The Biograph anthology is capped by "The Way Things Go," an astonishing tribute to Rube Goldberg by Peter Fischli and David Weiss. This could well be the most exciting film of the summer, not because of special effects, but because of 30 minutes of continuous cause and effect. A suspended and unwinding trash bag sets a tire into motion and from there on, the filmmakers go chain-reaction crazy with fire, water, foam, popping corks, balloons, sparks, tires, balls, cylinders and enough examples of balance, gravity, momentum, inertia and chemical reactions to turn an unsuspecting viewer into a Mr. Wizard wannabe. The beautifully photographed film is all one take (though it looks as if there might have been a little cheating here and there) and the contraption reportedly measured more than 100 feet. In any case, there's more tension and suspense here than in any of Hollywood's summer blockbusters -- the fire effects are almost as good as "Backdraft's," but on a considerably smaller budget. You'll hold your breath more than once watching this slow dazzler, just waiting for the expected to happen, and then you'll realize that's just one more reaction created by the filmmakers. Maybe they could develop a road show? from http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/ scenesfromthesurrealnrharrington_a0ab0b.htm > > > Way Things Go, The (1987) > > USA 1987 > > > > Language: > English > Genre/keyword: > Documentary > > > Directed by > Peter Fischli > > David Weiss > Order from Reel: http://movie.reel.com/Content/productpage.asp?pmid=97938 Scott Sounds interesting. I might rent it myself. > > > > On Fri, 15 May 1998 [log in to unmask] wrote: > > > I'll be teaching a 'video art' class next year and am looking for some good > > experimental video pieces -- which are available for rental or mail order. > > Some years ago at the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art I saw an > > interesting > > film entitled "The Way Things Go"; it was Dutch, I think, about half an hour > > long, > > and featuring simple Rube-Goldberg-like contraptions... > > > > Would anyone on the list know where I could find it, or the filmmakers? > > > > Thanks, > > > > Mark J. Wolf > > [log in to unmask] > > > > ---- > > Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the > > University of Alabama. > > > > ---- Screen-L is sponsored by the Telecommunication & Film Dept., the University of Alabama.