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7.1/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 7.1/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. World's Fair remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you have a thing for dusty history or just want to stare at saturated colors for an hour, sure, pull up a chair. But if you’re looking for a plot, or people talking, or anything resembling a human conflict, you’re gonna have a bad time.
This is basically a moving postcard. It’s less of a movie and more like finding a weird reel of film in your grandma’s attic that she forgot to throw away. 📽️
The whole thing is drenched in this weird, thick Technicolor that makes everything look like a painting that hasn't quite dried yet. You can practically smell the ozone and the cheap popcorn.
There’s this one shot of a fountain that just goes on for way too long. The water moves in this jerky, mechanical way, and I found myself wondering if anyone in the crowd was actually having fun or if they were just being paid to stand there and look impressed by progress.
It’s weirdly empty. You see these massive buildings and these sprawling grounds, but the people look like ants scurrying around a picnic. It reminded me a bit of the frantic energy in Le congrès s'amuse, but with way less charm and way more concrete.
Some of the architecture looks like it was built out of cardboard and ambition. You can tell they were trying so hard to sell us on the future. I wonder if they knew the future was going to be mostly just staring at phones.
I caught myself nodding off for a second, but then the camera swung around to some weird geometric sculpture and I was jolted awake again. It’s not boring, exactly. It’s just… distant.
It’s definitely not as engaging as North of Alaska, but then again, that movie had actual stakes. Here, the stakes are just 'don't fall into the lagoon.' Which, honestly, fair enough.
Go watch it if you want to feel like a ghost visiting a place that doesn't exist anymore. Just don't expect it to change your life. 🎡