Monday, August 25, 2008

Scratch Film Junkies

To me it is often difficult to write about experimental/avant garde films, especially when only given one viewing. Scratch Film Junkies was no exception. For me, when I watch films like this one there comes a point when I stop trying to process all of the techniques and tools that were used by the filmmakers; I stop thinking "how did they do that?", and I start merely enjoying the ride and just watching the film. So bearing that in mind, my first reaction to the short was the fantastic mix of colors. As usual the purples, blues, reds, and yellows flashing in rapid succession created a visual spectacle. This reminded me of a special I watched on the humble beginnings of experimental rock music in the 60s and 70s. Scratch Film Junkies seems to me like some strange experimental film that Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel, or the Velvet Underground would have screened before or during one of their shows.
All of the nicks and scratches dancing and flashing around the screen were almost rhythmic as they sort of mimiced the percussion soundtrack. This "dancing" of the images, coupled with the vibrant colors I spoke of earlier create a somewhat "psychedelic" effect. However, I use this adjective loosely. I am pretty hesitant to even use the term because I feel that for some people that word has a negative connotation. For most, the word conjures up images of hippies and free-thinkers sitting around in a smoke circle or tripping on acid. And while that may not be far from the truth for certain situations (i.e. Velvet, Pink Floyd, etc.) I seriously doubt that drugs were the primary motivation for this short film. However, this pseudo-psychedelic effect remains the same.
Another aspect of the film that I found particularly interesting was the blending of live footage with experimental footage. I wonder what the motivation was for picking one clip over another. When it comes to experimental films though, I think some questions are best left unanswered and left to the interpretive mind of the viewer.