settima

London

The Moon Over the Alley (Joseph Despins, 1976)

Mar

21

End Racism Day

The Moon Over the Alley (1976)

Ronnie Gusset (Patrick Murray), Sherry (Bill Williams), and Belinda (Sharon Forester) at a kitchen table, chatting and laughing. DP: Peter Hannan.

Diversity for the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

 

Today marks the anniversary of the Sharpeville massacre (1960), when police butchered dozens of people gathered to protest the pass law, one of Apartheid's many cruel segregation measurements.

“In a short while you'll see that the moon won't be so bright as it is. Clouds will cover it… it'll get broken up there. I hope it won't break us.”

– Sybil

The multicultural residents of a Notting Hill boarding house go about their day – listening to the radio, humming, singing – with the local council's imminent demolition of their home looming over them.

 

A kitchen sink drama, yes. But also a catchy musical, written by no other than Galt MacDermot, who brought the world the musical Hair (1967) and the blaxploitation neo-noir Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970).

The Party's Over (Guy Hamilton, 1965)

Feb

13

party

The Party's Over (1965)

The party crowd staggers its way home at dawn across Albert Bridge. DP: Mike Pratt.

Partying on Fat Tuesday*.

– Let's keep this party going till Sunday. – Why Sunday? – The Hindus say the world comes to an end on Sunday. – But, how will we know when it happens? – Graves will gape and the shrouded dead will run gibbering and shrieking in the streets. – Sounds like any other Sunday.

*which isn't until March 4 this year.

Wholly Communion (Peter Whitehead, 1966)

Jun

11

1965

Wholly Communion (1966)

Allen Ginsberg reciting in front of an enraptured audience at the Royal Albert Hall. DP: Peter Whitehead.

“Love! Love!”

– anonymous poet interrupting Harry Fainlight