Fritz Lang 125 -- December 4, 2015

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Happy birthday to director Fritz Lang, who was born 125 years ago tomorrow, on 05-December-1890.  He was born in Vienna and served in the army of Austria-Hungary during World War One.  After the war, he acted in Viennese theater, then went to Germany to write for the Decla Company.  Then he became a director.  He met Thea von Harbou, whom he later married.  She wrote all of his movies until the early 1930s.  Thea von Harbou joined the Nazi Party and Lang, who had a Jewish grandparent, left for France soon after.  He made one movie in France, and then went to the United States.  In the late 1950s and early 1960s he returned to Germany to make his last movies before he went blind.  During his long career in Germany, France, the United State, and then Germany again, he made some of my favorite movies.

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 Lang made Dr Mabuse, der Spieler in 1922.  He made other movies about the criminal mastermind in Das Testament des Dr Mabuse in 1933 and Die 1000 Augen des Dr Mabuse in 1960.

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My favorite American movie by Fritz Lang is The Big Heat.  If you haven't seen it, see it.  Don't drink coffee.

I haven't mentioned Metropolis, Spione, M, Fury, You Only Live Once, The Return of Frank James, Hangmen Also Die and many others.  Lang had a very high batting average. 

News of the Week December 4, 1915 -- December 4, 2015

The 04-December-1915 Motography featured "News of the Week as Shown in Films," with items from current newsreels.

"Results of terrible hurricane which swept across Missouri.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  I have not been able to find anything about this hurricane or tropical storm.

"A moving picture camera added to the equipment of Chicago Police Bureau.  Copyright 1915, Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  Sounds like a good idea.  I wonder if any of the footage still exists.

"Purchasing Commissioner from France on board ship.  Copyright 1915 by Universal Animated Weekly."  On 20-November-1915, members of a French met with Secretary of Agriculture David F Houston. 

"New Lackawanna viaduct at Nicholson, Pa.  Copyright 1915 by Mutual Weekly."  The Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad's Tunkhannock Viaduct opened for service on 06-November-1915.

"Crippled children of Chicago are guests at the Annual Flower Show.  Copyright 1915 by Pathe News."  The Chicago Flower and Garden Show claims it started in 1847. 

"Blaze wrecks big war order plant in Trenton, N. J.  Copyright 1915, Hearst-Selig News Pictorial."  There was a big fire at the John A Roebling Sons plant, which manufactured steel cables.  This was the third fire at a war production plant in 24 hours.  German sabotage was suspected. 

There Ain't No Santa Claus -- December 2, 2015

Producer Hal Roach or Santa Claus brought exhibitors a present in 1926, the two-reeler "There Ain't No Santa Claus," starring dependable Charley Chase.

A note at the bottom of this ad says that it is a cornerblock provided to theaters to use in newspaper advertising.

We saw a different ad for this movie last year:
http://bigvriotsquad.blogspot.com/2014/12/there-aint-no-santa-claus-december-25.html

Richard Pryor 75 -- December 1, 2015

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Happy 75th birthday to the late, lamented Richard Pryor, who was born on 01-December-1940.  He was funny.  He made great albums that we couldn't listen to while our parents were around.  He was one of the writers on Blazing Saddles.  He appeared in some really good movies like Live on the Sunset Strip and Silver Streak, some really fun movies like The Bingo Long Traveling All Stars and Motor Kings and some really bad movies like The Toy.  He destroyed himself.

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Iconic City Hall -- Dirty Harry -- November 30, 2015

The San Francisco Arts Commission sponsors the Art on Market Street Program, which has local artists put up a series of works on bus shelters on Market Street.  Iconic City Hall is a series by Kelli Inouye which depicts movies that have used San Francisco's beautiful City Hall.


Don Siegel directed Clint Eastwood in five movies.  The most famous is probably Dirty Harry from 1971.  I didn't like the politics, but I admired Eastwood's performance and the San Francisco settings, which included City Hall.

I read the Mad Magazine version, "Dirty Larry," before I saw the movie.  

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Thanhouser Advocates Nude in Films -- November 29, 2015

Moving Picture World, 13-November-1915

On 04-December-2015 we will mark the 100th anniversary of the closing of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition.  It seemed appropriate to mention the short but lively film career of Audrey Munson, who was called the "Panama-Pacific Girl" because she modeled for an important statue by Alexander S Calder, "The Star Maiden."  There were many copies of the Star Maiden and she posed for other statues around the PPIE. 

In 1915, Edwin Thanhouser starred her in Inspiration, which is supposed to be the first American movie with a nude scene. 

Motography, 06-November-1915

Edwin Thanhouser "promises that in 'Insipiratin'' ... he will give the pro-and-con-ers of motion pictures somwthing to talk about. 

Motography, 13-November-1915

"In the photographs which have been given out for publication she appears a number of times not in various stages of dishabille, but altogether in the nude."

Motography, 20-November-1915

"The posing before the Thanhouser cameras was just a job with her and so considered by all who participated in the picture." 

Audrey Munson appeared in a few more movies and then was not needed again.  Perhaps she was not much of an actress. 

She tried to commit suicide in 1922, was committed to an insane asylum in 1931, and died there in 1996.  Sad story. 

Beatriz Michelena Studies Hypnotism -- November 28, 2015

Motion Picture World, 16-October-1915

George Middleton, a San Francisco automobile dealer, married the beautiful and celebrated prima donna (that's how she was billed), musical comedy actress Beatriz Michelena in San Francisco in 1907. She left the stage for a while, then returned in 1910. In 1912, Middleton, son of a famous family in the lumber business, founded the California Motion Picture Company in San Rafael, north of San Francisco. At first he made promotional films for his auto business, but in 1914 he began to produce dramatic features starring his wife. Salomy Jane still survives and is very impressive. Most of the CMPC movies were destroyed in a fire.

Motion Picture World, 30-October-1915

Salvation Nell was a popular play.  "It is not a drama of the religious type, but the Salvation Army is used as the background for a gripping story of life in a big city."  World Film Corporation was releasing CMPC movies.

Motion Picture World, 30-October-1915

"Miss Michelena, in particular, gives an impressive characterization."

Motion Picture World, 06-November-1915

"Most beautiful and versatile artist appearing in motion pictures..."

Motography, 13-November-1915

This article mentions that she plays a child of wealth rather than a poor woman. 

Motion Picture World, 30-November-1915

The Unwritten Law was being produced "on elaborate scale."