SPIRITUAL CONSTRUCTIONS is a pure delight to watch. Whimsical and yet somewhat deranged silhouettes of anamorphic men twist and transform themselves in a world where nothing moves or acts as one should, would or could expect.
One of Oskar Fischinger's earliest films, Seelische Konstruktionen (as it is known in German), clearly points the way to the masterpieces of musically-blended experimental animation he would conceive in the decades to come. The sense of masterful timing and rhythm, the easy and natural -- though patently Fischinger-esque -- character traits of the subjects, and the smooth precision of both line and movement are all present already. Unique is the black-silhouetted, semi-cartoon characters (not nearly as rigidly self-contained as Lotte Reiniger's cut-out forms) which seem to adhere to no physical limitations whatsoever. Morphing into shapes, structures, objects, patterns, and even one another, as though they were made of pure mercury and set to music. As for the "story", it's rather non-sensical, and certainly silly, but also has a slightly dark and devious tinge to it as well; men becoming monsters, uncontrollable shape-shifting and the constant, almost desperate movement. And all is beautifully married to a piece of frolicking classical music, so trademark Fischinger as well. Much less abstract than most of his later work, but so rewarding to watch for it's differences and playful unfolding.
9/10. Made me smile, both on the inside and out!
