orbis quintus

Kodak 1922 Kodachrome Color Film Test

paledave — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:33:39 +0000

This is (was??) 13 years before Becky Sharp, the first color film to be released. And these girls are hotties.

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A New Novel by Eco!

Bill — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 00:20:14 +0000

There was a time when this news would have sent me into paroxysms of glee. As it is, I’m merely excited.

The novel, titled “The Prague Cemetery,” is the story of a secret agent who “weaves plots, conspiracies, intrigues and attacks, and helps determine the historical and political fate of the Continent,” his publisher said. Mr. Eco, 78, is widely known for his philosophical writings and his fiction, especially “The Name of the Rose.” His most recent novel, “The Mysterious Flame of Queen Loana,” was published in 2005.

RIP Bruno S.

Bill — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:42:49 +0000

Late, yes, but I just saw that he died.

Poor man.

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A Library In Mongolia

paledave — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 03:14:16 +0000

From the breathless YouTube script, which, decoded, is about preserving the texts of the Buddha:

The only copy of ancient encyclopedia Kangyur which invented by ancient gurus in Tibet and India is under active rescue mission in Mongolian National Library. Its original tibetan and sanskrit versions destroyed through wars and social instabilities and only Mongolian version is saved intact with Mongolian ancient scholars. Now it is taking another fresh breath of getting digitized hence taking chance of educating people.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Ellul’s library, his thoughts on pessimism, technology, etc.

Bill — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 17:25:50 +0000

Jacques Ellul: anarchist, would-be situationist, theorist of technology and propaganda, theologian. This the fifth of a six-part series of youtube clips. It has charmingly bad camerawork, a brief look at the man’s library, and a minute of virtuoso accordion (harmonium?) playing at the end.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Callao Man

badger — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 12:34:44 +0000

67,000 year old human fossil is found in cave in Philippines. It’s suspected that it’s an earlier species than Homo sapiens, but they are still looking for more bone fragments. That could just be some nationalist/nativist posturing though.

Henry Miller Asleep and Awake (1975)

badger — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:23:49 +0000

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It could not have gone otherwise…

Bill — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 16:57:39 +0000

In an interview with Jan Brachmann, Liv Ullman recounts how she organised a meeting between Woody Allen and Ingmar Bergman while she was in New York playing Nora and Bergman was also in town. “Woody Allen is completely different in real life. He turned up in a limousine driven by a white-gloved chauffeur. He entered Ingmar’s room, where I introduced them, and said nothing! Two geniuses who could do nothing but stare at one another in silent amazement. They sat down to eat, Ingmar ordered meatballs, Woody Allen ordered meatballs. He copied everything Ingmar did. Neither of them said a word. On the way home in his limousine, Woody Allen suddenly grabbed my arm and sighed: ‘Thank you, Liv!’ As soon as I got home I call a call from Ingmar: ‘Thank you, Liv!’”

Here, full article in German.

Jammin’ The Blues

paledave — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:06:16 +0000

Jammin’ the Blues is a 1944 short film in which several prominent jazz musicians got together for a rare filmed jam session. It featured Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sid Catlett, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones, John Simmons, Illinois Jacquet, Marie Bryant, Archie Savage and Garland Finney. Barney Kessel is the only white performer in the film. He was seated in the shadows to shade his skin, and for closeups, his hands were stained with berry juice. The movie was directed by Gjon Mili. Producer Gordon Hollingshead was nominated for an Academy Award for this footage in the category of Best Short Subject, One-reel. In 1995, Jammin’ the Blues was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

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Jožin Z Bažin—Ivan Mládek

paledave — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:14:56 +0000

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