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ノーライフキング [No raifu kingu / No Life King] (Jun Ichikawa, 1989)
Sep
23
Nintendo – 1889
Makoto and his friends play with their video game console (via). DP: Osame Maruike.
Home video games: Nintendo was founded on this day in 1889.
It's the late 80s and Japan is in the midst of an economic and technological bubble. Like so many kids, Makoto (litt. “truth”) and his friends are obsessed with their game console. In anticipation of the release of the fourth instalment of their favourite game, rumours start doing the rounds. Some cartridges are cursed with the “No Life King”, meaning players who cannot complete the game, will die. The curse appears to spill over into the boys' real world. What if when you die in the game, you really really die…?
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Les créatures [The Creatures] (Agnès Varda, 1966)
Aug
29
Mylène (Catherine Deneuve) and Edgar (Michel Piccoli) Piccoli playing checkers at a small table. DPs: Willy Kurant, William Lubtchansky & Jean Orjollet.
“Everything is rotten. Decadence is everywhere. Why fight it?”
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The Bat Whispers [The Bat] (Roland West, 1930)
Nov
19
Play Monopoly Day
Board and planchette at the ready for a little game of Ouija. DPs: Ray June (23mm) & Robert H. Planck (70mm).
It's just a little game. But then you wonder if Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board is actually just that. Two neat little ladies playing that quirky 1891 novelty game in Roland West's The Bat Whispers summon the aforementioned bat, black-clad fiend and Batman predecessor.
– Get the Ouija board.
– It's got the Bible on top of it, keeping it quiet.
Who is he? What does he want? And how can he be stopped? Do you know the answer?
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The Queen of Spades (Thorold Dickinson, 1949)
Feb
22
Play More Cards Day
Someone's playing cards.
“Why, you might end up by gaining a fortune… or losing your precious soul.”
– bookseller