Isabella Rossellini at Seattle Arts & Lectures

November 18, 2009  \ 7:30 pm \ Benaroya Hall

Whether you know her as the daughter of actress Ingrid Bergman and director Roberto Rossellini, the face of Lancôme cosmetics, the nightclub singer in Blue Velvet or Alec Baldwin’s ex-wife on 30 Rock, you know Isabella Rossellini excels at whatever role she sets herself to—no matter how bizarre. Take for example her latest endeavor, Green Porno, a series of short films she has written/directed/starred in, which use hand-made paper sets and costumes to elucidate the quirky reproductive habits of insects and marine animals. She’ll discuss the series, her family, and her career at Benaroya Hall.

More information at www.lectures.org/rossellini.html

Student\Under 25: $10 with ID

Balcony: $25

Main Floor: $35

Patron: $60, includes seating in the front of the hall and a post-lecture reception with Isabella Rossellini at the W Seattle Hotel.

SAL is happy to offer STIFF members a 15% discount on Patron, Main and Balcony tickets for Isabella Rossellini. Please call our Box Office at 206-621-2230 for your tickets.

Remarkable Power! (Kevin Nealon1), originally uploaded by Clint Berquist.

Thursday, November 19th, 7PM at Central Cinema. $10 or Free with STIFF 2009 Badge.

STIFF Nights November screening is Remarkable Power. This screening is 1 week earlier than usual due to the Thanksgiving Holiday. Come get your laughs with the Remarkable cast of Remarkable Power before the Remarkable stress of the holiday season really kicks in.

Director: Brandon Beckner

With the plug about to be pulled on his late night talk show after a fifteen year run, and his wife engaged in a steamy affair with a pro baseball star, host Jack West is desperate - to keep aflame his fading celebrity, and avenge the misdeeds of his adulterous spouse.

With the clock ticking, Jack concocts the mother of all media stunts, killing two birds with one unforgettable stone on the road to redemption.

The scheme entangles an eclectic collection of colorful locals navigating their way through unpredictable twists and turns. A plump private eye teams with a macabre webmistress to investigate the strange disappearance of a dead body. A glassy-eyed cheddar head falls prey to a phony get-rich-quick guru. Imperiled actors embark on a quest for a fresh corpse. Cops in costume, a peculiar special effects make-up team, porn stars with dreams of stardom, a Jewish drug lord with very large brothers, Russian mobsters and others converge in this unique roller-coaster ride of comedy, mystery, murder and mayhem through the underbelly of modern day Sodom and Gomorrah.

WATCH THE TRAILER

VIEW SHOWTIMES AT CENTRAL CINEMA

Last Night I had the extreme pleasure of attending Mateo Messina’s benefit event for Children’s Hospital at Benaroya Hall.  A couple members of the Symphony Guild are also STIFF volunteers and one of our friends is a childhood friend of Matt’s, so we have actually gone for the last few years.  Many symphonies can be a bit on the boring, but these events never are.  Aside from the fact that Matt’s music is incredibly cinematic, he always includes unusual guests and I really look forward to these shows. 

 
This year’s was called Symphony of the Superhero and featured some incredible talent.  Seeing Cut Chemist standing in front of an orchestra and choir with a couple turntables and mixing in their sounds along with Lili Haydn’s violin and the music of The Malandros, in front of a large video screen was one of the coolest things I have ever seen (the phone pic really can’t even come close to doing it justice).  I have never wanted to stand on my seat and dance at Benaroya hall before.  The after party at the W Hotel was also pretty fun as Blake Lewis stopped by to jam with Cut Chemist.

I’m sure that the video from last night’s show is going to take a few months to cut together and get online, so in the meantime, check out this clip from a couple years ago featuring Alice in Chains performing Kashmir.  When you see the ads for this thing next year, make sure to buy a ticket.  Not only will you see something that will blow your mind, you are helping out an incredibly worthy cause