Movielogr
Canon (1964)
Directed by Grant Munro, Norman McLaren
Twitter Facebook Google+Overview
Perhaps the only film whose content is totally based on the musical form known as canon. The first sequence is a simple demonstration of the canon “Frere Jacques” where four cubes dance and combine with one another on a checkerboard. The second sequence show four little human-like figures dancing in space. The third and most elaborate sequence shows a human going through several strange gesticulations. Through multiple printing we realize that the man, as in the previous sequences, is part of a visual canon and is making the gestures to himself. As we hear variations on the canonic theme so too do we witness visual variations: a woman and cat enters the canon. To show the musical technique of inversion, the image of the man is printed upside down.
Length 10 minutes
Viewing History (seen 1 time)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 05/19/2025 | Computer | Streaming | Video on Demand | 4 stars |
| (Average) 4 stars |
Viewing Notes
Was overdue for disliking an experimental short film. This one I found more grating than usual as these things go. Perhaps the use of real people here is what I dislike. I will view some other shorts by McLaren to see if his style changed thru the years.
No comments yet. Log in and be the first!