1. How is Sadie Benning's work related to general trends and characteristics in Riot Grrl subculture? How is Riot Grrl subculture similar to and different from punk subculture?
The Riot Grrl subculture was born out of the punk subculture. It shares in its rebellious and porpousful amature nature. It seperates from it in that it is female made by females as the ones in control of the process.
2. Why does Milliken refer to Benning's work as visual essays? What are the advantages of viewing the work in relation to this genre? What is meant by "radical feminist essayistic" form?
He uses “visual essays” to refer to the works because they are encompassing of many catagories. Its use of “I” as the center of the piece to make it a autobiography, a non-fiction piece. It also encompasses fantasy and manifesto according to Milliken
Monday, April 12, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Fuses
1. As requested in class, post your response to Carolee Schneeman's Fuses. If you need a reminder of the film (which I doubt) a version of it is available here (as you recall, this is "not safe for work," due to explicit content)
I thought that it did seem to be similar to and reminded me of Brakhage’s Cat’s Cradle. It seemed like it was an Avant Garde way of looking at an intimate moment between a couple. I didn’t like what the article said about it taking thousands of years for “a woman to emerge and boldly turn the tables.” That the article condensed all of the past art of women by men into an object of masculine desire. I say what about the gay men who have had female muses, like Warhol with Edie Sedgewick. They do not desire but inspire them. And as a man I am insulted by this classification.
If you need help focusing your response, consider responding to this Schneeman interview in which she discusses sexual politics, in relation to your response to Fuses:
I thought that it did seem to be similar to and reminded me of Brakhage’s Cat’s Cradle. It seemed like it was an Avant Garde way of looking at an intimate moment between a couple. I didn’t like what the article said about it taking thousands of years for “a woman to emerge and boldly turn the tables.” That the article condensed all of the past art of women by men into an object of masculine desire. I say what about the gay men who have had female muses, like Warhol with Edie Sedgewick. They do not desire but inspire them. And as a man I am insulted by this classification.
If you need help focusing your response, consider responding to this Schneeman interview in which she discusses sexual politics, in relation to your response to Fuses:
Nostalgia
This was an interesting film in the way he intentionally skewed the image and his VO of what the image was. At first I thought that it had been converted wrong and was not synced. I could see how people watching it in the theater might think that something was wrong with the projection. It did make me laugh a little to think how we expect certain things that are basic and if it not that way we think that it was a mess up or something is wrong.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Reading Response 5
J. Hoberman, Jonathan Rosenbaum, The Underground
1. What were some of the venues associated with the early underground film movement in New York City? What were some of the unique characteristics of the Charles Theater and its programming?
In the case of Vanderbeek he showed it at storefronts around the East Village, American Underground Cinema, the Living Theater, and also the Charles. The Charles Exhibited local artwork, Jazz music and Ukrainian- language double bills.It showed films like Touch of Evil and Kubrick’s first indie feature.
2. Which filmmakers did Jonas Mekas associate with the “Baudelairean Cinema”? Why did Mekas use that term, and what were the distinguishing characteristics of the films?
Jack Smith, Ron Rice, Ken Jacobs, and Ken Jacobs . He meant that the films were modern day expansions to cinema as contributors had been to other forms of art such as poetry and literature.
3. Why did underground films run into legal trouble in New York City in 1964? What film encountered legal problems in Los Angeles almost on the same day as Mekas’s second arrest in New York City?
The censorship board, through licensing, was cracking down on public screenings of material considered “obscene.” This led to conflict with underground movement that unlike cinema 16 did not create a “private venue” by means of membership or any other way. Mike Getz was having problems from showing Scorpio Rising on March 7 at the Cinema Theater. He was found guilty of breaking obscenity laws. In fact still to our time presently the FCC follows that obscenity in any form they choose , is not covered by the first amendment.
4. What were some of the defining characteristics of Andy Warhol’s collaboration with Ronald Tavel? What were some of the unique characteristics of Vinyl? How does Edie Sedgewick end up "stealing" the scene in Vinyl?
