History ain’t what it used to be! Steampunks mash up the past and present while looking to the future. Altered History and Alternate Histories are two websites that have fun scrambling the past.

Captain Kit Kaboom (aka Abbey Manalli of Milwaukee, WI) designed Altered History to be “a world that never quite existed. This is a world of airships and trains, steamships and submarines.”

The site has buttons, postcards and stickers for the travelers of the yesteryear that never was.

It also has patches and bronze pins for the explorers and mechanics of the fleet.

Alternate Histories at Etsy.com offers prints with incongruities. Pittsburgh, PA artist Matthew Buccholz (via New York and Arizona) presents a world “Where the Past Comes Monstrously to Life.”

Dinosaurs roam a young America. Zombies and monsters feature in old cartography. Giant robots and Godzilla threaten a familiar city (hint: it’s not Tokyo).

Take the alternate route.

So it was that yesterday, (Sunday if you happen to be reading this on say, not a Monday), myself, the charming KL Kenzie, the good Rev. Cpt. Sam Flint and the lovely Lady Lisa all went to view what we were sure was the new fan-boy wank fest “Sucker Punch“.

Flint, already having read reviews from people who have the time to see movies on opening day, promised us that though the film would be very very pretty to look at it – it would also be completely bereft of anything involving either plot or substance.  Having watched the trailer a good 14,028,215 times I came to the conclusion that this was okay – and that we had to see it Sunday so we could have an article up on Steampunk Chicago by Monday.

So to begin, I’m going to start by saying, yes, I know this movie is “dieselpunk” not “steampunk” according to a number of people who have the time to take barely established counter cultures and differentiate them into further sub-genres.  That aside, if you’re looking for a film that evokes the kind of timeless visual imagery of such works as City of Lost Children, Dark City or even Fight Club, this movie is for you.  This brings me to my first laud to Mr. Snyder.

Snyder has deftly taken the style of post World War 2 America for the film, but cleverly and smoothly throws in a number of anachronistic hints that make classifying the movie to any specific time period impossible.  This is hands down, one of the greatest stylistic strengths of the film, and adds an immediate dream-like feeling to its world.

An interesting promo image for the film.

As for the plot,  I’m going to come forward and say that I think all the ill talk of it is un-founded.  I found the plot to be engaging.  I can imagine the biggest issue the casual viewer might have being that it is anything but traditional in the western world sense of plotting, where one starts at point A and goes from point to point until it neatly ends.  Yet plenty of succesful films have avoided that for the better.  Where Sucker Punch is different is that it also defies the more post-modern conceit of the beginning being the end, the “it was all a dream” or even the “it was all in her head” motif.  It’s never made clear just where the movie is really taking place, and it uses this to its own strength.

Without giving too much away, the film is essentially a story within a story within a story, and though – at first – where they begin and end seems evident, after watching the movie in its entirety you’re left not being so sure.  While I enjoyed this aspect, I can see it intensely alienating a majority of viewers.  I think Sucker Punch is a significantly more clever, and intelligent film than one might expect.

Perhaps that is really the “sucker punch” here (yes, pun intended).  The chain gun toting samurai robot-demons and the steampunk Nazi clockwork robot zombies and the bomb train guarded by androids going for the super city are all really really really awesome, but a movie together, they do not make.  Where the film really lies is the plot of five women trying to escape from… well, it’s not clear.  One might say this is a problem, but I don’t think it is here.  This is a film that’s as much about a Buddhist-esque escape from the self as it is about escape from some kind of physical prison, and the nebulous quality of precisely what the prison is really is the center of the story.  It lends itself up to intense speculation and interpretation, and in a culture where we’re increasingly told what to think or how things are, it’s refreshing to not be told what was right, how it was done, or where it came from.

Is Sucker Punch perfect?  No. Is it entertaining?  Yes.  It’s also intensely disturbing and extremely dark.  The fantasy scenes, of which virtually all the hype is being given, are not so much essential to any key plot points, but are essential to your not losing your own mind at how absolutely destitute the lives of the protagonists increasingly become.  So perhaps that’s what we’re left with.  A sucker punch; we come expecting only extraordinary eye candy and yet leave with our minds in a knot.

Thanks to the Musebox for this update – musician Ben Lovett’s new music video for his single “Eye of the Storm” went live yesterday on AOL’s Spinner portal and I must say, the video is gorgeous indeed.  I caught a look at the in-progress version a bit ago and was quite impressed – it makes it extra lovely to see how the finished video puts the proto-type to shame.

For information on the actual production and on Ben himself, check out the Spinner Article.

For the video itself, produced on a shoe-string budget by Soap Box Films, do watch below!

Enjoy!

