Name: Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse
Genre: Short
Released: 2004-04-11
Duration: 10 min
Rating: 6

'Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse (1991)' was described as follows by its creator: "The primary "Molten Horror" is TV - though there are other horrors metaphored in the film. Four superimposed rolls of hand-painted and bi-packed television negative imagery are edited so as to approximate the hypnagogic process whereby the optic nerves resist grotesque infusions of luminescent light." Before you all scramble for a dictionary, the word "hypnagogic" means "of or pertaining to drowsiness." With this in mind, the film does do a fair job of recreating those hazy seconds before one falls asleep before a television, an indistinct garble of flickering lights and shadows, their incomprehensibility an open invitation to surrender to one's fatigue. 

However, most overwhelming is the sense that one can feel the radiation emanating from their television screen (similar to the smothering warmth of 'Cat's Cradle (1959)'). The ten-minute film is a succession of "warm" colours, occasionally interrupted by a distorted screen flicker that suggests one is sitting far too close to the television. At one point, Brakhage focuses on a molten red "eye," perhaps a magnified artifact on the screen, which rather disconcertingly blinks in unison with the viewer. Though I later failed to capture it frame-by-frame, there's also a lengthy succession of images that I could swear depicted the shimmering skeletal frame of a human (mostly the pelvic region), as though the radiation is passing straight through skin and flesh.

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

An experimental short film of flashing images made by Stan Brakhage.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

See who dazzled on the red carpet and took home gold at the 78th Primetime Creative Emmy Awards.

Delicacies of Molten Horror Synapse

Photos

User reviews2

More like this

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed