I've stared at that youtube still a few times whilst scrolling down the page and I can't help but see at least a 75% 'despairing Hideko Takamine' in that Czech girl.jiri kino ovalis wrote: ↑Thu Dec 03, 2020 2:18 pm
https://letterboxd.com/film/saint-jane/
https://youtu.be/kTIA8YvTaIs
1963 poll
Re: 1963 poll
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niminy-piminy
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(cool find!)
Re: 1963 poll
props to your papa. i guess there's a reason i keep returning to ingberg (unless it's just sheep mentality on my part, thinking he's a big important director that i just have to follow, idk). def didn't have the energy to continue with it last night though. instead, i watched the first 15min of the thomas crown affair remake, which i've seen at least a dozen times, and then promptly dozed off. those first 15min were great though. started to notice what mctiernan was really doing (lots and lots of dualisms), way more than i ever had before
Re: 1963 poll
the thomas crown affair is one of my mum's favourite films. i hate bergman but maybe i'll give winter light a try. watched the conjugal bed yesterday which had great leads and great cinematography but wasn't super funny or insightful so probably won't make my list.
Re: 1963 poll
ehh i'm also having trouble psyching myself up for winter light, everything is too stressful atm so gonna go with the noirvember hangover of lino ventura in les tons-tons flingeurs ooooooooooorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr gabin and delon in mélodie en sous-sol 
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No4:
THE CUCUMBER HERO (Čestmír Mlíkovský)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1464767/
1/ Čestmír Mlíkovský is a highly enigmatic figure who made only a single feature film as a director, became almost one of the founding figures of Czechoslovak New Wave but instead, he disappeared into oblivion. All I can find about him is his life span (1927-1991), i.e. he was a few years older than the main directors of Czechoslovak New Wave. Prior to directing "The Cucumber Hero" he is said to work as an assistant director of Ladislav Helge. And at the turn of 1970s-1980s, he wrote scripts to a few rather conformist flicks (in a milieu of the softcore Stalinist regime which was set up after 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion to Czechoslovakia — the echo of 1950s hardcore Stalinism, coming after 1960s Thaw & New Wave intermezzo). Besides, one can find a claim in the category of "interesting trivia" that he also worked (for some unspecific time) as a warden in one of the many medieval castles which are tourist landmarks of Bohemia. Allegedly, there is said something more in an article called "The Story of a Man Drowned in a New Wave" by Petr Bilík in "Cinepur" magazine, issue #22 from September 2002. But this article is behind a paywall, so I am unable to read it now to figure out anything more.
2/ "The Cucumber Hero" is usually compared either to "The Sun in a Net", or "Black Peter" (due to a similar theme — youth looking for identity and self-realization, while facing generational conflict & absurdities of socialist dogmatism) and usually fails in both of these comparisons.
https://letterboxd.com/film/the-sun-in-a-net/
https://letterboxd.com/film/black-peter-1964/
Thus despite "Cucumber Hero's" undeniable experimental nature, as a starting point of Czechoslovak New Wave is considered "The Sun in a Net" and not "Cucumber Hero".
3/ "Cucumber Hero" is full of highly annoying young ppl. At times it's like watching the backstage of the American Idol — all those quasi-rebellious teens trying to stand out, but being conformists at the core of their hearts (like their fathers). And all of them being part of a collective persona — always hanging out together, having collective fun, doing collective pranks, etc. All these youngsters are being played by shooting stars from the main Czechoslovak acting schools which even highlights the annoying feeling (overplaying of young actors starting their careers) — as opposed to "Black Peter" where non-actors were engaged to "stage" the youthful alienation. When I was in the middle of "Cucumber Hero" I rewatched Elo Havetta's "Saint Jane" just to make sure that even youth partying in "Saint Jane" is not as annoying as in "Cucumber Hero".
4/ The main character of "Cucumber Hero" is Matěj, played by the same actor who is also the main character of the film called "Idiot from Xeenemünde" from approximately the same time (IMDb lists it as a 1963 flick too, but it seems to be made in 1962 — ltbxd's 1961 is also wrong most probably)...
https://letterboxd.com/film/blbec-z-xeenemunde/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055802/
Matěj is a somewhat idiotic character who is however dearly loved by his friends and his girlfriend (tho she cheats on him in the grand finale of the film — which is depicted with a great deal of inventive cinematography). He is supposed to be a kind of pure soul in Dostoyevski's "Idiot" spirit. But within my perception, this idiocy is still rather tinged with the paraphilic infantilism of Idiot from Xeenemünde than by Dostoyevski.
On the left Idiot from Xeenemünde, on the right Cucumber Hero.
5/ Another noteworthy detail from "Cucumber Hero" is a passionate recitation of poems by František Hrubín during one of the teens' home parties.
Within my perception, František Hrubín is the author of rhymes for kids.
