Kosmorama #270: Palladium, portrait docs and digitalization

A section of the poster from Svend (Anne Regitze Wivel, DK, 2011). Photo: Preben Kirkholt.

In late summer 2017, one of Denmark’s oldest film companies, Palladium, closed and the backlist was acquired by the Danish Film Institute – both the rights and the actual film collection. This issue of Kosmorama marks this event in a survey-article on the nearly 100-year long history of Palladium. This first article is published in Danish only. Next, we turn to how celebrity theory may inform portrait documentaries on famous persons, and finally we take a bearing on how Carl Th. Dreyer’s Michael (1924) may have been revived by its release on DVD, but that in some versions the digital resuscitation comes at a high price.

Three new articles about Palladium (in Danish only), portrait documentaries and digital resuscitation.

Historien om Palladium

This Danish language article by Jannie Dahl Astrup offers an overview of the history of the Danish film company, Palladium, which throughout nearly one hundred years produced a wide variety of films, ranging from the masterpieces of Carl Th. Dreyer to an extended series of 1970s soft porn films.

Beyond Fame and Fortune - Analysing three complex documentary portraits

How may celebrity theory illuminate the analysis of celebrity portrait documentaries? Helle Kannik Haastrup takes three Danish documentaries Svend (2011), Gambler (2006) og Tintin et moi (2003) as a case for her discussion in this article.

Digital release of forgotten films may revive important works, but in some instances respect for the original work does not follow. In his article, Stephen Larson traces the critical reception of Dreyer’s Michael and criticizes the U.S. DVD version of Dreyer’s Kammerspiel.

Enjoy your read!

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