Warhol’s laissez faire attitude toward actors and camera was the principal style that comes across in the films. The multiple layers of action each one changing function and importance in vying for the audience’s attention. This all done with only a couple of cuts to change reels, and to reframe once. Edie’s stealing of the show was in my opinion because of both her consistancy in place and action, and her unmolded and real responses to situations and actions in the scene. It didn’t hurt that she looked good and was the only female in the production. She was put in at the last min. by Andy.
5. In what ways did the underground film begin to "crossover" into the mainstream in 1965-1966? What films and venues were associated with the crossover? How were the films received by the mainstream New York press?
It was being noticed and recognized by the “mainstream” culture, from the Saturday Evening Post to Playboy and even the Museum of modern art. Scorpio Rising, Inaugerations of the Pleasure Dome, and My Hustler all led to the culmination of The Chelsea Girls. While Newsweek hailed it, Crowther at the New York Times hissed its taking over outside Greenwich Village.
6. Why was Mike Getz an important figure in the crossover of the underground?
His ability to give more distribution to films that are untouchable by mainstream businesses allowed them to become financially successful. This thus allowed more to be made and distributed and so on. Getting these films into 22 cities for showings broadened its reach and its audience.
7. How do Hoberman and Rosenbaum characterize Warhol’s post-1967 films?
They (Warhol and Morrissey) were quick to produce nudity-filled features. This thus paved the way for films such as I Am Curious (Yellow), and Deepthroat, films that go down in infamy and history more for the situation surrounding them than the works themselves.
1. What were some of the venues associated with the early underground film movement in New York City? What were some of the unique characteristics of the Charles Theater and its programming?
In the case of Vanderbeek he showed it at storefronts around the East Village, American Underground Cinema, the Living Theater, and also the Charles. The Charles Exhibited local artwork, Jazz music and Ukrainian- language double bills.It showed films like Touch of Evil and Kubrick’s first indie feature.
2. Which filmmakers did Jonas Mekas associate with the “Baudelairean Cinema”? Why did Mekas use that term, and what were the distinguishing characteristics of the films?
Jack Smith, Ron Rice, Ken Jacobs, and Ken Jacobs . He meant that the films were modern day expansions to cinema as contributors had been to other forms of art such as poetry and literature.
3. Why did underground films run into legal trouble in New York City in 1964? What film encountered legal problems in Los Angeles almost on the same day as Mekas’s second arrest in New York City?
The censorship board, through licensing, was cracking down on public screenings of material considered “obscene.” This led to conflict with underground movement that unlike cinema 16 did not create a “private venue” by means of membership or any other way. Mike Getz was having problems from showing Scorpio Rising on March 7 at the Cinema Theater. He was found guilty of breaking obscenity laws. In fact still to our time presently the FCC follows that obscenity in any form they choose , is not covered by the first amendment.
4. What were some of the defining characteristics of Andy Warhol’s collaboration with Ronald Tavel? What were some of the unique characteristics of Vinyl? How does Edie Sedgewick end up "stealing" the scene in Vinyl?
Warhol’s laissez faire attitude toward actors and camera was the principal style that comes across in the films. The multiple layers of action each one changing function and importance in vying for the audience’s attention. This all done with only a couple of cuts to change reels, and to reframe once. Edie’s stealing of the show was in my opinion because of both her consistancy in place and action, and her unmolded and real responses to situations and actions in the scene. It didn’t hurt that she looked good and was the only female in the production. She was put in at the last min. by Andy.
5. In what ways did the underground film begin to "crossover" into the mainstream in 1965-1966? What films and venues were associated with the crossover? How were the films received by the mainstream New York press?
It was being noticed and recognized by the “mainstream” culture, from the Saturday Evening Post to Playboy and even the Museum of modern art. Scorpio Rising, Inaugerations of the Pleasure Dome, and My Hustler all led to the culmination of The Chelsea Girls. While Newsweek hailed it, Crowther at the New York Times hissed its taking over outside Greenwich Village.
6. Why was Mike Getz an important figure in the crossover of the underground?
His ability to give more distribution to films that are untouchable by mainstream businesses allowed them to become financially successful. This thus allowed more to be made and distributed and so on. Getting these films into 22 cities for showings broadened its reach and its audience.
