With this short, West establishes himself as the front-runner of his generation. This short film is surely not for the dumb 'suburban' multiplex crowds. It's clear from the start of the film that he really wanted to make something that stands out
He bravely opens Himself up to criticism of the low kind with the making of this short. It is a risky project, surely in these times, where the social atmosphere is so toxic. And he doesn't make it easy for us to like this particular short. Although the story line is not extremely difficult, West doesn't make it too easy for His viewers either.
And he doesn't make it too easy on himself, when the film opens up with a rather long sequence of West running.
We see a beautiful shot of the sky, where apparently a meteor is gonna fall in a forest. Whether West, driving his BMW, is trying to get to the place where the meteor is gonna fall, or if He is trying to outrun it, is not entirely clear. The car is struck by the meteor, (a moment that could have benefited from a good overhead shot, the only flaw in this film.), and a Phoenix arises from the flames, like Phenixes do. West invites the phoenix, a role by the lovely Selita Ebanks, to his house, where she's confronted with sensationalism of TV-news, upon which He parts with a simple wisdom: "Don't pay attention to the news"
The film then embarks upon a further introduction of Earth customs, amongst which is a formal dinner in a huge hall, with people all dressed in white. Halfway through the meal, Kanye gets up and starts playing one key the piano, with which he calls up an entire ballet company. This is a mix of excellent American and Czech dancers, who subtly show that they are very talented in both classic and modern dance. However, the main dish is a pheasant. This is very upsetting to the phoenix, who perhaps recognizes a fellow bird species, and to whom it probably feels like cannibalism. Imagine if we'd go to another planet and the bird-people try to feed us something which resembles a human?
In the final stages, the phoenix explains to West that she must leave, through fire no less, but West is adamant to stop his new found love.
During the credits, there's an excellent rap which is mindful of the late, great Gil Scott Heron.
The Melancholic Alcoholic.
He bravely opens Himself up to criticism of the low kind with the making of this short. It is a risky project, surely in these times, where the social atmosphere is so toxic. And he doesn't make it easy for us to like this particular short. Although the story line is not extremely difficult, West doesn't make it too easy for His viewers either.
And he doesn't make it too easy on himself, when the film opens up with a rather long sequence of West running.
We see a beautiful shot of the sky, where apparently a meteor is gonna fall in a forest. Whether West, driving his BMW, is trying to get to the place where the meteor is gonna fall, or if He is trying to outrun it, is not entirely clear. The car is struck by the meteor, (a moment that could have benefited from a good overhead shot, the only flaw in this film.), and a Phoenix arises from the flames, like Phenixes do. West invites the phoenix, a role by the lovely Selita Ebanks, to his house, where she's confronted with sensationalism of TV-news, upon which He parts with a simple wisdom: "Don't pay attention to the news"
The film then embarks upon a further introduction of Earth customs, amongst which is a formal dinner in a huge hall, with people all dressed in white. Halfway through the meal, Kanye gets up and starts playing one key the piano, with which he calls up an entire ballet company. This is a mix of excellent American and Czech dancers, who subtly show that they are very talented in both classic and modern dance. However, the main dish is a pheasant. This is very upsetting to the phoenix, who perhaps recognizes a fellow bird species, and to whom it probably feels like cannibalism. Imagine if we'd go to another planet and the bird-people try to feed us something which resembles a human?
In the final stages, the phoenix explains to West that she must leave, through fire no less, but West is adamant to stop his new found love.
During the credits, there's an excellent rap which is mindful of the late, great Gil Scott Heron.
The Melancholic Alcoholic.