Robinson in Space

I caught this film on french satellite TV after being woke rather too early. it was my intent to go back to bed but this film had me hooked and I just had to watch to the end. Robinson dan l'espace it said on the epg and so I searched for and found the DVD and the earlier film London as a box set.

I can only tell you how this film held me gripped in fascination the film has a hypnotic quality that resonates. It is strange unlike anything I had ever seen before. I wanted to be able to stop the film and call my friends and share this experience with them. The Narrators comments revealed hidden secrets to a country I grew up in. Some places I had visited in the past as I travelled the country as a contractor most were a revelation.

This is not my kind of film. It is something I would not choose to watch but I felt like I should be making notes, investigating further. I missed the beginning and desperately want to see the whole film. Most of my friends are not native to this island and this film is something I know we will watch together repeatedly. It is a film that inspires it's not a tourist board view of England It's like the most intense briefing you could have of a country. I would be fascinated to see similar films made within different countries.

This film definitely has a wow factor that deserves a bigger audience. The only disappointment is that the DVD versions I have found do not have subtitles in any language which seems to be poor judgement on the part of the publishers.

As someone who is a fan of world cinema, classics, indie cinema, documentaries and the like, I think I have a pretty high tolerance for directors that think a bit outside of the box. This one is an absolute snooze. Scenes jump every few seconds, but nothing really happens. Once and a while they share an interesting quote from a long-dead author. It never spends enough time delving into one issue, so I would argue that it does not resemble a good video essay as others have argued.

Although a very different director, Godard has been criticized for being slow, boring, and frustrating--but Keiller takes the cake--he's slow and boring without offering any reward. Dreary just like the weather.

I didn't watch London, because I lived there for 18 months and hated every minute of that miserable lonely city of dirty air and disappointment. Therefore I wasn't prepared for the slightly off-kilter eccentricity of the script, with the beautiful solemn delivery of Paul Scofield. It's exactly the sort of documentary that reminds me of 1970s BBC, and that's the beauty of it. Whilst delivering much interesting information it has an air of nostalgia that takes us back to the days of brown and orange when Findus Crispy Pancakes were novel cuisine. I think negative reviews are from those who don't understand the tongue-in-cheek nature. If you love BBC4 you'll love this.

Robinson in Space is a contemporary interpretation of the wanderings of Daniel Defoe around Britain. Robinson and his Companion travel around to places of industrial note, both past and present. In this sense it is travelogue, but it is so much more.

The Commentary notes major developments in the country, and makes dry comment on the state of the nation and its Industry. This film visits both the empty Warehouses of Manchester and the New factories of the Midlands. It can almost be regarded as an essay on Britain in the mid 1990's.

Many have described this film as egocentric and boring, and I can see why. It is shot almost entirely as stills, there is no acting, and there are no characters beyond the commentary. However to me this was a refreshing piece of film making. It was incredibly well observed, and comes pretty close to defining what it is to live in this country. I suspect, however, that for anyone who lives outside the UK this will just be boring, you have to be able to relate to the places on the screen.

However, if this appeals even slightly take the opportunity to see this film, before its forgotten. I loved it, and I will never forget it.

this is one of the most rewarding films i have ever had the pleasure to watch [and watch regularly]. like London [its predecessor], we see no one other than those who just happen to be there, but linger on aspects of england that are dissected in the most erudite, humorous way, whilst also being politically and sociologically aware. wish i wasn't so sleepy writing this, as i'd like to do this work of genius more justice. these words are not enough by a long chalk.

is a 'robinson in [either] Scotland' or 'wales' [or europe] a likely possibility? need sleep so will stop.

as yet, these films are only available on VHS. a DVD is most overdue - perhaps as a double including both films.