Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman December 9, 2020

Maybe some of you have done the fun if perhaps slightly unsettling approximation of “infinity” by standing in front of a large mirror while holding another mirror in your hand aimed at the larger mirror. If you can line everything up just the right way, you can get an ostensibly never ending trail of reflections within reflections, giving a perhaps apt visual analog for the sleight of hand William Greaves attempts to pull off in his pair of exorbitantly named features, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One and Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2 ½. Poised rather precariously if ultimately artfully between documentary and narrative approaches, Greaves' films explore the supposed filming of traditional fictional narratives, but with at least one layer (and arguably more than one) of "meta" aspects intruding since the filming is also being filmed by a documentary crew. But, wait, you also get — a second and third crew (in the first film at least) which are tasked with documenting further “strata” of the event from their own incrementally wider perspectives.

For reviews of the two films on this release, please click on the following links:

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take One Blu-ray review

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Take 2½ Blu-ray review

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality of each film is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Discovering William Greaves (1080i; 1:01:15) is a 2006 piece that features William Greaves and his wife and producing partner Louise Archambault Greaves, along with St. Clair Bourne, Ruby Dee, and Scott MacDonald. This is actually a superb starting point for anyone who is either unacquainted with Greaves (who has had a rather remarkable life and career) or especially the two films in this set.


• Steve Buscemi (1080i; 12:41) is featured in a 2006 interview, where he discusses his interest in the first film and participation in the second.


• Trailer (1080i; 1:20)

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm: Two Takes by William Greaves Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

These are two incredibly audacious efforts by William Greaves, and the first film in particular may well have you getting a collection of mirrors together to do a little experimenting of your own in "meta" fun. Technical merits are generally solid, though the video elements of the second film can look pretty ragged. The piece on Greaves is outstanding. Recommended.