Film as a subversive art 0394490789, 9780394490786

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IN D EX IN TROD U CTION

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TH E FILM EXPERIEN CE TH E W ORLD VIEW OF SU BVERSIVE CIN EMA

PART ON E W EAPON S OF SU BVERSION : TH E SU BVERSION OF FORM

REVOLU TION ARY FILM AVAN TGARD E IN SOVIET RU SSIA AESTH ETIC REBELS AN D REBELLIOU S CLOW N S EXPRESSION ISM: TH E CIN EMA OF U N REST SU RREALISM: TH E CIN EMA OF SH OCK D AD A AN D POP: AN TI-ART?

TH E COMIC TRAD ITION TH E D ESTRU CTION OF TIME AN D SPACE TH E D ESTRU CTION OF PLOT AN D N ARRATIVE TH E ASSAU LT ON MON TAGE TH E TRIU MPH AN D D EATH OF TH E MOVIN G CAMERA TH E D EVALU ATION OF LAN GU AGE STRAIN IN G TOW ARD S TH E LIMITS

PART TW O W EAPON S OF SU BVERSION : TH E SU BVERSION OF CON TEN T

IN TERN ATION AL LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA TH E W EST: REBELS, MAOISTS, AN D TH E N EW GOD ARD - PART ON E TH E W EST: REBELS, MAOISTS, AN D TH E N EW GOD ARD - PART TW O

SU BVERSION IN EASTERN EU ROPE: AESOPIAN METAPH ORS - PART ON E SU BVERSION IN EASTERN EU ROPE: AESOPIAN METAPH ORS - PART TW O TH E TH IRD W ORLD : A N EW CIN EMA EAST GERMAN Y: AGAIN ST TH E W EST TH E TERRIBLE POETRY OF N AZI CIN EMA SECRETS AN D REVELATION S

PART TH REE W EAPON S OF SU BVERSION : FORBID D EN SU BJECTS OF TH E CIN EMA

TH E POW ER OF TH E VISU AL TABOO TH E ATTACK ON PU RITAN ISM: N U D ITY TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: EROTIC AN D PORN OGRAPH IC CIN EMA - PART ON E TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: EROTIC AN D PORN OGRAPH IC CIN EMA - PART TW O TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: H OMOSEXU ALITY AN D OTH ER VARIAN TS - PART ON E

TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: H OMOSEXU ALITY AN D OTH ER VARIAN TS - PART TW O TH E FIRST MYSTERY: BIRTH TH E U LTIMATE SECRET: D EATH CON CEN TRATION CAMPS TH E ATTACK ON GOD : BLASPH EMY AN D AN TI-CLERICALISM TRAN CE AN D W ITCH CRAFT

PART FOU R TOW ARD S A N EW CON SCIOU SN ESS

COU N TERCU LTU RE AN D AVAN T-GARD E TH E SU BVERSION OF SU BVERSION TH E ETERN AL SU BVERSION

FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: THE FILM EXPERIENCE

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART INTRODUCTION TH E FILM EXPERIEN CE This is a book about the subversion of existing values, institutions, mores, and taboos -- East and West, Left and Right -- by the potentially most pow erful art of the century. I t is a book that traffics in scepticism tow ards all received w isdom ( including its ow n) , tow ards eternal truths, rules of art, "natural" and man-made law s, indeed w hatever may be considered holy. I t is an attempt to preserve for a fleeting moment in time -- the life of this book -the w orks and achievements of the subversives of film. Subversion in cinema starts w hen the theatre darkens and the screen lights up. For the cinema is a place of magic w here psychological and environmental factors combine to create an openness to w onder and suggestion, and unlocking of the unconcious. I t is a shrine at w hich modern rituals rooted in atavistic memories and subconscious desires are acted out in darkness and seclusion from the outer w orld. The pow er of the image, our fear of it, the thrill that pulls us tow ard it, is real. Short of closing one's eyes -- in cinema, a difficult and unprecedented act -- there is no defense against it. When Lumiere's immortal train first pulled into that station in 1895, moving directly tow ards the camera, the audience shrieked. it did so again w hen Bunuel sliced a w oman's eyeball w ith a razor, w hen Clouzot quite literally made the dead return, w hen Hitchcock committed sudden murder in a show er, w hen Franju killed animals before its eyes. The audience fainted during films of operations, vomited during birth sequences, rose in spontaneous enthusiasm at propaganda films, w ept w hile the heroine died protractedly from leukemia, shouted w ith delicious anxiety during Cinerama's rollercoaster ride, 5/19/2007 12:09 PM

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and even felt tw inges of concern at being exposed to screen cholera. I n the light of these manifest responses, w hy assume that the countless other fantasies dreamt in silence in the cinemas of the w orld during the last seventy years -- fantasies of lust, violence, ambition, perversion, crime, and romantic love -- w ere any less pow erful? "I t is at the movies that the only absolutely modern mystery is celebrated", said Andre Breton. ( 1) I t is appropriate that it w as a surrealist w ho so w ell expressed the curious combination of technology and metaphysics that is cinema; for modern science's realization of a continuum from the rational to the irrational relates directly to the very nature of the film-view ing process. This entails a darkened theatre, greater openness to suggestion, the semi-hypnotic trance of the view er, the surfacing of deeper desires and anxieties, and the inhibition of reasoned response in favor of "gut-level" reaction. Far from representing a defeat in man's struggle tow ards conciousness, the acceptance of this inevitable duality ( the flow ing into each other of rationalism and irrationality) is itself a step tow ard the future. The mechanics of the film-view ing process have been discussed by Mauerhofer, Kracauer, Stephenson-Debrix and others, ( 2) though a comprehensive analysis remains to be undertaken. The view er enters the theatre w illingly, if not eagerly, ready for surrender, ( and deeply dissatisfied if the film is "bad" and the illusion does not "w ork") . The film experience requires total darkness; the view er must not be distracted from the bright rectangle from w hich huge shapes impinge on him. Unlike the low -pressure television experience ( during w hich the view er remains aw are of room environment and other people, aided by appropriately named "breaks") , the film experience is total, isolating, hallucinatory. The view er "forgets" w here or w ho he is and is offended by stray light, street or audience noises w hich destroy the anticipated, accepted illusion. As soon as the lights are low ered, the huge rectangle of the screen -previously noted w ithout interest -- becomes the view er's total universe. What transpires here in bursts of light and darkness is accepted as life; the images reach out to him; he enters them. The many mysteries of film begin at this moment; the acceptance of a flat surface as three-dimensional, of sudden action-, scaleor set-changes as ordinary, of a border delimiting this fraudulent universe as normal, of black- and-w hite as reality. The spectator, Rudolf Arnheim points out, ( 3) experiences no shock at finding a w orld in w hich depth perception has been altered, sizes and distances flattened and the sky is the same color as the human face.

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But the mysteries are only beginning. The very darkness enveloping the view er is more complete than he realizes; for the essence of cinema is not light, but a secret compact betw een light and darkness. Half of all the time at the movies is spent by the transfixed victims of this technological art in complete darkness. There is no image on the screen at all. I n the course of a single second, forty-eight periods of darkness follow forty-eight periods of light. During this same infinitesimal period, every image is show n to the audience tw ice; and as a still photograph; for the film comes to a dead stop in the projector forty-eight times in the course of a single second. Given the retina's inability to adjust quickly to differences in brightness, an illusion of movement is created by this rapid, stop-start series projection of still photographs, each slightly different from the one before. Thus, during half the time spent at the movies, the view er sees no picture at all; and at no time is there any movement. Without the view er's physiological and psychological complicity, the cinema could not exist. The "illusion" of film -- so platitudinously invoked by journalists -is thus revealed as a far more intricate w eb of deception, involving the very technology of the film process and the nature of its victim's perceptions. Could it be precisely during the periods of total darkness -- 45 out of every 90 minutes of film w e see -that our voracious subconcious, new ly nourished by yet another provocative image, "absorbs" the w ork's deeper meaning and sets off chains of associations? I t is in this alien environment that the view er w illingly permits himself to be invaded by strong images, created and manipulated by a director-magician w ho entirely controls his vision. True, all vision, even undirected, is dynamic, and reflects, as Arnheim emphasizes, an invasion of the organism by external forces w hich upset the balance of the nervous system. ( 4) But w hile in daily life the view er can shift his focus of attention as he w ishes ( w ithout losing a sense of continuity regarding his surroundings) , in cinema his attention is "riveted" on a pre-ordained succession of images, w hose nature, tempo, sequence, and duration have been carefully constructed for maximum impact by a third party. Removed from the real w orld, isolated even from fellow -view ers, the spectator falls to dream and reverie in the w omb-like darkness of the theatre. Flooded by images, his unconcious is freed from customary constraints and his rational faculties are inhibited. Stephenson and Debrix point out that except for seeing and hearing, body and other senses are at rest

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in the cinema, thus allow ing imagination, stimulated by the filmmaker's emotionally charged, expressly-selected material, to exert deeper and more lasting influence. Mauerhofer refers to the view er's voluntary passivity and uncritical receptivity; and Kracauer emphasizes the dialectical w avering betw een self-absorption ( leading the view er aw ay from the image, into personal associations triggered by it) and self-abandonment ( the movement tow ard the image) . Perhaps the state of the view er ( as Mauerhofer, the psychologist, and Breton, the surrealist, both agree) is closest to that betw een w aking and sleeping, in w hich he abandons the rationality of daily life w hile not yet completely surrendering to his unconcious. And the image is pow erful; he cannot turn from it. For man, perhaps in response to an atavistic memory of fear or child-like joy, cannot resist the attraction of movement ( w hen he enters a room or cinema, his eyes are inevitably draw n to the moving shapes) . He cannot "resist" the shocking changes caused by editing, the sudden intrusion of shapes into the frame, the cascading bursts of images flashing by at a rate faster than life,the sensuous pow er of the close-up looming over him. I t is so much easier to turn from the action into a live play. Here the spectator has accepted its unreality ( just as he accepted the film's "reality") and since he know s it cannot "reach out" and attack him, he never flinches from stage as he does from screen violence. I n both cases, the murdered man rises to be killed another time; but cinema is "closer" to the view er -- strange tribute to the faculties of a brain more affected by tw o-dimensional reflections on flat canvas than by live actors performing in three-dimensional space. And it is a tribute to the pow er of visuals as such. For in man's evolution, images antedate w ords and thought, thus reaching deeper, older, more basic layers of the self. Man begins w ith w hat he sees, progressing to visual representations of reality. Their transmutation into art does not seem to diminish the images' impact. As holy today as in man's pre-history, the image is accepted as if it w ere life, reality, truth. it is accepted on a feeling - rather than mind- level. Significantly, it is only if the "suspension of disbelief" is broken by disssatisfaction w ith a given film that the view er emerges from his hypnotized state. And yet, how ever "authentic" the image, it remains a distortion of life. Not only does it lack depth or density, the space-time continuum, or the non-selectivity of reality, but it emphasizes certain aspects to the exclusion of others by isolation them w ithin a fixed frame in a constantly evolving concatenation of blacks and w hites, objects and grounds. This magical invocation of concrete images that seemingly reflects reality w hile actually distorting it, sets up additional tension betw een film and spectator;

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it increases his sense of dislocation and disquiet and permits further inroads into his ever more vulnerable subconcious. I t is the pow erful impact of these brightly-lit images moving in black space and artificial time, their affinity to trance and the subconcious, and their ability to influence masses and jump boundaries, that has forever made the cinema an appropriate target of the repressive forces in society -- censors, traditionalists, the state. While the result has often been its inability openly to project fundamental human experiences or insights, neither repression nor fear seem able to stem an accelerating, w orld-w ide trend tow ards a more liberated cinema, one in w hich all previously forbidden subjects are boldly explored. This evolution from taboo into freedom is the subject of this book.

REFERENCES (1) Andre Breton, quoted in J.H. Matthews, Surrealism and Film, 1971 (2) Hugh Mauerhofer, "Psychology of Film Experience", The Penguin Film Review, 1949 + Siegfried Kracauer, Theory of Film, 1960, + Ralph Stephenson and J.R. Debrix, The Cinema as Art, 1965. (3) Rudolf Arnheim, Film as Art, 1933 / 1957 (4) Idem, Art and Visual Perception, 1965

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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THE WORLD VIEW OF SUBVERSIVE CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

BLOW U P ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Gre at Britain , 19 6 6 ) ( F) Re ality can n o lo n ge r be ap p re h e n d e d by th e "n ake d e ye "; th e tru th h id e s in th e s h ad o w s . A s e e m in gly in n o ce n t p h o to grap h o f tw o lo ve rs in an e m p ty p ark s lo w ly yie ld s -in its d o t co n figu ratio n s -- a tru th n o t p re vio u s ly ap p are n t: a co rp s e . To re ve al th e d irty s e cre t, th re e le ve ls o f cre ate d re ality are n e ce s s ary, all in vo lve d w ith vis io n : th e ( p h o to grap h e d ) p h o to grap h e r; th e p ictu re h e an d w e vie w ; an d th e d e tail d is co ve re d o n ly by th e m agn ifyin g glas s . SC

TH E W ORLD VIEW OF SU BVERSIVE CIN EMA

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The notion of the "virginal" artist is untenable. I n order to understand the subversion of modern cinema, w e must go not merely beyond film but beyond art and explore the evolution of the contemporary w orld view . This constitutes the inevitable matrix w ithin w hich the artist's creativity and originality operate.

THE NATURAL SCI ENCES The 20th century has brought renew ed questioning of the nature of the "objective" w orld. We do not know w hat the next hundred years w ill bring, but w e do know that 19th-century notions of reality and science represent a stage of human development already superseded. We now understand that absolute truth is an unachievable goal. Quantum physics and the theory of relativity have transformed cause and effect" into statistical probabilities. I nstead of reliance on a so-called "objective" w orld picture, w e now stress the subjective nature of all experience ( only God, said Robbe-Grillet, can claim to be objective) . Our "know ledge" of the w orld first comes to us through our senses, and these are primitive, deceptive, and limited. Though this w as already recognized by the early Greek philosophers ( 1) , it is only in our time that the split betw een perception and cognition has become so shatteringly evident. The "solid" objects surrounding us are, w e now know , but sw irling masses of electrons, protons, neutrons, and sub-atomic particles: smell, sound, color, and taste are not inherent in these objects but exist only relative to the observer; and mass and energy are equivalent and transformable, as w e learned at Hiroshima. What w e know of the w orld comes to us primarily through vision. Our eyes, how ever, are sensitive only to that segment of the spectrum located betw een red and violet; the remaining 95 per cent of all existing light ( cosmic, infra-red, ultra-violet, gamma, and X-rays) w e cannot see. This means that w e only perceive 5 per cent of the "real" w orld; and that even if w e supplement our primitive vision w ith our equally primitive senses of hearing, smell and touch, w e are neither able to know everything nor even realize the extent of our ignorance. ( 2) P.W. Bridgman points out that "there are so many phenomena beyond the range of our senses that the w orld of modern physics has become predominantly the w orld of instruments". ( 3) Hence, w hat w e refer to as reality, is only a partial and distorted vision of the "real" w orld. Recent experiments conducted by Robert Livingston at the Brain Research Laboratory of the University of California offer clear evidence that man rearranges his view of the w orld to conform to his experience and that ifferent people literally "see" different w orlds. ( 4) To the modern scientist, "reality" is colorless, soundless, featureless, and impalpable -- a construc of mathematical symbols, based on the mysterious unity of space and time, mass and energy, matter and field. Gravitation,

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electromagnetism, energy, and atom are revealed as theoretical metaphors, constructed to help man grasp an underlying reality w hich his sense organs do not otherw ise all him to picture. ( 5) Hence the order w e so happily perceive in the cosmos is no more than a reflection of the structure of our minds. I t is therefore possible to question -- w ithout resort to religion -- w hether w e shall ever fully "know " the objective w orld. The contemporary answ er -as alw ays subject to revision -- remains unassuring. To the fifty leading scientists and scholars attending a 1972 symposium at the I nstitute of Advanced Studies at Princeton, it seemed "that the possibility of understanding all of nature -- w hich is after all, the loftiest goal of all science -- w as in question because, through the computer, many disciplines have discovered hitherto unknow n strange phenomena. The 19th-century hope that just a little more investigation w ould reveal the ultimate truths about the w orkings of the natural w orld is now virtually gone. Each layer of the onion that is removed reveals not the irreducible core but yet another layer." ( 6) We do have more theoretical know ledge than ever before; but as w e learn more about structures of underlying reality, w e confront grow ing complexity instead of simplicity and add more to the unknow n than to the know n. Every solved mystery of the physical w orld immediately points to another one beyond it. ( 7) ( There is no need to invoke the supernatural; the processes of science -- the unravelling of mysteries -- are as eternal as the universe.) Finally, our inevitable "presence" in nature compromises our necessary scientific objectivity; protagonists and observers, w e are w hat w e attempt to observe. ( 8) Werner Heisenberg's "principle of interdeterminacy" ( 1927) seems to introduce a further, perhaps ultimate barrier to our attaining know ledge of the w orld; it is impossible to observe atomic events w ithout changing them in the process. The high-frequency gamma light rays -- the only possible light source -damage the electron during observation, preventing us from ever determining its position or velocity. We are "in the position of a blindman trying to discern the shape and texture of a snow flake -- as soon as it touches his fingers or his tongue, it dissolves." ( 9) The investigation of the most basic particles of the universe therefore can never lead to certainty but only to probability -a fundamental revision of man's cognitive methadology. Einstein has revealed a universe in w hich space and time are relative. The incessant movements of bodies in space can be described only in relation to other bodies, for in space there are no directions or boundaries. Absolute time does not exist; time is only a form of perception and requires an observer. An hour or a day is nothing w ithout an event to mark it and nothing w ithout an observer to observe it. Space is thus simply a possible series of material objects and time a possible order of real events. ( 10) Time and space represent a "continuum"; to think of them as separate is arbitrary. I nextricably one, they eternally "flow " into each other, compromising such rickety human constructs as beginning, end, past, and future. "The only definite location of "now " is "here". I n fact, every man's "now " is "here" ( the "here meaning w here he is) ." ( 11)

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All reality exists in both space and time; all measurement in time is really a measurement in space and vice versa. Looking through one of our large telescopes means looking not only into space but also "into time" -- the unbelievably distant past ( at present, up to 500 million years "back") . ( 12) Einstein's universe is incomprehensible to "common sense". I t is a universe in w hich straight lines do not exist, only great circles. I t is a finite, yet unbounded universe, curved back into itself; an expanding universe, filled w ith galaxies that hurtle aw ay from us at 35,000 miles per second. ( 13) And there are other universes. To be a scientific rationalist in the 20th century means to acknow ledge that most irrational and real universe inhabited by man: his ow n subconcious. With Freud and those beyond him w e are only beginning to unravel the law s governing the demonic ambiguities and incalculable ambivalences of human character, motives, and relations. Since Einstein, w e have continued to discover major new mysteries of the universe; pulsars ( pulsating radio-sources) and quasars ( quasi-stellar objects) , the brightest and most distant objects yet found, w hose radiation fluctuates erratically in an unprecedented manner; the variation is equivalent to the sun's multiplying its pow er several times w ithin a few seconds. No explanation exists as yet as to their nature or source of enormous energy. Processes unknow n to contemporary science may be at w ork, for a single quasar is brighter than an entire galaxy ( i.e. a million-million stars) w hile its mass is estimated at 100 million times the size of the sun. I ncreasing evidence for the existence of neutron stars ( super-dense dead stars w eighing ten billion tons per cubic inch) , of objects moving faster than light ( hitherto considered an impossibility) , and of "black holes" ( invisible objects of tremendous density and miniscule radius) raise the question w hether natural law s as presently understood are "sufficient" to other regions of time and space. Calamities have befallen man's view of his role in the universe. Our forefathers rested content in the know ledge that the earth w as the center of the universe. Under scientific duress they uneasily shifted this center to the sun. But today, in Shapley's beautiful phrase, it is "necessary to w rite the obituary of anthropocentrism altogether. For now w e know that our sun is a simple, very ordinary star, out of billions ( 100,000 million like it exist in our galaxy alone) . Our entire solar system, of w hich the sun is the proud center, has been relegated to the position of a small glob at the edge of one ordinary galaxy out of billions." I s man unique perhaps because he is alive? To imagine that life w ould arise on only one ridiculous planet in the sublime expanses of the universe is in itself a monstrous anthropocentric conceit. Life can and must arise on any planet illuminated by a star on w hich certain conditions in the evolution of gases and liquids combine properly. I n 1953, Stanley Miller, in a celebrated experiment at the University of Chicago, synthesized amino acids, the basic constituents of living matter, by subjecting hydrogen gas, ammonia, methane, and w ater --

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the primeval atmosphere of earth -- to an electric discharge. Since all galaxies are similar in composition, there is a very high probability that there may exist billions of planets on w hich life is possible. ( 14) We have no reason to assume that these planets, if inhabited, are at or near our level of civilization; after all, if the entire life span of earth is represented by a clockface, man appears in all his splendor approximately one second before midnight. Since the average life span of a planet is in the billions of years w hile -- as in our case -- the change from a primitive into a highly technological society can take place in the brief space of tw o centuries, the chances of other civilizations being at different stages of development are enormous. The recent discovery of seemingly artificial energy emissions from small well-defined ares and of infra-red objects of extraordinary intensity, invisible to the eye, have once again reminded astronomers of the possibility that highly technological societies may exist elsewhere in the heavens. ( 15) But how ever "frequent" life may be in the cosmos, it is also tenuous; only one tw o-billionth part of the radiation of one minor star constitutes the difference betw een our w orld civilization ( Beethoven, Christ, Hitler) and nothingness, not to speak of our new ly developed capacity to destroy all life on earth w ithin seconds of nuclear w ar. There is no evidence that the life expectancy of technologically advanced societies w ith nuclear capabilities exceeds a few decades: the explosion in the sky looks like any other stellar catastrophe, ironically reaching other civilizations hundreds of thousands of years later as an impenetrable message instead of as a w arning. I t is symptomatic that Macbeth's soliloquy on the insignificance of human life has in our century been transposed into a cosmic plaint in Olaf Stapleton's legendary science-fiction novel The Starmaker , w ith its journeys to untold numbers of cosmic civilizations: In every one of these worlds, thousands of millions of persons were flashing into existence, one after the other, to drift gropingly about for a few instants of cosmic time before they were extinguished. ( 16) Perhaps, then, w e must take heart and in an outburst of proud humility, recognize ourselves for w hat w e are in the cosmos: primitive, peripheral, temporal; late arrivals, w ith a stubborn drive tow ards great achievement and spectacular evil, struggling to make ends meet in a barely noticeable location in an ordinary island galaxy. And perhaps the cosmos itself is merely an atom in some unimaginable super-universe and electrons the galaxies of microscopic w orlds below the realm of comprehension. But in losing our exalted, God-like position in the universe -a position based on ignorance -- w e are now at last given the opportunity to realize ourselves as part of nature and the cosmos. There can be no better laboratory for the elaboration of thoughts on man's orientation in a complex world than a flowing meadow or a noisy brook or a spiral galaxy. For the green leaves of the

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meadow are sucklings of a star's radiation. The rapids in a brook, responding to universal gravitation, perform erosions such as those that have worn down to oblivion the lofty pre-Alps and the primitive Appalachians. The 100-ton maple tree that calmly dreams through the decades is in the same universe as the Andromeda Galaxy with its billions of seething stars. The tree heeds the impulses of gravitation according to the same rules as those subscribed to by the stars in a globular cluster. Further, the tree is made of the same complex molecular aggregates as are the birds in its branches, the parasites on its roots, and the philosophers who wonder about it. ( 17)

2 0 0 1: A SPACE OD YSSEY ( Stan le y Ku brick, Gre at Britain , 19 6 8 ) ( F) In s id e th e s p ace s h ip e arth ly tru th s n o lo n ge r h o ld . Th e "p o s itio n in g" o f th e figu re is fu lly e xp licable an d "s cie n tific"; th e re s u ltin g vis u al s h o ck is n o t an d o p e n s u s to a s e n s e o f co s m ic co n cio u s n e s s .

A NEW GOD ? Faced w ith the immensity of the cosmos and its mysteries, scientists experience a sense of aw e w hich offers them a

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dialectic synthesis betw een rejection of a personal EarthGod and acceptance of the ice-cold, unapproachable new deity of space. Einstein expresses this most succinctly: The most beautiful and most profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the source of all true science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead. To know that what is inpenetrable really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which our dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms -- this knowledge, this feeling is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense only I am a religious man. My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable super spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble minds. That deeply emotional conviction of the presence of a superior reasoning power, which is revealed in the incomprehensible universe, forms my idea of God. (19) I t is fascinating that one of the greatest scientists here invokes "the impenetrable" and "the incomprehensible", tw o notions presumably at odds w ith the scientific spirit for w hich no ultimate mysteries exist. But they are also at odds w ith our age-old concepts of a personal God. As the scope of His presumed kingdom has been revealed to encompass the infinite reaches of the cosmos, it seems ever more presumptuous to believe in the efficacy of a personal prayer or in the appearance of His son on one planet. And Auschw itz, Hiroshima, and Vietnam pose the possibility of a God w ho is neither benevolent nor omnipotent, but too subtle or cosmically too preoccupied to concern himself w ith one tiny planet. But even if w e substitute "nature" for "God", w e are left w ith a series of presently or, given our limited sense organs, perhaps eternally unansw erable questions: w here did matter "originally" come from? And space? I f the universe is curved back into itself, that is the nature of the space "beyond" it? What are its boundaries? We are confronted w ith the ironic dilemma of postulating tw o hypotheses, equally untenable for human minds; a universe of infinite duration or one that "ends", w ith no explanation as to w hat happens to empty space thereafter.

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LAST YEAR AT MARIEN BAD ( Alain Re s n ais , Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 1) ( F) Th e u p p e r clas s "as if" m o bilize d ; p e rfe ctly gro o m e d , w e ll-bre d p u p p e ts , ap p lau d in g an in vis ible s p e ctacle , cas tin g o m in o u s s h ad o w s ... backgro u n d to Re s n ais ' in tricate w e b o f m e m o ry an d d e s ire s e t in a to tal tim e -s p ace co n tin u u m .

PHI LOSOPHY, POLI TI CS, PSYCHOLOGY I f in our century the modern w orld view has undergone fundamental transformations in cosmology and science, the same is true of politics, philosophy and psychology. For w e have been confronted not merely w ith the break-up of empires, the decline of Christianity, the horror of tw o w orld w ars, and the rise of a new barbarism in the technologically most advanced European nation, but also w ith the betrayal of the first Communist revolution, the philosophical crisis posed by concentration camps and atomic w eapons, and the decline of Western hegemony and of bourgeois civilization. The rise of Marxism as a methodology of social science has introduced the notions of relativity and histrocity into the very concept of society itself, positing change as the only constant. And the realities of Hiroshima and Vietnam constitute the end of the myth that other nations are less capable of genocide than w as Hitler's Germany. I ndeed, America has updated the concept to encompass the destruction of entire countries. I n terms of the collective unconcious of mankind, the result of these developments is a crisis of uncertainty and impermanence, a total questioning, if not destruction, of all values.

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The humiliations suffered by man at the hands of modern science and the possi- bility of impenetrable mystery have led to a search for meaning in a w orld w hich has none except that w hich w e are able to give it. I t is now clear that no master plan exists for the cosmos, no prior intention, no inevitable progress, no pre-ordained harmony betw een man and universe. And the cosmos is meaningless not only for us. Even more unfathomable, this monstrous, splendid construct of circling, radiating, exploding, expanding masses of matter embodied in a matrix of emptiness, carries no meaning for itself as w ell; it merely is. Were all life to cease, it w ould continue in its cycles unobserved. To Nobel-prizew inner Jacques Monod, the scientific basis for such philosophy resides in recent discoveries about basic organic matter. These demonstrate that life is the product of chance and necessity, thus abolishing the possibility of religious or other systems that assume a masterplan of creation. Armed with all the powers, enjoying all the wealth they owe to science, our societies are still trying to practice and teach systems of value already destroyed at the roots by that very science. Man knows at last that he is alone in the indifferent immensity of the universe, whence he has emerged by chance. His duty, like his fate, is written nowhere. It is for him to choose between the kingdom and the darkness. (20) Man has no divine or secular right to the w orld. I nstead, betw een birth and death, he is forced into an adventure for w hich no happy end is guaranteed. This is w hat, in Camus' view , transforms Sisyphus' unceasing, doomed attempt to push the rock up the mountain from punishment into challenge. The universe, henceforth without a master, seems to him neither sterile nor futile. The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. (21) This bleak "optimism" of existentialism is even more clearly conveyed by Robbe-Grillet: once w e deny significance to the w orld, w e also deny it absurdity. There is nothing "absurd" about man's attempt -- against the most severe odds -- to impose his purpose on a w orld indifferent to him. But these revelations have proven too horrifying or too difficult for man. As yet another example of his w eak cognitive faculties, his conciousness lags far behind existing realities. He therefore clings to such outdated and comforting philosophical tenets as the predominance of Western civilization, the supremacy of reason, the concept of simplistic causality, absolute truth, and fixed certainty; isolated identity and permanent states. ( 22) Neal Postman propounds as far more appropriate symbols of the nuclear space age a series of concepts almost sadistically designed to repel the conservative mind; relativity, probability, contingency, uncertainty, structure as progress, multiple causality, non-symmetrical relationships, degrees of difference, incongruity.

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To w ishstand these, w e need a new breed of man: flexible, tolerant, innovative, questioning. ( 23) Only these w ill be able to dissolve the false antitheses w e have unsuccessfully attempted to live by: matter and form, objectivity and subjectivity, imagination and reality, memory and presence. What is perhaps most needed is the quality praised above all by Einstein in his mentor, the Austrian philosopher-scientist Ernst Mach: "incorruptible scepticism".

TH E ECLIPSE ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 2 ) ( F) An to n io n i's e n tire w o rk p ro je cts vis u al m e tap h o rs o f n o n co m m u n icatio n , alie n tatio n , s o litu d e -- an d d e s p e rate atte m p ts to bre ak th ro u gh to o th e rs . Bu t m an is o ve rp o w e re d by o bje cts , s tru ctu re s , an d th e p h ys ical w o rld ; an d p e o p le rare ly face e ach o th e r e xce p t in te n s io n . SC

MODERN ART: TRUTH THROUGH SUBVERSI ON I t is thus no longer possible for an artist creating w ithing this historical period to portray reality along mimetic lines ( art as the imitation of reality) or to view it as a coherent, fully intelligible construct, capable of apprehension through his sense organs and in its documentary aspects, a valid representation of the universe. "I n our age, as never before, truth implies the courage to face chaos." ( 24) The discoveries by Marx, Einstein, Freud, Eisenberg, and Planck, and the decline of a capitalist civilization, previously view ed as immutable, have destroyed forever the myth of stability and permanence and have devalued realism. At the same time they have revealed poetry and non-linear art as more suitable to the complex fluidities of the modern w orld view .

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The mysteries of microcosm and universe ( and man's humble role w ithin it) , the realized nightmares of Bosch, Kafka, Baudelaire, and Celine are finally beginning to permeate the collective unconscious of the race, of w hich the artists are alw ays but the most sensitive and naked barometers: Contemporary man sees himself in his art, not as an idealized godlike figure, in the manner of the classical tradition, but as a disrupted, contorted victim of the modern cataclysm, torn by forces of a magnitude beyond his comprehension, a grim figure, full of despair and anguish, entirely without hope. (25) But the process of learning is slow . This is w hy at the core of modern art stand concepts that still strike scorn or fear into the hearts of many as they are subversive of the very notion of conventional "reality". Dissolution, fragmentation. simultaneity, decomposition -- these are w ords in the service not of obfuscation but of clarification. They denote not escape from reality, but a more fundamental analysis by a dissection of its ever grow ing complexity. "The art of our century," says Katherine Kuh, "has been characterized by shattered surfaces, broken color, segmented compositions, dissolving forms and shredded images. During the last hundred years, every aspect of art has been broken up -- color, light, pigment, form, line, content, space, surface, and design." ( 26) From the fragmentation of color by the impressionists to the broken distortions of the expressionists, from the segmentation of surfaces and planes by the cubists to the surrealists' destruction of space and time, from the abstract expressionists' attack on form and pigment to the dadaistpop subversion of art and the conceptualists' reduction to structure and non-meaning, the "break-up" of form and content in modern art is complete.

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TH E ECLIPSE ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 2 ) ( F) Th e w as te lan d o f m o d e rn m an : n atu re d e n u d e d an d s u bju gate d ; h u m an m o ve m e n t an d in te ractio n am id s t co n cre te ; tw o s ile n t, n o n -re latin g bu ild in gs , at o d d an gle s to e ach o th e r, p aralle le d by th e p o s itio n in g o f th e h u m an p ro tago n is ts : cars -p ro to typ e s o f te ch n o lo gy -- zig-zaggin g; a p e rfe ctly s traigh t, th e re fo re in h u m an w h ite traffic lin e ; an d , in d e fian ce o f ratio n ality, an in e xp licable ballo o n th at d o m in ate s all. SC

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MODERN CI NEMA AS MODERN ART The congruence of these developments in science, philosophy, and art w ith the evolution of modern cinema is so astonishing that Arnold Hauser, at the conclusion of his monumental study of the social sources of art, postulates film as the paradigm of modern art: The agreement between the technical methods of the film and the character of the new concept of time is so complete that one has the feeling that the time category of modern art must have arisen from the spirit of cinematic form, and the one is inclined to consider film itself as the stylistically most representative (though qualitatively perhaps not the most fertile) genre of contemporary art. (27) And so w e are confronted by a stylistic, thematic, technological, and idealogical liberation of film from nineteenth-century art. Everyw here the trend is aw ay from illustrated literature and simplistic realism tow ards a freer, more poetic, visually oriented cinema. Realistic narrative structures, clearly defined plots and characters are increasingly displaced by visual ambiguity, poetic complexity, and restless improvisation. Editing is explosive, elliptic, unpredictable. Camera movements are frequent, free, fluid. Time and space are telescoped or destroyed: memory, reality, and illusion are fused, until, in a flash of frightful revelation, w e realize that the totality of these uncertainties and discontinuities reflects nothing less than the modern w orld view . Thematically, the simplifications of realism have been left behind: concern w ith the human condition has not. We are inundated by ambiguity, allegory, and complexity, by an existentialist humanism devoid of certainty or illusion. The enormity of chaos has necessitated enormity of artistic means to portray and dissolve it. The ugly, the grotesque, the brutal, and the absurd provide the truths of a society in decline. Those w ho depict these truths are the "committed" artists of our day. Far from w ithdraw ing into empty aestheticism, they are themselves anguished configurations of the alienation and deeper w isdom they portray. The simple answ ers of the 1930s are behind them. On a higher plane, they have returned, instead, to the questions. I f the sum total of their endeavours seems to consist of configurations of anxiety, discontinuity, ambiguity, and tension, the causes reside in spheres beyond their control. I nstead, in stately or disorderly array, today's artists imploringly present us w ith flares in the night -reflections of terror, symbols of limited hope, allegories of inevitable corruption, w arnings of holocausts, and intimations of possible love. I t is on this exalted, adventurous plane that the new cinema perpetrates its errors and its triumphs, providing the mysterious satisfactions of art, the strange delight of "truth parading as illusion", created w ithin a w hite triangular space of pure light and strips of celluloid.

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I f these new forms and contents ( discussed in the follow ing chapters) prove unpalatable or unintelligible to some, the onus, as alw ays, is not on the artist; he is merely the most nakedly sensitized antenna extended tow ards our collective secrets. I n poetic, oblique, mysterious shapes the inevitably reflects ( or prefigures) an era of disorientation, alienation, and social revolution and leads us to know ledge w ithout utilizing the tools of reason. I t is up to us to learn to decipher his secret communications and w arnings.

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLU E MOSES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 6 2 ) On e o f th e ve ry fe w Brakh age film s to h ave a p lo t an d be acte d , th is bitte r an d w is e p o le m ic p its an acto r w h o co n s tan tly co n fe s s e s h is ro le again s t an u n s e e n au d ie n ce . H e s arcas tically m o cks o u r be lie f in film ic tru th , d is claim in g th e o m n ip o te n ce w e as cribe to h im an d th e d ire cto r an d in s is ts o n th e fals e h o o d an d artificiality o f th e art w o rk. Th is is a ve ry m o d e rn film o f am bigu ity, m ixe d te n s e s , s ce p ticis m , an d , u ltim ate ly, an gu is h at th e re alizatio n th at th e artis t is bo th co n -m an an d m agician , im p o te n tly s train in g fo r u n attain able p e rfe ctio n ye t in e vitably be in g take n s e rio u s ly by an au d ie n ce p an tin g to be d u p e d . SC ____________________________________________________________________________________________

CAN YON ( Jo n Jo s t, U SA, 19 71) A s ile n t p e ru s al o f th e Gran d Can yo n , m o rn in g to n igh t, fro m a s in gle , fixe d cam e ra p o s itio n , by m e an s o f co n s tan t d is s o lve s s p ace d a fe w s e co n d s ap art. Man -- e n tire ly abs e n t -- is n o lo n ge r th e ce n te r o f th e u n ive rs e ; th e can yo n e xis ts o u ts id e o f h im . D e s p ite th e in vis ible p h o to grap h e r an d h is te ch n o lo gically-cau s e d d is s o lve s , th is is a cre d itable ap p ro xim atio n o f th e tru e fo re ign -n e s s o f n atu re . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

D ISORD ER ( D ESORD RE) ( Jacqu e s Baratie r, Fran ce , 19 55) Fas cin atin g e arly fo re ru n n e r o f th e co u n te rcu ltu re , th is d o cu m e n tary atte m p ts to re n d e r th e re s tle s s n e s s an d s e arch in g o f Le ft Ban k yo u th o f th e fiftie s . Le tte ris t p o e try, th e "be at" n igh tclu bs . Sim o n e d e Be au vo ir, s ce n e s fro m an e xis te n tialis t p lay, Ju lie tte Gre co s in gin g. Th e m e s s age : be au ty an d o rd e r w ill be d is co ve re d o n ly by th o s e w h o firs t trave l th e p ain fu l ro ad o f co n fu s io n an d d is o rd e r. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E ECLIPSE ( L'ECLISSE) ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 2 ) ( F)

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Th e th ird o f th e trilo gy w h ich in clu d e s L'Av v e n t u r a an d La N o t t e , th is is An to n io n i's u ltim ate co m m e n t o n th e alie n atio n o f m an in co n te m p o rary s o cie ty. It is be s t e xe m p lifie d by th e las t p art o f th e film , o n e o f th e gre at s e qu e n ce s in film h is to ry. Re p e ate d ly e xcis e d by vario u s d is tribu to rs as "irre le van t", th is is , in fact, th e film 's m o n s tro u s clim ax. Th e tw o p ro tago n is ts h ave faile d to "co n n e ct" an d d o n o t ap p e ar fo r th e ir d ate . In s te ad , in 58 s h o ts las tin g s e ve n m in u te s , w e are s u bje cte d to an as to n is h in g s u cce s s io n o f e m p ty s tre e ts cap e s ( at tim e s re fe rrin g back to e arlie r e p is o d e s in th e film ) , s ign s , p ave m e n ts , s h ad o w s , traffic ligh ts , a d arke n in g s ky, an d th e n n igh t: a vis u al m e tap h o r fo r th e e clip s e o f m an . SC ____________________________________________________________________________________________

LA JETEE ( Ch ris Marke r, Fran ce , 19 6 3 ) Th is m ys te rio u s , p ro fo u n d ly d is tu rbin g m as te rp ie ce -- m ad e u p alm o s t e n tire ly o f s till s h o ts -- is a p o ign an t p h ilo s o p h ical s p e cu latio n o n e m o ry, lo s s an d h u m an d e s tin y, p e rm e ate d by an u n be arable s e n s e o f n o s talgia. Its d o o m e d p ro tago n is t -- re p re s e n tin g im p e rfe ct, ye t s till h u m an 2 0 th -ce n tu ry m an -- is co m p e lle d by h is s cie n tis tcap to rs afte r th e th ird ( ato m ic) w o rld w ar to trave l in to th e p as t an d a m o re "p e rfe ct" fu tu re . In a p o ign an t act o f s e lf-affirm atio n an d s e lfd e s tru ctio n , h e re je cts it to re tu rn to o u r d ay w h e n th e re s till e xis ts "re al" gard e n s , bird s , ch ild re n , an d w o m e n . Th e m o n tage o f h u n d re d s o f s tills s h ap e d in to p o e tic s tru ctu re s by m e an s o f rh yth m ic e d itin g, s e n s u o u s d is s o lve s , fad e s an d zo o m s is e n tire ly u n iqu e . Th e o n e live s e qu e n ce is a film ic o d e to h u m an lo ve as in a s e rie s o f co n tin u o u s , im p e rce p tible d is s o lve s , s tills o f th e girl fro m th e p as t are tran s m u te d in to th e h au n tin g re ality o f h e r live s m ile . A s u bve rs ive d e fe n s e o f h u m an im p e rfe ctio n an d ro m an ticis m as again s t te ch n o lo gy an d to talitariam co n fo rm is m , th e film e ffe cts u n d e rm in e s w h at Marcu s e re fe rs to as th e "H ap p y Co n cio u s n e s s " o f bo u rge o is s o cie ty; afte r s e e in g it, n o th in g re m ain s as it w as be fo re . SC ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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EVEN D W ARFS STARTED SMALL ( W e rn e r H e rzo g, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) D o u ble ch in s , kn itte d bro w s , an d s aggin g s kin s re ve al th e s e o m in o u s ch ild re n to be d w arfs ; m ys te ry is ach ie ve d by s tran ge cap s , o ve r-s ize d go ggle s , w h ite s ticks , a s e e m in gly d e ad ( m u rd e re d ?) an im al. Th e im age is Kafkae s qu e in its re alis tic s p e cificity an d m e tap h ys ical d re ad . SC ______________________________________________ Se t in an u n id e n tifie d h o u s e o f co rre ctio n in a vagu e ly Sp an is h lan d s cap e , th is s ard o n ic, o m in o u s film by Ge rm an y's m o s t o rigin al yo u n g d ire cto r ce n te rs o n a m is gu id e d re vo lt again s t au th o rity. In typ ically p e rve rs e fas h io n , H e rzo g's e n tire cas t is m ad e u p o f d w arfs , a s tro ke o f black h u m o r th at e le vate s th is gro te s qu e tale in to a m e tap h o r o f h u m an ity. Th is cru e l attack o n h alf-bake d re vo lu tio n s -- an in s id io u s call fo r be tte r o n e s -- is fille d w ith Kafkae s qu e e p is o d e s , as th e d w arfs are re p e ate d ly s tym ie d by n o rm al-s ize d e co r an d o bje cts th at give th e actio n a m o n s tro u s as p e ct: it is , afte r all, d ifficu lt to be a re vo lu tio n ary w h ile h avin g tro u ble re ach in g d o o rkn o bs . H e rzo g's m as te rs are Kafka, Ce lin e , an d Bu n u e l, bu t h is im agin atio n is h is o w n . Sce n e afte r s ce n e s h o cks by its bru tal au d acity. H e rzo g is irre s is tably d raw n to h yp e rbo le an d th e bizarre ; n o th in g e ls e w ill d o ju s tice to th e in s an ity o f o u r tim e . Tw o blin d d w arfs , gro te s qu e ly fitte d o u t w ith cap s , black go ggle s , an d s ticks , are tau n te d in to in e ffe ctu al battle , in w h ich th e y co n tin u ally m is s th e ir targe ts . A bizarre p ro ce s s io n ap p ro ach e s w ith bu rn in g s m o ke -p o ts an d a Ch ris t-figu re o n a cro s s blas p h e m o u s ly re ve ale d as a m o n ke y. A m id ge t co u p le is fo rce d in to a be d ro o m to p e rfo rm a s e xu al act w h ile w atch e d by th e o th e rs . Th e be d is to o h igh . Th e fe m ale fin ally clim bs it w ith d ifficu lty, 5/19/2007 12:11 PM

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bu t th e m ale can n o t, e ve n afte r takin g a ru n n in g ju m p ; w e "lau gh " -in h o rro r. Pe rh ap s th e m o s t d is qu ie tin g s ce n e o ccu rs at th e e n d , w h e n a m id ge t, s u d d e n ly co n fro n te d by a m ys te rio u s cam e l, bre aks in to a h o rrible , h igh -p itch e d , e n d le s s lau gh . Th is tu rn s in to a s cre am o f an gu is h , o ccas io n ally in te rru p te d by s p as m o d ic, d e ath like co u gh s -- a m e tap h o r fo r H e rzo g's vie w o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E GOALIE'S AN XIETY AT TH E PEN ALTY KICK ( D IE AN GST D ES TORMAN N S BEIM ELFMETER) ( W im W e n d e rs , Au s tria, 19 72 ) ( F) Th e s to ry o f a m an -- a s o cce r p laye r -- s u d d e n ly u n able to fu n ctio n o r to re late , e xce p t in "m o tive le s s " m u rd e r; a m e tap h o r fo r alie n atio n in co n te m p o rary life , bas e d o n Pe te r H an d ke 's n o ve l. H is w o rld -- a glo s s y, Am e rican ize d Vie n n a -- is s e e n as e xis te n tial m ys te ry, lackin g e xp lan atio n . Fe arfu l m atte rs are to u ch e d u p o n in laco n ic, s tran ge d ialo gu e . An air o f vagu e d re ad , in te n s ifie d by th e film 's m agic re alis m , p e rm e ate s th e m ys te rie s h in te d at bu t n e ve r co n fro n te d . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

LAST YEAR AT MARIEN BAD ( AN N EE D ERN IERE A MARIEN BAD ) ( Alain Re s n ais , Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 1) ( F) Am bigu ity an d s im u ltan e ity, th e s p ace -tim e co n tin u u m , th e e xis te n ce o f in te rio r an d e xte rio r u n ive rs e s , th e ban kru p tcy o f s im p lis tic cau s ality, th e aban d o n m e n t o f p s ych o lo gical n atu ralis m , th e fu s io n o f illu s io n an d re ality, th e e n d o f bo u rge o is in d ivid u alis m , th e im p o s s ibility o f "o bje ctive " tru th -all th e h igh s ign s o f th e n e w s e n s ibility are co n tain e d in th is co ld ly brillian t clas s ic o f th e m o d e rn film . In re tro s p e ct, it re p re s e n ts th e ap o th e o s is o f th e N e w N o ve l an d N e w Cin e m a co llabo ratio n as p e rs o n ifie d by Re s n ais an d Ro bbe -Grille t. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

LIVIN G IN A REVERSED W ORLD ( Th e o d o r W ris m an n & Ivo Ko h le r, Au s tria, 19 5?) Fas cin atin g -- an d u n in te n tio n ally fu n n y -- e xp e rim e n ts at Au s tria's fam e d In s titu te fo r Exp e rim e n tal Ps ych o lo gy in vo lve a s u bje ct w h o fo r s e ve ral w e e ks w e ars s p e cial glas s e s th at re ve rs e righ t an d le ft an d u p an d d o w n . U n e xp e cte d ly, th e s e m acabre an d s o m e h o w s u rre alis t e xp e rim e n ts re ve al th at o u r p e rce p tio n o f th e s e as p e cts o f vis io n is n o t o f an o p tical n atu re an d can n o t be re lie d o n , w h ile th e u n fo rtu n ate , Kafkae s qu e s u bje ct s tu bbo rn ly s tru ggle s th ro u gh a m o ras s o f co n tin u o u s failu re s . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

MASCU LIN E - FEMIN IN E ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) ( F) Am o n g all th e e xtrao rd in ary e xp e rim e n ts o f th is e xtrao rd in ary d ire cto r,

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p e rh ap s th is is th e o n e m o s t typ ical o f h is co n ce rn s an d m o d e s o f e xp re s s io n . H e re , in m icro co s m o r in fu ll blo o m , are th e bas ic s tylis tic an d th e m atic p re o ccu p atio n s o f a m an w h o -- m o re th an an y o th e r co n te m p o rary d ire cto r -n ake d ly d is p laye s th e n e w in s igh ts an d co n fu s io n s o f o u r d ay. Go d ard h as n e ve r tran s ce n d e d h is am bigio u s s u bje ct m atte rs an d an gu is h e d p o liticalp h ilo s o p h ical e n qu irie s . Th e y are ch ap te rs in h is lo n g e s s ay o f s e lfre alizatio n , s till be in g w ritte n o n film . Go d ard , an o bs e s s e d h u m an is t co n s tan tly to rn be tw e e n rad ical bo u rge o is libe ralis m an d re vo lu tio n ary im p u ls e s , is vis ce rally as w e ll as in te lle ctu ally at w ar w ith co n te m p o rary cap italis t s o cie ty. Alth o u gh m as te rfu lly re fle ctin g cap italis m 's m o rtal cris is , h e is u n able to s yn th e s ize h is in s igh ts in to h o w it is to be tran s ce n d e d . An d s o M a s cu lin e -Fe m in in e is n o t a s to ry film ( its "p lo t" is virtu ally n o n e xis te n t) bu t a vie w o f a ge n e ratio n ; a p o rtrayal o f Paris ian yo u th o f th e 6 0 s -th e ch ild re n , in Go d ard 's w o rd s , "o f Marx an d Co ca Co la". Le n gth y p o litical d is cu s s io n s , fle e tin g s e xu al lias o n s , th e d riftin g s e n s e le s s n e s s o f ad o le s ce n t life in a big city, th e in u n d atio n o f co n cio u s n e s s by ad ve rtis in g, co n s u m e r go o d s , p o s te rs , s lo gan s , m an ip u latin g im age s ; all th e s e co -e xis t w ith ap p are n tly gratu ito u s d e ath ( a fre qu e n t Go d ard tribu te to th e e xis te n tial act) ; an tibo u rge o is s h o ck ( "lo o s e " talk abo u t birth co n tro l, s till ille gal in Fran ce ) ; e xtre m e e m p h as is o n im p ro vis e d , in tim ate in te rvie w s ( in ve s tigatio n s o f e m o tio n s in s te ad o f th e ir p o rtrayal) ; in tru s io n o f le tte rin g, s ign s , an d p h ilo s o p h ical m ain title s in to th e actio n ; an d lo n g s ile n ce s an d e xte n d e d o n e -take s e qu e n ce s , d yn am ically in te rcu t w ith qu ick, n e rvo u s p as s age s . W h e n th e film is o ve r, in s te ad o f h avin g vie w e d a s to ry th at h as co m e to an e n d , w e re m ain cau gh t u p in an am bian ce o f fe e lin g an d u n d e rs tan d in g th at is re m arkably m o d e rn : n o n -ro m an tic, bitte rs w e e t, am bivale n t. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

N OTH IN G H APPEN ED TH IS MORN IN G ( D avid Bie n s to ck, U SA, 19 6 5) An e xtrao rd in ary, o rigin al atte m p t at p u re cu bis m , s im u ltan e ity, ato m izatio n o f tim e , s p ace , p lo t, an d n arrative , as th e cam e ra o bs e rve s "a m o s t o rd in ary an d tru ly u n ive rs al e ve n t": w akin g u p , ge ttin g re ad y, d e p artu re . An e xp lo ratio n o f atm o s p h e re an d s tate s o f be in g, th e film p ro ce e d s o n th e le ve ls o f o u te r an d in n e r re ality an d p ro je cts ye t a th ird : th e "in n ate ", m an -le s s re ality o f th e ro o m an d th e o bje cts w ith in it, vie w e d in le n gth y, s tatio n ary o n e -s h o ts , s ile n t e xce p t fo r s tre e t n o is e s . A fo re ru n n e r o f m in im al cin e m a, bu t "w ith a p u rp o s e ", th e s e s ce n e s are in s tartlin g co n tras t to th o s e in vo lvin g th e m an , w h ich p ro ce e d at s taccato -s p e e d ( tw o -fram e cu ts ) , to th e p o in t o f an n ih ilatio n ( an d m o re s o p h is ticate d re co n s titu tio n ) o f re ality. Th e film m ake r's p ro gram n o te , in its m ixtu re o f s cie n ce an d m e tap h ys ics , is a p u re e xam p le o f th e n e w w o rld vie w : "N o th in g h ap p e n s an d e ve ryth in g h ap p e n s -- in th e s im p le s t o f e xp e rie n ce s th e re is a co m p le xity an d vitality u n kn o w n an d u n fe lt u n til th e m o m e n t w h e n w e be gin to le t its w o n d e r filte r in to u s an d flo w th ro u gh o u r bo d ie s , o u r m in d s an d o u r s o u ls . W h e n th at h ap p e n s th e o rd in ary w o rld be co m e s e xtrao rd in ary -- th e m agic o f th e u n ive rs e is w ith in e ach m o m e n t an d act p e rce ive d o n as m an y le ve ls as w e can co n tain . N o t h in g H a p p e n e d Th is M o r n in g atte m p ts to cap tu re th is s tate o f co n cio u s n e s s in th e firs t tw e n ty m in u te s o f an o rd in ary/ e xtrao rd in ary m o rn in g."

