creation : 12.11.2015 at Théâtre de Hautepierre à Strasbourg, FR
cinema screening with live music, based on the film by Robert Florey, 9413 / The Life and Death of a Hollywood Extra, 1927
for 6 percussions and real time electronics
state command of Percussions de Strasbourg to Javier Elipe
duration : 13′
9413: The Life and Death of a Hollywood Extra, is an experimental film, with a very critical and sarcastic vision of Hollywood, it tells the story of an actor who arrives in Hollywood to fulfil his dream, only to find himself faced with the cruelty of the industrial production system of Hollywood cinema.
The tension consists of a relationship between the dream of Hollywood glory and reality. The sound textures of the “dream” part will have a more continuous and regular evolution, and those of the “reality” part will behave according to a more abrupt and discontinuous evolution. The film develops along a characteristic line: from dream or hope, which little by little will turn to reality (the failure of the dream – or the fall). This will also be seen in the images, where the shiny and splendid buildings of Hollywood are gradually transformed, until they become a kind of jungle. From the point of view of sound representation, it will first be necessary to focus on certain visual elements such as the composition of the shots, the materials, light and shadow, visual rhythm, etc. And secondly, on elements such as the creation of sound atmospheres, in order to introduce the spectator to the strange and surreal world of the film.
Javier ELIPE GIMENO