*WHO'S OUT THERE? (1975), *RED PLANET MARS
(1953).
*WHO'S OUT THERE? (1975),
A number of distinguished scientists conclude that there IS someone out there in Outer Space!
ORSON WELLES, host (and star) recounts the details of his (in)famous 1938 radio broadcast,
"THE WAR OF THE WORLDS", depicting monstrous Mars life-forms invading Earth.
Welles leads us through science fiction - to science fact - to the new view of
extra-terrestrial life now emerging from probes to the planets; to interstellar discoveries
and findings about the nature of "Life Itself"! 28 min. NFVLS.
and featuring:
*RED PLANET MARS (1953),
Despite its title, Red Planet Mars takes place on terra firma, sans space ships, cosmic rays
or space cadets.
Radio-astronomer Chris Cronyn (PETER MISSION IMPOSSIBLE GRAVES) , sequestered with wife and
child in his bucolic rural lab, has managed to receive radio transmissions from the vicinity
of...MARS.!
The Martians, it appears, have produced a Utopian civilisation, ruled by Divine Law ( - if not
the Creator, Himself! - ), prolonged their life-span to 300 years and use Cosmic Power for
energy! When news of ET-Heaven and their peaceful and prosperous way-of-life spreads around
the world, all sorts of terrestrial havoc erupts. The Earth-dwellers fear that these secrets
will soon be forwarded on and bugger up all the nice, cushy sinecures of our planet's elites.
Earth's whole global economic system crashes! The Soviet Union collapses! Is the USA next?!!!
Are the Martian emissions the work of Communists ( - get it? *RED* planet? - the film was made
at the height of the McCarthy terror - ), or are they in thick with The Big Guy, as the
messages claim?
A special highlight is the crazed, dipso ex-Nazi (in the pay of Uncle Joe and the Ruskies, who
are, of course, hell-bent on crippling global Capitalism), secretly labouring high in the
seclusion of the Andes on a similar project!
Despite dishing out such a fantastic concoction of hokum, this ludicrous Z'-grade effort, -
delving into the realms of science, politics, religion, and Communism - actually partially
presages developments in world affairs to be seen decades on ( - not the Mars bits, though!).
The actors concerned turn in creditable performances, 'though it's the sort of film from
early in Peter Graves' career that qualified him for all those FLYING HIGH flicks!.
Credits: PETER (MISSION IMPOSSIBLE) GRAVES: Chris Cronyn, Andrea King: Linda Cronyn, Herbert
Berghof: Franz Calder, WILLIS BOUCHEY: President, MORRIS ANKRUM: Secretary of Defense Sparks,
Vince Barnett: Seedy Man Listening to Radio, Grace Leonard: Seedy Woman Listening to Radio.
From a play by John L. Balderston and John Hoare. Cinematography by Joseph F. (DONOVAN'S
BRAIN, 1953) Biroc. Director: Harry Horner. 86 min. NFVLS.
NOVEMBER AD 2000
Monday 06th., 8pm
*ONE FROGGY EVENING (1955), *BAD LUCK
BLACKIE (1949), *FINE FEATHERED FRIEND
(1942), *AFTER YOU'VE GONE (1946), *THE
WILD ONE (1954), *THE SMALLEST SHOW ON
EARTH (1957), *COPS (1922), *BIG BUSINESS
(1929), *TWO TARS (1928).
*ONE FROGGY EVENING (1955)
"Hello ma baby, hello ma honey, hello ma ragtime gal..." A workman finds a SINGING FROG in the
cornerstone of an old building being demolished. But when he tries to cash in on his
discovery, he finds the frog will sing only for him, and just croak for the talent agent and
the audience in the theater he's spent his life savings on. Terrence Monck .... Michigan J.
Frog (singing voice), Michael Maltese (story), Directed by CHUCK JONES. 7 min.
plus-
*BAD LUCK BLACKIE (1949),
A little cat is being mercilessly tormented by a mean bulldog until one day he meets a black
cat who offers a bad-luck service. Whenever the little cat blows a whistle, the black cat
comes out, and the bulldog is struck down with an attack of bad luck. Things look bad for the
bulldog until he realizes that a cat's color can be changed... Dir: TEX AVERY. 8min.
*FINE FEATHERED FRIEND (1942),
Jerry mouse takes advantage of a rather mean tempered hen (that looks suspiciously like a
rooster) to hide from Tom. Directed by BILL HANNA & JOE BARBERA . 8min.
*AFTER YOU'VE GONE (1946),
Trippy, psychedelic DISNEY take on a Swing standard has a suspiciously 'fischinger' smell to
it! (Psychotropics still in the system after the '43-'45 Sth. America projects?) The BENNY
GOODMAN QUARTET provides the sound. Segment from the 10-part, animated portmanteau feature,
MAKE MINE MUSIC (1946).
plus, (the return of) >>Quickie Theatre<<, with EXCERPTS from:
*THE WILD ONE (1954), [excerpt]
A gang of 40 motorcyclists, the Black Rebels, gatecrash a legitimate motorcycle race. They are
eventually thrown out, but one of the gang steals the second prize trophy and gives it to
their leader, Johnny. The gang then ride into Wrightsville, where they cruise up and down the
main street, and pile into Bleekers - the local bar. The owner of the bar, the Sheriff, is
happy to let the bikers spend their money, so does nothing to break up any disturbances.
We pick up the story just before Johnny falls for the Sheriffs daughter, and tries to impress
her with the trophy. When a rival gang ride into town, trouble is just around the corner.
Directed by László Benedek.
MARLON BRANDO .... Johnny Strabler/Narrator
Mary Murphy .... Kathie Bleeker
*THE SMALLEST SHOW ON EARTH (1957), [excerpt]
How not to exhibit films - a comedy of errors. Jean and Bill are a struggling married couple
with Bill trying to scrape a living as a writer. Out of the blue they receive a telegram
informing them that Bill's long-lost uncle has died and left them his business - a cinema in
the town of Sloughborough. They pack their bags and travel to Sloughborough expecting to sell
the cinema to gain a huge inheritance, however, they discover the cinema is falling apart and
is run by a comically incompetant staff who seem to have worked there forever. They set out
with a plan to sell it but things don't quite go to plan. Having decided to take over the
management of the cinema, in the perhaps naive view that they can run a cinema without
bothering with the irksome task of learning how to do it, a variety of simple but humorous
mishaps and the dirty tricks of a rival cinema lead to the dismissal of the chief
projectionist. The folly of this is brought home by the frequent foul ups in the projection
box and the resultant riots in the auditorium. Sellers gets a good script and he shows that he
deserves it. Sid James could act before he appeared in so many Carry On films playing a
remarkably similar character, and carries on from his Ealing days. Directed by BASIL DEARDEN.
Virginia McKenna .... Jean
Bill Travers .... Matt
MARGARET RUTHERFORD .... Mrs. Fazackalee
PETER SELLERS .... Percy Quill
BERNARD MILES .... Old Tom
SID JAMES .... Mr. Hogg
STRINGER DAVIS .... Emmett
and
Robert Youngson's "THE GOLDEN AGE OF COMEDY" (1957), [excerpts], incl.:
*COPS (1922),
Through a series of mistaken identities BUSTER KEATON winds up with a load of furniture in the
middle of parade of policemen. An anarchist's bomb lands in his carriage. After lighting his
cigarette with it, he tosses it into the ranks of police. When it explodes, the police chase
him all over town. The long shot of Buster driving the wagon up the street directly at the
camera, with the sudden flood of cops pouring in from the sides, is as beautiful as it is
funny.