As an infant, I dearly loved his "Špalíček of Verses and Fairy Tales" with illustrations by Jiří Trnka...
But I had zero urge to read František Hrubín as a teen.
František Hrubín was not part of my coming of age and thus I could hardly relate to Cucumber Heroes' passion for his work — it rather highlighted my perception of Cucumber Heroes' infantility.
However, to be honest, František Hrubín didn't write only for kids and on Letterboxd one can find this sentence...
6/ In 1960s, Otakar Vávra made three film adaptations of works by František Hrubín (August Sunday, Golden Queen, Romance for Bugle)...
https://letterboxd.com/film/august-sunday/
https://letterboxd.com/film/golden-queen/
https://letterboxd.com/film/romance-for-bugle/
Otakar Vávra (1911-2011) is a local epithet of conformism. He was a successful filmmaker during capitalist pre-WW2 Czechoslovakia, during Nazi Protectorate Bohemia&Moravia, after the commie coup, and if he would not be too old he would certainly make popular films even after the restoration of capitalism (post-1989).
In 1960s, he was a tutor of the main Czechoslovak New Wave directors and he was smart enough to take in reverse also a lesson from his pupils. Thus (despite pertaining to a different generation) he could become an active contributor to Czechoslovak New Wave (with his "Golden Queen" and "Romance for Bugle").
7/ I didn't watch those three films by Otakar Vávra yet, but now after watching "Cucumber Hero" they are high on my watchlist cuz I expect they might provide a somewhat similar viewing experience as "Cucumber Hero" — a mixture of highly interesting and of highly annoying (because Čestmír Mlíkovský and Otakar Vávra both probably had some high sense for conformism and generational conflict — the second from a somewhat paternalistic perspective).
And also, I need to read the article in "Cinepur" because "The Story of a Man Drowned in a New Wave" (about Čestmír Mlíkovský) might provide (alongside the "Cucumber Hero" viewing) some interesting insights into the backstage of Czechoslovak New Wave.
THE CUCUMBER HERO (Čestmír Mlíkovský)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1464767/
1/ Čestmír Mlíkovský is a highly enigmatic figure who made only a single feature film as a director, became almost one of the founding figures of Czechoslovak New Wave but instead, he disappeared into oblivion. All I can find about him is his life span (1927-1991), i.e. he was a few years older than the main directors of Czechoslovak New Wave. Prior to directing "The Cucumber Hero" he is said to work as an assistant director of Ladislav Helge. And at the turn of 1970s-1980s, he wrote scripts to a few rather conformist flicks (in a milieu of the softcore Stalinist regime which was set up after 1968 Warsaw Pact invasion to Czechoslovakia — the echo of 1950s hardcore Stalinism, coming after 1960s Thaw & New Wave intermezzo). Besides, one can find a claim in the category of "interesting trivia" that he also worked (for some unspecific time) as a warden in one of the many medieval castles which are tourist landmarks of Bohemia. Allegedly, there is said something more in an article called "The Story of a Man Drowned in a New Wave" by Petr Bilík in "Cinepur" magazine, issue #22 from September 2002. But this article is behind a paywall, so I am unable to read it now to figure out anything more.
2/ "The Cucumber Hero" is usually compared either to "The Sun in a Net", or "Black Peter" (due to a similar theme — youth looking for identity and self-realization, while facing generational conflict & absurdities of socialist dogmatism) and usually fails in both of these comparisons.
https://letterboxd.com/film/the-sun-in-a-net/
https://letterboxd.com/film/black-peter-1964/
Thus despite "Cucumber Hero's" undeniable experimental nature, as a starting point of Czechoslovak New Wave is considered "The Sun in a Net" and not "Cucumber Hero".
3/ "Cucumber Hero" is full of highly annoying young ppl. At times it's like watching the backstage of the American Idol — all those quasi-rebellious teens trying to stand out, but being conformists at the core of their hearts (like their fathers). And all of them being part of a collective persona — always hanging out together, having collective fun, doing collective pranks, etc. All these youngsters are being played by shooting stars from the main Czechoslovak acting schools which even highlights the annoying feeling (overplaying of young actors starting their careers) — as opposed to "Black Peter" where non-actors were engaged to "stage" the youthful alienation. When I was in the middle of "Cucumber Hero" I rewatched Elo Havetta's "Saint Jane" just to make sure that even youth partying in "Saint Jane" is not as annoying as in "Cucumber Hero".
4/ The main character of "Cucumber Hero" is Matěj, played by the same actor who is also the main character of the film called "Idiot from Xeenemünde" from approximately the same time (IMDb lists it as a 1963 flick too, but it seems to be made in 1962 — ltbxd's 1961 is also wrong most probably)...
https://letterboxd.com/film/blbec-z-xeenemunde/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055802/
Matěj is a somewhat idiotic character who is however dearly loved by his friends and his girlfriend (tho she cheats on him in the grand finale of the film — which is depicted with a great deal of inventive cinematography). He is supposed to be a kind of pure soul in Dostoyevski's "Idiot" spirit. But within my perception, this idiocy is still rather tinged with the paraphilic infantilism of Idiot from Xeenemünde than by Dostoyevski.
