Blog | samdarling.com

Sam Darling

May 31, 20133 min read

The Rroma in our town

In the south of France, the Rroma people were seasonal workers hired every autumn to pick the grapes for the vineyards. My family’s...

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Grand-mère kicks ass: tales of World War II

Sam Darling

May 27, 20132 min read

Grand-mère kicks ass: tales of World War II

I have few war heroes in my family of creative types, but the one most decorated got her medals in an unusual manner. As part of my...

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Sam Darling

May 26, 20133 min read

Star Trek Into Darkness – some thoughts

Preface: I had a great time. I’m a movie fiend and Trekkie of long standing and this reboot is joyous good fun. I’m sharing these random...

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Do you see it? My father looking like Ryan Phillipe

Sam Darling

May 23, 20131 min read

Do you see it? My father looking like Ryan Phillipe

Then, there’s that moment when I’m going along, minding my own business, cataloging the family photos, and I suddenly realize that my...

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Sam Darling

May 22, 20131 min read

Nelson hat

I spent part of my childhood in Denmark and picked up on some good techniques for dealing with inclement weather. When I had my own child...

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Sam Darling

May 20, 20132 min read

Crystal skulls

Something people learn about me is that I am a skeptic. This usually comes as a shock since artistic types are automatically expected to...

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Sam Darling

May 12, 20131 min read

The Mothers

Even at the airport, my mom and I were fancy. #vintagephotographs #fancy #sunglasses #MothersDay #matching #airport #France #MariaBaroni...

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Sam Darling

May 6, 20131 min read

Pata pata

I’m just going to keep dancing while it rains. #MiriamMakeba #happiness #music #Brazil #1970s

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Sam Darling

Apr 29, 20131 min read

La Périchole

My mother and father were involved in reviving Offenbach’s La Périchole in Paris in the 1970s. A couple of photos from that production...

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Sam Darling

Feb 27, 20131 min read

Family style

I’m writing my memoirs and hoping to finish them by the end of the year. The memoirs are a different product than this novel I finished a...

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We’re probably being jerks (to ourselves)

Sam Darling

Feb 5, 20134 min read

We’re probably being jerks (to ourselves)

We’re probably being jerks (to ourselves). Or: Why Beyoncé isn’t the problem I had an important realization today. I was never as ugly as...

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Sam Darling

Jan 21, 20131 min read

Lullabies

Below the beautiful song Laylay by Sövkət Ələkbərova, and the superb animation work from the creative Russian group METRONOME FILM, part...

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Sam Darling

Nov 15, 20122 min read

Opera and kung-fu training

Let us consider the usual story arc of the Kung-fu Hero. Countless hours of practice to make your body achieve inhuman feats… no way...

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Sam Darling

Nov 14, 20121 min read

Movie insight: entering rooms

If real life was more like a movie, you’d go through that set of doors by opening both of them at the same time. You would make a grand,...

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Sam Darling

Nov 1, 20122 min read

What is “operatic” material?

I’m a big reader and this week I enjoyed Nuiala O’Faolain’s The Story of Chicago May. [‘Chicago May, one of the few notorious women in...

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Sam Darling

Sep 19, 20123 min read

Opera and body image

Opera can change the way you see women. A before and after of Deborah Voigt. When you first plunge into the world of opera divas you can...

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Sam Darling

Sep 10, 20121 min read

Bechdel test

In a way related to my earlier post, I thought you guys would appreciate the Bechdel Test. This is something that often comes up in...

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Sam Darling

Aug 26, 20122 min read

Cliché of Western Film

I am going to let you in on a secret today. This is a secret cliché that hides in plain sight. [It is reasonably certain that folks have...

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Sam Darling

Jun 19, 20121 min read

Movie Music Prometheus

Many things annoyed me about the movie Prometheus. In addition to the swiss-cheese plot and irrational scientists the music took me out...

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Sam Darling

Jun 12, 20121 min read

Memento mori

I wrote a book, y’all! I’ve learned that finishing a project is about ten times harder than starting one. This had me reflecting on why...

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