BUSTER KEATON .... The Young Man
Joe Roberts .... Police Chief
Virginia Fox .... Mayor's Daughter
Edward F. Cline .... Hobo
*BIG BUSINESS (1929),
STAN and OLLIE are Christmas tree salesmen in California. Business is slow and a simple
argument with one grumpy prospective customer (JAMES FINLAYSON) escalates from a simple
argument into full scale mutual destruction with Stan & Ollie destroying the customers house
and garden, whilst Finlayson reduces their car to scrap metal, all under the disbelieving gaze
of a police officer & an assembled. Directed by James W. Horne & Leo McCarey. crowd. 20 min.
STAN LAUREL .... Stan
OLIVER HARDY .... Ollie
AMES FINLAYSON .... Homeowner
Tiny Sandford .... Policeman
*TWO TARS (1928),
Stanley and Oliver, two sailors on shore leave, rent a car and go on a drive with their dates,
but soon get involved in a huge traffic jam with dozens of ill-tempered motorists. A minor
collision sets off an escalating series of tit-for-tat retaliations which eventually has most
of the cars in pieces. Probably the best silent Laurel and Hardy ever made. It is hilarious.
From the opening lamp-post gag, to the gumball machine, to the hilarious traffic jam and
finally the train ending, this movie really is a rib-tickler. It's one of the greatest
comedies ever made! Thelma Hill and Ruby Blaine are the girls, and Edgar Kennedy is the
motorist whose car Laurel and Hardy promptly tear to shreds. 21 min.
STAN LAUREL .... Stanley
OLIVER HARDY .... Oliver
Edgar Kennedy .... Motorist
Thelma Hill .... Brunette girl
Ruby Blaine .... Blonde girl
Directed by James Parrott
AUGUST AD 2000
Monday 07th., 8pm UPBEAT!
*SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB (1930), *BLACK
MUSIC IN AMERICA: FROM THEN TILL NOW
(1971), *JIMMY THE C (1977), *FOUR JAZZ
SOUNDIES (1942), *KEEP ON ROCKIN! (1972).
*SINKIN' IN THE BATHTUB (1930),
Bosko bathes, dances, improvises music and visits his girlfriend Honey to a succession of
(once) popular tunes. The first LOONEY TUNES cartoon! Directed by HUGH HARMON and RUDOLPH
ISING. 9 min. NFVLS.
*BLACK MUSIC IN AMERICA: FROM THEN TILL NOW (1971),
Presents the history of black people's contribution to American music from the pioneer days
until 1970. Features (among others) LOUIS ARMSTRONG, MAHALIA JACKSON, DUKE ELLINGTON, COUNT
BASSIE, NINA SIMONE and (what is reported to be) the only footage of BESSIE SMITH. Dir: Hugh
A. Robertson. A Learning Corporation of America production. 28 min. ALC.
*JIMMY THE C (1977),
Singing peanut, (ex-)President Jimmy Carter, backed by a chorus-line of leggy, leguminous
pulses, "Betty Boo"s his way through RAY CHARLES' "GEORGIA"! Only by seeing it will you
believe it!!! Academy AwardTM nominee, 1977. Produced by James Picker, Robert Grossman and
Craig Whitaker (Motionpicker Productions). 4 min. ALC.
*FOUR JAZZ SOUNDIES (1942),
Soundies, forerunners to the rock-clip, were made for visual jukeboxes in the 1940s. Here's a
set of FOUR numbers featuring LOUIS ARMSTRONG, GENE KRUPA, FATS WALLER & CAB CALLOWAY! 12 min. NFVLS.
and featuring:
*KEEP ON ROCKIN! (1972),
On the stage of the 1969 Toronto Rock and Roll Revival - a part of the Sweet Toronto Peace
Festival (where "Give Peace a Chance" was the theme) - a Rock Festival, featuring some of
the greatest musical artists of North America, took place. BO DIDLEY, JERRY LEE LEWIS, CHUCK
BERRY, LITTLE RICHARD, PHIL DANIELS, Philip Davis, all make their appearance in spectacular
fashion, in enormous cars and the like. A young public jams the stage, ready for the long and
frenetic hours of music. Euphoria erupts as opener Bo Diddey, electric guitar in hand,
appears on stage. After several songs full of force and fury, Bo retires soaked i sweat,
followed by none other than Jerry Lee Lewis, who begins his repertoire with a slow and sweet
ballad. A film by D A Pennebaker, one of the foremost proponents of direct cinema, a style of
film-making that favored the immediate recording of reality in as unobtrusive a manner as
possible. 94 min. NFVLS.
Monday 21st., 8pm
UNDERGROUND CLASSICS
*SCORPIO RISING (1964), *HOLD ME WHILE I'M
NAKED (1966), *MONGOLOID (1978), *ECLIPSE
OF THE SUN VIRGIN (1967), *FLAMING
CREATURES (1963), *BLONDE COBRA (1963).
This month Splodge! is proud to have as its guest curator Dr. Constantine Verevis from the
School of Literary, Visual and Performance Studies in the Faculty of Arts at Monash
University. Dr Verevis will also introduce the programme on the night.
*SCORPIO RISING (1964),
KENNETH ANGER's remarkable evocation of the motorcycle as fetish-object, set to a sound-track
of classy pop songs, has anti-hero "Scorpio" stylishly intercut with shots of HITLER, JAMES
DEAN, MARLON BRANDO and JESUS. Violence, black humour, motorcycle cultists, death and
demonic forces. 29 min.
*HOLD ME WHILE I'M NAKED (1966),
An early GEORGE KUCHAR film using his familiar mix of lurid, hysterical melodrama, personal
reflections and overblown or sad music. Effective as both a melancholy diary of frustration
and a powerful pastiche, and said to be a major influence on director, JOHN WATERS. Director:
George Kuchar. 15 min.
*MONGOLOID (1978),
Composed of hilarious instructional diagrams, old television commercials, and found footage,
structured into a parody of America's "silent majority". "Mongoloid", the song on the
soundtrack, was written and performed by the American punk-rock group DEVO. Note: No spoken
dialogue. Producer: BRUCE CONNOR. 4 min.
*ECLIPSE OF THE SUN VIRGIN (1967),
Something of a follow-up to HOLD ME WHILE I'M NAKED (1966). Described by Kuchar as "a chilling
montage of crimson repression". Director: George Kuchar. 12 min.
*FLAMING CREATURES (1963),
The films of Hollywood 'Z'-grade movie-queen MARIA MONTEZ, and those of JOSEPH VON STERNBERG
with MARLENE DIETRICH, were points of departure for this dream-like evocation of a
mythological Hollywood - 'a comedy set in a haunted Hollywood studio' as Smith described it.
Ten scenes of uncertain polymorphous, perverse sex, accompanied by nostalgic and repetitive
music, were filmed on often murky and over-exposed film-stock, and minimally edited with
deliberately obscured boundaries between scenes.
