WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
The coalescence of concept and interpretation with the intent to present tangible truth. Discovering the means to merge these notions together is no simple task, as choosing to deliver a statement about the condition of specific things and how we perceive them will be as varied as the subject or subjects being explored, endless potential exposés offering equally endless perspectives. Yet, in even viewing one angle on a given topic, it can become a profoundly impactful experience that elicits a level of contemplation which can, in turn, fundamentally alter the way we see said subject. For example–our vehicles. Utilized every day as means to get from point A to point B without even thinking about all the facets of our behavior or mindsets that are influenced by them, here is a cinematic journey to illustrate a wholly refreshing and definitively creative stance on that which we travel in amidst this life we travel through.
Next, my Mind:
It remains an indisputable fact that the sub-genre within independent film realms, labeled as Experimental cinema, is its own highly unique, unequivocally obscure, but veritably, intelligently inventive animal. Taking an often non-linear, non-narrative, visually and/or musically-infused, but no less expressive approach, there’s a total (and I firmly believe deeply purposeful) defiance of mainstream method0logy in order to free up the filmmakers to just BE and present the ideas and substance they desire, unimpeded by standard convention. I say all this to make one initial point–this is wholeheartedly the case via a 21-minute short film project from jack-of-all-trades writer/director/producer/cinematographer/editor/composer Tommy Becker, whose other recent experimental effort, “Song For The Fate of Animals” I reviewed as part of my 2020 Berlin Revolution Film Festival coverage.
Employing and integrating an ever-fluctuating ebb and flow of video, music, poetry, performance art, and CGI separated into eight vignettes, the film takes us on an immersive, eclectic, avant garde road trip through the very nature of man’s relationship with vehicles and the ways the two worlds interact with each other. The range of thematic exploration here is quite engaging, from the simple viewpoint of driving around one’s neighborhood (albeit with the rather interesting additive that is a cherry blossom branch tied to the car’s hood) to an experiment in (what this critic felt anyway) the notion of our penchant to stop and rubberneck at things that are odd rather than just passing by, using the book “Christine” paired with a classic piece of peculiar art and a song to symbolize our fear of change, and learning the basic history of the automobile as characterized by a “car’s” view of being in its “home”.
But, it doesn’t end there. How about realizing via images and one bizarre tune that the wonderful “cage” (aka: a vehicle’s interior) we do adore as private space is really quite exposed to the world, revealing things that say something about us and a lack or impeccable attention to caring about our habits, tendencies, lifestyle, etc? Yet another scene would remind us of how overstimulated we are by the world’s chaos that floods our minds and offers the idea that our vehicle would become a truly escape-worthy, meditative space–or would it? There’s the tedium that can be long trips via vehicle, where passing the time is a challenge–unless you can get creative–and a little non-sensical. But, as a finale, we’re treated to one of the more comfy, soothing aspects of vehicle ownership via the artwork of Wayne Thiebaud-depicting those nice, long, uncomplicated driving adventures on empty streets. FINALLY–some real, attainable peace!
All of this assorted, seemingly indiscriminate, yet fully connected material carries forth with targeted ambition to be the eye-opening, head-scratching, mind-twisting piece of artwork the film is, and does so to an extent where you really have to sit back, grasp its initially elusive postulations, ponder them, and then allow the actuality and factuality of everything portrayed to sink in with a newfound comprehension and awareness–it DOES make sense! As mentioned above, it’s an authentic, grounded, real-world adventure that honestly causes the viewer to HAVE to bear with (but not in a bad way) the quirkiness of it all in order to appreciate the reality conveyed and admit how applicable it is to the man/vehicle correlation. The clever treatment of this foundational premise through the myriad of artistic outlets the film presents is a total ode to the indie filmmakers and their consistent abilities to devise and generate such blatantly original efforts like this.
So, in total, “Emotions In Metal” wonderfully paints the portrait of experimental cinema to a “T”, offering a scrutiny of one facet of the human condition, and ushering us into its singular, nonconformist, strangely whimsical, outlandish, extraordinary arena with a full-on challenge to leave behind all your own theories and presumptions about what the art of filmmaking is and embrace a new paradigm that is out there within the indie community that’s very much worth taking notice of and supporting.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
