How did Janus come to be emblematic of film?

[Dave Monroe]

On Sun, Aug 23, 2009 at 11:07 PM, Daniel Cape<daniel.cape at gmail.com> wrote:

> Any ideas?

http://www.janusfilms.com/ ?

Janus Films is a film distribution company. It was one of the first
distributors to bring what are now regarded as masterpieces of world
cinema to the United States. In this regard, Janus can be credited
with helping to introduce American audiences to the films of
Michelangelo Antonioni, Ingmar Bergman, Federico Fellini, Akira
Kurosawa, François Truffaut, Yasujirō Ozu and many other well-regarded
directors....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus_Films

Janus Films is the pre-eminent distributor of classic foreign films in
the United States. Fifty years ago, its founders took a chance on
distributing a little-known director named Federico Fellini and
ushered in the golden age of the art-house cinema.

[...]

To celebrate its 50th anniversary, Janus has struck 30 new prints
highlighting its history. The films will tour North America through
2007.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6430428

"... rockets dismantle, the entire film runs backward: faired skin
back to sheet steel back to pigs to white incandescence to ore, to
Earth.  But the reality is not reversible.  Each firebloom, followed
by blast then by sound of arrival, is  a mockery (how can it not be
deliberate) of the reversible process ..." (GR, Pt. I, p. 139)

Meanwhile ...

His ability to see both forwards and backwards at the same time aided
him in his pursuit of the nymph Carna to whom he gave power over door
hinges as a reward for her favours.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus

Carna was a nymph who lived where Rome would eventually be. Janus fell
in love with her and gave her power over door hinges and handles. As a
goddess, she was known as Cardea, from cardo hinge.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carna

Cardea means "Goddess of Protecting the Home". In Greek mythology,
Cardea was the goddess of health, thresholds and door hinges and
handles, also associated with the wind. Her name comes from cardo,
meaning door-pivot. She protected children against vampires and
witches, and was also the benefactress of craftsmen. Her cult was
important in ancient Rome, and was worshipped at the Beltane festival
and during June, both of which were seen as a metaphorical "hinge" for
the year. Masks, balls and figurines (oscilla) were hung from doorways
or trees to encourage crop growth in reverence to her. The hawthorn
tree was sacred to her.

Ovid said of Cardea, in what is apparently a religious formula, "Her
power is to open what is shut; to shut what is open."

She was originally the nymph Carna until Janus gave her power over
door handles and hinges and status as the protectress of children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardea