Charlie's film has all the components of a thought provoking film, constructed with beautiful bnw 35mm scenes from global cinemas each linked by the common denominator that no one in the film is still alive today. With this in mind we are taken through what feels like a day, with the selected scenes linked and interwoven to create a loose narrative that is toyed with throughout. At times the idea felt like it could have been told in a 20 minute short with some scenes repetitive and dull (there's only so many montages of people walking one can see!) but the real beauty of the film comes at the end where clever freeze frames and symbolic pacing create memories we know that now only exist in our minds; and there's something beautifully melancholic about this decay.
2 Reviews
The afterlife in the afterlight.
morrison-dylan-fan29 July 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Taking a look at the listings for The Electric cinema in Birmingham (the oldest cinema in the UK), I was intrigued to spot an upcoming screening for a film that survives as a single print, but sadly found it was being played at a time far too late for me to attend.
Looking at upcoming movies appearing at the HOME cinema in Manchester, I was happy to find that this title was soon going to be shown, leading to me entering the afterlight.
View on the film:
Revealing in the Q&A after the screening, that the lone original shot in the movie, of The Afterlight sign outside a pub,was shot with The Favourite (2018-also reviewed) cinematographer Robbie Ryan, director/ editor Charlie Shackleton paints a dreamscape atmosphere with meticulous editing and sound design layering 100's of clips in a collage which finds patterns from the puzzle pieces spread across the board.
Discussing about having edited archive footage for documentaries before, Shackleton using 1960 as the cut off point for clips to feature in the title,and that every actor and actress who appears in the film, has passed away, vividly makes the case for the importance of film restoration, via the clips covered in the lone print of the film, going from crystal clear remastered, to degrading, ghostly frames, fading into the afterlight.
Looking at upcoming movies appearing at the HOME cinema in Manchester, I was happy to find that this title was soon going to be shown, leading to me entering the afterlight.
View on the film:
Revealing in the Q&A after the screening, that the lone original shot in the movie, of The Afterlight sign outside a pub,was shot with The Favourite (2018-also reviewed) cinematographer Robbie Ryan, director/ editor Charlie Shackleton paints a dreamscape atmosphere with meticulous editing and sound design layering 100's of clips in a collage which finds patterns from the puzzle pieces spread across the board.
Discussing about having edited archive footage for documentaries before, Shackleton using 1960 as the cut off point for clips to feature in the title,and that every actor and actress who appears in the film, has passed away, vividly makes the case for the importance of film restoration, via the clips covered in the lone print of the film, going from crystal clear remastered, to degrading, ghostly frames, fading into the afterlight.
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