If I have this right, you’re lookÂing at the dripÂping, flowÂing art of Holton RowÂer, a New York-based artist, who also hapÂpens to be the grandÂson of AlexanÂder Calder. The film itself was directÂed and editÂed by Dave KaufÂman. Enough said, I will let you sit back and watch gravÂiÂty, paint and Holton do their thing…
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
SophoÂcles and AeschyÂlus may be spinÂning in their graves. Or, who knows, they may be takÂing some delight in this bizarre twist on the OediÂpus myth. RunÂning eight minÂutes, Jason WishÂnow’s 2004 film puts vegÂetaÂbles in the starÂring roles. One of the first stop-motion films shot with a digÂiÂtal still camÂera, OediÂpus took two years to make with a volÂunÂteer staff of 100. But the hard work paid off. The film has since been screened at 70+ film fesÂtiÂvals and was evenÂtuÂalÂly acquired by the SunÂdance ChanÂnel. SepÂaÂrate videos show you the behind-the-scenes makÂing of the film, plus the stoÂryÂboards used durÂing proÂducÂtion.
Steve DunÂcan is an urban hisÂtoÂriÂan and phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer whose misÂsion is to “peel back the layÂers of a city to see what’s underÂneath” – to piece togethÂer the comÂplex cities we inhabÂit. In this fasÂciÂnatÂing video, we folÂlow DunÂcan as he explores the underÂbelÂly of New York City. Andrew WonÂder, using a Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 24mm f/1.4L lens, docÂuÂments the advenÂture. The senÂsoÂry expeÂriÂences must be extraÂorÂdiÂnary, as Alan Feuer (who accomÂpaÂnied Steve and Andrew on one of their trips) writes in the New York Times:
The sounds down here are even more impresÂsive than the sights and smells: the NiaÂgara-like crash of water spilling in from side drains; the rumÂble of the subÂway; the guh-DUNK! of cars hitÂting manÂhole covÂers overÂhead, like two jabs on a heavy bag.
For more, I highÂly recÂomÂmend readÂing the NPR stoÂry, “Into the TunÂnels.” Also worth seeÂing are DunÂcan’s phoÂtos of New York City bridges and the underÂground rivers of LonÂdon. The video above has a run time of 28 minÂutes.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Back in 2009, PlayÂing for Change, a media project launched by music proÂducÂer Mark JohnÂson, rolled out a video feaÂturÂing a globÂal cast of musiÂcians perÂformÂing Ben King’s Stand by Me (and, more recentÂly, anothÂer great one feaÂturÂing The GrateÂful DeadÂ’s “RipÂple”). To date, the video has clocked more than 79,000,000 views on YouTube, and the song latÂer appeared on this CD/DVD. Now, PlayÂing for Change has returned with a new video payÂing tribÂute to Bob MarÂley and his clasÂsic track, “RedempÂtion Song.” MarÂley would have turned 66 this week (note: this post was first pubÂlished back in 2011), and coinÂciÂdenÂtalÂly the song (watch MarÂley’s acoustic verÂsion here) ranks 66th on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 GreatÂest Songs of All Time. The eclecÂtic verÂsion (above) is feaÂtured on Songs Around The World, Part 2.
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Last week, MIT OpenÂCourseÂWare offiÂcialÂly released its LecÂtureÂHall iPhone app. Put simÂply, the free app gives you mobile access to MIT video lecÂtures. It even lets you downÂload lecÂtures straight to your phone (handy for times when you may not have conÂnecÂtivÂiÂty). AnothÂer plus: the LecÂtureÂHall iPhone app adds a social dimenÂsion to the learnÂing expeÂriÂence. FaceÂbook inteÂgraÂtion, disÂcusÂsion forums, ratÂings & reviews of indiÂvidÂual videos – they’re all layÂered in. And, just in case you’re wonÂderÂing, an Android verÂsion of the LecÂtureÂHall app is in the works.
