Music for One Apartment and Six Drummers

In my youth i used to play in bands and make music, and my pals and bands we played in loved to explore, and to play together on whatever we could find, in house, city or nature; and many times we have played music on kitchen or bathroom stuff like characters in this brilliant little movie; the difference being that we were improvising and just jamming, usually spaced-out on weed; while the "band" in this movie clearly plays exact and precisely thought-out and rehearsed pieces, additionally wrapped in a tight and razor-sharp 10-minute plan.

Well, we were Balkanians, and they're Swedes, so i guess it figures.

The music they produce "out of stuff" in 4 rooms of a house is surprisingly good; a solid and sensible percussion (and not only percussion) groove, and it will draw at least a smile on face of any musician worth his name. The greatest advantage of the film is its concept - a 'game' of playing music on stuff found around house - because it allows for many great little ideas; and authors came up with surprisingly many; majority of them being surprising and funny in their own little ways.

Add to this good little mock-thriller wrapper story of a break-in; add great execution from actors/musicians; add solid editing and direction, and you have probably one of the best exactly-ten-minutes-long films ever.

Apart from 'those obsessed with order' (as some clearly non-musician commentors have suggested), this film will also resonate with:

* All musicians everywhere (including those who aren't ones yet, but should be; and excluding those that are, but shouldn't be) * All fans of good groove in funk and electronica * All who can feel groove in any kind of music * All fans of good short film with a good idea and great execution * Admirers of creativity in general.

I happened to catch this short on broadcast TV some time ago and it has stuck in my mind ever since.

While the owners are out walking their dog, six odd-looking Swedes break into their apartment and pretty much trash the place, but with style and rhythm.

Quirky, but compelling and wholly entertaining. I Can't think of a single way in which it could be improved.

Available on DVD as part of a compilation called SHORT6 (I managed to order a copy from Amazon.co.jp and it arrived this morning - YAY!).

Get hold of a copy now; you'll watch it over and over.

This short film could have been titled "I got rhythm" for that indeed is what it is all about. Our homes as this film shows are filled to the brim with uncoordinated sounds e.g. the flapping of a blind, the clicking of a mouse trap, the rattle of coins in a money box. There is no end to it. My question is: When does sound become noise and when does noise become music? It's all to do with rhythm, and this film has it!

The six intruders in this apartment have lots of fun (despite their dead pan faces) with all manner of every day objects as they work together in a regular beat. I found myself totally involved nodding my head in time and tapping out the rhythm with my feet...waiting expectantly for the next object to come alive.

Although the percussion instruments kept up a regular beat, the orchestration of the sounds varied from ordinary to excellent. It is a fun film filled with ingenious ideas. It has no serious intent. Just sit back and enjoy the rhythm.

Swedes are the most orderly people on the planet. Their sense of propriety is something that this American can only wonder about. That's why this little film escapes me.

The whole point of this is that the six folks who break in are not odd-looking, but quite ordinary and respectable looking. All the objects, even the objects in the bedroom are the most ordinary. The music itself is ordinary. The edge of the film is the confluence of these three ordinary elements: ordinary people where they don't belong, making music of things not so intended.

If you are not one who obsesses about order, then this will not have any resonance and will look like what it is, a student film.

Ted's Evaluation -- 1 of 3: You can find something better to do with this part of your life.

This is a rather amazing musical short, as it looked as if it took forever to choreograph it. As a couple leave their apartment, a group of six odd people watch and wait until they are gone. Then, like a strike team, they break into the house and go from room to room playing music using household items such as food processors, glasses and doors as they drum and drum rhythmically. It's very infectious and high quality, so you'll likely find yourself tapping your feet or moving to the music. It is a film that would probably appeal most to teens, though anyone can enjoy it. Plus, even if this "isn't your thing", you can't help but admire the actors and film makers as the film must have taken extraordinary efforts to coordinate all of this frenetic action.