Documentary News Letter (1947-1949)

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DOdMEMARY FILM NEWS 21 MORE NEW FILMS (Cont. from page 1 9) 61m; the training of teachers must see this whether they use it or not is up to them. A TEACHER National Film Board of ( 'anada La Poulette Grise: Norman McLaren. Fiddle-De-Dee : Norman McLaren. Cadet Rouselle: Jim McKay and George Dunning. When Norman McLaren was a member of the GPO Film Unit, way back in 1938, he made an experimental film, an animated colour film of the so-called "cartoon' variety, called Love on the Wing. In what now seems a somewhat crude offering he broke new ground, and gave us something quite fresh and different. In La Poulette Grise he has developed and polished his art to such a remarkable degree that we really feel that we have something new in the cinema. When the little wooden loft doors which open his series of Chansons de Chez-Nous open, we are carried forward into a dreamlike world of fantasy and imagination that has an indescribable charm and beauty all its own. Not only is its technical fluency thrilling, but somehow or other McLaren achieves a weird stereoscopy that seems to take us right forward into the middle of the picture. He gains a depth and intimacy unsurpassed by all Disney's Multiplane cameras. And one visual effect is varied and transformed so skilfully and gracefully that we find ourselves looking at something else without quite knowing how and when the change took place. The plaintive quality of the French-Canadian folk song makes La Poulette Grise a wonderful companion to his earlier and gayer C'Est UAviron. Fiddle-De-Dee is very different. Here McLaren has reverted to the style of colour rhythm origin ated by Len Lye in his never forgotten Colourbox, and subsequently rather Indifferently copied by Disncv m Fantasia. A gay little violin tunc is accompanied by abstract colour patterns on the screen. It is all delightfully done, but as one of the Review Hoard remarked, somehow disappointment comes at the end because we are not urged to post early for Christmas. 1 inally, Cadet Rouselle is much more orthodox. The quaint cartoon figures delightfully illustrate the song, but it relies for its effect more upon the charm o( the folk song than upon the originality of its technique. All Eyes on Britain. Data for COL Producer: Donald Alexander. Directed and Written: Bladon Peake. Associate Directot Mar) Beales. Camera W. Suschitzky and K. Kettlewell. Distribution 1 he. itrical and monthly release. COL 10 mins. In the 1930's a foreign writer, turning a piercing and cynical eye on Britain, remarked that, in addition to claiming to be the most modest people in the world, we also claimed that we held the lead in everything else. This film shows that nothing has changed in the intervening years, except perhaps that what used to be a tacit assumption of superiority has become exceedingly vocal, with a suspicion of an hysterical edge to it. One may perhaps ask whether all this whistling in the dark is really necessary. In All Eyes on Britain we see foreigners of every creed and colour flocking to Britain to congratulate us on our achievements in as many fields as can be packed into ten minutes. With one voice but many accents they say to the audience 'You see, you do it so much better than anyone else.' The treatment that the makers have chosen for this theme is a fantastic one — by Hellzapoppin out of Upturne eir object has doubtless been to avoid at all CO the pedestrian, unimaginative approach for which so many documentaries hav< inly criticized; but they have unfortunately not al wavs remembered the cardinal rule that the audience must be able to follow •■ i on. I he beginning of the film particul irl> is exasper l> confusing, less on account of the . ception than of the presentation. The Government's purpose in spo isori Monthly Release is presumabl) to bolster M it imagines to he the sagging confidence of the people; but what the effect will be is another niattei I here are many reasons for thinking that films of this kind encourage the inert complacency which is one of the I besetting vices. Perhaps the Go now consider sponsoring a film shi ers flocking to this country to complain with un-British bluntness about the shoddiness of some of our exports and the inefficiency of some of our institutions. It might have to be more than a one-reeler. The Young Housewife. Anglo-Scottish for Scottish Education Department and Ministry of Education through COL 10 nuns. This film is about the education of teen-age girls in the domestic sciences. It shows how, at a particular Scottish school, the pupils learn to plan the housewife's day, and to carry out various homely tasks in a way which will forestall the criticisms of their future husbands. The film is not ambitious, but it is made with skill and has something of the simple and tidy adequacy of a kitchen table. Here and there, there are neat touches of characterization and humour, and the girl who plavs the principal part does SO without fumbling. To say that there is nothing outstanding about the direction and camerawork is no more than saying that they have no noticeable faults. THE BRITISH FILM ACADEMY the British hlm academy is a new organization founded by the film-makers of Great Britain. It was first formed as the result of a conference held in the autumn of 1946, to which a large number of distinguished film-makers were inv ited. At this meeting a Committee was elected to prepare the Academy's constitution and policy and arrange for its formal registration as a non-profit-making company. The Chairman of this Committee was David Lean; the remaining members were the Hon Anthony Asquith. Michael Balcon, Sidney Cole, Thorold Dickinson, Sir Alexander Korda, Frank Launder, Ronald Neamc, Michael Powell, Carol Reed, Paul Rotha and Harry Watt. In August, 1947, Dr Roger Manvell was invited to become the first Secretary-General of the Academy, and began his work in October, when the first official General Meeting of the members of the Academy was called. Nearly a hundred filmmakers were present at this meeting ; the Constitution of the Academy was ratified, and its aims can now therefore, be outlined. The introduction to the Academy's Constitution read as follows: The British Film Academy is an organization founded by the creative film-makers in the United Kingdom for the advancement of the art and technique of the film. The aim of the Academy is to stimulate ex ceptional creative work and to encourage experiment and research in all branches of the industry. The Academy will co-operate with organizations in this country and abroad which advo, catc similar ideals of international understanding and favour the development of the arts. The Academy will start at once to build up a library of British film records, books, scripts, designs, musical scores, photographs and other material ot importance. When this collection has assumed suitable proportions, the Academy hopes to promote or advise on the publication of books on the film, exhibitions of British film designs and photography and concerts ot British film music. It will also encourage ami jsMst in the compilation of world film statistics and in tion. The work of organizing the Academy's records and statistics is being undertaken by Miss Rachel Low, who joined the staff as Librarian and Statistician in Deceml In the branch of public relations the Vcademy will ad as an organization representing the v iews ol the creative film-makers in the I nited Kingdom. It will establish contact with all groups concerned with the artisik and technical advancement of the film in the I nited Kingdom, the British Commonwealth Ol Nations and all othel countries. It will also co-operate « nh educational organizations for the better appreciation and understanding of the cinema, and will eno the foundation of university departments of film studies. It will encourage and possibly at a later stage, promote research and experimental work. It will make awards of merit for outstanding artistic, technical and scientific achievements. Finally the Academy is prepared to assist in the organization of film festivals at home and al For its members the Academy will arrange lectures, del ates .\\k\ private viewingS ol' films. It is obviously of the greatest importance thai ! film-makers should meet informally to discuss the development o! their art among themselves and with distinguished colleagues from abroad; the Academy hopes to become a centre foi activities. I he affairs of the Academy will be sup. hv a Council elected from among the members. Membership itself is div ided into two catfi people rendering outstanding service to the cinema ma> Denominated by Academy members, either as Honorary Members oi as Members. Honorary Membership will normally foi distinguished film veterans, production lives ..i^\ notable lilm-ma-.. membership is open to film-makers work production in British studios or on research in connection with the film.