Bodysong

Fans of found-footage collages (such as Decasia) or wordless artistic cinematic essays (such as Koyaanisqatsi) will be drawn to Simon Pummell's kaleidoscopic compilation of film and video vignettes spanning a century. Running the gamut from vintage pornography to contemporary military conflicts (perhaps designed to offer fodder for those who want to make either love or war), Bodysong features plenty of very familiar images in its survey of the human condition, including the carnage of Nazi concentration camps, the point-blank assassination of a prisoner in South Vietnam, and the lone protestor stopping a convoy of tanks in Tiananmen Square. There are also a variety of shots from all over the world in which children play, teens dance, women give birth, and angry mobs engage in shattering violence, all set to an original score from Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood that echoes the ebb and flow of the human experiences depicted onscreen. Although Bodysong can be rather dull at times--a lot of the footage presented here is either too well-known or too mundane to intrigue viewers--it's also a significant work of editing, considering the wealth of material on display (it appears that every culture with a camera is represented here, along with snippets from obscure educational films and even home movies). DVD extras include an interview with Greenwood. Supporters of avant-garde and experimental cinema will appreciate this title, which is a strong optional purchase for more adventurous (due to the graphic sexual content) collections. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)