Film captures imagination with flair
by Caren Penland, reporter

    Having searched for a film that is challenging on more than one level for a long time, I have found it—Waking Life.

    Independent filmmaker Rich-ard Linklater was chasing after an idea, and the film that is his answer to that quest is, simply put, amazing.

    Combining new digital technology with old school animation and philosophy was the result of his struggle to capture the essence of the dreamscape.

    Filmmaker magazine refers to this picture as “shimmering impressionism with a pop cartoon flair.”

    This movie is rated R for some language and violence, but the hardest part about this movie will not involve tolerating the profanity or the brief disturbing scenes.

    Making sense of what just happened or what the characters are talking about is the hardest part for the viewer.

    Wiley Wiggins, who plays the main character, mulls over the question of whether we are sleepwalking through life or are awake in our dreams.

    His quest is a challenge for both the intellect and the imagination as he meets more than 60 wildly different characters, who spout philosophy and advice through the ever-increasing complexity of the film.

    Every image feels like a dream. Sometimes the dreams are completely random; others are well structured, though the different characters may occasionally morph or become increasingly wild in their sketchy appearances.

    With an ever-constant movement in the background, even while picturing a room, the film shows a surrealism that many directors have tried and failed to achieve.

    The ideas, ideologies and literature discussed are incredible. Various characters will begin to discuss authors from T. H. Lawrence to Jack Keruoac.

    And statements made throughout the movie leave the mind searching for hours for further explanations.

    Questions raised and never fully answered leave room for discussion afterwards.

    I walked out to my car with a million questions that couldn’t wait another minute to come out.

    I haven’t been stimulated by any movie like that in a long, long time.

    Linklater also directed Slacker, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise and Suburbia. Critics most frequently compare Waking Life to Slacker.

    Cast members include famous personalities: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and director Steven Soderbergh.

    Much darker characters are involved as well, but too much detail here might spoil the tension and intended confusion for those who see this film.

    Aside from the amazing discoveries that Wiggins makes along the way, the animation is absolutely beautiful.

    Linklater collaborated on the film with Austin filmmaker Bob Sabiston to develop a new process for a different style of animation. Sabiston dubbed the software “rotoscoping.”

    Basically, live action digital footage is taken of the actors and backgrounds.

    Then the software animates cartoon-like versions of that footage.
The effect shows characters that seem more realistic than the 3-D animation so popular right now.

    The characters change expressions faster, wilder and sometimes more than once in a second, as people tend to do in real life.

    This new technology made the film very interesting to the viewer.
    Any student interested in or majoring in philosophy, psychology or art should most definitely see this independent film.

    Waking Life may show only in Dallas at the Landmark Inwood Theatre, but the film is well worth the drive.