Wikipedia:Main Page history/2016 March 19

the free encyclopedia that anyone can edit.

From today's featured article

Eraserhead is a 1977 American surrealist body horror film written and directed by filmmaker David Lynch. Shot in black-and-white, it is Lynch's first feature-length film, coming after several short works. Starring Jack Nance, Charlotte Stewart, Jeanne Bates, Judith Anna Roberts, Laurel Near, and Jack Fisk, it tells the story of Henry Spencer (Nance), who is left to care for his grossly deformed child in a desolate industrial landscape. Eraserhead spent several years in principal photography because of the difficulty of funding the film. It was produced with the assistance of the American Film Institute during the director's time studying there, and donations from Fisk and his wife Sissy Spacek kept production afloat. Lynch and sound designer Alan Splet spent a year working on the film's audio. Eraserhead earned positive reviews, especially for its intricate sound design, but only gained popularity after several long runs as a midnight movie. Its surrealist imagery and sexual undercurrents have been seen as key thematic elements. In 2004 the film was preserved in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. (Full article...)

Recently featured:

Did you know...

Amanda Sidwall self-portrait

... that Amanda Sidwall (self-portait pictured) was one of the first women to study at the Royal Swedish Academy of Arts?
... that the light, crisp, smoky, and highly carbonated Grodziskie beer was once nicknamed "Polish Champagne"?
... that the soprano Greta De Reyghere recorded Bach's motets, Mozart's vespers, and music by the Belgian composers Joseph Ryelandt and Joseph-Hector Fiocco?
... that Aquaveo software was used to simulate a terrorist attack on the Jordanelle Reservoir during the 2002 Winter Olympics?
... that Leroy Brown was repeatedly struck by a bottle during a match in Japan, much to the amusement of other wrestlers on the tour?
... that the whitefin sharksucker often attaches itself to a large fish or turtle?
... that at the age of 18, Sheldon Creed became the youngest driver to compete in the Dakar Rally?
... that Liaozhai author Pu Songling was critical of people who worshipped mythical characters like the Monkey King?

In the news

Crash site of Flydubai Flight 981

Flydubai Flight 981 crashes while attempting to land at Rostov-on-Don Airport, Russia, killing all 62 people onboard (crash site pictured).
Salah Abdeslam is arrested in Molenbeek, Belgium, in connection with the November 2015 Paris attacks.
Marcel Hirscher and Lara Gut win the overall titles in the Alpine Skiing World Cup.
Andrew Wiles wins the Abel Prize for his proof of Fermat's Last Theorem.
An explosion in Ankara, Turkey, kills 37 people and injures at least 125 others.
At least 18 people are killed in shootings at a beach resort in Grand-Bassam, Ivory Coast.

Ongoing events:
- Zika virus outbreak
- European migrant crisis
Recent deaths:

On this day...

March 19: Father's Day in various countries; St Joseph's Day (Western Christianity)

Clara Zetkin

1279 – Emperor Bing, the last emperor of the Song dynasty, died during the Battle of Yamen, bringing the dynasty to an end after three centuries.
1911 – Socialist German politician Clara Zetkin (pictured) established the first International Women's Day.
1941 – The Tuskegee Airmen, the first all-African American unit of the United States Army Air Corps, was activated.
1962 – Highly influential American musician Bob Dylan released his eponymous debut album.
2008 – The gamma-ray burst GRB 080319B, the farthest object that could be seen by the naked eye, was observed.

More anniversaries:

Today's featured picture

Wells Cathedral, an Anglican cathedral in Wells, Somerset, as viewed from the reflecting pool in the grounds of the Bishop's Palace. The cathedral, dedicated to St Andrew the Apostle, is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells. The present cathedral, built from 1175 to 1490, replaced an earlier church built on the site in 705. Its architecture is in the Gothic style, mostly the Early English Gothic of the late 12th and early 13th centuries.

Photograph: Rod Ward

Recently featured:

Archive
More featured pictures...

Other areas of Wikipedia

Community portal – Bulletin board, projects, resources and activities covering a wide range of Wikipedia areas.
Help desk – Ask questions about using Wikipedia.
Local embassy – For Wikipedia-related communication in languages other than English.
Reference desk – Serving as virtual librarians, Wikipedia volunteers tackle your questions on a wide range of subjects.
Site news – Announcements, updates, articles and press releases on Wikipedia and the Wikimedia Foundation.
Village pump – For discussions about Wikipedia itself, including areas for technical issues and policies.