Friday Finds 4.08.11

Sam: Napoleon Screenplay

After the success of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick set to work on making what would have been one of the most epic historical dramas ever made. Of course, his planned biopic on Napoleon never made it to the screen, but has been documented gloriously in this outrageous limited edition Taschen book. Of course that package sold out almost instantly and is now fetching ludicrous prices on the secondhand market, so for the rest of us that would love to imagine what Kubrick's failed masterpiece might have been, this google doc of the screenplay is the next best thing.

And for a Friday Find double-header:

#MilanUncut

Raising questions of the design world that rarely, if ever, get asked, journalist Kieran Long started the #milanuncut thread a few weeks back with a pointed set of tweets. They read, "In preparation for Milan Furniture Fair, I'm proposing that all journalists reading this sign up to an agreement." And "Every manufacturer you talk to, ask them how much they paid their designers for the prototypes they are showing in Milan." And "Then ask them what percentage royalty they pay, and on which price (cost or retail), and when exactly the piece will be in production." The pointed conversation has since snowballed into a full-scale, industry-wide conversation that promises to be a hot (and controversial) topic during next week's festivities. We'll do our best to keep you updated on #milanuncut as it unfolds, and will also be adding our own thoughts to the fray.

Miyoko: Field Notes from the Salone del Mobile (AKA funny sketches by Craighton Berman)

We've been getting ready to send a few of our editors to Italy for the Milan Furniture Fair next week, and I couldn't help but revisit illustrator Craighton Berman's sketches from Milan 2010. In the series you'll find Things to Note About Milan Design Week (such as the fact that "you will live on a diet of one panini a day—plus espresso and booze"), Maps to Help You Navigate Milan Design Week (one of The Fair and another of Neighborhood Importance), and A Few Concepts for Making the Salone Less Exhausting (like the yet-to-be-executed "Extend the Metro Through the Fair" suggestion).

Jordan: The Art of Knitting: Masterpieces Reimagined

I am never not fascinated by new and interesting forms of knitting, so these iconic works of art, translated into textiles by a British collective called the Materialistics, are pretty much the best thing ever. If this kind of thing is also your cup'o'tea, check out these brilliant Penguin Classics embroidered by Jillian Tamaki.

Jaime: Stephen Wiltshire Draws Rome From Memory

Having had a less-than-inspiring week on the internets, I was at a loss for a Friday Find. Luckily Jordan sent this video my way, and, sure enough, it's the most amazing thing I've seen all week. It's not new, but new to me: artist Stephen Wiltshire, who is autistic, takes a helicopter ride over Rome and then proceeds, in three days, to draw the entire cityscape from memory. Unbelievable. He's also done Tokyo and Manhattan, among others.

Diana: The Brooklyn 'Hole"

THE HOLE from Alley Oop on Vimeo.

Found this documentary via BLDGBLG about a neighborhood in Brooklyn that's 30 feet below sea level, but really looks like it's thousands of miles out of place. Allegedly, the swampy area was a dumping ground for mafia folk looking to make bodies disappear fast. Neighborhood "Cowboys" reign supreme and there are more than a few tall tales to be told. Check it out.