Robinson In Ruins
- Posted: 17th Nov 2010
- Category: Reviews
- Tags: Robinson in Ruins, Patrick Keiller, BFI, Robison in Space, London
By Laura Thornley
Patrick Keiller returns with a sequel to his two previous essay films London and Robinson in Space. Highly experimental, the doc plays to an almost continual narration, voiced by Vanessa Redgrave alongside still shots of the natural and not so natural in the Oxford area of England. The script weaves a contemplative web of history, science, philosophy and modern day politics – through which the titular character Robinson attempts to cure the world of what he sees as ‘a great malady’.
The opening credits reveal that 16 cans of film and a notebook were found in a derelict caravan and have been rearranged by researchers to construct the film. The script follows the workings of Robinson's mind, a character used in previous films by Keiller, but who this time has just been released from prison.
Whilst the film is an interesting, imaginative concept, the final piece suffers from being over intellectualised. The script is almost exhaustingly dense with information and at times failed to draw me into the soul of the work. The formula of narration and mildly relevant shots was at times distracting rather than compelling and led me to question how successful this constant combination actually was.
There are moments of pleasure such as the extreme close up of a spider weaving its web, overlaid with ramblings concerning HBOS and impending economic collapse. It’s impossible to miss the filmmaker's musings on the obsessive reporting of our own micro world – and the missed wonder that surrounds us. The experimentation, imagination and ingenuity of Keiller are to be applauded. It’s may not have mass appeal but will no doubt impress a more specialised audience and perhaps even those of the contemporary art world.
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