Il Posto (The Job)

2010-03-182018-01-24 ~ Mark

Il Posto (The Job). I loved this movie and recommend it very, very highly. I would probably put this in my top 5. Here’s a Criterion essay. Basically, a young Italian goes interviewing for his first job at a faceless corporation, and there meets a lovely young woman in the same situation.

A few things I loved: 1) The story centers on a reluctant hero you can relate to. He’s tentative, intimidated. You find yourself rooting for him not because there’s some obvious evil to triumph over, but because he seems like a decent guy with decent aspirations. 2) The central love interest is done so well. The tension is really amazing, mostly created with pure body language: fleeting eye contact, reflexive shifting and posture perking up, trying to suppress that rush of exhilaration when they sense potential, (not-so-)subtle ways of giving the other an opening. 3) It’s beautiful. It’s got a feeling of being both very precise and very casual. I found myself thinking “what a beautiful moment” instead of “what a beautiful shot”.

The Cranes Are Flying

2010-03-042018-01-24 ~ Mark

Летят журавли (The Cranes Are Flying). Here’s a good Criterion essay. It’s odd watching something like this the night after I watched Die Hard–which is a great movie, sure, but the camerawork is a bit more… utilitarian. This one is a treat for the eyes. It was directed by Mikhail Kalatozov and shot by Sergei Urusevsky, who is supposed to be a genius cinematographer. I think this is probably correct. Here are some more brilliant photos that don’t do it justice, because they’re not moving. There’s several dramatic long shots outdoors that are awesome, and many of the indoor takes have some clever tracking and repositioning. All in rich, purposefully-lit black and white. Looks like someone has put The Cranes Are Flying on YouTube so you can investigate. As for the story, it’s lovers-separated-by-war stuff. But if you’re going to get stuck watching a WWII romance that’s not Casablanca, it’s probably best take charge and pick something that’s visually awesome. And I should mention that the actors are great.

2010-02-042017-11-12 ~ Mark

rcoleman:

Nuit Blanche – wow – visually, a very interesting short film… worth a watch

(Source: https://player.vimeo.com/)

2010-01-272017-11-12 ~ Mark

The Great Atlanta Fire of 1917. Photographer unknown.

2009-12-182017-11-12 ~ Mark

i12bent:

– from Margaret Bourke-White (photo) & Erskine Caldwell (text): You Have Seen Their Faces, Viking Press 1937. (Source).

“Everybody likes to fish, but nobody likes to rustle up bait.”

2009-12-172017-11-12 ~ Mark

billa:

EDWARD PFIZENMAIER (B. 1926)
Wollman Rink, Central Park, New York, 1954.

2009-10-292017-11-12 ~ Mark

Downtown Atlanta at Decatur Street and Peachtree – April 12, 1948. I wish downtown still had this vibe. (from the Lane Brothers and Tracy O’Neal Collections at Georgia State University, via Decatur Metro)

2009-10-272017-11-12 ~ Mark

Today’s Pictures: Remember the Record Shop? James Dean, 1955.

2009-09-262017-11-12 ~ Mark

wnbrgr:

i12bent:

Certified genius day, today:

Birthdays of Glenn Gould, William Faulkner and Mark Rothko!

Glenn Gould, a pianist like no other, and a personality whose talent exceeded the narrow arena of the performing artist: Sep. 25, 1932 – 1982

Photo by Gordon Parks, NYC, March 1956 – LIFE

Caption: Brilliant young Canadian pianist Glenn Gould laughing as engineers let him hear how his singing spoiled his recording of the Bach Goldberg Variations after which he offered to wear a gas mask to muffle his songs, at a Columbia recordling studio.