Hi everyone and welcome to the Chauvel Cinematheque for this program of short films entitled Sex and Hygiene. The six short films you are about to see are interesting not for their educational value but rather as a barometer for society’s attitudes towards sex and sex education. With the exception of of the first film, For Your Information, these films were shown to children and were part of a loose program of social engineering designed to foster healthy attitudes towards sex and hygiene.
I remember seeing my first sex education film as a 4th grader – a battered copy of Sexual Aspects of Puberty on a clattering 16mm projector at Denistone East public school. The film was shown outside of school hours and I was accompanied by my mother who after the film said warily, "Did you learn anything from the film?" I remember my reply was, "No, I already knew all that." Along with a terse, “If you’re going to do anything obscene, do it with the blinds down", from my father, this was the sum total of the sex education I ever received from my parents.
Years later, I found a copy of the film, and recognized it immediately due to the animated diagrams of the reproductive process. I even thought the film could possibly be the same copy. It was the first 16mm film I had ever seen and was to profoundly influence me – here I am today, still showing battered copies of 16mm sex education films.
I’ve programmed these films chronologically to give you a feel for the changing attitudes towards the subject – from the fear-mongering of the WW2 era For Your Information, intended for female recruits in the Canadian air force, to the enlightened view of the 1980s pro-condom film Condom Sense. There are a few missing links in this chain of chronology. Sex education films are highly sought after by film collectors and command huge prices on ebay and elsewhere when they are offered for sale. This program largely misses films from the 1960s and 1970s where the pendulum swung from the fear mongering right wing scare campaigns to the more enlightened view of the films from the period of the sexual revolution.
What’s interesting about these films is the way they reflect parental anxieties over sex education. This is particularly explicit in Human Reproduction, the second film I will screen today. Produced in 1947, this film sparked a controversy in America about the role of sex education in American public schools, a debate that is still (unbelievably) going on today. The information in the film is delivered in the usual animated diagrams with lecture format and is framed by sequences set in a 1940s suburban living room, where Mum, Dad and Little Johnny are discussing the arrival of a neighbour’s baby. This leads Little Johnny to the inevitable question of where babies come from, and with much nervous gulping and knowing glances to his wife, little Johnny’s father begins to talk on the subject and the film dissolves into the lecture w/diagrams format. The film is centred not so much on the facts of life, but on the anxieties Mum and Dad feel about presenting the facts of life to their children. These sequences are funny today because they reflect the nervousness around the subject.
You can view Human Reproduction here:
http://www.archive.org/details/HumanRep1947
Next up is How Billy Keeps Clean. Although not strictly a sex education film, this film is a good example of the hygiene film, a related genre of educational film shown to primary schoolers as a sort of warm-up for the full blown sex-ed film they would see later in high school. What makes these hygiene films compelling is the way they prime their audience to think about hygiene in the same way they will (hopefully) think about sex - not as a source of pleasure or intimacy but as a sort of battleground of desire, discipline and microbiology.
I am very excited about the prospect of screening the next film, Dance Little Children, a rarely seen 1961 educational film by cult director Herk Hervey, director of the B&W horror classic Carnival of Souls. In an earlier program I screened Hervey’s remarkable short film Leo Beuerman. I am obssessed with this filmmaker and hope to put together a two hour program of his industrial and educational films sometime in the future. In Dance Little Children, a film made for the Kansas Board of Health, a a Twist dance craze is the trigger for a syphillis epidemic in a small town. Produced as a narrative short film in gaudy colour, it is a unique little comic gem, and can be described as a suburban, film-noir, VD scare film.
The hard-hitting 1972 documentary film Vasectomy, unfortunately didn't arrive with the rest of the films and won't be screening. I guess you could say Vasectomy has had the chop!
The pro-condom film, Condom Sense, that closes the program, was produced in 1980 and is haunted by the spectre of the AIDS virus. Released just months before the first widespread reports of the virus, the film was rendered instantly obsolete. It's still worth seeing though as it encourages teenage boys to be more responsible for birth control and equates this responsibility with respect for women. The film doesn't moralise. Instead it works from the assumption that teenagers are having sex, and in stark contrast to the nervousness of the films of an earlier era, treats the subject with a light and humourous.
So I hope you learn something today. And if you know all this stuff already... remember to shut the blinds first.
Thank you.
Showing posts with label propaganda. Show all posts
Showing posts with label propaganda. Show all posts
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Wednesday, 19 March 2008
AUTUMN 2008 PROGRAM
AUTUMN 2008 CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAM Cinematheque screenings are open to members and their guests. Membership is available at the door.
Trial Membership (1 month/4 screenings/1 guest) $18/$15
Quarterly Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
Quarterly Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
Saturdays commence at 12 noon sharp.
Mondays commence at 6:30pm sharp.
Mondays commence at 6:30pm sharp.
Mailing list and Enquiries: brettgarten@iprimus.com.au
Website: http://www.chauvelcinema.net.au/
Sat. 22/3 & Mon. 24/3 STRANGE CARGO
Strange Cargo USA/1940/113mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Frank Borzage.
In the most controversial of Borzage's now unfashionable tales of spiritual redemption through love and adversity, Gable is a convict who implicates 'dance hostess' Crawford in his attempted escape from a penal colony, causing her expulsion from the settlement. Cast includes Joan Crawford, Clark Gable, Peter Lorre and Albert Dekker.
“One of Hollywood’s strangest allegory plays.” Richard Scheib, SF, Horror & Fantasy Film Review
“Unforgettable camp of the highest order.” imdb.com
“One of Hollywood’s strangest allegory plays.” Richard Scheib, SF, Horror & Fantasy Film Review
“Unforgettable camp of the highest order.” imdb.com
Sat. 29/3 & Mon. 31/3 FEMME FATALES: LEAVE HER TO HEAVEN
Sisyphus Hungary/1975/2mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Marcell Jankovics.
The classical Greek myth about Sisyphus' eternal punishment is told in a short, powerful, animated film.
Leave Her to Heaven USA/1945/110mins/Colour/16mm/ NFVLS Dir: John M. Stahl.
A driven woman, linked by incestuous bonds to her now dead father, pathologically demands a love which her conventional, uncomprehending husband cannot give her. Cast includes Gene Tierney, Cornel Wilde, Jeanne Crain and Vincent Price.
“A hothouse creation of the ripest, richest kind.” Matthew Kennedy, Bright Lights Film Journal
“A hothouse creation of the ripest, richest kind.” Matthew Kennedy, Bright Lights Film Journal
Sat. 5/4 & Mon. 7/4 FEMME FATALES: THE LETTER
At Land USA/1944/15mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Maya Deren.
A 'dream' film expressing the mythological voyage of a woman through a constantly changing landscape.
The Letter USA/1940/95mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: William Wyler.
This Hal Wallis production, set in colonial Malaya, stars Bette Davis as a murderess who pleads self-defence. She is represented in court by a tormented counsel who is destroyed by an enigmatic, duplicitous woman. Alongside other forties films like Leave Her To Heaven, The Letter has been described by Mary Ann Doane as 'the perverse underside of the love story', characterised by an extensive use of shadows and the dark image. Based on the story by W. Somerset Maugham. Cast includes Bette Davis, Herbert Marshall and James Stephenson.
“Very likely the best study of female sexual hypocrisy in film history.” Pauline Kael
“Very likely the best study of female sexual hypocrisy in film history.” Pauline Kael
Sat. 12/4 & Mon. 14/4 FEMME FATALES: AUDITION
Audition Japan/1999/115mins/Colour/35mm/SV Dir: Takeshi Miike.
From cult director extraordinaire Takeshi Miike, comes this slow-burn, psycho-thriller about a lonely TV producer and a mysterious ballerina. One of the most widely praised horror movies of recent years, this ambiguous and at times unwatchable movie has the notorious distinction of kicking off the so-called “torture porn” cycle of horror movies (Saw, Hostel, etc.).
“A lethally poised Venus flytrap of a movie.” Dennis Lim, Village Voice
“A lethally poised Venus flytrap of a movie.” Dennis Lim, Village Voice
Sat. 19/4 NO SCREENING
Mon. 21/4 Only RUTHLESS
Mon. 21/4 Only RUTHLESS
Ruthless USA/1948/104mins/B&W/16mm/HP Dir: Edgar Ulmer.
A B-grade Citizen Kane, chronicling the rise and fall of an arch-heel (Zachary Scott) in high film noir style. Ulmer was a genius with the low budgets he was invariably given to work with, making the restrictions - of acting, scope, and script - into positive virtues through a perverse, minimalist style. An existential crisis is implied in every shaky camera movement. While not for all tastes, this is still some kind of a blasted masterpiece. Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader
Sat. 26/4 & Mon. 28/4 THE PHENIX CITY STORYAcquitted By the Sea USA/1940/10mins/B&W/16mm/ NFVLS Dir: Earl Allvine.
A 20th Century Fox 1940's short from Ripley's Believe it or Not series. A crime story follows the trials and tribulations of a man wrongly accused and imprisoned for theft.
The Phenix City Story USA/1955/87mins/B&W/16mm/ NFVLS Dir: Phil Karlson.
This expose of racism, vice and corruption in Phenix City, Alabama was filmed partly on location only months after the state militia had been called in following the murder of the state Attorney-General elect. The film's effectiveness derives not so much from its semi-documentary strategies as from taut generic dramatisation, capturing a state of generalised paranoia and foreshadowing the vigilante film of the early seventies.
“One of the most violent and realistic crime films of the 1950s.” Bruce Elder
“One of the most violent and realistic crime films of the 1950s.” Bruce Elder
Sat. 3/5 & Mon. 5/5 SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE
Guernica France/1950/13mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Alain Resnais.
A sombre film based on the paintings, drawings and sculptures of Pablo Picasso. With fragmented images, atonal music and blank verse commentary to represent the horrors of the German bombing of the Spanish village of Guernica.
Spirit of the Beehive (El Espiritu de la Colmena) Spain/1973/Colour/97mins/16mm/ NFVLS Dir: Victor Erice.
A hauntingly atmospheric mood piece set in rural Spain after the Civil War. In the oppressive postwar atmosphere there is an unbridgeable gulf between the parents and children of the household. The parents have retreated into private worlds - beekeeping and an obsession with a 'lost' child. After seeing James Whale's Frankenstein at a travelling film show the children conjure the monster up as a playmate. In the mind of the imaginative Ana the figure of a fugitive soldier fuses with the figure of the monster. The inspiration for Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth.
Sat. 10/5 & Mon. 12/5 THE STARS TURN OUT FOR WAR
Fellow Americans USA/1942/10mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Garson Kanin.
This documentary depicts the impact of the deaths of four United States servicemen in their hometowns. Narrated by James Stewart.
San Pietro USA/1944/32mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: John Huston.
This record of the battle for a small hillside village near Rome was held back from release until the end of the war. John Huston's spare, ironic narration and the hand-held camerawork remain as eloquent testimony to the price of battle and the commitment of the filmmakers.
"The first great passage of war poetry that has got on the screen." James Agee
"The first great passage of war poetry that has got on the screen." James Agee
Words for Battle UK/1942/8mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Humphrey Jennings.
Jennings took passages from well-known authors such as Blake and Milton together with the music of Handel in order to reinterpret the words and music in the light of the wartime situation. Narrated by Laurence Olivier.
Jungle Patrol Australia/1944/20mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Tom Gurr.
