Aleksandr Razumny's 1933 football film (lost television broadcast of Soviet football match; 1933): Difference between revisions
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==Background== | ==Background== | ||
Aleksandr Razumny's film career began in the 1910s, prior to the Russian Revolution.<ref name="razumny">[https://www.razumny.ru/razumny# ''Alexander Efimovich Razumny'' biography on Aleksandr Razumny.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="dictionary">[https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Historical_Dictionary_of_Russian_and_Sov.html?id=Cuw1vHuxITYC ''Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema'' detailing the career of Razumny.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="kino">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Kino/a989DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA15&printsec=frontcover ''Kino'' summarising Razumny becoming a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and how his work retained the cinema methods taught before the Russian Revolution.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> His works would be influenced by his studies at Grekov Odesa Art School, which concluded three years before the Soviet Union's takeover.<ref name="dictionary"/> Despite the difficulties he and other prominent Russian filmmakers had transitioning to Soviet standards, he quickly became a member of the ruling Communist Party of the Soviet Union.<ref name="kino"/> His 1917 film ''The Life and Death of Lieutenant Schmidt'' is considered the first film released under the Soviet Union.<ref name="razumny"/> From there, he primarily directed war and revolution drama films like the 1919 silent propaganda work ''Comrade Abram'';<ref name="timur">[https://kino.mosmetod.ru/timur_i_ego_komanda ''Mosmetod'' summarising the film ''Timur and His Team'' and Razumny's works (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref>[https://jewishfilm.org/Catalogue/films/comradeabram.htm ''The National Center for Jewish Film'' summarising the 1919 Razumny work ''Comrade Abram''.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="razumny"/> However, one of his more notable works was the 1940 film ''Timur and His Team'', an adaptation of Arkady Gaidar's children's novel.<ref name="timur"/><ref name="razumny"/> Interestingly enough, the book and film reportedly encouraged many Soviet children to perform extensive charitable work during the Second World War.<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Soviet_Schooling_in_the_Second_World_War/jSqBDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA163&printsec=frontcover ''Soviet Schooling in the Second World War'' summarising the impact ''Timur and His Team'' had on Soviet children during the Second World War.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> | Aleksandr Razumny's film career began in the 1910s, prior to the Russian Revolution.<ref name="razumny">[https://www.razumny.ru/razumny# ''Alexander Efimovich Razumny'' biography on Aleksandr Razumny (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="dictionary">[https://books.google.co.uk/books/about/Historical_Dictionary_of_Russian_and_Sov.html?id=Cuw1vHuxITYC ''Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema'' detailing the career of Razumny.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="kino">[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Kino/a989DwAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA15&printsec=frontcover ''Kino'' summarising Razumny becoming a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and how his work retained the cinema methods taught before the Russian Revolution.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> His works would be influenced by his studies at Grekov Odesa Art School, which concluded three years before the Soviet Union's takeover.<ref name="dictionary"/> Despite the difficulties he and other prominent Russian filmmakers had transitioning to Soviet standards, he quickly became a member of the ruling Communist Party of the Soviet Union.<ref name="kino"/> His 1917 film ''The Life and Death of Lieutenant Schmidt'' is considered the first film released under the Soviet Union.<ref name="razumny"/> From there, he primarily directed war and revolution drama films like the 1919 silent propaganda work ''Comrade Abram'';<ref name="timur">[https://kino.mosmetod.ru/timur_i_ego_komanda ''Mosmetod'' summarising the film ''Timur and His Team'' and Razumny's works (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref>[https://jewishfilm.org/Catalogue/films/comradeabram.htm ''The National Center for Jewish Film'' summarising the 1919 Razumny work ''Comrade Abram''.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="razumny"/> However, one of his more notable works was the 1940 film ''Timur and His Team'', an adaptation of Arkady Gaidar's children's novel.<ref name="timur"/><ref name="razumny"/> Interestingly enough, the book and film reportedly encouraged many Soviet children to perform extensive charitable work during the Second World War.<ref>[https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/Soviet_Schooling_in_the_Second_World_War/jSqBDAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA163&printsec=frontcover ''Soviet Schooling in the Second World War'' summarising the impact ''Timur and His Team'' had on Soviet children during the Second World War.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> | ||
