The Rock Blogger

The History of Civilization in 5 minutes. This is ‘The Edifice’, a segment from designer/animator Saul Bass’ Oscar winning short “Why Man Creates” (1968).

Night Time. 2008. Written and Directed by Tyson Stewart and Alain Lacoursière

Music by Emilie LeBel.

4 stars

I’m proud to have this exclusive opportunity to show an experimental short which was co-directed by my good friend Tyson Stewart. It’s a moody and mysterious twilight journey, where a dour narrator reminisces over strange women, ghosts, truck drivers and the dreary, rural places they frequent.

While Night Time is almost completely devoid of action and characters, the calm, somnambulist narration provides vivid mental images that slowly glide across these desolate landscapes, bringing you into deep, darkened pools of memory. The somber tones and street lamp halos give these introverted reflections a distinct and unsettling atmosphere, reminding me of a David Lynch film or my own teenage, alcohol-fueled stupors.

The poetic lyricism that lines these dream-like sequences is coupled by the menacing ambient score of Emilie LeBel, who plays haunting drones and synth passages that carefully swell in the shadows. These tracks lend the film an aching gravity, enhancing the wavering and voyeuristic sensations brought on by these images. The lonely shore, the seedy bar and truck stops are shown from detached and distant perspectives, cutting and spinning with free-wheeling angularity.

While the premise and structure of Night Time is simple, low key and strictly minimalist, its images are strangely comforting and human, exploring the darting thoughts and feelings of our seemingly lost and love-lorn guide. With their nuanced sense of mood, timing and setting, this young duo freely showcases their promise and aspirations. I look froward to seeing more work from them.

(As a side note, Night Time is not only a great short, but it is one of the first outside contributions to The Rock Blogger! Thanks Tyson! This looks to be a future trend here on the blog, as I look forward to guest reviews, photos and film submissions like this one. If you are interested in getting your work shown on this site, feel free to email me at goatlemment@hotmail.com).

Stalker (1979), directed by Russia’s late Andrei Tarkovsky, is one of the most bizarre and fascinating science fiction films ever made. It concerns a mysterious patch of Soviet countryside known only as “The Zone” which has been decimated by some mysterious happening, and quarantined off by the Communist government. All who venture into there disappear forever. Yet a handful of brave souls, lured by The Zone’s supposed promise of granted wishes and revelations, are led by ‘The Stalker’ into the abyss. The film is incredibly slow and long but possesses a hypnotizing power, as the unreal cinematography, locations, music and pacing fills you with existential dread and longing. The film is so open-ended and perplexing that its almost spiritual.

The following are two stunning clips that feature some of Eduard Artemiev’s haunting minimalist music that sets the tone for the unraveling psychological drama. If anyone knows where I can find the soundtrack for this, it would be greatly appreciated.

Entering the Zone

The Pool Sequence

I made a surprising discovery online yesterday, miraculously finding the original soundtrack for one of my favorite (and relatively unknown) science-fiction films ever. After listening to this beautiful, and incredibly rare, soundtrack, I decided I would ask everybody out there what their most obscure records were, in any genre. I’m curious to see just how eclectic people’s musical tastes are. And when I mean obscure I mean hard to come by, far removed from the mainstream, or so off the wall that people wonder what you’re smoking when you play it on your stereo. I’ll start the ball rolling with this:

Ryuichi Sakamoto. Royal Space Force: Wings of Honneamise (OST). 1987. 4 stars.

The original score to a superb anime film that probably most of the Western world has never heard of. The film takes place in some sort of parallel universe, in an almost Victorian-style future where everything is powered by steam (see: steampunk) and mankind has yet to go into space. As two powerful kingdoms push closer to war, one unlikely, hapless pilot is well on his way of becoming the first man in orbit. But his military superiors have ulterior motives to the launch.

Just like the film’s fantastic animation, memorable characters and striking atmosphere, the soundtrack to Wings of Honneamise is mysterious, triumphant and epic in scope. Oscar winning composer Ryuichi Sakamoto weaves traditional classical elements and orchestration with soothing ambient synth passages, electronic effects and jangly guitar to create a score that is both modernist and nostalgic for cultural traditions and new frontiers. The music carries a a sense of romanticism, capturing the spirit of exploration and discovery that is conveyed so well in the film.

Easily one of the greatest soundtracks I’ve come across, Sakamoto’s compositions are lush, dramatic and inviting, showcasing the artist’s ear for variety, texture and experimentation. Recommended to anyone interested in hearing something adventurous and out of the ordinary.

• So I hope thats a good start, maybe we can get some other obscure examples from you guys. What strange gems are you holding on to?