"Primer"
Last night I saw "Primer," an indie film M picked up at Blockbuster. It's about two ambitious engineers who inadvertently create a time machine and explore the facets of humanity, pride, greed, power, possibilities and consequences that come with time travel. It's extremely complex and hard to follow because there are different versions of the two engineers in different timelines. As I've seen online, some people make sense of the film by assigning the characters (and their "doubles") numbers such as Abe 1, Abe 2, Aaron 1, Aaron 2...
The most detailed explanation of the film I've read so far is this one. I agree with most of what this guy has to say about it, although some of it is purely speculation. I'm tempted to pick this movie apart like he did, but I really don't feel like taking notes while I watch the movie. I really should be packing for the move anyway.
I will say this about the movie, though.
1. It's crazy disturbing how their doubles or later versions can't write. It brings to mind the crippling effect of making copies of oneself in an effort to make one's future more perfect. Oh, the irony!
2. The jargon is baffling and not really necessary. It feels like Shane Carruth (writer, director, "Aaron") spent so much time "building" his time traveling machine -- like daydreaming since he was a wee lad -- that he focused much of his effort into the actual construction of the machine. Maybe I'm just pissed off because I don't really understand it and he's so much smarter than me.
3. Needless to say, this guy Shane has a real talent for writing. He's inventive, imaginative, damned intelligent and down-to-earth enough to capture everyday dialogue. But what I hope people also recognize is that he's a fine director, too. For $7,000, he managed to film a piece whose substance lies within its heavy dialogue, complex plot and minimalistic "feel" -- the simple soundtrack of piano and white noise, wardrobe, props, sets...[I think it's really cool that it was filmed in Dallas.]
I highly recommend this film if you're in the mood to think and allow yourself to daydream -- to imagine a world in which you have the power and means to revise your world and defy the "natural" order of things, while facing issues of morality, arrogance and curiosity. I'm glad to have seen it and be part of what seems to be a cultish sci-fi sub-culture of "Primer" admirers.
The most detailed explanation of the film I've read so far is this one. I agree with most of what this guy has to say about it, although some of it is purely speculation. I'm tempted to pick this movie apart like he did, but I really don't feel like taking notes while I watch the movie. I really should be packing for the move anyway.
I will say this about the movie, though.
1. It's crazy disturbing how their doubles or later versions can't write. It brings to mind the crippling effect of making copies of oneself in an effort to make one's future more perfect. Oh, the irony!
2. The jargon is baffling and not really necessary. It feels like Shane Carruth (writer, director, "Aaron") spent so much time "building" his time traveling machine -- like daydreaming since he was a wee lad -- that he focused much of his effort into the actual construction of the machine. Maybe I'm just pissed off because I don't really understand it and he's so much smarter than me.
3. Needless to say, this guy Shane has a real talent for writing. He's inventive, imaginative, damned intelligent and down-to-earth enough to capture everyday dialogue. But what I hope people also recognize is that he's a fine director, too. For $7,000, he managed to film a piece whose substance lies within its heavy dialogue, complex plot and minimalistic "feel" -- the simple soundtrack of piano and white noise, wardrobe, props, sets...[I think it's really cool that it was filmed in Dallas.]
I highly recommend this film if you're in the mood to think and allow yourself to daydream -- to imagine a world in which you have the power and means to revise your world and defy the "natural" order of things, while facing issues of morality, arrogance and curiosity. I'm glad to have seen it and be part of what seems to be a cultish sci-fi sub-culture of "Primer" admirers.
posted by deconstructionist at 2:25 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home