I'm Short, Not Stupid Presents: 'Multiple SIDosis'

I always feel like I'm a goddamn terrible gift giver, despite the pledges of "great job" and "no, I love it." Even if I get someone something that seems like a slam-dunk present, they never become properly obsessed with it. I guess I could always give someone some credits on a freemium game, but fuck that. Just once I wish I could give the absolute perfect present—one of those gifts that totally alters a person's world, shifts their purpose in life, and makes them more interesting. Luckily, a short film exists that both nails the gift giving part and knocks the obsession factor right out of the park. It's called Multiple SIDosis.

Way back in 1959, at the ripe age of 50, Sid Laverents purchased his first Bolex 16mm camera in order to film a family vacation. He took up filmmaking as a hobby, making the occasional educational or promotional film as time allowed. He made his first original piece in 1964 called The One-Man Band, which was basically his old vaudeville act on film. Enamored and emboldened by the experience, he set about making one of the most singularly complicated films ever assembled by one man, let alone an amateur. The 1970 film entitled Multiple SIDosis opens with an older couple played by Laverents and his third wife Adelaide sitting around a Christmas tree. The pacing of these first few shots is slow and awkward as Sid performed the roles of director, actor, camera operator, and sound engineer. The is decidedly lo-fi, but nevertheless charming as he gets up and opens the gift from his wife. A reel-to-reel audio recorder! It's exactly what he wants and he retreats into his garage to tinker and toil. Pulling a banjo, ukulele, jaw harp, bottles, and more out of storage, he begins to slowly arrange a version of Felix Arndt's 1915 ragtime instrumental "Nola" on the recorder. Now, we're halfway through the movie and you might be thinking, What the fuck? This is boring! Butt what you don't realize is that everything from that point on is pure, unadulterated payoff. Merry Christmas!

Jeffrey Bowers is a tall mustached guy from Ohio who's seen too many weird movies. He currently lives in Brooklyn, working as a film curator. He's the Senior Curator for Vimeo'sOn Demandplatform. He has also programmed at Tribeca Film Festival, Rooftop Films, and the Hamptons International Film Festival.