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Meshes of the Afternoon (1943)

Writer's picture: Ally McEnhillAlly McEnhill

It was intriguing to see a surrealist film that was more modern in comparison to . I found the use of sound in this film particularly intriguing as the non-diegetic and diegetic were exaggerated to produce a surreal effect. All naturally produced sounds seemed to be artificially reproduced adding to the dream like atmosphere. They also added very inorganic sounds such as a laser beam which in contrast added to the more organic sounds created a contradiction only justifiable in a dreamlike sense.


The use of looping and well as the mirrored figure made me as an audience member feel lost and confused which I think was intentional. I think the filmmaker wanted us to feel lost in order to access the subconscious. Another recurring motif included a falling key and knife which created a tripping effect,


It was directed by Maya Deren who also starred in the short film. She considered herself among the Avant-garde movement which was a collective of people that considered themselves to be "experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society".


In conclusion, I found this fil confusing. It had a stronger narrate than other surrealist films I have encountered but still managed to make me feel alienated, just in a different way.


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