Month: November 2010 (Page 2 of 2)

RFC 114 "Flash Photography Shirt" from Rudy Panucci on Vimeo.

This week we’re combining two of our regular PopCult features into one. Above, you see the latest episode of Radio Free Charleston, “Flash Photography Shirt.”  The wide-ranging music on this show comes from Andrea Anderson, The Dad Horse Experience, and Shayla Leftridge-Bonds.  Our animation is Frank Panucci’s very first animated film.  We also have some Super Fancy Dancing.

Host segments were shot on the grounds of the State Capitol, after we considered shooting at Yeager Airport without permission, then thought better of that idea. Evidently last Saturday was “Take Your Screaming Baby To The Capitol” day, and also over at Laidley Field they were having a special Mumble Incoherently Over The Public Adress System Tournament. So it was a bit of a challenging shoot.  But we did get our host segments recorded and the show was uploaded a mere eight hours after the hosting adventure. Continue reading

The PopCulteer
November 12, 2010

Starstruck For Your Ears

A few months ago, my pick for the “Cool Comic Of The Week” (returning soon to PopCult) was Starstruck, an incredible sci-fi series by Elaine Lee and Michael Kaluta. The comic book series had a convoluted history, starting as a stage play, then jumping from publisher to publisher for more than a couple of decades before being re-presented by IDW (a Deluxe Hardcover is due early next year).

Now Starstruck has made a leap back to its roots, and a bit to the side, with the Audiocomic version of this sexy space opera. Adapting a comic book to an audio play format has been done before–think of the classic Supeman radio show, among others–but lately it’s become a bit of a last art.  Starstruck, with its theatrical origins and strong dialogue is particularly well-suited to this sort of adaptation.

Adapted by Elaine Lee (from the play she wrote with Susan Norlfeet ane Dale Place) and directed and sound designed by William Dufris, Starstruck is a real treat.  It’s pure ear candy that flies by so quickly that you can’t believe it’s over two hours long. Continue reading

I wanted to see what would happen if I combined a PopArt semi-abstract design with a Gothic oil painting style.  This is the end result. This is my first attempt at a series that I’m toying with for a possible exhibit. I’m not sure it’ll make the final cut,  but I thought it might be good enough for Monday Morning Art.  So there you go.  Click the image to see it larger.

Above you see “Poopdeck Pappy,” one of the classic Max Fleischer Popeye cartoons.  After the jump, you can see a whole bunch more of these cool cartoons.  Popeye is enjoying a resurgence right now, with a series of books from Fantagraphics reprinting the legendary E.C. Segar “Thimble Theater” comic strips which spawned the one-eyed sailor.

Popeye is also starring in a new book collecting his comic book adventures, as chronicled by the often-overlooked Bud Sagendorf, who took over the strip after Segar’s death. Click “read the ret of this entry” to see more Fleischer Popeye classics!

Continue reading

The PopCulteer
November 5, 2010

“Dreamgirls”

Your PopCulteer was lucky enough to be asked to attend a dress rehearsal of The Charleston Light Opera Guild production of “Dreamgirls” Thursday night, and despite having to swim upstream against the crowd going to see The Trans Siberian Orchestra, it was a spectacular evening of musical theater.

TSO was one-night-only, so you’ll want to be sure to make it out to catch this show. Director Nina Pasinetti has once again managed to recreate Broadway magic in Charleston, blessed with an amazing cast and a very clever set design.

If you’re not familiar with “Dreamgirls,” it’s a thinly-disguised retelling of the story of
Diana Ross, Florence Ballard and The Supremes, with plenty of fictionalized elements. It’s close enough to the real story to remain fascinating, but it veers off to leave the audience with a satisfying conclusion.  The music is a spot-on recreation of the Motown sound.

Check out the hightlights, below.

After the jump, you’ll find some photos and the rest of my quick review.

Continue reading

Above you see video of last Friday’s Zombie Walk, part of HallowEast 2, the ultra-successful follow-up to last year’s East End Halloween celebration. You will see the pre-walk preparations as Melanie Larch and Ginger Workman apply make-up to some of the participants, then watch the procession of the undead. You may see someone you know, and maybe even a Conga line.

This week’s artistic jump-start  is yet another piece I’d considered submitting to the ArtMares show.  “Head-splitting Euphoria” is a digital painting, with lots of filters and effects slathered over it.  In the end, I felt it was just too pink to go to ArtMares. Click it to see a bigger version.