Now a quick plug: Feel free to downÂload our Free iPhone app, which includes free audio books, online coursÂes, forÂeign lanÂguage lessons, and intelÂliÂgent podÂcasts. Or, betÂter yet, simÂply visÂit Open CulÂture with your smart phone and get lots of smart media wherÂevÂer you go…
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
350 Free Online CoursÂes from Great UniÂverÂsiÂties
On James Dean’s 80th birthÂday, this film probÂaÂbly deserves its own litÂtle menÂtion. The James Dean StoÂry, a 79 minute docÂuÂmenÂtary chronÂiÂcling the life and times of JimÂmy Dean, came out two years after the young actor’s death in 1955. Most notably, the film was directÂed by Robert AltÂman, a young direcÂtor who would evenÂtuÂalÂly make MASH, Nashville, The PlayÂer, GosÂford Park, etc. It’s also catÂaÂlogued in our colÂlecÂtion, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great ClasÂsics, Indies, Noir, WestÂerns, DocÂuÂmenÂtaries & More.
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James Dean starred in only three major films – Rebel WithÂout a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant – before perÂishÂing in a car acciÂdent on Route 466, near Cholame, CalÂiÂforÂnia in SepÂtemÂber 1955. (A free docÂuÂmenÂtary covÂers that.) A star died at 24. MeanÂwhile, a legÂend forÂevÂer embodyÂing youth was born.
JimÂmy Dean would have turned 80 today. AmazÂing to say it. And, to mark the occaÂsion, we’re feaÂturÂing a slide show showÂcasÂing the phoÂtogÂraÂphy and voice of DenÂnis Stock, the MagÂnum phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer who took many iconÂic phoÂtos of Dean, includÂing Dean’s famous walk through a rainy Times Square with a cigÂaÂrette propped in mouth and hands in pockÂets. StockÂ’s images shaped Dean’s pubÂlic perÂsona, and the work you’re seeÂing here figÂures into a more comÂpreÂhenÂsive preÂsenÂtaÂtion of StockÂ’s oeuÂvre on the MagÂnum webÂsite.
PS Today is also Jules Verne’s 183rd birthÂday. If you’re lookÂing for his clasÂsics – Around the World in 80 Days or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – you can find them in our Free Audio Books and Free eBooks colÂlecÂtions.
When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle first conÂceived of SherÂlock Holmes in 1887, he probÂaÂbly didÂn’t anticÂiÂpate that the “conÂsultÂing detecÂtive” would become the world’s favorite ficÂtionÂal invesÂtigaÂtive logiÂcian and evenÂtuÂalÂly infilÂtrate everyÂthing from acaÂdÂeÂmÂic curÂricÂuÂla to HolÂlyÂwood. Just last year, the BBC proÂduced a fanÂtasÂtic three-part modÂernÂizaÂtion of the clasÂsic, which accordÂing to many critÂics eclipsed Guy Ritchie’s effects-driÂven blockÂbuster of the same name, released sevÂerÂal months earÂliÂer.
So masÂsive and wide-reachÂing is the cult of Holmes that StanÂford dedÂiÂcatÂed an entire project to the study of SherÂlock Holmes. DisÂcovÂerÂing SherÂlock Holmes feaÂtures 12 of the greatÂest stoÂries of the SherÂlock Holmes canon from The Strand MagÂaÂzine, where SherÂlock first made his appearÂance, downÂloadÂable as free annoÂtatÂed, illusÂtratÂed PDF’s. A hisÂtorÂiÂcal essay on Holmes’ epoch conÂtexÂtuÂalÂizes the stoÂries and feaÂtures rare vinÂtage artÂwork by SidÂney Paget, the origÂiÂnal SherÂlock illusÂtraÂtor.
Note: You can also find The AdvenÂtures of SherÂlock Holmes in Open CulÂture’s colÂlecÂtions of Free Audio Books and Free eBooks. Plus, the Free Movies colÂlecÂtion housÂes three vinÂtage SherÂlock Holmes films — Dressed to Kill (1941), SherÂlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943) and TerÂror by Night (1946).
Maria PopoÂva is the founder and ediÂtor in chief of Brain PickÂings, a curatÂed invenÂtoÂry of cross-disÂciÂpliÂnary interÂestÂingÂness. She writes for Wired UK, GOOD MagÂaÂzine and DesigÂnObÂservÂer, and spends a great deal of time on TwitÂter.
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