retro-the-best....: May 4, 2011

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Retro: Kimmer

JIM MCCARTY BACK IN ANN ARBOR SATURDAY NIGHT!

Posted: 04 May 2011 06:09 PM PDT

Legendary Detroit Guitarist Jim McCarty

Read More on RK

Jim McCarty

Guy Hollerin's Proudly Presents Local Blues and Local Brews: Jimmy McCarty and Mystery Train Saturday May 7th taking the stage at 8pm!

3600 Plymouth Road
Ann Arbor, MI 48105-2660
(734) 769-4323

[New post] X-Men First Class: A Cold War Superhero Epic

X-Men First Class: A Cold War Superhero Epic

dailypop | May 4, 2011 at 11:17 pm | Tags: x-men marvel comics bryan singer matthew vaughn | Categories: X-Men | URL: http://wp.me/p4kUt-2zD

Starring James McAvoy as Professor Charles Xavier and Michael Fassbender as Magneto, X-Men: First Class is a complete reboot of one of the most successful superhero movie franchises. It is therefore something of a surprise that it is not getting more attention. Granted, this Summer is bloated with comic book films including Thor: The Mighty Avenger, Green Lantern and Captain America: The First Avenger (not to mention Dylan Dog and Cowboys & Aliens) so perhaps it is understandable that the movie isn't as hotly anticipated as these others.

First Class claims to be a prequel, but even a cursory glance reveals that it is a complete revision of the concept from the beginning. Depicting a young Charles and Erik meeting up and building a power base of mutants is a story with fascinating possibilities. Setting it in the middle of the Cuban Missile Crisis is sheer genius. Make no mistake, this Matthew Vaugh-directed project will either sink or soar proudly. As a fan of the X-Men, I really want this movie to be the dark horse that surprises everyone and reminds fans why they ever liked the X-Men in the first place (much like the Bryan Singer-directed film).

Building a new team made up of the Beast (the blue fuzzy version), Banshee (the screaming flier), Havok (a human cannon shooting energy from his chest), the White Queen (the scantily clad diamond lass), Angel Salvadore (the girl with insect wings), Darwin, Azazel (the red demon with a tail teleporting in the trailer... Nightcrawler's father) and the familiar blue-skinned shape-shifter Mystique, Charles and Erik are recruited to solve the crisis by the CIA, but from the trailer it appears that Erik has other plans.

watch?v=LX87yYfq5vU
Official synopsis:

"X-MEN FIRST CLASS charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga, and reveals a secret history of famous global events. Before mutants had revealed themselves to the world, and before Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Not archenemies, they were instead at first the closest of friends, working together with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to prevent nuclear Armageddon. In the process, a grave rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men."

X-Men: First Class opens on June 3rd.

Recommended:

X-Men: God Loves, Man Kills

The Uncanny X-Men, Vol. 1

X-Men: The Dark Phoenix Saga

New X-Men, Vol. 1

Wolverine and the X-Men: The Complete Series

X-Men Trilogy

Add a comment to this post

Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://subscribe.wordpress.com

[New post] May the 4th be with you: Star Wars comes to Blu-Ray (in a big way)

May the 4th be with you: Star Wars comes to Blu-Ray (in a big way)

dailypop | May 4, 2011 at 5:16 pm | Tags: lucas, star wars may 4th | Categories: Star wars | URL: http://wp.me/p4kUt-2zv

Official press release below:

(Vintage Howard Chaykin Star Wars poster)

BRING THE COMPLETE COLLECTION HOME!

PACKED WITH NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN SPECIAL FEATURES,

NINE-DISC COLLECTION PROVIDES AN UNPRECEDENTED LOOK
AT "A GALAXY FAR, FAR AWAY"

The Complete Saga Debuts on High-Definition Blu-ray This September

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (May 4, 2011) – Bring home the adventure and share Star Wars™ with your whole family – when STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA comes to Blu-ray Disc from Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment! To be released beginning on September 12 internationally and on September 16 in North America, the nine-disc collection brings the wonder of the entire Saga direct to your living room, where you can revisit all of your favorite Star Wars moments – in gorgeous high definition and with pristine, 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Dive deeper into the universe with an unprecedented 40+ hours of special features,highlighted by never-before-seen content sourced from the Lucasfilm archives.

