Foxfur is the latest from maverick filmmaker Damon Packard, and it’s a bold, challenging piece of idiosyncratic filmmaking. Packard seems to want to challenge the viewer by bombarding them with a chaotic plot structure, dazzling and vibrant light filters and a dense, superb soundtrack which together create a film built to challenge the viewer’s perceptions in every way. Packard’s Foxfur is quite the acid trip, as we follow the titular character, FoxFur (played by four or five different actresess), as she embarks on a journey with her friend, Khris, to the “metaphysical” bookstore. On their way they encounter a disconnected population of Angelinos, witness floating spaceships, and even travel back in time to the set of Mash in 1982. If you haven’t by now figured it out, FoxFur is everything but conventional, having an absurdist rhythm to it all that gives it this dream-like feel. It’s hard to follow at times but also profound, and features a quite a few hilarious moments courtesy of Khris Kaneff’s fantastic comedic performance. Through this journey the film has this fascinating blend of ideas like the role technology plays in our current society, the eccentricities of Los Angeles culture, and UFO folklore. I personally found the commentary about our societies reliance on technology to be captivating, with Packard suggesting that we have all become mindless slaves to our smartphones. While watching Foxfur I couldn't help but wonder what Packard could deliver if given even 10% of the resources many mainstream filmmakers have. His ingeniunity and creative process is inspiring, especially for how much he is able to create with so little. I would be lying if I said I understood everything Packard was trying to do with FoxFur, but perhaps that’s simply the point, with the film spurring all narrative expectations while delivering a truly unique and transfixing experience. 8/10
1 Comment
American.gxt
11/26/2013 06:41:41 am
Damon Packard is one of the best and most under appreciated filmmakers ever.
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June 2023
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