I'm the culture guy. I merge international relevance with cultural cool.
Scent Stories
Really cool packaging and design concepts for a fragrance line coming out of Poland. All the scents are named and inspired after famous writers. Now as for a the smell... that's only something folks out in Poland can attest to.
Cities on Speed Series
This week I'm highlighting this cool documentary series I spotted on Sundance channel called Cities on Speed. Produced by the Danish Film Festival, the series focuses on the megacities of Mumbai, Cairo, Shanghai, and Bogota, and covers how rapid urbanization for better or worse has affected these growing epicenters.
Although I haven't seen all 4 of the films yet, my viewing of the Bogota film was extremlely capitivating, and it would've been an injustice if I didn't put the rest of you Mantlers on to this as well.
For all you poor students who can't afford Sundance, while I don't support pirating, do enough digital digging and I'm sure you'll find it worthwile.
Shout to Superfuture
Walking Across America Timelapse
It took 14 days and an ambitious crew of videographers/photographers to put this nearly 2 minute stop motion/ time lapse together.
Instead of Forest Gump making the trek however, female fans of the CGP will be happy to notice that the filmmakers chose to have a Abercrombie model who barley breaks a sweat fill in for Tom Hanks throughout the vid. This lack of attrition displayed actually gives me the confidence that I can pull off the feat and come out equally as attractive at the end, but these those are thoughts for another day.
Jokes aside though, this is as close as you'll get to taking a journey across the USA without actually suiting up your own running shoes. So try pausing
the vid a few times, its the only effort you'll really need to take in all the scenery.
FOTO DE LA SEMANA: Argentinians Climbing for Cola
In an ode to Friendship Day (July 20) in Argentina, Ogilvy Argentina dropped a huge Coke machine in the middle of somewhere and prayed that people wouldn't break their necks.
The reward for your troubles: not one, but 2 soda pops; full proof that friendship and teamwork can be forged together through the pursuit of a carbonated bevy.
Via Scary Ideas
Miral Trailer
This is the trailer for Julian Schnabel's film "Miral" starring Slumdog alum Freida Pinto. The film is about a young woman who lives in an orphanage setup in Jerusalem by Hind Husseini in the wake of the 1948 partition of Palestine. Besides my infatuation with Ms. Pinto, this film definitely deserves attention due to its political relevancy. It premieres at the Venice Film Festival in September.
Via First Showing
James May's Lego House
It's a pre-school kid's dream fantasy - a two-story Lego House made up of 3.3 million lego bricks. James May, the host of UK's "Top Gear," collaborated with 1,000 volunteers to put together the mammouth project last fall and this vid shows the final outcome.
Unfortunatley, despite a Facebook protest to keep it alive, the house eventually was torn down in September after Lego found it too expensive to move over to its theme park and no one came forward to take it.
How can not one pre-k school in the world step up and put a bid down on this?
Shouts to Josh Spear
Kanye's "Wicked" Beat Making Skills
No matter what you may think of the man. He's got talent.
I.E. this video of him taking a sample from the musical Wicked and flipping it to what will surely be a head nodding cut off his new LP "Good Ass Job."
First it was about the "Power" and now its about being "Popular."
Check the original record and Mr. West's version below.
Via Life Files
Playing Super Mario Via Violin
This is an elegant and classy way to play the soundtrack to a gaming classic. I didn't grow up in a 3-D gaming world like these spoiled newbie youngans, all I had was this game and a zest for Princess Toadstool. If you ever felt the same, this vid will bring a smile to your face for sure.
Major props to Japanese violinist Teppei Okada for the eloquent rendition and salutes to NY Mag for the find.
Amnesty International Candle Spot
Great spot put together by Digital District for Amnesty International. Only beef I have is, why use the NBA "Where Amazing Happens" music? Peep the copycat below.
World Cup Photo of the Week: The Trophy Water Pipe/Bong
Since its 2 weeks in and it should be my natural "cultural" responsibility to ramp up the coverage on the World's greatest sporting event here at the Mantle, this picture is my first contribution. If this was 03', a Chappelle skit definitely would've been in order.
Props to Foreign Policy
