David O'ConnellMan with a Movie Camera
April 15th 2010 02:53
Perhaps cinema’s first genuine masterpiece, this dazzling kaleidoscopic montage of images is proof that its creator, Dziga Vertov, was a man well ahead of his time. Made over four years in the late 1920’s in a trio of Russian cities, Man with a Movie Camera (1929) uses an astounding range of filmic techniques that we wouldn’t readily associate with the silent era: stop-motion, split-screens, film-reversal, superimposition, double exposure, slow-motion, freeze-frames - all used to astounding creative effect as we’re shown an “excerpt from the diary of a cameraman” with its spliced together glimpses of life on the streets and in factories; showing people at work and at leisure.
How Vertov transforms the seemingly mundane into compelling visual poetry is what immortalises the film. At times the intensity of the rapid editing reaches fever pitch and the accompaniment of robust orchestral music makes it feel like a glorious symphonic movement in which sound and vision are intrinsically fused.
Watching this film is a bit like cracking open a time capsule, unleashing a flood of fragmentary but breathtaking images that you just want to pause to wallow in. It matters little that it eschews any consideration of a traditional narrative.
The film opens with a crowd assembling in a theatre; even this is an artfully arranged little mosaic. Then we too become witness to the documentary-like succession of images, a dusk-till-dawn visual representation of a day in the life of a city, interspersed with shots of the cameraman - played by Vertov’s own brother Mikhail Kaufman - and his daring efforts to obtain his next shot.
Music plays such a pivotal role in heightening the impact of Vertov’s imagery; it would stand up as being astonishing in its own right as a silent reel, but the interaction of the two elements definitely enhances their power. This screening last night at Melbourne’s ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image) featured a soundtrack of Russian compositions from the time but the DVD release of the film apparently has the specially commissioned score by brilliant minimalist composer Michael Nyman, best known for his work with directors Peter Greenaway, and for a time, Michael Winterbottom.
It’s hard to pin down Man with a Movie Camera with it being a sort of amalgam of fiction and non-fiction devices. What is beyond reproach however is its status as a masterpiece of early cinema, a meticulously crafted work that would inspire filmmakers for many decades to come with its virtuosity and originality.
| 125 |
| Vote |
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Paul Martin
Watching it at Cinémathèque last night, I was frequently reminded of social realism such as the works of Agnès Varda and I imagine this film would have been treasured by the early social realist movement in Australia, who were largely influenced by Soviet cinema and communism. I suppose the same could be said of the group of film-makers that Chris Marker worked with.
I found it fascinating that Vertov saw the process of making films worthy enough a subject to capture. Not just the director or cinematographer, but also the editor. And I was also amazed at how similar Russian society of that time looked almost indistinguishable from say American society with all the trappings of bourgeois life - bikinis, hair salons, dressing up, art deco artwork and architecture, etc.
Equally fascinating was Vertov's presumed intention of capturing the seemingly banal, as if he knew that this would all document a particular place and time.
I've been busy with other things and haven't written about this film yet. I think I'll have to cut and paste my comments here as the basis for my post.
I think I'll have to buy the DVD - this has got to be one of the most amazing pieces from the silent era I've seen. The music put together by Ross Campbell was great.
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic
I couldn't remember Ross Campbell's name when writing this review, but yes his musical choices were really stunning. I'd love to see a tracklisting of the pieces he used, the whole thing flowed beautifully and brought the rapidly-edited sections especially to a magnificent crescendo at the appropriate time. I like a lot of Nyman's music so will be very interested to see how his own compositions compare alongside this version.
I was just blown away by the whole experience actually, and like you will definitely be grabbing hold of the DVD at some stage! I think anyone who's serious about film, its beginnings and early influences needs to have a look at this. I can't believe I've been ignorant of its existence until now! I loved how every creative choice Vertov made in assembling the film never once felt like trickery or being overly clever at all, just groundbreaking.
Comment by Matt Shea
Comment by David O'Connell
20/20 Filmsight
Screen Fanatic