This blog will cease publication in the near future.
I started this as an informal forum for my thoughts on movies, ideas and the culture after being encouraged by my readers and when a movie studio executive suggested that I write a blog. The experience has been rewarding and I appreciate the readership, interest and support.
I’m writing one final post, which I plan to publish soon.
Twenty Nineteen topics I plan to write about on this blog include an app for the Church of Scientology, a newly revised book by Thomas Sowell and a song by Smashing Pumpkins. After 10 years of writing this informal forum for my thoughts on movies, culture and ideas, with today’s media market getting thinner and dimmer and more fragmented, it’s time to focus on other forms.
Proposals and copy for aviation and military defense technology as well as uncredited fiction and non-fiction for screen and publication are among assignments I wrote last year. I also develop projects for customers in construction, real estate, movies, journalism and literature.
I regard the blog as advertising. Readership has increased and I’ve kept it informal, but the blog takes effort to sustain. Accordingly, I started a PayPal donation campaign to support my writing, including this blog. Please consider making a donation.
What’s to come includes new movie, television, book and stage reviews. I’m looking forward to attending local theater productions in Southern California. I look forward to seeing and writing about a new stage production starring Psych‘s Dule Hill as Nat “King” Cole. I plan to review a show at the Wallis Center for Performing Arts in Beverly Hills this month. Comedienne Julia Sweeney will be staging another one-woman show, which I’m excited to see. The same goes for a new production of a play by Sophocles which one of my mentors calls one of eight great plays.
I also aim to write about apps, TV shows and, of course, classic movies. I’ll be posting an exclusive interview soon with screenwriter and director Robert Benton, with whom I recently met for an interview again, this time in Hollywood, to honor the 40th anniversary of his underrated Oscar-winning Best Picture, Kramer vs. Kramer and the 35th anniversary of his seminal film Places in the Heart. I’ve received positive feedback to my classic movie writings. There are more analyses to come. I am exploring possibilities to publish books of my interviews, reviews and other writings.
A few of my short stories are in contest contention. I continue to teach media and writing to adults in Southern California. Last year, I hosted an alumni networking event in a small venue near Hollywood. Current and former students met, mixed and talked about first-look deals, options, events, readings and tips, resources and platforms. I announced a new partnership and had the privilege to encourage fellow writers and sole proprietors. I’ve added another mixer next month.
Ventures and endeavors for new media, books, movies, TV series and stories (mine and work for others) are in the works. I’m often busiest during the summer, but I’d like to attend 2019’s OCON. This summer’s event celebrates 50 years of Ayn Rand’s The Romantic Manifesto in Cleveland, Ohio. So, I’m enthusiastic about prospects for the new year. Feel free to reach out, inquire and/or donate.
Happy reading in the meantime.
Ten years ago today, I introduced my blog as an informal forum for my thoughts on movies, culture and ideas. Then and now, this ‘web log’ primarily exists to advertise my writing. The blog serves my purpose.
By July 20, 2008, I knew that I wanted to acquire new knowledge, so I enrolled in extended writing and philosophy studies and, later, a course by my former boss, author, talk radio/podcast host and philosopher Leonard Peikoff. Having declined an offer to write and edit for a website owned by one of the world’s largest companies, I instead pursued my goal to write in a variety of genres and formats, from stage, science fiction and short stories to serious speeches, interviews and articles.
The blog, which I never named, became an outlet. Within weeks after my first post, the U.S. economy had taken a historic plunge and America was unceasingly attacked by Islamic terrorists. During this time, amid a surge of surveillance statism and new technology including mobile devices, the media rapidly downsized, sensationalized and splintered. America was in turmoil. My blog was less of a bugle in this sense than a refuge, chiefly for myself. The blog became a means of exercising free speech on issues which were being distorted, neglected or evaded and ignored in the press and among intellectuals. One of the posts I pursued was an interview, which was granted and turned out to be one of his last (and I think one of my best), with author, historian and scholar John David Lewis (read the worldwide exclusive here). One of the bits of wisdom the then-ailing Dr. Lewis (who was my friend, reader, teacher and patron) gave me was to write about matters of personal interest, if warranted in first person, which is frowned upon in academia.