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N O MORE FLEEIN G ( N ICH T MEH R FLIEH EN ) ( H e rbe rt Ve s e ly, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 55) ( F) In a d e s o late , d e s tro ye d lan d s cap e -- be arin g n o w irre le van t trace s o f te ch n o lo gical s o cie ty -a m an an d a bo y try to fin d th e ir w ay u n d e r a fie rce s u n . Pe rh ap s th is ble ak, e xis te n tialis t film o f life afte r an ato m ic w o rld w ar h ad to co m e o u t o f s h e ll-s h o cke d , m aim e d Ge rm an y. ______________________________________________ On e o f th e m o re im p o rtan t Eu ro p e an avan t-gard e film s o f th e p o s t-w ar p e rio d , th is fe atu re -le n gth w o rk o ffe re d a d e vas tatin g co m m e n t o n th e m id -ce n tu ry Eu ro p e an m o o d . A m acabre lan d s cap e o f im p o te n ce an d abs u rd ity, p e o p le d by am bigu o u s trave lle rs , fin ally e xp lo d e s in to s e n s e le s s vio le n ce . A h yp n o tic p arap h ras e o f m an kin d 's ato m ic cu l-d e -s ac ( cle arly in flu e n ce d by e xis te n tialis m ) , th e film h as n o co n ve n tio n al p lo t, d e alin g in s te ad w ith d ayd re am s , as s o ciatio n s an d d e ja v u s . Se t in a s to n e -co ve re d , s u n -p arch e d d e s e rt, w ith re m n an ts o f civilizatio n s tre w n abo u t, th e trave lle rs p as s th ro u gh s tatio n s o f an illu s o ry vo yage th at in cre as e th e fe e lin g o f th e abs u rd . A m u rd e r o ccu rs w ith o u t gu ilt n o r p ro s e cu tio n . Th e w o rld h as m o ve d be yo n d go o d an d e vil; s in ce life is abs u rd , crim e is in co n s e qu e n tial. Th e film an alys e s o f a m e an in gle s s e xis te n ce fro m w h ich n o e s cap e is p o s s ible . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

RASH OMON ( Akira Ku ro s aw a, Jap an , 19 51) ( F) W h ile th is film h as alw ays be e n co n s id e re d o n e o f th e clas s ics o f w o rld

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cin e m a, it re m ain e d fo r Parke r Tyle r to an alyze it as th e arch e typ e o f m o d e rn s e n s ibility in film . Fo r th e killin g o f th e trave llin g m e rch an t an d th e rap e o f h is w ife by a ban d it -- re e n acte d fo u r tim e s by e ach o f th e p ro tago n is ts an d a p re s u m e d w itn e s s -- re s u lts n o t m e re ly in fo u r d iffe re n t an d irre co n cilable s to rie s : m o re p e rve rs e ly, it im p lie s th at all are tru e an d fals e , th at "th e tru th " o f a h u m an s itu atio n is n e ve r s im p le an d th at o bje ctivity can n o t be ach ie ve d . H e re cin e m a ap p ro ach e s th e s u btle tie s o f D o s to e vs ki, th e in s igh ts o f th e Cu bis ts , Fu tu ris ts , an d Fre u d ian s in to th e n atu re o f re ality as a m u ltip licity o f o ve rlap p in g, co n flictin g, co n ve rgin g s tran d s an d laye rs , e ach co n tribu tin g to th e "tru th " o f th e w h o le -a tru th th at re m ain s "s u bje ctive " an d , in te rm s o f ce rtain ty, in e vitably e lu s ive . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

RELATIVITY ( Ed Em s h w ille r, U SA, 19 6 6 ) A co m p le x, m e tap h o ric s tate m e n t o f m an 's p lace in th e u n ive rs e , fro m a m o d e rn is t p e rs p e ctive . Sign ifican tly, th is d raw s o n bo th s cie n ce an d m e tap h ys ics . Th e m o s t acco m p lis h e d crafts m an o f th e Am e rican avan tgard e , Em s h w ille r u s e s h is h an d h e ld cam e ra as if an e xte n s io n o f a d an ce r's bo d y, fo r s e n s u o u s trackin g s h o ts an d in tricate m o ve m e n ts . Co m bin e d w ith h is co m p le te co n tro l o ve r to o ls an d te ch n iqu e , th is cre ate s a vis u ally d e n s e an d m ys te rio u s w o rk th at co m m e n ts o n m an 's e vo lu tio n , th e re lativity o f h is s trivin g, h is s ligh tly rid icu lo u s p e rs is te n ce , s e xu al d rive s , an d p o s s ibly h o p e fu l fu tu re . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

TW O OR TH REE TH IN GS I KN OW ABOU T H ER ( D EU X OU TROIS CH OSES QU E JE SAIS D 'ELLE) ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) ( F) Paris to d ay: h igh -ris e bu ild in gs , an o n ym o u s livin g, an d cas u al p ro s titu tio n as s ym bo ls o f cap italis t d e clin e : th e be n e vo le n t d ictato rs h ip o f th e co n s u m e r s o cie ty e n fo rce s p e rfo rm an ce an d th e "s e llin g" o f s e lf s o th at o n e m ay live w e ll. Go d ard 's w h is p e re d p h ilo s o p h ical co m m e n ts o n th e film 's actio n in tro d u ce fu rth e r e le m e n ts o f s o p h is ticate d am bigu ity. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

ZORN 'S LEMMA ( H o llis Fram p to n , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is rad ical e xam p le o f re d u ctive cin e m a is a w arn in g o f th in gs to co m e : "Me an in g" ( p o litical, p s ych o lo gical, p e rs o n al, o r w h ate ve r) h as be e n e lim in ate d an d th e w o rk e xis ts p u re ly fo r its e lf, d e m an d in g atte n tio n to s tru ctu re , p atte rn an d o rch e s tratio n . Re ality is d e clare d im p alp able , face le s s , in co h e re n t, e xis tin g in in e xp licable gran d e u r, in d e p e n d e n t o f is . "Th e film 's title d e rive s fro m a m ath e m atical axio m ( o r "le m m a") p o s tu late d by th e 19 th -ce n tu ry Ge rm an m ath e m atician Zo rn acco rd in g to w h ich "e ve ry p artially o rd e re d s e t co n tain s a m axim al fu lly o rd e re d s u b-s e t". It co n s is ts o f th re e p arts . Th e firs t p art las ts five m in u te s : a w o m an 's vo ice re cite s fro m 'Th e Bay State Prim e r' ( circa 19 0 0 ) in rh ym e d co u p le ts . Th e alp h abe t is th e bas e fo r th is s e ctio n . Th e s e co n d p art las ts 4 5 m in u te s an d co n s is ts o f co n tin u o u s o n e s e co n d s h o ts . W e s e e s e ve ral th o u s an d w o rd s , n o p lu rals . Each s h o t is a w o rd 5/19/2007 12:11 PM

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s e e n in its n atu ral e n viro n m e n t, fro m s ign s to graffiti. Th e las t s e ctio n s h o w s a m an , a w o m an an d a d o g w alkin g in a fie ld o f s n o w , aw ay fro m th e cam e ra. Th e s o u n d track take s u p th e o n e -s e co n d be at an d w e h e ar s ix w o m e n 's vo ice s re ad o n e w o rd at a tim e fro m a Me d ie val te xt o n ligh t an d fo rm ." - H o llis Fram p to n ____________________________________________________________________________________________

W EEKEN D ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 8 ) ( F) A fu rth e r vis io n o f th e co n s u m e r s o cie ty as h e ll, in w h ich cars re p re s e n t m o d e rn e vil an d th e ir d e s tru ctio n be co m e s a n e ce s s ary act. A s avage , s tu n n in g co m m e n t o n civilizatio n by a gre at, to rtu re d e xp e rim e n talis t w h o late r w e n t fu rth e r by bre akin g w ith bo u rge o is cin e m a alto ge th e r. SC ______________________________________________ In s ce n e s o f rage an d vio le n ce , o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t e xp e rim e n to rs o f in te rn atio n al cin e m a cre ate s an ap o calyp tic vis io n o f cap italis t co n s u m e r s o cie ty, ce n te rin g o n flam in g h igh w ay d e ath s an d car cras h e s -- th e e n d o f a civilizatio n e xe m p lifie d by th e au to m o bile . Th e p ro tago n is ts -- e n tire ly u n d e r th e s w ay o f m o n e y an d m ate rialis m -- p lo t e ach o th e r's d e ath s , p o is o n re lative s , kill o n th e h igh w ay, an d e m e rge in th e e n d as can n ibals an d victim s . Th e w o rld is s e e n as abs u rd an d vio le n t. Gre e d , co m p e titio n , an d lack o f fe e lin g are th e abs o lu te an d all-p e rvad in g e vils . Eve n th e gu e rillas , p o s s ible p ro to typ e s o f th e fu tu re , are co rru p te d by th e s o cie ty th at s p aw n e d th e m . On e o f Go d ard 's m o s t m atu re an d m o s t p o litical film s , W e e k e n d als o p re s age d h is s u bs e qu e n t re je ctio n o f h is e n tire o e u vre as bo u rge o is . 5/19/2007 12:11 PM

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It co n tain s th re e o f h is m o s t fam o u s s e qu e n ce s , e ach , s ign ifican tly, id e alo gically re late d to m in im al cin e m a. In th e firs t s e qu e n ce , a yo u n g w o m an , h e r face vis ible in o u tlin e o n ly, s its o n a table clo s e to th e cam e ra, in p an tie s an d bra, le gs p u lle d u p to h e r ch in , an d talks to a m an in th e backgro u n d abo u t h e r s e xu al fe e lin gs an d e xp e rie n ce s . Th o u gh n o th in g "h ap p e n s ", th is is o n e o f th e m o s t e ro tic s ce n e s e ve r film e d . Th e s e co n d s e qu e n ce in vo lve s an e xcru tiatin gly s lo w 3 6 0 -d e gre e p an , e xe cu te d th re e tim e s , aro u n d an u n in te re s tin g farm yard an d a gro u p o f bo re d p e as an ts , w h o are n o t lis te n in g to a w e ird m u s ician m o u th in g a ( Malrau x!) s p e e ch abo u t cu ltu re to th e acco m p an im e n t o f Mo zart. Th e cam e ra m o ve s in p e rfe ct, iro n ic p arap h ras e o f th e clas s icis m o f m u s ic an d vo ice . At th e e n d , fatigu e an d co m m e n t are co m p le te . Th e fin al, m o s t fam o u s s e qu e n ce in vo lve s a s e e m in gly in te rm in able h o rizo n tal p an alo n g th e le n gth s o f a m o n s tro u s h igh w ay traffic tie -u p re ve alin g cras h e s , in d iffe re n t d rive rs , bo re d o m , p layin g ch ild re n , d e ath : an o rigin al, te rrifyin g m e tap h o r fo r th e d e clin e o f civilizatio n . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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W H Y N OT ( S. Arakaw a, U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Th e p as s io n ate , m as tu rbato ry u n io n o f yo u n g w o m an an d in an im ate o bje ct s e e n as th e ap o th e o s is o f alie n ate d e ro ticis m ; m in im al art, to u ch e d by e m o tio n , h e re be co m e s a te rrifyin g e qu ivale n t o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . ______________________________________________ U n qu e s tio n ably a m ajo r w o rk o f th e Am e rican avan t-gard e o f th e 70 s , W h y N o t is h yp n o tic, co m p u ls ive an d clau s tro p h o bic. It is bath e d in a co ld , p e rvas ive e ro ticis m , w h ich , o bliqu e an d d is p lace d at firs t, fin ally be co m e s e xp licit in o n e o f th e m o s t bizarre m as tu rbatio n s e qu e n ce s e ve r film e d . Fo r alm o s t tw o h o u rs , w e o bs e rve a yo u n g, s trikin gly p re tty girl, n u d e m o s t o f th e tim e an d alo n e in an ap artm e n t, e n gage d in a s o n am bu lis tic an d s e n s u o u s atte m p t at co m in g to te rm s w ith h e rs e lf. W e firs t s e e h e r e n circlin g, e m bracin g, e n co m p as s in g a ro u n d , w h ite fo rm ica table . Sh e u n d re s s e s , m o u n ts it n u d e , ru bbin g

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again s t it in a vain atte m p t to p o s s e s s it. Lath e r, th is s am e tactile , s e n s u o u s e xp lo ratio n o ccu rs w ith a d o o r, a d o o rkn o b an d a latch , all o f w h ich are co m p u ls ive ly m an ip u late d . Sh e fin ge rs an o ran ge an d , s im u ltan e o u s ly, o n e o f h e r bre as ts , w ith h e r e ye s clo s e d . Ove rp o w e re d by th e o bje cts aro u n d h e r, s h e atte m p ts to w re s t th e ir m ys te rie s fro m th e m an d to d e fin e h e r re latio n to th e m ; e ve n a to ile t is e xp lo re d as a n e w o bje ct. In an e xtrao rd in ary s ce n e , s h e p ro p s u p th e le gs o f a h e avy s o fa w ith s o m e bo o ks , ju s t e n o u gh to allo w h e r to s lip u n d e r it, an d th e n s ys te m atically re m o ve s th e m to fe e l fu lly th e gro w in g w e igh t o f th e s o fa u p o n h e r as s h e trie s to e xtricate h e rs e lf; th e h e avy, s ad o - m as o ch is tic s e n s u ality o f th is s ce n e is re m arkable . Th e m o s t im p o rtan t -- an d s e n s atio n al -- s ce n e o f th e film , alm o s t 15 m in u te s lo n g, in vo lve s a m in u te ly d e taile d an d s e e m in gly "re al" act o f m as tu rbatio n w ith a bicycle w h e e l. As th e girl re clin e s o n th e s o fa in m o u n tin g e cs tas y, th e w h e e l is firs t fo n d le d , th e n p re s s e d again s t h e r cro tch , m o is te n e d by m u cu s tran s fe rre d fro m h e r m o u th to a h an d ke rch ie f, an d e ve r m o re rap id ly ro tate d w ith o n e h an d . Th e p as s io n ate u n io n o f th is be au tifu l yo u n g w o m an w ith an in an im ate o bje ct re p re s e n ts a s im u ltan e o u s ap o th e o s is o f e ro ticis m an d alie n atio n : h e r vo lu p tu o u s e xh au s tio n an d p layfu l to yin g w ith th e w h e e l afte r h e r "lo ve r" h as le ft h e r w ith o u t p aralle l. Th e fact th at Arakaw a is a p ain te r co n tribu te s to bu t d o e s n o t e xp lain th e s trikin g p las ticity o f th e film , th e p alp able , o p re s s ive clo s e n e s s o f s h ap e s , o bje cts an d vis u als . Th e ro o m , in n o ce n t in its s im p le , an tis e p tic m o d e rn ity, im p e rce p tive ly ch an ge s fro m e n viro n m e n t in to d e vo u re r; o bje cts are tran s fo rm e d in to m yth s an d m e th ap h o rs . W e s e e th e m , as d o e s th e p ro tago n is t, w ith an e xce p tio n al lu cid ity an d p ro fo u n d tactile s e n s u ality, an d are rive te d n o t by a co n ve n tio n al s to ry bu t by a s tate o f m in d . Th e ritu alize d s tyle re in fo rce s th e film 's in te rn al, h allu cin ato ry in te n s ity an d th e o bs e s s ive p o w e r o f its im age s . Th ro u gh o u t it all, th e cam e ra re m ain s alie n ate d fro m th e actio n , a co ld -h e arte d o bs e rve r, re m in is ce n t o f e arly W arh o l, alm o s t s ad is tic in its co n ce n tratio n . It d o e s n o t flin ch fro m s h o w in g w h ate ve r co m e s be fo re it, e ve n h e r bu s h as s h e craw ls , s its , o r s trad d le s . Bu t it d o e s s o in a to tally d o cu m e n tary, n o n -s e n s atio n al m an n e r, ligh t-ye ars re m o ve d fro m bo th th e in te n tio n al, titillatin g avo id an ce o f n u d ity in co m m e rcial film s ( in s ce n e s w h e re it is re qu ire d ) , o r th e u n e ro tic re ve latio n o f gap in g cu n ts in th e "be ave r" m o vie s . U ltim ate ly, an d by p u re ly vis u al m e an s , th e film re ve als its e lf as a co m m e n t o n th e to rtu re o f s e lf-kn o w le d ge , th e m ad n e s s o f lo n e lin e s s , th e s w e e tly le th al n o s talgia o f m e m o ry. A gre at, ve ry m o d e rn s ad n e s s an d n igh tm aris h h e avin e s s in fo rm th e film . H e re m in im al art, d e e p ly to u ch e d by e m o tio n , be co m e s th e te rrifyin g e qu ivale n t o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . Is n o t th e girl -to tally s e lf-ce n te re d , to rtu re d by th at w h ich n o lo n ge r e xis ts , alie n ate d an d re latin g o n ly to o bje cts , h igh ly e ro ticize d , an d in vo lve d in lace ratin g s e lf-e xp lo ratio n -- is s h e n o t a m irro r o f o u rs e lve s to d ay in th e d is as te r w h ich calls its e lf o u r civilizatio n ?

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REFERENCES (1) Rudolf Arnheim, "Visual Thinking", 1971 (2) Howard Shapley, "The View from a Distant Star", 1963 (3) P.W. Bridgman, from "The Discontinuous Universe", 1972 (4) NY Times, Feb 13 1971 (5) Lincoln Barnett, "The Universe and Dr. Einstein", 1958 (6) Boyce Rensberger, NY Times, June 27 1972 (7) Barnett, 1958 (8) Barnett, 1958 (9) Barnett, 1958 (10) Barnett, 1958 (11) Guy Murchie, "Music of the Spheres", 1961 (12) Barnett, 1958 (13) Barnett, 1958 (14) Shapley, 1963 (15) Walter Sullivan, NY Times, Dec 12 1971 (16) Olaf Stapleton, "Starmaker", 1968 (17) Shapley, 1963 (18) Albert Einstein, "The World As I See It", Barnett quote, 1958 (19) Barnett, 1958 (20) Jacques Monod, "Chance and Necessity", 1971 (21) Albert Camus, "The Myth of Sisyphus", 1959 (22) Lynn White Jr, Postman-Weingartner quote, "Teaching as a Subversive Activity", 1969 (23) Postman-Weingartner, 1969 (24) Erich Neuman, "Art and the Creative Unconcious", 1959 (25) Alan Solomon, "The New Art", 1966 (26) Katherine Kuh, "Break-Up", 1965 (27) Arnold Hauser, "The Social History of Art", Volume 4, 1958

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

BY TH E LAW ( Le v Ku le s h o v, U SSR, 19 2 6 ) Th re e p e o p le , re late d by m u rd e r, trap p e d in an Arctic w ild e rn e s s am id s t m o u n tin g p s ych o lo gical te n s io n . Plo t, d e co r, an d s tyle are s trip p e d to th e ir e s s e n ce , th u s m akin g ge s tu re s an d s m all e ve n ts lo o m large r. Th e agitate d ye t fo rm al co m p o s itio n o f th e s till re lfe cts th e film 's o rd e re d m e lo d ram a.

TH E REVOLU TION ARY FILM AVAN T-GARD E IN SOVIET RU SSIA To anyone acquainted w ith the Soviet cinema of the Stalin era -a numbing succession of academic, conventional, "bourgeois" w orks reflecting the ossified ideological superstructure --

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a return to the great Soviet masterpieces of the 1920s is the equivalent of a trip to another planet. As in politics, the tw o periods are aesthetically and thematically poles apart. Never before had there existed a state-financed, nationalized cinema entirely devoted to subversion as w as built in Russia after the October revolution. The creation of a new conciousness, the destruction of reactionary values, the demolition of myths of state, church, and capital -these objectives w ere to permeate the ideological superstructure of the proletarian state, its arts, its education. And the cinema --- in Lenin's view , the most important of the arts -- w as to assume a central role in the struggle; for it w as the art form most accessible to the dispersed, illiterate masses. Several factors contributed to the unprecedented explosion of creative energy forever linked w ith the tow ering achievements of the early Soviet cinema. Among these w ere the profoundly liberating, innovative tendencies freed by the liquidation of the former regime, the exuberant hopes for the creation of a first society of equality and freedom, and the Lenin-Trotsky-Lunacharsky decision, despite their insistence on proletarian dictatorship, to permit freedom of expression to the various artistic tendencies beginning to develop. This w as particularly significant, since Lenin's view s on the arts w ere conservative and tinged by that same ascetic puritanism so often found in the revolutionary movement. The result w as an unprecedented flow ering of diverse avant-garde and intellectual tendencies in theatre, painting, literature, music, and cinema -unique also in being self-financed. This cultural proliferation saw the grow th of constructivism and futurism and the absorption into the Soviet experience of expressionism and surrealism. From 1917 into the early tw enties, the congruence of avant-garde art and radical ideology, the fusion of form and content ( so hotly debated in the West ever since, and not so secretly the subject of this book) existed in action. For a brief, glow ing second of historical time, the commitments of the vanguard artist and the society around him almost coincided. This achievement of the October revolution w ill never be eradicated; yet, just as the promise of a new society faded into the gruesome obscenities of Stalin's state-capitalist totalitarianism, so did the w edding of avant-garde and state prove temporal. The eternal tension betw een organized society and creative artist reasserted itself in the particularly brutal form of suicides, secret deaths, exile, emigration, or abject surrender. The price paid by Stalin in the arts for the internal consolidation of a regime of terror w as -- as in Hitler's Germany -- the total eradication of modernity and the creation of a perverse picturepostcard Kitsch "art", criminally referred to as "socialist realism". Since social liberation is impossible w ithout personal freedom ( w hich includes the freedom of all art forms to develop) , the only person truly "subversive" of the values of the October revolution w as Stalin. I n retrospect the basic political and aesthetic tenets of the early Soviet cinema can be summarized as a fundamental subversion of filmic content and form. I n content, it constituted rejection of the individualism, sentimentality, and aestheticism of ruling-class art, a passion for the grasping and taming of reality, and the creation of archetypes and 5/19/2007 12:13 PM

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revolutionary conciousness. I n form, early Soviet cinema manifested an aggressive rejection of conventional methods and systems and a profound concern w ith the theory and language of film, influenced by the formalist critics Shklovsky and Jacobson, forerunners of structuralism. These elements recur in the philosophical and aesthetic w ritings as w ell as in the films of the director-theoreticians w ho created an entire art in their image and made the Soviet Cinema w orld-famous.

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

STRIKE ( STACH KA) ( Se rge i M. Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 5) ( F) Th e ge n iu s o f So vie t cin e m a w as Se rge i Mikh ailo vich Eis e n s te in . Film m ake r, te ach e r an d th e o re tician , h is w ritin gs o n film co n s titu te brillian t s yn th e s e s o f p h ilo s o p h y an d ae s th e tics am id s t a m o ras s o f m e d io crity. Me m be r o f a m in o rity n atio n ality ( a Je w bo rn in Riga) , co s m o p o litan by n atu re an d a m an o f w id e cu ltu re , th is co m p le x in te rn atio n alis t p ro ve d to o s o p h is ticate d an d p e rve rs e fo r th e e arth y co n s e rvatis m o f Stalin . H is life th e re fo re re ad s like a tragic caricatu re o f th e s u cce s s fu l, fru s trate d , e te rn ally h au n te d artis t. Th o u gh h e le ft u s St r ik e ( 19 2 5) , Ba t t le s h ip Po t e m k in ( 19 2 5) , Oct o b e r ( 19 2 7) , Th e Old M a n a n d Th e N e w ( 19 2 9 ) , Ale xa n d e r N e v s k y ( 19 3 8 ) an d Iv a n t h e Te r r ib le ( 19 4 4 -4 6 ) . Eis e n s te in 's life w as an u n bro ke n s e rie s o f aban d o n e d p ro je cts . H is film s w e re s h e lve d by o fficial fiat; th e y w e re ban n e d , m u tilate d , o r w o rs e , s e lf-ce n s o re d . H is w as a life o f p o w e rfu l an d u n ce rtain o fficial p o s itio n , o f co m p ro m is e an d e m as cu latio n , o f abje ct s e lfcriticis m an d is o latio n w ith in triu m p h . Eis e n s te in is th e arch e typ al tragic artis t w h o can n o t "fit" in to an y e s tablis h m e n t; h is ill-fate d ve n tu re s in th e U SA ( D re is e r's u n film e d An Am e r ica n Tr a g e d y ) an d in Me xico ( w ith U p to n Sin clair) te s tify to h is in ability to co -e xis t w ith cap italis m as w e ll. ( 1) In th e e n d , e m as cu late d by th e bu re au crats in th e Eas t an d th e fin an cie rs in th e W e s t, o n e o f th e fe w au th e n tic ge n iu s e s o f cin e m a d ie d in e m bitte rm e n t an d im p o te n ce . St r ik e , h is ill-fate d firs t film -- a ve ritable co m p e n d iu m o f e xp e rim e n tal cin e m a -- is n o t e ve n s u p p o s e d to e xis t. Attacke d in Ru s s ia an d re n o u n ce d in late r ye ars by Eis e n s te in h im s e lf, ban n e d in s e ve ral co u n trie s , n o t s h o w n in o th e rs , it w as o fficially d e clare d "lo s t" u n d e r Stalin an d "re d is co ve re d " in th e So vie t arch ive s o n ly afte r h is d e ath . A m ajo r w o rk, it p re figu re d in e m bryo n ic fo rm th e m ajo r te n e ts o f Eis e n s te in 's ae s th e tic. As s u ch it is in d is p e n s able fo r u n d e rs tan d in g film as a s u bve rs ive art. ______________________________________________

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STRIKE ( STACH KA) ( Se rge i M. Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 5) ( F) Exp re s s io n is m , Co m m e d ia d e ll'Arte , a lo ve o f th e bizarre , an d a s tro n g fe e lin g fo r vis u als an d co m p o s itio n s co n ve rge in th is e xtrao rd in ary s h o t o f Lu m p e n p ro te larian s e m e rgin g fro m th e ir "h o m e s " to be co m e p o lice p ro vo cate u rs again s t th e s trikin g w o rke rs . ______________________________________________

ED ITIN G AS TH E ESSEN CE OF FILM ART Th e e s s e n ce o f film art fo r Eis e n s te in lie s in th e cre atio n o f a n e w p s ych o lo gical re ality by m e an s o f cre ative e d itin g ( m o n tage ) . In cre as in gly d is s atis fie d w ith th e to o lim ite d ( be cau s e s tatic) re alis m o f th e atre . Eis e n s te in h ad m ad e a fin al abo rtive atte m p t to fo rce im m e d iacy by s tagin g th e p lay Ga s m a s k s in s id e a facto ry. H e th e n tu rn e d to cin e m a u n d e r th e s lo gan : "Aw ay fro m Re alis m -to Re ality!" A p ro fo u n d , p o s s e s s e d ad h e re n t o f vis u al cu ltu re , h e firm ly p lace d th e im age at th e ce n te r o f h is film ic id e o lo gy, bu t o n ly as it e xis te d in re latio n to s u bs e qu e n t o r p re ce d in g s h o ts ; cin e m a w as s e e n as an art o f co n flicts be tw e e n im age s . A te ch n ical p ro ce s s ( th e o rd e rin g o f s trip s o f film in to lo gical, n arrative s e qu e n ce ) w as th u s tran s fo rm e d in to an ae s th e tic act. Th e cin e m a be cam e an art o f th e labo rato ry, n o t o f th e act o f s h o o tin g: e ve n ts , s e e n in re al life as a co n tin u o u s , in te grate d flu x o f o bje cts in m o tio n , w e re "cu t" by th e d ire cto r-e d ito r in to d is cre te s e gm e n ts ( m e re s n atch e s o f re ality) , th e n d yn am ically jo in e d in co m bin atio n s d e s ign e d to cre ate a n e w re ality. In a n o t e n tire ly te n able an alo gy w ith Jap an e s e ch aracte r w ritin g,

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Eis e n s te in e xp lain s cre ative e d itin g as a m u ltip licatio n rath e r th an ad d itio n o f s e p arate e ffe cts . Ju s t as th e Jap an e s e ch aracte r fo r "d o g" an d an o th e r fo r "m o u th " fo rm , w h e n ju xtap o s e d th e ch aracte r fo r "bark", s o th e ju xtap o s itio n o f tw o s h o ts cre ate s an e n tity gre ate r th an th e s u m o f its co m p o n e n ts ( as in Ge s talt p s ych o lo gy) . Each s h o t is an o bje ct: bu t in th e ir co m bin atio n , s h o ts cre ate co n ce p ts -m e tap h o rs , s ym bo ls , a n e w gras p o f u n d e rlyin g in te lle ctu al co n ce p ts . Mo n tage w o rks by th e co llis io n o f tw o p ie ce s o f film , n o t by th e ir m e re "jo in in g". Eis e n s te in in s is ts o n th e p re s e n ce o f m o n tage , co n flict an d co n trad ictio n in all th e arts -- s u rp ris e s , d is p ro p o rtio n , d is to rtio n , u n e xp e cte d co m bin atio n s , an d , m o s t im p o rtan tly, irre gu larity. ( 2 ) As th e brain is co n fro n te d by th e u n e xp e cte d , it m o ve s back an d fo rth in co n fu s io n an d e xcite d agitatio n in an im m e d iate , in e vitable s e arch fo r re latio n s h ip s an d d o e s n o t co m e to re s t u n til a n e w "u n d e rs tan d in g" is re ach e d . H e re Eis e n s te in p aralle ls th e Su rre alis ts ' in s is te n ce o n u n e xp e cte d ju xtap o s itio n s . Th u s e d itin g is n o t p e ace fu l, bu t rath e r like "a s e rie s o f e xp lo s io n s o f th e in te rn atio n co m bu s tio n e n gin e to d rive a car ( film ) fo rw ard ... " Th e co n flicts be tw e e n s h o ts o r e ve n w ith in a s in gle s h o t m igh t be th o s e o f s cale s , vo lu m e s , m as s e s , grap h ic d ire ctio n , clo s e -u p as again s t lo n g-s h o t, d arkn e s s again s t ligh t, im age again s t s o u n d . Each o f th e s e te n s io n s is , as Gyo rgy Ke p e s p u ts it, "re s o lve d in to a m e an in g co n figu ratio n . Th e s e co n figu ratio n s in tu rn s e rve as a bas is fo r fu rth e r te n s io n s : co n s e qu e n tly fo r fu rth e r co n figu ratio n s . Co n trad ictio n is th e bas is o f d yn am ic o rgan izatio n o f th e as s o ciative qu alitie s o f th e im age ." ( 3 ) Ed itin g, th e n , is n o t m e re ly co m bin in g w h at is vis ible in in d ivid u al s h o ts , bu t m akin g co n s cio u s in vis ible co n ce p ts aris in g fro m th e ir co m bin atio n -- th e ch ain s an d clas h e s o f p s ych o lo gical as s o ciatio n s d iabo lically co n trive d by th e artis t fo r m axim u m s h o ck. To Eis e n s te in , th e co n ce p t o f co llis io n w as th e e xp re s s io n in art o f Marxis t d iale ctics -- th e m o ve m e n t o f all n atu re fro m th e s is to an tith e s is to s yn th e s is . It als o re p re s e n ts th e s u bve rtin g o f o bje ctive re ality an d o f th e u n w illin g s p e ctato r, w h o is th e re by rais e d to n e w le ve ls o f co m p re h e n s io n by th e m an ip u latio n s o f th e d ire cto r. In St r ik e , th is e m p h as is o n "co llis io n " is carrie d o u t in alm o s t e ve ry o n e o f its th o u s an d s o f s h o ts by s u ch te ch n ical d e vice s as ch an gin g th e s ize o f th e im age w ith in th e fram e , u n o rth o d o x d is s o lve s an d iris e ffe cts e ve n to th e co m bin in g o f th e tw o ) , s p lit s cre e n , s lo w an d re ve rs e m o tio n , u n e xp e cte d cam e ra m o ve m e n ts an d an gle s , d o u ble e xp o s u re s , th e u s e o f m as ks to h id e o r re ve al p o rtio n s o f th e im age , th e s u d d e n in tru s io n o f o bje cts an d lim bs in to th e fram e , th e in tro d u ctio n o f n e w lo cale s an d / o r ch aracte rs w ith o u t p rio r e xp lan atio n . Eve n th e title s in te rs p e rs e d th ro u gh o u t fo rm p art o f th e m o n tage , s in ce th e ir w o rd in g, typ o grap h y, le n gth , an d p o s itio n in g ( p re cis e ly s p e cifie d by Eis e n s te in ) are in te grate d in to th e rh yth m o f th e film . Th ro u gh o u t, th e re is d e libe rate vis u al m an ip u latio n an d m ys tificatio n to p u t th e s p e ctato r in to a s tate o f p e rm an e n t p s ych o lo gical te n s io n . Th e be s t e xam p le o f Eis e n s te in 's m o n tage m e th o d s o ccu rs in th e fam o u s s e qu e n ce in w h ich th e fo u r cap italis ts d e alin g w ith th e s trike are s e ate d in th e p lu s h co m fo rt an d is o latio n o f th e ir m an s io n , s m o kin g an d d rin kin g.

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Th ro u gh cro s s -cu ttin g, w e n o w s e e , in th is o rd e r: w o rke rs at a clan d e s tin e s trike m e e tin g; th e cap italis t p u ttin g a le m o n in to a ju ice e xtracto r; th e w o rke rs d is cu s s th e ir d e m an d s ; th e h an d le o f th e ju ice e xtracto r d e s ce n d s to cru s h th e fru it; th e w o rke rs are ch arge d by m o u n te d p o lice ; th e bo s s s ays in an in te r-title : "Cru s h h ard an d th e n s qu e e ze !"; th e w o rke rs are attacke d ; a p ie ce o f le m o n d ro p s o n to th e w e ll-p o lis h e d s h o e o f th e cap italis t; d is gu s te d , h e u s e s th e p ap e r co n tain in g th e w o rke rs ' d e m an d s to w ip e it o ff. Th e ju ice e xtracto r bo th e m bo d ie s th e fo rce u s e d to cru s h th e s trike rs an d s im u ltan e o u s ly im p licate s th e bo s s e s in th e actio n . ______________________________________________

STRIKE ( STACH KA) ( Se rge i M. Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 5) ( F) Ae s th e tic an d fo rm alis t p re o ccu p atio n s o f So vie t film avan t-gard e jo in w ith id e o lo gical co n te n t: th e h an d s o f s trikin g w o rke rs , rais e d in s u p p licatio n o r s e lf-d e fe n s e again s t th e attackin g p o lice . D yn am ic u tilizatio n o f fram e are a. ______________________________________________

STYLIZATION AN D TYPAGE Fro m h is life -lo n g p re o ccu p atio n w ith circu s , m u s ic h all, Co m m e d ia d e ll'Arte , an d Kabu ki Th e atre , Eis e n s te in d e rive d th e co n ce p t o f "typ e cas tin g". Th is e n taile d th e cre atio n o f co m p o s ite "s to ck" typ e s -w o rke r, cap italis t, s p y -- a d is tillatio n o f th e m o s t s ign ifican t traits o f a p articu lar s o cial "typ e ". Es ch e w in g s u btle ty o r th e "bu ild in g" o f ch aracte r as bo u rge o is in d ivid u alis m , Eis e n s te in p o rtraye d th e "e s s e n ce " o f s o cial typ e s fo r p u rp o s e s o f p ro p agan d is tic art. In St r ik e , cap italis ts

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are fat, s m o ke cigars , w e ar to p h ats , grim ace fre qu e n tly, are vicio u s , o p p re s s ive , s p o ile d , an d s e n s u al ( a p e cu liar e qu atio n o f s e x an d th e ru lin g clas s ) ; to in cre as e th e ir gro s s n e s s an d p o w e r, th e y are fre qu e n tly p h o to grap h e d fro m be lo w . In a s im ilar m an n e r th e s to ck ch aracte rs in Co m m e d ia d e ll'Arte , Pu n ch an d Ju d y s h o w s , an d th e film s o f Ch ap lin ( w h o m Eis e n s te in gre atly ad m ire d ) m o ve th ro u gh p an to m im e an d s lap s tick to p o rtray e as ily id e n tifiable "typ e s ". Sin ce Eis e n s te in , "typ age " h as be co m e a favo rite to o l o f p ro p agan d a film s , u s e d by p o litical s ys te m s o f e ve ry p e rs u as io n s to attack th e ir e n e m ie s in th e m o s t d ire ct, m o s t s im p lis tic m an n e r p o s s ible . ______________________________________________

STRIKE ( STACH KA) ( Se rge i M. Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 5) ( F) Th e Ru lin g Clas s : p lu s h co m fo rt, cigars ( e xce s s ive ly u s e d ) , re clin in g figu re s s u re o f be in g "o n to p ". As in Co m m e d ia d e ll'Arte -- a life -lo n g in flu e n ce o n Eis e n s te in -- th e d ire cto r w o rks w ith e as ily id e n tifiable s to ck typ e s . Stro n g fo rm al co m p o s itio n avo id s s u p e rflu o u s d e co r an d co n ce n trate s actio n in th e ce n te r. ______________________________________________

SU BSTITU TION OF COLLECTIVE MAN FOR IN D IVID U AL H ERO Cu s to m ary bo u rge o is tale s o f in d ivid u al s o rro w o r s e x, e te rn al trian gle s , an d u n re qu ite d o r o rgias tic lo ve affairs w e re e lim in ate d by Eis e n s te in in favo r o f d ram as in vo lvin g th e m o ve m e n t o f clas s e s o r m as s e s . In St r ik e , th e p ro tago n is t is "co lle ctive actio n " -- an e p is o d e o f m as s s tru ggle in p re -re vo lu tio n ary Ru s s ia. D e s p ite its p ro p agan d is tic in te n t, th e film is s u ffu s e d w ith an ae s th e ticis m th at p ro ve d an ath e m a to th e re gim e

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an d late r to Eis e n s te in h im s e lf. A w o rk o f yo u th -- fre e , e xu be ran t, p as s io n ate , fu ll o f "e rro rs " -- it re ve als a ge n iu s e xp lo rin g a n e w lan gu age in a gu s h in g e xce s s o f im agin atio n . Cle arly th e s to ry its e lf -- th e s u icid e o f a w o rke r le ad in g to an ill-fate d s trike -- s e e m s in re tro s p e ct s e co n d ary to h is bas ic p re o ccu p atio n s . Bu t Eis e n s te in w as n e ve r to s ys te m ize h is s tru ctu ralis t co n ce rn w ith th e n e w vo cabu lary an d s yn tax o f cin e m a, th o u gh h e co n tin u e d to e xp lo re th e m in h is film s , h is te ach in g an d w ritin g. ______________________________________________ (1) See Marie Seton, Sergei M. Eisenstein, New York, A.A. Wyn (2) Sergei M. Eisenstein, Film Form, 1949 (3) Gyorgy Kepes, Language of Vision, 1967 ____________________________________________________________________________________________

EARTH ( ZEMLYA) ( Ale xn ad e r D o vzh e n ko , U SSR, 19 3 0 ) ( F) Excis e d by Stalin is t ce n s o rs , th is s e qu e n ce -u n iqu e in So vie t cin e m a be cau s e o f its n u d ity -vio le n tly co n ve ys th e irratio n al d e s p air o f a yo u n g w o m an w h o s e lo ve r h as ju s t be e n m u rd e re d . Stro n g h o rizo n tal an d ve rtical lin e s ( table , ch air, cu rtain s ) are d is tu rbin gly bro ke n by th e o p p o s in g d iago n als o f w o m an 's bo d y an d be n ch . ______________________________________________ In re tro s p e ct, Ale xan d e r D o vzh e n ko e m e rge s as o n e o f th e m o s t p ro fo u n d tale n ts o f th e Ru s s ian cin e m a, th e m an w h o rais e d it fro m th e e n cru s tatio n s o f p ro p agan d a an d in te lle ctu alis m to th e le ve l o f vis u al p o e try. Th e d e s tru ctio n o f re alis tic tim e an d s p ace o ccu rs h e re -- as it d o e s in ad van ce d co n te m p o rary cin e m a -- as a n e ce s s ity o f p o e tic art.

