Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One (1968)

In the picturesque landscape of New York City's Central Park, the innovative filmmaker William Greaves embarks on a daring cinematic experiment. He directs a series of screen tests for a feature film, intriguingly titled "Over the Cliff". The movie, devoid of a definitive plot and a comprehensive script, only has a skeletal theme encircling sexuality and fragments of crafted dialogue, designed to infuse the project with raw realism. As Greaves navigates this unchartered territory of filmmaking, he simultaneously becomes the subject of a behind-the-scenes documentary, capturing the intricate details of the movie-making process. The viewer is not just an observer but a participant, drawn into the world within the movie and the movie within the world, as a third film crew documents the interactions between these two realms. The Central Park, teeming with life, serves as more than just a backdrop, its real-life dynamism becoming an integral part of the film's authenticity. The screen tests unfold as a series of confrontations between different pairs of actors, each encounter a volatile mix of personal revelations and challenges to sexual orientation. This unorthodox approach sparks a divide among the crew. Some question Greaves' focus and competence, while others stand in awe of his experimental process, anticipating a groundbreaking masterpiece. But the camera doesn’t discriminate. It captures more than just the scripted and the staged. It records the unexpected - a woman riding past on horseback, a chatty homeless veteran, and the crew's candid discussions about the scene, its language, and the intricate nature of filmmaking. The film becomes a question - a question about natural language, about the omnipresence of sexuality, and about the very essence of movie-making itself.

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One is a documentary movie featuring Patricia Ree Gilbert .

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One is currently streaming on Criterion Channel and Max Amazon Channel.