Hookin’ At the Movies

Movie Still Monday: The Virgin Spring

This week’s stills are from yet ANOTHER Ingmar Bergman-directed movie, Jungfrukällan, AKA The Virgin Spring (1960). This  gem inspired two other great (but less subtle) films, Last House on the Left and I Spit on Your Grave. It also inspired this week’s Movie Still Monday post with its sweet drop spindle action!

Virgin Spring drop spin 1Spinning wheel? Bah. That is so 11th century. This was the only way to make yarn back in the day.

Virgin Spring Drop Spin 2Just the flax, ma’am!

Being a hand-spinning spring virgin myself, I couldn’t really tell you exactly what she’s doing here.

Virgin Spring drop spin 3But actress Birgitta Valberg definitely looks like she knows what’s going on!

Multitalented or merely a consummate thespian?

 


Movie Still Monday: Summer Interlude

This week’s set of stills comes from Ingmar Bergman’s 1951 film Sommarlek, AKA Summer Interlude.

Somewhere off in the wings, during a Swan Lake dress rehearsal…

Summer Interlude 1 - side knit

You said it, dude. Just look off to your right a little and you’ll find out why!

Summer Interlude 2- background knit

Ah yes, there she is, a knitting ballerina — something strange indeed. Well, she’ll have put down her WIP to go out on stage in a minute. Bummer!

Summer Interlude 4 - counting 2

 Better stop and count those stitches before she has to frog the whole damn thing; now THAT would be a tragedy!

 


Movie Still Monday: L’Atalante

This week’s stills come from the 1934 Jean Vigo film L’Atalante, starring the loverly Dita Parlo.

New bride Juliette is knitting onboard her hubby’s canal barge. A sweater, peut-être?

L'Atalante 1Well, you know what they say: if you’re going spend the time needed to knit a sweater for your man, make sure he’s a keeper.

L'Atalante 4

And of course, don’t forget to take proper measurements.

L'Atalante 2.5

L'Atalante 3

Later, Juliette sports a très belle crocheted shawl as she sits morosely meditating in the fog.

But why so glum, Tristesse?

L'Atalante shawl

It could be that whole “newly married and living on a canal barge filled with cats” thing.

Or maybe the sweater didn’t fit.

Trailer:


Movie Still Monday: Viridiana

This week, some frames from Luis Buñuel‘s 1961 film Viridiana, starring the beautiful Silvia Pinal.

In this scene, novitiate Viridiana has a somnambular journey, walking into her uncle’s room with a basket of tasty looking yarn. (Don’t let the gams distract you.)

Viridiana basket

But instead of doing some sweet sleep-knitting with her nocturnal stash, she immolates it in the fireplace!

Viridiana yarnball

Those poor, sacrificial skeins! Oh, the human-knitty!

I can’t look. Oh, wait… yes I can!

Viridiana hank

Trailer:


Movie Still Monday: The Patty Duke Show

Yeah, not a movie, but a TV series this week: the 1960’s Patty Duke Show.

Patty’s mom Natalie curls up on the couch with some needles for some “woman’s work.”

At least I think that’s what they called it back then.

Patti Duke Mom knitting

 


Movie Still Monday: The Color of Pomegranates

Sergei Parajanov’s 1968 masterpiece The Color of Pomegranates (Sayat Nova) is not only one of the best films I’ve ever seen, it is also one of the most craft-laden films I have ever seen!

It’s got tatting!

Pomegranates - tatting

Loom weaving!

Pomegranates - weaving

Some holier than thou knitting angels (work those toe-up socks, kids!)…

Pomegranates - knitting angels

…complete with their “close-knit” family members.

Pomegranates - family knit time 2

It even features the yarn making process, beginning with the fleece…

Pomegranates - fleece

…up to the dyeing process.

Pomegranates - Dyeing

And, of course, more hanks of yarn than you can shake a kemenche at.Pomegranates - skeins with loom

Pomegranates - skein

Haven’t sufficiently whetted your appetite? Watch the блин trailer:


Movie Still Monday: Burnt Offerings

This week’s still is from the 1976 horror movie Burnt Offerings, starring Oliver Reed, Karen Black, and that totally intimidating bitch Bette Davis, shown here doing a little poolside craftin’!Bette Offerings 2Smoking while knitting, huh? Well, that’s killing two birds with one stone, I guess.


Movie Still Monday: Suburban Commando

Wherein Sir Terry Bollea (AKA Hulk Hogan) encounters a melon-thumping granny, ripe for the picking. Suburban CommandoBet you can tell she’s a granny from those squares she wears, huh? Huh? This seems like a typical case of Hollywood  ageism mixed with some severe craft stereotyping… real crochet-cism in action! I mean, when will these pesky movie PA’s realize that crochet is ageless — and more importantly — that an afghan does NOT a shawl make?


New segment: Hookin’ at the Movies

Wherein I share stills from (oftentimes unwatchable) movies, miniseries and TV shows displaying hilarious, dubious or questionable crochet tendencies.

From A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song :

Another Cinderella Story

Ooooh… no thanks. Socks crocheted by Lucy Hale sound about as appetizing as a macrame bra made by Selena Gomez.