Having seen Barry Ptolemy’s masterpiece Transcendent Man at the Tribeca film festival (almost by accident) I was very excited to hear that it would be screening at the 2009 AFI festival in Hollywood on November 5th in Los Angeles (my home town). I had set this date aside for some time as my first viewing of the film had the effect of an atomic bomb on a modern city. In short it blew me away more than I can really describe. Several times I had out of body experiences while watching the film. So I was going to be making a night out of this new screening opportunity. I am happy to report that the second screening did not disappoint. Although it did not have the effect of the first screening (nothing could) I enjoyed many extra small layers that Ptolemy had hidden (just for my enjoyment it seemed). The film with it’s beautifully haunting score by Philip Glass is like a symphony of images and ideas that continue to wash over you in the most amazing way. I found myself riding the film like a surfer rides a wave, paddling far out to sea (my metaphor for getting far out of the norm) and then riding magnificent waves back to the shore. This process repeats over and over, each time the waves getting larger and larger until the climax leaves you riding the biggest wave of all only not back to shore, but out into the infinite blue ocean! My emotions were constantly played with and I felt my throat constrict during three times as the film covers the delicate father and son story that Ptolemy handles like no other film maker I’ve ever encountered. All in all I was left blown away again and was treated to Ray Kurzweil himself and Barry Ptolemy taking the stage at the end of the screening and answering several excellent questions. At one point Ptolemy was asked why did he make the film. He answered that Kurzweil’s ideas are the biggest and most profound ideas our species has ever imagined and we needed to discuss them in the best way he knew how, which is clearly the cinematic form. As time goes on and the film is released for general consumption I think more and more cinephiles will come to know what I do that Transcendent Man is one of the greatest accomplishments in cinematic history.
I just learned that Transcendent Man is going to IDFA for its European World Premiere. So that’s Tribeca, AFI and now IDFA. It’s only a matter of time before people everywhere see this film and come to know what I do. This is one of the most powerful and profound films ever made. It will change your life. People go check it out!
Fredo, I don’t know when it will be released in theaters. The fan page on Facebook says first half of 2010. When it does come out, run don’t walk. And tell everyone you know…. Kurzweil’s ideas need to get out into the world!
AFI over 2 years ago
Having seen Barry Ptolemy’s masterpiece Transcendent Man at the Tribeca film festival (almost by accident) I was very excited to hear that it would be screening at the 2009 AFI festival in Hollywood on November 5th in Los Angeles (my home town). I had set this date aside for some time as my first viewing of the film had the effect of an atomic bomb on a modern city. In short it blew me away more than I can really describe. Several times I had out of body experiences while watching the film. So I was going to be making a night out of this new screening opportunity. I am happy to report that the second screening did not disappoint. Although it did not have the effect of the first screening (nothing could) I enjoyed many extra small layers that Ptolemy had hidden (just for my enjoyment it seemed). The film with it’s beautifully haunting score by Philip Glass is like a symphony of images and ideas that continue to wash over you in the most amazing way. I found myself riding the film like a surfer rides a wave, paddling far out to sea (my metaphor for getting far out of the norm) and then riding magnificent waves back to the shore. This process repeats over and over, each time the waves getting larger and larger until the climax leaves you riding the biggest wave of all only not back to shore, but out into the infinite blue ocean! My emotions were constantly played with and I felt my throat constrict during three times as the film covers the delicate father and son story that Ptolemy handles like no other film maker I’ve ever encountered. All in all I was left blown away again and was treated to Ray Kurzweil himself and Barry Ptolemy taking the stage at the end of the screening and answering several excellent questions. At one point Ptolemy was asked why did he make the film. He answered that Kurzweil’s ideas are the biggest and most profound ideas our species has ever imagined and we needed to discuss them in the best way he knew how, which is clearly the cinematic form. As time goes on and the film is released for general consumption I think more and more cinephiles will come to know what I do that Transcendent Man is one of the greatest accomplishments in cinematic history.
AX
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TRANSCENDENT MAN at IDFA over 2 years ago
I just learned that Transcendent Man is going to IDFA for its European World Premiere. So that’s Tribeca, AFI and now IDFA. It’s only a matter of time before people everywhere see this film and come to know what I do. This is one of the most powerful and profound films ever made. It will change your life. People go check it out!
AX
Go to Comment
AFI over 2 years ago
Fredo, I don’t know when it will be released in theaters. The fan page on Facebook says first half of 2010. When it does come out, run don’t walk. And tell everyone you know…. Kurzweil’s ideas need to get out into the world!
Go to Comment