high contrast

I love this noir-ish moment- from 1937 yet. It could almost be a template for what was to come. Barbara Stanwyck acts the pants off everyone else and all Joel McCrae ever needs to do is stand in front of the camera, as far as I'm concerned.

Interns Can't Take Money (1937)

directed by Alfred Santell

cinematography by Theodor Sparkuhl - huh, I gotta see more...

art direction by Hans Drier

and Roland Anderson

smoking section

The Story of a Cheat (1936)

directed by Sasha Guitry

cinematography by Marcel Lucien

onto a new year

This is the Hearst Memorial Mining building at UC Berkeley. The school once had a working mine on campus for educational purposes. Now it's a traffic loop, but this refurbished building maintains the grandeur of an earlier education experience. It's one part of the inspiring atmosphere on campus - along with the Pacific Film Archive of course.

This is my version of a year-end wrap-up. Most of my time was taken up with classes and schoolwork, but I did attend some amazing film screenings which you can go read. Brian at Hell On Frisco Bay, fine film writer that he is, invites fellow locals to share their favorite rep theater screenings from 2011. Go check it out; I'll wait for you here.

I've been enjoying reading other people's end-of-year lists all over the internet film world, but I'm sad to notice the neglect of the passing of some important avant garde and experimental filmmakers:

George Kuchar, 1942-2011, whose I, An Actress was selected for preservation at the National Film Registry for 2011;

Robert Breer, 1926-2011, creator of the roto-scoped and beautiful Fuji which was added back in 2002;

Jordan Belson, 1926-2011, whose Allures was also selected for preservation this year.

Thanks, guys.