Jonathan Lapper offers an inspired free-associative montage/meditation on the moving part of the movies at Cinema Styles, which you must see. It's called "Frames of Reference," a little under seven minutes long, and it marvelously (too marvelous for words, obviously) orchestrates cinematic motion and memories to Oliver Nelson's "Complex City." (If you suspect you're unfamiliar with the great jazz arranger, think "Stolen Moments" -- which might make a great subtitle for this reference-packed short subject.) My favorite transition: From "Hiroshima, Mon Amour" to "Citizen Kane." You'll see why.
And now, for fans of Richard Lester, Peter Sellers and Spike Milligan (and Leo McKern and Graham Stark and Norman Rossington...), my own movie reference: "Frames of Reference" is "The Tracking, Exploding, Kissing, Watching, Crashing, Throwing, Fainting, Dancing, Drinking, Flying, Falling Backwards Film," though not necessarily in that order. And that's not the half of it....
Jim - Thanks so much for this! It was a true pleasure making it and there were so many moments from so many cherished films that I ended up not using but I was happier leaving it as is rather than overextending it.
I've envisioned movies in my head for years when listening to Oliver Nelson's music (it's so ... dramatic) that I was thrilled when technology finally made it possible for me to put it all together.
Thanks again!
Very cool. I liked the inclusion of "Thje Ruling Class". Anybody know the clip before "The Maltese Falcon" which had the axe feeze in midair and burst into flames?
I took a shot at the single piece grand musical movie montage last year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2NNc9mb93xU
Alonzo - That shot is from The Devil and Daniel Webster directed by William Dieterle and originally released in 1941 as All That Money Can Buy. It's a masterpiece of mood, cinematography, music and acting. Walter Huston as Scratch is simply superb.
And hey I didn't know until I went to your link that you did the 100 countdown montage last year. I remember liking it and seeing it all over the blogs. Good work.