Not only a celebration of the body, but also of the moving image and its unifying power.
Bodysong (2005)
Runtime: 85 mins
Synopsis: Simon Pummell's majestically ambitious work culls images from over 100 years of archived footage, in order to encompass the whole of human experience in his representation of the life process. Incorporating film and digital mediums, and black and white and color photography, the film is... Simon Pummell's majestically ambitious work culls images from over 100 years of archived footage, in order to encompass the whole of human experience in his representation of the life process. Incorporating film and digital mediums, and black and white and color photography, the film is accompanied by a remarkable score by Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood. Pummell selected images that he imagined would remain profoundly resonant even 500 years hence, depicting stages of life that humans experience universally. Arranged according to the cycle of life and development, the images are organized according to birth, growth and play, sexual discovery, nourishment, war, death, and transcendence. This stringing-together of cultural archetypes weaves a kind of updated mythology, reflecting a humanistic belief in the interconnection of all humankind. Inspiring and visually astounding, the filmmakers manage to touch upon a multitude of fundamental, existential questions with their far-reaching, all-encompassing narrative. BODYSONG was the recipient of the "Best Documentary Feature Award" at the British Independent Film Awards. [More]
Genre: Education/General Interest
DVD Info
Release:
Dec 7, 2005
DVD Features:
- Region 0
Audio:
- Dolby Digital 5.1 - English
Reviews
The film has raw power in the imagery that forces us to think in intriguing new ways about ourselves and the people around us.
A hypnotic 80 minutes, a relentless barrage of pictures that feels like your whole life has been put on fast-forward.
A feast for the eyes and ears of cinefiles everywhere to gobble up and let slowly digest.
What we have here is a cut-rate version of Koyaanisqatsi and its ilk.
a bold rearrangement of highly particularised archival materials into something with which everybody can identify.


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