Better Living Through Circuitry

1999 "A Digital Odyssey into Electronic Dance Culture"
7| 1h25m| en| More Info
Released: 01 January 1999 Released
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Synopsis

A documentary about the Electronic Dance movement of the '90s. It is the first such full-length film on the topic. It was produced by Cleopatra Pictures and Entertainment Group, presided by Cleopatra Records founder Brian Perera. The film features interviews with BT, The Crystal Method, Electric Skychurch, Genesis P-Orridge, Frankie Bones, DJ Spooky, Roni Size, and DJ Keoki.

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Reviews

Softwing Most undeservingly overhyped movie of all time??
Brightlyme i know i wasted 90 mins of my life.
Jenna Walter The film may be flawed, but its message is not.
Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
tedg Social trends are often shaped by strange overlaps in market forces. You have to have a steady stream of "artists" who are compelled to do their thing, driven primarily by an urge to express. We have that in this music, because the barriers to entry are exceedingly low, so any untrained fellow with an ear can start and perhaps adapt to be successful in his or her own mind.You need a steady stream of consumers, in this case young people needy of the rage, of the hypnosis of shared energy. We are told that it is a "safe" place to do drugs, or alternatively that it is a worthy substitute for drugs. We are told that it is a place to go to be alone, and alternatively to be one with the crowd. On screen speakers tell us that the art is special while others tell us that the magic comes from being merely primitive and artless. Clearly, there is a match here between creators and consumers that works; anything that cannot be well characterized and is has power.Those two elements are well enough represented here. The structure of the film is a mess, but that is well enough given the fact that we don't want to know what is going on, and none of the people we see are sufficiently articulated to reach us as artists of insight.But there is a third element that this film misses, though its existence relies on it. There is a commerce; there is money that changes hands. There are guys that are not artists that somehow act as brokers to connect communities. They make all the money. Judge for yourself whether such a thing as a selforganizing underground can fit this mold. Regardless, that is the myth that is sold, and the business of this phenomenon is every bit as interesting as the phenomenon itself. And probably would tell us more about what it is.This film does not see itself.Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.
chongo21 First and foremost, this is an extremely entertaining documentary. Jon Reiss has taken a subject that lies in the background of mainstream society and exploits it for just about any viewer. The real strength of the film rests in the notion that you don't have to be interested in the subject matter to gain something from watching it. This happens to be a major problem with several documentaries, however, with Better Living, you really walk away with a strong, unbiased sense of the rave scene. The visual aesthetics and style of filming really capture the energy and feel of the electronic dance culture and the interviews are interesting to watch. Other features about the rave subculture (i.e. Groove and Go), although entertaining, seem to focus more on the elements of drug use and exploitation whereas this film allows the viewer to see the many different sides that the culture has to offer. Yes, the film does have its flaws but you should judge those for yourself. Definitely worth a Netflix rent - check it out.
cofemug This is a great movie to watch. I had fun watching it, and respected the movie for everything. A great counterpiece to 20/20's specials. The movie had the visuals, and the interviews. It just felt awesome. It was a documentry, so it had lots of interesting interviews. If you have even the slightest knowledge of a rave, see this movie, and I dare you not to get sucked in to the music and the lights. A must see.My only problem was that it did not have that much about visual effects. It lightly touched on them, and they are a good part of the scene.9/10
ZIV It's a fun, comprehensive look at rave culture. The director completely gets the subject matter. Great interviews with everyone from the top DJ's in the scene, to the graphic designers who create the fliers, to the ravers themselves. If you rave or if you want to understand what it's all about, this is the movie to watch.

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