settima

crime

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

Plein soleil [Purple Noon] (René Clément, 1960)

Aug

20

1959

Plein soleil (1960)

A contract for Marge, a sailboat, dated August 20, 1959. DP: Henri Decaë.

“Marge, my love, my angel.”

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Tobe Hooper, 1974)

Aug

18

1973

The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974)

Cast and crew in the back of their motorhome. From LtR: Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Allen Danziger, Teri McMinn, Tobe Hooper, Dottie Pearl, and William Vail (via). DP: Daniel Pearl.

“Travel in the country, long-range plans, and upsetting persons around you, could make this a disturbing and unpredictable day. The events in the world are not doing much either to cheer one up.”

your August 18 horoscope

Fuoco! [Fire!] (Gian Vittorio Baldi, 1968)

Aug

15

Ferragosto

Fuoco! (1968)

The statue of the Virgin with a bullet hole right through her eye. DP: Ugo Piccone.

Someone opens fire on August 15, the day of Ferragosto and the Virgin's Assumption

 

黒蜥蜴 [Kurotokage / Kuro tokage / Black Lizard] (Kinji Fukasaku, 1968)

Aug

4

黒蜥蜴 (1968)

The Black Lizard (Akihiro Miwa) in embrace with Detective Akechi (Isao Kimura). DP: Hiroshi Dōwaki.

Mitt hem är Copacabana [My Home Is Copacabana] (Arne Sucksdorff, 1965)

Aug

2

Mitt hem är Copacabana (1965)

The favela children on the beach, playing with kites and mingling with the rich kids. DP: Arne Sucksdorff.

A kite in celebration of 浜松まつり, the Hamamatsu Kite Festival, which takes place on May 3–5*

 

Favela kids steal kites and sell them on in this Copacabana-set Nordic drama.

 

Toninho Carlos de Lima, Rico in the movie, was not a homeless kid from the favelas but lived in a house with his family when he was send to Sweden to promote Mitt hem är Copacabana. A wealthy Swedish couple offered to adopt him, and his natural mother reluctantly gave in hoping to prevent a life of crime for her son (source). That too, dear reader, is colonialism.

 

Gli intoccabili [Machine Gun McCain] (Giuliano Montaldo, 1969)

Jul

30

1968

Gli intoccabili (1969)

Man's hands hold up the July 30, 1968 San Francisco Chronicle. The headline reads GANGLAND FEUD EXPLODES: TWO CUT DOWN BY MACHINE GUN. It's a Tuesday. DP: Erico Menczer.

“It's a lot of work, ya know, just staying alive.”

– Rosemary Scott