Sean Henri

My first shot as an extra

December 25, 2008 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Watch closely during the chase scene of the most recent Indiana Jones movie and you might catch me in the background walking down the sidewalk.  I'm the guy all the way to the right in the picture up above, dressed as a 1950's college student with books in my hand.. the only one who's somewhat in focus.  It was filmed back in the summer of 2007 on High Street in New Haven.  The scene moves so quickly that I missed it entirely the first time I saw it.

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Try something new

March 25, 2008 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

It's always nice to get out and try something new instead of following the same old routine.   I did a bit of that on Saturday and Sunday.  My friend Mindy and I went into New Haven to check out the Yale Art Gallery.  I was a bit surprised by the amount of famous artworks featured their permanent collection.  I spent years working directly across the street and I never had any clue they were there.  The gallery is free to the public and absolutely  worth your time if you've never been there. 

Aside from the gallery, we met up with our friend Kam for some lunch at the Educated Burgher, drove up to East Rock, and ventured down to the coastline to check out Fort Nathan Hale.

The day's adventures got me thinking.  There are so many things to do around Connecticut that many people my age never seem to think of doing.  I wonder if maybe they simply don't know about them.  I frequently hear complaints that "Connecticut sucks" or have people tell me they can't go out because they're low on money.  Well aside from my lunch and gas, everything I did on Saturday was free.  It doesn't cost a penny to go to a park or the beach.  Museums and galleries rarely charge for admission and if they do it's a few dollars at the most.  There's so many things to do on a weekend aside from just going to a bar every Friday night at 10.

We live in a great state.  It's filled with cultural, historical, and recreational attractions.  Its proximity to New York, Massachussets and Rhode Island make it even better.  There's tons of great places to see and things to do that are all within a day's drive.  So an idea I have is to start up a new blog that focuses on these sort of things.  I have a few co-authors lined up, so it may be something we get going soon.  The blog will feature strictly localized content.  It's just an idea now, but I see this coming together in the near future.  It needs a name.  Any thoughts?

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Art & Design, Culture, New Haven, Thoughts & Ideas | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook | Comments (2)

The American Rock Scene Sucks

December 19, 2007 // 8 Comments  // Add yours »

Lately I've been seriously craving some new music.  So I asked around a bit and got some halfway decent suggestions, but none of them overly impressed me.  Then yesterday, I got an email from an Irish friend of mine who suggested that I listen to two different bands.  One of them was The Fratellis - a band from Glasgow, Scotland.  Freakin' incredible...  one of the best new bands I've come across in a while.  So this got me thinking.  Why does the music that's successful in America suck so much?  I mean, about 90% of the music I listen to comes from the UK.  Is there some law that says that the major labels in the US can only release and promote garbage?  Why am I forced to listen to Kid Rock's latest single when I turn on the radio?  Why do I have to reach across the Atlantic ocean to find something that's worth listening to? 

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Paul McCartney's Ecce Cor Meum on DVD

October 23, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Footage from the world premier performance of Paul McCartney's "Ecce Cor Meum" comes out on DVD  this November 20th.  I don't tend to listen to much classical music but I found this to be quite good.  So good I went to go to see the US premier at Carnegie Hall last November. Of course there were a few other factors in my decision to go see it, one being that this guy was a part of the most important band that ever existed, and I must admit I'm a big fan.  But seriously, I think it's worth a good listen.  It's fantastic stuff.  So pick this sucker up.

Update: The release of Paul's Ecce Cor Meum DVD has been put back until early 2008. Dates are currently being rescheduled, but a February/March release is most likely.

On another totally unrelated yet somewhat similar note:   If you like good music I'd suggest listening to Silverchair's "Young Modern".  I was a bit skeptical about how much I'd like it after seeing the very bland / pop-like video for the song Straight Lines, but now that I've heard full album a few dozen times I think it's one of the best group of songs I've heard all year.  It's creative, melodic, and has some interesting orchestral arrangements composed with a little help from former Beach Boy collaborator Van Dyke Parks.

Personal favs:

• Those Thieving Birds (Part 1)/Strange Behaviour/Those Thieving Birds (Part 2)
• Insomnia
• If You Keep Losing Sleep
• Low

Thus concludes my statement of the night.

