Oddball Films presents the 51st monthly screening of Strange Sinema, featuring new finds, buried junk and avant-garde gems from the archive. Films include the Ingmar Bergman spoof The Dove (1968); Claude (A Man and a Woman) LeLouch's remarkable stream of consciousness Shah's eye views of Iran (1971) complete with 70s wah-wah guitar infused euro-pop soundscore; Chemical Booby Traps (1960s) GE's explosive how-not-to industrial short; what Rick the slob spread the soap around in Personal Health for Boys (1971); the famed erotic short Lovemaking (1970) by film-pioneer Scott Bratlett, Elda Hartley's Islamic Mysticism: The Sufi Way (1971) shot in Morocco, Turkey and India with entrancing footage of whirling dervishes and the search for god, Ken Rudolph's Gallery (1971), a history of world art in 8 minutes! Plus! Oddball Films fan favorite The Cat Who Drank and Used Too Much (1987) about a alcohol and drug-using cat!
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco
Admission: $10.00 - Limited Seating RSVP to programming@oddballfilm.com or 415-558.8117 featuring:
The Dove (1968, B&W)
While Ingmar Bergman was definitely not a comedian, this satire will surely make you laugh! Shot in beautiful black and white this film (nominated for an Academy Award) was the early directing experience of actors George Coe (Saturday Night Live) and Anthony Lover, and the very first acting role of Madeline Khan (Blazing Saddles, Paper Moon). The Dove borrows from Bergman film's theme and style in a satirical and uplifting spoof.
London was swinging in the 60s and so was Teheran, according to this remarkable film by Claude Lelouch. Far more than a travelogue film, this little-known film is among the best of its type ever made. Iran consists of spectacular geographical and archaeological footage interspersed with "slice of life" shots, and crisp juxtapositional editing. Oddly apolitical, we learn nothing of land or orther reforms. The focus is on culture - heritage, modernity and (what soon would be named) Westernization. The past and present meet - veils and miniskirts, camel and helicopters, remains of ancient Persia, the highlights of Islamic art, caviar, jewels and oil fields. The Shah and Farah Diba appear, resplendent in formal attire. This charming couple didn't copy European royalty, rather they appeared as an Eastern equivalent to Mr. and Mrs. John f. Kennedy - Pax Americana had succeeded Rule Britannia. The Pahlevi dynasty was a young one, but here the Shah is depicted as the modern link in an ancient tradition. During this time Iran was beginning to change. There was more talk of political refugees than the hairstyles. Some years passed and after the Islamic revolution, Westernization was banned. The musical score by Francis Lai is a priceless timepiece, rich with heavy early-70s euro-pop wah-wah guitar. An intriguing, beautifully crafted, and dynamic film, this visual poem transcends the didactic. (Academic Film Archive of North America)
Chemical Booby Traps (1960s, color)
The GE (General Electric - We Bring good things to life) industrial safety film shows you how NOT to store explosive chemical - and what happens when you do!
Personal Hygiene For Boys (1971, color)
“Your body works something like a machine, like a V8 with a quad. You wouldn’t want to let this engine sit idle.” intones our narrator. “Maybe you’re like Rick (overweight and lazy) who takes better care of the car than himself. “ Our mental hygiene short continues with homoerotic overtones and quirky lines like “To keep the hairy parts of your body clean you need plenty of soap and water-and spread that soap around!”. Shortly after Rick wises up and marches off to the shower to clean up his act. Hilarious.Lovemaking (1970, color)
The famed experimental film by film-pioneer Scott Bartlett. A delicate and arousing treatment of lovemaking. Simple and classic, combining technical mastery and personal restraint. The image is vivid subtle and ambiguous while the sound is sharp and clear. Bartlett's film often form and interaction between film material and photographed image by combing complex analog film effects with film and video images to create a lush colorful, and layered flow optical and auditory information. Bartlett's Lovemaking is an imaginative, suggestive, artistic, non-clinical evocation of the sexual act.
Islamic Mysticism: The Sufi Way (1979, color)This brilliant film, by Elda Hartley is shot in Morocco, Turkey and India and features a deep insight into the Sufi like as narrated by world-renown scholar Houston Smith. With entrancing footage of whirling dervishes endlessly circling in a search for god.
The Cat Who Drank and Used Too Much (1987, color)
Wacky anti-drug film about alcohol and drug using Pat the Cat. He hits the skids before finally reaching out for help - an Oddball Films audience favorite! Narrated by Julie Harris.
Gallery (1971, color)
Watch the history of Western Art in 8 minutes! Ken Rudolph's fast-paced steam of consciousness montage of art takes us from the cave paintings of the ancients, through the Renaissance to the surrealism of Dali and the pop art of Warhol. With electronic music by Walter (now Wendy) Carlos, creator of the soundscore for A Clockwork Orange.