Every once in a while something so amazing slips past us that we can but weep in mourning of lost time, once the Amazing Thing is discovered at last.

I remember mention of The Mysterious Explorations of Jasper Morello when it was first released in 2005 but it was tragically lost in the rumbling noise of the Internet, before I could watch it. The IMDB synopsis of this gorgeous silhouette animation is as follows:

“Set in a world of iron dirigibles and steam powered computers, this gothic horror mystery tells the story of Jasper Morello, a disgraced aerial navigator who flees his Plague-ridden home on a desperate voyage to redeem himself. The chance discovery of an abandoned dirigible leads Jasper through unchartered waters to an island on which lives a terrifying creature that may be the cure for the Plague. The journey back to civilization is filled with horrors but in a shocking climax, Jasper discovers that the greatest horror of all lies within man himself. “

Today by pure chance I re-discovered this gem of animation on the ol’ YouTube and am about to buy the DVD to finally put an end to my ignorance. Has anyone here seen this?

• Official Website
• Jasper Morello on IMDB
• Buy the DVD

Watch the trailer after the jump.

One day a forklift rode along and said “What do i see?
A girl and dog (or tiny cow?) who want to play with me?”

This girl and dog were pleased as well, the weary travelers.
They came from planets far away by long and dangerous trails.

It was indeed a glorious day for new friends are so few!
When you’re a forklift and you’re green, then cherish them you do.

Mikhail Vrubel is not particularly well-known in the West but he remains one of the greatest and certainly one of the most unique artists Russia’s ever produced. Most of his best-known work is inspired by fairy tales and poetry, and his own life was a sort dark fable in itself.

The Swan Princess (the artist’s wife)

Born in Siberia, Mikhail lost two of his siblings when he was still a child. Their untimely deaths affected him deeply, but didn’t stop him from developing his talent for drawing, among other widely varying interests. His family encouraged his interest in the arts and languages and in 1864 he began to study in St. Petersburg where he was educated in both law and art.

Just a little something to whet your appetites, help dear readers.

“Many role-oriented fetishes are outgrowths of the simple desire to dominate or be dominated. “The Turkey Man” is an extreme form of such fetishes wherein a man feels sexual pleasure when he is treated like the Thanksgiving turkey. We didn’t make this up.

A Turkey Man usually has a dominatrix dressed as a classic mothering housewife come to his home, sovaldi where he has constructed a large oven out of usually cardboard or plywood. The Turkey Man then strips, clinic leaving only his socks (like the little paper booties on the turkey’s feet), and crawls into the oven. The woman then describes to the man how she will baste, cook and eat him. Lord only knows where the meat thermometer ends up!”

From The Man Eater

Image via In NYC

Gobble gobble!

We’ve all heard The Chordettes’ spirited rendition of “Mister Sandman”. Now Blind Guardian brings back this classic, like only they can. Do enjoy!

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While these days everything Disney isn’t exactly perceived as cutting edge, things were different back in the day. Just think of gloriously creepy Fantasia and Pinocchio, both the fruit of Disney’s collaboration with Bauhaus painter Oskar Fischinger.

Disney intended to continue bringing in artists to further expand his studio’s horizons, and Destino was meant to be his next step in that direction. Salvador Dali thought very highly of Disney and cherished the project, completing for it 2 paintings at 135 sketches. A surrealist love story conceived and subsequently shelved in the 40s, Destino was finally unearthed, finished and released in 2003 on orders of Walt Disney’s nephew.

Update! If you’re in LA, you can see Destino for yourselves at LACMA through January 6. Thanks for the tip, 5000!

Though personally I would have preferred Dali traveled in time and worked with Peter Chung, this remains a fine testament to both Dali and Disney’s former glory. One more video beyond the jump.

The Engine Theater is a wondrous thing conceived by underground director Burke Roberts and a team of artists. A mechanical screen and projection system, designed to be portable inside a small trailer, described on the official website as a film screening unit with a complex, kinetic sculpture as the centerpiece to hold the screen.

I found out about The Engine Theater only recently, through a series of seemingly unrelated events, people, and emails. This was, apparently, going to be the next Thing but the the lure was in the title itself; “The Engine Theater Global Underground Cinema Series Part 1: Berlin Subculture films from 1977 – 2007” , too curious to pass up, even on very short notice! The night’s schedule read like this:

New drawing from one of my favorite artists to help us embark on the new week. See more of Jonathan’s art on his website, Scrapbook Manifesto. 

Sometime last spring I vowed to only buy dresses to simplify shopping and slow closet growth. That’s all been forgotten now, though I did faithfully stick with the plan all of the summer. But, as with any drastic regime, there were side effects.

Once I finally realized just how sick of dresses I’d become, I began purging anything frilly and light-colored along with most dresses I’d accumulated. Now I actually need to get a flashlight to navigate my closet, like in the olden times of Zo-spookiness. This means muted colors, layers back in effect along with pants paired with heels. Less overt girlyness with a lot more attention paid to interesting construction and detail, even when I’m wearing skirts or dresses. A new era?

My mantra’s become “quality over quantity” this season. I’m not really shopping and am donating a lot to Goodwill thus leaving myself with fewer, better options. Though in all likeliness this is simply hibernation and my shopping appetite shall return, ravenous!

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EnglishRussia always knows what I need. And what I need, generic apparently, pharmacy is an electric bodybuilder. Few things are as helpful here in the 21st century as a shiny robotic companion. While some might be using their model for heavy lifting and dubious pleasure activities, I would use my Russian meat machine primarily for kitchen duties, such as greasing skillets. Be sure to have the sound on when watching.