- Close Up (magazine)
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Close Up was an influential literary magazine of the Pool Group, first published in 1927. "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 groups "headquarters" in Territet, Switzerland would be dedicated to "independent cinema and cinema from around the world". The first issue of Close Up, describing itself on the front cover as an "international magazine devoted to film art", appeared in July, 1927. Macpherson was editor-in-chief, with Bryher as assistant editor, and Hilda Doolittle ("HD") 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.
Later, the magazine reduced its publication frequency from monthly to quarterly, eventually fizzling out in 1933 when Macpherson departed.
References
External links
Categories:- Literary magazines
- Film magazines
- Magazines established in 1927
- Magazines disestablished in 1933
- English-language magazines
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