While many earlier brickfilms spawned a wave of fans, references, and homages, About a Door is probably one of the weakest, at least in my opinion.
Parody and Comedy are hard subjects to do right, as, not everyone has the same sense of humor. And, while a brickfilm like Aladibababad had me laughing out loud for it's entirety, overall, I think most of the jokes in About a Door fall flat.
The ones that do work, however, work really well. For instance, the numerous references to LEGO ("How's my hair?" - "It's plastic. It's always the same" or "The ground is shaking" - "No, it's just the baseplate.") are really well thought out and aren't overused. They never loose their shine, and continually surprised me throughout watching this through again. Every time they're said, they're unexpected, and every time they strike a good note.
However, I think this film's main problem (with me) was how seemingly politically self-aware it became. Sure, the protests were funny at first, but soon, the joke started to fade. Police beatings, "Openists" vs "Conservatives" and a rather unresolved finish kind of leave the film with a sour taste. Usually, I like comedy that can throw punches at both sides. However, here, I think it went a bit too far at stereotyping things.
However, I'm sure others would disagree - and really enjoyed this brickfilm. I have to admit, it does have some really interesting shots (like the police car sliding as it stops right in front of the camera), and is pretty solidly consistent throughout. - Something many brickfilmers struggle with. If anything, About a Door was a great stepping-stone in the history of brickfilming. It certainly is unlike most other brickfilms, and...
Sméagol wrote:...is one of my favorite concepts for a story that I've seen in a brickfilm.
I have to agree, Sméagol. The rising suspense and mystery of what was behind the door certainly kept my attention. A moment of pure genius shines through in a single line - "If that sign wasn't here, we wouldn't have noticed the door in the first place."
While About a Door isn't my cup of tea, it is a good brickfilm. I think it should have placed a bit higher in the A Peculiar Event contest.
Last edited by Dyland (August 15, 2015 (12:19pm))