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Ae s th e tically re vo lu tio n ary, Ea r t h w as "righ tfu lly" attacke d by co n s e rvative Stalin is t co m m is s ars w h o d is tru s te d its p o e tic fre e d o m , p an th e is t lyricis m , an d th e "co s m ic" m an n e r in w h ich it abs o rbe d ( in s te ad o f liqu id atin g) th e clas s e n e m y. Th e "p lo t" is m in im al, id e o lo gically s afe : th e ku laks in a U kran ian village are o p p o s e d to th e p u rch as e o f a tracto r by th e yo u n g p e as an ts an d arran ge to h ave th e ir le ad e r m u rd e re d . Bu t th e film 's s ign ifican ce lie s e ls e w h e re , in its o n e to th e o n e n e s s o f m an an d n atu re , to th e jo ys an d te rro rs o f e xis te n ce , in its o ve rp o w e rin g p ro ce s s io n o f lyrical im age s , e ach large r th an life . Ea r t h e xis ts e n tire ly in e p is o d e s : th e p e ace fu l, s m ilin g d e ath o f an o ld p e as an t am o n g h is ap p le tre e s ; th e alm o s t h allu cin ato ry d an ce o f th e d o o m e d yo u n g le ad e r d o w n a d e s e rte d , m o o n lit co u n try ro ad -a h ym n to th e h u m an s p irit -- w h ich co n tin u e s w o rd le s s ly fo r m in u te s an d e n d s in s u d d e n m u rd e r; th e d is tre s s o f h is fian ce e w h o te ars o ff h e r clo th e s in s p e ctral d e s p air -- a s e qu e n ce u n iqu e in So vie t cin e m a fo r its n u d ity ( p ro m p tly re m o ve d by Stalin is t ce n s o rs bu t p re s e rve d in an u n ce n s o re d co p y d is co ve re d in 19 58 .) Stylis tically, th e film is s p e ctacu lar in th e o rigin ality w ith w h ich co n ve n tio n al s tru ctu re is re p lace d by p o e tic co n tin u ity. It is fram e d by lyrical im age s f o f s ky an d s o il, o f th e rich n e s s o f n atu re 's fru it. It p o rtrays m an 's p lace w ith in a p an th e is t u n ive rs e o f fe rtility, life an d d e ath . A s e rie s o f p as s io n ate e p is o d e s -- m o re p o w e rfu l th an th e p lo t -- an ticip ate s th e co n ce rn s o f co n te m p o rary an d avan t-gard e cin e m a in its e xp lo ratio n o f s tate s o f be in g. Mu ch o f th e film co n s is ts o f a s u cce s s io n o f be au tifu lly s cu lp tu re d p e as an t p o rtraits o f gre at p las ticity. Th e s e are p h o to grap h e d in m e d iu m s h o t o r clo s e -u p , in attitu d e s an d m o tio n s o f jo y, re p o s e , e xp e ctatio n o r fe ar, s e p arate d by s lo w fad e s . Th o u gh re p re s e n tin g s o cial "typ e s ", th e s e are th e re al face s o f th e U krain e far re m o ve d fro m p ro p agan d is tic s im p lificatio n s . Co n s tan t te n s io n is m ain tain e d by th e m as s in g o f re late d im age s in to re p e ate d clim axe s ; s e ve ral s ce n e s re s e m ble fro ze n s h o ts bu t are p o s e d by im m o bile acto rs in attitu d e s o f p re gn an t s tilln e s s . Fo llo w in g th e s o n 's m u rd e r, an id e n tical s ce n e o f h is fath e r m o u rn in g, im m o bile at a table is re p e ate d th re e tim e s -s e p arate d by s lo w fad e s . Th ro u gh o u t, tim e is co n ce n trate d to th e u tm o s t. D e co r, e ve n ts , m o tivatio n s are re d u ce d to an e p ic, ve ry m o d e rn s im p licity. Th e re al s ign ifican ce o f th e film re s id e s n o t s o m u ch in its co n te n t as in its s u bve rs io n o f e s tablis h e d fo rm ; it is a m as te rp ie ce o f m o d e rn cin e m a th irty ye ars ah e ad o f its tim e . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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ARSEN AL ( Ale xn ad e r D o vzh e n ko , U SSR, 19 2 9 ) ( F) Po ve rty an d d e s p air as a p o litical an d ae s th e tic e xp e rie n ce ; th e s tark re alis m o f m in im al d e co r an d attire is re in fo rce d by p ain s takin g co m p o s itio n an d ligh tin g. Th e s h o ckin g ju xtap o s itio n o f m ilitary d e co ratio n an d d e bility cau s e d by w ar p ro vid e s an id e o lo gical an d co m p o s itio n al ce n te r. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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STORM OVER ASIA ( POTOMOK CH IN GIS-KH AN ) ( V.I. Pu d o vkin , U SSR, 19 2 8 ) ( F) H avin g ju s t w o u n d e d h im in a bo tch e d e xe cu tio n atte m p t, th e Britis h W h ite Arm y an d its cle rical co llabo rato rs -- Eas t an d W e s t -- n o w atte m p t to w o o th is Mo n go lian gu e rilla in to be co m in g th e ir p u p p e t ru le r, fals e ly as s u m in g h im to be a d e s ce n d an t o f Ge n gh is Kh an . H is re be llio u s in n o ce n ce , h o w e ve r, h as be e n re p lace d by re vo lu tio n ary d is tru s t, re ve ale d in a s tro n gly d iago n al co m p o s itio n co n ve rgin g o n th e ce n te r. ______________________________________________ On e o f th e fo u r gian ts o f th e e arly So vie t cin e m a, Vs e vo lo d Ilario n o vich Pu d o vkin , is at o n ce m o re s e n s u o u s an d le s s ce re bral th an Eis e n s te in o r Ve rto v. H is film s te n d m o re to w ard s cle ar-cu t, s im p le s to rie s in w h ich a p articu lar care fu lly d raw n h u m an fate s e rve s as a s tate m e n t o f u n ive rs al re le van ce . Th is fre qu e n tly is th e attain in g o f re vo lu tio n ary co n s cio u s n e s s by th e o p p re s s e d , le arn in g fro m th e e xp e rie n ce o f life . Th e in te n tio n al s im p lificatio n s o f ch aracte r an d s itu atio n are in h e re n tly in acco rd w ith th e re qu ire m e n ts o f s ile n t cin e m a. Th e s tyle is alm o s t lyrical, o f gre at p s ych o lo gical re s o n an ce , vigo rio u s ly n atu ralis tic bu t w ith s tro n g e xp re s s io n al o ve rto n e s , d e p e n d in g h e avily o n co m p le x, alm o s t m ath e m atcal m o n tage an d rh yth m . ( "I claim th at e ve ry o bje ct s h o w n o n th e s cre e n to th e s p e ctato r is a d e ad o bje ct, e ve n if it m o ve d be fo re th e cam e ra, u n til it h as be e n e d ite d .") D u rin g th e 19 2 0 Ru s s ian civil w ar, a yo u n g Mo n go lian is fals e ly as s u m e d by th e Britis h W h ite Arm y to be a d e s ce n d an t o f Ge n gh is Kh an an d is

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th e re fo re u s e d as p u p p e t to le gitim atize its in vas io n . H e d is co ve rs th e im p e rialis ts ' tru e in te n tio n s , an d , at th e h e ad o f a s u d d e n ly h u ge h o rd e o f m o u n te d re vo lu tio n arie s , d rive s th e m fro m th e co u n try. Th e s h e e r vis u al d yn am is m o f th is fin al s e qu e n ce -- a cas cad e o f e ve r m o re rap id , e ve r m o re fo rce fu l im age s in te rs p e rs e d w ith re vo lu tio n ary title s in in cre as in g cre s ce n d o -- h ad a p o w e rfu l, rad icalizin g im p act o n au d ie n ce s . Oth e r s tro n g im age s an d e p is o d e s h ad th e s am e e ffe ct; th e Mo n go l abo u t to be e xe cu te d , h e e d le s s ly w alkin g th ro u gh a m u d p u d d le w h ich h is "civilize d " Britis h e xe cu tio n e r s tu d io u s ly avo id s ; Bu d d h is t p rie s ts , W e s te rn bu s in e s s m e n , an d Britis h m ilitaris ts re late d vis u ally to e s tablis h th e ir co n gru e n ce as ru lin g clas s ; a d ign ifie d Lam a p rie s t an d a rid icu lo u s Britis h ge n e ral's w ife cro s s cu t w h ile d re s s in g fo r a fo rm al o ccas io n . At a m o m e n t o f re ve latio n , th e Mo n go l s u d d e n ly grabs h o ld o f th e Britis h s o ld ie r's lap e ls . Th is is re p e ate d s e ve ral tim e s in a ve ry "m o d e rn " e d itin g s tyle . Alto ge th e r, th e film is an o bje ct le s s o n in vis u al p o litical cin e m a, glo w in g w ith re vo lu tio n ary fe rvo r an d h atre d fo r o p p re s s io n . ____________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E EN D OF ST. PETERSBU RG ( V.I. Pu d o vkin , U SSR, 19 2 7) ( F) Th e e arly So vie t cin e m a d is p lays a s tro n g s e n s e o f p las tic an d vis u al valu e s , an e m p h as is o n co m p o s itio n , an d a fe e lin g fo r fo rm an d abs tractio n w ith in th e re qu ire m e n ts o f rad ical id e o lo gy. H e re cap italis ts cro w d th e s to ck e xch an ge to w atch th e ir w ar p ro fits clim b. ____________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E MAN W ITH TH E MOVIE CAMERA ( CH ELOVEK A KIN OAPPARATOM) ( D ziga Ve rto v, U SSR, 19 2 9 ) ( F) Th e cin e m ato grap h e r as Go d , h o ve rin g o ve r th e m u ltitu d e , s e e in g all. Sign ifican tly, h o w e ve r, h e s e e m s to be p h o to grap h in g a cam e ra w h ich s tan d s by its e lf, as if e ve n th e cin e m ato grap h e r h ad be co m e d is p e n s able ( an ticip atin g w h at h ap p e n s in th e las t re e l) . In an y cas e , h e is an illu s o ry Go d , th e "re al" cam e ram an -- th e o n e w h o p h o to grap h e d h im -- re m ain s in vis ible . ______________________________________________ In re tro s p e ct, th e avan t-gard e p o e t D ziga Ve rto v e m e rge s as o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t in flu e n ce s in So vie t Cin e m a. Ve rto v m o ve d rap id ly fro m th e p ro d u ctio n o f p ro p agan d is tic n e w s re e ls to a fu ll rad ical ae s th e tic -- th e Kin o -Eye -- w h ich fo u n d its cu lm in atio n in h is m as te rp ie ce , Th e M a n W it h Th e M o v ie Ca m e r a . Be gin n in g w ith h is 19 19 m an ife s to in LEF, th e avan t-gard e jo u rn al e d ite d by Mayako vs ky, Ve rto v co n d e m n e d th e s to ry film an d p ro claim e d h im s e lf d is in te re s te d in p s ych o lo gical e xp lo ratio n s o f ch aracte r: "D o w n w ith bo u rge o is fairytale p lo ts an d s ce n ario s -- lo n g live life as it is !" Th e e m p h as is w as to be o n th e "u n p laye d " o ve r th e p lo tte d film , o n th e s u bs titu tio n o f d o cu m e n tatio n fo r n arrative an d m is e e n s ce n e , o n th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e th e atrical p ro s ce n iu m ( in vis ibly p re s e n t in s o m an y H o llyw o o d film s ) in favo r o f "th e p ro s ce n iu m o f life its e lf". Th is m e an t, as o n e Ru s s ian critic p u t it, th e "d e te ctio n " o f p lo t w ith in re ality, in s te ad o f its "in ve n tio n ". H e n ce , th e e lim in atio n o f acto rs , ligh tin g, m ake -u p , s tu d io , co s tu m e s ,

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an d d e co r. It w as w ith th e "cam e ra e ye " -- th e "arm e d e ye o f th e d ire cto r" -- th at th e e s s e n ce o f re ality w as to be cap tu re d . In a be au tifu l an d ve ry film ic s tate m e n t, Ve rto v e xp re s s e d th is vie w s u ccin ctly: "I am the camera eye. I -- am the mechanical eye. I -- am the machine which shows you the world as only I can see it. From today on, I liberate myself forever from human immobility. I am in perpetual motion. I approach and move away from objects -- I crawl beneath them -- I climb on top of them -- I am even with the head of the galloping horse -- I burst at top speed into crowds -- I run ahead of running soldiers -I throw myself on my back -- I rise together with airplanes -I fall and fly in unison with falling and ascending bodies. (1) Th is "libe ratio n fro m h u m an im m o bility" w as to be ach ie ve d by m e an s o f th e m o s t m e ticu lo u s m o n tage -- an e d itin g p ro ce s s s u bje ct to p re cis e m ath e m atical law s th at d e te rm in e d th e n u m be r o f fram e s p e r s h o t, th e ir d u ratio n an d th e ir o rd e r. Th e M a n W it h Th e M o v ie Ca m e r a p ro ve d to be a ve ritable o bje ct le s s o n o f Ve rto v's th e o rie s . Th o u gh m e t at firs t w ith d is re gard , h o s tility, o r be w ild e rm e n t, th e film h as e m e rge d as o n e o f th e m o s t p ro fo u n d clas s ics o f th e So vie t e ra. Its p ro tago n is t is th e cam e ra; its as s is tan t, th e cam e ram an ; its s u bje ct, film . It s tarts an d e n d s w ith th e cam e ra e ye . Th e vis u al p re te xt is a vivid p an o ram a o f o n e d ay in th e life o f a city an d , s im u ltan e o u s ly, th e p ro gre s s io n o f life fro m birth to d e ath . It is a film by a m an d ru n k w ith th e cam e ra, fille d w ith th e m o s t e xu be ran t p le as u re in vis u als "as s u ch ", a film th at s h o w s th e vo lu p tu o u s n e s s o f life , th e ru s h an d vitality o f a city, th e face s an d p re o ccu p atio n s o f its an o n ym o u s in h abitan ts . A tru e avan t-gard e w o rk, it o ffe rs a brillian t co m p e n d iu m o f film ic p o s s ibilitie s , o rigin al d e vice s an d vis u al as s o ciatio n s . ______________________________________________

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TH E MAN W ITH TH E MOVIE CAMERA ( CH ELOVEK A KIN OAPPARATOM) ( D ziga Ve rto v, U SSR, 19 2 9 ) ( F) Th e o rigin s o f Go d ard . Ve rto v's o bs e s s ive d e ligh t in m ys te rio u s vis u als co u n te rp o s e s p o s te r an d bo ttle , th e ir s ize an d co m p o s itio n al u n ity ( s h ap e o f bo ttle co n fo rm in g to th at o f w o m an 's ch e e k) tran s fo rm in g th e m in to h u ge re affirm atio n s o f u n kn o w n m ys te rie s . ______________________________________________ Th o u gh its co n te n t can h ard ly be co n s id e re d rad ical, it is its fo rm th at s tam p s th is as o n e o f th e m o s t s u bve rs ive film s o f th e So vie t clas s ic e ra. Fo r in s ce n e afte r s ce n e , an d an te d atin g th e s tru ctu ralis t film s o f o u r d ay by alm o s t h alf a ce n tu ry, it in te n tio n ally an d in th e m o s t calcu late d m an n e r re ve als its artificiality an d "calls atte n tio n " to its s yn th e tic, m an -m ad e qu ality. In a co n s tan t to yin g w ith re ality as again s t illu s io n , it p e rs is te n tly d e s tro ys th e s p e ctato r's id e n tificatio n w ith its e lf by th e in tro d u ctio n o f a ro vin g cin e m ato grap h e r in to th e actio n , by th e d e vice o f a film w ith in a film , by th e s u d d e n fre e zin g, s lo w in g o r acce le ratio n o f m o ve m e n t, th e u s e o f s p lit-s cre e n s , s u p e r-im p o s itio n s , an d re ve rs e actio n . Th e re s u lt, as An n e tte Mich ae ls o n p u ts it, is an attack o n th e illu s io n o f art an d a co n s tan t re call o f th e s p e ctato r to h im s e lf s o as to d is tu rb h is e qu ilibriu m an d to s u bve rt h im o n d e e p e r le ve ls . The manner in which Vertov questions the most immediately powerful and sacred aspect of cinematic experience, disrupting systematically the process of identification and participation, generates at each moment of the film's

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experience, a crisis of belief. (2) Th e m o s t s ign ifican t s e qu e n ce in vo lve s th e s u d d e n in tro d u ctio n in to th e film 's actio n o f an e d itin g ro o m in w h ich s trip s o f film -- th e ir im age s n e ce s s arily m o tio n le s s -- are h e ld o u t to u s by th e e d ito r: th e y als o , h o w e ve r, im m e d iate ly p re ce d e , fo llo w , o r d u p licate th e re al film 's live actio n , th u s callin g atte n tio n to th e artificiality o f th e cin e m atic e xp e rie n ce its e lf. Th e e d ito r h o ld s a s trip o f fo u r o r five film fram e s , w ith a ch ild 's face , s id e w ays o r e ve n u p s id e -d o w n ; n e xt, an d e n tire ly u n e xp e cte d ly, th e e n tire s cre e n is fille d w ith th e s e ve ry fram e s , in m o tio n . Th is ju xtap o s itio n o f fro ze n im age s o n actu al, s p e ctato rs e e n ce llu lo id s trip s ( "film ") w ith m o vin g im age s fillin g th e fram e ( "life ") is e xtre m e ly s u bve rs ive , p articu larly s in ce th e d e vice is u s e d re p e ate d ly an d in an u n p re d ictable m an n e r. Far fro m be in g an acad e m ic e xe rcis e , th is ju xtap o s itio n o f fro ze n an d live im age s -- s yn co p ate d in to a vo lu p tu o u s rh yth m -re p re s e n ts th e co re o f Ve rto v's d e ad ly s e rio u s attack o n o u r co n cio u s n e s s . A s im ilar p h ilo s o p h ical p o in t is m ad e in th e fam e d s e qu e n ce o f a cam e ram an in a m o vin g car, p h o to grap h in g a gro u p o f w o m e n rid in g alo n gs id e h im in a carriage . W e co n tin u e s e e in g th e s e im age s an d acce p t th e m as re p re s e n tatio n s o f th e p ro ce s s o f film in g -- u n til, in a d is tu rbin g in s tan t, w e re alize th at "o f co u rs e " th e "cam e ram an " is bu t an acto r, in tu rn p h o to grap h e d by th e re al an d in vis ible cin e m ato grap h e r. Th u s , in a co s m ic an d s u bve rs ive p u n , "th e m an w ith th e m o vie cam e ra", th o u gh u biqu ito u s in th e film an d alm o s t co n tin u o u s ly p re s e n t as an acto r, is in re ality in vis ible ; ju s t as th e film s trip s w e "s aw " in th e e d itin g ro o m s e qu e n ce w e re th e m s e lve s be in g p h o to grap h e d . Th u s , in "re ve alin g" th e s o calle d "tru th ", abo u t th e p e o p le in th e carriage ( th e ir be in g p h o to grap h e d ) , Ve rto v fo o ls u s . Th e p re s u m e d abo litio n o f illu s io n ( th e p re s e n ce o f a p h o to grap h e d cam e ram an w ith in th e actio n o f th e s e qu e n ce ) in its e lf le ad s to a n e w illu s io n . Th is re p e ate d an d in tricate "bre akin g" o f illu s io n s re p re s e n ts Ve rto v's s e arch fo r tru th , as h e bo th cre ate s an d co n tin u ally an n ih ilate s illu s io n ary re ality be fo re o u r s tartle d e ye s . It can be fo u n d as w e ll in h is u tilizatio n o f u n o rth o d o x d is s o lve s ( th e lo ve ly s e qu e n ce o f a w o m an 's s lo w o p e n in g o f w in d o w s h u tte rs , p h o to grap h e d in a rap id s e rie s o f s u p e rim p o s itio n s , e ach s ligh tly d iffe re n t) , in h is u s e o f lin kage ( by vis u al as s o ciatio n an d an alo gy) , an d o f cro s s -cu ttin g o f d iffe re n t actio n s in m o u n tin g rh yth m ( o n e o ccu rin g at s u ch d izzyin g s p e e d th at th e s u cce s s ive fram e s be co m e s im u ltan e o u s ly vis ible as s u blim in al flas h e s , cre atin g s u p e rim p o s itio n s th at d o n o t e xis t in re ality) . W h e re m o s t film m ake rs re m o ve u s fro m o u rs e lve s in th e ir e ffo rt to cre ate a n e w re ality an d fo rce u s in to a s u s p e n s io n o f d is be lie f. W h e n Th e M a n W it h Th e M o v ie Ca m e r a w as firs t s h o w n in 19 2 9 , Stalin is m h ad co n s o lid ate d its p o w e r an d co m m an d e e re d th e arts to its o w n p u rp o s e s . Iro n ically, h o w e ve r, th e s u bve rs ive an d an ti-to talitarian im p licatio n s o f avan t-gard e ae s th e ticis m m an ife s t in th is film -- its qu e s tio n in g o f re ality, its call fo r th e liqu id atio n o f illu s io n is m -- w e re n o t e vid e n t to th e re gim e .

OCTOBER ( Se rge i M. Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 7) ( F) Th e m e tap h ys ical ae s th e ticis m o f Eis e n s te in -righ tly co n d e m n e d by th e Stalin is ts as o p p o s e d to th e ir s im p lis tic "s o cialis t re alis m " -- s e e n in th re e m ys te rio u s , s tro n gly Kafkae s qu e s h o ts

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fro m h is "o fficial" film abo u t th e 19 17 Re vo lu tio n .

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REFERENCES (1) Translated by the author from Abramov / Vertov / Schub: "Dziga Vertov -- Publizist Und Poet des Dokumentarfilms", Berlin, 1960, as reproduced in Gregor-Patalas, Geschichte des Films, Sigbert Mohn Verlag, Germany, 1962. (2) Annette Michaelson, The Man With The Movie Camera, New York, Art Forum, March 1972

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

AESTH ETIC REBELS AN D REBELLIOU S CLOW N S The three most subversive aesthetic tendencies of our century -surrealism, expressionism, and dada -- are anchored in the reality of a civilization in decline. They are gestures of defiance against the chaos w hich is organized society. The expressionist Max Beckmann, w hose triptychs of torture and death prefigured Buchenw ald, Stalin's camps, and Vietnam, w rote in 1919: Just now, even more than before the war, I feel the need to be in the cities, among my fellowmen -this is where our place is. We must take part in the whole misery that is to come. We must surrender our hearts and our nerves to the dreadful screams

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of pain of the poor, disillusioned people. (1) "We must take part in the w hole misery that is to come"; nothing can more movingly express the social commitment of the artist, his understanding of a brutal present and w orse future. For the first time the stability of the imperial and capitalist system w as being called into question. The ravages of w ar and depression, the corruption of values, the mood of defeatism and alienation -these constituted the matrix w ithin w hich the new arts germinated. They w ere nourished by the liberating poisons coming from the sciences and philosophy. Reason and logic, bright hopes of a previous generation of intellectuals and artists, w ere found to be w anting or else required to destroy previous "truths". Time w as ripe for the subversions of Einstein and Freud. Whatever their differences, surrealism, expressionism, and dada w ere united in their determination to declare w ar on a corrupt society and its putrefied values, to dethrone academic art. Opening themselves to subjectivism and the unconcious they w ould help transform the w orld by using art as a tool of revolution.

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SATYRICON ( Fe d e rico Fe llin i, Italy, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e re tu rn to e xp re s s io n is t d e co r in th e gu is e o f re alis t p o rtrayal; cro o ke d , co n ve rgin g lin e s , a fe e lin g o f im p e n d in g im p lo s io n , th e p lay o f s e le ctive ligh t an d s h ad o w , th e s u bm e rs io n o f th e h u m an e le m e n t w ith in th re ate n in g arch ite ctu re . In s te ad o f

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p ain tin g th e s e t as in Ca lig a r i, th e film m ake r h ad th e fin an cial re s o u rce s to bu ild it. SC

EXPRESSI ONI SM: THE CI NEMA OF UNREST Eschew ing the delicate attempts of the impressionists to capture color nuances or the pleasures of petty-bourgeois life, expressionism feeds on dissonance, excess, violent emotion, the secret w orm gnaw ing at the vitals of society. I n the w orks of Munch, Kirchner, Kaiser, Marc, Klee, and Kandinsky, "objectivity" and perfection of form are sacrificed to intensity and shock. The artist, no longer a contemplative bystander, becomes an active participant: The artist does not see -- he looks; he does not describe -- he experiences; he does not reproduce -- he creates; he does not take -- he searches; Today there no longer exist chains of data such as factories, houses, illness, whores, screams, and hunger; today we merely have them in visionary form. The data has significance only insofar as the artist -- groping beyond it -- finds what there is underneath. (2) Beckmann, too, w as driven by the same impulse: What I want to show in my work is the idea which hides behind so-called reality. I am seeking for the bridge which leads from the visible to the invisible. This ineffable, poignant straining tow ards the secret beyond appearance is common to the surrealists as w ell. For the expressionists, how ever, the "bridge" w as to be formed by the distortion and exaggeration of color and mass, character and decor, stylized into making the normal artificial. The expressionist stance is anti-romanticist. I ts colors are shrill, false and vulgar. I ts angles and perspectives are distorted. The objects it portrays are of abnormal shape or proportions. The dynamism resulting from exposure to such psychological insults and shocks is meant to w rench the spectator from the conventional and open him to the radical new . Obliqueness is particularly important. To Rudolf Arnheim, it is "probably the most elementary and effective means of obtaining directed tension, perceived spontaneously as a deviation from the basic spatial framew ork of the vertical and the horizontal. This involves a tension betw een the norm position and that of the deviating object, the latter appearing as striving tow ard rest, being attracted by the framew ork, pulling aw ay from the framew ork, or being pushed aw ay by it". ( 3) This deviation can involve both location and shape.

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The emphasis on extremity and shock unites expressionism, surrealism, and dada. Theirs w as an activist, transforming, subversive art, designed to eradicate the reactionary values of an establishment that had proven its bankruptcy.

CLICK H ERE FOR FILM D ESCRIPTION S: EXPRESSION ISM: TH E CIN EMA OF U N REST

BIRD S, ORPH AN S, AN D FOOLS ( Ju ro Jaku bis co , Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Staircas e s th at p e rh ap s le ad n o w h e re ; w ard ro be s w ith o u t backs ; a clo w n th at m ay be re al; an d a d o o m e d atte m p t to live a life o f fre e d o m in a w o rld o f in s an ity an d w ar. A m e s s age in a bo ttle fro m a Cze ch d ire cto r te m p o rarily in Fran ce .

SURREALI SM: THE CI NEMA OF SHOCK Surrealism, the most clearly political of the three tendencies, w as more an instrument of cognition than an aesthetic movement. I n fact, its aim w as to destroy aestheticism. I t meant to subvert the status quo

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of patriotism, church, state, family, national honor, and bourgeois ideals. I t rebelled against conformism and the false rationalism of bourgeois art and society, attacked reassurance. I ts aim: to destroy all censors and to liberate man's libidinal, anarchist, and "marvelous" impulses from all restraint. Most important, surrealism postulated a return to the irrational and to the magic of dreams as a means of revelation and personal ( hence social) liberation. Draw ing on Dostoevski, Poe, and Baudelaire, the symbolistradicals Mallarme, Rimbaud, and the anarchist Apollinaire, the surrealists proudly proclaimed poetry ( the subconcious) the supreme w eapon of know ledge and conquest. Rationalism and realism w ere insufficient precisely because they omitted instinct and the subconcious. Wallace Fow lie has defined the realist as one w ho tells us w hat he sees of the w orld, the philosopher, w hat he thinks of it, the poet, w hat he know s. ( 4) Poetic know ledge is "truer" than rational know ledge: the poet-artist is the seer, possessing magic qualities w hich neither he nor the spectator fully grasp. ( "For the first time in history," said Norman Mailer in A Fire on the Moon , referring to the American moon shot, "a massive bureaucracy had committed itself to a surrealist adventure, w hich is to say that the meaning of the proposed act w as palpable to everyone, yet nobody could explain its logic.") Art here is view ed as a magical incantation. I ts creations and effects are both miraculous. Socrates described the poet as "a light and w inged and w hole thing; there is no invention in him, until he has been inspired and is out of his senses and the mind is no longer in him." To become a seer, the artist must give his imagination free reign by follow ing the dictates of his subconcious and turning himself into an "echo". ( 5) "Man is not just the reasoner, but also the sleeper." ( 6) For to w ork intuitively, w ithout logic, means to return to sleep and dream. I n elevating the subconcious to the central role, art returns to its fundamental mystery: The profoundest works of art are those related to the most hidden intentions. The deeper the artist plunges himself through introspection, the further he moves away from the assurances of facts, the nearer he will approach the ambiguity of dreams ... What we want is the enigma, not the truth ... not clarity, but ambiguity rules art, and surrealism is the triumph of ambiguity ... a cult of the enigmatic adapted to a culture that has outgrown the rituals and sacraments of official religions, heresies, and metaphysical acts. (8) I t is here that Freud most strongly influenced the surrealists. Hence their emphasis on stream-of-conciousness, hallucinatory states, "automatic w riting", and absurd games; their opposition to plotted narrative. Only the realm beyond logic w as held to reveal truth and resolve the false contradiction of dream and w aking life into the higher reality of

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surrealism. Said Andre Breton in the first surrealist manifesto in 1924: Surrealism is pure psychic automatism, by which it is intended to express, either verbally or in writing, the true function of thought. Thought dictated in the absence of all control exerted by reason, and outside all aesthetic or moral preoccupathions. Surrealism is based on the belief in the superior reality of certain forms of associations heretofore neglected; in the omnipotence of the dream and in the disinterested play of thought. (9) These "irrational" associations constitute the primary surrealist w eapon, the use of "shock". This is attained by distortion of reality or the disjunction of objects from their usual context, resulting in their transformation into "surrealist objects". George Amberg states, in an unpublished paper, that the mechanism of intentional shock causes a pow erful, instant tension discharge on the part of the spectator w hich is beneficial ( pleasurable) rather than traumatic, its aesthetic pleasure inverse to its strength. Examples of the surrealist object are Dali's melting w atches ( a desecration of our holiest symbol of truth and objectivity, this picture could not have been painted before Freud and Einstein) ; Max Ernst's collages of old engravings and incongruous pictorial elements; Magritte's picture of a pipe w ith a byline reading: "This is not a pipe." I llustrative of the surrealist sensibility are Lautreamont's definition of beauty as "the classic meeting on a dissecting tableof a sew ing machine and an umbrella" or Di Chirico's realization that even such ordinary transpositions as furniture on a pavement during moving ( or the frightening displacement of familiar objects follow ing a burglary) acquire an uncanny new meaning. This detaching of objects from their usual surroundings ( chains) , Fow lie maintains, can be view ed as a gesture of freedom from the rules of society, family, and state and represents the "limitless possibility" of salvation through dream, love, and desire. ( 10) Far from this salvation having taken place, perhaps the most "shocking" aspect of surrealism is that its imaginary nightmares and monstrous projections of the unthinkable have in our day become realities.

CLICK H ERE FOR FILM D ESCRIPTION S: SU RREALISM: TH E CIN EMA OF SH OCK

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BIG BU SIN ESS ( J.W . H o rn e , U SA, 19 2 4 ) Brilliian t farce p ro p e ls tw o in e ffe ctu al Ch ris tm as tre e s ale s m e n in to a p ro lo n ge d bo u t o f s avage d e s tru ctio n d ire cte d again s t a cu s to m e r w h o re fu s e s to bu y. Mu tu al in s u lts , tie s n ip p in g, an d s m all vio le n ce e s calate fro m co n tro lle d d is tu rban ce to s u rre alis t cataclys m , in w h ich th e Am e rican H o m e is le ve le d o n ce an d fo r all.

DADA AND POP: ANTI -ART? The renew ed emphasis on objects and their juxtaposition also animated the dadaists. Much later is w as to influence the present-day offspring of expressionism, surrealism, and dada -- the pop artists. I n their total rejection of art, the dadaists ( destined to become "artists" in turn) desecreted logic and objectivity. They turned their attention to object and the micro- elements of reality the more thoroughly to destroy the macro-structure. "Dada w ished to replace the logical nonsense of the men of today w ith an illogical nonsense." ( 11) Everything w as permissible as regards materials, subject matter, and placement. The more banal and everyday the object, the better it served its purpose. Duchamp turned a urinal into a w ork of art simply by isolating it from its usual environment and function. Objects, states Alan Solomon, w ere no longer neutral but ambiguous and arbitrary, their "meaning" dependent on the artist. There are correlations betw een Schw itters' changing found objects into

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art and Rauschenberg's cabled reply to a request to do a portrait of I ris Clert: "This telegram is a portrait of I ris Clert if I say so"; ( 12) or Edw ard Ruscha's book of photographs, Real Estate Opportunities in and around Los Angeles, merely show ing view s of undeveloped lots. I n a similar vein are Jasper Johns' hand-painted replicas of Ballantine Ale cans and Harvey Stromberg's "permanent" Museum of Modern Art Exhibition of his "w orks" -photographic scale-reproductions of Museum keyholes, light sw itches, and w all cracks, pasted on the museum w alls and doors by the artist. When coke bottles, hot dogs, and photos of parking lots become art, objects once again become magical, serving as icons to make us view reality more closely and to question it. This "tearing" of the illusionist surface of reality and of its customary acceptance as truthful and eternal, is w hat constitutes the subversion of Warhol or Tzara. The separation of object from environment can also be achieved by a change of proportions betw een them or by the suppression of background. Anticipating Warhol and minimal art, this w as understood by Leger: To isolate the object or the fragment of an object and to present it on the screen in close-ups of the largest possible scale gives it a personality it never had before and in this way it can become a vehicle of entirely new lyric and plastic power. (11) Charles Reich points out that pop artists, by presenting neon signs, juke boxes, and other icons of a sterile consumer society in an apparently neutral yet isolating manner, transcend these objects by creative use, thereby regaining a measure of pow er over their environment. ( 14) Similarly to surrealism, dada also stresses the significance of chance and accident, delighting in their subversive unpredictability. Dada accepts neither stricture nor dogma, mixes style and materials, and contradicts and attacks itself. The very concept of "original" art is questioned by Warhol and Duchamp; art has become reproduceable and expendable. The radical aspects of dada and pop art have been integrated into a style of unconventional political action by segments of the international New Left ( particularly the American Yippies and the student movement) . This may involve introducing flow ers into a situation of state violence, political street theatre to disrupt opponents' meetings, the distribution of dollar bills to New York stock exchange brokers, intentional disrespect for the flag and other patriotic symbols, or exhortations to punch I BM-cards erratically to disrupt computer billing. Such actions return us to surrealist juxtaposition of related objects and nose-thumbing dadaist disregard of their ordinary use. I t is the very artificiality of the film medium -- its inevitable "de-formation" of reality, implicit anarchist freedom from all logical restraint, and inherent subjectivity -- that renders it an eminently suitable tool for these artists.

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As the surrealist critic-filmmaker Jacques Brunius maintained, in contrast to the Kracauer-school of film-theory, "the cinema is the least realistic art." ( 13) I t can distort shapes, colors, life; it can imitate dreams and free associations by transformations of time and space; it can combine objects and background ( or have them collide) in the most "objectionable" concatenations; it can destroy space, already rendered suspect by the surrealists, in a fraction of a second; it is able to portray the subconcious or reveal the "automatic" artistic activity of the filmmaker. The shocking introduction of new objects into the frame, the explosive juxtaposition of conflicting images by means of editing, the startling ability of the medium to create even "impossible" new realities by superimposition, masks and other technical devices, pointed to film as a perfect medium for humanist provocation.

CLICK H ERE FOR FILM D ESCRIPTION S: D AD A AN D POP: AN TI ART?

U N ID EN TIFIABLE KEYSTON E FILM Circa 19 15 Th e s u rre alis t e xu be ran ce o f Mack Se n n e tt's u n ive rs e -- its cataclys m s o f d e s tru ctio n , its re fu tatio n o f co m m o n s e n s e an d lo gic -- in vo lve s fro n tal attacks o n th e bo u rge o is n o tio n o f a s table , o rd e rly u n ive rs e . N o in s titu tio n is s afe , an d e ve ry p o in t

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is m ad e vis u ally in cas cad in g, brillian tly-tim e d s igh t gags .

THE COMI C TRADI TI ON These cinematic devices led surrealism, dadaists, and, in a different manner, expressionists, quickly to realize the subversive potential of film comedy. Sennett, Fields, the Marx Brothers, Langdon, Keaton, and Chaplin make a frontal attack, w ith exuberant madness and in differing styles, on the beloved bourgeois notion of a stable, orderly universe in w hich appearance equates reality, justice and law prevail, the meek are accomodated, and ladies are safely married. The great film comedians in their endless cataclysms of visual gags -- so beautifully w edded to cinema in w hich the image w as supreme -- befoul this myth in the most hilarious and offensive manner, supporting it in paroxysms of seditious defloration. Any symbol of the ruling class is subject to immediate attack. The rich and the pow erful, anyone in uniform -- judges, priests, society ladies, policemen, emperors, and presidents -- are all stripped of their pow er emblems and pretensions in systematic, large-scale assaults or insidious guerilla attacks. The taboo of the state and its institutions, of organized religion and bourgeois respectability is subverted by sight-gags, pie-throw ing, pratfalls, and savage satire: not even fire departments or w omanhood are exempt as the demystification of society is completed. And it is once again the cinema that is most capable of w reaking this metaphysical, seditious havoc; for action can be speeded up for comic effect; time and space can be scrambled; impossible accidents created most realistically; editing can provide an incessant tempo of successively heightened sight gags; w ordless actions involving the basic symbols of reality assume the character of hilarious nightmares; jump-cuts or stop-motion animation irreverently combine w hat is never combined in good society. Here the inherent anarchism of cinema ( so beloved by the surrealists) finds its true and perhaps ultimate expression. An attack on a technology gone w ild, a cynicism regarding human motives, a tearing off of all veils, a total permissiveness that allow s revenge against pow er and cant, characterize this procession of masterpieces, one of America's significant contributions to the international subversive cinema. Robert Desnos, brilliant surrealist poet and ideologue killed by the Nazis, in a book significantly entitled Mack Sennett, Liberator of Cinema , emphasizes the essential: We well know the madness presiding over his scripts. It is the madness of fairy tale and of those dreamers whom the world holds in contempt and to whom the world owes what is delightful in life. (16)

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The anarchists' revolt extends to all the symbols of bourgeois good life, everything that is "holy". Mothers are mercilessly attacked, baby carriages overturned, children despised, sentimental love satirized, last-minute rescues and happy endings made fun of, the sanctity of home and family besmirched; nothing is exempt from their laughter. The German historians Enno Patalas and Ulrich Gregor correctly point to the inversion by Sennett of Griffith's basic thematic materials. Sennett had w orked w ith Griffith and referred to this apprenticeship as his "university". He used Griffith's editing methods and sentimental plots, how ever, not for realism and epic narrative, but to explode the illusion of reality and narrative continuity and he specifically satirized the master's style and plots in a number of films. ( 17) Chaplin, the most politically concious of the comedians, combined pathos and an essentially tragic view of life w ith the most sublime visual imagination and physical dexterity. A similar pathos permeates both Keaton and Langdon, a stoic pessimism ( yet stubborn resistance) to objects as w ell as institutions that forces us to laugh and simultaneously cry in painful self-realization. At the height of his pow er, it w as I onesco w ho best sensed the deeper significance of this movement: I have never been able to understand the difference that is made between the comic and the tragic. As the comic is the intuition of the absurd, it seems to me more conducive to despair than the tragic. The comic offers no way out. I say "conducive to despair", but in reality it is beyond despair or hope ... Humor makes us conscious with a free lucidity of the tragic or desultory condition of man ... Laughter alone does not respect any taboo; the comic alone is capable of giving us the strength to bear the tragedy of existence. (18) I n these films, relativity and ambiguity -- hallmarks of the modern sensibility -- reign supreme. No one is w hat he seems, friend turns into foe, buildings collapse, innocent episodes turn into catastrophes involving mass destruction; nothing is firm or eternal. The universe is presented as an alien, hostile place, w here only a few , far-flung pockets of love exist to provide temporary relief from loneliness and alienation. Rare humanizing episodes can only be found in Chaplin or the romantic entanglements ( how ever shallow ) of Langdon or Keaton. Love is never directed tow ards the Marx Brothers, Laurel and Hardy or W.C. Fields. Harpo, the insane, joyful satyr and the ineffectual Stan Laurel only project a leering, anarchic sexuality. The w orldw ide success and international acceptance of these masterpieces is not only a tribute to their art and the pow er of their images, but even more a recognition of the universality of the injustice and cant w hich they opposed w ith diabolical laughter; it is precisely this that endeared

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them to the aesthetic rebels of the first half of our century.

CLICK H ERE FOR FILM D ESCRIPTION S: TH E COMIC TRAD ITION REFERENCES (1) Max Beckmann, quote in Victor Miesel, Voices of German Expressionism, 1970 (2) Kasimir Edschmidt, quote in Rudolf Kurtz, Expresionismus und Film, 1926 (3) Rudolf Arnheim, Art and Visual Perception, 1965 (4) Wallace Fowlie, Age of Surrealism, 1960 (5) Fowlie (6) Maurice Nadeau, The History of Surrealism, 1965 (7) Nicolas Calas, Art in the Age of Risk, 1968 (8) Calas (9) Andre Breton, "First Surrealist Manifesto" in Richard Seaver, Manifestoes of Surrealism, 1971 (10) Fowlie (11) Gabrielle Buffet-Picabia, in Sears-Lord, The Discontinuous Universe. 1972 (12) Lucy R. Lippard, Pop Art, 1966 (13) Lippard (14) Charles Reich, The Greening of America, 1970 (15) J.H. Matthews, Surrealism and Film, 1971 (16) Matthews (17) Ulrich Gregor & Enno Patalos, Geschichte des Films, 1962 Martin Esslin, The Theatre of the Absurd, 1961

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E CABIN ET OF D R. CALIGARI ( D AS KABIN ETT D ES D R. CALIGARI) ( Ro be rt W ie n e , Ge rm an y, 19 19 ) ( F) Th e in s an e as ylu m -- bu t is it? In a ve ry m o d e rn tw is t, th e lin e s be tw e e n s an e an d in s an e s h ift w h ile re ality an d ratio n alis m are calle d in to qu e s tio n . Th e co n ce n tric ray p atte rn , co n ve rgin g u p o n th e m ad h e ro in e , cre ate s s tro n g vis u al d is tu rban ce , re in fo rce d by o p p o s in g ge o m e tric s h ap e s in th e backgro u n d .

EXPRESSION ISM: TH E CIN EMA OF U N REST

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CABIN ET OF D R. CALIGARI ( D AS KABIN ETT D ES D R. CALIGARI) ( Ro be rt W ie n e , Ge rm an y, 19 19 ) ( F) Th e d e co r as in te gral p art o f th e e xp re s s io n is t s tate m e n t. Pro u d ly artificial, it calls atte n tio n to its e lf by bo ld n e s s an d e xagge ratio n . N o t a s in gle s traigh t lin e is to be s e e n ; in s te ad , bo th acto rs an d s e ts s e e m to co llap s e u p o n e ach o th e r in a re fle ctio n o f ch ao s an d d re ad , as th e m u rd e ro u s s o m n am bu lis t abd u cts th e girl. ______________________________________________ Th is e xtrao rd in ary w o rk -- in te rm s o f im p act, o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t film s e ve r m ad e -- is a m e tap h ys ical co n s tru ct d is gu is e d as a m e lo d ram atic th rille r. Ap p are n tly th e s to ry o f a m ad m agician w h o h yp n o tize s a s o m n am bu lis t in to co m m ittin g m u rd e r, it is re co u n te d by th e p ro tago n is t in a s e ttin g re ve ale d o n ly at th e e n d as p art o f an in s an e as ylu m , in w h ich p ro tago n is t an d acto rs are in m ate s , w h ile th e m ad m agician is actu ally th e ir be n e vo le n t p s ych iatris t. Su ffu s e d w ith atavis tic, n am e le s s te rro r, th e film e vo ke s an d e xp lo its u n fo cu s e d , p rim itive an xie tie s in th e s p e ctato r. In th e co n te xt o f th e e arly tw e n tie s its ae s th e tic d arin g an d o rigin ality are e xtre m e ; it 5/19/2007 12:16 PM

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cre ate s its o w n m agic u n ive rs e , s tre s s in g d arkn e s s an d n igh t as th e are n a o f h u m an d re ad an d an xie ty. Th e d e co r an d s ce n e ry -- by w e llkn o w n e xp re s s io n is t p ain te rs -- are to tally in te grate d , s u bje ctive co m p o n e n ts o f th e actio n w ith o u t w h ich th e film co u ld n o t e xis t; th e y are rid d le d w ith e m o tio n an d e n tire ly artificial ( o fte n m e re ly p ain te d o n ) an d fu ll o f d is to rte d p e rs p e ctive s an d e xtre m e d is lo catio n s . To tte rin g s tre e ts , w arp e d bu ild in gs an d ce ilin gs , w alls th at te n d to fall to w ard e ach o th e r, e ve n abs tract p atte rn s s e rve to e m p h as ize clau s tro p h o bia an d im p e n d in g ch ao s . Th e artificial, h an d -d raw n s h ad o w s ( an tid atin g La s t Y e a r in M a r ie n b a d ) fall in d is re gard o f n atu ral law s , in cre as in g d is to rtio n an d co n tras t; figh tin g is s e le ctive , m e lo d ram atic, arbitrary; actin g -- ad ap te d to th e m e tap h ys ical co n ce p t o f th e w o rk -s tylize d an d ro bo t-like ,as if th e fals e cu rve s an d "m o ve m e n ts " o f th e d e co r w e re be in g d u p licate d by th e p ro tago n is ts . Th e ir face s d is to rte d in to m as k-like vis age s by e xagge rate d m ake u p , th e y ( an d th e ir s tilte d d ialo gu e co n ve ye d in in te r-title s ) co n ve y n o h u m an d im e n s io n s . Th e film is s p ars e an d w o rks o n th e le ve l o f h in ts an d in te n s e , d is tin ct m o m e n ts . Film ically, it abju re s th e p yro te ch n ics o f th e avan t-gard e ; th e cam e ra is large ly im m o bile ( e xce p t fo r a fe w trackin g s h o ts ) ,in m id d le d is tan ce ; th e re is bare ly an y e d itin g; cam e ra an gle s are co n ve n tio n al. Th e o n ly co n ce s s io n to film te ch n iqu e is th e u s e o f a circu lar o r d iam o n d -s h ap e d iris d e vice at s tart an d e n d o f s e qu e n ce s to act as m e tap h o rs o f a bre ak be tw e e n o u te r an d in n e r w o rld an d p o e tically to s lo w th e actio n in its m e as u re d re ve latio n ( o r re n d e rin g in vis ible ) o f a h allu cin ato ry u n ive rs e . Ca lig a r i is id e o lo gically a m o s t m o d e rn film . W e are in a w o rld o f ch ao s , te rro r, an d n o n -u n d e rs tan d in g. Exis te n tial co ld n e s s e n ve lo p s it, im p lyin g th e n e e d fo r re vo lt, th e p ro bability o f failu re , th e d ile m m a o f fre e d o m s u bo rd in ate d to fate , th e re alizatio n ( in 19 19 !) o f s o m e th in g frigh tfu l in o u r m id s t. Th e w o rld its e lf is s e e n as in s an e as ylu m an d , w ith Lain g, w e are n e ve r s u re w h o are th e in m ate s an d w h o are th e p h ys ician s . Th e fin al iro n y o f th e film is th at its "re ality" is u ltim ate ly re ve ale d as s im p ly a m ad m an 's fan tas y. Th e fact th at w e h ave be e n d u p e d is m o re u n s e ttlin g, h e n ce m o re s u bve rs ive , th an w o u ld h ave be e n th e o rigin ally e n vis io n e d e n d in g, in w h ich th e s to ry w o u ld h ave be e n "tru e " -w ith Caligari m ad an d th e h e ro s an e . In s te ad , ju s t as in Th e M a n W it h Th e M o v ie Ca m e r a an d s o m an y o f th e m o s t m o d e rn film s , w e co n fu s e d ly e n co u n te r co n flictin g le ve ls o f re ality. As o n e is re ve ale d as s p u rio u s , w e e n te r a s e co n d , p e rh ap s e qu ally d u bio u s le ve l. Th e s u bve rs io n o f o u r co n s cio u s , th e d is lo catio n o f o u r s e n s e o f re ality, is th e re fo re tw 0 fo ld : firs t, th e fals e re ve latio n o f th e m ad m an Caligari as a frau d u le n t p s ych iatris t; an d th e n , in a co m p le te re ve rs al, h is re in s tate m e n t as be n e vo le n t d o cto r, w ith h e ro u n m as ke d as m ad m an in tu rn . Th e re s u lt is th at at th e e n d th e re re m ain s an u n s e ttlin g s u s p icio n -- fe d by n o tan gible clu e s e xce p t o u r o w n n o w co n tin u o u s s e n s e o f d is tru s t -- th at th is m ay n o t be "th e tru th " e ith e r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( Pau l Le n i, U SA, 19 2 7) ( F) Th is e xtrao rd in ary p ro to typ e o f th e h o rro r film p ro gre s s e s to its clim ax in a s u itably d e cayin g m an o r. It u tilize s all d e vice s o f e xp re s s io n is m to in d u ce , as Matth e w s ( 1) p u ts it, a s alu tary s tate o f an xie ty th ro u gh te rro r: d ark ro o m s an d h allw ays , h e avy s h ad o w s , s e cre t co m p artm e n ts , in vis ible e n e m ie s , billo w in g d rap e s , a co n s tan tly m o vin g cam e ra. Th e s e t an d d e co r are in te gral p arts o f a s to ry an d , m o re im p o rtan tly, a m o o d th at cap tu re s u s by re m ain in g s h ad o w y an d u n s p e cifie d . ( 1) J.H . Matth e w s , Su r r e a lis m a n d Film , 19 71 ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CREMATOR ( Ju raj H e rz, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) ( F) A p ro vo cative atte m p t to p e n e trate th e o rigin s o f s ad o -s e xu al N azi m e n tality is m ad e in th is o p p re s s ive , s tro n gly e xp re s s io n is t film abo u t an in h ibite d p e tty-bo u rge o is fam ily-m an w h o s e w o rk w ith co rp s e s at th e lo cal cre m ato riu m -- "to fre e th e m fo r th e afte r-life " -gain s u n e xp e cte d p ro p o rtio n s d u rin g th e N azi o ccu p atio n . H is m e e k w ife agre e s to le t h e rs e lf be h an ge d by h im , h is s o n is m u rd e re d an d ad d e d to s o m e o n e e ls e 's co ffin , an d h is fin al ap p o in tm e n t as h e ad o f an e xte rm in atio n cam p -- o n ce again to d is p atch p e o p le to fre e d o m -ap p e ars as lo gical d e n o u e m e n t to a bizarre , p o w e rfu l s to ry. Ed itin g an d cam e raw o rk is s tro n gly in flu e n ce d by th e n e w cin e m a in th e W e s t. Equ ally s u rp ris in g fo r th e p u ritan ical Eas t is its cle ar, ye t e n tire ly "h id d e n " p o rtrayal o f fe llatio , w ith th e girl u n d e r a table an d th e m an s ittin g be h in d it; at th e e n d , s h e e m e rge s , w ip in g h e r m o u th . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D EATH BY H AN GIN G ( KOSH IKEI) ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th e Es tablis h m e n t an d its Victim . Op p o s e d to cap u tal p u n is h m e n t, th e film m ake r m e ticu lo u s ly p lace s ro p e an d victim in th e ce n te r; th e e xe cu tio n fails an d th e victim m u s t be e xe cu te d a s e co n d tim e . ______________________________________________ A bizarre an d alie n m as te rp ie ce by an in d e fatigable e xp e rim e n to r, bas e d o n a tru e s to ry o f a Ko re an u n ju s tlyaccu s e d o f m u rd e r an d rap e an d s u bs e qu e n tly e xe cu te d . Th is is a brillian tly ach ie ve d e xp re s s io n is t d ram a, d u rin g w h ich th e co n d e m n e d m an iro n ically m u s t be e xe cu te d tw ice an d th e p o lice , re -e n actin g h is crim e to co n vin ce h im o f h is gu ilt, are carrie d aw ay by th e ir ro le -p layin g in to co m m ittin g a s e co n d rap e an d m u rd e r. It is an e xtrao rd in ary s tu d y o f p e rs o n al id e n tity an d s o cial gu ilt, o f re ality an d illu s io n , o f th e law 's n e e d fo r crim e to e xis t an d o f cap ital p u n is h m e n t as th e s u p re m e crim e . Th e w o rk, w h ile re m in is ce n t o f Co m m e d ia d e ll'Arte an d o f Bre ch t, e m e rge s as p o s s ibly th e m o s t ge n u in e ly Jap an e s e w o rk to be s e e n in th e W e s t. ______________________________________________

