The Archive by Sean Dunne - 200 word response

The documentary is about the closure of and selling off of the worlds largest record collection. It focuses heavily on the owner and his emotional connection to the collection rather than the collection itself, becoming more emotive as the documentary reveals he is legally blind and selling the collection off, before finally breaking down into tears. The documentary is made up mostly of interviews with the owner and his wife, as well as footage of the shop and the owner talking about certain records. Stylistically, there is no handheld camerawork, always using a tripod or track. It uses old photographs to tell the history of the shop. The soundtrack uses old records of significance to the owner, before ending with the crackle of a record without music. The editing is slow paced and minimal. The controlled camerawork, slow editing and use of music fit the subject matter well, as little action is occurring, and the music mirrors the subject matter and makes the film more emotionally provocative. The turning off of the lights also suggests closure and is a powerful image. I enjoyed the film, and found it successful in being informative and emotive.

Vimeo Link