Flaming Ears

After seeing a trailer for this being re-released I was rather excited that a long-lost art film "gem" that I missed may be available to all but unfortunately it's really a slog.

Believe me, I do love a fantastic & weird art film, especially from the past. It's a backbone part of my character and overall self, but through the years I've had many experiences with these arty films that absolutely just has me going "My god that was boring..". "Flaming Ears" unfortunately fits among those experiences.

The main credit here is that indeed a lot of the low-budget aesthetics are quite cool in that early-90s-fringe way where a lot of people wanted desperately to be away from the 80s but hadn't settled into the odd atmosphere of irony mixed with nihilism with an air of desperation that would basically define the decade (at least as far as I'm concerned). Another interesting aspect is its primarily lesbian context which basically just is "there" and doesn't get exploited in a cheap or cliché way. Unfortunately, the "just being there" aspect is basically the whole film in general.

It's rather impossible to do much of any kind of synopsis of this film's plot/story or general ideas. Most of it meanders around one claustrophobic scene to another of vague conversation and what we guess are alliterations to something though it's always hard to tell honestly what that is. The problem I think is that the movie keeps feeling like it is trying to say something and basically keeps not doing so. I had high hopes for the outré weird factor after the opening sequence of a strangely dressed woman roller skating around a warehouse full of furniture where after zig zagging around some closets pours water (or gas maybe?) onto a classic-looking bureau/dresser and proceeds to have "sex" with it. I thought "OK, now we're getting somewhere", yet that was pretty much the only kind of intriguing "weirdness" in the film. The rest of it just coasts along, mostly getting stuck in vaguely Dadaistic conversations and awkwardly slow pacing.

In the end, check it out if you're curious and maybe you'll see things I've missed. Of note to experimental music fans is in the involvement of Austrian sound artist/composer Curd Duca, who shows up as music & lighting assistant as well as a driver, interestingly enough.

is it fair to criticize a film for lacking a plot?

probably not. (1) dependence on plot, the idea that every experience is part of some greater story which has a clear moral content, is a misnomer...and probably the underlying disease which is americanization of art. everything cannot be succinctly categorized. there is not just one perspective. (2) i might have missed the plot anyhow. after all, i was combating a poor knowledge of german, austrian accents, inaccurate subtitles, a less than stellar video copy, and, of course, my own limited sensibilities. but i can say, that i do like a plot. and there did not seem to be one here. that said, i was completely impressed by this film. the low-budget aesthetic was wonderful. from the chunky city-scape models, to the hermes-like metallic scrunchies, to the exploding possums, the futuristic car in a sheet, the red vinyl body suit, the fold-up character, and the alligator stir-fry. all very intriguing. add in poetic monologues and cryptic conversations. i was very happy, because it was so pretty.