Cinema Quarterly (1934 - 1935)

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PONT DES ARTS {Horacio Coppola, 16mm.). This is another symphonic film, but different in mood. Down-and-outs, the Seine, huge gaunt trees, mud, dirt and despair. Here is hopelessness, devastating bleakness; here men thrown on the scrap-heap become little more than parcels of rags. Do we know what they are thinking? Coppola's film does not tell us this, but shows us how they live. There is no entreaty, no personal argument, but a revelation through impassionate eyes. Is this attitude correct? Whether an artist must also be a political or a social reformer is for the artist to decide. Technically the photography is good and several shots are perfect in composition and texture; but there is too much movement in the camera and not enough in the material. The continuity has to rely upon pictorial cohesion and not upon development of content — the look of the picture as against the meaning of the picture. This is a good attempt. DER TRAUM {Horacio Coppola, 16mm.). The influence of the sur-realists has made Coppola produce an intriguing and amusing film. A young man is shown asleep with his head on the table amid egg-shells and knife and fork. There are some pleasing patterns here, but what is their Freudian or symbolic significance? The young man sees his "Sunday self" mocking him by stealing his pocket book, with much money therein, and insinuating that he also intends doing likewise with the young man's lover. The week-day man and the same man on Sundays are symbolised by a topper and bowler hat. This is good symbolism and when one man chases the other there is an excellent atmosphere in the slow-motion scenes of the chase. The kinetics of the falling hat and ball are excellent; the movements of such commonplace things carry that strange kind of personality they have in dreams. HAMPSTEAD HEATH {Horacio Coppola, 16mm.). Here is an account of a Sunday at Hampstead, showing the types of people who frequent the Heath. It has several short sequences that are good both in continuity and cutting. I remember the chairs and their attendant, the fair in the evening, the impressive scene of all the people walking in one direction towards their homes. There is a subtle streak of engaging drollery running through the film. Why very fat women posed straight up in front of the camera should look so funny only Coppola with his artful angles knows. The various moods have been established, sometimes with success, but cutting down would greatly improve the film. The photography is good and some pictorial arrangements very exciting. There are some filtered clouds and reflecting lakes that are very beautiful, and the whole film is well exposed.