"a sogg. lungh. norm."/Fiction feature film
"Sacrificarsi, realizzato da Arrigo Colombo; aiuto direttore Ottorino Caramazza; scenografia di Brando Savelli, operatore Elio Luxardo. Come il precedente film di Arrigo Colombo, Alta Tensione, anche questo Sacrificarsi e a carattere episodico; il centro dell'azione e stavolta una miniera, che e stata completamente ricostruita nelle proporzioni necessarie allo svolgimento della trama. Il sacrificio è quello di un operaio; e il momento in cui lo trasportano con le gambe penzoloni dal carrello, fuori della galleria, di fronte agli sguardi della moglie e del figlioletto, e il momento più felice del film, in cui si riconosce che ormai Colombo ha raggiunto alcune qualità che per taluni aspetti possono essere definite professionali; Colombo ·mostra in più punti la sua abilita, e questa forse lo tradisce talora, specie quando egli perde il filo del racconto principale per illustrare motivi di contorno; ma in ciò forse egli e stato indotto dalla mancanza di un movente drammatico del soggetto che fosse giustificato da uno schema più complesso. I personaggi sono ben descritti e sopratutto piace il bambino con quel suo sfarfallio in contrasto col lavoro delta miniera."
—Il Ventuno 28 (Review of the G.U.F. of Venice), May 1935
"Self-Sacrifice (Sacrificarsi), directed by Arrigo Colombo; assistant director Ottorino Caramazza; set design by Brando Savelli; cameraman Elio Luxardo. Like Arrigo Colombo's previous film, High Tension, Making Sacrifices is also episodic in nature; the center of action this time is a mine, which has been completely rebuilt to proportions necessary for the development of the plot. The sacrifice is that of a worker, and the moment in which he is transported with his legs dangling from the trolley, out of the tunnel, in front of the eyes of his wife and small son, is the happiest moment of the film, in which we recognize that Colombo has attained certain qualities that in some respects can be called professional; Colombo shows in several points his ability, and this perhaps betrays him sometimes, especially when he loses the thread of the main story to elaborate the backdrop and contextual events, but to this perhaps he was tempted to do so is due to the lack of a dramatic incident in the plot that would have justified the more complex scheme. The characters are well-described and especially likable is the child with his flickering that contrasts with the work of the mine."
—Il Ventuno 28 (Review of the G.U.F. of Venice), May 1935
"Civil defense is the theme and purpose of this bit of realism-disaster, fire, dead, and injured. How the emergencies are met through planning and co-ordination of the fire department, police, medical corps, volunteers, and ham radio operators. The film is descriptive of the hundred and one things that must be coordinated to meet a disaster. A good civil defense picture" PSA Journal, Oct. 1961, 49.
"Denny Plumlee credits Hy Knaack as associate cameraman on this unusual film, which demonstrates excellent miniature settings, lighting, and camera treatment. Together, the two have given cine filmers something new to top in amateur movies. A sound-on-film production in 16mm Kodachrome, the narration is a masterful job and contributes considerably to building and sustaining interest in the picture." American Cinematographer, May. 1952, 222.
“İlk film çalışmalarını Paris’te gerçekleştiren Heper, Galatasaray Lisesi’nden mezun olduktan sonra önce hukuk okumak için Cenevre’ye gider lakin mutlu olamaz ve okulu bırakarak Fransa’ya geçip, Paris Yüksek Sinema Enstitüsü’de (Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques – IDHEC) sinema eğitimi almaya başlar. Bu okuldan ‘En İyi Yönetmen’ ünvanı ile mezun olan yönetmen, bu dönem (1963 yılında) gerçekleştirdiği iki kısa filminden ilki olan ‘Bir Kadın’ ile IDHEC, ikinci kısa filmi Şafak ile de hem IDHEC hem de Avusturya Kültür Bakanlığı En İyi Film ödülünü almıştır.” Burak Çevik, Sinematek.tv: http://sinematek.tv/alp-zeki-heper-ve-iki-kisa-filmi-bir-kadin-safak/ (15 November 2019).
“Graduated from Galatasaray Highschool, Heper first went to Geneva to study law. Because he was unhappy in Geneva, he left the law school and went to Paris to study filmmaking at Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques (IDHEC). He graduated from IDHEC with the award, “the best director.” The two student short films, Bir Kadın and Şafak, made by Heper when he was at IDHEC, received the best film awards from both IDHEC and the Austrian Ministry of Culture. Burak Çevik, Sinematek.tv: http://sinematek.tv/alp-zeki-heper-ve-iki-kisa-filmi-bir-kadin-safak/ (15 November 2019).
"By a clever editorial feat, Charles H. Benjamin has transformed a series of animal scenes which he filmed at New York City's Bronx Zoo into a pseudo travelog of the African game belt. He achieved this effect by simply cutting shots of heavily wooded streams into footage of the uncaged animals in the famous zoo, and the illusion is pointed up by some striking title frames. Mr. Benjamin's camera work matches his editorial insight, for his exposures and composition are first rate. His use of back lighting gives his shots of flamingoes and drowsing lions a brilliance that puts them far above the usual run of animal pictures." Movie Makers, Dec. 1946, 488.
Zoo footage was cleverly edited in with shots of children according to the December 1950 issue of Movie Makers.
"The Saga of the Lonesome Cowboy is a film edited to a record, but the handling of the children who play the various characters was so good, the judges felt, that they wanted the maker to be commended for his ability and his patience" PSA Journal, Aug. 1967, 38.
"The majesty of one of North America's greatest rivers is the theme of Walter Downs's Saga of the St. Lawrence. Stunning Kodachrome views of this mighty stream picture it from the decks of a river steamer. The ship is used as a mechanism for carrying the continuity theme forward and for providing smooth "trucking" shots of the passing shoreline. Brief stops offered the opportunity for sequences that show the character of the country and its people with the sympathy and understanding of one who knows the region well. These also punctuated the film in a pleasant and interesting fashion. The picture is accompanied by a musical background and some sound effects, all done by double turntable. This is a gracious and capable film of high photographic quality." Movie Makers, Dec. 1937, 630.
Total Pages: 299
Amateur Cinema