Thursday, October 25, 2018

Noored kotkad / The Young Eagles (2018 digital restoration Rahvusarhiivi Filmiarhiiv)


Theodor Luts: Noored kotkad / The Young Eagles (1927). Battle scene in Värska, Setomaa region. Photo: Eesti Rahvusarhiivi Filmiarhiiv, Tallinn. From: Le Giornate del Cinema Muto 2019 press kit. Please click on the image to enlarge it and examine it on a large monitor screen to appreciate the deep focus detail in the epic extreme long shot.



Theodor Luts filming Noored kotkad / The Young Eagles (1927).

Nuoret kotkat / Die drei jungen Adler.
    EE 1927. PC: Siirius-Film. P: Theodor Luts. D: Theodor Luts. SC: Theodor Luts, Aksella Luts, Oskar Luts. CIN: Theodor Luts. AD+Cost: Voldemar Haas, Heino Lehepuu. Makeup: Aksella Luts. ED: Theodor Luts.
    C: Arnold Vaino (student Tammekänd), Johannes Nõmmik (blacksmith Laansoo), Rudolf Klein (farmhand Lepik).
    Supporting C: Aksella Luts (forester's daughter), Amalie Konsa (mother of the blacksmith and Hilja), Elli Põder-Roht (the blacksmith's sister Hilja), Rudolf Ratassepp and Olev Reintalu (red commissars), Vambola Kurg (first Estonian warlord), Johannes Schütz (second Estonian warlord), August Sunne (doctor), Leopold Hansen, Osvald Lipp jt, Aksella Lutsin koira Kiki.
    Tartu premiere: 19. 11. 1927, Cinema Apollo.
    Tallinn premiere: 14.12.1927, Cinema Gloria-Palace.
    35 mm, b&w, 1: 1,33.
    Restored by Rahvusarhiivi Filmiarhiiv (2018).
    DCP (2018) from Rahvusarhiivi Filmiarhiiv. Sonorized with music by Estonian composers. English subtitles. 83 min
    Introduced by Jaak Lõhmus.
    Screened at Cinema Orion, Helsinki (Estonia 100), 25 Oct 2018.

Premiere of a new restoration of the first Estonian feature film.

Noored kotkad is an epic war film on the Estonian War of Independence (1918–1920), shot on location in Tartu, Mustvee, Värska, and Petserinmaa.

The perspective is that of the "three young eagles": the student Tammekänd (Arnold Vaino), the blacksmith Laansoo (Johannes Nõmmik) and the farmhand Lepik (Rudolf Klein) with their families and dear ones, including the forester's daughter (Aksella Luts) and Hilja Laansoo  (Elli Põder-Roht).

We see the good old times before the war through vignettes. Then there is fervour and anger everywhere. Bolsheviks plunder border villages. Women are harassed. Estonian volunteers are soon on the march, wearing white armbands.

The direction of the war sequences is assured and I would guess better than any war scenes in Finnish cinema for decades. Theodor Luts himself was a veteran of the War of Independence. Although the budget was small, Luts was well connected with influential backers and the military itself so he had substantial resources and personnel for impressive war scenes.

Unforgettable are the extreme long shots of battles staged on the Värska military exercise fields. They evoke the Olympian visions of Griffith in The Birth of a Nation and America.

Also the air force and an armoured train are engaged in the war sequences. Awesome bird's eye views, effective close-ups and rapid montages are in use in the battle scenes. The film is not only about military bravado. Scenes of genuine agony and suffering are incorporated. One of our three eagles lands into a soldier's grave.

There is a sense of true danger in the war scenes. The film is leavened with the humanity of the protagonists, and a sense of humour in their interactions.

The film ends with a Biblical quote: "There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends."

The restoration is engagingly sonorized with a fine music selection from the Estonian composers Heino Eller, Artur Kapp, Villem Kapp, Raimond Kull, and Villem Reimann, performed by Pärnu Linnaorkester conducted by Jüri Alperten.

