Close Up was an influential literary magazine devoted to film, published by the Pool Group between 1927 and 1933. "It was the brain child of Kenneth Macpherson, a young man of independent means, not a little talent, and quite a lot of personal charm".[1] The monthly magazine, founded at the group's 'headquarters' in Territet, Switzerland would be dedicated to "independent cinema and cinema from around the world". The first issue was published in July 1927 and described itself on the front cover as an "international magazine devoted to film art". Macpherson was editor-in-chief, with Bryher as assistant editor, and Hilda Doolittle ("H.D.") and Oswell Blakeston making regular contributions.
The publication was truly international with correspondents reporting on productions worldwide, with major literary and cinematic figures contributing articles on the latest film theory (René Crevel, Dorothy Richardson, Sergei Eisenstein, Hans Sachs, Harry Potamkin) and advertising revenue coming from Paris, Berlin, and New York.[2]
Macpherson "dictated the tone and direction of the publication, contributing articles that defined the role of the director and defended the integrity of cinema and its right to be considered as art".[3]Close Up would discard the vulgar entertainment films coming out of Britain and Hollywood, preferring the avant-garde productions from Germany and the Soviet Union. Blakeston, the most prolific of the magazine's writers, would mock British lack of imagination and general ineptitude. Editorial offices opened in 1928 at 24 Devonshire Street, and from April 1930 at 25 Litchfield Street, off Charing Cross Road, London, above Anton Zwemmer's bookshop and gallery.[4]
The Academy cinema at 165 Oxford Street, which was dedicated to showing Continental and 'Unusual' art-house films, frequently advertised in its pages.[5][6]
The magazine reduced in frequency from monthly to quarterly, eventually fizzling out in 1933 when Macpherson departed. A printed slip was attached to the flyleaf of the final December issue, requesting that in future all letters and orders should be addressed to Mr. A. Zwemmer, 87 Charing Cross Road.[7][10]
Publication detailsedit
[Volume I], Nos. 1-6, July–December 1927
Volume II, Nos. 1-6, January–June 1928
Volume III, Nos. 1-6, July–December 1928
Volume IV, Nos. 1-6, January–June 1929
Volume V, Nos. 1-6, July–December 1929
Volume VI, Nos. 1-6, January–June 1930
Volume VII, Nos. 1-6, July–December 1930
Volume VIII, Nos. 1-4, March, June, September & December 1931
Volume IX, Nos. 1-4, March, June, September & December 1932
Volume X, Nos. 1-4, March, June (p. 109), September (p. 227) & December (p. 309) 1933
Referencesedit
Notes
^. Archived from the original on 2011-03-08. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
^"BFI Screenonline: Early Film Criticism". www.screenonline.org.uk. Retrieved Aug 9, 2022.
^. Archived from the original on 2013-12-14. Retrieved 2011-04-05.
^"Along these lines, the collection reprints an admiring essay on Elsie Cohen's ambitious Academy Cinema, as well as polemics about worker's films, art films, and so forth." Donald et al. 1998, p. 324.
^"Initial matter". Close up. X (4): 309. December 1933.
^"Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road", in Survey of London: Volumes 33 and 34, St Anne Soho, ed. F H W Sheppard (London, 1966), pp. 296-312. Accessed 23 February 2016.
^"Desmond Zwemmer". Daily Telegraph, 6 October 2000. Accessed 27 February 2016.
^This is the address of Albany Mansion, a block of shops with chambers above, previously a bank.[8] Zwemmer (and later his son Desmond) also owned a bookshop and gallery at 79 Charing Cross Road.[9]
Bibliography
Coxhead, E. (June 1933). "Towards a co-operative cinema: The Work of the Academy, Oxford Street". Close up. X (2). London: Pool Group: 135.
Donald, James; Friedberg, Anne; Marcus, Laura, eds. (1998). Close up, 1927-1933: Cinema and Modernism. ISBN0691004633.
