Low Movie (How To Quit Smoking) follows the entire career of the iconic band Low and their relationship with director Philip Harder. For twenty years they made music videos and short films together, filming on ice, in railroad yards, and in rapidly disintegrating rooms.
Low formed in 1993. Before the band’s debut record, Harder, armed with a 16mm camera, filmed the band on Lake Superior in minus 30 windchill. At the time Low bucked rock protocol by turning their volume down and the haunting visuals helped define their minimalist approach. As Low matured they turned up and the lyrics grew more aggressive and political. The visuals followed suit resulting in clips that were never released due to the violent subject matter. Year after year, for two decades, Harder continued to shoot Low’s music.
For Low Movie, Harder went back into the vaults and reassembled all of his 16mm negatives, including outtakes, new material mixed with old, much of which has never been seen by anyone, including the band.
Low Movie was created by the one person — other than members Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker — who has worked with the band Low over its entire existence.
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cinemapurgatorio.com]
