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Clip description
Della (Gillian Jones) exercises to music in her living room while her boyfriend Dale (Aaron Blabey) discusses a robbery with his friend Nigel (Stephen Curry) in her kitchen. When Dale and Nigel establish that they need money upfront for the truck, Dale solves the problem by selling Della’s TV.
Curator’s notes
Pentuphouse exposes the fault lines in Della and Dale’s relationship through both small moments, such as his reaction to a nosebleed, and grand catastrophes, like his decision to sell her belongings and beat up her agent. All paint a picture of Dale’s dependence upon, and deferral of responsibility to, Della. There is a touch of dark comedy to Blabey’s Dale and the escalating absurdity of his excuses for what he does. Meanwhile, Jones allows Della’s silences to speak volumes as she watches her lover spiral out of control.
Slowed-down TV screen footage of cars crashing punctuates Pentuphouse. This is introduced in the opening moments of the film, when Dale is watching a car race on TV. It seems an overt visual metaphor for the state of the relationship and in this respect a little humorous. At the same time though, its effect is quite visceral, speaking of the spectacle and drama of watching things disintegrate.
