I just wanted to let everyone know that I am alive and will resume posting this month. I am almost done with college and have recently relocated to work a new job with State Parks. I was also recently contacted by the owner of Character Design References to write articles for his future website, but will still continue to post on this site.
I've been doing more artwork and writing recently too. If any of you like what you see below, would be interested in me using a future Tumblr site for the art or having me post it here? (Or I could post in both places, but draw individual pieces for certain articles I write, etc.)
A simple digital piece made for a web design class.
First of all, I would like to apologize for being absent from my blog for over a month. As usual, I have been exceptionally busy completing my senior year at college and finishing various projects. I promise to post at least 2-3 times a month from now on and hopefully I will be able to post more frequently (around 5-6 posts per month) by the end of next year...
Resolutions List
1.) Complete College and My Senior Project
2.) Post with Gusto!
3.) Start a Tumblr Page to Post Personal Artwork & Other Miscellaneous Stuff
4.) Find a Full Time Job that I Enjoy
5.) Become as Awesome as Bill Watterson Someday
Well, that's enough about me for now. What are your resolutions?
Hello, fellow bloggers! If you have been following my blog recently, you have probably noticed that I haven't posted anything for over a month. I have been extremely busy with my summer job and preparing for my senior project. (Not to mention, my internet has been rather spotty lately…) I should resume a more regular posting schedule by the end of this month. Sorry to keep you hanging! If you need something to read in the meantime, feel free to check out the recommended websites in the side tab.
Apparently, Totoro is a part time Sushi chef. No word yet on how good his cooking is. (On the side note, I apologize about the lack of posts. A college student must study after all!)
Happy Holidays to all of my readers! I hope you have a great one! I had an excellent Christmas with my family, and got some pretty nice (and nerdy gifts) including: a hand stitched Totoro doll from my step-sister, an Art of Spirited Away book, and some slippers. It was also our first Christmas with our new kittens that we got about a month earlier. (I apologize for the crappy pictures taken from my iPhone.)
Earlier this month, my family and I took our weekly annual vacation up to the Inyo National forest area, between Yosemite and Mono Lake. The elevation where we were staying in the Sierras was at about 10,000 feet, which takes some time getting used to (and often gives me nose bleeds...). Within five days, my family and I hiked over thirty miles throughout the forest. We visited locations such as the Saddlebag Lakes / 20 Lakes Basin and Lundy Canyon. Below are a some pictures I snapped. Hopefully, the fires that have been threatening Yosemite will be contained soon; the dry weather has been very concerning.
One of the many lakes along the Saddlebag loop.
A gorgeous view down Lundy Canyon.
Wildflowers such as mountain daises and lupin lined the trials.
And just in time to traumatize a new generation too!
Six days ago, Discotek Media announced that they will be releasing the overlooked 1978 Sanrio film, Ringing Bell (aka Chirin no Suzu), to DVD, which has been out of print for over 25 years. Ringing Bell is a brutally honest tale about a young lamb who discovers the dangers of going too far with revenge, after his mother is killed by a large wolf. (I reviewed the film earlier this year on my blog here.)
Really, I can't be pleased enough. So many other anime distribution companies skip over older titles, likely fearing that they will not sell well, but not Discotek. They specialize in releasing classic movies and series from the 1970s and 1980s (such as: Animal Treasure Island, Lupin III, Unico, and Galaxy Express 999), as well as several cult classics from the 1990s and a few more recent titles. Now all we need to do is connivence them to release a couple of our other favorites. How about Horus: Prince of the Sun, or Hakujaden, or Future Boy Conan, or Only Yesterday, or Night on the Galactic Railway, or Ashita no Joe? Osamu Tezuka's Wonder 3? The Telecom Lupin III episodes? ....Uh-oh.... I think I'm starting to get a bit carried away here.
Lupin's vehicle of choice just so happens to be the world's rarest car.
