Trimpin: The Sound of Invention

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.

Review: Blessed is the Match: the Life and Death of Hannah Senesh

Blessed is the Match: the Life and Death of Hannah Senesh
Documentary/drama
Recital Hall
24 January 2010

To begin, this film tells the fascinating, yet relatively unknown, story of Hannah Senesh, a young Jewish girl who was a poet, farmer, philosopher, and most of all a hero. Growing up in Hungary, Hannah was a very gifted child who, against her mother's wishes, made the decision to not attend college and pursue an agricultural career in Palestine. Fortunately, for her sake, she couldn't have left Hungary at a better time, seeing as the Nazi's would occupy that territory not too long after her departure. For the first time, Hannah begins to see the persecutaion of her heritage and, as a result, felt a spiritual calling to join a resistance group and become a paratrooper in an attempt to try and help save some of her fellow people who were in the midst of a horrible genocide. Unfortunately, Hannah is discovered by a Gustapo officer, captured, brutally tortured, sent to trial, convicted of her crimes by her own native country, and ultimately, executed. Not only is this film very educational and emotional, it is very artistic-with very beautiful black and white cinematography and music that is so haunting that it literally sends shivers down your spine. Also, it was great that the producers had acquired so many photos that Hannah had taken, her poetry, and her personal diary. These personal items were the driving force behind the success of making this incredible story come to life.
Typically, in my viewing experience of documentaries, one consistent problem lies within the film that is incorperated in the documentary whenever real-life footage is not available. For the most part, these 'films within a film' usually look cheap, hurridly put together, and have an artistic value equal to that of the masterminds behind films like Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans. I can safely say that, for this film, this is certainly not the case. It was shot in a very clean black and white, with excellent camera work and actors who, although had very few lines of dialogue, conveyed expressions and emotions that continued to make the audience sympathize despite knowing that these were not the actual real life people that were being portrayed. Also, the way this story was told was simple, but perfect. It literally went from the begining of her life to her final days spent inside a Jewish prison with her mother, on the outside, watching her inevitable and horrific fate unfold. Essentially, this is a near-perfect documentary-one that engages the audience emotionally while still reporting the facts and the history behind this tradgic story. In retrospect, Hannah Senesh was truly a great hero, a person whose characteristics, as beautifully said by one of her prison mates and friends, consisted of a perfect combination of "courage and gentleness."