Somehow in 377, I saw the potential of great dance-leaning cinematography that the local scene lacks. The best film that I have seen in recent months that accentuates the beauty of dance is Tango. It is an old film but the treatment quit way ahead of its time. In 377, sinewy dancers perform routines that are grounded in ballet with a tinge of modern interpretation. The dancers are lit from the side, hence, the shading reinforces the body form and the movements.
While I am not sure what to make of the various poses and moves, there is a discernible energy and perhaps even adamance about the moves. Which makes logical sense in the thematic context of the film. On the other hand, the use of dance acts like a code that I cannot break or assess. So, the intricacies of what is being expressed was lost on me.
Thio Li-Ann's hate speech last year at the 377A debate. forms the overriding soundtrack of the film. Mixed and overlapped, it sounds like a mantra. At certain points, it also sounds like a Channel NewsAsia ad in which Glenda Chong could probably round it up by saying 'Join us at every Wednesday.... For me, it was a little difficult to deal with the juxtaposition of the audio track and the beauty of dance. Both were titillating but in separate ways, not quite as a whole.
The film also made me question the use of film to capture this dance piece instead of keeping it to its original form - on stage. It did not help that many of the dancers were faceless, just like how you would see it in a theatre from a distance. As Daniel mentioned in the Q & A, this is an unfinished piece. I think it would be interesting the location was extended to beyond the studio, e.g. a public swimming pool (but it was used in solos, too bad)..... in Delta or Queenstown. :p
While I am not sure what to make of the various poses and moves, there is a discernible energy and perhaps even adamance about the moves. Which makes logical sense in the thematic context of the film. On the other hand, the use of dance acts like a code that I cannot break or assess. So, the intricacies of what is being expressed was lost on me.
Thio Li-Ann's hate speech last year at the 377A debate. forms the overriding soundtrack of the film. Mixed and overlapped, it sounds like a mantra. At certain points, it also sounds like a Channel NewsAsia ad in which Glenda Chong could probably round it up by saying 'Join us at every Wednesday.... For me, it was a little difficult to deal with the juxtaposition of the audio track and the beauty of dance. Both were titillating but in separate ways, not quite as a whole.
The film also made me question the use of film to capture this dance piece instead of keeping it to its original form - on stage. It did not help that many of the dancers were faceless, just like how you would see it in a theatre from a distance. As Daniel mentioned in the Q & A, this is an unfinished piece. I think it would be interesting the location was extended to beyond the studio, e.g. a public swimming pool (but it was used in solos, too bad)..... in Delta or Queenstown. :p