Jean Painleve's underwater science films are some of the most surreal, utterly trippy visuals I have ever seen. Definitely not some rhythmic algorithm ala Windows Visualizations, Painleve used microscopes and manipulated lenses to capture the idiosyncrasies of life in the deep blue sea for the better part of the 20th century. Whether it be observing the insemination of an Octopus, roaming Seahorses or zooming in on "Liquid Crystals", Painleve was no doubt way head of his time in both his artistic vision and his vision of Science. Throw in an absolutely trance-inducing score by Yo La Tengo and you've got a force to be reckon with. Unfortunately, Science in Fiction, shown at MonkeyTown, is not available for purchase in the US(!?). If you've got friends studying abroad or hanging out in ex-pat land, tell them to do something productive and pick up a copy of Painleve's Science in Fiction for you. They'll thank you later.
{Ed Note: You can in fact purchase the DVD in the US, from the Yo La Tengo store, however, it will only play in Region 2 or All Region DVD players.}
Yo La Tengo- The Love Life of the Octopus
Jean Painleve "Liquid Crystals" from Science in Fiction
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