On the left Idiot from Xeenemünde, on the right Cucumber Hero.
5/ Another noteworthy detail from "Cucumber Hero" is a passionate recitation of poems by František Hrubín during one of the teens' home parties.
Within my perception, František Hrubín is the author of rhymes for kids.
As an infant, I dearly loved his "Špalíček of Verses and Fairy Tales" with illustrations by Jiří Trnka...
But I had zero urge to read František Hrubín as a teen.
František Hrubín was not part of my coming of age and thus I could hardly relate to Cucumber Heroes' passion for his work — it rather highlighted my perception of Cucumber Heroes' infantility.
However, to be honest, František Hrubín didn't write only for kids and on Letterboxd one can find this sentence...
which is probably the reason why in 1960s part of his oeuvre might have some appeal to some of the minor Czechoslovak New Wave directors, Otakar Vávra especially (besides Čestmír Mlíkovský).https://letterboxd.com/film/august-sunday/
As is typical of the works of Hrubín, it is a conflict of youth and age,
6/ In 1960s, Otakar Vávra made three film adaptations of works by František Hrubín (August Sunday, Golden Queen, Romance for Bugle)...
https://letterboxd.com/film/august-sunday/
https://letterboxd.com/film/golden-queen/
https://letterboxd.com/film/romance-for-bugle/
Otakar Vávra (1911-2011) is a local epithet of conformism. He was a successful filmmaker during capitalist pre-WW2 Czechoslovakia, during Nazi Protectorate Bohemia&Moravia, after the commie coup, and if he would not be too old he would certainly make popular films even after the restoration of capitalism (post-1989).
In 1960s, he was a tutor of the main Czechoslovak New Wave directors and he was smart enough to take in reverse also a lesson from his pupils. Thus (despite pertaining to a different generation) he could become an active contributor to Czechoslovak New Wave (with his "Golden Queen" and "Romance for Bugle").
7/ I didn't watch those three films by Otakar Vávra yet, but now after watching "Cucumber Hero" they are high on my watchlist cuz I expect they might provide a somewhat similar viewing experience as "Cucumber Hero" — a mixture of highly interesting and of highly annoying (because Čestmír Mlíkovský and Otakar Vávra both probably had some high sense for conformism and generational conflict — the second from a somewhat paternalistic perspective).
And also, I need to read the article in "Cinepur" because "The Story of a Man Drowned in a New Wave" (about Čestmír Mlíkovský) might provide (alongside the "Cucumber Hero" viewing) some interesting insights into the backstage of Czechoslovak New Wave.
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Thu Dec 10, 2020 2:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: 1963 poll
Wow, Passenger was superb, definitely going on the list. Thoughts here:
https://letterboxd.com/mrcarmady/film/passenger/
Raven's End next.
https://letterboxd.com/mrcarmady/film/passenger/
Raven's End next.
Re: 1963 poll
i will watch that too
delon still lives w his parents
this would be more fun if his character wasn't a misogynist pig
delon still lives w his parents
this would be more fun if his character wasn't a misogynist pig
Last edited by rischka on Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:08 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
additional note about Čestmír Mlíkovský (the evasive cucumber slacker from a castle):
https://letterboxd.com/writer/cestmir-mlikovsky/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1540429/
I just stumbled upon a text (uni thesis) where the author recalls being told by a scriptwriter Daniela Fischerová
https://letterboxd.com/writer/daniela-fischerova/
the following stuff about enigmatic Čestmír.
Allegedly, when she was studying at FAMU she had a script and was looking for a director to collaborate with.
František Daniel
https://letterboxd.com/writer/frantisek-daniel/
her FAMU tutor recommended Čestmír Mlíkovský who after finishing "The Cucumber Hero" (without anyone having a clue why — maybe it is told in the Cinepur article?!) left the world of cinema behind and became a warden on Rožmberk caste in Southern Bohemia...
František Daniel hoped that via the collaboration with Daniela, Čestmír will be brought back into the film industry.
Čestmír liked Daniela's script and agreed on collaboration.
Then, she was commuting from Prague to the castle (and at first, the preparatory work on the film went smooth).
But at one point (again not completely clear why?!) Čestmír all of a sudden started evading (ghosting) the project.
F.e. Danila came to the castle, Čestmír said, "Just wait a min, I am going to pick a pack of cigs," but then he disappeared completely for the rest of the day.
Danila was waiting for him in vain and had to leave without any mutual work to be done.
After this odd behavior became the rule, the other members of the crew decided to accompany Daniela and get from Čestmír some clear statement about his involvement/non-involvement in the project.
