Maps of War, The American Look

Coolhunting showcased two odd and interesting items today. First, the Maps of War. It's an incredibly simple yet effective little flash info graphic movie that illustrates 5,000 years of Middle East political history—the sprawling rule of the Romans, the Mongols, the Europeans really hits home when presented in this fashion. Sadly, I learned more in the few minutes watching this then I did in most history classes.

The second item is a short film put out by Chevrolet in 1958 called The American Look, a weird little timewarp of a tribute to "the men and women who design" in the architecture, interior, technology, packaging and product design industries. The usual icons of the era are represented, but along with the Herman Miller and Mies van der Rohe you get beauty shots of things like the outdoor grill, the can opener, the pencil sharpener, the lawn sprinkler, the typewriter, the baseball glove... even the doorknob. Things most of us take completely for granted. Indeed, that's what makes this little film almost creepy—the Disney chorus of angels is singing as consumers worship at the altar of your mother's hideous Tupperware (will we one day look back on, say, our Apple products in this way?). Though bogged down by the conventions of its era (Americana overkill, very few women in a film that is specifically supposed to be a tribute to both sexes, etc.), there are a few surprises (a glass boat, an optical illusion of a giant dog), and the real reason to watch is for the general attitude that a designer's creativity is also "courage to dream"—imagine girding yourself for the workday with the idea that you will be summoning all the powers of your good taste and imagination to face an exhausting elite obstacle course of aesthetic challenge. My favorite moment: "the stylists work in rooms that are constantly locked." It's a bizarre trip down memory lane... The narrator delivers lines like "Walls of Glass!" and "Changes and Revisions!" in tones of thrilling innovation. The Art Director calmly smokes his pipe. And finally, as the music swells again, comes the grand finish: "Thanks to the men and women... WHO... DESIGN!!"

Coolhunting links:
Maps of War
The American Look