Rhythm

6.2(27)19572m0

Intended as a publicity film for Chrysler, Rhythm uses rapid editing to speed up the assembly of a car, synchronizing it to African drum music. The sponsor was horrified by the music and suspicious of the way a worker was shown winking at the camera; although Rhythm won first prize at a New York advertising festival, it was disqualified because Chrysler had never given it a television screening. P. Adams Sitney wrote, “Although his reputation has been sustained by the invention of direct painting on film, Lye deserves equal credit as one of the great masters of montage.” And in Film Culture, Jonas Mekas said to Peter Kubelka, “Have you seen Len Lye’s 50-second automobile commercial? Nothing happens there…except that it’s filled with some kind of secret action of cinema.” - Harvard Film Archive

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Status
Released
Budget
—
Box office
—
Language
No Language
  • advertising
  • car factory
  • assembly line
  • short film

Behind the camera

Director

Len Lye

Produced in

United States of America

Videos

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Release dates

  • United KingdomGB

    • Theatrical1 Jan 1957

Frequently asked questions

Rhythm was released on 1 January 1957.

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