Obviously, I took the advice. I wrote about losing a friend to suicide — another downward trend, which seems to be getting worse — following Obama’s re-election. I wrote about finding the good, whether posting the first review of Olivia Newton-John’s first headlining show in Las Vegas, the first OCONs in Pittsburgh and Chicago and new reviews of good and, in some cases, exemplary movies. I have since praised TV shows, apps, movies, products and books — even a kiss during a North American riot.
I was among the first writers to praise Edward Snowden as an American hero. I did so as a warning against American dictatorship. I was among the first writers to scrutinize and denounce George W. Bush (and his father), Barack Obama and Donald Trump (by the same standard and principle). When the worst single legislation in my lifetime threatened to destroy the health care industry and what was left of the medical profession, I wrote on the blog. While others were galvanizing around flawed premises, saying and doing nothing or campaigning for fracking, fuel and genetically modified organisms, arguably good causes if not as urgent as the looming danger of the Affordable Care Act, I defended individual rights in health care, denounced ObamaCare on the proper grounds and forecast its disastrous impact — in newspapers and online publications. But always here on the blog.
So, I’ve observed, named and examined the good and the light as well as the insidious and ominous darkness. I write here about the truth as I see it, which is all a decent reporter can do, especially in a perceptual media age. With a relatively small readership of influencers, I’ve been able to write about what I regard as the fundamental conflict of our time: the individual versus the state. I exalt the individual.
Ten years later, my posts or archived articles are cited, referenced or reprinted by Stevie Nicks, the Cato Institute, Mental Floss, Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, Salon, The Hollywood Reporter, Turner Classic Movies and the New York Times. I get feedback on the posts from entrepreneurs, students, activists, scholars, artists and readers across the world.
One university professor assigns my post on the Obama administration versus free speech every semester as required reading for students studying freedom of speech. I’m told that my post criticizing Starbucks with specific solutions, posted days before this year’s fiasco in Philadelphia, was distributed by company executives in the days that followed. Top artists, such as composer Alexandre Desplat, whom I’ve interviewed a few times, post links to our interviews on their sites. The blog attracts clients. One screenwriter read one of my posts and subsequently asked for help with his screenplay.
I’ve fulfilled my recent pledge to add previously published articles to the site’s archive. This way, readers can browse and discover other articles of interest. Posts may soon or eventually be removed and appear in another format, as I clear space for new posts and make site changes. Feel free to subscribe to my e-newsletter, which is currently on hiatus. The blog, as I’ve written, is mainly a means to help me develop, pitch and write in a variety of arts and communications, including screenplays, books, social media, marketing and branding, on assignment and as work for hire (read about my method). This is why I accept support, which sponsors my writing.
If you read and gain value from my blog, please let me know. I appreciate criticism and correction. Above all, tell me what you think. Contact me if you think that I’m qualified to add value to a project (if I agree that I am able to do so, I will). The Federal Trade Commission requires that I disclose that I receive unsolicited invitations, review copies and gifts, whether an iTunes gift card or a donation (which I do not expect). Like other commercial-free blogs and independent sources, I do accept and appreciate the support. I value your readership and I am grateful for your social posts, especially when rendered with a comment, so please like, share and link to my blog posts. Any of these actions matter and directly support this blog, this writer and this life, mine and yours. Happy 10th blog anniversary and happy reading to you.
What began as an informal forum for my thoughts on movies, culture and ideas remains so eight years later.
These have been turbulent years. Weeks after the first post on July 20, 2008, the U.S. economy faltered in a historic plunge from which it hasn’t really recovered. The nation has been unceasingly attacked by Islamic terrorists. I lost a friend to suicide—another national trend indicating a downward spiral—following Obama’s re-election in 2012. Posts about coarseness and cynicism, military suicides, top generals being fired, Iraq, Iran, Syria and Saudi Arabia’s connection to 9/11 highlighted or reported new information and analysis about the West’s decline, examining the ominous rise of Islamic barbarism and American statism.
