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.

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Aural Adjunct: Snow Time by Felix Arndt

King's Row (1942)

directed by Sam Wood

cinematography by James Wong Howe

production design by William Cameron Menzies

art direction by Carl Jules Weyl

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We Live Again (1934)

directed by Rouben Mamoulian

cinematography by Gregg Toland

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Most scenes play like a soap opera, where no one will just come out and say what is on their minds. It's awfully confusing plot-wise, but thankfully it takes place in a world of perpetual blizzards. Just look at all this snow....

Hakuchi (1951)

aka The Idiot

directed by Akira Kurosawa

cinematography by Toshio Ubukata

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The Roaring Twenties (1939)

directed by Raoul Walsh

cinematography by Ernest Haller

art direction by Max Parker

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Hope you are enjoying your Boxing Day holiday!
Why not kick back, put up your feet and listen to Jack Benny as Sheridan Whiteside in The Man Who Came to Dinner; featuring Rosalind Russell, Henry Fonda, Gregory Peck, Dorothy Malone, Charles Boyer and Gene Kelly as well.

Barbara Stanwyck comes through again!

...showing an early affinity for riding horses, and during an absolutely velvety gorgeous snowstorm too:

It's worth seeing even just for a young and handsome George Brent.

The Purchase Price (1932)

directed by William A Wellman

cinematography by Sid Hickox

art direction by Jack Okey

come and spend xmas with me

Aural Adjuncts:

The Santa Claus Express by the BBC Dance Orchestra

White Christmas by Vera Lynn, who could probably make me cry even singing "Happy Birthday"

Come and Spend Christmas With Me by Byron G. Harlan

Holiday-themed Sweater Coup, for all you who participate in the Ugly Christmas Sweater parties. This'll send the vintage clothes aficionados into a tizzy. Thanks again to Barbara Stanwyck; here's another view:

The Other Love (1947)

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Midnight Mary (1933)

and because its never too soon to prepare for next year,

No Man of Her Own (1950)

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Aural Adjunct: Santa Claus Is Coming To Town

by the Alvino Rey Orchestra, featuring some prominent slack-key guitar work - or is it an organ?

This is some impressive studio snow well-matched to the shots taken in the Pyrenees:

The Abominable Snowman (1957)

directed by Val Guest

cinematography by Arthur Grant

art direction by Ted Marshall

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Aural Adjunct: Ring Dem Bells by the Fud Candrix Orchestra - hope ya like Jump! Its great for zooming around the rink.

More stars on ice:

Mary Wickes waves Hi!

And yes, that is Doris Day doing her own plaid-tastic ice skating scenes:

from By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953), the sequel to On Moonlight Bay.

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Aural Adjunct:

By The Fireside

by the Ray Noble Orchestra, with vocals by Al Bowlly. They were featured as the dance orchestra in The Shining, so they always have a wintertime connection for me.

This could be the new motto and logo for this blog.

...and a gratuitous cute little kid bundled up for the snow -

meet PeeWee Flannery.

By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1953)

directed by David Butler

cinematography by Wilfrid M Cline

art direction by John Beckman