Oskar Fischinger on DVD
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
No, but most of the most important surviving work is here, so no complaints from me. Still, it would have been even better to have a bit more of his work filling out the disc, or some of his commercial work as extra material (such as the cigarette commercial with the marching cigarettes if that's still around).
Two complimentary tragedies about his career were (1) that so much of his earlier work was on nitrate stock that was lost or intentionally destroyed and (2) that his later years weren't more productive. His career was stunted during World War II for political reasons, including nationalist prejudice. And after the war he remained in the U.S. but never really fit into the film industry. It's too bad that nothing came of some of his abortive projects, such as the well-known collaborations with Disney on what would eventually become Fantasia as well as various films with Orson Welles such abstract images for his Latin American film (see the documentary It's All True).
I'm sure the DVD extras will do a more complete job of presenting these details than I can.
Two complimentary tragedies about his career were (1) that so much of his earlier work was on nitrate stock that was lost or intentionally destroyed and (2) that his later years weren't more productive. His career was stunted during World War II for political reasons, including nationalist prejudice. And after the war he remained in the U.S. but never really fit into the film industry. It's too bad that nothing came of some of his abortive projects, such as the well-known collaborations with Disney on what would eventually become Fantasia as well as various films with Orson Welles such abstract images for his Latin American film (see the documentary It's All True).
I'm sure the DVD extras will do a more complete job of presenting these details than I can.
-
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:47 am
Can't have all of his work on the first disc. Fischinger never actually made anything for Orson Welles, he remained on payroll waiting for direction but did not officially produce anything, and the project he was hired on was canceled - all according to biographer William Moritz's book, Optical Poetry.
I'll look for that documentary mentioned, does it say Fischinger actually produced film footage for Welles? This is contrary to all previous documents and writings.
I'll look for that documentary mentioned, does it say Fischinger actually produced film footage for Welles? This is contrary to all previous documents and writings.
- Faux Hulot
- Jack Of All Tirades
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:57 am
- Location: Location, Location
I was so happy to read that, I actually let out a little gasp when I saw the headline. I've heard so much about the Fischinger estate not allowing a DVD release, for all sorts of strange reasons, that I never thought I'd see the day. I still regret selling my Pioneer laserdisc, but this sure takes the sting off.
- Gregory
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 4:07 pm
I didn't actually say that Fischinger produced anything for Welles; I refered to abortive projects, i.e. arrangements were made that were ultimately fruitless. Still, I think it's clear that Fischinger did work on projects for Welles that were not used. I'm not sure in what sense you mean "officially." Welles didn't list him in the payroll books -- it was under-the-table because of Fischinger's status as an "enemy alien" -- but he kept Fischinger at the Mercury unit for a year working on the Louis Armstrong project and It's All True. I think this was just preliminary work, though, because those projects didn't fully materialize. That's exactly what I was lamenting in the first place. Fischinger was working on Radio Dynamics during this time, in effect paid for by Welles, as I believe Moritz points out. Whether or not the preliminary work for Welles that didn't reach completion counts as "actually making anything" for Welles is a question of semantics.cinema16 wrote:Fischinger never actually made anything for Orson Welles, he remained on payroll waiting for direction but did not officially produce anything, and the project he was hired on was cancelled - all according to biographer William Moritz's book, Optical Poetry.
Again, I didn't say anything about whether film footage was produced. I referred to the documentary It's All True as an explanation of what the whole Welles project was about and what became of it, for those who might be unfamiliar.I'll look for that documentary mentioned, does it say Fischinger actually produced film footage for Welles? This is contrary to all previous documents and writings.
Last edited by Gregory on Sun Apr 09, 2006 5:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
I'm delighted they've found room for Walking from Munich to Berlin - a stunning masterpiece completely outside the (pretty damn broad) bounds of Fisch's primary genius, but will miss my second favourite Study, No 8 (The Sorcerer's Apprentice), which, given the later debacle, is a very satisfying anticipatory trumping of Disney. (Roll on Volume 2, I guess).
There are some superb materials out there (Gasparcolor seems to have been a far more robust invention than most other contemporary processes), so as long as the transfer is good, this should be a stunning set.
There are some superb materials out there (Gasparcolor seems to have been a far more robust invention than most other contemporary processes), so as long as the transfer is good, this should be a stunning set.
