Always looking to push creative boundaries, my main man Milk (Christhat is) directs a truly unique and groundbreaking music video for Arcade Fire’s single “We Used to Wait” from their latest album The Suburbs, and turns it into the interactive interpretation titled “The Wilderness Downtown”. Part Google web browser Chrome Experiment part personalized nostalgia trip, the immersive, multi-window, next level clip literally takes you home before the music even starts as you’re prompted to “enter the address of the home were you grew up” (which eventually appears on screen at the appropriate part of the track with the help of Google Maps technology).
Driven by the haunting melodies of Arcade Fire, you follow the galloping footsteps of a hooded runner who’s seemingly travelling through your old neighborhood as he passes familiar spots popping up in small windows on your screen. Sweeping street level and aerial views of your old home conjure childhood memories as Milk perfectly choreographs the sentimental imagery which culminates in an outgrowth of birds, trees and wilderness.
Top it all off with another window for writing “a postcard of advice to the younger you that lived there then” and you have yourself a personalized and poignant journey (and maybe even a tear or two) that you’ve yet to experience in a music video.
“Choreographed windows, interactive flocking, custom rendered maps, real-time compositing, procedural drawing, 3D canvas rendering… this Chrome Experiment has them all. “The Wilderness Downtown” is an interactive interpretation of Arcade Fire’s song “We Used To Wait” and was built entirely with the latest open web technologies, including HTML5 video, audio, and canvas.”
Also…new works and limited edition prints from Emberley himself!
From Scion:
“For “Ed Emberley & Friends,” each artist will create a six-foot-by-six-foot wood panel that is a mash-up of their own style and that of Ed Emberley’s instructional drawing books. The tribute paintings will be exhibited alongside examples of each artist’s individual work. After the show, each of the large painted panels will be donated for long-term display in children’s hospitals around the United States. Emberley will have the largest presence in the show, contributing work from his archives including dozens of pages from the 1970s original mockups of his books. He will have recent drawings of his classic characters for sale, as well as a limited-edition print made especially for the show.”
Ed Emberley & Friends
Opening reception: Saturday, July 17th, 7-10pm
Scion Installation L.A.
3521 Helms Ave. Culver City, CA 90232
Show runs from July 17 through August 7, 2010
“Oscar-winning animator, acclaimed cartoonist and dedicated jazz historian Gene Deitch will be at the Cinefamily for an in-person tribute led by cartoon historian Jerry Beck! One of the most influential men from the golden age of toonery, Deitch produced tons of shorts for a wide variety of studios (Columbia, Fox, MGM and Paramount, to name but a few), all with a freewheeling and innovative touch that represented the very best of the “modern” style of the ’50s and ’60s. Throughout this epic night, we’ll screen some of the coolest shorts of Deitch’s career: an appearance by Tom Terrific (one of TV Guide’s Top 50 Cartoon Characters of All-Time), the Oscar recipient Munro (penned by the great Jules Feiffer), a selection of Deitch’s widescreen Cinemascope “Terrytoons”, his award-winning beer commercials (featuring the comedy team of Bob & Ray as “Bert & Harry Piels”), Deitch’s independent shorts from the ’60s, a long-thought-lost UPA Howdy Doody Cartoon recently unearthed by the Library of Congress — and toons directed by Deitch featuring Krazy Kat, Popeye and Tom & Jerry. To cap off this fantastic lineup, Gene Deitch will appear in person for a Q&A! Deitch lives in Prague, Czech Republic, and rarely visits L.A. — so don’t miss this this rare one-of-a-kind evening of amazing animation!”
“***$1 Beers from 7p-8p! $3 Beers for the rest of the night!***
This FREE double feature provides something for both the young and young-at-heart! Come meet the characters from the innovative hit show YO GABBA GABBA! (http://tiny.cc/37sjx) and watch some of your favorite episodes projected on an outdoor screen. The night continues with the iconic Japanese sci-fi show ULTRAMAN (http://tiny.cc/8hpl3).
Break out the lawn chairs and blankets and kick off the summer with this free outdoor screening in Little Tokyo! Classic shows, food trucks and the music of DJ Ultraman all come together under the downtown LA sky for this family friendly event.”