An impressive work of restoration and reconstruction. I like the refined colour solutions. The speed may be slightly on the fast side, but that is a matter of taste.

Theodor Luts (14.8.1896 Palamuse – 24.9.1980 São Paulo) was a pioneer of Estonian feature film production. He also directed the first Estonian sound feature, Children of the Sun (1931) which we screened in the spring. From 1933 until the end of the Second World War Luts made an important contribution to the Finnish film industry as a cinematographer, director, and producer.

OUR PROGRAM NOTE BY JAAK LÕHMUS BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK:
OUR PROGRAM NOTE BY JAAK LÕHMUS BEYOND THE JUMP BREAK:

Viron Vapaussodasta (1918–1920) kertova Theodor Lutsin Nuoret kotkat on yksi kolmesta Virossa tehtystä pitkästa mykkäelokuvasta, mikä on säilynyt. Suomenkin elokuvamestarinakin tunnettu Theodor Luts (14.8.1896 Pala-muse – 24.9.1980 Säo Paulo) oli itse vapaussodan sankari, kuuluisan Kuperjanovin pataljoonan taistelija. Voisi sanoa, että hän oli aika hyvä sota-asiantuntija. Ja Luts tunsi hyvin myös monia Viron puolustusvoimien tärkeitä upseereja, niin että hänellä oli helppo järjestää joukkokohtauksien kuvaukset kesällä 1927 Värskan ampumakentällä, niissä näkee tuhansia taistelijoita.

Lutsin debyyttielokuvassa Nuoret kotkat on kolme päähenkilöä: ylioppilas Tammekänd, seppä Laansoo ja renki Lepik. Nuoret miehet kohtaavat rintamalinjalla Etelä-Virossa.

Laajamittaisten taistelukohtausten ohella löytyy elokuvasta myös episodeja, missä on huumoria ja myös romantiikkaa. Elli Põder-Roht Vanemuine-teatterista esittää sepän siskoa ja Theodor Lutsin vaimo Aksella metsävartijan tytärtä.

Kuvaukset on tehty Tartossa, Mustveessa, Värskassa ja Petserinmaalla.

Luts perusti Tarton kotitaloonsa studion ja laboratorion. Elokuvan tuotannon rahoitus kerättiin pankkilainasta, puolustus-voimien in kind avusta ja Tarton liikemiesten tuesta.

Nuoret kotkat esitettiin kaikissa Viron kaupungeissa. Luts suunnitteli elokuvan esityksiä myös Saksassa, Puolassa, Suomessa ja Ranskassa, mutta tarkkoja tietoja esityksistä ei ole löydetty.

Kotimaiset kriitikot pitivät Nuoret kotkat -elokuvaa omien aikojen onnistuneimpana saavutuksena.
Nuoret kotkat on äskettäin restauroitu ja säestetty virolaisten säveltäjien teoksilla.    

Katso myös:
http://www.efis.ee/et/filmiliigid/film/id/280

Jaak Lõhmus 25.10.2018

EESTI FILMI ANDMEBAAS (2008 RESTORATION):

This Estonian feature film is among the few films produced before 1940 that have been almost fully preserved. Three young men have become friends during the times of the Estonian War of Independence. While fighting for their fatherland, they experience both hazardous and romantic moments without losing their bravery, coolheadedness and sense of humour. The film is full of epic battle scenes, patriotism and pathos. „Young Eagles“ was digitally remastered and returned to the big screen in 2007 accompanied by the specially compiled background music.

