USA,
1997, 74 min
Shown in 1998
CREDITS
- dir
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Iara Lee
- prod
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George Gund III
- scr
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Peter Shapiro
- cam
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Marcus Burnett, Paul Yates
- editor
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Paula Heredia
- cast
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Alec Empire, DJ Spooky, Moby, Orbital, Photek, The Invisibl Skratch Piklz , X-Ecutioners
- source
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Caipirinha Productions, Inc., 1120 Fifth Avenue #15A \' New York, NY 10128, FAX: 212-964-4075. WEBSITE: www.caipirinha.com
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COMMENTS
Iara Lee and George Gund III in person.
OTHER
Images of movement and flight propel director Iara Lee’s full-throttle catalogue of music made by machine. Vast in scope, Modulations tracks the merged paths of technology and sound, giving historical context to this confusing, complicated and constantly growing world of sound, where label categories such as trip-hop, ambient, jungle, break-beat and drum-and-bass pop up faster than anyone can count. Cutting-edge graphics, fast-fire interview snippets and a steady pulsating stream of electronic music are the fuel for this energetic and expansive documentary. In a version of sampling taken to the max, you hear from avant-garde masters such as John Cage to underground legends such as Can’s Holger Czukay to contemporary hipster heroes such as Psychic TV’s Genesis P. Orridge, Moby and Brian Eno. The sheer volume of information may teeter on the edge of overwhelming for anyone over 30 (make that 20?), but intricate editing and a tight narrative sense hold everything together. As in her previous festival favorite, Synthetic Pleasures (SFIFF 1996), Lee hits all the hot spots for this Lifestyles of the Hip and Happening, everywhere from a rave on Mt. Fuji to house clubs from Detroit to London—and anywhere else blips and bleeps are forming the cutting edge of music.
—Nick Tangborn
FACTOID #336
Bing Crosby was invited several times for an onstage tribute at the Festival, reports then-director Claude Jarman, but declined the honor. “Nobody wants to see those little things that I used to do,” he modestly replied. He did attend though, with wife Kathy and their friend, Rita Hayworth.
