Burning Man: The Burning Sensation

Explaining burning man is close to impossible. Alex Nohe explains the unexplainable. Companionship, freedom, in its truest form, and open minds are only a few ways in which to describe what happens on the open playa. Nohe's definition in this film captures the true essence of what burning man is. Creative art displays, open expressionism, and FANTASTIC footage.

Naked people are a direct correlation between the mind, body and the self expressionism that is welcome on the playa. Displaying this on film shouldn't be criticized or condemned. It's all part of the BURNING SENSATION!!!!! The Burning Sensation has taught me what burning man is and what it stands for. Next to being there, it's as close as you'll get. Thanks Alex.......

"The Burning Sensation" is poorly shot, scatterbrained and lecherously obsessed with showing naked girls at the expense of the interesting art and people of Burning Man. Nohe's leering, lingering shots of women showering or dancing are tacky and the disproportionate screen time devoted to the nudie cuties misses the real point of the weeklong art festival in the desert. Here's just some of what he omitted entirely at the '99 fest: the real-life Thunderdome; the fifteen or twenty rave tents; the one-half scale "Small World" installation which blew up and burned; the firefall; the enormous clock tower; almost all of the art cars; the Burning Man opera; etc. All for what? So he could pack the movie with anonymous women in various states of undress, filmed as clinically distant as wildlife in a safari film (we never meet or hear from any of them.)

He includes some interviews with BM founder Larry Harvey spouting his familiar line (which was well-documented before this travesty of a film) and Q&A with a few other old timers; but beyond that, no effort is made to establish a history, a framework, or a context. This really has the feel of poorly-framed, unplanned home movie footage cut together and transferred to film. The big push it received (a premiere at the American Cinematheque) is inexplicable considering that there are at least two other BM documentaries that are far superior. Given this film's tacky emphasis on breasts, I wouldn't be surprised to see this turn up on Spice Channel or Skinemax, which is a shame, since that will only attract more peeping Tom spectators to come to Burning Man in the future bringing with them their videocameras.

I myself have only been to Burning Man once. Not knowing what to expect, I must admit I was a little in awe at the variety of things going on. I did feel very much like a voyeur my first couple of days there; but I soon learned the ways of Black Rock City, and felt like a productive citizen of the community.

This film brings me back there. It held a sense of nostalgia and I feel the hunger to return. To offer something more. To give back.

The interviews are diverse as well as informative. I loved the interview with Larry Harvey. I could listen to him for hours. This interview in particular makes you realize you were a part of something unique (if you didn't realize that already) and several great points were made about our loss of culture and tradition.

I feel the need to address some confused comments merely because I feel they missed the point in a big way--or went into viewing this documentary feeling very angry and paranoid. A multitude of different events from Burning Man 98' and 99' were featured--one can't be all places at all times. Especially with no budget. The nudity in this film was pretty evenly dispersed on both sexes--it's kind of difficult to cover up the nudity in a documentary on Burning Man. Lot's of up front interviews with Black Rock citizens and coordinators. I guess we all see what we want to see.

Overall, I feel this film has flowered into a very fun and meaningful documentary.