A key work of the American avant garde, FLAMING CREATURES has been located within the
tradition of 'the cinema of shock', which goes back to UN CHIEN ANDALOU (1929). It has been
compared with the works of BAUDELAIRE and the paintings of DELACROIX and BOSCH.
Despite its notoriety, Susan Sontag has rightly described Smith's film as 'too full of pathos
and too ingenuous to be prurient'. Director, script, photography: Jack Smith. Note: Contains
scenes which may offend some viewers. 43 min. NFVLS.
*BLONDE COBRA (1963).
This is a reworking by Ken Jacobs of film and sound tapes abandoned by Bob Fleischner and Jack
Smith. The original intention was to make a 'light monster movie comedy' in two separate
stories.
Jacob's film is a fragmented weave of sound and image designed to undermine the sound/image
relationships in a narrative.
Jack Smith portrays a self-destructive personality playing many different characters.
P. Adams Sitney ("Visionary Film: The American Avant-Garde" [1974]) comments that Smith
reveals sexual despair while at the same time mocking such despair. Filmmakers: Bobby
Fleischner, Ken Jacobs. Cast: Jack Smith. 33 min. NFVLS.
JULY AD 2000
Monday 5th., 8pm
Bow-Wow WOW!
FROM HOPELESS TO HELPLESS (~1965) , SIRIUS
REMEMBERED (1960) , THE THREE LITTLE PIGS
(1933), HAMS THAT COULDN'T BE CURED
(1942), THE MONGRELOID (1978), DOGGONE
TIRED (1948), BACALL TO ARMS (1946),
EXPERIMENTS IN THE RIVIVAL OF ORGANISMS
(1940), DOG WATCH (1945). ANGUS LOST
(1982), PETER AND THE WOLF (1946)
FROM HOPELESS TO HELPLESS
(~1965)
Episode from the UNDERDOG SHOW
cartoon series, originating from
the Total Television/Leonard
Productions stable, (which also
brought us THE KING
LEONARDO SHOW). A shoe-shine puppy
transforms himself into a superhero
every time Sweet Polly Purebred (a
pretty TV reporter) gets in
trouble. With voices of WALLY COX
(Underdog), DON ADAMS, (the great)
JACKSON BECK, & Norma McMillan
(Sweet Polly Pure- bred). Also
includes two Aesop and Son
segments! 26 min.
SIRIUS REMEMBERED (1960),
Stan Brakhage searched for 'the
deeper image of death' as he
filmed, over a period of weeks, the
decomposition of the corpse of his
family's DEAD DOG, using a series
of rhythmic camera movements.
"Mystical Illumination" helped him
edit the film, he once said. 12
min.
THE THREE LITTLE PIGS (1933),
Classic DISNEY version of the
traditional story was a
morale-booster when it was released
in the depths of the
GreatDepression.
Sing along to Who's Afraid of the
Big Bad Wolf?, if you dare!
Technicolor. 9 min. NFVLS.
HAMS THAT COULDN'T BE CURED
(1942)
The Big Bad Wolf, put on trial for
crimes against bacon, makes out
he's just a big sissy, completely
in the clear, and that it's all a
big frame-up by the trio of
porkers. Parody of THE THREE LITTLE
PIGS, (1933) from the wolf's point
of view, turns out to be yet
another excuse to play swing music
with household utensils. It's also
actually a direct steal from THE
TRIAL OF MR. WOLF, (1941), [Friz
Freleng,
Warner Bros.] A Swing Symphony from
the "Woody Woodpecker" cartoon
studio, releasing through Universal
Pictures). Dir. Walter Lantz. 6.5
min. ALC.
THE MONGRELOID (1978),
NUTTY George Kuchar reminisces with
his doggy pal about their great
times together. Flashbacks to
happier times, & an unhappy meeting
with a horse, are accompanied by
western songs & other stirring
toons. 9 min. NFVLS.
DOGGONE TIRED (1948),
Absolutely hilarious TEX AVERY
cartoon involves a screwy rabbit
finding ways to prevent a
hunting-dog from sleeping, so that
the pathetic pooch will be too
tired to catch him in the morning!
8 min. NFVLS.
BACALL TO ARMS (1946),
A Hollywood wolf makes a pass at a
cute movie usherette, gets slapped
in the face,
then settles down for the show. But
his juices get flowing again when
the feature, TO HAVE,TO HAVE,TO
HAVE.., comes on, and he's
inflamed by the hot romantic scenes
between Bogey Gocart and Laurie
Becool. Dir: BOB CLAMPETT,WB. 7
min. NFVLS.
EXPERIMENTS IN THE REVIVAL OF DEAD
ORGANISMS (1940),
Godless Soviet (COMMIE) SADISTS
purport to bring flatlined pooches
back to life using old Victa
lawnmower parts! Presented by
British Marxist boffin, JBS
Haldane. 22min. ALC.
DOG WATCH (1945),
Mickey's faithful mutt, PLUTO, is
given the responsibility of looking
after the ship while the crew goes
on shore leave. All goes well until
a crafty, hungry wharf rat sneaks
on board. Technicolor. Dir: Charles
Nicholls. 8 min. ALC.
ANGUS LOST (1982),
Charming live- actioner, with more
than a touch of FRED BASSETT to it,
about Scotty dog who breaks curfew
& goes a- wand'rin'. So full of
lovable antics you could carve it.
Story: Marjory PING THE DUCK Flack.
12 min. ALC.
PETER AND THE WOLF (1946),
Cartoon adaptation of Russian
folk-tale involving boy, Peter and
his hunt for a raiding wolf.
Originally a segment of the feature
MAKE MINE MUSIC (1946), later
released separately, DISNEY's
animated version, set to the music
of Sergei Prokofiev, came several
years after his classic FANTASIA
(1940). 16 min. NFVLS.
Monday 17th., 8pm JULY
Film Femmes
POOR
CINDERELLA (1934), LEADING LADIES (1973),
EDITH HEAD (1981), DAMES (1934), THE LOVE
GODDESSES: A HISTORY OF SEX IN THE CINEMA
(1965).
POOR CINDERELLA (1934),
BETTY BOOP stars in a fractured
musical retelling of the Cinderella
story. Prod: MAX FLEISCHER, Dir: Dave
Fleischer (maybe), Anim: Seymour
Kneitel, Roland Crandall, Mus: Charles
Tobias. 10 min. NFVLS.
LEADING LADIES (1973),
A curious ritual of the film business,
known only to insiders, was to
incorporate brief shots of females in
film leaders, ostensibly to check
colour-balance on skin tones.
Film-artist Lynsey Martin did the
obvious thing and edited together as
many "Kodak ladies" as he could find. 5
min. NFVLS.
