Screening

About Nova Express

Year Released:

2014

Genres:

Science Fiction, Experimental

Metadata:

Directed by Andre Perkowski

An exhaustive examination of cut-ups, the control machine, and the algebra of need figure in this epic found-footage adaptation of Burroughs’s 1964 novel, which pits Inspector Lee and the Nova Police against the Nova Mob: Sammy The Butcher, Green Tony, The Brown Artist, Jacky Blue Note, Izzy The Push, The Subliminal Kid, Uranian Willy, and Mr Bradly Mr Martin, alias The Ugly Spirit. Features unreleased readings by Burroughs and voiceovers by Proctor & Bergman of the Firesign Theatre on such topics as hot crab people, language as virus, tape recorder warfare, death dwarfs, and Hassan Sabbah: the Old Man of the Mountain. “Minutes to go. Souls rotten from their orgasm drugs, flesh shuddering from their nova ovens, prisoners of the earth to come out.”

"Like the radical science fiction novel on which it is based, the film cuts-up, remixes, incorporates and detours through social satire, science fiction, film noir, and the image archive of the twentieth-century to create a visual counterpart to the soundtrack voices of William Burroughs and others. Combining found footage, original film, animation and collages the film is a mammoth, visionary work that has screened in various forms (some versions lasting three-hours) offering a truly cinematic realisation of Burroughs’ world. This screening is essential for anyone interested in Burroughs, radical cinema, and storming the reality studio. " --Jack Sargeant

"As the film reaches its climax, Perkowski’s images become less literal and more visionary, intensifying into hallucinatory, stroboscopic collages. Its “Final Words” (in fact the first words of the book), written half a century ago, are apocalyptic and all too timely: “Listen all you boards syndicates and governments of the earth. And you powers behind what filth deals consummated in what lavatory to take what is not yours. To sell the ground from unborn feet forever … Show your cards all players … These words might be too late.”" --The Boston Globe
(HD Presentation)