seemed there was at a time, the Pitchfork mixtape came out to hold me over in 2007. “I Like Turtles” is seventy minutes of pure joy, and the rest of the world had started to catch on at this point. In 2009 he released the aptly titled Decent Work For Decent Pay.

Photo: joseonederkid

No doubt he’s killing it off of Mad Decent and his world wide DJ appearances, however. His latest venture, Major Lazer, Guns Don’t Kill People…Lazers Do, with friend and fellow production phenom, Switch, was no minor blip on the radar. Grammy nominated, ah hem.

The vault goes deeper. 2003 and 2004, the AEIOU mixtapes one and two with Triple Double are full of obscure, dusty soul and rhythm. Of course he got the invite from Fabric Live in London and blessed their 24th release in 2005.

The Santgold Top Ranking Dub Mixtape in 2007 is one of my favorites, and currently in heavy rotation is Free Gucci: The Best of the Cold War mixtape that is full of bangers.

The point of all this is that you should open up your ears and do some digging of your own…and that Subway makes winners.

Community Connection

Dig deeper for music with our picks for 50 music sites that matter. Free mixes by Ghostly Music and Atlas Sound will also do you well.

Photo of coca leaf: joyosity

The plant, used to make cocaine, is arguably Bolivia’s mort lucrative agricultural crop. It’s drunk as tea, used to ward of altitude sickness, is an appetite suppressant and stimulant and now a key ingredient in Bolivia’s newest soft drink: Coca Colla.

Photo: roitberg

Rather than eradicate coca crops, the success of this soft drink could see legal crops nearly double “from from 12,000 hectares to as much as 20,000 hectares,” according to Guardian UK. While the law only permits 12,000 hectares in Bolivia, illegal crops are said to make up 30,000 already (Clarín).

The “coca” part is obvious, but the “Colla” refers to the indigenous Andean people of the Aymara ethnic group who have grown and used the plant since well before the Spanish conquests began.

According to Clarín, Bolivia’s Rural Development Minister Víctor Hugo Vázquez admits the name may have to be changed to insure wider success, but that the point is to create a legitimate outlet for the industrialization of coca crops in Bolivia.

The drink is said to be sweet and nearly black in color. I can’t wait to get my hands on a bottle and see how it tastes – it’s got to be better than Red Bull.

Community Connection

Learn about NGO Sustainable Bolivia on MatadorChange.

Photo of the Brighton seafront: Dominic’s pics

Here are the best 10, picked because of their drinks variety, atmosphere and the special spark that makes them a true Brighton pub.

The Evening Star: oiyou

A rustic and homey pub, home to the Dark Star Brewing Company, conveniently located between the train station and the beach. The cherry beer and coffee beer are my favourites.

55-56 Surrey Street

From classic to eclectic, Gingin has some of the most inventive cocktails in the city: Rocky IV with raspberries, tuaca, dark raspberry liqueur, champagne and wild rocket can definitely deliver a punch.

Popular with Kemptown locals, the bar has leather sofas, chandeliers, mirrors and a dark and intimate basement bar, and serves some of highest-end bar food I’ve seen in Brighton: duck and mushroom paté, and smoked salmon. Need I say more?

74 St. James Street

With a lovely covered and heated garden in the back, The Hop Poles has quick service, jars of sweets along the wall, and sculptures made of hubcaps on the ceiling. The Hop Poles is also a great place for a classic English Sunday roast.

13 Middle Street

Fortune of War (used also as feature photo): neate photos

I feel a bit like a pirate when I drink at the Fortune of War. Its nautical theme is complete with wood-panelled walls and ropes for handrails up to the first floor. It is right on the water with a beachfront terrace, and is popular with locals and bank holiday visitors looking for a pre-club drinking spot.

157 Kings Road Arches

Tucked into the Lanes and featuring an open fireplace, upright piano, wooden tables, and leather armchairs, the Bath Arms offers a traditional pub feel with the added twist of a selection of board games and books. They serve a good range of ales and wines.

4-5 Meeting House Lane

I feel like I’m saving the planet when I drink at The Earth and Stars. It has solar panels on the roof and organic and locally sourced drinks.

I recommend the Weston’s Organic Vintage Cider or Freedom Lager. You can test out the theory that organic drinks cause less of a hangover the next day. I haven’t had any luck with it myself, but it’s worth a try.

46 Windsor Street.

Grab a real ale at one of the three bars of the Cricketers and bask in the knowledge that you are drinking in one of the oldest pubs in Brighton. Built in 1547, it is a Brighton institution and was reportedly Graham Greene’s favourite pub.

