Jun 17, 2021 • View in browser

Good morning. ☀️

Today, the golden age of disco, Harry Houdini’s copyright genius, and a docu-series tackles the unsavory history of professional wrestling.

— Hrag Vartanian, editor-in-chief

Photos Capture Golden Age of Discos "Before Bottle Service and Bland Design"

Artist Adrian Wilson got his start photographing European discos, whose unique fixtures included a glowing brain and TVs to watch other visitors.

Valentina Di Liscia

An Alabama Quilting Collective Receives $250K to Build a Museum

The Freedom Quilting Bee Legacy, a nonprofit in Alabama, has received a grant from the Souls Grown Deep Foundation and Community Partnership.

Hakim Bishara

Film and Documentary

The Industry and Leisure of the World's Largest Middle Class

Jessica Kingdon’s new film Ascension documents the factories, etiquette centers, and other contemporary curiosities of China.

Hrag Vartanian

"Summer of 85" Captures the Power (and Angst) of Queer First Love

The latest film from acclaimed director François Ozon revels in the messy imperfection of youth.

Sam Moore

The Japanese Town That's Been Fighting Industrial Pollution for Decades

MINAMATA Mandala, the latest documentary by veteran filmmaker Kazuo Hara, captures the resilience of people left behind by their government.

Ren Scateni

Illuminating Professional Wrestling's Most Unsavory Episodes

The docuseries Dark Side of the Ring is a much-needed corrective to the official story wrestling tells about itself.

Nadine Smith

Clever Copyrighting

Harry Houdini and the Great Copyright Escape

Houdini knew that owning a patent for an illusion did little to stop imitators from stealing his thunder — so he employed a bit of legal sleight of hand.

Sarah Rose Sharp