LOOK PARK

by Ralph STEINER
1973-1974 / 16mm / color-b&w / sound / 1S / 10' 32

"Photographer-filmmaker Ralph Steiner returned to creative filmmaking with a series of 16mm experimental films The Joy of Seeing begun after 1960. In many of these new film works, he revisited his first and early abstract films H2O, SURF AND SEAWEED and MECHANICAL PRINCIPLES from 1929-1930 but now worked with sound-image combinations to highlight motions and rhythms of the natural world.
He favored older classical and new electronic music to accompany the images in playful interactions testing the viewer’s ability to enjoy visual music.
LOOK PARK presents close up shots of a country stream viewed in bright sunlight. The film opens with wide shots of the park to establish the location of the water, then focuses in very tight on the abstract reflections and shadows.
The music, a unique recording of a electronic composition by American composer Jacob Druckman, enlivens the ecstatic images skillfully edited by a young Nathaniel Dorsky.
Stunningly beautiful, the results live up to Steiner's series title The Joy of Seeing as well as the film’s title LOOK PARK.
Please note that the sign that opens and closes the film actually identifies the place as LOOK PARK, another humorous touch of Steiner’s playful approach to art-making.” - Bruce Posner

"What is most important and a tribute to Ralph is the fact that now the film itself has present day visual meaning… or should I say, all is working as film expression now… all that Ralph would want…" - Nathaniel Dorsky

1 PRINT IN DISTRIBUTION


distribution format Digital file on server (2K)
screen 1,37 - Standard (single screen)
speed 24 fps
sound sound
rental fee 42,00 €