Tuesday 31 May 2011

CHARLIE CHAPLIN IN ZEPPED


A rare Charlie Chaplin film thought to feature early attempts at animation will be put up for auction on 29th June. Entitled Charlie Chaplin in Zepped, the film shows the silent star bringing down a German Zeppelin aircraft and is believed to have been made to lift the spirits of the British troops. 

It's expected to fetch a 6 figure sum when it goes on sale at Bonhams next month. Fingers crossed it eventually ends up on YouTube so we can all check it out.

CIVILIZATION: THE VIDEO

Fiiiiiiinally, we get to see Justice's video for new single Civilization. Directed by genius Frenchman Edouard Salier, there is only one word for this: phenomenal.

THE CANVAS EXPERIMENT


The creative team at Converse have taken their iconic Chuck Taylor trainers and turned them into a living work of art for their latest project, The Canvas Experiment.


A 3.6 by 5.5 meter wall (or 'canvas') made out of 480 motorised pairs of shoes has been erected, creating an interactive screen with which the brand are "pushing the boundaries of independence and creativity". 

Check out the videos below to see what they've done with it so far, which includes a playable version of the arcade classic Space Invaders, with the pixels in the game represented by shoes of varying colours flipping back and forth.



Friday 27 May 2011

GIZMO'S BAROMETER

Heyheyhey! Gizmo here, the HOME.corp pup.
Let's get crackin' with this week's barometer, there's a weekend to get on with!
Click the headings for links.

WOOF!

Apparently it'll be a wet one, but that
won't dampen our spirits!

Her recent visit to the Oxford Uni confirmed 
her as one of the finest First Ladies the US has ever had.

Alex Petridis' excellent podcast reveals all
on the reclusive singer's one & only tour, back in 1979.

GRRR!

£680k of taxpayers' cash spent on renovating 
the PM's gaff. Nice one, Dave.

Didn't give her much of a chance, 
did they?

The reviews are in. And they're not good.

HOGBEN & PUGH


We've mentioned SHOWstudio's Ruth Hogben before (here); now hear her and long-term collaborator & fashion designer Gareth Pugh define the growing necessity, and the role of film in fashion. 

Together, they have created some of contemporary fashion's most exciting and inspiring imagery, bringing Pugh's boundary-pushing collections to a much wider public than those lucky few who get attend his shows.

MUSIC POWER 100


The Guardian has published its first ever music power list, detailing the 100 most influential people in British rock & pop. They have very modestly excluded any of their own reviewers and critics, and have cautiously insisted that "the list is far from perfect, there may be people we've simply missed out". Wise move, considering that power lists often attract negative attention from bruised egos.

The team behind singer Adele came at number 1, which is hardly a surprise considering her recent staggering success. Other luminaries listed include Simon Cowell at 3, iTunes UK at 5, Jay Z at 38 and Popjustice's Peter Robinson at 59. Check out the full list here.

Thursday 26 May 2011

DIARY OF CANNES


We are loving this diary of the Cannes Film Festival from directors Carlo Lavagna and Roberto de Paolis (who gave us an interview with Bernardo Bertolucci via Nowness just last week), which features appearances from Michel Gondry, Spike Jonze, Michelle Rodriguez, Kanye West and many more. Watching this make us feel like we were on the Cote d'Azur with them! (Sadly we were not).

THE GOLDEN RULE

 

Saturday Night Live's Andy Samberg has teamed up with Justin Timberlake and Lady Gaga to play silly buggers in a new digital short, 3-Way (The Golden Rule). With cameos from Susan Sarandon & Patricia Clarkson, this video brings the lols.

Wednesday 25 May 2011

ARCHITECTURE IN HELSINKI


Our music vid crush of the day comes from Australian indie-poppers Architecture in Helsinki's new single Escapee. The awesome video below was directed by Swedish supremo Marcus Soderlund, and the band's new album Moment Bends (pictured above) is out now. Get it. 

CONRAD SHAWCROSS


We are mesmerised by Brit artist Conrad Shawcross's modern mechanical sculptures, including the below piece currently on display at the newly-opened Turner Contemporary gallery in Margate, Kent. Click here for more on Conrad & all the other participating artists who were commissioned for the opening exhibition.

DANCING CHANEL

Fashion film animator Quentin Jones collaborates with world-renowned ballet dancer Emma Chadwick, who wears Chanel's seminal Spring/Summer 11 collection in the above short. This fun, unique & imaginative film was created exclusively for VogueTV. Enjoy.

Tuesday 24 May 2011

03

Lisa Scheynius is one of those annoying rare people who, on top of being young & beautiful, is also very talented. After spending her teenage years and early twenties as one of the world's most in-demand super models, Lisa decided to pursue her interest in photography in a professional capacity.
It worked. Commissions for the likes of AnOther magazine and Dazed & Confused came pouring in, and she is now, at the age of 30, one of the fashion industry's most in-demand snappers. It's easy to see why; her work exudes an effortless beauty - her chosen aesthetic is focussed and impeccable.