Posted in:  Concerts, Culture, Paul McCartney, Stuff, The Beatles | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook | Comments (0)

Across the Universe

September 14, 2007 // 4 Comments  // Add yours »

A new movie-musical built around Beatles songs opens nationwide next week.  Across the Universe features characters like Jude, Lucy, Max, Sadie, Mister Kite, Prudence, JoJo, and Dr. Robert.  I've just seen a few clips as well as the trailer and it looks very promising.

I'll be heading into Manhattan tonight with a few fellow Beatles fans for an early showing!  I figure a movie based on some of the best songs ever written has to be at least somewhat decent.  Even if the plot sucks, I know I'll love the music.  According to Wikipedia.com, the movie features the following songs:

1. "Girl" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast member)
2. "Helter Skelter" Performed by Dana Fuchs (cast member)
3. "Hold Me Tight" Performed by Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Lisa Hogg (cast members)
4. "All My Loving" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast members)
5. "I Want to Hold Your Hand" Performed by T. V. Carpio (cast member)
6. "With a Little Help from My Friends" Performed by Joe Anderson, Jim Sturgess & "Dorm Buddies" (cast members)
7. "It Won't Be Long" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood (cast member)
8. "I've Just Seen a Face" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast member)
9. "Let It Be" Performed by Carol Woods, Timothy T. Mitchum (cast members)
10. "Come Together" Performed by Joe Cocker, Martin Luther (cast members)
11. "Why Don't We Do It in the Road?" Performed by Dana Fuchs (cast member)
12. "If I Fell" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood (cast member)
13. "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" Performed by Joe Anderson (cast member)
14. "Dear Prudence" Performed by Dana Fuchs, Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, T. V. Carpio (cast members)
15. "Flying" Performed by The Secret Machines (not cast members)
16. "Blue Jay Way" Performed by The Secret Machines (not cast members)
17. "I Am the Walrus" Performed by Bono (cast member) and the Secret Machines (not cast members)
18. "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!" Performed by Eddie Izzard (cast member)
19. "Because" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, T. V. Carpio, Martin Luther (cast members)
20. "Something" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast member)
21. "Oh Darling" Performed by Dana Fuchs, Martin Luther (cast members)
22. "Strawberry Fields Forever" Performed by Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson (cast members)
23. "Revolution" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast members)
24. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" Performed by Martin Luther (cast member)
25. "Happiness is a Warm Gun" Performed by Joe Anderson (cast member)
26. "Blackbird" Performed by Evan Rachel Wood (cast member)
27. "Hey Jude" Performed by Joe Anderson (cast member)
28. "Don't Let Me Down" Performed by Dana Fuchs (cast member)
29. "All You Need is Love" Performed by Jim Sturgess, Dana Fuchs (cast members)
30. "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" Performed by Bono (this song plays over the end credits and is not performed on camera)

Also featured in the film

1. "Across The Universe" Performed by Jim Sturgess (cast member)
2. "And I Love Her" - brief extract incorporated into instrumental score

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September 11, 2007 // 7 Comments  // Add yours »

Removed by request.

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September 08, 2007 // 5 Comments  // Add yours »

Removed by request.

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Paul McCartney's new DVD

August 26, 2007 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

I'll be buying this.  I know I'm just rehashing info that's already out there, but here's the press release:

McCARTNEY YEARS’

FEATURES EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY, BEHIND THE SCENES FOOTAGE, OVER 40 MUSIC VIDEOS AND TWO HOURS OF HISTORIC LIVE PERFORMANCES ‘THE MCCARTNEY YEARS’ IS SET FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 12th 2007

Continue reading "Paul McCartney's new DVD"

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My mom's a big Keith Urban fan

August 02, 2007 // 1 Comments  // Add yours »

Parts of a video that I shot of my mother and a bunch of other Keith Urban fans at Yale is now playing on the big screen at Keith Urban concerts across the country.  I think it's kinda cool.  She also gets to meet the guy at a concert sometime later this month.  Here's footage with parts of the video playing behind the band at one of the recent shows:

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Throw away your television!

