An Optical Poem

An Optical Poem (1938)

Genres - Animation  |   Sub-Genres - Abstract Animation Film  |   Release Date - Feb 12, 1938  |   Run Time - 6 min.  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Description by Studio

A dance of shapes. A title card tells us this is an experiment in conveying the mental images of music in a visual form. Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" is the music. The shapes, all two-dimensional, are circles primarily, with some squares and rectangles, and a few triangles. The shapes move rhythmically to the music: receding from view or moving across the screen. Red circles on a blue background; light blue squares; white rectangles. Then, a red background of many circles with a few in the foreground. Red gives way to blue then to white. Shapes reappear as Liszt's themes re-occur. Then, with a few staccato notes and images, it's over.

Movie Info

Tags

Circle, Classical Music, Liszt, Music, Visual Music

Attributes

Based On: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2

Alternate Titles

An Optical Poem
US