ALEXANDER SHIRYAEV (1867–1941) 3: DANCE, TRICKS, AND ANIMATION

Alexander Shiryaev's Puppet Theatre. Photo from: Peter Lord: "The Start of Stop-Frame: Animation's Great Lost Pioneer", The Guardian, 14 Nov 2008.

The highlight of the Festival, introduced by David Robinson, the world premiere of the restored films from the Prestech laboratory, João de Oliveira getting the award, with John Sweeney excellent on the grand piano (these are films where music counts), together with a violin (by Günter Buchwald?) in Harlequin's Jest. Presented with live commentary at Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone, Cinema Verdi, 10 October 2008.

The following list is from the Catalogue:

1. Dance Films with Shiryaev and Matveeva
[COSSACK DANCE] (source: 17.5 mm neg., restored and transferred to 35 mm, 1113 frames, 1’09”)
[FOLK COURTSHIP DANCE] (source: 35 mm neg., 1’35”)
[“FOOL’S DANCE” FROM PETIPA’S MLADA] (source: 35 mm neg., 2’15”)
[HUNGARIAN? DANCE] (source: 35 mm neg., 2’56”)
[“MATELOTE”] (source: 17.5 mm neg., 51”)
[POLISH? DANCE] (source: 17.5 mm pos., 2’37”)
[POLISH? DANCE] (source: 17.5 mm pos., 54”) Shiryaev solo.

2. Trick Films
[BOY IN A SACK] (source: 17.5 mm pos., 52”)
[CHAIRS] (source: 35 mm neg., 35”)
[THE ENCHANTED TEA TABLE] (source: 17.5 mm pos., 42”)
[MAGICAL DRESSING] (source: 17.5 mm neg., 500 frames, 35”)
[PIERROT AND THE MAID 1] (source: 17.5 mm neg., 1820 frames, 1’52”)
[PIERROT AND THE MAID 2] (source: 17.5 mm pos., 2’02”)
[PIERROT AND THE MAID 3] (source: 17.5 mm neg., 2292 frames, 2’23”)

3. Paper Films
[BIRDS IN FLIGHT] (source: 45 mm paper film, digitally re-animated by Aardman Animations, Bristol, 2008, 4”, now looped, DigiBeta)
[“BUFFOON’S DANCE” FROM THE NUTCRACKER] (source: 45 mm paper film, reanimated by Viktor Bocharov, 2003, 1’30”, DigiBeta)
[CAKEWALK] (source: 45 mm paper film, re-animated by Viktor Bocharov, 2003, 1’04”, DigiBeta)
[SNAKE] (source: 45 mm paper film, re-animated by Viktor Bocharov, 2003, 5”, DigiBeta)

4. Puppet Animation Films
[“BABY DANCE” FROM DIE PUPPENFEE] (source: 35 mm neg., 1’17”)
[HARLEQUIN’S JEST] (source: 35 mm neg.; 5 scenes, 12’41”, plus interpolated titles)
[“HINDU DANCE” FROM LA BAYADÈRE] (source: 35 mm neg., 3’)
P’ERO-KHUDOZHNIKI [No.1] (Artist Pierrots 1) (source: 35 mm neg., 5’35”)
P’ERO-KHUDOZHNIKI [No. 2] (Artist Pierrots 2) (source: 35 mm neg., 3’05”)
[TWO PIERROTS PLAYING BALL] (source: 35 mm neg., 1’17”)

The films were not shown in the order of the catalogue. Comments on the actual screening: 1–7 dvd, 8–11 35 mm, 12–13 dvd, 14–18 35 mm, 19–22 DigiBeta, 23–29 35 mm. The films almost never had title cards. All four film groups had a special charm of their own, but maybe the most marvellous was the last section. Harlequin's Jest was the final number.

A milestone in the history of dance in the cinema and animation.

ALEXANDER SHIRYAEV 2: THE ENTHUSIASTIC AMATEUR

RU [?1906-1909?]. Restored in 2008 by Prestech. Presented with live commentary, grand piano: John Sweeney. Viewed at Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone, Cinema Verdi, 8 October 2008.

