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Product Description
An epic vision of love, sex, violence and death, Bodysong is the story of our lives told through archive footage from across the world and spanning 100 years of cinema. With an ambitious score by Radiohead s Jonny Greenwood, director Simon Pummell has created an almost mythic document that is a celebration, and also indictment, of the human spirit.
Extra Features:
- Two early shorts by Simon Pummell, Blinded by Light (2000) and How Long is a Minute? (2001)
- A filmed interview of Simon Pummell
- Theatrical Trailer
- Commentary featuring Jonny Greenwood and Simon Pummell on the process of composing the score
- The award-winning Bodysong website which provides the stories of the people portrayed in each of the extraordinary images.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By "fjorton"
Format:DVD
So then, Bodysong. Probably more famous for Jonny Greenwood's soundtrack than anything else, but that doesn't make it any less of a good film. Well, you can't really call it a film. It's a series of different camera footage making the journey from birth to death with a clever soundtrack over the top.
Personally, I think this is going to be love or hate film for most people. Some will just find it tedious, pointless and boring. Akin to Koyaanisqatsi, the imagery is striking and at times; unsettling, and the soundtrack is ever-absorbing. The big question is: will you have time for it? If you are impatient and prefer a more traditional set of rules for you films then this isn't for you. You will be bored out of your skull.
However, if you liked the Qatsi trilogy and you like the sound of something a little different and unique then give this a go. If you have the patience for it, you'll love it. The way the director has pieced together so much footage and made a comprehend-able "story" is fantastic. And you can see the work that's gone into it. The soundtrack is completely suitable and essential to watch with.
Definitely worth buying if you like the experimental sides to film.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
I gave this to my wife for Valentine's Day(!), and we both absolutely love it. It provides an interesting history in sexual and social mores, as well as an insight into the education of the general public through film. Excellent stuff!
9 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Simon Pummell's unique film, assembled from hundreds of bits of existing footage (ranging from anthropoligical to pornographic) presents the pagaent and experience of our singular and collective human drama in a montage of near visceral images that will jolt, shock and reaffirm. From conception to death (and rituals of rebirth, I've never seen anything like this. Perhaps in some ways it's a fitting companion piece to Koyaanisqatsi, but from a much more human perspective. This dream of a movie will haunt your dreams. Recommended.
12 of 15 people found the following review helpful
By Brady Orme
VINE™ VOICE
Format:DVD
The British Public love sex, right? I mean, what's there not to like? For a country that supposedly is stiff-upped-lipped in the Trousers Department, we seem to like it a Hell of a lot. Which is why the noble BFI's latest presentation of archival material for the masses will undoubtedly be popular - For A) It's about Sex, and B) It gives us the chance to laugh at yesterday's social mores. Ha ha ha, haughty Home County woman's accents talking about "gel's bodies changing", hee hee hee, they're playing hockey and drinking tea with the wife as a metaphor for sex.... This is the Ealing Comedy of anatomy, but there's more to it than just an explicit version of "Brief Encounter".
Some titles such as Martin Cole's "Growing Up" (1971) are harsh, explicit and still shocking to this day - perhaps even more so, as even the most raunchy late night programming shys away from describing the act in such harsh anatomical terms. Other films such as "Her Name Is Ellie; His Name Was Kyle" (1967) utilises grainy Film Noir techniques and advanced storylines to hammer the message home with added syphillitic reference, and "Don't Be Like Brenda" (1973)is "Cathy Come Home" with added misogyny. As the BFI does with it's British Travel Films anthologies, it packages them lovingly as lost art forms and releases them into the public for us to enjoy beyond the usual Frames of Reference. The World these films belong to no longer exists, live with it.
Along with the films of Jeff Keen also released this month, the BFI continues to astound us in these tough times. Highly recommended naturally; just don't expect a straight face.
Some titles such as Martin Cole's "Growing Up" (1971) are harsh, explicit and still shocking to this day - perhaps even more so, as even the most raunchy late night programming shys away from describing the act in such harsh anatomical terms. Other films such as "Her Name Is Ellie; His Name Was Kyle" (1967) utilises grainy Film Noir techniques and advanced storylines to hammer the message home with added syphillitic reference, and "Don't Be Like Brenda" (1973)is "Cathy Come Home" with added misogyny. As the BFI does with it's British Travel Films anthologies, it packages them lovingly as lost art forms and releases them into the public for us to enjoy beyond the usual Frames of Reference. The World these films belong to no longer exists, live with it.
Along with the films of Jeff Keen also released this month, the BFI continues to astound us in these tough times. Highly recommended naturally; just don't expect a straight face.
4 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By E. Veldon
Format:DVD
This film should really have five stars but it looses one for Dave Formula's unimaginative music but more of that later.
This collection is of interest to anyone who finds discussions of sexual mores fascinating and anyone who wishes to study Discourses surrounding bodies and sexualities. The films herein do not show how we became more liberated (even Growing Up is highly problematic for all it's apparent liberation) but the body became and remained a site for a very Authoritarian Discourse on how The Body was to be used, who controlled The Body and the individuals freedom (or lack thereof) to own their own body. It is telling that only the last few films (Growing Up and Have you Got A Male Assistant Please Miss) discuss masturbation and contraception.
Given this Dave Formula misses the opportunity to discuss these issues in his music for the early silent films in the collection and produces three very similar sounding, formulaic (no pun intended) scores.
Highly recommended none the less.
Oh and if you just want to have a bit of a giggle the collections good for that too.
This collection is of interest to anyone who finds discussions of sexual mores fascinating and anyone who wishes to study Discourses surrounding bodies and sexualities. The films herein do not show how we became more liberated (even Growing Up is highly problematic for all it's apparent liberation) but the body became and remained a site for a very Authoritarian Discourse on how The Body was to be used, who controlled The Body and the individuals freedom (or lack thereof) to own their own body. It is telling that only the last few films (Growing Up and Have you Got A Male Assistant Please Miss) discuss masturbation and contraception.
Given this Dave Formula misses the opportunity to discuss these issues in his music for the early silent films in the collection and produces three very similar sounding, formulaic (no pun intended) scores.
Highly recommended none the less.
Oh and if you just want to have a bit of a giggle the collections good for that too.
5 of 10 people found the following review helpful
By C. Lack
Format:DVD
What a wonderful collection of sex education films. I must confess that i was shocked at the level of sexually transmitted infections and the terrible suffering that resulted pre antibiotic therapy. We all take modern medicine for granted. My take home message would read "It is your right to have sex, but with rights come responsibilities, so respect your partner and use a condom". A must see DVD for all those working in the sexual health field.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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