settima

drama

Sevmek Zamanı [Time to Love] (Metin Erksan, 1965)

Jan

4

fruit

Sevmek Zamanı (1965)

In a modernist room under renovation, two man idle through their lunch. The elder, a Sufi, plays his tanbur, the younger looks out of a window. There's a sense of melancholy. DP: Mengü Yeğin.

 

他人の顔 [Tanin no kao / The Face of Another] (Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1966)

Jan

3

Tutankhamun's tomb

他人の顔 (1966)

Mr. Okuyama (Tatsuya Nakadai). DP: Hiroshi Segawa.

Bandages for that day in 1924 when Howard Carter came across Tutankhamun's sarcophagus.

“You'll feel better soon. Once you're used to the mask, you'll be a new man — one with no records, no past. A mind invisible to the world.”

– psychiatrist

Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (Fritz Lang, 1924)

Jan

2

dragons

Die Nibelungen: Siegfried (1924)

Siegfried (Paul Richter), seen from the back, bathing in the blood of the slain dragon. On his left shoulder blade, a linden leaf. DPs: Carl Hoffmann, Günther Rittau & Walter Ruttmann.

Dragons or lizards, January's soul symbol.

Auch Zwerge haben klein angefangen [Even Dwarfs Started Small] (Werner Herzog, 1970)

Dec

30

National Short Person Day

Auch Zwerge haben klein angefangen (1970)

Some of the main cast members, with three women in focus. They're outdoors and several animals, including a kneeling dromedary, can be spotted in the background. DP: Thomas Mauch.

A short main character for National Short Person Day (USA).

“When we behave nobody cares. But when we are bad nobody forgets.”

– Hombré

Teorema [Theorem] (Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968)

Dec

29

Independence Day of Mongolia

Teorema (1968)

The visitor (Terence Stamp) in intimate closeup. DP: Giuseppe Ruzzolini.

Someone finds their independence: Independence Day of Mongolia (Үндэсний эрх чөлөө, тусгаар тогтнолоо сэргээсний баярын өдөр).

“I no longer even recognize myself. What made me like the others has been destroyed. I was like everyone else, with many faults, perhaps, mine and those of the world around me. You made me different by taking me out of the natural order of things.”

– Pietro, the son

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari [The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari] (Robert Wiene, 1920)

Dec

25

Hanukkah + Christmas

Das Cabinet des Dr. Caligari (1920)
Joseph Nicéphore Niépce (1822 – 1827)

Cesare (Conrad Veidt) escapes with Jane (Lil Dagover) in his arms. Composition and distribution of light and shadow – much of which was painted directly on the set pieces – strike a strong resemblance with the oldest known survived photograph by Nicéphore Niépce from ca. 1822 – 1827. DP: Willy Hameister.

A favourite scene featuring light for Hanukkah and Christmas.

Alan “How long will I live?”

Cesare “Till the break of dawn.”

Мъжки времена [Mazhki vremena / Manly Times] (Eduard Sachariev, 1977)

Dec

23

Festivus

Мъжки времена (1977)

The men with a kidnapped woman, as was a custom in the region. DP: Radoslav Spassov .

A really silly tradition for Festivus.

Valkoinen peura [The White Reindeer] (Erik Blomberg, 1952)

Dec

21

Yule

Valkoinen peura (1952)

Pirita (Mirjami Kuosmanen) in Gákti in front of a prism-like structure with a reindeer skull on top. Antlers stick out in the snow around her. DP: Erik Blomberg.

Pagans for Yule. The reindeer plays an important part in Sámi #animism (1/2).

St. Louis Blues (Dudley Murphy, 1929)

Dec

20

Walter “Wolfman” Washington – 1943

St. Louis Blues (1929)

Bessie “the Empress of Blues” Smith, singing her blues away. DP: Walter Strenge .

Featuring rhythm and blues, funk or blues, for Walter “Wolfman” Washington's birthday (1943)

“I hate to see the evening' sun go down I hate to see the evening' sun go down It makes me think I'm on my last go 'round

Feeling' tomorrow like I feel today Feeling' tomorrow like I feel today I'll pack my grip and make my getaway”

Saint Louis woman with her diamond rings Pulls that man around by her apron strings Wasn't for powder and the store-bought hair The man I love wouldn't go nowhere, nowhere

I got them Saint Louis Blues; just as blue as I can be He's got a heart like a rock cast in the sea Or else he wouldn't have gone so far from me”

– Bessie Smith, St. Louis Blues (W. C. Handy)