In the Labyrinth

The Mambo King and the Queen of Sheba

I am quite taken with this astonishing music video by ThorstenCoo Productions of "El Rey del Mambo y la Reina de Saba" from the Spanish band, Klaus and Kinski. Thorsten Coo Productions specialize in unique music videos (which have earned them award recognition) that "mix techinques such as puppets, collage, ink, illustration, rotoscopy and animate it all with stop motion and Flash." Beautiful and sensual -- and with a bite. I especially love the gracefulness of the wolf in the pasadobles.

Mexican Muralists: Graffiti, Folklore, and Insects

In my post below, I mentioned three Mexican Graffiti muralists -- and wanted to add this amazing video "Imaginary Worlds" that interviews Saner (mentioned in the first post), and two other artists, Dhear and Neuzz. The three were invited to participate in exposition at Montana Gallery in Barcelona, Spain and were filmed there. It's fascinating to see the modern and the ancient collide in their work -- to see the relationship between comic book illustrations, graffiti art, the traditional stories.

And here is another video, this time of Sega y Ovbal (also mentioned in previous post) discussing his work, inspired by natural forms and yet painted on the starkest of modern housing projects.

 

The Dream Before Monday Morning Awakening

Some mornings I wake convinced I have been traveling in my sleep in the pre-dawn, half alert, half asleep state, especially at the start of the week. This lovely little film feels like my Monday mornings.

An APP For The Invisible Universe

A while back I posted a short film of Vatican astronomer, Father George V. Coyne, S.J. talking about his work as an astronomer. He told a wonderful story about "the long eyes," a Tohono O'odham phrase for the huge telescopes the astronomers use to look out at the heavens. I was thrilled today to find this fascinating film on a new way of looking at the stars through our cell phones and an app that helps us to see below the surface of the night's sky. Awesomeness abounds, especially for Droid users who can download the app. (Via Bioephemera)

Emerging Talent: Lindsey Olivares

 

I love seeing new work like this short animated film, "Anchored" from Lindsey Olivares. It was her senior thesis animation at Ringling College of Art and Design.

You can see more of her animated films on her website, including a short autobiographical film which is hilarious.

 

1930's Fashion Designers Predicting Styles For The Eve Of The Year 2000

Here's a hilarious little film from the 1930 produced by "Panthetone Weekly" which ran weekly clips of the strange and unusual. The garments here are not so far off of a Lady Gaga, Devo, and at least one dress in every episode of The Runway Project. The narration is a riot and so is the man-gadget belt that predicted the love affair between a man and his smart phone!

 

(via Open Culture ...one of the coolest websites arround with a host of free resources for educators, including 400 movies available for free, and foreign language instruction downloads for your iphone and .... well you get the idea. Coolness.)

The Wind Journeys: Traveling With The Devil's Accordian

 

I so want to rent this movie! A mythic journey across Columbia with a possessed accordian. Awesomeness. (Thanks Emiliano for the heads up.)

Friday Film: The Lost Thing by Shaun Tan

 

I haven't had a chance yet to see the entire 15 minute film, "The Lost Thing," from a children's story by Shaun Tan, but I am mad with curiosity after seeing this trailer and have added to my list of must see films this year. Tan won the Oscar 2011 for best short animated film and from the looks of it, it was well deserved.

And here is an interesting short video interview with Shaun Tan talking about the process of making the film -- from writing it on the kitchen table to developing it into an award winning animated film.

 

Squee! Is It December Yet?

Looking forward to this...was really hoping they were going to do a sequel...I'm so there!

Last Friday's Film on This Monday

 

What can I say...I wasn't exactly sure when Friday came and went...so I am putting up my usual Friday Film on Monday (I really haven't been as consistent with my weekdays as I should be!). In any case, here are two awesome animated films "Basin Street Blues,"  and "Fender Bender," with music composed by an old favorite, Kid Koala, a fantastic scratch d.j. (and artist) who makes the records talk and sing like no one else.