Helen Van Dongen:An Interview

46 EDVARD MUNCH acter on the screen and the individual in the NOTES audience has the same intensity and jarring emo- tional effect that one experiences when peering 1. Gary Arnold, "Music Lovers," Washington Post, 25 February 1971, Section C, p. 14, cols 1-2. into the eyes of Munch's figures in such paintings 2. The film, which was originally a Norsk Rikstringkasting/ as The Voice, Self-Portrait with Burning Cigarette, Sveriges Radio production, has been shown on European tele- and most notably Death in the Sickroom, where vision in its original 31/2 hour version. The theatrical version presently being screened in the United States was trimmed by Munch's sister, Inger, stares directly out at Watkins the himself to 2 hours and 45 minutes. All references in viewer. this essay are to the original version. At present, Watkins is somewhat reluctant 3. Allto of Watkins's comments are from his unpublished writings discuss the possible impact of Edvard Munch or oninterview-discussions with the author. the genre of the biography film or all the complex 4. Reinhold Heller, Munch: The Scream (London: Allen Lane, 1973), pp. 36-7. reasons why he made the film, but he notes 5.that Nic. Stang, Edvard Munch (Oslo: Johan Grundt Tantum "if there is any 'reason' needed to justify the film-- Forlag, 1972), p. 73. it is because I knew, instinctively, that Edvard 6. Cited in Werner Timm, The Graphic Art of Edvard Munch Munch himself-despite endless hardship (London:and Studio Vista, 1973), pp. 29-30. 7. John Simon, "Suffering Artist, Smiling Dictator," New York, personal anguish, despite the acute repressiveness 13 September 1976, p. 90. of his background and the social environment 8. Citedin in Oswald Doughty, Dante Gabriel Rossetti: A Victor- which he worked-remained entirely true to him- ian Romantic (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1949), p. 5. self, on every level of his existence, and let nothing 9. See the attack on Lust for Life in John Berger's Permanent Red (London: Methuen, c. 1960), pp. 33-8. stand in the way of his self-expression ... It is on this level that I have tried to create this film-in recognition of the example that Edvard Munch set for me, and sets for all of us." BEN ACHTENBERG Helen van Dongen:An Interview Although she produced and directed a number of in film history but which has tended to obscure films of her own, Helen van Dongen is primarily Helen van Dongen's own quite distinct talent. That known as a documentary editor. She was one of talent came into its own with the two war-record the most active and best known documentary film- films, Russians at War and News Review No. 2 of makers working in the thirties and forties but is which she was producer as well as editor. These two best remembered today as the associate producer films can be set against the Capra Why We Fight newsreel compilations on the one hand, and the and editor of Robert Flaherty's Louisiana Story. Rotha argument films on the other, to indicate a Most of her earlier films were done in collaboration third possible use of compiled material.... Both with Dutch film-maker Joris Ivens; among these had the function of expressing the unity of the struggle were New Earth, The Spanish Earth, The Four for all participants however distant from one another. Hundred Million (about China) and Power and This binding together of human beings in a common the Land, which was commissioned by Pare Lorentz enterprise was achieved almost without the aid of for the Department of Agriculture. In The Film commentary.... The factor governing the editing Till Now, Richard Griffith wrote of Ivens and was the content of the shot ... The theme arose van Dongen: wordlessly out of the material as edited. .... No one at work today observes more subtly the implications They worked on equal terms as joint creators, a and possibilities of isolated shots, nor has a surer collaboration which has been one of the most fruitful instinct for the links between them. FILM QUARTERLY, vol. 30, no. 2, Winter 1976-77 Although primarily concerned with the visual aspects of editing, van Dongen also devoted a great deal of time and study to sound recording and editing, and very early became noted among documentary film-makers for the complexity and effec- tiveness of her sound work. She also had a talent for eliciting superb music from composers, includ- ing Hanns Eisler and Virgil Thomson, and narration from writers who included John Dos Passos, Ernest Hemingway, and Stephen Vincent Benet. The result was an unusually well-integrated visual and aural counterpoint. Helen van Dongen was born in 1909. She began work with Ivens around 1928 and retired from film-making in 1950. Many of the more than 30 films she worked on are still regarded as documentary classics. She