When it comes to the arts, quantity and quality both matter. One of the reasons Pablo Picasso became the embodiment of modern art in Europe is because of his ceaseless production, and ability to master and destroy whole schools of painting before creating his own. That said, a poet like Walt Whitman essentially spent his whole professional life writing and re-writing one collection of poetry which we now know of as the timeless Leaves of Grass.

The name John Cazale might not ring a bell at every dinner table in America tonight, but for cinephiles Cazale was an actor’s actor who played unforgettable supporting roles in five masterpieces before dying at the age of 43 in 1978. This year we remember the 40th anniversary of the late great actor’s death. But, more importantly, we remember the wounded humanity and comic timing he brought to his roles in The Godfather, The Godfather: Part II, The Conversation, Dog Day Afternoon and The Deer Hunter.

Here’s John’s co-star, acting partner and “little brother,” Al Pacino remembering his friend…

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One of the most interesting things about Bob Dylan is how many Bobs Dylan there have been: folk-Guthrie-Dylan, folk-Jack-Elliot-Dylan, Dylan Thomas-Dylan, Rimbaud-Dylan, St. August…Dylan, Bobby Cash…Dylan has evolved through more musical influences and personas than anyone other than Bowie. One of the only artists that comes to mind when discussing Dylan is Picasso — nobody destroyed and recreated pop culture out of whole cloth like those two, and Miles Davis.

Nonetheless, every hero faces dragons and Dylan was all but irrelevant in the late 1980′s. Of course, I loved him. I was also an insane freak who thought rock ‘n’ roll mattered because I was a junior in high school and I knew he was a genius. Here’s to 1986. Here’s to driving cars in the summertime in Michigan. Here’s to some whacked out Dylan doc that captures the man portraying a clown who would be king. Of course it’s all a rope-a-dope from the great jester. Here’s to 50 years since the beginning of Dylan’s great electric trilogy. Here’s the flick…

Stay Awake!

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