The inside of the Evening Star: oiyou

He wrote it into the novel Brighton Rock and the upstairs cocktail bar is called the Greene Room. The dark wood, burgundy flock wallpaper and collection of brass decorations give it a Victorian feel.

15 Black Lion Street

Druid’s Head is a historic pub known for its beer selection and open mic nights. In the 18th century, the Druid’s Head was involved in smuggling; it has tunnels running from the basement down to the beach. Sit on the outdoor patio in the summer and you’re sitting in the original town square of the tiny fishing village, Brighthelmstone, which grew up to be Brighton.

9 Brighton Place

It’s in Hove, actually.

Hand in Hand: Jim Linwood

The bar is a jazz dive with winding halls and stairways that combines great drinks (try the Clockwork Orange cocktail), random found art (head with knitting needles in it), and arty, indie patrons. Downstairs is the spot for eclectic live music, from jazz to electronic.

10 Western Road

The Hand in Hand is one of the smallest pubs in Brighton and is painted bright yellow. Look up and peruse the equivalent of pornography for Victorian times (women in bathing costumes) on the ceiling between sips of a local brew. The Kemp Town Brewery is just upstairs.

33 Upper St. James Street

Community Connection

Okay. They’ve got great pubs in Brighton, you say, but how about nude beaches? (You weren’t saying that? You might soon.) Check out MatadorTrips‘ Best Nude Beaches in the World to find out more.

Matador Community member The explorer writes why Brighton is The Second Nicest City in the U.K. in her blog. Read hers and start your own at MatadorTravel.com.

The W Hollywood’s pool. Photos by author.

The W Hollywood

This is the pool that everyone’s trying to get into. I’ve read several Yelps by people who have waited in endless lines but when I arrived (4pm on a Saturday) I simply got in the elevator and went to Drai’s, the area of the W complex that houses both the pool and a restaurant.

The area was packed, mostly with people clumped in groups of lawn chairs. Big, Bedouin-looking tents ran the balcony and were filled with smaller numbers, who paid $500 to secure the spot (the guarantee acts as your bar bill).

I purchased two glasses of something called a Peach Crush and was set back $35, even with a cheapskate tip. It should be noted that amazon.com sells actual peach trees for just double that price.

The DJ booth sat on a balcony above the bar, pumping out tranquil beats and lulling everyone into the sunset. The views were, as promised, incredible, but not much different than those from the top of the parking garage at Bed, Bath & Beyond around the corner.

Bottom Line: If you’re in LA and looking to experience The Los Angeles Thing, this would be the place to point yourself.

The Standard before the crowds arrive.

The Standard

The pool at the Standard can be a rowdier, more zany affair, which seems to depend on just how many Brits are staying there at the time. The DJ crowd still shows up in evenings and as summer kicks in, it livens up on weekend afternoons. The whole deal sits on a balcony overlooking the city.

I chose a happy hour drink by the pool with a friend, a glass of dangerous house wine in a plastic wine tumbler. It’s not the place for a classy cocktail – the mojitos even taste like something from a pre-made mix. If you can embrace the Ibiza Light vibe then you’ll do well here.

Two guys played Contact Ping Pong while about fifty people mingled, the girl next to me leaving to take a powernap before she went out tonight to “get all kinds of messed up.”

Bottom Line: The Ikea of the LA pool scene. Not the most gorgeous but good enough to get the job done.

The Mondrian’s lovely chillout.

The Mondrian

While not a particularly large pool, The Mondrian has done an excellent job of making the surroundings feel regal, from oversized potted plants to an ottoman large enough to seat 40. It sits a stone’s throw from the hotel’s Asia de Cuba Restaurant, which also delivers some tasty food.

I entered the pool bar, which felt Jamaica-gone-Miami, a bungalow with an impressive cocktail list and a price tag to match. Still new to LA, I chuckled to see that the Cleanse Cocktail – made of water, cayenne pepper and syrup – went for sixteen bucks. The fresh fruit martinis looked very appealing, but that’s probably just because I’m a sucker for a flavored martini.

Bottom Line: A ritzy, lazy afternoon if you’re not afraid of the sticker price and an excellent place to wallow.

Lounging at The Beverly Hills Hotel

The Beverly Hills Hotel

The poolside restaurant here smells of classic Hollywood and is most often a great spot for celeb watching. Think green and white umbrellas, fluffy towels and plenty of people snoozing or swimming.

I chose to sit at the poolside restaurant and made quick work of a club sandwich and an Arnold Palmer. As good as it was, I coveted the next table’s McCarthy salad, a concoction made with lettuce, chicken, egg, beets, bacon, tomato and cheddar.

