programme includes
Spheres
A play on motion, against a background of multi-hued sky, by McLaren
and René Jodoin. Spheres of translucent pearl seem to float weightlessly
in the unlimited panorama of the sky, grouping, regrouping, at times
colliding like some stylized burst of an atomic chain reaction. This
airy dance is set to the musical cadences of Bach, played by pianist
Glenn Gould.
Mail Early for Christmas
In this pre-Christmas reminder to mail early, McLaren used an electric
vibra-drill to engrave the images on black film, and included the occasional
"subliminal" burst of lettering, which he hand-scratched on
a few frames.
Narcissus
McLaren's balletic interpretation of the Greek myth has dancers enact
the tragedy of the beautiful youth who condemns himself to a trapped
existence through excessive self-love. Visually stunning, the film is
a compendium of McLaren techniques developed over a lifetime of experimentation.
Film, dance and music are skillfully merged to celebrate the ancient
myth and its timeless significance.
Canon
In its simplest form the canon is a musical "round," in which
each singer picks up the words and tune a beat or so after the preceding
singer. In this film McLaren and Grant Munro demonstrate, by animation
and live action, how a canon works.
Dots
An experimental film in which both sound and visuals were created entirely
by McLaren drawing directly upon the film with ordinary pen and ink.
Hell Unlimited
McLaren uses puppets, diagrams, animation and live-action to present
an anti-war message for use by peace organizations.
Keep Your Mouth Shut
As part of a wartime anti-gossip campaign, McLaren animates a human
skull to relay an ironic message.
V for Victory
McLaren draws symbols, a stick man, and lettering directly on clear
35 mm film stock to synchronize with a brass band rendition of Sousa's
march “The Thunderer”.
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