7/10
A dark and almost suicidal production.
12 December 2008
Warning: Spoilers
A lot has been said about Packard's dark view of the film industry, and how he wrecked himself financially by giving away free copies of his earlier films. Despite his personal eccentricity, he has a point to make about film culture. By making it explicit in this film, he sheds light on his earlier productions like "The Untitled Star Wars Mockumentary" and "Reflections of Evil."

The big SPOILER is Packard's belief, stated overtly in this film, that the world was scheduled to end in 1985. He says mankind's ideas were supposed to run out at that point, and by continuing to exist, our creative efforts are just bad copies of mankind's last intended works. I don't think Packard means this ironically or comically. All his "mashups" of old video seem to worship the sex, violence and exuberance of 70's movies. I think he believes he would have thrived in that environment, and also believes that contemporary movies and cultural products are worthless.

Having said that, aside from just trying to make a buck, why would anyone with Packard's philosophy continue to make movies at all? Once you get through the silliness and oblique references (Packard seems to think we know as much about cultural history as he does, a severe miscalculation) "SpaceDisco One" leaves you feeling pity for Packard. He seems lost in the past and can't find any satisfaction in the present or future.
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