Theremin - An Electronic Odyssey

Starring:Leon Theremin, Clara Rockmore, Robert Moog, Nicolas Slonimsky, Paul Shure, Henry Solomonoff, Suki Bader, Beryl Campbell, Lydia Kavina, Brian Wilson, Todd Rundgren, Ingrid Bergman, Ray Milland, Jefferson Dudley Searles, Bobby Burgess, V.I. Lenin, Michael Rennie, Patricia Neal, Joe Sawyer, Dr. Samuel Hoffman
Director: Steven M. Martin
Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Leon Theremin was the secret link between sci-fi films, the Beach Boys, and Carnegie Hall. His self-named electronic musical instrument--the first of its kind--took the world by storm in the 1920s and '30s. Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey, winner of Sundance's Filmmakers Trophy, explores the inventor's strange life and times, including his mysterious 50-year disappearance beginning in the 1940s. Interviews with theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore, synthesizer pioneer Robert Moog, and Theremin's contemporaries, as well as clips from movies such as The Day the Earth Stood Still, featuring the unworldly sounds of his creation, show an eccentric genius working toward success until his sudden vanishing in the Soviet Union. Footage of Theremin at 94 years old, finally rediscovered and rewarded for his achievements, brings a celebratory ending to what could be a grim or at least uncertain story, but instead is a fascinating documentary. --Rob Lightner

Description

The stranger-than-fiction true story of the father of electronic music is captivatingly told in this highly acclaimed and endlessly surprising documentary (Leonard Maltin) that garnered the prestigious Filmmakers Trophy at the 1994 Sundance Film Festival. Set against the backdrop of the instrument's ethereal sound, Theremin: An Electronic Odyssey is nothing short of sensational! In the 1920s and 30s, Russian émigré Leonard Thereminthe inventor of the world's first electronic musical instrumenthad it all. His self-named theremins were in high demand from filmmakers and musicians around the globe; he was married to a beautiful American dancer; he lived among New York's socialelite. And then, in 1938, he mysteriously vanished, not to be seen again for over 50 years!

Customer Reviews:

Great DVD.......2007-06-27

Fantastic documentary, the only thing preventing me giving it 5 stars is the fact that it doesn't have English subtitles and it is sometimes difficult to understand what Theremin is saying with his thick Russian accent.

It's a documentary - give us the information!.......2007-05-14

OK, so I would have known this if I'd read the other reviews on this page - but I'll add my opinion anyway, just in case it helps someone else.
I bought this DVD to replace a domestic VHS copy of 'Theremin' I made from Channel 4 (UK) television some time in the 1990s. It was an excellent documentary (I thought) and wanted a permanent copy for my library. The thing is, the UK television version was excellently subtitled and captioned - as many people have observed, Prof. Theremin's English is pretty much incomprehensible, and there's at least once scene where he and Clara Rockmore converse in Russian (presumably) for several minutes.
I was surprised and disappointed to find that this DVD does not have the subtitles for these sections, or the captions to indicate who the (often obscure) people being interviewed actually are. In fact, there are no English subtitles of any kind to help you.
Why not? Was this the director's intention? If so, can I just say that I'm very irritated by documentary directors who - in their rush to pretend they're making a 'film' - feel it's uncool to give us hard facts, because it cramps their visual style etc. Come on! It's a documentary - it's meant to inform us. Give us the information we need to benefit fully from it!!
Needless to say, if this DVD doesn't represent the director's intention, and should have the captions/subtitling, then this is also a serious oversight.
Either way, an excellent and informative documentary has been turned into a confusing indulgence - and I'll still need to keep that VHS copy so I know what's going on. Absolutely maddening.

Jewel of Quirkiness.......2007-05-13

My interest in the theremin began when I wondered what instrument was used in those sounds for the movie, "The Day The Earth Stood Still". Off the beaten path it took me as I found Russian connections, Tesla references, and finally, with this DVD, witnessing the actual playing of this bizarre instrument. It's just fascinating.
If you are someone who loves to find true stories that are much, much stranger than fiction, get this DVD. Do it now.
And let me know if you have a good used theremin for sale.

An excellent musical documentary to own........2007-03-28

This is an amazing story in its own right, and a documentary worth preserving in your own collection. People interested in music history, both classical and popular, will cherish the live footage of Nicolas Slonimsky, Mr. Moog, and of course of Theremin himself, among other people. You will want to show this movie to your friends, and you are likely to want to see it again to refresh your memory of quite an era.

Nice history, unwarranted PG rating (thanks to Brian W.).......2007-01-28

I watched this DVD documentary with my daughter prior to building a Theremin kit. 99% of it was great - but I was very disappointed that a PG-rated DVD would leave in the F-word and other obscenities from Mr. Brian Wilson. If you are watching this around children, be careful with this section.

DVD:

DVD

DVD

DVD

Cinema Paradiso

Diego Maradona - His Life

Goldfinger (REGION 1) (NTSC)

DVD: Sex, Lies and Politics (Unrated Edition)

Der Smaragdwald