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Spike Lee's New Jazz-Themed Movie Misses Opportunities for Greatness

Film critic Stephen Schiff says Mo' Better Blues, about a trumpet player's struggles balancing his career with his romantic relationships is at best agreeably messy and, at worst, repugnant, especially in its flagrant, anti-Semetic portrayals of Jewish businessmen.

03:58
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Other segments from the episode on August 2, 1990

Fresh Air with Terry Gross, August 2, 1990: Interview with Roger Corman; Review of the best music of the summer; Interview with William Tubman; Review of the film "Mo' Better Blues."
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23:58

"King of the B's" Film Producer and Director Roger Corman

Part I of the Fresh Air interview. Despite his reputation as a master of the low-budget B-movie, Corman cites classic Hollywood and European films as his primary influences. He is known for his prolific pace, and for introducing now-famous actors like Jack Nicholson, Robert DeNiro, and Vincent Price. Corman has a new memoir, called "How I Made a Hundred Movies in Hollywood and Never Lost a Dime."

Interview
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07:27

The Best Music of the Summer

As the season comes to an end, Ken Tucker reviews some of his favorite new releases, including albums by The Time, Mariah Carey, The Allman Brothers, and Bonnie Raitt.

Review
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10:50

Krushchev's Son on His Father's Life

Historian William Taubman edited and translated a biography of the last years of Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev, as told by Nikita's son, Sergei. The book, titled Khrushchev on Khrushchev, gives new insights into the elder Khrushchev's fall from power after repudiating Stalinism, and his final days as a virtual pariah in the Soviet Union.

Interview

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Transcripts are created on a rush deadline, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of Fresh Air interviews and reviews are the audio recordings of each segment.

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18:45

Ernest Dickerson Discusses His Work as a Cinematographer.

Cinematographer Ernest Dickerson. He's been director of photography for all of Spike Lee's films, starting when they were students together in New York University's graduate film program. Dickerson has also been cinematographer for John Sayles' "Brother From Another Planet" and "Raw: Eddy Murphy Live."

Interview

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52:30

Daughter of Warhol star looks back on a bohemian childhood in the Chelsea Hotel

Alexandra Auder's mother, Viva, was one of Andy Warhol's muses. Growing up in Warhol's orbit meant Auder's childhood was an unusual one. For several years, Viva, Auder and Auder's younger half-sister, Gaby Hoffmann, lived in the Chelsea Hotel in Manhattan. It was was famous for having been home to Leonard Cohen, Dylan Thomas, Virgil Thomson, and Bob Dylan, among others.

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43:04

This fake 'Jury Duty' really put James Marsden's improv chops on trial

In the series Jury Duty, a solar contractor named Ronald Gladden has agreed to participate in what he believes is a documentary about the experience of being a juror--but what Ronald doesn't know is that the whole thing is fake.

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