Until recently I had skipped the films in this series which were not really part of the series but had come in from other places. I'm not sure what triggered them to be made, or meant that the Sonnet Project NY hosted them as part of the whole, but I hadn't watched them. Part of me felt that they were not helping the Project towards their goal, and were repeating sonnets already covered, so I was less interested in them. A pointless opinion to have over films only a few minutes long! With the main season finally delivering another film after a 9 month wait, I decided to check out some of the US and international films that I hadn't seen.
It was interesting to watch #60 again; in the main body of films this one was in a park with leaves falling and a wheelchair rolling through them - in a way it was a nice reference to a clock but other than that there was not much more to it that I recall. In this case we get a lot more. Time is heavily featured in the ticking sound of the background, glances at watches, and the constant washing of the waves (which is more than just a link to the opening line); we also get a link to remembrance of the war, and memories from that. These play out in the main character in the couple of ways we see him, and it is reasonably engaging as it does. It doesn't totally explain everything and all passes with questions left - but I think that was the point.
Technically it looks very good, and the sound work does well to recreate the water and dialogue to sound natural but also be watchable (some of the main body of films try to just grab the sound in the moment, or alternatively stick ADR over which only sounds like a studio). The film gives space for the actor to work, and in the non-text moment he does well with small things. His delivery of the text is more direct and his style there doesn't link to the other scenes, but it still worked. I also liked the touch of glass in the watch - an Omega Seamaster from late 50's early 60's, a version of which is my watch of choice too.
Although not part of the 'proper' films, this very much stands along the best of them as it is technically well made, expands the sonnet text well, and delivers a narrative in and around the words. Well done.
It was interesting to watch #60 again; in the main body of films this one was in a park with leaves falling and a wheelchair rolling through them - in a way it was a nice reference to a clock but other than that there was not much more to it that I recall. In this case we get a lot more. Time is heavily featured in the ticking sound of the background, glances at watches, and the constant washing of the waves (which is more than just a link to the opening line); we also get a link to remembrance of the war, and memories from that. These play out in the main character in the couple of ways we see him, and it is reasonably engaging as it does. It doesn't totally explain everything and all passes with questions left - but I think that was the point.
Technically it looks very good, and the sound work does well to recreate the water and dialogue to sound natural but also be watchable (some of the main body of films try to just grab the sound in the moment, or alternatively stick ADR over which only sounds like a studio). The film gives space for the actor to work, and in the non-text moment he does well with small things. His delivery of the text is more direct and his style there doesn't link to the other scenes, but it still worked. I also liked the touch of glass in the watch - an Omega Seamaster from late 50's early 60's, a version of which is my watch of choice too.
Although not part of the 'proper' films, this very much stands along the best of them as it is technically well made, expands the sonnet text well, and delivers a narrative in and around the words. Well done.