One of the most notable things about the anime and manga franchise, Lupin III, is the insane amount of detail put into drawing various cars, guns, motorcycles, and other mechanical contraptions, particularly in Lupin's earlier outings (i.e: The 1971 'Green Jacket' series, The Mystery of Mamo, The Castle of Cagliostro, certain episodes of the second series, and The Fuma Conspiracy). While Monkey Punch's original Mad Magazine influenced manga did contain some detailed images of machinery, the anime incarnations listed above really narrowed in on the technical side of drawing. This was heavily due to the involvement of Yasuo Otsuka. Otsuka is renowned throughout the animation community in Japan. Although he retired after directing the animation for The Fuma Conspiracy in 1987, Otsuka continues to influence generations of animators not only through his work, but also through a prestigious animation school, which was featured in the documentary Joy in Motion (2004). A humble man, Otsuka stated that directing was not his strong point, and he mentored both Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahada.
Monkey Punch's loose, zany, sketchy style.
Highly technical production drawings for Cagliostro by Yasuo Otsuka.
Out of all the vehicles featured throughout Lupin's numerous incarnations, the titular character's two primary cars of choice are a yellow Mercedes Benz SSK and a 1957 Fiat 500. The Mercedes Benz SSK is a German racing automobile built between 1928 to 1932. 'SSK' stands for Super Short Kurz (Cut), as it had a shorter wheelbase than its precursor, the Mercedes Benz S. Able to produce 200-300 horsepower, the SSK was extremely fast for its time. It could reach speeds up to 120 mph, making it the ideal getaway car. Unfortunately, as with many early race-cars and motorcycles, the SSK was very hard to steer. Only about 40 were ever manufactured, most of which ended up being crashed and subsequently cannibalised for their parts. The car is thus very rare. Only five complete models are known to exist today. Indeed, one SSK sold for a record breaking 7.4 million in 2004!
A replica of an SSK that is similar to the one Lupin drives.
The fact that Lupin drives a Mercedes Benz SSK is one of the greatest in-jokes in animation. The vintage car is constantly wrecked, blown up, cut in half, or completely totaled during chase sequences. Perhaps Lupin III is thief not just for personal enjoyment, but also to pay for all the damage his SSK endures! (Or else Lupin has been buying out or stealing all of the other SSKs...)
Neither Inspector Zenigata or the audience saw this one coming.
Lupin's 1957 Fiat 500 is more reliable than his SSK, but not as quick. Lupin typically uses it to squeeze into smaller spaces or perform actions his heavier car cannot, such as driving up walls or jumping over gorges. Fiat 500s are popular little cars, being relatively inexpensive, having good steering, and having good mileage. Initially produced in Italy from 1957 to 1975, Fiat has recently released a new 500 model in 2007, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original city car's launch. Often seen as Europe's equivalent of the Volkswagen Beetle, the 500 has steadily become popular outside of Italy since its conception.
A sunny yellow Fiat 500.
Lupin first used a Fiat 500 in the iconic chase scene in The Castle of Cagliostro (1979), and ever since then the car has appeared from time to time in the thief's later adventures. Apparently, giving Lupin a 500 was influenced by the fact that Otsuka owned one himself (and perhaps as a nod to Lupin's large Italian fanbase). The scene from Cagliostro is commonly homaged and praised. So much so in fact, that there have even been special edition Lupin themed Fiat 500s sold in limited quantities! And sometimes, Lupin has even been used to sell cars with no relation to what he drives what so ever.
The most exciting car chase ever animated (and in any movie).
The femme fatale archetype has been around far longer than the relatively short history of filmmaking, dating back to ancient times. It is the typecast role of a seductive and mysterious woman, whose personalty remains hard to figure out for most of the storyline. Her motives may seem conflicted or vague. She can also play the part of the trickster or deceiver. Although not always the story's outright villain (sometimes she may be portrayed as an antihero or in a more sympathetic light), the femme fatale represents the dangers of lustful desire and often leads her lovers into risky or compromising situations. Indeed the term itself is French for 'deadly woman.'
Jane Greer as Kathie Moffat in Out of the Past (1947), a typical femme fatale.
