Cultrface

A blog dedicated to culture
and how it enriches our lives

Interview: CoolFilmArt

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One of my favourite accounts on Twitter has to be @CoolFilmArt. It’s a treasure trove of, well, cool film art with incredible posters from all over the world. We spoke to Robyn, one of the curators of the account about its origins and some of her favourite film posters.

So, how did the @CoolFilmArt account come about?

My pal Jim helps run @CoolBoxArt and I basically ripped the idea off two years ago but for film posters, I also made a list on Letterboxd back in 2013 and thought wow that would be a cool Twitter account. My main basis for choosing a film to watch is 99% what the poster looks like so I thought other people would enjoy them as much as I do. There’s other poster accounts out there but I think we cater to a pretty niche market, like if you were to upturn a stone in between the woodlice you would find our kind of posters, haha.

How do you “curate” the film art you post?

Mostly I find stuff on Google, I like to look for Hollywood posters from other countries (Japan posters are always wild), VHSCollector is a big source for me, loads of hi-res scans of VHS box art! Tumblr also has a good community of poster enthusiasts. If I post fan posters I always try and link back to the original artist, some of them are so good though that you can’t tell if it’s official or not!

Do you have any personal favourites?

My favourite poster ever is this one from a film I haven’t even seen, I’m also a sucker for anything remotely cyberpunk like this. My main aesthetic is pinks/purples/blue colour schemes.

Do you have any ambitions to branch out to other channels like Facebook or with a blog?

I already run a film blog @bimbomoviebash and there are no plans to expand CoolFilmArt out. It was always meant to be this very simple idea of just posting posters, I kind of hate it when you follow an account for one thing and they start bringing all their personal stuff into it so I try and keep that to a minimum. Just posters posters posters!

Would you say creative film posters are a dying breed now?

Back in the 80s film rentals and sales were driven so hard by the poster, like you could take a video off the shelf and it would be the poster that swung it. In the day and age of the internet you can’t disguise a shitty film with flashy artwork anymore so there’s really no need for it. It’s definitely a dying art, which is a shame. I can’t stomach a lot of posters now, the trend of just putting absolutely everything on the poster sucks, like Force Awakens, however if something looks interesting now (like that neon green Thor Ragnarok poster) it definitely stands out. I think artistic posters are making a bit of a comeback now because all these kids who grew up in the 80s are making their own films now, but sadly it’s just not important anymore.

What are some of your favourite films?

This question makes me sweat. Robocop is my favourite film ever but I have a very varied taste. My favourite Disney movie is Robin Hood, my favourite horror is Slumber Party Massacre II.

Favourite director?

Paul Verhoeven. No one rivals his eye for flashy gaudiness or his bite. People are only just starting to GET Showgirls. What a legacy.

Favourite actor/actress?

Jeff Goldblum, I could watch him for hours. Tony Leung, Traci Lords, Divine, Linnea Quigley, Denzel, Jill Schoelen like, the list is never-ending!

Are there any film posters you hate and if so, why?

I’ve never met a Christopher Nolan poster that I’ve liked.

What kind of influence do you think film and film art have on culture in modern times?

I think we’re living in both the worst and best time for movies at the moment. Some days it feels like we’re in a never-ending chasm of superhero reboots that are never ever going to stop, and they all look the same and they swallow up and coming directors into this cycle and then don’t give them the creative freedom to do anything that was the reason they hired them. On the other hand you have stuff like Get Out that swept us all up in a way you wouldn’t think could ever happen anymore, it’s like we all forgot our cynicism and were able to come together to enjoy this truly great movie and things like that make me think we’re going to be okay.

Hibaq Osman - The Heart Is A Smashed Bulb

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Hibaq Osman - The Heart Is A Smashed Bulb

Hibaq Osman is a Somali writer born and based in London. Her work centres women, identity and the healing process. I’ve been following Hibaq online for a number of years and it’s been wonderful watching her grow as a poet. Her words cut and soothe in equal measure.

The thing about blood
it reeks of metal
baby,
aren’t you sick of chains?

What a verse. Just wow.

