January 24, 2002

• Special Report: Turnaround - The neighborhood is looking good
  Six years after Penn refocused its attention on its home neighborhood, the Current takes a look at Penn's investments and how the neighborhood has changed.
• Universities take on the role of redevelopers
• Little scholars from near and far
• Business success means streets are jumping
• Penn's "greene countrie towne"
• It took a community and the University to raise a neighborhood
• Get to know the neighbors

• Protein fights nerve loss
• Science, media and ethics contend
• New one-on-one coaching

• Research: Do ads get teens to just say no?
• Staff Q&A: By night, Ron Washington cleans the halls of Leidy Labs. But let us tell you about his day job.

• Ask Benny: A new column answers your Penn questions
• Of mice, men and embryonic stem cells
• Human nature takes a walk
• Defend yourself
• Courses for a better you

• Event Listings
• Editor's Pick: A documentary revolution
• The dream lives on
• Kids' festival: In the market for fun
• People's Choice: Resolutions come and go; food serves keep serving

• News Briefs
• Bookquick from the University Press
• Quoted Recently
• At Leisure with... Book Talk
• Campus Buzz

Office of University Communications home page

EDITOR'S PICK

A documentary revolution

The Maysles brothers—Albert and David (1932-1987)—revolutionized documentary filmmaking with their practice of setting up the cameras and letting the story tell itself instead of imposing a narrative, an approach that came to be known as “direct cinema.”

Tonight and tomorrow, Film @ International House pays tribute to the Maysleses with screenings of three of their early films: “Salesman” (1969), an unsparing portrait of the lives of four traveling Bible salesmen; “What’s Happening! The Beatles in America” (1964), which captured the first shots fired in the British Invasion; and “Gimme Shelter” (1970, see photo), their highly praised, disturbing chronicle of the Rolling Stones’ 1969 U.S. tour. Albert Maysles will be on hand to introduce “Gimme Shelter” at Friday’s screening.

—S.S.

THE FILMS OF ALBERT AND DAVID MAYSLES: “Salesman” Thursday, Jan. 24, at 8 p.m. and “What’s Happening! The Beatles in America”/”Gimme Shelter” Friday, Jan. 25, at 8 p.m. at International House, 3701 Chestnut St. Tickets for each night’s screening $5, available on a first-come, first-served basis one hour before show time. Info: www.ihousephilly.org or 215-895-6542.