Big City Blues

This short film masterfully uses cinematography, action, color contrast - it was shot entirely in black and white - and audio to tell a universal, moving story - all without the spoken word. It is masterful in the sense that each of these techniques stands out so clearly and its impact is so evident in not only creating the mood, but in conveying the story itself. Produced in 1962 and nominated for an Oscar for Best Short Film in 1963, I saw the it for the first time a few days ago (in November 2005) and found it stood the test of time very well.

If anyone who reads this knows where a copy could be purchased, posting that information would be helpful to film buffs.

Great cinematic exposition. Without a single word being spoken by the main protagonists- a gripping circular narrative unfolds. A black jazz musician, a boy with a white rabbit, a girl in a white frock, an empty construction site-the elements seem straight out of a dream until midway they all fall into place and you anticipate a terrible discovery. A great ending that will compel you to have a re-look at the beginning. Where did we start from? Van Der Linden tricks us into his dream. And he never lets go. Rendered to a beautiful musical track mixing location sound elements-with jazz improvisations this short masterpiece is a must see. Discovered it as a washed out blurry VHS at my film school. But it only added to the power of the dream.

In 1962 my age was 9. I remember the set Ilse and Joop, the co-actors. The movie is seen as the highlight of the work of the director, Hugenot vander Linden. A young girl is chased by two drunks and falls down an elevator shaft and dies. At the same moment a boy is looking for the rabbit the girl took away from him. The boy walks through the empty building / construction site, while hearing the the sound of a trumpet played by one of the drunks.

David Kropveld