James Marsh

GET yourself right with God. This is the spiritual life raft that floats through the very still, very murky waters of "The King." Each of the film's characters -- believers and sinners all -- reaches for it, but even those who grasp its promise of divine grace discover that redemption often entails a devastating bargain.

In late November 1973, a young woman from New York went to Norman, Okla., to adopt the newest and youngest member of her family. It wasn't a human baby she was bringing home to Manhattan, however, but rather a 2-week-old chimpanzee, destined to be part of an audacious experiment to see if a member of another species could be taught to communicate with humans. The unforeseen ways that notion played out over the next two dozen years is the subject of James Marsh's unsettling "Project Nim," which won the best directing award for world documentary at Sundance.

James Marsh (director) and Simon Chinn (producer) "Man on Wire" "Man on Wire," part thriller, part existential mood piece, told the story of how French acrobat Philippe Petit walked on a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Director Marsh called Petit to the stage while accepting the award, and Petit duly sprinted up. After remarks by Marsh and producer Chinn, Petit announced "the shortest speech in Oscar history -- yes!"

An 18th century novel doesn't seem like an obvious inspiration for a documentary about a chimpanzee in a modern scientific experiment, but that's part of what influenced James Marsh when he made "Project Nim. " Like Henry Fielding's sprawling epic, "Tom Jones," Marsh says, his film about a charismatic primate who learns to use sign language "holds up a mirror" to the world around his protagonist. That mirror is not always flattering to the well-heeled bohemians, student idealists and researchers who came into Nim Chimpsky's orbit starting in the 1970s.

In 1973 writer Michael Lesy published "Wisconsin Death Trip," in which he juxtaposed photos taken in the town of Black Rivers Falls, Wis., between 1890 and 1900, with accounts from the Badger State Banner that suggest this particular community was cursed. Lesy's disturbing book, which gave the lie to the myth of idyllic small-town life in 19th century America, was received with much acclaim.

In late November 1973, a young woman from New York went to Norman, Okla., to adopt the newest and youngest member of her family. It wasn't a human baby she was bringing home to Manhattan, however, but rather a 2-week-old chimpanzee, destined to be part of an audacious experiment to see if a member of another species could be taught to communicate with humans. The unforeseen ways that notion played out over the next two dozen years is the subject of James Marsh's unsettling "Project Nim," which won the best directing award for world documentary at Sundance.

An 18th century novel doesn't seem like an obvious inspiration for a documentary about a chimpanzee in a modern scientific experiment, but that's part of what influenced James Marsh when he made "Project Nim. " Like Henry Fielding's sprawling epic, "Tom Jones," Marsh says, his film about a charismatic primate who learns to use sign language "holds up a mirror" to the world around his protagonist. That mirror is not always flattering to the well-heeled bohemians, student idealists and researchers who came into Nim Chimpsky's orbit starting in the 1970s.

A Newhall woman, who was injured late Sunday when the motorcycle on which she was a passenger slammed into a truck at a Lancaster intersection, has died, sheriff's deputies said Wednesday. Angel Janes, 29, died Tuesday at Lancaster Community Hospital, where she was being treated for injuries received in the collision at 50th Street East and Avenue K. In an earlier report, deputies incorrectly identified Janes as a Tujunga resident.

A motorcycle slammed into a truck at a Lancaster intersection Sunday night, killing the rider and seriously injuring his passenger. The Los Angeles County coroner's office identified the motorcyclist Monday as James Marsh, 32, of Sunland. Sheriff's traffic investigators said the collision occurred at 9:25 p.m. when Marsh failed to stop for a stop sign while riding south on 50th Street East.

The Art Commission recently selected eight winning designs for the 1999 Banners 2000 Competition. Out of 22 designs submitted, seven people were declared winning designers: Kristen Adams; Erika Bauer-Lemmon, who won with two designs; Colleen Corbett; James Nelson; Marsh Scott; Diane Stroebel; and Mike Tauber. Donations from the Festival of Arts, Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau, Laguna Playhouse, First Team Nolan and John Madison of Madison Square Cafe and Garden supported the 1999 competition.

James Marsh (director) and Simon Chinn (producer) "Man on Wire" "Man on Wire," part thriller, part existential mood piece, told the story of how French acrobat Philippe Petit walked on a tightrope between the two towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Director Marsh called Petit to the stage while accepting the award, and Petit duly sprinted up. After remarks by Marsh and producer Chinn, Petit announced "the shortest speech in Oscar history -- yes!"

GET yourself right with God. This is the spiritual life raft that floats through the very still, very murky waters of "The King." Each of the film's characters -- believers and sinners all -- reaches for it, but even those who grasp its promise of divine grace discover that redemption often entails a devastating bargain.

In 1973 writer Michael Lesy published "Wisconsin Death Trip," in which he juxtaposed photos taken in the town of Black Rivers Falls, Wis., between 1890 and 1900, with accounts from the Badger State Banner that suggest this particular community was cursed. Lesy's disturbing book, which gave the lie to the myth of idyllic small-town life in 19th century America, was received with much acclaim.

Richard J. Phillips, vice president and chief engineer of Hillman, Biddison & Loevenguth, an engineering firm with offices in Los Angeles, has been elected president of the Structural Engineers Assn. of Southern California. Other new officers include Gerald D. Lehmer, president-elect; Robert S. White, vice president; Walter D. Saunders, treasurer, and James W. Marsh, secretary.

Tribune Co., which is bulking up its newspaper business with a planned $6.8-billion purchase of Los Angeles-based Times Mirror Co., said it hired Salomon Smith Barney Inc. to explore the sale of its educational publishing unit. Tribune Education is the largest U.S. publisher of supplemental school materials such as workbooks. The business could fetch as much as $800 million, Prudential Securities analyst James Marsh said.