Film and reform john grierson the documentary movement

The documentary film movement is the group of british filmmakers, led by john grierson, who were influential in british film culture in the 1930s and 1940s contents. The story of john grierson, the british documentary movement, and canadas national film board. He is credited with initiating the 1930s british documentary film movement. Ian aitken best known for his documentaries such as drifters, north sea, and housing problems, john grierson was the most important figure in the british documentary film movement and one of the most. By underlining the link between film and reform, he clarifies the meaning and significance of grierson s ideas and the historical role of the documentary film movement. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. John grierson, film producer b at deanston, scot 25 apr 1898. Many critics believe that this body of films is britains greatest contribution to film theory and that john grierson, the founder of the documentary movement, is the father of documentary. He then solicited financial support from business and industry and enlisted the participation of artists interested in realistic filmmaking. John grierson april 26, 1898 february 19, 1972 is often considered the father of british and canadian documentary film.

Tallents, the birth of the british documentary part i, journal of the university film association, 20 1968, 1421. July 23, 1951, vermont, montana, usa filmography bibliography web resources robert flaherty is often proclaimed one of the founding fathers of documentary film. He died on february 19, 1972 in bath, somerset, england. Robert flaherty himself also worked briefly for the unit. Fatal strategies, feminist interpretations and political theory, film and reform. With michael kane, monique miller, john amess, edgar anstey. Fox, jo, john grierson, his documentary boys and the british ministry of information, historical journal of film, radio and television, 25 2005, pp. Grierson and the documentary movement scotland on screen. Robert flaherty great director profile senses of cinema. John grierson and the documentary film movement by ian aitken. John grierson and the documentary film movement routledge library editions. He was a producer and writer, known for childs play 1954, drifters 1929 and scotch on the rocks 1953. John grierson and the influence of american scientific naturalism 19247 3.

In his last interview in 1970, john grierson stated that documentarys greatest achievement was the simple educational filmparticularly the health education film used to help people in less privileged countries. The founding father of the british documentary movement, john grierson, inspired a documentary form with a focus on improving the position of the working class in britain. He also managed to persuade the post office to set up the gpo films unit specifically to produce, purchase and distribute this type of film and so the british documentary film movement was born. Producerdirector and film theorist john grierson is the founding father of the british documentary movement. Even those who argue against griersons theories and practices cannot deny that he had a tremendous influence on the development of the documentary. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading film and reform. Documentary film movement wikimili, the best wikipedia. He served as an ordinary seaman in wwi and completed a brilliant academic career after the war, graduating with distinction in moral philosophy. Grierson was born in deanston, near doune, scotland. This book should be of interest to students and teachers of film studies and media studies.

He studied philosophy at glasgow university, but was drawn into filmmaking through postgraduate study in the us on the influence of mass media on public opinion. The result is essential reading, a critical biography of a towering figure in 20th century documentary. Download citation on jan 1, 20, ian aitken and others published john grierson and the documentary film movement find, read and cite all the research. He gave the word documentary to the english language. John grierson born at deanston borders of stirling and perth on 26 april 1898. John grierson download ebook pdf, epub, tuebl, mobi. John grierson, the empire marketing board film unit, and the documentary film movement 192733 5. John grierson founder of the british documentary film movement its leader for 40 years one of the first 1 to see the potential of motion pictures to shape peoples attitudes. John grierson, founder of the british documentaryfilm movement and its leader for almost 40 years. John grierson and the documentary film movement researchgate. The british documentary film movement refers to the film units pioneered by john grierson. Project muse grierson, the british documentary movement. This film initiated the documentary movement in britain. Griersons specific achievement as a director is not easy to assess, as the documentary movement took a collaborative approach to production.

Best known for his documentaries such as drifters, north sea, and housing problems, john grierson was the most important figure in the. John grierson 18981972 is the father of the british and canadian as well discover is a few weeks documentary movements. Although the documentary film movement has been the object of an immense amount of scholarly attention, much of it has framed early documentary film in relation to projects of national projection o. Ian aitken in underlining the link between film and reform, aitken clarifies the meaning and significance of the ideas of john grierson, maker of such documentaries as drifters, north sea and housing. Best known for his documentaries such as drifters, north sea, and housing problems, john grierson was the most important. Central to griersons and the other early pioneers idea of documentary film was the idea that it should be the creative treatment of actuality. Gpo and formed film centre, an advisory and coordinating body for the documentary film movement. The founding principles of the movement were based on griersons views of documentary film. Grierson also notes that the early documentary filmmakers were concerned about the way the world was going and wanted to use all the tools at hand to push the public towards greater civic participation. His ancestors were lighthouse keepers and his father was a school teacher. Paul rothas documentary film and roger manvells film both cited it extensively. John grierson and thedocumentary movement great britain.

Read film and reform john grierson and the documentary film movement by ian aitken available from rakuten kobo. This short but potent film is an official classic of the british documentary movement, and an oratorio of coal mining. In 1933 grierson became films officer at the general post office film unit, and in both these capacities he played what has later been argued to be a pivotal role in british film culture. The final years of british documentary as the grierson movement, in journal of film and video boston, fall 1984.

With the success of drifters, grierson was able to further his ideas, but rather. Flaherty indirectly became part of the mythology of the burgeoning worldwide documentary movement of the. John grierson and the documentary film movement cinema and society. Griersons faith in documentary as a form of social political communication, aimed at promoting education and eventually mechanisms of social reform, is confirmed not only by his assertions, but also by his founding of what has been called the documentary film movement. The british documentary movement, led by the scot, john grierson 18981972, offered a distinctive riposte to hollywood by focusing on fact and public information. From this came our insistence on the drama of the doorstep cited by hardy 1415. Grierson, the british documentary movement, and colonial cinema in british colonial africa. John grierson, founder of both the british documentary film movement and the national film board of canada, was one of the twentieth centurys most influential personalities in film culture. Best known for his documentaries such as drifters, north sea, and housing problems, john grierson was the most important figure in the british documentary film movement and one of the most influential of british film theorists this major assessment of grierson and the documentary film movement examines the intellectual and aesthetic influences on his work, focusing on the material he.

An important film about conditions in schools made by basil wright, a major figure in britains 1930s documentary movement. John griersons first principles as origin and beginning. John grierson documentary film maker made in perth. John grierson was born on 26 april 1898 at deanston, perthshire, scotland. Grierson, john 18981972 biography bfi screenonline. John grierson cbe 18981972 was born in perthshire, scotland, son of a local school headmaster. The wellknown british documentary film movement made these film texts, most of them on behalf of the british government.

Film and reform by ian aitken, 97818991026, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. An anthology edinburgh, 1998 aitken, ian, film and reform. Best known for his documentaries such as drifters, north sea, and housing problems, john grierson was the most important figure in the british documentary film movement and one of the most influential of british film theorists. The documentary film movement had unusual origins but a farreaching influence on cinema. Is there anything more to be said about grierson and the british. This major assessment of grierson and the documentary film movement exam. The documentary film movement is the group of british filmmakers, led by john grierson, who were influential in british film culture in the 1930s and 1940s. Culture, state, and nationalist ideology in the south african film industry. John grierson and the documentary film movement, form individuality and the novel. John grierson and the documentary film movement 1990. The general post office film unit documentary is never. This group formed the core of what was to become known as the british documentary film movement.