But instead, when they arrived at the castle and Čestmír noticed their arrival, he escaped by backdoors (however he was witnessed to do so).
Thus Daniela & the crew stayed at the castle until Čestmír returned and gave some false promises to work on the project in the upcoming days (without doing anything).
Ultimately, Čestmír was kicked out of the intended film and could again fully devote himself to his ghostly existence on the haunted castle without any touch with the local film industry.
How it happened that unreliable Čestmír (after a long pause) wrote a few scripts for mediocre (or less than mediocre — I have yet to investigate) films that were released at the turn of 1970s-1980s is still a mystery (but again, maybe the mystery was made explicit in the Cinepur article?!).
-------------------------
slowly but surely (alongside bit by bit solving this puzzle about a man drowned in a New Wave), I am getting to like "The Cucumber Hero" — more than this (at times highly annoying) film would really deserve!
https://letterboxd.com/writer/cestmir-mlikovsky/
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1540429/
I just stumbled upon a text (uni thesis) where the author recalls being told by a scriptwriter Daniela Fischerová
https://letterboxd.com/writer/daniela-fischerova/
the following stuff about enigmatic Čestmír.
Allegedly, when she was studying at FAMU she had a script and was looking for a director to collaborate with.
František Daniel
https://letterboxd.com/writer/frantisek-daniel/
her FAMU tutor recommended Čestmír Mlíkovský who after finishing "The Cucumber Hero" (without anyone having a clue why — maybe it is told in the Cinepur article?!) left the world of cinema behind and became a warden on Rožmberk caste in Southern Bohemia...
František Daniel hoped that via the collaboration with Daniela, Čestmír will be brought back into the film industry.
Čestmír liked Daniela's script and agreed on collaboration.
Then, she was commuting from Prague to the castle (and at first, the preparatory work on the film went smooth).
But at one point (again not completely clear why?!) Čestmír all of a sudden started evading (ghosting) the project.
F.e. Danila came to the castle, Čestmír said, "Just wait a min, I am going to pick a pack of cigs," but then he disappeared completely for the rest of the day.
Danila was waiting for him in vain and had to leave without any mutual work to be done.
After this odd behavior became the rule, the other members of the crew decided to accompany Daniela and get from Čestmír some clear statement about his involvement/non-involvement in the project.
But instead, when they arrived at the castle and Čestmír noticed their arrival, he escaped by backdoors (however he was witnessed to do so).
Thus Daniela & the crew stayed at the castle until Čestmír returned and gave some false promises to work on the project in the upcoming days (without doing anything).
Ultimately, Čestmír was kicked out of the intended film and could again fully devote himself to his ghostly existence on the haunted castle without any touch with the local film industry.
How it happened that unreliable Čestmír (after a long pause) wrote a few scripts for mediocre (or less than mediocre — I have yet to investigate) films that were released at the turn of 1970s-1980s is still a mystery (but again, maybe the mystery was made explicit in the Cinepur article?!).
-------------------------
slowly but surely (alongside bit by bit solving this puzzle about a man drowned in a New Wave), I am getting to like "The Cucumber Hero" — more than this (at times highly annoying) film would really deserve!
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Thu Dec 10, 2020 4:04 am, edited 11 times in total.
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Lencho of the Apes
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Re: 1963 poll
Herzog Blaubarts Burg
Michael Powell getting abstract and arty after his career went into Peeping Tom limbo. From German TV?
Michael Powell getting abstract and arty after his career went into Peeping Tom limbo. From German TV?
- 3 herz 3.JPG (67.2 KiB) Viewed 2004 times
- 3 herz 2.JPG (72.46 KiB) Viewed 2013 times
- 3 herz 5.JPG (44.95 KiB) Viewed 2013 times
- 3 herz 4.JPG (51.57 KiB) Viewed 2013 times
The opposite of 'reify' is... ?
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niminy-piminy
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- Location: Prague, Bohemia
Re: 1963 poll
Ikarie XB 1 (1963) SOUNDTRACK (music composed by Zdeněk Liška)...
https://letterboxd.com/film/ikarie-xb-1/
https://www.finderskeepersrecords.com/s ... karie-xb1/
https://youtu.be/g1JouySE3OU
https://letterboxd.com/film/ikarie-xb-1/
https://www.finderskeepersrecords.com/s ... karie-xb1/
https://youtu.be/g1JouySE3OU
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
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Re: 1963 poll
MUD-COVERED CITY (Václav Táborský)... no dialogue! (ltbxd says 1964, but IMDb and others 1963)
https://letterboxd.com/film/mud-covered-city/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0236884/
https://youtu.be/AVNvDsF194s
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31423615-mud-book
https://letterboxd.com/film/mud-covered-city/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0236884/
https://youtu.be/AVNvDsF194s
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31423615-mud-book
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Thu Dec 10, 2020 5:34 am, edited 2 times in total.
