A man sits alone at his kitchen table staring hazily at the circular scabs along his forearm while smoking a cigarette in his right hand and holding a glass of water in his left. Raindrops splatter against the apartment windows and thunder blasts into the eerie background music as the Vietnam War veteran suffers from anxiety, post-traumatic stress, and memories from his experience in the war. On the wall behind him is a photo of Richard Nixon with a painted on clown face and a black Kit Cat Clock with eyes that move left, right, left, right, left, right as the seconds pass. Anxiety and paranoia swathe this man’s brain, and we witness his hallucinatory bouts in which he sees eyes and intricate round designs.
Director Peter Harstock’s Optic Nerve displays a Vietnam War veteran’s wounded mental state through fluorescent red and green lights, close-ups of eyes, morphing images, and complex drawings. In this writer’s opinion, the dark and rainy atmosphere paired with the veteran’s unease creates a thrilling, intriguing story.
Those who are interested in psychedelic imagery and the mental and emotional struggles war veterans face as they reintegrate into society will enjoy Optic Nerve.
