Short 1 - Invention

Starring:Frank Gorshin, Billy Bob Thornton, Molly Ringwald, J.T. Walsh, Jefferson Mays, Suzanne Cryer, Abby Abernathy, Brent Briscoe, Otto Coelho, Abe Dalool, Ron Livingston, Aaron Wheeler, Bill Boll, Chester Dent, Bill Sprague, Joey Bilow, Mark Gimbrere, Michael Beugg, Linda Beugg, Trevor A. Tarr
Director: Ron Fricke, Mark Gustafson, Tim Watts
Studio: Warner Home Video
Product Type: DVD

Amazon.com

Short 1: Invention represents the first comprehensive attempt to compile multimedia content on DVD in a magazine-like format, and it's a welcome addition to the digital realm. Originally released on the defunct Polygram label as Short Cinema Journal, Vol. 1, the first installment in the Short series is an above-average mix of documentary, animation, and live-action shorts, even if several of the entries are nearly a decade old. The DVD is divided into six topics--"Marquee"; "Hello, Dali"; "Reality"; "Sound Bit"; "Minutes"; and "Junkdrawer"--the best highlights are to be found in "Hello, Dali," "Reality," and "Minutes," which contain interesting, even brilliant, bits. The excerpt from Shape Without Form is a surreal, four-minute exercise in angst and it shares a slot with the most noteworthy discovery on the DVD, the creative and ingenious Will Vinton-produced Mr. Resistor, which is a cleverly animated, Road Warrior-like ride through the electrical world. In the "Minutes" chapter, British director Michael Apted discusses the premise that "film is the poetry of ordinary life," and although eight minutes can't begin to cover a director's career, this segment does its expurgated best. There are segments from the Ron Fricke film Baraka (also available as a full-length DVD), which still dazzles after nearly two decades with its austere lesson in nature and humanity. Black Rider is an Oscar-winning German short that chronicles a black man's plight on a tram, with a delightful twist ending. A slight disappointment, George Hickenlooper's Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade is the original short that inspired Billy Bob Thornton's acclaimed feature film version, and it pales in comparison. Likewise, Henry Rollins's Easter Sunday in NYC is little more than an angry, pointless, and dated rant for misfits everywhere. Some of the films--like the clay-animated movie spoof The Big Story, featuring Frank Gorshin's hilarious impression of Kirk Douglas--are sure to please those who never saw them on the film festival circuit. On the whole, the good outweighs the mediocre in this deft compilation, boding well for subsequent volumes in the series. --Paula Nechak

Customer Reviews:

Some good stuff, but not best shorts collection.......2004-05-04

Sling Blade -- if you like the feature, you'll probably like the short.

Baraka -- beautiful images, this is not what you are usually hoping for in a short, that is, something simple but clever. The production values in this are outstanding, it is not a narrative, and I suspect the feature is best seen on a big, big screen, say IMAX.

Black Rider -- probably my favorite short on here.

Mr. Resistor -- a fun diversion

Henry Rollins -- I imagine the performer's fans will love this, probably not too appealing to most others.

Overall the DVD is varied with some interesting material, but not my favorite.

Some real gems here!.......2000-07-23

There are some wonderful short films on this DVD. With all the packaging and hype surrounding Henry Rollins and Sling Blade (both great short films), I fear some of the others will be overlooked. One that I would like to bring to your attention is "Trouble." This is a witty but poignant look at the dysfunctional relationship between a girl and her mother. As they say, "Denial ain't a river in Egypt." Enjoy this collection of great short films, but don't forget to watch them all... and tell your friends!

Features original "Sling Blade".......2000-06-25

Perusing the racks at a local store (ok, it was Fry's) I was stunned to see some DVD's I had never heard of before. "Short 1: Invention" is eye catching to say the least as it features the back of a heavily tattooed man, the tattoo reads "Search & Destroy". Needless to say I had to know more.

This disc is a collection of 9 short films ranging in length from 5 minutes ("The Big Story" featuring Frank Gorshin, yes THAT Frank Gorshin doing 3 Kirk Douglas impersonations for a clay-mation short) to 25 minutes ("Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade" - the short film that Sling Blade was based on, also starring Billy Bob Thornton and Molly Ringwald of all people...)

For movie fans this is a must have, it's fascinaing seeing how Sling Blade developed, there's also a 7 minute interview with another film-maker, Michael Apted.

Another stand out on the disc is the Acadamy Award winning "Black Rider", regarding the state of racisim and revenge in modern day Germany (in German with English sub-titles.)

Several shorts also have extras selectable right from the menu. The Big Story mentioned before has an alternate pencil test to go along with the finished animation, while Shape Without Form, Baraka and Henry Rollins - Easter Sunday in NYC all have alternate audio tracks (actually Henry Rollins has TWO!)

This disc also has an undocumented menu called "The Junk Pile", which as near as I can tell is just stuff that was too strange to cover as a featured item. One is an intermission screen with music that plays for 2 minutes. (HUH?)

Film quality and aspect ratio varies from film to film, just as you would see in a theater, but here in Portland, OR we don't get many short film festivals so it's nice having a series like this to show us what all is being done.

Currently there are 8 "Short" discs, the 9th comes out July 5th, 2000. After watching 1, 3 and 8 (the only ones Fry's had in stock) I'll be ordering 2, 4-7 and 9 here shortly (pun very much intended.)

Customer Reviews:

This is a very interesting DVD, pure art........1999-06-09

A must for any Henry Rollins fan. HANK ROLLINS RULES !!!!!

"Short" brings to life the short cinema.......1999-01-28

Short Cinema Journal is a remarkable piece of work. Most people are never able to experience the world of short cinema, but with this DVD we can. It contains the short film "Some Call It A Sling Blade" which was the inspiration for the feature film "Sling Blade." Other great selections include "Black Rider," a german piece about racial divides and "Trouble," a piece about a little girl who steals to feed her hobby. Produced by DVD:Mags, it is marketed as a magazine on DVD. It only features award winning films from film festivals around the globe. If you ever wondered what it is about short films that the art world loves, then purchase this DVD.

Short Cinema Journal 1:1 Issue - Invention (DVD)

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Short Cinema Journal 1:1 Issue - Invention (DVD)

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