Heart of a Dog

Heart of a Dog is a meditative and compelling 2015 cinematic masterpiece, brimming with love, philosophy, and perception of life and its inevitable vicissitudes – loss, grief, and death. This experimental essay film is a directorial effort by avant-garde performance artist, composer, and musician, Laurie Anderson.

Heart of a Dog marks Anderson’s return to cinema after a 30-year hiatus where she weaves a poignant tale of love and loss, intertwined with her philosophical musings about life and mirthful tales, creating an evocative tapestry of thoughts, signature music scores and mixed media animations. The film spans approximately an hour and 15 minutes, but this comparatively brief duration doesn’t do justice to the emotional depth and intellectual breadth of ideas the movie covers.

The film's narrative mainly unravels around the life of Anderson's late rat terrier Lolabelle, better known as "Lola Bell” or simply “Lola”. Anderson liberally borrows from various forms of storytelling, be it animation, home movie sequences, rendered dreams, or observational documentary, explaining to viewers her relationship with Lola, her musings about pet-parent relationships, and the profundity of emotions that such relationships elicit.

A considerable section of the film revolves around Lola's life - her carefree spirit, her gradual loss of sight, and her subsequent training to play the piano – a narrative delivered with visually stunning artistry, stirring original score, and eloquent narration. But Heart of a Dog is not just a eulogy for a beloved pet, it deliberately and subtly flutters back and forth in time, incorporating memories of Anderson's late mother and her childhood experiences, reflections on 9/11, and the Tibetan belief system pertaining to the journey of souls.

The film is mostly narrated by Anderson herself, creating an intimate and personal connection with viewers, infusing her brand of dry humor and insightful philosophies into her storytelling. Adding to the emotional depth of the film is Anderson's original score that blends perfectly with the dreamy visual aesthetics, creating a symphony that effortlessly carries viewers through the trajectory of Anderson’s reminiscing.

Despite part of the movie captured on an iPhone, the visual execution of Heart of a Dog is nothing short of stunning. One of the elements of the film that stands out is the excellent fusion of a variety of visual techniques - from hand-drawn animations to 8mm home movie segments. It effortlessly blends works of art, personal photos, animated sequences, and abstract visuals to project a deeply personal vision of life, love, and loss onto the screen.

Serving as a secondary narrator is Anderson’s late husband, legendary rock musician Lou Reed, whose single “Turning Time Around” is included in the film’s soundtrack, adding a kaleidoscopic layer of depth to an already reflective narrative.

Heart of a Dog is a remarkable addition to Anderson's diverse portfolio of work. It’s a thoughtful rumination on mortality, love, and artistry that deeply resonates with viewers for its sincerity, warmth, and depth of thought. Through its meandering webs of narratives and stories, it offers audiences a glimpse into Anderson's personal world, and in doing so, manages to touch on universal themes of life and death.

While Heart of a Dog is perhaps most easily categorized as a documentary, it transcends traditional genre definitions with its unique amalgamation of personal tales, visual arts, and philosophical musings. In total, it's a courageous, lyrical, and hugely personal exploration of complex human themes that resonate deeply with viewers, irrespective of their relationship with pets.

From beginning to end, Heart of a Dog remains a unique and thought-provoking cinematic journey, bound together by Anderson's characteristic narrative voice-over, original music, and a plethora of art forms. Equally heart-wrenching and inspiring, introspective, and universal, Heart of a Dog is a testament to Laurie Anderson's distinctive vision and creativity, deserving praise for its emotional candor and lyrical depth. It's a film that touches not only the heart of every dog lover but also opens up a universal conversation on love, life, death, and memory - a true tour de force in visual storytelling.