Lisa has already self-published two books of her photography, and today sees the launch of her latest, simply entitled 03. This third installment differs from the previous two; it focusses on her formative years as a photographer, between 1991 & 2007, before she started getting paid commissions. Check out our selection of shots included in this post, and buy the book from her website here.

INVITRO

Model Heidi Mount stars in Mexican sibling directors Mauricio and Santiago Sierra's latest short for Louis Vuitton. Styled by Patrick Mackie, Mount wears the finest items from LV's glittering Spring collection as she is depicted trapped behind a window display, in this noir, Lynch-esque fashion film. Enjoy.

WOLF GANG


Music vid crush of the day comes courtesy of Wolf Gang's new single The King And All His Men. The Brit alt-rockers' debut album Suego Faults (pictured above) is out on the 11th July and is available on pre-order from here. Follow the band on twitter here. And listen to more of their music here.

Monday 23 May 2011

BEAUTIFUL AND DAMNED


British contemporary artist Pam Glew is back with a new show at Blackhall Studios, and we have a little preview for you to check out. Glew uses bleach and dye to deconstruct and distress vintage cloths & fabrics to create a unique breed of painting. 

Her latest show, Beautiful and Damned, celebrates the glamour and tragedy of the American Jazz age, depicting the likes of Josephine Baker, Marlene Dietrich and Amelia Earhart. Beautiful and Damned opens today and is on until the 29th (EC2A 4QS).



B LIVE

Watch Beyonce tearing it up at Sunday's Billboard Music Awards 2011, held at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. B picked up the Millenium Award and received a tribute from the First Lady herself, Michelle Obama. Special props to the live interactive projection used during her performance.


We're on the case to find out who's behind the excellent visual effects, but something tells us it might be the same team that worked on this show by Italian artist Lorella Cuccarini...

TV BAFTAS


Well, the worst/best (depending on your sense of humour) has happened, and The Only Way Is Essex has actually won a bloody Bafta. ITV2's reality show picked up the YouTube Audience Award, which is voted for by the public, after a strong and incessant persistent twitter campaign from the show's cast.


Other winners included the amazing Lauren Socha (Misfits), who beat off very strong competition to win the best supporting actress award, and Vicky McClure for her flawless turn in Shane Meadows' This Is England '86. The Bafta Fellowship was awarded to Sir Trevor McDonald, who very much deserves all the praise he received during last night's ceremony at the Grosvenor Hotel. Click here for a full list of winners. Congrats to all!

Friday 20 May 2011

LOVE IS WHAT YOU WANT


Tracey Emin's new show at the Hayward Gallery opened two days ago, and it's one not to miss. The exhibit is a retrospective that offers, put simply, the best of Emin's work across all mediums; from scrawny hand-drawn sketches to the loud embroidered banners, & everything in-between. 


The selection on display, expertly curated by Ralph Rudolph and Cliff Lauson, offers a good opportunity to focus on Emin as an explicit & poignant contemporary artist, and not as a celebrity. Love Is What You Want is on until 29 August, and it's £12 to get in (click here for more info). Finally, let's hear a few words about the show from the lady herself.

BUG


You'll have gathered by now that we're very fond of music videos. Which is why we attended BUG last night at the BFI, on London's South Bank. The premise is very simple, Adam Buxton (off of Adam & Joe) plays a series a carefully selected music videos, and then amuses the audience by reading out the absurd YouTube comments that appear below the videos he's just played. Have a look.


Of all the videos he played yesterday, here are our 3 favourites. Check em out + look em up.



LGVL


File this under 'Ones To Watch'. Young photographers Lydia Garnett and Vic Lentaigne (aka LGVL) are teaming up for their first show at the Wayward Gallery. Lydia and Vic met at Brighton University, and their work is a skilled & straightforward depiction of youth culture; they mostly shoot their own friends. Check out a selection of their work below, see the flyer above for details on the show, & head here for LGVL's tumblr. 




Thursday 19 May 2011

LARS VON TRIER BANNED FROM CANNES

Oh dear. Danish director Lars von Trier (The Idiots, Dancer In The Dark), has been banned from the Cannes Film Festival after making very questionable remarks about... err... being a Nazi and understanding Hitler. 


This won't make his controversial statements any more palatable, but it might provide some context - Von Trier was brought up believing he was Jewish, until he discovered his biological father was a German Catholic. He said during yesterday's press conference: "I really wanted to be a Jew and then I found out I was really a Nazi, you know, because my family was German".

He went on to say that he could "understand Hitler. But come on, I'm not against Jews." Cringe at the ready; here's the video (look out for Kirsten Dunst dying a slow & horrible death sitting next to him).


Von Trier has since issued an apology and insists he was joking. It's unclear whether his current film, Melancholia, starring Kirsten Dunst & Charlotte Gainsbourg, is still eligible for prizes or whether it too has been booted from Cannes. Here's the trailer.

WHO RUN THIS MOTHER?


