Prevalent as the theremin is in various corners, and throughout cinema not least, it wasn't until I was in high school that I had first specifically heard what it was even called. For most anyone I think it's easy to be fascinated by the theremin, but learning more about it is dependent on the resources at one's disposal. We should therefore be grateful for filmmaker Steven M. Martin, who in 1993 gave us this documentary all about the instrument and its inventor, Léon Theremin. I'm certain that I've learned more about the man and his invention in eighty-three minutes than I did at any point in the past thirty-eight years of my life, and for that alone this film is more engrossing than can be said for a lot of other non-fiction cinema. Whatever one's otherwise level of interest in the subject matter, there can't possibly be any arguing that this is incredibly comprehensive, and unexpectedly spellbinding in its own way. Frankly 'Theremin: An electronic odyssey' is a must-see, and you're making a terrible mistake if you don't take the opportunity to watch!
There are a lot of clips of films and popular songs where the theremin is employed, serving to illustrate both the unspoken prominence and the range of the device; without this feature I don't think I'd have ever made the connection that one of The Beach Boys' best songs made use of it. As fellow electronic music pioneer Robert Moog and other significant interview subjects offer their perspective and history, we come to understand how surprisingly simple the construction is compared to other electronic instruments, yet at the same time undeniably more complex and dynamic in the sounds it can produce. To that point, while through the words of people who knew him we gather that the inventor may have had some old-fashioned views, in boundless other ways he was absolutely ahead of his time, both socially and professionally. Why, Theremin created his utterly unique instrument at a time when the word "electronics" had barely begun to be used in the relevant sense, and it was but one of many ideas he had which would have been right at home in an H. G. Wells story. To this add illumination of the man's life, the place that the theremin held in society and the arts even in the earliest years after its conjuration, and many examples of how it wormed its way into culture without us even knowing it.
Moments in the filmed footage that elsewhere would effectively represent dead air and filler is lent new meaning as we hear still more wonderful theremin music, in its own way providing more earnest content. A picture that seems curious at the outset only ever grows more and more captivating as the length progresses - not because some earth-shaking revelations are being introduced, but simply because the wealth of information and perspective we're getting on the inventor and his invention grows ever richer and more endearing. It's true of the documentary generally, and even cinema at large, that the format can serve as a time capsule, showing us a people, places, things, or lifestyles that are well removed from our own purview. Somehow 'An electronic odyssey' manages to be so enchanting that it goes further and feels like watching an old home movie, a slice of heartwarming nostalgia. I cannot overstate what a joy this is, and rather educational, far exceeding what I might have already assumed of a title exploring these topics. Even if one's interests only fleetingly brush against music, history, or biographies, I think there's a lot here that anyone could appreciate. I'm pleased to give this my very high and hearty recommendation; 'Theremin' is one documentary that's well worth seeking out!
There are a lot of clips of films and popular songs where the theremin is employed, serving to illustrate both the unspoken prominence and the range of the device; without this feature I don't think I'd have ever made the connection that one of The Beach Boys' best songs made use of it. As fellow electronic music pioneer Robert Moog and other significant interview subjects offer their perspective and history, we come to understand how surprisingly simple the construction is compared to other electronic instruments, yet at the same time undeniably more complex and dynamic in the sounds it can produce. To that point, while through the words of people who knew him we gather that the inventor may have had some old-fashioned views, in boundless other ways he was absolutely ahead of his time, both socially and professionally. Why, Theremin created his utterly unique instrument at a time when the word "electronics" had barely begun to be used in the relevant sense, and it was but one of many ideas he had which would have been right at home in an H. G. Wells story. To this add illumination of the man's life, the place that the theremin held in society and the arts even in the earliest years after its conjuration, and many examples of how it wormed its way into culture without us even knowing it.
Moments in the filmed footage that elsewhere would effectively represent dead air and filler is lent new meaning as we hear still more wonderful theremin music, in its own way providing more earnest content. A picture that seems curious at the outset only ever grows more and more captivating as the length progresses - not because some earth-shaking revelations are being introduced, but simply because the wealth of information and perspective we're getting on the inventor and his invention grows ever richer and more endearing. It's true of the documentary generally, and even cinema at large, that the format can serve as a time capsule, showing us a people, places, things, or lifestyles that are well removed from our own purview. Somehow 'An electronic odyssey' manages to be so enchanting that it goes further and feels like watching an old home movie, a slice of heartwarming nostalgia. I cannot overstate what a joy this is, and rather educational, far exceeding what I might have already assumed of a title exploring these topics. Even if one's interests only fleetingly brush against music, history, or biographies, I think there's a lot here that anyone could appreciate. I'm pleased to give this my very high and hearty recommendation; 'Theremin' is one documentary that's well worth seeking out!