1. April 2000 [April 1, 2000] (Wolfgang Liebeneiner, 1952)
Apr
1
2000
The President of the Global Union (Hilde Krahl) stepping out of her spaceship. DPs: Sepp Ketterer, Karl Löb & Fritz Arno Wagner.
“I am the BBC as you can see, and here was the last news.”
The Bed Sitting Room (Richard Lester, 1969)
Mar
22
National Goof-off Day
The BBC (Frank Thornton) bringing you the news (still via). DP: David Watkin.
A truly silly film for National Goof-off Day (USA)
– The BBC
Eine mysteriöse EPIDEMIE ist ausgebrochen.
Grauzone [Zones] (Fredi M. Murer, 1979)
Mar
21
1976
The anonymous, urgent newspaper announcement referencing the oath of secrecy considering a mysterious epidemic, starting March 21, 1976. It lists all the symptoms. DP: Hans Liechti.
“I cast my hat out into the universe, let it greet those who are on their way from Earth. From this day forward, the Moon is no longer a dream.”
Baron Prášil [The Fabulous Baron Munchausen] (Karel Zeman, 1962)
Mar
14
Under the Skin – 2013
The Baron (Miloš Kopecký) on the Moon clinks glasses with Cyrano de Bergerac (Karel Höger) and several characters from Jules Verne's De la terre à la lune (1865). A baffled 20th century astronaut looks on. DP: Jiří Tarantík.
A weird of quirky sci-fi film on the date Under the Skin (2013) was released in the UK.
– Cyrano de Bergerac
Invasión [Invasion] (Hugo Santiago, 1969)
Mar
9
Bobby Fischer – 1943
Don Porfirio (Juan Carlos Paz) in front of a map of Aquileia. DP: Ricardo Aronovich.
Strategy for Bobby Fischer's birthday (1943).
People meticulously plan, move, and countermove in response to an invasion.
Fata/Morgana [Left-Handed Fate / Panik 75] (Vicente Aranda, 1966)
Mar
9
Gim (Teresa Gimpera) modelling in a photo studio. The photographer, another woman in silhouette, has an identical hairstyle and outfit. DP: Aurelio G. Larraya.
“I have often thought it was very arrogant to suppose you could make a film for anybody but yourself… I like to think of The Falls as my own personal encyclopaedia Greenaway-ensis.”
The Falls (Peter Greenaway, 1980)
Mar
1
US Constitution – 1781
A blonde wearing a floppy hat with peach-coloured ribbons and bird feathers attached to it, sits in front of three small whiteboards with study material such as pictures of waterfalls and pilots. Next to her a little fuse box, and on it a small, white fake bird and an orange-yellow egg. DPs: Mike Coles & John Rosenberg.
An important list in remembrance of the ratification of the Constitution of the United States on March 1, 1781.
– Peter Greenaway, via
Ninety-two people, all with a surname starting with f-a-l-l, survive unexpected catastrophes known as VUEs (Violent Unknown Events). These individuals experienced curious ailments, such as mutations of evolving into a bird-like form, speaking new languages, and becoming immortal.
This film, a list, describes them all.
“The conquest of new worlds always makes demands of human life. And there will always be men who will accept the risk.”
First Man Into Space [Satellite of Blood] (Robert Day, 1959)
Feb
28
1958
A newspaper headline for February 28, 1958 reading THE HIGHEST MAN IN THE WORLD. DP: Geoffrey Faithfull.
Der große Verhau [The Big Mess] (Alexander Kluge, 1971)
Feb
19
Copernicus born
Space ships made out of all sorts of junk pass a moon. DPs: Thomas Mauch & Alfred Tichawsky.
A film about outer space for Nicolaus Copernicus' birthday (1473).
In a galaxy far far away, the opening scroll informs us, a civil war rages between governments, greedy conglomerates, and rebels. Only a few scrap-dealing space pirates can save the day!
O 5º Poder [O Quinto Poder / The Fifth Power] (Alberto Pieralisi, 1962)
Jan
27
television
A woman sprawled out on the ground. A man tries to revive her while another reaches out in concern. DP: Özen Sermet.
Turn on your television on the day* in 1926 John Logie Baird demonstrated the first working TV.
An unknown foreign agent manipulates Brazil's radio en television antennas to emit subliminal messages to the oblivious population. Slowly, society descends into violent chaos.
O 5º Poder precedes Ray Nelson's story Eight O'Clock in the Morning by one, and John Carpenter's adaptation They Live by 26 years. But what's much more fascinating is this film's place in Brazilian history: right between Professor Baskarán's – hypnotist Carlos Pedregal – televised mass hypnosis experiments from 1958, and the violent coup of 1964.
In how far was the population primed for this revolt? And how much, are you?
* In reality this was on January 26, 1926.