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:30 am
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Re: 1963 poll
THE BADLY-DRAWN HEN (Jiří Brdečka)... no dialogue!
https://letterboxd.com/film/incorrectly-drawn-hen/
https://youtu.be/Mmxe6srboRw
https://letterboxd.com/film/incorrectly-drawn-hen/
https://youtu.be/Mmxe6srboRw
Re: 1963 poll
how do i get the job of castle warden 
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
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Re: 1963 poll
Currently, they are looking for a warden at Švihov Castle...
https://www.hrad-svihov.cz/en
And i see several cats live there...
https://www.hrad-svihov.cz/en/photogall ... the-castle
Unfortunately, the National Monuments Institute doesn't post the job vacancy ads in English.
Tho, there is a whole list of castles in its custody and each castle has a "Contacts" section...
https://www.npu.cz/en/planning-a-trip/l ... tage-sites
So, you can try to call each of them if anyone with fluent English and a fondness for cats is in need.
But I warn you, these castle jobs are usually very poorly paid.
Only the upcoming neofeudalism might bring back the bucks and past glory to these medieval landmarks.
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Thu Dec 24, 2020 4:33 am, edited 2 times in total.
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No5:
A HARLEM TRAGEDY (Ján Roháč, Vladimír Svitáček)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10224740/
It's an adaptation of O. Henry's short story.
There are two Harlem couples.
Mrs. Cassidy is proud of being the victim of domestic abuse.
She feels loved this way and knows she can barter her bruises for any likable item (fine blouse, a ticket to the circus, etc.).
Mrs. Fink is not a victim of domestic abuse and thus feels inferior to Mrs. Cassidy.
Mrs. Cassidy advises Mrs. Fink to make a physical assault on Mr. Fink to trigger his inner romantic Neandertal.
However, this physical assault on Mr. Fink has an unexpected outcome.
Mr. Fink submits to matriarchate, makes laundry, and Mrs. Fink feels even more ashamed (for being married to a post-modern pussyman who helps in the household).
This short film (and the short story upon which it is based) shows how much the discourse has changed.
Now (a few decades later), we live in a completely different paradigm.
On the left bruised Mrs. Cassidy (contemplating what she will barter for a bruise) and on the right bruised Mr. Fink (doing laundry).
Here is O. Henry's "A Harlem Tragedy" in writing...
http://fullreads.com/literature/a-harlem-tragedy/
and here as audio...
https://youtu.be/B6TZmRN4ZVQ
A HARLEM TRAGEDY (Ján Roháč, Vladimír Svitáček)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10224740/
It's an adaptation of O. Henry's short story.
There are two Harlem couples.
Mrs. Cassidy is proud of being the victim of domestic abuse.
She feels loved this way and knows she can barter her bruises for any likable item (fine blouse, a ticket to the circus, etc.).
Mrs. Fink is not a victim of domestic abuse and thus feels inferior to Mrs. Cassidy.
Mrs. Cassidy advises Mrs. Fink to make a physical assault on Mr. Fink to trigger his inner romantic Neandertal.
However, this physical assault on Mr. Fink has an unexpected outcome.
Mr. Fink submits to matriarchate, makes laundry, and Mrs. Fink feels even more ashamed (for being married to a post-modern pussyman who helps in the household).
This short film (and the short story upon which it is based) shows how much the discourse has changed.
Now (a few decades later), we live in a completely different paradigm.
On the left bruised Mrs. Cassidy (contemplating what she will barter for a bruise) and on the right bruised Mr. Fink (doing laundry).
Here is O. Henry's "A Harlem Tragedy" in writing...
http://fullreads.com/literature/a-harlem-tragedy/
and here as audio...
https://youtu.be/B6TZmRN4ZVQ
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Curtis, baby
- Site Admin
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Re: 1963 poll
I watched Our Summer (short) after I saw Silga log it on lboxd. Charming film. Will probably juuust miss my list, would be in a top 25 for sure
Kinda puzzling. Almost all the characters are children, but then random people aren't, like the conductor and the waitress. But it's not a masses as children thing cos occasionally a specific type person (eg the ticket checker on the bus) are kids. And the kid's mom is there at the beginning, which makes a Terror in Tiny Town-esque "children portraying people not in the context of them being children" angle hard to read into this. What's going on?
Anyway the best part is the main kid. Had a way of being quintessentially "a child" but also just...a human, the eternal human. He was like ten, but also this was filmed in 1963 and that person is almost as old as my parents. But that ten year old never stops existing, and the film conveyed that really well. It reminded me of Truffaut's Small Change in that way, in that it made me, not know or recognize or think or anything cos I already do all that sans art, but FEEL the way in which everyone is a child, simply because once you're a child you can never undo it. I am 33, but the ten year old me has not ceased to exist, it exists in addition to the 33 year old. I guess what I'm trying to say is this: when a ten year old becomes a thirty year old, just for instance, they are both ten and thirty simultaneously. And every other age they've been, every point in one's life is part of you until you die. Small Change makes me feel that like no other film has. This movie ain't no Small Change, but it makes me feel it too, and it does a great job of it. It's a sad feeling, but it feels universal in a way that at least implies meaning.
