Ed Rampell

Ed Rampell is an LA-based film historian and critic, author of "Progressive Hollywood: A People’s Film History of the United States," and co-author of "The Hawaii Movie and Television Book." He has written for Variety, Television Quarterly, Cineaste, New Times L.A., and other publications. Rampell lived in Tahiti, Samoa, Hawaii, and Micronesia, reporting on the nuclear-free and independent Pacific and Hawaiian Sovereignty movements.

LATEST ARTICLES BY Ed Rampell

Culture

‘Moroni for President’: A gay Mormon Navajo freedom fighter
September 28, 2018 By Ed Rampell
Based on its name, I thought it might be a satire based on Trump about a moron running for the White House. But to paraphrase an old saying, don’t judge a film by its title.
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Culture

‘Bethany Hamilton: Unstoppable’ rides the wild surf undefeated
September 26, 2018 By Ed Rampell
Aaron Lieber’s exquisitely shot Unstoppable is the second feature-length film about the 13-year-old Kauai girl whose arm was bitten off by a tiger shark in 2003.
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Arts

Intrigue in the palace: Verdi’s ‘Don Carlo’ and the Don in D.C.
September 25, 2018 By Ed Rampell
This stunningly impressive production weighs in at almost 3.5 hours.
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Culture

‘The Advocates’: Gimme shelter and much more
September 24, 2018 By Ed Rampell
The Advocates is certainly well-meaning and does shed a lot of light on the human toll of our “urban refugees."
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Culture

‘All Night Long’: Blowing up the nuclear family
September 17, 2018 By Ed Rampell
Insomniacs and those who enjoy their comedy to be bittersweet and full of sometimes venomous fun are likely to love this piece.
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Culture

Brown on Black: The wide world of Blackness
September 13, 2018 By Ed Rampell
The opening night audience, which was largely African American, seemed to greatly enjoy and appreciate the show, as did white ticket buyers.
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Culture

Amazing Aretha: L.A.’s Black community and others gracefully honor Queen of Soul
September 10, 2018 By Ed Rampell

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Arts

“Screwball Comedy”: A comic collision of classes
August 20, 2018 By Ed Rampell
In Norm Foster’s Screwball Comedy the Canadian playwright emulates movies of the film genre of the same name that had their heyday during the Depression.
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