Tuesday 21 February 2012

Resurrect Dead

I hadn't heard of this thing before. And frankly, it sounds like it could easily have been a spoof documentary. (Why this topic? Why any topics for spoof documentaries?) Around Philadelphia, then other cities, tiles turned up on the road, in the asphalt, tiles that became known as Toynbee tiles.

This movie documents a group of people trying to uncover who put them there, what do they mean, and why did this person do it? It's a very interesting documentary, more about the people than the topic, and yet, despite the seemingly unconclusive ending, we do find out all we need to know about the tiles and the tiler. And an interesting history it is unfolded too.

This is a good movie for showing how to solve a mystery (and I think it's that aspect that makes the movie seem a little fake - the coincidences needed for them for get to the right answers - but while there are coincidences, another part is needing to take advantage of the coincidence when it happens and to follow up on it, chase down what it means, that they do plenty of leg work as well), sort out leads, follow them up, go for the odd comment... and they are successful. And the key lesson is perseverance. And money. And time. But mainly perseverance.

The Toynbee tiles are now a 'thing' beyond the original intent, and so in future their original will become lost, so it's good to have this documentary now when we can see where it all starts. The basic description of it sounds dubious, but it is a good movie to watch.

[END]

1 comment:

enisa said...

You have a point in what you have written ...

dangerous product injury