Skyscraper (1959)

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Movie
Original title Skyscraper
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1959
length 21 minutes
Rod
Director Shirley Clarke
script John White
production Shirley Clarke
Willard van Dyke
Irving Jacoby
Wheaton Galentine
D.A. Pennebaker
music Theo Macero
camera Kevin Smith

Skyscraper is an American short film directed by Shirley Clarke in 1959 .

action

The film shows the construction of the high-rise 666 Fifth Avenue (so-called Tishman Building) in New York City in 1957/58. The film recordings are commented on by various people involved in the construction. First, the preliminary work is shown, the drafts, models, construction drawings, etc. This is followed by pictures of the demolition of the house that was previously on the site and finally earthworks, which, among other things, require explosions. Finally, the high-rise will be built, which will have an aluminum facade that was innovative at the time. The exterior is followed by the interior work, which takes just as long as the construction of the building envelope. The commentators paid special attention to the installation of air conditioning. After 18 months of construction, the high-rise will finally open. Around two million people were directly or indirectly involved in the construction. This is followed by shots of everyday life in the building.

production

666 Fifth Avenue

According to the credits, the Skyscraper was realized with technology from Tishman Realty and Construction Company . The songs in the film are written by Theo Macero and sung by Gene Mumford and John Sylvester . Skyscraper was mainly realized in black and white. Only from the scene of the building's inauguration do pictures follow in color. The film was shown at the 1959 San Francisco International Film Festival .

Awards

At the San Francisco International Film Festival, Skyscraper won the Golden Gate Award for Best Short Documentary in 1959. The film was nominated for an Oscar in the category Best Short Film in 1960 .

literature

  • Sharon Feyen, Donald Wigal: Screen Experience: An Approach to Film . Geo. A. Pflaum, 1969, p. 226.

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