Video Vault: Orbital, The Box

Time-lapse video is one of the oldest and most overused cliches in the history of filmmaking, and the last refuge of the unimaginative. It looks groovy at first, but it wears thin fast.

Here's a video where it works. One of the reasons it works is that the focus is on an actual human being, even if she does look like the sister of The Man Who Fell To Earth, with most of the rushing cityscapes relegated to the background.

It also fits well with the song, which isn't much more than an updated ride on the Trans-Europe Express.

All in all, I would much rather watch this for four minutes than Koyaanisqatsi for an hour and a half.