Documentary News Letter (1940)

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El. BOOi: REVIEW TriE IiTDIM FIIM by Y,Ji, Fazalbiioy. The Bombay Radio Iress. Rg. 2 FALSE FACTS (OR ITOITE AT ALL) ABOUT IlIDIAN FiniS KWE TJIITIL novy made it impossible to xorm any sane judgrrxent on the subject. Mr. Fazalbhoyj in '^ritin^ this reasoned and detailed study, has put us all in his debt. Readers of DOCUiSKTARY EEV/S LETTER v^ill find value in the chapters on lewsreel, Education and National Planning. The author is conscious that filers vJiich are liable to the insertion of propaganda are a tRO-edged weapon in India's present political set-up; but he stresses tne need for a . -eal Indian newsreel service, and for a "wide supply of Educational films. He plans a Film Service uiider the control of a Central Board of Visual Educatio.n, and he sensibly claiiiis that the G-overnmient cannot long disassociate itself from such a project. The extent of India's film problems can, by the v.-ay, be judged from somie of the statistics. In India there is only one cinema to every quarter of a m.illion inhabitants (and this estimate apparently includes road-shovv services. ) The author is thus right in stressing the need for large-scale and long-term planning. V/e hope that a copy of this important and adi.airable docum.ent v.ill be on sale over hero. EUROPEAIT STRU3-GLES HAVE GIVEIT RISE TO A PROLIFIC IJ>D SOMEtim.es quite brilliant school of American journalists vvhose detachm.ent from local national vie^jvs has brought perspective into our close-up world. Early summ.er saw Herbert Kline, late of Spain and Czechoslovalcia, with P. A. Mayer and the Czech cameraman Hackenschmat , set foot in England convinced of European war and anxious to film Britain's rehearsal for it. They shot in London and the provinces, in Danzig just before the coup, in Poland v^hen the bombers came, in London again after the declaration, and just recently in France, Those of us vmo sai/v the rough-cut film now safely in Hew York know that this unit has got something which vjill live, which if finished in the same restrained, understated approach as it was shot, wall be the m.ost significant war film to date. "Lights Out In Europe" they are namiing it, and Warners will release. Kline, with Ivens is making a new genre of docai'.entary political filmi journalism. THE B.B.C. APPEARS TO BE SO CONCERNED lE^ ITS FOREIGN BROADcasts (which are admirable) that the Hjme Front is neglected. So far the Home Service has failed to rise to the occasion, particularly as regard^ News Services and Feature Programmes. For advance in both of these the B.B.C. might well turn to the U.S.A., Yvhich does them so well. Meantime we are left v^/ith ITIvEi the one stroke of genius in the humdr'um wartime evening.