I can put it in this place if anyone wants to see it. It's only 17m long
Kinda puzzling. Almost all the characters are children, but then random people aren't, like the conductor and the waitress. But it's not a masses as children thing cos occasionally a specific type person (eg the ticket checker on the bus) are kids. And the kid's mom is there at the beginning, which makes a Terror in Tiny Town-esque "children portraying people not in the context of them being children" angle hard to read into this. What's going on?
Anyway the best part is the main kid. Had a way of being quintessentially "a child" but also just...a human, the eternal human. He was like ten, but also this was filmed in 1963 and that person is almost as old as my parents. But that ten year old never stops existing, and the film conveyed that really well. It reminded me of Truffaut's Small Change in that way, in that it made me, not know or recognize or think or anything cos I already do all that sans art, but FEEL the way in which everyone is a child, simply because once you're a child you can never undo it. I am 33, but the ten year old me has not ceased to exist, it exists in addition to the 33 year old. I guess what I'm trying to say is this: when a ten year old becomes a thirty year old, just for instance, they are both ten and thirty simultaneously. And every other age they've been, every point in one's life is part of you until you die. Small Change makes me feel that like no other film has. This movie ain't no Small Change, but it makes me feel it too, and it does a great job of it. It's a sad feeling, but it feels universal in a way that at least implies meaning.
I can put it in this place if anyone wants to see it. It's only 17m long
prettyboy ,prettyboy ,prettyboy
Re: 1963 poll
It was made for TV as a kind of short vignette about what children are up to during summer. Parts of it are made by Sablevicius and others are just stock documentary footage (that probably explains the misguided editing). But the charm is definitely here. Today I've visited my mom and showed it to her. She laughed and joked about a lot of things portrayed in this short. She participated in those dance festivals too. (They exist to this day btw)SAD_SCROOGE wrote: ↑Thu Dec 10, 2020 11:39 pm I watched Our Summer (short) after I saw Silga log it on lboxd.
As for Henrikas Sablevicius, if anyone is interested, there are three more of his short films (Reflections, A Trip Across Misty Meadows, We Were at Our Own Field) here: http://www.sinemateka.lt/en/documentary
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
SPEED (Edgar Reitz)
https://letterboxd.com/film/speed-1963/
no dialogue! (film from 1963, a new soundtrack from 2017)
https://youtu.be/1wYoekAVL5Y
https://letterboxd.com/film/speed-1963/
no dialogue! (film from 1963, a new soundtrack from 2017)
https://youtu.be/1wYoekAVL5Y
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Fri Dec 11, 2020 1:54 am, edited 2 times in total.
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No7:
CHRISTMAS (Roland Klick)
https://letterboxd.com/film/weihnacht/
Christmas' consumerism vs. childhood perspective... no dialogue! (except a bit of singing "Christmas&Aleluja" in German)
https://youtu.be/ffVJbKiH9dY
CHRISTMAS (Roland Klick)
https://letterboxd.com/film/weihnacht/
Christmas' consumerism vs. childhood perspective... no dialogue! (except a bit of singing "Christmas&Aleluja" in German)
https://youtu.be/ffVJbKiH9dY
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Sat Dec 12, 2020 6:23 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewning No8:
ON THE TIGHTROPE (Ivo Novák)
https://letterboxd.com/film/on-the-tightrope/
1/ A similar case like "The Cucumber Hero" — a film on the fringe of Czechoslovak New Wave (both the "proto new wave" films) but there are again some objections.
2/ In this case, New-Wave-esque is certainly cinematography (by Stanislav Milota who later became cinematographer of "The Cremator").
And the first half of the story.
In this first half, the main character nicknamed "Cat" is a drifter, son of an alcoholic father and cold mother (who prefers his elder brother).
3/ In the second half (in which a free-spirited drifter gets employed as a factory worker in heavy industry), Cat finds acceptance (which he is not getting in his family) among working-class people.
This second half of the narrative is taking the film far away from anything New-Wave-like (the echo of Socialist Realism takes over).
4/ Allegedly (I was not yet able to spot the article), in a local film magazine called "Film a doba" (Film and Time), issue from 1964, there is a list of 40 crucial filmmakers of the newly emerging phenomenon of New Wave and Ivo Novák is included.
"On the Tightrope" is certainly the closest point Ivo Novák was able to get related to New Wave.
Thereafter (actually already in the middle of this film), he drifts away (back towards the harmless conformism with the ruling regime).
Thus there is (I expect) no other list of New Wave filmmakers (of a later date than 1964) that would contain his name.
