Techno Jeep

I'm more of a Land Rover man myself but I'm not so sure they can do this. :-) Well actually I'm not so sure I'd want them to, but it is great fun nonetheless. Enjoy Techno Jeep.

R2D2 Cameo

Do you remember R2-D2? Of course you do. The half-pint astromech droid from the Star Wars universe that everybody loves. I was chatting to a friend the other day about how he made an often missed cameo appearance in the Close Encounters of the Third Kind film. This film was made not long after Star Wars and the story goes that the film's shared a special effects guy that did it as an in-joke. You can see him, upside down, attached to the bottom the mother-ship, in the scene where it flies low over Devil's Tower mountain.

 

But apparently, the little fella has been popping up in films ever since. Take Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark for instance. Both R2-D2 and his companion C-3PO appear amongst the hieroglyphics in the Well of Souls scene.

As George Lucas directed this film also, it makes a little more sense I guess. But Transformers? Yes, our little buddy makes a very brief appearance in Transformers 2 - Revenge of the Fallen. In the scene where Jetfire's parts are merging with Optimus Prime.

Finally, there was much rumour that our infamous limelight hogger had made an appearance in the latest Star Trek movie. Surely the greatest geek cross-over ever? Sure enough, he was floating amongst the debris in one scene.

I can't help feeling sorry for the little guy. I mean, will he always be type-cast? Will he ever get that sought after role in a romantic comedy?

Please comment if you know of more instances. Image credits go to Funny Potato, Dockery Design and Movie Roar.

James Galea

I have featured some magical illusions on e-clecticism before. A good illusion, performed really well is a joy. This one is superb and quite original. James Galea performs a card trick at the 2009 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.

I hope you enjoy it.

Caught...Live!

I got sent this clip this morning and I thought I'd pass it on to cheer you up. If you're having a bad day, spare a thought for this guy and it might make you feel better.

During a report on the Australian channel, 7 News, the report cuts to Macquarie Bank, where a representative from the company begins explaining interest rates and inflation. If you look carefully in the background, you will notice the man over the interviewee's right shoulder who's looking at what appears to be pictures of naked ladies (Victoria's Secret model Miranda Kerr, reportedly) while he's talking to a co-worker, no less. My favourite moment is when he realises he is being filmed. I wonder if he still has a job?


Bank Worker Caught Looking at Porn on Live News TV Broadcast from FailPost on Vimeo.

Dubai View

OK I know that I have featured way too many time-lapse films. But I do love them if they are done well. This one is superb. Philip Bloom is a film maker who was staying in the Atlantis Palm hotel in Dubai whilst filming a documentary on the Royal Family of Dubai, the Al Maktoums, who commissioned the film on their history.

I chose the Atlantis as I knew the view looking to the city would be spectacular and it is. I just need a different room now as am having issues with this one as there is a massive light to the right of my balcony giving me nasty light pollution.

So far, I haven’t got the perfect time-lapse. I am still trying and every night I will keep on trying!

Well he has got very close if you ask me. He even sneaked a bit of Tilt-Shift in. See for yourself below. Also, check out his tips on making a time-lapse with a dSLR here.


Room with a view: Dubai timelapse tests from Atlantis hotel from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.