Monterey 85

“Monterey 85” acts as an ensemble of sorts tracing several principles engaging and interacting with Monterey’s rural scenery, as also depicted in Elam’s other forestry-filled Monterey films. From a woman toiling with the earth, to a man intently chopping wood, to a child crooning on the sideline, “Monterey 85” depicts a rural way of life through a series of shaky pans that digress into abrupt cuts and close-ups. A dog and several goats, seemingly older iterations of those depicted in other Monterey films, reinforce the setting which reoccurs in Elam’s work.