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大佛廻國 [Daibutsu kaikoku / The Great Buddha Arrival] (Yoshirō Edamasa, 1934)
Dec
22
Buddha takes a holiday. A gigantic Buddha statue rests his hand on a multi-story building in possibly Kyoto. In front and sprawling out are multiple small wooden establishments with people in kimono and several bicycles in front of them. A tram, the only thing that suggests the 20th century, can be seen almost off-screen. (via). DPs: Haruzo Ando & Harumi Machii.
Something tall*
In this very early kaiju moving picture, Buddha returns and goes on a sightseeing trip through Japan.
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for December has a few dateless themes. This is one of them.
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Nowhere to Go (Seth Holt + Basil Dearden, 1958)
Dec
22
Tue
A man checks into a hotel. A wall calendar reads December 22, a Tuesday. DP: Paul Beeson .
“Sloane! Be lucky!”
– Paul Gregory
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Die Blechtrommel [The Tin Drum] (Volker Schlöndorff, 1979)
Dec
21
winter solstice
Little Oskar with his tin drum. DP: Igor Luther.
Something short for winter solstice.
“He's growing! Look! See how he's growing! I have seen the Lord! The Lord! The Lord!”
– Schugger-Leo
On the eve of World War 2, little Oskar – just three years old – decides he doesn't want to grow anymore.
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Accidente 703 [Los culpables] (José María Forqué, 1962)
Dec
21
A darkened room. People take care of a man slumped on a coach. A wall calendar tells us it's the 21st. DP: Juan Mariné.
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Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny (Richard Winer + Barry Mahon, 1972)
Dec
20
A bunch of screaming children on top of a red firetruck stand right behind the driver, a stoic person in a pink bunny costume. DPs: William Tobin & Richard Winer.
“What is that? What is that I hear? Where's it coming from? I hear a siren, but I don't see any fire, I don't see any smoke. Whenever there's a siren, it means there's a fire, but I don't see any smoke. That siren. Where is it coming from? Where's that sound coming from?”
– Santa Claus
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Le pacha [Pasha / Showdown] (Georges Lautner, 1968)
Dec
19
“Écoute les orgues
Elles jouent pour toi
Il est terrible, cet air-là
J'espère que tu aimes
C'est assez beau, non ?
C'est le requiem pour un con”
– Serge Gainsbourg, Requiem pour un con (1968)
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Children's Party (Joseph Cornell, c. 1938/1969)
Dec
18
Las Posadas
Exuberant dancers at the children's party.
“Shadow boxes become poetic theaters or settings wherein are metamorphosed the element of a childhood pastime.”
– Joseph Cornell
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Wojna Światów – Następne Stulecie [The War of the Worlds: Next Century] (Piotr Szulkin, 1981)
Dec
18
1999
Reporter Iron Idem (Roman Wilhelmi) bringing the news. DP: Zygmunt Samosiuk.
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The Automatic Motorist (Walter R. Booth, 1911)
Dec
17
Saturnalia
While on the ringed planet, they pick up a cop to save him from spear-wielding rascals, but he elopes with the planet's fairy. Look at those lovebirds on the rings of Saturn!
A planet with rings for Saturnalia
Two lovely newlyweds and their robot chauffeur take a trip to Saturn for their honeymoon, followed by a jolly ride under the sea. A remake of Booth's own The '?' Motorist from 1906.
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L'Atalante (Jean Vigo, 1934)
Dec
16
on a river
Juliette (Dita Parlo) in her bridal dress walks the cover of her husband's river barge L'Atalante. A steam barge putputs by (via). DP: Boris Kaufman.
Set on a river*
Jean: Are you bored?
Juliette: Oh, no.
Jean: Don't worry. There'll be places to see.
Juliette: Riverbanks.
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for December has a few dateless themes. This is one of them.
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