Polychrome Fantasy: A weird, bright little dance loop

Is it worth your time?

If you like abstract animation or just want to see something that feels like a piece of pop-art, sure. If you need a plot or characters who talk, stay far away. This is basically just vibe in motion. 🎨

It’s barely a movie, honestly. It’s more of a visual experiment that happens to be playing on your screen.

The dance of the colors

Four women dance in front of these backgrounds that change color so fast it’s almost aggressive. It reminds me of the way Astronomeous plays with light, but way more frantic. McLaren was clearly obsessed with the idea of painting directly onto the film strip, and it shows.

Sometimes the dancers look like they’re being swallowed by the backdrop. It’s a bit jarring. There’s no music to speak of that feels 'standard,' just this rhythm that matches the flickering colors. It’s definitely not something you’d show at a dinner party unless you wanted everyone to get confused.

• The colors are aggressively bright.
• The dancers are almost secondary to the patterns.
• The whole thing feels like it could have been made in an afternoon, but in a cool, spontaneous way.

It’s not as dense as (Amrit Manthan), obviously. It doesn't even try to be. It’s just stuff happening. The way the screen pulses makes me feel like I’m looking at a strobe light for too long. It’s weirdly hypnotic, though.

I found myself wondering if they were dizzy after filming this. The constant shifting would mess with my head. You can see the hand-made quality in every frame. It isn't polished, and that’s why it actually works. It doesn't have the weight of something like After the Verdict, but it isn't trying to carry any weight at all. It’s just floating.

It ends as quickly as it starts. You blink, and it’s over. I’m not sure I’d watch it twice in a row, but once was a decent way to kill a few minutes. Maybe it’s best enjoyed with the sound off, or maybe that’s just me.