Here are just a few images from the huge portfolio of concept design master Syd Mead.
Syd created groundbreaking designs for films such as Star Trek: The Motion Picture, Blade Runner, Tron, Aliens, Short Circuit (that’s right, he designed Jonny 5), among many others. It’s not hard to see from his knowledge of mechanics and vehicles that he started his career at the Ford Motor Company in 1959.
Was that first one ever in a movie? I would love to drive it around. Ford certainly doesn’t make them like that anymore. They clearly robbed us of a promised future. Also that spaceship looks familiar, but I can’t place it. And thirdly also, Jonny 5 is a thinly veiled rip-off of the child-robot from Heartbeeps.
http://www.jeffbots.com/heartbeeps.html
Nice post James. Syd Mead has single-handedly shaped the way that I view “the future.” His conception of the world for Blade Runner blows my mind.
Boing Boing did an excellent interview with him last year:
http://gadgets.boingboing.net/2008/07/09/bbtv-joel-talks-to-s.html
Syd Mead rulz! The old master.