settima

1970s

The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood (Andy Jones + Michael Jones, 1976/1986)

Apr

17

Constitution Act, 1982

The Adventure of Faustus Bidgood (1976)

Faustus Bidgood, President. DP: Michael Jones.

A film set in Canada on the date the Constitution Act, 1982 was enforced. The rights of the Indigenous peoples remain undefined up to today.

“I'm dead as a doornail Though very high strung I can make loud noises Though I have no lung”

Clerk Faustus Bidgood dreams of becoming the president of Newfoundland and lead the province to secede from Canada.

 

Newfoundland's first and only all-Newfoundland film. It took ten years to complete.

Vagabunden Karawane [Vagabond’s Band] (Werner Penzel, 1980)

Apr

16

હડતાળ

Vagabunden Karawane (1980)

A member of Embryo plays a harmonium with a bemused साधु [sadhu] sitting behind him (still via). DPs: Pitt Koch & Helge Weindler.

A film set in India in remembrance of Gandhi's હડતાળ [hartal], a peaceful protest against the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, in the form of a nationwide fast and prayer on April 16, 1919.

“I had appealed to the people to fast on April 6, and the whole nation followed my call. Who was I? But it was the voice of God… India was awakened that day.”

– Mahatma Gandhi, via

In 1979, krautrock group Embryo toured Iran, Afghanistan and India by bus, while performing with local musicians and documenting their trip.

悲愁物語 [Hishu monogatari / A Tale of Sorrow and Sadness] (Seijun Suzuki, 1977)

Apr

13

1997 Masters Tournament

悲愁物語 (1977)

Reiko, looking fabulous, dropped down next to a sand-filled bunker. DP: Masaru Mori.

Golf (or a tiger) in honour of Tiger Woods' 1997 Masters Tournament victory.

 

Reiko (Yoko Shiraki), a professional model – is groomed into playing the circuit by the editor of a golfing fashion magazine. The rookie's unexpected success draws in all sorts of fans, including the obsessive.

Test pilota Pirxa [Pilot Pirx's Inquest] (Marek Piestrak, 1979)

Apr

12

International Day of Human Space Flight

Test pilota Pirxa (1979)

Men and nonlinears to board the ship set for Saturn's Cassini Division. DP: Janusz Pawłowski.

A manned spaceship for the International Day of Human Space Flight

“He began thinking about the innocence of machines, about how man had endowed them with intelligence and, in doing so, had made them an accomplice of his mad adventures. About how the myth of the golem — the machine that rebelled against its creator — was a lie, a fiction invented by the guilty for the sake of self-exoneration.”

– Stanisław Lem, Opowieści o pilocie Pirxie (1968)

Commander Pirx is sent out on a secret mission to evaluate “nonlinears” – androids – to determine if they can be used for future space flights. In a blind test, androids and humans form a crew for Pirx to investigate and identify.

Images (Robert Altman, 1972)

Apr

9

National Unicorn Day

Images (1972)

Cathryn's desk. There's a small framed reproduction of one of the six La Dame à la licorne tapestries, a sketch of a galloping unicorn, and a dried seahorse. DP: Vilmos Zsigmond.

A unicorn for National Unicorn Day (UK)

“and in big, spidery writing, he wrote 'In search of unicorns.' The End”

– quote from “In Search of Unicorns”, written by Susannah York

Cathryn (Susannah York), a children's book author, works on a book called “In Search of Unicorns”. Her desk, and mind, are occupied with images from a obscure diegesis.

The Kentucky Fried Movie (John Landis, 1977)

Apr

9

11:42 A.M.

The Kentucky Fried Movie (1977)

Scratched-up film stock showing an arid landscape with ISLE OF LUCY APRIL 9, 11:42 A.M. in bold red letters superimposed over it. DP: Stephen M. Katz.

“Moscow in flames, missiles headed toward New York. Film at eleven.”

– newscaster

Το άλλο γράμμα [To allo gramma / The Other Letter] (Lambros Liaropoulos, 1976)

Apr

6

Greece

Το άλλο γράμμα (1976)

A woman observing her own reflection (via). DP: Stavros Hassapis.

Something something Greece (or the Olympics) on the date of the 1896 Summer Olympics

 

Athens seen through words put down in letters, forming a narrative of the city, Greece, its history, and its people.

Klincz [Clinch] (Piotr Andrejew, 1979)

Apr

5

Chicago

Klincz (1979)

One of the boxers goes down (via). DPs: Jacek Mierosławski & Zbigniew Wichłacz.

Set in Chicago (or pizza) for National Deep Dish Pizza Day, USA.

 

A Polish factory worker hopes to find a better life when he picks up boxing. Initially unsuccessful. he finds himself in Chicago, facing an amateur boxer below his ranking.

The Patriot Game (Arthur MacCaig, 1979)

Apr

4

MLK Jr. – 1968

The Patriot Game (1979)

A older lady calmly clips her hedges while a British soldier attempts to hide behind them (via). DPs: Arthur MacCaig & Théo Robichet.

The assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.: civil rights being fought for.

“All the ideas I'd previously had were shown to be completely false. This was the first time I had really seen the strength and the power of a mass struggle; ordinary people directly participating in organizing their communities, and the defense of their communities.”

– Arthur MacCaig, title card

News from Home (Chantal Akerman, 1976)

Apr

3

Pony Express Day

News from Home (1976)

New York, a street scene. Superimposed a quote from one Chantal Akerman's mother's letters. DPs: Jim Asbell & Babette Mangolte.

Mail or a mail carrier for Pony Express Day (USA).

“Dear child,   l received your letter and hope you will write often. l hope you won’t stay away too long and that you’ve found a job by now. If you’re doing well, we’re happy. Even though we do miss you. When will you be back? Everything is fine here, but Sylviane is home with the flu. My blood pressure is low. l’m on medication for it. Today is my birthday. l feel sad. lt’s quiet at the shop. Tonight we’re going out to dinner with friends. That’s all. Your birthday is coming up. l wish you all the best. Write to me soon about your work, about New York, about everything. Lots of love from the three of us.

Your loving mother” (quote via)

Chantal Akerman reads out letters that her mother wrote to the former's stay in New York City between 1971 and 1973. The words slowly blend with the city.