Film ReviewsThe Search For Freedom: just do it!
Aug 7, 2015 Anchorage Press
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Oxford defines "Freedom" as the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint, but it also defines it as the state of being physically unrestricted and able to move easily. Jon Long's feature-length documentary, The Search For Freedom is all about the latter, which as it turns out may also lead to an existential-like freedom of mind and circumstance.
On the surface, The Search For Freedom is about the evolution of action sports and the personalities that drive them. These thrill-seeking pioneers are interviewed one after another and accompanying their stories are clips of their phenomenal performances and climactic dismounts from motorcycles, surfboards, skateboards, mountain bikes-any extreme sport one can imagine. At first, it may seem like the documentary is all about these dudes who are white, male and adrenaline junkies, but The Search For Freedom is smarter than that and Long ties in the scientific and social aspects of these sports delivering a film that is as solid as it is beautiful. The fact that the first woman interviewed, snow-boarding champion Annie Boulanger, is not featured until 30 minutes into the documentary, and that minorities or people of color do not play a role in the telling of the story until way down the timeline of the production seems odd, and to some viewers even irritating at first. However, it makes total sense if one considers that the creation of these sports was dependent on social freedoms, genetic disposition and economic privileges that white males have in the established social pecking order. As the sports become ensconced in the experiences of everyday life, their audience widens, markets develop and opportunities to partake in them emerge. By the end of The Search For Freedom it is clear that these sport are more accessible than ever, to everyone, of any body type, gender, or background. This is a great thing because on the grander scale, using one's body to find freedom is an opportunity that is there for the taking.
The Search For Freedom is aesthetically stunning, especially on the big screen. Long uses vintage footage with grainy texture and saturated colors to document the early days of action sports. As he tells the history of the sports he brings clearer, sharper and bigger images that reflect the extreme nature of the activities and the rapidly-changing technology used to document the action. The results are breathtaking because viewers share the experiences of the athletes, whether it's jettisoning out the barrel of giant waves or free-falling and flying alongside mountains and through ravines.
As The Search For Freedom moves past first impressions and viewers get a sense of the passion that drives action sports pioneers, the film touches on the reasons some people are avid risk takers and others are not. As it turns out, studies show there are people with a genetic predisposition to engage in extreme behavior. The key is something known as DRD4 or the "thrill-seeking gene." The dopamine receptor D4 is a G protein-coupled receptor encoded by the DRD4 gene. There is evidence that shows strong linkages between people who have this receptor and risk-taking proclivities. There is also evidence that gender is a significant variable. This isn't to say that everyone who has this receptor is an action sport enthusiast, the affinity to take risks also manifests itself through gambling addictions, adultery, drug addictions and other extreme decisions that may negatively impact one's life. All things considered-even with the risk of injury and death-action sports appear to be a positive alternative to more destructive options.
Jon Long's direction is seamless with skilled editing and a compelling soundtrack. By the conclusion of The Search For Freedom he has taken the viewer through the history of action sports, and through a path that is as deep as it is long, giving insight into how significant these experiences are to the human spirit. One can't help but walk away in awe of the athletes and their relationship to nature. Their passion to face their fears using their own bodies-up with and against nature-and taking risks for themselves is humbling, as opposed to, say, a pusillanimous coward depriving the world of Cecil the lion for no good reason.
The Search for Freedom shows on Monday, August 10 at 7:45 p.m. at Beartooth.
On the surface, The Search For Freedom is about the evolution of action sports and the personalities that drive them. These thrill-seeking pioneers are interviewed one after another and accompanying their stories are clips of their phenomenal performances and climactic dismounts from motorcycles, surfboards, skateboards, mountain bikes-any extreme sport one can imagine. At first, it may seem like the documentary is all about these dudes who are white, male and adrenaline junkies, but The Search For Freedom is smarter than that and Long ties in the scientific and social aspects of these sports delivering a film that is as solid as it is beautiful. The fact that the first woman interviewed, snow-boarding champion Annie Boulanger, is not featured until 30 minutes into the documentary, and that minorities or people of color do not play a role in the telling of the story until way down the timeline of the production seems odd, and to some viewers even irritating at first. However, it makes total sense if one considers that the creation of these sports was dependent on social freedoms, genetic disposition and economic privileges that white males have in the established social pecking order. As the sports become ensconced in the experiences of everyday life, their audience widens, markets develop and opportunities to partake in them emerge. By the end of The Search For Freedom it is clear that these sport are more accessible than ever, to everyone, of any body type, gender, or background. This is a great thing because on the grander scale, using one's body to find freedom is an opportunity that is there for the taking.
The Search For Freedom is aesthetically stunning, especially on the big screen. Long uses vintage footage with grainy texture and saturated colors to document the early days of action sports. As he tells the history of the sports he brings clearer, sharper and bigger images that reflect the extreme nature of the activities and the rapidly-changing technology used to document the action. The results are breathtaking because viewers share the experiences of the athletes, whether it's jettisoning out the barrel of giant waves or free-falling and flying alongside mountains and through ravines.
As The Search For Freedom moves past first impressions and viewers get a sense of the passion that drives action sports pioneers, the film touches on the reasons some people are avid risk takers and others are not. As it turns out, studies show there are people with a genetic predisposition to engage in extreme behavior. The key is something known as DRD4 or the "thrill-seeking gene." The dopamine receptor D4 is a G protein-coupled receptor encoded by the DRD4 gene. There is evidence that shows strong linkages between people who have this receptor and risk-taking proclivities. There is also evidence that gender is a significant variable. This isn't to say that everyone who has this receptor is an action sport enthusiast, the affinity to take risks also manifests itself through gambling addictions, adultery, drug addictions and other extreme decisions that may negatively impact one's life. All things considered-even with the risk of injury and death-action sports appear to be a positive alternative to more destructive options.
Jon Long's direction is seamless with skilled editing and a compelling soundtrack. By the conclusion of The Search For Freedom he has taken the viewer through the history of action sports, and through a path that is as deep as it is long, giving insight into how significant these experiences are to the human spirit. One can't help but walk away in awe of the athletes and their relationship to nature. Their passion to face their fears using their own bodies-up with and against nature-and taking risks for themselves is humbling, as opposed to, say, a pusillanimous coward depriving the world of Cecil the lion for no good reason.
The Search for Freedom shows on Monday, August 10 at 7:45 p.m. at Beartooth.