It seems like this is a dark time in the world at the moment with lots of bad things happening. so to cheer people up I've linked to a wonderful video full of colour and joy. The game is Okami, an overlooked classic which initially came out on the PS2 and then the Wii and then PS3. If you haven't played it seek it out, the game is a beautiful Zelda-like but that's no bad thing. Playing it years ago I can say that this is one of my favourite games ever and brings warm memories and smile to my face. Enjoy!
Shatner of the Mount
Shatner is a legend with a great sense of humour but before he became such a witty and fun guy he was a bit of a pretentious muppet. Some clever mixers have used an interview with Shatner describing Star Trek V and created a wonderful dance mix. Its been out for years but I have only just come across it. Enjoy!
Computer Game Characters on Unlikely Products
We all love computer games right? Well so do many other companies, especially some that are trying to flog some toy or nick-knack. Having a recognisable character may just persuade the child to buy the toy. Well whilst perusing the local Pound shop I can across these beauties. Have a look and see if you recognise the famous computer game characters.
Psychology of Video Games
I recently discovered an interesting and informative website called the 'Psychology of Games' created by Jamie Madigan. The website provides discussions on how the psychology behind games shapes our behavior, manipulates our beliefs, and rigs our purchasing decisions. There are loads of articles to read through and they are well written. Some of my favourites include Why We Get Nostalgic for Old Games, Anonymity and Anti-Social Behaviour and The Psychology of Immersion.
Have a read yourself and see if you find it illuminating, I certainly did!
The Dig Dug Dance by Chubby Checker
Chubby Checker, the singer of the classic song 'The Twist' wrote a song for Atari's game 'Dig Dug' in the 80's but the song was never released. However recently it has been put onto YouTube and Soundcloud. I think it sounds great, what do you think?
Becky Cloonan Signing in London
Writer and artist Becky Cloonan will be doing a signing at Orbital Comics in London on Wednesday, December 10th from 5:00 – 7:00 PM!
Cloonan will be signing copies of GOTHAM ACADEMY, BY CHANCE OR PROVIDENCE and her many other comics. I will be attending as I love her art style and work, her work on DEMO first switched me on to her and I am looking forward to meeting her. Come along if you can!
E Traces- Turning Dance into a Graphic Art Form
I recently came across a wonderful video on Vimeo which captured dance movements and transformed them into visual sensations through the use of new technologies.
In the words of the creator of the video:
To do this we focused on the ballet shoes themselves, which through the contact with the ground, and thanks to Lilypad Arduino technology, record the pressure and movement of the dancer's feet and send a signal to an electronic device.A special application will then allow us to show this data graphically and even customize it to suit each user, through the different functions of this app.
However it's done it's very beautiful to behold, I wonder what my dancing would look like in graphic form!
Tate and Minecraft Join Forces
Tate has joined forces with Minecraft to create 'Tate Worlds,' virtual 3D worlds of artworks which people can explore through the use of Minecraft. Tate will allow Minecraft users to access 'maps,' these maps allow players of Minecraft to explore a range of paintings and sculpture, undertaking various activities and challenges that relate to the themes of the artworks, or exploring how they were made. Tate has teamed up with some of Minecraft’s best known mapmakers to create these virtual artworks, offering a unique combination of art, history and adventure.
The first two maps were available to download on Monday 24 November 2014. The first maps focus on the theme of Cities, they are inspired by Andre Derain’s 1906 painting of London, The Pool of London, and Christopher Nevinson’s 1920 painting of New York, Soul of the Soulless City. There are plans for six more Tate Worlds maps which are scheduled for release in 2015 and will focus on play, destruction and fantasy. This seems like an exciting new project for Minecraft, who have recently been purchased by Microsoft. Is this sign of things to come?
Haibane Renmei AMV
Whilst teaching today I had a moment to myself and for some reason this classic anime came into my head. Haibane Renmei, for the uninitiated, is a 13 episode anime about Rakka, a newly hatched Haibane (Angel-like beings) and other characters in the city of Glie, a walled town. There is a single gate through which only a mysterious group known as the Toga, are allowed to enter or exit. The series is about life, death, mystery and redemption and struck a chord with me when I saw it years ago. I think this AMV (Animated Music Video) perfectly captures the mood of the series. Enjoy!
Guardians of the Galaxy Tank!
I loved the Guardians of the Galaxy film, it was great fun and zipped along at a great pace. It was similar in style and tone to Cowboy Bebop and evidently someone out in the www thought so too. Joseph Lovetro has created an awesome intro to Guardians in the style of that classic anime. Check it out, Yoko Kanno would approve I'm sure!
Captain America 2: Winter Soldier 80's Action film
Captain America is a great film but there is an awesome trailer on youtube created by ChiefBrodyRules that imagines it as an 80's action style film, down to the grainy VHS film filter. In his words:
The year is 2007. Crime is at an all time high and the law has a plan to wipe it out! CAPTAIN AMERICA (Chris Evans), a Vietnam vet who was given super strength by a military scientist, Abraham Erskine (Cillian Murphy) is now America's new crime fighter. When he refuses to kill an innocent Senator he is back stabbed by the very people who made him! He's out for revenge. If you're going to make enemies, you better make sure it's not America!
