Monday, February 28, 2011
Scary Stories Treasury
Stopped by a Borders book store this weekend. A going-out-of-business sale. I managed to get the Scary Stories collection for a crazy low price. All three books included in one hard cover edition.
And, of course, those wonderful illustrations by Gammell.
Look at that scarecrow-thing on the left. Wow.
At amazon.com
Prometheus
The Ridley Scott film Prometheus currently in production seems to be getting away from the notion of it being a prequel to his legendary Alien film. More like a film taking place in the same universe, the latest news boasts the return of the "space jockey" creature, in a non-CG form.
From movies.sky.com:
There has been a huge amount of speculation over the past months as to what will and won't appear in the movie, but an insider told Sky Movies, "I’ve had further confirmation that the Space Jockey creature is definitely in Prometheus and has been built as an eight foot animatronic.
"I’ve also had it confirmed that HR Giger is working on the project but only in an advisory capacity. By the way, people are going to be in for a shock when they sit down to watch Prometheus and there’s an enormous semi-human head piloting a spaceship."
source.
Here's the original prop from the first film.
An epiphanic moment for sure. Just blown away by the concept of a prop being so untraditional. So massive. Seeing this for the first time a ton of years ago, I can still remember my reaction - and it was exactly what the Nostromo's crew was experiencing. Wonder, confusion, fear...pure movie magic. I had so many questions - Where did it come from? What did it look like alive? How did it move? Was it really growing out of its chair? Was it friendly? How long was it there? Man, it was unlike any prop I had ever seen.... and have ever seen.
When I first heard about the space jockey's cameo in the next Alien film, I was thrilled beyond belief. But now that it's settled in, I'm resisting the concept. I really don't want to know the answers to any of those questions. And I think that was the point of the prop in the first place.
Strangely, it reminds me of the classic moment (at least for me) in Halloween III: Season of the Witch, when Conal Cochran unveils the massive stolen stone from Stonehenge to the captive Dr. Challis. It's sitting in his mask factory, thousands of miles from its home. "Stonehenge! We had a TIME getting it here. You wouldn't believe how we did it!"
Movie magic. Sometimes you're just not supposed to know.
And if Cochran tried to tell me, I wouldn't listen.
Horned
His form had yet not lost
All her original brightness, nor appear'd
Less than archangel ruin'd, and th' excess
Of glory obscur'd.
Image by Yiie.
Now Playing: The Social Network
This soundtrack won the Oscar for best original score.
Happy for Trent Reznor, been a huge fan of his for years.
Atticus Ross also wrote the amazing score for The Book of Eli.
Click below for a very creepy track:
I'd imagine Inception was a close second.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Orchard Smudge Pots
On every cold night in winter, the grower must be ready with his orchard heaters. The heaters in commonest use are oil-burning stack pots, which are placed between the tree rows, one to a tree. With the broadcast of a frost warning, the watchman in charge of an orchard stays up all night, keeping crews ready to light the heaters with gasoline torches resembling an engineer’s long-spouted oil can. The burners must be watched and regulated at intervals. Where the smudge pot heating method is used, a thick blanket of black smoke produced by the fuel protects the trees from frost. Threat of frost is greatest about an hour before sunrise. During a cold period, everything within miles—clothing, furniture, faces—is covered with the greasy soot.
More information at the History of Glendora blog.
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Friday, February 25, 2011
Thursday, February 24, 2011
A Farm Picture
THROUGH the ample open door of the peaceful country barn,
A sun-lit pasture field, with cattle and horses feeding;
And haze, and vista, and the far horizon, fading away.
Walt Whitman
Image by MEaves.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monster Music
Looking forward to checking these tracks out on iTunes when they become available in March.
Nightmare Fuel
Had I seen this as a child, I probably would have incurred brain damage.
Image by Thorn Web Designs.
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