Cinematic Era: 1993 Vintage

8mm film by Yukiyasu Shimada, june 1993. Starring Katayama Kaoru as "Sleeping Beauty".

Three sequences of approximately five minutes each. The first one, Base 12, argues that in the distant past, man had indeed six fingers and two thumbs. This is based on paleontological elements and analysis of the duodecimal system. The second sequence, Corpus Callosum, starts with the hypothesis that the evolutionary process will lead mankind to a hand with six fingers and two thumbs, more appropriate to the art of painting. The speaker reviews the changes that such an evolution would require from the brain. The third sequence, Searching Researcher, shows a scientist at work, answering with much reluctance an imaginary interviewer. He questions the possibility of popularizing his work on the hand with six fingers and two thumbs and criticizes, with much condescension, the general public’s concern for practical implementations of his research.

John Callahan tells the story of his alcoholism through his signature crude yet charming artstyle and with a dark yet witty humor.

This satsang from the 30th of March 1993 was recorded during the period the documentary 'Call off the search' was being filmed and everyone who comes up is sitting on a chair next to Papaji. The satsang is 55 minutes long and includes the following interactions: Prabhavati: Being unworthy and losing the diamond in the fish market. Papaji: "That's the unworthiness of the people whom diamond is handed over. People who misuse it will suffer for million of years. It is their business to look after the diamond.

August 1992, Rostock-Lichtenhagen. The police look on as fascists bomb the Central Reception Center for Refugees (ZAST) and a hostel for Vietnamese contract workers with Molotov cocktails. A montage of video footage shot from the attacked houses, interviews with anti-fascists, the Vietnamese contract workers, the police, bureaucrats, neo-Nazis and local residents. A documentary about the collusion of politics and widespread fear.

In his first exploration of the migration experience, Zubrycki poses the question ‘When the fighting stops, how do you make choices about where you want to live?’.

A dreamy girl’s first love, a boy from her village, leaves her, leaving her unable to bear the reproaches of her family and the shameful life she now lives. In the hope of starting a new life, she ventures to the city, only to find that it too will not spare her. Her futile struggle to establish herself in the city leads to her spiritual and, ultimately, physical destruction.

Rick has a bad trip after he accidently takes LSD.

The federal government’s multibillion dollar war on drugs is an issue Bill Clinton largely ignored during his presidential campaign but will now have to confront. An eight-month investigation by Frontline shows how smugglers in Texas are defeating the nation’s drug-war defenses and reveals flaws in the systems set up by the Customs Service, the Border Patrol, and the military to detect smugglers.

Examines the life and work of novelist Harry Crews.

A moving journey through a process of birth and death, Sea of Time tells the story of Gaulke’s attempts to become pregnant through artificial insemination during a period of time while a dear friend was dying of AIDS. Written in collaboration with her life partner, Sue Maberry, it raises issues about gay and lesbian people creating family. The footage includes a trip to Bali and is offset by an evocative score by composer Miriam Cutler. Sea of Time was originally created for the exhibition In Terms of Time curated by Ruth Weisberg and Rabbi Laura Geller at the Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, January 1994.

Anthony Alonzo is an idealistic army captain who believes in the government’s reform programs for the people of Mindanao.

Tanya Weinberger short film.

Inspired by Lucian Blaga's eponymous dramatic work written in 1927, the story follows the life of the legendary master Manole and his team of builders who are hired to construct a monastery in a remote and inaccessible area. As the construction progresses, Manole faces various challenges and obstacles, as well as the pressure to create a durable and beautiful building. As the work progresses, Manole finds himself in the midst of a dilemma: in order to reinforce the construction, he is forced to sacrifice something very dear to him. This act of sacrifice is central to the story and raises profound themes such as art, devotion, and the human limits of sacrifice.

In this non-narrative, meditative, and poignant film, footage of life from the Lodz Ghetto is juxtaposed with the chanting of "Kel Maleh Rachamim," a plea to God to let the souls of those "slaughtered and burned" find peace.

Luciano Pavarotti live from the Piazza Grande, Modena.

Grandmother returns from the grave to haunt her family.

About the snail and something bigger.

