The Cinema Effect exhibit at the Hirshhorn

The Cinema Effect's examination of film, pop culture, the media and the public resulted in an interesting array of films. On Saturday, August 30, I observed many of the films- taking detailed notes on the first six and the last, and enjoying many of the ones in between. Of those films, here are four favorites and three I was let down by.

Favorites

1st Light by Paul Chan

This was by far my favorite. The computer animation could have been shown on a screen but was instead projected onto the floor, which made watching it just as topsy-turvy as the scene it showed. It seems that gravity has plotted against society as humans fall from the sky and scooters, appliances, and other objects float upwards. The concept was thought provoking and creatively executed, especially with the added contrast of concrete floor versus film screen.

New York, New York, New York, New York by Mungo Thomson

What a great concept. Standing in the room completely transported you to New York- at first. From the neutral color palette of greys and browns to the tenements, sidewalks, dumpsters, and bodegas all presented in sudden, choppy cuts, everything seemed realistic, but where were all of the people? How was Thomson able to shut out the people of New York to film these scenes? Thomson slowly reveals his secret- that he is shooting film sets, by including a palm tree in the background, and exposing the apartment building as simply a facade. More of an experience than a film, Thomson's remark on New York film sets- that there's more to them the the initial glance, was successful and interesting.

Mother & Father by Candice Breitz.

The most stirring thing about this piece for me was the synergy of design, concept, and execution that resulted in the expression of a mother's feeling of isolation in her role as a mother, wife, sister, daughter, etc. The design element that contributed to this was the removal of the character from their background- all twelve were shown on a simple black background instead. The repetition of the cries of the mothers, and their originally unintended interaction with each other only fueled the feeling of isolation and pity by the viewer. Another interesting note is that occasionally several screens were reflected on the leftmost screen, most likely unintended but interesting as it only amplified the interaction of the characters.

John by Ian Charlesworth

The monotony of the screen said it all; despite playing himself, John blended into the background. He required constant encouragement and reassurance by those offscreen, but still couldn't seem to get into his character- himself. The simplicity of everything else about the film highlighted his insecurity- something not uncommon for anyone his age, and also made it seem like it could have been anyone.

Let Downs

Lonely Planet by Julian Rosefeldt

I adored the concept of this film, however; it was perhaps my biggest let-down in that it could have been so much more had the execution been different. The constant contrast of warm vs. cool colors, brown hair vs. red bandana, cacophony vs. harmony was strong, but could have been really built upon by a more narrative feel to the film. Concept might lend itself better to a longer film.

Living a Beautiful Life by Corinna Schnitt

This could have been a powerful idea, had it been presented in a different manner. The subject matter didn't really lend itself to parody, which is what the actor's cheesy portrayals of the teen's tragic responses were. The repetition of the words "sexy," "hot," and "money," as well as the ideas of safety and security reveal the conflictual ideas of beauty within life, no doubt influenced by pop culture.

Marlene Redux: A True Hollywood Story! by Francesco Vezzoli

I had conflicting feelings on this film- it was over-the-top for my tastes, but then again, why shouldn't a True Hollywood Story spoof be over-the-top? The techniques utilized- showing re-enactments of the past in black and white, still photos with over-dramatic voiceovers, were so typical that this could probably be aired on E! (instead of A!), if it were true and had the narrative been a bit more cohesive.

Overall, I enjoyed my afternoon spent at the Hirshhorn. The exhibit's examination of reality vs. illusion within the media was funny and thought-provoking, though I appreciated some films much more than others.