Narcissus (1983 film)

Narcissus is a 1983 Canadian experimental film directed by Norman McLaren. It is a short dance film featuring dancers Andrea Boardman and Sylvain Lafortune from Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montréal. The film is a visual interpretation of the Greek myth of Narcissus, a beautiful young man who falls in love with his own reflection in a pool of water.

McLaren used rotoscoping extensively in Narcissus. This animation technique involves tracing over live-action footage frame by frame to create a highly stylized and fluid movement. The rotoscoping allows the dancers' movements to be both realistic and surreal, enhancing the film's dreamlike quality.

The film is notable for its use of color and light, which are employed to emphasize the themes of vanity, self-obsession, and transformation central to the Narcissus myth. The reflective surface of the water is visually represented through shimmering effects and distortions, further highlighting Narcissus's distorted perception of himself.

Narcissus is considered one of McLaren's later works, showcasing his continued innovation and exploration of the relationship between movement, image, and sound. The film's score was composed by Alain Clavier and provides an evocative and atmospheric backdrop to the dancers' performance. The film's short runtime allows it to focus intensely on the visual and thematic elements of the myth, creating a powerful and concise cinematic experience.