Re: Modulations

[Laurie Hatch <lahatch@dnai.com>]

From:   David Myers [SMTP:dmgraph@earthlink.net]
>Sent:  Saturday, September 05, 1998 5:01 PM
>To:    Loopers-Delight@annihilist.com
>Subject:       Re: Modulations
>
>Anybody else see this?  The reviews have been good, and have considered
>taking it in-but the previous film (from this director, I believe),
>"Synthetic Pleasures", was a true embarrassment, some of the most empty
>godawful crap I've ever endured on film....

Guess ya didn't care for that one much, huh David?  %^)  I didn't see it, 
but 
for what it's worth, a couple of the comparative reviews I've come across 
do 
describe S.P. less charitably than Modulations.  As in "too scattered", 
and 
"without a clear focus" (Metro, San Jose).  Sounds like that reviewer 
wasn't 
quite as disgusted as you were!

Even if Lee's fundamental style and vision simply aren't one's piece of 
cake, I 
would still recommend Modulations if for no other reason than to catch 
talking 
head interviews with some of the pioneering greats - Stockhausen, Moog, 
and 
Macero come immediately to mind.  For instance, Macero describes the tape 
slice 
n' splice he did with some of Miles' stuff (i.e. Live Evil) which I found 
quite 
interesting.  Those are just a few of many segments in which musicians, 
composers, and inventors on the cutting edge of their craft, both past and 
present, discuss/demonstrate a gamut of topics: their approach, style, 
techniques, philosophy, influences.  Hey, there's even a little bit of 
gear 
talk! -- albeit not much... (Not to mention a few mid-rave shots of knobs 
getting ~~twisted~~, you reading this, Lambrecht?  %^)

A linear, fully comprehensive, meaty history and analysis of the 
electronic 
music scene this is not, nor is it intended to be.  It's an art film, one 
might 
say reflective of the culture which fuels its subject.  However, I do 
believe 
that one could separate substance from aesthetic (or perceived lack 
thereof) 
and still come away with a meaningful experience.

laurie

http://www.modulations.com/Film/modulations/modcontents.html