An Optical Poem
Originally released in 1938. An Optical Poem is a animation/music film. directed by Oskar Fischinger. At just 7 minutes, it's a tight, focused story.
Synopsis
A dance of shapes. A title card tells us this is an experiment in conveying the mental images of music in a visual form. Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" is the music. The shapes, all two-dimensional, are circles primarily, with some squares and rectangles, and a few triangles. The shapes move rhythmically to the music: receding from view or moving across the screen. Red circles on a blue background; light blue squares; white rectangles. Then, a red background of many circles with a few in the foreground. Red gives way to blue then to white. Shapes reappear as Liszt's themes re-occur. Then, with a few staccato notes and images, it's over.
Quick Facts
Release Date
March 5, 1938
87 years ago
Runtime
0h 7m
7 minutes total
User Rating
6.6/10
Good (36 votes)
Language
English
Original language
Country
United States of America
Production
Director
Production Details
- Status
- Released
- Original Language
- EN
Frequently Asked Questions
What is An Optical Poem about?
A dance of shapes. A title card tells us this is an experiment in conveying the mental images of music in a visual form. Liszt's "Second Hungarian Rhapsody" is the music. The shapes, all two-dimens...
Who directed An Optical Poem?
An Optical Poem was directed by Oskar Fischinger.
How long is An Optical Poem?
An Optical Poem has a runtime of 0 hours and 7 minutes (7 minutes total).
When was An Optical Poem released?
An Optical Poem was released on March 5, 1938 in theaters.