March 13, 2024
FILM: THE TUBA THIEVES
DIRECTED BY: ALISON O’DANIEL
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Since the Oscar-winning success of the films CODA and Sound of Metal, filmmakers seem much more encouraged to showcase and examine the world of the deaf community. The film The Tuba Thieves continues in that direction albeit in much more experimental territory. Both of the aforementioned films told stories that are easily digestible to mass audiences. The Tuba Thieves offers a much more impressionistic and sonically stimulating experience.
The title and occasional references to people who stole tubas is hardly the central focus of this part documentary, part dramatic work. We see recreations of a few of these robberies but that is not what filmmaker Alison O’Daniel is going for here. Rather she is more interested in how the elimination of the tuba sound from a marching band, or ANY sound might affect those within the vicinity of those sounds.
O’Daniel presents a variety of often very striking images that are filled with mostly familiar sounds. These vary from city noises, nature sounds, waves, machinery, engines, and very loud jet planes. Her emphasis is on how pervasive these sounds are in our environments. Does she feel bad for those who are deaf? Not really. Her approach is pretty objective. She and her cameras and sound equipment are simply observing. On the one hand, she might be suggesting that deaf adults miss out on sounds which are often very beautiful, such as those associated with trees, birds, thunder, violins, guitars, saxophones, and animals. Yet, the other perspective is that NOT hearing the annoying sounds we’ve created on our planet might be a blessing for the deaf.
The film is also a portrait of a community of deaf adults who we see involved in many every day activities such as conversing with sign language, playing instruments, expressing fears, and listening to a punk band at a deaf club gathering. As such, O’Daniel illustrates the simple beauty of what many deaf adults do experience.
So what of the tubas? As mentioned, they aren’t the focus of the film yet they do offer some interesting questions that remain unanswered. What exactly is the experience of a tuba playing near someone who is deaf? Do they know what they are missing? Does it effect their overall enjoyment of a band playing without them? Generally, such a perspective is interesting to consider but not explored here. Still, this is a very visually stimulating film that allows us to contemplate the many sounds we should embrace and many that would be welcome to fade out.
The Tuba Thieves opens March 15th in New York. It will then have a theatrical roll out in other cities, including a run at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago beginning April 12th.
FILM: THE TUBA THIEVES
DIRECTED BY: ALISON O’DANIEL
RATING: 3 out of 4 stars
By Dan Pal
Since the Oscar-winning success of the films CODA and Sound of Metal, filmmakers seem much more encouraged to showcase and examine the world of the deaf community. The film The Tuba Thieves continues in that direction albeit in much more experimental territory. Both of the aforementioned films told stories that are easily digestible to mass audiences. The Tuba Thieves offers a much more impressionistic and sonically stimulating experience.
The title and occasional references to people who stole tubas is hardly the central focus of this part documentary, part dramatic work. We see recreations of a few of these robberies but that is not what filmmaker Alison O’Daniel is going for here. Rather she is more interested in how the elimination of the tuba sound from a marching band, or ANY sound might affect those within the vicinity of those sounds.
O’Daniel presents a variety of often very striking images that are filled with mostly familiar sounds. These vary from city noises, nature sounds, waves, machinery, engines, and very loud jet planes. Her emphasis is on how pervasive these sounds are in our environments. Does she feel bad for those who are deaf? Not really. Her approach is pretty objective. She and her cameras and sound equipment are simply observing. On the one hand, she might be suggesting that deaf adults miss out on sounds which are often very beautiful, such as those associated with trees, birds, thunder, violins, guitars, saxophones, and animals. Yet, the other perspective is that NOT hearing the annoying sounds we’ve created on our planet might be a blessing for the deaf.
The film is also a portrait of a community of deaf adults who we see involved in many every day activities such as conversing with sign language, playing instruments, expressing fears, and listening to a punk band at a deaf club gathering. As such, O’Daniel illustrates the simple beauty of what many deaf adults do experience.
So what of the tubas? As mentioned, they aren’t the focus of the film yet they do offer some interesting questions that remain unanswered. What exactly is the experience of a tuba playing near someone who is deaf? Do they know what they are missing? Does it effect their overall enjoyment of a band playing without them? Generally, such a perspective is interesting to consider but not explored here. Still, this is a very visually stimulating film that allows us to contemplate the many sounds we should embrace and many that would be welcome to fade out.
The Tuba Thieves opens March 15th in New York. It will then have a theatrical roll out in other cities, including a run at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago beginning April 12th.