paul chaderjian

Time magazine’s Richard Schikel and Christian Science Monitor’s David Sterritt are among those who have said that filmmaker Robert Altman captures in his films the essence of American life, its uncertainties and its confusion. This accurate interpretation and summary of Robert Altman’s talent as a filmmaker can be exemplified by the realities he has created in THE PLAYER, MCCABE AND MRS. MILLER, SHORT CUTS and NASHVILLE. The first of these films, THE PLAYER, is about a Hollywood movie industry executive, Griffen Mill, who murders a screenwriter, because Mill thinks the writer has been sending him anonymous postcards and threatening his life. Mill tracks down the unsuccessful and unproduced writer, buys the man a drink then ends up killing him and covering up the murder by making it look like a robbery.   The “Player,” Mill, escapes murder charges, because an eye-witness identifies the homicide detective, played by Lyle Lovitt, as the murderer. Mill escaped the accusations an...

Filmmaker Martin Scorsese's central theme of man's isolated and alienated existence can be best exemplified by a review of the plight of his three lead characters in TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL and BRINGING OUT THE DEAD. In these films, the central characters are men who lack the social skills to function productively in civilization. Because these characters are unable to connect with others, they do not benefit from the support of family, loved ones or other social units. Alone in the world, alienated and isolated, they are overwhelmed by their environment and by the hyper-competitive and selfish, individualism-focused modern day society. The lack of productive socialization, the pace of a me-first modern race in life and a congested and overwhelming city leads all three characters to lose the concept of rational thought and react to others and to society in socially unacceptable, destructive, criminal and at times homicidal behaviors.   In TAXI DRIVER, Travis is a Vietnam ...

by Paul Chaderjian September 14 2002 San Francisco, California - Center stage at the 900-seat Herbst Theatre in the heart of the City by the Bay, Nune Yesayan, Armenia's pop diva, effortlessly romanced her audience with great passion and grand emotion on Sunday night.  "The concert was amazing," said 30-year-old Cory Shakarian, who stood in suit and tie in the lobby of the War Memorial Performing Arts Center after the concert, observing several hundred people waiting for autographs and photographs. "Nune's voice was captivating and mesmerizing. She captured the audience's attention with her soothing voice and brought them to their feet with joyful bursts of energy." Under the gleaming spotlight of the most elegant and intimate stage in San Francisco, Nune's presence permeated from center stage to the last row of the balconies, enveloping her diverse audience in the essence of Armenian culture and history. Enjoying Nune's renditions of Armenian f...

Book review by Paul Chaderjian (2002) Viken Berberian's “The Cyclist” takes readers to places they've never been in fiction and in literature, while entertaining and challenging their intellect and emotions. Berberian offers the reader insight into a geographically and intellectually foreign world, which is now part of our post-9-11 reality. Berberian does this while questioning and challenging us to philosophically examine what it is to be human, live in a divided community, and what we want of our collective global reality. Berberian's story begins with a simple question many have asked and wondered: what happens to those who live in a continuous state of trauma in embattled communities and war-torn countries? Berberian asks, how does one cope with life in a divided society, where neighbors are now enemies, where populations are victims of terrorism, where people live with the threat of terrorist attacks? His answer is a lyrical and creative glimpse i...

By Paul Chaderjian August 25, 2002 (Irvine) - Onnig Zerounian dreams big. Call him a visionary, an entrepreneur, a dreamer. Zerounian thinks big, and he has a keen sense of success. These days, aside from planning when he'll see Armenia's most successful pop star perform in the US, he is thinking about the possibility of a "Silicon Valley East" in Armenia. As much as Zerounian likes the idea of Nune -- a 21st century Armenian minstrel, who travels the globe and sings her people's music the masses -- he is equally enamored with the idea of a bustling, 21st century industrial region near Yerevan. Silicon Valley East would eventually be home to a dynamic cluster of internationally competitive businesses, manufacturing electronic boards, computers, conductors, hardware and software. When Zerounian was invited by the Armenian government to bring his ideas and proven business practices to the homeland, he accepted. As owner of the respected and well-known Southern Calif...

By Paul Chaderjian Aug 20, 2002 Fresno – Popular Armenian recording star Nune Yesayan will make her return to Fresno television this Sunday, August 25th at 8:00pm on KVPT TV 18, Central California's PBS affiliate (Cable 8). The KVPT "Nune Special" will feature the performer's two most recent music videos and performances from her recent concert in Armenia called "NY for NY" (Nune Yesayan for New York). The solidarity concert in May was dedicated to the victims of the September 11th terror attacks against the US. "I wanted to send a message to New York that we Armenians know what it's like to lose thousands of our loved ones," said Nune. Believing in the message of the "NY for NY" concert, nearly 6,000 Armenians from Yerevan and the Armenian Diaspora attended the May concerts at the Hamalir Stadium in Yerevan. "Armenians have suffered similar pains, different in nature, of course, but that's why we can relate much easier to th...

By Paul Chaderjian August 1, 2002 Fresno – The Armenian Community School will kick off the school year with a benefit concert featuring internationally-popular Armenian recording and performing star Nuné (NOO-neh). The fundraiser featuring Nuné will take place on Saturday, September 14th at 7:00 p.m. at the Tower Theatre in Fresno -- one week before Armenia's pop diva appears in concert at the Kodak Theatre in  Hollywood. After the Southern California performance, Nuné will perform in San Francisco, Chicago, Detroit, Boston, Washington, D.C., Toronto and Montreal. "When I heard Nuné was planning a tour," said Armenian Community School principal Rosie Bedrosian, "I asked her managers if she would consider performing in Fresno to help us out again. Nuné agreed, and we can't think of a better way to kick off our school year. We're very excited." "The Nuné Phenomenon is new a one for the Armenian Diaspora," said publicist Houri Vartanian. "At ...