ILLUMINATED TEXTS is best described (from the Cinematheque program) as the construction of image/voice/supertitle set out images from the modern world that are the consequences, or rather the unraveling, of the abstract ideas expressed in the supertexts,” enfolding within a clear overall shape “the complicated interplay of many elements.

These articulate a trajectory through historical time as Elder maps onto Northrop Frye’s typology of myths and their biblical movement from paradise to apocalypse” (Bart Testa), that is, from poetic apocalypse” (Bart Testa), that is, from poetic unity with Nature to the implosion of instrumental rationality at Auschwitz.  Elder experiments with everything, the most impressive being the use of texts in different languages taken from poets (especially the English ones like Milton, Wordsworth) and various philosophers.

Confusing, playful, brilliant and at one point deliberately boring, Elder’s kaleidoscope of images, sounds, music and text is quite the experience.  The film takes a while to feel comfortable with.  The best sequences is the final 30 minutes, where repetitive texts of ‘mother’, ‘is it far’ and others culminate making sense of the horrors that took place at the Auschwitz’s concentration camps.

ILLUMINATED TEXTS runs on as part of the Free Screen series on January 24th at the Cinematheque Ontario on a Pay What You Can basis.  At close to 165 minutes (not 180 minutes as announced in the schedule) the experimental film is at times gruelling as it is fascinating to watch.