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狂った一頁 [Kurutta ichipėji / A Page of Madness] (Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926)
Oct
14
silent cinema
A masked inmate (Eiko Minami) dances. The shot of the dancer is superimposed over a shot of her cel's bars, putting the viewer in the position of the husband witnessing – or is he hallucinating – an inescapable nightmare (via). DP: Kōhei Sugiyama.
A [favourite] silent horror film*
Incomplete and, despite the generally accepted popular Occidental opinion, not a horror film. Oh, to have seen this narrated by Musei Tokugawa…
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for October is horror-themed as opposed to date-based, and is all about favourites. Expect non-horror and films I believe to be relevant instead.
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駅 [Eki / Station] (Yasuo Furuhata, 1981)
Oct
12
Eiji Mikami (Ken Takakura) and Kiriko (Chieko Baishō) watching TV in her quiet bar. She sings along with her favourite song. DP: Daisaku Kimura.
Set 278 days before the start of the Tokyo Olympics.
“One can meet only god at such hour.”
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Le mystère Koumiko [不思議なクミコ / The Koumiko Mystery] (Chris Marker, 1965)
Oct
11
1964
The film covers multiple days. Koumiko thinks on October 17. DP: Chris Marker.
“Mr. Everyman explains how to look like a Japanese and thus impress those wild and not very civilized people. Mrs. Everyman replies that for savages, they look remarkably civilized. Meanwhile, Mr. Everyman, seeing more people looking even more Japanese, is reassured. Mrs. Everyman sees soldiers parading in European uniform. She smiles ironically. But now a number of typical Japanese walk into the house. Her irony disappears. And Mr. Everyman is not ashamed to admit… he is mystified.”
– narrator
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Satan bouche un coin (Jean-Pierre Bouyxou + Raphaël Marongiu, 1968)
Oct
10
A [favourite] color [horror] film*
“Here lies
Pierre MOLINIER
born on 13 April 1900 died around 1950
he was a man without morals
he was proud of it and gloried in it
No need to pray for him.”
– Pierre Molinier, mock-epitaph (via, NSFW as goes without saying)
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for October is horror-themed as opposed to date-based, and is all about favourites. Expect non-horror and films I believe to be relevant instead.
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Le passager de la pluie [Rider on the Rain] (René Clément, 1970)
Oct
10
Mélancolie 'Mellie' Mau (Marlène Jobert) and Col. Harry Dobbs (Charles Bronson), dancing. DP: Andréas Winding.
– You expect me to eat that?
– Americans live on ketchup and milk. I'm a whiz at geography.
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Happy Birthday to John [Happy Birthday John Lennon] (Jonas Mekas, 1995)
Oct
9
1972
A rectangular birthday cake with a chocolate acoustic guitar spells out Happy Birthday John From Yoko And The Whole World. Presumed DP: Jonas Mekas.
On October 9th, 1972 an exhibition of John and Yoko's art – designed by the Master of the Fluxus movement, George Maciunas and curated by David Ross – opened at the Syracuse Museum of Art in New York. On the same day, an unusual group of John and Yoko's friends, including Ringo Starr, Allen Ginsberg, and Paul Krasner, gathered to celebrate John's birthday.
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Days of Heaven (Terrence Malick, 1978)
Oct
7
1916
The Amarillo Dispatch reports on President Wilson's October 7 visit to the town of Panhandle. DP: Néstor Almendros.
– Here he is!
– There he goes!
– That's the president of the whole country.
– Ohh!
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Il demonio [The Demon] (Brunello Rondi, 1963)
Oct
6
exorcism
While several men hold her down, Purif (Daliah Lavi) sticks out her tongue to the crucifix held up to her. DP: Carlo Bellero.
[A favourite] exorcism film*
“Blood of Christ. Demon. A curse upon this man. A curse that he will never forget me. Blood of my body. Until the grave. A curse that he will never forget me.”
– Purificazione
When a rejected young woman puts a curse on her heart's desire, the locals see nothing less than witchcraft. It is decided that Purif must be possessed, and exorcised.
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for October is horror-themed as opposed to date-based, and is all about favourites. Expect non-horror and films I believe to be relevant instead.
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Grey Gardens (Albert + David Maysles, Ellen Hovde + Muffie Meyer, 1975)
Oct
5
1973
Washed out felt-tip penned well-wishes read: OCTOBER 5th – 1973 “GREY GARDENS” AT 78 IT IS TRUE – YOU CAN LIVE TO BE 80 TOO. DPs: Albert & David Maysles.
“Thank you for your card and your ice-cream, I love you very much!”
– Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale, saying goodbye to her birthday party guests
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Calle Santa Fe (Carmen Castillo, 2007)
Oct
5
Miguel Enriquez holding Carmen Castillo in a family snapshot. DPs: Ned Burgess, Sebastián Moreno, Raphaël O'Byrne & Arnaldo Rodríguez.
