A new NASA breakÂthrough lets us see the sun in a 360 degree, panoramÂic view. The upshot? BetÂter space weathÂer reports comÂing our way. The video from NASA’s YouTube chanÂnel has all the good details …
100 Greatest Posters of Film Noir
DurÂing the 1940s and 50s, HolÂlyÂwood entered a “noir” periÂod, proÂducÂing rivÂetÂing films based on hard-boiled ficÂtion. These films were set in dark locaÂtions and shot in a black & white aesÂthetÂic that fit like a glove. HardÂened men wore fedoÂras and forÂevÂer smoked cigÂaÂrettes. Women played the femme fatale role brilÂliantÂly. Love was the surest way to death. All of these eleÂments figÂured into what Roger Ebert calls “the most AmerÂiÂcan film genre” in his short Guide to Film Noir. (Also find 23 noir films right here.)
AccomÂpaÂnyÂing noir films were visuÂalÂly engagÂing movie posters, and Where DanÂger Lives (a noir blog) now gives you the “100 GreatÂest Posters of Film Noir.” They’ve been workÂing through this “best of” list for the past three months, and they conÂclude this week with the Top 10 … the best of the best.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
IBM Supercomputer v. Humans on Jeopardy! Next Week
Next MonÂday, the long-runÂning AmerÂiÂcan game show, JeopÂardy!, will air a tourÂnaÂment of chamÂpiÂons, pitÂting its two biggest winÂners, Ken JenÂnings and Brad RutÂter, against WatÂson, IBM’s newest superÂcomÂputÂer. And it will proÂvide an occaÂsion to answer an imporÂtant quesÂtion: Can comÂputÂers underÂstand the subÂtleties of lanÂguage? Can they answer quesÂtions when they’re posed in less than straightÂforÂward ways? When, for examÂple, the quesÂtions use wordÂplay and puns? IBM worked on the project for four years, and the earÂly indiÂcaÂtions sugÂgest that comÂputÂers can undoubtÂedÂly masÂter these subÂtleties. (Just watch this WatÂson match against less accomÂplished JeopÂardy! playÂers.) This artiÂcle does a good job of explainÂing the fairÂly stagÂgerÂing things hapÂpenÂing on the backÂend of the new IBM comÂputÂer, and how this research might shape the future of comÂputÂing. The Watson/human faceÂoff begins next MonÂday, with two matchÂes takÂing place over three days. Once video becomes availÂable, as it inevitably will, we will tweet it on our ever-flowÂing TwitÂter stream.
PS NOVA aired a proÂgram last week dedÂiÂcatÂed to the Watson/Jeopardy! chalÂlenge. If it’s not geoblocked, you can watch it right here. H/T to @eugenephoto for flagÂging the proÂgram.
Rethinking Education: A New Michael Wesch Video
Since 2007, Michael Wesch, a Kansas State UniÂverÂsiÂty anthroÂpolÂoÂgist, has released a series of viral videos interÂroÂgatÂing the ways in which new web techÂnoloÂgies shape human comÂmuÂniÂcaÂtion and interÂacÂtions with inforÂmaÂtion. First came The Machine is Us/ing Us, then InforÂmaÂtion R/evolution and An AnthroÂpoÂlogÂiÂcal IntroÂducÂtion to YouTube. Now he’s back with a new video called “RethinkÂing EduÂcaÂtion,” a monÂtage that pulls togethÂer sound bites of thought leadÂers (Tim O’ReilÂly, Yochai BenÂkler, BrewÂster Kahle, Ray Kurzweil, etc.) describÂing how techÂnolÂoÂgy is alterÂing the broadÂer eduÂcaÂtionÂal landÂscape…
Tall Painting
If I have this right, you’re lookÂing at the dripÂping, flowÂing art of Holton RowÂer, a New York-based artist, who also hapÂpens to be the grandÂson of AlexanÂder Calder. The film itself was directÂed and editÂed by Dave KaufÂman. Enough said, I will let you sit back and watch gravÂiÂty, paint and Holton do their thing…
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Oedipus … Starring Vegetables
SophoÂcles and AeschyÂlus may be spinÂning in their graves. Or, who knows, they may be takÂing some delight in this bizarre twist on the OediÂpus myth. RunÂning eight minÂutes, Jason WishÂnow’s 2004 film puts vegÂetaÂbles in the starÂring roles. One of the first stop-motion films shot with a digÂiÂtal still camÂera, OediÂpus took two years to make with a volÂunÂteer staff of 100. But the hard work paid off. The film has since been screened at 70+ film fesÂtiÂvals and was evenÂtuÂalÂly acquired by the SunÂdance ChanÂnel. SepÂaÂrate videos show you the behind-the-scenes makÂing of the film, plus the stoÂryÂboards used durÂing proÂducÂtion.
