NANOOK OF THE NORTH

Nanook of the North is a documentary film. Maybe the first. In the film, the viewer follows the inuit Nanook on an adventure of hunting and survival in the far north. Robert Flaherty, explorer and filmmaker, captured these events on film. It was a considerable task in 1920. Luckily, Flaherty was able to utilize a new portable cameras designed by American Museum of Natural History taxidermist Carl Akeley. The curious juxtaposition of film and wildlife has prompted many writers to consider the cinema as taxidermy. The original Nanook film burned in a fire at Flaherty's home. Flaherty returned to the north to film an improved second picture. All told, the film took several years to complete. Now, we can enjoy the life of the warm Nanook, surviving happily, forever locked in the mythic north. Happy Holidays.

How I Filmed Nanook by R. Flaherty

ON A SNOW HUNT

Pieter Breugel, HUNTERS IN THE SNOW from the Kunst-Historische Museum, Vienna

Leaving the city and back in the snow. Some tend the fires at home and are absorbed in their occupation. They're unaware of a quest beyond. The hunters have their task. They have a destination. They have a dark purpose. Their place is the mountains. Breugel the Elder

Watch
Breugel Documentary

WINTER WALRUS

Albrecht Durer's illustration of a walrus from his "Tagebuch der Reise in die Niederlande" ("Diary of of a journey in the Netherlands") drawn from memory of a dead walrus in the Dutch sea.

GRUSS VOM KRAMPUS

Greetings from Krampus. St. Nicholas has always operated on his "naughty or nice" policy, right? You get presents if you're nice, but what do you get if you're naughty? Some coal? Pretty weak. Not a great deterrent for naughty kids.

But throughout Austria and the Alps, there is a reason to be nice. Some pagan traditions continue to thrive. One is the legend of Krampus. St. Nicholas would make his rounds to all the houses to deliver gifts to children. But he had with him a constant companion- Krampus. If you were naughty, spoiled, or bratty, the wooly, goat horned Krampus would chase you and beat you with a switch. In some cases, he would take you home, cook you, and eat you.

Krampus has his own special day, December 5th. But Krampus festivities now run into the following weekend. Gangs of fellows dressed in furs, wooden masks, and horns, ransack Austrian towns, frightening young and old alike. Rush on over to Monster Brains for an avalanche of Krampus images and lore.

YETI

The first snow of winter in NYC. I feel reborn, as if woken from a great sleep. Like the Yeti emerging from his cave after a long summer's hibernation. Our furry friend, the Yeti, is back. Check boing boing for the details. Never mind the haters who claim he doesn't exist. Not true. He's out in the snow, mountain climbing, chilling with his buddhist monk buddies, and scaring the occasional sherpa. Drinking hot toddies. Check this blog for all the yeti love and then some.

CHIROPTERA

Albrecht Durer's Bat

Chiroptera a.k.a. Bats- the only mammal blessed with flight. Bats constitute 1/5 of mammal species. There are over 1,000 types of bat, and they're found in every corner of the world. Five species even live in Alaska. They're not only prolific; they elimate insect pests, and they're important pollinators. Only a few bats drink blood, and it's more like sipping blood. The blood drinkers stick mostly to cattle, and reside in South America.

New York is home to some 9 or 10 species of bat. About 5 species take refuge in the city proper. It's a great environment. Lots of bugs to eat and dark, warm buildings in which to roost. Spotting bats in NYC.

Bats can be broken into two categories, Microchiroptera and Megachiroptera. Megachiroptera are generally larger, and feast on fruit. All bats in New York are Microchiroptera. They eat insects and use echolocation to navigate and forage. Echolocation begins with the animal emitting a sonic call. The call bounces off objects or prey, and the echo returns to the animal. This enables the bat to navigate in complete darkness. The strange bat faces below are carefully designed to aid in capturing echoes.


"Chiroptera" from Ernst Haeckel's Kunstformen der Natur, 1904

SECRET SCIENCE

The secret is out. There is a sea change. Science is cool again. New Animals wants to unlock the secrets of the natural world. And New Animals loves a Jameson with ice. The Secret Science Club is the stone aimed squarely at these two birds. Here, young people gather to hear lectures and view demonstrations on sundry scientific topics. Union Hall, in Park Slope, Brooklyn, is a grand locale for these clandestine meetings. A big bar, books, and bocce. Que bella! Sign up early for the bocce courts. Secret meetings are in the basement. Where all secret meetings are held. New York Times Review of Secret Scientists

AD ASTRA PER ASPERA

That's the motto of Kansas, the state I grew up in. Ad Astra per Aspera. It means 'to the stars through difficulties.' It's applicable to the state and applicable to this band - Drakkar Sauna. Just saw these Kansas natives a few weeks ago, and I can't stop listening to them. Somehow, they summarize the midwest for me. Rusty but harmonious, dark and funny, secular but spiritual, and relatable without getting hit over the head with pathos. They're a kick to see live. Stomping tamborine shoes, Rollie Fingers mustaches, and stories of "traveling the country, and having a fine time doing it!" Order the vinyl version of their record, Jabraham Lincoln, and the CDR version is also inside. And here's some live versions of songs gratis.

LIFE AND DEATH AND DURER

Albrecht Durer was a German artist who lived during the Renaissance. 1471-1528. Not only did he have the steady hand to make the craziest line drawings ever, he used his skills to revolution printmaking. The great grandpappy of graphic design. A lot of heart and dedication and dementia went into his religious prints, like in the Knight, Death, and Devil above. But few could capture animal life like Durer. Well before the photograph, Durer made animals breath on the page. Galileo would later follow suit and attempt a museum of the natural world in paper. But for now, more Durer animals to follow. Durer Bio from Met Museum

DEER DURER

MOUNTAIN MUSIC

MOUNT EERIE thursday!
Lutheran Church of the Messiah
129 Russell St @ Nassau, Greenpoint, Brooklyn 8pm
Seven New Songs of Mount Eerie

TO FRANKENSTEIN

We didn't really lose you to the waves and the darkness, did we? This would be a great time to show up again and show us what you got. What we can learn from you! Not that I want to live forever, but you've got the secret to clean, renewable energy. And you can answer so many questions about the modern body and gender and being human and what it's like on the other side of life! No pressure or anything. We'd love to shake your hand.

SOCIAL TAXIDERMY

From the Bureau of Upcoming Nocturnal Events:
The Carnivorous Nights Taxidermy Contest
Friday, November 2
at UNION HALL in beautiful Park Slope, Brooklyn
Here's the details:
Secret Science Club Taxidermy Night

"Dammit, where's my javelina?"

COUNTRY TIME

I can't be bothered with most CMJ shows in New York. You can't get in, there's too many people, and bands play for 15 minutes. But this Saturday, October 20th is something good. Bloodshot records showcase at Union Pool in Brooklyn. It's all afternoon, and there's BBQ to boot. Ha Ha Tonka should be real good. Come put a tear in your beer with me.

BLOODSHOT RECORDS NEWS

AMERICAN WEREWOLF

Pretty much one of my top 10 movies ever. And it's showing tomorrow in NY. And director Jon Landis is going to be there.

Remember Mickey Mouse in the transformation scene. Or the wolf at the bottom of the escalator for the tube. Or the SS monsters in David's dream. David's friend as the zombie. I love this movie.

It's playing Friday, October 12 at Two Boots