settima

crime

Homicidal (William Castle, 1961)

Sep

6

Homicidal (1961)

Man's hands hold a picture of Emily (Joan Marshall). DP: Burnett Guffey.

“We've been to Haunted Hills, and through Tinglers, and even Ghosts... but now we're going to meet a group of people who just happen to be… Homicidal.”

– William Castle, introduction

Nuits rouges [L'homme sans visage / Shadowman] (Georges Franju, 1974)

Sep

6

Nuits rouges (1974)

A faceless man in black wearing a red balaclava (Jacques Champreux) holds his right wrist, which is bleeding profusely. DP: Guido Bertoni.

Le vampire de Düsseldorf [The Vampire of Dusseldorf] (Robert Hossein, 1965)

Sep

5

Le vampire de Düsseldorf (1965)

Robert Hossein as Peter Kuerten [sic]. DP: Alain Levent.

Flic Story [Cop Story] (Jacques Deray, 1975)

Sep

3

1947

Flic Story (1975)

A close-up of a man's feet hastily walking along a corridor. Superimposed it reads 3 SEPTEMBRE 1974. DP: Jean-Jacques Tarbès.

Red [The Red Half-Breed / Red the Half Breed] (Gilles Carle, 1970)

Sep

2

Red (1970)

A counter at a Québécois branch of the Banque de Montréal – oddly enough using its English-language name. A wall calender reads September 2. DP: Bernard Chentrier.

Happy End (Oldřich Lipský, 1967)

Sep

1

1889

Happy End (1967)

Butcher Bedřich Frydrych (Oldřich Lipský), born September 1, 1889 in Trumberk. DP: Vladimír Novotný.

Shock Corridor (Samuel Fuller, 1963)

Aug

30

1954

Shock Corridor (1963)

Inpatient Stuart (James Best) in one of the many scenes that appear to bear some of the seeds of Mark Frost & David Lynch's Twin Peaks (1990–1991). DPs: Stanley Cortez & Samuel Fuller.

“Life is a messy weapon.”

– Pagliacci

La horse [Horse] (Pierre Granier-Deferre, 1970)

Aug

28

1923

La horse (1970)

Francis Grutti's (Armando Francioli) ID, handled by someone wielding a large stamp. His birthday is August 28, 1923. DP: Walter Wottitz.

Les Vampires [The Vampires or, The Arch Criminals of Paris] (Louis Feuillade, 1915/1916)

Aug

24

black

Les Vampires (1915)

A signed promotional photograph of Irma Vep (Musidora) in her iconic black catsuit. DPs: Georges Guérin & Manichoux.

Black, in food or fashion*

“It is vital to be photogenic from head to foot. After that you are allowed to display some measure of talent.”

– Musidora

Possibly the first, and definitely the most, iconic catsuit in cinema is worn by Musidora as Irma Vep in Les Vampires. Skintight and scandalous, Musidora's screen presence in the serial further cemented the popularity of the vamp and set the scene for many man-eaters to come.

 

Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet, 1975)

Aug

22

1972

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

Sal (John Cazale) and Sonny (Al Pacino) in the bank, holding out with their increasingly impatient hostages. DP: Victor J. Kemper.

“He won't listen to anybody. He's been very crazy all summer. Since June he's been trying to kill me.”

– Leon