In April 1931, the Soviet Union began experimenting with mechanical television broadcasts, which were conducted at the Moscow Radio Broadcasting Hub (MRBH)'s fledgling Television Laboratory and overseen by Razumny.<ref name="russiaic">[http://russia-ic.com/culture_art/theatre/1538 ''Russia-IC'' summarising the early history of Russian television under the experiments of the All-Union Electrotechnical Institute.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="loughborough">[https://www.lboro.ac.uk/subjects/communication-media/research/research-projects/screening-socialism/television-histories/tvintheussr/ ''Loughborough University'' summarising key milestones of early Soviet television.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="625net">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080804193054/http://rus.625-net.ru/625/2005/03/history.htm Archived ''625'' providing key facts and dates surrounding the development of Soviet television.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="razumny"/> Some progress was made, including the display of moving pictures, though it soon became clear that [[1934 Philo T. Farnsworth broadcasts (lost early television demonstrations; 1934)|all-electronic televisions]] would pave the way forward.<ref name="russiaic"/><ref name="loughborough"/><ref name="625net"/> Nevertheless, more mechanical television experiments soon emerged in 1932 and 1933, including the first Soviet television film (''The Face of International Capitalism''),<ref name="625net"/><ref name="razumny"/> to the broadcasting of sports.<ref name="day">[https://denliteraturi.ru/article/1323 ''Day of Literature'' summarising the broadcast and the criticism over it being pre-recorded (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="championat">[https://www.championat.com/football/article-4011225-kakoj-futbolnyj-match-vpervye-pokazali-po-tv-v-sssr.html ''Championat'' summarising Razumny's broadcast with Granatkin's commentary, and how the broadcast was viewed by a tiny audience (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> Outside Russia, test broadcasts had been conducted with the [[1931 Epsom Derby (lost televised footage of horse racing event; 1931)|1931 Epsom Derby]] becoming the first televised sporting event.<ref>[https://bairdtelevision.com/televising-the-derby-1931.html ''Baird Television'' detailing how the 1931 Epsom Derby was televised.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> However, football coverage had not yet been achieved in any country.<ref name="broadcastlist">[https://vk.com/wall-62173691_47229?lang=en Football USSR Nostalgia providing a VK post listing the earliest known football television broadcasts.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="championat"/> Likely stemming from his Communist Party connections,<ref name="kino"/> Razumny was chosen to demonstrate the viability of football broadcasts in the Soviet Union.<ref name="day"/><ref name="championat"/> His plan was to record the match and then present the coverage the following day with commentary.<ref name="day"/><ref name="championat"/> | In April 1931, the Soviet Union began experimenting with mechanical television broadcasts, which were conducted at the Moscow Radio Broadcasting Hub (MRBH)'s fledgling Television Laboratory and overseen by Razumny.<ref name="russiaic">[http://russia-ic.com/culture_art/theatre/1538 ''Russia-IC'' summarising the early history of Russian television under the experiments of the All-Union Electrotechnical Institute.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="loughborough">[https://www.lboro.ac.uk/subjects/communication-media/research/research-projects/screening-socialism/television-histories/tvintheussr/ ''Loughborough University'' summarising key milestones of early Soviet television.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="625net">[https://web.archive.org/web/20080804193054/http://rus.625-net.ru/625/2005/03/history.htm Archived ''625'' providing key facts and dates surrounding the development of Soviet television.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="razumny"/> Some progress was made, including the display of moving pictures, though it soon became clear that [[1934 Philo T. Farnsworth broadcasts (lost early television demonstrations; 1934)|all-electronic televisions]] would pave the way forward.<ref name="russiaic"/><ref name="loughborough"/><ref name="625net"/> Nevertheless, more mechanical television experiments soon emerged in 1932 and 1933, including the first Soviet television film (''The Face of International Capitalism''),<ref name="625net"/><ref name="razumny"/> to the broadcasting of sports.<ref name="day">[https://denliteraturi.ru/article/1323 ''Day of Literature'' summarising the broadcast and the criticism over it being pre-recorded (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="championat">[https://www.championat.com/football/article-4011225-kakoj-futbolnyj-match-vpervye-pokazali-po-tv-v-sssr.html ''Championat'' summarising Razumny's broadcast with Granatkin's commentary, and how the broadcast was viewed by a tiny audience (article in Russian).] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> Outside Russia, test broadcasts had been conducted with the [[1931 Epsom Derby (lost televised footage of horse racing event; 1931)|1931 Epsom Derby]] becoming the first televised sporting event.<ref>[https://bairdtelevision.com/televising-the-derby-1931.html ''Baird Television'' detailing how the 1931 Epsom Derby was televised.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> However, football coverage had not yet been achieved in any country.<ref name="broadcastlist">[https://vk.com/wall-62173691_47229?lang=en Football USSR Nostalgia providing a VK post listing the earliest known football television broadcasts.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref><ref name="championat"/> Likely stemming from his Communist Party connections,<ref name="kino"/> Razumny was chosen to demonstrate the viability of football broadcasts in the Soviet Union.<ref name="day"/><ref name="championat"/> His plan was to record the match and then present the coverage the following day with commentary.<ref name="day"/><ref name="championat"/> | ||
