Film Culture (1957)

prow CULTURE Jonas Mekas Editor-in-Chief and Publisher Editors George N. Fenin Edouard Laurot Adolfas Mekas Gilbert Seldes Eugene Archer Louis Brigante Arlene Croce Andrew Sarris Television Editor Associate Editors Layout George Maciunas Guido Aristarco, Italy Francis Bolen, Belgium J. Broz, Czechoslovakia Jose Clemente, Spain Lotte H. Eisner, France Eugenio Hintz, Uruguay E, Patalas, W. Germany Tony Richardson, England Foreign Correspondents MONTHLY Subscription rates (domestic and foreign): One year $5, two years $9. Single current copy 50c, back issues 75c each. All letters, subscriptions and manuscripts should be addressed to FILM CULTURE, 215 West 98th Street, New York 25, N. Y. Copyright, 1957 by FILM CULTURE. Printed in the U. S. A. Publisher’s Printing Representative: Harry Gantt, 360 Cabrini Blvd., New York 40, N. Y. The opinions expressed by the contributors do not necessarily represent those of the editors. VY) se a LL ion 6 U p.2 : Editorial Jonas Mekas p.3 : The Impact of Television on Gilbert Seldes Motion Pictures—A symposium Gideon Bachmann Fred Zinnemann John Houseman Boris Kaufman Fritz Lang Stanley Kramer Otto Preminger p.7 : Germany 1957 p. 10: Making a Documentary p. 13: 12 Angry Men p. 14: The Gold of Naples p.15: Art Film Festival p. 16: On the Bowery Edouard Laurot Jerome Hill Jonathan Baumbach George N. Fenin John Gilchrist Gordon Hendricks p.17: Limits of Neo-realism Amos Vogel p.21: Style of Rene Clement Lotte H. Eisner p. 22: Books H. G. W. Since the inception of FILM CULTURE two years ago, we have attempted to provide a free ground for the discussion of ideas, achievements and problems in the domain of the film. The prevailing cultural atmosphere being one of passivity, the task wasn’t an easy one. Nevertheless, thanks to an increasing concern—particularly among our youth—for the state of the arts today, we have not only survived but, we are pleased to announce that, beginning in September, FILM CULTURE will be issued monthly. This will enable us to keep in closer contact with our readers, to contribute more effectively to the discussion of better cinema and to recall both film-makers and audiences to the common responsibilities which they have too frequently neglected. Neglect—or lack of coordination? During the meet. ing of the American Federation of Film Societies last month, for instance, the fact came out that only a small number of America’s 400 film societies belong to the federation, the majority preferring the go-it-alone policy. Now, there are so many good things that 400 film societies, when united, could do—they could afford, for instance, as do film societies in England, to import any film classic from any country, instead of relying, as is usually the case, on regular art theatre releases. The same lack of planned organization is evidenced in fighting censorship. Our distributors, theatre owners and producers, instead of organizing and opposing censorship once and for all, prefer to fight it in separate cases that may win battles but obscure the cause. Another area where disorganization reigns is film education. In most of our educational institutions the cinema is still looked upon as a “communication medium”, relegated to a corner of the audio-visual department. Again and again (as the discussions at the recent Art Film Festival and American Film Assembly illustrated) one realizes how many of our audio-visualists, and film critics as well, are ignorant of the fact that most of the basic principles of motion picture art were already well established thirty years ago. This, partly, is caused by the unavailability of the best theoretical writing to the American film student. Recent visits to New York publishing houses revealed that the possibility of an audience for books on cinema is not even considered. Books are published—sentimental memoirs, company chronicles or popular pictorializations—but they are not what our colleges, universities and serious film students need. Books on film is a vital publishing enterprise, for instance, in France and Italy. Our recent research has also revealed that about twenty very useful books exist ready—or easily readied—for publication in this country. A publisher with wisdom and concern is wanted. The situation being what it is, our duty remains that of serving—insofar as limited space permits (readers can help to increase our -pages by sending in new subscribers)—as a forum of free discussion and as a reminder. JONAS MEKAS OUR COVER: A reel of motion picture film on nitrate stock in one of the final stages of chemical deterioration, in the vaults of the Museum of Modern Art Film Library. In this phase, a glutinous matter oozes from the film; in the last stage, the film dezomposes into a yellow dust. Send your donation to the FILM PRESERVATION FUND, Museum of Modern Art, New York.