Ultra Gabba Gabba
Friday, June 25th, 6:30pm JACCC Plaza
244 S. San Pedro St. (between 2nd and 3rd Streets) Los Angeles, CA 90012
After receiving my prints in the mail yesterday, I have to talk about Josh Cooley and his fiendishly clever Lil’ Inappropriate Prints. A sweet love letter to A complete bastardization of the Little Golden Books you learned to read as a child, the style remains the same but the messages get mutilated by the movies that taught you how to curse like a Goodfella, kill like a Professional and crap your pants when riding a big wheel through a twin ridden hallway among other iconically dreadful film moments.
Responsible for making millions of kids smile as a story artist for Pixar (appropriately Toy Story 3 comes out this weekend BTW), Cooley has used his formidable skills of drawing and deception to create an Inappropriate Golden Book two years in the making. And from this soon to be released book comes a set of prints that are sure to make you laugh in horror as well as burn a hole in your bank account.
“The first run of prints from the soon to be released, “Movies R Fun” book are now available in the brand spanking new COOLEY store! Visit www.cooley.bigcartel.com
Signed 8.5×11 prints are available AND also a fine selection of Limited Edition 13×19 signed and numbered prints, that have a super fancy illustrated border that is so awesome, it will make everything else you have hanging on the wall look like crap.”
Below is a sampling of the prints which come either as 13×19 signed and numbered limited editions or 8.5×11 signed in open editions. I couldn’t resist picking up the deluxe versions of two of my favorite films: The Godfather: Part II and Goodfellas.
Let your inner child run free for an evening filled with Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Wile E. Coyote, the Roadrunner, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzalez, Yosemite Sam, the Tasmanian Devil and the rest of the Looney Tunes you love as cartoon historian Jerry Beck offers up The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes CartoonsatThe Cinefamily to commemorate his upcoming book of the same name (available June 1).
“To commemorate the publication of animation historian Jerry Beck’s new hardcover book “The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes Cartoons” (Insight Editions), we’ve got for you (what else?) one hundred Looney Tunes — we’ll screen ten full-length shorts, as well as present a specially-edited reel featuring the other ninety, and if we’re lucky, advance copies of the book may be available for Jerry to sign! The book is based on a survey taken of thousands of cartoon fans, film historians and renowned movie critics, and celebrates the best of the best, the fastest and funniest Warner Bros. cartoons you must see before you die. The program features classic works by Tex Avery, Frank Tashlin, Chuck Jones, Bob Clampett, Friz Freleng and others — and stars Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner, Tweety, Sylvester, Speedy Gonzales and dozens more. “Kill da Wabbit!” “Hassan Chop!” “I Tawt I Taw a Putty Tat!” “What’s Up, Doc?” “Pronoun Trouble!” Which ones made the cut? Join us on June 1st and find out! That’s all, folks!”
Highland Park’s high concept collective THIS brings together Dallas Clayton, Travis Millard, J. Otto, Souther Salazar and more all in the name of kids, the books they read and the artists who make them for the group show Kids of All Ages. Also special musical performances, readings and shirt giveaways through the weekend with a portion of the proceeds going to 826 LA!
“A celebration of children’s books and the artists behind them. Also, a weekend full of awesome events for the kids!
Saturday 5.29.10 11AM-2PM. Special readings, a musical performance by Aska Matsumiya w/ her daughter Babel, make art on free pairs of kid sized Van’s with Travis Millard, Mel Kadel, and Parker Jacobs!
Sunday 5.30.10 11AM-2PM. More special readings, a musical performance by Mickey Adams and friends, and more!
Free kid size THIS shirts designed by Dallas Clayton provided by the good people at Volcom.
We are all super excited for our 4th show at THIS, a huge celebration of children’s books with the books and original artwork from the artists available for purchase with a portion of the proceeds going to 826 LA.”
Kids of All Ages
Opening reception: Friday, May 28th, 7-10pm
This
5906 N. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90042
A resurgence in children’s television programming has been in effect for a few years now and Nickelodeon’sYo Gabba Gabba has been leading the charge. With a deft mix of uniquely entertaining brightly colored characters, easily understandable yet visually stunning animations, guest actors, musicians and entertainers who all practically beg to be on the show and a lead man who goes by DJ Lance Rock, Yo Gabba Gabba takes kids (and a lot of former kids) to a place reminiscent of the best that Sesame Street and Electric Company had to offer and makes it it’s very own.
