September 27, 2004
9/27 - "Proteus": Behold the dancing Radiolarians!
I saw a rather fascinating film last week. 19th Century biologist German Ernst Haeckel, among his many accomplishments, described about 4000 species of radiolarians, the microscopic plankton animals with glass skeltons of mesmerizing intricacy. Filmmaker David Lebrun managed to choreograph about 700 of those images to an amazing music score by Yuval Ron that has a Phillip Glass-like starkness and force. In between the dancing radiolarian virtuosos is the biographical narrative of Haeckel interwoven with Coleridge's Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner. The narrative part is kinda okay, but those dancing radiolarians, they'll stick with you for a long time. Check it out if it comes to your town.
Dancing Radiolarians: a bong hit is probably advisable.