Where is Rocky II? (2016)

Where is Rocky II? Poster

Pierre Bismuth hires a private detective and a duo of screenwriters to investigate on an enigmatic artwork.

Film Overview
"Where is Rocky II?" is an intriguing 2016 docufiction movie directed by French artist Pierre Bismuth. The movie browses between the worlds of documentary and significant entertainment and is essentially Bismuth's pursuit of a mysterious artwork said to be hidden in the large desolation of America's Mojave Desert. The film's name is an amusing control of audiences' familiarity with the 'Rocky' franchise, as it neither describes the popular Sylvester Stallone movies nor does it have any connection to boxing. Rather, "Rocky II" describes a fictitious rock and the sequel to a genuine rock, both created by distinguished American artist Edward Ruscha.

Mystery of Artwork
The secret art in question is a rock constructed out of resin, similar to the desert rocks around it, that Edward Ruscha allegedly positioned somewhere in the large Mojave Desert in the late 1970s. While the synthetic rock called "Rocky II" was understood to exist, its area was a closely-guarded trick. The film's appealing plot revolves around the search for the concealed art work, with the guidance of Ruscha's long-form interview.

Execution of the Search
Pierre Bismuth has actually never meant this movie to be one in a conventional stagy theme often associated with art documentaries. Instead, he embraces a special method of utilizing both genuine and fictional investigators to investigate Ruscha's work. A private detective, a film writer, and a art historian, all join together to resolve the secret of the hidden artwork "Rocky II". A lot more interesting is the fact that the audience stays in the dark about the credibility of the investigators. The characters typically blur the lines between reality and fiction, adding depth to the special structure of the movie.

Combining Reality and Fiction
Bismuth explores meta-narratives and the fabrication of relationships in between artist and artifact in his movie. The movie oscillates between real-life interviews and the dramatized procedure of composing. The movie turns into a meta-commentary of Ruscha's fixations-- the power of words, the ubiquity of Hollywood, and the expansive void of the desert mixing fact and fantasy. This spirited and rather complicated narrative structure remains main to the movie's characterization, plot advancement, and total result.

Unsolved Mystery
"Where is Rocky II?" is a multi-layered investigative tale that treads along the boundary between genuine documentary and drama. It takes a fascinating take a look at the nature of art, its perception, and its ownership, using investigative tools and an eccentric touch within the framework of modern-day art and its confines. However, by the end, it deliberately leaves the audiences uncertain regarding whether the whereabouts of Ruscha's fictive rock was ever really found. The movie seduces with a secret that appears solvable, yet ultimately kicks away any satisfying resolution with a wink. All these aspects come together to form an enigmatic, funny, and mysterious cinematic journey that brings into question the essence of artwork, the nature of perception, and the boundary between reality and fiction itself.

Top Cast

  • Michael Scott
    Himself
  • D.V. DeVincentis (small)
    D.V. DeVincentis
    Himself
  • Anthony Peckham
    Himself
  • Jim Ganzer
    Himself
  • Mike White (small)
    Mike White
    Himself
  • Edward Ruscha
    Himself
  • Michael Govan
    Himself
  • Eli Broad
    Himself
  • Philippe Vergne
    Himself
  • Robert Knepper (small)
    Robert Knepper
    Cal Joshua (segment "Monument One")
  • Milo Ventimiglia (small)
    Milo Ventimiglia
    The Detective (segment "Monument One")