The Quay Brothers in 35mm: 10/10

Unnerving. Horrific. Magnificent. Groundbreaking. These are some of the words I would use in a vain attempt to describe the work of the Quay Brothers, but it is ultimately beyond the realm of language.

Born in America and raised in England, Stephen and Timothy Quay are stop-motion animators with a truly singular vision of reality. Their abstract, often frightening animated short films, done mostly in the 80s and 90s, are currently on display at the world-renowned Museum of Modern Art in New York. They are given new life in the theatre by writer-director Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight, Interstellar). A life-long fan, Nolan is the curator of The Quay Brothers in 35mm, a touring collection of four short films, including the world premiere of his new documentary, Quay.  As the title suggests, all four films were shot and projected in glorious 35mm film. Nolan, an outspoken proponent of 35mm, uses the show as a celebration of film in an increasingly digital world, where nearly every movie theatre is now outfitted with digital projectors for digitally shot films. Nolan’s show stands in stark contrast to this, travelling to eleven cities across the globe in celebration of film, with its current stop being the Music Box Theatre in Chicago.

The first film of the night was In Absentia, a barrage of ear-splitting dissonant notes and delightfully creepy camera work. Perhaps the most avant garde picture of the night, In Absentia set the mood perfectly, and gave anyone unfamiliar with the Quay Brothers’ work a heck of an introduction. Working as a kind of narrative puzzle for the audience to put together, the 20-minute short was violent and aggressive, challenging any expectations the audience may have had. Where most of the Quay Brothers’ work centers on animation, In Absentia was mostly filmed with real actors and based on the true story of Emma Huack, a schizophrenic artist who died in an insane asylum writing letters to her husband.

Next up was Christopher Nolan’s new documentary short, Quay. It’s place in the lineup made sense, as it detailed the inner workings of the Quay Brothers’ stop-motion techniques, which would come into play in the third and fourth features. The 8-minute portrait was a beautiful labor of love by Nolan. His affection for their work seeped through the very film itself, and we came to love the eccentric identical twins as much as him. If Nolan was trying to convince us of the power of 35mm over digital, it was a glorious triumph.

The third film of the night was a Polish collaboration entitled The Comb. We are transported into the mind of a sleeping woman, whose dream (nightmare?) consists of two body-less hands burrowing ladders into various locations across a surreal landscape in a fervent search for freedom. I could go on describing the events of the film, but that would be like describing a color that no one else can see. You must simply experience it. The Comb left me thoroughly bewitched.

Christopher Nolan certainly saved the best for last with Streets of Crocodiles. More than any other film that night, the Quay Brothers’ masterpiece of the screen had me utterly speechless. Perverse and insane, the film stretches the boundaries of cinema as we know it. The storyline follows a lone man as he navigates an empty city reminiscent of Victorian London Eventually, he discovers a clothing store with mysterious inhabitants. This is as close I can get to describing the plot because the Quay Brothers aren’t really concerned with stories as they are with emotions. I can only beg that you seek out their work and redefine your perception of film. If it weren’t for the fact that their work here was released 30 years ago, I’d name The Quay Brothers in 35mm the best picture of the year. It is most certainly Christopher Nolan’s greatest achievement, because it is not for entertainment. It is for art. That being said, this film is not for general audiences. I recommend this picture for art students or those seeking a career in the animation world, as they will be both challenged and delighted by this picture.