Un Chien Andalou + Godspeed You Black Emperor
The story of a Surrealist Sync-up
When I was about twenty-one I discovered what a lot of
twenty-one year old's discover, how much cleverer they are than
everyone else. Right about the start of your second decade you may
well find some music, book, theory, and/or cultural arcana that just
makes you feel fifty times smarter than everyone you've ever met.
It's fun. I recommend it.
One of the bands I found at that age was Godspeed You Black
Emperor!, a Canadian experimental music collective that records
cinematic rock-like sound montages. They feature spoken word,
instrumental segments, slow building walls of noise, and plenty of
eerie found sounds and field recordings.
Also being a ripe film enthusiasts, through the ven diagram of
overlapping interests, it came to the attention of my friend and I
that Un Chien Andalou, the 1929 film collaboration between Luis Bunel
and Salvador Dali, and the first track from Godspeed's first album
were roughly the same length. So what can one do in that situation,
we played them together.
The album and film were made roughly 70 years apart. But despite
time and distance it seemed like they'd been destined for each other.
And their specific combination seemed meant for us alone. The
symmetry between the two artifacts is exquisite. And, just like every
one wants every now and then, it made us feel privileged, clever,
insightful.
An all too rare high five from the universe.
Top 5 Moments to watch for:
1. min 1:26 spoken: "The sun has fallen down" Just as light goes out around character on bike.
2. min. 2:27 spoken: "I said kiss me your beautiful these are truly the last days" as woman kisses fallen man's face.
3. min 3:06-3:57 series of edits timed nearly perfect with the music.
4. min 7:14 sound of steam engine as man pulls pianos with dead animals on them across the floor.
5. min 10:49 the clear switch to twangy western-movie style music as six shooters and a standoff are introduced.
