Surfacing the Thames (1970)
By David Rimmer
Director: David Rimmer Time: 8 mins ‘A beautiful, mysterious yet satisfying optical illusion…celebrates the early passing of a steam on the Thames. Using freeze-frame techniques, elaborate dissolves, and most of the resources on the optical table, this picture is, amongst other things, a Turner come to life. Rimmer’s concern with the surface nature of the film is most evident in this work which, in spite of its filmic complexity, is incredibly simple.’ — Donald Richie, (Museum of Modern Art) “SURFACING is a brilliant film which, in its way, belongs in the same class as Snow’s WAVELENGTH. I’ve never seen anything like it. Rimmer rear-projected a ten-second sequence of old World War II footage showing two ships passing on the Thames. He rear-projected each frame, filmed it for several seconds, then lap-dissolved to the next frame, filmed it for several seconds, etc. The result is a mind-blowing film of invisible motion. The ships pass one another like the hands of a clock, without apparent motion. “SURFACING ON THE THAMES is the ultimate metaphysical movie, the ultimate post-minimal movie, one of the really great constructivist films since WAVELENGTH. It confronts empirically the…
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