Looking at the work of Fischli and Weiss brought to mind many associations.
Naturally, Der Lauf der Dinge suggested I look at other examples of cause and effect chain reactions. However, what really struck me by that film is the amazing amount of tension that builds up in the sometimes lengthy processes. A lot of Der Lauf der Dinge is spent waiting for that inevitable moment when the water level rises to a tipping point, or a slowly unravelling pendulum finally makes contact with the next object. This is the source of the comedy in the film, which owes a lot to the slapstick of Buster Keaton.
In the above clip from Steamboat Bill, Keaton is unfazed as the wall falls around him, and his innocence commands our empathy. This innocence is transferred to the inanimate objects, as they prevail against all odds to continue along their chain reaction.
Here are some examples of suspense in various forms:
Domino Day - Builders race against the clock to complete a sequence of dominoes:
Hitchcock's the Birds. Here, the emotional narrative supplants, say, the slowly rising water level in Der Lauf der Dinge. Clues are revealed one by one, much like dominoes falling.
In viewing the photographs from Quiet Afternoon, of collapsing structures frozen in time, I am reminded of the bullet-time effect exhibited in the Matrix, and various music videos:
Music Video for Sting's "Let Your Soul Be Your Pilot"
Skateboarding bullet time:
Toshiba's Time-Sculpture Ad:
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