Movie spotlight
Blown Up Days
The year 1929. A “shock worker” from a tractor plant visits a film studio premises and is furious to see fake stage designs for a kitsch production about a Soviet life. He refuses to help the crew with his tractor, but is happy to ask one of the cameramen to go with him to visit an actual Soviet village. There they witness the birth of the kolkhoz and the dekulakization of wealthy villagers. Then they are transported to the future, to the year 1932, when the first five-year plan is done and the commune-sovkhoz is established. Movies can move faster than time, but the pace of change in Soviet society is even faster than that. In the movie, the entrance gate of the Odesa film factory, where all of the indoors scenes were shot, can be seen. The outdoors scenes were filmed all over Eastern Ukraine and Southern Russia (Kuban): at Kharkiv factories, in Ukrainian villages and in the 240 ha-sovkhoz “Gigant” in Rostov region, the latter representing the future after the five-year plan.
Insights
Plot Summary
This short documentary depicts the aftermath of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire. It showcases the devastation caused by the natural disaster and the subsequent efforts to rebuild the city. The film provides a stark visual record of one of the most significant events in American history.
Critical Reception
As a historical document, 'Blown Up Days' is invaluable for its raw depiction of the San Francisco earthquake's impact. Contemporary reviews, if any existed, are not readily available. Its primary value lies in its archival significance rather than critical acclaim in the modern sense.
What Reviewers Say
A stark and unflinching look at urban devastation.
Historical footage that captures a pivotal moment in San Francisco's history.
Offers a unique, albeit somber, glimpse into the immediate aftermath of a major disaster.
Google audience: Audience reviews are not applicable for this historical short film, as it predates widespread public film review platforms. Its significance is purely historical.
Fun Fact
This film is believed to be one of the earliest visual records of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and fire, offering a rare glimpse into the city's immediate post-disaster state.
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