Sitney, “The Lyrical Film”
1. While Brakhage’s Reflections on Black is a trance film, why does Sitney argue that it anticipates the lyrical film?
In Reflections he started to bridge the gap between fantasy and actuality and the visual use of imagination.
2. What are the key characteristics of the lyrical film (the first example of which was Anticipation of the Night).
The juxtaposition of interior and exterior stimulants and the camera being the POV of the protagonist.
3. Which filmmaker was highly influential on Brakhage’s move to lyrical film in terms of film style, and why?
Joseph Cornell seemed to be an influence through situation and positioning. Marie Menken’s films influenced him and her and her husband’s treatment and aiding him when he went to New York influenced this move.
4. What does Sitney mean by "hard" and "soft" montage? What examples of each does he give from Anticipation of the Night? {Tricky question; read the entire passage very carefully.]
I have gone back and kept reading the paragraphs on pages 162 and 163 but still do not understand “soft” montage.
5. What are the characteristics of vision according to Brakhage’s revival of the Romantic dialectics of sight and imagination? [I’m not asking here about film style, I’m asking about Brakhage’s views about vision.]
It is difficult for me to understand what part of the reading you are referring to and want explained when the language seems to be different from the book. No words to key me off to what specific section you are referring to and thus want my understanding of. I believe that this is refereeing to 165-167 but am not sure, and don’t understand the reading well enough to extrapolate the meaning and am confused with the language.
Monday, February 1, 2010
Reading Response 1 (First Half)
Sitney, “Ritual and Nature”
1. What are some characteristics of the American psychodrama in the 1940s?
The quest for sexual identity, the inclusion of the dreamer as well are characteristics of the American psychodrama. I did not find this in chapter 2 but chapter 1 when I could not find a clear set of characteristics in the reading. About this, I am still confused. I will talk to you outside of class, during your office hours, to get caught up.
2. What does Sitney mean by an “imagist” structure replacing narrative structure in Choreography for the Camera?
“Imagist” or “Imagism” is the replacing of narrative and thematic principals such as A causes B causes C causes D with a gesture such as in Choreography for Camera which uses the motion of the dancer. There is not a story about this dancer being told in a form of this happened to the dancer and because of that this was the result. It simply used the movements to match between locations tieing them together only through this object, the dancer, and his motions.
3. According to Sitney, Ritual in Transfigured Time represents a transition between the psychodrama and what kind of film?
“Traditional mythological elements” is what I see in the book and I remember that in the film, but is that the name for it? Like psychodrama, or is there even a name for it, like psychodrama?
4. Respond briefly to Sitney’s reading of Ritual in Transfigured Time (27-28); Is his interpretation compatible with your experience of the film?
It seemed to be what I thought of the film or makes sense with what I saw in the film except for two things. One is what Sitney calls “the widow”. I did not see her as this and also did not get the impression he is seeming to imply it meant. The other was simply the change of scarf from mourning black to bridal white. Not that I disagree with this assessment, but that I did not see this on my own until you pointed it out after the screening, and subsequently in the book.
Sitney, “The Magus”
5. Paraphrase the paragraph on p. 90 that begins “The filmic dream constituted…” in your own words.
To me this means that the shot represents both the scope and the view of the dreamer (film-maker) as well as the ability for that dreamer to play a part in his or her dream. As most dreams do. It also means that whatever the dreamer is receptive of (remembers or perceives) is all that is visible.
6. According to Sitney, what is the ultimate result at the end of Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome?
It ends with the god being torn to pieces by Bacchantes.
I apologize for it being so late. I have been so drowsy due to the meds I am on (Vicodin, 2 muscle relaxers, Valium, and a anti-inflammatory) it has been difficult to concentrate on such a complex and dreamlike subject without mixing up what is Sitney's and what is my own dreams. In fact last Monday I kept nodding off and the dreams I would have intermingled with the films to have a very weird and semi psychedelic effect.
1. What are some characteristics of the American psychodrama in the 1940s?
The quest for sexual identity, the inclusion of the dreamer as well are characteristics of the American psychodrama. I did not find this in chapter 2 but chapter 1 when I could not find a clear set of characteristics in the reading. About this, I am still confused. I will talk to you outside of class, during your office hours, to get caught up.
2. What does Sitney mean by an “imagist” structure replacing narrative structure in Choreography for the Camera?
“Imagist” or “Imagism” is the replacing of narrative and thematic principals such as A causes B causes C causes D with a gesture such as in Choreography for Camera which uses the motion of the dancer. There is not a story about this dancer being told in a form of this happened to the dancer and because of that this was the result. It simply used the movements to match between locations tieing them together only through this object, the dancer, and his motions.
