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Dimensions of Dialogue

Original title: Moznosti dialogu
  • 1983
  • 16+
  • 12m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
5.2K
YOUR RATING
Dimensions of Dialogue (1983)
Adult AnimationDark ComedySatireStop Motion AnimationAnimationComedyFantasyShort

Three surreal depictions of failures of communication that occur on all levels of human society.Three surreal depictions of failures of communication that occur on all levels of human society.Three surreal depictions of failures of communication that occur on all levels of human society.

  • Director
    • Jan Svankmajer
  • Writer
    • Jan Svankmajer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.1/10
    5.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jan Svankmajer
    • Writer
      • Jan Svankmajer
    • 19User reviews
    • 13Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins total

    Photos1

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    User reviews19

    8.15.1K
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    Featured reviews

    10melahndoestherobot

    Incredibly Innovative Animation!

    Jan Svankmager's "Dimensions of Dialogue" is a collection of short films made up of stop-motion photography, live action, and animation. In the first act, Exhaustive Discussion, two heads made of all sorts of food and utensils are reduced to chunks and pieces through unique stop-motion animation. The heads devour and regurgitate each other into new forms over and over in a apologue of Evolution until we have clay heads continuously devouring and regurgitating. In the second act, Passionate Discourse, the two heads have become male and female, fall in love, and have sensual sex where they blend together. When they revert back to man and women there exists a needy lump of clay in between them, seemingly their child. Neither wants to care for the child and they begin to throw the lump back and forth at one another. The fight continues to escalate until they have virtually destroy one another. In the final act, Factual Conversation, two new heads appear-those of middle-aged men-and they begin spitting out and sucking back into their mouths various objects, interacting with one another through physical use of their tongues to manipulate the various objects for their dual benefit. Their exchanges become increasingly irrational, finally ending in destruction. Through use of human forms which are dismantled, scattered, merged and then weirdly constructed, "Dimensions of Dialogue" serves as a visually entertaining pessimistic study about the types of dialogue people have with one another, and the way that these dialogues can go horribly wrong. Some feel that it is Svankmajer's greatest film, and one of the most astounding animated shorts ever made. Whether that's true or not, his films have had a huge influence on modern avant-garde and stop-motion animators, as well as influencing the likes of Tim Burton and the Brothers Quay, and it is a film well worth watching.
    10Hitchcoc

    It Would Take a Book

    This is one of those films that is so filled with substance, one can't possibly absorb it all in one sitting. Even though it lasts only twelve minutes, one would have to cut it into about forty parts and comment on each. It is about communication, not just verbal, but in what we represent to each other. The claymation techniques are priceless, showing all sorts of cultural interactions. It must have been an amazingly grueling task to present all of this.
    8sstransam209

    cool

    OK the part of the movie where there were things eating each other was really cool, and I wish I knew how long it took for those effects to be done. I saw some symbolism in the characters that were eating each other. I think the character with all the books and school supplies represented a part of our culture of people that took the extra step, and continued school and career. And the one with all the food and kitchen supplies represented all the women that didn't continue school and became home makers, and the one with all the tools represent the men that didn't continue school and represent the workign class of people. And the actions show how they sometimes clash. I also Liked the clay man and woman, and how they begin to fight when neither want their creation. It kinda reminded me of that guy that was picked last to play kick ball in school, and how no one wanted him on his or her team.
    Kirpianuscus

    from near reality

    The mix of creepy animation and clear - precise message is the main virtue of this not ordinary animation , reflecting impressive rich animation, fair requisitorium and the great use of ordinary materials and clay for remind old truths , too easy to ignore but defining us. Short, impossibility of dialogue in three admirable . examples.
    10Galina_movie_fan

    Impossibilities of Dialogue

    "Moznosti dialogu" (1982) aka "Dimensions of Dialogue" (or it could be translated as "Possibilities of Dialogue" is one of my very favorite Svankmajer's short films. It consists of three parts, "Eternal Dialog", "Passionate Dialog", and "Exhausting Dialog". When I watched it, I was thinking about Tennessee Williams' words, "All of us are locked in our loneliness like in the cage". Complete loneliness, inability to communicate, impossibility of dialog and understanding - this is quite a dark opinion of the humanity but how masterfully and wickedly funny it was presented. How incredibly unique and marvelous Svankmajer's vision is. Among many spectacular images, the clay lovemaking scene in the "Passionate Dialog" was perhaps one of the most sensual I've ever seen in the movies. As any genuine work of Art, Svankmajer's little gem fascinates a viewer on many levels. You can try to explain the images and their deep meaning or you can simply sit back and let the fantasy, Art and imagination take you to the amazing world which you will never be able to forget

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    Related interests

    Seth Green, Mila Kunis, Alex Borstein, and Seth MacFarlane in Family Guy (1999)
    Adult Animation
    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
    Dark Comedy
    Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
    Satire
    Dakota Fanning in Coraline (2009)
    Stop Motion Animation
    Daveigh Chase, Rumi Hiiragi, and Mari Natsuki in Spirited Away (2001)
    Animation
    Will Ferrell in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy (2004)
    Comedy
    Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)
    Fantasy
    Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)
    Short

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Connections
      Featured in Visions: The Cabinet of Jan Svankmajer Prague's Alchemist of Film (1984)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • 1983 (Czechoslovakia)
    • Country of origin
      • Czechoslovakia
    • Languages
      • None
      • Czech
    • Also known as
      • Tücken des Gesprächs
    • Production company
      • Krátký Film Praha
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 12m
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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