Official Trailer for ‘Fantastic Machine’ Film About Humans + Cameras

“That’s what entertainment’s supposed to do…” Strand Releasing has unveiled the official US trailer for the fascinating documentary film called Fantastic Machine, made by two Swedish filmmakers, out to watch on VOD in January. This premiered at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival and played at tons of fests all year long (it’s the exact same trailer as the festival promo). The original full title is “And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine“, which is taken from the reaction of King Edvard VII of England about Georges Méliès’ staged recreation of his coronation (in 1902), his one-liner resonating with a double meaning today: “What a fantastic machine the camera is.” From the first camera to 45 billion cameras worldwide today, the visual sociologist filmmakers widen their lens to expose both humanity’s unique obsession with the camera’s image and the social consequences that lay ahead. I watched this at Sundance and it’s a compelling, brutally honest film that shows both the good and bad sides of humanity’s obsession with cameras. Yes, it gets into what’s wrong and bad about TikTok / YouTube, and their influence on us. I highly recommend watching this if you’re fascinated by how technology is changing humanity (also see The YouTube Effect). Available soon. // Continue Reading ›