The films according to the programme book:

I. Private Life in Ukraine

[ANIMALS] (source: 17.5mm pos., 1’20”)
[BEETLES AND SNAKE IN AQUARIUM] (source: 17.5mm neg., 1665 frames, 1’44”)
[BLIND-MAN’S BUFF] (source: 17.5mm pos., 40”)
[BOATING] (source: 17.5mm pos., 58”) (3 shots)
[BOATING] (source: 35mm neg., 1’06”) (2 shots)
[BRIDGE] (source: 17.5mm pos., 26”)
[CAROUSEL AT A COUNTRY FAIR] (source: 17.5mm neg., 198 frames, 12.5”)
[CHILDREN PLAYING “GORODKI” GAME] (source: 17.5mm neg., 916 frames, 57”)
[COUNTRY SCENES IN UKRAINE] (source: 17.5mm pos., 4’18”) (15 shots)
[EXPLOSION IN QUARRY] (source: 17.5mm pos., 45”) (Viktor Bocharov suggests that this was not made by Shiryaev, but may have been part of a film bought from Ernemann.)
[GARDEN SCENES] (source: 17.5mm pos.+ 35mm neg., 1’52”) (3 shots)
[GROUP OF FIVE WOMEN] (source: 17.5mm neg. + pos., 30”) (Three female generations of the Matveev-Shiryaev family.)
[HAYSTACK FUN] (source: 17.5mm neg., 882 frames, 55”)
[INTERIOR: WOMAN WITH SMALL BOY AND BABY] (source: 17.5mm pos., 8”)
[MAN IN A UNIFORM CHANGES CAP] (source: 17.5mm neg., 322 frames, 20”)
[NAKED SWIMMERS] (source: 17.5mm pos., 25”)
[PLAYING WITH BOATS] (source: 17.5mm neg., 1014 frames, 1’03”)
[SHIRYAEV SURROUNDED BY DANCING PEASANT CHILDREN] (source: 17.5mm neg., 356 frames, 22.25”)
[SHIRYAEV WITH BABY CHICKS (CLOSE-UP)] (source: 17.5mm neg., 530 frames, 33”)
[UKRAINIAN PORTRAITS] (source: 17.5mm pos., 4’15”) (20 shots)
[WINDMILLS, WITH CHILDREN PLAYING IN FOREGROUND] (source: 17.5mm neg., 166 frames, 10”)
[WINDMILLS, WITH PEOPLE GROUPED IN FOREGROUND] (source: 17.5mm neg., 50 frames, 3”)

2. Winter Scenes in and around St. Petersburg

[NIKOLAY PANIN] (source: 17.5mm pos., 40” + 24”) (2 shots)
[SNOWBALLING] (source: 17.5mm pos., 25”) (2 shots)
[TOBOGGANING] (source: 17.5mm neg., 1090 frames, 1’08”) (4 shots)

3. On Tour

[BERLIN STREET SCENES] (source: 17.5mm pos., 3’05”) 40

4. Staged Comedies

[THE BEFUDDLED FILM-MAKER] (source: 35mm neg., 30”)
[THE CLOWN AND THE ELEPHANT] (source: 17.5mm neg., 1812 frames, 1’42”)
[THE CROCODILE] (source: 17.5mm pos., 38”)
[DRUNKARDS] (source: 17.5mm pos., 1’15”)
[THE FISHERMAN’S DREAM] (source: 17.5mm positive , 4’20”)
[AN INTERRUPTED DINNER] (source: 17.5mm pos., 2’58”)
[ITINERANT CIRCUS ARTISTS] (source: 17.5mm neg., 583 frames, 36”)
[THE LODGER AND THE SPIDER] (source: 17.5mm pos., 1’52”)
[THE NAUGHTY GIRL AND GRANNY] (source: 17.5mm pos., 2’02”)
[THE TOMBOY] (source: 17.5mm pos., 2’45”)
[A TROUBLESOME COUPLE] (source: 17.5mm neg., 2778 frames, 2’53”)
[A WET ROMANCE] (source: 17.5mm pos., 1’27”)

5. Commercial Films Issued by Ernemann in the Shiryaev Collection

INDISCHER VÖLKERSCHAFTEN [Indian Tribes] (source: 17.5mm pos., 2’09”; with original title card)
ÜBERQUEREN EINES FLUSSES MIT PFERDEN [Crossing a River with Horses] (source: 17.5mm pos., 1’35”; lacking title card)
ÜBUNG DRESDNER FEUERWEHR [Turn-out of the Dresden Fire Brigade] (source: 17.5mm pos., 2’25”; with original title card)

AA: The films were shown in an order different from this, and hard to identify because they are untitled. But a charming collection, indeed!

