Wednesday, June 27, 2007

Double Feature Saturday: Baraka & Chronos

In succession to our screening of Koyaanisqatsi last week, we will be showing two more movies with similar themes this Saturday evening, at 8pm. Place: 60 Weld Quay


and here's a map of where's 60 Weld Quay at...


They are:

Baraka (1992)

Runtime ~96minutes


...and Chronos (1985)

Runtime ~40minutes


Admission: FREE

Just like Koyaanisqatsi, the films have no main plot, dialogue, and characters. Being abstract, the viewer can make his or her own interpretation on the movie and the message it entails.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

10 folks attended the screening -but we only managed to sit through Baraka -leaving Chronos for later screening. The film (1992)was a later production than Koyanisqatsi(1980)-and the advance in filming technologies did show up in scenes which looked like redo of the same idea eg the street scenes, the showing of fighter planes in Baraka compared to almost exactly the same scene in Ko' film where tanks were shown. Another comparison which I can't resist making is the invoking of religions is stronger in the newer film comparing with the Hopi Indian's word of refrain which titled the movie. Some like the latter more while others the former. I prefer the first film on account of the initiation of a strong idea -even though presented with some rough edges.

Baraka definitely pierce deeper into the malaise of industrial cultures and does it with more styles eg the scene of chicken `mass production' is particularly disturbing. The debeaking of the young chicks was symbolic of similar process in the human society. That may explain the conformist cultures we see all around nowadays !

The mindlessness of the turning of the cogs and screws is given a dark warning through the repeated showing of the ruins of yesteryears' civilisations. It is a condemnation of a kind of modernised mass-amnesia, a parable of `boiling frog' in pictures.

If the audience get the `wake up' call from the film its makers would be gratified !

Towards the end the film got hanged. Luckily Kris brought another copy which was clearer to replace the one from Jasdev. Thanx to Kris.

After the film and its relatively brief discussion I was not sure if most members left for other Saturday night outings ? Chuin Nian, Felix and I went for an extended drink outside Chew Jetty's Kopitiam. Felix shared with us his life story which can be a film material in itself! Chuin Nian discussed about the notes he distributed to us as well as some issues on the cameras. We left just before mid night. It was a good chat.

Ong BK