This notable propaganda film presents itself as the story of eight Australian soldiers in New Guinea, illustrating the dangers and difficulties of jungle warfare. Peter Finch's controlled low-key delivery contrasts with the dramatic footage.
The Biter Bit UK/1942/14mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS
This British propaganda film includes extracts from the German film Baptism of Fire and the English film The Front Line and emphasises the brutality of the Nazi bombing of Warsaw and the force of the RAF retaliation. Produced by Alexander Korda. Narrated by Ralph Richardson.
The Town USA/1943/12mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Josef von Sternberg.
An intimate study of Madison in Indiana, a typical mid-western town and its residents during World War II.
Sat 17/5 Only GRINDHOUSE DOCOS: THE ANIMAL WITHIN
The Animal Within USA/1974/90mins/Colour/16mm/HP Dir: Walon Green & Mel Stuart.
This very rare and most unusual docudrama with a cast made up entirely of men in ape suits is based on the work of the impossibly pompous anthropologist/ screenwriter Robert Ardrey, who attempts to unpack the origins and evolution of the killer instinct. Ardrey’s ideas influenced Sam Peckinpah (Wild Bunch screenwriter Walon Green directs) as well as Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C. Clarke, whose prehistoric prologue to 2001: A Space Odyssey the film superficially resembles. The ape-suits were designed by John Chambers, who won an Oscar for his similar (simian) work on Planet of the Apes. Music by Lalo Schifrin.
Mon. 19/5 Only GRINDHOUSE DOCOS: SHANGRI LA
Shangri-La USA/1977/80mins/Colour/16mm/HP Dir: Kevin Duffy.
This rare film documents the early days of the hippie invasion of Goa in India, an area still renown today as a haven for Western hippies. Exploitative scenes of nude yoga and acid freak outs are interspersed with travelogue footage and topped with a narration that attempts to explain but mostly sensationalises the social and spiritual ideals of the movement.
Sat. 24/5 Only FRED ZINNEMANN
Sensitive and gifted, Fred Zinnemann, from his appearance in All Quiet On the Western Front to his last movie in the eighties, became one of Hollywood's most acclaimed filmmakers. Film historian Barrie Pattison's tribute to his work however includesmaterial made before he left his mark on popular culture with From Here to Eternity and High Noon. Using slides, short films and excerpts from his major works, Barrie will trace the career of one of the world's most important film directors.
Mon. 26/5 Only ACT OF VIOLENCEAct of Violence USA/1949/82mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Fred Zinnemann.
One of Zinnemann's best films is one of his least known. Its startling premise rides against the tide of Hollywood and popular entertainment. The idea that a man who is bothordinary and decent can do appalling things is something it took Zinneman to put on film. Robert Ryan's sinister army vet ("He's not right") is one the great actor's best outings. This one comes with a superior cast and the most accomplished film noir mounting that MGM (of all places) could offer. Cast includes Robert Ryan, Van Heflin, Janet Leigh, Mary Astor, Phylis Thaxter, Taylor Holmes and Berry Kroeger.
“The moral landscape of this film is complex and difficult terrain.” Mark Freeman, Senses of Cinema
“The moral landscape of this film is complex and difficult terrain.” Mark Freeman, Senses of Cinema
Sat. 31/5 & Mon. 2/6 THE SAGA OF ANATAHAN
La Folie du Docteur Tube France/1915/11mins/B&W/16mm/ NFVLS Dir: Abel Gance.
A mad doctor invents a powder that distorts the appearance of people and objects.
The Saga of Anatahan Japan/1953/92mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Joseph Von Sternberg. Von Sternberg chose the subject, wrote the screenplay, supervised the construction of the studio, chose the cast (a chorus girl and Kabuki actors), photographed, directed and narrated. To many its ironic humour is inaccessible and its total absorption in style remorseless. It ostensibly recounts the story of twelve Japanese sailors during the war who, wrecked on a lonely island inhabited by another man and his mistress remain there for seven years, refusing to believe that the war has been lost.
“A more extreme degree of stylisation is impossible to imagine.” Dave Kehr
“A more extreme degree of stylisation is impossible to imagine.” Dave Kehr
Sat. 7/6 & Mon. 9/6 A DEMONSTRATION OF THE LENARD AUDIO CINESTHESIA SOUND SYSTEM
Meet John Burnett, Australian audio reproduction guru, and head of Lenard Audio, in this special lecture/demonstration of his amazing “Cinesthesia” cinema sound system. Using slides, concert film excerpts, blockbuster trailers and CDs, John will demonstrate the future of monster sound systems. A must for audiophiles.
Sat. 14/6 & Mon. 16/6 ODESSA STOMP
The cream of Sydney’s experimental folk-rock music scene: Quaoub, The Mumps and Lappalie perform live on the Chauvel Stage during a 35mm screening of Sergei Eisestein’s 1925 silent classic, Battleship Potemkin.
Sat. 21/6 & Mon. 23/6 WONDER BAR
The Metamorphosis of Mr. Samsa Canada/1977/10mins/ Colour/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Caroline Leaf.
Innovative animated film told through the animation of beach sand on a piece of glass. Samsa awakens one morning to find himself monstrously transformed. Based on the short story by Franz Kafka.
Wonder Bar USA/1934/84mins/B&W/16mm/NFVLS Dir: Lloyd Bacon.
Al Jolson is the proprietor of a Montmartre nightclub in this fairytale musical, one of the last and most outrageous Hollywood films to be released before the Hayes censorship code came into widespread use. Choreography by Busby Berkeley.
“A sterling example of Classical Hollywood cinema's late, 'decadent,' so-called Pre-Code phase.” David Boxwell, Senses of Cinema
“A sterling example of Classical Hollywood cinema's late, 'decadent,' so-called Pre-Code phase.” David Boxwell, Senses of Cinema
Sat. 28/6 & Mon. 30/6 THE OTHER ITALIAN CINEMA
The Italian film industry was once world dominant but there are entire decades where their output is unknown. Mario Bava, Franco and Ciccio, Jesus Christ, Vittorio De Sica, gladiators and spaghetti cowboys spill across the Chauvel's screen in a startling history, which reaches back into the silents and deep into the subterranean worlds of the drive-ins and flea-pits. Intrepid movie-goer Barrie Pattison returns to the Chauvel for this race through the elegance and the excesses of Europe's least documented movie history. A Fellini-free day.
Sat. 5/7 Only ASK ME IF I’M HAPPY
Ask Me If I’m Happy (Chiedimi Se Sono Felice) Italy/2000/ 100mins/Colour/35mm/PF Dir: Aldo Giacomo & Giovanni Massimo Venier.
Aspiring actors (Giovanni Storti, Giacomo Poretti) travel to Sicily after hearing their good friend (Aldo Baglio) is near death. Along the way they plan staging ‘Cyrano’ with Giovanni using his own nose and Giacomo calling on his training as a mime. The plot developments would keep Pirandello happy. A unique line in comedy that will startle those unfamiliar with The Three Men, Italy's heirs to the Marx brothers. 35mm print.
“100 minutes of good film” imdb.com
“100 minutes of good film” imdb.com
Mon. 7/7 Only MAN WITHOUT A MEMORY
Man without a Memory (L’Uomo Senza Memoria)
This superior example of the giallo thriller features a labyrinthine plot about an amnesiac on the run. Cast includes Senta Berger, Umberto Orsini and Anita Strindberg. Music by Gianni Ferrio.
“A great example of the genre.” imdb.com
“A great example of the genre.” imdb.com
The Chauvel Cinematheque gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the National Film and Video Lending Service, the National Film & Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission, Siren Visual Entertainment, Palace Films, Film Alliance and Barrie Pattison in the creation of this program.
Print Sources: NFVLS – National film & Video Lending Service / HP – Hygienic Pictures / SV – Siren Visual / PF – Palace Films / FA – Film Alliance
Wednesday, 31 October 2007
Summer 07 Program
SUMMER CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAM
Cinematheque screenings are open to members and their guests.
Membership is available at the door.
Trial Membership (1 month/4 screenings/1 guest) $18/$15
3 Month Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
PLEASE NOTE: Screening times have changed -
Saturdays now commence at 12 noon sharp.
Mondays commence at 6:30 sharp.
Mailing list and Enquiries: brettgarten@iprimus.com.au
Website: http://www.chauvelcinema.net.au/
Sat. 3/11 & Mon. 5/11 DIRECTOR’S CHAIR - TOBY ZOATES
Meet Toby Zoates, misunderstood genius of Australian animated film, at this special screening, followed by a Q&A session.
The Thief of Sydney Australia/1984/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Toby Zoates. This science fiction combination of live action and animation tells of an impoverished young man who dreams/ fantasises/hallucinates about a post-holocaust Sydney of the future.
Virgin Beasts Australia/1992/Colour/16mm Dir: Toby Zoates. A science fiction musical burlesque about an ageing arms dealer, described by the filmmaker as, “A grungy ‘agit-prop’ folk-tale of the late 20th Century, Beauty meets the Beast at the Masque of the Red Death, on a Quest to win Landrights for Gay Whales. Winner of Best Trash Film at the 1996 1st. International Trash Film Festival, Freakzone, Lille, France. Cast includes Michelle Grannieri, Mathew Cooke, Simon Reptile, Mark Easton, Goose Presley, Tex Perkins and Toby Zoates. Music by Box the Jesuit, Candy Harlots, Paul Vassalos, Dorian Dowse, Tex Perkins and Toby Zoates.
“Whacked out.” http://www.imdb.com/
Sat. 10/11 & Mon. 12/11 SECRET LIFE OF PUPPETS
A program of animated puppet films by three masters of the form: George Pal, Ladislav Starewicz and the Brothers Quay.
Big Broadcast USA/1938/5mins/B&W/16mm Dir: George Pal. A "radio revue" with puppets performing three musical numbers.
Puppet Love France/1930/20mins/B&W16mm Dir: Ladislaw Starewicz. Tells the story of a puppet's adventures as loyalty drives him to return to his original owner. Combines puppet animation with live action footage. “Endlessly inventive.” http://www.imdb.com/
Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies UK/1988/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Brothers Quay. A dreamlike trip into the Quays' surreal world of unusual architectural forms, living skulls, psychedelic patterns and robots using tools and other found objects.
The Voice of the Nightingale France/1923/9mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ladislaw Starewicz. A nightingale captured by a little girl sings to her while she sleeps of his urgent search for his lost mate.
“Pure joy.” http://www.imdb.com/
Punch & Judy: Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy UK/1980/ 49mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Keith Griffiths, Timothy Quay, Stephen Quay, Larry Sider. A cultural history of Punch and Judy and a documentary homage to Giovanni Piccini, probably the greatest Punchman to have lived.
Sat. 17/11 Only TRASH COMPACTOR
By popular demand, Australia’s leading film historian, Barrie Pattison, returns with a manic parade of the hyper weird movies that twisted his outlook, including excerpts from German Expressionist horror movies, Randolph Scott Westerns, Flash Gordon, Orson Welles, and Mexican wrestler, Santo, and other rich and strange experiences from down the years and across the planet, in original and often rare film prints – some the only copies in the hemisphere.
Mon. 19/11 Only DIRECTOR’S CHAIR – BARRIE PATTISON
Following up from Saturday, see the results of Barrie’s over-exposure to cinema shonk, with this rare screening of his unreleased feature, Zombie Brigade from Lizard Gully, followed by a Q&A session with Barrie.
