Watch Decasia

Decasia is an experimental art film from 2002 that explores the beauty of decay and deterioration. Directed by American filmmaker Bill Morrison, this unique film uses found footage from old silent films, mainly from the early 20th century, to create a haunting and mesmerizing visual experience. The film is not a conventional narrative, but a kind of visual and auditory collage. It consists of various clips and scenes from old films that have been spliced together in a non-linear fashion, creating a new and eerie mood. The film is set to an original score by composer Michael Gordon, who used classical elements, such as horns and strings, mixed with industrial sounds and random noise to create a surreal and dreamlike soundscape.

The main focus of the film is the decay and deterioration of the original film reels. The film was made using footage that was often damaged, scratched, and decayed, which further adds to the surreal and grainy effect. The images are often almost unrecognizable: blotches of colors and shapes blend together, creating a hypnotic and immersive effect.

The use of found footage is not new, but what makes Decasia unique is the way the film is structured. The film is not a coherent narrative, but a series of abstract impressions that are meant to evoke an emotional response from the viewer. The images often appear otherworldly or like a dream, as if the viewer is peering through a window into a surreal alternate reality.

There are recurring motifs throughout the film that appear and reappear at various times. For example, there are several scenes of a woman dressed in a black kimono who dances gracefully against a white background. Her movements are slow and ceremonial, and her face is expressionless. This scene is one of the few moments in the film that offers a sense of calm and beauty amidst the chaotic and abstract visuals.

Another recurring image is that of buildings being destroyed. We see various clips of old buildings being blown up, crumbled, or smashed, which could be seen as a metaphor for the passing of time and the impermanence of all things. The scenes are often accompanied by loud and jarring industrial sounds, creating a sense of destruction and chaos.

The film has been described as a meditation on mortality and decay, as well as an exploration of the power of cinema to create and preserve memories. The use of damaged and deteriorating film footage can be seen as a commentary on the fragility of cinema as an art form. Just like the images on the screen, the film itself is slowly fading away, and the only way to preserve it is through digitization and restoration.

Overall, Decasia is a haunting and mesmerizing film that offers a unique and abstract visual experience. It is not a conventional narrative, but rather a series of impressions meant to evoke emotions and thoughts in the viewer. The use of found footage and the decayed state of the original film reels give the film a surreal and otherworldly quality that is both eerie and beautiful. The original score by Michael Gordon adds to the overall hypnotic effect of the film, making it a memorable and thought-provoking cinematic experience.

Decasia is a 2002 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 7 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.2 and a MetaScore of 67.