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Dog Day Afternoon (Sidney Lumet, 1975)
Aug
22
1972
Sal (John Cazale) and Sonny (Al Pacino) in the bank, holding out with their increasingly impatient hostages. DP: Victor J. Kemper.
“He won't listen to anybody. He's been very crazy all summer. Since June he's been trying to kill me.”
– Leon
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Vergogna, schifosi!… [Dirty Angels] (Mauro Severino, 1969)
Aug
4
A small desk calendar. The 4 is circled. DP: Angelo Lotti.
While the month is never explicitly stated, there's mention of August traffic jams.
“Matto, caldo, soldi, morto… girotondo…”
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黒蜥蜴 [Kurotokage / Kuro tokage / Black Lizard] (Kinji Fukasaku, 1968)
Aug
4
The Black Lizard (Akihiro Miwa) in embrace with Detective Akechi (Isao Kimura). DP: Hiroshi Dōwaki.
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She-Man: A Story of Fixation (Bob Clark, 1967)
Aug
4
Lt. Albert Rose, now Rose Albert (Leslie Marlowe), strikes a pose. DP: Gerhard Maser.
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Compulsion (Richard Fleischer, 1959)
May
16
Straus (Bradford Dillman) with Steiner (Dean Stockwell) behind the wheel. They're beaming. DP: William C. Mellor.
“Murder's nothing. It's just a simple experience. Murder and rape? Do you know what beauty there is in evil?”
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Il mare [The Sea] (Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, 1962)
Feb
17
1962
The actor (Umberto Orsini) approaches a hotel lobby. A blackboard notes the date: February 17, 1962. DP: Ennio Guarnieri.
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Times Square (Allan Moyle, 1980)
Jan
10
1967
A bus on Times Square with a large (expensive) ad asking people to be on the lookout for a Pamela Pearl, born January 10, 1967. DP: James A. Contner.
“Yes, it's story time on WJAD in the heart of Times Square, New York, New York. The city so nice, they named it twice.”
– Johnny LaGuardia, on the air
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Noir et blanc (Claire Devers, 1986)
Dec
1
World AIDS Day
“J’ai mal, mais la douleur me rassure. Son souvenir me donne du plaisir.”
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Women in Love (Ken Russell, 1969)
Nov
18
Bates and Reed in post-jostle bliss, bathing in the fireplace's glow (via). DP: Billy Williams.
A memorable fire or fireplace scene*
“Oh, my God, Gerald! Shall I die?”
– Gudrun Brangwen
Oddly, one barely remembers the fireplace.
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for November is, again, not date-based, but follows a sloppy schmaltzy all-American Thanksgiving-y narrative. Trying to make it work my way.
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The Haunting (Robert Wise, 1963)
Oct
21
1873
Eleanor (Julie Harris), with Dr. John Markway (Richard Johnson) and Theodora (Claire Bloom) in conversation behind her. DP: Davis Boulton.
– “Memories for Abigail Lester Crain: A Legacy for Her Education and Enlightenment. From her devoted father, Hugh Desmond Lester Crain, Hill House, October 21, 1873.”
– But that's today.
– Tomorrow and 90 years later.