7. How do Hoberman and Rosenbaum characterize Warhol’s post-1967 films?
They (Warhol and Morrissey) were quick to produce nudity-filled features. This thus paved the way for films such as I Am Curious (Yellow), and Deepthroat, films that go down in infamy and history more for the situation surrounding them than the works themselves.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Reading Response 4
1. Briefly respond to one of the following Fluxfilms, which are on-line here:
http://www.ubu.com/film/fluxfilm.html
18 Joe Jones—Smoking
It start is a little interesting with the “count up”. It starts at 6 and runs to 10 instead of the stereotypical countdown. In addition, it says feet as if maybe that piece took 10’ to run that piece. That does not seem right though. Then the whole film is a series of counters starting at one and counting to 100 each time it gets to 100 it does the next 100. So 200, then three hundred, etc I do not understand this exactly. I started to think that this might be some counting and marking system but it does not make sense. The film is almost a minute, shooting in 16mm. If he shot either 18fps (silent speed) since it is silent, or 24 (sound speed) it still does not make sense. It cannot be measuring frames, or seconds. Maybe he made this to play with the logical minded that try to make sense of these numbers, those that have to figure out the purpose and meaning behind them. Who knows he might even have played with the numbers themselves, altering them to where when they play by fast it blurs together and your mind fills in the gaps and incorrections, or just doesn’t see them.
2. Look up “Fluxus” and any of the Fluxus artists in the index of Visionary Film. Why are they not there? Are the Fluxfilms compatible with Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde?
The purpose of Flux was to “Purge the world of bourgeois sickness.” He mentions Warhol on page 349 in the book. He says that “Warhol turned his genius for parody and reduction against the American avant-garde.” Warhol had this in common with Fluxus filmmakers. You notice though, how he doesn’t write that Warhol turned… against his fellow American avant-garde artists. He excluded Warhol to a small extent and most likely for the same reasons Fluxus films completely.
Callie Angell, “Andy Warhol, Filmmaker”
[I have emailed part one of this article to the class, it is not on reserve.]
8. How does Angell characterize the first major period of Warhol’s filmmaking career? What are some of the films from this period, and what formal qualities did they share? What are some significant differences between Sleep and Empire?
Received as both unwatchable and receiving of instant fame. Sleep, Empire, Kiss, Eat, Blow Job and Haircut. They were filled with either long uneventful shots or films of repetitive action, but all MOS. The differences between Empire which had relatively little movement (a bird flying by and so on) and was shot with extremly long continuous shots (50 minutes in length) compared to Sleep which Warhol had not overcome the short length of film his Bolex could hold, cut up shots of handheld movement of him watching a man (friend and poet John Giorno) sleep.
9. What role did the Screen Tests play in the routines at the Factory and in Warhol’s filmmaking?
First they allowed him to grow first as a cinematographer. Then he used the films to attract people to him and his work. Later he used them as supplements in parts of other films and works.
10. How does Angell characterize the first period of sound films in Warhol’s filmmaking career?
After he got his first 16mm sound camera and was able to shoot half an hour shots. This led to him making films of full length unedited reels. The actor’s actions, mess-ups and additions were all included instead of edited around.
Who was Warhol’s key collaborator for the early sound films? What are some of the films from this period and what formal properties did they share?
Ronald Travel collaborated with him on several projects including Vinyl, Space, Poor Little Rich Girl, Kitchen, Horse, Lupe, Hedy and so on. I can see that they were portraitures but many of his works outside of the sound films were portraitures as well. I don’t fully understand what made these different from his other films.
For questions 3-7 I am confused about which reading these are coming from and could not find one that seemed to fit.
http://www.ubu.com/film/fluxfilm.html
18 Joe Jones—Smoking
It start is a little interesting with the “count up”. It starts at 6 and runs to 10 instead of the stereotypical countdown. In addition, it says feet as if maybe that piece took 10’ to run that piece. That does not seem right though. Then the whole film is a series of counters starting at one and counting to 100 each time it gets to 100 it does the next 100. So 200, then three hundred, etc I do not understand this exactly. I started to think that this might be some counting and marking system but it does not make sense. The film is almost a minute, shooting in 16mm. If he shot either 18fps (silent speed) since it is silent, or 24 (sound speed) it still does not make sense. It cannot be measuring frames, or seconds. Maybe he made this to play with the logical minded that try to make sense of these numbers, those that have to figure out the purpose and meaning behind them. Who knows he might even have played with the numbers themselves, altering them to where when they play by fast it blurs together and your mind fills in the gaps and incorrections, or just doesn’t see them.
