August 19, 2006
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Unearthed
Last night Shaun and I walked over to the Music Box to check out the Underground Film Festival. We were lured to the 6 pm group screening, In Loving Memory, because one of the shorts listed in that screening was entitled Skulls and Blueberries. (And who wouldn’t be dying to know what kind narrative ties skulls and blueberries together?)
I was mildly annoyed that like so many other festivals for underground stuff, this film festival seemed to be largely comprised of short films where unbearably loud, high-pitched noises underscore incoherent, out-of-focus snippets of video.
Sadly, Skulls and Blueberries was no exception to this norm. This film was 4 minutes of noise that sounded as if a blender, a vacuum cleaner, and a lawn mower were running simultaneously while a muggy breeze caused the relentless clanking of a rusty tin wind-chime. Seizure-inducing video of an orange skull and crossbones darted in and out of focus while reverse exposed shots of blueberries tumbling from a bucket was sporadically spliced in. As the noise increased exponentially towards the last 30 seconds of the nightmare, a track of a wild girl child’s scream was added to the score. Cut to black. And dry heave.
But like anything in life, you are bound to encounter more crappy films at underground festivals than memorably amazing films. Skulls and Blueberries was crap. But Robert Todd’s 47-minute In Loving Memory (also the namesake of the 6 pm group screening), was undeniably, memorably amazing.
A quietly powerful film that explores the physiological landscape of death row inmates, In Loving Memory utilizes lush camera work and elegant, subtle dialogue to tap into the unrelenting stagnation and hushed unfurling that only waiting for death can bring.
Perhaps sensing that the viewer would not be able to digest prisoner responses to such questions like, “what is your happiest memory?” and “what is the nicest thing you’ve ever done?,” the film opens with actors responding to these questions in what appears to be their own homes, enjoying small pleasures like French pressed coffee and warm hearths.
Tales of fishing trips, of Christmas mornings, of newborn sons flow naturally, effortlessly from the screen. In some of the most convincing film performances I’ve seen in a while, it is absolutely imperceptible that these memories are not actually those of the actors speaking them.
As the film progresses, it is gently suggested to the viewer that these responses are those of death row inmates. Able now to fully veiw the prisoners as human, the audience is privy to hear their stories directly from the prisoner’s mouths as they responded to further questioning via phone. The prisoners remain faceless while detailed, meticulously composed, classical shots of the natural landscapes outside their prison walls are carefully exhibited.
The film ends with grossly disproportional statistics of our nation’s death row population. Colorado: 2; California: 600+.
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What amazing thing have you unearthed lately?::Random Tangent::
Some of my favorite video artists:
Gillian Wearing
Cao Fei
Ann HameltonWhen we were visiting friends in LA in January, one of my favorite things that happened while we were there is watching and re-watching and watching again a bizarre short film at the HAMMER in which a young lady quietly smashed a tea set to bits. Intentionally or not: the 16-minute film was hilarious. We all loved it. We even narrated it. It was like Mystery Science Theater 3000, but better.
Comments (9)
i’ve got to see in loving memory. you gave a wonderful description. i’m anti-death penalty and i can see using this film as a tool. people do forget that death row inmates are people, too. there are a few really bad folks in the mix, i know, but i think there are plenty bad on the outside, too.
good post.
I think traveling around the state for a couple of days allows one to unearth a lot of hidden treasures. But I tend to view the experience as a whole, the improvisational tourism, as a gem in and of itself.Alas, we shouldn’t be surprised at so many short films where unbearably loud, high-pitched noises underscore incoherent, out-of-focus snippets of video … this is what ubiquitous MySpace video, YouTube and a focus on style over narrative will do to the field. Note that what was great about In Loving Memory, as you describe it, was a compelling narrative, a spellbinding story to tell.
Your description of In Loving Memory is moving, so I have to see that. I hope our indie theatre gets it. I did not see, but read Dead Man Walking and that was a real eye opener about who is on death row and why they are there and others are not. That book is not about one man but about all men. The statistics about death penalties as a deterant are revealing too. I am glad to hear that others are not giving up the focus. It is very difficult and unpopular to champion a cause of humanity for those who are viewed typically as inhumane, but that is when it is the most important.
To a lesser degree, the bad boys who get kicked out of school (usually unofficially so the school can still get money for them) are viewed as not worth educating. And attempting to find a way to do that often leads to resentment among peers. I had a student who hit a teacher, and when I encouraged her to come back to school and acted as an advoacte for her (not excusing her bad behavior in the slightest just to get her an education), I lost a friend. The colleague she had hit was my close friend and that’s all gone now. And others tend to shine the light of the behaviors upon anyone who tries to help the “bad.” But if they aren’t helped they will end up on or close to death row. And those lawyers and this filmaker have likely lost a few friends as well. The stake are higher there.
Will not be making an attempt to see the other so thatnks for that head-up as well!
I have not unearthed anything yet. Am planning to soon though!
My all-time favorite short is still “Bambi Meets Godzilla.” That’s hysterical!!
So that was the movie you were telling us about at dinner. All I can say is that I did my share of movie reviews for the Chicago International Film Festival, and there were many films that I could make no sense of at all. You are not alone. At least you didn’t have to write about it!I blogged about our meeting. Take a look.Lynn
ryc: Thanks! However, I am planning to move one day (hopefully after this year) so I won’t know too many kids. But it’ll be fun to build again. Your mother-in law sounds like a well loved teacher and person. I love it when I hear of females teaching math. I wish I heard more of males teaching English. There are some in each I know, but the stereotypes run too true for many. She was ahead of her time!
Moral of the story: for every 243 crappy post-modern short films that are made, there is one powerful, thoughtful, intelligent piece of work out there. The rest is just noise pollution.
Its all those uppity film majors that come out of art school thinking they’re amazing and different and just end up producing really annoying crap that is just like all the other really annoying crap.
Holla!!! October sounds good. Have you been to London before? Maybe you can show me the cool non-touristy spots. But I have been told that I must take a picture with the one of the guards at the palace. Lol.