Zombie Brigade Australia/1986/92mins/Colour/35mm Dir: Barrie Pattison. A Vietnam War Memorial is dynamited to make way for a Japanese ‘Robot Man’ theme park, unleashing a plague of vampiric zombies in a small West Australian town. A horror spoof satirising Australia’s veneration for its war dead.
“One of the dumbest horror flicks I have ever seen.” http://www.imdb.com/
Sat. 24/11 & Mon. 26/11 SCARE FILMS
Blurring the boundaries between propaganda and education, scare films use shock tactics to affect social, political and behavioural changes. NOTE: This program contains graphic scenes.
My Japan USA/1945/16mins/B&W/16mm. Complex and disturbing anti-Japanese propaganda film produced to spur the sale of U.S. war bonds. The film takes the form of a mock travelogue of Japan, presented by an impersonated Japanese narrator speaking in a crude accent. NOTE: Explicit racism and war violence.
“Hilarious, ghastly, violent, racist, and historically inaccurate.” www.archives.org
“One of the most unusual documentary films ever made” http://www.archives.org/
Mechanized Death USA/1961/27mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Dick Wayman. This "safety" film was a consequence of a dramatic increase in road fatalities during the late 50's and early 60's. This film was designed only to shock and does this with back to back, real-life footage of roadside carnage. There is no film-making style here, no plot, no drama, no clever editing, just grainy handheld footage of accident scenes and incessant, droning, judgmental narration.
NOTE: Some scenes may disturb. Contains road accident footage.
Know Your Children Australia/1951/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: John Martin-Jones. A study of the causes of juvenile delinquency.
Duck and Cover USA/1952/10mins/B&W/16mm. A film made to inform children of protective measures to be taken in the event of atomic attack.
Hospitals Don’t Burn Down Australia/1977/24mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Brian Trenchard Smith. From the director of The Man from Hong Kong comes this disturbingly realistic film about a fire in a high-rise hospital.
Hands Off Australia/1974/12mins/Colour/16mm. A film made for children about the dangers of playing with unexploded ammunition.
Sat. 1/12 Only CANADIAN SHORT FILM RETROSPECTIVE
Neighbours Canada/1952/8mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Norman McLaren. A parable about two neighbours who come to blows over the possession of a flower growing on the boundary of their gardens. Made in response to the outbreak of the Korean War.
End of Summer Canada/1964/27mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Michel Brault. Candid observations of a group of French Canadian teenagers in holiday activities, illustrating their natural behaviour and conversations reflecting their views on various subjects.
Freefall Canada/1964/9mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Arthur Lipsett. A collage of 'found' images on the theme of 'mankind's fall from grace into banality'.
Devils Toy Canada/1966/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Claude Jutra. Dedicated 'to all victims of intolerance' this is a gently satirical look at the victimisation of skateboard riders.
The Huntsman Canada/1972/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Doug Jackson. A 10-year-old boy ferrets out golf balls from the rough, then sells his findings to passing golfers.
If You Love this Planet Canada/1982/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Terri Nash. Dr. Helen Caldicott presents a lecture on the medical effects of nuclear war.
Still from Neighbours.
Mon. 3/12 Only CANADIAN ANIMATION RETROSPECTIVE
Chants Populaires: En Passant Canada/1943/3mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Alexandre Alexeieff & Claire Parker. A French Canadian folk song animated using pinboard techniques.
Chants Populaires: C'est L'aviron Canada/1944/3mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Norman McLaren. A traditional French Canadian folk song animated using cut-outs and still pictures.
Walking Canada/1968/5mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ryan Larkin. An Oscar nominated film study of the various ways of walking.
Bambi Meets Godzilla Canada/1969/2mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Marv Newland. A spoof of film credits with an unexpected twist.
Illusion? Canada/1975/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Frederic Back. In the midst of a friendly country scene, children are busy playing, surrounded by familiar animals. There is gaiety, harmony, discovery, accompanied by laughter and bird song. But a strange magician enters the scene and their world is turned into a different place.
La Rue (The Street) Canada/1976/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Caroline Leaf. An innovative film about a grandmother whose lingering death is suffered impatiently by her Jewish family.
Histoire de Perles (The Bead Game) Canada/1977/5mins/Colour/ 16mm Dir: Ishu Patel. Coloured beads are animated to depict the evolution of combat and weaponry culminating in the threat of nuclear warfare. “Absolutely mesmerizing.” http://www.imdb.com/
Le Chateau de Sable (The Sand Castle) Canada/1977/13mins/ Colour/16mm dir: Co Hoedeman. Sand creatures build an elaborate sandcastle in this Oscar winning animated short.
The Seigneury Canada/1978/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Janice Brown
A history of the Hotel Chateau Montebello.
Special Delivery Canada/1978/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Weldon, Eunice Macaulay. A love triangle involving a nagging wife, her forgetful husband and the postman. Oscar winning animation.
Log Drivers Waltz Canada/1979/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Weldon. The Log Driver's Waltz, based on the song by Wade Hensworth, shows birling - the art of driving logs.
Crac Canada/1981/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Frederic Back. Oscar winning story of a rocking chair from tree trunk to old age accompanied by French Canadian folk music.
Cat Came Back Canada/1988/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Richard Condie, Cordell Baker. Oscar nominated story of a man who is plagued by the persistent return of a cat. “Full of dark humour.” http://www.imdb.com/
Paradise Canada/1984/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ishu Patel.
A blackbird, through the window of a golden palace, covets the magnificent plumage of the bird performing for the emperor.
Still from Paradise
Sat. 8/12 & Mon 10/12 PSYCHO CELLULOID
A program of films exploring the world of psychology.
Brain and Behaviour USA/1962/29mins/B&W/16mm. Demonstrates the way in which electrical activity in the brain gives us information about man's behaviour.
Over-Dependency Canada/1949/32mins/B&White/16mm Dir: Robert Anderson. A case study of a young man whose life is crippled by behaviour patterns carried from his too-dependent childhood. The third film in the National Film Board of Canada’s Mental Mechanisms series notable for their psychological realism.
Emotional Development USA/1973/18mins/Color/16mm Dir: Barbara Jampel. Examines the theory that aggression, in both children and adults, is a behaviour that is learned in a social context. Narrated by Leslie Nielsen.
Sigmund Freud's Dora: A Case of Mistaken Identity USA/1979/ 34mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Anthony McCall, Claire Pajaczkowska, Andrew Tyndall, & Jane Weinstock. A critique of the representation of women in psychoanalytic discourse is linked, in the form of an 'essay', with modes of representation of women's sexuality in the visual media. NOTE: Contains sexually explicit material.
Sat. 15/12 & Mon. 17/12 EARLY COMPUTER ANIMATION
From early experiments in abstract art to the success of Pixar, this program charts the development of the art of computer animation.
Poem Field (No. 1): A Study in Computer Graphics USA/1967/ 4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Stan VanDerBeek & Ken Knowlton. Pioneering computer animation explores variations of abstract geometric forms and words generated on an IBM 7094 computer.
Around Perception Canada/1968/17mins/Colour/ Dir: Pierre Hebert. An experiment in the use of computers to animate images on film. The result is a dazzling vibration of geometric forms in vivid colour.
Experiments in Motion Graphics USA/1968/13mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. Whitney explains some of the processes involved in programming and animating his computer-made abstract films.
Binary Bit Patterns USA/1969/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Michael Whitney.
Kaleidescopic computer-made film. Optically printed from images generated on a digital computer, the film is a delightful burst of vibrant colour, movement and sound.
White Hole Japan/1969/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Toshio Matsumoto. Described by the filmmaker as "a cosmic hallucination spun by the computer-controlled image synthesizer, in which you will pass through the brilliant tunnels and the mystic prospects." Music by Joji Yuasa.
Matrix III USA/1970/11mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. Computer generated forms evolve, merge and subdivide on a black background. Music by Terry Riley.
La Faim (Hunger) Canada/1974/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Peter Foldes. Oscar nominated satire of self-indulgence in a hungry world. Music by Pierre Brault. “Not easily forgotten.” http://www.imdb.com/
Arabesque USA/1976/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. The geometry of Islamic art is translated into computer graphics.
Two Space USA/1979/8mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Larry Cuba. Twelve two dimensional patterns set upon a basic figure produce illusions of figure ground reversal and after-images of colour accompanied by gamelan music.
Vol de Reve (Dream Flight) Canada/1982/13mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Philippe Bergeron, Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann, Daniel Thalmann. An extraterrestrial creature dreams of new horizons, flies to Earth and discovers Paris and New York.
Luxo Jr USA/1986/2mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. Pixar’s first film, featuring father and son Luxo lamps. Oscar nominated.
Red's Dream USA/1987/4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. A Pixar film that speculates on what unicycles might dream about on rainy nights.
Tin Toy USA/1988/5mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. Pixar’s Oscar winning tale of a prickly relationship between a rambunctious diapered baby and musical clockwork toy.
Knickknack USA/1989/4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. A snowman in a glass bubble is tempted by a toy beach woman across the shelf. He attempts a desperate escape from his confinement.
The Chauvel Cinematheque gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the National Film and Video Lending Service, the National Film & Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission, Barrie Pattison and Toby Zoates in the creation of this program.
Cinematheque screenings are open to members and their guests.
Membership is available at the door.
Trial Membership (1 month/4 screenings/1 guest) $18/$15
3 Month Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
PLEASE NOTE: Screening times have changed -
Saturdays now commence at 12 noon sharp.
Mondays commence at 6:30 sharp.
Mailing list and Enquiries: brettgarten@iprimus.com.au
Website: http://www.chauvelcinema.net.au/
Sat. 3/11 & Mon. 5/11 DIRECTOR’S CHAIR - TOBY ZOATES
Meet Toby Zoates, misunderstood genius of Australian animated film, at this special screening, followed by a Q&A session.
The Thief of Sydney Australia/1984/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Toby Zoates. This science fiction combination of live action and animation tells of an impoverished young man who dreams/ fantasises/hallucinates about a post-holocaust Sydney of the future.
Virgin Beasts Australia/1992/Colour/16mm Dir: Toby Zoates. A science fiction musical burlesque about an ageing arms dealer, described by the filmmaker as, “A grungy ‘agit-prop’ folk-tale of the late 20th Century, Beauty meets the Beast at the Masque of the Red Death, on a Quest to win Landrights for Gay Whales. Winner of Best Trash Film at the 1996 1st. International Trash Film Festival, Freakzone, Lille, France. Cast includes Michelle Grannieri, Mathew Cooke, Simon Reptile, Mark Easton, Goose Presley, Tex Perkins and Toby Zoates. Music by Box the Jesuit, Candy Harlots, Paul Vassalos, Dorian Dowse, Tex Perkins and Toby Zoates.
“Whacked out.” http://www.imdb.com/
Sat. 10/11 & Mon. 12/11 SECRET LIFE OF PUPPETS
A program of animated puppet films by three masters of the form: George Pal, Ladislav Starewicz and the Brothers Quay.
Big Broadcast USA/1938/5mins/B&W/16mm Dir: George Pal. A "radio revue" with puppets performing three musical numbers.
Puppet Love France/1930/20mins/B&W16mm Dir: Ladislaw Starewicz. Tells the story of a puppet's adventures as loyalty drives him to return to his original owner. Combines puppet animation with live action footage. “Endlessly inventive.” http://www.imdb.com/
Rehearsals for Extinct Anatomies UK/1988/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Brothers Quay. A dreamlike trip into the Quays' surreal world of unusual architectural forms, living skulls, psychedelic patterns and robots using tools and other found objects.
