A woman leaves the farm and enters the unknown.A woman leaves the farm and enters the unknown.A woman leaves the farm and enters the unknown.
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Featured review
Well Calculated Experimental Terror
You need to know what you're walking into see when you buy your ticket for The Oregonian: a tactful, minimal, indulgent terror experimental film. Warning given, I have to hand it the director, because he had an incredibly firm grasp on what he was trying to do. A young woman leaves her farm in the serene Pacific Northwest and enters into solitary landscape of terror, devoid of almost any human contact. I could sit here and try to interpret the film but ultimately you will have to make your own conclusions.
The film is saturated with harsh, glaring and alarming flash cuts and bizarre scenes which offer it a streak of unpredictability, keeping the viewer constantly alarmed and constantly plagued with a very unpleasant vibe. These cuts and 'montages' which pretty much assault your senses are carefully placed and timed, heightening the disconcerting tone which the movie rides on.
The sound design and score compliment the visual style very well. The second time I watched the movie, I muted it to see how a lack of noise would affect the viewing, and I was impressed to see how much the score lent itself to the construction of the scenes. Turn up your volume and turn down your lights.
There seems to be quite a bit of symbolism in the imagery which can be debriefed in any number of ways. Part of the beauty of this film, more so than other, more mainstream films, is you really really get the sense that the director had his own meanings in mind but the vagueness he implements in the dark symbolism allows you to draw your own conclusions. Not a movie easily pushed out of sight and mind.
Overall, I was pleased with The Oregonian so much so (as an experimental film) that I've watched it numerous times with numerous people and had a different experience each time. If you like dark, terrifying experimental work which relies heavily on imagery and sound, you will love The Oregonian.
The film is saturated with harsh, glaring and alarming flash cuts and bizarre scenes which offer it a streak of unpredictability, keeping the viewer constantly alarmed and constantly plagued with a very unpleasant vibe. These cuts and 'montages' which pretty much assault your senses are carefully placed and timed, heightening the disconcerting tone which the movie rides on.
The sound design and score compliment the visual style very well. The second time I watched the movie, I muted it to see how a lack of noise would affect the viewing, and I was impressed to see how much the score lent itself to the construction of the scenes. Turn up your volume and turn down your lights.
There seems to be quite a bit of symbolism in the imagery which can be debriefed in any number of ways. Part of the beauty of this film, more so than other, more mainstream films, is you really really get the sense that the director had his own meanings in mind but the vagueness he implements in the dark symbolism allows you to draw your own conclusions. Not a movie easily pushed out of sight and mind.
Overall, I was pleased with The Oregonian so much so (as an experimental film) that I've watched it numerous times with numerous people and had a different experience each time. If you like dark, terrifying experimental work which relies heavily on imagery and sound, you will love The Oregonian.
helpful•1916
- mike_goyert604
- Feb 20, 2012
- How long is The Oregonian?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 21 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.78 : 1
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