EDITH HEAD (1981),
An interview with the multi-award
winning, veteran Hollywood costume
designer, in which she discusses her
career and presents some of the
costumes she has designed for Hollywood
legends, incl. MAE WEST, JEAN HARLOW,
GINGER ROGERS, DOROTHY LAMOUR, PAUL
NEWMAN and ROBERT REDFORD. Dir:
Christian (ROGER CORMAN: HOLLY- WOOD'S
WILD ANGEL, 1978) Blackwood, Charlotte
Kerr. Prod Co: Blackwood/Sokal- Kerr
Productions. 28 min. ALC.
plus Quickie Theatre presents:
DAMES (1934) [excerpt]
Extracts from the Warners 'show
musical', featuring two lavishly staged
BUSBY
BERKELEY numbers.The titlenumber,
Dames, by Al Dubin and Harry Warren,
under Berkeley's imaginative direction
becomes 'a paean to feminine
pulchritude' in the words of one
writer. Dubin and Warren's song, I Only
Have Eyes For You, features a whole
bevy of 'RUBY KEELER's, in Berkeley's
staging of a dream that DICK POWELL is
having in a New York subway! Dir: Ray
Enright, Musical dir: BUSBY BERKELEY,
Scr: DELMER DAVES, Phot: SOL POLITO,
Editor: Harold McLernon Mus: HARRY
WARREN, AL DUBIN. 24 min. NFVLS.
and featuring:
THE LOVE GODDESSES: A HISTORY OF SEX IN
THE CINEMA (1977),
This FANTASTIC documentary focuses on
Hollywood's changing depiction of sex
in the movies from the silent era to
the 60s, and presents a veritable
cavalcade of screen sirens, undoubtedly
some of the most beautiful actresses to
grace the silver screen, including
MARILYN MONROE, THEDA BARA, LOUISE
BROOKS, MARLENE DIETRICH, JEAN HARLOW,
RITA HAYWORTH, AUDREY HEPBURN, HEDY
LAMARR, CAROL LOMBARD, GINGER ROGERS,
BARBARA STANWYCK, BRIGITTEs HELM &
BARDOT, LANA TURNER and MAE WEST.
Containing many welcome classic scenes,
it is the fascination of the film-clips
that carries the day - thus,
thankfully, Nostalgia triumphs over
analysis once again! The Nine Network
used to run "The Love Goddesses" in
their midnight to dawn schedule in the
(alas) long-gone days of all-night
movies. Leonard Maltin says it is
supposed to run for 87 minutes, and
that it has a colour sequence, but the
print we have here has been
"abbreviated". Whether this occurred
before or after it was struck, we
cannot tell, (though we shall soon
know). Possibly this colour sequence
is missing from this print, or, perhaps
it is the montage- sequence involving
actresses seductively smoking
cigarettes that has been removed,
(either by dictates of political
correctness, or possibly by an
obsessive fan of oral gratification!)
Compiled by Saul J. (THE HISTORY OF THE
MOTION PICTURE series ) Turell,
Music: PERCY FAITH. 77 min. NFVLS.
JUNE
AD 2000
Monday 5th., 8pm
KRIMEWAVE
THE CUCKOO MURDER CASE (1930),
Gumshoe FLIP THE FROG is lured to a
deserted mansion on a dark and stormy
night to investigate the murder of the
wooden inhabitant of a cuckoo-clock.
Produced, direct- ed and animated by UB
IWERKS, Music: CARL STALLING. 8 min. NFVLS.
THE HOOSE-GOW (1929),
LAUREL AND HARDY are on the chain gang.
Stanley, on wood-cutting detail,
inadvertently cuts down the
lookout-post, so they are both assigned
to ditch digging, (where it's presumed
they can do no harm). Another
'textbook' example of a L&H 'set-up'
escalating to cinematic mayhem.
Director: James Parrott, Script: LEO
McCAREY, Producer: HAL ROACH. 20 min. NFVLS. 20 min.
DONALD'S CRIME (1951),
DONALD DUCK needs money to take his
girlfriend, Daisy, to a dance, so he
steals his nephews' piggy bank.
Tormented by guilt, Donald returns the
money before his nephews discover what
has happened. Made at the peak of Ol'
Don's popularity, and an outstanding
example of Disney morality regarding
the psychology of guilt. Producer: WALT
DISNEY, Director: Jack King, Script:
Ralph Wright. 7 min. ALC.
THE PENGUIN DECLINES (1967)
The Joker smuggles The Penguin out of
prison to collaborate on a crime-wave
inspired by the signs of the Zodiac.
The green gag-meister persuades his
other accomplice, Venus, to attempt to
cajole Batman into revealing the
location of the BatCave. The Joker and
Penguin stow away in the trunk of the
Batmobile and breech batcave security.
The Caped Crusader turns Venus from her
evil ways, but he, she and Boy Wonder,
Robin, are chained in a shallow pool,
about to be eaten by a giant clam.
Meanwhile, The Joker turns all of
Gotham City's water into strawberry
jam. Commissioner Gordon: "You know I'm
violently opposed to police brutality."
This episode was one the series' first
'three- parter's, simultaneously
celebrating the show's one year
anniversary and helping to open ABCs
second season. What more could you
want?
Cast: Adam West, Burt Ward and Alan
MACBETH (195 ) Napier, Neil KING KONG
1933) Hamilton, Stafford Repp. Special
guest villain: CEASAR ROMERO as The
Joker, BURGESS MEREDITH as The Penguin,
Terry Moore (HOWARD HUGHES' former
girlfriend) as Venus. Director: Ozcar
Rudolph, Story by Stephen Kandel,
Teleplay by Stephen Kandel and Stanford
Sherman, Photography: Howard Schwartz,
Theme Music: Neil Hefti, Performed by
NELSON RIDDLE, Editing: Frank O'Neil,
Produced by Howie Horwitz, Company:
Greenway, in association with Twentieth
Century Fox Television. 25 min.
JAIL BAIT (1937,
Hilarious Buster Keaton short has an
unsuspecting character (Keaton)
agreeing to participate in a twisted
plot to catch a murderer after being
promised a share of the reward money. 20 min. NFVLS.
and featuring
MANIAC (1934),
A mad scientist, Dr Meirschultz,
experiments on dead bodies obtained
from the morgue by his even more insane
assistant, Maxwell, a former vaudeville
impersonator who turns out to be the
true maniac. A truly bizarre,
no-budget exploitation film, made by a
husband and wife team, is thinly
disguised as a docu-
drama on madness with more than a
passing nod to Edgar Allan Poe. The
opening title proclaims fear to be a
psychic disease. [Maxwell's
hallucinations include excerpts from
Witchcraft Through the Ages a (1922)And
Siegfried (1924)]. Be warned: there are
a few brief shots of bare-breasted
women and at one point Maxwell plucks
out the gleaming eye of a black cat and
eats it.! More Director: Dwain Esper,
Assistant director: J. Stuart Blackton,
Jr., Story and continuity: Hildagarde
Stadie, Photography: William Thompson,
Editor: William Austin. Cast: Bill
Woods, Horace Carpenter, Ted Edwards,
Phyllis Diller, (but not the famous
comedienne). 51 min. NFVLS.
Maniac (1934),
Dwain Esper's immortal sleaze-fest is the forerunner of today's trash cinema. See a cat's eye being eaten, women
fighting with syringes, a mad rapist and more.
While it pretends to be a thoughtful analysis of
mental illness, this truly twisted drama from famed exploitation
director Esper actually is a Depression-era rendition of
Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat, injected with catfights (both
literal and figurative), nudity and necrophilia. Its thoroughly
outlandish scenario involves what happens when a psychotic kills a
crazed doctor, and then takes on his identity. Note: The
actress named Phyllis Diller, who plays Mrs. Buckley, is not the
more famous comedienne.
"Typically delirious Esper schlockfest- filmed mostly in somebody's basement...High points include a passionate soliloquy on insanity, pulling out a cat's eye and eating it, and a climactic fight between two women armed with hypodermic needles!" - Rob Edelman, Movie & Video Guide.
