Lichtspiel Opus 1.

This is an interesting experimental short feature by Walther Ruttman that, while simple in its effect, took some creative thinking and innovation to come up with. Very few things like this had been done at the time, and the basic concept took advantage of Ruttman's painting experience as well as his theories on art.

The basic concept is similar to one or two of the more abstract sequences from "Fantasia", with one difference being that the score for "Opus I" was produced specifically to accompany the images, rather than adapting the images to an already-known piece. The harmony between the music and the abstract shapes of light works well.

"Opus I" is one of Ruttman's abstract experiments that show his imagination and his willingness to experiment. Of course, this little feature can hardly be compared with his wonderful creation, "Berlin: Symphony of a Great City", of a few years later. In itself, though, "Opus I" is a pleasant if simple piece, one that probably gets the most out of the basic idea without trying to stretch it too far.