Sunday 13 August 2017

la terre est habitรฉe

As a little kid, I remember distinctly seeing this short animated that posited extra-terrestrials observing Earth might be forgiven for assuming that automobiles were the dominant life forms of the planet with human beings just some parasitic infestation (though parasites, despite their reputation aren’t lower life forms) and being quite alarmed at the idea that we might be overlooked while the scouting-party compile an ethnographic account based on what they can extrapolate about car culture and society and make informed guesses on cars’ grooming, feeding, mating and funerary rites. Our appreciation to Fancy Notions for showcasing this feature and letting us experience it again. What on Earth! (ou La Terre est habitรฉe!) is a creation of the Canadian Film Board by Les Drew and Kaj Pindal and was first released in 1966 to critical acclaim. I wonder what visiting aliens might make of Earthlings if they came today to throngs of screen-gazers, communicative and engaged by not necessary in outward appearance or with those in closest physical proximity. Maybe such customs would be too inscrutable for outsiders to interpret.