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On September 21, 2005 an Airbus plane's forward landing gear malfunctioned
shortly after takeoff, becoming stuck while twisted 90 degrees in the wrong direction. The pilot was forced to fly in circles over the ocean for hours to
burn off fuel, affording millions nationwide the chance to hear
about the breaking news and tune in, to wait for the inevitable crash
landing. The passengers on board were no exception; TV feeds were offered
on the flight, and they were able to watch the tragedy unfold live, albeit
with a somewhat different investment in the outcome. Eventually, the plane
was diverted to LAX and the pilot landed on the two rear wheels only,
keeping the nose up until the last possible moment. Indeed, when the front
landing gear made contact with the tarmac, it virtually disintegrated
into a mass of fire, sparks, and smoke. However, it didn't give out, the
plane landed safely, and everyone changed the channel.A lot of planes have been
crashing lately. It's a bit of a trend, perhaps even a new cultural mythology
for the modern world: the airplane disaster. The jumbo jet is an intractable
symbol not just of global travel, but of economic globalization, of business,
of military domination.When hurricane Katrina flooded
New Orleans, President Bush ordered Air Force One to fly overhead on the way
back from his vacation in Texas. "It's totally wiped out," he
said, and continued on to Washington. |
Airplane
Disasters is an independent feature film by Zach Horton. It was completed
in June 2006. It is the first film completed in a Disaster Trilogy.We can gather a few things
about the project. It concerns, at the very least, the relationship between
a young painter named Monica and a young musician named Phillip. It takes
place, not in an airplane, but in a house. A rather fancy house, recently
purchased with the spoils of Philip’s newfound musical success.
It has quite a ventilation system.Things don’t seem to
be going that well for the couple. After all, this is a disaster film.A number of other characters
are also involved, though we can’t fathom how.Meanwhile, there is a lot
of hiking in the wilderness. In fact, the entire film takes place there.
And in the house, of course. At the same time. This is no doubt only possible
because the screen is split into two simultaneous images. We are unable
to determine the temporal relationship between these two narratives. However,
we can confirm that one is shot in black and white. Well, most of the
time. You can purchase the DVD here. |
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Civilization's
progress can easily be turned on itself. From 30,000 feet, even large
metropoli appear to be natural features of the landscape, organic forms.
This is, of course, an illusion, but one we come to believe and live under,
even on the ground. Without the actual experience of being in a natural
landscape, we lose our awareness of the artificiality of our constructs.
We lose perspective.How can you tell if your
society is at cruising altitude? You have to look at the building blocks
of its structure, the basic connections between people as they interact—as
friends, as collaborators, as artists, and above all, as lovers. |
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To learn more about the director, visit www.zachhorton.com |
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Download the Press Book (pdf) back to www.disastertrilogy.com |
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All site contents copyright 2006 Jive at Five Films |
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