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L'oro di Napoli [The Gold of Naples] (Vittorio De Sica, 1954)
Feb
9
National Pizza Day
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Lord of the Flies (Peter Brook, 1963)
Feb
8
Boy Scouts of America
Using Piggy's glasses, the boys light their first signal fire. DP: Tom Hollyman.
Someone prepares something for the founding of the Boy Scouts of America on February 8, 1910.
“His specs — use them as burning glasses!”
William Golding, Lord of the Flies (1954)
The boys collectively gather firewood to light a beacon, then come up with the idea to light the fire with the help of one of the kid's glasses.
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La notte [The Night] (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1961)
Feb
7
Falò delle vanità – 1497
Author Giovanni Pontano (Marcello Mastroianni) pondering next to a full bookcase. DP: Gianni Di Venanzo.
“I used to spend afternoons reading in bed. Tommaso would call and find me there. He could have kissed me. I wouldn't have resisted, out of boredom. But he was satisfied to watch me as I read. All those purposeless books.”
– Lidia
A lavish #CocktailParty in celebration of the launch of a novel is bookended by tragedy, in the loss of a befriended writer and the unraveling of another writer and his wife's marriage.
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3 Women (Robert Altman, 1977)
Feb
7
1970
Millie Lammoreaux's Social Security card, issued on February 7, 1970. DP: Charles Rosher Jr.
“Got a lot to write about today. You.”
– Millie Lammoreaux
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Тіні забутих предків [Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors] (Sergei Parajanov, 1965)
Feb
6
St. Dorothea of Caesarea
The childhood lovers to be newlyweds. During the wedding ceremony, the bride suddenly breaks out in smile. DPs: Yuri Ilyenko & Viktor Bestayev.
A wedding on the day of Dorothea of Caesarea, patron saint of horticulture, brewers, brides, florists, gardeners, midwives, newlyweds, and love.
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Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (Todd Haynes, 1987)
Feb
4
A brunette Barbie doll representing Karen Carpenter makes a statement in front of the White House. DP: Barry Ellsworth.
“Mother, didn't you know there are children starving in Africa?”
– “Karen Carpenter”
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Homunculus, 4. Teil – Die Rache des Homunculus (Otto Rippert, 1917)
Feb
3
finance
Richard Ortmann, the homunculus (Olaf Fønss). DP: Carl Hoffmann.
A film about finance because “the Commonwealth of Massachusetts issues the first paper money on February 3, 1690”. The oldest surviving paper bill in what is now the United States bears the date February 3, 1690. The first documented paper money was issued during the Tang and Song dynasties in China, starting in the vulgar year 618. Who would have thought those new colonies were not the center of world history… sigh…
In the fourth instalment of the Homunculus saga, the artificial man callously heads the nation's financial powerhouse while secretly goading the workers in revolt against the ruling class. Soulless and unable to love, he aims for the annihilation of mankind.
Some claim that Die Rache des Homunculus, “The Wrath of the Homunculus”, foreshadows Hitler. I say, beware of businessmen enthralling the working classes.
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America America (Elia Kazan, 1963)
Feb
2
New Amsterdam
A film about New York to commemorate the incorporation of New Amsterdam. The official Bales' rule states the year 1624, but that is the year of settlement, and even that is one year off. To cut a long story short, New Amsterdam was incorporated as a city on February 2, 1653.
“My name is Elia Kazan. I am a Greek by blood, a Turk by birth and an American because my uncle made a journey.”
– Elia Kazan, voice-over
America America tells the story of director Kazan's grandfather through the life of the Greek Stavros Topouzoglou (Stathis Giallelis), who was adamant to start anew, in New York.
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L'udienza [The Audience] (Marco Ferreri, 1972)
Feb
2
Aiche (Claudia Cardinale) washing Principe Donati's (Vittorio Gassman) feet. DP: Mario Vulpiani.
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Little Malcolm and His Struggle Against the Eunuchs (Stuart Cooper, 1974)
Scrawdyke
2
Malcolm Scrawdyke (John Hurt), disgruntled art student. DP: John Alcott.
“So, this month becomes the month of Scrawdyke.”
– Malcolm Scrawdyke