February 5, 2011

The Story Beyond the Still

The Story Beyond the Still began with a film by Pulitzer Prize winner Vincent Laforet who was given a still image to interpret into a short film shot with the Canon 7D. This film became the first chapter in the Story Beyond The Still contest which also ended on a still photograph for contest goers to interpret into the next chapter of the story. This pattern continued for another six user-generated chapters with each chapter winner continuing the story by interpreting the previous chapter's ending still image. Now, a year and over 275 submissions later, the contest has come to a close and the final chapter is complete and premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.
posted by netbros at 8:25 PM PST - 8 comments

"I've Been Thrown Out of Some of the Best Churches in America."

He began his musical career as Georgia Tom, playing barrelhouse piano in one of Al Capone’s Chicago speakeasies... [more inside]
posted by magstheaxe at 8:17 PM PST - 4 comments

Sitting Dance

Sitting Dance. Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor. [more inside]
posted by kmz at 7:48 PM PST - 33 comments

She was known as The Little Pepper

Elis Regina was perhaps the biggest Brazilian popstar of her time. The clip in the first link is a single song from a TV special she did in 1973, at the height of her powers, and which has been put online in its entirety. The song, Águas de Março, was a Tom Jobim composition, which they sang together on the album Elis & Tom, which also featured such gems as Corcovado, Inútil paisagem and Triste. Over her career Elis Regina worked with a who's who of Brazilian popular music, and there's quite a lot of material out there. The best places I've found are YouTube channels elisetom1974, Eurachel and, though the Elis Regina material is mixed in with other stuff, jordaoqualquer is a treasure trove. Elis Regina died from an alcohol and cocaine overdose in 1982, 36 years of age. Last year NPR had a short appreciation of her as part of its 50 Great Voices series.
posted by Kattullus at 6:12 PM PST - 26 comments

The logical design evolution of the fixed-gear bicycle is the unicycle.

Does your fixed-gear bicycle have too many moving parts? Well, have I got the solution for you!
posted by schmod at 6:00 PM PST - 89 comments

I LOVE SHAMU

Single Link Saturday Night Dance Party: The neon-dripped hallucinatory candy-pop world ofBrite Futures' - Sideways Pony Tail [more inside]
posted by The Whelk at 5:51 PM PST - 24 comments

Turn Me On Dead Man

In 2006, YouTube user iamaphoney began posting a series of videos exploring the mysterious 1966 death of Paul McCartney. After eighty installments, they have released a documentary summarizing the findings. [more inside]
posted by battleshipkropotkin at 4:24 PM PST - 67 comments

Geneva Jacuzzi

Geneva Jacuzzi's music is described as "quasi-occult mystery, flippant wit and quizzical torch, enshrined in the unsuspecting and jazzy veneer of sundry electronic music styles that range from darkwave goth-lounge to tropicalia." With Ariel Pink and TRS-80
posted by puny human at 4:00 PM PST - 8 comments

Austin Church Gap

This guy nearly made the St. Mary's Church gap in downtown Austin, Texas. You could say this guy technically landed it, but he didn't ride away. As far as we know, only Jimmy Levan has ever cleared it clean. [more inside]
posted by spikeleemajortomdickandharryconnickjrmints at 3:33 PM PST - 48 comments

"I don’t study the subaltern… I learn from the subaltern."

A conversation with Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak. A long interview with Spivak, one of the foremost literary and philosophical thinkers of her generation, published today in the Hindu Times. Topics covered include her arrival in America as a 19 year old grad student, translating Derrida, falling out with Kristeva, her family, feminism, the complexity of her critical language, and the future of Marxism, among others.
posted by jokeefe at 3:19 PM PST - 74 comments

The Eternal Champion

When Hari Kunzru met Michael Moorcock
posted by Artw at 3:02 PM PST - 25 comments

Galaxy Quest 20th anniversary reunion show

Galaxy Quest: The Documentary. Before the movie, there was the tv series, which, oddly enough, appears never to have been syndicated or given a proper IMdB entry, which leads many people to claim that the show never existed. Oh, yeah? Then by Grabthar's Hammer, explain why we have this wonderful little reunion show with the entire cast. Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. (via) [more inside]
posted by maudlin at 1:17 PM PST - 107 comments

The delightfully bitchy obituary of Princesse Ghislaine de Polignac

Princesse Ghislaine de Polignac, who has died aged 92, was the former wife of Prince Edmond de Polignac, and more than once survived crises that would have consigned a less determined person to social ostracism. Here's a sketch of her as a younger woman.
posted by Mr. Gunn at 12:54 PM PST - 30 comments

"Ohhh, we are gonna get so much crap for that...."

How it Should Have Ended: Terminator / Star Trek / Aliens / The Empire Strikes Back and more.... Links contain spoilers
posted by zarq at 12:34 PM PST - 33 comments

The Service Roads that Inspired a Thousand Films

Pictures of Alleys, mostly in Los Angeles
posted by Weebot at 12:31 PM PST - 7 comments

E is for "Ewwwww!": How Barbara Hyde, spokeswoman for the American Society for Microbiology, reacted to last year’s news that Snyder’s vendors were selling beer in the bathrooms.

