Trimpin: The Sound of Invention
Documentary/Music
Academic Complex
16 February 2010
This documentary focuses on the life of Trimpin, a composer/inventor whose music is like nothing you have ever heard before. The film chronicles his life and his attempt to create something completely original and unique...music manifest in every object. It traces back to his childhood, revealing the origins that made him the "mad scientist of music" that he is today. It portrays the difficultly in attempting to sell his music to a mass audience, particularly an audience that will allow him complete artistic control of his concerts and, more importantly, an actual venue to perform. Once he has finally gotten approval to begin performing these 'futuristic-symphonies,' his life dream, it ends on a very thought provoking note: it will take him the remainder of his lifetime to truly grasp, and master the concept of his music.
One thing that I found very interesting was that the entire film's score was Trimpin's orginal music that he had composed over the course of his life. This element gave the film a very personal and realistic overtone. I truly felt as though I was inside the mind of a completely unique human being, a Motzart of the 21st century. Much like I felt after watching the documentary Man on Wire, I felt privledged to be able to peer into Trimpin's head and look what was inside. Very few people in this world appreciate the most minute aspects of life, such as the sound a river makes when it runs through logs or the sound of a marble circulating a glass track. Trimpin is a minority who falls under this category. Essentially, this almost childlike quality is the epitome of his artistic success. This movie serves as a great inspiration to anyone who is attempting to create anything, music, film, art, etc. On a different note, I really liked how the director chose not to incorporate the technological aspect of actually constructing these instruments, for I fear that if he had, the film would have lost the overall message it was trying to convey. I can honestly say that there isn't anything I would have done differently, and I can safely assume that Trimpin himself would say the same.