settima

documentary

The Savage Eye (Ben Maddow, Sidney Meyers + Joseph Strick, 1959)

Dec

7

National Judith Day

The Savage Eye (1959)

Judith X (Barbara Baxley) relaxing on a sun lounger. DPs: Jack Couffer, Helen Levitt & Haskell Wexler.

A Judith or Judy for National Judith Day (USA).

 

By times, The Savage Eye has more in common with mondo than with drama. Judith's betrayed, by her husband. She takes a plane out out out. To Los Angeles, where an angel – it's their town after all – talks to her. About her life, the old one and the new. She tries to reinvent herself with new clothes, a hairstyle, a manicure. It fills the longs days, that too. She attends bloodsports. A burlesque, with her new lover, a married man. There are bleeders and drinkers and jumpers. Sticky sheets. New eyes and fiery tongues, courtesy of Jesus. What is Judith's life if not a stranger's.

“I dream of resurrection in a party dress.”

– Judith X

Ben Maddow, Sidney Meyers, and Joseph Strick's lonely exploration of a gritty, hopeless LA was filmed over 4 years by photographers Haskell Wexler, Helen Levitt, and Jack Couffer in wonderful, merely wordless cinéma vérité. It feels naked and raw, and broke ground for the American New Wave that came crashing in almost a decade later.

Mr. Hayashi (Bruce Baillie, 1963)

Dec

5

World Soil Day

Mr. Hayashi (1963)

Mr. Hayashi's hand digging in soil.

Someone digs in soil on World Soil Day.

1999 A.D. (Lee Madden, 1967)

Nov

27

Cyber Monday

1999 A.D. (1967)

Mother Karen (Marj Dusay) taking a break from online food planning by shopping for a new wardrobe for everyone but herself. DP: Vilmos Zsigmond.

In the soul crushing future of 1999, one heroic nuclear family bravely fulfils their gender-specific duties. While Father Mike works in his computer-aided office, Son Jamie fails at computer homeschool and Mother Karen slavishly shops, cooks, and cleans as if the 70s never happened.

 

Thankfully, the future turned out to be even bleaker.

Weihnacht (Roland Klick, 1963)

Nov

24

Black Friday

Weihnacht (1963)

The miracle of Christmas, as seen in a fancy shop window. A dress shirt is on display among Sputnik-style decorations and an entranced toddler is reflected in a gilded mirror. From across the street, “Woolworth's” in neon text bounces off the window pane. DPs: Jochen Cerhak & Roland Klick.

A little boy takes in the magic of pre-Christmas, while the adults rush and worry about all that must to be bought.

Italianamerican (1974)

Cast and crew in the Scorsese family dining room.

Italianamerican (1974)

November 23: family dinner for #Thanksgiving

Italianamerican (Martin Scorsese, 1974)

Take a few spoonfuls of tomato and throw them in there.

While mother Scorsese's famous meatballs in gravy are working their way to mwah! ​chef's kiss​ perfection, son Martin interviews his parents Catherine and Charles. For those unsure what to cook, and for those who don't celebrate Thanksgiving at all, mama's recipe is included in the end credits. And here:

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Muloorina (David Cobham, 1964)

Nov

17

Guinness World Records Day

Muloorina (1964)

The Bluebird parked amongst the crew's Jeeps. DPs: John Daniell, Ross King, Frank McKechnie, Ian Millar & Bob Wright.

Short in gorgeous Technicolor, Muloorina tells about a small, arid town in Australia that one day finds itself on the world's stage. Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre, a local salt lake that hasn't seen a drop of rain in nine years, is the perfect spot for a landspeed record attempt by British daredevil Donald Campbell and his Bluebird.

 

A play of contrasts. The supersonic blue machine on the ancient white riverbed and the slowness of the eternal landscape versus something faster than should be possible. And meanwhile, the locals care for their land and animals, and wait for rain.

Kick That Habit (Peter Liechti, 1989)

Nov

16

National Andy Day

Kick That Habit (1989)

Andy Guhl of experimental Swiss music/art group Voice Crack playing metal wire strung along a room. DP: Peter Liechti.

Everything is noise. Everything is light. Everything is dark. Everything is motion. Everything is static. Everything is energy. Everything is lethargy. Everything is rhythm. Everything is chaos. Everything is silent

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (Les Blank, 1980)

Nov

8

Cook Something Bold Day

Werner Herzog Eats His Shoe (1980)

Herzog prepares his left suede Clarks in Alice Waters' restaurant kitchen. DP: Les Blank.

After boiling for five hours in a concoction of #garlic, herbs, and stock, the shoe was ready to eat and #Herzog could keep his promise to fellow director Errol Morris.

“More shoes, more boots, more garlic.”

– Werner Herzog

Goshogaoka [御所ケ丘] (Sharon Lockhart, 1998)

Nov

6

Play Basketball Day

Goshogaoka (1998)

Girls from the Moriya City Goshogaoka junior high school girl basketball team practising their blocking technique. Cibachrome print © Sharon Lockhart, 1997 (via).

Within the boundaries of Sharon Lockhart's static camera, girls from Goshogaoka junior high school practice basketball. In six uninterrupted 10 minute scenes, we see them warm up and train several typical moves, shots, and blocks. With the camera set in one position, some of the action happens off-screen, resulting in unrehearsed synchronised choreography.

Jaanipäev [St. John's Day] (Andres Sööt, 1978)

Nov

5

Bonfire Night

Jaanipäev (1978)

The neatly stacked pyre on jaanipäev with Tallinn's dreary socialist Plattenbau on the horizon. DP: Andres Sööt.

As long as they can remember, jaaniõhtu is when Estonians gather to celebrate midsummer. It started, they'll tell you, 4000 years ago when Kaali appeared. Ever since, come rain or shine, come socialism or capitalism, the people gather and light bonfires in its remembrance. Some sing the songs of the elders, memory willing. Others see this as their moment to shine. As a great musician perhaps. A faithful worker. Or a lover, for jaanipäev; #midsummer night.

“Come, this party is for hard-working people!”