When The Wind Blows

When The Wind Blows is a cheery 1986 film from director Jimmy T. Murakami about nuclear war. It has the theme to tune by David Bowie and features animation set against an actual 3D background - and is a total downer...

Rudi Gernreich: Basic Black

For the late fashion icon Rudi Gernreich, Basic Black is anything but. Featuring muses Peggy Moffitt and Leon Bing, this short is a forerunner of  of the fashion video (maybe dead today?).

Ben & Arthur

I'm not going to try to tell you what Ben & Arthur is about, other then it is the worst gay movie ever made, but I will say it is 2002 film from director Sam Mraovich.
So, for a description, I will allow Rantasmo to fill you in on the plot. Who is Rantasmo you may be asking? Other than being a guy with the most amazing name ever, and being downright adorable with his little chin beard, he host a web video series called Needs More Gay, which "dissects the highs and lows of gay pop culture with the precision of a dull machete." And his summery of Ben & Arthur is a tour de force (along the lines of MST3K). Spoilers are included, but hey, it the worst gay movie ever made.

The full film jump - because, after that, I know you are dieing to see it. Really you should be. Reason one is you will find out the Mildread is the super of Ben and Aurthur's building for some reason, and that Ben's brother gets way gayer as the film goes on. Also, part 1 is called bnaone with part 2 through 11 titled Ben & Arthur 2/11 to 11/11...

In The Realms Of The Unreal

In The Realms Of The Unreal is a 2004 documentary about the artist and author Henry Darger by Jessica Yu. Darger, working as a janitor, amassed a 15,000 page novel and paintings and drawings that came to light only after is death.

Trailer bellow followed by the feature after the jump...

 

Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles

Another look at Los Angeles. 

Reyner Banham Loves Los Angeles of 1972 came on the heels of architectural historian and theorist's seminal 1971 work, Los Angeles: The Architecture of Four Ecologies.  Four Ecologies is an amazing work, this is more so so, but it is a fun ride (pun not intended) with Mr. Banham as he tears around a long gone Los Angeles , starting at LAX, in his Baede-Kar. 

Miracle Mile

I'm feeling romantic for LA. I got back here about three weeks ago and didn't realize how much I missed being here while in Chicago. 

Miracle Mile is a 1988 film staring Anthony Edwards and Mare Winningham from director Steve De Jarnatt. The movie starts with Edwards getting a date with Winninghan to pick her up at the diner (Johnie's Coffee Shop) where she works when she gets off - he oversleeps and rushes out to meet her. He is too late and calls her from the payphone outside at 4am. He leaves her a message and waits around the diner for her to come back. While waiting the phone in the booth rings and the voice on the end of the line begins rambling bout a missile set to hit Los Angels in 70 minutes.

Not only does the film unfold in about real time it is set in LA in the late 80's! 

Bellow is the trailer followed by full length film after the jump. 

Good Copy Bad Copy

Tonight we are featuring a nice doc about copyright and music sampling - featuring interviews with Girl Talk and Danger Mouse (among others).  Good Copy Bad Copy is from 2007 and was directed by Andreas Johnsen, Ralf Christensen, and Henrik Moltke.