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This chapter explores the technologies employed in the film, Mintu the Murderer. Since the film had been a low-budget production, cameraman Mohamed Abdul Zainul used 2C cameras with noisy engines. No sound recordings were therefore made while the film was being shot; instead, dialogue, background sounds, and music were all produced and mixed in the studio of the Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC). In effect, actors did not need to make any sounds, but they were required to move their lips and exaggerate their movements—and these actions would eventually cause them to stray from the plot. Zainul had used various lenses, framing methods, and appropriate lighting to clearly and unambiguously capture their dramatic actions. Despite his expertise in cinematography, the lack of on-screen sound recording and the independence of acting from the plot in the film spurred a popularly bad reception.

This chapter discusses the definition of film heritage, and investigates the fundamental tasks of film archives. Film heritage could be defined simply as ‘all films made more than five to seven years ago’. A significant percentage of film heritage that still exists today is seriously affected by damages of decay, and is threatened by deterioration. A complete and sustainable preservation of film heritage is therefore a matter of high urgency. There are three fundamental tasks of film archives. Firstly, the safeguarding of the collection: to acquire, thus minimising the loss of value, and restore if necessary the films to their original form. Secondly, the presentation of the collection: offering as much as possible in the way of screenings, exhibitions, and publications. Thirdly, the development of the collection: adding value, giving it a connection to current times and contexts.

This chapter investigates the montage practice done to the film, Mintu the Murderer, consequently illustrating the ineffective policing of the Bangladesh Film Censor Board. The film had been initially cut and spliced by the editing team of Bangladesh Film Development Corporation (FDC). In the editing room of the FDC, editors cut out the marked portions of the reels, then splice these trimmed shots back together with sellotape. This montage practice emphasized action and dialogue through the oscillating visibility of cut-pieces. These pieces of pornographic sequences were cut out of the film during its run-through and submission to the Censor Board, but were still shown to the public later on. Censorship in the film industry is a question of time and space, rather than of metaphor, narrative resolution, or outright repression.