Crystal Forest

warning: contains major spoilers

Richard Bevis, more so than almost any other active director, has established a very characteristic style, with regard to both design and story. The former aspect has garnered unanimous praise, but many have lamented the fact that he has tended toward extremely esoteric themes in most of his work, to varying degrees of effectiveness.

From Crystal Forest's very first shot, it is clear that it is no ordinary Richard Bevis film. The design of the scenery is completely different from what we've seen in Bevis's other work, despite the fact that the setting is still his usual lush forest. The frame is far less crowded, with more simple shapes and designs. Although this doesn't make for as much ornate eye candy as Bevis's usual approach, it still looks great and fits this movie well. Subtle effects like the breathing-like expansion and contraction of the river give the forest a slightly strange atmosphere that seems ominous in retrospect, given the story's later developments.

This story is manifestly not an exploration of the wonders of nature, the human soul, love, or God's creation, as we've seen in many Bevis films, though this isn't immediately apparent. The linear narrative of the short is very uncharacteristic of Bevis, and draws the viewer in immediately, greatly increasing his appreciation for Bevis's visuals. And the end caught me entirely off guard - I frankly expected the old man to emerge from his cabin and start dancing with the children as butterflies appear and the full glory and splendor of life is celebrated, or something of that nature. The sudden and very shocking ending - more so if the viewer is familiar with Bevis's other work and expecting more of the same - is very effective, and while not really "scary" it does leave you a little taken aback. I did think, however, that the "premonition" shots could have been a little better done - the river of blood was nice, but the other shots, just of people on a black background, were a little disappointing.

Unlike some other commentators, I thought Eric Ryan's narration was excellent. The more or less neutral tone keeps the nature of the short a mystery, while still flowing well and striking a good balance between sounding natural and sounding polished. There were a few language errors, though. I suppose they might have been intentional, given that the narrator turns out to be a child (presumably), but they were distracting and annoying.

I was a little confused about this film's connection with America. It's subtitled "An American Legend" and is specifically set in northwestern Wyoming (not a location where I'd expect to find a lot of forests, but Google seems to disagree). This seem significant, especially coming from a Brit, but if there's any social commentary here I certainly missed it.

This is definitely one of Bevis's best works. It turns the viewer's expectations against them to strong dramatic effect, while still preserving the positive elements Bevis has become known for. This movie is a departure in both style and substance for him, and I hope to see him continue to take such bold steps in the future.

[Richard Bevis]

Ahah, I love your imagining of the old dude dancing with butterflies in a celebration of life, it made me smile tremendously. This review was so unexpected though, I'm immensely thankful for it. I've been wondering how or if I should continue with 3dmm and I reckon you've just made the decision for me, so thanks a lot.

[Phil Williamson]

YOU'RE WELCOME, COMMUNITY