Official Trailer for ‘Fantastic Machine’ Film About Humans + Cameras
by Alex Billington
December 20, 2023
Source: YouTube
“That’s what entertainment’s supposed to do…” Strand Releasing has unveiled the official US trailer for the fascinating documentary film called Fantastic Machine, made by two Swedish filmmakers, out to watch on VOD in January. This premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and played at tons of fests all year long (it’s the exact same trailer as the festival promo). The original full title is “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine“, which is taken from the reaction of King Edvard VII of England about Georges Méliès’ staged recreation of his coronation (in 1902), his one-liner resonating with a double meaning today: “What a fantastic machine the camera is.” From the first camera to 45 billion cameras worldwide today, the visual sociologist filmmakers widen their lens to expose both humanity’s unique obsession with the camera’s image and the social consequences that lay ahead. I watched this at Sundance and it’s a compelling, brutally honest film that shows both the good and bad sides of humanity’s obsession with cameras. Yes, it gets into what’s wrong and bad about TikTok / YouTube, and their influence on us. I highly recommend watching this if you’re fascinated by how technology is changing humanity (also see The YouTube Effect). Available soon.
Here’s the US trailer (+ poster) for Danielson & Van Aertryck’s doc Fantastic Machine, from YouTube:
From Berlinale: “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine is a plunge into the vast historic ocean of media culture. From the birth of the camera obscura to the screening of the first moving picture and from the invention of the webcam to the first viral video, the witty and thought-provoking documentary chases the rise of image culture as we know it. By collaging historic archive material of great dictators parading in front of cheering crowds with home videos, live-streaming content & clips of thrill-seekers hanging out at the top of a skyscraper, or harrowing press footage of violence, it offers an emblematic study of cinema and the social history it creates: What are the implications of being exposed to the billions of images competing for our attention?” Fantastic Machine, also going under the longer title And the King Said What a Fantastic Machine, is directed & produced by the Swedish filmmakers Axel Danielson (Twin Brothers: 53 Scenes in Chronological Order) & Maximilien Van Aertryck (Second Deputy Speaker, Matrimania, Extramaterial, Ten Meter Tower). This first premiered at both the 2023 Sundance Film Festival & Berlin Film Festival earlier in the year. Strand Releasing will debut the documentay Fantastic Machine direct-to-VOD in the US starting on January 24th, 2024 coming soon. For info visit their official site. Interested?
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