FRESH AIR
The Dark Knight lived up to its hype. The latest installment in the Batman film series set records with its opening weekend, taking in an estimated $155 million at the box office. Spider-Man 3 previously held the record, taking in 
$151 million last year. Director and screenwriter Christopher Nolan and actor Christian Bale are two of the driving forces behind the blockbuster’s success. The Dark Knight is the third collaboration for the pair, who previously worked together on Batman Begins and the dueling-illusionists thriller The Prestige. Nolan first made a name for himself with the Oscar-nominated low-budget hit Memento. He went on to direct the murder mystery Insomnia before reviving the Batman franchise. In addition to starring as Batman in the franchise’s last two films, Bale has had major roles in the films 3:10 to Yuma, Rescue Dawn, American Psycho and The Machinist. He is slated to appear in the next Terminator film.
RADIO TIMES
Hour 1
With gasoline prices soaring, President Bush has proposed more domestic drilling, including off-shore drilling. Last week he lifted an executive ban on off-shore exploration of the Continental shelf and is pressing Congress to do the same. This hour, a look at oil drilling in the United States with energy expert MATTHEW SIMMONS, Chairman of Simmons and Company. Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3
Hour 2
BOB SHEASLEY is a copy editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer who also raises chickens on his small farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. He wrote a book about the history and behavior of chickens as well as his own reflections on growing up and living on farms. It’s titled “Home to Roost: A Backyard Farmer Chases Chickens Through the Ages.” Listen to this show via Real Audio | mp3
THE WORLD CAFE
Monday July 21, 2008
Lillywhite Session: She and Him
Produced by the legendary Steve Lillywhite, She & Him join host David Dye on the World Café for a performance as part of the 
World Café Lillywhite Sessions series from Avatar Studios. Since an initial collaboration on a single for The Go-Getter film soundtrack, M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel went on to record a full-length collection of her demos. Entitled Volume One, the album seamlessly combines her syrupy-sweet voice with his simplistic yet stunning instrumentals. Through love-lost and love-found songs, She & Him capture sounds and rhythms from the best of America’s mid-century.