“She fell from heaven but I caught her”
Swans new album Birthing was released on Friday. Sometimes I’ll take a ten mile walk for the first listen of a new album, or if there’s a resonant film in the theaters, I’ll use the album as an alternate soundtrack.
But on Friday I had no idea what to do, and the theaters weren’t offering anything that attracted my attention.
So I asked Grok.
BK: What movie do you think of when you read this list of words: healers, giving birth, tower, red, yellow, guardian, spirit, merge, rope
Grok: The movie that comes to mind when considering the list of words—healers, giving birth, tower, red, yellow, guardian, spirit, merge, rope—is The Fifth Element (1997). While not a perfect match, this sci-fi film resonates with many of the themes and imagery suggested by the words. Here’s how the words connect to the movie:
- Healers: The character Leeloo, a supreme being, is regenerated and has a restorative, almost divine role in saving the universe.
- Giving birth: Leeloo’s creation in the lab can be seen as a form of "birth," as she is brought into existence.
- Tower: The film features futuristic skyscrapers and vertical cityscapes, with key scenes in high structures.
- Red, Yellow: Leeloo’s vibrant orange-red hair and the colorful, vivid aesthetic of the film (including yellow taxis and bright costumes) tie into these colors.
- Guardian: Korben Dallas, the protagonist, acts as a protector of Leeloo, and the priests guard the sacred stones.
- Spirit: The concept of the "fifth element" is tied to a spiritual, life-giving force that transcends the physical elements.
- Merge: The climax involves the elements merging to form a divine light to defeat the Great Evil.
- Rope: While not literal, the idea of connection (like the "rope" of fate) ties to Leeloo and Korben’s intertwined destinies.
No other movie aligns as closely with this specific combination of words, based on themes, visuals, and narrative elements. If you had a different movie in mind or want me to explore another angle, let me know!
The Fifth Element sync was great, but the experience was amplified by the fact that it was my first listen to Birthing (a simply incredible album).. A rewatch confirmed the dominance of the new album’s impact on the experience… it’s a good sync, not a great sync.
Although it had many obvious overlapping themes, and was loaded with a lot of personal syncs not worth listing here, I started to consider what film could be a better fit.
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Film/album sync is holographic. The Fifth Element sync felt like it was a fourth or fifth generation sync for the album. You can see what it wants to communicate but it wasn’t 100% focused.
So what could the first generation sync be?
I didn’t need to ask Grok for the answer. After seeing the resonance with The Fifth Element it seemed obvious.
Maybe you’re ahead of me already.
2001: A Space Odyssey + Birthing
B/W
00:03:11