The Heart Is A Smashed Bulb is a four-part anthology and you can download it via Google Drive. I also recommend you buy A Silence You Can Carry and Where The Memory Was as well.

10 Classic German Expressionist Films

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NOSFERATU - German Expressionist classic

Open Culture has selected 10 iconic Germany expressionist films to watch for free, from Nosferatu to the prophetic classic Metropolis.

German Expressionism ended in 1933 when the Nazis came to power. They weren’t interested in asking uncomfortable questions and viewed such dark tales of cinematic angst as unpatriotic. Instead, they preferred bright, cheerful tales of Aryan youths climbing mountains. By that time, the movement’s most talented directors — Fritz Lang and F.W. Murnau — had fled to America. And it was in America where German Expressionism found its biggest impact. Its stark lighting, grotesque shadows and bleak worldview would go on on to profoundly influence film noir in the late 1940s after another horrific, disillusioning war.

13 year old boy meets Bart Simpson IRL

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Thirteen-year-old Boy meets Bart Simpson

But that’s exactly what happened when a teenager met Nancy Cartwright. The American voice actress is best known for voicing Bart Simpson but she also voices Maggie, Nelson Muntz, Ralph Wiggum, Todd Flanders, Kearney, and Database.

In the video, the 13 year old is selling cookies for his high school. Nancy kindly buys his sixth box (he wins a prize if he can sell seven) and goes into character. But he doesn’t realise it’s actually the voice actor of Bart. Instead, he commends her “impression” before he realises just who he’s talking to.

It’s great to see after all these years, there’s still an element of mystery and wonder behind The Simpsons. Also, how is he only 13?

Related: 3 video games featured on The Simpsons, Vox’s analysis of Homer Simpson’s economics, and emotional Simpsons scenes.

The History of Japan By Bill Wurtz

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If you’re gonna showcase your unique delivery, why not do it with a video about the history of Japan? Content creator and musician Bill Wurtz achieved “Internet notoriety”, according to Wikipedia, with his “history of japan” video back in 2016. It featured his quirky style, non-sequitur imagery, and shot his subscriber count out of the stratosphere.

It went viral and currently has over 45 million views. It helped to spawn a wider “sequel” entitled “history of the entire world, i guess” which garnered even larger popularity.

The Eccentric Life Of Ed Wood

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The Eccentric Life Of Ed Wood

Reviled modern-day directors haven’t got anything on Ed Wood. The American filmmaker made a slew of horrendous low-budget movies in the realms of sci-fi, horror, and crime. During the 60s and 70s, he started making more pornographic films with his signature camp style.

His most famous pieces include Glen or Glenda, Bride of the Monster, Plan 9 from Outer Space, and Night of the Ghouls. But perhaps his work wasn’t that bad under their original gaze as he remained obscure until his death in 1978. Then, two years later, Wood was awarded a Golden Turkey Award for Worst Director of All Time in 1980 and his work was given another look.

Besides his filmmaking, Ed Wood was also known for his cross-dressing. It’s said his mother wanted a daughter and would dress Wood up in girl’s clothes, inspiring him to carry it on into adult life. He said he loved the feeling of angora on his skin.

In the video below, his life and work are examined through modern eyes to see whether Ed Wood was that bad or simply misunderstood.

Anish Kapoor banned from colour-changing paint

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anish-kapoor-stuart-semple-pinkest-pink-blackest-black-colour_dezeen_sq

From the blackest black to the pinkest pink, Anish Kapoor has now been banned by Stuart Semple from using his new colour-changing paint. In case you missed the original drama, Anish Kapoor got exclusive rights to the Vantablack pigment and artists got angry. So Stuart Semple turned the tables.

There’s also a legal requirement where you must confirm:

“You are not Anish Kapoor, you are in no way affiliated to Anish Kapoor, you are not purchasing this item on behalf of Anish Kapoor or an associate of Anish Kapoor.”

And people wonder why the masses look at art and think it’s full of pretentious arses.

(via Dezeen)

A Brilliant Banana Bread Bottom Cheesecake

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Banana Bread Bottom Cheesecake

My mum used to make banana cakes every now and again and it was delicious. Banana bread is equally as wonderful a creation. So is cheesecake. But what if you put them all together to create a banana bread bottom cheesecake?