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D EATH BY H AN GIN G ( KOSH IKEI) ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 6 8 ) ( F) In a Bre ch tian s e qu e n ce , th e p o lice , atte m p tin g to co n vin ce th e co n d e m n e d m an o f h is gu ilt, re -e n act h is crim e w ith s u ch gu s to th at th e y actu ally co m m it it; s u bve rs ive p ro o f th at law n e e d s crim e to e xis t. Th e p o lice m an , e xh ibitin g th e fe ar o f th e crim in al cau gh t in th e act, alre ad y s e e m s in carce rate d by th e co m p o s itio n , bu t is u n able to re m o ve h is in crim in atin g h an d fro m th e s u d d e n ly d e s ire d o bje ct. Th e p o s itio n in g o f th e w o m an 's bo d y is vis u ally p ro vo cative . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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CAPRICCI ( Carm e lo Be n e , Italy, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e w re tch e d , gas p in g atte m p ts by th is n e arco rp s e to m ake lo ve to th e n u bile yo u n g w o m an e xe m p lify th e e xp re s s io n is t, black h u m o r an d m e lo d ram a o f an e xo rbitan t w o rk. ______________________________________________ Fo u n d e r o f o n e o f Italy's m o s t fam o u s e xp e rim e n tal th e atre s , p o e t, acto r, au th o r, p layw rite , an d le ad in g avan t-gard is t. Carm e lo Be n e is an u n kn o w n ge n iu s o f co n te m p o rary cin e m a. Th is is o n e o f h is m as te rp ie ce s . Be n e 's film s are vis u al, lyrical an d au d ito ry cataclys m s , w h o s e lava-like o u tp o u rin gs are o f u n e qu alle d h allu cin ato ry p e rve rs ity. Th e ir vis u al d e n s ity an d cre ative e xu be ran ce d e fy d e s crip tio n . Ca p r icci -- m e lo d ram atic, w ild ly e xp re s s io n is t, an d o p aqu e -- in clu d e s a blo o d y, e n d le s s figh t be tw e e n tw o m e n bran d is h in g h am m e r an d s ickle , p o is o n e d Ch ris t p ain tin gs th at kill th e be h o ld e r, im p o te n t s e x by a le ch e ro u s o ld m an co u gh in g h is lu n gs o u t o ve r a tan talyzin gly n u d e w o m an , killin gs , car cras h e s , e xp lo s io n s , an d ragin g fire s , all acco m p an ie d by o p e ratic arias , co n s tan tly m o vin g cam e ras , an d vio le n t m o n tage . Vu lgar black h u m o r, e ro ticis m , an d an arch ic actio n m in gle in th is s w irl o f co lo r an d in ce s s an t m o tio n -- a t o u r d e fo r ce o f e xp re s s io n is t film m akin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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OU R LAD Y OF TH E TU RKS ( N OSTRA SIGN ORA D EI TU RCH I) ( Carm e lo Be n e , Italy, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e film m ake r h im s e lf as e xp re s s io n is t h e ro ; s e le ctive ligh tin g, in te rp lay o f w h ite n e s s an d s h ad o w , frigh te n in g, irre gu lar p o s itio n in g o f e ye s an d p u p ils cre ate an u n can n y am bie n ce . ______________________________________________ W ith Ca p r icci, th is is th e m o s t h allu cin ato ry an d o rigin al m as te rp ie ce ye t cre ate d by Be n e ; an e xp lo s io n o f n e o e xp re s s io n is m ( w ith s u rre alis t o ve rto n e s ) u n e qu alle d o n th e co n te m p o rary s cre e n . Th e in s p ire d , e xas p e ratin g m ad n e s s o f th is p o s s e s s e d m o ralis t carrie s h im be yo n d rage in to black h u m o r an d gro te s qu e bu rle s qu e , aim e d at th e d e ad w e igh t o f a re actio n ary cu ltu ral m atrix. Th is ap p e ars h e re as th e h e ritage o f s u m p to u s , cru m blin g ch u rch e s , m iracu lo u s Mad o n n as , an d m e lo d ram atic o p e ras , th e e xce s s e s o f th e Baro qu e in art an d life -e le m e n ts o f an Italy fro m w h ich Be n e w is h e s to fre e h im s e lf. Mo ravia re fe rs to Be n e 's w o rk as "d e s e cratio n by d is s o ciatio n , p u s h e d be yo n d th e p o in t o f s ch izo p h re n ic d e liriu m " an d to th e o ve r-all e ffe ct o f th is film as th at o f a gro te s qu e , d e lirio u s lyn ch in g. H o w e ls e "e xp lain " s ce n e s s u ch as Be n e , a kn igh t in fu ll arm o r, s tu bbo rn ly atte m p tin g to m ake lo ve to a n u d e w o m an ( s till in vo lve d w ith d is h e s ) to th e acco m p an im e n t o f gre at clan kin g; o r o f Be n e co m p u ls ive ly ge ttin g e n m e s h e d in

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ban d age s u n til co ve re d h e ad to fo o t w h ile in je ctin g h is bu tto cks in a p u blic cafe , an d re p e atin g n o n s e n s ical p h ras e s ; o r Be n e , d rive n in s an e p e rh ap s by o bs e s s io n s an d vis io n s , p e rm ittin g h im s e lf to be rap e d by an e age r Mad o n n a w h o afte rw ard s s m o ke s in be d w h ile re ad in g m agazin e s , h alo in p lace . Th e re is ju n gle ve ge tatio n , a car th at p arks n e xt to a be d , in d o o r barbe d w ire , an am bigu o u s d u e l d an ce d w ith a p u blis h e r, an d co n s tan t au ral bo m bard m e n t by th e m o s t fam o u s , m o s t s e n tim e n tal arias o f Italian o p e ra. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LATE MATTH EW PASCAL ( FEU MATH IAS PASCAL) ( Marce l L'H e rbie r, Fran ce , 19 2 4 ) ( F) Bizarre ad ap tio n o f Piran d e llo 's s to ry o f a m an w h o -s e arch in g fo r abs o lu te fre e d o m -- is u n e xp e cte d ly give n an o p p o rtu n ity to e xe rcis e it. Albe rto Cavalcan ti's e xp re s s io n is t d is to rtio n s o f d e co r an d arch ite ctu re u n d e rs co re th e m e ta p h ys ical rh yth m s o f th is s tran ge , d is o rd e re d tale . Fille d w ith black h u m o r an d s e m i-s u rre alis t m e lo d ram a, th is u n p re d ictable ad ve n tu re in am bigu o u s fre e d o m , co n ce ive d by an arch -s ce p tic, e ru p ts in a p arad o xical d e n o u e m e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LIBERATION OF MAN N IQU E MECH AN IQU E ( Ste ve Arn o ld , U SA, 19 71) A h au n tin g, ge n u in e ly d e cad e n t w o rk abo u t m an n e qu in s th at m ay be re al an d girls th at m ay be m o d e ls , jo u rn e yin g th ro u gh s tran ge u n ive rs e s to w ard s p o s s ible s e lfd is co ve ry. An e xo rbitan t, p e rve rs e s e n s ibility in fo rm s th e am bigu o u s im age s an d e ve n ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E REALITY OF KAREL APPEL ( D E W ERKELIJKH EID VAN KAREL APPEL) ( Jan Vrijm an , H o llan d , 19 6 2 ) Th e D u tch abs tract-e xp re s s io n is t Ap p e l s h o w n "at w o rk" in a film th at aim s to re ve al h is p h ilo s o p h y o f art: "I p ain t like a barbarian in a barbarian age " -- an d s o h e h its , attacks an d s las h e s th e can vas , flin gin g p igm e n ts again s t it. Pas s io n ate an d vio le n t, th e act o f p ain tin g is s h o w n as an act o f aggre s s io n again s t an in s an e w o rld . __________________________________________________________________________________________

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VISU AL TRAIN IN G ( Fran s Zw artje s , H o llan d , 19 6 9 ) Zw artje s ' film s are h au n tin g e xcu rs io n s in to d e s p e rate u n ive rs e s o f alie n atio n , in w h ich m ale an d fe m ale , w h ile e xtricably bo u n d to e ach o th e r, n e ve r "co n n e ct". H e re an im p as s ive Ke ato n like m ale e n gage s in s u p re m e ly s e xu al, o m in o u s fo o d o rgie s w ith vo lu p tu o u s , h alf- n u d e w o m e n w h o m h e p aw s im p o te n tly. Te xtu re o f im age , cras s m ake -u p , an d s e le ctive ligh tin g fu rth e r e m p h as ize th e e xp re s s io n is t ch aracte r o f th e film . ______________________________________________ A m ajo r n e w tale n t in in te rn atio n al avan t-gard e cin e m a, Zw artje s cre ate s h e rm e tic, o bs e s s ive , an d "d e cad e n t" u n ive rs e s , in w h ich d e s p e rate , d is s o ciate d m ale s an d fe m ale s , th o u gh in e xtricably bo u n d to e ach o th e r, n e ve r "co n n e ct". H e re an im p as s ive , Ke ato n - like figu re e n gage s in a s e xu al, o m in o u s fo o d o rgy w ith vo lu p tu o u s , h alf-n u d e w o m e n w h o m h e p aw s im p o te n tly. A m ys te rio u s , p o w e rfu l te n s io n in fo rm s th e actio n . D e s p ite n o n -co m m u n icatio n an d m u tu al d e file m e n t o f th e gro s s e s t kin d , a p ro fo u n d ly h u m an is t s tate m e n t e m e rge s ; co m p as s io n fo r th e s e victim s , "p artn e rs " in lo n e lin e s s . Exp re s s io n is t s tyle , m ake -u p an d ligh tin g as w e ll as co m p le x m o n tage h e igh te n th e e ffe ct o f th e tragic table au x, in w h ich to rtu re d n o n -h e ro e s o p e rate im p o te n tly in h o s tile s p ace , facin g u s blin d ly, n ake d ly, w ith all d e fe n s e s d o w n ; co m p e llin g u s , p e rh ap s , to co n fro n t o u rs e lve s in like m an n e r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VIVA LA MU ERTE ( Arrabal, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Th e ju xtap o s itio n o f tw o to n gu e -kis s in g m ale s ( o n e th e s p iritu al an d actu al fath e r to th e o th e r) d e n o te s Arrabal's in s is te n ce o n go in g "to o far" to s h o ck u s in to aw are n e s s . Th e film is a bru tal, s e arin g in d ictm e n t o f to talitarian is m , as s e e n in th e s ad o -m as o ch is tic n igh tm are s o f a yo u n g bo y gro w in g u p at th e m o m e n t o f Fran co 's victo ry; h o rro r an d p u rificatio n are ach ie ve d by ap p e alin g to th e s p e ctato rs s u bco n cio u s fe ars ( an d d e s ire s ) . SC ______________________________________________ Th is s e n s atio n al firs t film by th e fam e d avan t-gard e au th o r e m p lo ys vio le n ce an d s e x as a m e an s o f re vo lu tio n ary p u rificatio n an d libe ratio n . On ly re ce n tly re le as e d fro m its Fre n ch ce n s o rs h ip ban , it is a p aro xys m o f an gu is h , a s cre am fo r libe rty, an d p ro bably o n e o f th e m o s t fe ro cio u s , vio le n t film s e ve r m ad e , Re m in is ce n t o f Bu n u e l an d Ko zin s ky it m in gle s , in h allu cin ato ry im age s , th e re alitie s an d n igh tm are s o f a 12 -ye ar-o ld bo y gro w in g in to m an h o o d at th e m o m e n t o f Fran co 's victo ry. ( Th e film 's lo cale -th o u gh n e ve r id e n tifie d -- is cle arly Sp ain , w h ile its in te n t is an ti-to talitarian in an in te rn atio n al, co n te m p o rary s e n s e .) Eve ry fe w m in u te s it ve e rs fro m u n ce rtain re alis m in to th e bo y's im agin atio n , be s e t by m o n s tro u s to rtu re s , vio le n ce , d e ath , an d a p rim itive s ad is m th at e n gu lfs th e s p e ctato r p re cis e ly be cau s e it d o e s n o t im p o s e u p o n , bu t m e re ly activate s h is o w n s u bco n cio u s fe ars an d d e s ire s . Th e u n s p e akable m ys te ry o f ad u lth o o d , th e s e cre t te m p tatio n o f th e s in o f s e x, th e in e xp licable te rro r o f go ve rn m e n t, an d th e m o n s tro u s s u s p icio n o f th e m o th e r's d e n u n ciatio n o f th e fath e r to th e au th o ritie s are fu lly re ve ale d in th e bo y's an gu is h e d h allu cin atio n s . Th is is a d o cu m e n t o f a Cath o lic ad o le s ce n ce at a tim e o f civil w ar, re p le te w ith blas p h e m o u s ,

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s cato lo gical, an d in ce s tu o u s in cu rs io n s . Its n igh tm are s e qu e n ce s in vo lve p h o to grap h e d te le vis io n im age s an d m an ip u late d co lo r n e gative s , cre atin g an u n e arth ly, e xp re s s io n is t am bigu ity th at m ake s th e h o rro r m o re p e rvas ive fo r be in g in d is tin ct; o u r s u bco n cio u s im m e d iate ly, o bligin gly s u p p lie s o u r o w n p h o bias to re n d e r th e n igh tm are e ffe ctive . Particu larly h o rrifyin g is th e re p e ate d u s e o f a m e lo d ic D u tch ch ild re n 's s o n g; give n th e co n te xt, it as s u m e s u n s u s p e cte d h id e o u s n e s s , ch an gin g in to an o m in o u s m e tap h o r o f in n o ce n ce s o ile d by co rru p tio n . Th at th e film is fille d w ith Arrabal's o w n o bs e s s io n s is bo th u n d e n iable an d in e vitable . So m e th e re fo re h ave be e n te m p te d to w rite it o ff as a n arcis s is tic, p ath o lo gical d o cu m e n t; in re ality, h o w e ve r, h avin g p as s e d th ro u gh th e m o n s tro u s tu rbu le n ce o f h is im agin atio n , w e are re s to re d , th ro u gh vio le n ce , to a p o s s ible h o p e , a s te e ly n e w h u m an is m o f th e 70 s , in fo rm e d by Fran co , co n ce n tratio n cam p s , A-bo m bs , an d Vie tn am . SC ______________________________________________

VIVA LA MU ERTE ( Arrabal, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Th is u n e xp e cte d , fe are d s igh t e vo ke s s u bco n cio u s fe ars o f be in g bu rie d alive ; th e m o re s o w h e n an ad d itio n al d an ge r th re ate n s . Re m in is ce n t o f Eis e n s te in 's s im ilar s h o t in h is u n fin is h e d Me xican e p ic, th is is a grim re m in d e r o f a film o f to rtu re an d o p p re s s io n . SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION

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FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX AESTHETIC REBELS & REBELLIOUS CLOWNS SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

FU N ERAL PARAD E OF ROSES ( To s h io Mats u m o to , Jap an , 19 6 9 ) ( F) Su rre alis t d is p lace m e n t. Th e am bian ce is ve ry co n te m p o rary, th e p o s itio n in g s tartlin g. A n o te o f te n s io n is in tro d u ce d in th e tu rn in g o f th e h e ad s . In re ality, h o w e ve r, th is is a s ce n e fro m an avan t-gard e m e lo d ram a co n ce rn in g Jap an e s e h o m o s e xu als . Th e th re e girls are tran s ve s tite s an d th e s h o t as s u m e s an o th e r m e an in g.

SU RREALISM: TH E CIN EMA OF SH OCK

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AOS ( Yo ki Ku ri, Jap an , 19 6 4 ) Th e u gly vo ye u rs ( o u rs e lve s ) at w o rk. Th e ir bu s y las civio u s n e s s is o bvio u s ; bu t w e are n o t p e rm itte d to s e e w h at th e y s e e . Th e d e vice o f a clo s e d bo x w ith p e e p h o le s is e m in e n tly cin e m atic; th e blackn e s s o f th e s u rro u n d in g s p ace re m o ve s th e e ve n t fro m re ality an d m ake s it m yth o lo gical. ______________________________________________ Th is e xtrao rd in ary an im atio n -- alre ad y a clas s ic -p ro je cts a u n ive rs e o f bizarre an d fru s trate d lu s ts , in w h ich m o n s te rs , vo ye u rs , an d m is s h ap e n o bje cts e n gage in n igh tm aris h an d o fte n s ad o -m as o ch is tic o u trage s am o n gs t Fre u d ian s ym bo ls o f an xie ty. Max Ern s t an d Bo s ch co m e to m in d , bu t th e rage again s t re p re s s io n is e n tire ly Jap an e s e an d id e o lo gical: s e xu al an ti-p u ritan is m as a libe ratin g d e vice . ______________________________________________

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AOS ( Yo ki Ku ri, Jap an , 19 6 4 ) A u n ive rs e o f s e cre t, illicit lu s ts , p o w e re d by m e ch an ical co n trivan ce , th e in te n t is s ad o -m as o ch is t, th e w o m an , in co n gru o u s ly, ve ry h airy. Th e s e xu al an ti-p u ritan is m is vie w e d as a s u rre alis t, h e n ce libe ratin g d e vice . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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AN AN D ALU SIAN D OG ( U N CH IEN AN D ALOU ) ( Lu is Bu n u e l & Salvad o r D ali, Fran ce , 19 2 9 ) On e o f th e m o s t s h o ckin g m o m e n ts o f w o rld cin e m a. To o p e n th e vie w e r to n e w aw are n e s s , th e firs t s e qu e n ce o f th is s u rre alis t clas s ic co n s is ts o f th e ( o n -cam e ra) s licin g o f a girl's e ye ( th e razo r w ie ld e d by Bu n u e l) . Fo r im p act, th e cam e ra is at e ye -le ve l ( th is is w h e re w e au to m atically lo o k) . Th e w o m an 's s u bm is s io n is co m p le te ; w e fe ar w h at m igh t h ap p e n ; an d , fo r o n ce in cin e m a, it d o e s . SC ______________________________________________

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AN AN D ALU SIAN D OG ( U N CH IEN AN D ALOU ) ( Lu is Bu n u e l & Salvad o r D ali, Fran ce , 19 2 9 ) Th o u gh th e p re ce d in g s till o fte n ap p e ars in p rin t, th is o n e d o e s n o t; an in te re s tin g e xam p le o f vis u al ce n s o rs h ip , s in ce th e fo rm e r o n ly p o rtrays th e m o m e n t be fo re th e act an d h e n ce is n o t re p re s e n tative o f th e film w h ich co n tin u e s in to th is s h o t. SC ______________________________________________ "Th is film ", s aid Bu n u e l, d e s cribin g w h at w as to be co m e th e m o s t fam o u s avan t-gard e film e ve r m ad e -- "d raw s its in s p iratio n fro m p o e try, fre e d fro m re as o n an d trad itio n al m o rality. It h as n o in te n tio n o f attractin g o r p le as in g th e s p e ctato r -- in d e e d , o n th e co n trary, it attacks h im to a d e gre e to w h ich h e be lo n gs to a s o cie ty w ith w h ich s u rre alis m is at w ar ... th is film is m e an t to e xp lo d e in th e h an d s o f its e n e m ie s ." Th e re is n o "p lo t" -- o n ly in n u e n d o s ; n o lo gic e xce p t th at o f th e n igh tm are ; n o re ality e xce p t th e in n e r u n ive rs e o f th e s u bco n cio u s . Th e co n tin u ity, if an y, aris e s s o le ly in th e m in d o f th e vie w e r. Th e illo gical, d re am -like p ro gre s s io n o f fe are d o r fo rbid d e n im age s in th is in te n tio n ally s h o ckin g w o rk h as by n o w e n te re d film h is to ry an d h as alm o s t acqu ire d a p atin a o f re s p e ctability, s o far h as th e w o rld m o ve d to w ard s re al an d w o rs e n igh tm are s . Ye t w e re m ain d is tu rbe d by th e clo s e -u p o f live an ts craw lin g in a w o u n d in th e p alm o f a h an d , by th e s u d d e n , "co m ic" tran s p o s itio n o f a w o m an 's u n d e rarm h air in to a m an 's m o u s tach e , by th e co u p le bu rie d to th e ir n e cks in th e s an d . Th e in o rd in ate ly lu s tfu l p ro tago n is t fin ge rs th e w o m an 's bre as ts w h ich are s u d d e n ly tran s fo rm e d in to bu tto cks ; a s e ve re d h an d is p o ke d by a s tick. Bu t if th e s e im age s h ave to s o m e e xte n t be co m e m o re "acce p table ", o n e s e qu e n ce h as re m ain e d s h o ckin gly "libe ratin g" as it w as o rigin ally: th e s littin g o f th e w o m an 's e ye ball, o n cam e ra, d e ftly co n d u cte d in clo s e -u p by th e yo u n g

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Bu n u e l h im s e lf. By p lacin g th is s e qu e n ce at th e s tart o f h is firs t film ( an d th e re by h is life 's w o rk as o n e o f th e cin e m a's m o s t o rigin al tale n ts ) , Bu n u e l s e rve s w arn in g o f h is in te n tio n : to ch an ge o u r co n cio u s n e s s . ______________________________________________

AN AN D ALU SIAN D OG ( U N CH IEN AN D ALOU ) ( Lu is Bu n u e l & Salvad o r D ali, Fran ce , 19 2 9 ) Th e h e ro , atte m p tin g to take a girl by fo rce , is d ragge d back by th e clu tte r o f h is in h ibitio n s an d s im u ltan e o u s ly o ffe rs a p o s s ible d e fin itio n o f W e s te rn civilizatio n : re ligio n , cu ltu re ( th e p ian o ) an d ble e d in g carcas s e s . SC ______________________________________________

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AN AN D ALU SIAN D OG ( U N CH IEN AN D ALOU ) ( Lu is Bu n u e l & Salvad o r D ali, Fran ce , 19 2 9 ) Th e an ts e m e rge fro m th e w o u n d . Th e cram p e d p o s itio n o f th e fin ge rs , th e vile s cu rryin g abo u t o f th e in s e cts , an d th e im p e rm is s ible co m bin atio n o f th e tw o , trigge r s u bm e rge d atavis tic fe ars . Stro n g ve rticals , s h ad o w s , an d cu t-o ff e ffe ct o f th e d o o r-fram e ad d to th e fe e lin g o f d re ad . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CH U RCH BELL ( LA CLOCH E) ( Je an L'H o te , Fran ce , 19 6 4 ) A m an , accid e n tally trap p e d be n e ath a ch u rch be ll abo u t to be in s talle d "w alks o ff" w ith it. Th e s igh t o f a ch u rch be ll m aje s tically m o vin g th ro u gh Paris s tre e ts an d s u bu rbs , cre atin g in e vitable h avo c, is a s p le n d id cin e m atic e qu ivale n t o f a s u rre alis t o bje ct in actio n , cre ate d by s im p le d is p lace m e n t fro m its cu s to m ary s u rro u n d in gs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E D ISCREET CH ARM OF TH E BOU RGEOISIE ( LA CH ARME D ISCRETE D E LA BOU RGEOISIE) ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 72 ) ( F) Bu n u e l's m in glin g o f re alis m an d d re am h e re m o ve s h im clo s e r to th e an arch ic fre e d o m o f h is e arly s u rre alis t p e rio d , d is tillin g s e d itio u s in te n t in to s e qu e n ce s o f lim p id p u rity. In th is m o s t in s an e o f all w o rld s , e n gu lfe d by w ar an d d e s tru ctio n , th e in p e rtu rbable u p p e r clas s atte m p ts , e ve r m o re irre le van tly,

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to m ain tain ge n tility an d civilize d valu e s ( go o d m e als an d m an n e rs , e m p ty talk an d re ve re n ce fo r m o n e y) . Bu t re ality "bre aks th ro u gh " m o re in s is te n tly in a s e rie s o f o u trage o u s e ve n ts th e y d e licate ly atte m p t to re d u ce to m an age able p ro p o rtio n s . A p articu larly d is tu rbin g in cu rs io n o f u n re ality take s p lace in a s e qu e n ce d u rin g w h ich th e y s it d o w n to a lo n gd e laye d m e al o n ly to h ave o n e o f th e d rap e w alls re ve ale d as cu rtain an d th e m s e lve s as "acto rs " o n w h at h as s u d d e n ly be co m e a s tage . As th e y are "p ro m p te d " -- be fo re a h is s in g au d ie n ce -- o n e ad m its s h e e p is h ly: "I've fo rgo tte n m y lin e s " -- a p e rfe ct co m m e n t by th e m o ralis t- film m ake r o n th e co n te m p o rary ru lin g clas s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EATEN H ORIZON S ( SPISTE H ORISON TER) ( W ilh e lm Fre d d ie , D e n m ark, 19 50 ) Tw o m e n , u s in g th e back-s id e o f a n u d e w o m an as th e ir table , e at a lo af o f bre ad , th e n cu t a h o le in th e w o m an 's bo d y an d e at h e r in s id e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AN EATER ( Kazu to m o Fu zin o , Jap an , 19 6 3 ) Acco m p an ie d by e xagge rate d e atin g s o u n d s , a w aitre s s falls in to a d re am in w h ich th e ch e f o p e rate s o n h e r, re m o vin g gu rglin g flu id s , s p agh e tti, an e ye , an d a m an w h o 's n o s e h e cu ts o ff. Th is "d is h " is s e rve d to vo racio u s e ate rs w h o d e vo u r it. Afte r s h e aw ake n s , s h e vo m its , p ro d u cin gan e n d le s s s trin g th at fin ally e n m e s h e s all th e e ate rs . A m acabre s u rre alis t clas s ic. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( Ro be rt Sch ae r, Sw itze rlan d , 19 6 9 ) A s e ve re d lim b is alw ays frigh te n in g, th e m o re s o w h e n it is abo u t to be n o n ch alan tly co n s u m e d . Bo th e ate r an d victim are w e ll-gro o m e d : cu ffs , n ail p o lis h , an d w e d d in g rin g ad d to th e o ve r-all e ffe ct. Mo s t u n s e ttlin g is th e ve ry w h ile p late an d th e im p e n d in g d is s e ctio n o f a fin ge r, th e p o s itio n o f kn ife an d fo rk im p e ccably co n fo rm in g to Eu ro p e an e atin g e tiqu e tte . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E GIFT ( LE CAD EAU ) ( Jacqu e s Vas s e u r & D ick Ro be rts , Fran ce , 19 6 1) Th e e n tire p lo t o f th is d e ligh tfu l carto o n is bas e d o n th e s h o ck e ffe ct o f "m is p lace d " s o u n d s : a co w th at h o n ks , a h o rn th at m o o s , a baby th at s cre e ch e s m arch e s . H e re s o u n d in s te ad o f o bje ct is to rn fro m its cu s to m ary s u rro u n d in gs . On e o f th e fe w e xam p le s o f "au ral s u rre alis m " o n re co rd . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

L'AGE D 'OR ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) Acco rd in g to th e Su rre alis ts , n o th in g can co u n te ract th e d e ad ly bu rd e n o f in s titu tio n s an d Es tablis h m e n t e xce p t irratio n al, an arch ic, w ild lo ve . In a film d e vo te d to th is th e m e , a fru s trate d , s e xu ally aro u s e d w o m an p as s io n ate ly s u cks th e to e o f a s tatu e in a d is p lay o f fo o t fe tis h is m qu ite typ ical o f Bu n u e l's w o rk; fu rth e r im p licatio n s are in e vitable . SC

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L'AGE D 'OR ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) U n e xp e cte d an d u n acce p table co m bin atio n s o f th o ro u gh ly fam iliar e le m e n ts in tro d u ce a fe e lin g o f m arve l an d u n re s t, o p e n in g th e s u bco n cio u s to n e w p o s s ibilitie s an d h e n ce , p o te n tial fre e d o m . Th e co w is ve ry large in d e e d ; th e be d ve ry s e n s u o u s ; th e m an in a s w o o n o r s tu p o r; in an y cas e , bru tal re ality h as s u p e rve n e d in th e s an ctu ary o f th e bo u rge o is -h is be d ro o m . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LA GRAN SIGU RIYA ( Jo s e Val D e l Om ar, Sp ain , 19 55) An e xp lo s ive , cru e l w o rk o f th e d e e p e s t p as s io n , a s ile n t cry, th is is a m ys tic e vo catio n o f th e n igh tm are s o f Sp ain . Re m in is ce n t o f Bu n u e l's La n d W it h o u t Br e a d , it s u cce e d s in co n ve yin g n am e le s s te rro r an d an xie ty. On e o f th e gre at u n kn o w n w o rks o f w o rld cin e m a; s u rfacin g at th e 19 58 Firs t In te rn atio n al Exp e rim e n tal Film Fe s tival in Bru s s e ls , it ju s t as qu ickly d is ap p e are d an d is n o w u n available . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MAGRITTE

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( Lu c D e H e u s ch , Be lgiu m , 19 55?) So u ve n irs o f a vo yage in to th e u n ive rs e o f th e Be lgian s u rre alis t p ain te r. Th e film is an e vo catio n o f th e m ys te ry an d m acabre h u m o r o f p ain tin gs th at u n e xp e cte d ly ju xtap o s e fam iliar o bje cts o r s itu atio n s an d d is s o ciate th e m fro m th e ir e n viro n m e n t. Th is is o n e o f th e fe w film s to d e al w ith th e p h ilo s o p h ical bas is o f co n te m p o rary art. ( "Re ality is a w o rd d e vo id o f m e an in g; s p ace is n o t ce rtain ; th e w o rld h as lo s t all co n s is te n cy. My tas k it to e vo ke th e m ys te ry." - Magritte ) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MR. FREN H OFER AN D TH E MIN OTAU R ( Sid n e y Pe te rs o n , U SA, 19 4 9 ) Su rre alis t in te rp re tatio n o f Balzac's p ro p h e tic an d o bliqu e p arap h ras e o f m o d e rn art, th is is th e s to ry o f a 17th -ce n tu ry p ain te r w h o , o bs e s s e d w ith p e rfe ctio n , m o d ifie s h is p ain tin gs u n til th e y be co m e u n re co gn izable . Th e film is n o table fo r its p o e tic, to n gu e -in -ch e e k co m m e n tary, te as in gly d e live re d in th e s tyle o f a Jo yce an "in te rio r m o n o lo gu e ". Ve rbal d is in te gratio n an d vis u al d is to rtio n s fu rth e r co n tribu te to th e d re am atm o s p h e re . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( H an s Rich te r, U SA, 19 57) Je an Co cte au in a cu rio u s ly re ve re n tial s till s h o t fro m Rich te r's "ch e s s " film , in w h ich Arp , Tan gu y, D u ch am p , an d o th e rs p e rfo rm as ch e s s p ie ce s . Th is e p is o d e , "Qu e e n in g o f th e Paw n ", w as w ritte n an d d ire cte d by Co cte au . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

OU R LAD Y OF TH E SPH ERE ( Larry Jo rd an , U SA, 19 6 9 ) A rich s u rre al fan tas y, d e rivative o f Max Ern s t's ju xtap o s itio n s o f o ld e n gravin gs an d irre le van t o bje cts o r e ve n ts . A p articu larly s u cce s s fu l s e qu e n ce s h o w s s e ve ral farm an im als in an o ld e n gravin g lo o kin g at an e as e l o n w h ich -- in u n e xp e cte d an im atio n -- vario u s d raw in gs rap id ly ap p e ar an d ch an ge in s p e ctacu lar fas h io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E RU N N IN G, JU MPIN G AN D STAN D IN G STILL FILM ( Rich ard Le s te r & Pe te r Se lle rs , Gre at Britain , 19 59 ) Sh o t in tw o d ays , th is w ild e arly co llabo ratio n be tw e e n Pe te r Se lle rs , Rich ard Le s te r ( A H a r d D a y 's N ig h t ) an d Sp ike Milligan ( o f th e Go o n Sh o w ) is a p e rfe ct e xam p le o f s u rre alis t co m e d y. Th e vario u s p ro tago n is ts u n d e rgo rid icu lo u s catas tro p h e s , e xagge rate d n o n -s e qu itu rs , an d Ke ys to n ian m ayh e m in a s ylvan s e ttin g. Pro d u ce d at h ard ly an y co s t at all, it p ro ve s o n ce again th at tale n t is m o re im p o rtan t th an m o n e y. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RU N S GOOD ( Pat O'N e ill, U SA, 19 71) As s e e n in th is film , th e s u rre alis t cin e m a o f th e 19 70 s w o rks w ith to o ls th e o rigin al s u rre alis ts n e ve r d re am e d o f: s o larizatio n , m u ltip le e xp o s u re s , "artificial" co n tras t, varyin g im age s ize , n e gative co lo r, th re e -d im e n s io n al e ffe cts . Th e title co m e s fro m th e w in d s h ie ld o f a batte re d o ld car in a u s e d -car lo t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E W ORLD OF PAU L D ELVAU X ( LE MON D E D E PAU L D ELVAU X) ( H e n ri Sto rck, Be lgiu m , 19 4 7) Fo r o n ce , a film abo u t a p ain te r th at d o e s n o t s h o w a n u m bin g p ro ce s s io n o f w o rks , bu t rath e r e n te rs h is u n ive rs e , as th e cam e ra glid e s u n in te rru p te d ly an d d re am -like , fro m p ain tin g to p ain tin g, th e ir fram e s an d id e n titie s o blite rate d . N e ith e r le ctu re n o r s p e ctacle , bu t an e xp e rie n ce , th is is a cu rio u s , d is tu rbin g jo u rn e y th ro u gh th e fan tas tic w o rld o f th e ce le brate d Be lgian s u rre alis t, in w h ich lu xu rian t, icy fe m ale n u d e s an d fu lly- d re s s e d , m e e k m e n co -e xis t in m ys te rio u s lan d s cap e s .

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Th e s co re by An d re So u ris an d a s u rre alis t p o e m w ritte n an d s p o ke n by Pau l Elu ard fu rth e r co n tribu te to an u n s e ttlin g, m agical e xp e rie n ce . Sto rck's o u ts tan d in g w o rk e xte n d s fro m e arly rad ical d o cu m e n tarie s to late r s u rre alis t film s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LEAD SH OES ( Sid n e y Pe te rs o n , U SA, 19 4 9 ) A yie ld in g to th e in e vitable , an atte m p t at m e m o ry o r re m o rs e , as th e w ife -m o th e r p as s ive ly clin gs to th e e m p ty s ym bo l o f h e r m u rd e re d h u s ban d , p e rh ap s kille d by h is s o n s in a n igh tm aris h s u rre alis t film . ______________________________________________ Th e m o s t acco m p lis h e d w o rk o f Am e rica's fo re m o s t s u rre alis t film m ake r. Th is is a h yp n o tic, o bs e s s ive n igh tm are o f p arricid e an d co m p u ls ive atte m p ts to u n d o th e d e e d . Th e bas ic im age s -- th e blo o d , th e kn ife , th e bre ad vo racio u s ly attacke d -- s h o ck by th e ir atavis tic s im p licity. Th e h allu cin ato ry e ffe ct is re in fo rce d by th e e xtrao rd in ary s o u n d track, an e n igm atic e xp lo ratio n o f tw o o ld En glis h ballad s , s cram ble d in jam s e s s io n s tyle an d in te rw o ve n w ith e xp e rim e n tal s o u n d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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KIN G KON G ( Me rian C. Co o p e r, Ern e s t B. Sch o e d s ack, U SA, 19 3 3 ) Sh all w e e ve r acce p t -- o r o ve rco m e -th e h o rro r ( h o w e ve r d e licio u s ) e vo ke d in u s by th is cu rio u s m o n s te r? ______________________________________________

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KIN G KON G ( p ro d u ctio n s till) An d w h y, e ve n w h e n w e fin d o u t h o w it w as d o n e , is o u r h o rro r n o t le s s e n e d ?

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX AESTHETIC REBELS & REBELLIOUS CLOWNS SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

BLACK AN D W H ITE BU RLESQU E ( Rich ard Pre s to n , U SA, 19 58 ) Se ve ral tabo o s m e rge to cre ate in s tan tan e o u s , u n co n s cio u s s h o ck; n u d ity, u n acce p table s e x ch an ge , vu lgar d e s e cratio n o f n atio n al le ad e rs , an d , w o rs e s till, o f th e d e ad . Bu t is it an in s u lt to be a w o m an ?

D AD A AN D POP: AN TI-ART?

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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FOTOD EATH ( Al Ko u ze l, U SA, 19 58 ?) A film re co rd o f o n e o f Clae s Old e n bu rg's ce le brate d h ap p e n in gs -- large ly im p ro vis e d , m ys te rio u s o r h u m o ro u s , n e o -d ad ais t o r s u rre al e ve n ts , n o t n e ce s s arily cau s al o r m e an in gfu l, w h ich s ard o n ically co m m e n t o n an abs u rd u n ive rs e an d aim at fu s in g acto r an d s p e ctato r, art an d life . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AN EMIC CIN EMA ( Marce l D u ch am p , Fran ce , 19 2 6 ) On e o f th e e arlie s t d ad ais t clas s ics , D u ch am p 's m ys te rio u s ly ro tatin g circu lar d is cs e vo ke tru e th re e d im e n s io n al illu s io n ( w ith o u t glas s e s ) , th e ir p layfu l s o le m n ity fu rth e r s u bve rte d by ve rbal d ad ais t p u n s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A LA MOD E ( Stan Van d e rbe e k, U SA, 19 6 1) A s atire o n fas h io n s , s tyle , van ity, an d th e fe m ale fo rm d ivin e . Th e film attacks th e vis u al e xce s s e s o f o u r tim e , u s in g girlie an d glam o u r m agazin e cu to u ts as raw m ate rial. "A cin e -igm atic co m m e n t o n th e m yth o lo gy o f w o m e n " ( Stan Van d e rbe e k) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E D EATH OF MARIA MALIBRAN ( D ER TOD D ER MARIA MALIBRAN ) ( W e rn e r Sch ro e te r, Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) Th is bizarre film by o n e o f th e m o s t o rigin al d ire cto rs n o w

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w o rkin g in Ge rm an y is h e rm e tic, e xp re s s io n is t, o bliqu e , an d o f a cre ative p e rve rs ity th at be s p e aks th e p re s e n ce o f a ge n iu s . Pu rp o rtin g to d e al w ith a re al-life 19 th ce n tu ry d iva "w h o s e p o p u larity w as s u ch th at o ve r-e xe rtio n le d to h e r d e ath w h ile s in gin g", th e film is actu ally a gris ly s e rie s o f fro ze n o r to rtu re d table au x ( p re d o m in an tly le s bian in im p licatio n ) o f h e avily ro u ge d , fre qu e n tly u gly w o m e n w h o , p re te n d in g to s in g h e avy o p e ra, go th ro u gh co n to rte d , icy atte m p ts at co m m u n icatio n th at le ad n o w h e re . Th e lip -s yn c is o ff; th e s in gin g is o ff-p itch ; m o u th s are fre qu e n tly o p e n w h ile n o s o u n d is s u e s fo rth , o r clo s e d , w ith m e lliflu o u s arias o r ch e ap p o p u lar s o n gs h e ard o n s cratch y re n d itio n s o f o ld re co rd s . N e ith e r bu rle s qu e n o r s lap s tick, th e film 's in te n t, at le as t in th e be gin n n in g, is n e ve rth e le s s iro n ical an d s u bve rs ive , th o u gh m ys te rio u s ly s o . H o w e ve r, it gro w s in cre as in gly d ark an d m o re th re ate n in g, w ith s cre am s , face s bath e d in Vas e lin e , re d , w e t m o u th s , s m e are d e ye s h ad o w s , an d d e h u m an ize d figu re s . On e can n o t "e xp lain " Sch ro e te r's w o rk, o th e r th an re co gn ize h is d e bu n kin g o f o p e ra as a m e tap h o rical re je ctio n o f bo u rge o is s o cie ty; bu t o n e tre m ble s in re co gn itio n o f a p ro s p e ctive m ajo r tale n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

W H AT, W H O, H OW ( Stan Van d e rbe e k, U SA, 19 55) Eth e re al Vo gu e m o d e ls , te rrible be as ts , an d be d raggle d kn igh ts in a gro te s qu e an im atio n co llage co n ce rn in g "th e u n e xp e cte d be n e ath th e re al". H o w e ve r m u ch th e im age d raw s atte n tio n to

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its o w n artificiality, o n e can n o t avo id u n e as in e s s at th e d is p lace m e n t o f "re al" face an d th e re s u ltin g "e m p tin e s s ". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A D AY IN TOW N ( EN D AG I STAD EN ) ( Po n tu s H u lte n an d H an s N o rd e n s tro m , Sw e d e n , 19 56 ) A d ad ais t e xp lo s io n th at s tarts as a typ ical H o llyw o o d trave lo gu e o f Sto ckh o lm an d e n d s in th e city's to tal d e s tru ctio n by fire an d d yn am ite . Th is is a h ilario u s an arch is t film ; m ad e by th e th e n u n kn o w n H u lte n n o w d ire cto r o f Sto ckh o lm 's Mu s e u m o f Mo d e rn Art. In a p articu larly s u bve rs ive s ce n e , th e fire e n gin e , arrivin g at a fire , go e s u p in flam e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

COSMIC RAY ( Bru ce Co n n e r, U SA, 19 6 2 ) Eigh t im age s p e r s e co n d flas h by at th e brin k o f re tin al p e rce p tio n in th is e xtrao rd in ary p o p art co llage o f a n u d e d an cin g girl s u rro u n d e d by Acad e m y le ad e rs , w ar fo o tage , Micke y Mo u s e , an d th e rais in g o f th e Am e rican flag at Iw o Jim a. An atte m p t at a to tal au d io -vis u al e xp e rie n ce , th is h yp n o tic fo u r-m in u te film co n tain s tw o th o u s an d d iffe re n t im age s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H OMAGE TO JEAN TIN GU ELY ( Ro be rt Bre e r, U SA, 19 6 0 ) Eigh ty bicycle -, tricycle - an d w ago n -w h e e ls , a p ian o o f s o rts , s o m e m e tal d ru m s , an ad d re s s in g m ach in e , a bath tu b, bo ttle s , a m e te ro lo gical ballo o n p o w e re d by fifte e n m o to rs ; th e film re co rd s th e s h o rt life an d s u d d e n d e m is e o f Tin gu e ly's bizarre p ro te s t again s t m e ch an ize d s o cie ty, th e "s e lf-cre atin g an d s e lf-d e s tro yin g" m ach in e th at co m m itte d s u icid e in th e gard e n o f N e w Yo rk's Mu s e u m o f Mo d e rn Art in 19 6 0 . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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OH D EM W ATERMELON S ( Ro be rt N e ls o n , U SA, 19 6 5) Clim actic s till fro m th e d e fin itive film o n w ate rm e lo n s . Th e y can be cu t, s aw e d , s h o t, ru n o ve r, u s e d as bo m bs , o r fo r m as tu rbatio n . A s ickly s atire o n d o cu m e n tary film s , its m an ic in te n s ity s p ills o ve r in to s o m be r s o le m n ity in w h ich th e s atirical alm o s t be co m e s th e im p o s s ible . SC ______________________________________________ Th e d e fin ite film abo u t w ate rm e lo n s : th e y are cu t, s aw e d , s h o t, ru n o ve r, u s e d as bo m bs o r fo r m as tu rbatio n , ap p e ar at th e U N , an d in to ile t bo w ls . A s ick take -o ff o n d o cu m e n tary film s , it als o s e e m s to co m m e n t o n racial clich e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PIAN ISSIMO ( Carm e n D 'Avin o , U SA, 19 6 3 ) An e xu m be ran t an d jo yo u s an im atio n -o n e o f th e fe w "o p tim is tic" w o rks o f th e Am e rican avan t gard e -- th is film cre ate s an artificial w o rld fro m e le m e n ts o f re ality. In a rio t o f co lo r, th e in vis ible artis t d e co rate s a d rab p laye r-p ian o by s to p -m o tio n an im atio n in rh yth m to a d rivin g m u s ical s co re .

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

FU RTH ER AD VEN TU RES OF U N CLE SAM ( Ro be rt Mitch e ll an d D ale Ch as e , U SA, 19 71) An o rigin al an d s o p h is ticate d an im ate d film , w ith s tro n g p o p art an d s u rre al in flu e n ce s . U n cle Sam an d th e Statu e o f Libe rty are in ch ain s in a fu tu re to talitarian Am e rica ru le d by Pe n tago n an d D o llar Me n . Th e Statu e o f Libe rty is fin ally tie d to a s take in Yan ke e Stad iu m , bu t re s cu e d by U n cle Sam an d th e y go o ff in to th e s u n s e t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

JAMESTOW N BALOOS ( Ro be rt Bre e r, U SA, 19 6 7) Im p is h an d s o p h is ticate d vis u al p u n s , flas h in g by in abs tract rh yth m s at e xtre m e s p e e d , d e bu n k D e lft, N ap o le o n , So p h ia Lo re n , th e m ilitary, D u lle s . Th is is a vis u al as s au lt by an ico n o clas tic cin e m atic ge n iu s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MAN AN D D OG OU T FOR AIR ( Ro be rt Bre e r, U SA, 19 57) D ad ais t an d abs tract in flu e n ce s co n ve rge in th is s u btle an im atio n by a m o s t o rigin al avan t-gard is t. Th e im age s co n s tan tly m e rge , co llap s e , ch an ge in to lin e s an d s h ap e s o f as to n is h in g flu id ity an d e xp re s s ive p o w e r, as th e d ire cto r re -in ve n ts s p ace an d in flicts ge n gle d ad ais t o u trage o n a d e fe n s e le s s w o rld .

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SCIEN CE FRICTION ( Stan Van d e rbe e k, U SA, 19 6 0 ) A n e o -d ad ais t, n o n -ve rbal p o litical s atire , o m in o u s an d co m ical, th is film re fle cts m as s s o cie ty, co n fo rm is m , an d bo m bs large e n o u gh to blas t th e Eiffe l to w e r an d th e Pie ta in to o u te r s p ace . At th e e n d , a m ys te rio u s glo ve d h an d p icks u p th e s p in n in g e arth an d m ake s an o m e le tte w ith it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SKU LLD U GGERY ( Stan Van d e rbe e k, U SA, 19 56 ) An im ate d co llage o f ve ry im p o rtan t p e o p le are s atirically fu s e d w ith live , o fte n in co n gru o u s , n e w s re e l fo o tage by d o u ble e xp o s u re an d o th e r cin e m atic w itch craft, "m ixin g th e e ye w ith live s ce n e s an d u n live s ce n e s ,to jibe at th e p o litician s , an d w o rld s o -calle d le ad e rs ". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SORT OF A COMMERCIAL FOR AN ICEBAG ( Mich e l H u go , U SA, 19 70 ) An in h e re n tly "in s an e " p o p art id e a -th e p ro je cte d cre atio n o f an 18 -fo o t lo n g an d 11-fo o t h igh ice bag as livin g, m o to rize d s cu lp tu re -- is s e rio u s ly d is cu s s e d by Clae s Old e n bu rg, co m p le te w ith blackbo ard ; h e e ve n s u p e rim p o s e s it o n a m o d e l o f St. Pe te r's Cu p o la as a p o s s ible s ite . Th e artis t's te as in g s e rio u s n e s s an d th e co o l, re s train e d h u m o r be n e ath th e s u rface are typ ical o f p o p art. Th e ice bag u ltim ate ly m ad e its ap p e aran ce at Os aka's Exp o '79 as Old e n be rg's firs t kin e tic s cu lp tu re . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D REAMS TH AT MON EY CAN BU Y ( H an s Rich te r, U SA, 19 4 8 ) Th e m o s t p rivate artis t o f o u r ge n e ratio n -Marce l D u ch am p -- h e re s h o w s h im s e lf fu lly, e xh ibitin g h is fam o u s m o vin g d is cs to th e cam e ra m an y ye ars afte r th e ir cre atio n . Th e e xp re s s io n is p ro u d , d e fian t, s e cre t, an d o f an in n e r s ad n e s s .

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E N AVIGATOR ( Bu s te r Ke ato n & D o n ald Cris p , U SA, 19 2 4 ) Th e ge n tle , im p lacable s u bve rte r w h o co n s tan tly bre aks th ro u gh s u rface s an d valu e s ys te m s o f o rgan ize d s o cie ty, in n o ce n tly tim in g an e gg in a rath e r large p o t, w h ile m aro o n e d o n an e m p ty o ce an lin e r. Ke ato n 's d e ad ly s e rio u s e n co u n te rs w ith kitch e n e qu ip m e n t s u itable o n ly fo r large n u m be rs cre ate -- be cau s e ro o te d in lo gic -- th e ir o w n s e d itio u s , s u rre alis t im p act.

