@settima@zirk.us
La noche de los Inocentes [Night of the Innocents] (Arturo Sotto Díaz, 2007)
Dec
28
The cast in the hospital. Lighting and stances appear theatre-like. DP: Ernesto Granado.
“On the night of December 26, at 8:00 on Ukyō-ku.”
姿三四郎 [Sugata Sanshirō / Judo Saga] (Akira Kurosawa, 1943)
Dec
26
8 p.m.
A letter beckoning to come to Ukyō-ku, on December 26, at 8 o'clock. DP: Akira Mimura.
Balada pro banditu [Ballad for a Bandit] (Vladimír Sís, 1979)
Dec
24
Christmas Eve – Nikolas
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The bandit and his bride. DP: Viktor Růžička.
A Nikolas or Nicholas for Christmas Eve.
The tale of legendary highwayman Nikola Šuhaj from Koločava.
大佛廻國 [Daibutsu kaikoku / The Great Buddha Arrival] (Yoshirō Edamasa, 1934)
Dec
22
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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.
“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
“Laugh, my friends. Laugh with me, laugh for me, because I dream for you.”
Le voyage dans la lune [A Trip to the Moon] (Georges Méliès, 1902)
Dec
19
Apollo 17
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A gif from the hand-coloured edition that is now in the Filmoteca de Catalunya. Poor Mister Moon has the adventures' rocket stuck in his eye. DPs: Théophile Michault & Lucien Tainguy.
The Moon (any moon) to commemorate the end of the final man-manned moon landing.
– Georges Méliès, 1937
In true Méliès style, a wild menagerie of showgirls and scientists meet on the Moon in this groundbreaking sci-fi spectacle.
“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)