"JEKYLL DIFF/XOR"
by Martin Howse, UK/Germany


Through the sampling of two videos to create a third, the artist offers a new perspective on the nine versions that already exist of this film.

The viewer is instantly drawn into the remarkable process of selection, recognition and combination of two layers of video.

Parallel to the new plot that appears to evolve, the entire 82min piece manifests the intense glow of mysterious stories and frumpy television-cults within highly aesthetic digital imagery.

The artist combines classical film material, exhibiting a delicate sensibility for dusty charisma in contrast to contemporary habits of production and viewing.

The three clips on the right offer a good insight into the entire piece on the cd.
Everybody welcome to become involved!


jekyll diff/xor poses two linked questions:

- how to present two differing versions or edits of the same film as a single videocd?
- how to experience the differences between these two versions (as Jekyll and Hyde)?

The Video CD takes as source material two versions of the film, Docteur Jekyll et les Femmes directed by Walerian Borowcyzk with sound composed by musique concrete pioneer Bernard Parmegiani. Submitted to the constraints of censorship, and the vagaries of both haphazard production and ad-hoc distribution, Docteur Jekyll et les femmes exists in multiple versions and under multiple titles (see list below), mirroring the fiery genesis of Robert Louis Stevenson's original manuscript.

Jekyll diff/xor uses free software to generate a third film (image and audio) from the differences between one heavily butchered English version (Blood Bath of Dr Jekyll) and the fuller Dutch edit (Dr Jekyll and his Women).

[BLOOD BATH OF DR. JEKYLL
DR. JECKYLL ET MISTER HYDE
CAS ETRANGE DU DR. JECKYL ET DE MISS OSBOURN
WALERIAN BOROWCZYK'S JEKYLL
STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MISS OSBORNE
DR. JEKYLL ET LES FEMMES
DOCTOR JEKYLL ET LES FEMMES
BLOOD OF DR. JEKYLL
BOROWCZYK'S DR. JEKYLL]


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