Music vid crush of the day comes courtesy of Beyonce's new single, Run The World (Girls). Directed by the king of modern music videos himself, Francis Lawrence, the spot sees B fronting an army of girls in a barren, post-apocalyptic wasteland (aka the Mojave desert in California).. Check it out below.

WORST ALBUM COVERS


Following from Monday's 'Greatest album covers of all time' post, the good people at Gigwise have wisely followed up with their take on the all-time worst... We're actually very fond of some of their finalists (e.g. Prince's Dirty Mind), but have a look at our own selection below, and head here for the full list.



Wednesday 18 May 2011

AT HOME WITH BERTOLUCCI


Directors Carlo Lavagna and Roberto de Paolis meet legendary Italian filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci (The Dreamers, Last Tango in Paris, La Luna, etc) for a cosy tete-a-tete. Bertolucci was the recipient of an honorary Palme d'Or at this year's Cannes Film Festival opening ceremony in recognition of his remarkable career & immeasurable contribution to international cinema.

ANNA WINTOUR FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY

US Vogue's editrix-in-chief Anna Wintour is the latest high-profile celeb to add her name & voice to HRC's New Yorkers for Marriage Equality campaign. The initiative has already seen support from Barbara Bush, Robert F. Kennedy Jr, actresses Julianne Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, current New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, and many more. Click here for more info on the campaign.

PRINCE PLAYS HOP FARM


The almighty Purple One has just been confirmed as the headliner on Sunday 3rd July at Kent's Hop Farm Festival. The festival will start on the 1st of July, with The Eagles headlining on Friday & Morrissey on Saturday. Other acts already announced are Carl Barat, Iggy & The Stooges, Lou Reed, Bryan Ferry and Brandon Flowers. 

This will be Prince's only UK show of 2011, so definitely one not to miss. Head here for tickets. 

Tuesday 17 May 2011

HOME BOY: SIMON ELBORNE


It's time to introduce you to another member of our lovely team. Step forward, Si Elborne!


Name Si Elborne
Job Title The other half of the New Business & Marketing HOME.corp duet.... harmony (Simon shares the roles with Flavia)
Where are you from? London
Where do you live? Chelsea


How long have you been a Home Boy? The best part of 4 months
What is your favourite Home Corp ad/video/short? Stacy Peralta's Riding Giants - cool personified
What are you currently working on? Doing everything in my power to help HOME.corp towards stratospheric acclaim, and graduating from the APA Masterclass on the side


Favourite film? Withnail & I is my all time favourite, and Into The Wild stands out as a recent epic; I love what Sean Penn does cinematically
Last book you read? My Uncle Oswald by Roald Dahl... a filthy, hilarious & sybaritic jaunt
Last gig you saw? Charlie Simpson live at the Tabernacle theatre


Favourite bar in London? The Ship in Wandsworth is a riverside riot when the sun is out
Favourite restaurant in London? La Poule au Pot... traditional French deliciousness; not an indulgence to often recommend - for health reasons only
Which London shops do you rely on? I'm big on online shopping, but Waitrose keeps me fed


What are your home comforts? Marmite on brown toast and a cup of Yorkshire tea
What was your last extravagance? Flights to Naples in July... wowsers, let's hope there's still some left to make the week there at least a little extravagant
Your life philosophy? "One world... a million parties" (saw it on the back of a can of Silly String once, genius advertising!)


What do you love about being a Home Boy? Absolutely everything... the team, being mentored by the best, looking after our fabulous directors... and Gizmo brings me endless wisdom and affection


Thanks Si! Here's a bit of Withnail & I


TIMBER TIMBRE


Music vid crush of the day courtesy of Canadian folkers Timber Timbre for their new single Black Water. The gorgeously murky video was directed by Exploding Motor Car. The band's excellent new album, Creep On Creepin On (pictured above), is out now.

Monday 16 May 2011

THE TREE OF LIFE


The Cannes Film Festival is rolling on as it usually does, with screenings and parties being attended & later reviewed all over the web. One film has caught our attention though, or perhaps even more so its mercurial reception from the press. We are of course talking about Terrence Malick's 4-years in the making, 1-year delayed, epic, prehistoric & cosmic vision, The Tree of Life. Let's have a look at the trailer.


The film was screened this morning, and saw the Cannes audience hooting and booing as the end credits rolled. Early echoes suggest the plot's overly-ambitious goal is grossly mishandled, littered with more inevitable cliches than genuinely meaningful moments. 

However The Guardian's Xan Brooks described it as "extraordinary; a high-minded, unashamedly serious picture about the infinite and the finite." Peter Bradshaw gave it a full 5-star review, praising Malick's "mad and magnificent" effort... We're guessing Fox Searchlight is banking on punters making up their minds by seeing the film for themselves.

GREATEST ALBUM COVERS


The good people at Gigwise have compiled a list of their top 50 favourite album covers of all time. All the usual suspects are present (Beatles, Pink Floyd), plus a few surprises (Beck, Peaches). See our own top-picks below & click here to check out the full gallery.