now lives in Vermont, where she was interviewed in October, 1974. BA: How did you get started in film-making? HvD: My first introduction was by way of audience participation. That was in 1926, 1927-the flower- ing years of the European avant garde. Other than Helen van Dongen working with Robert Flaherty some newsreel and scientific production, there was during the shooting of LOUISIANA STORY not much of a film industry in Holland. Films shown in the theaters were primarily German or American imports. Yet in student circles and I was soon drafted into translating the speakers' among the young intellectuals there was enough introductory statements. information that a great deal of cinematic experi- You didn't have any background in photography? mentation was being done in Europe. Being around optical equipment [at the time How does one get to the point where you say,van Dongen worked in Ivens's father's firm] I "I won't take this commercial slush any more. started to use still cameras out of curiosity. I There are better films. Let's find them, show already had to learn to operate a projector be- them in private screenings, and invite the makers cause lack of money for trial screenings prevented to discuss them." A group of us, Joris Ivens, us from hiring professional projectionists. Even- Menno ter Braak, Henry Scholte, Ed Pelster and tually, because of necessity, I also had to learn to others, organized a small group interested in operate a film camera. seeing better films. A small contribution was paid Of the founding group, Joris Ivens was the most to cover the costs of renting films and a projection film-minded. Apparently he always had a great hall called the Uitkyjk (the Lookout) and paying interest in cameras and had made several short for a one-day trip to Amsterdam for the film- home movies. His father owned a wholesale optical makers to introduce and discuss their work. The equipment firm; Joris was destined to follow his first film ever shown was Pudovkin's The Mother, father in the business. Unfortunately for the firm, and a stormy session it was. I don't remember Ivens was far more interested in using cameras whether Pudovkin was present at that first show- than in selling them. He turned his theories of ing; he certainly came in 1928. And with their cinematography into practical film-making. films also came Eisenstein, Vertov, Hans Richter, I myself had neither plans nor upbringing for a Victor Eggeling, Germaine Dulac, Ren6 Clair, cinematographic career. As Ivens experimented I and many others. Being fluent in four languages helped with everything. Lack of funds forced us FILM QUARTERLY, vol. 30, no. 2, Winter 1976-77 48 HELEN VAN DONGEN to make the cameramen,most simply had ofto be editors. primitive There was working conditions: winding large no play or norolls dialogue to depend on.of It was purelyunexposed film onto small reels to be used and simply a visualin development, the knowing Kinamohow camera, developing and printing to readthe the content film of a scene, knowing ourselves, where it splicing with a pair of scissors wantsand to be in a filma because piece of its inner content, of glass. It all sounds so romantic now, the juxtaposition and it needs to otherprobably scenes to reveal it was, despite working 24 hours its fullaround value. That, essentially, is film-making.the So clock. For me it was sheer serendipity, I consider something myself a film-maker, not just an editor. I had not looked for and did not know I also tookI upwanted. independent work. What even- Obviously I had found the way in which tually becameI thecould short film New Earth really started as express myself. I have worked on alla film about thethe building of theaspects: dike to close off cameraman, director, producer, editor, the Zuiderzee from the North sound Sea, an elaborate recorder-because these many years project,ago a long filmone to celebrate thewas 25th anniver- a film-maker, and not just a specialist in sary of onethe Guild of Constructionpart Workers. ofMany it. What was the subjects firstwere covered: pile-driving, film home con- you worked on? Outside of some struction, architecture, experimental anything that had to do films it was Ivens's The Bridge. with Ivensthe skills and crafts of thosehimself who were mem- had to learn about editing. He berskept of the Guild. The mosta ambitiousvery of the films elaborate card system of every scene washe the one recordingshot, the building short of the dike sketches of the details of the bridge, itself, but sincethe the building ofposition the dike spanned of the bridge at that moment (open so many yearsor I made closed several films out of the or moving), the movement within the scene, enormous amount of film shot.camera movement, etc., etc.

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