Archive for the 'Effluvia' Category
The Mark of Cain, a feature-length documentary by Alix Lambert, explores the dying art of Russian prison tattoos.
As you can probably tell, I love the poster for Roman Polanski’s, Cul-De-Sac. (see previous post) I also love Federico Fellini, and one of my favorite films of his is his segment of Spirits of the Dead, called Toby Dammit. Based on a Edgar Allan Poe short story, the film follows Toby Dammit(Terence Stamp), as the drunk and drugged film and stage star, through Rome on a press junket. Early in the film there is a scene set in rush hour Roman trafffic that is reminiscent of the opening scene from 81/2. We see Terence Stamp traveling through Rome in his car purveying the Fellini-esque landscape. The following are some of the sights he sees:
In the reflection we see the creation of Polish artist, Jan Lenica. (see the 7.10.07 post on this site) Lenica did the poster art for Polanski’s Cul-de-Sac two years before the 1968 realease of Spirits of the Dead. I just happened to be watching this movie and as the frames flitted by I was compelled by that image. I knew I had seen it somewhere!
Sidenote: It is interesting that this poster also has similarities to the blip art that Radiohead was doing for there album, Kid A.
Nirvana’s album ‘Nevermind’ was released in 1991. Remember this cover?
Well, that little swimmin’ kid is 17 now! Yes my friends it has been a child’s lifetime since ‘Nevermind’ was released.
This kid’s all grown up, Kurt Cobain is dead, and there still isn’t another band like Nirvana out there.
My father was a junior high school science teacher. He was the person who got me interested in science at an early age, but it was Don Herbert, aka Mr. Wizard, with his show of the same name that urged me to conduct scientific experiments in our family home. Among other things, he taught me how to separate Hydrogen from Oxygen using the current from a simple dry cell battery. My mother looked in the cupboard for the butter tray and found my strange experiment working away. I was so proud of the “pop” when I held a match to the Hydrogen filled test tube.
Don Herbert grew up in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, not far from my own home. Mr. Wizard taught me how to be curious and to experiment and then to understand my experiments. One of my favorite books that I still have to this day is “Mr. Wizard’s Experiments for Young Scientists.”
I remember I used to take paper clips and stick them in the electrical outlets in our home. Stupid? Scientific? Not sure which but I blame Mr. Wizard. May he rest in peace.
ADDENDUM: My mother recently saw this post and emailed me to remind me that my grandmother, Elaine Hunter, went to school with Don Herbert in LaCrosse, WI. Six degrees of separation!
Robert Evans and Roman Polanski were the creative team behind Chinatown.
In addition to it being my dog’s birthday today(Gatsby is one year old today), it is also the birthday of Henrik Ibsen. Ibsen is the Norwegian playwright who gave us A Doll’s House and Ghosts.
Today is also the birthday of the poet, Ovid. He would have been 2050 years old today. Ovid wrote the famous poem, Ars Amatoria, on the subject of love. Ovid also wrote The Metamorphoses.
Pylade loving Hermione by Salvador Dali
Venus by Salvador Dali
Like fragile ice anger passes away in time. — Ovid
During the filming of Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, Alan Conway, impersonated the famously reclusive director on the London scene. Conway looked nothing like the legendary director, he had a british accent(Kubrick has a strong New York accent), and worst of all Conway knew very few details about Kubrick. Yet, he managed to pull the wool over the eyes of many people. John Malkovich takes the lead role in a new film about Conway’s deception. Looks like Malkovich is occupying his time of late with self reflexive roles. It was only a few years ago we saw him in Being John Malkovich.
Check out the great website: Color Me Kubrick Official Site
and the British version: Colour Me Kubrick
Make sure to watch the trailer!!!
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