"4:33"

Interesting and experimental as it may be, John Cage's 1952 composition of "4:33" was a little far-fetched in my opinion. Although I understand the concepts, tone, and engineering aspects of the piece, there was virtually no work or creativity from the artists standpoint. In his article 4'33", Cage apparently intended to imply that "there is no such thing as silence" focusing sole attention on the ongoing ambient sounds that surround his work.

Yes, for the most part it is true, no two sounds can sound exactly the same. There can be softer, noisier, harmonic, irritating sounds that all encompass similar features, but are identified as independently produced. We listen for the "sounds of silence" as Simon and Garfunkel might put it. The room or setting in which the experiment is taking place takes on a life of it's own and composes the sounds, whether forced or simply unintended.

However, with all the sounds and variety of earful observations, it seems a bit undeveloped and rendundantly dull. Not only is one's patience tested, but the lack of effort from the so called "author" becomes too passive and lackadasical in a sense. At least in the film "the Mirror", we are fed with more of a spacial movement and the images reflected are symbolic of camera-like personalities. We see flow, zooms, multi-angled shots.

The makers clearly had a point in mind and were fully engaged in the process. So, similarly, there is a metaphorical, experimental undercurrent of themes, but less digression and more fluidity seems to take effect and in the foundation and movements in "the Mirror". To the audience it becomes more observational, but at least there was more creativity and detail in the hands of the maker...which aboveall else lays the groundwork for thoughtful film-making.