For Voyeurs Only

In between watching copious amounts of YouTube videos involving Rollercoaster Tycoon terrorists, jazz players dancing to a dub over of Daft Punk, and charging an Ipod with an onion and Gatorade, I found myself watching a video that I hadn't seen in ages.

"The Mission" by a closet creative genius that goes by the user name, MickB0529 is one of three episodes in the "For Voyeurs Only" trilogy. The video is a montage of various movie clips, television snippets, and news footage with different voice clips and sound bites interspersed throughout.

His utilization of the Kuleshov effect, an observed effect during an experiment that shows the fact that "it is therefore not the content of the images in a film which is important, but their combination," is crucial to the piece. None of the video footage is his. None of the audio clips are his. But, in light of the Kuleshov effect, it is worthy to note that "the raw materials of such an art work need not be original, but are pre-fabricated elements which can be deconstructed and re-assembled by the artist into new juxtapositions." Nevertheless, the juxtaposition, sequencing, and editing make this a truly original work of art.

The video is gripping, raw, disturbing yet undeniably real. It takes you on a rollercoaster of emotions from disgusted and hopeless, feeling fearful but ultimately ending with a hopeful, uplifting and reflective tone. On the surface, the video may appear to be random video clips that have no bearing on the next set of random video clips. But each and every clip, regardless of length and content, is in there for a specific reason and they all work together systematically to make this video unique.

This is a perfect example of an artist who creates something for his own enjoyment, fulfillment and enlightenment, not someone creating something just to please the masses. For every ten people that dislike and dismiss this movie basing their judgments on shallow appearances, there is a person who fully immerses himself or herself into the video, is deeply moved by the piece, reflects upon it, and ultimately, walks away enlightened and changed, much the same way people struggle with seeing the bigger picture when reading literature but to those who do understand the bigger picture are able to learn things.

Describing the footage and audio of the movie would do little justice to the piece because it is not any individual clip that make this, rather the conglomeration of everything, uniting in harmony like the hundreds of instruments coming together perfectly in an orchestra. What is more important is the theme and the big picture. The theme of the first half is apocolyptic and dark, containing many images that only serve to support this reality.

Images of dogs being put to sleep in a poison gas tank and children with guns fill the screen. A city burns in the twilight. The chaos and destruction that was 9/11 and its ensuing aftermath of war is remembered instantly. Foreign to our western eyes, clips from Al-Jazeera show the executions and killings of hostages. Islamic fundamentalists mock the cries of a man about to be executed. An iconic clip shows several worms consuming a leaf which they eventually devour and are left with nothing to hold onto but the stem. The music begins slowly, escalating in combination with the footage, from slow and chilling to fast and jarring.

Suddenly, everything slows down and the screen is filled with a variety of movie footage showing great power and destruction from individuals. A man stands in front of a speeding bus and destroys it with his steadfastness, unwaivering, as if to say, "Enough, this must stop!"

In harmony with this, a mellow piano cues in and the video takes a turn towards a lighter tone. The viewer begins to see the destruction that was seen in the first half being reversed. The dust and debris disappear and the Twin Towers rise from their fiery graves. The plane flies out of the Tower and they stand tall and strong again. Clips from "United 93" and actual 911 calls from that day play. The viewer then hears the voice of someone ask George Bush, "Do you believe this, that the war in Iraq and the rise of terrorism are signs of the apocolypse?" to which he replies with a laugh and a befuddled "umm." The viewer then sees the dogs being taken out of the gas tank, living, a man freeing a wolf from a trap, compassion and conviction in his eyes, soldiers playing soccer with young Iraqis, connected by humanity. The worm clip plays in reverse revealing an abundant, healthy leaf. The sun dawns on the burning city as the flames die down and life is brought back. A soothing voice floods from the speakers,

"Everything we've done is forgiven. Everything."

Fades to black.

Fin.

Have hope.