Monday, August 2, 2010

Cremaster Cycle?

Today I watched The Order from Matthew Barney's Cremaster 3. The Order is the only one of a series of films in The Cremaster Cycle that has been released to mass market DVD.
The Cremaster Cycle is an avant garde, (mostly) cinematic, piece of art by Matthew Barney which is comprised of 5 feature length films (as well as illustrations, photographs and sculptures related to the films) made over 8 years.

The Order is a section on one of these feature films, Cremaster 3. The Order revolves around the central character, a tartan-clad Barney, and his race to the top of the Guggenheim Museum. Other characters include a troupe of dancing showgirls, a pair of dueling rock bands, a woman who transforms into a cheetah and sculptor Richard Serra.
There is no dialogue throughout the film and it features an original score by Jonathan Bepler.
The makeup and costumes are beyond amazing.

Cremaster Cycle has been highly acclaimed as one of the greatest pieces of avant garde cinema in decades, and also harshly criticised as 'self indulgent tedium'.
I haven't decided what I think of it yet. It's probably somewhere in between.

All commentary on the film aside, the cover image of the DVD is incredible. It features the central character, Barney, and showcases just one of the amazing costumes and makeup in The Order.
I am both enchanted and repulsed. I find it both beautiful and horrific. I can hardly stand to look at it, yet cannot look away.

Have a look for yourself..


For more info on Matthew Barney's The Cremaster Cycle:
http://www.cremaster.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Cremaster_Cycle

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