Memories of the Shtetl

This 1989 copyrighted film (which was actually made sometime in the '60s) looks at Jewish life in Eastern European towns ("shtetls") in the last century as seen through the watercolor paintings of Samuel Rothbort. The watercolors show the cycle of life, seasons, labor and religious obligations. Excellent notes on Jewish life and history are included on the fold-over cover to the video box. However, these informative notes aren't enough to make up for the poor production values. The audio is extremely tinny and occasionally the orchestral background music overwhelms the narration. By their nature, the watercolors are impressionistic, and hence the viewer frequently squints at the screen, trying to make out what is being shown. We aren't told anything about Rothbort's life or his training or why he chose to paint the bygone days back in Europe. While libraries specializing in Judaica may be tempted to consider this title, it should be optional even for specialized collections. Aud: P. (R. Reagan)