VANISHED ACRES is a risky film that heavily relies on a thoughtful audience to fill in the blanks and create scenarios in their own minds. It is a story with a talking scarecrow who has an affair with a very real, very neglected housewife...yet it makes no effort at showing the audience exactly when this scarecrow "came to life" or how it manifested a physical relationship with a human being. For some audiences (those who prefer having everything shown and explained with no uncertainty) Adam Bolt's strategy of leaving some things open may prove frustrating. But for me personally, it is that very choice by the writer/director that makes the movie worth seeing, worth discussing and worth remembering.
On a technical level, you would be hard pressed to find flaws with the movie. The lighting, camera movements, editing, visuals and music are all suited to a tee. So it really boils down to an audience's willingness to imagine even as the story is unfolding for them, to let go and participate in the dreamy world Bolt has created. And in my case, it was a refreshing change of pace having an artist trust in my own ability to put the pieces together. And what's more, it allowed me to be an active member in the film-making process even though the movie itself was complete.
I should also make it perfectly clear that the scarecrow is only a small part of the overall story. In the end, it is a tale of loneliness, regret and ultimately letting go of the past. It is the story of a wife who sought comfort in the arms of another "man" and a husband who is now accepting the blame for destroying his wife, his life and his farm. It is a story that works...with or without a talking scarecrow.
I give big props to Adam and his crew. They've made a very original film. They should be proud of it.
On a technical level, you would be hard pressed to find flaws with the movie. The lighting, camera movements, editing, visuals and music are all suited to a tee. So it really boils down to an audience's willingness to imagine even as the story is unfolding for them, to let go and participate in the dreamy world Bolt has created. And in my case, it was a refreshing change of pace having an artist trust in my own ability to put the pieces together. And what's more, it allowed me to be an active member in the film-making process even though the movie itself was complete.
I should also make it perfectly clear that the scarecrow is only a small part of the overall story. In the end, it is a tale of loneliness, regret and ultimately letting go of the past. It is the story of a wife who sought comfort in the arms of another "man" and a husband who is now accepting the blame for destroying his wife, his life and his farm. It is a story that works...with or without a talking scarecrow.
I give big props to Adam and his crew. They've made a very original film. They should be proud of it.