The Voice of the Nightingale France/1923/9mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ladislaw Starewicz. A nightingale captured by a little girl sings to her while she sleeps of his urgent search for his lost mate.
“Pure joy.” http://www.imdb.com/
Punch & Judy: Tragical Comedy or Comical Tragedy UK/1980/ 49mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Keith Griffiths, Timothy Quay, Stephen Quay, Larry Sider. A cultural history of Punch and Judy and a documentary homage to Giovanni Piccini, probably the greatest Punchman to have lived.
Sat. 17/11 Only TRASH COMPACTOR
By popular demand, Australia’s leading film historian, Barrie Pattison, returns with a manic parade of the hyper weird movies that twisted his outlook, including excerpts from German Expressionist horror movies, Randolph Scott Westerns, Flash Gordon, Orson Welles, and Mexican wrestler, Santo, and other rich and strange experiences from down the years and across the planet, in original and often rare film prints – some the only copies in the hemisphere.
Mon. 19/11 Only DIRECTOR’S CHAIR – BARRIE PATTISON
Following up from Saturday, see the results of Barrie’s over-exposure to cinema shonk, with this rare screening of his unreleased feature, Zombie Brigade from Lizard Gully, followed by a Q&A session with Barrie.
Zombie Brigade Australia/1986/92mins/Colour/35mm Dir: Barrie Pattison. A Vietnam War Memorial is dynamited to make way for a Japanese ‘Robot Man’ theme park, unleashing a plague of vampiric zombies in a small West Australian town. A horror spoof satirising Australia’s veneration for its war dead.
“One of the dumbest horror flicks I have ever seen.” http://www.imdb.com/
Sat. 24/11 & Mon. 26/11 SCARE FILMS
Blurring the boundaries between propaganda and education, scare films use shock tactics to affect social, political and behavioural changes. NOTE: This program contains graphic scenes.
My Japan USA/1945/16mins/B&W/16mm. Complex and disturbing anti-Japanese propaganda film produced to spur the sale of U.S. war bonds. The film takes the form of a mock travelogue of Japan, presented by an impersonated Japanese narrator speaking in a crude accent. NOTE: Explicit racism and war violence.
“Hilarious, ghastly, violent, racist, and historically inaccurate.” www.archives.org
“One of the most unusual documentary films ever made” http://www.archives.org/
Mechanized Death USA/1961/27mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Dick Wayman. This "safety" film was a consequence of a dramatic increase in road fatalities during the late 50's and early 60's. This film was designed only to shock and does this with back to back, real-life footage of roadside carnage. There is no film-making style here, no plot, no drama, no clever editing, just grainy handheld footage of accident scenes and incessant, droning, judgmental narration.
NOTE: Some scenes may disturb. Contains road accident footage.
Know Your Children Australia/1951/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: John Martin-Jones. A study of the causes of juvenile delinquency.
Duck and Cover USA/1952/10mins/B&W/16mm. A film made to inform children of protective measures to be taken in the event of atomic attack.
Hospitals Don’t Burn Down Australia/1977/24mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Brian Trenchard Smith. From the director of The Man from Hong Kong comes this disturbingly realistic film about a fire in a high-rise hospital.
Hands Off Australia/1974/12mins/Colour/16mm. A film made for children about the dangers of playing with unexploded ammunition.
Sat. 1/12 Only CANADIAN SHORT FILM RETROSPECTIVE
Neighbours Canada/1952/8mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Norman McLaren. A parable about two neighbours who come to blows over the possession of a flower growing on the boundary of their gardens. Made in response to the outbreak of the Korean War.
End of Summer Canada/1964/27mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Michel Brault. Candid observations of a group of French Canadian teenagers in holiday activities, illustrating their natural behaviour and conversations reflecting their views on various subjects.
Freefall Canada/1964/9mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Arthur Lipsett. A collage of 'found' images on the theme of 'mankind's fall from grace into banality'.
Devils Toy Canada/1966/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Claude Jutra. Dedicated 'to all victims of intolerance' this is a gently satirical look at the victimisation of skateboard riders.
The Huntsman Canada/1972/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Doug Jackson. A 10-year-old boy ferrets out golf balls from the rough, then sells his findings to passing golfers.
If You Love this Planet Canada/1982/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Terri Nash. Dr. Helen Caldicott presents a lecture on the medical effects of nuclear war.
Still from Neighbours.
Mon. 3/12 Only CANADIAN ANIMATION RETROSPECTIVE
Chants Populaires: En Passant Canada/1943/3mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Alexandre Alexeieff & Claire Parker. A French Canadian folk song animated using pinboard techniques.
Chants Populaires: C'est L'aviron Canada/1944/3mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Norman McLaren. A traditional French Canadian folk song animated using cut-outs and still pictures.
Walking Canada/1968/5mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ryan Larkin. An Oscar nominated film study of the various ways of walking.
Bambi Meets Godzilla Canada/1969/2mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Marv Newland. A spoof of film credits with an unexpected twist.
Illusion? Canada/1975/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Frederic Back. In the midst of a friendly country scene, children are busy playing, surrounded by familiar animals. There is gaiety, harmony, discovery, accompanied by laughter and bird song. But a strange magician enters the scene and their world is turned into a different place.
La Rue (The Street) Canada/1976/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Caroline Leaf. An innovative film about a grandmother whose lingering death is suffered impatiently by her Jewish family.
Histoire de Perles (The Bead Game) Canada/1977/5mins/Colour/ 16mm Dir: Ishu Patel. Coloured beads are animated to depict the evolution of combat and weaponry culminating in the threat of nuclear warfare. “Absolutely mesmerizing.” http://www.imdb.com/
Le Chateau de Sable (The Sand Castle) Canada/1977/13mins/ Colour/16mm dir: Co Hoedeman. Sand creatures build an elaborate sandcastle in this Oscar winning animated short.
The Seigneury Canada/1978/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Janice Brown
A history of the Hotel Chateau Montebello.
Special Delivery Canada/1978/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Weldon, Eunice Macaulay. A love triangle involving a nagging wife, her forgetful husband and the postman. Oscar winning animation.
Log Drivers Waltz Canada/1979/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Weldon. The Log Driver's Waltz, based on the song by Wade Hensworth, shows birling - the art of driving logs.
Crac Canada/1981/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Frederic Back. Oscar winning story of a rocking chair from tree trunk to old age accompanied by French Canadian folk music.
Cat Came Back Canada/1988/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Richard Condie, Cordell Baker. Oscar nominated story of a man who is plagued by the persistent return of a cat. “Full of dark humour.” http://www.imdb.com/
Paradise Canada/1984/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Ishu Patel.
A blackbird, through the window of a golden palace, covets the magnificent plumage of the bird performing for the emperor.
Still from Paradise
Sat. 8/12 & Mon 10/12 PSYCHO CELLULOID
A program of films exploring the world of psychology.
Brain and Behaviour USA/1962/29mins/B&W/16mm. Demonstrates the way in which electrical activity in the brain gives us information about man's behaviour.
Over-Dependency Canada/1949/32mins/B&White/16mm Dir: Robert Anderson. A case study of a young man whose life is crippled by behaviour patterns carried from his too-dependent childhood. The third film in the National Film Board of Canada’s Mental Mechanisms series notable for their psychological realism.
Emotional Development USA/1973/18mins/Color/16mm Dir: Barbara Jampel. Examines the theory that aggression, in both children and adults, is a behaviour that is learned in a social context. Narrated by Leslie Nielsen.
Sigmund Freud's Dora: A Case of Mistaken Identity USA/1979/ 34mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Anthony McCall, Claire Pajaczkowska, Andrew Tyndall, & Jane Weinstock. A critique of the representation of women in psychoanalytic discourse is linked, in the form of an 'essay', with modes of representation of women's sexuality in the visual media. NOTE: Contains sexually explicit material.
Sat. 15/12 & Mon. 17/12 EARLY COMPUTER ANIMATION
From early experiments in abstract art to the success of Pixar, this program charts the development of the art of computer animation.
Poem Field (No. 1): A Study in Computer Graphics USA/1967/ 4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Stan VanDerBeek & Ken Knowlton. Pioneering computer animation explores variations of abstract geometric forms and words generated on an IBM 7094 computer.
Around Perception Canada/1968/17mins/Colour/ Dir: Pierre Hebert. An experiment in the use of computers to animate images on film. The result is a dazzling vibration of geometric forms in vivid colour.
Experiments in Motion Graphics USA/1968/13mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. Whitney explains some of the processes involved in programming and animating his computer-made abstract films.
Binary Bit Patterns USA/1969/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Michael Whitney.
Kaleidescopic computer-made film. Optically printed from images generated on a digital computer, the film is a delightful burst of vibrant colour, movement and sound.
White Hole Japan/1969/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Toshio Matsumoto. Described by the filmmaker as "a cosmic hallucination spun by the computer-controlled image synthesizer, in which you will pass through the brilliant tunnels and the mystic prospects." Music by Joji Yuasa.
Matrix III USA/1970/11mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. Computer generated forms evolve, merge and subdivide on a black background. Music by Terry Riley.
La Faim (Hunger) Canada/1974/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Peter Foldes. Oscar nominated satire of self-indulgence in a hungry world. Music by Pierre Brault. “Not easily forgotten.” http://www.imdb.com/
Arabesque USA/1976/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Whitney. The geometry of Islamic art is translated into computer graphics.
Two Space USA/1979/8mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Larry Cuba. Twelve two dimensional patterns set upon a basic figure produce illusions of figure ground reversal and after-images of colour accompanied by gamelan music.
Vol de Reve (Dream Flight) Canada/1982/13mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Philippe Bergeron, Nadia Magnenat-Thalmann, Daniel Thalmann. An extraterrestrial creature dreams of new horizons, flies to Earth and discovers Paris and New York.
Luxo Jr USA/1986/2mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. Pixar’s first film, featuring father and son Luxo lamps. Oscar nominated.
Red's Dream USA/1987/4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. A Pixar film that speculates on what unicycles might dream about on rainy nights.
Tin Toy USA/1988/5mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. Pixar’s Oscar winning tale of a prickly relationship between a rambunctious diapered baby and musical clockwork toy.
Knickknack USA/1989/4mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Lasseter. A snowman in a glass bubble is tempted by a toy beach woman across the shelf. He attempts a desperate escape from his confinement.
The Chauvel Cinematheque gratefully acknowledges the assistance of the National Film and Video Lending Service, the National Film & Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission, Barrie Pattison and Toby Zoates in the creation of this program.
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Under the Beds: A Response to the War Hot and Cold Program by Barrie Pattison
UNDER THE BEDS.
Well I wasn't around when Coldicutt and Mathews were crossing swords with ASIO in the forties but I was there for the Great Red Scares of the 1950s.
Up to that point, the film people had all got along quite nicely in a we-all-did-in-Hitler -together atmosphere. The church groups ran BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN and the leftists put on MONSIEUR VINCENT - on the principle that they were works of art. They'd go to one another's Xmas parties.
