Science fiction illustrator Dave McKean's new DVD, Keanoshow, is everything you'd want from a DVD of short films made by the best and weirdest illustrator working in the field today. McKean may just be my favorite genre artist (certainly the cover he did for my novel
Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town is my all-time favorite in a field full of strong contenders), and the short films here really bring McKean's distinctive aesthetic to life through a series of lucious non-verbal sequences acted out by masked characters and backed by Django Reinhardt jazz. Imagine Mirrormask with the drama removed, leaving nothing behind but pure, awesome weirdness. I can't find any video clips on the web, but if you find some, put 'em in the comments below, 'kay?
Dave Mckean's Keanoshow,
The Art of Dave McKean
the latest
latest episodes
Have you read the graphic novel Alice in Sunderland by Bryan Talbot? It's an excellent interpretation of the sources of 'Alice' as well as a rambling discourse on the myths, legends and history of Sunderland.
http://www.boingboing.net/2007/08/09/alice-in-sunderland-.html
Ooops, meant to post that on the 'Alice' item, but you get the point.
A quick YouTube search:
The Week Before -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5iAn-8l7W8
Sonnet 138 -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCtuP41Y5xM
First off, let me say that I completely love Dave McKean, his book "Cages" is a supreme masterwork, not to mention the amazing visuals he whips up for films like "MirrorMask". So I'm excited to hear about this DVD and will def. be seeking it out.
I find it interesting that you define McKean as a "Science fiction illustrator", I would have put him solidly in the "fantasy" camp, considering his work with Gaiman, his tarot decks, "Cages", "MirrorMask", "Black Orchid", the "Dark Tower" calenders, etc etc.
That brings up the point that "science fiction" is oft used as a blanket term for both the sci fi and fantasy genres. Certainly erroneous.. but does that suggest that to some degree, "science fiction" has become a generic term for all these things? Furthermore, I've heard the term "genre fiction" used more than once. is even just "genre" taking on its own meaning?
Sorry if this seems like a threadjack, I just thought it was an interesting spinoff of Jason's comment. Mods, feel free to delete, or disemvowel, I suppose, if you disagree.
I saw Neon when it was entered in a film festival I was judging a few years ago. Fantastic piece. Visually stunning. I'm tempted to buy the DVD for that alone.
'Videos' on DVD? Why is the term 'video' still used - anyone?
Is that no-one can think of a better term, or that people aren't bothered to come up with a more appropriate word?
Video is still used because it's a good word for describing something that is viewed, just like audio is still a good word for something that is listened to. They exist independently of the medium that carries them.
There's video on youtube, video on DVD, video on CD. Besides, that's what the V in DVD stands for!
Can you think of a more appropriate term Kit?
I think Dave's work is fantastic visually, and I'm a longtime fan. I wrote to him once about ten years ago, and he replied with a handwritten letter and a sketch of a cat! I can't tell you how thrilled I was. I have to say now that I think that his narrative work can lack a certain something, though. "Like Mirrormask with all the drama removed" - I would indeed like that. I do wish he would team up with a really solid writer again...