Decasia
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Sun 29 February 2004 // 20:00
Mon 1 March 2004 // 20:00
DECASIA + FILM OF HER
(Bill Morrison / 2003 / 67mins / cert U)
(Sun 29th Feb / Mon 1st March / 8pm / £4/3)
Digitally manipulated images are everywhere, so we are excited to be showing Decasia, a film celebrating early cellulose nitrate based film which is highly flammable and prone to rot, creating some random, abstract and mysterious visual effects. Morisson is fascinated by the rot and the film has been described as "the fantasia of decay", a kind of chemical post production. The archival footage, all shot pre 1950 (nitrate film was abandonded in the 1950's) includes drama, newsreel, wildlife documentary, screen tests and other images that have decayed in intriguing ways. This turns the partly destroyed footage into fluid pulsing landcapes and shapes. The film is edited to a modern symphonic score by Michael Gordon (and was commisioned for a multimedia performance of Gordons symphony of the same name), which counterpoints the footage with its own decayed tones and rythmic pulses.
The films was shown at the Tate Modern as part of the Rare Finds films season and was a favourite at the Sundance film festival, even described as
"compelling and disturbing" by filmmaker Kenneth Anger.
Preceded by the short "Film of Her" (1996).
(Bill Morrison / 2003 / 67mins / cert U)
(Sun 29th Feb / Mon 1st March / 8pm / £4/3)
Digitally manipulated images are everywhere, so we are excited to be showing Decasia, a film celebrating early cellulose nitrate based film which is highly flammable and prone to rot, creating some random, abstract and mysterious visual effects. Morisson is fascinated by the rot and the film has been described as "the fantasia of decay", a kind of chemical post production. The archival footage, all shot pre 1950 (nitrate film was abandonded in the 1950's) includes drama, newsreel, wildlife documentary, screen tests and other images that have decayed in intriguing ways. This turns the partly destroyed footage into fluid pulsing landcapes and shapes. The film is edited to a modern symphonic score by Michael Gordon (and was commisioned for a multimedia performance of Gordons symphony of the same name), which counterpoints the footage with its own decayed tones and rythmic pulses.
The films was shown at the Tate Modern as part of the Rare Finds films season and was a favourite at the Sundance film festival, even described as
"compelling and disturbing" by filmmaker Kenneth Anger.
Preceded by the short "Film of Her" (1996).