The Creeping Garden
Starring: Mark Pagnell
Directed: Tim Grabham, Jasper Sharp
Studio: Arrow Academy
Format: Blu-Ray
Disc Release Date: March 28, 2017
About:
A REAL-LIFE SCIENCE-FICTION MOVIE EXPLORING A WORLD CREEPING RIGHT BENEATH OUR FEET, WHERE TIME AND SPACE ARE MAGNIFIED AND INTELLIGENCE REDEFINED.
The Creeping Garden is an award-winning feature-length creative documentary exploring the extraordinary world of the plasmodial slime mould as revealed through the eyes of the fringe scientists, mycologists and artists who work with them.
Long overlooked by biologists, in recent years this curious organism has become the focus of much research in such areas as biological-inspired design, emergence theory, unconventional computing and robot engineering, much of which borders on the world of science fiction. The film transports us from the laboratory into its natural habitat, depicting these otherworldly lifeforms using startling time-lapse macro-cinematography to reveal hidden facets of the world around us.
Co-directed by the artist film-maker Tim Grabham (KanZeOn) and author and film critic Jasper Sharp, with an original soundtrack composed by celebrated musician and producer Jim O Rourke (Sonic Youth, Grizzly Man), The Creeping Garden is a unique exploration into a hitherto untapped subject matter, immersing the viewer within the worlds of the observers and the observed.
My Review:
The Creeping Garden is a Documentary on a Fungus called Slime Mould. The Documentary goes into how it interacts, behaves and grows. We also get a look at how a 1931 film about the same subject matter came up with a way to do a sped up time-lapse to showcase the slime moulds movements. On another section a guy creates a computer that sends info to a piano based on how the slime mod moves and interacts to create music.
If your into scientific nature documentary and or a collector of Arrow I would say give this a pick up. For me the Viewing was OK. I didn’t know anything about Slime mould and or have seen it before so it is intriguing and alien like. Still don’t know where it comes from as it wasn’t explained here. Its interesting and also kind of boring at times. I would say it’s depending on mood for a better viewing. I feel it’s longer than needed and would still like to know where the stuff came from. Did this have any effect on the film world like films like The Blob? Near the end it kind of reminded me of Arrival as a guy builds a program to some what communicate with the Slime Mould through Music. The overall tone of the score was cool and creepy like to give a more eerie feeling. We do get some cool looking imagery and feels well put together. Just on the down side its a bit long for the subject matter and can get boring if you’re not into scientific talk about…Mould that’s slime.
Overall its a decent watch fun and intriguing at times. Like the whole story on where the 1930’s film came up with its way of doing time lapse. Slime mould is weird and creepy. On the other side it can feel long and too scientific talky at times as its filled with some slow portions and a tone of experimentation.
With that said I give The Creeping Garden a 2.5 out of 5. I’m in the middle as it did get slow and I felt sleepy. I say the viewing is best depending on mood and How interested are you on the Subject matter.
Extras:
- High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
- Original 2.0 audio (uncompressed on the Blu-ray)
- Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
- Audio commentary by directors Tim Grabham and Jasper Sharp
Biocomputer Music, a short film by Grabham on the first biocomputer music system, allowing a two-way musical dialogue between man and slime mould
- Return to the Fungarium, a featurette revealing further treasures of the fungarium at Kew Gardens
- Feeding Habits of Physarum, a featurette on the feeding preferences and dislikes of slime moulds
- Three cinema iloobia short films: Milk (2009), Rotten (2012) and Paramusical Ensemble (2015)
- Angela Mele s animated slime moulds
- Gallery
- US theatrical trailer
- Reversible sleeve featuring two pieces of original artwork
THE CREEPING GARDEN SOUNDTRACK [Limited Edition Exclusive]
- Bonus CD containing the rearranged soundtrack to The Creeping Garden by legendary producer and musician Jim O Rourke
PLUS… FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector s booklet containing writing on the film by Jasper Sharp