5/ As opposed to Čestmír Mlíkovský who made only a single film, the oeuvre of Ivo Novák is rich.
However, it is hardly an advantage.
When an article about Čestmír Mlíkovský is called "A Story of Man Who Drowned in a New Wave" about Ivo Novák I could spot an article called (my rough translation) "A Story of a Filmmaker Sinking into Crap".
6/ Despite what I said above, I consider "On the Tightrope" as worth watching (similarly as "The Cucumber Hero") and I am seriously considering to include both into my ballot.
Watching these two films which touched the New Wave esthetics (in the early phase, when New Wave only became formed) but didn't become part of the cannon (for various reasons) is somehow very illuminating.
(Somehow,) I am getting highly interested in these "almost-new-wave" films and filmmakers who (somehow or other) "wasted their potential".
Karel Micka (originally a drifter but ultimately an exemplary worker) is called by his friends "Cat" for two reasons:
A/ Due to his surname (if you have in Bohemia a cat, it is quite likely you will call her "Micka").
B/ Due to his flexible body, capable to bend smootly in a dance and climb smoothly the roofs.
ON THE TIGHTROPE (Ivo Novák)
https://letterboxd.com/film/on-the-tightrope/
1/ A similar case like "The Cucumber Hero" — a film on the fringe of Czechoslovak New Wave (both the "proto new wave" films) but there are again some objections.
2/ In this case, New-Wave-esque is certainly cinematography (by Stanislav Milota who later became cinematographer of "The Cremator").
And the first half of the story.
In this first half, the main character nicknamed "Cat" is a drifter, son of an alcoholic father and cold mother (who prefers his elder brother).
3/ In the second half (in which a free-spirited drifter gets employed as a factory worker in heavy industry), Cat finds acceptance (which he is not getting in his family) among working-class people.
This second half of the narrative is taking the film far away from anything New-Wave-like (the echo of Socialist Realism takes over).
4/ Allegedly (I was not yet able to spot the article), in a local film magazine called "Film a doba" (Film and Time), issue from 1964, there is a list of 40 crucial filmmakers of the newly emerging phenomenon of New Wave and Ivo Novák is included.
"On the Tightrope" is certainly the closest point Ivo Novák was able to get related to New Wave.
Thereafter (actually already in the middle of this film), he drifts away (back towards the harmless conformism with the ruling regime).
Thus there is (I expect) no other list of New Wave filmmakers (of a later date than 1964) that would contain his name.
5/ As opposed to Čestmír Mlíkovský who made only a single film, the oeuvre of Ivo Novák is rich.
However, it is hardly an advantage.
When an article about Čestmír Mlíkovský is called "A Story of Man Who Drowned in a New Wave" about Ivo Novák I could spot an article called (my rough translation) "A Story of a Filmmaker Sinking into Crap".
6/ Despite what I said above, I consider "On the Tightrope" as worth watching (similarly as "The Cucumber Hero") and I am seriously considering to include both into my ballot.
Watching these two films which touched the New Wave esthetics (in the early phase, when New Wave only became formed) but didn't become part of the cannon (for various reasons) is somehow very illuminating.
(Somehow,) I am getting highly interested in these "almost-new-wave" films and filmmakers who (somehow or other) "wasted their potential".
Karel Micka (originally a drifter but ultimately an exemplary worker) is called by his friends "Cat" for two reasons:
A/ Due to his surname (if you have in Bohemia a cat, it is quite likely you will call her "Micka").
B/ Due to his flexible body, capable to bend smootly in a dance and climb smoothly the roofs.
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No10:
MATTER (Kazimierz Urbański)... no dialogue!
https://letterboxd.com/film/matter-1/
MATTER (Kazimierz Urbański)... no dialogue!
https://letterboxd.com/film/matter-1/
https://youtu.be/VkJJpAVauAAAn experimental stop-motion animation made with a piece of yarn. It’s a poetic description of an ancient world and the birth of a different kind of materia.
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:30 am
- Location: Prague, Bohemia
Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No9:
JOSEPH KILIAN (Pavel Juráček, Jan Schmidt)
Finally, I got to watch this film which is rather well-known so no need to elaborate.
Just a little "kinoeye quotidian" detail.
The house into which the main character enters to look for comrade Kilian...
is a Clam-Gallas Palace.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam-Gallas_Palace
I love that baroque palace and I love the Hercules statues at the entrance.
The palace is currently owned by Prague municipality and the exhibitions are held there.
In 2014, I visited the exhibition (of Piranesi) there and made these 3 pics with Hercules' details...
About Clam-Gallas Palace one can read...
JOSEPH KILIAN (Pavel Juráček, Jan Schmidt)
Finally, I got to watch this film which is rather well-known so no need to elaborate.
Just a little "kinoeye quotidian" detail.
The house into which the main character enters to look for comrade Kilian...
is a Clam-Gallas Palace.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clam-Gallas_Palace
I love that baroque palace and I love the Hercules statues at the entrance.