That’s what Tasty did. BuzzFeed’s culinary video series are always making unique dishes and this is a great addition to their repertoire. Their recipe only needs four bananas (and all the other stuff of course).

Bad news it also uses gelatin for the cream cheese which is obviously a no-go for vegetarians and vegans (and to be honest, the whole thing is off-limits to vegans) so you might need an alternative solution for that.

Otherwise, this is a fine-looking banana bread cheesecake and I hope to make this one day.

Stream the “how it was made” video below and read the banana bread bottom cheesecake recipe on the Tasty website.

(Full recipe via Tasty)

Brutal bookends

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Landmarks Bookend (Set of 2) by Klemens Schillinger

The brutalist bookends are a concrete take on the Mayan pyramids (although they’re very close to being ziggurats).

An architectural twist on functional accessories, reimagined in stylish concrete. Subtle in colour but crisp in form, Klemens Schillinger’s Landmarks collection evokes a certain understated cool. Perfect for those who want dimensions to rule style: each step is an extruded offset of the footprint that comes before it.

I have two books on brutalism on my bookshelf and these bookends would be perfect for them. I’ll give it some thought.

UPDATE: The bookends are no longer available on Hem.com but there are plenty of alternatives on Etsy.

Emotional Simpsons Scenes

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Top 10 Simpsons Moments That Will Make You Cry

If there’s one quote or moment in The Simpsons that really gets to me, it’s that. Along with Bart crying because he failed his social studies test and Homer sitting on his car watching the stars. But Bart crying makes me cry the most.

Amongst all the jokes and pop culture references, The Simpsons have had some really poignant moments. The fact the comedy takes precedent means when the sad parts come, you know what they are and stop accordingly. The mark of a great show (until it stopped being funny after like 2000).

Anyway, you can watch nearly 13 minutes of emotional Simpsons scenes below and cry too.

When Joanne the Scammer Visited Britain

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When Joanne the Scammer Visited Britain

A very insightful 20-minute documentary on Branden Miller, the man behind Joanne the Scammer, and his journey to Britain for the first time. Getting to see both sides of the Joanne coin makes for interesting viewing and you become more appreciative of the performer as well as the performance. There were wonderful dresses and lots of sightseeing in that classic Joanne style.

Update: It appears the video was cancelled so enjoy this Caucasian tweet. Iconic!

Update 2: I found the video on Facebook but uploaded it to my server because I don’t trust Meta to keep it there. Please note: this video is about 1.5GB in size so keep that in mind before watching. It’s recommended to watch this with a WiFi connection and maybe avoid clicking the link if you’re on a mobile data plan that isn’t unlimited.

Stream the trailer below.

Joanne The Scammer Takes Britain: Behind Branden Miller's Rise To Fame | Instant Exclusive | INSTANT

The UN want to combat cultural appropriation. But is that enough?

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Cultural Appropriation

Cultural appropriation exists no matter what side you’re on. It is harmful to those marginalised and used to make profit under this guise without the slightest notion of understanding or desire to do so. That’s where the ruse fails.

Voices against cultural appropriation are being heard as lawsuits continue to go to court. From the Washington Redskins trademark dispute to Urban Outfitters’ illegal use of the Navajo tribe name, this isn’t going away and the UN appear to agree.

According to Konbini, UN delegates have gathered in Geneva to discuss the newly created committee within the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO), which was established in 1967. Their aim is to challenge international law and open regulations to “include and protect property ranging from designs to language”.

This sounds reasonable in theory but the louder voices are often the richest. Once a product or aesthetic is out there, it gains traction and exists in that form regardless of the law.

Nothing will stop Coachella girls of non-Native American heritage wearing those headdresses, nor will the Tumblr posts cease to exist. That’s not to say this is all in vain but there needs to be some kind of education about what cultural appropriation as well.

It’s common to see an appropriator decry the lack of education from the affected party. Information is available on the internet and in libraries of books but they require lessons taught directly to them or they won’t bother to pay attention.

