6.2/10
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Symphonie diaganale (1924)

Symphonie diagonale (original title)
| Animation , Short , Music | 5 November 1924 (Germany)
Symphonie diaganale Poster
A tilted figure, consisting largely of right angles at the beginning, grows by accretion, with the addition of short straight lines and curves which sprout from the existing design. The ... See full summary »

Director:

Viking Eggeling
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Storyline

A tilted figure, consisting largely of right angles at the beginning, grows by accretion, with the addition of short straight lines and curves which sprout from the existing design. The figure vanishes and the process begins again with a new pattern, each cycle lasting one or two seconds. The complete figures are drawn in a vaguely Art Deco style and could be said to resemble any number of things, an ear, a harp, panpipes, a grand piano with trombones, and so on, only highly stylized. The tone is playful and hypnotic. Written by David Carless

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

art | avant garde | experimental film | surrealism | dada | See All (6) »

Genres:

Animation | Short | Music

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

DVD

Country:

Germany

Release Date:

5 November 1924 (Germany) See more »

Also Known As:

Symphonie diaganale See more »

Company Credits

Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Connections

Featured in Zomergasten: Episode #2.3 (1989) See more »

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User Reviews

"...it is the best abstract film yet conceived."
1 January 2011 | by MartinHafer – See all my reviews

While this film practically defies description and is practically impossible to review, I decided to take this on simply because the opening made me laugh. There is a blurb that appears on the screen and indicates that this film by Viking Eggeling is simply a work of genius!! The summary above is taken from this self-congratulatory praise!! Never have a seen a film so quick to pat itself on the back!!

The entire silent film consists of art deco-style black & white shapes appearing and moving about--all with diagonals or with diagonals superimposed on it. Set to music this might have been mesmerizing, but as a silent it lacks a lot. I won't give it a score but would beg to differ that it is the best abstract yet conceived (at least by 1924)--something better must surely exist--something worth seeing to the average Joe.
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