-
- Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 2:47 am
On Wed. June 28, Leonard Maltin reviews the new Oskar Fischinger DVD, on his 'Video View' syndicated radio show. Scheduled to run between 3-3:30 pm PST, in Los Angeles it can be heard on KNX 1070 AM.
After tomorrow there will be a transcript on Maltin's Movie Crazy website.
The Fischinger DVD was produced by Center for Visual Music.
After tomorrow there will be a transcript on Maltin's Movie Crazy website.
The Fischinger DVD was produced by Center for Visual Music.
- denti alligator
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:36 pm
- Location: "born in heaven, raised in hell"
I just got this in the mail and am floored!
Despite being only 50 minutes, this is well worth $35. In fact, the $35 is justified for the absolutely brilliant and breathtaking Walking from Munich to Berlin. Man, zedz, you're right on with that film. Let's re-do the Silent Era lists and this would be in my top 5. O! My! God!
Despite being only 50 minutes, this is well worth $35. In fact, the $35 is justified for the absolutely brilliant and breathtaking Walking from Munich to Berlin. Man, zedz, you're right on with that film. Let's re-do the Silent Era lists and this would be in my top 5. O! My! God!
- Cash Flagg
- Joined: Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:15 pm
A second volume is possibly on the (distant) horizon. I received this email today in response to a query about more Fischinger:
"Yes, we're working on preservation of some of the films, but also fundraising for the second DVD. That's the hardest part! When more funds are raised we'll be able to go into production; that's really the only delay."
"Yes, we're working on preservation of some of the films, but also fundraising for the second DVD. That's the hardest part! When more funds are raised we'll be able to go into production; that's really the only delay."
- Faux Hulot
- Jack Of All Tirades
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:57 am
- Location: Location, Location
Walking from Munich to Berlin
No, she hasn't finished. She hasn't walked the first half but hopes to, depending upon time and money. Also she's very clear that it's not a "remake" but rather her own personal film. She has shots taken from a moving train, for example, they are not all 'walking'. Also some interior shots.Faux Hulot wrote:Incidentally, does anyone know if Kate Dollenmayer (star of Andrew Bujalski's Funny Ha Ha) ever finished the remake of this that she announced a few years back?
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Oskar Fischinger on DVD
I contacted CVM the other day about Raumlichtkunst and future DVD releases, and thought I'd share some of what they told me here:
1. A second Fischinger DVD should be coming either this year or next! They've restored all but two films that they plan to include: Muratti Greift Ein and Komposition in Blau. Restoration of the latter "is quite expensive and will take a while; we may have to use an older version for the DVD unless a lot is raised quickly and we push back to 2014 release." (You can donate here. They say what they need most at this point is general support for production of the DVD.) The DVD will also contain "some never seen experiments and even some home movies in the early 1960s of Fischinger in Los Angeles."
2. They say that Raumlichtkunst "can't be released on DVD or any form of home distribution." However, it will tour at various museums over the next few years, including ones in Europe and New Zealand. The Whitney Museum in New York bought its own copy and will show it again, though it will likely be a few years. They said it's up to individual museums to contact them and book it, so you might try contacting a local museum to see if they'd consider showing it. Also, if you are in the Los Angeles area, you can drop by CVM's offices and they'll show you a research copy.
1. A second Fischinger DVD should be coming either this year or next! They've restored all but two films that they plan to include: Muratti Greift Ein and Komposition in Blau. Restoration of the latter "is quite expensive and will take a while; we may have to use an older version for the DVD unless a lot is raised quickly and we push back to 2014 release." (You can donate here. They say what they need most at this point is general support for production of the DVD.) The DVD will also contain "some never seen experiments and even some home movies in the early 1960s of Fischinger in Los Angeles."
2. They say that Raumlichtkunst "can't be released on DVD or any form of home distribution." However, it will tour at various museums over the next few years, including ones in Europe and New Zealand. The Whitney Museum in New York bought its own copy and will show it again, though it will likely be a few years. They said it's up to individual museums to contact them and book it, so you might try contacting a local museum to see if they'd consider showing it. Also, if you are in the Los Angeles area, you can drop by CVM's offices and they'll show you a research copy.