Where did this idea of dangerous women originate from? Perhaps, it came into being because it was based off of certain mens' disastrous past relationships with their lovers. Femme fatales could be the reflection of a general fear about the consequences of entering a relationship that a man knows little about, and the unfortunate effects that might come with that relationship (i.e. giving into temptation, new responsibilities, commitment, childcare). In early history, the idea of a powerful women or female ruler was rather frightening for some as it was rather unheard of. Likely, many men questioned how effective such rulers were while in power. No doubt, the femme fatale also represents humankind's paradoxical attraction and repulsion of sex.
Some of the earliest examples of femme fatales date back to genesis of literature. Aphrodite (Venus), the goddesses of love, beauty, and procreation, had numerous affairs with several other gods and often ignited jealousy among immortals and mortals alike. She caused so much trouble that Zeus had her wed Hephaestus, a cripple who was skilled at metallurgy. Even Aphrodite's birth was rather suggestive. She arose from sea foam after Cronus threw Uranus's genitals into the ocean. Aphrodite was also known for being vain and easily offended. Her personality along with her control of magic and enticement of men, would become the basis of several figures to follow.
The Birth of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (1485).
In Greek mythology, there are others that have the qualities of seductive, deadly women. Sirens (along with mermaids and nymphs) were feared for luring men into drowning by playing their lovely music, singing, or by their appearance alone. Clytemnestra, was Helen's half sister. She is infamously remembered for killing her husband, Agamemnon, after he returns from Troy, so that she can marry Aegisthus. Circe, the enchantress, briefly held Odysseus's men captive after transforming them into pigs with drug laced wine. The Sphinx, borrowed from Egyptian lore, was a female hybrid creature said to devour any man who could not solve her riddles. Hecate, was known as the goddess of crossroads, misfortune, and accidents. She would later become associated with the mysteriousness of the night and witchcraft.
Biblical texts also mentions several femme fatale like women in its Hebrew portion. Vanity and giving into temptation or seduction are commonly considered to be crimes in many religions. Although Eve is not really a femme fatale, she certainly represented the fear of disobeying God when she committed the first sin on Earth (similar to how Pandora could not contain her curiosity and opened the box she was given, letting misfortune into the world). Lilith ('screech owl'), was a female figure based off of earlier Mesopotamian demons, and Delilah was known for betraying Sampson when she cut his hair. Also notable were Salome, who gets revenge for her mother by receiving John the Baptist's head in return for her dancing, and Jezebel, who was a Phoenician queen and 'enemy of God's prophets'.
In Medieval to early Renaissance times, women acting out of line or seductively would become associated with witchcraft. This basis had its roots in the earlier mentioned religion and folklore, and also from the Roman goddess Diana. Diana was representative of the moon, hunting, woods, and childrearing. Fertility cults that worshipped Diana at night would later be charged of performing witchcraft and practicing the witches's sabbath, likely as an attempt to wipe out Paganism. (Christianity is a very cumulative religion, and any beliefs not absorbed by it were often shunned or considered to be the work of the Devil / evil during this time period.) The idea of rebellion or 'shameless sexual activity', was particularly disconcerting to many people in the early Renaissance. This along with several crises at the time (religious upheaval, a changing European economy, and widespread epidemic diseases) caused society to look for an ideal scapegoat, which unfortunately often happened to be older, defenseless women who were widowed or social outcasts. The magic attributed to such witches could have had its basis in sexual desires, vanity, assertive behavior, or deception, all of which are traits commonly associated with the femme fatale archetype.
Outside of fiction and witch trails, there were several real life people who are considered to be femme fatales. Cleopatra, although much of her life in popular culture is fictionalized, is probably the most famous example. Coming from a family of Greek origin, Cleopatra ruled Egypt from approximately 69 to 30 BC. She was the last pharaoh and had affairs with powerful Roman generals Julius Cesar and Mark Antony. Mata Hari was a supposed German spy who acted as an erotic dancer and entertainer. She was executed by the French army in 1917. More recently, Anna Chapman was also accused of being a spy. She was posing as a fashion model in order to obtain information about the US for the Russian government.
Mata Hari, the world's most famous female spy.