ALEXANDER SHIRYAEV 1: A BELATED PREMIERE

Zapazdavshaja premiera / A Belated Premiere. RU (c) 2003 Miris Cinema. P+D:Viktor Bocharov. DP: Inna Tiktinskaya; AD: Yuri Soloviev; piano: Yulia Simonova, Irina Johansson, Elena Pavlova; mus. extracts: Tchaikovsky, Minkus, Drigo, Pugni , Brahms, Adam, Armsheimer, Bayer; narr. (English version): Christopher Hamilton, Jennifer Gaspar; DigiBeta, 60’, source: Viktor Bocharov. English-language version with e-subtitles in Italian.
    Viewed at Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone, Cinema Verdi, 6 October 2008.
    In the presence of Viktor Bocharov, Daniil Saveliev and Yuri Grigorovich.

David Robinson: "Viktor Bocharov, the St. Petersburg film producer and director, and an outstanding authority on ballet and opera, acquired the Shiryaev archive from Daniil Saveliev in 1995. The first restorations, from the 17.5mm positive prints, were undertaken by David Cleveland of the East Anglian Film Archive, while the 35mm material was transferred to digital format. Using this material, along with photographs and newly discovered documents, many from the Mariinsky Theatre archives, Bocharov assembled this documentary account of Shiryaev’s life and film-making. Including practically all of Shiryaev’s animation work, the film was shown at the Belye Stolby archival film festival in January 2004. This was the first public screening of Shiryaev’s films since they were made. In the intervening years, Bocharov has made many further discoveries about Shiryaev’s life and work, while 31 further rolls of negative have become available thanks to the dedicated restoration work of João de Oliviera and PresTech Laboratories. A Belated Premiere remains nevertheless an excellent and comprehensive introduction to its subject. (...)" (David Robinson).

aa: A wonderful and amazing discovery. This documentary shows in an exciting way Shiryaev's continuous development in 1906-1909 from drawn sketch series to photographed dances to drawn animation and to puppet animation, all fascinating, top of the game.

["Fool's Dance" from Petipa's Mlada]

RU 1907- . D: Alexander Shiryaev. 2’15” from 35mm neg.; print source: Viktor Bocharov. Grand piano: John Sweeney. Viewed at Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, Pordenone, Cinema Verdi, 4 October 2008. - David Robinson: "Before the very recent discovery of his films, Shiryaev was already celebrated as an outstanding dancer and teacher of Russian and Soviet ballet. He created “The Fool’s Dance” in Marius Petipa’s 1896 revival of the ballet “Mlada”, with music by Ludwig Minkus, at the Mariinsky Theatre. His innovation of combining high leaps with the characteristic squatting step, prisyadka, was so dangerous that Petipa turned his back during Shiryaev’s solo, and in fact he broke his fibula while performing it in London in 1912. Although he was already over 40 when he made this film record, his remarkable agility and elevation are still evident." – David Robinson.

[Birds in Flight]

RU 1900-1905. D: Alexander Shiryaev. DigiBeta, 0'04” (source: 45 mm paper film, digitally re-animated by Aardman Animations, Bristol, 2008, now looped); source: Viktor Bocharov/Aardman Animation.
David Robinson: "This fragment may well be Shiryaev’s first experiment with animation, probably done between 1900 and 1905, drawn on paper film 45 mm wide, for viewing in an apparatus of his own devising. Although much less ambitious and sophisticated than his eventual work in animation, it is fascinating to see him experimenting with a form of animal movement that had always fascinated and generally frustrated the chronographers Marey and Muybridge." – David Robinson.