Should cinema be enjoyable? Does a film need a plot? Can a film make you have an ontological migrane and still classify as good? The latest film from lo-fi auteur Brian Mcguire does not care about any answers...
Window Licker (Or ‘WiNdOw LiCkEr’) tells
the story of Ben Wild as he descends into a hellish madness after planning to
meet up with an old school friend but another person arriving in his
place. Yet even that is too much of a
simple, linear chronology to explain what happens on screen – the film is
basically a manic and paranoid sketch show focusing on Ben’s increasingly
crushing paranoia that could easily give viewers an aneurysm if they lean to
close to the screen…
The film is essentially a collage of
Ben’s mental mid-life crisis told from a semi-objective view-point; mixed with
footage of a violent reality TV show that he reluctantly watches; mixed with
long footage of an freaky arcade game that he loves; mixed with live-streaming internet
porn channels that he is obsessed with...
Along the way he also has a visit from his motor-mouth sister and has a
long running battle with a pushy debt collector.
This film is definitely not for
everyone. It is basically a masterclass
in not giving a shit about continuity, misé-en-scene, the
180° rule, match-editing, narrative arcs, or inciting
incidents. Filmmaker, writer and
star Brian Mcguire could be one of
the punkest filmmakers working today – he is fiercely independent and pumps out
nearly a film a year… (even the film’s
website is confrontational)
Window Licker feels like an insane cross
between Darren Aronofsky’s π and something by Derek Jarman, but
filmed entirely on digital instead of film.
Everything that Brian does is digital, his conversations are on Skype,
his sexuality is on video chatrooms, his entertainment is through video games…
The ending of the film is a slap to the face to our current digital culture,
but the film wouldn’t exist without it so it’s not exactly damning.
The film is proudly low budget, using
natural lighting, locations and costumes – yet the inventiveness of the
aesthetic and narrative actually give the cast an opportunity to really
perform. The sequence with Nina Millin as Ben’s sister Alda is not
only incredibly funny, but also breathtaking in its relentlessness (it has to
be seen, in context, to be believed.)
Although it is a simple idea, it is executed beautifully and made my
skin crawl.
If the visuals and the tense narrative
(a psychotic episode) weren’t enough to freak you out then the music will push
you over the edge. Much like Aronofsky’s π, Window Licker has a pulsating electronic
soundtrack that is mind blowing if experienced in a cinema.
Basically, in a world of tentpole summer
blockbusters from Marvel and Disney, Window
Licker is unlikely to attract a huge audience – yet I doubt that anyone
involved in the project cares. It is
easily the most authentic and original film I have seen all year, and it gives
a real insight into the way that we use the modern media in the Internet
age. It is definitely not for everyone,
but if you’re feeling brave then I recommend you enter the world of Ben Wild
and let his digital anxiety freak out your senses.
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