Bill Morrison: Selected Films 1996-2014

[bigshot]

I can't believe this set hasn't been mentioned yet. Bill Morrison is a film maker that specializes in film... specifically film artifacts. You might know him from the documentary, "Dawson City: Frozen Time", but he's done much more than that.

This is the polar opposite of Peter Jackson, instead of removing film grain and damage digitally, Morrison creates art out of it. The highlight of this set is a film called "Decasia" which is loops and snippets of decomposing nitrate silent film clips. The break down of the film distorts and obscures the image, pulling back occasionally to reveal what was on the film originally. It's hypnotic and beautiful. Other films on the set focus on WWI footage, home movies and other interesting subjects, all of them projecting an ephemeral feeling of fading memories. I've never seen anything like it.

Projected on a big screen is a staggering experience. Images flash in and out, obscured by abstract blobs and filigreed cracks, and putty like distortion. Impossible to describe.

I recommend this one.