Somebody's eyes are watching you
Sara Gregory
Issue date: 9/9/09 Section: Opinion
I thought the "Big Brother" concept was stuck in 1984, but after stumbling across the film "Look," I realized that we just forgot about the invasion of our privacy.
Also known as the Adam Rifkin Surveillance Project, "Look" was released in 2007 and received mixed reviews. My guess is poor advertising and a low budget caused the flop, because the movie itself is astonishing.
It sounds boring, almost like a documentary, but don't be fooled. Intricate plot lines connect strangers through hidden cameras and reveal disturbing truths about what Americans do when they think no one's watching.
According to this project, two years ago there were roughly 30 million surveillance cameras in the U.S. generating over four billion hours of footage every week. As a result, the average American was captured on camera over 200 times a day. Imagine what these numbers have grown to now.
The New York Times defined the film as "an ensemble narrative for the age of public surveillance." I'm just floored that this movie was released, forgotten and banished to the independent film category.
Chances are you haven't seen this movie. It took me two years to trip over it in a Blockbuster, and I rent a lot of movies. However, if you ever have the chance, watch this film. We owe it to ourselves to be conscious of what our nation has become: a paranoid eye that's always watching.
In an age where we've remade Batman, Superman and Spider-Man to death, do yourself a favor and see something truly original. The first feature film to be composed entirely of surveillance camera footage, "Look" allows us to see what Big Brother sees.
Sometimes I argue a devil's advocate opinion just to ruffle feathers, but today in all seriousness I urge you to not be paranoid, but aware. Aware that the next time you pick your nose in the elevator because no one's watching - someone actually is.
Also known as the Adam Rifkin Surveillance Project, "Look" was released in 2007 and received mixed reviews. My guess is poor advertising and a low budget caused the flop, because the movie itself is astonishing.
It sounds boring, almost like a documentary, but don't be fooled. Intricate plot lines connect strangers through hidden cameras and reveal disturbing truths about what Americans do when they think no one's watching.
According to this project, two years ago there were roughly 30 million surveillance cameras in the U.S. generating over four billion hours of footage every week. As a result, the average American was captured on camera over 200 times a day. Imagine what these numbers have grown to now.
The New York Times defined the film as "an ensemble narrative for the age of public surveillance." I'm just floored that this movie was released, forgotten and banished to the independent film category.
Chances are you haven't seen this movie. It took me two years to trip over it in a Blockbuster, and I rent a lot of movies. However, if you ever have the chance, watch this film. We owe it to ourselves to be conscious of what our nation has become: a paranoid eye that's always watching.
In an age where we've remade Batman, Superman and Spider-Man to death, do yourself a favor and see something truly original. The first feature film to be composed entirely of surveillance camera footage, "Look" allows us to see what Big Brother sees.
Sometimes I argue a devil's advocate opinion just to ruffle feathers, but today in all seriousness I urge you to not be paranoid, but aware. Aware that the next time you pick your nose in the elevator because no one's watching - someone actually is.
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posted 9/09/09 @ 2:42 PM CST
It didn't take you two years to stumble upon it in a video store. It's actually only been available on DVD for roughly six months. Supposedly Showtime is making it into a series, but they haven't officially announced it. (Continued…)
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