From The Pole To The Equator

A remarkable feature (1987) by Italian avant-gardists Yervant Gianikian and Angela Ricci Lucchi, made up exclusively of footage shot by Luca Comerio, an official documentarian to the Italian royal family, around 1910tinted, step-printed into slow motion, and accompanied by an effective, wordless sound track. The images, as suggested by the title, come from all overAfrican jungles, Indian villages, European landscapes, polar icebergsand the overriding themes are photography as imperialism and imperialism as photography. At once mesmerizing, haunting, and thoughtful, this fascinating and unique compilation, edited by D.A. Pennebaker, stays in the mind for a long time. 96 min. (JR)

This entry was posted in Featured Texts. Bookmark the permalink.