July 27, 2007 // 4 Comments  // Add yours »

Imagine how much more productive you'd probably be if you never had the option of watching television.  Suddenly you'd have countless extra hours in a week when you'd have to find something else to do. 

It's hard to imagine what the world would be like if suddenly there was no television.  Would people go outside more?  Would you see more people walking down the streets or socializing with friends or neighbors on their front porches?  Would the obesity epidemic go away?  Would you actually do something beneficial for yourself or for society?

Probably not.  The couch potatoes would simply migrate to their computer and play video games or surf the internet.  But still, I think that would definitely be a step in the right direction.  At least a person playing a video game would have to do some thinking.  The internet could be a great source of information and goes way beyond just the sound-bites and headlines that TV news gives you. 

Television allows you to be mindless.  It encourages you not to think.  TV networks want you to sit there and be sucked into the garbage they're feeding you so they could keep making a buck.  Seriously... how many times have you watched a reality show on VH1 and when it was done thought to yourself "wow, that was half hour well spent"???  Never!

Some people might actually go out and start experiencing life.   If they did they would find that their life had changed for the better and they'd never go back.  Does anybody honestly believe that watching somebody experience something on TV is better than experiencing it for yourself?

To my friends that come home from work every day and turn on the television to unwind - do you have any idea how much time you actually waste sitting there?  If you spend just two hours a day watching television you will have lost over 4 years of your life by the time your 50.  Imagine what you could have done with those 4 years!!  Think of all the people you could have met, all the places you could have gone and all the things you could have accomplished.  Your life could be totally different.

If you're reading this - I DARE you to disconect your tv for a full month.  Hide it somewhere if you need to.  And don't go over your friends house to watch it either.  I guarantee you you'll notice a positive improvement in your life.  And I'm not going to be a hypocrite on this one.  Tonight my TV leaves my room and leaves it leaves for good.      

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Who is Radioman?

July 01, 2007 // 6 Comments  // Add yours »

Radioman, or "Radio" is a bum.  His real name is Craig Castaldo and he's a former homeless man from NYC who earned his name by having a large radio hanging from his neck.  What makes him stand out from other homeless guys is the fact that he's appeared in over 30 major motion pictures, including The Departed, Mr. Deeds, Elf, and Godzilla. 

I first encountered Radioman while I was waiting in line to meet Paul McCartney last November.  At first I thought he was just trying to find a place to sleep, but then the next day we actually saw him in the building waiting in line with the rest of us.  I learned his name when a couple of guys walked by and shouted "Hey Radio!"  He sat there all night rewinding his tape and singing along to commercial jingles that he liked.   It was really annoying.

Fast forward to yesterday - I was in New Haven picking up my costume for Indiana Jones 4, when Radioman bursts into the door and runs right past security.  At first everyone was kind of startled, but once they realized who he was they brought him over, gave him a shave and a costume, and let him be an extra. 

Following the last shoot of the day, Radioman walked towards Steven Spielberg to personally thank him for allowing him be in the movie.  Spielberg let him come right up to him, shook his hand and said  "No problem!  Great to see you again".  Again?  They know each other?  So I looked him up online.  There are pictures of Radioman kissing Jessica Simpson, a story about him in the New York Times, and even a profile on IMDB.   His website features pictures of himself alongside people like Tom Cruise, Pierce Brosnan, and Johnny Depp. 

Radioman used to be homeless and a drunk, but now is able to support himself by collecting the small amount of money he earns from being an extra in movies, and by selling the autographs of the celebrities he meets.  Sometimes he sells autographs for sandwiches.  He's become well known among New York celebrities, and is a source of information for paparazzi because he's "in the know" when it comes to celebrity appearances and movie filming. He has hopes of becoming a big actor himself one day.

From the New York Times.

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Paul McCartney talks about his younger fans

June 26, 2007 // 2 Comments  // Add yours »

In this interview with Sir Paul McCartney about his recent show in New York, the interviewer expresses his amazement at the growing number of young Beatles fans and mentions how two of his contest winners, possibly my friends Steph & Bret, were born in the 1980's!!!  Paul then responds with his thoughts.

