Swiss Trip: A Weird, Wobbly Little Jaunt

If you're looking for a plot that makes sense, skip this one. Seriously. You’ll just end up annoyed that nobody explains why they're standing on that mountain or staring at that specific cloud for three minutes straight.

But if you like movies that feel like a dream you forgot halfway through, you might actually dig it. It’s the kind of thing you watch when your brain is fried and you just want your eyes to be busy.

Oskar Fischinger is doing all the heavy lifting here, and honestly, you can tell he was just messing around with the camera. Some shots are sharp and crisp, then suddenly it’s blurry, like someone bumped the tripod and just decided to keep rolling. I kind of loved that. It feels honest.

There’s a moment about twenty minutes in where the screen just vibrates. I’m not sure if it was a technical error or a stylistic choice, but it made me squint. It’s weirdly hypnotic.

Compared to a structured disaster like The House on 56th Street, this is pure chaos. It doesn’t pretend to have a point. It’s just... there. It’s just existing.

Some random notes from my notepad:

• The lighting is either brilliant or totally blown out. No middle ground.
• I think I saw a cow that wasn't supposed to be in the frame.
• The pacing is like a drunk person walking down a hill.
• Why is there so much focus on the train tracks?

It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in Twentieth Century, but without the yelling or the people. It’s quiet. Sometimes, it’s too quiet. Like, are my speakers broken? Nope, just the movie.

Don't expect a masterpiece. Don't expect to walk away feeling like you learned something about Switzerland. Just let the images happen. Or don't. It doesn't seem to care if you're watching or not. 🏔️🎞️