THE CREEPING GARDEN: 3 Disc (BluRay/DVD/CD) + 32 page Booklet (Arrow Films)

Jim O’Rourke, Documentary, Experimental, Special Edition; 3 Disc set + Booklet + Extras – Ex Used condition

“The Creeping Garden” is a feature length documentary exploring the work of fringe scientists, mycologists and artists, and their relationship with the extraordinary plasmodial slime mold.  This is not a documentary for everyone. Granted, documentaries themselves are an acquired taste, but this is not the sort that has a lot of action, preaches social justice, or focuses on a forgotten piece of history. Even if we classify it as a nature documentary, it may not appeal to the same people who enjoy lions hunting giraffes.  That disclaimer aside, hopefully you are not scared off, because this is a one of a kind film about a topic you probably never considered before. This is where nature meets science, which meets art, and even psychology and a little bit of history. Who knew that one of the most beautiful things on earth is mold?  Special mention has to be made of the soundtrack / film score from Jim O’Rourke, which Arrow Video has so kindly included with their release. I actually listened to the score before watching the movie, and it really sets the tone. You feel like you are slowly entering an alien landscape that is both friendly, but somehow terrifying… foreign, and still welcoming. It is a score like no other. I wish more films were released with their soundtracks. Grindhouse Releasing is very good about this (thank you, Bob Murawski) so maybe Arrow is following their lead?  If the soundtrack alone was not reason enough to pick up the Arrow release, the copious amount of bonus features should be. We have audio commentary by directors Tim Grabham and Jasper Sharp, essentially doubling the information. There is “Biocomputer Music”, a short film by Grabham on the first biocomputer music system, allowing a two-way musical dialogue between man and slime mold. “Return to the Fungarium”, a featurette revealing further treasures of the fungarium at Kew Gardens. “Feeding Habits of Physarum”, a featurette on the feeding preferences and dislikes of slime molds. If that is still not enough, there are still three cinema iloobia short films: “Milk” (2009), “Rotten” (2012) and “Paramusical Ensemble”