Can't Get You Out of My Head

[WorldForgot]

Adam Curtis'
Can't Get You Out of My Head:
An Emotional History of the Modern World

Can’t Get You Out of My Head tells the story of how we got to the strange days we are now experiencing. And why both those in power - and we - find it so difficult to move on.
 
The films trace different forces across the world that have led to now, not just in the West, but in China and Russia as well. It covers a wide range - including the strange roots of modern conspiracy theories, the history of China, opium and opiods, the history of Artificial Intelligence, melancholy over the loss of empire and, love and power. And explores whether modern culture, despite its radicalism, is really just part of the new system of power.

Most of his documentaries (including Can't Get You Out of My Head) are available for free on Thought Maybe

[wilder]

Adam Curtis interviewed for Idler Magazine

Most of his documentaries (including Can't Get You Out of My Head) are available for free on Thought Maybe

[wilder]

Adam Curtis on Red Scare

[WorldForgot]

Ultimately i think Adam Curtis works better with a long form feature than in a serialized limited series, but i watched all six eps over two days so maybe the rehashing works better with more time in between eps.

It was a bit exhausting to binge, but was an engrossing edit. Sackler + psychiatry against the body bits felt rushed, some of the Discordianism summary too. Discordianism and its interaction with pop-mythos + Sackler alone could have been an entire Curtis feature on how individualism and mythos gave rise to subcultures of paranoia. The Wall of Democracy in China an exemplary bit on this theme. Other than those segments I thought it summarized the dilemma of individualism and nationalism well.

There are enough layers of 'performance' within its segments' subjects that i think the thesis of its ending quote comes together, and still have the signature humor/personality.

[putneyswipe]

I’m through about half of it and I think it might be his most skillfully put together piece yet, though the ideas are somewhat rehashing the theses of the Trap and Hypernormalisation and aren’t as stimulating as the great All Watched Over

[WorldForgot]

Yeah, I agree. Feels like the timeline of the events has much overlap with previous projects, but as a limited series it's quite solid. Some of the additional subjects here are so bleak, yet the juxtaposition with the clips used keep Curtis' irony well afloat. Would have liked less recaps of previous episodes within the series itself, too.

[putneyswipe]

Yeah it seems since The Trap and Machines the films have been less about arguments and more about Vibes, which I dig, Bitter Lake & It Felt like a Kiss being a good example of this. Iirc Hypernormalisation barely had a narrative throughline, it was a lot of stylish collaged montage. This one is a bit more coherent but similar. My main joy comes from seeing how Curtis juxtaposes storytelling across time with multiple protagonists in the same way pomo fiction writers do. Narrative filmmakers could take notes here.

[WorldForgot]

Bitter Lake. Hypernormalisation barely had a narrative throughline, it was a lot of stylish collaged montage. This one is a bit more coherent but similar.

Machines iz a very interesting experiment in vibes and information, no doubt. That was what got me hooked on Curtis. I wonder if what you're picking up on has to do with Curtis being given the time to play within focus. Perhaps when there's more subjects there's less room for the playful sequences?

Bitter Lake posits a thesis of eternal warfare stalemate from globalization having diluted the essence of traditional conflicts -- warring factions' spiritual and cultural aspects cannot be eradicated, yet their commodification onto a world stage has heightened an absurdity of spiraling ouroboros. Its head may be substantial identity enuff for the conflicts to continue as long as there's global funding in regimes.

Hypernormalisation's narrative is that of media and data intertwining -- their child is a similar dissolution as Bitter Lakes except here we have supposedly "good intentions" creating the neoliberal totality without value. Economic and political relations swapped seats, both with a means to operate "without" borders so to speak. Its footage from when New York City lost its financial grip to the banks iz so frkn good. Anyway this means of control continues its assault and assures us "normalcy" while all systems seem to require crisis + chaos to truly function.