Ever since my brother and I first saw “The Cube” on TV many years ago we have been fascinated with it. I didn’t even know it was by Jim Henson until a few days ago.
We were intrigued by the concept of a man “trapped” in a rectangular white room where people came in and out through doors and windows that appeared and disappeared at their will. The man, however, found no way in or out of his cube.
This past week we have been emailing each other various videos about ominous cubes.
What is it about cubes that make people suspicious and curious? Is it the unnatural shape? A cube is one of the simplest of shapes but it is not often found in nature except in some crystals. Why aren’t people as intrigued with other shapes like dodecahedrons? Are they too complicated? I suppose there may be some mysterious and fearsome cones, or spheres depicted in videos. But it just seems that people love to ponder the mysteriousness of the cube. Perhaps cubes represent boxes. Boxes almost always have something inside. Someone must have put whatever-it-is inside. Who could have done that? Boxes and cubes do differ. Boxes often have openings. Cubes most often do not.
Several movies have been made about inscrutable cubes: since the one I first saw which was first aired in 1969. There is an animated film from Canada called “The Switch” about a man who pokes at a mysterious cube shape once too often. There is a movie called Fantastic Planet (1973) in which a man leans on a cube which turns out to be a trap. Then there is the Outer Limits episode called “Do not Open Until Doomsday” in which a young couple receive a mysterious wedding present: a cube in which a space creature looks out at the world. The man peers into the box and, guess what? He gets sucked in. (What a metaphor) There is “Cube” (1997) and its two sequels, “Cube 2” and “Cube 0”. (Don’t ask.)
The Cube that I saw was a room and represented several things: the mind, society, existentialism, the workforce, insanity, sanity, convention… It goes on and on. Today people don’t seem to want to think that much. It gives them a headache so they prefer to watch movies like the Cube series where someone gives them the answers.
As for me, “The Cube” still intrigues me. I haven’t been able to see it for years but was able to this week. Some of it might be considered silly by today’s standards but don’t be too hard on it. It was made in 1968 but is still very relevant. I would love to see it as a play.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1348159/cube_funny_animation/
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6203080879952576646
http://www.flaniganswake.com/TheCube/
The mysterious cube
Ever since my brother and I first saw “The Cube” on TV many years ago we have been fascinated with it. I didn’t even know it was by Jim Henson until a few days ago.
We were intrigued by the concept of a man “trapped” in a rectangular white room where people came in and out through doors and windows that appeared and disappeared at their will. The man, however, found no way in or out of his cube.
This past week we have been emailing each other various videos about ominous cubes.
What is it about cubes that make people suspicious and curious? Is it the unnatural shape? A cube is one of the simplest of shapes but it is not often found in nature except in some crystals. Why aren’t people as intrigued with other shapes like dodecahedrons? Are they too complicated? I suppose there may be some mysterious and fearsome cones, or spheres depicted in videos. But it just seems that people love to ponder the mysteriousness of the cube. Perhaps cubes represent boxes. Boxes almost always have something inside. Someone must have put whatever-it-is inside. Who could have done that? Boxes and cubes do differ. Boxes often have openings. Cubes most often do not.
Several movies have been made about inscrutable cubes: since the one I first saw which was first aired in 1969. There is an animated film from Canada called “The Switch” about a man who pokes at a mysterious cube shape once too often. There is a movie called Fantastic Planet (1973) in which a man leans on a cube which turns out to be a trap. Then there is the Outer Limits episode called “Do not Open Until Doomsday” in which a young couple receive a mysterious wedding present: a cube in which a space creature looks out at the world. The man peers into the box and, guess what? He gets sucked in. (What a metaphor) There is “Cube” (1997) and its two sequels, “Cube 2” and “Cube 0”. (Don’t ask.)
The Cube that I saw was a room and represented several things: the mind, society, existentialism, the workforce, insanity, sanity, convention… It goes on and on. Today people don’t seem to want to think that much. It gives them a headache so they prefer to watch movies like the Cube series where someone gives them the answers.
As for me, “The Cube” still intrigues me. I haven’t been able to see it for years but was able to this week. Some of it might be considered silly by today’s standards but don’t be too hard on it. It was made in 1968 but is still very relevant. I would love to see it as a play.
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/1348159/cube_funny_animation/
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-6203080879952576646
http://www.flaniganswake.com/TheCube/