Art

Next to Heaven (Just a Taste)

by Rob Parrish

Rob Parrish (of Hopper Video) began his enchanting/disturbing project, Next to Heaven, in September 2006. As Rob describes the project on the Next to Heaven site:

“I download movies from Archive.org. I watch the movies. I write and record new audio. I re-cut the video to the new audio.” — Robert Parrish

This first sample is a quirkly reconstruction of some 1940s (50s?) footage demonstrating the wonders of ultra-violet radiation. As Mr. Parrish describes it on his site:

“It is said that beauty is only skin deep . . . but not everybody believes it . . . or cares.”

So far, this episode is my favourite. For the sake of the Next to Heaven project, it’s entitled Next to Heaven: Episode 16. But you can think of a better title for it after you watch. To repeat the admonition that Mr. Parrish includes on his site:

CAUTION: This video contains scantily clad women engaged in mild violence.

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Rob Parrish is an Arlington, VA-based video artist and creator of the vlog nexttoheaven.net. Next To Heaven is an ongoing series of re-mixed public domain films with new surreal narration. Rob's personal experimental vlog is hoppervideo.net.