“Chronos” was Ron Frickie’s directorial debut before he made Baraka. The film is an audio/visual movie that is almost entirely done in time lapse photography.
Made back in 1984/5 the 42 minute film is all about layers of time. You’re treated to jaw dropping time lapses of sun rises and shadow lights crossing over landmarks across the world. Stonehenge, Eypgt, Monument Valley, Pompeii – there’s just so many places that are showcased and all of them are stunningly beautiful.
The time lapse photography is intercut with slow overpasses of large desolate landscapes and some dreamy aerial shots. While all this is going on, Michael Stearns’ otherworldly score haunts you. Using syntherizers and uniquely built instruments such as the earth toned Beam, which has its own special feature on the DVD, the score is celestial and timeless all at the same time.
“Chronos” isn’t for everyone. It’s high art. It’s also a completely different tone to Baraka too, this is more of an introspective film. I found it very moving though and I can’t quite work out why. Maybe it’s the insignificance of myself as a single person in the layers of all the time that flows before you in this film, or maybe its just because so much of this beautiful world is not readily available it takes your breath away when you see it. Either way, Chronos has left its mark on me and if you’re prepared to give it a go, it may well do on you too.