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War Machine (Duvet Brothers, 1984)
Jan
21
the passing of Orwell
A repurposed TV still of a battle ship billowing thick black smoke with the text WAR MACHINE superimposed over it.
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1. April 2000 [April 1, 2000] (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1952)
Jan
20
Inauguration Day
Austria's new Prime Minister (Josef Meinrad). DPs: Sepp Ketterer, Karl Löb & Fritz Arno Wagner.
Inaugurations for Inauguration Day (USA).
In the future year 2000, on April 1, the newly-elected Prime Minister of Austria is inaugurated. Much to the shock of the Global Union, he declares Austria's independence!
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Blue Velvet (David Lynch, 1986)
Jan
19
lights
Ben (Dean Stockwell) miming Roy Orbison's In Dreams with a work light for a microphone. DP: Frederick Elmes.
“A candy-colored clown they call the sandman
Tiptoes to my room every night
Just to sprinkle stardust and to whisper
'Go to sleep, everything is alright'”
– Roy Orbison, In Dreams (1963)
David Lynch at his finest Anger, and Stockwell at his peak. The work light was improvised when Lynch noticed Stockwell handling it between shoots.
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All My Life (Bruce Baillie, 1966)
Jan
18
roses
Roses for the end of the Wars of the Roses (note: January 18 is when Henry VII married Elizabeth of York in 1486; the wars would continue until June 16 the following year).
“All my life, hold me close to your heart
But all else above
Hold my love, darling, just hold my love”
– Ella Fitzgerald, All My Life (Sidney D. Mitchell & Sammy Stept), 1936
In one continuous shot, the camera tracks a fence and rose bushes while Ella Fitzgerald's 1936 debut song All My Life is playing.
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Egged On (Charles R. Bowers, Harold L. Muller + Ted Sears, 1926)
Jan
17
inventions
An invention for Benjamin Franklin's birthday. Inventor Charley (Charles R. Bowers) comes up with an ingenious method to make eggs break-proof for transport by rubberizing them.
“… as we enjoy great advantages from the inventions of others, we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; and this we should do freely and generously.”
– Benjamin Franklin in his autobiography
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The Cameraman (Edward Sedgwick + Buster Keaton, 1928)
Jan
14
National Dress Up Your Pet Day
Buster (Buster Keaton) with Josephine the monkey on his shoulder. DPs: Reggie Lanning & Elgin Lessley.
– Now, see! You kill-a de monk!
– Pay him for that baboon… or I'll run you in!
After cameraman Buster accidentally knocks over a monkey, he has no choice but to take the sailor-suited simian along on his movie shoots.
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Libahunt [Лесная легенда / Werewolf] (Leida Laius, 1968)
Jan
13
wolf moon
Tiina (Ene Rämmeld) walking through the forest. DP: Algimantas Mockus.
Wolves for Wolf Moon, the first full moon after Yule.
In Livonia, which covers modern day Estonia, the 17th century was when the werewolf trials reigned.
“Better to be with wolves in the forest, than with people like you!”
Tiina, a young liberated woman taken in by a family of farmers after her mother was put on trial for witchcraft, is accused of hunting with the wolves as a werewolf by her half-sister with whom she shares a lover.
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նռան գույնը [Sayat Nova / The Color of Pomegranates] (Sergei Parajanov, 1969)
Jan
11
journeys
A nun holds up an embroidered cloth depicting a dead Christ surrounded by mourning saints. Next to her a monk in black, resembling poet Sayat-Nova. Screenshot via Screenmusings. DP: Suren Shakhbazyan.
Garnets for January. The garnet is supposed to protect the traveller on his journey, and is named after the pomegranate with which it shares its bloodred colour.
“We sought asylum for our love, but the road led us out to the land of the dead.”
The story of a poet's spiritual journey. The poet, and poems the film is based on is ashough [lover, or travelling musician] Sayat-Nova (b. Harutyun Sayatyan).
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Kinoautomat: Člověk a jeho dům [Kinoautomat / One Man and His House] (Ján Roháč, Radúz Činčera + Vladimír Svitáček, 1967)
Jan
10
Representation of the People Act 1918
The audience about to vote for one of two scenes, with two presenters on stage.. DP: Jaromír Šofr.
Made for the Czechoslovak Pavilion at #Expo67 in #Montréal, Kinoautomat was the world's first interactive film. During nine moments in the story, a moderator would appear on the stage, and ask the audience where the story should go now. Depending on the votes, one of two reels would play.
“The Kinoautomat in the Czechoslovak Pavilion is a guaranteed hit of the World Exposition, and the Czechs should build a monument to the man who conceived the idea, Radúz Činčera.”
– The New Yorker
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La baie des anges [Bay of Angels] (Jacques Demy, 1963)
Jan
9
Wheel of Fortune
Jean (Claude Mann) and Jackie (Jeanne Moreau) at a casino table. The tension is palpable. DP: Jean Rabier.
Good, or bad, fortune on the day Wheel of Fortune premiered in 1975.
– How much did you win?
– 500,000 in less than an hour. It's immoral, but no more than anything else. No more than poverty or ugliness.