#retrofuturism

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San Francisco, 3:13 AM
Wed Feb 10
25 posts in the last 24 hours

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#screencaps

Cult Movie Visions Of The Future Transformed Into Weird Art

The screencaps from obscure foreign science-fiction films in Mononukleoza's Flickr account are hypnotic in their strangeness. Captured in moments of psychedelic glory or alien stateliness, these (probably quite cheesy) films suddenly look timeless and arresting. We can't stop staring. More »

02/04/10

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#retrofuturism

Pneumatic Tubes Make A Comeback

A century ago, futurists predicted that pneumatic tubes would be the transportation systems of tomorrow. That idea never came to fruition - until recently. Stanford University's medical center uses a 4-mile-long pneumatic tube delivery system. And it saves lives. More »

02/02/10

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By Annalee Newitz

#retrofuturism

Kraftwerk's Robotic Journey Into An Oppressive Past's Future

Kraftwerk's 1977 single "The Robots" is anchored in 1930s ideas of futurism - both Soviet and Nazi - and it illuminates something about our relationship with artificial life forms, argues blogger Justin E.H. Smith. More »

01/20/10

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#tabletopgames

The Quaint 1990s Cyberpunk Of Netrunner

In 1996, Cyberpunk freedom fighters were raiding evil corporate agendas and fighting brain-draining AIs. And although most of us had dial-up at the time, such intrigue was the daily operation for players of the collectible card game Netrunner.

01/15/10

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By Cyriaque Lamar

#retrofuturism

Cities of the Future, Imagined By The Artist Who Created The Death Star

John Berkey is famous for doing concept design for the original Star Wars movie, including a breathtaking poster of the Death Star. When he wasn't imagining space battles, he designed cities of the future - on Earth and in space. More »

12/31/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#retrofuturism

Death Will Ride the Wings of Radio

Tired of holiday peace, love and understanding? So was an editor at the Los Angeles Times, who in the days leading up to Christmas 1924, ran an article that asked "What Will Happen When ‘Science' Perfects the Art of War?" More »

12/27/09

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By Lynn Peril

#retrofuturism

It Was Easy To Predict The Internet 100 Years Ago

One hundred years ago, the Summit County Journal in Logansport, IN made some predictions about what Christmas would be like this year. Some of their predictions are still wishful thinking, but they did manage to predict both online shopping and YouTube. More »

12/25/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#conceptart

19th Century Camera Gives Dubai a Retrofuturistic Feel

Dubai's futuristic buildings get sent back in time thanks to an 1857 view camera. Photographer Martin Becka points his 19th century camera at a 21st century to create an anachronistic vision of the city. More »

12/23/09

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By Lauren Davis

#retrofuturism

H. G. Wells Strikes Back with 'Things To Come'

H. G. Wells disliked Fritz Lang's Metropolis with a fiery passion, tearing it apart in a review for the New York Times. The movie Things To Come' is his brilliant celluloid riposte, and you can watch it online for free. More »

12/18/09

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By Emmett Plant

#retrofuturism

Retrofuturistic Burglars Use Silent Airplanes to Commit Daring Crimes

In the early years of the airplane, a New York Tribune artist wondered if this amazing new technology might not inspire some supervillainous acts. In this retrofuturistic image, some daring thieves employ the wicked device. [Paleofuture via William Gibson]

12/10/09

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By Lauren Davis

#defense

The Art of the Space Race

Over at Berg London, Megan Prelinger has an amazing essay about the design of advertisements for defense industry companies during the mid-twentieth century space race. Interestingly, socialist-inspired designs were used to advertise anti-commie missile systems. More »

12/01/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#retrofuturism

Would "The Matrix" Have Been Better As A 1930s Musical?

This semi-funny parody of The Matrix picks up on something serious, which is that the Matrix flicks were heavily-inspired by 1930s iconography. I do love the 30s-style trailer, showing the dance sequence. Compare it with a real 30s trailer! More »

11/25/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#retrofuturism

Will Women Rule Over Men In The Future?

In the next month, women will overtake men in the labor workforce, according to statistics from the US Labor Department. Way back in the 1950s, a science fiction author predicted what would happen when this came to pass. More »

10/22/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#retrofuturism

Gas Masks That Turn Biochemical Warfare Into Art

Tom Banwell's ornate gas masks capture the creativity and detail of retro-futurist style. If you must plunge into a world of zombifying gases, at least you can look good. More »

10/21/09

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By Lauren Davis

#retrofuturism

The Inventor Of The Light-Space Modulator Couldn't Let The Nazis Get Their Hands On It

When Laszlo Moholy-Nagy fled the Nazis in the 1930s, he lugged this bizarre contraption through customs in country after country. The Light-Space Modulator looks like a mad-science experiment and sounds like a time machine, but it helped pioneer digital design. More »

10/20/09

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#steampunkart

Concept Art That Will Make You See Steampunk Anew

Yap Kun Rong's incredible "Lord Of Yamamoto" adds some much-needed color to steampunk. It's just one of our collection of concept art images which might make you see steampunk a whole new way. Banish those boring goggles and waistcoasts! More »

10/14/09

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#retrofuturism

The Vatican's Secret Storehouse Of Space Knowledge Is On Display At Last

The Vatican didn't just torment Gallileo — it also helped further the development of astronomy, with masterpieces like this 18th century Planetarium, created by Martin Benjamin. And now the Vatican's treasures of astronomy are going on display. Gallery below. More »

10/13/09

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#retrofuturism

The Trippy Robot Toys of Yesteryear

Children of the 1950s might have delighted in the battery-powered robots lining their toy shelves, but the real gems are the boxes they came in, depicting alien scenes of our multicolored, sparking, smoking, and missile-launching robot future. More »

10/13/09

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By Lauren Davis

#video

It's An Existential Post-Apocalypse in Video Short "Bunker"

The world has been nuked. Under Paris, a woman waits months alone in a bunker with only canned food for company. She's about to commit suicide when a voice comes over the radio. Find out what happens next in Bunker. More »

10/07/09

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By Annalee Newitz

#design

The Architect Who Inspired J.J. Abrams' Star Trek

When TrekMovie.com asked designer Scott Chambliss what influences he and director J.J. Abrams lifted from for the new Star Trek, he listed only one name: Finnish-American designer Eero Saarinen. And it's easy to see why: Saarinen's creations define space awesomeness. More »

09/30/09

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By Charlie Jane Anders

#retrofuturism

Laptop Depicted in 1937 Flash Gordon Comic

A Macedonian comics fan recently noticed this panel from a reprint of the 1937 Flash Gordon arc "The Outlaws of Mongo," which depicts the henchmen of Ming the Merciless apparently communicating via laptop computer. [Science Fiction Observer via Reddit]

09/01/09

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By Lauren Davis

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Original material is licensed under a Creative Commons License permitting non-commercial sharing with attribution.

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