Undercity: Exploring the Underbelly of New York City
Steve DunÂcan is an urban hisÂtoÂriÂan and phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer whose misÂsion is to “peel back the layÂers of a city to see what’s underÂneath” – to piece togethÂer the comÂplex cities we inhabÂit. In this fasÂciÂnatÂing video, we folÂlow DunÂcan as he explores the underÂbelÂly of New York City. Andrew WonÂder, using a Canon 5D Mark II and the Canon 24mm f/1.4L lens, docÂuÂments the advenÂture. The senÂsoÂry expeÂriÂences must be extraÂorÂdiÂnary, as Alan Feuer (who accomÂpaÂnied Steve and Andrew on one of their trips) writes in the New York Times:
The sounds down here are even more impresÂsive than the sights and smells: the NiaÂgara-like crash of water spilling in from side drains; the rumÂble of the subÂway; the guh-DUNK! of cars hitÂting manÂhole covÂers overÂhead, like two jabs on a heavy bag.
For more, I highÂly recÂomÂmend readÂing the NPR stoÂry, “Into the TunÂnels.” Also worth seeÂing are DunÂcan’s phoÂtos of New York City bridges and the underÂground rivers of LonÂdon. The video above has a run time of 28 minÂutes.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Bob Marley’s “Redemption Song” Played by Musicians Around the World
Back in 2009, PlayÂing for Change, a media project launched by music proÂducÂer Mark JohnÂson, rolled out a video feaÂturÂing a globÂal cast of musiÂcians perÂformÂing Ben King’s Stand by Me (and, more recentÂly, anothÂer great one feaÂturÂing The GrateÂful DeadÂ’s “RipÂple”). To date, the video has clocked more than 79,000,000 views on YouTube, and the song latÂer appeared on this CD/DVD. Now, PlayÂing for Change has returned with a new video payÂing tribÂute to Bob MarÂley and his clasÂsic track, “RedempÂtion Song.” MarÂley would have turned 66 this week (note: this post was first pubÂlished back in 2011), and coinÂciÂdenÂtalÂly the song (watch MarÂley’s acoustic verÂsion here) ranks 66th on Rolling Stone’s list of The 500 GreatÂest Songs of All Time. The eclecÂtic verÂsion (above) is feaÂtured on Songs Around The World, Part 2.
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MIT OpenCourseWare Launches iPhone App
Last week, MIT OpenÂCourseÂWare offiÂcialÂly released its LecÂtureÂHall iPhone app. Put simÂply, the free app gives you mobile access to MIT video lecÂtures. It even lets you downÂload lecÂtures straight to your phone (handy for times when you may not have conÂnecÂtivÂiÂty). AnothÂer plus: the LecÂtureÂHall iPhone app adds a social dimenÂsion to the learnÂing expeÂriÂence. FaceÂbook inteÂgraÂtion, disÂcusÂsion forums, ratÂings & reviews of indiÂvidÂual videos – they’re all layÂered in. And, just in case you’re wonÂderÂing, an Android verÂsion of the LecÂtureÂHall app is in the works.
Now a quick plug: Feel free to downÂload our Free iPhone app, which includes free audio books, online coursÂes, forÂeign lanÂguage lessons, and intelÂliÂgent podÂcasts. Or, betÂter yet, simÂply visÂit Open CulÂture with your smart phone and get lots of smart media wherÂevÂer you go…
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
350 Free Online CoursÂes from Great UniÂverÂsiÂties
The James Dean Story: The Early Documentary by Robert Altman
On James Dean’s 80th birthÂday, this film probÂaÂbly deserves its own litÂtle menÂtion. The James Dean StoÂry, a 79 minute docÂuÂmenÂtary chronÂiÂcling the life and times of JimÂmy Dean, came out two years after the young actor’s death in 1955. Most notably, the film was directÂed by Robert AltÂman, a young direcÂtor who would evenÂtuÂalÂly make MASH, Nashville, The PlayÂer, GosÂford Park, etc. It’s also catÂaÂlogued in our colÂlecÂtion, 4,000+ Free Movies Online: Great ClasÂsics, Indies, Noir, WestÂerns, DocÂuÂmenÂtaries & More.
If you would like to sign up for Open Culture’s free email newsletÂter, please find it here. It’s a great way to see our new posts, all bunÂdled in one email, each day.
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James Dean at 80
James Dean starred in only three major films – Rebel WithÂout a Cause, East of Eden, and Giant – before perÂishÂing in a car acciÂdent on Route 466, near Cholame, CalÂiÂforÂnia in SepÂtemÂber 1955. (A free docÂuÂmenÂtary covÂers that.) A star died at 24. MeanÂwhile, a legÂend forÂevÂer embodyÂing youth was born.
JimÂmy Dean would have turned 80 today. AmazÂing to say it. And, to mark the occaÂsion, we’re feaÂturÂing a slide show showÂcasÂing the phoÂtogÂraÂphy and voice of DenÂnis Stock, the MagÂnum phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer who took many iconÂic phoÂtos of Dean, includÂing Dean’s famous walk through a rainy Times Square with a cigÂaÂrette propped in mouth and hands in pockÂets. StockÂ’s images shaped Dean’s pubÂlic perÂsona, and the work you’re seeÂing here figÂures into a more comÂpreÂhenÂsive preÂsenÂtaÂtion of StockÂ’s oeuÂvre on the MagÂnum webÂsite.
PS Today is also Jules Verne’s 183rd birthÂday. If you’re lookÂing for his clasÂsics – Around the World in 80 Days or 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea – you can find them in our Free Audio Books and Free eBooks colÂlecÂtions.
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Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
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