From The Cinefamily:
“NOTE: This show is “kid-friendly”, but not for kids. There will be no appearances by the characters from the show — just the amazing characters (real people) who created the show.
Just when you thought kids’ television had become devoid of vision and verve, Nickelodeon’s “Yo Gabba Gabba!” exploded in radiant rainbows onto the sets of unsuspecting cable TV viewers everywhere. Like a candy-colored daydream induced by carrot sticks, Juicy Juice and birthday cake, “Yo Gabba Gabba!” features a space disco-jumpsuited host and vinyl toys that come to life (evoking the aesthetics of 70s Japanese pop culture along with Sid and Marty Krofft) mingling with cutting-edge animation from the likes of Paper Rad and Geoff McFetridge. Add to the mixture drawing lessons from Devo’s Mark Mothersbaugh, beatbox demonstrations from Biz Markie, kid-friendly musical numbers from parent-friendly bands like The Shins, Chromeo, The Flaming Lips, and The Roots, and celebrity guests like Elijah Wood, Jack Black, and Erykah Badu — and you’ve got the most radical show on television for kids and adults alike. Be sure not to miss this program of clips from the many television shows and films that have influence the look and feel of “Yo Gabba Gabba!” — as well as a rare chence to meet the show’s creators for a special evening of celebration and discussion, to learn how they brought the wonderland of “Yo Gabba Gabba!” to life!”
There’s not much better than a good cartoon. And who better to know what a good cartoon is other than the people behind the iconic children’s show Yo Gabba Gabba? The Cinefamily presents an evening of animation with European stop motion favorites along with the 1973 super psychedelic cartoon Hugo the Hippo curated by Lance Robertson (DJ Lance Rock) and animation producer Kevin Sukho Lee.
More from LaCinefamilia:
“One of the many multi-colored joys of the “Yo Gabba Gabba!” universe is its top-notch animation segments, supervised and collected by animation producer Kevin Sukho Lee. On this special Friday, Kevin showcases his expertise in a two-part show. First, he’ll serve up a program of rarely shown stop-motion animated shorts from the Czech Republic, France, and Russia; these hand-made worlds are some of cinema’s greatest treasures, ones which are criminally unknown on this side of the pond. Then, onto the kaleidoscopic and exquisitely detailed Hugo The Hippo, one of the few true psychedelic progenies of Yellow Submarine, and one of the greatest animated films you’ve never seen. This beautiful film, directed in the U.S. but animated in Hungary, never achieved the success it rightfully deserved, despite featuring the voice talents of Burl Ives and Paul Lynde and funky tunes sung by Marie and Jimmy Osmond. Initially derided as too frightening and “trippy” for young American audiences, this phantasmagoric fable manages to be cute but not cutesy, pulling no punches with its heavy message about mankind’s responsibility to respect all living things — a quality that only makes it all the more unique and enduring. Join us as we celebrate the resurrection of this lost jewel!”
You remember the occasional Looney Tunes scenario, Bugs Bunny once again escapes death by tricking (insert Elmer Fudd, Yosemite Sam, Tasmanian Devil, or other comedic foil here) into falling head over heals in love with a rabbit dressed as a ravishing (insert hair color of choice here) before said villain realizes that she is actually a he. The only part that confused me was whether those scenes would be considered beastiality or homosexuality? The debate rages on as cartoon historianJerry Beck takes you back to your childhood with his ongoing animation series at The Cinefamily with this month’s Toons in Drag.
From Jerry Beck:
“For my Cinefamily animation screening this month we’re examining the cartoons (and especially Bugs Bunny) where male characters dress up as females. Why? Because they did it and it’s funny. From the days of Shakespeare through to the days of vaudeville, silent movies and beyond, cross-dressing has passed into the mainstream as a safe, well-worn comedy staple; think Milton Berle, Flip Wilson, the Kids In The Hall or Eddie Izzard. Whenever our beloved cartoon characters get into the act, however, it all starts to get a little nuttier, and dare we say — hotter? Come for clips of your favorite cartoon stars cavorting as members of the opposite sex, alongside complete short subjects on 35mm and 16mm (including several in Technicolor), all featuring classic moments of animated role reversal.”
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