Mike Reid 2 - Uncensored" is a UK VHS release by The Video Collection on 23rd August 1993.

About the post-war years in a small town in the Urals, where fate brought the Kalmyk boy Jirgalu. He will soon have to face the hatred of war-bitten locals. Hungry times force the boy to look for money for food, not disdaining theft. But a friend appears, nicknamed Bee. Possessing the talent of a painter, Bee opens the world of beauty to her friend. But an early death cut short his existence on earth, leaving a permanent mark in Jirgala’s memory.

A young conscientious police officer is caught up in the shady manoeuvring of his superiors.

Two children work very hard to buy the ball they dream of so much. When they manage to buy it, it falls inside a house, and the owner, angry, destroys it. From then on the boys try to locate the mysterious adult.

Tanya, a lesbian sculptor living in Seattle hasn't seen her sister for over 10 years. When Ramona suddenly appears on her doorstep suitcase in hand the reception isn't a warm one. Tanya's male roommate Bold attempts to bring them together. Through a series of 'Therapy Sessions' with Bold, they begin to open up and rediscover the value of sisterly love.

Combines the best of the two 'Punk and Disorderly' videos with some added extra tracks. This really is a cross section of the early 80's punk movement. From Buzzcocks to The Exploited to The Business plus many unique interview snippets and remains an important document of the punk movement..

An unfortunate man gets betrayed by his girlfriend and best friend

An abusive husband who remembers how he wanted to kill his overbearing father and then apologizes to his wife by...cooking a fish, because it takes a fish and some toilet paper to make him want to change his abusive nature. Black and White

An extremely sympathetic and interesting look into how some couples came to terms with transness and crossdressing in the late eighties and early nineties. Hosted by prolific trans author and activist JoAnn Roberts, this video was intended as a kind of instructional or conversational starting point for couples who wished to remain married "despite" one member's gender non-conformity.

Short film written, directed, and starring Zoë at the Rotterdam Film Festival.

The Piano Lesson

Stan Brakhage with a movie camera. Winter seascapes.

Queen Cobra

Family comedy about wrestling.

Some time in the 21st century, Kovarick, said to be the most evil man who ever lived, is met by a resistance force. One of their members, Dr. Bahler, invents a time distorter held within a ring, which he uses to go back to ancient Egypt, where he dies. 75 years before he left, the ring is found by scientists, who are killed by a small mafia group, but not before it is thrown to a bum, who pawns it for fifty cents.

This delightful ballet tells the story of Dr Coppelius, an eccentric toymaker, who attempts to bring life to his beautiful doll Coppélia. He is foiled by the mischevious Swanilda, who masquerades as Coppélia and saves her love, Franz, from the Doctor's magic. Performed by the Kirov Ballet.

This is a fable about a woman’s right to choose her husband: it tells the story of a princess, who has several suitors. She puts them to the test, and finally chooses the one who has demonstrated the finest moral qualities.

A privately run, popular and thriving obstetrics and gynaecology clinic in a certain town has good reputation, with skilled doctor and kind nurses. However, when couples come in for artificial insemination, the nurse assists the husbands in extracting sperm, and the doctor secretly enjoys himself with the women's genitals, among other rather extreme sexual services. When doctor and the nurse are exposed to the various sexual problems and behaviours of the patients who visit the clinic every day, they gradually begin to lose faith in humanity, and eventually the two are drawn to each other...

An investigation into car bombings in Dublin and Monaghan on 17th May 1974.

It tells the story of Luis and Jorge, lifelong friends who earn a living collecting large sums for carrying out contract killings. Their partners try to persuade them to abandon this life of crime. But when they attempt to break free, things spiral out of control thanks to a cunning crime reporter who becomes their worst enemy—setting off a series of spectacular chases.

A history of the anglo-saxon gay and lesbian movement scored to the liberating popular tunes of the last 25 years. Moving from the initial struggle for gay law reform, to the revolutionary politics spurned by Stonewall to the homophobic policies initiated under Thatcher and the New Right, this film is a celebration of the achievements and struggles of gay and lesbian activists. Funny, inspiring and bound to get your feet tapping “The Gay Rock and Roll Years” is a great introduction to queer history. Songs featured include Doris Day singing “Secret Love”, The Kinks doing “Lola”, Sylvester singing “You Make Me feel (Mighty Real) and Culture Club asking “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”. From rockabilly to soul to glam to disco to punk to house: we’re gay, we’re proud, we don’t ever stop the dance.