So Tesla-Con I has come and gone and all in all, the people really enjoyed it!  From panels on character development, taxidermy, tiny top hats and (of course) airships to the delightful tea room (and its lovely view) to the wonderful special guests to various investors, luminaries and members of the ship’s crew (RIP – Henri Grebelle, Lady Grebelle, MacMurry and The Duke of Buckingham) falling dead – it really was quite a weekend.

TeslaCon was represented by several outstanding groups, people, and event planners. The Airship Archon, the Imperial Anti-Piracy Squadron, Cherie Priest, Mark Donnelly! Truly, friendly faces, fantastic dress and creative weaponry and gadgets were at every corner.

The opening ceremonies began the murder mystery right away, with a character dropping dead from a poisoned drink — and continued through the night with a poison gas bomb in the engine room. Throughout the three days,  the actors remained in elaborate character —  sometimes even two or three — and encouraged the other guests to dig deep for clues and come rushing to every scene. A dark and somber eulogy (which apparently the dead speak at) was even delivered for one of the killed crew members. An old-timey seance delivered even more clues, and some real intrigue. The mystery concluded at a Steampunk Gun Show, as bait to draw out the real killer! People were excited and engaged throughout the convention.

From visuals to audio, no expense was spared in outfitting the airship, er, dresing the hotel. Room placards were printed, period dress restroom signs were hung, and dozens of signs, posters, and art adorned all the hallways.

These were posted throughout the CON - photo by JM Coen

Con-goers were greeted by in character porters and ticket takers while music and ambiance (and the drone of engines) played continually in the background. In the well-staffed (and oh-so-polite) tea room, a window to the clouds presented a majestic view of our flight. Next door, hand selected vendors presented their wares at the ship’s store.  An antique shop even graced the lobby of the airship!

Thanks to Daria Melnikova for the TeslaCon compilation video.

Here are some photos from a variety of people who attended the con.  Next year promises even more elaborate decor and production – we can’t wait (of course we can’t, we’re part of the team) – but we do have a suggestion for next year.

Don’t drink the water (bring your own).

Granted, not a great picture, but this was KL and mine luggage for the weekend.

Opening Ceremonies - And the "take off" of the Explorer II with Captain Dunbar talking all the luminaries and investors ready - photo by JM Coen

And the first murder occurrs! Meanwhile Bobbins reads a note from Lord Proctocus! (As you can see it was all quite theatrical) - Photo by JM Coen

Emporer Justininian talks about the Red Fork Empire - photo by JM Coen

Author Cherie Priest talks at her panel - photo by JM Coen

Captain Anthony LaGrange of the Airship Archon! - Photo by JM Coen

Vourteque, KL and Concordia talk with the Captain after the tragic death of Lady Grebelle - photo by Dave Kaemmerer

KL Kenzie talks during her Taxidermy panel - photo - by JM Coen

Both outfits and costumes were outstanding - photo by JM Coen

A Steampunk Dalek (we were told it was powered by a 9 year old child) - photo by JM Coen

A fight breaks out between the RL&GEMS and the IAPS! - Photo by Jena Watson

The Infamous POKER GAME where McMurry died - photo by Lisa Dousharm

Von Grelle and one of her infamous IAPS members (played by GD Falksen) - photo by Lisa Dousharm

The Lovely Dezomas descending the stairs to the ball - photo by Lisa Dousharm

The Duke and Duchess as the ball... just before tragedy strikes AGAIN - photo by Lisa Dousharm

But fear not - in the end all was well - and the RL&GEMS pose for another great picture

Now to get ready for Tesla-Con II!

Vourteque and Flint Arrested!

THE DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM, Minister of State for Aeronautical Affairs, died suddenly at the Ball last evening. His Grace, a recent proponent of surrendering the Explorer II to prevent further bloodshed, was engaged in a violent argument with Lord Hastings Bobbins when he collapsed and died. Suspicion immediately fell on the drink that His Grace was clutching as he fell. Quick investigation by Captain Willard-Dunbar revealed that the drink had been procured by the Rev Captain Samual Flint. The Rev. Capt. and his associate Lord Baron Vorteque were immediately taken into custody by the Imperial Anti-Piracy Squadron.

Revelry After Hours!

The passengers of the Explorer II seem to have spent last evening in an effort to drown their fears. A Wine and Cheese Gathering segued into “Free” beer for charity and ended with filthy songs and generalized debauchery sponsored by the IAPS. This reporter questions the wisdom of Captain Willard-Dunbar in entrusting the custody of Vorteque and Flint to such disreputable persons. Calls of “We wish to see your papers” were answered by spirited calls of “We wish to see your pants”, and this reporter wishes to remind her readers that she was unable to determine exactly what the naked main in that portrait was holding in his hands, despite extensive and rigorous inquiry. And more importantly, why did no one tell me about the group of Rugby players aboard and their habit of regular semi-clothed calisthenics in the ship’s pool! Clearly this reported is in need of better sources of information!