The problem was that everyone showed the same forty odd films. I kept on seeing John Huston's WEWERE STRANGERS, BERLIN OLYMPICS, SPANISH EARTH or BACK OF BEYOND. The D.of I.'s THE QUEEN IN AUSTRALIA got a run because it was somuch nicer than the (American owned) Movietone version. The British Film Institute publications and Penguin Film Review were Holy Writ, even though a lot of their revered material - include nearly all Luchino Visconti or Luis Buñuel - hadn't been aired here. Discussions centred on whether Eisenstein or Pudovkin was the true artist.
This was a bad fit with my own experience of cinema, derived from Newtown Majestic, The Capitol and judicious use of the kiddie matinees which hadprovided me with NANOOK OF THE NORTH, De Mille's CRUSADES, the Fleischer Brothers and METROPOLIS. To these the Savoy added Jean Cocteau and Martine Carole.
Well I wasn't around when Coldicutt and Mathews were crossing swords with ASIO in the forties but I was there for the Great Red Scares of the 1950s.
Up to that point, the film people had all got along quite nicely in a we-all-did-in-Hitler -together atmosphere. The church groups ran BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN and the leftists put on MONSIEUR VINCENT - on the principle that they were works of art. They'd go to one another's Xmas parties.
The problem was that everyone showed the same forty odd films. I kept on seeing John Huston's WEWERE STRANGERS, BERLIN OLYMPICS, SPANISH EARTH or BACK OF BEYOND. The D.of I.'s THE QUEEN IN AUSTRALIA got a run because it was somuch nicer than the (American owned) Movietone version. The British Film Institute publications and Penguin Film Review were Holy Writ, even though a lot of their revered material - include nearly all Luchino Visconti or Luis Buñuel - hadn't been aired here. Discussions centred on whether Eisenstein or Pudovkin was the true artist.
This was a bad fit with my own experience of cinema, derived from Newtown Majestic, The Capitol and judicious use of the kiddie matinees which hadprovided me with NANOOK OF THE NORTH, De Mille's CRUSADES, the Fleischer Brothers and METROPOLIS. To these the Savoy added Jean Cocteau and Martine Carole.
The Americans, with their veneration of David WarkGriffith and 1939 Hollywood, seemed a much better model. I would later find that the French were delighting in the same Delmer Daves and Frank Tashlin movies I was.
I was as curious as the next man about the leftist material - the Russian SADKO, the American NATIVE LAND and SALT OF THE EARTH, the Chinese BUTTERFLY LOVERS on their new colour stock that was near impossible to splice. To this day I follow the career of Czechoslovakia's Otaka Vavra with some fascination. However my interest quickened when JohnHoward Reid retaliated, showing a near complete Elia Kazan retrospective.
The big score seemed to be the old Hollywood movies on which the often battered Sixteen Millimetre prints looked like they would be our last glimpse of many notable titles - Litvak's BLUES IN THE NIGHT, George Stevens' MORE THE MERRIER, Boleslawski's THEODORA GOES WILD. Bad guess actually. Though these never made it back onto projection screens, the new commercial TV companies bought three digit studio packages, which turned Australia into the best place in the world to see the early Hollywood sound film for a decade, even if Nancy Carroll and John Gilbert were still ignored by the old Sight & Sound readers, soon joined by the newly minted Sam Fuller fans.
Then as now, there were unfamiliar movies tucked away in under-used libraries. One had a hundred or so US silents, many printed on the original tinted stock from the camera negatives - Sidney Franklin's THE SAFETY CURTAIN, William S. Hart in RETURN OF DRAW EGAN and the William Seiter-Lewis Milestone LISTEN LESTER. Along with, these you could find Gallone's ULTRIMI GIORNI DI POMPEII or the short films of William Cameron-Menzies, Danielle Darrieux in RETOUR À L'AUBE and a raft of intriguing British material - Conrad Veidt in UNDER THE RED ROBE, the Powell-Pressberger SMALL BACK ROOM, Doug Fairbanks in ACCUSED, Cary Grant in THE AMAZING QUEST or George Arliss in DR. SYN. Some of these proved to be unique and would never be seen again.
All this changed brutally. As well as the ASIO spook activity, there was a fear of the Communist world in the local high art circles. Many professionals were alarmed at the humiliation of creative people like Eisenstein and Shostakovich in Russia, where portraits painter teams, combining on group canvases of receptions, were considered to be the peak of Socialist Realism.
Whether Eisenstein was any less humiliated in Hollywood is speculative but concern over control passing from artists to doctrinaire bureaucrats is legitimate. The deterioration of the Czech film, after the ascent ofthe Communists, had been remarkable and, closer to our time, Mainland ownership of Hong Kong film has dropped it from being the world's number two film industry to nowhere. It didn't take long for a mixture of Political Correctness and salaried bureaucracy to stifle the emerging seventies Australian film, either. In fifties Sydney, Neil Gunther's Film User's association set itself up to steer things away from the ubiquitous Soviet bloc material and Andrea, a now forgotten tabloid columnist, ran an item about finding a flier for the Sydney Film Society's screening of a (shock horror) Polish film about YOUNG CHOPIN, on her seat at the Sydney Film Festival. "Non political, non sectarian - I wonder," she fumed.
This was a trigger for much name calling and fingerpointing. Selecting the East German film DER RATDER GÖTTER caused a split in the Sydney Film Society, with Robert J. Connell's dissident faction scurrying off to start their own screenings at Anzac House. I watched all this with some concern. I'd had good nights with Eddie Allison's Realists or the Kings Cross Film Club, as well as the Catholics - not to mention the Christian Anti-Communist League, who had access to a killer library, including Project 20: NIGHTMARE IN RED and Stuart Rosenberg's QUESTION 7. I'd found them all amiable people. The declining Sydney Film Society was a particular concern. The oldest group in the country, it had JohnHeyer, Bruce Beresford and radio writer Colin Free on its board at different times. The Society had imported major films, like LE MILLION and INTOLERANCE, and it was the one group to run regular, open previews of possible material.
I signed on, doing donkey work. To the standards (LAURA, JOURNAL D'UN CURÉ DE COMPAGNE, POTEMKIN with the then new Kruikov score) we added in some of the neglected films and continued to space this with politically sensitive material. The audience seemed as willing to be amused by Stalin as the comic sidekick in LENIN V OKTABRE, as they were prepared to ponder the clerical anguish in Harald Braun's NACHTWACHE (Lutherans and Catholics combine post WW2).
I premiered the LindsayAnderson MARCH TO ALDERMASTON (good cause - dreary film) but never could get Clouzot's MANON (founding Israel) or Mike Curtiz' SANTA FE TRAIL (nasty abolitionists) into the schedule. The Sydney Film Society did manage to draw respectable numbers for unfamiliar work, organised joint showings with other groups, created translations of items like Helmut Kaütner's FILM OHNE TITEL, did 35mm. screenings on MÄDCHEN IN UNIFORM and the Germi-Fellini CAMINO DELLA SPERANZA. They utilised collectors, with Don Harkness' copy of the Syd Chaplin CHARLEY'S AUNT a hit. I suspect it was the world's first such group to run any Anthony Mann.
Screenings became more frequent and numbers went back up, though never reaching those of the pre-confrontation days and it outlasted the disintegration of the breakaway group by many years. These disputes were never really about politics. They were about personalities. The Anzac House lot themselves ran DER RAT DER GÖTTER - couldn't find enough German films without it. The Sydney University Film Group dug its heels in against Film Users but refused to support the Sydney Film Society over the even more obvious red baiting.
It all became so acrimonious that many of the people, whose efforts and good will the film societies had coasted on, just went home to their TVs, never to return. It meant an end to the days of a the movement as a lobby of any consequence, though it had generated the Festivals, the AFI and a few of the country's more influential critics. The Sydney specialist film scene's debilitated condition caused the centre to shift to Victoria, where film society types were more interested in the profits of the Melbourne Film Festival which, unlike Sydney, is still going gangbusters. They even sustain a Clayton's Cinémathèque there.
Ten years after, at the height of the Vietnam war, Keith Gow joked about the effect his work with the wharfies film unit would have on his Film Australia security clearance and their unit covering L.B.J.'s motorcade. He said they filmed one of the staff throwing themselves in front of the Presidential limo. No one cared. That was the scariest part of all.
EPILOGUE: David Stratton's Sydney Film Festival inherited a movie called SONS & DAUGHTERS, about the youth movement 'Nam protest in SanFrancisco. Remembering the Andrea incident, the recently bearded director shifted from foot to foot. Everyone over twenty five stormed out in the first ten minutes and the sympathiser audience remaining cheered when Jane Fonda came on, cheered when Joan Baez came on, cheered when the Hells Angels came on - and suddenly went quiet, realising that the Angels were against the protesters and for the war. ("This isAmerica!") The rest of the film played in silence.
It's not easy being trendy.
Barrie Pattison - first appeared in Australian Film Files.
Then as now, there were unfamiliar movies tucked away in under-used libraries. One had a hundred or so US silents, many printed on the original tinted stock from the camera negatives - Sidney Franklin's THE SAFETY CURTAIN, William S. Hart in RETURN OF DRAW EGAN and the William Seiter-Lewis Milestone LISTEN LESTER. Along with, these you could find Gallone's ULTRIMI GIORNI DI POMPEII or the short films of William Cameron-Menzies, Danielle Darrieux in RETOUR À L'AUBE and a raft of intriguing British material - Conrad Veidt in UNDER THE RED ROBE, the Powell-Pressberger SMALL BACK ROOM, Doug Fairbanks in ACCUSED, Cary Grant in THE AMAZING QUEST or George Arliss in DR. SYN. Some of these proved to be unique and would never be seen again.
All this changed brutally. As well as the ASIO spook activity, there was a fear of the Communist world in the local high art circles. Many professionals were alarmed at the humiliation of creative people like Eisenstein and Shostakovich in Russia, where portraits painter teams, combining on group canvases of receptions, were considered to be the peak of Socialist Realism.
Whether Eisenstein was any less humiliated in Hollywood is speculative but concern over control passing from artists to doctrinaire bureaucrats is legitimate. The deterioration of the Czech film, after the ascent ofthe Communists, had been remarkable and, closer to our time, Mainland ownership of Hong Kong film has dropped it from being the world's number two film industry to nowhere. It didn't take long for a mixture of Political Correctness and salaried bureaucracy to stifle the emerging seventies Australian film, either. In fifties Sydney, Neil Gunther's Film User's association set itself up to steer things away from the ubiquitous Soviet bloc material and Andrea, a now forgotten tabloid columnist, ran an item about finding a flier for the Sydney Film Society's screening of a (shock horror) Polish film about YOUNG CHOPIN, on her seat at the Sydney Film Festival. "Non political, non sectarian - I wonder," she fumed.
This was a trigger for much name calling and fingerpointing. Selecting the East German film DER RATDER GÖTTER caused a split in the Sydney Film Society, with Robert J. Connell's dissident faction scurrying off to start their own screenings at Anzac House. I watched all this with some concern. I'd had good nights with Eddie Allison's Realists or the Kings Cross Film Club, as well as the Catholics - not to mention the Christian Anti-Communist League, who had access to a killer library, including Project 20: NIGHTMARE IN RED and Stuart Rosenberg's QUESTION 7. I'd found them all amiable people. The declining Sydney Film Society was a particular concern. The oldest group in the country, it had JohnHeyer, Bruce Beresford and radio writer Colin Free on its board at different times. The Society had imported major films, like LE MILLION and INTOLERANCE, and it was the one group to run regular, open previews of possible material.