Its all very well done and reminds me of my childhood watching those Stallone and Schwarzenegger films. Anyway, enough yakking. Enjoy!
'Welcome to Nightvale' Comes to Shepherds Bush Empire, London
As I left my warm cosy house earlier this evening to make my way from east to west London on a dark wet evening, I felt that it was appropriate that I was off to see the live show of Welcome to Nightvale.
For the uninitiated Nightvale is a cult podcast, similar in style to shows like Twin Peaks, X Files and the works of H.P.Lovecraft but presented in the format of a radio show. The podcast is an online phenomenon, being one of the most downloaded podcast of all time.
I went to the show having heard most of the podcasts and purposely avoiding any videos of the live show. I wanted to go in blind and experience the show without any preconceptions, my concern was how would the intimacy and stark simplicity of the podcast translate onto the stage?
The Shepherds Bush Empire is a cozy sit down venue and for tonight's performance was packed, I was high in the nosebleeds; the unreserved third floor. However I did have a clear and unobstructed view of the stage, though it was from a high angle. There was a real buzz and excitement and when the live theatre show started there was a huge roar.
For fans of the show this was an excellent live performance, there was the usual 'weather report' (music performed by Mary Epworth) and great lines like "If horses were wishes, they'd all run away," "... a librarian is on the loose," "... My dress is made of spiders" and my favourite of the night "The gazebo is on fire due to a routine maintenance check."
The stage was simple but effective and Cecil (played with his usual flair for the dramatic by Cecil Baldwin) delivered his lines with the usual gravitas and knowing wink. The audience were receptive and cheered when names, locations and tropes from the podcast were spoken, particular mention must go to 'Steve Carlsberg,' his name got the biggest cheer of the night!
Well, I can say that the show was well worth a view and I enjoyed it immensely. For people excited by the fantastical and slightly unsettling, Welcome to Nightvale is well worth a look and listen.
The Knife Perform Amazing Gig in Brixton Academy, London
I first heard of The Knife, like many millions of others I'm sure, through Jose Gonzales' cover of Heartbeats. I liked his warm version but preferred the more driven original version. Once switched on to the sound of The Knife I went through their albums, Silent Shout: An Audio Visual Experience became a firm favourite.
I have fond memories of going for a drive through the streets of London late at night with my best friend, when neither of us could sleep. We would wind the windows down and the cold breeze would blow through the car, the deep sonorous bass vibrating around us, surrounding us in its deep cocoon and we wound our way around the bright lights of the City and the dark streets of the East End.
With the CD came a DVD of the album performed live in Gothenburg, Sweden; it became my benchmark for quality live performances. The songs on the live performance were amazing and dark, it lifted their music into darker soundscapes and the vocals became more distorted and eerie. As a result of this The Knife had gained a reputation for being dark moody individuals with many claiming them satanic. This gained ground as the years passed by without an album proper. Then in 2013 Shaking The Habitual dropped and whilst gaining critical acclaim was for many a slow burner, taking many listens to love. Many claimed it was a sign of their pretentiousness and high mindedness however I really liked it, my favourite track being A Cherry On Top.
Going into this gig I didn't know what to expect, I thought I'd see something akin to the Silent Shout tour but when the support act came on, a female Mr Motivator a-like, and started to perform DEEP aerobics "Death Electro Emo Protest Aerobics" I knew that this was going to be different.
When The Knife did get on stage it was suitably atmospheric with a black silhouette and a group of all-female dancers but then this all switched into bright electric blues and shocking pinks. The songs came thick and fast but were unlike the album versions. Karin announced that this was "Shaking the habitual, the Shaken Remix" and that perfectly captured the mood for the night. The songs came with a carnival vibe, with lots of samba, aruba and fast percussion. Pass This On got a samba beat,
Shaking the Habitual got a flamenco clapping and the finale, Silent Shout had everyone rapturous with a high tempo rhythm...
This was performance art at its best, loud, fun and jovial like with a deep rhythmic carnival sound and feel, all moving ecstatically to the beat. This was performance art at its best... powerful in places but very tongue in cheek, some of the dancing reminded me of an old timey musical, like West Side Story. I left the gig buzzing, and in the words of The Knife, 'Without you my life would be so boring.'
The Setlist
- Wrap Your Arms Around Me
- Raging Lung
- We Share Our Mother's Health
- Bird
- Without You My Life Would Be Boring
- A Tooth for an Eye
- One Hit
- Full of Fire
- Collective Body Possum (Poem) Spoken Word
- Ready to Lose
- Pass This On
- Stay Out Here
- Silent Shout
Scooby Doo Does Twin Peaks
As a massive fan of Twin Peaks I'm always on the lookout for any references or parodies and this one from Scooby Doo! Mystery Incorporated is one of the best.
