H2O

When it comes to water, you'd be inclined to think that what you see is what you get. We've all observed rivers, lakes, ponds and puddles; there's nothing new in the notion of a water surface reflecting and refracting light. Only an avant-garde filmmaker like Ralph Steiner could possibly have envisioned any different, and his 'H2O (1929)' is a bewildering montage of aquatic images, an inane but moderately absorbing examination of Earth's most abundant liquid, and the life-blood of all living organisms. The film starts ordinarily enough, presenting the viewer with rather commonplace shots of flowing rivers and the like, before becoming fascinated by the sprays of light reflected by the water ripples. Gradually, Steiner focuses closer and closer upon these ripples, exploring water's material nature at such close range that the liquid becomes almost unrecognisable, the shifting bands of reflected light seeming to flit across the screen like some bizarre psychedelic animation. The film takes a few too many minutes to get to this point, but, once it does, the effect is rewarding.

Exactly what Steiner is attempting to communicate about the nature of water has quite eluded to me. Those well-versed in experimental cinema can no doubt invent some obscure meaning to match the film's images, but I'm content to evaluate the film based purely on aesthetics, and, certainly, various shots in 'H2O' can only be described as hypnotic. The film, which runs around ten minutes in length, opens with four minutes of mundane water shots before we get our first reassurance that something worthwhile is unfolding. The film, which will definitely not suit all tastes – and, indeed, probably sits on the border of what I find entertaining– deserves to be seen by those interested in the avant-garde movement, particularly from an era where experimentalists and surrealists were only just finding their feet in cinema {Luis Buñuel's 'Un chien andalou (1929)' was released the same year}. Additionally, if you've ever wondered what more was to be discerned from water other than two hydrogen atoms and an oxygen, then perhaps you've found your answer.

This is just one of many art films from the DVD collection "Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant-Garde Film 1894-1941" and it's from Disc 3. However, compared to the earlier shorts shown on this disc, this is actually a pretty normal art film. While I am sure that the beautiful musical accompaniment that is presented with the film was NOT used originally (since it came out in 1929--and probably was a silent), it fits perfectly. The entire film consists of many images of water flowing and they are intercut quite often--giving you an almost pulsing effect. The cinematography is quite lovely--showing the camera person was a real master of the art of film. It was relaxing and mindless--the sort of thing kids and hyper people would hate but which might make many people stop and pause. Artsy but not unapproachable to the average plebe....like me.

A study on water, the reflections and motions of the liquid that accentuates its ethereality and metallic beauty.

What can you say about this? It is a few minutes of water in various forms. Beautiful, yes, though without a crisp picture it really loses something. I am not quite clear on what makes it historic or why it is worth preserving over any other footage. Was there something I missed? But it does make you think about water, how important it is and how it is everywhere. Maybe someone ought to try to do this again, only with better cameras and light? Sort of seems like a precursor to Kenneth Anger... but only in the most general sense.

H2O (1929)

*** 1/2 (out of 4)

This avant-garde film from director Rob Steiner was selected to the National Film Registry and it's this honor that got the film some much needed attention. The twelve-minute film has a pretty simple execution and that's to show as many forms of water as possible. Meaning, you might see a lake, a pond or water splashing in a tub or you may see various images reflected off the water. You see it rain, coming from a faucet and various other forms. You might wonder who would want to look at water for twelve straight minutes but the film is actually very well done and almost comes off like a surreal dream or some sort of poetic exercise in images. I think some of the best moments deal with the reflections because the images almost come off like animation or something that just seems so fake yet you know it's all real. Another great part was when we see various objects floating in the water. Steiner does a very good job at editing the scenes together and make no mistake this isn't some simple film with a bunch of images thrown together. That there could have been a mess but instead you can tell that a lot of thought went into the movie and it easily shows.

Still photographer Ralph Steiner picked up a movie camera and created a visual documentary on water in 1929's "H2O." This 'cinepoem' consists of patterns seen through reflections of bodies of water. Steiner, a freelance photographer whose work was seen in a number of publications such as 'The Ladies Home Journal' as well as in Madison Avenue advertisements, joined a New York City film group and immediately immersed himself in the medium.

As the name implies, Steiner filmed miles of footage of water patterns, scenes such as rain water descending down a drain and larger bodies of water creating artwork on their surfaces. His moving images showed natural patterns that modern canvas artists could only dream of painting. He varied the speed of his film rate, lingering on those images he found unique by its shapes and lines.

Steiner's career bounced between the still and the moving photography. He even did a stint in Hollywood for four years before moving back to his New York City and New England roots. A close friend of his, Nathanial Dorsky, said the photographer "didn't want to make anything fancy but was an old man who appreciated life itself and wanted his film to simply show the special magic there was in our visual world in the most ordinary circumstances."