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Through his documentaries Dziga Vertov exerted a seminal influence far beyond the limits of Soviet cinema. Hating the false reality of feature films, he revolutionized the newsreel and created a uniquely personal form which blended facts, feelings, and propaganda into a kind of political surrealism.
"The Man with the Movie Camera" is Vertov's treatment for the famous film and was written 19 March 1928. "From Kino-Eye to Radio-Eye" are theses for an article, dated 19 February 1929. "Answers to Questions" was written for the newspaper Kinofront 25 April 1930. "On Organizing a Creative Laboratory" are theses for an article, dated 2 October 1936. All four pieces were not published until 1966. They will be included in a book-length translation of Vertov's writings by Marco Carynnyk.
THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA
(A Visual Symphony) [19 March 1928]
THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA is an experiment in conveying visual phenomena without the aid of titles (a film without titles), scenario (a film without a scenario), or the theater (a film without actors and sets).
Kino-Eye's new experimental work aims to create a truly international film language, an absolute kinochronicle, and to separate the cinema completely from theater and literature.
On the other hand, THE MAN WITH THE MOVIE CAMERA, like THE ELEVENTH YEAR, is closely related to the Radio-Eye period, which the Kinoks see as a new and higher stage in the development of unplayed film.
First. You find yourself in a small but strange country where all experiences and actions and even natural phenomena are strictly controlled and occur at precisely determined times. At any moment you can order rain, thunder, or a seastorm.
If you like, the deluge will stop. Puddles will immediately dry up. The sun will shine forth. You can even have two or three suns.
If you want it, day will turn into night. The sun will turn into the moon. Stars will appear. Winter will replace summer. Snowflakes will fall. Streams will freeze over. Frost will cover the windows.
You can, if you choose, sink or save ships at sea. Start fires and earthquakes. Make wars and revolutions. You control human tears and laughter. Passion and jealousy. Love and hatred.
According to your schedule, people fight or embrace. Marry...