Towers Open Fire (1966) User Reviews

Burroughs and Gysin-influenced experimental short film

[FieCrier · 6/10 · 1 July 2005]

It's difficult to describe this film! A shot list would take some time to compile, despite its short length.

It starts with a still photo of Bela Lugosi (actually, this still is lacking from the print of Towers Open Fire used on Mystic Fire Video's copy, or they accidentally omitted it). Antony Balch, the director, was a particular fan of Lugosi's and used to project Lugosi films (among others) on 16mm film for people to watch in his home. From there on, there's some Moroccan music courtesy of Brion Gysin, and some voice-over from William Burroughs, perhaps reading from some of his works. There's a brief shot of a demonstration of Gysin & Burroughs' cut-up technique, whereby pages are cut into quarters, reassembled and the new text read. Probably anyone watching this unfamiliar with that would not know it from watching this, since it goes by so quickly and unexplained. There are also several shots of Gysin's flicker invention, the Dreamachine, a zooetrope-like device meant to be watched with the eyes closed.

A lot of the editing is really done in a barrage of montage, so it's difficult to see what is flashing before our eyes. There are some shots of Burroughs in a sort of scientific presentation, and also as a gas-masked soldier with a ping-pong ball rifle, and as a radio man giving the order (?) "towers, open fire!"

Very much an experimental film. I don't know what to make of it, but it's quite watchable. I first saw it on the VHS Towers Open Fire and Other Films by Antony Balch from Mystic Fire Video, but it is now also available on DVD as a bonus feature on Synapse's release of Balch's horror anthology film Secrets of Sex (1970) AKA Bizarre.

Dreamy,Trippy,Surreal

[Seamus2829 · 10/10 · 3 May 2008]

The first time I saw this experimental short, it was on a video cassette along with some of Burrough's other shorts called 'Thee Films', produced by Genesis P-Orridge (Psychic TV,Throbbing Gristle,etc.). I watched it late at night,after an evening with friends. As I drifted in and out of sleep, I thought "Wow, am I watching this,or dreaming it?". I kind of figured I should probably switch it off & get some sleep & watch it tomorrow". The next day, I watched it again & thought..."yowza!" Even fully awake, this short (along with the other shorts on this video cassette)is as trippy as the night before. It seems to be a series of images, with little or no connection what so ever (sort of like a dream itself). My favourite seqment is when one of the characters looks up into the sky, and the film goes from black and white to colour (and back again). It's obvious that this film isn't going to be for everybody, but anybody who has a background in Avant Garde/Experimental cinema should enjoy this trippy short (good luck getting your hands on it,as most of the T.O.P.Y. videos are near impossible to get ahold of)

time-based visual demonstration of WSB's textual technique

[kipbauer · 7 September 2003]

I saw this about ten years ago, and I wish I could find it again. I enjoy Burroughs's writing quite a bit, and it makes sense that he would be drawn into an experimental film. For most people, his involvement would be the main reason to watch this. There's not really anything to give away about the plot. Regardless, I only recall certain moments. If you like his writing and the sound of his voice then you shouldn't be disappointed.

An offbeat and interesting experimental short

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 12 June 2011]

Strictly adhering to a gloriously idiosyncratic "try it, do it" avant-garde sensibility, this truly bizarre ten minute short has no real discernible plot to speak of. Instead it delivers a dizzying array of surreal visuals at a nonstop breakneck pace that start out with a still of horror icon Bela Lugosi and include lots of priceless footage of eccentric writer William S. Burroughs being his own fabulously flaky self. Burroughs also provides some kooky stream-of-consciousness narration in his distinctive deep croaky voice as such subjects as war, drugs (yes, we do get to see Burroughs shoot up), and race are addressed in a decidedly oblique, yet compelling manner. Set to roaring Middle Eastern music, fiercely edited in a rapid-fire manner (there's an incredibly speedy montage of trippy images presented at the end), filmed in grainy black and white, given an extra galvanizing kick by a wickedly witty sense of giddy irreverent humor, boasting a few freaky jump cuts, and concluding with the apparent destruction of civilization as we know it, I have no clue whatsoever what the point is, but it's sure a ton of wigged-out fun to watch just the same. An intriguing oddity.