TH E COMIC TRAD ITION

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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H ORSE FEATH ERS ( N o rm an McLe o d , U SA, 19 3 2 ) Th e in p e rtu rbable d e s tro ye rs co n tin u e an in n o ce n t gam e o f card s , w h ile th e h o u s e ( if n o t re ligio n ) is o n fire . A s tran ge ly e vo cative im age s tre s s e s th e Marx Bro th e rs ' m o re s u bve rs ive s id e an d affin ity to s u rre alis m ; in Bu n u e l's D is cr e e t Ch a r m o f t h e Bo u r g e o is ie , to o , an atte m p t is m ad e to co n tin u e life as u s u al w h ile th e w o rld falls ap art. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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W ORK ( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 15) Ch ap lin as p ap e rh an ge r. It is s till e arly in h is care e r an d th e in flu e n ce o f Se n n e tt is cle arly ap p are n t. Th o u gh th e co m p o s itio n in clu d e s m e lo d ram a an d s lap s tick, th e d e s tru ctive actio n attacks th e valu e s re p re s e n te d by th e ru g an d p ictu re o n th e w all. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MON SIEU R VERD OU X ( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 4 7) To w ard th e e n d o f h is care e r, a w is e r, im m e n s e ly m o re s o p h is ticate d artis t re tu rn s to an o th e r attack o n bo u rge o is re s p e ctability, p o rtrayin g th e m u rd e re ras -bu s in e s s m an w h o s e p ro d u ct h ap p e n s to be th e e lim in atio n o f w o m e n . In th is s ce n e o f d o m e s tic blis s , in vo lvin g m u rd e re r an d victim , Ch ap lin , d ap p e r co n m an , p lays th e "cu ltivate d " bo u rge o is bu t th e re is p ain an d w is d o m in th e s ad e ye s th at alm o s t glan ce at u s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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SU N N YSID E ( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 19 ) On e o f th e m o s t lyrical o f Ch ap lin 's s e qu e n ce s , th is d re am balle t w ith fo u r alm o s t m yth o lo gical m aid e n s is bo th s e rio u s an d s atirical. Th e im p o s s ibility o f ( a ve ry m u ch lo n ge d -fo r) ro m an ticis m is co n firm e d by Ch ap lin 's fallin g in to a be d o f cactu s . Th e in cid e n tal, d yn am ic co m p o s itio n re ve als s im u ltan e o u s "cu rve d " m o ve m e n ts to le ft an d righ t th at can ce l in p e rfe ct vis u al h arm o n y. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LIMELIGH T ( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 52 ) In th is am bigu o u s w o rk, Ch ap lin tre ad s a d an ge ro u s lin e be tw e e n fictio n an d au to bio grap h y, s u bve rtin g h is o w n im age o f th e gre at clo w n by p ro fe s s in g th at h e can n o lo n ge r m ake h is au d ie n ce lau gh . In an u n e xp e cte d m an n e r ( o ve r w h ich Ch ap lin s e e m s n o t to h ave co m p le te co n tro l) , h e s u cce e d s rath e r m o re th an in te n d e d . SC

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

MESH ES OF TH E AFTERN OON ( Maya D e re n , U SA, 19 4 0 ) Th e m irro r th at re fle cts n o th in g is an arch e typ al fe ar o f m an , e ve n m o re ap p allin g w h e n u s e d in p lace o f a face , its w h ite s h arp n e s s in s h arp co n tras t to black ro be an d d u ll-to n e d backgro u n d . SC ______________________________________________ A d e cad e be fo re Re s n ais an d Ro bbe -Grille t, Maya D e re n -catalys t an d p io n e e r o f th e Am e rican avan t-gard e m o ve m e n t -cre ate s a w o rk th at d is to rts an d in te rm in gle s p as t an d p re s e n t, tim e an d p lace , re ality an d fan tas y u n til th e y are s e e n as a p o te n tial o r re al co n tin u u m . An in cid e n t be co m e s th e s u bje ct o f a fe arfu l d re am w h ich , in th e e n d , in te rs e cts w ith actu ality an d d e s tro ys th e h e ro in e . Th ro u gh o u t, lite ral tim e an d actu al p lace are abo lis h e d , as tim e is re ve rs e d , acce le rate d o r s lo w e d an d actio n s are fro ze n , co n d e n s e d , re p e ate d , o r e xp an d e d . Th e h au n tin g an d m ys te rio u s qu ality o f th e vis u als , th e p o e tic m o n tage an d film ic rh yth m -- p ro ce e d in g in u tte r s ile n ce --

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cre ate a las tin g clas s ic o f th e in te rn atio n al avan t-gard e , lyrical in ch aracte r, abs tract rath e r th an n arrative in s tru ctu re . SC

TH E D ESTRU CTION OF TIME AN D SPACE The shattering of old concepts of time and space as structurally separate, absolute categories has found its artistic equivalent not merely in the discontinuities and temporal spatial ambiguities of Joyce, Proust, and RobbeGrillet, but even more so in the w orks of modern cinema. No other art can so instantaneously and so completely expand, reverse, skip, condense, telescope, or stop time, or so suddenly change locale, abolish or accent perspective or distance, transform appearances or proportions of objects, or simultaneously exhibit spatially or temporally distinct events. No other art can w ithin a fraction of a second and w ith no efforton its part change the audience's view ing position and angle in the most radical fashion, even transforming it from onlooker into protagonist by making it the eye of the camera. The cinema distorts space and time w ithin shots ( by accelerating, slow ing, moving tow ard or aw ay from the action) and betw een shots ( by changing locale or temporal sequence) . These "jumpcuts" can be combined w ith very rapid panoramic shots ( "sw ishpans") or w ith totally unrelated action. I nstantaneous time travel is possible by flash-forw ards or flash-backs. Segments of action can be repeated for emphasis or for the purpose of intentional prolongation, and can be combined w ith slow ed or speeded-up motion. A scene can be view ed simultaneously from different angles, or can be interrupted at w ill, remaining incomplete or taken up again later; and life can be arrested or frozen. Far from being a realistic mode of art, the cinema creates an entirely artificial paradigm of time and space. I t is the only art form, Cocteau said, that allow s for the domination of both time and space. ( 1) Cinematic time and space are entirely under the filmmaker's control and need be neither contiguous nor continuous. While in everyday life space has unbroken continuity ( even w hen w e change position, it happens by degree) , and is "unbounded" ( to the limits of our sense organs) , filmic space is confined to the arbitrary dimensions of the frame on w hich an entirely subjective selection of images unrolls. This space, thought flat and tw odimensional, conveys a four-dimensional quality of w hich time is part.

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Though the cinema's ability to destroy time and space had existed from the moment film developed special effects and creative editing, the commercial film industry's emphasis on realism precluded its w idespread use. Linear plots, w ith their clear-cut progressions, required contiguous space and time. When time-condensation or elimination of transitional devices ( such as dissolves) w as allow ed, it w as only at climactic moments or so advanced the linear progression of the plot. The modern film has moved far beyond this. While in Balzac's novels, says Robbe-Grillet, time completed man as the agent and measurement of his fate, "in the modern narrative, time seems to be cut off from its temporality ... it no longer passes, it no longer completes anything." ( 2) I n the discontinuities and incongruities of modern cinema, filmic time again approaches dream and memory; for memory, as Robbe-Grillet points out, is never chronological. Film is the only medium capable of portraying the Einsteinian space-time continuum and indeed simultaneously constituting its very essence; for the image and its duration can never be rendered separately. I t w as Hauser w ho most forcefully realized the fluidities of time and space as constituting the very essence of cinema; the quasi-temporal character of space, the quasi-spatial character of time. ( 3) The discontinuity of plot and scenic development, the sudden emersion of thoughts and moods, the realitivity and consistency of time standards, are what remind us in the works of Proust and Joyce, Dos Passos, and Virginia Woolf of the cuttings, dissolves, and interpolations of the film. (4) As the classicist form of film changes to the looser and more open structures of contemporary cinema, the distance betw een the w ork and the spectator lessens. The "visual field" of the art w ork ( in cinema, the screen) is, as Sheldon Nodelman points out, no longer the primary field in w hich it displays itself; it expands to take in the entire space betw een itself and the view er, a space common to them both. ( 5) This new fact promotes collusion betw een victim and perpetrator. Far from neglecting him, the author today proclaims his absolute need of the reader's cooperation, as active, concious, creative assistance. What he asks of him is no longer to receive ready-made a world, completed, full, closed upon itself, but on the contrary, to participate in a creation. (6) As alw ays, it has been the avant-garde that has pushed these inherent potentialities of film to their very limit. I n their shameless desire to possess the medium, they have

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creatively desecrated time/ space in order to reconstitute it in the glory of their now guilty know ledge of its complexities and uncertainties. Experimentors such as Robert Whitman or the Czech "Laterna Magica" group have attempted literally to destroy the abyss betw een image and reality ( Vertov's, Eisenstein's, and Godard's dream) by combining film w ith live actors. The Czechs had their live protagonists accompany the film's action or invade it ( in one production, a live actor literally jumps through the screen) ; Whitman creates simultaneity and a life-film continuum by projecting the film on to the actor's body. And beyond Brakhage, Antonioni, Bertolucci, Richard Myers, Michael Snow , and Warhol -- all of w hom, in various w ays, intentionally recall us to the role and presence of time -- stand the single-frame animators w ho give us truth tw enty-four times per second. Not to be confused w ith conventional cartoonists w hose images move at a slow er rate and in intentionally sequential progression, this total destruction of time and space -- tw enty-four different images per second -- reflects the dizzying speed and cubist atomization of contemporary civilization. And even such "final" provocation has already been surpassed in the production of 2- or 3-screen films of this type, projected simultaneously. This sensory overload leads to excited attentiveness, disorientation, and heightened sensitivity. These magical devices of cinema -- themselves products of this new technological art -- catapult the filmmaker into modernity. He need not, as in conventional cinema, confine himself to orderly progression of clearly defined stories occuring in stable space and normal temporal continuity; the medium allow s him to enter 20th century art, to express fully his new insights into the multi- faceted space-time continuum by mingling illusion and reality, past and future, exterior and interior universes. By so doing, how ever, the filmmaker is compelled to take the next step. This involves the dissolution of conventional narrative and its reconstruction as an ambiguous, complex w eb of atmospheric explorations and uncertain progressions tow ards tentativeness rather than an orthodox happy end.

REFERENCES (1) Dennis Dobson, Cocteau on the Film, 1954 (2) Alain Robbe-Grillet, For a New Novel, 1965 (3) Arnold Hauser, The Social History of Art, Volume 4, 1958 (4) Hauser (5) Sheldon Nodelman, "Structural Analysis in Art and Anthropology", in Jacques Ehrmann, Structuralism, 1970 (6) Robbe-Grillet

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MOSAIC IN CON FID EN CE ( Pe te r Ku be lka, Au s tria, 19 6 3 ) Mys te ry an d alie n atio n ; th e re is re ality, ye t th e e ffe ct is abs tract, s tran ge ly s ad . Mo s t as to n is h in g is th e re fle ctin g circle th at s u p p lan ts th e face ; it cre ate s a s e co n d le ve l o f vis u al an d p s ych o lo gical re ality; s p e cific, n o t m yth o lo gical as in M e s h e s o f t h e Aft e r n o o n .

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AKTION 54 0 ( W e rn e r Ko e n igs , W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 8 ) Fro m a n e ar-by balco n y, an e n tire d ay's activitie s at an o u td o o r city m arke t ( fro m m o rn in g's in s tallatio n to e ve n in g cle an -u p ) are m e rcile s s ly re co rd e d in th e s p ace o f s e ve n m in u te s by e xtre m e tim e -lap s e p h o to grap h y. Th o u gh tre m e n d o u s ly s p e e d e d u p , actio n is "co n tin u o u s " w h ile re al tim e h as be e n d e s tro ye d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CH IN ESE FIRED RILL ( W ill H in d le , U SA, 19 6 8 ) On e o f th e m o s t te ch n ically p ro ficie n t an d tale n te d Am e rican avan t-gard is ts cre ate s a clau s tro p h o bic, o p p re s s ive s tu d y o f a m an in a ro o m o r ce ll o r u n ive rs e . In s te ad o f p lo t,

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th e re are m e m o rie s , an d atte m p ts at o rd e r fo llo w e d by in cre as e d an xie ty th at e n d s in ch ao s . Su p e rim p o s itio n s o f alm o s t id e n tical vis u als , fre e ze fram e s , d is s o lve s , im age m an ip u latio n by re -p h o to grap h y, are am o n g th e d e vice s u s e d to cre ate th e s e m blan ce o f a p rivate , h o rrifyin g w o rld . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E D OOR IN TH E W ALL ( Gle n n H . Alve y, Gre at Britain , 19 56 ) Th e m o s t e labo rate an d co n s is te n t atte m p t to ch an ge s ize , s h ap e , an d p o s itio n o f th e s cre e n w ith in th e fram e to fit th e d e m an d s o f a give n s to ry ( h e re , a fan tas tic H .G. W e lls tale ) fo r atm o s p h e re , te n s io n , an d s h o ck. Th e "D yn am ic Fram e Te ch n iqu e " is ach ie ve d by tw o s e ts o f m o vable m atte s ( m as ks ) co n tro llin g h e igh t an d w id th o f th e s cre e n are a to be u s e d . A re ce n t u s e o f e le m e n ts o f th is te ch n iqu e o ccu rs in Rich ard Fle is ch e r's Th e Bo s t o n St r a n g le r ( 19 6 8 ) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MU RIEL ( Alain Re s n ais , Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 3 ) ( F) Re s n ais ' bo ld d e te rm in atio n to e xp re s s film ically th e re lativity o f tim e an d s p ace , re ality an d illu s io n is s tran ge ly cap tu re d in th is p o e tic s u p e rim p o s itio n . Th e co u p le e xu d e s s tre n gth , be au ty, an d in n o ce n ce , as yo u n g co u p le s u s u ally d o ; bu t co n te xt an d co n figu ratio n are n o w fragm e n te d an d p ro ble m atic. 5/19/2007 12:19 PM

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GO SLOW ON TH E BRIGH TON ( D o n ald Sm ith , Gre at Britain , 19 52 ) Stu n n in g ap p licatio n o f tim e -lap s e p h o to grap h y lite rally w h ip s th e s p e ctato r fro m Lo n d o n to Brigh to n at a s p e e d o f 8 0 0 m ile s p e r h o u r, co m p re s s in g an h o u r's jo u rn e y in to 4 m in u te s . Th e e n tire trip is s e e n , bu t th e cam e ra, p o s itio n e d in th e lo co m o tive 's cab, o n ly take s 2 ( in s te ad o f th e u s u al 2 4 ) p ictu re s p e r s e co n d . Sin ce p ro je ctio n is at th e cu s to m ary 2 4 fram e s p e r s e co n d , a d izzyin g illu s io n o f e xtre m e s p e e d is ach ie ve d . Au th e n tic "co m p re s s e d " n o is e o f brid ge s an d o ve rp as s e s ru s h in g by acco m p an ie s th e im age s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GOD IS D OG SPELLED BACKW ARD S ( D o n McLau gh lin , U SA, 19 6 7) 3 0 0 0 ye ars o f fin e art in 4 m in u te s . In a jo yo u s to u r d e fo rce , th e w o rld 's gre ate s t p ain tin gs -- all s ch o o ls , all p e rio d s -- flas h by at th e rate o f e igh t p e r s e co n d ; ye t w e are able to re co gn ize an d re tain m o s t. Mu s ic by Be e th o ve n . "Th e o re tically, th e w o rld 's gre ate s t im age s , co m bin e d w ith th e w o rld 's gre ate s t m u s ic, s h o u ld p ro d u ce th e w o rld 's gre ate s t film ." - D o n McLau gh lin ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H IROSH IMA MON AMOU R

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( Alain Re s n ais , Fran ce / Jap an , 19 59 ) ( F) Th e im age is e ro tic, ye t th e re are o th e r e le m e n ts ; o n ly p arts o f bo d ie s are s h o w n , th e ligh tin g is e xp re s s io n is t, an d th e lo ve rs -a Fre n ch girl an d a Jap an e s e in H iro s h im a -s e e m co ve re d w ith as h e s fro m th e ato m ic e xp lo s io n . An im age o f lo ve in o u r tim e . ______________________________________________ On e o f th e s e m in al film s o f th e m o d e rn cin e m a. Fo r th e firs t tim e a p o e tic fu s io n o f p as t an d p re s e n t, o f d iffe re n t lo cale s , o f co m p le x co u n te rp o in t be tw e e n s o u n d an d im age is ach ie ve d . Particu larly m e m o rable is th e tw e n ty-m in u te o p e n in g, a p o e tic d o cu m e n tary o n H iro s h im a an d its trage d y, u s e d as m atrix fo r th e talk an d m e m o rie s o f tw o lo ve rs w h o atte m p t to re late th e ir in d ivid u al fate s to th e co lle ctive trage d y o f m an kin d cau gh t in w ar. Th e co n n e ctio n s be tw e e n th e vario u s th e m e s , as Gavin Millar p o in ts o u t, are m ad e as m u ch by th e e d itin g as by th e d ialo gu e o r co m m e n tary. Th e p arad o xe s are attain e d by th e s tre s s in g o f s im ilaritie s be tw e e n d iffe re n t tim e s e qu e n ce s . In fact, m o n tage an d tim e / s p ace lin kage -- e xp re s s in g th e e s s e n ce o f th e m o d e rn s e n s ibility -- are at th e co re o f th e film , n o t ( h o w e ve r artfu l) its e xcre s ce n ce . Bu t it is th e d e e p m o ral p as s io n o f th e film m ake r ( s e e n als o in h is e arlie s t co n ce n tratio n cam p film N ig h t a n d Fo g ) an d h is bo ld bre ak w ith s tylis tic co n ve n tio n s th at m ark th is as o n e o f th e m o s t o rigin al w o rks o f th e p o s t-w ar e ra. Th e s ce n ario is by Margu e rite D u m as . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E H OU SE ( H ET H U IS) ( Lo u is A. van Gas te re n , N e th e rlan d s , 19 6 1) Th e m e th o d ical d e m o litio n o f a s p raw lin g D u tch m an s io n be co m e s th e co re o f an am bitio u s atte m p t to fu s e p as t an d p re s e n t in glim p s e s o f th e life o f th re e ge n e ratio n s p re s e n te d s im u ltan e o u s ly. Co n tin u o u s ly d is ru p te d by co llap s in g ro o m s an d fallin g w alls , h alf a ce n tu ry o f tu rbu le n t Eu ro p e an h is to ry is co n d e n s e d in to a th irty- m in u te im p re s s io n . Th e re is n o lo o kin g back, s in ce tim e n e ve r e xis ts as a fixe d p o in t; e ve ryth in g is n o w . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN MARIN COU N TY ( Pe te r H u tto n , U SA, 19 71) A bizarre co m m e n t o n Am e rican civilizatio n . Th e to tal d e m o litio n o f s u bu rban h o u s e s ( to m ake ro o m fo r a n e w h igh w ay) , s e e n in s tro n gly acce le rate d m o tio n , tran s fo rm s th e s tu bbo rn ly ch arge d bu lld o ze rs in to o m in o u s , d e vo u rin g m o n s te rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E BLOOD OF A POET ( LE SAN G D 'U N POETE) ( Je an Co cte au , Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) Th e m yth o lo gical p as s age th ro u gh m irro r in to an o th e r u n ive rs e -- o n e o f m an kin d 's h au n tin g w is h -d re am s -ach ie ve d in a vis u al an d p o e tic m e tap h o r by s u bm e rs io n in w ate r. Ou r vie w in g p o s itio n -- re in fo rce d by ch air an d w all m o u ld in g -e rro n e o u s ly co m p e ls u s to co n s id e r th e "m irro r" as ve rtical. SC ______________________________________________ Ofte n m is take n fo r a s u rre alis t w o rk, th is is a care fu lly co n s tru cte d , e n tire ly co n s cio u s artifact, m in glin g s ym bo l an d m e tap h o r to p ro je ct th e an gu is h , ap o th e o s is an d co rru p tio n o f th e s tru gglin g artis t. It re m ain s fas cin atin g p rim arily as an e arly e xam p le o f s o p h is ticate d tim e / s p ace d e s tru ctio n fo r p o e tic e n d s . Th is e n tails th e p as s in g th ro u gh th e m irro r in to an o th e r w o rld , th e fan tas tic co m bin atio n s o f u n re late d e ve n ts in s p ace an d tim e , an d its brillian t ce n tral m e tap h o r: th e d yn am itin g o f a h u ge facto ry ch im n e y at th e be gin n in g o f th e w o rk, in te rru p te d in th e m id d le by th e film 's actio n an d co m p le te d o n ly at th e e n d by its to tal co llap s e ; an in tim atio n th at th e film re p re s e n ts th e e qu ivale n t o f a o n e -s e co n d d re am . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( Ro be rt W h itm an , U SA, 19 6 5) Th e m o s t fu lly-re alize d w o rk o f th e n o te d Am e rican m ixe d m e d ia artis t -- a d e s p e rate atte m p t to d e s tro y th e d is tin ctio n be tw e e n film an d re ality. Live acto rs p e rfo rm w ith an d in fro n t o f th e ir film e d im age s w h ich m ay o r m ay n o t d u p licate , p re ce d e , o r fo llo w th e ir actio n s . Mo s t fas cin atin g is th e p ro je ctio n o f film o n th e acto r's bo d y -- s u ch as n u d e fo o tage o f a d an ce r s u p e rim p o s e d o n to h e r d re s s e d bo d y. Th e co m p le x o rch e s tratio n s an d in te r-re latio n s h ip s cre ate a m ys te rio u s , m u lti-d im e n s io n al s e n s o ry o ve rlo ad . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

POW ER OF PLAN TS ( Pau l F. Mo s s an d Th e lm a Sch n e e , U SA, 19 4 9 ) Fas cin atin g tim e -lap s e film o f gro w in g p lan ts liftin g w e igh ts , bre akin g bo ttle s , m o vin g ro cks , te arin g h e avy tin fo il, w ith th e cam e ra s e t to take a s in gle fram e p e r h o u r fo r u p to 6 0 d ays . Th e re s u ltan t film s trip , p ro je cte d at o rd in ary s p e e d , p ro vid e s co n tin u o u s m o tio n an d co n vin cin g p ro o f o f th e p o w e r o f p lan ts . A m agical film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

REN AISSAN CE ( W ale rian Bo ro w czyk, Fran ce , 19 6 3 ) An im atio n -in -re ve rs e re co n s titu te s fro m th e d e bris o f o bje cts a n o s talgic, m ys te rio u s s till-life . Th e p rin cip le acto rs are th e o bje cts , o r, m o re p re cis e ly, th e ir m o ve m e n t in s p ace an d tim e . U s e le s s le ft-o ve rs o f d iffe re n t kin d s attract an d fin d o n e an o th e r an d u n ite to give birth to a n e w w o rld o f co m m o n p lace , m agical th in gs . A h au n tin g, d is tu rbin g w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SMOKIN G ( Jo e Jo n e s , U SA, 19 70 ) A m an 's face ; s m o ke s lo w ly, im p e rce p tive ly be gin s to o o ze fro m h is m o u th . Sh o t at 2 0 0 0 fram e s p e r s e co n d ( in s te ad o f th e u s u al 2 4 ) , th e s im p le act o f e xh alin g s m o ke , e xp an d e d by n e arly 10 0 tim e s o u r n o rm al p e rce p tio n , be co m e s a h u ge an d e n d le s s e ve n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E IN CRED IBLE SH RIN KIN G MAN ( Jack Arn o ld , U SA, 19 57) Th e e ye , d raw n to w h at s e e m s a n o rm al-s ize cat, in s tan tan e o u s ly m e e ts s u rre alis t s h o ck: s p atial d is o rie n tatio n , d is p ro p o rtio n ate o bje ct s ize . Ord in ary re ality is tran s fo rm e d in to a m o n s tro u s u n ive rs e o ve r w h ich m an n o lo n ge r h as co n tro l, as th e p ro tago n is t -- fo re ve r s h rin kin g -p as s e s th ro u gh s tage s o f in cre as in g te rro r.

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

EAT ( An d y W arh o l, U SA, 19 6 3 ) In th is fam o u s e arly W arh o l film , th e p ain te r Ro be rt In d ian a e ats a m u s h ro o m fo r 4 5 m in u te s . Th is o rd in ary act, d u e to th e abs e n ce o f o th e r p lo t, be co m e s an e ve n t; an d p ro ve s th at "re al tim e " in cin e m a ( w h e re w e are u s e d to co n d e n s atio n ) p ro lo n gs actio n s an d is alm o s t u n be arable . SC

TH E D ESTRU CTION OF PLOT AN D N ARRATIVE The dilution or rejection of conventional narrative and straightforw ard realism is the predominant tendency of contemporary art.

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The multi-faceted, fluid nature of reality as now understood can no longer be subsumed in the certainties of linear narrative structures. Since neither simplistic causality nor terms such as "beginning" or "end" are any longer philosophically tenable, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell a tale. The narrative, as our academic critics conceive it, represents an order, linked to an entire rationalistic and organizing system, whose flowering corresponds to the assumption of power by the middle class ... All the technical elements of the narrative -- systematic use of the past tense and the third person, unconditional adoption of chronological development, linear plots, regular trajectory of the passions, impulse of each episode toward a conclusion, etc. -- everything tended to impose the image of a stable, coherent, continuous, unequivocal, entirely decipherable universe. Since the intelligibility of the world was not even questioned, to tell a story did not raise a problem. The style of the novel could be innocent. (1) From Kafka to Beckett, from Joyce to Burroughs, from Proust to Robbe-Grillet, there is an unbroken evolution tow ards vertical rather than horizontal explorations -- investigations of atmosphere and states of being rather than the unfolding of fabricated plots. I n an interview w ith L'Express, ( 2) I onesco referred to a play as a structure of states of conciousness and added that there w as no longer a story, but rather "a progression by a kind of progressive condensation of states of mind, of a feeling, a situation, an anxiety." This may be another w ay of saying that -- through modern science and philosophy --art once again returns to poetry and the significance of poetic truth. This truth does not deny the "story" -- it only robs it, as Robbe-Grillet put it, of its character of "certainty, tranquility, innocence". ( 3) This mature "uncertainty" -- so much more open to life than the dogmatic authoritarianism of our forefathers -- now also extends to characterizations and motivations of the story's protagonists. The elegant characters created by the older masters of w orld literature, the "full" explanations of human behavior, the delineations of the character's past, are replaced by dimlyperceived personages w hose actions and motives remain ultimately as unclear as they are in real life: w e are all enmeshed in know ledge of others or self that is forever "incomplete", forever tinged w ith ambiguity. A character who can present no convincing arguments or information as to his past experience, his present behavior or his aspirations, nor give a comprehensive analysis of his motivations, is as legitimate and as worthy of attention as one who, alarmingly, can do all these things. (4)

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The loss of virginal certainty, how ever, leads to a more profound -if more painful -- understanding of man. This mystery w as glimpsed by Dostoevski, w hose torn, neurotic characters display the fullness ( ambiguity) of human nature; their actions are seldom predictable, their motives opaque, but they frequently offer intimations of a larger truth. Acknow ledged by Dostoevski and legitimized by Freud, the admission of the unconscious into our sensibility has forever removed expectations of an "unravelling" of human mysteries. I nstead, w e have the protagonists of Pinter; even more hermetic and alienated than Dostoevski's. Yet w e are moved by their mystery and our certainty that w e are like them. And though the end of bourgeois individualism may indeed be at hand, perhaps man ( as Shapley and Robbe-Grillet point out from different, yet convergent vantage points) can exchange his shaky monomania for a larger, less anthropocentric conciousness. Film, the most modern of the arts, has not remained exempt from these new developments. Nonetheless, Hollyw ood still hankers after 19th century style, stories and type-cast stars; after all, Gone With The Wind, The Sound of Music, and Love Story still sell the largest number of tickets. But both the independent avant-garde and the serious 35-mm directors have been profoundly affected. I n the underground ( from Man Ray, Richter, and Epstein to Brakhage, Peterson,and Bartlett) , plot and character had alw ays been subsidiary to the medium's poetic potential. Even in the commercial cinema, the same trend is evident in Bresson, Godard, Skolimow ski, Bertolucci, Fassbinder, and others. Significantly, the attack on plot and bourgeois individualism, initiated half a century ago by the Aesthetic Left ( Breton, Eisenstein, Tzara, Bunuel) is thus joined by contemporary Western artists w ith a different emphasis. But the assault on narrative structures takes yet another, insidious path.

REFERENCES (1) Robbe-Grillet, For A New Novel, 1965 (2) Interview with Eugene Ionesco, L'Express, Jan 28 1960 (3) Robbe-Grillet (4) Harold Pinter, The Theatre of the Absurd, 1961

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AKRAN ( Rich ard Mye rs , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Mye rs is u n qu e s tio n ably a m ajo r tale n t o f th e Am e rican avan t-gard e an d Ak r a n o n e o f h is m o s t im p o rtan t film s . A fe atu re -le n gth d e lu ge o f in ce s s an t, brillian t bu rs ts o f im age s ( s h o rt take s an d ju m p cu ts ,

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s in gle fram e s in s e rie s , fre e ze -fram e s s ligh tly alte re d be tw e e n take s ) it cre ate s a Jo yce -like , d e n s e an d s o m bre m o s aic o f m e m o ry an d s e n s o ry im p re s s io n s , a te xtu re in s te ad o f a p lo t, a d re am -like flo w o f vis u ally-in d u ce d as s o ciatio n s o fte n flas h in g by fas te r th an th e y can be abs o rbe d . D e s cribe d by th e d ire cto r as an "an xio u s alle go ry an d ch illin g albu m o f n o s talgia", its p e n e tratin gm o n o m an ia is u n e xp e cte d ly -- s u bve rs ive ly -re alize d to be a s tate m e n t abo u t Am e rica to d ay: th e alie n atio n an d ato m izatio n o f te ch n o lo gical co n s u m e r s o cie ty is re fle cte d in th e ve ry s tyle o f th e film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AN TICIPATION OF TH E N IGH T ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 57) ( F) Ligh t an d s h ad o w , s u n an d m o o n , d re am an d co lo r: a d arin g atte m p t, by o n e o f th e gre at e xp e rim e n to rs o f o u r d ay, to p o rtray e ve n ts , o bje cts , th e w o rld as th e y m igh t lo o k to an in fan t as ye t u n able to o rgan ize h is im p re s s io n s . "Re ality" is h e re bro ke n in to a flo w o f co lo rs an d s h ap e s , ru s h in g by in co m p le x, m ys te rio u s o rch e s tratio n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

L'AVVEN TU RA ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Italy, 19 6 0 ) ( F) W ith th is film -- bo o e d at its in itial Can n e s p re s e n tatio n -An to n io n i d e ve lo p e d th e lan gu age o f th e n e w cin e m a an d e n te re d film h is to ry. Th e o ld -fas h io n e d p lo t h as go n e ; as if to s p ite it, th e h e ro in e d is ap p e ars e arly in th e film , n e ve r to be fo u n d . To s h o w th e e m p ty live s o f e m p ty p e o p le , th e re is m o n o to n y; an d lo n g, re p e ate d , s ile n ce s , as in life . In fact, w ith its e xtre m e lo n g-take s in alm o s t re al tim e , th e w o rk to d ay ap p e ars as a fo re ru n n e r o f m in im al cin e m a. Bu t u n like th e latte r it is s u ffu s e d w ith m e an in g: th e abs e n ce o f co m m u n icatio n , th e s p u rio u s u tilizatio n o f e ro ticis m to alle viate lo n e lin e s s o r an xie ty, th e cru m blin g valu e s o f th e e lite , th e e n n u i an d le th argy o f th e rich . Sp ace , d e co r, co m p o s itio n , an d e n viro n m e n t be co m e in te gral co m p o n e n ts o f th e m o ral actio n an d a ve ry m o d e rn s e n s e o f d is in te gratio n p e rm e ate s th is m ajo r w o rk o f th e n e w cin e m a. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EMPIRE ( An d y W arh o l, U SA, 19 6 4 ) ( F) An e igh t h o u r lo n g film , d u rin g w h ich th e cam e ra, fro m o n e fixe d p o s itio n , u n in te rru p te d ly p h o to grap h s th e Em p ire State Bu ild in g in re al tim e ; an o bje ct e xis tin g o u ts id e u s , in its o w n u n ive rs e o f n o n -m e an in g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D ESTROY, SH E SAID ( D ETRU IRE, D IT-ELLE) ( Margu e rite D u ras , Fran ce , 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e fam e d Fre n ch id e o lo gu e o f th e N e w N o ve l an d au th o r o f H iro s h im a Mo n Am o u r cre ate s a h yp n o tic film abo u t five alie n ate d p e o p le is o late d in an u n w o rld ly h o te l. En m e s h e d in ritu alis tic p o w e r gam e s , th e y co n tin u o u s ly e xch an ge p e rs o n alitie s as e ach acts o u t h is o w n am bigio u s ch arad e s . A h igh ly s tylize d , n o n -lo gical d ialo gu e cre ate s e n igm atic fe ar; lo n g, u n ite rru p te d take s an d abs e n ce o f clo s e -u p s e vo ke e n n u i an d d is tan ce . At th e e n d , th e re is a m ys te rio u s clim ax o f re vo lu tio n ary d e s tru ctio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E MARRIED W OMAN ( LA LATER U N FEMME MARIEE) ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 4 ) ( F) Th e p o w e rfu l clo s e -u p s o f arch e d , yie ld in g bo d y an d th e m an 's p o s s e s s ive , lo vin g h an d , p o s e d again s t w h ite backgro u n d , re fle ct Go d ard 's fu s in g o f h u m an is t an d m in im al cin e m a. SC ______________________________________________ To an alyze all th e s tylis tic in n o vatio n s o f th is m o s t o rigin al d ire cto r w o u ld re qu ire s e p arate d d is cu s s io n s o f p ractically all h is film s . Th e u n d e rlyin g te n d e n cy is n e ve rth e le s s cle ar; an in cre as in g ato m izatio n o f co n ve n tio n al cin e m atic s tru ctu re s in favo r o f fre e r, co llage -typ e im p ro vis atio n s . Plo t an d n arrative are s u bs u m e d by Go d ard 's p re o ccu p atio n w ith th e n atu re o f cin e m a an d o f re ality, h is in ve s tigatio n s o f co n te m p o rary p ro ble m s , id e o lo gie s ,

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p arad o xe s -- th e cap tu rin g o f m o d e rn am bigu itie s an d co n fu s io n s o f h ich h e is ve ry m u ch a p art. Th e "p lo t" o f Th e M a r r ie d W o m a n -- 2 4 h o u rs w ith a w o m an be tw e e n h u s ban d an d lo ve r -- is th e re fo re m e re ly a p re te xt fo r ve rtical,in -d e p th e xp lo ratio n s o f valu e s , atm o s p h e re s , te xtu re s ; o f re latio n - s h ip s , lie s , ign o ran ce o f s e lf, s e x-as -co m m u n icatio n . Fo r au d ie n ce s bro u gh t u p o n H o llyw o o d , th e s tyle , te m p o , an d co n te n t o f th e film is m ad d e n in g. Co n s is tin g alm o s t e n tire ly o f th re e s tylize d , in te n s e ly be au tifu l lo ve s ce n e s an d s e ve n cin e m a-ve rite in te rvie w s in vo lvin g th e p ro tago n is ts , th e w o rk s w in gs w ild ly be tw e e n e xtre m e ly lo n g take s ( th e in te rvie w s ) p ro ce e d in g at a p ain fu lly s lo w te m p o , an d th e tigh tly e d ite d lo ve s ce n e s , co m p o s e d o f in d ivid u al, 10 - to 2 0 -s e co n d lo n g table au x -- be au tifu lly s tylize d fragm e n ts o f n u d e bo d ie s , h an d , face s -- s e p arate d by s e n s u o u s fad e o r qu ick cu ts . Th e alte rn atio n o f te m p o be tw e e n th e s e lyrical, ye t fas t s e qu e n ce s an d th e alm o s t W arh o l-like in te rvie w s ( p e rve rs e ly, th e u s u al re actio n s h o ts are m is s in g) , cre ate s a d is tu rbin g d ich o to m y. Alie n atio n is cau s e d in th e lo ve s ce n e s by fragm e n tatio n an d in th e in te rvie w s ce n e s by th e u s e o f re al tim e . Th is p re ve n ts co n ve n tio n al "id e n tificatio n " w ith th e p ro tago n is ts , rath e r co m p e llin g th e vie w e r, in Bre ch tian m an n e r, to p o n d e r th e s o cial ram ificatio n s o f th e actio n ; th e d o m in atio n o f p e o p le by fals e im age s , ad ve rtis e m e n ts , s lick co n s u m e r go o d s ; th e alie n atio n o f w o m e n ( if n o t o f m an ) ; th e n e e d fo r s e lf-aw are n e s s an d fo r tru e valu e s , s o e n tire ly lackin g in th e film 's s e n s u al, e m p ty s tar. Als o ap p are n t are Go d ard 's p re o ccu p atio n w ith th e n atu re o f cin e m atic re ality an d h is in s is te n ce o n s u bve rtin g th e s cre e n 's illu s io n , co n s tan tly re callin g u s to th e artificiality ( "cre ate d -n e s s ") o f w h at w e are vie w in g. Th e re are e ve n an ti-illu s io n is t gam e s : afte r w e h ave vie w e d a s e rie s o f ad s in a w o m an 's m agazin e , th e las t o f th e s e , fillin g th e e n tire s cre e n as d id th e o th e rs , is s u d d e n ly re ve ale d as a h u ge o u td o o r billbo ard by th e s h o ckin g d e vice o f h avin g th e h e ro in e u n e xp e cte d ly e n te r th e fram e "in fro n t" o f it. On ly th e n is th e tru e s ize , s cale , an d n atu re o f th e im age re ve ale d to u s an d its "re ality" as a n e w s p ap e r ad ve rtis e m e n t d e s tro ye d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D ON GIOVAN N I ( Carm e lo Be n e , Italy, 19 70 ) ( F) Th e w o m an 's ave rte d glan ce , h ars h ligh t, e n ve lo p in g blackn e s s , cre ate d is e m bo d im e n t an d d is s o ciatio n -- a p e rfe ct vis u al m e tap h o r fo r th e co m p u ls ive , cu bis t fragm e n tatio n o f th e o p e ra's co n ve n tio n al p lo t. ______________________________________________ Mo re s o m bre , co n tro lle d an d abs tract th an Be n e 's e arlie r w o rk, th is is a baro qu e , iro n ic an d clau s tro p h o bic avan t-gard e "re s tate m e n t" o f th e o p e ra's in ce s t e p is o d e . Acco m p an ie d by Mo zart's s co re , th is co m p u ls ive , cu bis t fragm e n tatio n o f co n ve n tio n al p lo t in favo r o f a m o re p ro fo u n d e xp lo ratio n als o u tilize s co m p le x, s u btle m o n tage , varyin g fro m m in im al cin e m a to a s u s tain e d s taccato rh yth m . Be n e is re co n firm e d as o n e o f th e tru e ico n o clas tic tale n ts o f co n te m p o rary cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TOM, TOM, TH E PIPER'S SON ( Ke n Jaco bs , U SA, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th is s tru ctu ralis t d is s e ctio n , e n u m e ratio n , d e co m p o s itio n an d re co n s tru ctio n o f a 19 0 5 Bio grap h film o f th e s am e title p ro vid e s a p ain s takin g m e tap h ys ical e xp lo ratio n o f th e n atu re o f cin e m a. Practically e ve ry s h o t an d s ce n e o f th e o rigin al 10 -m in u te film is o m in o u s ly "an alyze d " an d re -in te rp re te d in to a fe atu re -le n gth w o rk by m an ip u latio n o f im age , in tro d u ctio n o f s lo w m o tio n , re p e titio n , fre e ze -fram e s , abs tractin g, an d o th e r "s u bve rs io n s " o f th e o rigin al. Sh ad e s o f Ve rto v!

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VAMPYR ( Pe d ro Po rtabe lla, Sp ain , 19 70 ) ( F) A m o s t o rigin al w o rk, A h allu cin ato ry m o n tage o f u n fin is h e d , n o n -co n s e cu tive fragm e n ts o f s ce n e s p h o to grap h e d o n th e s e t o f a n e w Sp an is h ve rs io n o f D r a cu la , th is s o p h is ticate d h o m age to th e vam p ire film ge n re tran s m u te s its vis u al d ata in to a n e w p o e tic re ality. Th e p lo t o f th e co m m e rcial D r a cu la ( th o u gh n o t its e e rie atm o s p h e re ) e ffe ctive ly d is in te rgrate s in th is lyrical, n o s talgic e vo catio n o f its e s s e n tial e le m e n ts , re fracte d by a 2 0 th ce n tu ry s e n s ibility. As irre le van t e xtras o r te ch n ician s w ith s m o ke m ach in e s w alk s p e ctrally th ro u gh s ce n e s o f in te n d e d h o rro r an d be co m e p art o f Po rtabe lla's d arin g n e w u n ive rs e in s te ad o f d is ru p tin g it, w e are s u d d e n ly co n fro n te d w ith a bro o d in g re fle ctio n o n th e ge n re its e lf -- a m e m o ry p ie ce th at is als o a fare w e ll. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LA VERIFICA IN CERTA ( Gian Fran co Be ru ce llo , Albe rto Griffi, Italy, 19 6 5) "A calcu late d as s au lt u p o n th e s u p p o s e d lo gic o f th e s tru ctu re o f th e n arrative film . Clip s fro m a d o ze n o r m o re cin e m as co p e m o vie s , s h o w n s till s qu e e ze d , fo llo w e ach o th e r in a p e rfe ctly lo gical bu t co m p le te an arch ic p ro gre s s io n . Th e film m ake rs re p lace th e co n ve n tio n al s e qu e n ce o f s h o ts d e s cribin g a s im p le actio n ( o p e n in g a w in d o w , fo r e xam p le ) w ith an e qu al n u m be r o f s h o ts , all te ch n ically "co rre ct" an d all d e alin g w ith th e s am e d ram atic/ fu n ctio n al s itu atio n , bu t w h ich th ro w th e e ve n t in to to tal co n fu s io n . Th e h e ro ch an ge s p e rs o n m id -s h o t; cam e ra m o ve m e n t re ve rs e s h alfw ay th ro u gh an actio n ; th e ligh tin g ju m p s fro m p h o n y blu e -filte r d arkn e s s to o ve r-e xp o s e d m u lti- s h ad o w e d "d ayligh t"; an d th e co lo r ran ge ( w h ich th ro u gh o u t th e m o vie m an age s to re fle ct e ve ry im p e rfe ctio n o f m as s p ro d u ce d co lo r p rin ts ) cu ts fro m all-o ve r bro w n to w as h e d -o u t blu e -gre e n ." D avid Cu rtis , Exp e r im e n t a l Cin e m a , 19 71 ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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KATZELMACH ER ( Rain e r W e rn e r Fas s bin d e r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Stylize d , p ro s ce n iu m -typ e actin g by n o n -e m o tin g s te re o typ e s again s t ch alk-w h ite backgro u n d s cre ate s a Bre ch tian attack o n th e Ge rm an p e tty-bo u rge o is ie . Th e artis t's tam p e rin g w ith film s to ck its e lf co n tribu tin g to th e alie n atin g e ffe ct. ______________________________________________ An e arly w o rk by o n e o f Ge rm an y's be s t n e w film m ake rs , w h o -- like Go d ard w h o m h e qu ite d e libe rate ly e m u late s -p ro d u ce s at le as t tw o fe atu re s a ye ar w h ile d ire ctin g th e fam e d avan t-gard e Mu n ich An ti-Th e atre . Playe d in p ro s ce n iu m -s tyle by n o n -e m o tin g s te re o typ e s again s t ch alk-w h ite backgro u n d s , th e film d e p e n d s le s s o n its m in im al p lo t th at o n th e care fu l cre atio n o f a Bre ch tian u n ive rs e to m ake an in tricate attack o n th e Ge rm an p e ttybo u rge o is ie , vie w e d o n ce again as p o te n tial p ro to typ e s o f n e o -fas cis t te n d e n cie s . Th e "acto rs " ap p e ar n o t as in d ivid u als , bu t as s o cial typ e s , d ro w n e d in e m p ty live s an d clich e d "valu e s ". Th e s tiflin g n arro w n e s s o f th e p e ttybo u rge o is m in d h as s e ld o m be e n m o re p e n e tratin gly re ve ale d .

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

W AVELEN GTH ( Mich ae l Sn o w , U SA, 19 6 7) A m agic m o m e n t in a m agic film ; th e s tro n g, s p e ctral s u n ligh t s tre am in g th ro u gh care fu lly "p lace d " w in d o w s in to th e s till, m ys te rio u s lo ft th ro u gh w h ich , fo r 4 5 m in u te s , th e cam e ra trave rs e s its e igh ty-fo o t le n gth in o n e co n tin u o u s , alm o s t im p e rce p table zo o m m o ve m e n t. SC ______________________________________________ A s e m in al w o rk o f th e n e w avan t-gard e an d u n qu e s tio n ably o n e o f th e m o s t ico n o clas tic an d o rigin al e xp e rim e n ts o f th e 6 0 s . Th is h yp n o tic, 4 5 m in u te lo n g film co n s is ts e n tire ly o f o n e co n tin u o u s , alm o s t im p e rce p tible zo o m m o ve m e n t w h ich trave rs e s th e le n gth o f th e 8 0 -fo o t N e w Yo rk lo ft. D u rin g th is tim e , fo u r tin y "h u m an e ve n ts ", n o n e lo n ge r th an a m in u te , o ccu r in fro n t o f th e cam e ra ( s u ch as tw o p e o p le w alkin g in ) , th e re s t is p ain fu l ( to m in d s attu n e d to H o llyw o o d p lo ts ) p o e tic co n te m p latio n th at tu rn s in to re ve rie . A p e rfe ct

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e xam p le o f th e cin e m a o f s tilln e s s , it w e ave s its ch arm s s o s u btly th at th o s e w h o co m e to s co ff re m ain tran s fixe d . A s p e cu latio n o n th e e s s e n ce o f th e m e d iu m an d , in e vitably, o f re ality, th e re al p ro tago n is t o f th is film is th e ro o m its e lf, th e p rivate life o f a w o rld w ith o u t m an , th e s o ve re ign ty o f o bje cts an d p h ys ical e ve n ts . Th e film is acco m p an ie d by a s te ad ily gro w in g e le ctro n ic s o u n d -cre ate d by th e ris in g p itch o f an o s cillato r w o rkin g again s t th e 6 0 -cycle h u m o f an am p lifie r -- w h ich fin ally re ach e s an u n be arable le ve l; to Sn o w , th e glis s an d o o f th is o s cillato r s in e w ave is th e s o u n d e qu ivale n t o f th e cam e ra's zo o m . SC

TH E ASSAU LT ON MON TAGE An instructive and sadly amusing commentary on man's attempts to eternalize the necessarily transitory may be discerned in the evolution of film editing. The discovery of a revolutionary new technique, its institutionalization, ossification, and supersession -- all are there, in cyclical progression. The significance of this first and basic filmic task cannot be overestimated. Cocteau phrased it succinctly: "A director w ho does not edit his ow n film, allow s himself to be translated into a foreign tongue." ( 1) Editing w as born in 1903 w hen Porter found it necessary to glue tw o pieces of film together to develop a scene in The Great American Train Robbery. I nitially view ed merely as a helpful mechanical device to maintain continuity, it w as quickly discovered to have aesthetic potential as w ell. Griffith not only intentionally divided a scene into shots, but w ithin it varied distance, angle, perspective, and focus, adding close-up ( significant detail) and cross-cutting ( simultaneous advancement of different plot lines) to the arsenal of editing. Follow ing the development of an entire theory of montage by the Russians and its creative utilization by the Germans in its 20s, Hollyw ood institutionalized w hat could have been a tool of art into a smooth technique. The result w as the establishment of a "mythology of editing", an international canon of regulations scrupulously obeyed by filmmakers and editors, immortalized in text books, and further vulgarized by film schools. These rules w ere not only "right" -- they w ere reasonable, logical, the triumph of common sense in the cinema, reflecting an orderly, predictable w orld w ithin w hich surprise or shock w ere kept to a minimum. I t is perhaps impossible to convey how definitive this received canon of editing w as regarded as being by the film industry. As usual in human affairs, its historicity w as apparent only to rebels. Ultimately it w as they w ho, by challenging the "eternal",

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broadened the expressive range of cinema. Having assiduously chipped aw ay at one rule after another, desecration is now complete. The best-know n rule of the canon specified a particular etiquette for the introduction of a new scene; a carefully choreographed ballet of long shot ( "objectively" photographed from a distance to "establish" the physical setting of the scene and show the placement of characters w ithin it) to medium shot ( draw ing the view er into the action) to close-up. The rebels break w ith this: they open new scenes w ith a close-up or a medium shot, disorientating the view er into frantic and inevitable attempts at understanding, thereby pulling him into the action more securely. This "jarring" is by no means confined to Bertolucci, Godard, or the underground. I t can already be found in such films as Bunuel's Viridiana , and is paralleled in the structuring of the modern novel. There exist traditional devices, according to the canon, for transitions betw een scenes: fades ( to denote time passage) , dissolves ( to denote action occurring elsew here at about the same time) , iris effects ( an opening up or closing dow n on a scene, for emphasis) . The rebels either dispense w ith these devices in favor of "direct cuts" to subsequent scenes ( increasing disorientation and space-time compression) or using them for non-conventional, creative purpose. I n the canon, if transitional devices are not used, adjoining scenes should be spatially or temporally similar to maintain continuity and smooth narrative structures. The rebels tend, on the contrary, to use the direct cut in the manner most calculated to "shock" the view er into new time and space. By the book, a shot is not to be ended before the end of action w ithin it or before the view er can fully grasp it. The rebels instead prefer to increase the mystery. The w orst cinematic crime is said to be the jump-cut -a false, mismatched cut w ithin a scene, joining tw o discontinous parts of a continuous action, thereby violating strict continuity. But w ith Godard's Breathless, the jump-cut becomes the hallmark of the new cinema, denoting an acceptance of discontinuity by artist and audience for purposes of heightened imagination, or intimations of memory, passion, or anxiety. I t produces high visual excitement, "particularly w hen the frame remains unmoved and the character is popped about w ith it." ( 2) According to film orthodoxy, size of objects in adjoining shots should be similar and sudden changes in scale are to be avoided. The rebels prefer to increase disturbance. I n photographing a scene, say the rules, the cam-

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era must remain on the same side of the action throughout, so as not to disrupt continuity of direction. Since Antonioni's L'Avventura , how ever, this "immutable" law has been under severe attack. Dialogue, music, or sound effects w ere supposed to end simultaneously w ith the scene. How ever, overlapping sound has now become an editing technique not only for bridging, but as metaphor or counterpoint. Conventionally, dialogue betw een tw o protagonists should cut from person to person and back, w ith the speaker alw ays visible and the listeners visible at some time; head movements and positioning should be synchronized w ith camera angles. But Godard's The Married Woman -- an excellent example of the new subversion -- contains long dialogue sequences in w hich the camera remains w ith one person for almost the entire duration: shots of listeners are missing, head positioning is arbitrary. An "insert" ( a cut-aw ay shot to another action or object) should be used to cover up temporal or spatial discontinuities. This is discarded by the rebels as discontinuity relates to the modern sensibility. Screen motion ( left to right or vice versa in chase sequences, for instance) must be maintained in successive shots. But this, too, is not longer held necessary. Significant changes in pacing throughout a film ( not just at climaxes) have hitherto been frow ned upon. How ever, both Godard and Antonioni, to mention only tw o, favor alternating slow and rapid sequences w ithin the same film. According to the canon, even in realistic films real time is invariably ( and invisibly) compressed into filmic time. This is rejected by Warhol et al in one of the large cinematic revolutions of our day. I t w as held that filmic time ought not to be so compressed as to draw attention to itself. Modern cinema has violated this precept w ith a vengeance; the customary time condensation is far greater than ever before and is accomplished w ithout resort to customary fades, dissolves, and inserts. Convention demanded that neither tenses nor modes of experience be mixed except by the use of w ell-defined devices of separation ( flashbacks, flashforw ards, blurring for fantasy, etc.) But the entire modern school -- w ith Resnais in the lead -- have successfully eliminated this stipulation, mingling time, illusion, and reality.