TV adaptation of Vincent Šikula's novel "Ornament". The author, a little bit nostalgically, a little bit with ironic-critical detachment, drew his attention to a serious period of our modern history - the beginning of the fifties. The story of a somewhat unadorned, somewhat idealistic student of the philosophical faculty Matej Hoz and a young priest Jože Patúc, hiding from an unjust law, becomes an interesting testimony about a short period of the recent life of our society, but above all a testimony that no time can destroy the good and beautiful things that most people carry within themselves.

Anne is a figure painter who has been in a melancholy slump for a number of years. She is awakened from this dulled state by news that she only has a year to live. Thus, when she sees an interesting man with a lively appearance during a visit to the library, she decides to try and track him down, perhaps to arrange for a sitting. It turns out that the man is a serial killer, but, given her short life-span, this knowledge does not prevent Anne from developing a relationship with him, though she is understandably skittish around him.

A gangster's life turns worse when his sister becomes the target of his enemy.

Comedian Kevin McAleer delivers a hilarious monologue about his upbringing and society in Ireland

1993 Hindi film

Mark, a contemporary art painter based in New York, investigates some dreamlike outcrops that take him to the context of 12th century Romanesque art in the Catalan Pyrenees.

By making even the smallest changes in our daily lives we can all make a difference.

A look at the unlikely community forged in the 200 degree heat of the last traditional steam baths in the U.S. From gamblers to "new age" masseuses, from poets to rabbis, the characters form a sometimes conflicting, yet often compelling voice. The film uses the baths to give a perspective on the evolution of city life, while bringing up issues of ethnicity, nostalgia, sexuality, spirituality and ritual. "When we sit in this intense heat", says one patron, "we're all the same - millionaire and pauper".

This release was recorded during the 1993 Melodic Metal Tour at Hamburg’s Dock’s venue on September 25, sharing the bill with fellow German headbangers Rage, whose performance has also been released on DVD and the review can be seen here. The lineup for this show consisted of Ralf Scheepers on lead vocals, Kai Hansen on guitar, Dirk Schlachter on guitar and keyboards, Jan Rubach on bass and Thomas Nack on drums. The show was to see one of the last performances of Scheepers as he left the band soon after this tour. Based on a three album recording career including the albums Heading For Tomorrow, Sigh No More and Insanity and Genius the band had an established fan base coming into this tour. The show is a mix of live performances and interviews, giving a great insight into the show but also to some behind the scenes goings on. It also includes footage in the recording studio for the production of the Insanity and Genius album.

Based on the play by Alejandro Casona. On a warm autumn evening, a group of old friends—three married couples—gather to celebrate their eighteenth wedding anniversary. Happy, they assure each other of the sincerity of their feelings and hope that their love will last forever. The news of an old marital betrayal becomes a real test for their love...

A little girl convinces her mother to buy her a pair of red boots, but one of them gets lost.

Nadezhda Ivanova, a very famous Bulgarian folksinger writes to a woman, a stranger, in Sydney Australia. She wants sponsorship to bring her raw and ancient singing to the West. Maria (the stranger) does not want a 'singing slav' in her inner-city life. She has perfected the art of self interest. East meets West with some anxiety.

An exiled Polish musician befriends a lost child in the park and is swept once more into the vortex of officialdom.

Pearl Jam play live at Sunfest Festival at Gimli Motorsport Park, Gimli, Manitoba, Canada on August 14th 1993. >> SETLIST: Even Flow, Why Go, Deep, Jeremy, Animal, Glorified G, Daughter (with "Gimme Shelter" tag), Go, State of Love and Trust, Garden, Blood, Alive, Black (with "Every Breath You Take" tag), Once, Porch, Indifference, >> ENCORE: Sonic Reducer (Dead Boys cover), Rockin' in the Free World (Neil Young cover), Baba O'Riley (The Who cover)