Paul: A lot of people (from) my generation would think: 'Well the only people that are gonna really like my music are the people who grew up with it'.  You know?  People who are my age.  Maybe a little bit younger...but, that's it.
Interviewer: Two of the five winners (Steph & Bret) we had on Wednesday morning were born in the 1980's!
Paul: Ha!  Is that possible?  Haha nobody was born in 1980..
Interviewer: No it's possible
Paul: Er, no exactly that's the thing.  And I see that at my shows.  You get these generations - you'll get the people my age, and then you'll get their kids, and then their kids.  And, I love it!  Cuz, these kids know the music.  They know it better than I do.
Interviewer: Well I tried to make it a little difficult to win the tickets to the show, because I wanted to make sure that real Paul McCartney fans would win, obviously.  So I didn't just say.. be the 25th caller and you're in.  I asked questions that Paul McCartney fans would be able to answer.
Paul: Mmhmm.
Interviewer: And those two young people, born in the 1980's, knew the answers!
Paul: You know, it's phenomenal, I must say.  But it's great!  It's kinda, you know, very satisfying to think that young kids are into it.
Interviewer: What would you say to your young fans... ?
Paul: ...What would I say? I would say thank you for like, appreciating something we did a long time ago.  But, I'm with them.  I understand that thing.  Cuz, I'm wrong to assume that it's just my generation that's gonna like it.  And I know that, for instance, cuz I like Fred Astaire, Nat King Cole - and that wasn't my generation.  So, I suppose that what they're doing is they're liking good music.  You know, and I can say that now about The Beatles.  Cuz, you know, it's not being conceited.  I know that the stuff we did was really good.  You know?  And I think that somebody appreciating it now is just great.  It's just very gratifying.  So there you go.  I love it.

You can listen to the full interview by clicking HERE.
Paul talks about the show at the Highline Ballroom HERE.
And you can read my recap of  Paul's secret concert in New York and see the pictures HERE.

Posted in:  Culture, NYC, Paul McCartney, The Beatles | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook | Comments (2)

Paul McCartney's Secret Gig at the Highline Ballroom

June 14, 2007 // 8 Comments  // Add yours »

I'm back from the Paul McCartney concert!  Time for the recap:

Let me go back a few weeks to explain this.  About a month ago I found out that Paul McCartney would be doing some type of live performance in NYC to promote his new album Memory Almost Full.  Any large-scale world tour would be postponed to next year due to "personal issues" (his divorce from Heather Mills).  So being a huge Beatles/Paul McCartney fan, I did some intense research until I found out the details of what would be going down.

I found out that the show was going to be a small-scale "secret" show about two weeks ago and that I'd have to win tickets through a radio station contest in order to go.  Only a few hundred contest winners and invited guests would be given tickets.  So after looking through the websites of nearly every FM radio station from the country's major cities, I finally found a contest where you could enter a raffle to win tickets by correctly answering 20 questions about Paul.  I didn't win.  But my friend Steph did, and she offered to take me.  Amazingly, my friend Bret won as well and offered to take my brother Justin.  So now we had 3 people from CT's smallest town attending a concert that thousands of people from around the world were trying to go to, and I was one of them.

More below the cut.

Continue reading "Paul McCartney's Secret Gig at the Highline Ballroom"

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Concerts, Contests, Culture, NYC, Paul McCartney, Photos, The Beatles, Videos | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook | Comments (8)

My plans for the evening: Attend a secret Paul McCartney Concert

June 13, 2007 // 0 Comments  // Add yours »

Tonight I'll get the incredible opportunity to see Paul McCartney in concert from just a few feet away.  Along with my friends Steph, Bret, and my brother Justin, I'll be among just 300 contest winners and invited guests who will watch McCartney play Beatles classics as well as some of the best songs of his new album Memory Almost Full.  The show takes place at 8:30 pm tonight at the Highline Ballroom on 16th St. in NYC.  It's extremely rare for a guy who usually performs in front of 50,000 people to do a show in a venue this small.  What makes tonight even more interesting is that his album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 this morning with his highest weekly sales since 1982.  I'll post a recap after the show.

Thanks for MaccaReport.com for the heads up on the secret gig!

Posted in:  A Day In The Life, Concerts, Contests, Culture, NYC, Paul McCartney, The Beatles | Permalink |  Digg This | Share on Facebook | Comments (0)