The "Pan" films, presumably not titled as such originally, was a series of nine different one-minute short films created by experimental filmmaker Hollis Frampton for his enormous thirty-six hour film cycle "Magellan". As such, they were never released as individual works or given title cards because of being an intended part of this greater context, and in the end never actually used due to the project being cut short by the filmmaker's death in 1984. Reportedly, Frampton had originally hoped to complete seven-hundred and twenty "Pan" films in all, although for whatever reason only nos. 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 697, 698, 699, and 700 are available now. One would think that because of the large gap in numbering there were more shot remaining unavailable; but due to a lack of evidence supporting this, the series is generally known as containing only nine.
"Pan 697" is the sixth one, although technically speaking the 698th film in the series (if he actually had accomplished that many, which it's possible he did). While the earliest ones served to create an interesting effect, this one will no doubt be looked down upon considering the gore and purely sickening sight the film displays, and it does go for more of a documentary style than an experimental film since there's nothing really avant-garde about it. In the segment, Frampton films a man beheading a butchered cow in a fashion many would consider not only gruesome, but downright deplorable. The short is effective in how it displays its imagery: while most movies today that aim for younger audiences try to present darker themes mildly, Frampton here films the gory act just as it is and even pans down to capture puddles of blood covering the ground. A somewhat striking image is that of clouds being reflected in said blood, although this probably wasn't intentionally done at the time. Needless to say, not one for the squeamish, although undeniably effective in how it straightforwardly captures such a provocative scene.
"Pan 697" is the sixth one, although technically speaking the 698th film in the series (if he actually had accomplished that many, which it's possible he did). While the earliest ones served to create an interesting effect, this one will no doubt be looked down upon considering the gore and purely sickening sight the film displays, and it does go for more of a documentary style than an experimental film since there's nothing really avant-garde about it. In the segment, Frampton films a man beheading a butchered cow in a fashion many would consider not only gruesome, but downright deplorable. The short is effective in how it displays its imagery: while most movies today that aim for younger audiences try to present darker themes mildly, Frampton here films the gory act just as it is and even pans down to capture puddles of blood covering the ground. A somewhat striking image is that of clouds being reflected in said blood, although this probably wasn't intentionally done at the time. Needless to say, not one for the squeamish, although undeniably effective in how it straightforwardly captures such a provocative scene.