Directed by Dwain Esper with Bill Woods, Horace Carpenter, Ted Edwards, Phyllis Diller, 54 m., B&W.
Maniac 1934, 54 mins.
Directed by Dwain Esper
with Bill Woods, Horace Carpenter, Ted Edwards, Phyllis Diller.
While it pretends to be a thoughtful analysis of
mental illness, this truly twisted drama from famed exploitation
director Esper actually is a Depression-era rendition of Edgar
Allan Poe's The Black Cat, injected with catfights (both literal
and figurative), nudity and necrophilia. Its thoroughly
outlandish scenario involves what happens when a psychotic kills a crazed doctor, and then takes on his identity. Note: The actress named Phyllis Diller, who plays Mrs. Buckley, is not the more famous comedienne.
Monday 19th., 8pm JUNE
Flickaphonic.OZ!
CHUNK (1986),
A boldly original film that comments on
the state of the music industry. It
features a band called CUT THE CHEESE,
and includes five inventive music-video
clips. Produced and directed by James
Bogle. 29 min. NFVLS.
BOOBS A LOT (1968),
Prepare to riot! Enormously
controversial, "experimental"
kinestatic clip from the heady days of
the "Summer of Love", culled from
girlie magazines. In the days of
blacked-out
nipples, it achieved notoriety (and
profitability) by being banned by the
censor for eighteen months. Say what
you will, but, hey, what a toe- tapping
chune! Film-maker: Aggy Read. 3 min. NFVLS.
BERTIE THE AEROPLANE (1940),
An animated commercial for AEROPLANE
JELLY, featuring the Aeroplane Jelly
song. Animation by Eric (MR. SHEEN!)
Porter. Commentary by JACK ("Hi Ho,
everybody!") DAVEY. 3 min. NFVLS.
TALAHASSIE LASSIE (1967),
Low-budget rock-clip, from before there
were rock-clips. Experimental short
made by Garry Shead, member of UBU,
Australia's first, consciously
avant-garde film-making group, formed
in Sydney in 1965. NFVLS.
ULURU (1977),
In this avant-garde video-film by Mike
Glasheen, time-lapse photography,
super- impositions and video-mixing are
used to relate Aboriginal myths such as
Wanambi the rainbow serpent, to the
topography of Uluru. 24 min. ALC.
LOU VERNON'S CHARACTER SONGS (1930),
Stage routines performed before the
camera by one of the leading character
actors of the time, [later appearing in
Stanley Kramer's ON THE BEACH (1959)].
Produced by Frank Thring, Sr's EFFTEE
FILMS, Melbourne. 10 min.
3 DIRECTIONS IN AUSTRALIAN POP (1972),
Here's a great social document
reminding us of three manifestation of
early 70s Australian rock music: the
theatrical act of WENDY SADDINGTON and
Teardrop; the acid/ cannabis-tinged
music of the CAPTAIN MATCHBOX WHOOPEE
BAND; and the popular rock group
INDELIBLE MURTCEPS (Spectrum... spelt
backwards!). Dir: PETER WEIR. 11 min. ALC.
FREE MUSIC (197?),
Aside from scoring the jingle for the
Edgell tinned vegies ad, and exhibiting
a taste for
mild, mother-fixated D&S, PERCY
GRAINGER surprised us all by designing
the first Aussie electronic
(electro-mechanical,
atcherly) music device, built in
collaboration with technician Bernard
Cross. Don't forget your earplugs, 'coz
here's a blast! 11 min. ALC.
APPROXIMATELY PANTHER (1967),
Run off and find your old stash of
GO-SETs because this
(amaaaazingly-groovy) Melbourne
film-document reports on the local
teenage cults of 1967, featuring rare
footage of LIONEL Yorky YORK at the
(once) great
3AK in its heyday, LYNNE Caio Baby
RANDELL, NORMIE Oo La La ROWE, ADRIAN
RAWLINS, THE LOVED ONES
- in a proto-'pop-clip', plus some of
the swingin'est, period Chapel St.
discotheques!>
- so mod, so chic! 22 min. ALC.
BUNDY INTO DREAMLAND (1979),
Workers
by day, artists by night, part-time
musos discuss the problems of
reconciling passion with necessity.
With '70 electronica group, Machine.
Dir: Curtis Levy. 15 min. ALC.
TWO SONGS BY DOUGIE YOUNG (1979),
An original recording of aboriginal
singer Dougie Young singing two of his
songs is the basis of this animated
film . They Say It's A Crime describes
an Aboriginal's encounter with white
law, The Land Where The Crow Flies
Backwards describes a displaced
aboriginal culture. Dir: Michael
Buckley. 7 min. ALC.
BEARD AND BASS (1960),
An experimental short film about a
bearded young man and a double bass.
Music by GEORGE (RUSH, 1974) DREYFUS,
edited by Peter Tammer. Dir: TIM (ALVIN
PURPLE, 1973) BURSTALL. 3 min.
Monday 1st., 8pm
MAY
AD 2000
ANCIENT WORLD
EGYPTE (1976),
Timelapse photography and spooky music
give an impressively eerie feel to this
impressionistic survey
of the great monuments of Egypt, where
art and civilisation flowered 5000
years ago.
CROSSING THE GREAT SAGRADA (1924)
A silent era comic travel film, telling
of of the story of Holmes, Sweet and
Holmes' voyage by sea to Africa where
they then set off, on camels, across
the desert to finally arrive at the
famous Cascara of Sagrada falls.
(During one of the periodic slumps in
the British film industry, Adrian
Brunel amused himself and many others
by producing a series of film
burlesques. This is just such a one.)
SOMEBODY HAS TO PLAY CLEOPATRA (~1963),
Incredibly rare episode of THE DICK VAN
DYKE SHOW in which Rob directs an
amateur theatrical, but rehearsals are
dogged by controversy over the casting
of a key part...
Cleopatra. With Bob Crane and Imogene
Coco.
HISTORY BROUGHT TO LIFE (1949),
Hammy CECIL B DE MILLE introduces us to
the work done by Hollywood research
experts, bringing accuracy of mood and
detail to motion picture versions of
significant historical periods.
Produced by Paramount Pictures, in
co-operat- ion with the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts & SciencesTM.
WILLOUGHBY'S MAGIC CAP (194?),
Bizarrely profane cartoon from Columbia
Pictures (wouldn'ta happened at MGM,
that's for sure!) about a dweeb endowed
with super- powers derived from a cap
knitted from the Biblical Samson's
shorn locks! (Watch for the WWII
reference, not to mention the Health
Inspector!)
plus Quickie Theatre presents:
THE FALL OF BABYLON (1916), [excerpt]
Magnificently-presented excerpt from
classic, INTOLERANCE
(1916), is actually extremely
tolerable. This section is fascinating
for its enormous, full-scale sets of
the old "Great Whore",
fantastic battle-scenes, millions of
extras, amazingly-realistic
reconstructions of the life, habits and
customs of the times, as well
as a darn' good story-line. Directed by
DW GRIFFITH.
