Peter Tscherkassky is an Austrian avante-garde filmmaker. He’s one of the few filmmakers who, through his experimental techniques, can create truly mind-altering cinema. There are certainly many films I’d describe as psychedelic – in terms of depicting trips or because of their cinematography and themes – but Tscherkassky’s experimental short films are different to films…
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Psychedelics have long been associated with the enhancement of creativity, particularly artistic creativity, in the form of drawing, painting, and music. The artwork of Alex Grey and the music of Shpongle are clear products of adventures in psychedelic mindscapes. Creating artwork is also a popular activity while tripping (during moments when one isn’t having a…
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It may seem a strange thing to say, but I love bleak films. (Here’s a Letterboxd list of the bleakest films I’ve seen and loved.) On the other hand, it’s not really that strange, given that some of the bleakest films ever made are also considered masterpieces by many, and films full of despair with…
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I want to make a case for why Meshuggah should rightly be considered a psychedelic band – and this goes beyond the music itself; it extends to their album cover artwork and live shows as well. Their psychedelic nature as a band makes them unique in the world of metal, as there aren’t too many…
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Seconds (1966) is a sci-fi psychological thriller directed by John Frankenheimer. In my eyes, it’s a perfectly made film, and I found it to be a fascinating exploration of several existential themes: identity, choice, desire, fantasy, regret, eternal youth, and the wish to start life again. (The philosopher Slajov Žižek analyses Seconds in his 2006 documentary ‘The…
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