Ericka Beckman, You the Better

This 1983 Super-8 film transferred to video remains a classic of its type, redolent of the Pop/Conceptualist aesthetic that was a hallmark of the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), which Beckman attended. Non-narrative in structure and employing stop-motion animation mixed with live actors, You the Better unfolds as an allegory of suburban conformity versus free will, a Tron-like scenario where human players are trapped in a game dictated by chance (though not the computer variety). The action, a surreal combination of basketball and shuffleboard (or maybe volleyball), is depicted as a dreamlike progression, with cartoonish props, sets, costumes and a soundtrack of high-pitched, singsongy tunes, evoking childhood play. This show is the first time the film has been shown as a complete installation, with the props from the film serving as sculptural elements.