PLUS
BARABBAS (1962), [excerpt]
Fantastic
gladiator scenes from the Richard
Fleischer sword and sandal Biblical
epic. Stars JACK PALANCE and ANTHONY
QUINN going at each other for all
they're worth, in the days of the Roman
Empire. A Dino Di Laurentiis
production.
and featuring
THE OLDEST WONDER (1975),
This film investigates the development
of the pyramid shape for the Egyptian
tombs, and how it was possible to build
the Great Pyramid within thirty years.
The myths surrounding the pyramids are
explored and the scientific techniques
used to explore them are examined.
Narrated by Magnus Magnussen.
Monday 15th., 8pm
MAY
NEWSREAL
BLAZE BUSTERS (1950),
A newsreel compilation of footage of
spectacular fires captured on film,
including the
ship fires of the Morro Castle and the
Normandie. Produced by Pathe News, Inc.
Written and directed by Robert
Youngson.
MENACE (1952),
A montage of found, staged and
actuality footage is disguised as
newsreel in this anti- Communist tract.
It is one of the few overtly
propagandist political films made at
the Australian News and Information
Bureau. It was subsidised by 20th
Century Fox and sponsored by American
distributors. Producer, director, Jack
S. Allan.
GADGETS GALORE (1955),
Another Robert Youngson compilation
drawn from newsreel items, this time
about bizarre automobiles. A Warner
Brothers picture. Narrated by Dwight
Weist and Ward Wilson. Editor, Albert
Helmes.
REVENGE OF A KINEMATOGRAPH OPERATOR (1912),
Mrs Beetle is involved with a
grasshopper artist while Mr Beetle is
seeing a dragonfly cabaret performer!
An intricate drama of (f)lies, deceit
and the just revenge of the
cinematographer. An example of an early
animated puppet film by Ladislas
Starevich, a young Polish artist, who
gained international recognition for
his pioneering work in animated films.
Possibly the very first cinematic
treat- ment of insect infidelity.
REPORT (1964),
Newsreel footage and radio tapes of
JFK's assassination, assembled by Bruce
Conner to stress the tragic absurdity
of that day.
Plus Quicky Theatre presents:
KINO-PRAVDA (1922), [excerpt]
A compilation of excerpts from
KINOPRAVDA,
truth presented through the means of
film
technique, which was a 23 issue
newsreel series issued at approximately
monthly intervals between 1922-25.
Actual filming was done by a
group of cameramen -correspondents, and
a wide variety of footage was then
shaped by Vertov at the editing table.
He saw the series as the basis for his
later theories developed in, for
example, MAN WITH A MOVIECAMERA and
ENTHUSIASM, in which he rejected
fictional drama and sought to reshape
images drawn from everyday reality to
reveal a fresh world view.
and featuring
YESTERDAY'S WITNESS: A TRIBUTE TO THE AMERICAN NEWSREEL (1975),
Hosted by veteran radio-man, Lowell
Thomas, this fantastic retrospective on
newsreel cinema contains an
extraordinary compilation of
actuality footage from Warners,
Universal, Fox Movietone and News of
the day, including La Guardia's
anti-gambling crusade, the death of
T.E. Lawrence, Yankee book burnings,
the 1935 invasion of Cuba, but
surprisingly over- looks clips of the
death of Charlie Kane. Directed by
Christian Blackwood.
AD 2000
APRIL
Monday 3rd., 8pm
PARTY GIRLS
HARD WORK (1977),
Enormously enjoyable doco shot
around the five days of the First
International Hookers' Convention
in Washington D.C., and its
charismatic convenor, the sassy
Margo St. James, as she agitates for
the decriminalisation of prostitution.
Surprise cameo by a junior JIM
News Hour LEHRER. Directed by Ginny
Durin.
BETTY BOOP & GRAMPY (1935),
BETTY BOOP, her pal, Bimbo (I kid you
not!)
and KOKO THE CLOWN, whoop it up over at
mad inventor Grampy's 'house of fun'!
Direct- ed by Dave Fleischer (maybe).
FELIX VISITS ARABIA (1920?),
Felix the Cat stumbles into a Middle
Eastern
harem! A Pat Sullivan cartoon, (though
chances are he had next to nothing to
do with it.)
plus Quickie Theatre presents:
INSIDE THE WHITE SLAVE TRADE (1913), [excerpt]
Early,
controversial exploitation flick
-part melodrama, part docu- drama-
set around the 'red light' districts
of several US cities, tells the
story of a young woman lured
into prostitution by a 'white
slaver' after having been
rejected by her family. This
surviving version runs nearly half the
original length, the most
confronting (presumably 'actuality')
footage having been excised either
by censors or by 'private
collectors' (or possibly both!)
Produced by
The Moral Feature Co., & directed by
Samuel H. London.
and featuring
CHICKEN RANCH: A LEGAL BROTHEL IN NEVADA (1982),
If you ever hit the jackpot in Las
Vegas, you might be one of those
who'd be interested to
know where the nearest legal bordello
is. Yup, this is the one.
(Naughty) NICK Kurt & Courtney
(1997) BROOMFIELD, and his
associate, Sandi Sissel, faux-fumble
their way behind closed doors to
expose the surreal,
tragi-comical world of this
gilded bird-cage.
APRIL
Monday 17th., 8pm
OLD FARTS
WHERE DID YOU GET THAT WOMAN? (1982),
Colourful, good-lookin' profile of feisty, Chicago black
woman who, in true American 'free
enterprise' spirit, sets up her
own valet and 'mom-style' advice
bureau in a ladies' rest-room on
the periphery of the local night-
life strip! Watch out for the
tongue-lashing she serves on all
those groovers and beautiful
people. Great bluesy score.
Directed by Loretta Smith and Linda Horowitz.
THE CRITIC (1963),
Whose grampa IS it that always
sits behind you at the movies???
Monologue provided by MEL BROOKS.
Directed by Ernie Pintoff.
MAGOO'S PUDDLE JUMPER (1956),
Nearsighted MR. MAGOO withhis
nephew Waldo, backs off a pier
in his 'new' used car and takes a
leisurely drive under water.
Excerpts from this Academy AwardTM-winner, directed by Pete Burness
at UPA, featured extensively in
the opening credit sequence of TV's
FABULOUS ADVENTURES OF MR. MAGOO.
Jim (GILLIGAN'S ISLAND) Backus as the
voice of Magoo.
IN MY MERRY OLDSMOBILE (1931),
Follow the BOUNCING BALL, and
maybe even join in, with this
animated sing-along to the tune of that creaky chestnut, "In My
Merry Oldsmobile", from Fleischer
Studios Incorporated.
Plus Quicky Theatre presents:
THE LADYKILLERS (1955), [excerpt]
The Professor makes a last minute
check on the bank's procedure for
transferring money, while the rest
of the gang are still at Mrs.
Wilberforce's keeping up the
pretence that they are musicians at
rehearsal. Working with military
precision and split-second timing,
the gang successfully pull off
the heist. Stars
ALEC GUINNESS, CECIL PARKER,
HERBERT LOM, PETER SELLERS &
FRANKIE HOWERD. Directed by
Alexander Mackendrick at Ealing
Studios.
and featuring
BURROUGHS (1983),
William S. Burroughs has been
called the literary dean of the
American avant-garde,
the father of beat, and the
grand-daddy of punk. Not only one of
the great literary figures of this
century, he was also a stylish, funny
and outrageous man who lived a life
full of wild ups and downs.
