Vertov was a film theorist and dedicated much of his life to broadening the scope of what was possible with a film camera.
He developed a theory of how the camera acts a second eye or kino-eye and considered all the techniques of camera operation - slow motion, time lapse, focussing - could all make reality more 'real'.
His masterpiece, and the film he is best known for is Man with a Movie Camera.
Again, there is little in the way of story. If there is a story it is about a day in the life of a city. But even this is at a stretch.
It is really about happenings and events. We, the audience are led through the city by Vertov's second eye, his camera, to experience life as it happens.
Vertov, like other Russian film makers of the day, was interested in juxtaposition.
All this means is placing very different images alongside one another to create an emotional or mental reaction in the audience.
You can spot some of the juxtaposition in Vertov's film.
Man with a Movie camera still influences today. It would be considered by a modern TV influenced audience like ourselves to be minimalist in its narrative, and probably artistic in its treatment.
Some people would find it boring, or hard to watch. However, if you stick with it, it does reward, just very differently!
This is part one, from the whole film which is watchable on Youtube. Music is completely re-done by the lush Cinematic Orchestra.
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