I signed on, doing donkey work. To the standards (LAURA, JOURNAL D'UN CURÉ DE COMPAGNE, POTEMKIN with the then new Kruikov score) we added in some of the neglected films and continued to space this with politically sensitive material. The audience seemed as willing to be amused by Stalin as the comic sidekick in LENIN V OKTABRE, as they were prepared to ponder the clerical anguish in Harald Braun's NACHTWACHE (Lutherans and Catholics combine post WW2).
I premiered the LindsayAnderson MARCH TO ALDERMASTON (good cause - dreary film) but never could get Clouzot's MANON (founding Israel) or Mike Curtiz' SANTA FE TRAIL (nasty abolitionists) into the schedule. The Sydney Film Society did manage to draw respectable numbers for unfamiliar work, organised joint showings with other groups, created translations of items like Helmut Kaütner's FILM OHNE TITEL, did 35mm. screenings on MÄDCHEN IN UNIFORM and the Germi-Fellini CAMINO DELLA SPERANZA. They utilised collectors, with Don Harkness' copy of the Syd Chaplin CHARLEY'S AUNT a hit. I suspect it was the world's first such group to run any Anthony Mann.
Screenings became more frequent and numbers went back up, though never reaching those of the pre-confrontation days and it outlasted the disintegration of the breakaway group by many years. These disputes were never really about politics. They were about personalities. The Anzac House lot themselves ran DER RAT DER GÖTTER - couldn't find enough German films without it. The Sydney University Film Group dug its heels in against Film Users but refused to support the Sydney Film Society over the even more obvious red baiting.
It all became so acrimonious that many of the people, whose efforts and good will the film societies had coasted on, just went home to their TVs, never to return. It meant an end to the days of a the movement as a lobby of any consequence, though it had generated the Festivals, the AFI and a few of the country's more influential critics. The Sydney specialist film scene's debilitated condition caused the centre to shift to Victoria, where film society types were more interested in the profits of the Melbourne Film Festival which, unlike Sydney, is still going gangbusters. They even sustain a Clayton's Cinémathèque there.
Ten years after, at the height of the Vietnam war, Keith Gow joked about the effect his work with the wharfies film unit would have on his Film Australia security clearance and their unit covering L.B.J.'s motorcade. He said they filmed one of the staff throwing themselves in front of the Presidential limo. No one cared. That was the scariest part of all.
EPILOGUE: David Stratton's Sydney Film Festival inherited a movie called SONS & DAUGHTERS, about the youth movement 'Nam protest in SanFrancisco. Remembering the Andrea incident, the recently bearded director shifted from foot to foot. Everyone over twenty five stormed out in the first ten minutes and the sympathiser audience remaining cheered when Jane Fonda came on, cheered when Joan Baez came on, cheered when the Hells Angels came on - and suddenly went quiet, realising that the Angels were against the protesters and for the war. ("This isAmerica!") The rest of the film played in silence.
It's not easy being trendy.
Barrie Pattison - first appeared in Australian Film Files.
Tuesday, 31 July 2007
AUTUMN 2007 CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAM
AUTUMN 2007 CINEMATHEQUE PROGRAM
Mailing list and enquiries: brettgarten@iprimus.com.au
Cinematheque screenings are open to members and their guests. Membership is available at the door.
Trial Membership (1 month/4 screenings/1 guest) $18/$15
3 Month Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
Saturday screenings commence at 1pm.
Monday screenings commence at 7pm.
Sat 3/2 & Mon 5/2 FILMS ON FILM
Cinema Switzerland/1973/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Sebastian C. Schroeder. An Afghan street cinema, using the sun as a light source directed through mirrors.
Dick Smith: Make-Up Artist USA/1976/18mins/Colour/16mm Dir: David E. Smith. Shows the aging techniques used on Dustin Hoffman in 'Little Big Man' and Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'
Drive-In Blues USA/1986/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Jan Krawitz. This brief history provides a nostalgic celebration of the drive-in as a social institution in America.
Reverse Angle Germany/1982/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Wim Wenders. This essay film is a montage of 'tourist' images of Manhattan, television commercials, the 'Hammett' editing rooms, fragments of a session with Hammett's producer Francis Ford Coppola,
Edward Hopper's paintings, Emmanuel Bove's writing - juxtaposed with new wave music and Wenders' personal reflections.
To Shoot a Mad Dog Australia/1976/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: David Elfick. An insight into the crazed production of Philippe Mora's Australian feature film 'Mad Dog Morgan', starring Dennis Hopper at his manic worst.
Showing the World We're Still Here Germany/1972/16mins/B&W and Colour/16mm Dir: Werner Herzog. Herzog appears in person in this film which his camera-man shot during the filming of ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’.
Sat 10/2 & Mon 12/2 CLAYMATION
A program of clay animated shorts, focussing on the work of three masters of the form: Will Vinton, Joan Gratz and Elliot Noyes Jr.
Claymation: Three Dimensional Animation USA/1978/18mins/ Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton. A group of animators discuss and demonstrate the steps involved in producing a clay animation film.
Closed Mondays USA/1974/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton. A wino wanders into an art museum and believes he sees the art objects come to life. Won an Oscar for Best Animated Short of 1974.
Clay: Origin of the Species USA/1964/8mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Elliot Noyes Jr. Whimsical clay sculptures metamorphise from one form to another. Oscar nominated for Best Animated Short of 1965.
Creation USA/1981/8mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton An illustration of one of seven poems on the theme of the Creation written in the style of a black preacher by James Weldon Johnson.
Mona Lisa Descending the Staircase USA/1991/7mins/Colour/ 16mm Dir: Joan Gratz. An entertaining and colourful journey through the development of modern art, from impressionism, through cubism and surrealism to contemporary pop art and postmodern hyper-realism. Won an Oscar for Best Animated Short in 1993.
Fable of He and She USA/1974/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Elliot Noyes, Jr. An animated fable that challenges stereotyped thinking.
Martin the Cobbler USA/1976/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton A poor cobbler has a dream in which he hears the Lord promise to visit him. Instead poor people in need of food, clothing, warmth and understanding come to him. In the end he understands that this is how the Lord visits men today.
Toilette USA/1976/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Joan Freeman. An animated film using clay figures to illustrate a young woman's indecision when dressing in the morning.
Sat 17/2 & Mon 19/2 DOUBLE POSSESSION
USA/1973/80mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Bill Gunn. This offbeat black independent film, also known as ‘Ganja and Hess’, was marketed as a blaxploitation horror film upon release but is really a challenging work that addresses issues of African-American culture and spirituality. Dr Hess Green, an esteemed anthropologist, is assigned a new assistant of unstable disposition. When Hess is stabbed with an African relic, he becomes obsessed with blood, being possessed by an ancient curse.
Sat 24/2 ONLY - HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
USA/1964/16mm/78mins Dir: Del Tenney. This outrageous “monster musical” fuses the beach party genre with ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’. Atomic radiation causes a sea monster (a man in a rubber suit with hot dogs stuck to his face) to rise from the deep and attack liberated women. The crisp, B&W photography sometimes resembles the work of surrealist Man Ray, while the feminist back lash angle, terrible “surf” music, and the quirky, fast-paced direction, make this a unique example of unintentional, garage surrealism. Screens once only – no Monday screening.
Sat 3/3 & Mon 5/3 ALL ROADS LEAD TO POE
A selection of short films either based on, or about, American author, poet and critic, Edgar Allan Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe: A Background to his works USA/1975/15mins/ 16mm. This award-winning educational film uses art work created in the style of Poe’s writings to illustrate scenes from his major works.
The Raven USA/1942/18mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Dave Fleischer
A loose, comic adaptation of Poe’s classic poem from the Fleischer Bros. studio, creators of Betty Boop.
The Poisoner Poisoned Czech/1969/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Milos Makovec. An episode from the Czech portmanteau film, ‘Prague Nights’, concerning mysterious disappearances in a peculiar hotel - based on the Poe story , ‘The Terribly Strange Bed’.
Toby Dammit aka Never Bet the Devil You’re Head Italy/1968/ 38mins/16mm Dir: Federico Fellini. An episode from the French portmanteau film, ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ starring Terence Stamp as a burnt-out Hollywood star.
The Raven USA/1951/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Larry Jacobs.
A reading of Edgar Allan Poe's poem ‘The Raven’ illustrated by the engravings of Gustave Dore.
Sat 10/3 & Mon 12/3 BITTER BIERCE
American master of both civil war and horror literature (often together), Ambrose Bierce was a newspaper muckraker par excellence, civil war hero and literary villain, whose grim and ironic tales of soldiers and civilians earned him the appellation above.
Man and the Snake UK/1975/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Sture Rydman. After an evening's conversation about the uncanny power of snakes, a zoologist's overnight guest awakes to see two beady eyes staring at him in the darkness.
The Boarded Window USA/1973/17mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Alan W. Beattie. A husband’s loss of his wife is compounded by the terrifying and uncertain circumstances of her death.
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge France/1962/28mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Robert Enrico. A Confederate citizen stands on the scaffold, about to be hanged, and seems, by a miracle, to escape.
Chickamaugua France/1962/29mins/B&W/16mmDir: Robert Enrico
A boy wanders from his homestead during a battle in the American Civil War and comes across a group of dead and dying soldiers.
One of the Missing UK/1969/27mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Tony Scott About a young soldier trapped beneath a fall of masonry and confronted by a loaded rifle. From the director of ‘True Romance’.
Saturday 17/3 & 19/3 SOCIAL SCIENCE FILMS
The Hole USA/1962/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Hubley. Two construction workers - one black, one white - converse about politics, families, modern technology and attitudes to life, while excavating a hole. Winner of the 1962 Oscar for Best Animated Short.
One Small Step USA/1980/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: A film about getting along with each other, courtesy, the golden rule, smiling more, being less indifferent to others and more cooperative.
Have I Told You Lately that I Love You USA/1958/17mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Stuart Hanisch. One day in the life of an upper-middle-class American family, showing their dependence upon machines and the effect of automation on their relationships with one another.
Feeling of Hostility USA/1948/32mins/B&W/16mm A case history of a girl who, lacking affection and understanding at home attempts to substitute achievement - often obtained at the expense of others.
Eye of the Beholder USA/1953/25mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Felix Feist. This film is designed to show that what one sees in any situation is conditioned by one's past experience and point of view.
Work:Alienation on the Assembly Line USA/1970/15 mins/16mm Dir: A study of the alienation experienced by workers on assembly lines in
Detroit car factories.
Sat 24/3 & Mon 26/3 WATERSIDE WORKERS FILM UNIT
Lament the disappearance of Sydney’s working harbour with this retrospective of politically engaged films from Sydney’s legendary Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit.
The Hungry Mile Australia/1955/28mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy. A passionate survey of the struggles and achievements of the Waterside Workers' Federation, including some striking scenes of the depression (reconstructed with amateur actors), showing the impact of the economic hardships of the 1930s.
Indonesia Calling Australia/1948/22mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Joris Ivens, Edmund Allison, Marion Michelle, Catherine Duncan.
Joris Ivens was in Sydney to make a film about the return of the Dutch to Indonesia for the Netherlands Government. Instead he, and others, made a film about the refusal of the waterside workers to man and load Dutch ships and arms. Narrated by Peter Finch.
Four's a Crowd Australia/1956/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy, Norma Disher. Caricatures of four undesirable union types - 'Glass Arm Harry', 'Tiddly Pete', 'Nickaway Ned' and 'Ron the Roaster'. Narrated by Leonard Teale.
