Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

PEOPLE/ARTS Thursday 14 sepTember 2017
A31

Russia seeks to calm tensions over czar love affair film

By HOWARD AMOS He called on Russians to
Associated Press “observe the law, com-
MOSCOW (AP) — Top mon sense and have
Russian officials have respect for each other”
sought to downplay the and urged law enforce-
“hysteria” surrounding ment agencies to pro-
a new film depicting tect cinemas and audi-
the love affair between ences.
Russia’s last czar and Russia’s largest cinema
a ballerina, amid ar- chain announced on
son attacks and threats Tuesday that it had con-
against cinemas. tacted police about
Culture Minister Vladimir threats it had received
Medinsky wrote on Twit- over “Matilda” and
ter on Wednesday that would not show the
“Matilda” was just “an movie because of safety
ordinary feature film.” fears.
President Vladimir Pu- While Medinsky said the
tin’s spokesman Dmi- decision by the cinema
try Peskov told journalists chain operated by For-
Wednesday that pres- mula Kino and Cinema
sure on cinemas was Park was the preroga- On this Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 file photo Orthodox supporters pray for the Royal Romanov Family
“unacceptable” and tive of its owners, he during a protest against the release of the “Matilda” movie in Moscow, Russia.
he condemned the “un- said attempts to pressur- Associated Press
pleasant form” debate ize cinemas were “pure
about the film had tak- lawlessness and censor-
en. ship,” TASS reported. Locke takes incisive look at
The movie — which is yet Peskov said that any ex-
to be released — has tremism in Russia should
sparked harsh criticism be investigated by the
from hard-line national- security services. racial issues in new novel
ists and some Orthodox Two cars were set on fire
believers in Russia. earlier this week outside
Although most people the office of the attorney motives often are tied found a few days apart
accept that the affair for director Alexei Uchitel up in the complex mo- in the same bayou.
happened, they main- and signs reading “burn rass of history and family. Racism simmers in Lark,
tain its depiction in the for Matilda” were re- Darren Mathews was from the clientele at the
movie has been distort- portedly found near the raised by proud twin white supremacist bar to
ed and that the portray- scene. brothers, one of whom the local sheriff who re-
al is vulgar. Last month, assailants was a defense lawyer sents Darren’s intrusion
Nicholas II was murdered tried to set fire to Uchi- and professor of Consti- into his investigation.
by the Bolsheviks and tel’s film studio. tutional law, the other a Darren also meets re-
canonized by the Ortho- Uchitel has said the audi- Texas Ranger — mem- sistance from white
dox Church in 2000. ences who have attend- bers of “a tribe going wealthy businessman
In separate comments ed pre-release viewings back generations in rural Wally Jefferson and
to the TASS news agency of Matilda have reacted east Texas, black men black restaurant owner
Wednesday, Medinsky positively to the film, and for whom self-regard Geneva Sweet, whose
said that “there is noth- has called on the state was both a natural state lives have been intri-
ing (in the film) insulting to ensure the safety of of being and survival cately entwined for de-
either for the memory of cinemagoers. This cover image released technique.” cades. Darren’s investi-
Nicholas II or for the his- Matilda is set to be re- by Mulholland Books shows Despite a Princeton de- gation centers on “the
tory of the Russian mon- leased in Russia on Oct. “Bluebird, Bluebird,” by Attica gree and two years of truth, inconvenient and
archy.” 26.q Locke law school, Darren also complicated” regarding
Associated Press
became a Texas Rang- the two deaths as well
er, a job that has never as his own life.
By OLINE H. COGDILL set well with his family Locke’s superior storytell-
Associated Press nor his estranged wife. ing excels in “Bluebird,
Attica Locke’s incisive But then there are the Bluebird” as the author
look at racial issues “homicides with a racial deftly moves the brisk
reaches another mile- element — murders with plot that centers on rac-
stone in the gripping a particularly ugly taint” ism as well as greed,
“Bluebird, Bluebird.” that intrigue Darren. hate and even love.
Locke unflinchingly illus- Although he’s on sus- Strong, unforgettable
trates the intersection of pended duty, Darren characters — each
race and justice as seen talks his boss into send- of whom has intricate
in an insular community ing him to the tiny town backstories — balance
in East Texas. of Lark, Texas, where the the tense action. Dar-
The author packs the ex- bodies of a black lawyer ren makes a sturdy hero,
cellent novel with believ- from Chicago and a lo- capable of heading a
able characters whose cal white woman were series.q