David Hoffos: The Lethbridge illusionist and his cinema of attractions

Through the use of centuries-old optical techniques, film, video, composite projections, time-lapse photography and live closed-circuit video the artist creates what he refers to as illusions and which others may call installations. But while the devises may be drawn from the days of Méliès and the Lumière brothers, the concerns and references are straight from Hitchcock, Wells, Lang and Spielberg. Tousley's essay provides a close reading of Hoffos' non-narrative, time-based art, situating the artist now with Truffaut, then with Ed Wood and showing that while his interest in film is great, his interest in fantasy is greater.