Land of Australia - Aboriginal Culture Australia/1957/10mins/
B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy. A short documentary highlighting Aboriginal culture and beliefs as represented through traditional art and creation legends. Narrated by Leonard Teale.
November Victory Australia/1954/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Jerome Levy, Keith Gow, Norma Disher. A view of the national waterfront strike in November 1954 against the policies of the shipowners and the Menzies government.
Not Only the Need... Australia/1958/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy, Norma Disher. Contrasting government housing policies with the realities of slum conditions and inadequate housing.
Sat 31/3 & Mon 2/4 FILMS OF MAX & DAVE FLEISCHER
The cartoons of the Fleischer brothers represent animation at its best. This program represents almost the entire collection of Fleischer cartoons held in the National Library collection.
The Chinaman USA/1920/6mins/B&W/16mm. Koko the Clown and his entanglement with a Chinaman.
Modelling USA/1921/7mins/B&W/16mm. Animated film about a cartoon clown who comes to life.
Bubbles USA/1922/7mins/B&W/16mm. A charming combination of live action and animation from the 'Out of the Inkwell' series.
Koko's Earth Control USA/1927/B&W/16mm. Koko and his dog tamper with the levers that control Earth.
Koko the Kop USA/1927/B&W/16mm. Koko the Kop in conflict with a hungry dog.
Finding His Voice USA/1929/11mins/B&W/16mm. This cartoon was produced for Western Electric and demonstrates how sound is reproduced in talking pictures.
In My Merry Oldsmobile USA/1931/5mins/B&W/16mm. Animated sing-along to the tune of In My Merry Oldsmobile
Betty in Blunderland USA/1933/7mins/B&W/16mm. A parody of 'Alice in Wonderland'.
Betty Boop's Rise to Fame USA/1934/9mins/B&W/16mm. Betty demonstrates her routines in a revue style structure.
Betty Boop in Poor Cinderella USA/1934/10mins/B&W/16mm.
An animated musical retelling of the Cinderella story.
Betty Boop and Grampy USA/1935/7mins/B&W/16mm. Grampy outlasts Betty Boop and friends at a party in his trick house.
Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor USA/1936/16mins/ Colour/16mm. This was the first cartoon to be given wide theatrical billing as a main attraction.
Sat 7/4 & Mon 9/4 BRAKHAGE FRAME BY FRAME
Legendary experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage’s hand-painted films represent the largest body of work in abstract painting. This special presentation will look at several Brakhage films, including the Dante Quartet, Dog Star Man, Mothlight and others in full, and then again, frame by frame, to reveal the extent of Brakhage’s work and genius. The frame by frame presentation will be accompanied by a commentary by Cinematheque curator Brett Garten.
Sat 14/4 & Mon 16/4 CITY SYMPHONIES
City symphonies mix documentary, narrative and experimental techniques to create portraits of cities. In this program is a range of city films, from the silent era to more recent work. The silent films will be accompanied by new scores, performed live on stage.
Rien Que les Heures (Nothing but Time) France/1926/35mins/ B&W/16mm Dir: Alberto Calvalcanti. A day in the life of Paris in the 1920s, concentrating on the human side, with a social conscience not usually associated with the genre. With live music.
Regen (Rain) Netherlands/1929/11mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Joris Ivens. This model 'city poem' observes the changing face of Amsterdam during the rain. With live music.
Manhatta USA/1921/7mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Paul Strand & Charles Sheeler. This portrait of New York was one of the first American avant garde films. With live musical accompaniment.
Rhythm of a City Sweden/1947/18mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Arne Sucksdorff. This film poem is built on incident and observation evoking without commentary, the rhythm of life in a Stockholm - 'where the fittest survive'. Won an Oscar for Best Short Doco 1949.
N.Y., N.Y. : A Day in New York USA/1960/17mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Francis Thompson. Through a variety of lenses, reflectors, special optical effects and editing, Thompson distorts and creates a city. The soundtrack moves from concrete sounds to abstract jazz.
Iran France/1971/18mins/Color/16mm Dir: Claude Lelouch. Iran is seen as a country in transition. A buried masterpiece from the director of ‘A Man and a Woman’.
San Francisco UK/1969/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Anthony Stern
A flood of rapidly cut images backed by an early demo version of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive.
Sat 21/4 & Mon 23/4 WAR HOT AND COLD
This program of propaganda films will be introduced by David McKnight, acclaimed author of ‘Beyond Right and Left’.
Menace Australia/1952/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Jack S. Staged and documentary footage is disguised as newsreel in this anti-communist tract. It was widely released in Australia in the ‘50s.
Hot Spot USA/1943/5mins/B&W/16mm One of the 'Private Snafu' series of cartoons shown exclusively in the armed services. The basic purpose of this one was to acquaint military personnel with conditions in Iran. Script by Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss.
Red Nightmare USA/1962/29mins/B&W/16mm Dir: George Waggner. A small town American takes his civil liberties for granted until he dreams of a communist takeover. A right-wing Twilight Zone from producer Jack ‘Dragnet’ Webb.
Tokio Jokio USA/1943/7mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Leon Schlesinger. This highly racist war time spoof/propaganda film is still of interest as a study of the allies attitudes towards the Japanese during World War II. Music by Carl Stalling.
The Autobiography of a Jeep USA/1944/10mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Irving Lerner. A humorous film designed to convey some information about the general purpose vehicle which became affectionately known as the 'Jeep'.
In Our Hands USA/1956/15mins/B&W/16mm. Hilarious and chilling, this film is part of a series of right-wing, cold-war propaganda films.
RSL News Australia/1969/8mins/B&W/16mm. A “newsreel” produced for and shown exclusively in Australian RSL clubs.
Cap'n Cub Scraps the Japs USA/1943/9mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Ted Eshbaugh. A bizarre wartime propaganda film for children which culminates in a dogfight in which Captain Cub pits his aerial combat skills against a bomber piloted by an evil Japanese monkey.
Sat 28/4 & Mon 30/4 BYGONE WORLD OF SYDNEY’S THEATRES
Join Ian Hanson, Australia’s pre-eminent theatre historian, on an amazing journey back in time to the heyday of Sydney’s picture palaces. This special cinematheque program will consist of a multimedia presentation from Ian’s extensive archive of slides, photographs, films and videos, on the lost theatres of Sydney.
Guest In Our House Australia/1947/15mins/B&W/VHS Hilarious Hoyts staff training film. Made for Hoyts by Fox-Movietone.
Hamilton Weber and the State Orchestra Australia/1934/10mins/B&W/DVD Dir: Ken G. Hall. Remains of Ken G.Halls short ‘Cinesound Varieties’ filmed at the State Theatre by Frank Hurley.
The Chauvel Cinematheque acknowledges the assistance of the National film and Video Lending Service, the National Film & Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission and the Hobart Film Society in the creation of this program.
Mailing list and enquiries: brettgarten@iprimus.com.au
Cinematheque screenings are open to members and their guests. Membership is available at the door.
Trial Membership (1 month/4 screenings/1 guest) $18/$15
3 Month Membership (12 screenings/3 guests) $36/$32
Annual Membership (52 screenings/12 guests) $85/$75
Saturday screenings commence at 1pm.
Monday screenings commence at 7pm.
Sat 3/2 & Mon 5/2 FILMS ON FILM
Cinema Switzerland/1973/3mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Sebastian C. Schroeder. An Afghan street cinema, using the sun as a light source directed through mirrors.
Dick Smith: Make-Up Artist USA/1976/18mins/Colour/16mm Dir: David E. Smith. Shows the aging techniques used on Dustin Hoffman in 'Little Big Man' and Marlon Brando in 'The Godfather'
Drive-In Blues USA/1986/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Jan Krawitz. This brief history provides a nostalgic celebration of the drive-in as a social institution in America.
Reverse Angle Germany/1982/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Wim Wenders. This essay film is a montage of 'tourist' images of Manhattan, television commercials, the 'Hammett' editing rooms, fragments of a session with Hammett's producer Francis Ford Coppola,
Edward Hopper's paintings, Emmanuel Bove's writing - juxtaposed with new wave music and Wenders' personal reflections.
To Shoot a Mad Dog Australia/1976/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: David Elfick. An insight into the crazed production of Philippe Mora's Australian feature film 'Mad Dog Morgan', starring Dennis Hopper at his manic worst.
Showing the World We're Still Here Germany/1972/16mins/B&W and Colour/16mm Dir: Werner Herzog. Herzog appears in person in this film which his camera-man shot during the filming of ‘Aguirre, the Wrath of God’.
Sat 10/2 & Mon 12/2 CLAYMATION
A program of clay animated shorts, focussing on the work of three masters of the form: Will Vinton, Joan Gratz and Elliot Noyes Jr.
Claymation: Three Dimensional Animation USA/1978/18mins/ Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton. A group of animators discuss and demonstrate the steps involved in producing a clay animation film.
Closed Mondays USA/1974/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton. A wino wanders into an art museum and believes he sees the art objects come to life. Won an Oscar for Best Animated Short of 1974.
Clay: Origin of the Species USA/1964/8mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Elliot Noyes Jr. Whimsical clay sculptures metamorphise from one form to another. Oscar nominated for Best Animated Short of 1965.
Creation USA/1981/8mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton An illustration of one of seven poems on the theme of the Creation written in the style of a black preacher by James Weldon Johnson.
Mona Lisa Descending the Staircase USA/1991/7mins/Colour/ 16mm Dir: Joan Gratz. An entertaining and colourful journey through the development of modern art, from impressionism, through cubism and surrealism to contemporary pop art and postmodern hyper-realism. Won an Oscar for Best Animated Short in 1993.
Fable of He and She USA/1974/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Elliot Noyes, Jr. An animated fable that challenges stereotyped thinking.
Martin the Cobbler USA/1976/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Will Vinton A poor cobbler has a dream in which he hears the Lord promise to visit him. Instead poor people in need of food, clothing, warmth and understanding come to him. In the end he understands that this is how the Lord visits men today.
Toilette USA/1976/7mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Joan Freeman. An animated film using clay figures to illustrate a young woman's indecision when dressing in the morning.
Sat 17/2 & Mon 19/2 DOUBLE POSSESSION
USA/1973/80mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Bill Gunn. This offbeat black independent film, also known as ‘Ganja and Hess’, was marketed as a blaxploitation horror film upon release but is really a challenging work that addresses issues of African-American culture and spirituality. Dr Hess Green, an esteemed anthropologist, is assigned a new assistant of unstable disposition. When Hess is stabbed with an African relic, he becomes obsessed with blood, being possessed by an ancient curse.
Sat 24/2 ONLY - HORROR OF PARTY BEACH
USA/1964/16mm/78mins Dir: Del Tenney. This outrageous “monster musical” fuses the beach party genre with ‘Creature from the Black Lagoon’. Atomic radiation causes a sea monster (a man in a rubber suit with hot dogs stuck to his face) to rise from the deep and attack liberated women. The crisp, B&W photography sometimes resembles the work of surrealist Man Ray, while the feminist back lash angle, terrible “surf” music, and the quirky, fast-paced direction, make this a unique example of unintentional, garage surrealism. Screens once only – no Monday screening.
Sat 3/3 & Mon 5/3 ALL ROADS LEAD TO POE
A selection of short films either based on, or about, American author, poet and critic, Edgar Allan Poe.
