Famed BBC documentarian Adam Curtis has a new documentary out. It’s called HyperNormalisation.
Maybe you’ve seen it?
If not—even if you’re just vaguely familiar with his films—you can probably guess what it’s all going to be about. Or at the very least what it will look like. You know, bits of seemingly non-related archival footage from the Beeb’s vast library of potent historical imagery cut together with ponderous shots of people looking worried standing by big-assed mainframe computers intercut with nuclear testing in the Pacific. And terrorism. Lots and lots of that.
In other words, what Adam Curtis does better than anyone else...
Which brings me to this wonderful idea created by Chris Applegate called Adam Curtis Bingo.
OK here you go Twitter (and specially @iamdanw) - have yourself an Adam Curtis bingo card #HyperNormalisation pic.twitter.com/3T96ktJrMk
— Chris Applegate (@chrisapplegate) October 16, 2016
The idea is simple: Just check off each of the usual Adam Curtis trademark tropes while watching HyperNormalisation.
Things like:
“This is the story of…”
Presenting a dichotomy between order and chaos
5 minute video clip of some sort of atrocity
Trent Reznor track plays
BBC archive footage of “That’s Life!”
People in the 50s or 60s dancing
Mention of any of the bin Laden family
80s Russian punk musicians
Consequences of something turn out to be opposite of what was intended
You get the idea….
In fact, you could almost use this handy little bingo card to make your very own Adam Curtis documentary. Then who knows? maybe an “Adam Curtis documentary generator” which could utilize randomized retro YouTube clips and a limited arsenal of deep thinking quotes for the voiceover and graphics.
Anyhow, here’s the full game. Click to get a better look.
The trailer for ‘HyperNormalisation’: