Rodney Ascher Interview for A Glitch in the Matrix
After blowing our minds in Room 237 with a trough of crazed conspiracy theories regarding Kubrick’s The Shining and scaring us silly in his sleep paralysis masterpiece The Nightmare master documentary maker Rodney Ascher is back with a film to make you question everything you think you know about reality.
A Glitch in The Matrix centers on simulation theory but touches on so much more and I had the privilege of speaking to Rodney as part of the Science Fiction Rating System Podcast. Below is the interview presented in all its visual glory so you can see as well as hear all the fascinating things this amazing movie maker has to say.
Garnering critical acclaim and sparking many conversations on its premiere at Sundance 2021, A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX from acclaimed documentary filmmaker Rodney Ascher is set for its release on Blu-ray and DVD on 10 May 2021 from Dogwoof and is available now on digital HD.
The film looks at a question that has been around since the dawn of philosophy. What if our world and everything in it isn’t real? The digital age has seen the idea of simulation theory enter the mainstream, particularly with The Wachowskis’ seminal The Matrix and now the mind-blowing feature documentary A GLITCH IN THE MATRIX from Ascher (Room 237, The Nightmare) explores this very question in a ground-breaking documentary.
Ascher and producer Ross Dinerstein ponder the questions it throws up – what does it mean if our whole existence is on the whim of some strange creature or gamer somewhere? We meet a fascinating line-up of people including those who believe we are living in some kind of game simulation, as well as scientists, experts and amateur sleuths who have been looking at this remarkable theory.
Beginning with Plato and using sci-fi master Philip K Dick as a major starting point, the film blends digital tech and animation to create a vibrant viewing experience. Bright, exciting talking avatars are used to represent true believers who believe in Simulation Theory rather than talking heads. And 3D animation is used to add more visual style to the film, which also bristles with scores of film clips, not least of The Matrix itself. The shadow of the 1999 film looms large over A Glitch in The Matrix, including interviews with a Neo obsessive whose lawyers advised using The Matrix Defence in court after being accused of brutal crimes.
Is it science fiction or science fact? Is it a cop out to avoid the complexities and madness of the modern world? Will you take the red pill? Or the blue pill? Watch A Glitch in The Matrix and decide.
