Resurrect Dead: The Mystery of the Toynbee Tiles. Jon Foy, 2011.
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Edition screened: Focus DVD, released 2012. English language. Runtime approximately 87 minutes.
Summary: No depictions of violence or harm to animals.
Resurrect Dead is the type of documentary that consists mostly of people talking slowly and sincerely to the camera. That said, the subject is rather charming and the stars - the investigators of the mystery - are likable, authentic young men. I won’t bother explaining the easily researched topic, but I do have two discussion points:
1) Nobody involved in this film seems to have any concept of the complicated process required to install a mosaic composition into pavement. Our investigators think they have discovered that the Mystery Tiler “drops” the tiles into the pavement through a hole in the floorboards of a car. This would result in small ceramic pieces sitting on top of the pavement, soon to be smashed and scattered by the next few passing vehicles. The tiles in question are embedded into the asphalt or cement, flush with the road surface. Such an installation is a lot of work and requires a lot of time in the middle of the road, logistical facts that augment the mystery substantially: not just Who and Why, but How?
2) Why was the irrelevant life story of one of our three investigators included? “Jason” is a young artist of modest talent, misunderstood at school, different drummer, etc. While viewing it seems that some interesting link will emerge between the investigator and the mystery artist, or that Jason would have some special artistic insight helpful in cracking the case. But no, Jason is just another person who doesn’t understand how mosaics are installed.