Like most of us, my view of films, not matter how seemingly sure, can be altered dramatically when I read about them. My focus, when watching Berlin, Symphony of a Great City, seemed very sturdy, that was until I read that the film was not the product of predominantly one creator, but rather was the product of three: an idea conceived by Carl Mayer, a candidly filmed record of the city by Karl Freund, edited by Walter Ruttmann.
Originally, I was absorbed by the occupation of space on screen: what shapes were depicted, how they were juxtaposed, how movement of these shapes on screen made an impression. However, my focus changed when I read that the film had been filmed and edited by two separate people, I then thought of the film as Ruttmann's creation, and the arrangement seemed much more pivotal than what was recorded. Berlin, Symphony of a Great City is a great example of how much of an influence editing has upon footage. Ruttmann has taken Freund's interpretation of the city and created something entirely new from it, to be, I speculate, its form as a symphony.
The film does not document the view of Berlin alone, but rather provides the audience with a series of moods, much like a symphony – even instrumental music has the ability to lift or dampen the state of the listener's mind, and the symphony, I imagine (I know very little about the conventions of music) gives the listener the experience a full range of emotions. I think that Berlin, Symphony of a City functions similarly to a piece of music: without narrative, the viewer's feelings shift from one sentiment to another.
Although music can change mood independently (without film), music in the film acts as just one element, rather than acting as the primary emotive force. By this, I mean that music can be manipulated to make the audience feel something that the original composer hadn't imagined. When the filmmaker arranges their film to music, the images seen by the audience will often change the meaning of the music. To use an outside example, "Singing in the Rain" meant something entirely new to audiences of A Clockwork Orange. In Berlin, Symphony of a Great City, music adds meaning to the image, but in film the images also give meaning to the score.
Music is not the only element of the film's “arrangement”. The arrangement of film, the edited product, or the montage, is the new meaning given in the presence of music. The film's images do not affect sentiment alone: montage was a technique created in propaganda films, and could be seen as quite manipulative, but is undoubtedly something that makes film into an art. Montage in this film is used to draw comparison between human, machine and animal, all three contrasted with each other.
Because of this technique, the film's effect is both emotive and intellectual, a series of ideas suggested to the audience. The presence of shapes and lines on screen are given meaning when contrasted by images to follow or be followed by, and is not simply the visual effect of occupation of space on screen.
Considering the film further, this space within the film, early on, is dominated by technology, architecture and waste, without any evidence of human life, is a bit like the film itself: for as many hands that were involved in its making, all we see is the product of incredible technology.
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6 comments:
I like how you have brought up how your view on this film changed once you read and learnt more about it. Such I think is an important issue to raise because I personally believe that such an understanding (i.e. the context of the film) is imperative in appreciating and understanding the film as a whole.
For me, films such as Brazil and Blade Runner are even more fascinating once you know the story behind how they became the films available to us today. And then there are the films such as Caberia where all you can think of is "they didn't use minatures?! that's amazing!"
So true. I have only recently read up on Berlin and it has certainly fleshed out my initial impressions of the film, which included thinking that the symphonic part of its title was a metaphor for its division into Acts - the version I watched was 100% silent!
Hi,
Its so true that film also adds meaning to the score. I think that this becomes a 'side issue' for a lot of people. We often comment on the great decision a director made to choose a certain song in a certain scene for irony, nostalgia, etc etc. But how often do we say, 'that scene made me reconsider the meaning of that song?'
Interesting stuff.
i like your ideas about music and montage - to add to your point that music can influence the visual and vice versa, my favourite example of this is the juxtaposition of Louis Armstrong's What a Wonderful World and the images of war in Good Morning Vietnam. the chilling irony makes me cry every time!
on a less pathetic note, i think the use of montage in Berlin is an excellent demonstration of Astruc's "camera-stylo" and cinema's unique ability to create tangible relationships between seemingly disparate ideas. montage is, in a sense, symphonic - it simultaneously fractures and harmonizes
I agree that the music in this film makes a huge impact on what one might take from the images, however, without the music, Ruttman is still able to create the same effects. This is done by his montage of scenes.
Really good blog!
Romina
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