George Lucas knocks ‘Star Wars’
“Star Wars” creator George Lucas was at B.M.C.C. last week for a Tribeca Film Festival interview with CBS-bound talk show host Stephen Colbert, who claims to be the movie’s first fan since he was able to see a screening before the premiere. Lucas volunteered that he didn’t care that some criticize the movie’s “wooden dialogue,” according to Matt Barone, a festival blogger. “I believe half of a movie is the sound,” Lucas told Colbert. “The sound is what’s important — the dialogue is not.”
Let there be no light
Financial District residents should rejoice — the plan to light up the top floors of the new 24-story Hotel Indigo at 8-12 Maiden Lane has been nixed.
Nearby residents were furious that the top floors would function as some sort of mysterious watch with each lit on the hour and then at midnight, the 240-foot upper section would be “sheathed in light, which is then extinguished as the process begins anew,” according to a press release last October. Some residents called it obnoxious at a Financial District Committee meeting earlier this month.
Architect Gene Kaufman, who has become infamous in the blogosphere for his work with notorious (at least according to some community members) hotel developer Sam Chang (who does not appear to be involved in this one), designed the interior and exterior of the hotel. LAK Public Relations, which represents Kaufman, said plans didn’t change, and the brouhaha all stems from “an incorrect description of what was always planned” in the press release, which was still being used earlier this month. A new rendering shows a thin, white pole that will now serve as the clock, but no details were given.
Seaport Tidbits
Henry Meer, owner of City Hall, the restaurant, not Mayor de Blasio’s office, plans to open a casual eatery on Pier 16 this July.
“I live down on Fulton and William, so every day I walk my dog down to the pier and I see that it’s in need of sustenance, life and food,” Meer said Tuesday night at Community Board 1’s Seaport Committee meeting.
Meer, also a chef, told us he will be serving a variety of dishes including his famed burgers, as well as gazpacho, beer and wine, with prices ranging from $5 -$12.
He is working with Jonathan Boulware, the South Street Seaport Museum’s leader, who has just been named the permanent executive director, after over a year with the “interim” moniker on his head.
Catherine McVay Hughes, the board’s chairperson, said she was thrilled he finally got the permanent nod because he has been doing a great job.
Boulware was also excited to talk about the museum’s opening for the season with a whole host of special events starting with Councilmember Margaret Chin ringing the majestic bell aboard the Ambrose.
Street rep
We overheard a family of tourists this week on a downtown express A train en route to Fulton St. “That’s Canal St., it’s a big shopping area, ” said the wife.
“I guess that means we’re going to go back there,” was the reply.
“I didn’t bring my good credit card.”
Guess she wasn’t looking for any knockoffs.
