neumu [ cinematronic ]




	Teknolust
	Lynn Hershman Leeson Tilda Swinton, Jeremy Davies, Karen Black, Josh Kornbluth 2002		Writer/director Lynn Hershman Leeson's "Teknolust" concerns conception and genetics, themes similar to those of her previous film, the sci-fi-tinged indie "Conceiving Ada." But the low-budget "Teknolust," reuniting the filmmaker and her "Conceiving Ada" leading lady Tilda Swinton ("The Deep End"), is pretentious beyond belief, and so enervating that cups of Jolt Cola or packets of No-Doz should be free with every ticket. This time, Swinton plays bio-geneticist Rosetta Stone (sheesh!), breeder of three "self-replicating automatons" constructed from her own DNA. (Since Swinton plays Rosetta and all her offspring, she wears various different wigs to help differentiate the characters.) Here's the ought-to-be-hilarious part that falls flat: In order to survive, the techno-clones, who are captive in Rosetta's lab, need injections of a male chromosome only found in sperm. One of the automatons learns seduction techniques from old movie clips and leaves the lab to procure fresh ejaculate from willing, unsuspecting men. But she meets a timid mama's boy (Jeremy Davies of "Saving Private Ryan") and falls in love. It's even more fatuous than it sounds. With a silly cameo from Karen Black.