HEARSEE
After ‘The Oyster Princess’, a 1919 silent movie by Ernst Lubitsch,on which Peter Vermeersch wrote a new score and performed live by Flat Earth Society (FES), the desire to pursue the path of music and film only increased. This is not a feature film, but a varied film concert with all kinds of films, spheres, lengths and from different periods, in dialogue with newly composed music. And all this under the umbrella HEARSEE where eyes listen and ears see. Music on film and film on music: a projector, a screen, an audience and Flat Earth Society;
AND A PLAYLIST OF COURSE:
Fantasmagorie & Les Locataires - 1909 / 1’50” + 4’30”
Two short animated films by Emile Cohl, a true pioneer in the field. These films were recently rescued from oblivion and restored as far as possible. They feel remarkably fresh and contemporary: the early days of morphing and split screen.
Obitateli (Inhabitants) - 1970 / 8’30”
This obscure film by the equally obscure Armenian filmmaker Artavazd Pelechian is a mesmerizing compilation of old archival material: images of wild animals in their biotope were cut, pasted, repeated and interwoven into a new entity. A poetic look, albeit raw, at a world where no human is in sight. Occasionally an animal looks at us with a puzzled look.
The Mystery Of The Leaping Fish - 1916 / 23’10”
In this two-reeler by Christy Cabanne and John Emerson the opium addict detective Coke Ennyday (Douglas Fairbanks) is commissioned to roll up a fearsome drug gang. Sherlock Holmes goes Inspector Clouseau. Existential bullshit.
Ear to the ground - 1979 / 17’30”
In this video by Kit Fitzgerald and John Sanborn drummer David van Tieghem wanders through some morning New York streets, punching, beating and drumming on everything coming his way. As the movie starts again, FES joins in and wanders along through the city.
Revival of organisms - 1950 / 8’30”
An anonymous Soviet film, based on experiments with hearts, lungs and guinea pig dogs to demonstrate what science as such is capable of. “Science is everything” a strange gentleman tells us. This propaganda film was re-edited by Trisha De Cuyper and Jan Lapeire, accompanied by freshly composed music.
Sybille II - 1999 / 7’
Sense the weird Wim Delvoye’s landscape in this video, carried by hymn-like music with “tralali tralala ‘as main motto. Rest and unrest get under your skin.
Twaalfde Groote Prijs Van Brasschaet - 1932 / 12’
This cycling report by a certain Mr. Van Volxem from the Cinematek Brussels archive shows us the international cycling champions of that time. Also the public and collaborators get a chance and the translations from the French placards unwittingly steal the show. The music is remarkably free of EPO.
Meet Luke Devereaux - 2011 / 5’32”
A film by Trisha De Cuyper and Jan Lapeyre on pre-composed music. A room, a refrigerator, a man and some furniture. The light goes on, the light goes off. Again on and off. Who is this man? And why? Has anything happened? Is there something to be expected? And who controls the switch? The atmosphere is mapped very precisely, nevertheless, the situation remains uncertain.
MA VOUT-O-REENEE - 2011 / 4’
Geert Dijkers and Marc Meeuwissen assembled a typographical scat part on the ‘FES classic’ O.P.E.N.E.R. Trisha De Cuyper supports the solo passages with found celluloid waste. The pace is stroboscopically high, all the brakes are loose. SHU-BET-DIG KEH-BAH D!P-D!P SCEET-O THO-KEE CRE-O-CHEE MA VOUT-O-REE-NEE
Music: Peter Vermeersch.
Collaborators: Trisha De Cuyper, Jan Lapeire,Geert Dijkers en Marc Meeuwissen.
Special thanks to: Bernard Van Eeghem, John Watts, Erik Martens, Anniek Vanhee, Tine Verschaeve and Arts Center Vooruit.
A production by vzw BONK co-produced by deSingel Antwerp.
Past dates
23 December
De Schakel, Waregem, Belgium
2 December
Cultuurcentrum Mechelen, Belgium
29 November
Stadsschouwburg Brugge, Belgium
24 November
Vooruit Ghent, Belgium
2 August 2011
Theater aan Zee, Oostende, Belgium
20 May 2011
Museum of Moving Image, New York, USA
23 February 2011
Cultuurcentrum Kortrijk, Belgium(try-out)
24 February 2011
De Singel, Antwerp, Belgium (première)
25 February 2011
Chassé Theater, Breda, The Netherlands
26 February 2011
Beursschouwburg, Brussels, Belgium