*Corpus Callosum

Corpus Callosum from 2002 is an experimental film directed by artist and filmmaker Michael Snow. The film walks the line between narrative and non-narrative structure and is celebrated for its innovative use of digital effects and distortions. The complete cast includes Jacqueline Anderson, Berj Bannayan, and Greg Hermanovic, accompanied by others who assume the roles of thought-provoking entities in the film’s uncanny digital world.

Corpus Callosum was created during the early digital age and represents Snow’s venture into the vast capabilities offered by the technology of that time. The film’s title references the corpus callosum, an integral part of the human brain that facilitates communication between the two cerebral hemispheres. True to its name, the film aims to connect diverse forms of perception and understanding in a grand display of sensory stimulation.

The film does not lay out a linear plot or storyline; instead, Snow provides a palette of shifting images and sounds, pushing the boundaries of what film can accomplish through the manipulation of digital techniques. Corpus Callosum is a fusion of the ordinary and the extraordinary as it plunges the audience into a world that simultaneously reflects everyday life and deviates from it. The characters, portrayed by Jacqueline Anderson, Berj Bannayan, Greg Hermanovic, and others, exist in a constant state of flux in the midst of digitally distorted environments.

With no clear storyline, Corpus Callosum instead presents sequences challenging both the actors and the viewers with constantly changing contexts. The scenes often consist of mundane settings—a family living room, an office space—but the normality of these scenarios contrasts electrifyingly against the characters’ fluid bodies and the ever-morphing surroundings. The characters’ bodies stretch, compress, and move in ways that override physical laws, while the background undergoes continual transformation, invoking a sense of the surreal.

In contrast to traditional cinema where digital effects are used to create an illusion of reality, Corpus Callosum embraces its artificiality. Snow has become a conductor orchestrating the dance between real-life actors and digital landscapes. He cleverly uses this to question our perception of reality, especially in the age of technology. Snow’s liberal use of digital distortion—a feature only available due to advancements in Computer-Generated Imagery (CGI)—establishes Corpus Callosum as a pioneer in the exploration of digital possibilities in filmmaking, especially in the genre of experimental film.

As for the sound, Michael Snow, also a musician, has crafted the score that complements the visual work. The incorporation of ambient sounds, sporadic dialogues, and bursts of music contributes to a layered audioscape that both echoes the aesthetic of the footage and heightens the spectator's sense of immersion.

One could interpret Corpus Callosum as an exploration of binaries—real versus artificial, traditional film techniques versus digital technology, and narrative coherence versus fragmented impressions to name a few. The film resists easy categorization, providing an aesthetic experience that challenges viewers' ability to make sense of the images and sounds they are exposed to while also offering a striking reflection on the relationship between humans and technology.

Moreover, Corpus Callosum’s commentary on the permeating influence of technology in human lives holds compelling relevance even decades after its initial release. This relentless questioning and curious exploration of the mediums' boundaries elevate Corpus Callosum beyond the ordinary film experience, situating it as a seminal work in experimental filmmaking. This is a film that appeals to adventurous spectators who are open to unique filmic experiences that defy conventional plot structures and character development.

In conclusion, Corpus Callosum is a bold exploration of film and technology’s intersecting potential, a meeting of two distinct but intertwined mediums. It remains an intriguing example of experimental cinema, more apprenticed to the exploration of perception and experience than to storytelling's traditional confines. Within Corpus Callosum, Michael Snow invites the audience to enter a dance with the digital, an exploration of a rapidly evolving digital age’s capabilities and influences. It’s an invitation to an extraordinary sensory experience with layers of meaning unveiling as the showcase of imagery and sounds unfold.