The comprehensive collection also features numerous deleted, extended and alternate scenes, new documentaries and a cross-section of the countless Star Wars spoofs that have appeared in pop culture over the past three decades. Marking the first time ever that the full Saga is available in one complete collection, STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY also features a coveted peek into the making of the Saga with vintage documentaries, audio commentaries, behind-the-scenes moments, interviews, prop and costume turnarounds, retrospectives and more.

Episodes I-III and IV-VI will also be available as distinct Blu-ray Trilogy collections.

Fans will get an exclusive first look at some of the collection's extensive special features at this year's San Diego Comic-Con International – which marks Lucasfilm's 35^th anniversary as a Comic-Con presence. In 1976, the fledgling film company was looking for innovative, grass-roots ways to promote its underdog release, a film no one expected to succeed – a space opera known (at the time) only as Star Wars. One of the first film companies to reach out directly to core audiences by way of fan conventions, Lucasfilm will return to the venue to showcase the full evolution of the epic story with a special first look at STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY.

Special Features:

STAR WARS: THE COMPLETE SAGA ON BLU-RAY is presented in widescreen with 6.1 DTS Surround Sound. Special features include:

DISC ONE – STAR WARS: EPISODE I THE PHANTOM MENACE

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, John Knoll, Dennis Muren and Scott Squires

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC TWO – STAR WARS: EPISODE II ATTACK OF THE CLONES

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Ben Burtt, Rob Coleman, Pablo Helman, John Knoll and Ben Snow

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC THREE – STAR WARS: EPISODE III REVENGE OF THE SITH

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Rick McCallum, Rob Coleman, John Knoll and Roger Guyett

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC FOUR – STAR WARS: EPISODE IV A NEW HOPE

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC FIVE – STAR WARS: EPISODE V THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC SIX – STAR WARS: EPISODE VI RETURN OF THE JEDI

Audio Commentary with George Lucas, Carrie Fisher, Ben Burtt and Dennis Muren

Audio Commentary from Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew

DISC SEVEN – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES I-III

Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; a flythrough of the Lucasfilm Archives and more

DISC EIGHT – NEW! STAR WARS ARCHIVES: EPISODES IV-VI

Including: deleted, extended and alternate scenes; prop, maquette and costume turnarounds; matte paintings and concept art; supplementary interviews with cast and crew; and more

DISC NINE – THE STAR WARS DOCUMENTARIES

NEW! Star Warriors  (2007, Color, Apx. 84 Minutes) – Some Star Wars fans want to collect action figures...these fans want to be action figures! A tribute to the 501st Legion, a global organization of Star Wars costume enthusiasts, this insightful documentary shows how the super-fan club promotes interest in the films through charity and volunteer work at fundraisers and high-profile special events around the world.

NEW! A Conversation with the Masters: The Empire Strikes Back 30 Years Later (2010, Color, Apx. 25 Minutes) – George Lucas, Irvin Kershner, Lawrence Kasdan and John Williams look back on the making of The Empire Strikes Back in this in-depth retrospective from Lucasfilm created to help commemorate the 30th anniversary of the movie. The masters discuss and reminisce about one of the most beloved films of all time.

NEW! Star Wars Spoofs  (2011, Color, Apx. 91 Minutes) – The farce is strong with this one! Enjoy a hilarious collection of Star Wars spoofs and parodies that have been created over the years, including outrageous clips fromFamily Guy, The Simpsons, How I Met Your Mother and more — and don't miss "Weird Al" Yankovic's one-of-a-kind music video tribute to The Phantom Menace!

The Making of Star Wars  (1977, Color, Apx. 49 Minutes) – Learn the incredible behind-the-scenes story of how the original Star Wars movie was brought to the big screen in this fascinating documentary hosted by C-3PO and R2-D2. Includes interviews with George Lucas and appearances by Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher.

