London and its Deep Topography

This is the only excerpt I could find of 'London' by Patrick Keiller (1992) on youtube. I didn't want to focus on the political element of the film, but as I said, it's the only bit I could find. The film is WONDERFUL and well well worth a watch for it's ideas, beautiful shots, interesting composition... A narrative is spoken by Paul Scofield of his journey through London with Robinson, his companion who is conducting some sort of research into the city and whereupon is able to cite historical and literary and other art related snippets in - what could be called - a 'deep topographical' manner.

It's funny that I've ended up with the most political part of the film. After watching it I realised that my co-viewer wasn't very impressed by this overtly leftwing rant. Perhaps I was trying to justify the politics within the 'art' of the film, but it felt to me that the pessimism à la 1992 Tory victory was merely a further reference to the Frankfurt school as Walter Benjamin seems to be only just about acknowledged source of much of the idea content of the film. I appreciate the presence of the political, but do suspect that 'the political' is necessarily transformed somehow by being relegated to the status of a device within the wider artness of the film. Or is it.

This is from the sequel 'Robinson In Space':

Loved this one too, and feel I should say that it is less political - is it? More focus on structures - big, industrial structures in the landscape.

And to finish, I'm listening to Ventures and Adventures in Topography which is where I get 'deep topography' from. They also are on to Patrick Keiller and Walter Benjamin (episode 1). Thanks to Some Landscapes for the pointer.