Box Head Revolution
Encyclopedia
Box Head Revolution is a 2002 science fiction film
directed, produced, edited and co-written by Mark Christensen.
space craft that was launched from the U.S. in the 1970s. Within the wreckage is a long-playing gold album featuring rock music
of the 1970s. Despite the efforts of the ruling class to destroy this album, the young lovers are able to broadcast the music to the planet's oppressed masses. With this musical discovery, the planet faces a sudden and unstoppable turn of events that brings about the eponymous uprising.
Box Head Revolution was shot on a very low budget in black-and-white digital video
, and the cinematography was intentionally out of focus. Dave Kehr
, reviewing the film for The New York Times
noted, “Mr. Christensen's use of very blurry black-and-white video serves a double purpose. It disguises the complete absence of sets while lending the film the quality of decaying contraband from the indefinite past.”
Box Head Revolution had its theatrical premiere in New York City
on August 21, 2002, and reviews were mixed. Edward Havens, writing for the online magazine FilmJerk.com, stated the film "is the most audacious directorial debut to invade American cinemas in a very long time. It's not the best film debut, nor the best looking or most intelligent. And the funny thing is, after watching the film, I don't think Mr. Christensen cares if you like it or not." David Sterritt, reviewing the film for The Christian Science Monitor
, commented that the film's "story is almost incoherent, but there's a weirded-out charm to Christensen's visual style – part German Expressionism
, part 'Captain Video
,' part early David Lynch
– all as hazy as a half-remembered dream." But Ken Fox, writing for TV Guide
Online, noted: "The onscreen text is riddled with typos, the migraine-inducing B&W photography is often over-exposed and out of focus, the post-synchronized sound is badly looped and Christensen himself can be heard directing his actors. Adventurous — and forgiving — lovers of strange celluloid could do worse. Others will no doubt find the whole experience the longest 76 minutes of their lives." And Shaun Sages, writing for the Movie Navigator online site, found the film to be "weirder than anything you’ll stumble upon watching 4 a.m. Sci Fi Channel
programming."
To date, Box Head Revolution has not been commercially released on DVD.
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
directed, produced, edited and co-written by Mark Christensen.
Plot
On an unknown planet in an uncertain time, a two-tiered society has taken shape. The ruling class live above ground and wear masks on their faces, while the working class labors below the surface of the planet. The lowest order of the underground culture – prisoners, revolutionaries and various troublemakers – are forced to wear boxes locked around their heads. One day, an alien craft crashes on the planet. Gritt (Adom Cooper) and Brythle (Jenny Kim), a pair of rebellious young lovers from the upper tier of the planet's society, discover the wreckage. Unknown to them, the wreckage is a Voyager programVoyager program
The Voyager program is a U.S program that launched two unmanned space missions, scientific probes Voyager 1 and Voyager 2. They were launched in 1977 to take advantage of a favorable planetary alignment of the late 1970s...
space craft that was launched from the U.S. in the 1970s. Within the wreckage is a long-playing gold album featuring rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
of the 1970s. Despite the efforts of the ruling class to destroy this album, the young lovers are able to broadcast the music to the planet's oppressed masses. With this musical discovery, the planet faces a sudden and unstoppable turn of events that brings about the eponymous uprising.
Production and reception
Box Head Revolution was the filmmaking debut of Mark Christensen, who was a dancer, a pilot, a skateboarder, and a musician before turning to cinema production. In the film’s press notes, he stated he turned to filmmaking because he felt "it would be easier to communicate his ideas through film rather than struggling with a song."Box Head Revolution was shot on a very low budget in black-and-white digital video
Digital video
Digital video is a type of digital recording system that works by using a digital rather than an analog video signal.The terms camera, video camera, and camcorder are used interchangeably in this article.- History :...
, and the cinematography was intentionally out of focus. Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr
Dave Kehr is an American film critic. A critic at the Chicago Reader and the Chicago Tribune for many years, he writes a weekly column for The New York Times on DVD releases, in addition to contributing occasional pieces on individual films or filmmakers.-Early life and education:Dave Kehr did...
, reviewing the film for The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
noted, “Mr. Christensen's use of very blurry black-and-white video serves a double purpose. It disguises the complete absence of sets while lending the film the quality of decaying contraband from the indefinite past.”
Box Head Revolution had its theatrical premiere in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on August 21, 2002, and reviews were mixed. Edward Havens, writing for the online magazine FilmJerk.com, stated the film "is the most audacious directorial debut to invade American cinemas in a very long time. It's not the best film debut, nor the best looking or most intelligent. And the funny thing is, after watching the film, I don't think Mr. Christensen cares if you like it or not." David Sterritt, reviewing the film for The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor
The Christian Science Monitor is an international newspaper published daily online, Monday to Friday, and weekly in print. It was started in 1908 by Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist. As of 2009, the print circulation was 67,703.The CSM is a newspaper that covers...
, commented that the film's "story is almost incoherent, but there's a weirded-out charm to Christensen's visual style – part German Expressionism
German Expressionism
German Expressionism refers to a number of related creative movements beginning in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin, during the 1920s...
, part 'Captain Video
Captain Video
Captain Video and His Video Rangers is an American science fiction television series. It was broadcast on the DuMont Television Network, and was the first series of its kind on American television...
,' part early David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
– all as hazy as a half-remembered dream." But Ken Fox, writing for TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
Online, noted: "The onscreen text is riddled with typos, the migraine-inducing B&W photography is often over-exposed and out of focus, the post-synchronized sound is badly looped and Christensen himself can be heard directing his actors. Adventurous — and forgiving — lovers of strange celluloid could do worse. Others will no doubt find the whole experience the longest 76 minutes of their lives." And Shaun Sages, writing for the Movie Navigator online site, found the film to be "weirder than anything you’ll stumble upon watching 4 a.m. Sci Fi Channel
Sci Fi Channel (United States)
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
programming."
To date, Box Head Revolution has not been commercially released on DVD.