fog nostalgia

Here's an example of the moody shots which influenced the film school directors of the 1970s:



That lighting through the fog is fantastic!
It makes me nostalgic for the fog that has disappeared lately from San Francisco
(replaced by seemingly endless rain - a lot less romantic.)



This is shot entirely on sets, which is what this city looks like
at the height of the foggy season.

Now I want to watch DOA again.

Moontide (1942)
directed by Archie Mayo (and some Fritz Lang)
cinematography by Charles Clark
and Lucien Ballard

blame it on spring

Dillinger (1973)
directed by John Milius
cinematography by Jules Brenner



Okay, here's what happened:



I was just so innocently watching The Goodbye Girl for no particular reason
when I developed a huge crush on the young Richard Dreyfus.
The last few weeks have been spent hunting down early
Dreyfus films I had so far neglected.
No Duddy Kravitz though, but I did enjoy Dillinger -
it's just gorgeous.
Good thing as it was the only photogenic film in the bunch.

I'm fascinated by the film school kids who became directors in the early 1970s.
I can see they culled from the same reservoir I frequent.
I just wish I had a greater appreciation for their films.

Radio City or SF?

The answer is both.

This is Radio City, the former NBC radio station
at 420 Taylor Street San Francisco (1942).
Its an ocean liner of a building, all modernism and International Style.
Even though it is now a parking garage, it is still a gorgeous architectural specimen.



Unfortunately, I can find very little information on it.
There is a very detailed posting on a radio history blog.



The tiled mural was designed by CJ Fitzgerald.
Here's a link to a color photo.

sports!

Here I am! A week or two and a moderately-sized
credit card bill later but I'm back.

It was so strange being without the internet or the ability to watch DVDs.
I had so much free time,
I even tried this activity called "exercise" (sp?).
I didn't like it much -- I'll probably stick to watching films.

I was inspired by this Shanghai film from the early 1930s.
[By the way, the Shanghai! exhibit at the Asian Art Museum here in SF was a wealth of information, art-deco-film-wise.]

According to this film, sports is all about showing off legs.
The introductory shot of the lead leers up at her and
her billowing skirts as she climbs the ship's smokestack.
She rearranges her clothing all throughout the film or simply makes things
clearer by appearing in shorts.

There is also a fetishistic sequence of cute young things brushing their teeth.
Health and beauty is sexy is clearly the theme here.
Pre-revolution rather than pre-code,
similar fun and antics abound in this late silent film.



I get enough spam now, so that is the only leg shot I'll post.

Oh, and did I mention the fantastic Art Deco apartment?







Ti Yu Huang Hou (1934)
aka Queen of Sports
directed by Yu Sun