JUNE 1984 WEST BERLIN

Shinkichi Tajiri & Baird Bryant: The Vipers (US 1955). "Several Japanese Americans established themselves in France during this period. The aforementioned Shinkichi Tajiri, although more known for his work in the Netherlands, originally began his artistic career in Paris in 1948 studying on the GI Bill, and became a protégée of French painter Ferdinand Léger and sculptor Ossip Zadkine. In 1955, Tajiri produced a short film titled The Vipers with Baird Bryant. The experimental film depicted Shinkichi, his wife Ferdi, and Baird and his girlfriend together smoking marijuana - a humorous response to Reefer Madness. According to his autobiography, Autobiographical Notations, Tajiri started the project after a Japanese Hawaiian sculptor loaned him a Kodak 16mm camera and told him to make a film. He decided to create a film that displayed the ritual of rolling a joint interspersed with images of getting high. The film was nominated for the Cannes Film Festival that year and received the Golden Lion Award for “Best Use of Film Language.”" From: Jonathan von Harmelen: "Les Japonais Américains: Recent Discussions of Japanese American History in France" on the Discover Nikkei website, 10 Dec 2021.

Frank Wysbar: Anna und Elisabeth (DE 1933) starring Dorothea Wieck and Hertha Thiele, their chemistry undiminished after the revelation of Mädchen in Uniform. The opening of Arsenal's Berlin Eldorado retrospective, the first gay & lesbian retrospective I attended.

1 June 1984  Anna und Elisabeth (DE 1933)  D: Frank Wysbar. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado
2 June 1984  Mädchen in Uniform (DE 1931)  D: Leontine Sagan. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado, the cinema frequented by hugging Lesbians
2 June 1984  Mädchen in Uniform (DE 1957)  D: Geza von Radvanyi: Berlin Eldorado. Arsenal, video projection
7 June 1984  Peter von Bagh calls me with a job proposal.
7 June 1984  Michael (DE 1924)  D: Carl Th. Dreyer. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado
10 June 1984  Helmut Arlt session
- The Gang's All Here (clips)
- Dangerous When Wet (clips)
10 June 1984  Teufel in Seide (DE 1955)  D: Rolf Hansen, mit Lilli Palmer, Curd Jürgens. Helmut Arlt 35 mm home cinema
11 June 1984  The Vipers (US 1955)  D: Shinkichi Tajiri & Baird Bryant. Helmut Arlt
11 June 1984  Alfie (GB 1966)  D: Lewis Gilbert. Helmut Arlt 35 mm
17 June 1984  Wege zu Kraft und Schönheit (DE 1925)  D: Wilhelm Prager. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado, sold out, high spirits
18 June 1984  Ich möchte kein Mann sein (DE 1918)  D: Ernst Lubitsch. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado, high spirits - double bill with:
18 June 1984  Anders als die Anderen (DE 1919)  D: Richard Oswald. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado, Ukrainian print, ca 40 min, good quality. - S.C.
20 June 1984  Kämpfer (SU 1936)  D: Gustav von Wangenheim. Arsenal. DF DEFA
20 June 1984  Susaña (MX 1952)  D: Luis Buñuel. Arsenal. DF, high spirits
24 June 1984  Querelle (FR 1982)  D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado
28 June 1984  Festival des Fantastischen Films: Trailer-Show
28 June 1984  The Brood (CA 1979)  D: David Cronenberg. Festival des Fantastischen Films.
30 June 1984  Ludwig (IT 1972)  D: Luchino Visconti. DF. 3 h version. Arsenal: Berlin Eldorado, sold out, the final screening of the retrospective.