Unfolding to the melancholy strains of piano and accordion, which recall the dramatic live accompaniment of the silent cinema, “Fettered” is a lyrical tale of an Icarus-like man who attempts to realize his dreams of flight by constructing his own fragile wings. Scenes of dream-like heroism are contrasted with mundane reality. Coupled with the frozen lifelessness of glass-bound museum birds, and the awkward flight of animated photographs, this creates a picture of a man’s attempts to capture a futile ambition.
