Man With a Movie Camera (1929)

[cinemabon]

Thanks, Johann. Great review. Been years. Saw it in film school... here's a helpful link to the DVD.

http://www.amazon.com/Man-Movie-Came...2407775&sr=8-2

[oscar jubis]

You must see it again because the score by the Alloy Orchestra truly turns it into a different, more vivid experience (the Kino disc has an inferior Michael Nyman score). Back in the day, bad prints of the film were usually the ones that got exhibited in college campuses. Digital versions now available are a marked improvement. By the way, I am showing this film tomorrow as part of a documentary course. This is one silent the kids never find boring.

[Johann]

For a film from 1929 to not bore today's youth...that's quite an achievement.
Reminds me of Jim Morrison's quote: "cinema is a powerful infinite mythology, to be dipped into at will"

I think that's also why so many people respond to cinema- it's a record. A historical record. A record of varying degree of worth/significance.
Silent films become more and more precious as time marches on. As important as books are, films are a tad better to me as a historical document.
Celluloid doesn't contour the story to it's own ends. What you see is what you get (even though trickery may be involved from time to time).

The beauty of movies is that you can learn new things all the time- especially on repeat viewings of films by Masters.
If the auteur is conscious of everything he puts into his film (like Stanley Kubrick) you can literally study what's in the frames for years.
Your knowledge gets compounded and expanded as time goes on. (and to speak for myself, your cinephilia deepens and refines as time goes on).
I could watch Man With A Movie Camera over and over and it never loses it's punch.
It was made by a man who was passionate enough about a (primitive Zeiss) movie camera enough to try almost anything with it.
And it works gloriously.

This is one of those "100 most important films" to me. (If I ever tried to make such a list..)

Thanks for all the replies on this silent film thread. over 600 hits? Great!
It's an absolute MUST-SEE of cinema history. (and if you really love movies, this is a "must-buy" on DVD too :)

[oscar jubis]

The kids, for the most part, enjoyed it. There were two or three who had seen it before and came to see it again, on a big screen. I played it at fairly high volume. The film's visual sophistication is awesome.The editing choices are very interesting. As you might expect MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA is included in my school's 100-film canon, a film all students need to know well if they hope to graduate. Your posts on it are fantastic. Thanks.

[Johann]

Seeing it on the big screen would have a nice impact. Especially with the volume up!
Great to hear. I wish more people could see it. I think those who know about this film are cinephiles or students almost exclusively.
I'm willing to bet that the average joe has never heard of Man With a Movie Camera. a shame. Another Masterwork ignored.
Yay.


In an unrelated note, I bought the DVD of Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story and I'll post something long about it soon.
It's simply astonishing what Moore did with that movie. I shouldn't have been so glib about it when it came out.
As Mary Corliss said on the DVD sleeve, "this is Moore's Magnum Opus".
It is revolution on celluloid. Period.

[Johann]

I picked up two tickets to Vertov's Man With A Movie Camera with Live musical score by the Michael Nyman Band today.
Can't wait- 8pm tomorrow night @ the Bell Lightbox. I will be sure to post about the experience. Pretty jazzed about it.
Seeing that film on the big screen with Legend Nyman & Band..wow. How can it not RULE?

Yes, the Essential Cinema exhibit that just closed was shut down because of the sheer volume of artifacts that have arrived for Tim Burton's showcase. Time was needed to determine the placement of all of his artworks. Thanks to a TIFF staffer for that info. At least they inform their staff of current events and hired smart, polite people to work the box office. Every question or concern I've raised to a tiff staffer has been met with polite and informed responses. So thumbs way up for their staff at the moment.

[Johann]

MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA with MICHAEL NYMAN BAND (LIVE)



Last night was a magnificent evening of music and cinema.
I just could not believe that I was watching the 12-piece Michael Nyman Band performing LIVE. Just incredible.

It began with a TIFF staffer introducing the man with a brief mention of his cinematic work (the Piano, Peter Greenaway films) and how Nyman's score for "Man With a Movie Camera" is the "Gold Standard". Then the band came out to do a 20-minute performance of selections from Nyman's film work. It was sweet music to my ears, hearing music from A Zed and Two Noughts, Drowning by Numbers and Prospero's Books.
In that acoustically perfect setting it was DIVINE. Really divine. These 12 musicians (Nyman included- he was seated stage left at a piano) are Masters of their intruments. It was basically 2 saxophones, a trombone, a trumpet, flutes, upright bass and 3 violins. (and Mr. Nyman's impeccable piano playing).
Just glorious.
After that awesome set of music they took a 15 minute break and came back for the Main Event: Dziga Vertov's trailblazing silent film with Live score.

Seeing that movie on such a large screen that way was just about the zenith of what a great movie going experience can and should be.
The sold-out crowd knew it was special, even though I hated the chatter before the movie and during the break. I went alone, and to have to sit there wedged between two annoying people who would not shut up whenever there wasn't a performance or dimming of the lights was agony for me. I just wanted the film experience, not the Chatty Cathy audience experience. People talk so much B.S. in movie theatres. Why??

I still prefer the Alloy Orchestra score, tho. Sorry Michael!
Mr. Nyman looked like Jean-Luc Godard to me. They resemble each other.