"LIVE FROM SHIVA'S DANCE FLOOR"
Aspyr Media
Timothy "Speed" Levitch was the star of the 1998 documentary The Cruise,
one of my favorite films of all time, which profiled the New York City
tour guide's unique perspectives on the city, his own transitory life
and deeper questions of existence. Through a series of bus loops,
interviews and walking tours, Speed displayed his enthusiasm, his
intelligence, his inquisitiveness and his romantic quest for
intellectual and spiritual fulfillment. One of the more eccentric
oddballs ever captured on film, Speed's extraordinary linguistic gifts
communicate his deep passion and jubilation at existence. His ideas are
the perfect antidote for a world that every day moves towards irony and
detachment, pessimism, cynicism and nihilism. Though it's a minor
travesty that The Cruise has never been released on the DVD
format (or even a VHS that doesn't cost upwards of $100), Aspyr Media
recently released this short documentary also featuring Speed, made
last year by Richard Linklater of Slacker. Linklater previously featured Speed in one segment of his animated masterpiece Waking Life,
a rambling episodic film that dealt with the many solutions to
existence offered by science, philosophy, magic and dreams. Clearly, he
was impressed enough to direct this follow-up film, which deals
primarily with Speed's response to the September 11, 2001 attack on New
York City - its historical context, its ramifications, and Speed's
unorthodox suggestion for what should be done with "Ground Zero." It is
a refreshing film that completely transcends the seemingly endless
parade of ridiculously schmaltzy, over-cautious and reverential garbage
that has been said about the tragedy by nearly everyone since 9/11.
Speed is anything but sentimental, living as he does in the eternal
"now," and his suggestion for the proper commemoration of Ground Zero
is uniquely inspired. The DVD also contains numerous extras, including
picture-in-picture annotations by Speed himself, as well as some live
appearances and readings from his recently published Speedology: Speed on New York City on Speed.
Standing at Ground Zero, Speed pontificates: "9/11 was one of the many
parables the great sagacious cosmopolitan guru has dropped upon this
population to illustrate one of its greatest points: the creation and
destruction that is the rhythm of the universe is a part of our
universe. Creation and destruction: the dance of Shiva. New York City
is an excellent dance floor for that specific choreography."
Timothy "Speed" Levitch was the star of the 1998 documentary The Cruise,
one of my favorite films of all time, which profiled the New York City
tour guide's unique perspectives on the city, his own transitory life
and deeper questions of existence. Through a series of bus loops,
interviews and walking tours, Speed displayed his enthusiasm, his
intelligence, his inquisitiveness and his romantic quest for
intellectual and spiritual fulfillment. One of the more eccentric
oddballs ever captured on film, Speed's extraordinary linguistic gifts
communicate his deep passion and jubilation at existence. His ideas are
the perfect antidote for a world that every day moves towards irony and
detachment, pessimism, cynicism and nihilism. Though it's a minor
travesty that The Cruise has never been released on the DVD
format (or even a VHS that doesn't cost upwards of $100), Aspyr Media
recently released this short documentary also featuring Speed, made
last year by Richard Linklater of Slacker. Linklater previously featured Speed in one segment of his animated masterpiece Waking Life,
a rambling episodic film that dealt with the many solutions to
existence offered by science, philosophy, magic and dreams. Clearly, he
was impressed enough to direct this follow-up film, which deals
primarily with Speed's response to the September 11, 2001 attack on New
York City - its historical context, its ramifications, and Speed's
unorthodox suggestion for what should be done with "Ground Zero." It is
a refreshing film that completely transcends the seemingly endless
parade of ridiculously schmaltzy, over-cautious and reverential garbage
that has been said about the tragedy by nearly everyone since 9/11.
Speed is anything but sentimental, living as he does in the eternal
"now," and his suggestion for the proper commemoration of Ground Zero
is uniquely inspired. The DVD also contains numerous extras, including
picture-in-picture annotations by Speed himself, as well as some live
appearances and readings from his recently published Speedology: Speed on New York City on Speed.
Standing at Ground Zero, Speed pontificates: "9/11 was one of the many
parables the great sagacious cosmopolitan guru has dropped upon this
population to illustrate one of its greatest points: the creation and
destruction that is the rhythm of the universe is a part of our
universe. Creation and destruction: the dance of Shiva. New York City
is an excellent dance floor for that specific choreography."
