Strange Sinema: Oddities From the Archives March 28, 2009

Event: “Strange Sinema” Oddities From the Archives, an evening of newly discovered adult, medical, commercials, movie trailers and super rarities from the stacks of Oddball Films’ 50,000 film archive. Bizarre films may include “Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan”, “A New Model Home”, “Easter Island”, “Personal Health For Girls”, “Houdini Never Died”, “Lovemaking” and many more too offbeat to describe!.
Date: Saturday, March 28, 2009
Venue: Oddball Films, 275 Capp Street, San Francisco
Admission: $10.00 Limited Seating RSVP Only to: 415-558-8117 or [email protected]


"Strange Sinema”

Oddities From the Archives
Screens at Oddball Films

This Saturday, March 28th we present the first in a series of “Strange Sinema” screenings from our unarchived collection. Showtime is 8:30PM and admission is $10.00. Seating is limited so RSVP is preferred to: [email protected] or 415-558-8117.

Deep in the stacks of Oddball Films’ 50,000 film collection lie hundreds of unviewed and undiscovered curiosities that have never seen the light of a projection lamp. In many cases the purpose they were made (though some seem to have no purpose!) has long since outlasted their exhibition possibilities.
These mundane, offbeat and even bizarre medical, mental hygiene, adult, music, movie trailers, home movies and commercial throw-aways were collected and archived by curator Stephen Parr in his quest to make the world a stranger cinematic place. As historical detritus they provide valuable insight into the rich variety of sub-cinema culture that lies beneath the surface of conventional feature film fare. These are films that will, in all likelihood never be screened anywhere again. Join us as we unearth and re-screen these filmic finds never to reappear on dvd or any other format again.

Selected shorts include:
“Lovemaking” (1970) The famed experimental film by film pioneer Scott Bartlett. A delicate and arousing treatment of lovemaking. Its mode is simple and classical, combining technical mastery and personal restraint. The image is vivid subtle and ambiguous while the sound is sharp and clear. Barlett's “Lovemaking” is a imaginative, suggestive, artistic, non- clinical evocation of the sexual act.

“Personal Health For Girls” (1971) A reasonably sane social guidance film espouses some insightful girls healthcare tips such as “If you don’t bathe, deodorant won’t fool anyone” and “Water makes a good mouthwash”.
Gets into the nitty gritty of keeping clean. Girl stuff!

”Personal Health for Boys” (1971)
Don’t be a slob like Rick and take care of your “engine” (body). Also to keep the “hairy parts” of your body clean you need plenty of soap and water. And spread that soap around!

“A New Model Home” (1967)
Produced by Jam Handy, the pioneer of industrial films. This film portrays a couple touring “The Woman’s Day Home”, a model home of the future with “innovative” design. “There’s a lot of good ideas here “ remarks mom as she views the living room artwork “Why...it’s just a piece of framed wallpaper!”

“Easter Island” (1969) Equal parts travelogue and incompetent ethnographic exploitation this film explores the “Why” of the giant carved heads on Easter Island leaving us with absolutely no more information that before we started. Big heads and a deadpan monologue clue us in to these “mystery heads”. A howler!

“Houdini Never Died” (1978) A insightful documentary about child vaudevillian, trapeze artist and legendary magician Harry Houdini (1874-1926) narrated by Burgess Meredith. “Houdini..” includes rare archival footage of Houdini, famed magicians Doug Henning and and Shimada. The film culminates with a escape from a straight jacket over Niagara Falls by James Randy.

“Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan” (1975) Personal rituals and spectacular ceremony by priests of Japan’s largest Buddhist group, the Shin Sect, are the background for further insights into Mahayana Buddhism. A unique sequence in a monastery outlines the Zen approach to Enlightenment and Zen’s influence on Japanese culture. The film explains the differences between State Shinto and Sectarian Shinto. Finally we watch graceful religious dancing by the popular Tenrikyo Sect.

“Home Movie Hi-jinks” (1940s-1960s)
More bizarre home moves unearthed from a local flea market. Watch the ludicrous hijinks of ”front yard Bob” as he juggles flaming torches in front of his house, later some elderly “Tiki” girls get the burlesque urge.
More Surreal Surprises!