Welcome, dear readers, to this week’s edition of the Sunday Morning Movie. Today, we delve into an endearing yet whimsical story highlighting the conflict between dreams and authoritarianism in The Eccentrics. This charming film showcases the power of imagination in the face of oppressive forces:
Next week, we’ll explore Alice:
Alice (1988): Why Jan Svankmajer’s Surrealist Nightmare is a Masterpiece
Now, let’s take a look at what critics are saying about The Eccentrics:
OC Media remarks:
Although the film is relatively straightforward—the humor is accessible and often bordering on slapstick—it provides viewers with an admirable escape from reality, suggesting the possibility of brighter days ahead. Director Shengelaia noted in a 2016 interview, ‘Almost all Georgian cinema serves as an allegory of that era. Direct speech was not permitted. For instance, while The Eccentrics may seem like a fairy tale, it is fundamentally an ode to freedom!’
Ultimately, the message resonates across generations: embrace your individuality and pursue what brings you happiness, no matter how quirky it may seem.
The Guardian shares:
Georgian director Eldar Shengelaia previously showcased his clever satire of Soviet bureaucracy in Blue Mountains (1983) on the Klassiki streaming service. Now, one of his earlier works, The Eccentrics (1973), has been revived. While it’s challenging to pinpoint a distinct political or satirical commentary, viewers are encouraged to find underlying meanings. More aptly, the film serves as a goofy comedy packed with silliness, reminiscent of a Georgian counterpart to filmmakers like Richard Lester or Terry Gilliam. This whimsical fantasy blossoms in its final quarter, allowing audiences to overlook earlier indulgences.
In my opinion, you should approach this film with an open heart and a receptive mindset. Its silliness evokes the spirit of Monty Python sketches—a quality that typically makes me move on. Yet here, it manages to resonate. The fairy-tale essence enhances the viewing experience, and the concluding scenes are undeniably moving. Although I appreciated it, I feel a single viewing suffices: ⭐.
Director: Eldar Shengelaia
Writer: Revaz Gabriadze
Plot (Spoilers Ahead!):
Ertaoz is a young man with a singular mission: to sell a chicken. Instead, he finds himself falling for a married woman, Margalita.
As fate would have it, our hero assists the capricious Margalita in burying her deceased politician husband—only to discover he is still alive! Ertaoz is sentenced to a grim prison term, while the poultry receives a mere seven-year sentence.
During his incarceration, Ertaoz meets Khristofor, an ingenious inventor dedicated to creating an airship fueled by love. Their escape efforts are spectacularly unsuccessful, yet they inadvertently break free. The film concludes with Ertaoz, the inventor, and Margalita soaring into freedom above the stunning Georgian landscape.
***
Bonus Recommendations:
Eloy – Ocean (1977) Full Album
Poseidon’s Creation: 00:00
Incarnation of Logos: 11:44
Decay of Logos: 20:12
Atlantis’ Agony at June 5th – 8498, 13 P.M. Gregorian Earthtime: 28:31
All rights reserved to Eloy and its respective labels!
Ocean is the sixth studio album by the German progressive rock band Eloy, released in 1977, and is regarded as one of the band’s finest works.
Please – Seeing Stars FULL ALBUM (1969) UK PSYCH BEAT
Eden´s Children – Sure looks real (1968) (US, RARE Psychedelic Rock, Boston Scene)
Period’s Jazz Digest (Full Album)
1956 Period Records – SPL 302, Vinyl LP, Mono
A1 Charlie Shavers W/ John Kirby Orchestra– Flow Gently, Sweet Rhythm
A2 Osie Johnson And His Orchestra- Osie’s Oasis
A3 Jack Teagarden And His Orchestra– Meet Me Where They Play The Blues
A4 Django Reinhardt & The “Hot Club” Quintet– Nuages
A5 Al Haig Quartet– Woody’n You
A6 Josh White– Evil Hearted Me
B1 Osie Johnson Quintet– Johnson’s Whacks
B2 Ralph Burns Quartet– Bijou
B3 Maxine Sullivan, Charlie Shavers Orchestra– Loch Lomond
B4 Django Reinhardt & The “Hot Club” Quintet– Melodie Au Crepuscule
B5 Charles Mingus, John Laporta Sextet– Abstraction
B6 Big Bill Broonzy– Baby, Please Don’t Go
[LP Live] Walter Bishop Jr. Trio – Speak Low, Original 1961 US MONO (Jazztime JTS-002)
Walter Bishop Jr. Trio – Speak Low, Original 1961 US MONO (Jazztime JTS-002)
Original Jazz Vinyl
Walter Bishop Jr. piano
Jimmy Garrison, bass
G. T. Hogan, drums
Recorded at Bell Sound Studios, New York City on March 14, 1961.
00:00 Sometimes I’m Happy
06:33 Blues In The Closet
10:34 On Green Dolphin Street
20:16 Alone Together
27:05 Milestones
31:52 Speak Low
41:17 Album Photos
Lute music from the Dutch Golden Age
Emanuel Adriaenssen (c.1554–1604), based in Antwerp, was a leading teacher and author of Pratum Musicum (1584) and Novum Pratum Musicum (1592). These anthologies feature fantasias, dances, and vocal intabulations, showcasing refined polyphony and cosmopolitan style.
