Static

If you ever get the chance to watch this one take it. Mind you not sure how thats going to happen as for some insane reason it's not out on either VHS or DVD. So come on Mark , time to re-release this classic, I was lucky to see it at film school in the 1980's and unlike some things that's not where it should stay.

Static transcends the usually flat, cliched medium of film to create a deeply moving portrait of an American family. A truly dynamic work, the movie affected me in ways I never thought an artform could. In short, Static is nothing of the sort. This is in large part due to the work of Mike Murakami. Actors of any age rarely display half the level of emotion he musters in one glance. I have awaited his follow-up performance eagerly, but after 15 years, I fear it may never come.

I saw this about 15 years ago on late night television in the UK. Having seen John Carpenters 'Christine' a few weeks before I was curious about the expanded talents of Keith Gordon, and I was not disappointed. 'Static' is one of those films that never leaves the viewer. It's stark simplicity and realism has meant that everyday life keeps giving me 'flashbacks' to this movie. Even after all these years things are still very clear in my mind. Keith Gordons brilliantly understated performance and Amanada Plummer (in what must be one of her most controlled roles ever) capture the mood of the piece perfectly as one mans obsession builds to a devastating climax. The question of "was he right or crazy?" bears relevance beyond the confines of the film as we live a world where everyone, it seems, is guided to the point of blindness by their own beliefs and obsessions. Please ignore the shots of the kids in the alien masks on the advertising for this film. That is just another example of the distributor not having a clue what the film is really about.

Static is a well shot, fantastic story. Not a standard hollywood picture that deserves all of what little recognition it has. If you live in Chicago, you can rent it at Facets video rental. (They have some great rare movies) Mark Romanik has such a great visual eye. I anxiously await One Hour Photo.

"Static" is a precious film. It's a well kept secret, the kind of far-out gem (like , say, Talk Talk : "Spirit Of Eden") that will always escape classification. In a word, it's weird.

Visually, it belongs to the white walls, new wave, ambient American minimalist wave of "Sex, Lies, And Videos", "Bodies, Rest And Motion", "Parents", or the cult Hal Hartley films. The cherry on the cake has to be its soundtrack, complete with sublime atmospheric synthethizer waves by Japan.

The story : something magical happened in a small community ...except noone "gets" it, and a fairly disturbed young man can't get to communicate his sublime vision, and share his surreal "invention". What he has come up with is mind boggling... and noone else recognizes it. Past the suspenseful first half, the film veers into another, more tragic, direction ("Sugarland Express" ?), as he takes on the world. Weird, wacky, wonderful.

Details (like the half-melt crucifix collection, the survivalist, his kids' alien masks) abound, creating a suitably subtle poetic atmosphere. Add to that the fascinating presence of Amanda Plummer, who adds a doubly poignant subplot (returning "home", and sympathising with the loner), and you have a true cult classic of the eighties. -Other possible recommendations : "The Reflecting Skin" , or "The Darkness Of Darkley Noon".