Experimental Class Review: Week 3

Lee focuses on French Impressionism for this week. Looking through the power point presentation, Lee has listed a series of techniques that experimental French film makers would have used during that time. These included:

• Soft Focus

• Dissolves

• Close-Ups

• Slow Motion

• Image Distortion

These combination of techniques combined together, give me the feeling that the films that I will watch today are comparable to dream sequences. That being said lets hop into the first video.

La Chute de la maison Usher (1928)

At first glance, honestly this feels and looks like an early Dracula movie. The black and white aesthetic mixed with the gothic set/location really make this feel older than what it seems. The movie itself does a great job at explaining what is going on through the body language of the actors on screen. The mix of close ups and medium-shots during certain scenes allow you to see a characters fascination, their despair and their intentions.

I don't speak French, but the whole time I got the feeling as the film went on, Roderick Usher (I will refer to him as Dracula) seems to have an obsession with his sister. The way he stares at her when he is painting is unsettling, it is almost like a burning desire, especially when his face is shown using close ups you can see determination in his eyes as he stares down the camera.

As the movie progresses, Lady Madeline dies and the whole movies tone shifts from dream sequence to a horror arrangement. The music becomes more unsettling, Roderick seems to become more unhinged and the dramatic revival of his sister at the end really ties this whole movie together.

I enjoyed this film, the aesthetic of the film is really pleasing and for its time it is extremely impressive. There are so many visual elements within this movie and they all just work so well together. Between the SFX, the music, the characters facial expressions and distinct visuals it really is a pleasure to watch.

La Coquille et le Clergyman (1928)

I found this movie somewhat similar to the previous one, whilst there are not as many horror elements in this movie. The psychological degradation of the Clergyman is comparable to a drug induced experience, almost like a psychedelic trip. The variety of shots, dissolves and music create an experience of, the more the audience watches the more we descend into the madness that the Clergyman is feeling about the Generals Wife.

The Clergyman's struggle to fight his lust and erotic desires, almost transform him as the film progresses allowing us to see how deep his temptations run. There are several different scenes showing this, when he fantasises about the woman he wants, you can see him rip off her bra, see a ball room of dancers and even him chasing the woman around a lake trying to reach her.

His struggle and torment due to this lustful desires are probably very common, although not to this extent, for probably most religious people that take a vow of abstinence they probably have desires just like anyone else. We are human at the end of the day and humans like to share, tell stories and feel. However, the suppression of lust , must be hard on the individual taking the vows as it is driving the Clergyman insane.

I really liked this movie, the user of dissolves, cuts, edits and action really make this a psychedelic experience. In someway it reminds me of an earlier version of Requiem for a dream, just some of the sequences give me that feeling of this could have been inspiration for it.

Walter Ruttmann: Lichtspiel Opus I (1921) & Rhythmus 21 (1921)

The reason I have put these two films together on this review is due to how similar the nature of these two pieces are presented.

Lichtspiel Opus I, makes a use of free flow of different shapes and colours. To me this was more visually appealing as it felt like a collage of shapes preforming, by transforming themselves with each rise and fall of the music. This feels like a "moving painting" to me, and what I mean by that is, the piece might not be telling a story of sorts, but its visual engagement with the music is stimulating and enjoyable tow watch.

Rhythmus 21, even though this came out roughly the same year as Lichtspiel Opus I, I feel that it is a somewhat weaker version of animation. The squares and rectangles moving are interesting though, it is almost like Richter is trying to show us that a canvas can be alive, be any shape and take any size. I feel the thing that just makes this inferior to the Lichtspiel Opus I is the lack of any score, the movement could be accompanied with some musical factor and I think it really would have enhanced Richter's film.

Wrapping Up

I feel that this was an interesting blend of films to show. My favourites without a doubt are La Coquille et le Clergyman (1928) and La Chute de la maison Usher (1928). The horror and psychedelic elements are two things I really love, and these early renditions on the genres really have inspired me for my own idea for submission.

I think a VR world that slowly shifts from paradise to horror is the idea I strongly believe that will play to my strengths.

In the mean time, I plan to do all the class reviews first and then focus on my research as some of the films chosen have been very inspirational for my final piece.

Until the next post!