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I n orthodox filmmaking, scenes move forw ard in orderly, logical progression. This too is rejected by the rebels w ho repeat certain key scenes for poetic emphasis, intermittently insert brief flashforw ards or memory shots, add subliminal or "extraneous" material, and freeze action w ithin the film to a complete standstill. By creating masterpieces in strict violation of these established rules, the new cinema has exposed their historical ( transitory) nature and asserted itself as a cinema of poetry. Creativity has taken the place of smooth continuity. Lyricism, passion, and romanticism have toppled the ( superb) craftsmen of Hollyw ood. Slaves of the mass market, they dared not break the rules; this required the young, as yet free of responsibility and routine. Said Cocteau: "What one should do w ith the young is to give them a portable camera and forbid them to observe any rules except those they invent for themselves as they go along. Let them w rite w ithout being afraid of making spelling mistakes." ( 3) I f one studies the entire canon of conventional editing technique, the crime most to be avoided has alw ays been that of evident editing; the emphasized cut, draw ing attention to montage and such. I t is now clear that the entire thrust of the new cinema has been tow ards the destruction of this false modesty and reactionary ( because reality-reinforcing) unobtrusiveness. Yet the force of illusionism in art ( and of man's need for it) is such that even "intrusive montage" quickly becomes accepted as a new narrative "device", tending once more tow ards invisibility. The assault on conventional montage, how ever, has contributed tow ards propelling cinema aw ay from the petty-bourgeois sentimentalities of Hollyw ood into our real universe of unrest, uncertainty, anguish. This sense of disparity, disequilibrium, or unbalance which I have called the main theme of Eliot's poetry and Fellini's films, is one of the most important ways in which modern art has voiced its troubled awareness of the disorder of our times. And it is significant that the expression of this sense of disorder should be in the poetically and filmically formed technique of montage, developed in Western countries to emphasize disparity, while its Russian form emphasized conflict. (4) A corollary is pointed out by Karel Reisz and Gavin Millar in explaining Godard's unorthodox editing techniques: Successive developments of this action are shown to us as the would strike us if we were spectators in real life. Nothing is prepared or led up to. No "clues" are laid as to imminent

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action ... We are given no insight, we have no omniscience. We have to accept ... The logic of the author who used to share his knowledge with us is replaced, for better or worse, by the logic of the passer-by who knows as little as we do. (5) This also indicates, Rod Whitaker notes, the similarities betw een film and the modern novel w hich allow s the reader to see everything, but, unlike the ubiquitous narrator of Balzac's times, tells him nothing. ( 6) Dispensing w ith compositional stability, narrative clarity, and orderly progression, the modern filmmakers plunge us headlong into unpredictable action, their images forever "ahead" of us, and confront us w ith mystery as w e painfully attempt quickly to adjust ourselves to ever new locales, situations, and plot tw ists. I n the context of the darkened theatre, in w hich our entire perceived universe consists of a w hite rectangular space reflecting violent visual events, considerable physiological and psychological shock inheres in the sudden appearance of entirely new environments, huge objects tow ering over us, extreme changes in scale, transitions too rapid to follow , large movements across the screen, and torrents of images in rapid, continuous succession. The assault on the old montage is therefore an attempt to strengthen immediacy, to capture the view er by mystery and intimation, to increase his identification by forcing him into stronger mental and psychological response, thus jolting him from the comfortable safety of his ow n universe. But there also exist in contemporary cinema countervailing tendencies, opposed not to the conventions of montage, but to montage itself. This is to be seen in certain experiments of Brakhage and Markopoulos ( films "edited" in the camera during shooting, w ithout resort to later montage) , in Robert Frank-Alfred Leslie's Pull My Daisy ( described by them as "an accumulation of images rather than a selection") , ( 7) in the radical w ing of the cinema verite movement ( w hich aims it leaving reality "undisturbed") . I t also includes Godard and Jansco, in their use of lengthy one-shot sequences, early Warhol, and the sepulchral contemplations of the minimal filmmakers. The trend reappears in the attempts at "cosmic cinema" by Belson et al, w hose films ultimately consist of variations on one continuous image-experience, orchestrated and transmuted not by cuts, but by overlapping superimpositions. I deological adherents of this type of cinema, such as Youngblood, believe that the resultant simultaneity of ( non- dramatic) action, proceeding w ithin a space-time continuum, most accurately reflects, among the various film styles, the era of relativity and that superimposition must take the place of montage. ( 8) I n short, the assault on mon-

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tage, in true subversive fashion, seems to come from all directions.

REFERENCES (1) Cocteau on Film, Dennis Dobson, 1936 (2) The Language of Film, Rod Whitaker, 1970 (3) Cocteau (4) Literature and Film, Robert Richardson, 1969 (5) The Technique of Film Editing, Karel Reisz & Gavin Millar (also see A Primer for Filmmaking, Kenneth Roberts & Win Sharples, 1971) (6) Richardson (7) Reisz-Millar (8) Expanded Cinema, Gene Youngblood, 1970

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BEFORE TH E REVOLU TION ( PRIMA D ELLA RIVOLU ZION E) ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Italy, 19 6 4 ) ( F) Ad rian a As ti's lu m in o u s e ye s p aralle l th e p o s itio n in g o f th e h e ro 's arm an d le ad u s to w ard h im ; th e rigid ity o f h e r o w n arm an d h e r facial e xp re s s io n d e n o te re s is tan ce ; bu t th e lo ve rs d o n o t e xis t in a vacu u m as h in te d at o r by th e backgro u n d figu re s , o n e o f w h o m be co m e s th e s e qu e n ce 's ce n tral p ro tago n is t. ______________________________________________ Rare ly h as a tale n t bu rs t u p o n th e film s ce n e w ith s u ch

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brillian ce as Be rto lu cci d id w ith th is film , p e rh ap s th e m o s t ge rm in al w o rk o f th e n e w cin e m a. A flo o d o f p o e tic vis u als , m o n tage , an d s o u n d , it is a s h am e le s s ly p as s io n ate , in te n s e ly p e rs o n al s tate m e n t o f p o litical an d s e xu al co m in g o f age . Be rto lu cci's e n tire o e u vre is p e rm e ate d by an u n re s o lve d te n s io n be tw e e n a lu xu rian t, vibran t ae s th e ticis m an d an atte m p t at rad ical, co m m itte d cin e m a. A p ro fo u n d fe e lin g fo r a tactile , s e n s u o u s , p icto rial cin e m a o f ( rad ical) fo rm , te xtu re , co lo r, ad co m p o s itio n is balan ce d by a s tro n g s e n s itivity to s o cial is s u e s , in clu d in g th e d ile m m as o f th e rad ical bo u rge o is in a p e rio d o f cap italis t d e clin e . U n able to e s cap e h is clas s ro o ts , Be rto lu cci's s e n s itivity s h arp e n s h is p o litical rad icalis m w h ile blu n tin g it w ith in fo rm e d s ce p ticis m an d am bigu ity. Th e m o tto th at p re face s th is film als o p o in ts to Be rto lu cci's d ile m m a: "On ly th o s e w h o live d be fo re th e re vo lu tio n , kn e w h o w s w e e t life co u ld be ." ( Talle yran d ) Th u s Be rto lu cci is at h is be s t d e s cribin g, w ith an gu is h e d am bivale n ce , bitte rs w e e t e p is o d e s o f m id d le -clas s life -- an e ve n in g at th e o p e ra, th e rap tu re s o f yo u n g ( bo u rge o is ) lo ve , th e d e s p air o f an Italian aris to crat w h o s e w o rld is be in g d e s tro ye d by cap italis t m ate rialis m . Th e re d flag an d th e p o is o n o u s be au ty o f p rivile ge d bo u rge o is e xis te n ce are th e tw o co n s tan ts o f Be rto lu cci's w o rk. W h at is m o s t o rigin al in it, h o w e ve r, is h is o u trage o u s an d e xu be ran t p icto rial s e n s e , h is ( ae s th e tically) re vo lu tio n ary atte m p t to cre ate a p o e tic-p o litical cin e m a by m e an s o f au d acio u s , vio le n t e d itin g an d vis u al e ffe cts , far in ad van ce o f an yth in g th e co m m e rcial cin e m a h as to o ffe r an d s u rp as s in g m an y o f th e m o s t p o te n t ach ie ve m e n ts o f th e in te rn atio n al avan t-gard e . Be rto lu cci's cam e raw o rk an d m o n tage are e n tire ly u n o rth o d o x, ye t in fu s e d w ith a lyrical flu id ity an d d e p th o f fe e lin g u n typ ical fo r a co n te m p o rary o f Go d ard , Ro bbe -Grille t, an d Re s n ais . Th e o fte n h an d h e ld cam e ra is in co n tin u o u s , u n e xp e cte d m o tio n , an d s u bje ctive zo o m o r trackin g s h o ts h e igh te n th e fe e lin g o f im m e d iacy. Th is au th e n ticity an d "h o t" in vo lve m e n t is fu rth e r m agn ifie d by e d itin g th at fu s e s brie f, d is p arate clo s e u p s -- u n m atch e d in co n ve n tio n al co n tin u ity o r s cale -- in to s taccato s e qu e n ce s ( w ith large , rap id ly m o vin g s h ap e s cre atin g te n s io n w ith in th e fram e ) ; in tro d u ce s s u d d e n cu ts fro m lo n gs h o ts to clo s e u p s , acco m p an ie d by vivid cam e ra m o ve m e n ts w ith o r again s t s u bje ct m o tio n in th e fram e ; le ave s actio n in co m p le te , o r co n tin u e s it in d ire ct cu ts th at in clu d e te m p o ral o r s p atial lap s e s ; re p e ate s s ign ifican t acts fro m s ligh tly d iffe re n t vie w p o in ts ; an d s cram ble s tim e w ith in g s e e m in gly re alis tic s e qu e n ce s . ______________________________________________

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BEFORE TH E REVOLU TION ( PRIMA D ELLA RIVOLU ZION E) ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Italy, 19 6 4 ) ( F) D u rin g a d is cu s s io n o f h is p o litical d o u bts , th e yo u n g bo u rge o is atte m p tin g to be a re vo lu tio n is t s ym bo lically w alks in an o p p o s ite d ire ctio n fro m a gro u p o f Co m m u n is t m arch e rs . Be rto lu cci's e n tire w o rk is p e rm e ate d by an u n re s o lve d te n s io n be tw e e n a lu xu rian t ae s th e ticis m an d an atte m p t at rad ical cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BREATH LESS ( A BOU T D E SOU FFLE) ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 59 ) ( F) Th e m o d e rn cin e m a co u ld n o t e xis t w ith o u t th is film . Go d ard 's firs t fe atu re , it in flu e n ce d an e n tire ge n e ratio n o f film m ake rs an d p e rm an e n tly ch an ge d e xis tin g n o tio n s o f w h at film s h ad to lo o k like . Fo r in to th is large ly irre le van t s to ry o f a p e tty gan gs te r an d h is Am e rican girlfrie n d , Go d ard in fu s e d n o t m e re ly th e p arad o xe s o f a re s tle s s , iro n ic, e xis te n tialis t o u tlo o k o n life , bu t als o a s tyle o f n arrative an d p icto rial re p re s e n tatio n th at co rre s p o n d e d to it. So p e rvas ive h as h is in flu e n ce be e n s in ce th e n th at Br e a t h le s s to d ay be gin s to lo o k "co n ve n tio n al". Its in itial im p act, h o w e ve r, w as s h o ckin g: Go d ard h ad d is p e n s e d w ith th e s m o o th an d lo gical co n tin u ity o f th e H o llyw o o d film , w ith its care fu l "m atch in g" o f s u cce s s ive s h o ts , its u s e o f tran s itio n al d e vice s s u ch as d is s o lve s an d lo n gs h o ts to "e s tablis h " n e w s ce n e s , its in ch in g, by cau tio u s d e gre e s ,

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to th e ce n te r o f actio n . In s te ad , Go d ard 's n arrative s tyle w as "d is jo in te d ", re s tle s s , e le ctrifyin g; it "ju m p e d " tim e s an d s p ace , cu t to ge th e r d iffe re n t lo cale s o r e ve n ts w ith o u t a s in gle d is s o lve , an d te le s co p e d actio n by s h o w in g o n ly its m o s t im p o rtan t s e gm e n ts . To ge th e r w ith an alm o s t co n s tan t u s e o f a m o bile cam e ra, th e s e m e th o d s s e e m e d s tylis tically to in co rp o rate th e s yn co p ate d , e xp lo s ive rh yth m s o f m o d e rn life , th e p h ilo s o p h ical u n d e rp in n in gs o f a u n ive rs e n o w re co gn ize d as re lative . Th e s am e s e n s ibility is e xp re s s e d in h is h an d lin g o f ch aracte r an d s to rylin e . U n like th e w is e an d be n e vo le n t au th o r o f o ld , takin g th e au d ie n ce in to h is co n fid e n ce , Go d ard s im p ly e xh ibits m ys te rio u s , n o t fu lly d raw n ch aracte rs w h o m -- as in life -- w e are as ke d to d e cip h e r. Th e clu e s m o re o fte n th an n o t are in s u fficie n t, th e m o tivatio n s clo u d e d , th e co m m u n icatio n s gu ard e d ( o r p e rh ap s s in ce re ) . "Ord e r" an d "lo gic" -- in p lo t p ro gre s s io n , e d itin g, co m p o s itio n -h ave van is h e d in to th e fo g o f th e co n te m p o rary w o rld vie w , w ith d ire cto r, acto rs , an d au d ie n ce p ickin g th e ir w ay in to th e u n kn o w n . Pro to typ e o f th e as s au lt o n co n ve n tio n al e d itin g. Br e a t h le s s w as n e ve rth e le s s o n ly th e firs t s tatio n o n th e lo n g p ath o f Go d ard 's s u bs e qu e n t tran s gre s s io n s o f cin e m atic co n ve n tio n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CH RON ICLE OF AN N A MAGD ALEN A BACH ( CH RON IK D ER AN N A MAGD ALEN A BACH ) ( Je an -Marie Strau b, Ge rm an y, 19 6 7) ( F) U tm o s t e co n o m y o f m e an s , a fe e lin g o f s tilln e s s , co n ce n tratio n o n a s in gle p o in t: a p e rfe ct re p re s e n tatio n o f th e s p irit o f th is "m in im al" w o rk. Th e d ire cto r's re fu s al to m o ve th e cam e ra, co n d e n s e "irre le van t" actio n o r cre ate "artfu l" co m p o s itio n s

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is an as s au lt o n o u r cin e m atic valu e s ys te m s . ______________________________________________ Th is u n co m p ro m is in g fo re ru n n e r o f s tru ctu ral cin e m a is an atte m p t at factu al an d m o ral au th e n ticity. It co n s titu te s a "p e rve rs e p o rtrayal o f a m u s ician ( th ro u gh th e e ye s o f h is w ife ) as if h e live d to d ay an d w as n o t ye t fam o u s , a re n d itio n o f h is m u s ic o n th e o rigin al in s tru m e n ts an d w ith o u t in te rru p tio n , a re fu s al to re s h ap e th e actu ality o f a life by th e in tro d u ctio n o f n arrative o r d ram atic e le m e n ts . Th e in h e re n t illu s io n is m o f th e s cre e n is fu rth e r d e s tro ye d by re p e ate d vis u al p re s e n tatio n ( an d re ad in g) o f h is to rical d o cu m e n ts an d le tte rs . Th e re fu s al to m o ve th e cam e ra o r re n d e r th e im age m o re in te re s tin g an d an in s is te n ce o n re al tim e ( p articu larly d u rin g th e fre qu e n t m u s ical s e le ctio n s ) re p re s e n ts a fro n tal as s au lt o n th e cin e m atic valu e s ys te m o f th e s p e ctato r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TOU CH OF EVIL ( Ors o n W e lle s , U SA, 19 57) ( F) Partly re cu t by th e p ro d u ce rs , u n acco u n tably u n d e rrate d by th e critics , th is re m ain s o n e o f W e lle s ' m o s t o rigin al w o rks . H is abid in g fas cin atio n w ith p o w e r an d its co rru p tio n is h e re tran s m u te d in to a baro qu e th rille r o f m an ic in te n s ity. Clau s tro p h o bic, h yp n o tic, e xce s s ive , th e w o rk re e ks w ith m o ral p u tre factio n , cyn icis m an d a h u m an is m w h ich is p itile s s an d an ti-s e n tim e n tal. A s o rd id tale , it s u bve rs ive ly s h o w s in n o ce n ce to be in e ffe ctive again s t e vil, go o d n e s s to h ave a clu b-fo o t, ratio n alis m to be in ad e qu ate in an irratio n al w o rld . Th e e vil co p ( W e lle s ) fram e s a d o w n tro d d e n Me xican , w h o is n o t in n o ce n t, as w e h ad h o p e d , bu t gu ilty. Th e w o rld o f th is film is n o t o rd e re d o r p re d ictable , bu t fragm e n te d an d ato m ize d ; th e brillian t vis u al s tyle bo th re fle cts an d cre ate s th is re ality. N u llifyin g th e o ld ru le s o f m o n tage , it p lace s th e vie w e r in th e p o s itio n o f be in g alw ays "be h in d " th e cas cad in g im age s an d actio n . N o "e xp lan atio n s " e s tablis h in g s h o ts , o r o rd e rly p ro gre s s io n s are p ro vid e d ; in s te ad , d ire ct cu ts be tw e e n s ce n e s ( o r co n tin u al ch an ge s o f cam e ra s e tu p d u rin g th e m ) co n s tan tly s h ifts lo cale , actio n , an d vie w in g p o s itio n . Th e s p e ctato r is w h ip p e d fro m s ce n e to s ce n e , n e ve r ce rtain o f h is be arin gs , th u s e xp e rie n cin g th e film "fo rw ard " in its e vo lu tio n to w ard an as ye t u n kn o w n d e n o u e m e n t. Ve ry aw are o f p las tic valu e s an d s p atial re latio n s h ip s , W e lle s ke e p s h is cam e ra m o vin g co n s tan tly, s u d d e n ly in tro d u cin g n e w o bje cts in to th e fram e , tiltin g an gle s , p h o to grap h in g m o s t o f th e film fro m be lo w fo r e m p h as is , e d itin g th e s o u n d track in to a babble o f o ve rlap p in g vo ice s -- s o m e tim e s p u rp o s e ly u n in te lligible , s o m e tim e s u s e d in co u n te rp o in t. Th e film 's o p e n in g s e qu e n ce -- a m as te rp ie ce -- s tartle s by its clas s icis m o f s tyle an d in co n gru ity o f s u bje ct m atte r: w ith in a s in gle , u n bro ke n , am azin g "take " o f s e ve ral m in u te s ' d u ratio n , th e cam e ra s w in gs o ve r ro o fs , bu ild in gs , s tre e ts , m as s e s o f e xtras , m o vin g ve h icle s an d p as s in g live s to ck, in a co n tin u o u s s n ake -like m o ve m e n t o f in cre as in g, fin ally u n be arable , te n s io n . At its s tart, w e h ad o bs e rve d a tim e bo m b s u rre p titio u s ly be in g p lace d in a car, s u bs e qu e n tly e n te re d by an ( u n aw are ) co u p le an d s lo w ly d rive n to th e bo rd e r co n tro l s tatio n , fre qu e n tly s to p p e d by traffic. W e fe arfu lly an ticip ate th e s ce n e 's e n d , an d th e o ld m as te r d o e s n o t d is ap p o in t u s .

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

TW ICE A MAN ( Gre go ry J. Marko p o u lo s , U SA, 19 6 3 ) ( F) A m o d e rn re cre atio n o f th e le ge n d o f H yp p o lytu s s u btly re ve als h o m o s e xu al an d in ce s tu al m o tive s am o n g its th re e p ro tago n is ts as it m in gle s re ality an d m e m o ry. Particu larly n o te w o rth y is th e atte m p t to p o rtray th o u gh ts an d flas h e s o f m e m o ry by in s e rtin g bu rs ts o f s in gle -fram e , alm o s t s u blim in al s h o ts in to th e m ain s e qu e n ce w h ich p ro ce e d s in d iffe re n t tim e an d s p ace . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E RED AN D TH E W H ITE ( CSILLAGOSOK, KATON AK) ( Miklo s Jan cs o , H u n gary, 19 6 8 ) ( F) On e o f th e m o s t s u rp ris in g w o rks fro m th e Eas t; th is is a be au tifu lly p h o to grap h e d , s tylize d d ram a o f th e Ru s s ian civil w ar in w h ich n e ith e r Re d s n o r W h ite s are s te re o typ e s an d o n ly w ar is e vil. Th e re is little co n ve n tio n al e d itin g: th e e n tire film co n s is ts o f lo n g u n in te rru p te d "take s ", w ith th e cam e ra in co n s tan t ch o re o grap h ic m o ve m e n t th ro u gh th e actio n , circlin g o r fo llo w in g th e p ro tago n is ts . In an abs u rd ly p as to ral s e ttin g, an im p lacable , co n fu s e d ch arad e o f e xe cu tio n s , cap tu re s , an d ve n ge an ce is acte d o u t by bo th s id e s , w ith s h iftin g fo rtu n e s co n s tan tly tran s fo rm in g h an gm an in to victim , victim in to h an gm an . Gre at p las tic be au ty an d a p o is o n o u s lyricis m p e rm e ate th is balle t o f vio le n ce , its n am e le s s m e n trap p e d in h yp n o tic, arch aic ritu als , its p ro u d o r vio late d w o m e n ap p e arin g as s ym bo ls o f fle e tin g life . Bas e d o n th e m e s fro m Is aac Babe l's w o rks , th is is a fu lly re alize d p arap h ras e o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . ______________________________________________

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TH E RED AN D TH E W H ITE ( CSILLAGOSOK, KATON AK) ( Miklo s Jan cs o , H u n gary, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Co n ve n tio n al e d itin g d is ap p e ars in a film o f le s s th an 2 5 u n in te rru p te d , s in gle -s h o t s e qu e n ce s w ith th e cam e ra in co n s tan t ch o re o grap h ic m o ve m e n t th ro u gh o u t th e actio n . Co m p o s itio n al gran d e u r ch aracte rize s th is co n fro n tatio n o f th e im p lacable W h ite Arm y ( s ign ifican tly in d ark u n ifo rm s ) an d th e m o re "h u m an " Re d s ( in s h irt s le e ve s ) . Th e ju xtap o s itio n o f m an an d lan d s cap e is e xtrao rd in ary.

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SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E ARRIVAL OF A TRAIN IN TH E STATION ( Lo u is Lu m ie re , Fran ce , 18 9 5) Th e u s e o f "re al" ( n o t co n d e n s e d ) tim e ; an im m o bile cam e ra; a tin y e ve n t -- d e fin itio n s o f bo th m in im al an d e arlie s t cin e m a. Lu m ie re 's 18 9 5 train cau s e a rio t as it n e are d th e s p e ctato rs , p ro vin g th e re lativity o f th e tabo o e d im age an d its e m as cu latio n by e xp o s u re an d fam iliarity.

TH E TRIU MPH AN D D EATH OF TH E MOVIN G CAMERA THE CAMERA MOVES The transformation of film from surrogate theatre to visual

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art occurred w hen the camera began to move. Until then, the cinema's full potential could not be realized; an immobile camera, in the fashion of a theatregoer, stared at a proscenium beyond w hich the action of the photo-"play" took place. Movement w as confined to the actors and their constant regrouping in theatrical space. The liberation of the camera proceeded in stages; first, ( though remaining fixed) the camera changed position betw een shots, bringing the action closer to or removing it from the view er. This for the first time violated w hat had previously been considered an absolute distance and set the stage for an intricate ( at first liberating, ultimately stultifying) orchestration of establishing-, medium-, and close-shot. A further step consisted of the development of mechanical devices ( special vehicles, cranes, rails, flexible tripods for pans or tilts) to change camera position. Though the camera had "moved" in Griffith and, according to James Card, in William Adler's The Second Coming ( 1915) , ( 1) I t w as Karl Freund's moving camera in F.W. Murnau's The Last Laugh ( 1924) and E.A. Dupont's Variety ( 1925) that served as harbinger of a revolution w hich -- w ith the development of montage -- transformed cinema into an art form. Fluidity of camera, its elaborate, choreographic movement w ithin the frame, have since become symbols of creative cinema, offering immediacy, authenticity, and a sense of physical participation w hich the immobile camera could not match. I n addition to "composing" by editing after shooting had been completed, the film w as now also created in the camera. Entire episodes w ere developed in continuity, w ithout cuts, fades, or titles, and w ith the camera itself moving to interpret or follow action or perhaps more importantly, to express feelings. Complete sets w ere constructed to allow for the camera's passage. An important later advance came w ith the development of handheld, lightw eight cameras ( w ith portable, synchonous sound) . Nothing surpasses this camera's capability to produce intimacy and involvement, particularly in sequences of tension or drama, in cinema verite studies ( w here the bulkier older equipment had precluded even relative privacy) , and in the subjective explorations of personal reality by underground filmmakers. The apotheosis of the moving camera came in w orks such as Alfred Hitchcock's Rope ( 1948) , an almost 90 minute film consisting entirely of ten-minute "takes" during w hich the camera moves incessantly w hile all editing has been abolished; this technique has also been used in Miklos Jancso's w ork, usually consisting of less than 15 "takes" w ithout cuts, the camera in continous choreographic motion. The concept of the moving camera is more closely associated w ith the

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visual filmmakers and the avant-garde ( both independent and commercial) that w ith the earnest craftsmen of the large studios w hose mandate w as to produce safe entertainments w ithin a matrix of pseudo-realism. To move the camera is a revolutionary act. I t introduces an element of "hotness", instability, emotional entanglement, and implicit anarchy. A period of social imbalance and unrest ( from the tw enties on and as yet unresolved) characterizes its emergence; and it is the high-strung outsiders or critics of bourgeois society -- Antonioni, Godard, Bertolucci, Brakhage -w ho use it more than the Fords, the Wylers, or the many Hollyw ood artisans, content w ith the stability exemplified by the fixed camera. Any movement of the camera -- even if the scene portrayed is immobile -- sets up a tension more pow erful ( because confined to less space, amidst darkness) than the act of moving one's head; for the invisible w orld-center behind the camera is the Self, and any motion of this center ( be it gradual or sudden, linear or irregular) sets up a basic disturbance of the system. This is w hy camera movements paralleling, moving tow ards or aw ay from action are so much more intense than the same action shot by a fixed camera. I t is particularly the travelling shot ( forw ard movement into the action, w ith view er as camera eye) that transports us into the life of the film in a dream-like manner, as w e literally feel removed from our seats and propelled into the frame to be driven in a car w ith traffic and trees coming tow ard us, hurtling dow n in rollercoasters, personally attacking the enemy. There probably exists no other effect in cinema as pow erful as a rapid zoom at a climactic moment. I t is a personal attack at close range, hurtling the view er w ithout prior w arning into horror or revelation, or cruelly separating him from the action. Since identification and authenticity have been considerably augmented by equating the view er w ith the camera eye, his trepidation or anxiety increases as w ell, since the outcome of ( his!) drama is "as of the moment" uncertain. The patterns of tension resulting from these invisible forces w ithin the frame create, w ith montage, the true reality of a film's impact, of w hich the spectator ( responding to plot, acting, decor) remains largely unaw are w hile being profoundly affected subconciously.

MI NI MAL CI NEMA Considering the effectiveness of these instruments of subconcious subversion and their utilization by the most modern filmmakers, it is significant that a counter-revolutionary subversion of the moving camera has recently been initiated from w ithin the avant-garde itself. A shift in emphasis began to surface in the movement in the early 60s. Until then, their attack on time, space, and narrative had assumed the

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shape of subjective, poetic explorations of the subconcious and of states of mind; but w ith Warhol -- at first considered an eccentric outside the mainstream of the avant-garde -- a new stage w as reached w hich by the 70s had become part of a significant trend in contemporary experimental film. Subversion is now directed against content or meaning as such; only the w ork of art "itself" -- its structure and methodology -is declared w orthy of contemplation or analysis. ( 2) Variously referred to as minimal, structuralist, and conceptual cinema ( or, by less sympathetic critics, as the cinema of creative tedium) , the spectator is now deprived of the last props of psychological support. I nstead, he is asked to observe motionless objects in real time ( often for minutes on end) , compositional patterns or anti-illusionist deformations of the image, the repetition of purposely meaningless shots or situations that have been entirely drained of anecdotal significance. I n short, he is confronted w ith the often tiresome, yet strangely stimulating portrayal of an unedited reality, in w hich film time equals real time, silence is as significant as speech, and tiny details, because of the absence of larger events, acquire unexpected importance. The primary characteristic of most minimal cinema is the use of a fixed camera photographing real time. I n Ken Jacobs' Soft Rain ( 1969) , a camera "stares" out of a w indow onto a street for about nine minutes ( actually, a three-minute segment repeated three times) ; nothing is staged; there is no editing, no camera movement; reality flow s by, Zen-like, and is recorded. The image is mostly still, except for a few cars and pedestrians; these become events. There is no aesthetic reason for the film to last nine minutes instead of ninety; its "form" is the unstructured matrix of reality. A similar pattern, w ith variations ( such as mechanical camera movement along a fixed axis) , can be found in many minimal films. This combination of fixed camera and real time is possibly the most difficult for audiences to accept or to endure; for nothing is more oppressive in cinema than real time. Unexpectedly, the unedited flow of real time fails to provide a greater semblance of reality, but instead increases aw areness of the w ork's artificiality. The film "as such" calls imperious attention to itself. Slow ing all experience to a minimum ( unlike easily accented moments in real life w hen "nothing happens") , it nevertheless rivets our attention "in the hope" that something w ill transpire; for even here w e realize, subconsciously, the presence of a calculating artist. By force of negative example the minimalists have made us aw are that almost all other films progress in greatly condensed "film" time; by the introduction of real time, they compel us to experience objects, events, and duration in all their purity

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and self-sufficiency. The reductive process increases the significance of the few objects remaining and reintroduces us to the importance of the small event or gesture. An extreme example of "real time" w as to occur in Warhol's intended filming of The Bible . Each page of an actual bible w ould appear on screen, in turn, for a period long enough to allow for reading. Several years later and undoubtedly aw are of Warhol, cable television now projects push-button ordering of books from an electronic library, based on home-set reception at the rate of a page a time, w ith the view er signallingw hen he w ishes to proceed to the next page. I t w ill not do to view these new concerns of contemporary filmmakers as empty aestheticism. Too many artists of note ( not merely in cinema) are involved and the movement -- how ever it may abhor being linked to history and revealed thereby as but a stage in its unfolding -- even has antecedents: Lumiere and his fixed camera, at the very beginning of cinema, observing w orkers leaving a factory in real time; constructivist enquiries of the 1920s into the nature of artistic creation; Yasujiro Ozu's massively humanistic w orks of stillness, each scene shot w ith a fixed camera; the single-frame or filmloop experiments of Robert Breer in the 50s. There are even parallels in the music of Cage, the choreography of Cunningham, the happenings of Kaprow , and the impassive and neutral explorations of objects and surfaces in the nouveau roman , disturbingly progressing in real time. I f there is "meaning" in these w orks, it lies, as Youngblood suggested, in the relationship of w ork and beholder; "The subject of the w ork is its ow n structure and the concepts it suggests." ( 3) The silent contemplation forced upon us by this art throw s us back on to ourselves. I t engenders, as Susan Sontag notes in a perceptive comment on the philosophy of the movement, "a stare" and allow s no release from attention. The spectator approaches it as he does a landscape, w hich does not demand his "understanding". Much of contemporary art, Sontag suggests, aspires to this conceptual attitude through strategies of blandness, reduction, "deindividuation", and "alogicality". This "aesthetics of the inventory" -- the enumeration of events or scenes that are w ithout meaning, as in early Warhol or Robbe-Grillet -- confirms the inhumanity of things, their impersonality, their indifference to and separateness from human concerns. ( 1) With RobbeGrillet, the w orld and its objects quite simply "exist": Around us, defying the noisy pack of our animistic or protective adjectives, things are there ... any meaning we impose on them reduces them to the role of tools. Let them lose their

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pseudo-mystery, their suspect interiority, the "romantic heart of things." (Barthes) (6) But although the w orks of the minimalists have unquestionably produced some of the most provocative and subversive film experiences of the last decade,one nevertheless cannot escape their somber symbolic "content" ( how ever this may contradict the presumed "neutrality" of their efforts) : the feeling that mankind, in its specifically contemporary form and w ithin the matrix of a declining civilization, is reaching the end of the road. True, the structuralist stance -- by the very resoluteness and extremity of its purist position -- is opposed to the status quo and its false blandishments; yet the total draining of human concern or emotion ( not to be confused w ith a call for propagandistic art) seems to denote the grow ing dehumanization of art. Sontag, though strongly sympathetic to the movement, realizes this unspoken component w hen ( poignantly, and as a friend) she both endorses the radical potential of artists such as Grotow ski, Duchamp and Beckett w hile somehow deploring the historical situation responsible for their rise: The myths of silence and emptiness are about as nourishing and viable as might be devised in an "unwholesome" time -- which is, of necessity, a time in which "unwholesome" psychic states furnish the energies for most superior works in the arts. Yet one can't deny the pathos of these myths ... These programs for art's impoverishment must not be understood simply as terroristic admonitions to audiences, but rather as strategies for improving the audiences experience. The notions of silence, emptiness and reduction sketch out new prescriptions for looking, hearing, etc., which either promote a more immediate, sensuous experience of art or confront the artwork in a more conscious, conceptual way ... Perhaps the quality of the attention one brings to bear on something will be better (less contaminated, less distracted) the less one is offered. (7) By placing the movement w ithin a firm historical framew ork, she thereby denotes both its significance and its limitations.

REFERENCES (1) Roy Huss & Norman Silverstein, The Film Experience, 1968 (2) P. Adams Sitney, "Structural Film", Film Culture Reader, 1970 (3) Gene Youngblood, Expanded Cinema, 1970 (4) Susan Sontag, Styles of Radical Will, 1969 (5) Sontag

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(6) Alain Robbe-Grillet, For a New Novel, 1969 (7) Sontag

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE CAMERA MOVES

LA REGION CEN TRALE ( Mich ae l Sn o w , U SA/ Can ad a, 19 72 ) ( F) In a p rim e val lan d s cap e , th e film m ake r, like a m ys te rio u s s p ace m an , s e ts u p th e te ch n o lo gical an d p ro gram m e d m o ve m e n ts -ve rtical, e llip tical, h o rizo n tal, o r co m bin e d -o f a cam e ra m o u n te d o n it, w h ich fo r th e n e xt th re e an d a h alf h o u rs e xp lo re s e ve ry las t s to n e o f th e lan d s cap e fro m a fixe d p o s itio n . Th e re is n o s ign o f life . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LAST LAU GH ( D ER LETZTE MAN N ) ( F.W . Mu rn au , Ge rm an y, 19 2 4 ) ( F) Th is re vo lu tio n ary m as te rp ie ce o f th e s ile n t cin e m a co m p le te ly d is p e n s e s w ith title s , te llin g its s to ry

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s o le ly in vis u al p an to m im e an d w ith a m o vin g cam e ra s o fu lly in te grate d w ith actio n , an d s e ts th at e n tire s e qu e n ce s d e ve lo p in co n tin u ity, u n in te rru p te d by cu ts . W ith Karl Fre u n d 's cam e ra m o u n te d o n s p e cial m o bile ve h icle s o r s w in gin g cran e s , th e s e ts w e re co n s tru cte d s o as to allo w bo th cam e ra bo th cam e ra an d actio n fu ll an d co n tin u o u s m o ve m e n t th ro u gh o u t. Th e cam e ra -in te gral co m p o n e n t o f th e w o rk -- s w o o p s , ris e s an d zo o m s , go e s th ro u gh d o o rs an d w in d o w s , an ticip ate s , fo llo w s o r in te rp re ts actio n , be co m e s th e s p e ctato r o f u n fo ld in g e ve n ts , o r th e p ro tago n is t. If film h ad p re vio u s ly be e n co m p o s e d afte r s h o o tin g ( w ith a s tatic cam e ra) . Th e w o rld w id e im p act o f th is film p ro ve d th at a n e w m e th o d o f p icto rial n arratio n h ad be e n d e ve lo p e d , tran s fo rm in g film in to a fu lly-fle d ge d , vis u al art fo rm . It to o k th e s o u n d film an d , p articu larly, th e w o rd -bo u n d H o llyw o o d e n te rtain m e n ts m an y ye ars to u n d o th e ach ie ve m e n ts o f th is p io n e e rin g w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RU N N IN G SH AD OW ( Ro be rt Fu lto n , U SA, 19 71) ( F) An e xtrao rd in ary e xam p le o f a w o rk e n tire ly bas e d o n a co n s tan t cam e ra m o ve m e n t. A s o arin g th ird co n cio u s n e s s e xp lo ratio n -- in p u re ly vis u al te rm s -o f th e s h ap e s , an d p atte rn s o f n atu re , in w h ich cam e ra tilts , u p s id e -d o w n s h o ts , s in gle fram e an d tru ckin g s h o ts at gre at s p e e d re gis te r n o t as gim m icks bu t as s tru ctu rally d e te rm in e d co m p o n e n ts o f a vis u al p o e m . H e re , at las t, is a p ro to typ e o f th e n e w s p ace -tim e co n tin u u m o n film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RED SON G ( MEG KER A N EP) ( Miklo s Jan cs o , H u n gary, 19 72 ) ( F) Th e 19 72 Can n e s Be s t D ire cto r p rize w e n t to Miklo s Jan cs o , w h o s h o u ld h ave re ce ive d it ye ars ago . In th is re ce n t w o rk -a ch o re o grap h e d p o rtrayal o f an abo rtive H u n garian p e as an t re vo lt o f th e 19 th ce n tu ry -- Jan s co h as re ach e d th e ap o th e o s is o f h is s tyle an d th e m e : th e co n s tan tly s h iftin g re latio n s be tw e e n o p re s s e d an d o p re s s o r, th e ro le o f vio le n ce in h u m an affairs , th e n e ce s s ity fo r e te rn al re vo lu tio n s an d ( p e rh ap s ) e te rn al re p re s s io n . H e re th e th e m e h as be co m e to tally abs tract -a cin e m atic balle t cre ate d by a co n s tan tly m o vin g cam e ra ( s in gle take s , w ith o u t e d itin g, u n til th e film ru n s o u t) , co n s tan tly m o vin g acto rs , flo w in g in to e ach o th e r again s t a backgro u n d o f re vo lu tio n ary an d co u n te r-re vo lu tio n ary ritu al, ch an ts , an d m as s ce re m o n ie s . W h ile th is film re p re s e n ts th e m o s t p re fe ct fu s io n o f fo rm an d co n te n t ye t ach ie ve d by Jan s co , its s u bve rs ive as p e ct s e e m s m u te d an d s u bs u m e d by a cu rio u s ly abs tract, le ft-w in g ro m an ticis m .

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

VARIETY ( VARIETE) ( Ew ald An d re D u p o n t, Ge rm an y, 19 2 5) ( F) To ge th e r w ith Mu rn au 's Th e La s t La u g h -- s h o t by th e s am e o u ts tan d in g p h o to grap h e r Karl Fre u n d -- th is film re p re s e n ts th e ap o th e o s is o f th e m o vin g cam e ra. A m e lo d ram a o f m u s ich all life , p ro d u ce d at th e e n d o f th e e xp re s s io n is t e ra in Ge rm an cin e m a, th is re le n tle s s w o rk o w e d its h u ge p o p u larity w ith au d ie n ce s an d critics alike n o t m e re ly to its o p e n affirm a- tio n o f s e n s u ality ( p ro m p tly w e ake n e d by ce n s o rs in s e ve ral co u n trie s ) bu t als o to th e u n p re ce d e n te d flu id ity w ith w h ich its e ve r m o vin g cam e ra w o ve in to an d o u t o f th e actio n . Aid e d by s e n s u o u s d is s o lve s , flu id tran s itio n s , an d u n u s u al an gle s , it "s aw " e ve ryth in g, in clu d in g a p ro fu s io n o f s m alle s t d e tails , tran s fo rm e d in to h u ge s cre e n e ve n ts . Mo re th an ju s t te llin g a s to ry, it p re s e n te d it fro m th e s u bje ctive vie w p o in t o f a p articu lar p ro tago n is t. In th is D u p o n t s u p e rs e d e d , as Kracau e r re alize d , th e co n ve n tio n al re alis m o f th e p as t by cap tu rin g th e p s ych o lo gical p ro ce s s e s be lo w th e s u rface . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MI NI MAL CI NEMA

RAILROAD ( Lu tz Mo m m artz, Ge rm an y, 19 6 7) Fro m in s id e a train , a fixe d vie w o f a p as s in g lan d s cap e , re p e ate d e ve ry th irty s e co n d s fo r s ixte e n m in u te s . H yp n o tic o r n u m bin g, d e p e n d in g o n w h o yo u are . ______________________________________________

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Fro m in s id e a train co m p artm e n t, th e s tatio n ary cam e ra p re s e n ts a fixe d vie w o f a p as s in g, m o n o to n o u s lan d s cap e , re p e ate d by th e film m ake r e ve ry 3 0 s e co n d s fo r 16 m in u te s . Mo n o to n o u s train n o is e s an d th e re p e titio n o f "irre le van t" actio n cre ate a h yp n o tic e ffe ct. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

COLOR FILM ( Stan d is h Law d e r, U SA, 19 71) Th is is a fin e e xam p le o f p u re m in im al cin e m a: th e cam e ra face s a p ro je cto r, th ro u gh w h ich e n d le s s s trip s o f blan k film p as s fo rw ard s an d backw ard s in rap id rh yth m , firs t in re d , th e n in o th e r co lo rs . In te rm itte n tly, th e n am e s o f vario u s co lo rs flas h o n to th e s cre e n , n o t s yn ch ro n ize d w ith th e co lo rs o f th e film . Th e re is n o m e an in g o r m e s s age ; th e film e xis ts p u re ly fo r its e lf. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A FILM ( U N FILM) ( Sylvin a Bo is s o n n as , Fran ce , 19 6 9 ) A yo u n g w o m an -- Mis s Bo is s o n as -- s le e p s , w alks , lie s , o r s its at th e bo tto m o f a h u ge m e tal cylin d e r w h ich fills th e e n tire s cre e n . Th e cam e ra, in a fixe d p o s itio n th ro u gh o u t, is s u s p e n d e d fro m abo ve th e cylin d e r alo n g its ce n tral axis an d p o in ts d o w n w ard s . Th e re is a h o le at th e bo tto m an d s id e o f th e cylin d e r, fro m w h ich w ate r o r s an d s o m e tim e s flo w s to s u bm e rge th e yo u n g w o m an w h o re m ain s p as s ive th ro u gh o u t. Fo r m in u te s o n e n d th e re is n o actio n ; s h e is e ith e r im m o bile o r ch an ge s p o s itio n o n ly s ligh tly. N o cam e ra m o ve m e n t o ccu rs d u rin g th e 13 "s ce n e s ". Th e "e ve n ts " o f th is p ro vo cative , o p p re s s ive e xam p le o f m in im al cin e m a re p e at th e m s e lve s . Th e film is circu lar an d h as n o te m p o ral p ro gre s s io n . Its m in im al fo rm be co m e s a m e tap h o r o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

KISS ( An d y W arh o l, U SA. 19 6 2 ) Au d ie n ce s ge n e rally titte r, th e n fall in to p rivate re ve rie s w h e n e ve r th is film is s h o w n . Fo r h e re w e w itn e s s a bas ic h u m an act in all its s u btle ty, fe rvo r, an d bo re d o m , as fo r 6 0 m in u te s h e te ro - an d h o m o -s e xu al p artn e rs e xch an ge p as s io n ate , s u p e rficial, d e e p , s h o rt, e xtrao rd in ary kis s e s . An im m o bile , p as s ive cam e ra re co rd s th e e ve n s in re al tim e ; th e re s u lt is s im u ltan e o u s ly aro u s in g an d n u m bin g. W arh o l acts as an th ro p o lo gical o bs e rve r o f alie n te rrito ry; by co n ce n tratin g h is p u re an d blin d in g fo cu s o n th e e ve ryd ay, h e m ake s it vis ible an d s ign ifican t. SC 5/19/2007 12:21 PM

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

N AISSAN T ( Ste p h e n D w o s kin , Gre at Britain , 19 6 7) Fo r fo u rte e n m in u te s , th e cam e ra s h o w s th e tro u ble d face o f a yo u n g girl. Th e p u rp o s e : n o t to te ll a s to ry bu t to in vo lve th e vie w e r "in th e m o m e n ts o f a p e rs o n ". Th ro u gh s u btle , n o n -ve rbal co m m u n icatio n , ce rtain o f h e r fe e lin gs an d fe ars are in tim ate d ; th e film 's re al tim e allo w s -- in d e e d , co m p e ls -u s to co n s id e r th e m m o re clo s e ly an d to "th in k w ith h e r". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PARTICLE REMOVAL SERIES ( D avid McCu llo u gh , U SA, 19 72 ) "Firs t in a Se rie s " fro m th e ( im agin ary) Vis u al an d Sp atial Re s e arch Ce n te r, th is s tu d y co n s is ts o f five o n e -m in u te e p is o d e s , in clo s e -u p an d in tro d u ce d by title s : 1) Glas s Fragm e n t ( s te p -by-s te p re m o val fro m w o u n d by p in ce rs , in re al tim e ) ; 2 ) Fin ge rn ail D irt; 3 ) W o o d e n Slive r in H an d ; 4 ) D e bris Be tw e e n To e s ; ( 5) Glas s . At th e e n d , th e re is vis u al re cap itu latio n an d re -id e n tificatio n o f e ach ite m . Th e d e ad -p an e le vatio n o f th e co m m o n p lace to th e p lan e o f d e taile d aw are n e s s le ad s to au d ie n ce agitatio n , lau gh te r an d ap p lau s e ( u p o n s u cce s s fu l re m o val) . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ON A MOST BEAU TIFU L MEAD OW ( IM SCH ON STEN W IESEN GRU N D E) ( Pe te r Vo n Gu te n , Sw itze rlan d , 19 6 8 ) At 12 :4 5 e ach d ay, th e Sw is s rad io co n gratu late s e ld e rly co u p le s o n th e ir w e d d in g an n ive rs ary. In th is film -- w h ile w e lis te n to a fu ll, five -m in u te re n d itio n o f th e o ld Sw is s fo lk s o n g "On a Mo s t Be au tifu l Me ad o w " -- w e s e e Mr. an d Mrs . Le o an d Ad e le Marti-Sch lae fli o f Fah re n s tras s e in Bre ite n bach , Can to n So lo th u rn , to d ay's ce le bran ts , in th e ir livin g ro o m . Th e y s it o n a co m fo rtable co u ch , lo o kin g at u s s e rio u s ly. Th e y d o n o t s p e ak, n o r d o th e y m o ve , e xce p t im p e rce p tive ly, in vo lu n tarily. Th e cam e ra re m ain s in a s in gle , fixe d p o s itio n th ro u gh o u t. Th e re is n o in te rru p tio n in w h at is be in g re co rd e d . Th e film p ro ce e d s in re al tim e -- five m in u te s is ve ry lo n g. W e s e e an d s tu d y -- in te rm s o f w h o w e are -- th is w e ll-fe d , s o lid an d s te ad fas t co u p le w h o h ave s p e n t s o m an y ye ars to ge th e r, gro w in g in to w h at th e y are to d ay. W e s e e an d s tu d y th e fu rn itu re an d d e co r th at h ave be e n im p o rtan t to th e m fo r s o lo n g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RU N AW AY ( Stan d is h Law d e r, U SA, 19 70 ) Th is is an e xam p le o f m in im al cin e m a "w ith a p u rp o s e ". Th e film m ake r take s a brie f s ce n e fro m an o ld H o llyw o o d carto o n in w h ich ru n n in g d o gs , d e fle cte d by an u n s e e n o bs tacle , 5/19/2007 12:21 PM

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p u ll u p s h o rt an d s to p ; by tran s fo rm in g th is s ce n e in to a co n tin u o u s lo o p , th e actio n is co m p u ls ive ly re p e ate d , th e d o gs ru n n in g e n d le s s ly to an d fro , w h ile th e im age its e lf is fu rth e r m an ip u late d an d d e grad e d ( "I s h o w e d th e film in W as h in gto n o n ce an d s o m e o n e in th e au d ie n ce calle d it th e m o s t s avage in d ictm e n t o f Am e rican fo re ign p o licy h e h ad e ve r s e e n " - Stan d is h Law d e r) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SLEEP ( An d y W arh o l, U SA, 19 6 3 -6 4 ) ( F) In th is m o s t fam o u s o f th e e arly W arh o l film s , a m an is s e e n s le e p in g fo r s ix h o u rs in re al tim e . Fo r lo n g p e rio d s , th e re is n o actio n an d th e "w e igh t" o f u n s tage d re ality s e e m s u n be arable , bu t th e n th e re are "e ve n ts " -- s m all m o ve m e n ts , a s h iftin g o f th e bo d y in s le e p -- th at s u d d e n ly acqu ire n e w im p o rt an d m e an in g by th e in fre qu e n cy o f th e ir o ccu rre n ce an d abs e n ce o f o th e r actio n s . W e re alize th at w e w itn e s s s o m e th in g n e ith e r acte d fo r o u r be n e fit n o r p lan n e d in ad van ce , bu t e xis tin g fo r its e lf, carryin g n o id e o lo gical bu rd e n s be yo n d th e p as s age o f tim e an d m o ve m e n ts o f m as s e s re co rd e d w ith in it; th e film is ro bbe d , as Ro bbe - Grille t s o w e ll u n d e rs to o d , o f s ym bo lic o r m e tap h o ric m e an in g. W arh o l is th e m o s t co n s is te n t o f th e m in im alis ts , e xp o s in g u s to th e fu ll m e as u re o f re al tim e in cin e m a by th e s h e e r le n gth o f h is film s ; co m p e lle d to lo o k at le s s fo r a lo n ge r p e rio d , w e s e e e ve ryth in g m o re cle arly th o u gh p e rh ap s n o t m o re d e e p ly. Lu cy Lip p ard is righ t righ t to p o s e th e qu e s tio n w h e th e r in o u r e ra o f vis u al o ve rlo ad by bad te le vis io n , bad art, an d bad p o litical s p e e ch e s . W arh o l's re tu rn to vis u al s im p licityan d s tark e xp re s s ive n e s s o f ge s tu re is n o t m o re p o w e rfu l. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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APOTH EOSIS ( Jo h n Le n n o n , Gre at Britain , 19 70 ) Bu n d le d u p an d bis e cte d by th e fram e , Jo h n an d Yo ko are le ft be h in d , as th e cam e ra, attach e d to a ballo o n , lite rally ris e s to th e h e ave n s . Th e u s e o f re al tim e in clu d e s a 4 -m in u te p as s age th ro u gh a clo u d ban d ; th e s cre e n is blan k.

