Hi. Just read your review of "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey". I know this review is two years old, but I felt I had to reply to defend the film.

It is understandable that not everyone is into music, and that People's tastes in music and dance styles vary. I have to say, though, that I have a hard time understanding how this film did not reach you. You indicated in your review that most viewers would become bored within 20 minutes. I would argue that most viewers have remained captivated for the duration of the film. I, and a few others I know who have seen it, left the theater yearning for more.

What you seem to lack appreciation for are the polyrhythmic music and arrhythmic dance styles that dominated worldwide culture for 25,000 years before western musical conventions began to take hold first through colonization and later through the development of mass media.

Polyrhythm involves several simultaneous beats in different times, which wind up diverging and re-converging at regular intervals. Arhythmic dancing involves responding to these rhythms, following one and then another, changing pace in synchronization with the other dancers, and in effect tapping into the "pulse" created by the interplay of the polyrhythms.

In all of western music, we stick to the profoundly simplistic 4/4 time rhythm of rock, classical, etc. or the 3/4 time of swing, the waltz, and some folk traditions. Your preference for what we have been raised with culturally is evident in your appreciation of only the Flamenco music/dancing, the most western of the styles portrayed in the film.

I would urge you to view the film again, with the goal of letting yourself go, letting yourself feel the music. These rhythms and dance styles cannot be taught or easily dissected intellectually. This is not the "civilized" music of the brain (as are, surprisingly, even modern rock and pop musical styles), but rather the music of the body and spirit, of the ancient collective unconscious, and, in my opinion, the music of pure flow, rapture, and bliss.

Again, I urge you to give it another chance. It may be difficult to let go of the culturally ingrained preference for strict meter and order, but 300 years of western culture cannot have wiped out what 25,000 years of evolution has made a part of you.

With respect, good luck.

Cheers.

Fitted together with brief gems of Stomp's New York rhythms, this film explores the rhythmic cultures of many diverse peoples. The opening scene got my foot tapping and I didn't stop for the whole experience. Lovers of world music will learn something as the film moves around the globe, and lovers of rhythms will enjoy the variety of music showcased by these excellent musicians. Like Stomp's stage show, the film's appeal is difficult to describe, but the pace of excitement is maintained throughout the film. I saw this in an IMAX theatre, and the close-ups that punctuate the breaks from time to time were five stories tall and wonderful to behold. All sources of sound are explored by Stomp and their musical guests, from mouths and other body parts, to drums, bells, and thumb pianos. If you enjoy music, you will love this film - everybody I've talked to about "Pulse" have!

I've never had so much fun in an Imax theater. This film's combination of stunning visuals, powerful musical performances, and subtle humor succeeds in enthralling audiences of all ages. Filmed in dazzling locations all over the world, the film features some of the world's most brilliant musicians and their unique performances. Highlights include a breathtaking ensemble of hundreds of Brazilian drummers, an astounding Flamenco dancer performing on a vista in Granada, Spain, and the almost unbelievably perfect Kodo drummers from Japan. Highly recommended.

PULSE: A STOMP ODYSSEY

This brilliantly filmed 40 minute movie made me smile for weeks, and understand the different cultures, traditions and beats of the world. It is a long journey of music, rhythm and sound through different continents and cultures uniting everyone. The movie is a pure pleasure for all senses; your body and mind travel all around planet Earth. You feel like dancing and singing while watching this incredibly pleasant movie. This IMAX film introduces us to percussion groups of American Indian Dance, Kodo drummers of Japan, Timbalada of Brazil , but it is inspired by STOMP from the New York Stage. This journey is incredible and if you don't have money or time to travel, just buy a ticket for the movie and you will experience all continents and many cultures in an hour.

I was blown away by "Pulse - A Stomp Odyssey" when I saw it at my local Omnimax theater. The film features performers from all over the world playing amazing rhythms on various instruments and objects. It was incredibly entertaining and interesting at the same time. Location after location, the filmmakers amaze the audience with breathtaking cinematography and incredible sound quality. From people beating on boxes, to those playing giant taiko drums, the movie grabbed my attention the whole time. Though there is no talking, there is plenty of humor as various close-ups of different people appear as the sing, yell, laugh, and beat box. The whole collage of image and sounds creates an amazing movie that is well worth the price of admission, multiple times over. After it was over, all I could say was WOW.

Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey was simply amazing. It captivated nearly all of your senses from the moment it began and didn't let them go until the conclusion. It will have you tapping your feet for days to come. I would highly recommend this movie!

Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey is a truly amazing film. The rhythms, the sights and the sounds are so stunning and infectious that I felt so uplifted and joyful from the experience. I traveled the globe and witnessed such diverse cultures coming together in such a clever, exciting and harmonious way. Kudos to the creators and directors for bringing us a film that is so sorely needed in these troubled times.

One of the major selling points of this film compared to others is that it needs no narration. I am lucky enough to get to run this film, let alone see it. I never get tired of it, and I love listening to the soundtrack. We have just started our run of the film, and all of the audiences, big and small are leaving loving the film, and dancing and talking about it. I have never experienced a film where the audience actually interacts with an IMAX film as much as they do (especially the school groups). I, as well as the staff, love the IMAX format in general and we are thrilled to see them exploring this type of genre and hope to see more in the future.

refreshing and meaningful, this film was a delight from beginning to end ... just wish it were longer. the film speaks volumes about humanity and culture -- all by showing you through incredible imagery and beautiful music, rather "telling" you through narration. a must see.

Saw this @ The Franklin IMAX last week and loved it. It begins in a Manhatten setting with a dance troupe doing "Stomp" like percussion routine but then the film switches to various countries around the globe with the local people doing musical percussion & dance presentations, from South Africa to Brazil to Utah and much more. To see it on an IMAX screen was fabulous and the sound was outstanding.

The cinematography was exceptional. I felt as though I went on a world tour, experiencing different cultures, language, music, and dance while just sitting in a movie theater in Philly. This is what the movies should be more like. I wish it had been longer than 40 minutes.

I really enjoyed it and recommend it highly.

I accidentally tuned into this on an HD channel one night and was immediately captivated by the rhythms. I can't understand why a person would need any intellectual knowledge of or schooling in music to enjoy the dance, movement, and rhythms of Pulse. Even my husband, who is closely wedded to classical music, enjoyed it. It also showed how all of us, around the world, are connected by music and rhythm and can respond to that, even if it's not in our background or familiar to our culture. The film is one of those rare ones that not only entertains, but gives one a good feeling about other people - such a rare feeling these days.

Caught a preview screening of "Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey" and it's charm and novelty grew tiresome five minutes in. The Director takes the cast from NYC TO Belize, South Africa and Britain, among a dozen other nations in IMAX and paints a pretty but excruciatingly redundant portrait of how the entire world needs a free pass to the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. Elephants are exploited in India, ritual garbage can banging cacophony in the USA and, in the only case of ennui busting, a lovely flamenco dancer performs on a rooftop in Grenada Spain with the class and elegance every other performer lacks. Even the most patient viewer was fidgeting after 20 minutes of this monotonous racket and it had me pining for the migraine inducing pitter-patter of the Irish feet of Riverdance...hell......I was begging for a random reel of Leslie Neilsen's 2001: A Space Travesty!!! If this is where Imax has evolved after 32 years of existence, it is a failed experiment. What's next? Mrs. Miller sings gregorian chants on a space shuttle??

Sorry, but this is a far to optimistic description! If you have not study music for your undergrad or as a hobby this movie is a complete waist of time! As the above author says – if you don't understand what it "means 4/4 time rhythm and 3/4 time of swing" you will be completely bored! I have watched this film in a open air Kino and about 90% of the people left before the move had finished. The remaining 10% where "high" and did not really care about it as long as it was making some noise! Sorry, but this is a far to optimistic description! If you have not study music for your undergrad or as a hobby this movie is a complete waist of time! As the above author says – if you don't understand what it "means 4/4 time rhythm and 3/4 time of swing" you will be completely bored! I have watched this film in a open air Kino and about 90% of the people left before the move had finished. The remaining 10% where "high" and did not really care about it as long as it was making some noise!