2. Look up “Fluxus” and any of the Fluxus artists in the index of Visionary Film. Why are they not there? Are the Fluxfilms compatible with Sitney’s central argument about the American avant-garde?
The purpose of Flux was to “Purge the world of bourgeois sickness.” He mentions Warhol on page 349 in the book. He says that “Warhol turned his genius for parody and reduction against the American avant-garde.” Warhol had this in common with Fluxus filmmakers. You notice though, how he doesn’t write that Warhol turned… against his fellow American avant-garde artists. He excluded Warhol to a small extent and most likely for the same reasons Fluxus films completely.
Callie Angell, “Andy Warhol, Filmmaker”
[I have emailed part one of this article to the class, it is not on reserve.]
8. How does Angell characterize the first major period of Warhol’s filmmaking career? What are some of the films from this period, and what formal qualities did they share? What are some significant differences between Sleep and Empire?
Received as both unwatchable and receiving of instant fame. Sleep, Empire, Kiss, Eat, Blow Job and Haircut. They were filled with either long uneventful shots or films of repetitive action, but all MOS. The differences between Empire which had relatively little movement (a bird flying by and so on) and was shot with extremly long continuous shots (50 minutes in length) compared to Sleep which Warhol had not overcome the short length of film his Bolex could hold, cut up shots of handheld movement of him watching a man (friend and poet John Giorno) sleep.
9. What role did the Screen Tests play in the routines at the Factory and in Warhol’s filmmaking?
First they allowed him to grow first as a cinematographer. Then he used the films to attract people to him and his work. Later he used them as supplements in parts of other films and works.
10. How does Angell characterize the first period of sound films in Warhol’s filmmaking career?
After he got his first 16mm sound camera and was able to shoot half an hour shots. This led to him making films of full length unedited reels. The actor’s actions, mess-ups and additions were all included instead of edited around.
Who was Warhol’s key collaborator for the early sound films? What are some of the films from this period and what formal properties did they share?
Ronald Travel collaborated with him on several projects including Vinyl, Space, Poor Little Rich Girl, Kitchen, Horse, Lupe, Hedy and so on. I can see that they were portraitures but many of his works outside of the sound films were portraitures as well. I don’t fully understand what made these different from his other films.
For questions 3-7 I am confused about which reading these are coming from and could not find one that seemed to fit.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Reading Response Three
1. Post your response to Brakhage's Prelude: Dog Star Man.
It is an interesting mix, though the use of video does throw me off. Some of the mixing use of video, which in the sun shots gives a hexagonal lens flare, and film threw me off a little and sidtracks my mind while watching the film. I have been studying this effect for a few years now, actually ever since I saw a shot from Superman Returns, and my cinematography teacher taught me about this effect. Video is the only thing that creates this effect, in film the flares are round. It may be due to the conversion of the copy we saw, I cannot rule this out yet. It however is not because of the iris closing. On a film camera this looks completely different than that. I have been studying this effect when watching films in the theater and whenever I see it in a movie I look it up to see if that movie was shot in video. I have yet to find this happen and find the movie shot completely on film.
Other than this personal distraction, the film seemed a lot less “focused”, is probably the best word I would have to describe it, compared to the other films we have watched. I also kept thinking, how does he make a living? Is it through his films?
Sitney, “Apocalypses and Picaresques”
2. Why does Sitney argue that synecdoche plays a major role in Christopher Maclaine’s The End, and how does the film anticipate later achievements by Brakhage and the mythopoeic form?
After looking up synecdoche, and learning what that means, then re-reading the section on it and The End. Sitney is not clear on how “it plays a major role in MacLaine’s film.” He does seem to be more clear on the connection between MacLaine and Brakhage. How that Brakhage, trying to get away from trance films, saw The End and worked on what would become Reflections on Black, and later refining of the techniques created Dog Star Man.
3. What are some similarities and differences between the apocalyptic visions of Christopher Maclaine and Bruce Conner?
It seems that Conner has a much greater sense of humor, compared with MacLaine. With the sequence of the periscope operator intercut with nudie shots of Monroe. He seems to want to “play” with the film process more than just commenting alone, like Maclaine does in The End. These types of films, however, do not become a trend in either’s career. Both men make a small number and the “apocalyptic visions” film fade out.
