Man With A Movie Camera details
| Format: | Ex DVD |
|---|---|
| Director: | Dziga Vertov |
| Genre: | Documentary - Entertainment |
| Studio: | BFI VIDEO |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Man With A Movie Camera |
Ex Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 10 Jul 2000 |
| Main languages: | Silent |
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Most helpful review
Man with an editing suite
By Santa from Herts , 10 Sep 2004[Highly rated reviewer]
This is a self confessed 'experiment in the language of film', as the opening credits/disclaimer/warning professes. It lacks plot, characters, and titles, and yet it manages to engage one's full attention for it's full hour, and beyond.
The camera work itself IS something to behold, but from the very start it is the editing that the filmmakers, and audience, seem to be interested in. The montage builds to frenetic pace at times, bringing you to the edge of your seat, in anticipation of what? You don't know. But something. And by God it delivers in spades.
The film is helped condsiderably by its score, (a keyboard affair that smacks of synthesyser), which is nothing like, luckily, the criminal redubbing of Metropolis in the late eighties.
Made in 1929, there are shots here that still surprise by their inventiveness, and images that still startle- a young woman, late twenties, shooting the effigy of an old hag bearing a swastika, seems to be an incredibly chilling anticipation of the coming decade.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(39)A must for movie buffs...
By BenLaw (32 reviews) , 14 Feb 2013... but not for the casual viewer looking for Saturday night entertainment! Perhaps the biggest compliment to this film is that more than 80 years on it remains eminently watchable and indeed captures the attention throughout. Considering it is (i) silent, (ii) has no intertitles, (iii) has no actors, (iv) has no characters, (v) has no narrative, and (vi) has no storyline, this is a remarkable achievement. Probably only the Russians could have made a film like this, and its ideas continue at least as far as something like The Mirror. Indeed, it was knowingly made as a rejection of traditional capitalist movie making. It could be described as experimental, although it is very certain in intent and execution. It is certainly innovative in its editing, cutting, use of split screens and so on. Its use of imagery is excellent, and the layering and repetition of different images builds up a beautifully textured portrait of 1920s Russia. So, a bit heavy going, slightly hard work, no source of casual entertainment, but an important film to watch for anyone interested in the history and science of cinema.- Was this review helpful to you?
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A very curious experience...
By brianw4815 (122 reviews) from United Kingdom , 20 Feb 2011Man With A Movie Camera has no plot, actors, or coherent structure...it is literally just many, many clips spliced and edited together in a range of fascinating ways.
The 'film' is a self-expressed 'experiment', trying to portray a picture of a day in the life of the city.
Watched this version with 'The Cinematic Orchestra' backing.
While this film isn't the kind you watch to be...'entertained' per say, it was a curious experience and I found myself actually creating a story-line as the clips progressed.
I'll probably never watch this again but it was certainly interesting.
More something to check out if you have an interest in the technical side of film.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Not for a Saturday night but good
By Stanley2105 (8 reviews) from Ipswich , 01 Feb 2011[Highly rated reviewer]
Good to watch if you have an interest in film history and/or early 20th Century Soviet society - I'd like to know where some of the city locations were shot (Odessa mainly I think?). Surprisingly modern in some of its depictions i.e. nudity & birth and I found the soundtrack a bit intoxicating. Worth a watch but in reflection I reckon its 1 hour run time is enough.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Something different
By 1001FilMs (11 reviews) from Wiltshire , 13 Jun 2010This film is surprisingly watchable even lacking a proper plot or characters or anything else you expect in a movie. An interesting watch but one for movie-history buffs.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack version
By a customer from Brighton and Hove , 11 May 2010Watch this incredible film with the alternative Cinematic Orchestra soundtrack from Ninja tune records. It's really quite amazing!- Was this review helpful to you?
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