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART TH E D EVALU ATION OF LAN GU AGE Film purists have alw ays been suspicious of the spoken w ord, considering this a threat to the very essence of a visual art. I f one recalls the endless number of Hollyw ood films that can comfortably be view ed w ith closed eyes, their suspicions w ere certainly not ill-founded. More significantly, their concerns also relate to trends in contemporary thought and science. The disenchantment w ith rationalism, the rise of a visual culture, the vulgarizations of the mass media, the deceptions practiced by those in pow er -- these have contributed to a grow ing disenchantment w ith language as a means of perception or cognition, of intellectual or interpersonal discourse. There are too many w ords everyw here; they have become empty, deceptive. Far from clarifying matters, language is seen as a means of concealment in human affairs, business and politics. I n this regard, as in others, w e seem to be approaching Orw ell's 1984 w ell ahead of time. I n its use of deceptive language, "democratic" America ( "w aging peace" in Vietnam, subjecting it to "protective reaction strikes") is no different from "totalitarian" Russia w hich invaded Czechoslavakia to "liberate" it. Simultaneously, non-verbal areas of practice and know ledge in mathematics, physics, chemistry, and symbolic logic constantly expand, w ith computer science entirely based on non-verbal symbols. Mathematics probably gives an image of the perceptual world truer to fact than can be derived from any structure or verbal assertion. All evidence suggests that the shapes of matter are mathematical. The space-time continuum of relativity, the atomic structure of all matter, the waveparticle state of energy are no longer accessible through the word. It is no paradox to assert that in cardinal respects reality now begins outside verbal language. (1) Goffman, Birdw histell and Ruesch have revealed universes of non-verbal communication more "truthful" than our ritualized verbal exchanges corrupted by defense-mechanisms. I n art, Steiner relates the retreat from realism to the retreat from

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language: language, at the center of intellectual and emotive life, is alw ays equated w ith reality. From Rimbaud and Mallarme to Joyce and Proust, from Breton and Beckett to Robbe-Grillet and Burroughs, the artist has attempted to break aw ay from the tyranny of syntax and conventional language in order to allow for the unconscious, to express the simultaneity and unity of time and space, and to return, as Artaud understood so w ell, to magic and incantation: "The theatre should aim at expressing w hat language is incapable of putting into w ords. My principle is that w ords do not mean everything and that by their nature and definining character, fixed once and for all, they arrest and paralyze thought instead of permitting it and fostering its development. I am trying to restore to the language of speech its old magic, its essential spellbinding character." ( 2) Martin Esslin describes I onesco's use of language as subversive; in an attempt to revitalize fossilized forms, he employs veritable shock tactics; "Reality itself, the conciousness of the spectator, his habitual apparatus of thought -- language -- must be overthrow n, dislocated, turned inside out, so that he suddenly comes face to face w ith a new perception of reality." ( 3) And the "meaning" of abstract, abstract-expressionist or conceptual paintings, sculpture and music can no longer be expressed in w ords: "Most valuable art in our time has been experienced by audiences as a move into silence ( or unintelligibility or invisibility or inaudibility) ." ( 4) Finally, says Steiner, confronted w ith the apocalyptic terrors of our century, the artist falls silent. As w ith Adorno w ho believed poetry no longer to be possible after Auschw itz, Steiner feels that Beckett is haunted by a similar insight and strains tow ards silence: "The w riter, w ho is by definition master and servant of language, states that the living truth is no longer sayable." ( 5) He continues w ith a chilling parable by Kafka: "Now the Sirens have a still more fatal w eapon than their song, namely their silence. And though admittedly such a thing has never happened, still it is conceivable that someone might possibly have escaped from their singing; but from their silence certainly never." ( 6) And this silence is subversive. Art itself becomes a kind of counterviolence, seeking to loose the grip upon consciousness of the baits of lifeless, static verbalization, presenting models of "sensual speech" ... Silence, administered by the artist, is part of a program of perceptual and cultural therapy, often on the model of shock therapy rather than persuasion. (7)

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I t is from the confluence of such factors that modern filmmakers have begun either to use language in a new w ay or dispense w ith it altogether. I t is appropriate that such efforts should culminate in a visual medium, particularly capable of revealing insights that cannot be verbally expressed. Godard, Resnais, Antonioni, Schroeter, R.W. Fassbinder, and others now use language in film selectively, in counterpoint, semiabstractly ( as does I onesco) , preceding ( or follow ing) action instead of accompanying it; or, similar to music, as poetic, associative innuendo. And silence begins to invade the stream of dialogue or narration. For w ords, Susan Sontag points out, w eigh more, become almost palpable, w hen punctuated by long silences. Thus dramatic, avantgarde, or cinema-verite filmmakers retain silent passages in dialogue scenes or interview s, a device rendered more pow erful by our unconscious acclimitization to continuous w ord-noise in television ( possibly the most language-ridden, anti-visual medium now in existence.) Leading avant-gardists such as Maya Deren and Stan Brakhage resolutely banish all sound from their w orks, contributing significantly to the "visualization" of new poetic universes; Michael Snow , Tony Conrad, and Scott Bartlett use only synthetic or electronic sound effects; and some commercial commentators use entirely w ordless sequences. Antonioni does this at the end of The Eclipse , a visual montage of city streets and street furniture, as does Bergman in Persona and The Silence , in w hich the frequent absence of sound heightens the hypnotic pow er of the ominous visuals. I t is the international avant-garde -- ever the champion of visual cinema -- w hich has most consistently eliminated language in the post-silent era.

REFERENCES (1) George Steiner, Language and Silence, 1967 (2) Antonin Artaud, The Theatre and its Double, 1958 (3) Martin Esslin, The Theatre of the Absurd, 1961 (4) Susan Sontag, The Aesthetics of Silence in Styles of Radical Will, 1969 (5) Sontag (6) Steiner (7) Sontag

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

LIFE W ITH VID EO ( W illiam W alke r, U SA. 19 72 ) A TV p e rs o n ality, w ith o u t le avin g th e s e t, m ake s ve ry p e rs o n al co n tact w ith a w illin g vie w e r, fin ally d is ap p e arin g in to h e r ( via a lad d e r) . Be in g to ld , in a m u ffle d vo ice , th at h e w ill n o w be w ith h e r "alw ays ", s h e m o an s vo lu p tu o u s ly, h e r co n fu s io n be tw e e n TV an d re ality co m p le te . D o w e n o t all w is h fo r s im ilar co n fu s io n ?

STRAIN IN G TOW ARD S TH E LIMITS THE ELI MI NATI ON OF REALI TY

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A beautiful and true story is told of the abstract painter Frank Kubka. I n the course of a w alk, he apologized to nature for having attempted to copy her and promised not to do so again. ( 1) There have alw ays existed in the plastic arts tendencies tow ards forms and images undefiled by representations of reality. This can be seen in Neolithic abstractions, Egyptian designs and I ndian patterns, Byzantine artifacts and Renaissance concerns w ith structure and design. I n our day, having removed reality from the image, attempts are being made to remove the image itself. I n 1898, the young Munich art nouveau architect August Endell foresaw this: We stand at the threshold of an altogether new art, an art with forms which mean or represent nothing, recall nothing, yet which can stimulate our souls as deeply as only the tones of music have been able to. (2) There could be no better definition of the aims and aspirations of abstract art. I t w as an art, as Herbert Read w rote, that w as to echo basic law s and structures of the universe, "liberated from the tyranny of appearances"; an "objective" investigation of colors, shapes, lines, and visual rhythms in order to create force patterns capable of evoking emotions and feelings. Elements of three tendencies converged in abstract art; the surrealist and dadaist heritage expressed in abstract shapes related to the subconcious ( Arp, Miro, Klee, the Eggeling-Richter films Diagonale Symphonie and Rhythmus 21 , and Jackson Pollock's "automatic painting") : the romantic realism of Gauguin, Matisse, and the Fauvists w hich led to the "hot", sensuous abstractions of Kandinski; and the cubist attempts to reduce objects to their essence, w hich connected Cezanne, Picasso, and Braque to the "cool", meticulous abstractions of Mondrian. I t has proven difficult to maintain the objective stance of abstract art in practice: even the simplest lines exude psychological vibrations or else come dangerously close to symbolism. Piet Mondrian found it entirely "comprehensible that some abstract artists have objected to the name Abstract Art. Abstract Art is concrete and, by its determined means of expression, even more concrete than naturalistic art." ( 3) And it w as Rudolf Arnheim w ho called nonobjective patterns "the very elements of visual comprehension, the building stones of the composition the artist creates in order to represent the structure of the w orld in the w ay his temperament makes him see it". ( 4) I t is thus possible to refer to abstract artists as the true realists of our technological period, w ho, far from retreating from the w orld, have merely stepped back for a fuller view . But reality came under attack in other w ays: the cubist "reduction" extended to collages of found objects and photo montages, cut up and degraded until reality w as atomized or no longer recognizable.

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FOR EXAMPLE ( S. Arakaw a, U SA, 19 71) ( F) A fe atu re -le n gth d o cu m e n tary o f a bo y d ru n kard , p h o to grap h e d o n N e w Yo rk's Bo w e ry, as a co ld ly d e tach e d cam e ra re co rd s h is d aily life in th e s tre e ts . D o e s it m atte r if h e is "re al" o r "o n ly" an acto r? Th e re e xis ts , s ays th e film m ake r, a ch ild s u ch as th is s o m e w h e re an d h is life can be d o cu m e n te d be fo re h e is fo u n d . ______________________________________________ Th is w o rk by Arakaw a, th e Jap an e s e co n ce p tu al artis t re s p o n s ible fo r W h y N o t , is e qu ally o rigin al an d e ve n m o re s u bve rs ive . H e re re ality its e lf -- th e tru th o f th e im age -- is in s id io u s ly calle d in to qu e s tio n . Fe atu re -le n gth , th is is a co ld ly o bje ctive re co rd o f a 7-ye ar-o ld ch ild d e re lict, to tally alo n e , livin g as a d ru n kard o n N e w Yo rk's Bo w e ry. Th e ru th le s s ye t co m p as s io n ate cam e ra

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e xp lo re s h is w o rld , o fte n in o p p re s s ive "re al tim e ", fo llo w in g h is e ve ry d e grad atio n an d d e fe at ( in clu d in g h is atte m p ts to s to p in d iffe re n t p as s e rs -by) u n til a trau m atic, catato n ic s e izu re in a te le p h o n e bo o th ; a s e arin g, te rrifyin g s e qu e n ce . Bu t th e m e tap h ys ical tw is t is s till to co m e : th e d o cu m e n tary is n o t a d o cu m e n tary, th e ch ild d ru n kard "o n ly" an acto r. Bu t, s ays Arakaw a, th e re e xis ts a ch ild s u ch as th is s o m e w h e re ; h e n ce h is p o rtrayal in re al s tre e ts o f s u ch bligh t th at th e y re s e m ble citys cap e s d e s tro ye d by w ar, is "tru e ": "Th is is a w illfu l s w itch fro m th e d o cu m e n tary as a 'tru th fu l' acco u n t to a n e w fo rm , o n e w h ich e m p lo ys th e w e igh t o f e vid e n ce , th e p ace o f re ality o n ly as an im p e tu s o r fo rm at fo r th e o n s e t o f a cin e m a o f in ve s tigatio n ,an in ve s tigatio n w h ich th e film m ake r h as w ille d to e xis t. As s u ch , it is as m u ch a n e w re ality as a n e w "s to ry". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE SUBVERSI ON OF I LLUSI ONI SM I f the arts subvert by providing "illusionist" representations of revolt or perfection, there is no reason w hy the illusion of art cannot itself be subverted. I t is here that the structuralist cinema of our day makes its most disruptive contribution: it forces the artw ork to reveal its ow n superficiality, draw ing our attention to its hitherto jealously concealed, "fraudulent" character. Vertov's The Man With a Movie Camera , w ith its manipulation of different levels of reality, may have initiated this in cinema; the contemporary structuralist avant-garde continues it. I n their w orks, w e often see the real photographer and his equipment, actors "stepping out of role" to address the audience, clapboards and mikes, academy leaders, splice marks and sprocket holes, in direct violation of the illusion of film space. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VIRGIN ITY ( Ro be rto Ro s s e lin i, e p is o d e in R o g o p a g , Italy, 19 6 2 ) ( F) Th e "re ality" o f th e flat, tw o -d im e n s io n al s cre e n -s e cre t re p o s ito ry o f o u r d e e p e s t d re am s -- is h e re re ve lle d in by a lo ve -s tru ck m an w h o p ro je cts m o vin g im age s o f h is be lo ve d o n to h is bo d y an d atte m p ts to care s s th e m ; bu t film s co m e to an e n d an d th e re is p ath o s in h is u n re qu ite d , tw ice re m o ve d p as s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE ELI MI NATI ON OF THE I MAGE The silent cinema -- entirely dependent on images -created w orks of sublime visual intensity: it w as perhaps inevitable that subversive artists of our day should attack the notion of the image itself. Contributing to this trend has been the increasing incursion of brief ( then longer) scenes of darkness or light into experimental films, accompanied by sound or, more potently, silence: extreme pop-art collages that shred reality into fragments: and the preoccupation of abstract artists and minimalists w ith vision and pure light. The elimination of the image in the films of Kubelka, Sharits, and Conrad has led to the study of light as the "subject" of art, paralleling investigations of pigment and surface in conceptual painting. But by robbing a visual art of its visuals, these artists are revealed as subversives. 5/19/2007 12:22 PM

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D EAD MOVIE ( Taka Iim u ra, U SA, 19 6 8 ) Pro je cto rs an d blan k s cre e n as m e tap h ys ical m o n s te rs , a p e rfo rm an ce o f Iim u ra's D e a d M o v ie -face to face p ro je ctio n s o f tw o 16 m m p ro je cto rs ; o n e p ro je cts a w h ite fram e ( w ith o u t film ) , th e o th e r p ro je cts black le ad e r in an e n d le s s lo o p . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE ELI MI NATI ON OF THE SCREEN The conventional, tw o-dimensional screen surface of cinema's first hundred years is also under attack by holography, a sensational recent development in the visual field. This is the production of a 3-dimensional "image" in space by means of a laser w hose light-w ave emissions ( bouncing off the subject being holographed) are captured on a photo-sensitive surface w ithout passing through lenses and projected in space. ( 5) Short holographic films -view able w ithout special glasses -- already exist. The future presages life-size 3-dimensional holographic motion pictures, through and around w hich the view er w ill be able to pass -- a probably boon to film art as w ell as pornography. Youngblood points to the ability of holography to record natural phenomena beyond the range of human perception -shockw aves, electrical vibrations, ultra-slow motion events -thereby contributing to the experiencing of non-ordinary realities beyond the range of conventional cinema. ( 6) 5/19/2007 12:22 PM

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MOTH LIGH T ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 6 1) Lim bs , w in gs , an d o th e r p arts o f m o th s , labo rio u s ly "glu e d " to th e film s trip w ith m ylar tap e , be co m e a lu xu rian t, bro w n tin ge d abs tract an im atio n d u rin g p ro je ctio n . N o cam e ra is u s e ; th e film is "bu ilt" fro m life its e lf.

SC

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THE ELI MI NATI ON OF THE CAMERA Another development, primarily associated w ith Len Lye and Norman McLaren, has been the creation of films w ithout use of a camera. Based on the painting or scratching of the film emulsion by the artist ( or, as in Brakhage's Mothlight , the glueing of extraneous materials to the film strip) , this technique has created many beautiful abstract w orks. I n some, even the sound is created w ithout musical instruments merely by "scratching" the soundtrack portion of the film strip in particular w ays. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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OLYMPIAD ( Lillian Sch w artz, U SA, 19 71) A co m p u te r an im atio n : a s in gle d raw in g ( in s te ad o f th e 2 4 d iffe re n t d raw in gs p e r s e co n d n e e d e d in co n ve n tio n al an im atio n ) is s to re d in th e co m p u te r's m e m o ry an d th e n p ro gram m e d in to m o ve m e n t. Eve ry fram e an d tran s fo rm atio n is d o n e by th e co m p u te r. Th e "re s u lt", th o u gh p ro gram m e d , is n o t e n tire ly p re d ictable . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE ELI MI NATI ON OF THE ARTI ST The "unholy" convergence of early Soviet anti-individualism ( taken to extreme lengths by the contemporary Chinese campaigns against "credits" for artistic accomplishments) , Duchamp's disappearance into reclusion, Warhol's reproduction of "originals" by factory methods, and the rise of radical artists' collectives seem to many observers increasingly to imply the dispensability of the artist. The recent development of computer-generated films ( although programmed by humans) only serves to reaffirm this possibility: for at the very beginning of this curious new art form, it is already clear that from initial programs and memory banks computers can create ( indeed, already have created) orchestrated systems of aesthetically pleasing patterns or realistic representations w hich arise before us in combinations and complexities beyond our productive or absorptive faculties. Equally startling are A.M. Noll's computer-generated films of a 4-dimensional hypercube ( mathematically projected dow n into 3 dimensions and then projected in superimposition)

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w hich, w ith slightly different picture for left and right eye, create a pow erful 3-dimensional effect w ithout glasses. ( 7)

REFERENCES (1) Michel Seuphor, Abstract Painting, 1964 (2) Frank Whitford, Expressionism, 1970 (3) Piet Mondrian, "A New Realism", in Plastic Art and Pure Plastic Art, 1945 (4) Rudolf Arnheim, Toward a Psychology of Art, 1966 (5) Gene Youngblood, Expanded Cinema, 1970 (6) Youngblood (7) Kenneth Knowlton, "Computer-animated Movies", in Cybernetic Serendipity, 1969

FILMS

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( Pau l Sh arits , U SA. 19 6 8 ) H yp n o tic m u lti-s cre e n avan t-gard e film , co n s is tin g o f u n re late d , co m p u ls ive ly re cu rrin g im age s , a fe w fram e s in le n gth , in te rru p te d by irre gu larly-s p ace d blan k o r co lo r fram e s o r le tte rin g. A p o w e rfu l rh yth m an d s tro bo s co p ic flicke r is cre ate d by in s is te n t alte ratio n s o f im age an d blan k fram e s . Each fram e s h o w n h e re is vis ibile fo r o n ly 1/ 2 4 th o f a s e co n d , in d u cin g s u blim in al abs o rp tio n o f im age clu s te rs . ______________________________________________ Th is co m p le x an d co n tro ve rs ial e xp e rim e n t u tilize s tw o s cre e n s an d th e s im u ltan e o u s p ro je ctio n o f tw o s e p arate film s w o rkin g in tan d e m . Each co n s is ts o f u n re late d , co m p u ls ive ly re cu rrin g im age s , n o t m o re th an a fe w fram e s in le n gth , in te rru p te d by care fu lly-s p ace d blan k o r co lo r fram e s . A p o w e rfu l o ve rall rh yth m an d s tro bo s co p ic flicke r is cre ate d by th e irre gu lar bu t in s is te n t alte rn atio n s o f im age an d blan kn e s s . Th e re s u lt is a p o w e rfu l s u blim in al barrage o f s tro n g s e n s o ry im p re s s io n s p ro bin g th e au d ie n ce 's p h ys io lo gical an d p s ych o lo gical lim its . Re late d to n e o -d ad a an d p o p , th e film is s tro n gly s tru ctu ralis t an d re d u ctive in its avo id an ce o f "m e an in g" o r "p lo t", ye t o ffe rs th e s atis factio n o f p u re re s p o n s e to co lo r, p atte rn , an d -- p articu larly -- rh yth m . Th e im age s , th o u gh in te n tio n ally w ith o u t lo gic, are fre qu e n tly "h o t" an d e n d le s s ly re p e titive : a fe tu s , a n u d e w o m an ( w ith a razo r p as s in g o ve r h e r) , a p e n is ( flaccid o r e re ct) , s o m e am bigu o u s to ile t activity; e qu ally ritu alis tic is th e re p e ate d ap p e aran ce o f s in gle , s e n s e le s s w o rd s p rin te d o ve r s o m e o f th e im age s . An agitate d , m o n o to n o u s e le ctro n ic s o u n d acco m p an ie s th e s w iftly m o vin g, co n s tan tly ch an gin g vis u als an d flicke r p atte rn s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ARN U LF RAIN ER ( Pe te r Ku be lka, Au s tria, 19 57) Th is is th e firs t fram e -by-fram e abs tractio n th at e n tire ly d is p e n s e s w ith th e im age an d co n s is ts s o le ly o f care fu lly o rch e s trate d alte rn atio n s o f blan k black o r w h ite fram e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BALLET MECH AN IQU E ( Fe rn an d Le ge r, Fran ce , 19 2 4 ) Le ge r's o n ly film , an avan t-gard e clas s ic, fu lly an ticip ate s s e ve ral p re o ccu p atio n s o f th e co n te m p o rary u n d e rgro u n d : u s e o f re p re s e n tatio n al m ate rials , w h ile th e ir d o cu m e n tary as p e cts are d e s tro ye d by e lim in atin g lo gic o r p lo t; "s u blim in al" im age s ( o n ly a fe w fram e s e ach ) ; co m p u ls ive re p e titio n o f actio n ( alm o s t te n tim e s ) ; th e be au ty o f th e fragm e n tary; an d th e abs tractio n o f o bje cts by clo s e -u p s , th u s le n d in g th e m a n e w id e n tity. Re p re s e n tatio n al re ality is le ft far be h in d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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BELLS OF ATLAN TIS ( Ian H u go , U SA, 19 53 ) A m agical vo yage in to th e s u bco n cio u s in s e arch o f "th e lo s t co n tin e n t" o f firs t h u m an m e m o rie s . Bas e d o n An ais N in 's p ro s e p o e m , th e film p ro vid e s a vis u al e qu ivale n t in s u baqu e o u s , d riftin g im age ry take n fro m re ality bu t e n tire ly tran s fo rm e d in to a n e w an d s e n s u o u s ly p o e tic u n ive rs e . Exce lle n t e le ctro n ic s co re by Lo u is an d Be be Barro n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LOOPS ( N o rm an McLare n , Can ad a, 19 4 8 ) A co lo r, s o u n d film m ad e w ith o u t cam e ra o r m u s ical in s tru m e n ts . Th e im age s are h an d p ain te d o n to 3 5m m film a fram e at a tim e ; s o is th e s o u n d ( d o ts ru n n in g alo n g e d ge o f film s trip , s ize an d th ickn e s s o f d o t d e te rm in e s its itch ) . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BEYON D TH E LAW ( N o rm an Maile r, U SA, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Maile r's o u trage o u s film is a s ard o n ic, m ys te rio u s d ram a o f d e te ctive s an d s u s p e cts , lo cke d in o bs ce n e an d u n e qu al co m bat in a n igh t-lit, n o t-s o -m yth ical p o lice s tatio n . Su ffu s e d w ith im p lie d o r e xp licit vio le n ce , it p o s e s a d arin g trip le p arad o x: th e brillian t cap tu re o f "re ality" th ro u gh im p ro vis e d d ialo gu e an d Pe n n e bake r's cin e m a

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ve rite p h o to grap h y; its alm o s t in s tan tan e o u s u n m as kin g as a fabricatio n ( Maile r's ap p e aran ce as an Iris h p o lice lie u te n an t) ; its re -e m e rge n ce as "s o cial" tru th . As an in vo lve d p ro tago n is t, Maile r ( s im ilar to h is ro le in "Th e Arm ie s o f th e N igh t") bo th p articip ate s in an d ch an ge s th e e ve n t. Th e ( fictio n al) p o lice lie u te n an t's m arital s qu abble s w ith ( fictio n al) s p o u s e are co n vin cin gly p o rtraye d by th e re al Maile r an d h is ( th e n ) re al w ife in a fu rth e r tw is t o f th e re ality-illu s io n th e m e . Th e gam ble rs , m u rd e re rs , p e rve rts an d in n o ce n ts in clu d e Mich ae l McClu re , Ge o rge Plim p to n , Rip To rn , an d Jack Rich ard s o n . A fu rth e r ( an d s ign ifican t) ch ap te r in th e Maile r s aga. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLAZES ( Ro be rt Bre e r, U SA. 19 6 1) 4 0 0 0 fram e s o f film , fe atu rin g 10 0 bas ic im age s in bre ath takin gly rap id s e qu e n ce p ro d u ce a s in gle kin e tic im p re s s io n . As in Ve rto v's e xp e rim e n ts , tw o d iffe re n t im age s im m e d iate ly fo llo w in g e ach o th e r o n co n s e cu tive fram e s cre ate s u p e rim p o s itio n s th at d o n o t e xis t in re ality. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLACK TV ( Ald o Tam be llin i, U SA, 19 6 9 ) Vid e o tap e is u s e d h e re as a p e rs o n al an d artis tic m e d iu m : d o cu m e n tary te le vis io n im age s o f to d ay's vio le n ce are d is to rte d in to rap id -fire , black-an d -w h ite abs tractio n s , Ro be rt Ke n n e d y's as s as s in atio n , p o lice bru tality, m u rd e r, in fan ticid e , p rize figh ts , an d Vie tn am be co m e blu rre d in s is te n t s ym bo ls o f to d ay's h o rro rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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BETW EEN TW O W ORLD S ( Sam Kan e r an d Gu y Co te , m o n tage s e qu e n ce by Val Te lbe rg, Gre at Britain , 19 55) Th e co n ve n tio n al im age is e xp lo d e d as s u p e rim p o s itio n ach ie ve s a m agical lo o k-th ro u gh e ffe ct w h ich d e s tro ys th e o n e -d im e n s io n al flatn e s s o f film , cre ate s a n e w u n ive rs e be yo n d , an d h in ts at d e ath . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D AMON TH E MOW ER ( Ge o rge D u n n in g, Gre at Britain , 19 71) An o rigin al w o rk o f an im atio n art. Tacke d o n to a w all are tw o s h e e ts o f d raw in g p ap e r, o n w h ich ap p e ar, in rap id , m ys te rio u s p e rm u tatio n s , s tran ge h an d -d raw n im age s -- co n s tan tly u n d u latin g, e xp lo d in g, re fo rm in g. A re cu rre n t m o tif -- a m o w e r w ith a s cyth e -- ad d s a s o m be r to u ch . Th e im age s , w e are to ld , are in s yn ch ro n izatio n w ith an in au d ible p o e m re m o ve d fro m th e s o u n d track. Th e e ffe ct o f co n fin in g all "re ality" in th e film to th e s h e e ts o f d raw in g p ap e r is e xtre m e ly u n s e ttlin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLICKER ( To n y Co n rad , U SA, 19 6 6 ) Th is film co n tain s n o im age s at all. It's s u bje ct is ligh t an d its abs e n ce . It co n s is ts o f co m bin atio n s o f alte rn atin g w h ite an d black fram e s , flas h in g by in co n s tan tly ch an gin g p atte rn s an d cau s in g a co n tin u o u s s tro bo s co p ic flicke r e ffe ct

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o f gre at co m p le xity. W h e th e r its fre qu e n cy is m o m e n tarily s tatic o r ch an ge able ( it ran ge s fro m 2 4 flas h e s d o w n to 4 flas h e s p e r s e co n d th ro u gh o u t its 3 0 m in u te d u ratio n ) , th e e ffe ct is lite rally h yp n o tic. Th is co n ce rte d "o ve rlo ad " o f re tin a an d n e rvo u s s ys te m p ro vo ke s an e n d le s s varie ty o f ch an gin g s h ap e s , p atte rn s an d , m o s t s u rp ris in gly, co lo rs , w h o s e n atu re d iffe rs w ith e ach vie w e r ( e ve n varyin g fro m p e rfo rm an ce to p e rfo rm an ce ) . Th e e le ctro n ic s o u n d track w as ge n e rate d by re lays an d co m p o n e n ts carryin g d iffe re n t typ e s o f in fo rm atio n ; th e vario u s fre qu e n cie s are o rch e s trate d by th e d ire cto r. Th is "p u re " film d e als w ith p e rce p tio n its e lf; its h allu cin ato ry e ffe ct -- d e s p ite abs e n ce o f im age , co n te n t,w o r m e an in g -re ve als an u n s u s p e cte d co n gru ity w ith d e e p e m o tio n al n e e d s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H20 ( Ralp h Ste in e r, U SA, 19 2 9 ) Th o u gh e n tire ly bas e d o n e le m e n ts o f re ality -- th e rh yth m s an d p atte rn s o f ligh t an d s h ad o w o n w ate r -th is clas s ic s tu d y by th e w e ll-kn o w n d o cu m e n tary film m ake r an d s till p h o to grap h e r ap p ro ach e s p u re abs tractio n , as th e cam e ra be co m e s in cre as in gly abs o rbe d w ith te xtu re s an d d e s ign . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PAS D E D EU X ( N o rm an McLare n , Can ad a, 19 6 8 ) By p rin tin g th e n e gative in m u ltip le im age s , e ach fram e re p ro d u ce d u p to e le ve n tim e s ,

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McLare n cap tu re s m o ve m e n t p as t an d ye t to co m e in a rh ap s o d ic flo w o f in e ffable grace . Th e s im u ltan e o u s re p ro d u ctio n o f co n s e cu tive m o ve m e n t fu lfills an age -o ld d re am . Th e d an ce rs , in w h ite an d lit fro m be h in d , m o ve in s lo w -m o tio n o n a to tally black s tage . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN N OCEN CE U N PROTECTED ( N EVIN OST BEZ ZASTITE) ( D u s an Makave je v, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th e d ire cto r o f W R -M y s t e r ie s o f t h e Or g a n is m in th is e arlie r film cre ate d a p ro vo cative an d o rigin al co llage w h ich co m bin e d , w ith s u btle iro n y, th e firs t Se rbian s o u n d film e ve r m ad e ( "an o u trage o u s ly n aive m e lo d ram a o f le ch e ro u s lu s t vs . tru e lo ve " Su n d a y Tim e s ) w ith N azi n e w s re e ls an d 19 6 8 in te rvie w s o f p articip an ts in th e o rigin al p ro d u ctio n . Th e o rigin al 19 4 2 Se rbian film w as d ire cte d by its s tar, D rago lju b Ale ks ic, fam e d re al-life acro bat w h o s e s tu n ts -- s e e n in th e film -- in clu d e d ch an gin g fro m flyin g p lan e s by h is te e th , tran s p o rtin g Be lgrad e lad ie s fro m ro o fto p to ro o fto p by h igh w ire , an d bo d ily s to p p in g m o to rcars d rive n at to p s p e e d . It d e als w ith h is h air-rais in g ad ve n tu re s in s avin g an o rp h an h e ro in e fro m th e clu tch e s o f s h am e le s s an d re p u ls ive ch aracte rs afte r bre ath takin g fe ats o f d arin g. A s ly an d lo vin g film , it fo rce s u s to take th is p e rs is te n t m an an d h is bizarre valu e s alm o s t as s e rio u s ly as h e d o e s , th u s m akin g u s m o re h u m ble abo u t o u r o w n . It s u cce s s fu lly d e s tro ys co n ve n tio n al co n ce p ts o f tim e an d re ality in its m in glin g o f tw o film s -- fro m d iffe re n t p e rio d s -- o n e fictio n al, th e o th e r n o n -fictio n al -- w ith th e acto rs o f th e fo rm e r co n s tan tly bre akin g its illu s io n by ap p e arin g in th e latte r in re al-life p o rtraits 2 0 ye ars late r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN STITU TION AL QU ALITY ( Ge o rge Lan d o w , U SA, 19 6 9 ) An e m p ty, o rd in ary ro o m in an ap artm e n t. Th e re is fu rn itu re , a lam p , a te le vis io n s e t. N o im age is vis ible o n it, e xce p t th e ch an gin g variatio n s o f ligh t o n its s cre e n , in d icatin g th at th e s e t is o n . At th e n arrato r's re qu e s t, a large h an d -- live -e n te rs th e fram e w ith a p e n cil an d n u m be rs p o rtio n s o f w h at is n o w s u d d e n ly re ve ale d n o t to h ave be e n a re al ro o m at all, bu t a p ro je cte d "im age " o f a ro o m , a film w ith in a film . Th e s u d d e n s u p e rim p o s itio n o f a live h an d o ve r w h at w e h ad acce p te d as re ality is o n e o f th e m o re u n s e ttlin g m o m e n ts o f co n te m p o rary m in im al cin e m a. Late r w e s e e a yo u n g w o m an th re ad in g a p ro je cto r, as in s tru cte d by th e s am e in vis ible n arrato r; s u d d e n ly a s u btitle in fo rm s u s ( in te rm s fam iliar o n te le vis io n ) th at th is is a "re -e n actm e n t". Sin ce th e s ce n e is by d e fin itio n a fictio n al p o rtrayal o f a s itu atio n an d can n o t be co n s id e re d a "re e n actm e n t" ( o f w h at?) th is co n s titu te s a s u btle to yin g w ith le ve ls

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o f re ality an d an attack, as is th e re s t o f th e film , o n s cre e n illu s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E MAN W H O LEFT H IS W ILL ON FILM ( TOKYO SEN SO SEN GO H IW A) ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 70 ) ( F) Ae s th e tic an d p o litical re be l, Os h im a is o n e o f th e m o s t o rigin al d ire cto rs n o w w o rkin g in Jap an . Th is is a m e tap h ys ical tale o f a rad ical s tu d e n t film m ake r w h o s u ccu m bs to th e illu s io n th at h e h as co m m itte d s u icid e an d le ft a film as h is te s tam e n t. Atte m p tin g to "d e cip h e r" th is film an d th e "d e ad m an 's " life , h e rap e s h is o w n girl ( w h o p lays alo n g w ith th e illu s io n to cu re h im ) an d re trace s th e "o th e r m an 's " life by m e an s o f th e film , o n ly to fin d h im s e lf in h is o w n birth p lace . Th e film te s tam e n t p ro ve s in co m p re h e n s ible . H e th e re fo re re film s it, in te n d in g to cre ate a w o rk s u p e rio r to th at o f h is illu s o ry rival; bu t h is girl, to s ave h im , w illfu lly in te rru p ts an d ch an ge s e ach s ce n e . H e fin ally re alize s th at h e m u s t kill th e d e ad m an -- h im s e lf -- in o rd e r to be fre e . Se ve ral ke y e p is o d e s , in clu d in g s e x s ce n e s , are re cre ate d by th e p ro tago n is ts in fro n t o f a s cre e n s h o w in g th e film te s tam e n t s o th at th e y are p ro je cte d o n to th e ir bo d ie s . Th ro u gh o u t, th e s tyle is m e ticu lo u s ly re alis tic, m e ticu lo u s ly m e tap h ys ical. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

N .Y., N .Y. ( Fran cis Th o m p s o n , U SA, 19 58 ) D is to rtio n le n s e s , s p h e ric an d p arabo lic m irro rs , an d p ris m s cre ate a s e m i-abs tract, ato m ize d , an d s u bje ctive ve rs io n o f th e city, in w h ich bu ild in gs flo at in s p ace an d m an h as be co m e an alie n ate d , d is to rte d m as s -be in g. Th e e ffe ct is s tartlin g an d d is tu rbin g. ______________________________________________

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"An ad m irable e xam p le o f w h at m ay be calle d th e D is to rte d D o cu m e n tary -- a n e w fo rm o f vis io n ary art. In th is ve ry s tran ge an d be au tifu l p ictu re w e s e e th e city o f N e w Yo rk as it ap p e ars w h e n p h o to grap h e d th ro u gh m u ltip le p ris m s , o r re fle cte d in th e backs o f s p o o n s , p o lis h e d h u b cap s , s p h e rical an d p arabo lic m irro rs . W e s till re co gn ize h o u s e s , p e o p le , s h o p fro n ts , taxicabs , bu t re co gn ize th e m as e le m e n ts in o n e o f th o s e livin g ge o m e trie s w h ich are s o ch aracte ris tic o f th e vis io n ary e xp e rie n ce . I w as am aze d to s e e th at virtu ally e ve r p icto rial d e vice in ve n te d by th e o ld m as te rs o f n o n -re p re s e n tatio n al art m ake s its ap p e aran ce , alive , glo w in g, in te n s e ly s ign ifican t." -Ald o u s H u xle y, "H e ave n an d H e ll" ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PERMU TATION S ( Jo h n W h itn e y, U SA, 19 6 8 ) A brillian t co m p u te r-ge n e rate d s tu d y by o n e o f Am e rica's fo re m o s t p io n e e rs o f abs tract cin e m a. "It is n o w kn o w n an d am p ly d e m o n s trate d th at co m p u te rgrap h ic s ys te m s are u s e fu l in th e cre atio n o f a co n s id e rable d ive rs ity o f abs tract grap h ic fo rm s . It can be s h o w n th at th e p re cis io n an d d e tail o f th e grap h ics an d th e p o w e r o f th e co m p u te r to re p e ate d th o u s an d s o f im age s , e ach o n e w ith th e m o s t s u btle in cre m e n tal variatio n , m ake s fo r an in s tru m e n t w ith s u p e rb m o tio n -ge n e ratin g cap ability. Th is p o w e r o f th e co m p u te r to p ro d u ce e n d le s s variatio n s u p o n p atte rn s , w h ich s te m s fro m th e bas ically m ath e m atical fo u n d atio n by w h ich all im age s are fo rm e d , m e an s th at w e h ave at h an d an in s tru m e n t fo r grap h ics th at is an alo go u s to th e variatio n al p o w e r o f all m u s ical in s tru m e n ts an d th e m ath e m atical fo u n d atio n o f all m u s ical fo rm ." - Jo h n W h itn e y ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PERSON A ( In gm ar Be rgm an , Sw e d e n , 19 6 5-6 6 ) ( F) "As th e title te lls u s th is film is abo u t re ality an d illu s io n -th e p e rs o n a o f a p e rs o n in d icatin g th e latte r, th e ro o t o f th e w o rd be in g o ld Latin fo r m as k. Paralle l to th e s to ry ( p e rh ap s h o rizo n tal to it w o u ld be a be tte r d e s crip tio n ) , Be rgm an als o s h o w s u s th at film its e lf ( w h e n it re fe rs to its e lf as th is o n e d o e s ) is als o abo u t re ality an d illu s io n . Th e illu s io n is th e film e d s to ry, th e tw o w o m e n , th e ir re latio n s h ip , th e h u s ban d o f o n e o f th e m , e tc. Th e re ality ( o r a re ality at an y rate ) is th e fact th at it is a film w e are w atch in g. Th is is p ro ve d to u s by th e in clu s io n o f film le ad e r, s h o ts o f a film lab, a s h o t o f th e m akin g-o f-th e -film its e lf, s ce n e s o f th e film w e are s e e in g ru n n in g th ro u gh a p ro je cto r, an d s e ctio n s w h e re th e film is ap p are n tly rip p e d , w h e re a fram e ap p are n tly catch e s fire an d bu rn s . At th e ve ry e n d o f th e film ( a s ce n e w h ich "p ro ve s " it h as be e n a film w e are w atch in g) , w e s e e th e arc-lam p o f th e p ro je cto r go in g o u t -- a p aralle l to th e firs t ( an d las t) w o rd th at 5/19/2007 12:22 PM

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th e p e rs o n ifie d h e ro in e s p e aks : 'N o th in g'. " - D o n ald Ritch ie SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FAN TASTIC VISION ( Eu ge n e D e s law , Sp ain / Sw itze rlan d , ye ar u n kn o w n ) Th e firs t s o larize d film e ve r m ad e . Th e e lim in atio n o f re alis tic d e tail an d s h arp o u tlin e s w h ile p re s e rvin g le gibility cre ate s a s tro n gly p o e tic im age . Th e co n te m p o rary avan t-gard e h as re tu rn e d to th is d e vice in a te ch n o lo gically m o re s o p h is ticate d m an n e r w ith bre ath takin g re s u lts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SECRET CIN EMA ( Pau l Barte l, U SA, 19 6 6 ) Th ro u gh a s e rie s o f h ilario u s ye t in cre as in gly d is tu rbin g in cid e n ts , a yo u n g girl be co m e s co n vin ce d s h e s u ffe rs fro m a p aran o id d e lu s io n th at h e r life is be in g s e cre tly film e d an d p ro je cte d in s e p arate ch ap te rs at a lo cal m o vie h o u s e . In an e xtre m e ly cle ve r p lay o n illu s io n an d re ality, s h e -- an d w e -- d is co ve r th at s h e is righ t. Be n e ath th e flip p an t facad e an u n co m fo rtable black co m e d y u n fo ld s , as th e film m ake r d e ftly m an ip u late s o u r s u bco n cio u s ; fo r th e p ligh t o f th e h ap le s s h e ro in e , co n fu s e d , p aran o id , s u rro u n d e d by p e o p le w h o s e ld o m are w h at th e y s e e m to be , co rre s p o n d s to o u r o w n d e e p e s t fe ars . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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U FO'S ( Lillian Sch w artz an d Ke n Kn o w lto n , U SA, 19 72 ) Th is film fu rth e r in d icate s th at co m p u te r an im atio n -o n ce a gim m ick -- is fas t be co m in g a fu lly-fle d ge d art; th e co m p le xity o f its d e s ign an d m o ve m e n t, its s p e e d an d rh yth m , rich n e s s o f fo rm an d m o tio n -- co u p le d w ith s tro bo s co p ic e ffe cts to affe ct brain w ave s -is qu ite o ve rp o w e rin g. W h at is e ve n m o re o m in o u s is th at w h ile d e s ign an d actio n are p ro gram m e d , th e "re s u lt", in an y p articu lar s e qu e n ce , is n e ith e r e n tire ly p re d ictable n o r u n d e r co m p le te h u m an co n tro l, be in g cre ate d at a rate fas te r ( an d in co n cate n atio n s m o re co m p le x) th an e ye an d m in d can fo llo w o r in itiate . Ou r s e n s e o f re ality is th u s d is tu rbe d n o t o n ly by th e film m ake r by als o by th e m ach in e s w e h ave p ro d u ce d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TU P-TU P ( N e d e jlko D ragic, Yu go s lavia, 19 72 ) An as to n is h in g in cu rs io n o f m o d e rn art in to th e an im ate d film : o n e o f th e ch aracte rs "bre aks " th ro u gh to an o th e r re ality, th e re by s u bve rtin g th e illu s io n is m o f th e im age an d callin g in to qu e s tio n w h at m u s t n e ve r be d o u bte d : th e abs o lu te "tru th " o f th e im age as th e o n ly e xis tin g re ality.

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A PROPOS D E N ICE ( Je an Vigo , Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) "A Pro p o s D e N ice " is o n e o f th e m o s t u n co n ve n tio n al d o cu m e n tarie s e ve r m ad e -- w ith iro n y an d bitte rn e s s th e cam e ra e xp lo re s th is ce n te r o f m id d le -clas s d e cad e n ce , th e m o n s tro u s h o te ls , th e am o ro u s e ld e rly w o m e n w ith th e ir ru th le s s gigo lo s , th e s tin kin g alle ys an d grim y bis tro s fille d w ith tram p s , p o n ce s , fe n ce s ; a s cath in g co n tras t o f th e id le p o o r an d th e id le rich ." ( Ge o rge Mo rris o n , Se qu e n ce , 6 )

IN TERN ATION AL LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA The subversion of existing value systems and social structures in political cinema ranges from criticism of particular issues to

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propagandistic attacks on a country or pow er bloc, from the subtle to the intentionally direct, from the reformist to the revolutionary. The exposure of social ills or injustice, the satirizing or demystification of institutions and leaders, the recording of conflict or disturbance, the exhortation to radical violence or non-violent revolution -- these form the themes of political cinema. All these films, w hether their intent is reformist or revolutionary, aim to change the view er's consciousness. Considering the hundreds of dull, ineffectual films propounding laudable objectives, the question of form arises once again, for the basic problem of political subversion is w hether bourgeois form can be used to advance radical content. Surprisingly, many radical filmmakers cast their w orks in a conventional, often dated mold, unaw are of the far more profound impact of artists attempting to fuse new content w ith new form ( Resnais, Marker, Solanas, Franju, Rocha, Herzog, Godard, et al) . But if one trend in political w orld cinema is to continue blindly in the use of outw orn stylistic structures, pedestrian realism or naturalism, or pseudo-radical narration superimposed on indifferent and dead images, another is to use film as a tool to change the w orld, no longer an "art object" existing "parallel" to the w orld. This supreme attempt at subversion -- film as act rather than creation -represents a desperate attempt to bridge the gap betw een life and art. The first step is to denounce art itself as a bourgeois deception, thereby echoing the surrealist, dadaist, and anti-illusionist stance. Subversion, in this view , requires an utilitarian tool ( rather than an aesthetic medium) to advance the revolution; concomitantly, the role of "art" is completed once the revolution is achieved. The second step is to activate the spectator, bringing him closer to the w ork, w hich at the same time approaches him by becoming more life-like. For the completed w ork is but part of the final equation; it begins to exist fully only w hen confronted by an audience w hich brings to it its ow n associations and frames of reference and accepts the communication offered in a particular and subjective manner. I t is only then that the process of communication -- and in this case, of subversion -- is complete. The continual dilemma of the subversive artist has alw ays been how to confer his subversion on his audience. To the extent that modern art has constantly aimed at breaking dow n the invisible barrier betw een w ork of art and beholder -in the cinema, from Eisenstein and Vertov to Godard and the avant-garde -- it completes the circle of subversion, and indeed becomes a tool in the political struggle. The basis of politically and socially subversive cinema is the tension that exists betw een society and artist. This expresses itself in forms and subjects that vary from country to country, resulting not from greater or lesser artistic sophistication or skill but from differing stages of societal development, from political pressure, from the absence or presence of democratic tendencies 5/19/2007 12:23 PM

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and the degree of sharpness of social contradictions. I n each instance, how ever, the artist goes further than his particular Establishment w ishes him to. This "going beyond" is the precise characteristic of all subversive art. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE WEST: REBELS, MAOI STS, AND THE NEW GODARD Although political films have been produced in all Western countries, most of them are from the United States. This is mainly due to the extensive use and high technological level of 16mm production equipment and laboratory facilities, and the relative absence, as yet, of censorship. Apart from the thousands of films produced by students, independent filmmakers, or political film collectives, there also exist distribution companies controlled by the New Left ( such as "New sreel", American Documentary Films, and TriContinental Film Center) w hich attempt to extend the area of political film exhibition. Recent developments in videotape ( the availability of portable, lightw eight equipment) and cable TV ( the creation of "public access" channels, the programming of w hich must by law remain uncontrolled and open to everyone) point to a further increase in the production of such films. The end of the w ar in Vietnam and the deceptive quiet of the country, how ever, tends, at least temporarily, to inhibit their creation. Since the basic problems of race, class, or generation conflict remain unresolved or, even w orse, are artifically papered over, the future w ill undoubtedly w itness new w avs of radicalization. The 1968 student revolts in Western Europe gave political cinema there an added impetus, the abortive "States General" of French cinema even calling for a restructuring of the industry based on collective self-management, elimination of the profit motive, opposition to the star-cult, to censorship, and private ow nership of the means of film production, distribution, and exhibition. But if this movement ultimately proved as abortive as the revolutionary upsurge itself, it also contributed to the radicalization of one of the great French directors, Godard, and his raising once again, on an international level, the problem of revolutionary cinema. I f his previous w ork had appeared to conventional ( and even "liberal") critics and audiences so extreme as to be beyond the pale, Godard now rejected it as being in itself hopelessly bourgeois. "I w anted to conquer the fortress of French traditional cinema", he says in one of his fascinating interview s of the period, "I did and now I occupy it as its prisoner." And: "I used to bang my dish on the bars of the cell. They let me make all the racket I w anted." There w as therefore, according to the new Godard, to be no more seduction of the audience by "art"; no more "art for art's sake" or films of "consumption".