Edgar Allan Poe: A Background to his works USA/1975/15mins/ 16mm. This award-winning educational film uses art work created in the style of Poe’s writings to illustrate scenes from his major works.
The Raven USA/1942/18mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Dave Fleischer
A loose, comic adaptation of Poe’s classic poem from the Fleischer Bros. studio, creators of Betty Boop.
The Poisoner Poisoned Czech/1969/28mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Milos Makovec. An episode from the Czech portmanteau film, ‘Prague Nights’, concerning mysterious disappearances in a peculiar hotel - based on the Poe story , ‘The Terribly Strange Bed’.
Toby Dammit aka Never Bet the Devil You’re Head Italy/1968/ 38mins/16mm Dir: Federico Fellini. An episode from the French portmanteau film, ‘Tales of Mystery and Imagination’ starring Terence Stamp as a burnt-out Hollywood star.
The Raven USA/1951/12mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Larry Jacobs.
A reading of Edgar Allan Poe's poem ‘The Raven’ illustrated by the engravings of Gustave Dore.
Sat 10/3 & Mon 12/3 BITTER BIERCE
American master of both civil war and horror literature (often together), Ambrose Bierce was a newspaper muckraker par excellence, civil war hero and literary villain, whose grim and ironic tales of soldiers and civilians earned him the appellation above.
Man and the Snake UK/1975/26mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Sture Rydman. After an evening's conversation about the uncanny power of snakes, a zoologist's overnight guest awakes to see two beady eyes staring at him in the darkness.
The Boarded Window USA/1973/17mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Alan W. Beattie. A husband’s loss of his wife is compounded by the terrifying and uncertain circumstances of her death.
Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge France/1962/28mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Robert Enrico. A Confederate citizen stands on the scaffold, about to be hanged, and seems, by a miracle, to escape.
Chickamaugua France/1962/29mins/B&W/16mmDir: Robert Enrico
A boy wanders from his homestead during a battle in the American Civil War and comes across a group of dead and dying soldiers.
One of the Missing UK/1969/27mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Tony Scott About a young soldier trapped beneath a fall of masonry and confronted by a loaded rifle. From the director of ‘True Romance’.
Saturday 17/3 & 19/3 SOCIAL SCIENCE FILMS
The Hole USA/1962/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: John Hubley. Two construction workers - one black, one white - converse about politics, families, modern technology and attitudes to life, while excavating a hole. Winner of the 1962 Oscar for Best Animated Short.
One Small Step USA/1980/16mins/Colour/16mm Dir: A film about getting along with each other, courtesy, the golden rule, smiling more, being less indifferent to others and more cooperative.
Have I Told You Lately that I Love You USA/1958/17mins/B&W/ 16mm Dir: Stuart Hanisch. One day in the life of an upper-middle-class American family, showing their dependence upon machines and the effect of automation on their relationships with one another.
Feeling of Hostility USA/1948/32mins/B&W/16mm A case history of a girl who, lacking affection and understanding at home attempts to substitute achievement - often obtained at the expense of others.
Eye of the Beholder USA/1953/25mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Felix Feist. This film is designed to show that what one sees in any situation is conditioned by one's past experience and point of view.
Work:Alienation on the Assembly Line USA/1970/15 mins/16mm Dir: A study of the alienation experienced by workers on assembly lines in
Detroit car factories.
Sat 24/3 & Mon 26/3 WATERSIDE WORKERS FILM UNIT
Lament the disappearance of Sydney’s working harbour with this retrospective of politically engaged films from Sydney’s legendary Waterside Workers’ Federation Film Unit.
The Hungry Mile Australia/1955/28mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy. A passionate survey of the struggles and achievements of the Waterside Workers' Federation, including some striking scenes of the depression (reconstructed with amateur actors), showing the impact of the economic hardships of the 1930s.
Indonesia Calling Australia/1948/22mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Joris Ivens, Edmund Allison, Marion Michelle, Catherine Duncan.
Joris Ivens was in Sydney to make a film about the return of the Dutch to Indonesia for the Netherlands Government. Instead he, and others, made a film about the refusal of the waterside workers to man and load Dutch ships and arms. Narrated by Peter Finch.
Four's a Crowd Australia/1956/15mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy, Norma Disher. Caricatures of four undesirable union types - 'Glass Arm Harry', 'Tiddly Pete', 'Nickaway Ned' and 'Ron the Roaster'. Narrated by Leonard Teale.
Land of Australia - Aboriginal Culture Australia/1957/10mins/
B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy. A short documentary highlighting Aboriginal culture and beliefs as represented through traditional art and creation legends. Narrated by Leonard Teale.
November Victory Australia/1954/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Jerome Levy, Keith Gow, Norma Disher. A view of the national waterfront strike in November 1954 against the policies of the shipowners and the Menzies government.
Not Only the Need... Australia/1958/20mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Keith Gow, Jerome Levy, Norma Disher. Contrasting government housing policies with the realities of slum conditions and inadequate housing.
Sat 31/3 & Mon 2/4 FILMS OF MAX & DAVE FLEISCHER
The cartoons of the Fleischer brothers represent animation at its best. This program represents almost the entire collection of Fleischer cartoons held in the National Library collection.
The Chinaman USA/1920/6mins/B&W/16mm. Koko the Clown and his entanglement with a Chinaman.
Modelling USA/1921/7mins/B&W/16mm. Animated film about a cartoon clown who comes to life.
Bubbles USA/1922/7mins/B&W/16mm. A charming combination of live action and animation from the 'Out of the Inkwell' series.
Koko's Earth Control USA/1927/B&W/16mm. Koko and his dog tamper with the levers that control Earth.
Koko the Kop USA/1927/B&W/16mm. Koko the Kop in conflict with a hungry dog.
Finding His Voice USA/1929/11mins/B&W/16mm. This cartoon was produced for Western Electric and demonstrates how sound is reproduced in talking pictures.
In My Merry Oldsmobile USA/1931/5mins/B&W/16mm. Animated sing-along to the tune of In My Merry Oldsmobile
Betty in Blunderland USA/1933/7mins/B&W/16mm. A parody of 'Alice in Wonderland'.
Betty Boop's Rise to Fame USA/1934/9mins/B&W/16mm. Betty demonstrates her routines in a revue style structure.
Betty Boop in Poor Cinderella USA/1934/10mins/B&W/16mm.
An animated musical retelling of the Cinderella story.
Betty Boop and Grampy USA/1935/7mins/B&W/16mm. Grampy outlasts Betty Boop and friends at a party in his trick house.
Popeye the Sailor Meets Sinbad the Sailor USA/1936/16mins/ Colour/16mm. This was the first cartoon to be given wide theatrical billing as a main attraction.
Sat 7/4 & Mon 9/4 BRAKHAGE FRAME BY FRAME
Legendary experimental filmmaker Stan Brakhage’s hand-painted films represent the largest body of work in abstract painting. This special presentation will look at several Brakhage films, including the Dante Quartet, Dog Star Man, Mothlight and others in full, and then again, frame by frame, to reveal the extent of Brakhage’s work and genius. The frame by frame presentation will be accompanied by a commentary by Cinematheque curator Brett Garten.
Sat 14/4 & Mon 16/4 CITY SYMPHONIES
City symphonies mix documentary, narrative and experimental techniques to create portraits of cities. In this program is a range of city films, from the silent era to more recent work. The silent films will be accompanied by new scores, performed live on stage.
Rien Que les Heures (Nothing but Time) France/1926/35mins/ B&W/16mm Dir: Alberto Calvalcanti. A day in the life of Paris in the 1920s, concentrating on the human side, with a social conscience not usually associated with the genre. With live music.
Regen (Rain) Netherlands/1929/11mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Joris Ivens. This model 'city poem' observes the changing face of Amsterdam during the rain. With live music.
Manhatta USA/1921/7mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Paul Strand & Charles Sheeler. This portrait of New York was one of the first American avant garde films. With live musical accompaniment.
Rhythm of a City Sweden/1947/18mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Arne Sucksdorff. This film poem is built on incident and observation evoking without commentary, the rhythm of life in a Stockholm - 'where the fittest survive'. Won an Oscar for Best Short Doco 1949.
N.Y., N.Y. : A Day in New York USA/1960/17mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Francis Thompson. Through a variety of lenses, reflectors, special optical effects and editing, Thompson distorts and creates a city. The soundtrack moves from concrete sounds to abstract jazz.
Iran France/1971/18mins/Color/16mm Dir: Claude Lelouch. Iran is seen as a country in transition. A buried masterpiece from the director of ‘A Man and a Woman’.
San Francisco UK/1969/15mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Anthony Stern
A flood of rapidly cut images backed by an early demo version of Pink Floyd's Interstellar Overdrive.
Sat 21/4 & Mon 23/4 WAR HOT AND COLD
This program of propaganda films will be introduced by David McKnight, acclaimed author of ‘Beyond Right and Left’.
Menace Australia/1952/10mins/Colour/16mm Dir: Jack S. Staged and documentary footage is disguised as newsreel in this anti-communist tract. It was widely released in Australia in the ‘50s.
Hot Spot USA/1943/5mins/B&W/16mm One of the 'Private Snafu' series of cartoons shown exclusively in the armed services. The basic purpose of this one was to acquaint military personnel with conditions in Iran. Script by Theodor Geisel aka Dr. Seuss.
Red Nightmare USA/1962/29mins/B&W/16mm Dir: George Waggner. A small town American takes his civil liberties for granted until he dreams of a communist takeover. A right-wing Twilight Zone from producer Jack ‘Dragnet’ Webb.
Tokio Jokio USA/1943/7mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Leon Schlesinger. This highly racist war time spoof/propaganda film is still of interest as a study of the allies attitudes towards the Japanese during World War II. Music by Carl Stalling.
The Autobiography of a Jeep USA/1944/10mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Irving Lerner. A humorous film designed to convey some information about the general purpose vehicle which became affectionately known as the 'Jeep'.
In Our Hands USA/1956/15mins/B&W/16mm. Hilarious and chilling, this film is part of a series of right-wing, cold-war propaganda films.
RSL News Australia/1969/8mins/B&W/16mm. A “newsreel” produced for and shown exclusively in Australian RSL clubs.
Cap'n Cub Scraps the Japs USA/1943/9mins/B&W/16mm Dir: Ted Eshbaugh. A bizarre wartime propaganda film for children which culminates in a dogfight in which Captain Cub pits his aerial combat skills against a bomber piloted by an evil Japanese monkey.
Sat 28/4 & Mon 30/4 BYGONE WORLD OF SYDNEY’S THEATRES
Join Ian Hanson, Australia’s pre-eminent theatre historian, on an amazing journey back in time to the heyday of Sydney’s picture palaces. This special cinematheque program will consist of a multimedia presentation from Ian’s extensive archive of slides, photographs, films and videos, on the lost theatres of Sydney.
Guest In Our House Australia/1947/15mins/B&W/VHS Hilarious Hoyts staff training film. Made for Hoyts by Fox-Movietone.
Hamilton Weber and the State Orchestra Australia/1934/10mins/B&W/DVD Dir: Ken G. Hall. Remains of Ken G.Halls short ‘Cinesound Varieties’ filmed at the State Theatre by Frank Hurley.
The Chauvel Cinematheque acknowledges the assistance of the National film and Video Lending Service, the National Film & Sound Archive, the Australian Film Commission and the Hobart Film Society in the creation of this program.
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