Dogs, The

Subject:

Science and Technology

Institution Name:

WGBH

Collection:

WGBH Open Vault

Abstract:

'The Dogs' is set on a bright, summer day at a seemingly benign seashore inhabited by a nervous, beer-drinking protagonist and a dark, panting dog. This is a narrative that has no dialogue but is structured in movement of the man, of the dog (who is both harmless and menacing by turns), as well as all the camera work moving to the right in a clockwise direction that captures images in vivid color, creating an unsettling spin. A psychological study of shifts in memory and the perception of reality, 'The Dogs' is both humorous and haunting; a portrait of a man moving through a mythical landscape of fear, longing, and Ballantine ale cans. The work alternately shows the man seated in a living room interior, drinking glasses of beer and swallowing pills, and walking down an overrun path to the ocean. Along the way, he is startled or distracted by the sound of a barking dog. Eventually, he reaches the ocean. During the piece, 'The Star Spangled Banner' is performed by Kate Smith.

Languages:

English

Material Type:

Primary Source

Media Format:

Text/HTML, Video

Conditions of Use:

Custom License
Free to view for educational use only. Copyright restrictions apply for all other uses.

Copyright Holder:

Burt Barr