Filmed over a period of five years
during the mid-eighties, Howard
Brookner's highly acclaimed
documentary, shot in cinema-verite
style, creates an intimate and revealing portrait of it's elegant,
witty and often shocking subject.
Included are an appearance on
NBC's SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, reading
excerpts from Nova Express, The Place
of Dead Roads,
Cities of the Red Night, The Wild
Boys and
Naked Lunch, interviews with
Patti Smith, Lauren Hutton, Allen
Ginsberg, Terry Southern, Brion Gysin,
John Giorno, and Francis Bacon, as
well as footage from material shot
earlier, in black & white, by British
film director, Antony Balch. A Citifilm
Works production.
MARCH
AD 2000
Monday 6th., 8pm
DROP DEAD, FRED!
MONGREL'S FUNERAL (1985),
A small country community is drawn together by the death of Mongrel in an
accident. But it's not until his mates gather in the pub, in their
'Sunday-best's, (to bolster their courage for the funeral) that they are
able to express their real sorrow. Conveniently missing the church
service, they give Mongrel a send-off in their own way. Cast includes
Sheila Florance and Reg Evans. (Award: Winner Diploma of Merit, Melbourne
Film Festival 1987).
THE RAVEN (1973),
A film version of Edgar Allan Poe's grim horror verse, complemented by
the engravings of Gustave Dore. The intense black and white engravings
that Dore executed to illustrate this poem are washed over with red, blue
and green. The colours fade and disolve with the art work, increasing the
mystery which Poe created with his words.
INCIDENT AT OWL CREEK BRIDGE (1962),
Engrossing Twilight Zoner, set during the American Civil War, in which a
suspected Reb spy stands on the scaffold, about to be hanged, and seems,
as by a series of miracles, to escape death. Directed by Robert Enrico,
from a short story by Ambrose Bierce.
AFTERLIFE (1978),
An impressionistic, visionary response to those eternal questions. Based
on recent studies, OOBEs, and ancient myth, the next world is portrayed
as an awesome but methodical working-out of all the individual's past
experiences. Music performed by HERBIE MANN. Nine Featival awards, incl.
Montreal, Chicago, Annecy, Hong Kong and Columbus.
Plus Quicky Theatre presents:
THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW (1949) [excerpt],
Washington Irving classic has Ichabod Crane, the new schoolmaster arrive
at the peaceful village of Sleepy Hollow. He courts Katrina Van Tassel
(and her fathers's fortune), but has to counter another suitor, Brom
Bones. Part of DISNEY feature: THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD
(1949).
and featuring
THE BRIDE WHO DIED TWICE (1962),
Rare episode from the NBC crime/horror series, THRILLER, hosted by BORIS
KARLOFF. Poetic tale of a fatal romance. Desperate to escape an evil
despot and his henchmen, a young woman (Mala PERRY MASON Powers) feigns
suicide. She flees with her lover (Robert TIME TUNNEL Colbert) only to
have to repeat the experience in earnest. Directed by IDA LUPINO.
Mon. 20th., 8pm
CHANTOOZED
KATE AND ANNA MCGARRIGLE: A PORTRAIT (1981),
A look back at the kooky '70s folk-rock sisters as they undertake their
assault on Carnegie Hall. Includes many of their best toe-tapping hits.
Directed by Caroline Leaf.
BETTY BOOP'S RISE TO FAME (1934),
Live action blends with animation as ("Uncle") Max Fleischer conjures
Betty Boop "out of the inkwell". Betty then demonstrates her routines, in
Revue, including impersonations of Fanny Brice and Maurice Chevalier.
("Ooooooh, Bett-ee!"). Directed by Dave Fleischer.
EDITH PIAF (1968),
Pretty darn' interesting biography of the famous
French warbler.
Plus Quickie Theatre presents:
AFTER YOU'VE GONE (1946), [excerpt]
Trippy, psychedelic Disney take on a Swing standard has a suspiciously
'fischinger' smell to it! (Psychotropics still in the system after the
'43-'45 Sth. America projects?) The Benny Goodman Quartet provides the
sound. Segment from the 10-part, animated portmanteau feature, MAKE MINE
MUSIC (1946).
THE MUSIC BOX (1932),
In their (justly celebrated) Oscar-winner, Stan
and Ollie set out to deliver a piano to a home at the top of a long
stairway. Cast: STAN LAUREL, OLIVER HARDY, Billy Gilbert. Directed by
James Parrott.
but featuring
LONELINESS OF THE LONG DISTANCE SINGER (1974),
Remarkable documentary by
Chris Marker about legendary entertainer YVES MONTAND, the French 'Frank
Sinatra'. As he prepares for a forthcoming show at the Olympia Theatre,
Montand shares insights with us into his politics, philosophy of life and
attitude towards women.
FEBRUARY
AD 2000
Monday 7th., 8pm
AS SEEN ON TV
DATE WITH DIZZY (1956),
Amazing John Hubley short features the appearance of
Dizzie Gillespie and his Quartet as improv session musicians on a TV commercial
production. Unfortunately, the little man from the agency just doesn't get the
sound. Concludes with a wild jam session led by Dizzy. A live-actioner from John
Hubley.
SESAME STREET SHOW NO.1 (1969),
Part of the famous television series for
children which was evolved after months of research and planning. The series
uses a mixture of puppets (Bert and Ernie, Big Bird, Oscar (the grouch)... but
unfortunately no Grover!), film segments and animation, together with 'on-set'
live characters Bob, Gordon, his wife Susan, and Mr. Hooper, all presented in
short grabs. A production of the Children's Television Workshop, for the
National Educational Television Workshop.
DOUBLE TROUBLE (1965),
Incredibly rare episode of the legendary, '60s ABC
children's TV adventure series, THE MAGIC BOOMERANG(!!!). The story is set in a
country town where young Nuggett, the series' hero, gets involved in a plot to
defraud a man of some land. The scam is thwarted with the help of Nuggett, his
friend and the magic boomerang, which has the power to freeze time. The owner
and his land are saved in a happy ending. With
Jim [BELLBIRD] Bacon, and directed by David [THE GREAT McCARTHY (1975)] Baker
for
Pacific Film Productions.
CONCERTO FOR ADS AND HEADS (1975),
A whole day's programming from HSV7,
Melbourne, circa 1979, hammered down to five minutes viewing time,
makes us realise
just-how-good-we-had-it-back-then! Set to Bach. Directed by Ivan Gaal.
ROOFTOP RAZZLE DAZZLE (~1962)
Papa (Charlie) Beary installs a TV antenna on
the roof. Also stars Bessie Beary, Suzy Beary and Junior Beary.
Character voicework by
(the great) Paul Frees. A Walter Lantz cartoon, in Black'n'White.
TELEVISION IN YOUR COMMUNITY (1956),
Hokey host tells us how a TV station
works, circa The Cold War. I don't want my WMTV!
DEAR GOD IN HEAVEN (1979),
Heaven rests precariously upon the ozone layer.
When a suburban family habitually uses fluorocarbon propelled aerosols the
direct result is the loss of God's personal TV. When the situation worsens, he
calls for the aid of Jesus and the apostles. Dir: Ian Fowler.
FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE (1961),
Taking an average viewer as its target, this
Halas and Batchelor cartoon satirically demonstrates how TV can be a pleasure
and a source of information, or, if taken in too large a dose, can mesmerise and
engulf the viewer.
