In the late 20's of the last century making films about city's was quite popular. I'ám thinking of films such as:
Berlin, die Sinfonie der Grosstadt (1927, Walter Ruttmann) Man with a movie camera (1929, Dziga Vertov) about various cities in the Soviet Union Menschen am Sonntag (1930, Robert Siodmak, Edgar Ulmer and Rochus Gliese) also about Berlin.
A propos de Nice (1930, Jean Vigo)
Terence Davies deserves prais for picking up this tradition in the new century. In his film about Liverpool he only uses documentary images. So the influence he has on the final film consists of the following three decisions:
selection of the documentary material text of the voice over (spoken bij himself) soundtrack
Some words about each of these decisions.
The soundtrach is very diverse, consisting of both pop- and classical music. Director Terence Davies makes a little joke when he accompanies the rise if the Beatles with classical music.
Also the text of the voice over is very diverse. Quatations from poems on the one hand, but sarcastic comments on the other. One example of the last is calling the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 "the great Betsy Windsor show".
Last but not least the selection of the documentaru material. Davies makes urban renewal an important theme. With respect to this theme his opinion has much in common with the vision of Jacques Tati regarding France as shown in his film "Mon Oncle" (1958).
At no point however "Of time and the City" idealizes a past that never existed or wallows in nostalgia. That would be very unlikely anyway, with a homosexual director that grew up in the 50's.
Berlin, die Sinfonie der Grosstadt (1927, Walter Ruttmann) Man with a movie camera (1929, Dziga Vertov) about various cities in the Soviet Union Menschen am Sonntag (1930, Robert Siodmak, Edgar Ulmer and Rochus Gliese) also about Berlin.
A propos de Nice (1930, Jean Vigo)
Terence Davies deserves prais for picking up this tradition in the new century. In his film about Liverpool he only uses documentary images. So the influence he has on the final film consists of the following three decisions:
selection of the documentary material text of the voice over (spoken bij himself) soundtrack
Some words about each of these decisions.
The soundtrach is very diverse, consisting of both pop- and classical music. Director Terence Davies makes a little joke when he accompanies the rise if the Beatles with classical music.
Also the text of the voice over is very diverse. Quatations from poems on the one hand, but sarcastic comments on the other. One example of the last is calling the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953 "the great Betsy Windsor show".
Last but not least the selection of the documentaru material. Davies makes urban renewal an important theme. With respect to this theme his opinion has much in common with the vision of Jacques Tati regarding France as shown in his film "Mon Oncle" (1958).
At no point however "Of time and the City" idealizes a past that never existed or wallows in nostalgia. That would be very unlikely anyway, with a homosexual director that grew up in the 50's.