The Big Stick / An Old Reel (1973)

The Big Stick / An Old Reel (1973) poster

Saul Levine spent six years (from 1967-1973) cutting up and re-editing 8mm prints of two Charlie Chaplin shorts, IN THE PARK and EASY STREET, into a dynamic yet dreamy deconstruction of physical and narrative movement. What begins with Chaplin looping around in circular repetitions between a cop and an ominous vagrant becomes more fractured as the film expands. News footage of police arresting protesters (shot from a television screen on black-and-white 8mm film) is cut into the comedy of cops and criminals (a shot of political reality amidst slapstick fantasy) and images are abstracted by rapid-fire cutting. Even the physical cuts on the celluloid become part of the image as Levine chops through the frames themselves, leaving broad gashes on the screen and fracturing images until they overlap with the next shot and the suggestions of narrative are whirled into a frenzy of motion.

Director: Saul Levine
Runtime: 10 min
Release Date:
Country: United States of America
Language: No Language
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Saul Levine

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Big Stick / An Old Reel about?
Saul Levine spent six years (from 1967-1973) cutting up and re-editing 8mm prints of two Charlie Chaplin shorts, IN THE PARK and EASY STREET, into a dynamic yet dreamy deconstruction of physical and narrative movement. What begins with Chaplin looping around in circular repetitions between a cop and an ominous vagrant becomes more fractured as the film expands. News footage of police arresting protesters (shot from a television screen on black-and-white 8mm film) is cut into the comedy of cops and criminals (a shot of political reality amidst slapstick fantasy) and images are abstracted by rapid-fire cutting. Even the physical cuts on the celluloid become part of the image as Levine chops through the frames themselves, leaving broad gashes on the screen and fracturing images until they overlap with the next shot and the suggestions of narrative are whirled into a frenzy of motion.
Who directed The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
The Big Stick / An Old Reel was directed by Saul Levine.
How long is The Big Stick / An Old Reel?
The Big Stick / An Old Reel has a runtime of 10m (10 minutes).
Where was The Big Stick / An Old Reel produced?
The Big Stick / An Old Reel was produced in United States of America.