28 February 2011

What You See Is What You Get | Chevy Impala 1959

A model wears glasses designed to match the rear of the 1959 Chevrolet Impala during a car show in London in 1958.

25 February 2011

ESP Experiments | 1972









Seventies-era scientific experiments on Extra Sensory Perception on humans, plants, and eggs. Click here for more Psychic Research!

24 February 2011

23 February 2011

22 February 2011

21 February 2011

Please Allow Me to Clean Your Glasses | Cyd & Gene 1952

Do enjoy the best eyeglass cleaning dance number of all time... Cyd Charisse and Gene Kelly in Singing in the Rain (1952). Click here to watch!

18 February 2011

Portrait of the Cartoonist as a Grown Man | 1952





Cartoonist John O'Reilly in 1952, when cartooning was the domain of well-suited cigar smoking men with healthy appetites.

17 February 2011

Hollywood and Sunset | VISTA Theater


A large crowd congregates outside of Bard's Hollywood Theatre to celebrate its grand opening in 1923. The marquee reads, "grand opening Hollywood's newest theatre[,] Tues. Oct. 9th special vod-vil feature program" and "Baby Peggy in 'Tips'", a 20 minute film directed by Arvid E. Gillstrom and shot at the Ambassador Hotel. The Egyptian Revival style theater, which was later renamed the Vista Theater, is located at 4473 Sunset Drive and was designed by architect Lewis A. Smith.


Vista Marquee, 1986

A crowd of people stand at the entranceway awaiting the grand reopening of the Egyptian revival style Vista Theater, featuring the 1934 version of "Cleopatra." Silent-film star Mary MacLaren (1896-1985) helped re-open the Vista.




Junction of Hollywood and Sunset, looking east in 1930. The marquee of the Vista Theater is visible.

16 February 2011

Vintage Experiments on the Blind!







HDV absolutely loves these photographs, taken sometime in the mid to late fifties in Austria. It appears as if they are doing sensory experiments on the blind, but we would really love to hear what the original hypotheses were being tested here. Make up your own!

14 February 2011

HDV Likes : Lenny Lesser !






LA's Lenny Lesser is the Walker Evans of the new century. His photographs of architectural compositions and street art abstractions capture the vibrant ambience of Los Angeles with a stoic yet loving focus. He is awe-some.

LENNY LESSER | BIZARRE NOIR