Bill Morrison: Selected Films 1996-2014 - Blu-ray Forum

bigshot · 07-20-2022, 09:34 PM

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.

Withnail74 · 07-20-2022, 10:52 PM

Dawson City is a fabulous doc. I watched it three times in the first week I obtained it.

Bought the BFI set soon afterwards but have yet to dive into its riches. What are the highlights to savour first in it?

bigshot · 07-21-2022, 07:57 AM

Decasia is rightly his most famous film. It's amazing how decomposition can be used to create context.

thuata · 07-21-2022, 12:28 PM

This set is one of my favourite home video releases ever, from the content of the discs to the overall presentation, one of the highlight of the BFI catalogue yet so underrated.
Jürgen Reble works with similar material (although here the emphasis is on extreme film alteration, like with Cécile Fontaine), I wish some of his projects were available on blu-ray too.

07-20-2022, 09:34 PM	#1
bigshot Blu-ray Knight Member since:Aug 2010 Home Theater Gallery:12 Blu-ray collection:82 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:3	Bill Morrison: Selected Films 1996-2014 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. Last edited by BigNickUK; 07-23-2022 at 04:12 PM.

07-20-2022, 10:52 PM	#2
Withnail74 Active Member Member since:Aug 2018	Dawson City is a fabulous doc. I watched it three times in the first week I obtained it. Bought the BFI set soon afterwards but have yet to dive into its riches. What are the highlights to savour first in it?

07-21-2022, 07:57 AM	#3
bigshot Blu-ray Knight Member since:Aug 2010 Home Theater Gallery:12 Blu-ray collection:82 Blu-ray reviews: 3 Trading Score:3	Decasia is rightly his most famous film. It's amazing how decomposition can be used to create context.

07-21-2022, 12:28 PM	#4
thuata Expert Member Top contributor Member since:Aug 2018 Location:Everywhere at the end of time 4K collection:- Blu-ray collection:- DVD collection:-	This set is one of my favourite home video releases ever, from the content of the discs to the overall presentation, one of the highlight of the BFI catalogue yet so underrated. Jürgen Reble works with similar material (although here the emphasis is on extreme film alteration, like with Cécile Fontaine), I wish some of his projects were available on blu-ray too.

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