The Empire Strikes Back: SPFX  (1980, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Learn the secrets of making movies in a galaxy far, far away. Hosted by Mark Hamill, this revealing documentary offers behind-the-scenes glimpses into the amazing special effects that transformed George Lucas' vision for Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back into reality!

Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi  (1983, Color, Apx. 48 Minutes) – Go behind the scenes — and into the costumes — as production footage from Return of the Jedi is interspersed with vintage monster movie clips in this in-depth exploration of the painstaking techniques utilized by George Lucas to create the classic creatures and characters seen in the film. Hosted and narrated by Carrie Fisher and Billy Dee Williams.

Anatomy of a Dewback  (1997, Color, Apx. 26 Minutes) – See how some of the special effects in Star Warsbecame even more special two decades later! George Lucas explains and demonstrates how his team transformed the original dewback creatures from immovable rubber puppets (in the original 1977 release) to seemingly living, breathing creatures for the Star Wars 1997 Special Edition update.

Star Wars Tech  (2007, Color, Apx. 46 Minutes) – Exploring the technical aspects of Star Wars vehicles, weapons and gadgetry, Star Wars Tech consults leading scientists in the fields of physics, prosthetics, lasers, engineering and astronomy to examine the plausibility of Star Wars technology based on science as we know it today.

ABOUT STAR WARS

The May 25, 1977 theatrical debut of Star Wars - on a scant 32 screens across America - was destined to change the face of cinema forever. An instant classic and an unparalleled box office success, the rousing "space opera" was equal parts fairy tale, western, 1930s serial and special effects extravaganza, with roots in mythologies from cultures around the world. From the mind of visionary writer/director George Lucas, the epic space fantasy introduced the mystical Force into the cultural vocabulary, as well as iconic characters such as evil Darth Vader, idealistic Luke Skywalker, feisty Princess Leia, lovable scoundrel Han Solo and wise Obi-Wan Kenobi. Since its 1977 debut, Star Wars has continued to grow, its lush narrative expanding from modest beginnings into an epic, six-film Saga chronicling the fall and redemption of The Chosen One, Anakin Skywalker.

ABOUT TWENTIETH CENTURY FOX HOME ENTERTANMENT

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, LLC (TCFHE) is a recognized global industry leader and a subsidiary of Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, a News Corporation company. Representing 75 years of innovative and award-winning filmmaking from Twentieth Century Fox, TCFHE is the worldwide marketing, sales and distribution company for all Fox film and television programming, acquisitions and original productions on DVD, Blu-ray Disc Digital Copy, Video On Demand and Digital Download. The company also releases all products globally for MGM Home Entertainment. Each year TCFHE introduces hundreds of new and newly enhanced products, which it services to retail outlets from mass merchants and warehouse clubs to specialty stores and e-commerce throughout the world.

Lucasfilm, STAR WARS™ and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Add a comment to this post

Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser: http://subscribe.wordpress.com

Latest articles from Retro To Go

For sale: 1930s grade II-listed, Berthold Lubetkin-designed Six Pillars modernist house in London SE26
Striped Shirt Dress by Karen Millen
Tres Noir Sunglasses by Heartbreaker Fashion
Atomic Coat Stand
Automation Bed Linen
Mad Men Dress Course
eBay watch: 1970s Crayonne Moon table lamp for Habitat
Farmer's Cottage space age garden spheres at John Lewis
Moustache Wax Action Pack by Man's Face Stuff on Etsy
Long Handle 'Old School' Dustpan and Brush
70s style Mod sketch rug at Urban Outfitters
Fielding sofa from Made.com
Mid-Century Colours by Kevin McCloud for Fired Earth
Adidas Marathon 80 trainers get a light blue reissue

For sale: 1930s grade II-listed, Berthold Lubetkin-designed Six Pillars modernist house in London SE26

Posted: 03 May 2011 02:02 PM PDT

What can you say about Six Pillars? Well you can say it's grade II-listed, as well as a modernist masterpiece. It's also on the market right now.

Six Pillars was built in 1934 for the Head Master of Dulwich College and was the work of Berthold Lubetkin's architectural practice, Tecton, It has been updated in recent years under the direction of renowned architect John Winter, but is still very much one of the finest examples of modernist architecture in Britain.

