http://www.zappinternet.com/video/WaDtPiyPep/Fernand-Leger-Ballet-mecanique-1924Notes: French, black and white scratched film, use of stop motion animation,abstract forms, close ups, montages, experiments with motion, alternate perspective upside down footage, chaotic music mirrors chaotic image, becomes more abstract, cutting splicing messing around with film, recurrent motif of the eye and lips - controlled emotions - fake - a comment on society, movement, repetition, movement slows down to less abstraction of image, which is then cut and repeated quickening each time. Shapes, an element of industrialisation the chaos this has caused, same actions repeated, commercialisation, products repeated, itemistic. Role of women in society, seduction, fun is juxtaposed with manual labour, lots of cooking equipment
My interpretation of this peculiar film is that it is an attack on the mind, through both audio and visual image, which is highly physically manipulated. It seems to deal in propaganda and the current social situation of the time. Exploring gender and the role of women in society and the effects of industrialisation, guessing the title is Mechanical Ballet foretells juxtaposing images. We are given juxtaposing images of classical love scenes; a swing, a flowery bush etc, with close ups of a temptress, showing a fake love with controlled smiles and legs that have become objects, we are also presented with an industrial scale housewife carrying sacks of flour, and showing a multitude of cooking equipment within factories. Whilst my French isn't good enough to depict the text at the beginning there is clear reference to Eisenstein, who broke the rule that image should represent reality, showing that it can be a construct, utilising multiple frantic cutting, established in the early years of cinema. There is a clear element of this visible throughout the film which at points aims for pure abstraction, the direct opposite of realism. At least this is my interpretation of the film, with experimental film there is no real wrong or right, the film maker themselves may not truly know the meaning of the film, leaving it to the viewer’s own perception. Do I like it though? There is an element of like but it is quite an assault on the mind and senses which doesn’t exactly lead to a pleasurable viewing experience, which may have been the film maker’s intention. Nonetheless, parts of its form are enjoyable and if my interpretation is correct, there is many layers of deep meaning within the film which is its true success in my view. It is therefore not true complete abstraction as there is message and meaning behind the image, which is what creates interest.
DUvet brothers - Blue Monday 1984
This film explores the doom and gloom of the social economic situation of the time in Britain through montage of archive footage to an upbeat track by new order. I find interest in the fact that it still has relevance today, having a Tory government back in power, causing massive cut backs, privatisation, mass strikes and rioting. Rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer mainly due to vat. There is also reference to war and destruction, involving nuclear warheads and missiles. This style appears to draw influence from early soviet montage e.g. 'battleship Potemkin' (Eisenstein 1925) utilising shocking images so as to portray strong political messages, as well as photomontage, arranging images to form new meaning evoking satirical political protest. It's relevance in today's society makes you question what progress has actually been made and that the Tory government hasn't changed very much despite its claims of a fairer society. I think this is a very successful peace as it portrays such strong messages, I see no negatives as the creators have achieved what they set out to do, yes it maybe one sided but that is the point of this kind of montage, it's aim is to provoke the audience in saying are you going to put up with this.
Intervals 1969 Peter Greenaway
There is a definite element of repetition in this film, observing people walking across the path of the camera in opposite conflicting directions, the film repeats itself three times, as does the sound track, though there are developments in each repetition for example a few extra characters. The blackout cutting style marries with the title creating intervals between development. Having boats sailing past without showing the water once creates interesting results. The main focus is on the back streets emphasising the peeling posters and crumbling buildings. There are elements that I like for example the conflicting paths and development of e everyday mundane situations, and the way it draws focus onto the often ignored depravity of back streets. However, it is not that interesting to the ordinary viewer, the structure is not obvious despite its deliberate construction, and the framing of shots isn't as cinematographically brilliant when compared to other films, unless the flatness and awkwardness of the buildings is meant tone representative. The change in music and use is interesting developing the images meaning.
