Factory Porn

December 6, 2008 8:52 AM

Eames Shell Chair - Something of how they get the way they are. Video.
posted by Manhasset (24 comments total)

Beautiful. Ingenious. Dangerous. Uncomfortable.
posted by cogneuro at 9:11 AM on December 6, 2008 [1 favorite]

Charles and Ray Eames. Not only famous chairs for Herman Miller, but the movie Powers of Ten and the Eames House.
posted by stbalbach at 9:13 AM on December 6, 2008

There is a DVD collection of all the Eames' films. This is on there.
posted by Sys Rq at 9:17 AM on December 6, 2008

Sorry, all I could think while watching this is "OMG THOSE PEOPLE ARE GRASPING RAW FIBERGLASS WITH THEIR BARE HANDS!!!"

Ouch, ouch, ouch. Been there, done that, don't ever want to be reminded of it. I'm assuming it was a simulation, but it was still too much for me to watch.
posted by treepour at 9:26 AM on December 6, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oh yeah.. the Eames Lounge Chair assembly video. Neat stuff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SWL4gTQfTA
posted by chibikeandy at 9:30 AM on December 6, 2008

So in 1970 did that employee really handle raw glass fiber all day with bare hands?

The difficulty with designing a chair to perfectly fit the human form is in finding the guy who will be the only one sitting in that chair. Within fifteen minutes, most people in the room will have assumed the rigid, two point posture, legs straight out.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 9:32 AM on December 6, 2008

Sorry, all I could think while watching this is "OMG THOSE PEOPLE ARE GRASPING RAW FIBERGLASS WITH THEIR BARE HANDS!!!"

Indeed. If given the choice, I'd rather work at the beanbag chair factory.
posted by Tube at 9:41 AM on December 6, 2008

Neat video.

A good friend of mine has two Eames Shells with side panels (you see a blue one near the end of the video) Most uncomfortable thing I have ever sat in. Seriously. There is only one position you can assume in the thing (the rigid sitting android pose), and it was not one my body preferred. My lower back aches after spending just 10 minutes in those things. Cool looking chairs, though.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:47 AM on December 6, 2008

Beautiful piece of film.

I have an old unupholstered DAR Style Bucket Chair, and it's incredibly comfy, even for my bony arse. (Admittedly I can only sit in it while wearing jeans, though - in trousers you just sort of slide right off it, which is a wee bit of a design flaw.)
posted by jack_mo at 10:28 AM on December 6, 2008

I just assumed the Eames workers were higher than kites, and could feel no pain. The music and title indicate this was done in that infamous love and drugs period of our culture, circa late 50s to early 70s. Between the acid, resin fumes, and weed, their biggest problem was probably ignoring the space spiders, not itchiness.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:46 AM on December 6, 2008

Aha, the end tells the tale: produced in 1970, and the following warning

Historical Note: Production techniques used at the time this film was made may no longer be used today. Since then, production methods have changed and improved as hazards have been recognized and eliminated.

I imagine that also means they're no longer battling the space spiders.
posted by five fresh fish at 10:54 AM on December 6, 2008

I just assumed the Eames workers were higher than kites, and could feel no pain.

Herman Miller (where this was filmed) is in Zeeland, MI--the heart of the heart of the land of the Christian Reformed Church in America (Calvinism, old-school, baby). Drinking, dancing, and any other sort of fleshly pleasure was suspect, if not outright forbidden around them parts.

The only thing thse folks were high on was Jeebus.
posted by Chrischris at 11:44 AM on December 6, 2008

The only thing thse folks were high on was Jeebus.

...and fumes. Lots and lots of fumes.
posted by Sys Rq at 11:48 AM on December 6, 2008

...and tiny glass slivers. In their hands and lungs.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:01 PM on December 6, 2008

The soundtrack was AMAZING!
posted by TheCoug at 12:21 PM on December 6, 2008

Great film. Amazing editing for a 1970 production. Worth watching twice.
posted by BrotherCaine at 1:04 PM on December 6, 2008

Yeah, the photography and editing were amazing. Ahead of their time, perhaps.
posted by zardoz at 2:12 PM on December 6, 2008

Yeah... I had to cringe at the glass fibers part, and the molten metal ladle.

Also, most of it was indistinguishable from the opening credits for Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
posted by odinsdream at 2:54 PM on December 6, 2008

Art and chairs! Two great things that go great together. More: art chair and architect chair.

I love chairs. I use one every day. Right now I'm sitting on a poäng, my buttocks gently cradled by good design.
posted by twoleftfeet at 3:29 PM on December 6, 2008

Was I the only one getting slightly turned on by this?
posted by MiltonRandKalman at 4:26 PM on December 6, 2008

Related – American Look "expressing not only the American love of beauty but also the basic freedom of the American people which is the freedom of individual choice".
posted by tellurian at 5:31 PM on December 6, 2008

So in 1970 did that employee really handle raw glass fiber all day with bare hands?

No, just every time he designed a new chair. Once every 6 months maybe?
posted by DU at 5:35 PM on December 6, 2008

(Also, if you can ignore the narration, How It's Made is similar to this, except that you have some idea what's going on and can see the action better.)
posted by DU at 5:37 PM on December 6, 2008

Huh. That was really really neat. The molten metal (whatever it was) was the most fascinating part, hahah.

Though I have to say, the chair even looked uncomfortable to sit on. Like twoleftfeet, I much prefer my beloved poäng chair.
posted by Phire at 11:56 PM on December 6, 2008