You'll find it on a quiet residential road above Dulwich Woods, within easy reach of rail connections to central London and offering five bedrooms, three bathrooms, large reception areas, roof terraces and some modern-day luxury, like a stainless steel kitchen for example. It also has mature gardens and views of woodland at the rear, plus garage parking and a driveway at the front for further parking.

It's not cheap at £1.9 million, but for a house that's such an icon of an era, that's only to be expected. More images at the agent's site.

Find out more at the Pickwick Estates website

Striped Shirt Dress by Karen Millen

Posted: 03 May 2011 10:36 AM PDT

As the sunshine does its best to lift our collective mood, it's the perfect time to reinject some daring colour into our wardrobes. When it's done right, colourblocking can produce an instantly retro mood in womenswear, as seen in this Striped Shirt Dress by Karen Millen.

While the dress has a fuller skirt than many mod-inspired looks, it still has an evident sixties look thanks to its sharp and unfussy design. The shirt collar and sleeveless cut of the bodice create a great silhouette, with horizontal coloured stripes adding a structured sixties feeling.

It's available online from ASOS for £190.

Find out more from the website

Tres Noir Sunglasses by Heartbreaker Fashion

Posted: 03 May 2011 10:18 AM PDT

Oversized shades have stayed at the forefront of mainstream fashion for many summers now, offering a myriad of mid-20th century styles at affordable prices. If you're after something out of the ordinary, however, Heartbreaker Fashion have the answer with these Tres Noir Sunglasses.

Eschewing the later sixties and seventies rounded styles, they've opted for a fifties influenced cats eye shape. However, this pair aren't as difficult to get away with as many similar looks, thanks to a larger lens and rounded lines throughout.

Get yours from Heartbreaker Fashion online for $90.

Find out more from the website

Atomic Coat Stand

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:56 AM PDT

The Atomic Coat Stand has clearly influenced by Eames 1950s Hang It All.

The stand has a molecular structure which gives plenty of room for storing coats. Rather than a variety of bright coloured balls, the arms in this design just have red and black balls on the end.The stand is white with a heavy marble base, so it won't topple over.

It costs just under £130 from I Love Retro.

Automation Bed Linen

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:33 AM PDT

Like the Metro set featured last week, the Automation Bed Linen is a range of brightly coloured retro bedding from Heal's.

This design is part of the Heal's ReDiscovers series, being a reissue of Barbara Brown's 1970s print. The design was inspired by machines and architecture, and Brown mathematical formulae to create the pattern – which is probably why the overall effect makes me think of Kraftwerk! Prices start at £30 for a pair of pillowcases with the duvet covers ranging from £70 for the single size up to £100 for the Superking size.

Buy online from Heal's.

Mad Men Dress Course

Posted: 03 May 2011 08:16 AM PDT

If you know your way around a sewing machine then why not run up your very own sixties-style dress with a bit of help from passionate stitchers Sew Over It?

Their Mad Men Dress Course will see teacher Lisa Comfort take you through altering a pattern, cutting your fabric and sewing and finishing your dress in three four-hour sessions. At the end of it, not only will you have a unique and lovely summer dress but also a good knowledge of the basics of dress-making.

The course costs £165 and you can book it and find out more about their other courses here.

eBay watch: 1970s Crayonne Moon table lamp for Habitat

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:36 AM PDT

We have featured one of these in the past, but if you missed out on that 1970s Crayonne Moon table lamp for Habitat, there's another one there now with a low starting price.

As we mentioned before, Crayonne was a Habitat brand in the 1970s, with this lamp being sold in the early to mid-70s in the design store. I stands just over 21cm tall, with the lamp a mix of yellow plastic and chrome.

According to seller, the yellow plastic is 'crazed', but is listed as a design fault rather than more recent damage. It's also been checked and a new plug added. Right now, it's at £4.99.

Find out more at the eBay website

Farmer's Cottage space age garden spheres at John Lewis

Posted: 03 May 2011 05:18 AM PDT

With a name like Farmer's Cottage, you perhaps imagine something traditional for your garden, not something like these space age spheres, which look straight out of the 1970s.

