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Murder by Contract (Irving Lerner, 1958)
Nov
29
candy
In a small movie theatre, a guy in a suit (Phillip Pine) stuffs his face with something from a small brown paper bag. Behind him are the Hollywood idea of an “elderly” woman (Janet Brandt) and a man with a moustache (Albert Cavens), Right next to snack man, a fellow with his hat pulled deeply over his face (Herschel Bernardi) takes a nap.. DP: Lucien Ballard.
“The way i see it, Harry, everybody lives off everybody else.”
– Claude
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The Savage Eye (Ben Maddow, Sidney Meyers + Joseph Strick, 1959)
Dec
7
National Judith Day
Judith X (Barbara Baxley) relaxing on a sun lounger. DPs: Jack Couffer, Helen Levitt & Haskell Wexler.
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