REELIZER

Old and current film posters rehashed by several different artists, pretty cool this. via Reelizer. CD

CONNOISSEUR x

Here at The Casual Connoisseur we're going collaboration crazy this summer working with some of the best artists and illustrators out there to bring some cool as they come premium tees to the fore, we've kept things under our hats whilst they're coming off the drawing board, but we'll be revealing all as and when the art is polished off and on it's way.

First up is a collaboration with Yorkshire based illustrator Peter O'Toole. Who's worked with several brands, bands, clubs and publications including the NME, I-D, The Rig Out, Proper Magazine and Addict.

This commissioned design sees a sexy take on the pinup girl with a hint of street influence.

Secondly, we have worked with our good friends from Scandinavia, Our Culture, we have forged a good relationship with these suave Swedes over the last few years, this exciting collab seals that, with their ace Viking influence fusing several iconic faces from history in a really cool exclusive tee.

And, there's going to be even more, you're just going to have to watch this space...YHN

OUT NOW.

The Correctional Collection is now available to buy, two sweats over three colours and a heavier weight simple tee, also we now offer another of our 'Roy Cropper' shopper tote bags, over two unique designs, with a double sided print.
As always Limited Edition runs, quality garments at great value. YHN

ELLESSE x ROBERT McGINNIS.

Italian sportswear giants Ellesse have collaborated with iconic illustrator Robert McGinnis.
McGinnis who's notable work includes covers many cult novels and of course cult film posters for the likes of James Bond's Thunderball etc, Barbarella, Woody Allen's Sleeper, Raquel Welch and Sophia Lauren, and his famous first commission - Breakfast at Tiffany's, often featuring suave individuals with handguns and a bevvy of scantily clad sexy ladies.
This campaign creates an air of Mediterranean luxury for the Italian sportswear brand, mixing his typical classic style with a dash of 'la dolce vita'! McGinnis also worked on the recent 'La Nouvelle' campaign for a certain lager some of you might be partial to, but not me, so pretty trendy right now with a whiff of the Paninaro about it too. In a world dominated with photography and over saturated airbrushing in advertising it's good to see a return to a great, criminally under-used art form, with some old examples below CD

SHOPPERS.

A return of the self dubbed 'Roy Cropper Shopper', a 100% organic cotton tote bag with a double sided screenprint, one is an old Paris Mai '68 poster as seen on a previous t-shirt from several years ago, the other is taken from Jimmy Two-Times' famous quote in one of our favourite films, ideal for carrying home those heavy weekend broadsheets/grot mags, do your little bit for the planet whilst you cut a swagger in your local Sainsburys. Available shortly. Correctional Collection up later today too.

OUT & ABOUT : ASYLUM.

'All around me are familiar faces, worn out places, worn out faces' – Orzabal/Roland
Just the mention of a psychiatric hospital, to some, evokes harboured thoughts for the institutes, and names, such as funny farms, loony bins, madhouses, nut-homes and high walled secure asylums where the patients have been sectioned because they’re crazy, mad, nutcases, batty, crackpots, unhinged, barking, loopy, round the twist, lost their marbles, have a screw lose, wacko, off their rocker, cuckoo - the list goes on and on. Many never stop to think that it could be a safe sanctuary for individuals who may have a form of a mental illness. An illness that can’t be seen by the naked eye like a broken limb, a bleeding cut or a rash. Those needing specialized medical care may be suffering from a neurological disorder such as epilepsy, seizures, blackouts, ADHD, schizophrenia or depression of some form. Also side effects from drink and drugs, hereditary passed down illnesses or, modern day pressures that may have taken their toll with behavioural actions and thoughts effected. Even a sexual disease, syphilis, can travel through the body and cause infection of the brain. Eventually, any of these can lead to someone not being able to function normally.
A mental illness isn’t a rare affliction: one in four UK residents will be struck with a brain disorder at sometime in their life – fact!

There has also been uncountable documentaries, TV series and films made that were set, or contained scenes from, or events that happened, in asylums: flicks like The Silence of the Lambs, 12 Monkeys, Gothika, Awakenings, The Butterfly Effect, One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest have been based on secure units. The aforementioned 1975 film One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, is one of only three to win ‘the big 5’ (pic, actor, actress, director, screenplay) awards at the Oscars. Rated as one of, if not, the best film ever, the lead role of McMurphy (played by Jack Nicholson) was originally offered to Kirk Douglas. He agreed to play the ‘madman’, but then declined due to family pressure because of the subject of the film. The other two to win ‘the big 5’ are, It Happened One Night in 1934, and, The Silence of the Lambs in 1991!
It seems to be that we have a somewhat nervy fascination with Asylums, their patients and therapies too - whether this be in fictional form or, for real. Therapies ranging from drug induced deep sleeps, insulin and cardiazol therapy, electro-convulsive shocks through holes drilled into the skull, and the most barbaric, trans orbital lobotomies. An operation preformed by using a ice-pick like device!

