Berlin, Symphony of a Great City
September 26th, 2007
Walther Ruttmann’s non-narrative rhythmic portrait of Berlin, usually connected to the “kino-eye” of Dziga Vertov, also had a clear influence on Godfrey Reggio. Much more upbeat than Koyaanisqatsi, Symphony covers a “regular day” in the metropolis circa 1927, celebrating modern life before the speed and exploitation turned sour. No dire Hopi prophecies here, even though a dire future was right around the corner. There’s a new score by Seattle psych rock band Kinski which I’d love to hear. Ruttmann went on to make Nazi propaganda: Blut und Boden, Metall des Himmels, Deutsche Waffenschmieden, Deutsche Panzer, and so forth. According to Steven Bach, Ruttmann worked on Triumph of the Will as Leni Riefenstahl’s co-director but was later excised from the credits.
Berlin: Die Symphonie der Großstadt. Walter Ruttmann, 1927. ****
- Cinecine: “holds up as one of the most striking non-fiction films ever made.”
- Channel 4
- Dave Kehr
- No love from TimeOut
- Allan James Thomas in Senses of Cinema
- Klaus Kreimer for Filmzentrale (in German)
- Speaking of Vertov: The Man With the Movie Camera on Google Video
- Watch Ruttman’s short Opus I on YouTube
- And now… Berlin, Symphony of a Great City in its entirety:
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