Mirrorball|Global Selection

****1/2

Reviewed by: George Williamson

Rarely will you see a collection of music videos so widely varied and yet of such consistently high quality as the selection assembled from all around the world for Mirrorball.

Global Selection. There's a massive diversity of styles; from claymation little dogs to slowmotion chairstack collapses to bluescreen eyeball dancing to automobile explosion; it's all here and almost all brilliant.

This fine assortment kicks off with a somewhat surreal offering for Vitalic made by the Pleix collective, continuing in their style of cleanly minimal visuals by capturing various canines leaping against a plain background on ultra high speed film. The effect is almost one of zero gravity - jowls flap, fur flies, eyes glisten all at a mesmerisingly slow pace - the catchy electro tune synched beautifully with the flowing visuals. It's an incredibly cool short film that's immaculately produced.

The next film of note is Lucky, a short by Nash Edgerton, showing you exactly what to to and not do when trapped in the boot of a speeding car with a brick on the accelerator. Similarly action packed is Justice vs. Simian's We Are Your Friends which appears to be the aftermath of a debauched party in a conceptual artist's studio. Various people wake to find themselves attired oddly and positioned precariously within what could only be dubbed art-traps which proceed collapse in beautifully inevitable slow motion. It's very bizarre, but a great track that is well matched by the surreal video.

Another gem is the video for Polysics' fantastic track I My Me Mine - a crazy mix of robotic dancing schoolgirls, traffic cops and band leaders. It's just plain weird, but utterly unforgettable, and the grooving is only matched by that in OK Go's self produced video for A Million Ways. The foursome of geeky looking indie rockers perform a complex choreographed routine on their patio that would put Napoleon Dynamite to shame.

Unfortunately there are some disappointments in the programme, particularly Michel Gondry's videos for Kayne West and The White Stripes - both entirely Gondry, but their quirky weirdness isn't quite odd enough to match his classic promos. Also the video for Sigur Ros' Saeglopur is pleasant, but doesn't quite live up to the rest of the selection - although it is a nice track. However, these are definitely in the minority, and in another collection could be highlights.

I could talk about the various other amazing videos in this showcase - Olivier Gondry's incredible flow-mo distortions for Tiga, Nagi Noda's crazy eyeball headed singers for Ogiyahgi, Olivier Martin's short claymation about the squashing of little dogs for Ignatus, Callum Cooper's illustration of Fortknight Productions' educational track on How to Make a Beat - but I'd be here all night. All I can say is that if you can only see one film of the Mirrorball programme then it should be Global Selection; you won't see anything better.

Reviewed on: 07 Sep 2006
Share this with others on...
A very fine selection of the best and most innovative of global music videos this year.

Director: Various

Writer: Various

Starring: Various

Year: 2005

Runtime: 80 minutes

Country: Various

Festivals:

EIFF 2006

Search database: