One evening we sat down and re-watched The Man Who Fell to Earth. I was at a point in my art-project where doubt had crept in and was ready to throw in the towel. I admitted that maybe taking a look at the film may help provide focus or inspiration.
Watching the film really helped me question the project and my practise as I realised that I had been taking everything far too seriously; I needed to slow down and get really low-fi, I had been obsessing on getting things to look right, when the point was to do the opposite.
Taking time out re-assured me this project was not about the movie but a series of related and unrelated moments & recollections. This freed me from having to be faithful to a source, yet I still had to fix the problem of the over exposed Polaroid film...
Watching the film really helped me question the project and my practise as I realised that I had been taking everything far too seriously; I needed to slow down and get really low-fi, I had been obsessing on getting things to look right, when the point was to do the opposite.
Taking time out re-assured me this project was not about the movie but a series of related and unrelated moments & recollections. This freed me from having to be faithful to a source, yet I still had to fix the problem of the over exposed Polaroid film...
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| The Man Who Fell to Earth 1976 © British Lion Film Corporation |
With thoughts of towels put to rest I was able to enjoy the film. The last time I'd watched it was years ago via VHS on a proper old telly with that moronic ‘pan and scan’ format, I’m now blown away by the new full HD wide screen 'panorama' version which reminded me why I loved this film so much, that and that its also hilarious.
I love the dark humour, absurd sex, stumbling, gurning and grimacing..and the little asides from Bowie: Mary-Lou "Your such a nice man" - Newton: "...No I'm Not!"...little things like that had me in stitches.
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| The Man Who Fell to Earth 1976 © British Lion Film Corporation |
The next day Mark Fernyhough posted me a link to a play 'Images of Louise Brooks' on in Berlin starring Candy Clark who he interviewed in a photo shoot with photographer Heike Schneider-Matzigkeit for the Stool Pigeon.
The Stool Pigeon - Interview with Candy Clark
'Images of Louise Brooks' at Studio 44, Berlin. http://www.iolb.de/
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| The Man Who Fell to Earth 1976 © British Lion Film Corporation |
I think Mr. Newton may be pointing me in the right direction after all.
