Exquisite Corpse (1978)

Name: Exquisite Corpse
Released: 1978-01-01
Duration: 8 min
Cast: Ernest Gusella

1978 · 8 min

The "exquisite corpse" named in the title of this piece refers to a favorite game of the Surrealists, played by passing a folded sheet of paper among a group; each person draws one section of a body on the folded segment without looking at the other sides. What was done with pen and paper, Gusella accomplishes electronically using the VideoLab. Utilizing quick, voltage-controlled live switching between two cameras, Gusella approximates composite images. For examples, his torso appears to combine with a close-up of his face. The perceptual effect is mesmerizing and disorienting.

Director: Ernest Gusella

Cast: Ernest Gusella · Poori cast & crew →