Top Bar
Musique Machine Logo Home ButtonReviews ButtonArticles ButtonBand Specials ButtonAbout Us Button
SearchGo Down
Search for  
With search mode in section(s)
And sort the results by
show articles written by  
 Review archive:  # a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

The Blackout Experiments - The Blackout Experiments( DVD) [FilmRise - 2017]

The Blackout Experiments is a 2014 documentary directed by Rich Fox. Fox has worked as an editor on some pretty high profile TV series, most notably Aquarius starring David Duchovny and Glee. This is only his second directorial effort, the first being a 2001 documentary called Tribute, dealing with the musical subculture of the heritage/tribute act.

The Blackout Experiment is a documentary looking at something called Blackout. What we learn about Blackout across this documentary is that it is an experience that people sign up to online, and when the team are in the vicinity they contact those who have signed up and arrange for them to take part in the experience. Blackout has a very real psychological horror feel to it. The participants are generally looking to experience some kind of traumatic, psychological, violent experience, and that is definitely what they get. They are placed in situations in which they are vulnerable and suffer quite harsh and realistic violence and abuse at the hands of the Blackout team. The participants are stripped, stuck with needles, beaten, choked and are put through many of their worst fears. This is a traumatic experience and each and every one of those interviewed comes out of it visibly and emotionally shaken, yet they are hooked and they keep returning for more. Is it the thrill of experiencing something you are anxious about in a safe environment, are they getting off on being abused, or is there something else at play?

The interviews with the participants are fascinating, they elicit various responses to the experiences they’ve been through, stretching from dealing with anxiety over being mugged, to finding personal limits of what they can cope with, or even dealing with their obsessions. Their experiences in Blackout are traumatic and lead to feelings of vulnerability and paranoia, but they keep returning for the experience. It’s almost like a drug that they can’t give up, it has gotten into their makeup and is part of who they are. One man in particular, finds it almost impossible to give up when he is told that his time with Blackout is coming to an end.

The documentary is well put together, Fox’s work as an editor means that his skills are pretty sharp. The interviews are interesting and revealing, and the whole piece works well at looking at the psychological makeup of the subjects. What makes them scared? How do they cope with their fears? What do they enjoy about being made to feel vulnerable? There is a lot of great stuff to analyse in this film about our wants, needs and fears and how the human brain processes these emotions. Overall, this is an interesting documentary, the visuals are quite hard to watch at times, but it is ultimately interesting.

Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5Rating: 4 out of 5

Darren Charles
Latest Reviews

The Blackout Experiments - The B...
The Blackout Experiments is a 2014 documentary directed by Rich Fox. Fox has worked as an editor on some pretty high profile TV series, most notably Aquarius...
280324   Typhoon Club - Typhoon Club(B...
270324   Jerzy Skolimowski Collection ...
260324   Latex Choker - Sealed
260324   Occlusion - 59: No Input Wall
260324   Nihil Impvlse - Anabasis
260324   Marta Forsberg - Sjunger För...
260324   The New Boy - The New Boy( Th...
250324   The Stargazer’s Assistant - ...
250324   Liza Lim - Annunciation Trip...
220324   Patrick - Patrick( UHD/ Blu Ray)
Latest Articles

The Music of Clay Ruby & Burial H...
Over the last couple of decades Wisconsin native, Clay Ruby has been creating some of the world’s finest dark electronic music under the Burial Hex mon...
280324   The Music of Clay Ruby & Buri...
290224   Sutcliffe No More - Normal Ev...
100124   Occlusion - The Operation Is...
181223   Best Of 2023 - Music, Sound &...
051223   Powerhouse Films - Of Magic, ...
181023   IO - Of Sound, Of Art, Of Exp...
210923   Lucky Cerruti - Of Not so Fri...
290823   The Residents - The Trouble W...
110723   Yotzeret Sheydim Interview - ...
250523   TenHornedBeast - Into The Dee...
Go Up
(c) Musique Machine 2001 -2023. Twenty two years of true independence!! Mail Us at questions=at=musiquemachine=dot=comBottom