City Symphony

Posted by Suzanne Hill Aug 11, 2008

An acquaintance visiting from England mentioned his involvement in the study of electronic media and film. His interest had led him to edit an eight-minute video titled Eboracum, the ancient Roman name for the medieval city of York, England [viewable by clicking here]. The film is set up as a typical day for a tourist visiting York and features the city’s diverse architectural features and archaeological sites. It literally pays tribute to York by focusing on its varied looks and views. As a backdrop we hear songs by Icelandic band “Sigur Ros.”

A classic example of a city symphony is a film like “Berlin: Symphony of a City,” a silent 50-minute black and white film from 1927 that similarly features a typical day in the city. Instructor Allan Thomas on sensesofcinema.com tells us that the film takes the viewer “into Berlin by train as the sun rises, and follows the life of the city as it wakes, goes to work through the morning and into the afternoon, moves from work to play, to sport and dancing and drinking deep into the night.” He goes on to say that between “trains, trams, horses, bustling crowds, spinning wheels and fairground rides, boat races, horse races, dog races, dancing and pounding machines,” we see the excitement and vitality of the city.

Check it out on Netflix. Perhaps this art form can be rediscovered as a means to capture our memories of trips to favored vacation spots.