Robinson in Ruins

Robinson in Ruins(480P)

source: Robinson in Ruins

John Reith's original mantra for the BBC was to 'educate, inform, entertain'. With Robinson in Ruins, the third film in the Robinson trilogy, Patrick Keiller succeeds in achieving two of these objectives. Following on where the two previous pieces in the trilogy, London and Robinson in Space, left off, Robinson in Ruins documents the faceless Robinson's journeys through Berkshire and Oxfordshire after the discovery of his films in an abandoned caravan. Narrated by Vanessa Redgrave as the wife of a fellow researcher, a historical picture is painted of the milieu as she speaks over the various landscapes the still camera captures. Steeped in Marxist ideology, how capitalism has shaped Britain is told through anecdotes around each shot. And what is done here is clever, a shot of a spider forming its web while discussing the collapse of the housing market serving as an example. However, while Robinson in Ruins gives an interesting history lesson, close to two hours of endless streams of information feels more like an arduous lecture than entertainment. Redgrave throws more knowledge our way than we care to remember, and the intonation within her words fails to draw you in. At times, the extended shots of farmers at work – arguably some of the most entertaining shots – lack purpose and only serve to add to a film that is over-long, over-informative and could be cut into a series of more digestible shorts. Indeed, films need to be intellectual to some extent and work to stimulate our minds, but in lacking entertainment serve as little more than a two hour lecture in human geography. www.politic1983.blogspot.com

As a huge fan of "London" and "Robinson in Space" I was very excited about this film. However, it didn't really work without the voice of Paul Scofield. If you haven't seen any of the three then watch "Robinson in Space". Watch this if you want to complete the series, but otherwise don't bother. The footage is far slower and lazier than the other two films, and much less interesting. The pace of commentary just is far too slow. There are gaps where we are left staring at something not very interesting for quite a time. Perhaps Kellier was in a rush to release? This film is nowhere need tight enough to come up to the standard of the the other two films. Kellier is a genius no doubt - the price of being a genius is the occasional mistake.

Trailer—Robinson in Ruins