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Manhatta

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the 1921 film. For the New York City borough, seeManhattan.For its early history, seeMannahatta.

Manhatta
Directed by
Release date
  • 1921(1921)
Running time
10 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent film
Englishintertitles
Full film

Manhatta(1921) is a shortdocumentary filmdirected by painterCharles Sheelerand photographerPaul Strand.

Production background[edit]

Manhattadocuments the look of early 20th-centuryManhattan.With the city as subject, the film consists of 65 shots sequenced in a loose non-narrative structure, beginning with the Staten Island ferry approaching Manhattan and ending with a sunset view from askyscraper.It is considered by some to be the first Americanavant-garde film.[1]The primary objective of the film is to explore the relationship between photography and film; camera movement is kept to a minimum, as is incidental motion within each shot. Each frame provides a view of the city that has been carefully arranged into abstract compositions.[2]

Manhattawas a collaboration between painter/photographer Charles Sheeler and photographer Paul Strand. Theintertitlesinclude excerpts from the writings ofWalt Whitman.

Preservation status[edit]

In 1995 the film was selected for preservation in theNational Film Registryby theLibrary of Congress,being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[3][4]Restoration proved difficult, as thenegativewaslost,and only a single heavily damaged 35mm print remained in existence. It was restored for the DVD setUnseen Cinemain October 2005. The film was completely restored in January 2009 by archivist Bruce Posner, working with film restoration companyLowry Digital.[5]Posner spent close to four years returning the film to its original glory. The Museum of Modern Art and Anthology Film Archives also commissioned a new score from New York composer Donald Sosin.[6]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Gerstner, David (2006).Manly Arts: Masculinity and Nation in Early American Cinema.Durham: Duke University Press. pp. 119–64.ISBN978-0822337638.
  2. ^"Artists View New York | Explore & Learn | the Metropolitan Museum of Art".Archived fromthe originalon October 8, 2009.RetrievedDecember 29,2009.
  3. ^"The 25 Films for '95 (February 5, 1996) - Library of Congress Information Bulletin".loc.gov.RetrievedDecember 11,2020.
  4. ^"Complete National Film Registry Listing".Library of Congress.RetrievedDecember 11,2020.
  5. ^"Filmography".Lowry Digital.RetrievedJune 28,2009.
  6. ^Willis, Holly (January 19, 2009)."Proud and Passionate City".Blur + Sharpen.KCET Online / Community Television of Southern California.RetrievedJune 28,2009.

External links[edit]

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