Summary
Blaise Cendrars' 'Autour de la roue' transcends mere behind-the-scenes footage, offering an unparalleled cinematic ethnography of Abel Gance's monumental silent epic, 'La Roue.' It's a raw, pulsating document capturing the very genesis of a mythic production, where Gance, a figure of almost Dionysian fervor, choreographs actors and camera alike amidst the unforgiving grandeur of alpine landscapes and the relentless rhythm of industrial machinery. Cendrars meticulously illuminates the elaborate technical apparatuses—the audacious camera placements, the intricate tracking shots, the perilous stunts—that forged 'La Roue's' groundbreaking dynamic angles and fluid movements. Far from a dry exposé, this footage pulsates with the palpable energy of creation, portraying Gance not as a detached auteur but as a visceral participant, a maestro conducting a symphony of human effort and mechanical ingenuity, often seen gleefully atop trains or snow-capped peaks, his script clutched like a talisman against the elements, shaping cinematic history with every emphatic gesture.
Synopsis
Widely regarded as one of the most innovative productions of the silent era, Abel Gance's LA ROUE is a film of mythic stature. Poet and novelist Blaise Cendrars shot this illuminating behind-the-scenes footage in the midst of the film's difficult location work. He captures the elaborate technical setups that went into producing LA ROUE's dynamic angles and fluid camera movements. Gance himself looks like he's having a ball clutching his script atop trains and snowy mountains. With the camera rolling, he directs his actors' movements as if he were dancing a ballet.
Director
Blaise Cendrars
