rawlinson
Posts: 40229
Joined: 13/6/2008
From: Timbuktu. Chinese or Fictional.
|
158. Dimensions of Dialogue
1982
Director: Jan Svankmajer
So, the second Svankmajer film I managed to see is maybe his most reputable. Winning 3 major awards on its initial release, including the Golden Bear for best short film at the Berlin Film Festival, and placing in Terry Gilliam's top 10 animated films of all time, "Dimensions of Dialogue" is a surreal, disturbing yet essential film that comes in three parts. It attempts to disect three different types of discussion - Passionate Discourse, Exhaustive Discussion, and Factual Conversation - with the use of surrealism, symbolism, and clay figures that are more than just a little bit creepy.
The first part, "Exhaustive Discussion", shows three heads made up of different matter (sometimes kitchen utensils, sometimes tools, sometimes food) constantly fighting each other. Eventually, they are turned - gradually, bit by bit - into bland copies of each other, made up of a powdered substance like sand and stone. Here, Svankmajer's sword is turned against the debaters, whose soul purpose is the attack each other before eventually converging on one, dull opinion. Svankmajer is asking why opinions have to be the same, and why we all strive to inflict our opinions on each other in such a way.
Next is "Passionate Discourse". Two clay figures sit around a table, staring deeply into each others eyes. Eventually, they make love, converging into one figure as the clay envelopes both of them. This moment of beauty, however, is torn apart when they begin to squabble pettily afterwards, reduced themselves into a mushy mass that resembles neither of the figures, or the mass that was made by love. This middle section of the film could be said to be an attack on love, or rather how we always seem to mess love up. The two figures, bound by a beauty unrivaled in most motion pictures despite the fact that they are made of - erm - clay, aren't happy until they have destroyed what was once beautiful. And it's not even like it's a worthwhile argument; they squabble more than argue and throw things at each other like children would.
Finally, we are introduced to "Factual Conversation", in which two clay heads stare at each other across a table. They are both old, dogged, and strangely intelligent-looking. Eventually, after a long and intent stare, they begin to produce things from their mouths. At first, they are things that seemingly fit well together, like a toothbrush and toothpaste or a shoe and shoelace. It seems like a comment on how factual discussion relies on two people and their tendancy to agree with each other, before we again descend into madness. The once inter-locking articles are now used against each other, until - at last - identical objects meet and cause a standstill. What was once a well thought out, working discussion has turned into madness, with the parties using increasingly nonsensical arguments against each other before they hit a brick wall. Although they are saying the same thing, they can't seem to agree on anything. It's a reflection on the human tendency to be aggressive or stubborn, and it's a very clever one.
In all, Dimensions of Dialogue is worthy of its reputation. Not only is it fun to watch, it's also a worthwhile film with big ideas and good execution of them. Although I certainly enjoyed Jabberwocky more - partly because it's more playful and fun and partly because I think interpretation of it will vary more wildly - DoD is certainly a great second step along my Svankmajer road, and I look forward to getting to know more of his films and guessing wildly at what they are about. 8/10
- Piles
< Message edited by rawlinson -- 20/2/2013 4:25:34 PM >
_____________________________
quote:
ORIGINAL: matty_b
I would plough my way through MonsterCat 
quote:
ORIGINAL: matty_b
I desire MonsterCat to go down on me.
|
Printable Version
RE: The Empire Animation Countdown - 
New Messages
No New Messages
Hot Topic w/ New Messages
Hot Topic w/o New Messages
Locked w/ New Messages
Locked w/o New Messages
Post New Thread