Movies

Let Buster Keaton Bust You Out of Your Holiday Shopping Pattern.

Already sick of holiday shopping, the endless garage of spam emails trying to get you to buy more crap, pumpkin spiced this and that, and holiday commercials? I know I am. I did all my shopping online a month ago, and am hiding out in a warm place until January 4th.

If you’re looking for a break from the Christmas Consumer Crush, look no further. Below is a short film from Tony Zhou on Buster Keaton, and how his silent film work from a century ago continues to influence film makers today.

Do yourself a favor, put the plastic back in your wallet and take a few minutes to watch this. Better yet, watch this, then jump over to Vimeo to see all of Tony’s films.

“Before Edgar Wright and Wes Anderson, before Chuck Jones and Jackie Chan, there was Buster Keaton, one of the founding fathers of visual comedy. And nearly 100 years after he first appeared onscreen, we’re still learning from him. Today, i’d like to talk about the artistry (and the thinking) behind his gags. Press the CC button to see the names of the films.”

Outer Space Portrayed in the Movies.

Since the dawn of civilization humans have always had a fascination with space. From that point where we first looked up at the night sky and pondered the stars and the vastness of the night sky, through today where we still explore the heavens. One of the more interesting takes on our fascination with the heavens and space is how it has been portrayed in film, especially in the last 50 years. As special effects have progressed from the ground breaking2001: A Space Odyssey”, to today’s blockbuster “Interstellar” the portrayal of space in film is one of amazing visuals and fantasies drawn out of human experience and imagination. The video below is wonderful edit of just how space has been portrayed in the movies. At almost 4 minutes in length it’s worth watching. Now can you name all of the movies referenced here?

“Criterion Designs”, Thirty Years of Movie History in 300 Pages.

For more than three decades, The Criterion Collection has released a steady stream of important classic and contemporary films. The Criterion Collection has been dedicated to collecting films from around the world and offering them in editions that feature high technical quality and award winning stories and content.

The Criterion Collection which began in 1984 started by offering laserdisc’s and VHS tape, moved to DVD, Blue-ray and now online streaming. With that they have amassed a massive collection of promotional and packaging materials which are now being offered in a lavish coffee table book.

The book features an illustrated look behind the scenes, that includes sketches, mockups, mood boards and reference materials, all pulled from the The Criterion Collection‘s in-house design department’s archives. The book was the brain child of Criterion Art Director Sarah Habibi and Staff Designer Eric Skillman, who assembled 300 pages of material into a hardbound visual feast creating a lush tactile experience for the true movie fan.

For me this is a must have book. It is a beautifully designed archive of thirty years of visual history, that documents changing styles, influences, and trends, from the movie industry and graphic design world.

ICONS at 1988.

Designers Dan Kuhlken and Nathan Goldman, also known as DKNG has a new exhibit of small works titled “Icon” currently on display at Gallery 1988 in West Los Angeles. The show features fifty works in Goldman’s distinct flat geometric style. All the works feature a bright but limited color pallet, and each image represents iconic places and things from some of your favorite movies and TV shows of all time. The image attempts to sum up an entire movie in a single 12 inch square.