简介：ThePhantomMuseumwasoriginallycommissionedbytheWellcomeTrustasavideoinstallationfortheBritishMuseumexhibitionMedicineMan:TheForgottenMuseumofHenryWellcome,whichranfromJunetoNovember2003.ThisprovidedanopportunityforthepublictoexaminesomeoftherareritemsintheextraordinarycollectionofAmerican-bornpharmaceuticalpioneerSirHenryWellcome(1853-1936),whoassembledover125,000medicalartifacts,manyofwhicharecurrentlystoredinLondon'sScienceMuseumandnormallyviewablebyappointmentonly. Typically,theQuayBrothers'filmconsistsmoreofaseriesofimpressionsoftheWellcomecollectionthanaguidedtour,theirapproachsummedupbyitssubtitle'RandomForaysintoSirHenryWellcome'sMedicalCollection'.Alinkingdevice(shotongrainyblack-and-whiteSuper8stock)involvesamancladinablacksuitandwhiteglovesascendingstaircases,warlkingalongcorridors,switchingonlightsandinvestigatingroomsfullofcabinetsbearingtantalisinglabels('ShrunkenHeads-Scalp'). Interspersedwiththesearemuchsharpercoloursequences,depictingvariousobjectsinWellcome'scollection.Sometimesthey'redisplayedasstaticmuseumpieces,sometimesrotated,andoccasionallyanimated.Manyoftheexhibitsareexplicitlysexualised,fromthediagramdemonstratingtheuseofachastitybelt(nexttoanexampleoftherealthing)totenderOrientalsculpturesofhumanlovemaking.Manyofthecollection'smanydollscomeaparttorevealtheiranatomically-correctinnards-onefemalebodyhasababyinherwalnut-sizedwomb,connectedviaanumbilicalpieceofstring. Prostheticarmsandlegsabound,inonecaseattachedtoalivehumanbody,whilethereareplentyofdeadonesglimpsedinthecollection'sstorerooms,theirliplessmouthsfixedinapermanentgrin.Ifthefilmisoftenunsettling,thisislessbecauseoftheQuays'provenfeelfortheuncannythanforthewaytheWellcomecollectionitselfinescapablyexploitsourmostfundamentalfears:ofbirth,sex,mutilationanddeath. TheQuaysoriginallyeditedthefilmtopre-existingrecordingsofthemusicofCzechcomposerZdenekLiska(previouslyfeaturedinTheCabinetofJanSvankmajerin1984),butwereunabletoclearthenecessaryrights.Inthefinalversion,filmmaker-musicianGaryTarnprovidedaplangentsemi-electronicaccompaniment,occasionallyinterspersedwithsoundeffects,notablyintheshotofanoldbirthingchairandforcepsbeingpressedintoserviceonaninvisiblemother-to-be,whosebabycanbeheardcryingasitemerges.…