So our boy Cornell throws together a bunch of leftover footage, presents it upside down or backwards, sometimes the negatives, but a hodgepodge of stuff going on. This is presented as an art film, but I think it is one of those things that should never have been foisted on the public. I'm sure Mr. Cornell learned a good deal, but there is no real center here. But at least I can talk about it.
4 Reviews
Possibly a good way to watch this film - by night with torch and spear
classicsoncall27 October 2017
Warning: Spoilers
All you need to know about director Joseph Cornell is that he liked to craft films from discarded footage that he bought from salvage dealers and flea markets. He edited snippets pretty much at random using a collage approach. In this piece for example, he offers the viewer an upside down look inside a steel making plant, some rather exotic locales featuring Native American dancers and some camels, and subject of all subjects, caterpillars in various poses. Complementing this rather esoteric collection, he juxtaposes upside down and backward inter-title cards describing some of what's going on. I attempted to read one of them and then decided, what's the point. You may get the same impression if you catch this thing, but since I already mentioned what it's about, what would be the point?
100% nuts!
planktonrules26 April 2012
This 8 minute short film is from "American Film Treasures/Avant Garde Film: Disc 1"--a compilation of mostly forgotten art films of the 20th century. This DVD set is NOT for the casual viewer and sometimes I wonder why I watched the films--as some of them were VERY artsy and weird!
Joseph Cornell, according to the DVD notes, was a bit of a nut. Well, they don't exactly say that, but this is what the average viewer would take from it. He would take discarded bits of film footage and edit them together--like some sort of fetish or obsession. The footage was discovered years after the man's death and only then was he hailed as a great artist--much like a folk artist.
Here in "Night With Torch and Spear", you have a lot of random imagery but instead of women, it's such things as inside a steel mill (all upside down), a North African caravan (backward and in negative), some bugs (backwards and in negative) and some guys with torches. It all SEEMS to indicate that Cornell was 100% insane...though the DVD seems to think he's a great unsung genius. See it for yourself to see who is right (hint...it's me!).
Joseph Cornell, according to the DVD notes, was a bit of a nut. Well, they don't exactly say that, but this is what the average viewer would take from it. He would take discarded bits of film footage and edit them together--like some sort of fetish or obsession. The footage was discovered years after the man's death and only then was he hailed as a great artist--much like a folk artist.
Here in "Night With Torch and Spear", you have a lot of random imagery but instead of women, it's such things as inside a steel mill (all upside down), a North African caravan (backward and in negative), some bugs (backwards and in negative) and some guys with torches. It all SEEMS to indicate that Cornell was 100% insane...though the DVD seems to think he's a great unsung genius. See it for yourself to see who is right (hint...it's me!).
Mediocre experimental film
Horst_In_Translation12 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"By Night with Torch and Spear" is a 7.5-minute movie from 1942, the days of World War II. The director here is American filmmaker Joseph Cornell and he is somewhat known to people with a deeper interest in (experimental) films. Well.. what can I say about this one here. It was not too interesting a watch, but I have seen worse, especially in the genre of experimentalism. There is no real story, but rather footage that sometimes leaves an atmospheric impact. Oh yeah, according to IMDb, this is also a silent film, but don't worry about it. Keep in mind that by 1942, sound was already really famous, but not yet here. There are versions out there with music. Still you have to keep in mind that this was added later at some point. All in all, not a very memorable work. i give it a thumbs down.
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