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Arts & Culture / Music & Film

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What Django Unchained Got Wrong: A Review From National Museum of African American History and Culture Director Lonnie Bunch

The museum director and former film studies professor examines Quentin Tarantino’s take on slavery

The Tolkien Nerd’s Guide to The Hobbit

Peter Jackson’s blockbuster movie draws upon stories behind stories behind stories, just as J.R.R. Tolkien’s original works did

Steven Wade's new CD Banjo Diary Lessons from Tradition.

LISTEN: Stephen Wade’s Banjo Diary

The roots music expert’s latest album is finger-picking good

The clocks in each clip document the time throughout the 24 hour movie.

A 24-Hour Movie That May Be the Biggest (and Best) Supercut Ever

Christian Marclay’s The Clock, now on view at MoMA, puts YouTube mashup artists to shame

It was at the La Comédie-Française where Hugo brought his controversial new play, “Hernani,” that became a spark plug for Paris’s greater societal and political tensions

Take a Tour of Victor Hugo’s Paris

As a film version of his Les Miserables hits theaters, consider traveling in the French writer’s footsteps

Actor Bing Crosby, Actresses Rosemary Clooney and Vera Ellen, and Actor Danny Kaye, during the 1954 Paramount production of “White Christmas.”

Is White Christmas the Best Popular Song Ever Written?

The idyllic scenes of the dreamy holiday tune were painted by a Russian Jewish immigrant named Israel Baline, better known as Irving Berlin

Esperanza Spalding has brought new life to jazz.

Esperanza Spalding Took on Bieber, Now Takes on Jazz

The innovative bassist and winner of the Smithsonian American Ingenuity Award for performing arts is taking jazz to a whole new place

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How Benh Zeitlin Made Beasts of the Southern Wild

The Oscar nominee for Best Director transformed filmmaking as he assembled a new myth out of Hurricane Katrina

Fire has been the fuel of creativity in art and music.

What Do Alicia Keys, the Boss and Wagner Have in Common?

From the classical era to modern music, flames have lent a spark to some of the greatest tunes of all time

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The Early History of Faking War on Film

Early filmmakers faced a dilemma: how to capture the drama of war without getting themselves killed in the process. Their solution: fake the footage

Desmond Llewelyn as Q in License to Kill showing Bond (Timothy Dalton) the camera gun that, when put together, became a sniper rifle.

5 Essential James Bond Accessories

The stylish spy wore a Rolex and sunglasses that you can’t buy on Black Friday on any other day

Eleanor Roosevelt and Marian Anderson in Japan

Marian Anderson: Freedom Singer and Mentor To Generations

How a gifted black singer transformed opera and the nation through a lifetime of giving

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Uncovering the Truth Behind the Myth of Pancho Villa, Movie Star

In 1914, the Mexican rebel signed a contract with an American newsreel company that required him to fight for the cameras. Too good to be true? Not entirely

PHOTOS: The History of Abraham Lincoln on Film

The 16th president has been a Hollywood star and box office attraction since the earliest days of Hollywood

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Listen to the Elizabeth Mitchell Experience

Listen to the Elizabeth Mitchell Experience

A still from Lincoln, directed by Steven Spielberg.

The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln

Mr. Lincoln Goes to Hollywood

Steven Spielberg, Doris Kearns Goodwin and Tony Kushner talk about what it takes to wrestle an epic presidency into a feature film

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Why Does Dracula Wear a Tuxedo? The Origins of Bram Stoker’s Timeless Vampire

The evolution of Dracula, from the mind of a sickly youth to an iconic portrayal on the silver screen

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Scaredy Cats Unite—Not Everyone Loves Being Afraid

A big part of Halloween is getting scared, intentionally. Why in the world would anyone want that?

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Jurassic Park 4′s Discharged Dinosaur Soldiers

Some scrapped Jurassic Park 4 designs show the movie’s insane ideas for dinosaur soldiers

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How Do Our Brains Process Music?

In an excerpt from his new book, David Byrne explains why sometimes, he prefers hearing nothing

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