snow forecast - for real

Could these be the hills of San Francisco this weekend?

It's a good thing I had a leftover picture from Ski Party (1965). I never thought I would ever get to do a post like this but snowfall has been predicted for San Francisco this Friday. If so, it would be the first time snow has landed here since 1976.

Originally forecasted to hit Saturday, it's moving in much faster now. It has already left its mark in Oregon. Fingers crossed it will grant my wish for snow too!

last wintertime post?

This latest blast of winter weather here in SF was startling and refreshing-
but in my mind I'm already jumping ahead towards springtime....



More proof that 1939 was a banner year in film, especially for Art Deco ice skating rinks:




Apparently they made ice skating movies without Sonja Henie - Joan Crawford and James Stewart lace up in her place. Despite the title, it appears this was not one of a series revisited year after year. Sadly. This was fun.

Ice Follies of 1939 (1939) (natch)
directed by Reinhold Schunzel
cinematography by Oliver T Marsh
and Joseph Ruttenberg
art direction by Cedric Gibbons

post-heist

Le Douxieme Souffle (1966)
directed by Jean-Pierre Melville
cinematography Marcel Combes

those insurmountable stairs

It's a sad love story for St. Valentine's Day, but a love story all the same.





Letyat zhuravli (1957)
aka Cranes Are Flying
directed by Mikhail Kalatozov
cinematography by Sergei Urusevsky

I want to throw a party just to put up these lanterns:

Gorgeous, non?
I've been on a Barbara Stanwyck kick as of late. I just love her and will gladly endure just about anything to wallow in her relaxed yet calculating style. Robert Ryan is also a draw and Paul Douglas always brings his best. Check out the credits below for a promising line-up.

But this - this I didn't like at all. I actually watched this a long while ago so I can't articulate exactly why I was disappointed but I love these two shots and had to share.

What went wrong?

Clash By Night (1952)
directed by Fritz Lang
cinematography by Nicholas Musuraca
art direction by Albert D'Agonstino