Re: Steel Films

From: Tom B Whiteside (email suppressed)
Date: Thu Apr 02 2009 - 08:49:43 PDT


The bell casting scene in Andrei Rubelev is superb, all that mud and fire
and molten metal. It's not a steel mill, granted, but that's how they did
it back in the Middle Ages. Ahh, the good old days (when artists had
their eyes poked out by jealous patrons).

I've seen two different subtitled versions, and much prefer what I assume
is the older one. As everyone is waiting anxiously to see if the bell will
ring (and the laborers will live) the prince and his friends are sitting
on their horses and chatting nonchalantly; one says something like "Who is
that beautiful woman?" (I think this part is in Italian?) and then just as
she glances towards the camera (in a fairly long shot, several other
people in the frame) the bell gives its first BONG.

It is a terrific moment, and I believe it is missing from a more recent
version (for nonpolyglots like me, anyway) because that line is not
subtitled. Both of the characters involved are very minor, but the way it
takes you away from the dramatic tension visually, then resolves that
tension with a synchronous sound moment..... now that I think about it I
want to see it again. What a great film.

        - Whiteside

Sara Sullivan <email suppressed>
Sent by: Experimental Film Discussion List <email suppressed>
04/02/2009 10:43 AM
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Steel Films

Dear frameworkers:

I've always enjoyed the "films about..." challenges and their
responses. I've got one now. I'm starting a project on the spectacles
of steel working in film - the mills, furnaces, ingots, slag etc.

I have a pretty good sense of some canonical examples: Industrial
Britain, Iven's Komosol, Vertov's Enthusiasm - but I'm sure there's
wonderful experimental films/documentaries that I don't know.

Mainstream films are helpful too, but I've got T2.

Thanks so much,

Sara Gooch

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For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.

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For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.