Water and Power

Water and Power

1989
Documentary
57m
Winner of a Sundance Grand Jury prize, Pat O'Neill's influential experimental work is in his own words "a landscape film that became animated by the beginnings of human stories." In this "city symphony," O'Neill juxtaposes images of downtown Los Angeles with scenes from the Owens Valley, Los Angeles' source of water. This was a brilliant examination of water in all its forms and the one-sided sharing of energy between the two places, representing nature and civilization. (Library of Congress)
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Water and Power

1989
Documentary
57m
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Avg Percentile 66.29% from 58 total ratings

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(57)
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Rated 19 Feb 2024
80
87th
Initially came across to me as a procession of cinematic tricks, impressive but insubstantial. It certainly grew on me, however, and without being able to isolate the thing exactly, it was fascinating. Seems to have a certain surrealist bent, part of which is an interest in conflating incongruous sense experiences, leading to some really interesting vibes. The sound element is particularly lovely.
Rated 22 May 2020
5
91st
Jaw-droppingly dense visual essay on the relationship between Los Angeles, its sources of water, and the desertification of the surrounding areas. Some of its more obscure snatches seem like dead ends, but it contains more breathtaking moments than any film I've seen in years. Its combination of time-lapse photography, optical printing and animation, and in-camera effects has to be seen to be believed.
Rated 02 Jun 2015
5
70th
the art of cinematic storytelling. stories are told to us, either by text or narration, and then generally unrelated images are presented, perhaps to get the audience to think about the way in which even the most obscure information can impact our sensory experiences. an enjoyable and sometimes magical experience, if just a bit on the nose, and ultimately a bit tiresome.

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