LFO

Denmark/Sweden, 2015, 94 minutes, Colour.
Patrick Carlson, Isabel Jo , Per Lofberg.
Directed by Antonio Tabler.


Not everybody will understand what the title, LFO, means. It is Low Frequency Oscillation.

Robert is a middle-aged scientist, a widower his wife died in a car accident, along with his son, who spends all his time in his own laboratory, experimenting with sound. He discovers the particular frequency which serves as an equivalent to hypnosis and continues his experiments on the middle-aged couple next door. They have a low opinion of him but he continually experiments on them, hypnotising them, their losing hours of their life, his increasing commands, sexual exploitation of the wife, causing the husband to be subservient in menial work, something of the equivalent of Dr Frankenstein in his laboratory and creating new beings.

Part of the complication of the plot is the reappearance of his wife and son as ghosts, she continually by his side, remembering the past, accusing him, commenting on what he is doing and the evil in his control of the others.

There is also another scientist who has observed Robert’s experiments, has been shut out, spies on him and may become his nemesis.

An interesting variation on the Frankenstein and Playing God theme.

1. The title? Low Frequency Oscillation?

2. A Scandinavian story? Universal? The settings, the home, laboratory, the neighbourhood and homes?

3. The laboratory, science, experiments, music and sound, the machines?

4. Variation on the Dr Frankenstein theme, creating monsters, playing God?

5. Introduction to Robert, his age, scientist, his experiments? The story of his marriage, his wife, Sébastian? Their deaths, the car accident? Sebastian not supposed to be in the car? The attentions of Robert towards his wife? Deliberately planning death?

6. His wife and Sebastian, as ghosts, the continual appearing, his wife and the challenge, sitting realistically with him, his conversing with them? The wife in the kitchen, the domestic memories, the relationship memories?

7. Linn and Simon, next door, Robert and his attitude, meeting them, the coming to the house, their opinions about Robert? The characters?

8. Robert, his abilities, control, the effect on Linn and on Simon? The sounds, the reverberation, the oscillation? Hypnotic? Robert and his commands, the microphones in their house and his listening into them? Conveying messages?

9. Robert, playing God, creating the man and the woman? His interactions with each? The sexual encounter with Linn? Simon and his subservience? Attitudes, menial work in the house? Their waiting, Time passing, absorbing Robert’s attitudes into their lives? The cleaning of the house, planning travel…? And Robert’s wife and her watching, her comments?

10. The police, concerned about Linn and Simon, his reassuring them?

11. The fellow scientist, the previous contact, his information, his skills, observing Robert, commenting – and, perhaps, his nemesis?

12. Robert, creating a world of his own? A false Lucifer?