E tanta paura [Plot of Fear] (Paolo Cavara, 1976)
Nov
14
1975
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Two newspaper clippings in a scrapbook, one of them with the date November 14. DP: Franco Di Giacomo.
E tanta paura [Plot of Fear] (Paolo Cavara, 1976)
Nov
14
1975
spoiler warning: click to toggle image

Two newspaper clippings in a scrapbook, one of them with the date November 14. DP: Franco Di Giacomo.
“Stay off the tracks. Forget it. Its a bum's world for a bum.”Emperor of the North Pole (Robert Aldrich, 1973)
Oct
25

Lobbycard. The blurb reads: “The battle for the title of “Emperor of the North Pole” begins between Shack (ERNEST BORGNINE) and A-No. 1 (LEE MARVIN)“. DP: Joseph F. Biroc.
– Shack
Nattmara [Nightmare] (Arne Mattsson, 1965)
Oct
19
Tue
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spoiler warning: click to read
Hands hold up a small diary. The camera is focussed on Tuesday the 19th of October, 1965. Handwriting, a chicken scrawl, reads CITROEN A66692 MAJ BERG ✝. Besides that the week is uneventful. DP: Max Wilén.
“I'm gonna be happy for a change.”The Sniper (Edward Dmytryk, 1952)
Oct
4

Man's hands, one bandaged, holding a rifle. DP: Burnett Guffey.
– Edward Miller
Le boucher [The Butcher] (Claude Chabrol, 1970)
Oct
3

Popaul (Jean Yanne) and Hélène (Stéphane Audran) in the former's butcher shop. DP: Jean Rabier.
Maléfices [Sorcery / Where the Truth Lies] (Henri Decoin, 1962)
Sep
10

Myriam Heller (Juliette Gréco) sharing a bed with Nyète, her cheetah. DP: Marcel Grignon.
Nuits rouges [L'homme sans visage / Shadowman] (Georges Franju, 1974)
Sep
6

A faceless man in black wearing a red balaclava (Jacques Champreux) holds his right wrist, which is bleeding profusely. DP: Guido Bertoni.
La horse [Horse] (Pierre Granier-Deferre, 1970)
Aug
28
1923

Francis Grutti's (Armando Francioli) ID, handled by someone wielding a large stamp. His birthday is August 28, 1923. DP: Walter Wottitz.
“It is vital to be photogenic from head to foot. After that you are allowed to display some measure of talent.”
Les Vampires [The Vampires or, The Arch Criminals of Paris] (Louis Feuillade, 1915/1916)
Aug
24
black

A signed promotional photograph of Irma Vep (Musidora) in her iconic black catsuit. DPs: Georges Guérin & Manichoux.
Black, in food or fashion*
– Musidora
Possibly the first, and definitely the most, iconic catsuit in cinema is worn by Musidora as Irma Vep in Les Vampires. Skintight and scandalous, Musidora's screen presence in the serial further cemented the popularity of the vamp and set the scene for many man-eaters to come.
* the Bales 2025 Film Challenge for August is not date-related but lists, for the most part, the colours of the rainbow.
“Marge, my love, my angel.”Plein soleil [Purple Noon] (René Clément, 1960)
Aug
20
1959

A contract for Marge, a sailboat, dated August 20, 1959. DP: Henri Decaë.