PEEPING TOM posted by A

I’m a big fan of Comcast free on-demand. Especially, I love old horror/suspense movies.

This weekend I came across a movie called Peeping Tom. It’s essentially about a guy whose father was obsessed with fear and the reaction to fear. The main character, Mark Lewis, grows up to be obsessed with killing women with a knife that’s hidden in his tripod… and filming their looks of horror when they know what’s going to happen to them.

Peeping Tom was filmed in 1960. The movie was especially controversial at the time, as not only does it have a murderer filming the women dying, but he also takes photos of scantily clad women. I guess you can say it’s the closest to being a snuff film without the sex.

Director Michael Powell was banned for a while from working in the UK after the film was released. In the late 1960’s Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorcese tried to set up projects with him after the movie was “rediscovered.”

It’s been described as the “British Psycho.” Oddly enough, Psycho was released by Hitchcock only three months after Peeping Tom. After nearly killing his career, Peeping Tom is now considered the 24th best British film ever.

Funny Games Trailer

NOT THAT FUNNY... posted by J

The remake of "Funny Games", by Micheal Haneke, has just been realeased in theaters. I've been intrigued by the poster, the story, the cast, and that the director himself made the remake. I had put the original on my netflix queue, but before i had the chance to reicive it my room mate got it. I watched it yesterday and man was it better than i thought. What a twisted story. It was suspenseful in that Hitchcock kind of way. Hardly any of the violent acts that happened in the film happend on the screen. It created such a eery feeling. I'm so excited to see how the reamake turnsout. I give this film 5 stars. It's well worth the watch if you dig thrillers.

The post above has the trailer for the remake staring Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, and Micheal Pitt

WONDERFUL posted by J

A wonderful Juergen Teller photo of Bjork.

GOOD FOR A LAUGH posted by J

If you have a moment go check out this website:

www.passiveaggressivenotes.com

it's rather amusing. I've been searching myself to find one around the city to send to the website.

CAI GUA-QIANG posted by J

I wish i wasn't so broke right now otherwise i would be heading to the big apple to take a gander at Cai Gua-Qiang's huge exhibit at the Guggenheim. The scale of this exhibit blows my mind. Hopefully I'll come across some dough and take the adventure.

I first came across Gua-Qiang in the book, Vitamin D: New Perspectives in Drawings. It's one of the most looked through art books I've ever owned. He does these really interesting illustrations with gunpowder, which he then lights, burning the paper or canvas, etc. The end product being a unique a"perspective" on the illustration.

Back to the Guggenheim exhibit, there are two installations that i find to be beautiful and grand. I have only seen pictures and they amaze me so I hope I will be able to see them in person. The first is "Inopportune: Stage One", a huge piece consisting of 9 cars with sequenced multichannel light tubes. You can see a video on the Guggenheim website. It has some political meaning to it but as you come to know me I'm pretty much a visual kind of guy. The second is "Head On", which is 99 life-sized wolf replicas that start placed on the ground and then the path takes flight till they meet "head on" with a glass wall. I've never seen anything like. I'm so jealous of artists that get the opportunities to work with such scale and cost. I know i should be, but you get it.

Benoît Pioulard posted by J

Benoît Pioulard is the alias of Thomas Meluch, an American singer-songwriter based out of Portland, Oregon. This 23 year old is quite talented, singing, writing, playing multiple instruments, and releasing may of his first recordings himself on cassette and CD-R. Photography is yet another creative outlet for this young artist.

I, Myself, have just come across his 2006 album, Precis, a month or two ago. Since then its become one of my most talked about albums. Its melancholy, lo-fi sound is quite a crisp listen. Lot's of dreamy soundscapes and atmospheric interludes between tracks of beautiful reverbed vocals and relaxing guitars. Wonderful bedroom Pop if you ask me. I'm quite fond of the tracks, Together & Down, Palimend, Ash in the Sky. So get the album. Put it on. Lie in your bed and enjoy.

He started making many small recordings on CD-R and cassettes for his friends and family. He know has had a couple of recording released on the labels, Kranky, and Moodgadget. He's also been featured on several compilations over the years.

Anyway I'm not all that much for words, I'll let the music speak for itself. You can find them available on iTunes, Boomkat, Bleep, and Forced Exposure. Also while your at it make him a friend on Myspace. I did.

P.S. He's cute to.

DAVID WEEKS posted by L

Ever so often, modern interior design fall prey to malice criticism for being cold, bleak, and/or impractical. Yes, modern minimalism falls under a curious subtype that has experience great success and textbook acknowledgement. However, few have captured this stylistic movement while embodying the organic temperament of Isamu Noguchi.


Bravo my dear Mr. David Weeks. The Brooklyn based visionary created this asymmetrical, stainless steel, ladled back sofa by trusting his eye to develop a sense of movement and balance from large foam blocks. The design is strikingly clean without tittering on the fringe of Boresville. I can not wait so Sarus collection of lighting. Speaking of lighting…

David Weeks may be better known for his above and beyond chandeliers and floor lighting. Hinting at the noteworthy mobiles of Alexander Calder, Weeks piece provide brilliance, two fold. Uncomplicated and palpable, the lighting chandelier exhibits a sense of inventiveness beyond you average light fixture. His use of mid-centenary European modernism utilizes industrial objects while astonishingly evoking macrobiotic overtones. I wonder if I fit one into my flat?

I love it! In fact, I’m ordering it…(kikkerland.com). Enough said.

POLARIOD posted by J

So Kodak announced that in 2009 they will stop the production of instant film. How upsetting. i know its a little expensive but come on, u have a solid, real, picture in your hand. There is also so many cool things you can do to change the effects (like the Justin Wainio self portrait pictured). I do agree that digital is cool, but there is something classic about a Polaroid picture that a digital camera can't catch. I mean i can't interrupt the developing process on my digital camera like i do with an instant photo. Everyone i know that has heard the news is upset. Fuji film is supposedly keeping there instant film on the market. Hope if works with my Polaroid camera. Well all i have to say is i hope some very smart people are working on a way to mimic a instant Polaroid picture. I guess what I'm getting at is if you love Polaroids as much as i do, buy it up. You only have a year. R.I.P.

KIKI SMITH posted by J

I know I'm pretty late finding out about Kiki Smith, but shes quite remarkable. She became known because of her sculptures but she had a exhibit a couple of years ago at MOMA showcasing her printmaking skills (http://moma.org/exhibitions/2003/kikismith check it out. Its called "Prints, Books, & Things"). She covers pretty much every style of printmaking from screen printing, mono types, lithography, intaglio, etc. All on handmade papers. I was dumb founded. Some of my favorites are Fawn(pictures above), Litter, and Owls. She fills me with envy. I wish i would of known about her years ago so i could of seen the exhibit. Printmaking is my love.

HELLO from J K L and others

This is the first post of many. My partners and i are still gathering material for the site. We hope to inspire interest in music, art, fashion, film, culture, etc. Past and future. Inspiration is our goal.