'From Bedrooms to Billions'- The Story of the British Computer Games Industry
'From Bedrooms to Billions' is a 150 minute feature length documentary movie telling the remarkable, true story of the British Video Games Industry from 1979 to the present. The film was created by Anthony and Nicola Caulfield after being successfully crowdfunded on the site Indiegogo in May 2012. They were seeking £20,000 but smashed through this getting closer to £60,000.
The documentary tells the story of the UK games industry, discussing its amateur beginnings, the heady days of excess in the 80s and following through with the downturn in the mid- 90s. The film includes interviews with such luminaries as Jeff Minter, Matthew Smith, Ian Livingstone and over 150 more important guests in gaming history.
I am in the process of watching the film and will provide a review once I have seen it this weekend, but I am very excited about the film as I feel the 80s gaming scene in Britain was an exciting time and hasn't truly been covered in detail in a documentary. This one could just fit the bill!
Chvrches 'Under the Tide' Anime Inspired Video
Anime is everywhere these days, back when I was a nipper it was rare as hens teeth to see this artform in the public eye but here we are in 2014 and it is definitely overground. In 'Under the Tide', the Scottish Electronics band Chvrches have a music video that focuses on an astronaut, who is separated from his love interest because he is saving the world from danger. The video cuts between the unfolding drama in space, a purplish lit man singing and a flashy clubby light show. The video is cool but it also reminded me of the classic anime Macross Plus, when Isamu is in his YF-19 and is off to save Myung but is almost hypnotised by Sharon Apple. Have a look at both the videos and tell me what you think!
Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue
Drugs are bad, m'kay! Well we all know that certain drugs are bad for us but in the late 80's and early 90's the animation studios teamed up to tackle the issue head on with Cartoon All-Stars to the Rescue. The cartoon features:
- ALF
- Alvin and the Chipmunks: Alvin, Simon, Theodore
- Ducktales: Huey, Dewey, and Louie
- Garfield and Friends: Garfield
- Looney Tunes: Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck
- Muppet Babies: Baby Kermit, Baby Miss Piggy and Baby Gonzo
- The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh: Pooh and Tigger
- The Real Ghostbusters: Slimer
- The Smurfs: Papa Smurf, Hefty Smurf and Brainy Smurf
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Michaelangelo
Quite the smorgasbord of animated characters I'm sure you'll agree. Well here is the animated song sequence created by the team behind The Little Mermaid. If you like what you see watch the whole episode on YouTube.
Maniac Mansion Original Design Documents Uploaded by Ron Gilbert
Maniac Mansion is a classic point and click adventure game created by legend Ron Gilbert using the SCUMM programme. For gamers of a certain age this is a Holy Grail. The design documents show a simpler time when plans on paper were all that was needed, no flashy videos or promos. An interesting read indeed!
Jeff Smith Signing at Orbital Comics, London
Jeff Smith is an American cartoonist, best known as the creator of the comic book series Bone. This series won many awards including ten Eisner Awards and eleven Harvey Awards. Now you can meet him at Orbital Comics in London, on Monday 20th October 2014 from 5pm onwards. He will be signing comics and graphic novels and meeting his many many fans.
Several years ago I was lucky enough to meet Mr Smith and get him to draw and sign my one edition Bone Collection Graphic Novel in Forbidden Planet. Whilst he was drawing Bone and writing a personal message in my graphic novel, I told him how as a teacher I had many comics in my class to encourage disengaged pupils to be drawn into the fantastical worlds that the comic books offered. Mr Smith was very friendly and encouraging and said he agreed. After meeting him I checked further online and found that he had created many informative educational packs explaining how graphic novels could be used to promote reading. He has created a pack of resources similar to the ones book clubs have where deeper level understanding and discussion of a text was encouraged. With many reluctant readers this pack was invaluable and helped me develop my reciprocal reading approach in my class. This is all by the by but if you are free meet a genuinely friendly and wonderful man who does much to promote literacy across the world. I am in meeting until late unfortunately but I'll be there in spirit!
TMNT Movie is Surprisingly Okay
It's been 25 years since the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and whilst not the biggest fan of the TV show or comics as a kid, I remember the years of Turtlemania well. So how does the new movie fare? Well I have to say I went in very skeptical and emerged pleasantly surprised.
The first half of the movie looks at the mythology of the Turtles and Splinter. We are told, in quite a bit of exposition, that the project that created the four heroes was codenamed “Renaissance” so they were named after Italian painters. We are then given insight into April O'Neil's youth and how her father worked to create a Mutagen for the betterment of humanity but was killed in a fire started by the Footclan.
The movie really gets going once April meets the Turtles and visits their lair, the Footclan follow close behind and start attacking. The action then goes typically boombastic with lots of Bay explosions and action, the high point being the downhill snow chase. There is reveal about the truth of the fire that killed Aprils father but it's not that important.
I won't go into too much detail but the movie was fun but instantly forgettable stuff. Megan Fox is fine as April and Will Arnett is okay but no-one is going to get an Oscar here. The movie marks a welcome return of many peoples' childhood favourites but for one who was never the biggest fan, it's an okay movie.