4. Why are the films of Ron Rice (The Flower Thief) and Robert Nelson (The Great Blondino) examples of Beat sensibility and what Sitney calls the picaresque form?
Sitney explains that “it portrays the absurd, anarchistic often infantile adventures of an innocent hero.” While this combines with the term “Beat sensibility” does give a vague idea of it. When I read “Beat” I think of “Beat poetry.” This bringing its own imagery much more powerful than anything implied by Sitney.
Bruce Jenkins, “Fluxfilms in Three False Starts.”
5. How and why were the “anti-art” Fluxfilms reactions against the avant-garde films of Stan Brakhage and Kenneth Anger. [Hint: Think about Fluxus in relation to earlier anti-art such as Dada, and Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain."]
It appears that while Brakhage and others were looking for the more personal and mental perception through intimacy, the “anti-art” was looking at cutting much of that out. Also, breaking the “impersonal encounter” of subject and camera with such films as Sleep by Warhol, which is a rip off of a film which is in turn a rip off of another film. I also think of Warhol’s Empire, a film that is of the Empire State Building. I looked it up and watched some online.
6. What does Jenkins mean by the democratization of production in the Fluxfilms?
It means taking the film out of a single person’s personal hand, which have complete control over every aspect of it, from idea to fruition. That it is made to be made to be made to be made to be made to be made. I think you get the idea.
7. Why does Jenkins argue that Nam June Paik’s Zen for Film “fixed the material and aesthetic terms for the production of subsequent Fluxfilms”? How does it use the materials of the cinema? What kind of aesthetic experience does it offer?
It made a cheaper and quicker way of making the films from the traditional production style. It uses 1000 feet of 16mm clear leader film. What it does is look back to the beginning of film as being a simpler time and draws on that aesthetic.
It is an interesting mix, though the use of video does throw me off. Some of the mixing use of video, which in the sun shots gives a hexagonal lens flare, and film threw me off a little and sidtracks my mind while watching the film. I have been studying this effect for a few years now, actually ever since I saw a shot from Superman Returns, and my cinematography teacher taught me about this effect. Video is the only thing that creates this effect, in film the flares are round. It may be due to the conversion of the copy we saw, I cannot rule this out yet. It however is not because of the iris closing. On a film camera this looks completely different than that. I have been studying this effect when watching films in the theater and whenever I see it in a movie I look it up to see if that movie was shot in video. I have yet to find this happen and find the movie shot completely on film.
Other than this personal distraction, the film seemed a lot less “focused”, is probably the best word I would have to describe it, compared to the other films we have watched. I also kept thinking, how does he make a living? Is it through his films?
Sitney, “Apocalypses and Picaresques”
2. Why does Sitney argue that synecdoche plays a major role in Christopher Maclaine’s The End, and how does the film anticipate later achievements by Brakhage and the mythopoeic form?
After looking up synecdoche, and learning what that means, then re-reading the section on it and The End. Sitney is not clear on how “it plays a major role in MacLaine’s film.” He does seem to be more clear on the connection between MacLaine and Brakhage. How that Brakhage, trying to get away from trance films, saw The End and worked on what would become Reflections on Black, and later refining of the techniques created Dog Star Man.
3. What are some similarities and differences between the apocalyptic visions of Christopher Maclaine and Bruce Conner?
It seems that Conner has a much greater sense of humor, compared with MacLaine. With the sequence of the periscope operator intercut with nudie shots of Monroe. He seems to want to “play” with the film process more than just commenting alone, like Maclaine does in The End. These types of films, however, do not become a trend in either’s career. Both men make a small number and the “apocalyptic visions” film fade out.
4. Why are the films of Ron Rice (The Flower Thief) and Robert Nelson (The Great Blondino) examples of Beat sensibility and what Sitney calls the picaresque form?
Sitney explains that “it portrays the absurd, anarchistic often infantile adventures of an innocent hero.” While this combines with the term “Beat sensibility” does give a vague idea of it. When I read “Beat” I think of “Beat poetry.” This bringing its own imagery much more powerful than anything implied by Sitney.
