Product Details

• Actors: Joseph G. Lamirand
• Directors: David C. Shawger Jr., James Porter
• Format: Color, NTSC
• VHS Release Date: October 1, 1987
• Run Time: 75 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• ASIN: 0970409206
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #669,867 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars THOROUGH AND EXPLICIT COURSE IN MOVEMENT TRAINING, September 6, 2004

By 

Ida Lizabeth "goodwin413" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Movement for the Actor [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This VHS tape presents a course in movement training that was developed at Northwestern University, with its philosophical basis in the teachings of Michael Chekhov, Tadashi Suzuki, Walter Cameron, and Leah Thys. The tape is designed to be participatory. The instructor can turn it off and try the exercises with the class. Some of the exercises will take more time than others to gain agility.
It is perfectly suited for college level classes, but most of the exercises can be used with high school classes or younger. The exercises can be used as a part of general acting classes or in the rehearsal process to develop character.

The basics of the course are presented in six clearly focused sections:
1. Creating a safe space--behavioral rules, centering
2. Stretching--a series of exercises to stretch and limber the body
3. The Basic Technique Warm-up
Part A Dynamics--floating, flying, pressing, thrusting sequence
Part B The Walks--Alignment, Tension/Relaxation, Variation of body
positions, stylization
Part C Focus on the Other--trust, falling, sending/receiving
4. Gesture--Social, Functional, Emotional, Motivational
5. Directions in Space--high, low, wide, narrow, forward, backward
6. Character and Text--
Part A Character self-awareness and physicality
Part B Scoring the text, scenes
The accompanying handbook is very helpful in that it outlines all of the exercises and concepts; for some exercises a "script" for the instructor's instructions is included.

This is a great video for someone getting started or wishing to integrate some new ideas in movement instruction. It provides a strong overall framework for movement training. It's motivational for the students, allowing them to express themselves emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually through the physical exercises.