That needs to end.

Cultural appropriation doesn’t just happen – it builds internally and works its way through the design process right to the board. A lack of racial, cultural and, gender diversity also plays a part. If a room full of white men in their 50s think it’s okay, who’s to tell them it isn’t until the brand already exists?

Musicians who decide to wear geisha outfits or African garments – many with predominately white management and crews behind them and no feeling of worry that this isn’t okay. When people of the affected cultures speak out, they need to be heard and the appropriators need to stop, think, and learn.

A lack of racial, cultural and, gender diversity also plays a part. If a room full of white men in their 50s think it’s okay, who’s to tell them it isn’t until the brand already exists?

Many would claim education isn’t necessary as the racism is known but ignored. But this isn’t easy to prove conclusively, at least not in the eyes of the proposed laws. Katy Perry has made a career out of it and recently opened up to Deray, but this discussion fell short for many people of colour in the same way Trevor Noah’s cupcake pandering to Tami “with the blonde hair” Blahren on The Daily Show.

“I listened and I heard and I didn’t know,” she told Deray. “I won’t ever understand some of those things because of who I am. I will never understand, but I can educate myself, and that’s what I’m trying to do along the way.”

Miley Cyrus appeared to have passed the racist symbiote onto Katy as she reverted to the sweet innocent meadow-rolling pop singer but her non-apology left a lot to be desired. Cultural appropriation is a helluva drug.

But the lines can blur and faves become problematic. Would you bring George Michael and Michael Bolton into the same discussion? Ebony published an article on the “cultural smudging” in 2015 and it’s worth considering what appropriation actually involves. And is it just a white vs. non-white battle?

Beyoncé was accused of cultural appropriation when she did an African-themed baby shower photo shoot. She was also pulled up for her Desi-themed video for Hymn For The Weekend. Can it work between non-white races and even inter-race?

Ultimately, The UN’s proposed legal restrictions and protections are a step in the right direction. But they shouldn’t be the ultimate deterrent when those talking aren’t allowed to be heard. Once a culture of listening is promoted, maybe we can get somewhere.

Possibly The First Ever Cat Video From 1894?

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Professor Welton’s Boxing Cats (1894)

The video, filmed by none other than Thomas Edison, shows two cats “boxing.” But don’t worry, no actual punches took place, just gentle swipes in boxing gloves for about 30 seconds. Amongst his plethora of inventions, he was also a filmmaker. This cat video is probably the least strange and least harmful of his collection.

Of all the things I can imagine cats doing in a video, boxing isn’t one of them. But Thomas Edison had other ideas.

2 polyglots have an awesome chat in 21 languages

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unique encounter between 2 polyglots in 21 languages

It gets a little awkward in parts but regardless, you have two people who speak 21 languages between them. I can barely speak English sometimes. At the moment, I’m learning Portuguese with Spanish and French on the side. I love polyglots and some of my favourite people speak multiple languages. I better brush up on meu português.

What is a polyglot?

A polyglot is someone who can speak multiple languages. The word comes from the Greek polu-, meaning many, and glōtta, meaning tongue.

Languages featured:

English, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch, Mandarin, Thai, Russian, Hebrew, Arabic, Tagalog, Korean, Danish, Vietnamese, German, Albanian, Croatian, Macedonian, Greek, Serbian, and Bulgarian.

(P.S. I recommend learning a language using Duolingo)

Related: Philip Crowther telling the news in 6 languages and Viggo Mortensen speaking 7 languages

Trump Has Always Been Trash, But Here's A Pizza-Related Example From 1995

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1995 Donald Trump Pizza Hut Commercial

Stuffed crust aside, NO ONE should be eating pizza crust first, let alone being a white supremacist president like Trump. The storyboards from this Pizza Hut commercial featuring Donald and Ivanka Trump were on sale for $15,000, if you’re weird and love that sort of crap.

I also want to point out I’m not ignoring all the evil, disgusting things he’s done in contrast to his pizza eating habits. All I’m saying is this is a sign of an evil man and we were warned at least 24 years ago. Make of that what you will.