Film Culture (Winter 1955)

Jy Continued success with “Film Culture!” _ George Markopoulos, Greece We wish you every success with this publication ! Frances Flaherty, David Flaherty I wish your magazine every success! Ernest Lindgren, British Film Institute “Film Culture’ est trés intéressant et, pour la premiére fois, nous pouvons lire une revue américaine de cinéma sans l’irritation perpétuelle que nous inspiraient vos prédécesseurs. Pierre Billard, “Cinema 55,” France I have been looking for just this kind of a film journal for quite some time now. Joseph R. Masefield, Brooklyn Very fine magazine. Sen. Estes Kefauver There are far too few American magazines dealing with the intellectual aspects of the cinema. Therefore, I was delighted to learn of your new magazine. Ronald L. Freedman, Baltimore This is just a note to congratulate you and your associates on the excellent job you did on the first issues of your magazine. Félix Marti-Ibanez, M.D., New York Thank you for bringing us such a stimulating and exciting approach to film. Consider you have our support here— Down East. Donald W. Fogg. Rockland Please accept my congratulations on its excellence. Chester B. Bahn, “The Film Daily” The most intelligent and interesting film magazine to come out of the United States. Martin T. Williams, New York City A most brilliant, skillful, intelligent, and long awaited publication, that has all the appearances of possessing the desired blend of aim and direction that a magazine devoted to a serious approach of film literature can possibly achieve. Herbert Kosower, Los Angeles Certainly such a publication as vours is a necessary basis for any effort to increase film understanding and avpreciation. Tt has been badly needed and I think the time may be right. We all congratulate you and wish you the very best of luck. Tack C. Ellis, Film Council of America 1 wish you luck with vour venture. Pare Lorentz, New York City It is good to have a serious film magazine in this country, and you and vovr associates deserve our hearful thanks. Herewith mine. Willard Van Dyke. New York It is so enconraging to see that America is cavable of self-criticism concerning her motion pictures. Keshev Mebri. New Delhi. India _ I read Film Culture with all the more satisfaction since the better film magazines that we are getting from England seem to have become commercialized. Geofrey Sandhurst, Adelaide, Australia 40 . . . My best wishes for the best film magazine courage !—keep up the same level of sincerity. Arnell Tula, Lusaka, N. Rhodesia Het is een ietwat verrassende ervaring als men plotseling uit Amerika een nieuw filmtijdschrift krijgt toegestuurd, dat. volkomen Europees van opzet is. Een tijdschrift, dat de film serieus neemt. Film Forum, Holland . un piano culturale elevato e stimolante. Cinema Nuovo, Italy, . Si presenta gia dai primi numeri come fernita di elevatissimo interesse culturale. Bianco e Nero, Rome Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia Die Zeitschrift bewegt sich auf einem sehr hohen Niveau. Der Filmklub, Switzerland Magazine devoted to building a greater audience for truly artistic films. Audic Visual Guide Film Culture keeps up, with remarkable consistency, its intellectral and realistic approach to the basic problems of film form and contents. Film News recommende chaudement a tous un périodique américain dévoué aux plus ceux qui désepéraient de voir un jour grandes idéaax du cinéma. Cahiers du Cinéma, France . uncompromisingly intellectual . . . entitled to a respectful salute from all... The Telegram, Canada . vienintelis tokio pobudzio leidinys, siekias kelti JAV filmo meno estetinius ir socialinius aspektus.” Teviskes Ziburiai, Canada Dear Sir: . . I agree with what Mr. Vogel says in issue No. 3 of “Film Culture” that shorter films are very important. I have noticed in my own society (Sydney University Film Group) that we began in 1947 with a heavy emphasis on film-inthe-world with documentaries and_ scientific and art-subject films. Now it is features all the way (often double features to get through the quantity) as the leading spirits have developed their appreciation of film style and history. This also means, of course, concentration on American films. Continental films are almost passé for film societies here, as they can be found in most suburban commercial programmes. E.g. currently The Sinner is around with Jeux Interdits, and Henriette plus Twopence Worth of Hope, and One Summer of Happiness has a complete circuit booking. I imagine the latter will have outgrossed many of the CinemaScopers, some of which have flopped very badly indeed. (Prince Valiant, The Command, Lucky Me, Bedevilled, were scarcely noticed and have not had much subsequent release, and even The Egyptian and Demetrius had meagre runs without the least public enthusiasm). Ivan the Terrible is quite popular among film societies; unfortunately legal complications kave delayed further theatrical releases of Murder in the Cathedral, and for the last three months Sydney Festival has occupied my spare time. We showed Abstract in Concrete in the Festival; you will receive some notes on how things went before long. . Probably I should tell you about Australian films, but I haven’t seen anything but Back of Beyond tor a long while (1 believe Beyond is difficult to get from Shell Oil in U.S.) ? I haven’t seen Jedda or King of the Coral Sea or even Long John Silver or Queen in Australia. The Australian government’s film on our national radio This is the A.B.C. was acclaimed at both festivals. There was also an excellent amateur film made for Adelaide University on the eating methods and habits of a certain aboriginal tribe. —-DAVID DONALDSON Australia Dear Sir: In response to the invitation, I have some remarks about a film released here last month. The film I have in mind is UniversalInternational's Chief Crazy Horse. As a student of Western lore and particularly of the plains Indians, I have some knowledge of the customs and culture of the Sioux. "i The producer is to be commended for paying tribute to a great hero of the Redmen. Alas, he ‘‘meant well but meant well feebly,’ because the construction of the screenplay leaves out so many pettinent facts and alters some of the basic ones. Why, for instance, is it necessary to substitute Fort Laramie for Fort Robinson, Nebr., where the final chapter in Crazy Horse’s life took place? Also, the re-creation of Indian ceremonials and customs in the film is, to the best of my knowledge, very inaccurate. In one important scene, the writers of the film have Crazy Horse decide to assume the chieftainship by placing on his head a gorgeous warbonnet. This is absolutely contrary to Sioux custom. When a warrior in the Sioux nation was to be selected for chieftainship, a council of the chiefs was called. If his name was selected, a “town crier” carried the news through the village and the people gathered. Then they were asked if anyone had anything adverse to say about the candidate. Any criticism barred the candidate from the council of chiefs. The main qualification for chieftainship was magnanimity and bravery. A man also had to share with those less fortunate; he was especially good to the old people. All these things Crazy Horse did. He indeed asked nothing for himself. Perhaps, someday, some cultured producer will have the courage to portray the life of Crazy Horse truthfully. It would be dramatic. —THOMAS W. WRIGHT Illinois