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| USA 1969 - 1995 |
The rough-hewn Several Friends, Burnett's first film, is a must for Killer of Sheep fans, as the seeds of that film are easily found here. An episodic jaunt through working class life in South Central LA, the film paints a neorealist picture of these friends' frustrations, foibles, and resilience. Nearly as affecting as Killer, Friends forecasts the genius to come in its economical structure, freedom of form, and authenticity of setting. The Horse is a strange wonder, an idiosyncratic little tale about a group of men and a young boy awaiting the arrival of the boy's father to put down a horse. The film demonstrates Burnett's remarkable ability to create an uneasy, ambiguous mood through careful attention to visual details, sounds, and ostensibly trivial gestures. The Horse won First Prize at Oberhausen's short film festival. Jonathan Rosenbaum chose the punchy When It Rains as one of the Ten Best Films of All Time in a 2002 Sight & Sound poll and called it “a near miracle.” Set in Watts during the Sixties, the film follows its protagonist's attempts to stave off eviction for a mother and her kids by appealing to the good will of disparate members of the community. A beautifully spun, hopeful parable about humanity trumping the system. |
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