Nostalgia 1971 Hollis Frampton
There is focus on the process of production in terms of setting up the movie camera, having the hum of the spools in the background, and the process of photography, which is reminiscent of man with a movie camera 1929. The aesthetics of burning a photograph are visually appealing. There is obvious deep meaning in the process of this however revealing the personal side of the creator, burning the images which capture a moment in time suggests a distaste of his life or life's work. There is descriptive voiceover documenting the history of the photographs creating a sense of time. However, in my view as he is repeating the same action for 38 minutes the voiceover needs to be interesting to keep the viewer intrigued, instead it is hard to focus on the flat monotone depressive voice throughout losing interest despite the development of story and the revealing of the artists self.
Star Guitar - The Chemical Brothers 2002 Michel Gondry
This seems to be a more contemporary take on experimental film genre, utilising digital effects to create repetition within what appears to be a continuous take, allowing the creator ultimate control; enabling him to choose what image appears in time with the beat or rhythm. Is this too heavily constructed however and is there to much reliance on the lyricism of the music rather than portraying meaning through image. However, I do dislike sound often watching things without sounds or playing games without sounds, so maybe slightly biased in wanting the image to be something more when in reality this is a music video complimentary to the sound. Moreover, it's form is experimental and successful in creating visuals for rhythm and beat, and as it is experimental there doesn't necessarily need to be meaning. Therefore is is successful and I like the fact that it's aiming to visualise the sound on screen.
Telling lies 2000 Simon Ellis
In this short we are given a visualisation of phone conversations that one man has through animated captions, in terms of size, shape and colour. There is comedic value to the piece with regards to the situations the maker has created. It's a fun and interesting style but lacks depth and doesn't give too much of an experience, the words do however transform the audio directing the viewers gaze.
Flight 2005 Dryden Goodwin
This is my kind of film, themes of escapism, long takes, different locations, animated overplayed scribbles, abstract uses of light, stills, it just has everything you could want. It flows nicely, there's a reals sense of interconnected time and space and despite the complete lack f character it works really well in its own right, telling a story that develops through time and space. This film will probably have huge influence over our experimental film project.
An optical poem 1938 Oskar Fishchinger
This has similarities to Star Guitar in the way that it is trying to visualise sound through image form. It's interesting how the older films have more of a physical construction rather than a reliance on digital production. Physically cut circles out on glass possibly, music designed by same guy who composed for fantasia. Modern day it would be fairly simple animation for sfx specialists. Again it loses interest due to the lack of meaning and depth to the piece the image is more complimentary to the sound, creating a visualisation of this.
Hauschka 2008 Jeff Dessom
The filmmaker creates an aged alternate view of the urban world, creating abstract spaces and shapes. At first I had distaste for the digital fakery of the film grain, dust marks, scratched black frame etc but in looking at the films subject matter this obvious digital effect may form part of the expression. The falling piano and classical music playing suggests that we as a society are doing away with the old, and the filmmaker is sensitively saying how great the old is and that we shouldn't let go. He could have done a slow motion piano exploding into billions of pieces as it hit the pavement which would have been visually appealing, but doesn't because he is saying this can and should be saved despite its near destruction. His use of the digital film camera is therefore a statement. This is very different compared to the other selection of films and I love it's deep layers of meaning a style that would cause distaste is instead beautifully brilliant and poetic in form.
Om 1986 John Smith
Om is a very satirical comedic experimental film that challenges human perception of character. The everlasting omm is cleverly transformed into the sound of the razor and back again. The revelation of the monk transforming into a horribly British slap head working class racist stereotype is a brilliant unexpected ending, however I think it could have had a more of a punch but still very clever and a great modern day example of experimental film.
Evaluation
In most of these examples of experimental film the main theme that comes across is that film is a construct which can be manipulated in a diverse variety of ways. There seems to be a dependence on strange cutting structures, with reference to Eisenstein's ideals, this is often though not always complimented with absurd imagery, that challenges a persons perception of the world creating a surreal experience. There is heavy use of repetition which can lead to diminished interest of the viewer. The main aim seems to be to confuse the viewer disrupting the continuous rhythm of real life, creating an experience for the viewer. Sound appears to be another important element in the way that it interacts with the image developing sometimes obscure narratives bringing out meaning from the abstraction.
