BERLIN, SYMPHONY OF A GREAT CITY-1927 German Documentary-Blackhawk-Excellent DVD

Description: Hi! You're looking at an excellent overall condition DVD which is a remarkable 1927 German film which presents a dazzling photographic portrait of Berlin, Germany--the film was directed by WALTER RUTTMANN and conceived by CARL MEYER. The film is titled "Berlin, Symphony of a Great City" and it was issued by Image Entertainment from a print in The Blackhawk Films Collection; the film is a silent black and white full screen presentation as originally screened with music composed and conducted by TIMOTHY BROCK and was issued in 2015. The DVD also includes the 1922 Avant-Garde short film "Opus I (Or, 'It's Not for Sammy Kaye')" also directed by Ruttmann and with music by Brock.At once an invaluable photographic record of life in Weimer Berlin and a timeless demonstration of the cinema's ability to enthrall on a purely visceral level, Berlin, Symphony of a Great City (Berlin, die Symphonie der Grosstadt) offers a kaleidoscopic view of a single day in the life of a bustling metropolis.Carl Mayer (The Last Laugh), influenced by the naturalistic Kammerspiel movement, envisioned "a melody of pictures" sprung from daily reality instead of the stylized artificiality of the studio-bound expressionist film. Following Mayer's rough outline, photographer Karl Freund deployed a team of cameramen to explore the avenues, alleyways and factories of Berlin and secure hidden-camera glimpses of the people and machinery that provide the city with its constant motion. The many hours of footage were then edited into a series of five acts, like movements of a symphony, by Walther Ruttmann as a continuation of his experiments with abstract motion (see Opus I).Berlin defined the formula of the "city symphony" film and according to John Grierson - the filmmaker/critic who coined the term "documentary" - "No film has been more influential, more imitated."Opus I A rare example of the German avant-garde cinema known as absoluter Film, Walther Ruttmann's hand-colored Opus I is an exploration of the geometry of movement within the frame and the sensory effect these abstract shapes evoke as they swell, streak and swim across the screen. Viewed alongside Berlin, Opus I seems a thumbnail sketch for the sweeping slice-of-life documentary, revealing the degree to which Ruttmann's 1923 film was more a spectacle of raw motion than a documentary portrait of Berlin's daily routines. Opus I is accompanied by Max Butting's 1922 score, adapted and conducted by Timothy Brock.Berlin, Symphony of a Great CityA fantastic find, and a beautiful copy of this DVD Set!Thanks very much for looking, and good luck if you're bidding! Also be sure to check out all of my other great books currently listed on ebay auctions--I can combine shipping for multiple purchases!

Price: 14.99 USD

Location: Williamsport, Pennsylvania

End Time: 2024-12-22T05:08:25.000Z

Shipping Cost: 5 USD