Just happened to catch this on TCM and my jaw dropped. This movie was made
in 1929, folks... The imagery, the editing... both superb. This is one of the most visually inventive films I have ever seen, and any film buff or artist will, I think, agree with me wholeheartedly.
Prepare for some Soviet propagandist themes in this "documentary." I wasn't
sure that there weren't in fact a few professional actors in the cast -- there were some moments when the content came across as more drama than
documentary; several scenes felt staged. No matter, I was fascinated by the
people whose lives in the remote Svanetia village form the center of the story. And, it bears repeating, the cinematography is gorgeous, surprising at every
turn and just plain mesmerizing at times.
Definitely worth a look if you can find it.
in 1929, folks... The imagery, the editing... both superb. This is one of the most visually inventive films I have ever seen, and any film buff or artist will, I think, agree with me wholeheartedly.
Prepare for some Soviet propagandist themes in this "documentary." I wasn't
sure that there weren't in fact a few professional actors in the cast -- there were some moments when the content came across as more drama than
documentary; several scenes felt staged. No matter, I was fascinated by the
people whose lives in the remote Svanetia village form the center of the story. And, it bears repeating, the cinematography is gorgeous, surprising at every
turn and just plain mesmerizing at times.
Definitely worth a look if you can find it.