Death of Bethlehem Steel Depicted in Short Film
A trilogy of short films depicting the decline of three American institutions--including Bethlehem Steel--will premiere at the Wired Gallery in Bethlehem, PA on Friday, August 20th at 6:30 PM.
(PRWEB) August 14, 2004
A trilogy of short films depicting the decline of three American institutions will premiere at the Wired Gallery in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Each film in the trilogy represents the decline of an American institution: industry, art, and healthcare. For the film depicting "The Ultimate Decline of the Industrial Revolution," archival and contemporary footage of the Bethlehem Steel plant were combined in a kind of moving collage. The non-linear, abstract pieces were concocted by Matthew Lotti and John Simone, two local aspiring, young filmmakers.
When asked why the films depict these institutions in a negative light, Mr. Simone replied, "They are not negative. They are mere observations of the decline of these institutions; a look at their past and a look to their uncertain future. They are very much open to interpretation."
The piece involving Bethlehem Steel footage incorporates archival footage of the plant rolling out war material (tanks and guns) for World War II and Bethlehem Steel personnel drilling for possible Nazi air raids. It also combines footage of the rubble of post-World War II Nuremberg, Germany with current footage of the Bethlehem Steel plant rubble.
In addition to the "Ultimate Decline of the Industrial Revolution," the trilogy includes a rather brutal demolition of a piano entitled "The Art of Disassembling a Piano by Hand," and a piece depicting archival footage and modern footage of mental institutions ("Vacancies in the Asylum").
The premiere of the films is a public event and admission is free. They will be screened at the Wired Gallery in Bethlehem, PA this Friday, August 20th at 6:30 PM. For information, visit www. wired-gallery. com or call 610-317-8010.
