Wojna Światów – Następne Stulecie [The War of the Worlds: Next Century] (Piotr Szulkin, 1981)
Dec
18
1999
Reporter Iron Idem (Roman Wilhelmi) bringing the news. DP: Zygmunt Samosiuk.
The Automatic Motorist (Walter R. Booth, 1911)
Dec
17
Saturnalia
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While on the ringed planet, they pick up a cop to save him from spear-wielding rascals, but he elopes with the planet's fairy. Look at those lovebirds on the rings of Saturn!
A planet with rings for Saturnalia
Two lovely newlyweds and their robot chauffeur take a trip to Saturn for their honeymoon, followed by a jolly ride under the sea. A remake of Booth's own The '?' Motorist from 1906.
Le avventure straordinarissime di Saturnino Farandola [The Extraordinary Adventures of Saturnino Farandola] (Marcel Perez + Luigi Maggi, 1913)
Dec
6
hot air balloons
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A fantastic hot air balloon fight, with machine gunners perched on top of one of the buoyant giants (via). DP: Ottavio De Matteis.
A hot air balloon*
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for December has a few dateless themes. This is one of them.
“A scientist is not like a politician who can answer every question.”
宇宙人東京に現わる [Uchūjin Tōkyō ni arawaru / Warning from Space] (Kōji Shima, 1956)
Nov
30
1955
The News Herald reports (with the wrong type of headers): “Supreme Headquarters Of The World Council” “Suspend All Activities In Launching Artificial Satellites Until Notice”. DP: Kimio Watanabe.
– Japanese Bar' Ucyū-ken' Madam Ohana
“You take away my life and offer me a favor in return. That's what I call a 'bargain'.”
The Walking Dead (Michael Curtiz, 1936)
Nov
16
John Ellman (Karloff), dead man walking. DP: Hal Mohr.
– John Ellman
“No pleasure, no pain… no emotion, no heart. Our superior in every way.”
The Thing from Another World (Christian Nyby + Howard Hawks, 1951)
Nov
1
Scientists and crew armed to the teeth. DP: Russell Harlan.
Until November 3.
– Dr. Arthur Carrington
– You surely know that my financial support is unlimited. – Yes. Long live your false cheque factories!
Tajemství hradu v Karpatech [The Mysterious Castle in the Carpathians] (Oldřich Lipský, 1981)
Oct
27
1897
A calendar – undeniably designed by the great Jan Švankmajer – with the date October 27, 1897, set on the day of – or referencing a saint – Sabina. Screenshot via DVDBeaver. DP: Viktor Růžička.
Swissmade [Swiss Made 2069] (Fritz E. Maeder, Fredi M. Murer + Yves Yersin, 1968)
Oct
20
Alien
A man hooked up to a device with tubes dreams about a strange, unsettling creature. Just out of a frame someone (H.R. Giger himself) works on the being with a grinder. DPs: Witold Lesiewicz, Fritz E. Maeder & Fredi M. Murer.
[A favourite] Alien [“alien”?] movie*
Three segments envision the future of the Swiss Confederation. In the Fredi M. Murer instalment 2069 – oder wo sich Futorologen und Archäologen gute Nacht sagen, an alien visits surveillance state Switzerland. The visitor in question is designed by H.R. Giger, and glimpses of the XX121 xenomorph are present in its exoskeletal core.
* 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.
Your Safety First (George Gordon, 1956)
Oct
5
2000
The protagonist, voiced by George O'Hanlon, reading an ad for tomorrow's car in the October 5, 2000 newspaper.