The Washington Redskins, with a 6-10 record this season, may not be anywhere near the Super Bowl, but they're still getting media attention this week thanks to unpopular owner Dan Snyder. In November, the Washington City Paper published an A-to-Z guide of Snyder's perceived sins, including bankrupting little old ladies, running scammy fan events, cashing in on 9/11, and selling expired peanuts. The piece was accompanied by a photo of Snyder with scribbled-on devil horns and goatee -- a depiction Snyder decried as anti-Semitic. Snyder also denies several of the claims made in the A-to-Z piece and threatens legal action in letters to Washington City Paper (republished here, along with WCP's shrugging response). Above the Law expresses doubts about Snyder's claims and notes that it's the first time the owner of the unfortunately-named Redksins has ever seemed to care about ethnic slurs. Meanwhile on Twitter, #snyderlibel commences some serious Snyder-mocking.
posted by naoko at 11:23 AM PST - 45 comments

How Chinatown Falsifies History and Why Dragnet Is Like Ozu

Los Angeles Plays Itself is a dazzling cinematic essay by the filmmaker Thom Andersen about how the city of Los Angeles is portrayed in films. Watch it now on YouTube: Part 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 [more inside]
posted by jonp72 at 10:53 AM PST - 36 comments

Remember to include the sentence "I blue myself."

Tired of waiting for that Arrested Development movie? Make your own with these Arrested Development paper dolls (courtesy of Kyle Hilton).
posted by Katemonkey at 10:35 AM PST - 34 comments

A resource and information centre for edible and otherwise useful plants.

There are over 20,000 species of edible plants in the world yet fewer than 20 species now provide 90% of our food. Over ten years ago, Ken Fern began compiling a database, which currently consists of approximately 7000 species of plants.
In Plants for a Future are listed ( among others) The edibles; and a plant Top 20 as well as the Top Rated Medicinal Plants.
There is also a documentary and a book which is reviewed here.
posted by adamvasco at 9:26 AM PST - 21 comments

LOST Answers

LOST Answers. Damon Lindelof tweeted about it. Now you can get answers to all of those unanswered burning LOST questions. From a "Scientist" no less.
posted by morganannie at 9:09 AM PST - 48 comments

Infographic Apotheosis

99% Invisible is a quick hit public radio show about design by producer Roman Mars. The show recently kicked off its second season with a look at the periodic table (the "infographic apotheosis"), but season one includes episodes on maps, designing human habitats in space, city flags, semi-private public space, blind architect Chris Downey and more. [more inside]
posted by l33tpolicywonk at 7:46 AM PST - 8 comments

"He's just not that into anyone"

How Porn is Affecting the Libido of the American Male
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 6:47 AM PST - 480 comments

iStockPhoto + Photoshop + Books

Cover clones are examples of books using the same cover art or stock photos. See also: Copycat Covers, Reusable Cover Art, and The Dangers of Stock Photography. (via)
posted by blue_beetle at 5:55 AM PST - 13 comments

The Dark Cloud hanging over most Super Bowls

Not too excited about the upcoming Black Eyed Peas Super Bowl halftime show? Take heart, it probably won't be the worst one ever.
posted by Midnight Rambler at 5:00 AM PST - 75 comments

it's what we're made of

Light Skeletons by artist Janne Parviainen
posted by Ardiril at 4:07 AM PST - 3 comments

What I told you was true, from a certain point of view...

Star Wars Begins. Fan documentarian Jambe Davdar has completed has completed his third documentary about the original Star Wars trilogy. He's re-cut all three films, editing in alternate takes, deleted scenes, original audio, with quotes from various interviews and commentaries and recordings playing over the footage like the ultimate DVD commentary. [via] [more inside]
posted by crossoverman at 1:13 AM PST - 53 comments

The End of Japan's National Sport?

In March of 2009, the Japan Sumo Association won a lawsuit against Kodansha, a large Japanese publishing house. Kodansha had alleged that match fixing was rampant in Sumo, even at the highest levels. However, in the last week, police have discovered text messages between wrestlers showing proof of fixing, including negotiation over compensation. [more inside]
posted by Ghidorah at 12:17 AM PST - 24 comments

I will be completely inebriated with the exuberance of my own verbosity.

A great English icon visited an Aussie one when Stephen Fry came to the Sydney Opera House to discuss travel, language, the three W's (Wilde, Waugh and Wodehouse) and everything in between, in a 90 minute talk-fest. The night involved a cracking 45 minute chat by Fry and then a 45 minute Q&A with First Tuesday Book Club's Jennifer Byrne. Parts 1 2 3 4 5
posted by lazaruslong at 12:04 AM PST - 21 comments

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