@settima@zirk.us
“Sloane! Be lucky!”
Nowhere to Go (Seth Holt + Basil Dearden, 1958)
Dec
22
Tue
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A man checks into a hotel. A wall calendar reads December 22, a Tuesday. DP: Paul Beeson .
– Paul Gregory
“He's growing! Look! See how he's growing! I have seen the Lord! The Lord! The Lord!”
Die Blechtrommel [The Tin Drum] (Volker Schlöndorff, 1979)
Dec
21
winter solstice
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Little Oskar with his tin drum. DP: Igor Luther.
Something short for winter solstice.
– Schugger-Leo
On the eve of World War 2, little Oskar – just three years old – decides he doesn't want to grow anymore.
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.
“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 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.
– Santa Claus
“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”
Le pacha [Pasha / Showdown] (Georges Lautner, 1968)
Dec
19
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Jean Gabin and Dany Carrel in a still on the cover of Serge Gainsbourg's Requiem pour un con 7” (via). DP: Maurice Fellous.
– Serge Gainsbourg, Requiem pour un con (1968)
“Shadow boxes become poetic theaters or settings wherein are metamorphosed the element of a childhood pastime.”
Children's Party (Joseph Cornell, c. 1938/1969)
Dec
18
Las Posadas
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Exuberant dancers at the children's party.
A festive child for Las Posadas
– Joseph Cornell
Children of all ages are entertained by a menagerie of dancers, acrobats, talented fauna and bobbing apples in this exhilarating found-footage party. Part of The Children's Trilogy, together with Cotillion (c. 1938/1969) and The Midnight Party (c. 1938/1969).
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.
The Automatic Motorist (Walter R. Booth, 1911)
Dec
17
Saturnalia
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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.
Jean: Are you bored?
Juliette: Oh, no.
Jean: Don't worry. There'll be places to see.
Juliette: Riverbanks.
L'Atalante (Jean Vigo, 1934)
Dec
16
on a river
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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*
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for December has a few dateless themes. This is one of them.
“A geisha’s lie is not a real lie. It’s a cornerstone of our profession.”
祇園囃子 [Gion bayashi / Gion Festival Music] (Kenji Mizoguchi, 1953)
Dec
15
茶
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Studying the tea ceremony, accompanied by director Mizoguchi (via). DP: Kazuo Miyagawa.
Having tea*
– Miyoharu
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for December has a few dateless themes. This is one of them.