Bruce Jenkins, “Fluxfilms in Three False Starts.”
5. How and why were the “anti-art” Fluxfilms reactions against the avant-garde films of Stan Brakhage and Kenneth Anger. [Hint: Think about Fluxus in relation to earlier anti-art such as Dada, and Marcel Duchamp's "Fountain."]
It appears that while Brakhage and others were looking for the more personal and mental perception through intimacy, the “anti-art” was looking at cutting much of that out. Also, breaking the “impersonal encounter” of subject and camera with such films as Sleep by Warhol, which is a rip off of a film which is in turn a rip off of another film. I also think of Warhol’s Empire, a film that is of the Empire State Building. I looked it up and watched some online.
6. What does Jenkins mean by the democratization of production in the Fluxfilms?
It means taking the film out of a single person’s personal hand, which have complete control over every aspect of it, from idea to fruition. That it is made to be made to be made to be made to be made to be made. I think you get the idea.
7. Why does Jenkins argue that Nam June Paik’s Zen for Film “fixed the material and aesthetic terms for the production of subsequent Fluxfilms”? How does it use the materials of the cinema? What kind of aesthetic experience does it offer?
It made a cheaper and quicker way of making the films from the traditional production style. It uses 1000 feet of 16mm clear leader film. What it does is look back to the beginning of film as being a simpler time and draws on that aesthetic.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Reading Respose 2 (Part 2)
Sitney, “Major Mythopoeia”
6. Why does Sitney argue, “It was Brakhage, of all the major American avant-garde filmmakers, who first embraced the formal directives and verbal aesthetics of Abstract Expressionism.”
He says that the major avant-garde filmmakers such as Markopoulos, Anger, and Broughton resisted (Markopoulos, Anger until the late sixties) changing. Brakhage was probably the first.
7. What archetypes are significant motifs in Dog Star Man, and which writers in what movement are associated with these four states of existence?
1. Innocence- child and youth imagery
2. Experience- sexual foiling and consummation
3. Damned- The opposite of 1
4. Liberation- the coming to terms and desired end result of 2
Sitney, "The Potted Psalm"
[This is an addition to the syllabus. After reading the introductory paragraphs, focus on the discussions of The Cage and Entr'acte (p. 47-54 and The Lead Shoes (p. 68-70).]
8. According to Sitney, what stylistic techniques are used to mark perspective and subjectivity in The Cage, and why is this an important development in the American avant-garde film?
They use a lens distorting technique called anamorphosis. From the description and not having seen the film it appears to be the switching of perspective between anamorphic and regular lens perception. This was done in the U2 video “Mysterious Ways” It influenced other filmmakers to this technique.
9. For Sitney, what are the key similarities and differences between Entr'acte and The Cage?
The differences are the shift in comedic timing, the similarities between the two are the plot development, “the chase”, and its camera tricks.
6. Why does Sitney argue, “It was Brakhage, of all the major American avant-garde filmmakers, who first embraced the formal directives and verbal aesthetics of Abstract Expressionism.”
He says that the major avant-garde filmmakers such as Markopoulos, Anger, and Broughton resisted (Markopoulos, Anger until the late sixties) changing. Brakhage was probably the first.
7. What archetypes are significant motifs in Dog Star Man, and which writers in what movement are associated with these four states of existence?
1. Innocence- child and youth imagery
2. Experience- sexual foiling and consummation
3. Damned- The opposite of 1
4. Liberation- the coming to terms and desired end result of 2
Sitney, "The Potted Psalm"
[This is an addition to the syllabus. After reading the introductory paragraphs, focus on the discussions of The Cage and Entr'acte (p. 47-54 and The Lead Shoes (p. 68-70).]
8. According to Sitney, what stylistic techniques are used to mark perspective and subjectivity in The Cage, and why is this an important development in the American avant-garde film?
They use a lens distorting technique called anamorphosis. From the description and not having seen the film it appears to be the switching of perspective between anamorphic and regular lens perception. This was done in the U2 video “Mysterious Ways” It influenced other filmmakers to this technique.
9. For Sitney, what are the key similarities and differences between Entr'acte and The Cage?
The differences are the shift in comedic timing, the similarities between the two are the plot development, “the chase”, and its camera tricks.
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