1 Giant Leap

[rcarlberg]

Ran across an interesting DVD today at Half Price Books. It's called 1 Giant Leap (2002) and it's by a British electronica duo of Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman.

What makes it interesting is that it is sort of an album -- it consists of nine tracks -- and sort of a film -- consisting of nine chapters. Each chapter is its own film, but the films are interrelated and feature some of the same people and elements. They are meant to be played in any order, or scrambled, or looped.

They're not just music videos though. They are kinda kaleidoscopic art films -- reminiscent perhaps of the Qatsi trilogy: Koyaanisqatsi, Powaqqatsi and Naqoyqatsi -- but with one additional layer that brings them up from "art film" to psychedelic documentary. That element is interviews.

The films interview "shamans" or "wise men" of our time, people like Brian Eno, Stewart Brand, Ram Dass, Dennis Hopper, Kurt Vonnegut, and others. Their interviews are all cut up and interspersed with music. Each "chapter" ostensibly deals with a different topic -- money, confrontation, sex, god, death -- although the discussions are pretty far-reaching.

The music is based upon rhythm tracks by Catto and Bridgeman, but layered over the top of those are ethnic musicians from around the world: African drummers, The Mohatella Queens, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Nenah Cherry, Baaba Mal, some Indian singer (who is very good), and many others.

In short, it's a very unusual presentation, quite unlike anything else I've ever experienced. A celebration of music, of humanity, of commonality rather than differences. Wow.

i see there's a second DVD from this duo in 2006 entitled "What About Me?" I have ordered a copy.