Taliesin (C) Scott Holleran 2013 All rights reserved.
I have also written about the good, whether visiting Starbucks on a Monday, seeing sculptures in central Florida, visiting Frank Lloyd Wright’s Taliesin in Wisconsin, Taliesin West in Arizona or his Hollyhock house in Los Angeles and Wright houses in Illinois, posting the first review of Olivia Newton-John’s headlining show in Las Vegas, OCON in Chicago, Christmastime in the Southwest or interviewing top artists about new works. I’ve praised TV shows, apps, movies, products and books and a kiss during a North American riot.
Subjects include everything from discourse on race and religion to Steve Jobs, Ayn Rand and Aristotle. I’ve looked back at Brokeback Mountain, critiqued The Sound of Music, examined ebola virus and I was among the first to herald Edward Snowden as a hero. I’ve denounced Duck Dynasty‘s patriarch, Hillary Clinton and, pointing out his causal relations to today’s sensationalistic media, Donald Trump. I have warned against censorship and dictatorship. I’ve remembered Robin Williams, Lizabeth Scott, David Bowie, Katharine Hepburn and Neil Armstrong.
Mostly, I aim to stimulate the reader to think, whether about the deaths of unarmed Americans, playing football, Johnny Carson, the homeless, creating a new album, making movies or writing a book.
I aspire to objective communication, though I know I make mistakes. I am grateful for the reader’s backup. My blog is my forum; it’s both advertising for my work and activism for realizing the ideal in a troubled world. Exceeding my expectations, posts and archived articles are now cited, referenced or reprinted in forums, books and articles and linked by grade schools, colleges and universities, Wikipedia, Rolling Stone, Salon, Turner Classic Movies and the New York Times. I hear about what I write from businessmen, students, activists, scholars, artists and readers across the world.
As I enter a new phase, I plan to post less frequently, remove older posts and publish an index on site of interviews, articles and citations. Certain posts may be archived and appear in a future format or edition. Even as I clear the way for new posts, I plan to keep adding previously published articles to my writings archive. Readers that typically browse the blog should visit those pages for other articles of interest.
The blog is a springboard. Besides my variety of communication roles, including social media management, marketing and branding, I write and edit on assignment and work for hire. Essentially, I write stories. As a freelance writer, on a limited basis, I help in these and other endeavors (read about my method). I investigate or engage enterprises, partnerships and opportunities as well. Some fail, some flourish. Others I am not at liberty to disclose. Besides the blog, I write everything from business plans, social media and startup websites to speeches, screenplays and manuscripts. Projects may stall, restart or slowly make progress. I also teach communication courses and workshops in metropolitan Los Angeles (subscribe to my newsletter for updates). My passion continues to be enlightening the world through stories about man, large and small, real and imagined.
If you read my blog, let me know what you think. I appreciate criticism and correction. I am also happy to help but only if I think I’m qualified and think I can add value (contact me).
Finally, a note about specific requests and readership: I welcome support, whether a note on what you’ve read and appreciate, disagreement or a suggestion. Occasionally, I receive unsolicited invitations, review copies and gifts, whether as an e-book, book, Amazon or iTunes gift card or PayPal donation, which I neither solicit nor expect but, like other commercial-free blogs and independent content sources, appreciate and accept. I’m also grateful for liked, shared and linked posts, especially if rendered with a comment. Each of these are a means of supporting this blog and this writer.
If you have something you want me to know about or review—i.e., a book, movie or recording—it is best to inquire and, if I’m able to accept it, please send the item with acceptance of the fact that whether I write about it is at my discretion. Or ask a publicist to contact me to send a review copy. Please know that I give preference to material created and solicited by the individual. Please also know that I am often inundated with material so I am not always able to respond, let alone consider everything. Include a telephone number for faster response. I want readers to know that, while I discriminate, I welcome new material. I take each opportunity to explore work seriously and I strive to find the good in a movie, song or book. With rare exception, I review that which I think I have a reason to like and enjoy.
These have been eight exciting years and I gain value from writing the ‘web log’. So, may you gain value from reading it. Cheers.