The palace is currently owned by Prague municipality and the exhibitions are held there.
In 2014, I visited the exhibition (of Piranesi) there and made these 3 pics with Hercules' details...
About Clam-Gallas Palace one can read...
When you walk along Husova Street in the Old Town, you can’t miss a building with an eye-catching portal decorated with four huge statues of Hercules. They guard one of the most beautiful Late Baroque palaces in Prague, and you’ll get an idea of the building’s splendour as soon as you step into the staircase hall at the entrance. Viennese architect Jan Bernard Fischer von Erlach designed the present appearance of the Clam-Gallas Palace. The workshop of Matthias Bernhard Braun produced the sculptural decoration, including the facade, staircase and Neptune fountain. The extraordinary quality of the decoration is in keeping with the spirit of ancient mythology.
They say that Count Clam-Gallas was a great lover of nightlife and built the palace for holding regular balls, concerts and boisterous parties. At one such event it is said Mozart and Casanova had met.
The central hall of the whole palace is the Marble Hall, also called White, Golden or Gala Hall. The former dance hall is decorated with mirrors and crystal chandeliers. It used to be a place where balls were organized and for example W. A. Mozart and his wife were among guests. Ludwig van Beethoven played a concert in this hall and he also dedicated some little musical pieces to the Clam-Gallas family.
A lack of money for administrating such a huge palace forced the Clam–Gallas family to let some rooms for rent. Several rooms became offices and Franz Kafka worked here as a trainee when he finished his law studies.
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Lencho of the Apes
- Posts: 1832
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Re: 1963 poll
The Frenchman Always Rings twice AKA Chair De Poule/Highway Pickup - Julien Duvivier
Not exactly fresh material, but it's handled smoothly and the plot is switched around enough to avoid being a complete retread.
Not exactly fresh material, but it's handled smoothly and the plot is switched around enough to avoid being a complete retread.
- 3 cha.JPG (75.1 KiB) Viewed 1740 times
The opposite of 'reify' is... ?
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Lencho of the Apes
- Posts: 1832
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Re: 1963 poll
Also, there's an ear-catching little rhythm loop at 1:28:24 that anybody who uses samples for... things... might want to check out.
The opposite of 'reify' is... ?
Re: 1963 poll
both surprised and not surprised that chabrol's bluebeard/landru seems to be as obscure as it is. it is perhaps the most extremely stylized film chabrol had made to that point - and if you take out the commercial spy films of the late '60s maybe the most stylized film of his career - and looks absolutely nothing like any of the french new wave films. it is just the waves of sickeningly strong clashing colors and interior design, some very strange fashion, all pinned to this very peculiar (but brilliant, i think) performance by charles denner in the leading role.
if it has any real issues it is that the structure (roughly 3/4 variations on landru's seduction/murder/disposal routine, 1/4 court trial and sentencing) can make the film feel a little stretched, but i think it more than earns its repetitions. highly recommended for anyone interested in chabrol. the blu ray on kg looks gorgeous but the subs are a little iffy in spots, particularly when the dialogue gets allusive or playful, which is often.
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niminy-piminy
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Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No12:
TISZA: AUTUMN SKETCHES (István Gaál)
https://letterboxd.com/film/tisza-autumn-sketches/
video (minimal dialogue) ↓
https://gloria.tv/post/idw7SR8r3mWU1CVhXFRiyguQT
TISZA: AUTUMN SKETCHES (István Gaál)
https://letterboxd.com/film/tisza-autumn-sketches/
video (minimal dialogue) ↓
https://gloria.tv/post/idw7SR8r3mWU1CVhXFRiyguQT
Re: 1963 poll
https://twitter.com/rbgscfz/status/1338 ... 29441?s=20
it's a small gem i've been saving. may make room in the ballot for whistlestop
it's a small gem i've been saving. may make room in the ballot for whistlestop
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niminy-piminy
- Posts: 3002
- Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 12:30 am
- Location: Prague, Bohemia
Re: 1963 poll
1963poll viewing No14:
SCOTCH TAPE (Jack Smith)
https://letterboxd.com/film/scotch-tape/
(ltbxd 1962, but imdb 1963)
SCOTCH TAPE (Jack Smith)
https://letterboxd.com/film/scotch-tape/
(ltbxd 1962, but imdb 1963)
Shot in 1959, Scotch Tape is Jack Smith’s first film – a joyous, three-minute romp, using Peter Duchin’s rhumba “Carinhoso” for its soundtrack. Three young men merrily bop through the wreckage of razed buildings at the site of what would become Lincoln Center.
https://youtu.be/iJY-NdPSk_IReview by Rock Hyrax ↓
The first performance of the Lincoln Center Performing Arts hub.
Last edited by niminy-piminy on Mon Dec 14, 2020 3:48 pm, edited 1 time in total.