TELEVISION LAND (1971),
Snappy montage of images, time-capsules Yankee TeeVee
from its beginnings and divides the course of video broadcasting into three
categories: entertainment, news and commercials. Directed by Charles Braverman.
and Faturing
YAP: HOW DID YOU KNOW I LIKE TV (1986)
During the negotiations leading up
to the "Compact of Free Association" with the USA, the people of the small
Pacific island of Yap learnt that they were to get a television station and a
regular supply of American programs, complete with advertisements for Big Mac
hamburgers, vaginal deodorants, Californian Ford dealers, and carpet shampoo.
All this was to be provided by the mysterious "Pacific Taping Company" of Los
Angeles. Many Yapese are opposed to television. They see it as a threat to their
fragile culture and an outsider's attempt to foist changes on them. They believe
the "Pacific Taping Company" is a front for a conspiracy to create dependency
and promote US cultural values in an otherwise insignificant but strategically
important island. Dir: Dennis O'Rourke.
Mon. 21st., 8pm LEAPIN' LUPERCALIA!
CHOOSING YOUR MARRIAGE PARTNER (1952)
Dramatised story of a young man who
is trying to decide which of two young women would make the better wife!?!
TAJIMOLTIK: FIVE DAYS WITHOUT NAME (1977),
The Mayan calendar is comprised
of 18 months of 20 days each, a total of 360 days. The five remaining days are
the days of carnival: Chaikin, (or Five Days Without Name). We look at the
carnival activities, but also the varied influences which non-native religions
have had on Mayan ritual and beliefs.
THE TEN COMMANDMENTS OF LOVE (~1982)
Lovers embrace on an ocean pier. Title
tune a '60s Brit hit, by (Harvey &) The Moonglows. Directed by Cordelia Swann.
THE RISE AND FALL OF EMILY SPROD (1962)
Nutty Bob Godfrey cartoon does a
Pygmalion, with the story of Emily Sprod, a vigorously amorous woman who emerges
from a sculptor's block and pursues her creator through many situations and
locations.
DO YOU LOVE ME DARLING (1968)
A cynical and comical view of love in which a
woman (Germaine Greer) drives herself into a frenzy, demanding that her lover
(Alister Burke) declare his affections, and pursues and assaults him with cries
of Darling, do you love me? until he expires under her stranglehold. A film by
Martin Sharp.
THE FIGUREHEAD (1981)
The animated story of a carved saint who is
accidentally changed into a sailor and sold as a figurehead on a sailing ship. A
beautiful mermaid falls in love with him, but even when the ship is destroyed
and he joins her under the sea, he does not respond because he feels that,
beneath his paint, he remains a saint. Based on the poem by Crosbie Garstin. A
puppet play by John Halas and Joy Batchelor.
but featuring
LEAP YEAR (1922)
Stanley Piper (Roscoe Prince of Whales Arbuckle), heir to
his misogynistic uncle's millions and in love with his nurse (and intent on
proving it), encounters trouble when subjected to constant proposals from women
as a result of giving them advice on marriage. First released in Europe in 1921,
following Arbuckle's disasterous "Wild Party" scandal. Directed by James [IF I
HAD A MILLION (1932)] Cruze.
JANUARY
AD 2000
Monday 6th., 8pm UNIFORMED BRANCH
BARON MUNCHAUSEN'S DREAM (1911)
Legendary titled exaggerator encounters
numerous Monsters from the Id in conjunction with a pleasant evening on the
turps. Intriguing trick film from pioneer cinema magician, George (A TRIP TO THE
MOON, [1902]) Melies.
LAMBETH WALK - NAZI-STYLE (1942/'44?)
Rare British WW2 political satire and
morale-booster takes Nazi propaganda footage of Hitler addressing his elite
guard and goose step-prints it to the tune of a (once) popular dance number.
Variously attributed to Len Lye as well as to Jack Ellit.
BACK FROM THE FRONT (1942)
Serving in the wartime Merchant Marine, Stooges
Larry, Curley and Moe uncover a dastardly Nazi plot. High rating of low-brow
megaviolence.
plus Quickie Theatre' presents:
VERY IMPORTANT PERSON (1961) : [excerpt]
Snooty interned Limey boffin
(James Robertson Justice) tests relations with fellow wartime captives, as well
as with the P.O.W. Camp's Preminger-clone Commandant.
and
AT THE CASTLE OF OURSEL (1905) : [excerpt]
Rare, hand-colourised fragment
of French Pathecolour footage reveals "The Dungeon of Doom, the Dungeon of
Dispair".
and featuring
THE MAN YOU LOVED TO HATE (1979)
Exciting and historically detailed look at
the bizarre career of screen villain, controversial film-maker and all-round
showman, Erich von Stroheim. Filled with generous excerpts from his most
important works, this is a detailed study of a creative genius whose perverse
world-view towards women art and money made him into a Hollywood outcast.
JANUARY
Monday 17th., 8pm
EXOTICA
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE (197?)
Classic storybook cartoon fantasy about
(who else but...) Max, and his Wild Things-taming adventure.
TREASURE IN THE PYRAMID (197?)
Highly amusing, cryptic chase cartoon,
set in an exotic jungle locale, has a touch of Jules Verne, Indiana Jones (and
Flipper!)
PLACE TO STAND (19)
GA letter-boxed single-screen version of this dynamic
multiple projection presentation. Produced by the province of Ontario, for their
stand at Expo '67. Up to nine different projectors are used of varying shapes
and styles to display the manifold virtues of Ontario's agricultural, mining,
manifacturing and maritime industries, before examining the environmental
features and recreational possibilities. Warning: contains go-go dancers!!!
THE MOST (1962)
(Or should that be THE MOIST?)... but, hey, ever wanted to
meet Hugh Heffner, creator of the fantastically successful Playboy magazine
empire, uncorperating the famous Bunny clubs? Well, here's your chance. We visit
Hef at the "office", a party at the Playboy mansion and at a late-night session
in a deserted office building.
EGYPTE (1976)
Timelapse photography and spooky music give an impressively
eerie feel to this impressionistic survey of the great monuments of Egypt,
where art and civilisation flowered 5000 years ago.
plus
'Quickie Theatre' rresents
INTOLERANCE (1916) [excerpt]
Magnificently presented Babylon sequence from
the Griffith classic is actually extremely tolerable. Fascinating for its
enormous, full-scale sets, fantastic battle scenes, millions of extras and
amaaazingly realistic reconstructions of the life, habits and customs of ancient
times, as well as for its darn' good storyline.
and
GOLDDIGGERS OF 1933 (1933) [excerpt]
Four great Busby Berkeley sequences of
drop-jaw ingenuity, set to Al Dubin and Harry Warren tunes: "We're In The
Money", "Pettin' In The Park", "Shadow Waltz" and "My Forgotten Man".
and possibly more!
but featuring
INAUGURATION OF THE PLEASURE DOME (1966)
It's Kenneth Anger's hypnotically
groovy metaphysical reverie, here using the complete toe-tapping score of ELO's
magnificent "El Dorado"album. Staring, if that's the word, Anais Nin, Curtis
Harrington, Gore Vidal and Kenny hisself. A unique, one might say unmissable
film experience.