The Aerial (****)
review by Jon
Waterman
In the Year xx, a city has lost its voice. None of its inhabitants
have the ability to speak, having to rely solely on subtitles
and other visual means to communicate. That’s one reason
why Mr. TV has the city under his thumb. He owns the only television
station and he also has something no one else has – the
Voice. The Voice is a faceless female singer who inexplicably
still has her ability to speak and sing. Mr. TV wants to control
the city using her voice and she’s letting him if only
to get a pair of eyes for her son. Can anyone stop Mr. TV before
he unleashes an even more devious plan?
I think we just found the Argentinean Michel Gondry (“Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”). Prepare to be treated
to the most cinematically pleasing film of the year. Everything
that film has to offer is here in this strikingly beautiful
fantasy world that acts as writer/director Esteban Sapir’s
playground. Don’t let the fact that it’s a largely
silent film shot in black & white deter you, because you’ll
miss out on an incredible journey that has it all.
Everything placed in front of your eyes has been meticulously
detailed and planned. The storybook cityscapes and set designs
are a perfect blend of German expressionism and art deco while
the products and props harken back to the 1950s. The lack of
sound effects coupled by a score brilliantly composed for this
silent film only adds to the appeal. The music could only be
better if it were played live. The characters have a limited
backstory, due to limited room for flashback exposition, but
they too are designed well. From the hood-wearing faceless
Voice to the little boy with no eyes to the painted on hair
of Mr. TV to the video-screen mouthed doctor, to the mutant
human/rat driver, each one has plenty of personality and is
quite compelling. But the most interesting character of them
all is the subtitles. You may not be able to hear what the
people are saying but you can read it. I know that most people
don’t like to “read” their movies, but when
the words are actively filling up the screen and interacting
with the characters and moving around for emphasis, dramatic
tension or comedic effect, it ain’t so hard to get used
to, people.
It’s hard to put into words how awe-inspiring this movie
actually is. I was hooked immediately into the fascinating
original story, characters and landscapes that are simultaneously
humorous and breathtaking and executed with top-notch filmmaking.
On par with the likes of “Metropolis” and “Dark
City,” the atmosphere engulfs the entire picture and
fully immerses you into the filmmaker’s universe. Everything
has significance and everything is amazing. It shouldn’t
take a hypnotic TV station logo to convince you to see this
incredibly fun and masterful film.
respond to jon@filmbrats.com
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