Don Hertzfeldt's latest film "ME" brings an engaging narrative experience now available on Vimeo On-Demand. For Hertzfeldt fans, this film carries the essence of his work with expressive stick figures, exploring technological leaps and their societal impacts. One key twist in "ME" is its musical narrative, lacking narration, character voices, or captions, leaving the audience piecing the puzzle together.
The film's characters follow Hertzfeldt's potato-shaped outline with the trademark stick limbs and overbite. It weaves the tale of a couple who have a baby during a crime-filled era. As the father furthers a garage invention that revolutionizes communication, the mother gives birth to a floating Eye-another upheaval. The film delineates the consequential societal meltdown triggered by these events.
However, the creator assures us that "ME" does not revolve around our mobile phones. Despite its fast-paced initial stage steered by Brent Lewis' rhythmic track "Dinner At the Sugarbrush," the narrative doesn't provide straightforward interpretations. The film confronts viewers with an ethereal vibe, moved forward by classical Mozart, Chopin, and operatic pieces.
The film culminates with a seemingly improvised jazz piece by Jelly Roll Morton, adding a playful twist of nostalgia. Hertzfeldt highlights that the engagement with his movie relies on one's willingness to appreciate every symbol and turning point and accept the narrative as you would with a dream to be deciphered later.
In addressing potential audience notions, Hertzfeldt clears the air that the film is not about any specific person, place, or thing but rather reflects the ubiquitous anxiety in our digital age. Despite its origins tied to a now-defunct band project, Hertzfeldt spent another year reanimating and restructuring the film into its current form.
In Hertzfeldt's statement clarifying expected misinterpretations, the film goes beyond just critiquing technology but delves into human behavior, especially the pain inflicted by humans and its contagiousness. Though it's intended to be a narrative fable than a linear story, experiencing the feeling of the film is key, according to Hertzfeldt.
The director acknowledges that while the films like "ME" and "World of Tomorrow" discuss the consequential malfunction of world-changing machines, there is no leaning towards technological phobia. Hertzfeldt sees technology as a neutral tool, with its use being the root of any problem or benefit.
As for Hertzfeld's expanding filmmaking dimensions, moving from the static frame to a more dynamic approach, "ME" propels through space, guiding the narrative with its camera movement. The film aimed to depict an exploratory panic attack through reiterative animation, creating an unstable on-screen environment.
Lastly, Hertzfeldt confirmed being underway with his first feature-length film, "Antarctica," which will see him working with a crew of artists for the first time in his 30-year career.