3. According to Sitney, Ritual in Transfigured Time represents a transition between the psychodrama and what kind of film?
“Traditional mythological elements” is what I see in the book and I remember that in the film, but is that the name for it? Like psychodrama, or is there even a name for it, like psychodrama?
4. Respond briefly to Sitney’s reading of Ritual in Transfigured Time (27-28); Is his interpretation compatible with your experience of the film?
It seemed to be what I thought of the film or makes sense with what I saw in the film except for two things. One is what Sitney calls “the widow”. I did not see her as this and also did not get the impression he is seeming to imply it meant. The other was simply the change of scarf from mourning black to bridal white. Not that I disagree with this assessment, but that I did not see this on my own until you pointed it out after the screening, and subsequently in the book.
Sitney, “The Magus”
5. Paraphrase the paragraph on p. 90 that begins “The filmic dream constituted…” in your own words.
To me this means that the shot represents both the scope and the view of the dreamer (film-maker) as well as the ability for that dreamer to play a part in his or her dream. As most dreams do. It also means that whatever the dreamer is receptive of (remembers or perceives) is all that is visible.
6. According to Sitney, what is the ultimate result at the end of Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome?
It ends with the god being torn to pieces by Bacchantes.
I apologize for it being so late. I have been so drowsy due to the meds I am on (Vicodin, 2 muscle relaxers, Valium, and a anti-inflammatory) it has been difficult to concentrate on such a complex and dreamlike subject without mixing up what is Sitney's and what is my own dreams. In fact last Monday I kept nodding off and the dreams I would have intermingled with the films to have a very weird and semi psychedelic effect.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Response to The Lead Shoes
When I saw this film some of the imagery made me think of the great depression. The man with the bread, and the splattering of sauce. The hopscotch made it have a slight nostalgic feeling of childhood. The old divers suit made me think of a couple of things. One was way out there. It was the episode of Mythbusters that tested if the air being pumped down to the diver is cut off and the safety valve fails is it possible that the divers organs and even bones would be squeezed up in to the helmet. The other thought was this feeling of adventure and danger that being it that suit would bring. Then I thought maybe someone died in that suit. Oh, by the way. They found that a diver could be killed and his organs and bones pushed into the helmet (not all of them but a lot).
Reading Response 1 (Second Half)
Scott MacDonald, “Cinema 16: Introduction”
7. What were some general tendencies in the programming at Cinema 16, and how were films arranged within individual programs?
It started out with classics and documentary films from the Museum of modern art while the Vogels were “developing the concept” that would become Cinema 16. Later avant-garde was later introduced to the mix by “Art in Cinema” and was influenced by Maya Derenin 1946 and ‘47.
Vogel wanted learning and understanding to be imparted to the viewer of his shows. While avant-garde did that in a psychological and mental sense he was more swayed to documentaries, but variety was a large part as well. The first show of films included documentaries, Avant-garde, and animations.
8. What kinds of venues rented Kenneth Anger’s Fireworks?
It would have been shown in film societies, other groups, and private screenings because of the censorship boards control over commercial venues and the homosexual content of Fireworks.
9. What impact did Cinema 16 have on New York City film culture?
The shows were viewed by now infamous actors such as Marlon Brando, influential people to the New York film scene, and even Sitney the author of the book we are reading. So the effects of Cinema 16 can be noted down to our individual class room today with the films we see and the books, such as Sitney’s, we read.
Hans Richter, “A History of the Avantgarde”
10. What conditions in Europe made the avant-garde film movement possible after World War I?
Because of the unrest of the people and the inflation of currency the people were looking for something new, new ideas to inspire and change the political and social thoughts of the day. Subsequently then came filmmakers that opposed the commercial films of the day and themselves wanted something new that did not rely as heavily on “the actor, the novel, and the play.”
They subsequently learned the technical aspects of the equipment and medium of film so that they could try and manipulate and distort it in new ways. Eventually a following for these films emerged through the exhibitions of film societies throughout Europe.
11. If the goal of Impressionist art is “Nature Interpreted by Temperament,” what are the goals of abstract art?
“‘Abstract art’ an art which no longer had a natural object”. It wants to break out of the simple understandable and universally recognized to something different and individual in appearance yet, it wanted “to find… the way for the expression of universal feeling. So the object itself is less important than the emotion it evokes.
