A Frank Blair (1915) hologram
\nbleakly announces the death of Sun Ra (’93).
\nSo opens the new Howard Hawks (1896) film,
\na bizarre new take on the murder of Joan of Arc in 1431,
\nstarring Keir Dullea (1936) and Michael J. Pollard (1936)
\nas a conjoined-twins version of the heroine, voiced by Mel Blanc (1908),
\nwhose last vision is of Jimi Hendrix at Berkeley (1970),
\nthe great lefty axeman portrayed by Stepin Fetchit (1892)
\nin a marvel of editing. An uncredited walk on by Clint Walker (1927)
\nas Turk Lown (1924) relieves tension and leads to the final gasp
\nas Gayle Sayers (1943) and Lydell Mitchell (1949) arise from the pyre
\nas Joan’s conjoined souls and are transplanted into the bodies of
\nMike Sadek (1946) and Mike LaCoss (1956) as life’s eternal battery.
\nSomewhere in the mix, Max Carey dies (’76).
\nHe is played, with lifelike precision, by John Felske (1942).
\nJoan’s song vocals by Idina Menzel (1971).
\n“Hymn To Sun Ra” by Ceelo Green (1974).
\nThe movie is dedicated to the memory of Claude Pepper (d. ’89).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"