Part of the 2014 30 countries challenge, Film #18 - Soviet Union

I can't think of another film that has created such excitement in me. About 20 minutes in I was grinning ear to ear, glued to the screen, and just so happy. It is unbelievable what this guy does. I mean, he does it all. Every type of shot, every type of transition, every kind of magic that can be done with a camera. It was crazy! The only thing he didn't include was 3D. That's it. That's the only thing. In 1929!

I've seen the Samsaras of the world, and I enjoyed them as much as the next guy, but this, this is the real deal. This was story told with images. This was avant-garde. This was beautiful. Just beautiful.

Review In A Nutshell:

Forgive me Letterboxd, for I have sinned.

Man with a Movie Camera is no doubt a groundbreaking feat for the documentary genre through the stripping of a conventional narrative and utilising natural elements to evoke emotion and poetic imagery, but it rarely left me captivated with what was delivered on screen; finding cohesion in themes but lack the power to surge them. I was left as a passive viewer throughout, constantly hoping for something to capture my attention.

I have prepared myself for the infinite lashes that is surely going to come my way.

one of the most beautiful things i've ever experienced. i'm in love. i'm speechless. wasn't expecting for it to make me this emotional. absolutely going in my top ten. this film gives me life

It's not really the editing or the technical innovations, not even the metaphoric quality, that the film possesses, which i find most fascinating about this experimental montage-masterpiece. It's the conviction of the film, that it's all worth it. Climbing mountains, laying under speeding trains, witnessing nature's most dangerous outbursts all seems so outrageiously stupid just to get a few pictures with your camera and yet the movie not only convinces you, that it's not just not stupid, it's logical, the right thing to do, something that HAS to be done.

It's been about 90 years since this movie came out and everybody involved in making it is most likely dead by now and yet the symbol of everything that was before and that will be after, the symbol of conviction about filmmaking will never be lost and will outlive every human on earth.

Totally worth it.

An innovative and enthusiastic experimental film that literally created the cinematic language we still know and love today.

Todas as possibilidades já estavam lá. O Vertov traduz em imagem toda a ambição que o movimento modernista na literatura tinha com o caos urbano. Uma arte tão recente e já sendo desfeita de forma tão radical.

C’est très inventif et impressionant pour l’époque notamment au niveau de certains éléments de montage que j’ai trouvé très réussis
Il y a de jolis plans et beaucoup de gros plans sur des visages qui sont filmés de manière documentaire bien sûr donc tout est très sincère j’aime beaucoup ça
C’est une vision intéressante du cinéma et de la Russie qui nous est proposée

pretty incredible

trrum trrım trrak tiki tiki tak tak makinalaşmek istiyorum xd

Some parts, especially towards the end, are like watching a magician and trying to guess the working of the trick.

reject the three act structure

刷新了我的认知，亮瞎了我的眼睛（看完感觉头晕……）

I mean... that was fine. The music and editing was amazing but that’s about it. Nothing was bad but nothing was that amazing to me. I'm obviously missing something here so maybe someone can explain for me.