January 25, 1998 - We've all seen sex and violence in recent films...but religion is a topic most filmmakers shy away from. Director Martin Scorsese may be the exception to this rule. In "The Last Temptation of Christ" Scorsese made a controversial film about Jesus and His Apostles. In his latest release--KUNDUN--Scorsese examines the life of the 14th Dalai Lama. Weekend Edition Film Critic Debra Alexander is here to discuss KUNDUN.
January 25, 1998 - Heartache and the minefields of dating are explored in Laura Zigman's humorous new novel ANIMAL HUSBANDRY. The premise of the book comes from a true scientific theory--the Coolidge Effect. This theory is based on the premise that bulls will only mate with a cow once--then they're off to seek a new cow. Zigman stumbled upon the theory as she flipped through science journals while nursing her broken heart. She jokes, if you bring things back to the animal kingdom--dating behavior makes sense. Zigman says her main character--Jane Goodall--is autobiographical.
January 24, 1998 - The fate of Vikings coach Dennis Green remains uncertain this morning. Green has one year left in his contract--but Green may be planning to quit next week. Vikings president Roger Headrick says Green's chances of staying with the Vikings are "failing" and "declining." At a Super Bowl party yesterday Green says he has "no comment" on the situation. In other football news, Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Carl Eller, safety Paul Krause and offensive tackle Ron Yary are among the 15 finalists for induction in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
January 24, 1998 - MPR’s Greta Cunningham interviews Minnesota musician Peter Ostroushko about his new album “Pilgrims on the Heart Road."
January 17, 1998 - In sports news: It was a nail-bitter last night as the Minnesota Timberwolves edged Houston 116-to-115 last night in overtime. The Wolves have won four straight. The Wolves take on the Mavericks tonight in Dallas. Gametime is 7:30 p.m. Minnesota Vikings board chairman John Skoglund says there's an outside chance the team will not be sold -- because of the NFL's lucrative new television deals. And if the Vikings ownership group doesn't sell the team, Skoglund says Dennis Green probably would stay as head coach. Major league baseball and the Minnesota Twins are trying to block Attorney General Humphrey's antitrust investigation into the possible move of the Minnesota Twins to North Carolina. The actions were filed yesterday in state and federal courts.
January 11, 1998 - Twenty mushers expect a good trail and cold temperatures today as the 15th annual John Beargrease Sled Dog Race gets underway at 1:00. A snowfall of 4 to 6 inches on Friday was too little too late for race officials. A lack of snow earlier forced race officials to move the start and finish of the race north to Grand Portage. Officials also shortened the course by about 200 miles. Vicki Trauba is the Executive Director of the Race.
January 11, 1998 - Master Storyteller Jim Stowell has been telling the stories of Minnesota for the past 30 years. The Great American History Theatre in St. Paul is celebrating Stowell's long career by hosting a JIM FEST.
December 13, 1997 - The torturous hugs from elderly relatives, sitting at the kids table for dinner--and time packed into cars for long, stuffy trips to visit family, these elements are part of everyone's holiday memories. They're also fodder for Kevin Kling's play "Charred Underbelly of the Yule Log". Delving into childhood memories is the hallmark of a Kevin Kling play.
December 13, 1997 - From "'Twas the Night Before Christmas" to Dicken's "A Christmas Carol" books help us get into the holiday spirit. The Minnesota team of Tom Hegg and Warren Hanson have found success in this corner of the book market. The two are collaborators on "A Cup of Christmas Tea" and "PEEF: The Christmas Bear". Warren Hanson is releasing a new book this holiday season. "The Next Place" deals with a topic not usually associated with the holiday season--death. "The Next Place" is an inspirational story about what Hanson hopes lies ahead for us after we die.
November 29, 1997 - Can you go home again--that's the question posed in Jonis Agee's new book "South of Resurrection". The story centers on Moline Bedwell--a tough-minded woman who returns to her hometown of Resurrection, Missouri after 20 years. "South of Resurrection" is Agee's third novel. Agee says her new book is a tale of modern rural life and is a tribute to her family's homestead. Agee's spending a lot of time these days thinking about "Home." She recently left her teaching position at St. Catherine's in St. Paul to teach in Ann Arbor, Michigan.