“Bollywood-inspired movies are definitely taking off,” says Megan Kelley, who researches film history at York University, reports the National Post Oct. 25 in a story about Deepa Mehta’s new film Bollywood/Hollywood. “The interesting question is why has it taken so long, considering the size of the Indian movie industry. I think part of the problem is that Indian movies tend to be musicals, a genre that hasn’t been popular in decades. Also, Indian actors express themselves in a broad, theatrical way, so they can be understood by an audience that speaks many languages and dialects. This type of hyperbolic acting hasn’t been popular in Hollywood since the 1940s, or perhaps even the silent era. To us it seems corny.”
Playoff history in making for York Yeomen
A bit of history will be made at York University Stadium this weekend, reported The North York Mirror Oct. 23. For the first time in their 35-year history, the York Yeomen will host a playoff game. The local university football squad will play host to the University of Ottawa Gee-Gees Saturday in an Ontario University Athletics’ (OUA) quarter-final contest.
York experts help plan conservation centre
Toronto-based Enerlife Consulting will receive $135,000 by the end of 2003 to plan a Living City Centre at Kortright, a conservation park along the Humber River west of Pine Valley Drive, reports The Vaughan Citizen Oct. 24. Enerlife is expected to involve numerous partners and “work closely” with experts from York University in establishing the Living City Centre, an educational centre that is a key part of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s Living City campaign to promote sustainable development and living practices.
Is the real Paul Martin out there?
An editorial in The Vancouver Sun began “What do you call a reinvented Liberal finance minister?” and referred to the former finance minister’s proposed reforms to make Parliament more democratic, outlined in his speech to Osgoode Hall Law School.
On air
York political science Professor Sergei Plekhanov, York Centre for International and Security Studies, on Oct. 24 discussed the situation in Russia where rebels stormed a Moscow theatre and took hostages on the following shows: “NFO Radio” on CBW-AM in Winnipeg, “Home Run” on CBME-FM Montreal, “Radio Active on CBX-AM in Edmonton. … On “Goldhawk” on ROG-TV in Toronto Oct. 24 host Dale Goldhawk discussed with callers whether the education system is prepared for the double cohort brought in by the provincial government. The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities predicts another 79,000 spaces in post-secondary institutions, he said, adding that York University has experienced an increase in applicants and Ryerson university is planning for another 2200 students by the year 2004.