In film, arguably the first major femme fatal figure was Theda Bara, famous for her portrayal as the 'vamp', one of cinema's earliest sex symbols. She wore many outfits that were (and still are) rather racy, perhaps in part prompting Hollywood to adopt the Hayes Box Office Code about ten years later. She is best known for starring in A Fool There Was (1915), Cleopatra (1917), and The She Devil (1918). Most of Bara's films are now lost due to many being destroyed with the implantation of The Hayes Code or burning in fires.
Louis "Lulu" Brooks was another notable silent film star. She was a fiercely outspoken and independent woman who initially started her career in Hollywood, but would later move to Germany after a falling out over the use of sound with Paramount (for The Canary Murder Case [1929]). She was a critic of the Hollywood system, popularized the bobbed hair cut, and would go to star in more complex, darker films after leaving America. Brooks had several affairs (once even with Charlie Chaplin), but was never able to achieve a stable marriage, which she attributes to being assaulted at age nine, making her leery of entering long time relationships. Her greatest films arguably were Beggars for Life (1928), Pandora's Box (1929), Diary of a Lost Girl (1929), and Prix de Beaute (1930).
Many of these silent femme fatales, such as Louis Glaum and Musidora, were foreign in appearance (specifically Eastern European or Asian) which added to their mysterious allure. Their assertive and sometimes wild behavior was also a reflection of the increasing presence of women in the 1920s outside of the domestic sphere (the flapper, women gaining the right to vote with the 19th Amendment, more women going to college, etc). These actresses were the exact opposite of the more wholesome and innocent performances of stars such as Lillian Gish or Mary Pickford.
The few remaining seconds discovered of Theda Bara as Cleopatra (1917), and an interview with Bara.
Louise Brooks was another silent film femme fatale.
In the 1940s, many German filmmakers fled their homeland to avoid censorship from the Nazi regime and brought their unique, dark, and complex expressionist style with them, forever altering America cinema. Film Noir thus came into being and its style was adopted by several famous directors, including Alferd Hitchcock and Orson Wells. It is characterized by its crime ridden plot lines commonly involving antiheroes, dramatic black and white lighting, and (surprise!) femme fatales. The goal of film noir was to challenge the Hays Code and typical, 'safer' American movies made at the time. Some of the most famous film noir films include: Rebecca (1940), Citizen Cane (1941), The Maltese Falcon (1941), Laura (1944), The Big Sleep (1946), Gilda (1946), Out of the Past (1947), Vertigo (1958), and Psycho (1960). Sunset Blvd (1950) was particularly interesting. It cast Gloria Swanson as Norma Desmond, an eccentric former silent film star, obsessed with rising back to fame and her ill fated relationship with the young screenwriter Joe Gillis (William Holden).
"All right Mr. DeMillie, I'm ready for my closeup."
To this day, there are many films that follow the pattern of femme fatales found in film noir. Some recent examples of 'neo-noir' fatales include the likes of Evelyn Mulwray from Chinatown (1974), Matty Walker of Body Heat (1981), Alex Forrest from Fatal Attraction (1987), Lynn Bracken from L.A. Confidential (1997), and Mal Cobb from Inception (2010). A notable example of the femme fatale is the 'Bond Girl.' A Bond Girl is any of the classy, outspoken women from the James Bond film series. They are known for their often sexually suggestive names, troubled pasts, and penchant for betrayal. Femme fatales are common outside of American cinema as well, perhaps the best know being the anime characters Fujiko Mime from the Lupin the Thirdfranchise and Fey from Cowboy Bebop (1998).
Parodies of the femme fatale have also been popular ever since the 1940s. Animator Tex Avery gave as Red Hot Riding (1943) which mocked traditional fairytale conventions by updating them for modern audiences. Eartha Kitt's enjoyably campy performance for the third season original Batman show (1967 - 1968), was laced with puns and hamminess. Jessica Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988) makes a tongue in cheek reference to the archetype stating, "I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way." Kiss Kiss Bang Bang (2005) poked fun at noir conventions with its twisted black humor and plot about a thief being mistaken for an actor and detective.