Will post first half later with response to film.
7. What were some general tendencies in the programming at Cinema 16, and how were films arranged within individual programs?
It started out with classics and documentary films from the Museum of modern art while the Vogels were “developing the concept” that would become Cinema 16. Later avant-garde was later introduced to the mix by “Art in Cinema” and was influenced by Maya Derenin 1946 and ‘47.
Vogel wanted learning and understanding to be imparted to the viewer of his shows. While avant-garde did that in a psychological and mental sense he was more swayed to documentaries, but variety was a large part as well. The first show of films included documentaries, Avant-garde, and animations.
8. What kinds of venues rented Kenneth Anger’s Fireworks?
It would have been shown in film societies, other groups, and private screenings because of the censorship boards control over commercial venues and the homosexual content of Fireworks.
9. What impact did Cinema 16 have on New York City film culture?
The shows were viewed by now infamous actors such as Marlon Brando, influential people to the New York film scene, and even Sitney the author of the book we are reading. So the effects of Cinema 16 can be noted down to our individual class room today with the films we see and the books, such as Sitney’s, we read.
Hans Richter, “A History of the Avantgarde”
10. What conditions in Europe made the avant-garde film movement possible after World War I?
Because of the unrest of the people and the inflation of currency the people were looking for something new, new ideas to inspire and change the political and social thoughts of the day. Subsequently then came filmmakers that opposed the commercial films of the day and themselves wanted something new that did not rely as heavily on “the actor, the novel, and the play.”
They subsequently learned the technical aspects of the equipment and medium of film so that they could try and manipulate and distort it in new ways. Eventually a following for these films emerged through the exhibitions of film societies throughout Europe.
11. If the goal of Impressionist art is “Nature Interpreted by Temperament,” what are the goals of abstract art?
“‘Abstract art’ an art which no longer had a natural object”. It wants to break out of the simple understandable and universally recognized to something different and individual in appearance yet, it wanted “to find… the way for the expression of universal feeling. So the object itself is less important than the emotion it evokes.
Will post first half later with response to film.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Response to Inaguration of the Pleasure Dome
Response to Inaguration of the Pleasure Dome
Now that you have a Blogger account, start your own blog dedicated to this class and post a response to Anger's Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome.
This film was of course very strange and both somewhat interesting and disturbing all at once. The imagery of the green ogresk creature was both a little confusing and a little creepy. I liked the use of superimposing shots, and the color schemes.
The color is what seemed to propel the emotion of the film the most, especially the second half when it used the reds. I did not fully understand it, actually to be completely honest I barely understood it. The idea I got from the title and the film was that people throughout history, back to Egypt and Rome, were tempted with “pleasure.” They succumb to these taunts and where punished for it going to a fire colored end.
I do not completely understand what he intended to convey with the title, specifically what the “pleasure dome” is. Is that supposed to be the Earth, or is it the bubble that people create around themselves to retain the “pleasure” for themselves. It was interesting, but in my opinion just a little long and not as good as Fireworks.
The themes and meaning that I inferred from Fireworks seemed much easier to see and understand than Pleasure Dome, and by such this is what made it better, in my opinion. The one thing I really liked, going back to the color, was its vivid palette. The colors seemed to pop from the screen and was again, in my opinion, very beautiful and pleasing to the eye.
Now that you have a Blogger account, start your own blog dedicated to this class and post a response to Anger's Inauguration of the Pleasure Dome.
This film was of course very strange and both somewhat interesting and disturbing all at once. The imagery of the green ogresk creature was both a little confusing and a little creepy. I liked the use of superimposing shots, and the color schemes.
The color is what seemed to propel the emotion of the film the most, especially the second half when it used the reds. I did not fully understand it, actually to be completely honest I barely understood it. The idea I got from the title and the film was that people throughout history, back to Egypt and Rome, were tempted with “pleasure.” They succumb to these taunts and where punished for it going to a fire colored end.
I do not completely understand what he intended to convey with the title, specifically what the “pleasure dome” is. Is that supposed to be the Earth, or is it the bubble that people create around themselves to retain the “pleasure” for themselves. It was interesting, but in my opinion just a little long and not as good as Fireworks.
The themes and meaning that I inferred from Fireworks seemed much easier to see and understand than Pleasure Dome, and by such this is what made it better, in my opinion. The one thing I really liked, going back to the color, was its vivid palette. The colors seemed to pop from the screen and was again, in my opinion, very beautiful and pleasing to the eye.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
