The Silent Village (1943)
Country: GB
Technical: bw 36m
Director: Humphrey Jennings
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
A tribute to the Czech mining village of Lidice, martyred by Heydrich, filmed in a similar village in South Wales.
Review:
An impressive achievement in wartime, but one which never quite convinces with its 'fictional' German soldiers. Some striking images of landscape nonetheless, even if the shots of the village and pit chimneys pall somewhat. What comes over most forcefully today are the highly composed shots, and close-ups, of the 'actors' in their milieu: this is a long way from our modern understanding of documentary.
Country: GB
Technical: bw 36m
Director: Humphrey Jennings
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
A tribute to the Czech mining village of Lidice, martyred by Heydrich, filmed in a similar village in South Wales.
Review:
An impressive achievement in wartime, but one which never quite convinces with its 'fictional' German soldiers. Some striking images of landscape nonetheless, even if the shots of the village and pit chimneys pall somewhat. What comes over most forcefully today are the highly composed shots, and close-ups, of the 'actors' in their milieu: this is a long way from our modern understanding of documentary.
Country: GB
Technical: bw 36m
Director: Humphrey Jennings
Cast: doc.
Synopsis:
A tribute to the Czech mining village of Lidice, martyred by Heydrich, filmed in a similar village in South Wales.
Review:
An impressive achievement in wartime, but one which never quite convinces with its 'fictional' German soldiers. Some striking images of landscape nonetheless, even if the shots of the village and pit chimneys pall somewhat. What comes over most forcefully today are the highly composed shots, and close-ups, of the 'actors' in their milieu: this is a long way from our modern understanding of documentary.