Art Film Titled: No. 00173

Duration:

Year Published: 1966

Creator: Short Film Studio Warsaw

Complete Record: Jan Habarta’s brilliant commentary on the dehumanization of life in a technological world. Music by Eugeniusz Rudnik. Photography by Henryk Ryszka. Art film, tinted violet/purple, with people in white suits (appear to be radiation suits), with only their eyes visible, working at bizarre machinery in synchronization. Robots, computers and abstract shapes. Red butterfly come out of one of the workers’ machines. It distracts the worker then travels around the room to other workers. One worker takes off her helmet to better interact with the butterfly. The butterfly continues going around the room, distracting another worker, who removes his helmet also, when it gets caught in his machine. The robot supervisor at a computer can be seen watching the workers and the butterfly. The robot catches the butterfly and pins it into a collection of other butterflies under the number 00173. “ NO. 00173 Jan Habarta, prize winner at many festivals for his earlier films, created this brilliant commentary on the dehumanization of life in a technological world. The deceptively simple visual technique is remarkable in its ability to involve the emotions of the viewer without a word of dialogue. Into the cold, dispassionate atmosphere of a factory run by automatons comes a small red butterfly. Attracted by the little creature and concerned for its safety as it [flies?] perilously close to the giant presses, the workers show their first sign of human emotion. Aware that the/[line break] strictly organized environment, we find ourselves caught up in the agonizing suspense of the situation. The final fate of the butterfly [...] yet in no way unexpected, gives enormous impact to the theme of the film. Script, direction, and graphic design by Jan Habarta. Music by Eugeniusz Rudnik. Photography by Henryk Ryszka. Produced by Short Film Studio, Warsaw. “’No. 00173’ was used to begin the program (Robert Flaherty Film Seminar). It was my own way of saying, “Let’s have more powerful visual images that sear the heart and stir the memory - in less than 10 minutes.’” - D. Marie Grieco. INTERNATIONAL FILM SEMINARS Code 408318-- 9 minutes -- Color Sale $135 -- Rental $13.50 “