Paris as you've never seen it

Stephen Parr, in his sanctuary

Last Friday I was introduced to Oddball Films.

Tucked away on the third floor of a warehouse, Oddball holds the biggest film archive in Northern California, according to director Stephen Parr. As you walk in and through to the screening room at the back, shelf upon shelf is stacked to the ceiling with reels.

There were a number of interesting shorts at Friday's show, but one transported me from the relaxed feeling of aesthetic appreciation I had throughout most of the evening to heart-pounding engagement, in a matter of minutes. 

"Using a Mercedes 450SEL early one August morning" in 1976, a professional driver raced through the streets of Paris with a camera on the bumper.

Here, at the bottom of the page, is the result (best viewed with volume and a full screen setting).