Man with a Movie Camera. A simple yet controversial film with strong images creating a spark of ‘what is going happen next?’ with the kino-eye language of film. The technical aspect, itself, explores a wide variety of camera shots and experimental transitions which carry the viewer throughout the day. I absolutely love the idea of the camera lens as an eye in which we use just as our own, with fast cuts, longer cuts, following things in motion, and performing close ups of detail. With this idea of an ‘eye’, we the viewer automatically relates oneself to the actual character of the man with the movie camera, constantly critiquing and evaluating his environment during this surrealism movement.
Another fascinating shot is the monstrous camera in which appears every so often. This shot, for me, reinforces this underlying uncomfortable perception, which we as individuals do no speak of, but know to be true. Wherever, whenever, whoever someone is always watching. Knowing this, we still continue on a day-to-day basis just as we did the day before. Vertov brings this idea to the surface with his cinema verite’ approach to everyday ‘to-do’s. A camera can then go anywhere an eye can travel.
Word Choice:
Subvert \Sub*vert"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Subverted; p. pr. &
vb. n. Subverting.] [L. subvertere, subversum; sub under +
vertere to turn: cf. F. subvertir. See Verse.]
1. To overturn from the foundation; to overthrow; to ruin
utterly.
These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks, Razeth
your cities, and subverts your towns. --Shak.
This would subvert the principles of all knowledge.
--Locke.
2. To pervert, as the mind, and turn it from the truth; to
corrupt; to confound. --2 Tim. iii. 14.
Syn: To overturn; overthrow; destroy; invert; reverse;
extinguish.
- Alex Abrams
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Alex, I am glad you found the "camera eye" so exciting. I think it is a really interesting concept and one that has a lot of weight when we start thinking about our visual culture as a whole. Another fascinating point you bring up and which we didn't talk about is the sense of surveillance that underlies Vertov's film. We looked at the "utopian" qualities of the film, but we didn't discuss the scary "Big Brother" quality of the "camera eye". This has a real relevance to today's "surveillance society" and "reality TV show culture". Was Vertov the grandfather of reality TV?!
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