AnimeHELL

Tonight Anime Hell at Anime Central

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Fri, 17 May 2013 18:30:47 PDT

Noel's Fantastic Trip (1983)

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Mon, 13 May 2013 18:48:22 PDT

Food Trucks

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Sat, 11 May 2013 00:34:46 PDT

Danno pointed out that there will be food trucks at A-Kon this year.

"You did good," he said. "You made things better."

OK, now, here's why he said that:

Last year, A-Kon was in downtown Dallas, where there are many places to get something to eat. This year, it will be at the Anatole, which isn't close to anything unless you have a car.

My mom's neighbor, Brent, is currently building the Sylvan|Thirty development at the corner of (drum-roll, please) Sylvan and highway 30. While he had the land, but before he had the permits, he had a couple of food truck events at the location.

I had written to Brent to ask him about his food truck contacts, and if they could get in touch with the Anatole about being out there. I know hotel food is crazy expensive and there needed to be an alternative for folk without cars (or limited access to one).

So, the other day, Danno tells me about the food trucks. I immediately wrote to Brent. "I don't know if you had anything to do with it, but it looks like we'll have food-trucks this year at the convention. If so, great!"

Brent wrote back, "Probably your pops pulling strings upstairs ;)"

Now, this worries me. My dad was an eighty-years-old journalist. He hated that I was involved in conventions at all and though the type of people who go to them are just a waste of time. I had forwarded him the blog of someone from the convention and asked what he thought. He said, "Don't ever waste someone's time like that again."

So, here's the deal. If you get food poisoning from one of the food trucks, it's not my fault. But here's how you might appease the ghost of my very cranky deaddad:

When you are telling someone about it, make sure you mention the who, what, where, when, why, and how. Extra points if you include the who else and what next. Use an Oxford comma and don't bury the lede.

And Brent's a cool guy. He always called Dad "young-timer". If you're in the area, come see Sylvan|Thirty when it opens. It's going to be really neat.

Happy Birthday, Saul Bass

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 08 May 2013 20:57:05 PDT

At some point, I'll have to post a review of Phase IV.

Anime Hell Anime North 2013

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Mon, 06 May 2013 08:08:07 PDT

part of Anime North, May 24-26, Toronto Ontario Canada! Be there or be hexagonal! Followed by our midnight movie presentation of MESSAGE FROM SPACE.

A Corny Chip Joke

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Thu, 02 May 2013 14:30:51 PDT

"Two Chips" / An Animated Short from Adam Patch on Vimeo.

Omelette, a Calarts animated short by Madeline Sharafian

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 01 May 2013 10:30:03 PDT

Omelette from Madeline Sharafian on Vimeo.

Hattip to Jess Fink

Lupin of THE FUTURE!!!

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 01 May 2013 09:48:09 PDT

Atomic Animation

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:24:59 PDT

Animating with individual atoms. My mind just exploded a little bit.

Tribulation 99

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 17:00:02 PDT

Tribulation 99 from Philloz on Vimeo.

Craig Baldwin is my hero.

What are you doing?

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:27:20 PDT

Ever wonder what it is we're actually trying to do over here at Anime Hell? well, we'll let Mr. McLuhan try to explain it.

Here's the TL;DR version:

The Ballad of Marshall Mcluhan from Randall Acronym on Vimeo.

And now you know.

Basilisk

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:00:00 PDT

Awesome student film with giant monsters? I'm there!

It's OK, I guess....

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:12:56 PDT

It's not the best picture, but there will be better versions. I'm sure I won't be the only person who does this.

Now, back to our show!

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:44:08 PDT

Everything is music

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 23:14:20 PDT

If you want to make music, anything is an instrument. You're an instrument yourself: you can clap your hands, slap your belly, whistle, hum, or sing. I'm of the thought that a true musician can find the music in anything.

With that in mind, I've got some tunes\videos here of things that are not usually considered instruments, but being played as such.