There are three different (but similar) designs, all made to order and offered in three different sizes - the smaller rotating sphere seater, the slightly bigger rotating sphere larger and the top-end deluxe summer house sphere.

The smallest design can seat seven people and is able to rotate on chromium bearings to keep out the wind or maximise the sun. The larger design adds the option of a padded seat or bed and a height-adjustable bed, as well as tinted windows. The biggest design doesn't rotate, but it does support electric power.

All are on display at the John Lewis store in Oxford Street in London, but all are available to buy online too, prices starting at £6,495.

Find out more at the John Lewis website

Moustache Wax Action Pack by Man's Face Stuff on Etsy

Posted: 03 May 2011 04:00 AM PDT

If Clark Gable, Inspector Clouseau and Tom Sellek are anything to go by, nothing makes a gent's face like a well coiffed moustache. To help you recreate the classic mo's of the past, Man's Face Stuff have created a selection of fine waxes to tame your facial furniture.

The moustache waxes come in a selection of manly scents: Gin & Tonic, All Nighter (Coffee & Pipe Tobacco) and Red Hot (Cinnamon & Bay Rum). You also get a stick of unscented wax for last minute corrections on the go.

The set is $26 and is available from Man's Face Stuff store on Etsy.

Long Handle 'Old School' Dustpan and Brush

Posted: 03 May 2011 03:47 AM PDT

In addition to their aesthetic merits, vintage-style household accessories like this Long Handle Dustpan and Brush tend to have a longevity that their modern-day counterparts lack.

As well as saving your back and knees with it's long handle, this dustpan and brush folds away for easy storage. It's made of metal with a man-made bristle brush which should easily outlast the usual plastic sort.

A perfect pop of colour for your kitchen - either in sugar-pink or blue.

The set costs £35.00 from Oliver Bonas here.

70s style Mod sketch rug at Urban Outfitters

Posted: 03 May 2011 03:18 AM PDT

Looking for a cheap and colourful way to brighten up your floor space? Check out this Mod sketch rug, available at Urban Outfitters.

The design is a slice of seventies style - the pattern is reminiscent of Zandra Rhodes, and her love of Native America art, while the squiggly, sketchy execution is suggestive of the work of Celia Birtwell.

That's the colourful bit covered but what about the cheap bit? The rug costs just £30.

Buy it online

Fielding sofa from Made.com

Posted: 03 May 2011 03:11 AM PDT

This Fielding sofa from Made.com looks like its been influenced by Florence Knoll's classic 1954 sofa.

The Knoll sofa has inspired many high street interpretations (take a look at this Ikea number or this one from Love Your Home For Less) and no wonder when the design still looks so sleek and contemporary. This three-seater sofa has the straight lines and buttoned back that hark back to the 50s original.

The price of this one stands up pretty well to its competitors: the sofa costs £999 for leather finish, or £599 for the grey herringbone upholstery pictured.

Order it online

Mid-Century Colours by Kevin McCloud for Fired Earth

Posted: 03 May 2011 02:00 AM PDT

Kevin McCloud, more commonly know for poking around building projects on Channel 4's Grand Designs, has created a range of Mid-Century style paint colours for Fired Earth.

Inspired by the upcoming 60th anniversary of The Festival of Britain, the collection includes six authentic shades to capture the spirit of the iconic event. From the zingy Race Yellow to the more muted Skylon Grey, the range is the perfect finishing touch to any aspiring 50s home.

Prices start at £29.50 for a 2.5L can. Visit the website for more details.

Adidas Marathon 80 trainers get a light blue reissue

Posted: 03 May 2011 12:37 AM PDT

Probably not the best shoes for running a marathon in these days, but the Adidas Marathon 80 trainers are still a handsome Adidas reissue, this time in a light blue colourway.

This lightweight running shoe, first seen back on 1980, opts for that slightly more unusual shade of light blue for the suede and mesh upper, dark blue being added for the stripes and heel piece and black used for the sole.

A good all-rounder with plenty of comfort, it's available for the price of £59.99. See another shot over the page.

Find out more at the Size? website

Via His Knibs