Mandalit del Barco

Background Singers Hit Center Stage In 'Twenty Feet From Stardom'

Mandalit del Barco — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 07:16:00 +0000

Twenty Feet from Stardom, filmmaker Morgan Neville's new documentary, is a reminder that most of pop music's catchiest hooks, riffs and refrains were sung by voices harmonizing in the background.

Jose-Luis Orozco: Capturing Kids' Attention In Two Languages

Mandalit del Barco — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 06:01:00 +0000

For the past 42 years, José-Luis Orozco has been entertaining children with songs he sings in English and Spanish. He's passionate about teaching children to be bilingual through music, and he's also written books for kids.

"Let's say hello to each other," he says to a crowd of preschoolers at the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books. "Buenos días," he sings.

"Buenos días," they repeat in unison.

"Good morning," he sings back.

Orozco manages the near-impossible: getting hundreds of small children to pay attention.

The Doors' Keyboard Counterpoint Goes Silent: Remembering Ray Manzarek

Mandalit del Barco — Tue, 21 May 2013 07:15:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvVCCMG-JoQ

Nostalgia For Sale As Captain Kangaroo's Pals Are Auctioned Off

Mandalit del Barco — Mon, 20 May 2013 07:06:00 +0000

The classic children's show Captain Kangaroo aired on TV for nearly 30 years, starting in 1955. After its creator and star, Bob Keeshan, died in 2004, his estate donated a few of his beloved hand puppets to the Smithsonian.

But if you're like me and grew up in the 1960s and '70s, you have hazy memories of Captain Kangaroo telling stories, drawing pictures and palling around with a whole cast of sidekicks, including the bespectacled Mr. Bunny Rabbit, a dancing bear, farmhand Mr.

Draco Rosa: A Pop Survivor Returns From The Brink, With Friends

Mandalit del Barco — Sat, 18 May 2013 16:03:00 +0000

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PHRjWauwpvE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3UVw3a7qIQ

A Tip Of The Mouse Ears To Annette Funicello, 1942-2013

Mandalit del Barco — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 21:43:00 +0000

Now it's time to say goodbye to former Mouseketeer Annette Funicello.

Visual-Effects Firms Having Trouble Seeing Green

Mandalit del Barco — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:03:11 +0000

Hollywood studios are demanding more and more visual effects to make blockbuster films. But the artists who create this movie magic are protesting that they and their entire industry are in deep financial trouble. Even the most celebrated visual-effects companies face the risk of going under, and there are calls to revamp the way they do business.

The visual-effects community is still buzzing about Oscars night, when Life of Pi won four Academy Awards, including one for visual effects.

Angry Birds TV, Coming To A Mobile Screen Near You

Mandalit del Barco — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:33:34 +0000

People of all ages have been passing the time playing Angry Birds on their mobile devices. Now Rovio, the company that created the best-selling app, is offering fans a new cartoon series based on the game, which has so far been downloaded 1.7 billion times.

The concept behind Angry Birds is extremely simple: There are these colorful cartoon birds that are angry because some green pigs are after their eggs. Players of the digital game use slingshots to catapult the birds — who don't fly — to destroy structures hiding the pigs.

"At its heart, it's just fun to play.

'Oz,' The Great And Often Imitated

Mandalit del Barco — Sat, 09 Mar 2013 16:29:23 +0000

Disney's new movie Oz the Great and Powerful is the back story of the Wizard of Oz — and three sister witches, good, wicked and otherwise. This newest version begins like the classic 1939 Wizard of Oz movie: in Kansas, in black and white, with a tornado that whisks the main character to a colorful, magical land.

Instead of Judy Garland's Dorothy, though, this film stars James Franco, playing the humbug who'll become the Wizard.

"My character is Oscar Diggs, and he goes by 'Oz,'" says Franco.

Will 'Oz The Great And Powerful' Live Up To Emerald Status

Mandalit del Barco — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 09:48:00 +0000

Transcript

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

"The Wizard of Oz" means to a lot of people, a young Judy Garland in sparkly ruby slippers. But in the hundred years since L. Frank Baum wrote the Oz stories, they, or stories featuring Oz characters, have been produced dozens of times. The latest, a prequel that opens in theaters this weekend, called "Oz the Great and Powerful."

NPR's Mandalit Del Barco has more.

MANDALIT DEL BARCO, BYLINE: This newest version begins like the classic 1939 "Wizard of Oz" movie, in Kansas, black and white, a tornado.