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==Availability== | ==Availability== | ||
Unlike many other early television broadcasts,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/BbcTelevisionReceivedInNewYork-1938 ''Web Archive'' article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of | Unlike many other early television broadcasts,<ref>[https://archive.org/details/BbcTelevisionReceivedInNewYork-1938 ''Web Archive'' article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of the direct recording of television.] Retrieved 21st Nov '23</ref> Razumny's film was pre-recorded on silent film.<ref name="day"/><ref name="championat"/><ref name="gazeta"/> However, no footage from it has since publicly resurfaced. Considering the film's sheer obscurity outside Russia, the lack of key match information, its single-purpose usage and the fact the broadcast occurred over 90 years ago, it is possible no copy of the film has survived. | ||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
*[[CDKA Moscow 4-1 Dynamo Minsk (lost footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)]] | |||
*[[Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)]] | *[[Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)]] | ||
*[[Moscow vs Ukrainian SSR (lost radio coverage of interregional football match; 1929)]] | |||
*[[Turkey 1-2 Soviet Union (lost footage of 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifying match; 1961)]] | *[[Turkey 1-2 Soviet Union (lost footage of 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifying match; 1961)]] | ||
*[[Turkey vs Soviet Union (lost radio coverage of international football matches; 1935)]] | |||
*[[Vadim Sinyavsky's radio and television broadcasts (partially found sports and wartime commentaries of Soviet journalist; 1929-1971)]] | |||
==External Links== | ==External Links== |
Latest revision as of 08:09, 8 December 2023
In 1933, film director Aleksandr Razumny conducted an experimental filming of a Soviet football match. It was broadcast on television the day after it was recorded, with commentary provided by Valentin Granatkin. It is considered the earliest known instance of a televised football match.
Background
Aleksandr Razumny's film career began in the 1910s, prior to the Russian Revolution.[1][2][3] His works would be influenced by his studies at Grekov Odesa Art School, which concluded three years before the Soviet Union's takeover.[2] Despite the difficulties he and other prominent Russian filmmakers had transitioning to Soviet standards, he quickly became a member of the ruling Communist Party of the Soviet Union.[3] His 1917 film The Life and Death of Lieutenant Schmidt is considered the first film released under the Soviet Union.[1] From there, he primarily directed war and revolution drama films like the 1919 silent propaganda work Comrade Abram;[4][5][1] However, one of his more notable works was the 1940 film Timur and His Team, an adaptation of Arkady Gaidar's children's novel.[4][1] Interestingly enough, the book and film reportedly encouraged many Soviet children to perform extensive charitable work during the Second World War.[6]
In April 1931, the Soviet Union began experimenting with mechanical television broadcasts, which were conducted at the Moscow Radio Broadcasting Hub (MRBH)'s fledgling Television Laboratory and overseen by Razumny.[7][8][9][1] Some progress was made, including the display of moving pictures, though it soon became clear that all-electronic televisions would pave the way forward.[7][8][9] Nevertheless, more mechanical television experiments soon emerged in 1932 and 1933, including the first Soviet television film (The Face of International Capitalism),[9][1] to the broadcasting of sports.[10][11] Outside Russia, test broadcasts had been conducted with the 1931 Epsom Derby becoming the first televised sporting event.[12] However, football coverage had not yet been achieved in any country.[13][11] Likely stemming from his Communist Party connections,[3] Razumny was chosen to demonstrate the viability of football broadcasts in the Soviet Union.[10][11] His plan was to record the match and then present the coverage the following day with commentary.[10][11]
Alas, not much is known about the match itself.[10][11][13] No sources detail the competing teams, when the game itself took place, nor the final score.[10][11] Since the MRBH primarily conducted its television experiments in Moscow,[1] it can be assumed the match transpired in the city for geographical purposes.[7][13] Razumny recorded the game with silent celluloid film because sound television broadcasts were not possible in Russia until November 1934.[14][10][7][8] But envisioning the clear importance commentary would have in future sports coverage, Razumny enlisted football player Valentin Granatkin to provide narration.[10][11][14][13] At the time, Granatkin's was Serp i Molot's goalkeeper, though he would achieve greater recognition playing for Lokomotiv Moscow and representing the Soviet Union national football team.[15][16][11] He also simultaneously played top-level ice hockey; post-career, he became the Chairman of the Football Federation of the Soviet Union, and would also become the first Vice President of FIFA, having held the position for two separate spells.[15]
