Sunday, August 30, 2009

THROW IT DOWN - DCA FINALS

THROW IT DOWN will be at the DCA Finals in Rochester from:

FRIDAY - Sept 4th - 5:30 PM
SATURDAY - Sept 5th - 2:00 PM
SUNDAY - Sept 6th - 10:00 AM & 5:30 PM

We will have DVD's, T-Shirts and Posters & Free Drum Corps World Newsmagazine.

Stop by and check us out.

Saturday, August 29, 2009

LAS VEGAS MARCHING ARTS - RANDY WARNER

I watched it and as expected LOVED IT. I was riveted to the screen for the entire time. I love the editing, the interviews and, well, being the drum corps fanatic that I am, have to admit, I've seen it three times. - Randy Warner - Las Vegas Marching Arts

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

THROW IT DOWN - PRODUCER - JOHN KELLY OBIT IN PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER

John T. Kelly, college literature instructor
By Walter F. Naedele
Inquirer Staff Writer
John T. Kelly, 71, an English literature teacher at West Chester University from 1968 to 2000, died of a brain tumor Aug. 11 at St. Joseph's Villa, a nursing home in Overland Park, Kan.
Born in Yukon, Okla., he graduated from high school there in 1955. He earned a bachelor's degree in English from St. Louis University in 1959 and a doctorate in medieval literature in 1968 from the University of Oklahoma.
His niece Katy FitzGerald said Mr. Kelly spent his teaching career at West Chester, during which, for nine summers, he took students to Oxford, England, where he taught such classics as Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales.
John Maher, who heads JEM Films in Brookfield, Conn., said Mr. Kelly was the executive producer of a feature-length documentary that Maher directed in 2005 and 2006.
At Oklahoma, Maher said, the two met when "we were part of a little film colony" that produced short films.
"After he retired," Maher said, "he came to me with a project" that resulted in Throw It Down, about an 88-day tour by the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps of Canton, Ohio.
The Bluecoats Web site states that the corps began in 1974 as a program of the Canton Police Boys' Club and evolved into a community-supported group that competes in national and international events.

Monday, August 24, 2009

THROW IT DOWN - REVIEW - THE STAR

BY MARSHALL FINE Entertainment Reviews DVDs
MOVIES
72 Star AUGUST 31, 2009

THROW IT DOWN

WHAT IT’S ABOUT: A documentary that follows the
Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps from Canton, Ohio, as they
compete over 80 days in the summer of 2006.

BANG THE DRUM: Who would’ve thought competitive
marching bands could be so compelling? Beginning with
auditions for the coed squad of 135 performers, the movie
captures the drama on and off the field as several team
members struggle through grueling 12-hour practices for
the glory of a national championship while balancing
relationships with one another. 3 ½ STARS OUT OF 4

Sunday, August 16, 2009

GOODBYE JOHN THOMAS KELLY - COLLEGE FILM

LINK TO OLD COLLEGE FILM "GOODBYE JOHN THOMAS KELLY"

PRODUCER OF THROW IT DOWN

ONE OF THE BEST !!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lY8-x8CXMvA

Thursday, August 13, 2009

THROW IT DOWN PRODUCER - JOHN THOMAS KELLY PASSES AWAY











A great tree has fallen in our forest. John Thomas Kelly the original producer of Throw It Down died on August 11th in Overland Park Kansas. He was 71.

John Kelly was a professor of English at West Chester University in West Chester, Pennsylvania for thirty four years. He taught English and Film Criticism. Dr Kelly was a Runic Scholar and an expert in Old English. For several years he taught a summer course for American students at Cambridge University in England.

He was the driving force behind many of the concepts seen in the film Throw It Down. John Kelly first met the director John Maher at the University of Oklahoma in 1967 where they worked on student films together. Over the years they stayed in contact and completed an elaborate series of film restorations. They started work on the drum corps documentary in 2005 along with another Westchester University Professor Charles Bauerlein.

John Kelly had a short comedy film made about him in 1968. That same year he appeared in the cult film "Hog Creek" directed by Mike Dirham and in "Medium Cool" a film about the Democratic National Convention in Chicago directed by Haskell Wexler.
Mr. Kelly was born in Yukon. Oklahoma on December 6th 1937.

We will always remember your smile, intelligence and kindness.
Goodbye John Thomas Kelly - You really rang the bell.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the National Brain Tumor Society.

Monday, August 10, 2009

MORE DRUM CORPS FINALS PICTURES
















DRUM CORPS FINALS - INDIANAPOLIS





























THROW IT DOWN - OXFORD, OHIO FILM FESTIVAL

NEWS FROM OXFORD, OHIO FILM FESTIVAL

Best Documentary Feature
** "Official Rejection", Paul Osborne
"Throw It Down", John Maher
"Futebol Brasileiro", Miki Kuretani


Best Ohio Feature
** "Finale", John Michael Elfers
"Throw It Down", John Maher
"How I Got Lost", Joe Leonard

http://www.oxfordfilms.com/oiff/awards.html

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

THROW IT DOWN AT DCI FINALS INDIANAPOLIS

Director John Maher will be in Indianapolis from Thursday through Saturday for DCI Finals. Check us out at the Bluecoats Booth. We will have THROW IT DOWN DVD'S, T-Shirts and Posters.

Sunday, August 2, 2009

TWO DAYS at ALLENTOWN DCI SHOW











Just returned from 2 day Allentown DCI show. Got a chance to meet the great David Hill from fieldandfloor.com. All the corps were excellent, I can't see much difference in the top corps. Here are some odds and ends. Allentown has a fantastic set-upset, park like practice areas and nice size competition stadium. As close to drum corps heaven as you can get. On day one I enjoyed the Mandarin show very much, solid hornline and nice flo to the sho. The Academy Color Guard was magical with large yellow handkerchiefs, (I'm sure there is a name for them)that briefly hung in the air. Carolina blue is very popular with the guards. The Bluecoats show was unusual and very entertaining. (Splane Rucy). My nephew Kevin is a huge Cavalier fan and likes their intricate drill style. The Cadets have stepped up their game, big time, from earlier in the year and seem to relish the unacustomed dark horse role. They are en fuego. Oh yeh, the Blue Devils were solid as always. Day two - Again Crossmen capes rule, bonus points for running off the field with capes flapping - It worked for me. Crusaders color guard, nuff said. Santa Clara was constant movement and received a standing Ovation halfway through fast paced drill. Carolina Crown show was my favorite of the two days. What a sound. Lots of up downs on the field. The Crown show builds beautifully. I am a huge sports fan and new to Drum Corps but I see many similarites.

It's on to Indy next week.