settima

@settima@zirk.us

L'oro di Napoli [The Gold of Naples] (Vittorio De Sica, 1954)

Feb

9

National Pizza Day

L'oro di Napoli (1954)

Sophia Loren as herself, handing out fresh pizza fritta at Cucina del Toro to promote L'oro di Napoli (part of this description comes from Pinterest; I have no guarantee it is correct). DP of the movie: Carlo Montuori.

Someone eats pizza on National Pizza Day (USA)

 

In the segment Pizze a credito (“Pizza on credit”), unfaithful pizza baker Sofia (Sophia Loren) loses her wedding band in the dough, then accidentally deep-fries it into a pizza fritta Napoletana.

“Buon giorno, donna Sofia! Dateme 'na pizza! Cominciamo la giornata di…”

– pizza customer

As you may know, Sophia Loren wrote several cookbooks in her life and of course, there's a recipe for pizza. This one is Pizza Alla Napoletana and it goes like this: recipe.

Lord of the Flies (Peter Brook, 1963)

Feb

8

Boy Scouts of America

Lord of the Flies (1963)

Using Piggy's glasses, the boys light their first signal fire. DP: Tom Hollyman.

Someone prepares something for the founding of the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.

“His specs — use them as burning glasses!”

William Golding, Lord of the Flies (1954)

The boys collectively gather firewood to light a beacon, then come up with the idea to light the fire with the help of one of the kid's glasses.

暗黒街の美女 [Ankokugai no bijo / Underworld Beauty] (Seijun Suzuki, 1958)

Feb

8

暗黒街の美女 (1958)

A man, all in #bandages besides one half of his face, is interviewed by a policeman. Captions read: February 8th. DP: Wataro Nakao.

Policeman: What's today's date?

Injured man: February 8th.

La notte [The Night] (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1961)

Feb

7

Falò delle vanità – 1497

La notte (1961)

Author Giovanni Pontano (Marcello Mastroianni) pondering next to a full bookcase. DP: Gianni Di Venanzo.

Books, or art, in commemoration of Savonarola's 1497 Florentine falò delle vanità (bonfire of the vanities).

“I used to spend afternoons reading in bed. Tommaso would call and find me there. He could have kissed me. I wouldn't have resisted, out of boredom. But he was satisfied to watch me as I read. All those purposeless books.”

– Lidia

A lavish #CocktailParty in celebration of the launch of a novel is bookended by tragedy, in the loss of a befriended writer and the unraveling of another writer and his wife's marriage.

3 Women (Robert Altman, 1977)

Feb

7

1970

3 Women (1977)

Millie Lammoreaux's Social Security card, issued on February 7, 1970. DP: Charles Rosher Jr.

“Got a lot to write about today. You.”

– Millie Lammoreaux

Тіні забутих предків [Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors] (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)

Feb

6

St. Dorothea of Caesarea

Тіні забутих предків (1965)

The childhood lovers to be newlyweds. During the wedding ceremony, the bride suddenly breaks out in smile. DPs: Yuri Ilyenko & Viktor Bestayev.

A wedding on the day of Dorothea of Caesarea, patron saint of horticulture, brewers, brides, florists, gardeners, midwives, newlyweds, and love.

Madam Satan (Cecil B. DeMille, 1930)

Feb

4

Charles Lindbergh's born

Madam Satan (1930)

You're cordially invited to Mr. James Wade's “Masquerade”, aboard the Zeppelin – CB – P – 55. Do wear a mask. DP: Harold Rosson.

A movie about aviation for that eugenicist Charles Lindbergh's birthday.

“I don't want your husband. I want a parachute!”

– Trixie

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (Todd Haynes, 1987)

Feb

4

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987)

A brunette Barbie doll representing Karen Carpenter makes a statement in front of the White House. DP: Barry Ellsworth.

“Mother, didn't you know there are children starving in Africa?”

– “Karen Carpenter”

暗黒街の美女 [Ankokugai no bijo / Underworld Beauty] (Seijun Suzuki, 1958)

Feb

3

oden

暗黒街の美女 (1958)

At a yatai specialised in oden, someone chops an ingredient (daikon?) in two with what looks like a nakiri. DP: Wataro Nakao.

Homunculus, 4. Teil – Die Rache des Homunculus (Otto Rippert, 1917)

Feb

3

finance

Homunculus, 4. Teil - Die Rache des Homunculus (1917)

Richard Ortmann, the homunculus (Olaf Fønss). DP: Carl Hoffmann.

A film about finance because “the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issues the first paper money on February 3, 1690”. The oldest surviving paper bill in what is now the United States bears the date February 3, 1690. The first documented paper money was issued during the Tang and Song dynasties in China, starting in the vulgar year 618. Who would have thought those new colonies were not the center of world history… sigh…

 

In the fourth instalment of the Homunculus saga, the artificial man callously heads the nation's financial powerhouse while secretly goading the workers in revolt against the ruling class. Soulless and unable to love, he aims for the annihilation of mankind.

 

Some claim that Die Rache des Homunculus, “The Wrath of the Homunculus”, foreshadows Hitler. I say, beware of businessmen enthralling the working classes.