American Swing, directed by Jon Hart and Matthew Kaufman, 2008, USA, was categorized as a documentary. Folks who didn’t read the overview thoroughly were surprised. It was not about swing dancing but about the real King of Swing, Larry Levenson, owner and founder of the New York City swing club Plato’s Retreat. Filmed from the mid-1970s into the ’80s it was an eye-full of the sexual revolution before AIDS came to our attention. Shocking, interesting, sad and dated, it was a rare glimpse into the uninhibited nightlife of a bygone era which will not be resurrected.
 

O’Horton, directed by Bent Hammer, 2007, Norway, focused on a soon to be retired railroad engineer whose routine was about to change. This dry witted, precise film made elegant use of every frame, every word and, though seemingly slow (with subtitles) it was fine tuned and quite enjoyable as the man in question walks through many doors to discover unexpectedly, a new beginning.
 

The Prince of Broadway, directed by Sean Baker, 2008, USA, is about the life of an illegal from Ghana who hustles knock-offs on the streets of New York. While business as usual is conducted in back rooms and sidewalks daily, Lucky’s life is suddenly complicated when a former girlfriend hands him a toddler claiming it is his. His frustration is palpable as he adjusts to the baby he names Prince. 
 

There are two visiting exhibitions at the Denver Art Museum that won’t last forever.
 

Daniel Richter: A Major Survey, features the German contemporary artist in his first American solo museum exhibition. Richter explores themes from popular culture, politics, music, comics and history in colorful paintings that explode with color and imagination. Through January 11, 2009. General admission.
 

In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein. One of the founding members of the Taos Society of Artists, Blumenschein captured Taos in its glorious colors, landscapes and facets of every day life of the Pueblo Indians. The exhibition features 66 paintings spanning Blumenschein’s career. General admission.
 

Keep your eye on my blog at www.easylivingfrontrange.com for weekly updates on exhibitions, gallery shows, theater and movie reviews. Remember First Fridays on Santa Fe Drive, the Golden Triangle, Tennyson, and in the downtown ballpark district. Give the gift of art because, as the saying goes . . . “life is short, art is long.”    

This feature compliments the Arts & Culture section of EasyLiving Front Range magazine and is designed to promote the diverse range of mediums and disciplines that include art exhibits, live music, book signings and more.  For more information about this new section, contact Jan McNutt. Email:  janmcnutt@comcast.net; Tel: 303-777-7114.