The staff works diligently to treat everyone like a king and while the prices are high for upscale diner food, they’re aren’t ridiculous. Assuming you have still have a credit line.

Bottom Line : A classic spot to kill an afternoon if you want to feel like a black & white movie star.

The bill from Drai’s at W Hotel. Ross?

The Sunset Marquis

While not much to look at, this courtyard pool is in the middle of one of LA’s go-to celebrity stays, which assures a few at-least-B-listers will be hanging at some point during the weekend. The Sunset Marquis also contains a recording studio, which turns up musicians looking to do some down-low recording.

This is not really a destination pool but this actually helps, as it doesn’t attract an overwhelming crowd. The hotel restaurant just around the corner makes some incredible food and serves as a great pit stop between laps, especially on a brunchy Sunday.

I grabbed a quick beer and lamented the fact that just hours before Chase Crawford had been sunbathing. You know, because we’d have had a lot in common and could have chatted.

Or I could have ogled him like some kind of pool-crashing pervert.

Bottom Line : Come from brunch at the restaurant and stay for a drink at the pool.

Phil Spector as seen in the film. Photos in this article are stills from The Agony and the Ecstasy of Phil Spector.

Interviews with the music producer were originally shot in Spector’s home for the BBC’s Arena and originally aired on BBC Two in October of 2008.

Spector is a huge subject – from his ‘wall of sound’ to his wall of ego, his self aggrandizement seems to know no bounds. Spector harbors hatred for Tony Bennett, contradicts himself without seeming to notice or care, and his impersonations of John Lennon sound like Rocky Balboa. When asked about the sadness inherent in art, Spector’s answer is about the pain of critique and devastation in lack of adoration.

Spector (right) with The Teddy Bears

Interspersed with the interview is performance film of The Crystals, The Righteous Brothers and Tina Turner while gushing praise runs at the bottom of the screen like subtitles. When the footage stops, the songs go on over trial footage of bullet trajectories, surveillance video, testifying ex-girlfriends and repeated close ups of Spector and his ever-changing hair.

The interview was shot while Spector’s first trial for the murder of Lana Clarkson (that ended in a mistrial) began. He looks limp and bedraggled and talks with the slurring speech of a stroke victim over subjects as diverse as his high school years, his father’s suicide, and his process in producing some of the best known records of the 20th Century.

He compares himself to DaVinci, Modigliani, and Duke Ellington and bitches that he was never given knighthood (I think you have to be British for that) like McCartney or an honorary degree like Bill Cosby.

It is an unsettling film as we delve into the thoughts of a man who believes he has been wronged by society. He says on more than one occasion that the press surrounding the trial is the result of negative public perception, creating several analogies he seems ill equipped to analyze and puts himself into the category of other ‘maligned’ stars such as Miles Davis and Woody Allen.

I don’t know how exactly the film reaches the crescendo that had me wriggling to get away, but The Agony and the Ecstasy is a captivating portrait of an incredibly isolated person who fails to see that there is a pinnacle of fame for a record producer – a job that is inherently behind the scenes – and a depressed and desperate old man in hot water.

If Spector isn’t laid bare in this film, let’s hope that some things will forever remain private. Seeing this on the big screen is a revelation.

Community Connection

Want to know how to make your own travel documentary? If you need motivation, have a look at Julie Schwietert’s MatadorTravel blog about God Grew Tired of Us.

If you’re a fan of the documentary genre, you’re likely to be delighted by The Recess Ends, available in its entirety on MatadorTV.

Image: Kate Sedgwick, at the Direction of Tom Gates

The Backpacker’s Bond is Bourne?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The CW has tapped Friday Night Lights‘ Scott Porter for a television pilot that will leave all backpackers dreaming in their bunks. Recovering from a bit of a bumbler with Speed Racer, Porter (who played Jason Street on FNL) could be the right man in the right place at the right time.

Porter goes Planet? Photo mashup: Kate Sedgwick with
images courtesy of Anthony Citrano and flo and me

Nomads is described as “an adrenaline-fueled thrill ride following a group of nearly broke young backpackers traveling the world who agree to earn money by working secret missions for the CIA.” We’re dying to know if they’ll hit the party hostel circuit, or if there will be any bunk nookie along the way.

Will they have to pay for a key deposit? Will they lose it?

Famed director Ridley Scott has been brought on as an executive producer, hopefully learning a few lessons from his other recent and allegedly-cancelled Numbr3rs, which was written also written by Nomads‘ executive producer Ken Sanzel.

Do you think the show has a shot? You, the Matador reader, probably know more than anyone about hostels and adventure. Could a show like this become the hosteler’s Alias?