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The Soviet Influence: From Turksib to Night Mail
The small number of Russian films which were shown in Britain in the late 1920s and early 1930s excited the attention of British filmmakers and writers, and played a central role in developing ideas about film as an art-form. In particular this influence was felt in the British documentary film work of such key figures as John Grierson and Paul Rotha.
This unique and fascinating release explores this influence through the formal and thematic relationships between Viktor Turin's extraordinary, yet little-seen, silent documentary Turksib (1929), and a number of British documentary films, including the celebrated Night Mail (1936).
ExtraFeatures:
- Dual Format Edition: includes both the Blu-ray and the DVD of the film and the extras.
- Workers Topical News Parts 1 and 2 (1930, 10 mins): the newsreels shown at Turksib's Britsh premiere
- Australian Wine (Paul Rotha, 1931): charming and lively promotional film employing Soviet-style montage.
- The Country Comes to Town (Basil Wright, 1931): a celebration of the importance of the British countryside.
- Shadow on the Mountains (Arthur Elton, 1932): expressive titles and cinematography are deployed in this lyrical film about farming.
- The Face of Britain (Paul Rotha, 1935): a passionate and ambitious appeal for socialist planning
- Night Mail (Harry Watt, Basil Wright, 1936): justly celebrated, this seminal film applies the aesthetic lessons of Soviet cinema to a very British tale.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, Blu-Ray/Region A/B/C DVD: LANGUAGES: Silent ( Dolby Linear PCM ), Silent ( Mono ), English ( Subtitles ), SPECIAL FEATURES: Black & White, Booklet, Interactive Menu, Remastered, Scene Access, SYNOPSIS: In the early 1930s, a small number of Soviet propaganda films were shown in Britain that excited local filmmakers who were then developing their ideas of film as an art form. The Soviet Influence: From Turksib to Nightmail, a new BFI Dual Format Edition strand, explores the impact that these films had on British directors by presenting key Soviet works, along with the British films which they inspired, in specially curated editions. The first release in this occasional series, entitled From Turksib to Night Mail, explores the profound effect that the classic, yet little-seen silent Soviet documentary Turksib (Viktor Turin, 1929) had on British documentary films, including the celebrated Night Mail. Turksib is a bold and exhilarating film which brilliantly illustrates the problems faced by regional farmers and trades people, and highlights the need for the Turkestan-Siberian railway. Dazzling, arresting, and yet curiously overlooked, this fine example of Soviet montage cinema was presented to British audiences in 1930 in a version prepared by documentary pioneer John Grierson. That same version is included here, newly remastered to High Definition and with a newly commissioned score by Guy Bartell from celebrated electronic outfit Bronnt Industries Kapital. It is accompanied by a collection of archival British documentary shorts, all of which were made in the wake of Turksib by filmmakers whose debt to the film is very much in evidence. ...The Soviet Influence: From Turksib to Nightmail ( Turksib / Workers' Topical News No. 1 / Australian Wine / Shadow on the Mountain: An Experiment on the Welsh Hills / The Country Comes to Town / The Face of Britain / Night Mail ) ( Tur (Blu-Ray)
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
An amazing video about an amazing early achievement of the Soviet Union. Not only does the film show the vision of the early Soviets - building a railway across and watering a desert to grow cotton in area where it was never quite going to succeed; it also captures in a remarkable way some of the environment, the people and the world which were being transformed in pursuit of that vision. If one has ever had the opportunity to travel to and/or across this bleak landmass - preferably by train - there is still so much to see of the remnants of the gargantuan effort which was made to bring cotton to the whole of the Soviet world. It is still, just possible, to capture some of the impact that the building of the railway and the cultivation of the barren land must have had.
The film has been painstakingly restored - I have seen an earlier attempt, but this is much improved. I'm content to let others judge whether the modern sound track adds or detracts!
I think I understand the idea of linking this film with later attempts by English film makers to emulate some of the visionary creative Soviet film making. But I remain unconvinced that the later films share either the pioneering artistic skills of the Soviets, or have behind them an attempt to turn a vision of a "new world" into a film. Perhaps it doesn't matter! I bought the film for TurkSib and am delighted with it!
The film has been painstakingly restored - I have seen an earlier attempt, but this is much improved. I'm content to let others judge whether the modern sound track adds or detracts!
I think I understand the idea of linking this film with later attempts by English film makers to emulate some of the visionary creative Soviet film making. But I remain unconvinced that the later films share either the pioneering artistic skills of the Soviets, or have behind them an attempt to turn a vision of a "new world" into a film. Perhaps it doesn't matter! I bought the film for TurkSib and am delighted with it!
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I guess perhaps for film anoraks only ........... a true delight into previous lives perhaps conjuring up conversations with parents or grandparents about their lives and visual memories of those stories. Whilst it gentrifies most situations, for example, the English countryside you are still looking at things as they were even if the people who do speak sound very much directed as in Night Mail at the end. Best things is you can dip in and out rather than watch start to end .............. worthy of a place on the dvd shelf - enjoy
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