Ecstatic Drift

It's been one of those days - meetings, conference calls, budgets, deadlines - with a dull headache slowly taking shape. But a few minutes ago, I remembered that John Whitney Jr.'s three-screen celebrated avant-garde short film masterpiece Side Phase Drift was on view in USC's School of Cinematic Arts Gallery and I swerved left into the dark gallery space after dropping off some paperwork, and was immediately transported. The dazzling abstract animation is beautifully presented in the large, open room in a size that allows for both a sense of immersion up close and the ability to step back and see the geometric symmetry of the whole. As the piece starts, pulsing circles zooming forward initially drawing you in while the syncopated side screens flutter with smaller patterns of circles. Squares and triangles appear in a constant flow of imagery, playing with depth and the surface of the screen, while music - drums and flute - complete the experience by adding Indian flair. The eight-minute piece moves like a roller coaster, taking you from serenity to exhilaration, and from exhilaration to wonder. Ideally, it would remain right where it is, offering a psychedelic reboot for those worn down by the everyday. But alas - the piece will screen for only three days as part of the Alternative Projections: Experimental Film in Los Angeles, 1945 - 1980 symposium. It's well worth a trip to the campus...