So, with all the above in mind, I set off from where I live over the fields to Whittingham, and the site of the now closed Whittingham Psychiatric Hospital, full of trepidation, I must add. Unluckily, or luckily, whichever way you look at it, the abandoned hospital buildings were fenced off, so I could only circle the fringes of the site. But even during daylight the place is eerie, and kinda spooky, as rooks squawk in surrounding woodlands as they fly from tree to tree. The last time I walked through the grounds was when I was a kid ‘egging’, times when I hadn’t a care in the world and hadn’t a clue really who resided there, or what the gaff was.

Whittingham Psychiatric Hospital, built in 1873, was the largest in the UK, and the second largest in Europe, when in use. And at its peak, it housed over 3,500 patients and employed over 500 staff too. If buildings could tell tales of their history, I personally wouldn’t want to hear any of the ones in photos - no thanks indeed. Sightings of ghosts and bone chilling sounds heard over the years are still rife since the last key was turned locking the solid oak doors shut. Such myths (?) do the rounds whenever the hospital is dropped into a conversation in our neck of the woods.
Since the hospital closed a new secure unit has been constructed nearby, The Guild, because there will always be people in need of care. There are also plans submitted for new family homes to be built on the grounds when the site is cleared in the not too distant future. Hopefully one day soon, the haunted past of Whittingham Hospital may be exorcised once and for all, and the souls of the inflicted will be finally at peace. Even though it is stated that Whittingham Hospital can hold its head high for providing welfare and comfort to individuals who would have spent their days in misery...

http://www.whittinghamhospital.co.uk/

William Routledge.

KES - Criterion Release.

Excited, yes. Kes makes the Criterion cut. We here at tCC are genuine film nerds, we make no apology for that, it's a lifelong passion. Kes directed by Ken Loach - a film making hero/genius in this house, is getting the Criterion dvd treatment, if you don't know (or care) what that means, well, it's a luxury collection of some of the best films ever produced, some you'll know, others you won't, a lot of the time classics and independent films.

They get the proper treatment, cleaned up, loads of extra features and all that jazz.

Despite watching this film enough times to probably recite it, it remains probably my favourite of all time. A film I can always enjoy at any time. Based on the Barry Hines novel, a genuine good read aswell, first shown quite fittingly in school during an English lesson, I've grown to really love and appreciate the marvel of this picture, a real time capsule of old England and hope, a poignant, landmark film, with the best PE lesson in film history, ever. Look out for a screenprinted tribute to young Casper in the not too distant future, you read it here first. CD



The Criterion Collection.

The Casual Connoisseur Top 100 Films.

LADYSHAPE OF THE DAY

Jennifer Lawrence star of recent and critically acclaimed bleak redneck film Winters Bone.
There's nowt grim nor bleak about her here though in a recent Esquire shoot...

OUT NOW.

The long awaited Connoisseurs sweat is now available to buy, pretty limited stocks over both Navy and Grey Marl - a really good heavy sweatshirt, we reckon you'd struggle to find anything better in quality for the price. This will shortly be available at Ran in Manchester and Liverpool also.

Another release in time for Spring is our field trippin' nod to the great outdoors/indoors with a t-shirt release of the popular High Peak sweatshirt, which looks ace on white.

Our Correctional collection will be available to buy next week all being well, you can check out all the spiel about it in the meantime. YHN

NEW PRODUCT.

Still bloody freezing innit? well fear not, our new sweatshirts are nearly ready to go, two new styles - The Correctional and The Connoisseurs hitting the site within the coming week, also available will be the High Peak on a white tee, after the success of our recent sweatshirt, watch this space. YHN

PASS THE CAMERA.

This idea came around on our forum almost a year ago, and it's almost taken that long to finish. The creative task was originally suggested by an old forum member, and rekindled last year, for one forum member to procure a disposable camera, take one photo - of anything they wanted with no real theme, preferably out and about and not just of clothes or trainers and absolutely none of their flacid penis or anything kinky, then send it on to the next forum member who would do the same, take a photo of anything he wished and then send it on the each participating member. This would go on until the film has finished. The last person would get it developed on disk and upload the photos for us all to see.
There appears to be a smudge on the lens, which I think adds to the reality of it really.
The approximate total mileage ended up at 9250 miles. Obviously this is only approximate as exact addresses were not used in calculation, plus it's impossible to calculate exact routes to the likes of Sweden and Benidorm! but it was some effort and an impressive distance though.
That's further than London to New York and back again. Or further than London to Beijing. In fact, it's almost the same distance as England to Australia.
Sadly not all photos came out, for whatever reason several didn't work, whilst some were great others not so (including mine) but we were just glad we had something in the end, an impressive and unique idea I didn't think would ever finish. Descriptions/details to follow, perhaps... CD