Or, should I say, I've got some music to share.

More...

Now, making music from a car is pretty much a no-brainer. They make a variety of sounds on their own, being rather complicated machines. Sure, it might look like they're going for the "Upper-Class Twit of the Year" award with all that door slamming, but if you run it back and listen with your eyes closed, each door has its own sound.

Heck, take the car apart and you've got a whole new range of sounds.

Add a fun environment, and the possibilities are endless.

Corporate sponsorship doesn't hurt, either.

Or not having a sponsor. You can do it on a budget as well.

Here's a very young Frank Zappa playing the bicycle on "The Steve Allen Show". There's a longer version here, but I just wanted to cut to the chase.

And chase reminds me of chance reminds me of A Chance Operation, a John Cage tribute album. You might recognize the name from the piece 4'33". On the tribute album, Frank Zappa plays a cover of the famous piece.

Cage was willing to take a lot of chances. It's part of why he's considered a great artist.

Don't ever be afraid to do something. Fifteen people might laugh, but one might be really moved. You're an artist and you're doing it for the one.

STOMP has pretty much made a career out of finding these sounds in everyday, "non-musical" things. I know they're a little mainstream now, but that does not deny their talent. I'll enjoy listening to these whether I drive a mini-van or not.

And it's small, intimate routines like this that let me know they aren't all spectacle.

Diego Stocco has a thing he does, ferreting music out of its hiding place and showing it to everyone.

Ha ha! Found you again!

Sometimes, it just sneaks out on its own.

As we build more complicated technology around us, it becomes easier to convince these devices to let a little music out.

Printers are a favorite for this sort of thing, but they are pretty noisy on their own.

And if you can find a copy of this CD for less than $200, please contact me. I only have a rip and I'm sure I'm missing a lot.

Finally, I think it really all came together in the movie "Sound of Noise" (mind the language!). If you rent it, there's some extras on the DVD that are well worth it.

Seriously, there's music everywhere. You just have to know how to coax it out of hiding.

KAIROS Trailer

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 16:30:20 PDT

More proof of which country is getting the right idea all this time (whether said material ever gets brought over either legal or not, who can say)...

KAIROS Trailer from Studio La Cachette on Vimeo.

Pitch In

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 18:00:04 PDT

Jonathan Winters cleans up America.

National Drinking Test PSA

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 16:58:02 PDT

Take a drink.

God Speed Jonathan Winters

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:27:26 PDT

He was a genius.

Lost in Space - The Action Sequence!

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 17:59:46 PDT

I was looking for a copy of this song that didn't have the movie quotes in it, but got this instead.

I remember seeing this in theaters. A buddy of mine had seen it before and, when asked, said, "Oh, it's Disney. But if all you want is eye-candy, you'll get fed."

You could also play the video above with this song. It works out pretty well, if you're playing along at home.

It's easy to forget how great the soundtrack was. This video makes it almost look like a good movie.

Turbo Heather

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 21:51:08 PDT

Should I feel bad for wanting the 6v "Blushing Bride" drifter?

Gateways to the Mind

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 18:04:21 PDT

Check out some neat Chuck Jones animation in this classic Bell Labs film from The A/V Geeks collection. Despite the fact that there are a number of scenes with animators talking about the animation produced for this film not one of them is played by Chuck Jones.

God Speed Roger Ebert

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 13:00:59 PDT

BEYOND THE VALLEY OF THE DOLLS TRAILER with ERICA GAVIN from Erica Gavin on Vimeo.

Enjoy a NSFW glimpse of the only movie that Roger Ebert wrote: Beyond the Valley of the Dolls.

McDancing

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 18:00:00 PDT

Could you guys stop dancing long enough to go clean the restrooms?

Slightly relevant cartoon with a giant robot in it.

animehell@gmail.com (AnimeHELL) — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:44:54 PDT

Well, not really.... I'm just bored!