What is this documentary called?

October 22, 2009 2:10 PM

I'm trying to track down a documentary I saw online years ago. Details are sketchy, but I remember either 8x8 or 16x16 pixel art animation - enlarged. I think they talked about Edison electrocuting an elephant, and many design and art related topics. Two people were narrating and I believe they worked for some kind of design firm. What is the name of, and for bonus points where can I find a copy of that film online?
posted by jeffmilner to Media & Arts (9 answers total)

Wikipedia has a page for Topsy the elephant, who was electrocuted by Edison. The page includes this information:

"Portions of Edison's film Electrocuting an Elephant have appeared in many works of art such as:

* The 1979 movie Mr. Mike's Mondo Video
* Tourniquet's music video for Ark of Suffering
* Nine Inch Nails' 1997 Closure VHS set.
* Mr. Death, Errol Morris' 1999 documentary about Fred A. Leuchter.
* The 2000 movie Hamlet.
* The 2006 movie Land of the Blind."

Not an answer, but perhaps a lead?
posted by MonkeyToes at 2:15 PM on October 22, 2009

Response by poster: It would have been produced between 2003 and 2005.
posted by jeffmilner at 2:22 PM on October 22, 2009

Was the narrator a kitten?
posted by InkaLomax at 5:17 PM on October 22, 2009

Was it "The Pinky Show"
posted by InkaLomax at 5:37 PM on October 22, 2009

The Vancouver International Film Festival page includes this entry:

Ende Eines Elefanten (End of an Elephant)
Nonfiction Features

Germany, 2006, 47 min, Color & B/W, DigiBeta
International Premiere
Directed By: Stefanie Gaus

PROD/CAM: Stefanie Gaus
ED: Rita Schwarze
MUS: Carlos Garcia

An experimental look at Coney Island, once called the "biggest playground in the world" and one of the first, and last, bastions of schlock culture and American arcana. Director Stefanie Gaus weaves together found footage with Super 8 and DV material she shot herself and then wraps everything in texts from architecture maverick and culture theoretician Rem Koolhaas. The result is a testimonial quilt of image and experience to reinvent this iconic place.
posted by MonkeyToes at 7:39 PM on October 22, 2009

Response by poster: Sorry I think I mislead you with information about the elephant. While the footage of the elephant was covered, that's not really what it was about. Instead it dealt with media, art, and marketing. It didn't have a kitten for a narrator. Thanks for your help, I'm still interested in finding this again.

Perhaps another angle to take is the pixel art in the first section. It had giant sized pixels - I only remember a few of the things that were happening, such as toast flying up out of toasters and dancing people.
posted by jeffmilner at 10:27 AM on October 23, 2009

Best answer: People dancing and toasters sounds like the Junior Senior Move Your Feet music video. Maybe the people that made it had something to do with your search?
posted by beardlace at 12:28 PM on January 7, 2010

A look at the wikipedia page for the song says it was made by a collective called Shynola.
posted by beardlace at 12:37 PM on January 7, 2010

Response by poster: The Move Your Feet music video was featured in the documentary and although that wasn't what I was looking for in particular, it was one of the main reasons I wanted to find the documentary in the first place. Thank-you beardlace.
posted by jeffmilner at 8:27 PM on May 27, 2010