Original title: Noored kotkad

Digitally remastered in 2008

Feature film | War
Duration 87:22

Detailed information
Title Area
Parallel title     Die drei jungen Adler
The Young Eagles
Film Production Area
Production Companies     Siirius Film , Taska Film
FILM_PRODUCTION_ASSOCIATES     Rahvusarhiivi filmiarhiiv, Taska Film, Digital Film Finland, Pärnu Filharmoonia, Pärnu Linnaorkester
Sponsors     Cramo
Supporters     A. & M. Univer, Paul Lall, Kaitseliidu Tartumaa malev, Johannes Orasmaa, Jaan Unt, Kindralstaabi 6. osakond, Helios, Eesti Kultuuriministeerium, Eesti Vabariigi Valitsus
Labs     Theodor Luts
Copyright Area
Copyright owners     Theodor Lutsu Filmiproduktsioon, Taska Film
Distribution Area
Distributors     Theodor Lutsu Filmiproduktsioon, Taska Film (2008. aastal digitaalselt taastatud filmiversiooni levitaja )
Physical Description Area (film)
Basic physical description (film)     8 osa , 35 mm, N, bw, 2172 m, silent, FA 368, Toonitud must-valge film, 87:22
Archive Area
Archival collection name     Filmistuudio Siirius Film
Archival collection nr     22
Archival item nr     368
Kasutuskoopia     210 BETACAM-SP, 30 VHS
Start timecode     01:42:53
End timecode     02:58:39

Other locations of the item and documents     Riigiarhiiv, Kirjavahetus Välisministeeriumiga, konsulaatidega ja Saksa Välisametiga Eesti riigitegelaste ja filmi "Noored kotkad" populariseerimisest Saksamaal ERA.1581.1.693 03.1928-09.1928

Cast

Leading roles
Arnold Vaino     Arnold Vaino     Student Tammekänd
Johannes Nõmmik     Johannes Nõmmik     Blacksmith Laansoo
Rudolf Klein     Rudolf Klein     Farm hand Lepik

Supporting roles
Elly Põder-Roht     Elly Põder-Roht     Hilja, sister of the blacksmith
Aksella Luts     Aksella Luts     Forest warden's daughter
Amalie Konsa     Amalie Konsa     Mother of Hilja and blacksmith
Rudolf Ratassepp     Rudolf Ratassepp     I commissar of the Red Army
Olev Reintalu     Olev Reintalu     II commissar of the Red Army
Vambola Kurg     Vambola Kurg     Unt, I head of the Estonian Army
Johannes Schütz     Johannes Schütz     II head of the Estonian Army
August Sunne     August Sunne     Doctor

Episodic roles
Leopold Hansen     Leopold Hansen    
Osvald Lipp     Osvald Lipp    

Crew
Producer     Theodor Luts
Director     Theodor Luts
Screenwriter     Theodor Luts | Aksella Luts | Oskar Luts
Cinematographer     Theodor Luts
Art Director     Heino Lehepuu
Composer     Heino Eller | Artur Kapp | Villem Kapp | Raimond Kull | Villem Reimann
Conductor     Jüri Alperten
Editor     Theodor Luts
Consultant     Jaan Unt
Production Manager     Theodor Luts
Assistant Director     Johannes Nõmmik
Gaffer     Theodor Luts
Makeup Artist     Aksella Luts
Decorator     Voldemar Haas | Heino Lehepuu
Distributor     Theodor Luts

Music
Title     Authors (composers, lyrics)     Performers
Viis pala keelpilliorkestrile     Heino Eller     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Sümfoniett keelpilliorkestrile g-moll     Heino Eller     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Fugato     Artur Kapp     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Andante cantabile     Artur Kapp     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Sümfoonia nr 2     Villem Kapp     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Krivasoo lahing     Raimond Kull     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten
Sümfooniline süit "Vilsandi"     Villem Reimann     Pärnu Linnaorkester, Jüri Alperten

2 comments:

Unknown said...

My grandfather was one of the supporters of this film.Paul Osvald Lall. He had to fly in 1944 because the Russians came and he burned a copy of this film and ascaped to Germany and later to Sweden.
Paul Gorter

Antti Alanen said...

Dear Paul Gorter, I am very happy to learn this! I trust you have been in touch with the professionals at Rahvusarhiivi Filmiarhiiv. Having read your message I added here a photo from an epic battleground view shot in Värska, a photo that was published by Le Giornate del Cinema Muto last year.