Hit the Road to Parts Unknown

Image for The Legend of Sleeping Hollow (1958)

"On mounting a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveller in relief against the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck on perceiving that he was headless!--but his horror was still more increased on observing that the head, which should have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!"

It's been a while since we enjoyed a ghost story. ;-)

This time we're celebrating the birth date of Washington Irving, born on April 3, 1783. Perhaps his best known story is the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow", which has spawned numerous adaptations since it was first published in 1820.

Although I really liked Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow, my favorite adaptation is still the Disney version that originally was part of The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad in 1949. It has an unforgettable art direction, with superb animation. Excellent visual storytelling.

Image from Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Remember, you can't reason with a headless man. ;-)

We Are All Made of Stars

Memory Gospel by Moby


Kopeikin Gallery is currently showing "Destroyed," an exhibit of photography by the electronica musician, Moby. I'm usually hesitant to view art produced by celebrities, but Moby has always struck me as having an engaging and comprehensive aesthetic foundation. Moreover, the premise of the work, a study of the dynamic expressiveness of crowds at a concert, stuck me as an interesting concept. It's the type of photography that really can only be done by a popular musician like Moby.

So I went to check it out. At first, I just walked around the gallery casually observing the images, seeing if anything jumped out at me. Eh, it was certainly a fun set of photos but nothing really packed a punch. Then, I did the deeper examination, scrutinizing each piece for composition, color, and distinctness. Hmm, it was impressive documentation with a good eye for image crafting, but it still didn't "wow" me. Then I did another gallery stroll but with my improved familiarity of the photos. Now, the unique energy of each shot shouted out at me.

Detail of Sunspot by Moby


The images have a strong tension between the Universalized and the Individualized. Yes, each photograph depicts a crowd, but each crowd has its own unique expressive vibe. And each crowd is composed of discrete individuals reacting to the specific focus of the camera. Yet, the individuality of the person is overwhelmed by the group identity and energy of the crowd. The particular becomes accumulated into an aggregate composite identity.

Let's Fly Away

Billboard for ABC's Pan Am, featuring the female leads.

"It's not you. It's a promise of you."

Among the various types of ads, I find billboards to be the least interesting and least effective. Therefore, it's cool to find one that works at catching my attention and at imparting the premise of the subject. The image is simple, four attractive women dressed in a retro style that evokes Jet Age luxuries. The only words are the product name and the statement of opening date. Direct and eloquent marketing.

I'm not big on retro television shows. There is so much effort put into simulation of setting that it often feels like the production skimps on the other elements of story. For instance, the characters often aren't written as much more than period appropriate character types. That's fine if your interest is to "visit" a historic era, but, if you want deep character exploration, it can feel a bit flat.



Christina Ricci as Maggie, Pam Am stewardess


Nevertheless, I can see the charm of retro-themed entertainment. So, I'll probably check out this show. Anyways, I'm old enough to remember flying on a Pan Am flight with cute female stewardesses, not "flight attendants." But I'm not old enough to remember "air hostesses". ;-)