Does This Look Big to You Cafe

"Big in Japan," by Alexander Riek

I don't know if this picture is a model, or if he's using a focus trick (like that tilt-pan focus trick that was big ten years ago) to make real objects look like small models. I would say it's obviously a model, but-- others in the series don't look like models. So I'm not sure what to think. I think it's not a model, just made to look that way. Oh, and it's Kyoto.

Speaking of things only being models, here's the opening of Rear Window, showing the huge set built for the film.

I think I read he had to really argue to get the money for the set, and promise there would be zero filming outside of the set. (I think there was just one quick shot of smoke on a race track off the set in a memory flashback.)

Rear Window's apartment/courtyard set was almost 100 feet wide, 185 feet long, and 40 feet high. There were 31 total apartments in the set, and several of them were fully furnished with working plumbing and utilities. The set was actually too large to fit inside any studio space at Paramount. Hitchcock had the studio floors gutted for the purpose of making this set. The courtyard was actually below the basement of the studio (they dug deep enough to hit water), and Jeff's apartment was at street level with the studio exterior.

Over 1,000 lights were used to simulate the brightness and authenticity of natural sunlight to make the block appear outdoors, and could be modified to reflect varying sun intensity at different times of day. Nearly every light in Paramount's possession that wasn't being utilized on another project was brought in for Rear Window.

Construction of the set cost in the realm of $75-100k, a big expense for 1954.

Per Wikipedia:

Though the address given in the film is 125 W. Ninth Street in New York's Greenwich Village, the set was actually based on a real courtyard located at 125 Christopher Street.

The true romance of movie-making is, of course, drainage systems:

One of the unique features of the set was its massive drainage system, constructed to accommodate the rain sequence in the film.

This is everyone when they're supposed to be focusing on work.

"Intelligent" crow solves puzzle but if I'm being honest, he just used trial-and-error and furthermore, he guessed wrong on every single piece save one and furthermore, he actually guessed wrong on every single piece almost every single time, only matching the shape with the right hole when there were no other holes left.

So, "intelligent"? Let's just say he's qualified to hold an internship at National Review and leave it that.

And look, I really like crows and like some of the people at National Review but I think rumors of their intelligence have been greatly exaggerated.

A police dog runs on to a soccer field. As the man said, all the cops are criminals.

"Can you idiots pipe down? This is a good part."

Buitengebeiden is still wondering how they can possibly survive in the wild.

The very, very first steps of a baby elephant. He's still got the birth-goo on him. He's actually smol.

Good safari ride.

Live snake birth -- for real lovers of nature only. Specifically, for lovers of nature at its grossest and slimyest.

If the bull don't get you the scenery will.

Two weeks ago, this guy was flabby and out-of-shape. Then he tanned his balls. And now look at him!

Inman: Prankbuster. Nitter here.

Speaking of things that look fake, but here, actually aren't:

That's four days before the city was leveled and razed by fire:

Cartoon cat:

posted by Ace at 08:00 PM

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