Alice in Wonderland

[Simon Edmondson]

[NancyGormezano]

Awhile ago, I tried to watch the whole thing on Netflix, but it never grabbed me. I was quite disappointed. I guess Svankjmaeir is a bit too obtuse for even quirky, obtuse, eccentric ol' me. The unappealing (to me) imagery put me off from even trying to figure it out.

[Ilidrake]

I would have to say that is really creepy. Didnt make much sense but i really love the style.

[Simon Edmondson]

I think the full piece is about 20-30 mins long and is based around the book of 'Alice', which was a bit strange in itself ( especially given that it was written by a 19th C vicar ). I don't think 'like' would be the right word for it but, I do appreciate the work and the result is slightly unsettling not just in the imagery involved and the models used but also in the meaning ( whatever it is exactly ) being just outside your reach. I suspect that, given it was made in the eastern block ( Czech ? ) in the 80's, there are a lot of cultural references that go by us westerners. Svankmajeir was barely tolerated by the authorities and I think some of his work was censored by them at times.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFUwX4-nsQU&feature=plcp

 

Is a bit more transparent in it its meaning but equally unsettling I think ?( contains mild sexual imagery )

Simon

 

Just after posting a friend spotted this. Quite astonishing given that it was made in the 1930's