External linksedit
Media related to Close Up (magazine) at Wikimedia Commons
Close Up – A Magazine Devoted To The Art Of Films (Ayer Co. Pub.(1988) ISBN0-405-00732-9
January 01, 1970
close, magazine, close, influential, literary, magazine, devoted, film, published, pool, group, between, 1927, 1933, brain, child, kenneth, macpherson, young, independent, means, little, talent, quite, personal, charm, monthly, magazine, founded, group, headqu. Close Up was an influential literary magazine devoted to film published by the Pool Group between 1927 and 1933 It was the brain child of Kenneth Macpherson a young man of independent means not a little talent and quite a lot of personal charm 1 The monthly magazine founded at the group s headquarters in Territet Switzerland would be dedicated to independent cinema and cinema from around the world The first issue was published in July 1927 and described itself on the front cover as an international magazine devoted to film art Macpherson was editor in chief with Bryher as assistant editor and Hilda Doolittle H D and Oswell Blakeston making regular contributions The publication was truly international with correspondents reporting on productions worldwide with major literary and cinematic figures contributing articles on the latest film theory Rene Crevel Dorothy Richardson Sergei Eisenstein Hans Sachs Harry Potamkin and advertising revenue coming from Paris Berlin and New York 2 Macpherson dictated the tone and direction of the publication contributing articles that defined the role of the director and defended the integrity of cinema and its right to be considered as art 3 Close Up would discard the vulgar entertainment films coming out of Britain and Hollywood preferring the avant garde productions from Germany and the Soviet Union Blakeston the most prolific of the magazine s writers would mock British lack of imagination and general ineptitude Editorial offices opened in 1928 at 24 Devonshire Street and from April 1930 at 25 Litchfield Street off Charing Cross Road London above Anton Zwemmer s bookshop and gallery 4 The Academy cinema at 165 Oxford Street which was dedicated to showing Continental and Unusual art house films frequently advertised in its pages 5 6 The magazine reduced in frequency from monthly to quarterly eventually fizzling out in 1933 when Macpherson departed A printed slip was attached to the flyleaf of the final December issue requesting that in future all letters and orders should be addressed to Mr A Zwemmer 87 Charing Cross Road 7 10 Publication details edit Volume I Nos 1 6 July December 1927 Volume II Nos 1 6 January June 1928 Volume III Nos 1 6 July December 1928 Volume IV Nos 1 6 January June 1929 Volume V Nos 1 6 July December 1929 Volume VI Nos 1 6 January June 1930 Volume VII Nos 1 6 July December 1930 Volume VIII Nos 1 4 March June September amp December 1931 Volume IX Nos 1 4 March June September amp December 1932 Volume X Nos 1 4 March June p 109 September p 227 amp December p 309 1933References editNotes Close Up An Essay Geoffrey Nowell Smith Archived from the original on 2011 03 08 Retrieved 2011 04 05 BFI Screenonline Early Film Criticism www screenonline org uk Retrieved Aug 9 2022 All Voices Close Up Archived from the original on 2013 12 14 Retrieved 2011 04 05 Donald et al 1998 p 324 Along these lines the collection reprints an admiring essay on Elsie Cohen s ambitious Academy Cinema as well as polemics about worker s films art films and so forth Donald et al 1998 p 324 Coxhead 1933 pp 133 6 Initial matter Close up X 4 309 December 1933 Shaftesbury Avenue and Charing Cross Road in Survey of London Volumes 33 and 34 St Anne Soho ed F H W Sheppard London 1966 pp 296 312 Accessed 23 February 2016 Desmond Zwemmer Daily Telegraph 6 October 2000 Accessed 27 February 2016 This is the address of Albany Mansion a block of shops with chambers above previously a bank 8 Zwemmer and later his son Desmond also owned a bookshop and gallery at 79 Charing Cross Road 9 Bibliography Coxhead E June 1933 Towards a co operative cinema The Work of the Academy Oxford Street Close up X 2 London Pool Group 135 Donald James Friedberg Anne Marcus Laura eds 1998 Close up 1927 1933 Cinema and Modernism ISBN 0691004633 External links edit nbsp Media related to Close Up magazine at Wikimedia Commons Close Up A Magazine Devoted To The Art Of Films Ayer Co Pub 1988 ISBN 0 405 00732 9 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Close Up magazine amp oldid 1103408108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
