settima

@settima@zirk.us

Murders in the Zoo (A. Edward Sutherland, 1933)

Feb

20

Murders in the Zoo (1933)

A couple walks into a room, only to discover a lifeless man and a headless snake. DP: Ernest Haller.

“You don't think I sat there all evening with an eight-foot mamba in my pocket?”

– Eric Gorman

Der große Verhau [The Big Mess] (Alexander Kluge, 1971)

Feb

19

Copernicus born

Der große Verhau (1971)

Space ships made out of all sorts of junk pass a moon. DPs: Thomas Mauch & Alfred Tichawsky.

A film about outer space for Nicolaus Copernicus' birthday (1473).

 

In a galaxy far far away, the opening scroll informs us, a civil war rages between governments, greedy conglomerates, and rebels. Only a few scrap-dealing space pirates can save the day!

Les abysses [The Depths] (Nikos Papatakis, 1963)

Feb

18

pancakes

Les abysses (1963)

Michèle and Marie-Louise (real-life sisters Francine and Colette Bergé) as the real-life Papin sisters prepare crêpes for Monsieur. DP: Jean-Michel Boussaguet.

– Why are we making pancakes?

– Monsieur likes them. Besides, what else is there?

Sebastiane (Paul Humfress + Derek Jarman, 1976)

Feb

18

Pluto Day

Sebastiane (1976)

Sebastian (Leonardo Treviglio) sits on a rock in a barren landscape. Two men in the distance, and a sheep, all have their backs turned to him. DP: Peter Middleton.

Someone is snubbed or rejected on Pluto [Discovery] Day*.

“His body is golden like molten gold. This hand of his… will smooth away these wounds. Justin, he is as beautiful as the sun. This sun which caresses me… is his burning desire. He is Phoebus Apollo. The sun… is his… burning kiss.”

– Sebastian

Sebastian, member of the Emperor's personal guard, is exiled after an incident. He finds himself on a rocky outpost, and the object of the other men's lust. One of them – a centurion rejected by the Christian boy – subjects Sebastian to torture and eventually lifts him up martyrdom.

 

* Pluto Demoted Day is on August 24

野獣死すべし [Yajū shisubeshi / The Beast Shall Die] (Eizō Sugawa, 1959)

Feb

17

airline food

野獣死すべし (1959)

Kunihiko Date (Tatsuya Nakadai) enjoys an in-flight meal. DP: Fukuzō Koizumi.

Assalto ao Trem Pagador [Assault on the Pay Train] (Roberto Farias, 1962)

Feb

17

WH helicopter incident – 1974

O Assalto ao Trem Pagador (1962)

The favelados-turned-train-robbers. DP: Amleto Daissé.

A heist on the date of the 1974 White House helicopter incident.

 

Il mare [The Sea] (Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, 1962)

Feb

17

1962

Il mare (1962)

The actor (Umberto Orsini) approaches a hotel lobby. A blackboard notes the date: February 17, 1962. DP: Ennio Guarnieri.

Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie [The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie] (Luis Buñuel, 1972)

Feb

16

No One Eats Alone Day

Le charme discret de la bourgeoisie (1972)

The diners at a long table. DP: Edmond Richard.

People eat dinner together on No One Eats Alone Day*

“My God. What am I doing in this place?”

– Henri Sénéchal

The bourgeoisie meet for dinner in various settings, but never consume.

 

* this event takes place on the Friday of the second full week in February, which makes the 2025 date February 14.

The List of Adrian Messenger (John Huston, 1963)

Feb

16

The List of Adrian Messenger (1963)

Lady Jocelyn Bruttenholm (Dana Wynter), Anthony Gethryn (George C. Scott), and Raoul Le Borg (Jacques Roux). DP: Joseph MacDonald.

“There's nary a conspiracy. And if I'm right about this, it's a far older sin than politics.”

– Adrian Messenger

Der Riese [The Giant] (Michael Klier, 1983/1984)

Feb

15

freebie: a movie from 1984

Der Riese (1983/1984)

A woman, we only see her hands, waits at a counter while clutching her purse. Her handbag is next to her. The camera focusses on the small space reserved to count out money. DP: n/a.

January 21 redux: a film from 1984 on the date Orwell died (1950).

“The film is about observing, about glances that see without being seen, a dubious art of light and visibility.”

– Michael Klier, via

According to Harun Farocki, Der Riese was the first narrative film completely compiled out of surveillance footage.