The Dying Swan by Jenny Goldstone.
When I was watching Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde set to the soundtrack of Warp artist Scanner at the Purcell Rooms a few months back I had no idea I was witnessing part of an avante garde phenomenon. But it seems there’s nothing more of the moment than the setting of a silent film to a modern day musical score. At Latitude I laid back on the black carpeted floor of the Film and Music Arena (one of the only places not blighted by the incessant dust) to enjoy two silent movies given this most trendy of treatments.
Illustrations by Jenny Goldstone.
On Saturday long lost Russian movie The Dying Swan was set to a live string arrangement from composer Joby Talbot. This 1916 classic was only rediscovered as the communist regime went into decline, and director Evgenii Bauer has since been described as “the greatest filmmaker you’ve never heard of.” The mournful violin and cello were a perfect foil to the downfall of a lovelorn mute who finds solace in ballet.
Illustration by Naomi Law.
On Sunday we once more lay amongst the detritus (the South Bank this wasn’t) to watch the cinematic genius of The Passion of Joan of Arc set to a live score by Adrian Utley of Portishead and Will Gregory of Goldfrapp. The film was made in 1928, shortly after the discovery of the original transcripts of the trial, imprisonment, torture and final execution of Joan of Arc. To convey maximum emotion it utilises mainly close up shots of the actors, a technique that has inspired many filmmakers since. With strings, horns, percussion, keys and the voices of the Monteverdi choir this was one of my absolute highlights of this year’s Latitude Festival. It’s discoveries like this that make the Latitude experience a tough act to follow.
Tags:
Adrian Utley, Avante Garde, Communist, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Evgenii Bauer, Film and Music Arena, goldfrapp, Jenny Goldstone, Joby Talbot, Latitude Festival, Monteverdi Choir, Naomi Law, Portishead, Purcell Rooms, Russian, Scanner, south bank, The Dying Swan, The Passion of Joan of Arc, Warp, Will Gregory
