Our weekly recap highlighting the best feature stories from around the internet.
Taika Waititi at the 2017 Comic-Con convention. Photo: AFP
The Superweirdo Behind ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, by Dan Kois, The New York Times
“Marvel asked Waititi to meet in summer 2015. “I didn’t really think this was my cup of tea,” he said. “It’s always nice to be wanted, though.” Given the brief to pitch directing a “Thor” buddy comedy that he would help write, Waititi suggested “ ‘Withnail & I’ in space,” “just these two people who happen to be superheroes making their way across the universe.” (In this formula, the Hulk is the volatile Withnail figure, and Thor must “take care of this time bomb and keep him out of trouble” as they travel from planet to planet.) In their final meeting, Kevin Feige, the head of Marvel Studios, asked Waititi why he thought he could handle such a gargantuan project. “Because I’ve been doing it in my head my whole life,” Waititi replied. Feige loved that answer, because he feels that’s how he got his job, too.”
Can a Thrash Metal Band Help Save the Māori Language?, by Sylvia Varnham O’Regan, The Atlantic
‘“Metal has the power and anger that allows you to express deep emotions,” Lewis told me over Skype. “It helps us bring light to some unjust actions in the past.” Henry, sitting next to him, nodded in agreement, his long brown hair pulled back in a bun. The teenagers, who are of the tribes Ngāti Pikiao and Ngāti Tuara, have faced repeated questions about their heritage (they are both light-skinned), and were initially worried about how the Māori community might take their music. But the reaction so far has been “overwhelmingly positive,” Henry said.”
Why Do We Let “Genius” Directors Get Away With Abusive Behavior?, by Imran Siddiquee, Buzzfeed
“Men aren’t just given the majority of opportunities in cinema, but are rewarded for making films in a way that reinforces their power and control in society, which we see in the way authoritarian filmmaking itself is glorified. Whether it’s the famously warlike atmosphere of Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, or the “unbearable conditions” reported by the actors of the Palme D’Or–winning Blue Is the Warmest Color, many of the most highly praised films are those that display, in their “craft,” an adherence to hypermasculine ideals of power. And if the popular idea of directing remains primarily about precision, control, and masculinity, then it should be no surprise that it often manifests as expressions of power over women — which often inflict real and lasting damage.”
Colin Farrell and the Art of the Small Comeback, by Cara Buckley, The New York Times
“His antics filled gossip pages, but he swears many of them were lost to blackouts. I asked about the time he kissed a reporter on camera on the red carpet, and his eyes widened. “Did I? Who? Which one?” he asked. “I swear to God, I lost so much time.” A little while later, a button on my blouse popped, and as I quickly refastened it, he steadfastly held my gaze, and then pointed to his eyes. “I kept right here, the whole time,” he teased. “Back in the day I would’ve leaned in for a kiss, obviously.”’
Surviving R. Kelly, by Jason Newman, Rollingstone
“Kelly housed Jones alongside two of his other girlfriends, allegedly demanding that each of them contact Kelly or one of his employees before leaving their room. Despite all three girlfriends living in one location, Jones says the singer at first tried to ensure none of them knew the others were living there. There were no locks on the doors, but cameras monitored every move and Kelly would punish the women for attempting to leave for any reason without permission. (The source who knew Kelly independently confirmed Kelly's rules with his girlfriends to Rolling Stone.) Kelly would frequently take away Jones' phone as punishment – sometimes as long as two months – cutting off her ability to request food or perform basic functions, according to Jones and the other source who knew him.”
My Father, Woody Allen, and the Danger of Questions Unasked, by Ronan Farrow, The Hollywood Reporter
“Being in the media as my sister's story made headlines, and Woody Allen's PR engine revved into action, gave me a window into just how potent the pressure can be to take the easy way out. Every day, colleagues at news organizations forwarded me the emails blasted out by Allen's powerful publicist, who had years earlier orchestrated a robust publicity campaign to validate my father's sexual relationship with another one of my siblings. Those emails featured talking points ready-made to be converted into stories, complete with validators on offer — therapists, lawyers, friends, anyone willing to label a young woman confronting a powerful man as crazy, coached, vindictive. At first, they linked to blogs, then to high-profile outlets repeating the talking points — a self-perpetuating spin machine.”
The Family that built an Empire on Pain, by Patrick Radden Keefe
“Within five years of its introduction, OxyContin was generating a billion dollars a year. “There is no sign of it slowing down,” Richard Sackler told a team of company representatives in 2000. The sales force was heavily incentivized to push the drug. In a memo, a sales manager in Tennessee wrote, “$$$$$$$$$$$$$ It’s Bonus Time in the Neighborhood!” May, who was assigned to the Virginia area, was astonished to learn that especially skillful colleagues were earning hundreds of thousands of dollars in commissions. One year, May’s own sales were so brisk that Purdue rewarded him with a trip to Hawaii. As prescriptions multiplied, Purdue executives—and the Sackler family members on the company’s board—appeared happy to fund such blandishments. Internal budget plans described the company’s sales force as its “most valuable resource.” In 2001, Purdue Pharma paid forty million dollars in bonuses.”