The broadcast occurred with Granatkin providing live commentary.[10][11][14][13] Overall, the film was seen as an authentic - and indeed, historic - piece of television media.[10][11][13] However, some criticism was reportedly directed at the fact the game was pre-recorded.[10][9] Live football coverage would first materialise in the mid-to-late 1930s courtesy of Germany and the United Kingdom, the latter occurring in front of a domestic audience in 1937.[17][13] In contrast, Razumny's broadcast was seen by an extremely limited audience, since no domestic televisions were manufactured until the following year with the B-2's introduction.[18][11][9] Even then, the first public airings did not emerge until 1938, with the Soviet Union now relying on devices produced in the United States.[8] The Second World War curtailed further tests until the mid-to-late-1940s.[7][8] Finally, on 2nd May 1949, the first live football coverage in the Soviet Union emerged, which saw Dynamo Moscow beat CDKA Moscow 3-1.[11][14][13] Not long after his historic broadcast, Razumny returned to cinema work after television experiments were temporarily halted.[1]
Availability
Unlike many other early television broadcasts,[19] Razumny's film was pre-recorded on silent film.[10][11][14] However, no footage from it has since publicly resurfaced. Considering the film's sheer obscurity outside Russia, the lack of key match information, its single-purpose usage and the fact the broadcast occurred over 90 years ago, it is possible no copy of the film has survived.
See Also
- CDKA Moscow 4-1 Dynamo Minsk (lost footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)
- Dynamo Moscow 3-1 CDKA Moscow (partially found footage of Soviet Top League football match; 1949)
- Moscow vs Ukrainian SSR (lost radio coverage of interregional football match; 1929)
- Turkey 1-2 Soviet Union (lost footage of 1962 FIFA World Cup qualifying match; 1961)
- Turkey vs Soviet Union (lost radio coverage of international football matches; 1935)
- Vadim Sinyavsky's radio and television broadcasts (partially found sports and wartime commentaries of Soviet journalist; 1929-1971)
External Links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Alexander Efimovich Razumny biography on Aleksandr Razumny (article in Russian). Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Historical Dictionary of Russian and Soviet Cinema detailing the career of Razumny. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Kino summarising Razumny becoming a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and how his work retained the cinema methods taught before the Russian Revolution. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Mosmetod summarising the film Timur and His Team and Razumny's works (article in Russian). Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ The National Center for Jewish Film summarising the 1919 Razumny work Comrade Abram. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ Soviet Schooling in the Second World War summarising the impact Timur and His Team had on Soviet children during the Second World War. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 Russia-IC summarising the early history of Russian television under the experiments of the All-Union Electrotechnical Institute. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 Loughborough University summarising key milestones of early Soviet television. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Archived 625 providing key facts and dates surrounding the development of Soviet television. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 Day of Literature summarising the broadcast and the criticism over it being pre-recorded (article in Russian). Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 Championat summarising Razumny's broadcast with Granatkin's commentary, and how the broadcast was viewed by a tiny audience (article in Russian). Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ Baird Television detailing how the 1931 Epsom Derby was televised. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 13.6 13.7 Football USSR Nostalgia providing a VK post listing the earliest known football television broadcasts. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Gazeta summarising Razumny's broadcast, which was recorded with silent film (article in Russian). Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Valentin Granatkin Memorial summarising the life and career of Granatkin. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ Transfermarkt profile on Granatkin. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ The Guardian summarising the Arsenal-Arsenal Reserves broadcast on 16th September 1937. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ Early Television summarising the B-2, the first domestically produced Soviet television. Retrieved 21st Nov '23
- ↑ Web Archive article discussing how most early television is missing due to the lack of the direct recording of television. Retrieved 21st Nov '23