settima

canada

The Mask [Eyes of Hell / The Spooky Movie Show] (Julian Roffman, 1961)

Jul

22

Jaws 3D release day

strobe warning: click to toggle image The Mask (1961)

Rudi Linschoten as Dr Allan Barnes' alter ego in one of the jaw-dropping 3D scenes. With red/cyan glasses you can see the 3D effect in all its eye-popping glory! DP: Herbert S. Alpert.

What would you do if someone sends you a mysterious jade mask that, according to the ill-fated now-dead previous owner, causes terrifying nightmares? Well, you put it on, now! In the name of science Dr Allan Barnes (Paul Stevens) does exactly that and transports him and us – wearing our own Magic Mystic Masks – to a hallucinatory dreamworld with Zardoz-styled floating skulls and their robed devotees.

“Put the mask on, now!”

– recurring on-screen prompt

Julian Roffman's The Mask is an extremely watchable psychotronic affair. The 3D effects during the nightmarish Andreas Vesalius-inspired sequences are well implemented and yes, there's stuff flying at you for all the right reasons. Not quite #WilliamCastle gimmicky, but made with lots of love for the potential of 3D.

#Bales2023FilmChallenge #Jaws3DReleaseDay #JulianRoffman #SlavkoVorkapich #PaulStevens #RudiLinschoten #ClaudetteNevins #LouisApplebaum #HerbertSAlpert #horror #psychedelic #psychotronic #gimmicks #3D #Canada #1960s ★★★½

Le temps d'une chasse [Once Upon a Hunt / The Time of a Hunt] (Francis Mankiewicz, 1972)

Jul

17

after hours coffee

Le temps d'une chasse (1972)

A Hopperesque glimpse through a corridor reveals a young woman (Frédérique Collin) sitting at a mostly empty dinner table. There are two coffee cups and a fruit bowl, and a bare bulb hanging from the ceiling. DP: Michel Brault.

#FilmDinner #fruit #FrancisMankiewicz #GuyLEcuyer #PierreDufresne #MarcelSabourin #OlivierLEcuyer #LuceGuilbeault #FrédériqueCollin #PierreFBrault #MichelBrault #hunters #hotels #drama #Canada #Québec #1970s ★★★★☆

American Dreams: Lost and Found (James Benning, 1984)

Feb

24

National Trading Card Day

American Dreams: Lost and Found (1984)

A Hank Aaron trading card from director James Benning's personal collection. Below it a scrolling text quoting from Arthur Bremer's diary.

#Bales2023FilmChallenge #NationalTradingCardDay #JamesBenning #HankAaron #ArthurBremer #GeorgeWallace #baseball #sports #collecting #politics #crime #diary #ExperimentalFilm #USA #Canada #1980s

Françoise Durocher, Waitress (André Brassard, 1972)

Feb

9

freebie: Customer Service Day

Françoise Durocher, Waitress (1972)

A few of the 24 performers portraying waitress Françoise Durocher. DP: Thomas Vámos.

23 actresses and one person in drag play the part of Québécois waitress Françoise Durocher in seven monologues.

“One grilled cheese, two slices of toast, two coffees. One pepper steak no chili and a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. Two glasses of milk. One plate of spare ribs. A chicken in a basket with three cups of honey. One lean smoked meat sandwich with pickles and mustard. One two-cream coffee and two club sandwiches. Two clubs.”

– Françoise Durocher

Watch the short on the NFB website.

#Bales2023FilmChallenge #CustomerServiceDay #AndréBrassard #MichelTremblay #OdetteGagnon #ThomasVámos #ShortFilm #drama #comedy #monologue #prostitution #food #Québec #Canada #1970s ★★★½