Customer Reviews

Short Cinema Journal 1:3 - Authority

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"Short 3 - Authority" is an amazing compilation of 8 great international short films. Among the entries on this DVD you will find the acclaimed "Night and Fog" directed by Alain Resnais. Although I had heard quite a bit about this intense documentary dealing with the horrors of the Holocaust, I had never seen it and was quite unprepared for the effect this 30 minute film would have on me. Filmed in 1955, using actual archival footage,it is a work of art, and a must see piece of history.This one alone is worth the price of admission for this DVD.

The seven other short pieces you will find here are like the icing on the cake. This edition of the short collection,'Authority' lives up to it's title.Each of these wonderful works in some way follows that theme. Under the Narrative films..."Flying Over Mother",is from Australia, although it is in Russian. A Cosmonaut is in trouble in outer space, and reflects back on his childhood, his mother and what made him decide on his career. There is an Experimental film, that may be considered a dark comedy titled "The Whites". This one will remind you of the old silents, placards and all. Also included is Jane Campion's, "A Girl's Own Story", set in the 60's, strange tales of growing up and Beatlemania!

All eight are excellent examples of great story telling in a short time. Some may be viewed with the director commentary and "Night and Fog" has commentary by film historian David Shepherd. The DVD presents nice picture and sound, and an easy to follow menu.(also if you press on the black dots under the chapter names, you will find some theatrical trailers).

"Night and Fog" is also sold separatly here on a DVD by Criterion. But for just about the same price, you can have it on this Warner Bros. disc, with seven more films by talented young directors.

Check it out....Laurie

This DVD is a must-see, even if one only sees the chilling documentary 'Night and Fog', on the Nazi concentration camps. It may be the most disgusting, but most important thirty minutes of your life.

I was thrown by the serious cover and title, but I found this collection of short films to be actually quite entertaining and amazingly diverse. I really liked Jane Campion's short, which I had never seen before. I know she's done some other great short films, and I'd like to see those on DVD someday. The animated piece on this collection was a trip - it was like a Mr. Magoo cartoon gone terribly wrong. And the astronaut film is really odd - I thought it was Russian but apparently it was made by Australians. Go figure! I know Kyra Sedgwick and Stanley Tucci are supposed to be somewhere on this DVD, but I couldn't find them. Maybe it's an easter egg that I just haven't discovered yet.