Parodying the femme fatale: Eirtha Kitt as Catwoman!
Fujiko Mime, anime's answer to the fatale archetype.
Whether you agree with the implications of the character role or not, the femme fatale is here to stay and has long been part of our cultural heritage and imagination. She can be seen as a threat to traditional gender roles, a sexually liberated individual, or a manipulative honey trap. Depending on the context, this woman archetype is commonly seen as a cool, confident woman or nuisance to beware of. In either case, the femme fatale is one of the most recognizable figures conceived for fiction.
The world's most famous film critic has just passed away.
Breaking News: Roger Ebert died yesterday at the age of 70 after a long battle with cancer. Ebert worked as film critic for Chicago Sun-Times since 1967 and publish many of his reviews on his own website. He will be fondly remembered for his wit and insights on the art of film making. Ebert was also an outspoken critic of the American film rating system, violence in the media, and a supporter of artistic expression. He helped popularize the film star rating system and created the 'thumbs up, thumbs down' review summaries with his partner Gene Siskel (who died in 1999). In 1975, Ebert became the first film critic to win the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism. More can be read about Ebert here from The New York Times.
When part of my family was visiting the Oahu in Hawaii, they sent me this picture of a 'Family Fun Bus' with various cartoon and video game characters painted all over it. The best thing about this kitsch little piece of American pop culture? It's got Br'er Rabbit on it, a character who hasn't been seen outside of the Disney ride Splash Mountain for years due to racial controversy surrounding the film The Song of the South. (For a challenge, try to name all the cartoons appearing on the bus. If you can, you win the title of 'Animation Nerd of the Year.')
The other day, when I was out for a walk by the ocean, I found an odd object on the beach. It appears to be some sort of segmented plate from the calcified remains of an exoskeleton. Perhaps it is from some type of arthropod or mollusk (chiton)? Any information would be much appreciated!
The object from the front. It has a very smooth texture with little pits in it.
Back view of the object. It looks somewhat like a pelvis.
Side view of the object. It seems to be a calcified plate from an exoskeleton.
The way this item looks reminds me a lot of a pillbug, trilobite, or chiton. I can't help but to think of the ancient insects and marine creatures from the Cambrian Period that once roamed the Earth. It's amazing how huge insects and invertebrates could grow to be. (One of the largest being an ancestor of the millipede over eight feet in length!) Fortunately, for those who are more phobia prone, bugs this size can physically no longer exist. This is mostly due to lower oxygen levels in today's atmosphere. (Of course, if something happens to the atmosphere in the future giant bugs could return.) Some people also theorize that birds ate larger insects out of existence. What ever the case, large invertebrates are no longer with us except for in horror or sci-fi films.
I used to love to catch and play with these as a kid.
The object I found is most likely from a chiton (which is technically not a bug but a mollusk).
Terrifyingly gigantic invertebrates dominated the Cambrian.
Sorry, not possible in today's world. (Science ruins any possibility of an alien bug invasion.)
Call me weird, but I have always been fascinated by insects and how strange and unearthly they seem. Perhaps its because they are so ancient and I admire how long they have been able to survive on this planet. Insects and invertebrates are the world's most populous species. About 8.7 million are estimated to exist in the world today! Most insects are relatively harmless. (Out of all the species, only about forty are considered venomous.) Many people still seem leerily of them however. Could this be because we are aware of how huge they once were, or that we are just creeped out by how unlike us they are, or how little most people know about them?
Coincidentally, one of my favorite movies happens to be Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind(and not only because it has giant insects in it). It is 1984 Hayao Miyazaki film about a princess who must save her world from warring peoples in a post-apocalyptic future. Nausicaa is parable about how human and nature get along (or rather don't get along). The titular character must find a way in which the insects in the spreading toxic jungle and humanity can peacefully coexist because they are dependent on one another. It is truly a great film about learning not to fear the unknown and many subsequent anime and sci-fi films were influenced by it. (If you have seen both Nausicaa and James Cameron's Avatar, for instance, the forests in both films bare an uncanny resemblance to one another.)
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