Entries Tagged 'Education' ↓

When I lent the producing apprentice Skiffleboom my Hitchcock/Truffaut book, I shoulda known he’d return the favor. He e-mailed me the link to If Charlie Parker Was a Gunslinger, There’d Be a Whole Lot of Dead Copycats, who kindly put online the original audio recordings of the most essential of film interviews.

The above performance showcases Michael Jackson as a mere star, on the cusp of world super-stardom, a time before his lunatic antics superseded his manifold talents. There’s something otherworldy in Jackson’s combination of kung fu stylings and marionette gesticulations, as if his actions were not his own.

A fan of Jackson’s, one Abeja Mariposa Jr, has created a trio of shorts worth watching. In Smooth Criminal, he re-choreographs Fred Astaire at his zaniest to a Jackson hit. Jackson was obviously influenced by Astaire, often paying him homage. The respect was mutual. Astaire called up Jackson to congratulate him after he first performed the moonwalk.

Which brings us to the second of Mariposa’s triology, Origins of the Moonwalk. I have little interest in actually understanding the historical lineage of the lunar lindyhop, but the toe tapping and foot frenzy showcased in this short is exhilirating.

I first heard about the latter videos through boing boing, who also kindly supply links to Michael Jackson’s patented dancing shoes and a very creepy Drew Friedman portrait. The Billie Jean video was posted on aquarium drunkard.

While staying at the killer Goddard Mansion Bed & Breakfast in Claremont, New Hampshire, this last weekend, I met Boaz Frankel, world record holder, kazoo touter, and reality television star. As he was traversing the North America and a genial and articulate fellow, I made the mistake of offering him a ride, for which he had no choice but to decline. This, for his latest venture, The Un Road Trip, he has vowed to take any form of transportation he can except automobile. His blog is a fascinating video and text exploration of alternative travel, all the slightest bit ironic as this is all easier due to modern technology.

He told me the iphone has made his travels much easier than they would have been just years ago. His parents are able to keep track of him via his blog. People can recommend places to stay through Twitter (@boazf). Of course he’s able to pull up maps and even stream video or chat via Skype. And all of the instant feedback thanks to Web 2.0 is constant emotional reinforcement.

You can watch also watch him on The Today Show. Or go to the homepage of his blog. I think Boaz deserves all the high-fives he can get.