Gregor Huwet (c.1550–1617), praised by Robert Dowland, served as a court lutenist in Brunswick, known for his surviving works—fantasias, pavanes, and galliards—blending depth and expressiveness.
Joachim van den Hove (1567–1620), a pupil of Adriaenssen, became a prominent lute teacher in Leiden. His collections combine original works with intabulations of Italian madrigals and French chansons, radiant with elegance and technical brilliance.
Adriaen Smout (1578–1646), known for the immense Thysius Lute Book, preserves a vast repertoire of dances and psalm settings, portraying domestic life in the Dutch Republic.
Lastly, Nicolas Vallet (c.1583–c.1642), a French Huguenot in Amsterdam, authored Le Secret des Muses and Regia Pietas, merging Renaissance clarity with nascent Baroque expressiveness.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) | The Deleted Scene That Revealed the Aliens’ True Purpose
Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey originally included a much darker, world-ending finale that wasn’t seen in theaters. Discover the deleted nuclear climax, the Apollo 11 conspiracy, and the explanation for the ending that Kubrick kept secret for four decades.
For over fifty years, audiences have engaged with the mysterious conclusion of 2001: A Space Odyssey. The iconic Star Child sequence you witnessed in theaters was not the initial vision. Early drafts suggested a devastating nuclear climax echoing Dr. Strangelove, which Kubrick deliberately omitted to maintain the film’s cosmic enigma. This narrative shift transformed a direct commentary on humanity’s self-destruction into one of cinema’s most d debated philosophical conclusions.
Furthermore, the making of this sci-fi masterpiece was equally intricate. Kubrick discarded four different Monolith designs and intentionally destroyed nearly all physical props to prevent their reuse in B-movies. He even established a studio so technically precise that visiting NASA officials affectionately termed it “NASA East.”
The film’s influence reaches far beyond its pioneering effects. Its release sparked enduring cultural myths—from the persistent conspiracy that Kubrick faked the Apollo 11 moon landings to the ancient alien theories inspired by the Monolith. Meanwhile, HAL 9000’s terrifying malfunction remains a salient warning regarding the AI alignment problem, still a pressing concern in today’s technological landscape.
The Porter Chevrolet Santa Disaster
Every Christmas, a vintage photograph circulates on social media depicting a colossal Santa atop a car dealership promoting a vehicle. This surprising image often reveals a giant statue that few knew ever existed. In this episode, we explore the full and tragic story behind the short-lived giant Santa that once adorned the Dallas skyline in the winter of 1953. Photo and video credits go to The Dallas Morning News.
WWII P-47 “Thunderbolt” Pilot Strafing German Aerodrome (April 13, 1945)
Pilot Capt. Walter L. Flagg conducts a strafing mission on a German aerodrome in his “Shoot!! You’re Faded/Darling Dottie” Republic P-47 Thunderbolt around April 13, 1945. Assigned to the 63rd Fighter Squadron, 56th Fighter Group, 8th Air Force, this footage captures multiple strafing runs on what was known as Eggebek Aerodrome. He was credited with destroying two enemy aircraft and damaging another, earning him the second oak leaf cluster for the Distinguished Flying Cross medal.
(1929) Glorifying the American Girl: Pioneers of Technicolor
Released in 1929, Glorifying the American Girl is a pre-Code musical film that offers a captivating glimpse into Broadway’s world and the rise of the “American Girl” as a cultural icon. Produced by the legendary Florenz Ziegfeld, the film showcases the glamour of the Ziegfeld Follies while subtly revealing the darker aspects lurking beneath the spectacle.
Remarkable Historical Photographs Rarely Seen
Pre-Code Hollywood: Classic Clips in Color
When people think of Pre-Code Hollywood (1929–1934), they typically envision monochrome films filled with shadows and smoky nightclubs.
However, color film did exist, and several Pre-Code features were shot or partially filmed in color, often utilizing early Technicolor.
Surviving Fragments of Lost Films
Cleopatra (1917) (0:00 – 0:14)
The Black Secret (1919) (0:15 – 2:16)
The Centaurs (1921) (2:17 – 4:31)
Madame Sans Gene (1925) (4:32 – 5:22)
The Great Gatsby (1926) (5:23 – 6:22)
The Cat Creeps (1930) (6:23 – 8:06)
Surviving Fragments of Lost Films 2
Leonard-Cushing Fight (1894)
The Sin Woman (1917)
Salome (1918)
The Miracle Man (1919)
A Lover’s Oath (1925)
Homosexuality in Pre-Codes: “The Sissy” Vol. 4
The term “sissy” referred to a specific male stock character, primarily used for comic relief, typically marked by effeminate traits, a high-pitched voice, and anxious, fastidious behavior. In both live action and animation, this character served as a coded representation of a homosexual man without explicitly indicating the character’s sexual orientation.
Poorly Aged 50s Commercials
This compilation features vintage 1950s commercials that have not held up well over time, highlighting an era when advertising adhered to a very different set of guidelines.
From cigarette endorsements and questionable health claims to products later deemed hazardous, these commercials offer a fascinating look at mid-century marketing.
Conclusion: In this week’s selection, The Eccentrics offers a whimsical journey through love and freedom wrapped in humor. As we prepare for next week’s voyage into the surreal world of Alice, let us reflect on the beauty of embracing our individuality. Until next time, keep dreaming big!
