Edison

film 34 of 103

Mess Call

Film Review by Dean Duncan May 27, 2015

First of all, through the flecks and all, this is a gorgeous image. So sharp, from the foreground all the way back. Second of all, the camera is perfectly placed, perpendicular to the people right in front, and at a nice diagonal to the people crossing at another 45º angle in the middle there. Thirdly, what handsome lads, bursting with personality and even mystery. Such glancing images tell us plenty, and remind us how much more there is to and behind everything. Lastly, look at the technology on the morning of its invention/creation. Everyone is pretending to be about their business, but they’re just contriving to walk in front of the camera. By the end there’s no pretense of real occupation or natural behaviour. These young men are now showing off, pure and simple. One day too much media would practically destroy the world. This far back or this long ago, the media is showing the world in all of its substance and beauty, and it’s on the brink of creating it anew.