Well, here is a first. I just watched an "art film" and I didn't totally hate it. In fact, in a very odd way, it was rather compelling--though certainly NOT the type film I'd like to see very often (if I did, I'd have to change my name to "Dieter" and move to someplace chic, like Paris or Prague). This film by Grigori Aleksandrov and Sergei M. Eisenstein was apparently commissioned by the husband of the lady featured in this film.
To describe the film would be very hard, as it has no apparent plot or dialog, but here goes. In many ways, the film is like a combination of the Cocteau film BLOOD OF A POET, the paintings of Ansel Adams and a Russian music video. I know this all sounds strange and confusing, but this is pretty accurate. Until nearly the sixth minute, the film just shows bits of scenery here and there set to music. Then, scenes of a lovely Russian lady singing are inter-spiced into the film--along with some pointless images (such as the Cocteau inspired scene where the camera is run backwards as well as some star-bursts that an animator added in grand fashion towards the end). Aside from the pointless images, the film actually worked very well--a deft blending of moody music, images and camera-work--like something you might see in a modern art gallery. Not annoying and somewhat interesting (unlike BLOOD OF A POET).
To describe the film would be very hard, as it has no apparent plot or dialog, but here goes. In many ways, the film is like a combination of the Cocteau film BLOOD OF A POET, the paintings of Ansel Adams and a Russian music video. I know this all sounds strange and confusing, but this is pretty accurate. Until nearly the sixth minute, the film just shows bits of scenery here and there set to music. Then, scenes of a lovely Russian lady singing are inter-spiced into the film--along with some pointless images (such as the Cocteau inspired scene where the camera is run backwards as well as some star-bursts that an animator added in grand fashion towards the end). Aside from the pointless images, the film actually worked very well--a deft blending of moody music, images and camera-work--like something you might see in a modern art gallery. Not annoying and somewhat interesting (unlike BLOOD OF A POET).