The 10-minute film that taught George Lucas about The Force.
This short film from Arthur Lipsett is an abstract collage of snippets from discarded footage found by Lipsett in the editing room of the National Film Board (where he worked as an animator), combined with his own black and white 16mm footage shot on the streets of Montreal and New York City, among other locations. A commentary on a machine-dominated society, it is often cited as an influence on George Lucas's Star Wars and his conceptualization of "The Force."
Editing
Chaotic montage that somehow achieves cosmic rhythm.
Sound
Roman Kroitor's fragmented narration haunts long after.
Direction
Lipsett saw apocalypse in discarded NFB scraps.
Director
Arthur Lipsett
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Lucas literally begged to study under Lipsett; when rejected, he channeled this film's 'life force' energy into Star Wars' mystical energy field.
Lipsett found most footage in the NFB garbage—including a scientist's failed take that became the film's prophetic centerpiece. The garbage knew.
CA
US