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The narrative cinema, even as modified by himself in Breathless, Masculine-Feminine , and other w orks, w as hopelessly outdated; the "dictatorship of the director" had to be smashed and replaced by group filmmaking; the w ork w as never to be "finished" but remain forever in flux; and the imperialist inundation of the individual w ith w orthless or manipulative pictures w as to be replaced by visual primitivism, the reduction of the image to a few shots -a strengthening of Godard's earlier tendencies tow ard minimal cinema, here combined w ith Maoism. Unfortunately, the resultant films -- from Meet You At Mao to Tout Va Bien -- prove that to "w ill" political cinema into being w ithout the mediation of art is self-defeating. Despite brilliant sequences ( reminiscent of the "old" Godard) , these w orks are visually sterile, intellectually shallow , and, in terms of their overbearing, insistent soundtracks, didactic, pedantic, dogmatic. The "creative boredom" of minimal cinema may w ell constitute a valid investigation of the medium's potential from an aesthetic view point, but w hether the masses w ill be activated by a 10-minute harangue on w oman's liberation monotonously delivered against the background of a young lady's navel ( See You At Mao) is questionable. As the minimalist directors and theoreticians have properly pointed out, they are concerned w ith medium and w ork "as such", w ith an exploration of form and structure devoid of meaning and message; an "aesthetic" approach in total contradiction to Godard's didactic preoccupations. The very emphasis on "w ord-film" as a political w eapon is debatable, particularly w hen compared to such masterpieces of subversive visual cinema as The Hour of the Blast Furnaces, Battle of Algiers, and others. Yet Godard's obsessive radicalism and continued experimentation has had a positive, catalytic effect. I t has already produced both emulators and others exploring new paths. Perhaps these lateGodard radical films w ill come to be view ed as primitive, important forerunners of an ultimately successful fusion of form and content in the service of revolutionary subversion. "I n the service of"; for the search for a cinema that is itself "an act" rather than "an art" is illusory. Even revolutionary cinema ultimately remains a reflection of different intensities of light on a flat surface.

LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA: TH E W EST ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SUBVERSI ON I N EASTERN EUROPE: AESOPI AN METAPHORS The failure to extend the proletarian revolution to the West and the subsequent degeneration of the Russian revolution has tragically transformed the political system that promised man the w idest possible freedom into the w orld's most efficient totalitarian regime.

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I n the cinema as elsew here, the state's complete control over the means of productions and of communication seems effectively to preclude opposition or dissent. Yet the spirit of freedom surreptitiously re-emerges, particularly among the young of each new generation. Symptomatically, just because this spirit of freedom is directed tow ards the extension of democracy and, in the arts, tow ards the flow ering of different aesthetic tendencies, it appears counter-revolutionary to the regime ( w hich thereby unintentionally defines itself in action) and new repressive measures are instituted, to w hich the new pioneers respond w ith new tactics. This constant state of tension betw een creative artist and government bureaucracy is basic to the eastern societies from Eisenstein in Russia to Schorm in Czechoslavakia, Skolimow ski in Poland, and Makavejev in Yugoslavia. Unable to pose questions head-on, the artist is forced into allegory, metaphor, and indirectness -- secret communications to be decoded by the view er. These courageous filmmakers are the moralists of their society, reminiscent of Diderot and the Encyclopedistes; for w here politics is inhibited, art tends to assume its function and form and style -not merely content -- become ideologically charged. in this sense, w hile propaganda films are lacking in Eastern Europe, poltical films are not. I ndividual w orks involving lesser or greater dissent can be found at infrequent intervals in each of the national cinemas of the East. But the emergence of an entire "school" has so far been limited to the short-lived Polish experience of the Gomulka years of the fifties and the equally brief and brilliant Czech film renaissance, immediately before and under Dubcek. Though now only a glow ing moment of history -it w as destroyed by the Russian occupation of Czechoslovakia -- this latter movement and its w orks stand as astonishing revelations of the hidden trends w ithin the so-called monolithic ideological structures of the East. To Western eyes, this movement offered a challenge: the most difficult film to find in Prague w as a Communist propaganda film and the easiest, a humanist w ork in the idiom of modern cinema. The "socialist realism" of the past -- a sentimentalized falsification of reality -- has been superseded by an attempt to confront truth and uncertainty, experience and doubt. These Czech films deal w ith alienation, w ith anti-heroes and the corruption, by terror, of victims as w ell as executioners. Devoid of "official" ideology, they are filled w ith unorthodox compassion for people as they are and no longer, as in Stalin's times, as they should be. The astonishing, tightly knit group of young filmmakers represented the values of the first post-Stalinist generation. I t w as striking to note how similar their view s w ere to those of the West's rebellious youth, w hich, from a different starting point, had also become engaged in a search, w ithout illusions, for possible ideals and provisional truths. I t seemed that the w orld w as perversely backing into an enforced brotherhood, w hich w ould universalize such problems as individual freedom in a bureaucratic society, estrangement betw een generations, the failure of dogmatic ideologies, and eternal confrontations of imperfect innocence as against the corruption of so-called maturity. 5/19/2007 12:23 PM

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Tw o complementary tendencies dominated the young Czech cinema. The realist camp ( similar to the I talian neorealists and "cinema verite") concentrated on the significance of the insignificant, using non- professionals and actual locations for greater authenticity. Unlike the I talians, how ever, the Czech realists ( Forman, Passer, Menzel) seemed less ideological, sentimental and heroic. I n providing a truth and spontaneity too long frow ned upon, their films w ere as radical as the elaborate creations of the allegorical-symbolist w ing. This camp ( represented by Schorm, Nemec, Masa, Juracek, and Vera Chytilova) w as far more cerebral; its scenarios w ere careful intellectual constructions; its settings and visual syles intentionally artificial; its tone oblique, suffused w ith existentialism. There w as less of the smiling optimism of the neorealist camp; a more somber, even pessimistic, mood obtained. Stylistically, they tended to be allegorical, symbolist, or even "absurd"; touches of Bunuel, Fellini, Bergman abounded and the possibility of an underlying complexity too dense to be unravelled w as hinted at. How ever, it w s the influence of Kafka that loomed largest. This modern prophet of ambiguity, unidentifiable nightmare, and sublime intimations of limited hope had finally become inescapable. The property of the w orld, he w as at last accepted in his ow n country as w ell. Follow ing his ideological rehabilitation at the end of the Stalin era, his w orks instantly sold out and entered the intellectual and conceptual framew ork of the new generation. The Dubcek era, by modifying an artificial isolation from abroad of 17 years, reconstituted the link w ith Czechoslavakia's unique past, w hich predisposes the country tow ard the more modern cultural tendencies. Situated at the center of an age-old, w arring continent, alw ays a minority w ithin larger empires, this unfortunate country has perhaps been more frequently subjugated or "liberated" than any other European nation, as w ell as subjected to the most sophisticated cultural influences. Surrealism, Cubism, Dadaism w ere at home under Masaryk and Benes. I ronically, Hitler forced into Prague an additional group of outstanding emigre exponents of "decadent" modern art, and the isolation from w orld art under Hitler and Stalin led to an advantageous amalgamation of leading Czech elements in theatre, film, painting, and literature into one common milieu, the inevitable nucleus for the forces of cultural liberalization. Despite Russian destruction of this movement -- all the directors w ere forced out of the industry or into exile -- it has left its mark and, together w ith the Polish film renaissance under Gomulka ( Polanski, Borow czyk, Lenica, Skolimow ski, Wajda, Kaw alerow icz, Has, and Munk) , has set standards of thematic and aesthetic daring that have become prototypes for filmmakers in other Eastern countries as w ell. I n vain does one now adays look for "socialist realism", "positive heroes", or paeans to tractors; instead, in their best w orks, there is a painful confrontation of the basic question of human freedom under a collectivized regime w ithout democratic controls, a positive scepticism and rejection of hypocrisy w hich reveal a struggle for new values and new lifestyles.

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These films are not "counter-revolutionary", but rather attempt to clarify w hat the Czech reform movement used as its slogan; "socialism w ith a human face". They prove that arrogantly exercised pow er, alienation, and the corruption of both the individual and society are as rife in the East as in the West, and that the aspirations of the most progressive youth in both blocs are identical: a more equitable society, yet one that preserves, indeed extends, the best democratic traditions of the West.

LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA: TH E EAST ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE THI RD WORLD: A NEW CI NEMA The cinema of the Third World is as young, varied, and amorphous as the different political and geographic realities it represents and is united only in its determination to liberate itself from the sw ay of foreign domination; its subversion, therefore, is primarily directed against a pow er elite w hich is alien and extraneous and a native ruling class allied and subservient to it. Perhaps the politically and aesthetically most developed Third World Cinema w as Brazil's "Cinema Novo" movement, one of the new "national" cinemas to emerge in the last decade; it accurately reflected the social fervor and progressive nationalist commitment of a new generation coming to maturity in a stagnant, dictatorial oligarchy shored up by American capital and based on poverty, oppression, and cultural and political colonization. This group of young filmmakers attempted to develop an indigenous, socially relevant Brazilian cinema, free of domination by foreign, particularly American capital, draw ing its themes and aesthetic preoccupations from the country's heritage and tragic need for transformation; but the political climate in Brazil has now , at least temporarily, put an end to its activities. The basic themes of Cinema Novo are those of Brazilian reality: the archaic, cruel "sertao", the sun-parched steppes that occupy much of the country's huge territory, in w hich, as in a primeval, mythological landscape, the ultimate tragedies of oppression, lust, heroism, and betrayal are played out; the exploits and myths of the "cangaceiros" and "beatos", anarchist and flamboyant bandit-rebels w ho redress social injustice by violence directed against the rich; and the "favela", Rio de Janiero's festering shanty-tow n slums. I n these basic landscapes, Cinema Novo has placed characters tenaciously clinging to outw orn privileges and exorbitant rebels determined to destroy them. A full-fledged, nationalized film industry entirely in the service of the revolution has been developed in Cuba, w hich produces a significant number of feature films by internationally recognized

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artists, documentaries, propagandist shorts and strongly political new sreels. Despite increasing pressures tow ards ideological conformity, the Cuban films remain refreshingly free of the stultifying "socialist realism" of the Stalin period in the East, reaching levels of poetry ( Gomez' First Charge of the Machete ) and intellectual sophistication ( Alea's Memories of Underdevelopment ) that place this very young industry in the front rank of the third w orld production. The "subversive" Cuban cinema, perhaps surprisingly, is primarily found in the propaganda films by Santiago Alvarez w ho today is one of the w orld's most prolific and notable political filmmakers. A young, but grow ing, film industry is emerging in Algeria, w ith a strongly political bent, emphasizing the fusing of nationalist and radical elements so dominant there. The features deal primarily w ith the still traumatic period of the anti-French struggle, both fictionally and by the use of new sreel materials; the shorts frequently exhibit a greater variety of subject matter; hardly any, how ever, classify as either pure entertainment or pure politics. The most strongly political w ork is probably Ahmed Rachedi's The Tw ilight of the Damned, an anti-imperialist history of Algeria. Though Chinese films have not been w idely seen in the West -a situation that hopefully w ill now change -- there is no reason to assume that a large new source of subversive films w ill suddenly emerge from w hat by all accounts is a strongly ulitarian, conservative, socially "positive" cinema, free of aesthetic "frills" or even propagandistic subversion either of its ow n establishment ( unthinkable) or of w orld imperialism ( such films w ould already be know n in the radical West or the film festival circuit) . I t is entirely possible that the most subversive Chinese film so far is Acupunctural Anaesthesia w ith its cold, scientific demystification of the human body. Some political films have also come from North Vietnam, Chile, Mexico, Bolivia, and Senegal; and from Argentina, probably the masterpiece of Third World Cinema, the violently anti-American The Hour of the Blast Furnaces by Fernando Solanas. Finally, tribute must be paid to a type of political film almost unique to South America and directly linked to the nature of its political systems: the illegal film, produced ( and distributed!) under the most dangerous and trying circumstances, the ultimate, if not in film art, at least so in personal revolutionary commitment; chiefly these are exposes of social ills or documentaries of otherw ise unreported political demonstrations, strikes, and riots.

LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA: TH IRD W ORLD ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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Some of the strongest and simultaneously most questionable political films of the post-w ar era have come from East Germany. Originating in the w orks of Annelie and Andrew Thorndike, continued by Joachim Hellw ig and, more recently, by Walter Heynow ski, these hard-hitting, tightly edited films at first aimed at identifying West Germany w ith the Nazis, establishing a continuity of personnel if not ideology, and w ere later broadened to include West Germany's imperialist ally, the USA. The Thorndykes called their series of films The Archives Testify, and this proved to be the ideological shape of all East German films of this type. Based on archives, official legislation, secret orders, and new sreels of the Nazi period, they exposed, prosecuted, and convicted their victims on film by carefully chosen visuals and sophisticated editing. There is no doubt w hatsoever that in these films real Nazis and certain crimes of the West w ere indeed exposed; and to this extent, they w ere not only subversive w orks par excellence , but, due to their w ide distribution, quite effective. Yet they raise the most disturbing questions ( if not, indeed, parallels to Nazi propaganda films) in their crude simplifications, tendentious pre-selection, shaping and even doctoring of w hat may w ell be valid materials, use of political "amalgams" ( the meretricious cross-cutting of materials in reality unrelated) , and insertion of staged scenes ( w ithout even identifying them as such) . I n short, they are propaganda w ork rather than political films -"trials" by camera and montage -- and ultimately operate, despite their intellectual, factual gloss, primarily on an emotional level. The "subversion" of these films, all made prior to the 1972 detente betw een the tw o Germanies, w as directed against an external foe and as such w as in accordance w ith official East German foreign policy of the time. No "subversive" films exist in East Germany directed against its ow n establishment. I t is not that there are no social or political problems: it is simply that the state ow ns all motion picture production, distribution, and exhibition. Neither cautious, allegorical w orks ( as in Hungary, Czechoslavakia, and Poland) , nor directly political films ( such as Red Squad, The Murder of Fred Hampton , and many more in America) have so far been made in this most orthodox of Eastern countries. Perhaps their fulminations against Western Nazis in high positions w ould sound less self-righteous if there existed just one East German film draw ing attention to the use of former Nazi bureaucrats ( or nuclear physicists!) in the East.

EAST GERMAN Y: AGAIN ST TH E W EST ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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A PROPOS D E N ICE ( Je an Vigo , Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) It als o co m m e n te d vis u ally o n "th e girls " in th e te rrace cafe s by s im p ly ju xtap o s in g tw o im age s .

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IT H APPEN ED H ERE ( Ke vin Bro w n lo w an d An d re w Mo llo , Gre at Britain , 19 6 4 ) A d is tu rbin g re co n s tru ctio n o f w h at life in Gre at Britain m igh t h ave be e n like if Ge rm an y h ad w o n Se co n d W o rld W ar. Th e re vie w in g s tan d , cro w d e d w ith Britis h fas cis ts , fe atu re s th e s lo gan o f "Ge rm an y an d En glan d -- a co m m u n ity o f race ." Eve n m o re u n s e ttlin g th an th is im age is th e film 's co u rage o u s ly ap p ro p riate as s e rtio n th at fas cis m is p o s s ibly an yw h e re .

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FILMS

TH E BATTLE OF ALGIERS ( Gille Po n te co rvo , Italy, 19 6 6 ) ( F) Co n fro n tatio n be tw e e n Alge rian n atio n alis ts an d Fre n ch arm y d u rin g th e Alge rian civil w ar. h igh -co n tras t p h o to grap h y, h an d -h e ld cam e ra, s ligh tly blu rre d m o tio n in fo re gro u n d give s th is m o m e n t th e am bie n ce o f an au th e n tic n e w s re e l s h o t; ye t it w as e n tire ly s tage d . ______________________________________________ Be cau s e o f its p e rfe ct fu s io n o f fo rm an d co n te n t, th is is o n e o f th e m o s t s trikin gly s u cce s s fu l s u bve rs ive film s e ve r m ad e . Its re vo lu tio n ary fe rvo r -- th o u gh s u btly m u te d by a co m p as s io n ate h u m an is m th at e m brace s bo th cam p s -- is p u re an d p as s io n ate . W ith o u t Po n te co rvo 's co n tro l o ve r h is p las tic m ate rial, h o w e ve r, it w o u ld h ave re m ain e d in e ffe ctu al. In cre d ibly, th is h u ge "d o cu m e n tary" o f th e Alge rian s tru ggle again s t th e Fre n ch -s tre e t battle s , bo m bin gs , rio ts , m as s s trike s , as s as s in atio n s -w as e n tire ly s tage d , an d m ad e to re s e m ble au th e n tic n e w s re e l s h o ts by th e u s e o f h igh -co n tras t, h igh -grad e film s to ck, h an d h e ld cam e ras , an d in te n tio n al ju m p -cu ts . Th e cru e lty o f to rtu re , th e arro gan ce o f th e fas cis t Fre n ch p aratro o p e rs , th e e s calatin g te rro ris m an d m u tu al re p ris als , p lo ts an d co u n te rp lo ts m o u n t to a m as te rfu l fin al s e qu e n ce o f p o e tic s ym bo lis m : th e Alge rian m as s e s , le ad e rle s s afte r th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e N atio n al Libe ratio n

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Fro n t, o n ce again s u rge in to th e s tre e ts in a s p o n tan e o u s , p o w e rfu l d e m o n s tratio n , re affirm in g th at th e w ill to fre e d o m d o e s n o t d ie . Th e ir co n fro n tatio n w ith th e Fre n ch m ilitary is clas s ic in co n ce p t an d e xe cu tio n an d re m in is ce n t o f e arly So vie t cin e m a: th e s te ad y, d ru m -like ch an ts fo r in d e p e n d e n ce o f th e s w ayin g p o s s e s s e d m as s , th e yo u n g w o m an w ith flags , th e s o ld ie rs s lo w ly re tre atin g, th e m u s ic re ach in g to w ard s a cre s ce n d o bu t s ym bo lically e n d in g be fo re th e fin al be at. ______________________________________________

TH E BATTLE OF ALGIERS ( Gille Po n te co rvo , Italy, 19 6 6 ) ( F) Th e gu e rilla figh te r m in u te s be fo re th e bo m b in h e r h an d bag w ill e xp lo d e in th is cro w d e d Fre n ch cafe . As s h e glan ce s aro u n d , w e e xp e rie n ce th e m o ral is s u e : th e s e p e o p le ( in n o ce n t? gu ilty?) in clu d in g w o m e n an d ch ild re n , w ill d ie by h e r h an d . Sh e d o e s n o t h e s itate , bu t h e r glan ce re affirm s h e r h u m an ity an d an gu is h . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E BELLS OF SILESIA ( D AS U N H EIL) ( Pe te r Fle is ch m an n , W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 72 ) ( F) Th is o bs e s s io n al, p e s s im is tic w o rk abo u t p re s e n t-d ay Ge rm an y by im p licatio n e xte n d s its p e rvas ive h atre d 5/19/2007 12:24 PM

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o f bo u rge o is valu e s to th e e n tire w o rld . Be gin n in g as a s tu d y o f a yo u n g m an 's n e u ro s is , it e n d s by d e clarin g h im s an e in an in s an e w o rld . Prie s ts , te ach e rs , cap italis ts , an d p o lice are s e e n as in te gral p arts o f a m in d le s s ru lin g clas s ; th e co m p ro m is e s , co w ard ice , an d u n d ige s te d N azis m o f th e o ld e r ge n e ratio n are as m e rcile s s ly p o rtraye d as th e vap id ity an d p ro vin cialis m o f th e yo u n g. An abru p t n arrative s tyle -- w ith s ce n e s fre qu e n tly s tartin g o r e n d in g in th e m id d le o f th e actio n -- p e rm its th e film m ake r to bu ild u p to an o d io u s , cu m u lative e n d in g, in w h ich th e p o s t-w ar Ge rm an "e co n o m ic m iracle " ( w ith its e n cru s tatio n s o f re actio n ary p as t an d its abs o rp tio n in co n s u m e r go o d s ) is e xp e rie n ce d as a n igh tm are fro m w h ich o n e can n o t aw ake n . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

BLACK PAN TH ERS ( Agn e s Vard a, U SA, 19 6 9 ) A s ign ifican t ( n o w tragically n o s talgic) m e m e n to o f Am e rica's m ilitan t Black m o ve m e n t o f th e s ixtie s -its le ad e rs , its m e e tin gs , its p ris o n e rs -- by th e d is tin gu is h e d Fre n ch w o m an d ire cto r. Sym p ath e tically o bs e rvin g an Am e rican p h e n o m e n o n , s h e co rre ctly s e n s e s its u n ive rs al as p e cts . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E BRIG ( Jo n as Me kas , U SA, 19 6 4 ) Cage d m e n , u n d e r glarin g ligh ts , fe arfu lly at

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atte n tio n ; th e Livin g Th e atre 's bru tal d o cu m e n tary p o rtrayal o f life in a m ilitary jail to rtu re d th e au d ie n ce w ith its in ce s s an t, o bs e s s ive , u n re lie ve d d e grad atio n o f th e m e n . A h an d h e ld cam e ra, d e e p ly in vo lve d as if a p ris o n e r its e lf, tran s fo rm s it in to valid rad ical cin e m a, le avin g th e vie w e r d rain e d . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E CRY OF JAZZ ( Ed w ard Blan d , U SA, 19 59 ) Fo re ru n n e r o f black m ilitan cy, th is an gry, rad ical, an d d e libe rate ly abras ive w o rk ( m ad e by yo u n g Black in te lle ctu als ) e xp lo d e s in p as s io n ate o u tbu rs ts abo u t th e d e ath o f jazz at th e h an d s o f th e W h ite s an d th e s u ffe rin g o f th e Black race . It p o s tu late s th at th e Black is th e co n s cie n ce o f Am e rica an d w ill libe rate it. An h is to ric d o cu m e n t. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

D EAD LIN E FOR ACTION ( U n io n Film s , U SA, 19 4 8 ?) Th is is a u n iqu e e xam p le o f rad ical le ft-w in g p ro p agan d a by a trad e u n io n th e n u n d e r Co m m u n is t co n tro l ( U n ite d Ele ctrical W o rke rs o f Am e rica) ; it trace s h igh p rice s an d lay-o ffs to th e "tru s tificatio n " o f Big Bu s in e s s an d to cap italis m . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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TH E BICYCLE TH IEF ( Vitto rio d e Sica, Italy, 19 4 9 ) ( F) N o n -p ro fe s s io n als , actu al lo cale s , th e p ligh t o f th e p e o p le : th is to tal re je ctio n o f d e cad e n t fas cis t cin e m a is at th e h e art o f Italian N e o re alis m . In D e Sica's h u m an is t m as te rp ie ce , th e u n e m p lo ye d fath e r, u n able to w o rk be cau s e h is bike h as be e n s to le n , atte m p ts to re trie ve it, bu t afte r e n d le s s h e artbre ak, is h im s e lf fo rce d in to s te alin g o n e to live . Cau gh t, h e is d e grad e d in fro n t o f h is s o n , w ith h im th ro u gh o u t; in s te ad o f re je ctin g h im , th e bo y take s h is h an d as th e y d is ap p e ar in to th e m u ltitu d e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

D ELAW ARE ( N e w s re e l film co lle ctive , U SA, 19 6 8 / 6 9 ) On e o f th e be s t o f m an y p o litical film s m ad e by "N e w s re e l", th e rad ical-le ft Am e rican film co lle ctive . Th is is a care fu lly co n s tru cte d e xp o s e o f th e co m p le te co n tro l e xe rcis e d o ve r th e State o f D e law are by D u p o n t, o n e o f Am e rica's co rp o rate gian ts , th ro u gh its d o m in atio n o f s ch o o ls , m e d ia, p o litical p artie s an d p re -e m in e n t p o s itio n w ith in th e p o w e r s tru ctu re . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

EIGH T FLAGS FOR 9 9 CEN TS

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( Ch arle s Olin , U SA, 19 70 ) A p ro fe s s io n al, in te llige n t m o n tage o f brie f in te rvie w s w ith Am e rica's s o -calle d "s ile n t m ajo rity", in d icatin g th at, as o f 19 70 , Mid d le Am e rica w as as o p p o s e d to th e Vie tn am e s e w ar as th e an ti-w ar m o ve m e n t. Th is is an e xce lle n t e xam p le o f th e n o n -p ro p agan d is tic ap p ro ach th at ye t s e rve s a cle ar id e o lo gical ( an d s u bve rs ive ) p u rp o s e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

AN EVIL H OU R ( Pe te r W o lff, U SA, 19 70 ) A h o rrifyin g, co m p as s io n ate d o cu m e n tary o f w h at th e Vie tn am e s e w ar h as d o n e to th e ch ild re n . It s h o w s p ickp o cke ts , p im p s , s h o e s h in e bo ys , ro am in g gan gs , d ru n ks , an d o rp h an s ; s ad , o ld face s ; ch ild re n bu rn e d by n ap alm , w ith lim bs m is s in g, fe s te rin g s o re s , aban d o n e d , ro ckin g. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

FAR FROM VIETN AM ( vario u s d ire cto rs , Fran ce , 19 6 5) It is p o s s ible th at th is n e w s re e l im age w ill live a ve ry lo n g tim e , fo r w ith o u t h avin g be e n s tage d by s o m e "p o litical" film m ake r, it re fle cts th e s ad n e s s , d e te rm in atio n , d ign ity, an d lite ral "p re s e n ce " o f th is u n fo rtu n ate p e o p le . It als o fo u n d its w ay in to th e an ti-w ar film m ad e by Re s n ais , Vard a, Go d ard , Marke r, Kle in , Ive n s an d Le lo u ch to

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s h o w th e ir s o lid arity w ith th e N o rth Vie tn am e s e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E GREAT SOCIETY ( Fre d Mo gu bgu b, U SA, 19 6 7?) To th e s train s o f "Th e Battle H ym n o f th e Re p u blic", an d at th e ap p ro xim ate rate o f o n e im age p e r s e co n d , th e film m ake r, w ith o u t fu rth e r co m m e n t, p re s e n ts h e ad -o n s h o ts o f an e n d le s s barrage o f Am e rican co n s u m e r go o d s , p acke d , fro ze n , can n e d o r bo ttle d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

GU ID EBOOK TO BON N AN D EN VIRON S ( STAD TFU H RER FU R BON N U N D U MGEBU N G) ( Man fre d Vo s z, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) In s p ire d by Th o rn d ike 's s im ilar Eas t Ge rm an film s , th is is a care fu lly re s e arch e d , p ro fe s s io n ally e xe cu te d in d ictm e n t o f th e W e s t Ge rm an go ve rn m e n t bu re au cracy, p ro vin g th at m an y o f its m e m be rs -- in d ivid u ally s h o w n an d id e n tifie d -- h ad s e rve d in th e s am e cap acity u n d e r th e N azis . A barrage o f o fficial d o cu m e n ts , in crim in atin g p h o to grap h s an d N azi n e w s re e ls s u bs tan tiate th e argu m e n t. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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( Fran ce s co Ro s i, Italy, 19 6 3 ) ( F) Th e e te rn al, arch e typ al im age , h e re brillian tly s tage d : th e rio te r ( h is cap id e n tifyin g h im , in Eu ro p e , as a w o rke r) an d th e m ilitia- m an , trap p e d in an e te rn al balle t, s u rro u n d e d by ligh t, s h ad o w s , d u s t, an d o th e r vio le n ce . In th is , o n e o f th e be s t p o litical film s o f p o s t-w ar Eu ro p e , th e is s u e is h o u s in g s can d als an d p arliam e n tary m an ip u latio n , all d e rivin g fro m th e p ro fit m o tive an d cap italis m . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

H AIL ( Fre d Le vin s o n , U SA, 19 71) ( F) A fu ll-s cale p ro d u ctio n by a p re vio u s ly u n kn o w n d ire cto r, ve ry p ro fe s s io n al an d e labo rate . Th is is a fas t-m o vin g an d in te re s tin g, if s u p e rficial, p o litical fictio n o f an atte m p te d co u p d 'e t a t again s t an Am e rican Pre s id e n t m o vin g to w ard s fas cis m . Th e p lo t s o o n re ve als th e id e o lo gical s h allo w n e s s o f th e s crip t, w ith a d e n o u e m e n t bo th e xcitin g an d d is s atis fyin g; th e p ro ble m o f fas cis m is re d u ce d to th e le ve l o f in d ivid u als , an d n e ith e r an alys is n o r co n te xt is p ro vid e d . Bu t w e m u s t be grate fu l to an y film m ake r w h o re as s u re s u s th at th e Am e rican e agle ap p e ars o n th e d o o rs o f Pre s id e n tial to ile ts . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E H AMBU RG OCTOBER 19 2 3 IN SU RRECTION ( D ER H AMBU RGER AU FSTAN D OCTOBER 19 2 3 ) ( Re in e r Etz, Gis e la Tu ch te n h age n , Klau s W ild e n h ah n , W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 72 ) U n like fictio n al p o rtrayals o f re vo lu tio n ary p ro ble m s , th is fas cin atin g cin e m a ve rite s tu d y p re s e n ts a factu al re co rd o f th e abo rtive 19 2 3 Co m m u n is t co u p by in tro d u cin g 2 0 s u rvivo rs , n o w in th e ir s e ve n tie s an d s till Co m m u n is ts . It is an im p o rtan t e xp e rie n ce fo r o n ce to co n fro n t Ge rm an s o f an age -gro u p u s u ally co n s id e re d h o p e le s s ly co m p ro m is e d an d to d is co ve r an ti-fas cis ts d is cu s s in g th e clas s s tru ggle . Th is m o vin g tribu te by a n e w ge n e ratio n to an o ld is n o th in g le s s th an an atte m p t at a rad ical h is to ry le s s o n fo r th e yo u n g, m arre d by its lack o f an alys is o f Stalin is m . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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BORIN AGE ( Jo ris Ive n s an d H e n ri Sto rck, Be lgiu m . 19 3 3 ) Se ld o m h as p ro le tarian p o ve rty be e n s o bru tally s e e n as in th is p ro -Co m m u n is t d o cu m e n tary clas s ic o f a Be lgian m in e rs ' s trike in th e 3 0 s . In te n tio n ally e s ch e w in g th e "ae s th e tic", th e film m ake rs n e ve rth e le s s can n o t re s is t an "u n co n s cio u s " s tru ctu rin g o f th is s h o t: th e ligh tin g, s ad n e s s , an d p o s itio n in g o f th e ch ild an d th e m o th e r's w o rn , p ro te ctive h an d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

H OG CALLIN G BLU ES ( N e al Pace , U SA, 19 6 9 ) U n like s lick p ro p agan d a film s o r care fu lly m an u factu re d p o litical in d ictm e n ts , th is is a cry o f an gu is h by th e yo u n g film m ake r at Vie tn am an d th e Ke n t State U n ive rs ity killin gs o f an ti-w ar s tu d e n ts by th e m ilitary. Tw o yo u n g m e n firs t d e co rate a d e ad p ig, p lace d o n an Am e rican flag, an d th e n ( w ith d is jo in te d e xp re s s io n s o f an ge r, im p o te n ce , an gu is h ) re m o ve its e ye s , cu t o ff its e ars , fu rio u s ly s m as h in to it w ith an axe . Fin ally, s h o vin g th e flag in to th e carcas s fro m be h in d , th e y cu t o ff its h e ad : "Th e Pig Is D e ad ". _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

ICE ( Ro be rt Kram e r, U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is film co o lly e xtrap o late s tw e n ty ye ars in to th e Am e rican fu tu re to d is co ve r u rban gu e rillas in th e s tre e ts an d glas s -an d -

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m arble bu ild in gs o f N e w Yo rk, at w ar again s t a fas cis t re gim e . A m icro co s m o f p e rs o n alitie s , tre n d s , an d p ro ble m s o f to d ay's N e w Le ft p ro je cte d in to a ve ry p o s s ible fu tu re , th e film d e als w ith re gio n al o ffe n s ive s , as s as s in atio n s , te rro r an d co u n te rte rro r, d e d icatio n , w e arin e s s , be trayal. D ire cte d by a le ad e r o f th e rad ical-le ft d o cu m e n tary film gro u p "N e w s re e l", it als o h in ts at th e h u m an lim itatio n s o f its h e ro e s an d d is p lays an id e o lo gically in te re s tin g am bigu ity ( if n o t s ad n e s s ) to w ard th e m ; s ign ifican tly, all talk abo u t id e as an d cau s e s h as be e n s u p e rs e d e d by d is cu s s io n s o f tactics an d te rro r, as if th e re vo lu tio n w as m e re ly a m atte r o f e fficie n t te ch n o lo gy. Th e u ltim ate iro n y is th at th e film w as fin an ce d by th e ve ry o fficial, H o llyw o o d -backe d Am e rican Film In s titu te . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E ID EA ( Be rth o ld Barto s ch , Fran ce , 19 3 1) Bas e d o n Fran s Me s are e l's fam e d w o o d cu ts , th is an im ate d film clas s ic w as th e firs t trick film w ith a rad ical film : a re vo lu tio n ary id e a ( in th e s h ap e o f a n u d e w o m an ) is co n ce ive d by th e artis t, co n d e m n e d by th e w o rld , th e rich , an d th e ch u rch , bu t live s o n , fo re ve r s tirrin g m e n to re vo lt. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

I'M A MAN ( Pe te r Ro s e n , U SA, 19 6 9 ) In a s ym bo lic ge s tu re to w ard s s e lf-re alizatio n

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an d m an h o o d , a h igh ly s o p h is ticate d Am e rican Black m ilitan t w alks th ro u gh N e w H ave n in African tribal co s tu m e , bran d is h in g a h u ge s p e ar, an d fo rcin g W h ite s -- fo r th e firs t tim e , h e fe e ls -- to re act to h im in s te ad o f vice ve rs a: th e e xp e rim e n t's o rigin ality be co m e s e vid e n t in cin e m a ve rite co n fro n tatio n s an d in te rvie w s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

I'M GOIN G TO GIVE YOU ALL MY LOVE ( Je rro ld Pe il, U SA, 19 71) U S N avy fo o tage p e rm its u s to p articip ate in Vie tn am bo m bin g ru n s , as th e p lan e 's cam e ra fo llo w s th e in e xo rable traje cto ry o f air-to -s u rface ro cke ts to th e ir d e s tin atio n : th e h u ts , w o o d s , p e o p le o f Vie tn am . Co m bin e d w ith a ro ck lo ve ballad , th e e e rie s h o ts o f bo m bs bu rs tin g like brillian t o ran ge flo w e rs give th e film a vis u ally p o rn o grap h ic qu ality. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

LES MARIN ES ( Fran co is Re ich e n bach , Fran c, 19 57) A Marin e s e rge an t to w e rs o ve r an an o n ym o u s re cru it, an ap p ro p riate im age fro m a te rrifyin g d o cu m e n tary abo u t th e train in g o f Am e rican Marin e s , m ad e by a Fre n ch d ire cto r w ith in e xp licable D e p artm e n t o f D e fe n s e p e rm is s io n . Bru talizatio n , s ys te m atic d e s tru ctio n o f w illp o w e r, s ad is m : in cip ie n t fas cis m . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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LAN D W ITH OU T BREAD ( LAS H U RD ES) ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Sp ain , 19 3 2 ) It "s e e m s " to be -- an d is -- a "d o cu m e n tary": in th is cas e o f a p art o f Sp ain s o im p o ve ris h e d as to ap p ro ach barbaris m . Bu t th e film w as m ad e by Bu n u e l an d , to co n ve y th e tru th th at m u s t be s e are d in to o u r co n s cio u s n e s s , h e s p are s u s n o th in g. A d o n ke y is attacke d by be e s an d d ie s -- th e y s e ttle o n h is n o w blan k e ye s ; s ke le to n -like ch ild re n in rags ; cre tin s , th e p ro d u ct o f in bre e d in g; a d yin g girl lyin g at th e e d ge o f th e ro ad ( as in th e N azi d o cu m e n tary, W a r s a w Gh e t t o ) ; m e n e m igratin g to fin d w o rk an d re tu rn in g e m p ty-h an d e d ; an e n tire fam ily in o n e be d ; an d th e lu xu rio u s , o rn ate ch u rch th at d o m in ate s th e to w n . Th e co u n te rp o in t o f ( in te n tio n ally) flat, m au d lin n arratio n an d h o rrifyin g im age s fu rth e r in te n s ifie s th e tru ly s u bve rs ive attack o n o u r co n s cio u s n e s s . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

MICKEY MOU SE IN VIETN AM ( Le e Savage , U SA, 19 6 8 ) In th is o n e -m in u te film , Micke y jo in s th e arm y, arrive s in Vie tn am an d is im m e d iate ly kille d . Th e d e s tru ctio n o f th is n atio n al s ym bo l -- in its e lf s u bve rs ive -- als o im p lie s th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e Am e rican m yth by th e Vie tn am W ar. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E MU RD ER OF FRED H AMPTON ( Mike Gray, U SA, 19 71)

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Th e h ars h , u n s h ad e d ligh t cru e lly e xp o s e s th e illu s io n o f a s o cie ty o f law an d o rd e r, fo r in th is s ad ro o m , a Black Pan th e r le ad e r w as as s as s in ate d by th e p o lice , w h o s e fabricate d s to rie s o f s e lf-d e fe n s e co llap s e d u n d e r late r p u blic s cru tin y. H o llyw o o d can n o t d u p licate th e s o rd id m attre s s , th e m ach in e -gu n h o le s to rn in to th e ch e ap clap bo ard w all. ______________________________________________ Th is h ard -h ittin g d o cu m e n tary e xp o s e o f th e p o lice as s as s in atio n o f th e Black Pan th e r le ad e r d is p e n s e s w ith n arrative o r e d ito rial co m m e n t to m ake its d am n in g cas e by p u re ly au d io -vis u al m e an s in s te ad : in te rvie w s w ith p o lice , black re vo lu tio n arie s , th e State Pro s e cu to r ( late r im p licate d ) , an d d e taile d e xam in atio n s o f th e ap artm e n t w h e re H am p to n w as kille d . Th e in tro d u ctio n o f an im ate d le tte rin g at th e e n d , co n s is tin g o f rap id ly e m e rgin g qu o te s fro m H am p to n 's las t s p e e ch ( as h e is h e ard d e live rin g it) , is o n e o f th e m o s t p o w e rfu l an d rad ical u s e s o f th is d e vice in cin e m a.

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

MR. FREED OM ( W illiam Kle in , Fran ce , 19 70 ) ( F) Th is an ti-Am e rican s atire re co u n ts th e s p e ctacu larly u n h e ro ic e xp lo its o f "Mr. Fre e d o m ", p e rs o n ificatio n o f th e Am e rican Su p e rm an s e n t in to th e w o rld to libe rate it fro m Co m m u n is m . Th e co m bin atio n o f s e x an d p o litics s e e m s irre s is table to m o d e rn le ft-w in g s o p h is ticate s .

TH E W EST: REBELS, MAOISTS, AN D TH E N EW GOD ARD - PART TW O -

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FILMS

LA CH IN OISE ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 7) ( F) Th e Marqu is d e Sad e an d Mao 's Little Re d Bo o k: th e s o p h is ticatio n o f W e s te rn rad ical th o u gh t an d th e o ve rs im p lificatio n s im p licit in th e fo rm at o f th e o th e r te xt als o d e te rm in e th e p aram e te rs o f Go d ard 's id e o lo gical co n fu s io n s , s o p ain fu lly an d be au tifu lly re ve ale d in o n e o f h is be s t film s . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

O D REAMLAN D ( Lin d s ay An d e rs o n , Gre at Britain , 19 53 ) U n s p arin g can d id -cam e ra w o rk an d as tu te ju xtap o s itio n o f n atu ral s o u n d p ro vid e a s cath in g, an gry an d w o rd le s s co m m e n t o n m o d e rn p o p u lar cu ltu re as s e e n at a Britis h am u s e m e n t p ark. N o atte m p t is m ad e to p o ke fu n at th e p e o p le s h o w n ; th e y are p o rtraye d as victim s -Orw e ll's 19 8 4 "p ro le s ". A vis u al an d au ral barrage o f ch e ap p le as u re s an d an gry s o cial co m m e n t by th e late r fam o u s d ire cto r o f If an d O Lu ck y M a n .

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_____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

PALESTIN E ( N ick McD o n ald , U SA, 19 71) An h o n e s t, ve ry p e rs o n al s tate m e n t by a N e w Le ft an ti-Zio n is t film ically e qu ate s th e d is p o s s e s s io n o f th e Am e rican In d ian w ith th at o f th e Pale s tin e an Arabs an d p o in ts to s tro n g s im ilaritie s be tw e e n d e m o cratic as p iratio n s in th e Am e rican Co n s titu tio n an d th e p ro gram o f El Fatah . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E PEOPLE AN D TH EIR GU N S ( LE PEU PLE ET SES FU SILS) ( Jo ris Ive n s an d film co lle ctive , Fran ce , 19 6 7) ( F) Pe rh ap s th e p u re s t W e s te rn e xam p le o f a Mao is t film , th is is a h e avily d id actic "agit-p ro p " p o rtrayal o f Lao s ' s tru ggle again s t Am e rican Im p e rialis m . U n fo rtu n ate ly, th e e n d le s s s u cce s s io n o f le n gth y title s ( co n s is tin g e n tire ly o f p o litical e xh o rtatio n s an d s lo gan s ) an d th e trite , p as s ive vis u als o f Lao tian p e as an ts an d co u n trys id e , brin g o n an o ve rw h e lm in g n u m bn e s s an d rais e fu n d am e n tal qu e s tio n s as to th e in te n d e d au d ie n ce : e n tire ly to o e le m e n tary fo r bo u rge o is libe rals o r rad ical in te lle ctu als , th e e xte n d an d n atu re o f th e lan gu age e m p lo ye d s e e m s be yo n d w h ate ve r w o rke r an d p e as an t au d ie n ce th e film m ake r m igh t h ave h ad in m in d . W h at e m e rge s cle arly is h is s u bco n s cio u s ly p atro n izin g attitu d e to w ard s th e m , ve ry d iffe re n t fro m th e n o n -p ro p agan d is t h o n e s ty o f go o d p o litical film s ( s u ch as Tr o u b le m a k e r s ) ; fo r h e re "th e p e o p le ", w h e n allo w e d to lo o k m o re th an h e ro ic o r s u ffe rin g, m o ve like p u p p e ts an d u tte r n o th in g bu t th e m o s t in tricate an d abs tru s e s lo gan s ( h o w e ve r accu rate ) an d e ve ry d ialo gu e is a d ire ct re p lica o f th e s u ffo catin gly "o fficial" s tyle o f Pe kin g o r Mo s co w n e w s p ap e rs . In s h o rt, th e film is s o d e te rm in e d ly "u litarian " as to be o f u s e to n o o n e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

PRAVD A ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard an d D ziga Ve rto v gro u p , Fran ce , 19 6 9 ) ( F) W ith th is film , clan d e s tin e ly s h o t in Cze ch o s lavakia afte r th e Ru s s ian o ccu p atio n , Go d ard m o ve s ye t an o th e r s te p to w ard s re alizin g h is co n ce p t o f "Re vo lu tio n ary Cin e m a". Ae s th e tically, th e d is tan ce be tw e e n th is film an d W e e k e n d is as gre at as th at be tw e e n W e e k e n d an d Br e a t h le s s , ye t th e s am e rad ical im p u ls e m o tivate s all th re e . Go d ard is m o vin g to w ard s a vis u ally m in im al cin e m a, w ith th e s o u n d track as s u m in g e ve r gre ate r im p o rtan ce . Pravd a co n s is ts o f an im agin ary d is cu s s io n be tw e e n Le n in an d Ro s a Lu xe m bu rg, th e Ge rm an re vo lu tio n ary; cle arly in flu e n ce d by Mao is t id e o lo gy, it s im u ltan e o u s ly attacks th e "re vis io n is t" Ru s s ian s fo r in vad in g Cze ch o s lavakia an d th e "re vis io n is t" Cze ch s fo r o p e n in g th e d o o rs to W e s te rn im p e rialis m via Pan -Am , CBS, H e rtz, Am e rican -o w n e d

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h o te ls , an d Pla y b o y . Th is bitte r an d d o gm atic w o rk re ve als o n ce again th e re s tle s s o rigin ality o f its cre ato r; bu t as it is d e s ign e d to ad van ce th e cau s e o f re vo lu tio n , it m u s t be ju d ge d in te rm s o f id e o lo gical re le van ce , e fficacy, an d tru th . H e re its in d ictm e n t o f th e Cze ch re fo rm m o ve m e n t s e e m s p articu larly u n te n able , w h ile th e vis u als h ave lo s t all re s o n an ce an d n o lo n ge r d is p lay th e s o p h is ticatio n o f e arly Go d ard . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

PU N ISH MEN T PARK ( Pe te r W atkin s , Gre at Britain , 19 71) ( F) Th e Britis h d ire cto r o f Th e W a r Ga m e o ffe rs a rad ical film abo u t Am e rica's fu tu re . Bas e d o n th e Pre s id e n t's p o w e r, u n d e r th e 19 50 McCarran In te rn al Se cu rity Act, to s e t u p d e te n tio n cam p s fo r th e rad ical Le ft in cas e o f an in s u rre ctio n , th is "alle go ry in th e fo rm o f a d o cu m e n tary" p o s tu late s a s itu atio n , s o m e ye ars h e n ce , in w h ich re vo lu tio n arie s are co n fin e d w ith o u t d u e le gal re co u rs e an d give n th e ch o ice o f e ith e r s e rvin g 15 ye ars in a co n ce n tratio n cam p , o r 3 d ays in a s p e cial "p u n is h m e n t p ark". H e re th e y m u s t atte m p t, o n fo o t an d w ith o u t w ate r, to re ach an Am e rican Flag, s itu ate d abo u t 50 m ile s aw ay in an arid d e s e rt lan d s cap e , w h ile p u rs u e d ( an d if p o s s ible , trap p e d ) by p o lice an d N atio n al Gu ard ; if th e y re ach th e ir go al, th e y are fre e ; if n o t, th e y m u s t s e rve th e ir s e n te n ce . W h ile th e te n s io n -- cre ate d by m o n tage an d a ve ry m o bile cam e ra -- is u n re le n tin g, th is u ltim ate ly e m e rge s m o re as a p o litical h o rro r film th an a s e rio u s s tate m e n t. Th o u gh th e e xis te n ce o f as ye t e m p ty co n ce n tratio n cam p s h as be e n co n firm e d in th e Am e rican p re s s , th e s ad is tic gam e an d th e d e vice o f th e p ark s e e m arbitrary an d artificial, lim itin g th e rad ical p o te n tial o f th e film in s te ad o f bro ad e n in g it. SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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RED SQU AD ( H o w ard Blatt an d Ste ve Fis h le r, U SA, 19 72 ) A d is tu rbe d FBI age n t, le gally u n able to s to p th e rad ical film m ake r fro m p h o to grap h in g age n ts e n te rin g FBI h e ad qu arte rs , d e cid e s to s tan d in fro n t o f th e cam e ra; th e film m ake r n o n -ch alan tly rais e s it abo ve h is h e ad . An e xtrao rd in ary p o litical film , in w h ich th e s p ie s -Re d Squ ad an d u n d e rco ve r p o lice as s ign e d to in filtrate th e Am e rican Le ft -- are in tu rn s p ie d u p o n . Th e re s u lt: a p h o to grap h ic e xp o s e o f face s an d age n ts in actio n , fu lly id e n tifie d by n am e an d title . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E REVOLU TION ARY W AS A COP ( Marc W e is s , U SA, 19 71) In a s e rie s o f in te rvie w s w ith yo u n g Am e rican SD S rad icals , th e activitie s o f an age n t p ro vo cate u r in th e ir m id s t are d is cu s s e d , in clu d in g h is o rgan izin g n e w SD S bran ch e s an d p ro p o s in g bo m b p lo ts . Th e film is bas e d o n an actu al cas e h is to ry. In th e s u bs e qu e n t trial, th e SD S m e m be rs w e re co n victe d , th e p ro vo cate u r fre e d . Th e d ire cto r, o n cam e ra, accu s e s h im at th e e n d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

RECRU ITS IN IN GOLSTAD T

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( PION IERE IN IN GOLSTAD T) ( Rain e r W e rn e r Fas s bin d e r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) A w e lco m e s u rp ris e fro m th e d ire cto r o f Mu n ich 's fam e d "an ti-th e atre ", w h o s e film s -- at le as t tw o o r th re e p e r ye ar -are attractin g gro w in g in te rn atio n al atte n tio n . Th is is a s tylize d , an ti-bo u rge o is s atire o f s m all-to w n girls an d yo u n g s o ld ie rs w h o bu ild a brid ge th at le ad s n o w h e re an d is n e ve r fin is h e d . Th e co o l, s o p h is ticate d te n o r o f th is film , its s tran ge ly clip p e d d ialo gu e ( d e live re d in flat, Bre ch tian m o n o to n e ) , an d its d e s p e rate , m aim e d p ro tago n is ts u ltim ate ly o ffe r a cu rio u s ly m o vin g m e tap h o r o f a p o s t-ato m ic, s h e ll-s h o cke d ge n e ratio n ; th e y s e e m to talk in a h u m an w ay, bu t s u d d e n ly "go o ff"; th e y rare ly lo o k at e ach o th e r, bu t ad d re s s th e cam e ra in s te ad ; an d th o u gh s o m e atte m p t to im itate th e "Sch w e in e h u n d " jargo n o f th e N azi p e rio d an d its blu s te rin g p s e u d o -m as cu lin ity, th e y d o s o w ith o u t co n victio n . Th e m e n h ave be co m e u n fe e lin g ro bo ts ; if an y h o p e is le ft, it is w ith th e d o w n tro d d e n girls w h o s till e xh ibit glim m e rin gs o f h u m an fe e lin g. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

ROBERT W ALL, EX-FBI AGEN T ( Mich ae l An d e rs o n , Pau l Jaco bs , Sau l Lan d au , Bill Yah ran s , U SA, 19 72 ) An e x-age n t w h o re s ign e d afte r five ye ars w ith th e FBI, d is cu s s e s h o w th e Bu re au w o rks , h o w its age n ts s e e th e m s e lve s an d th e ir jo bs , an d w h y h e be lie ve s th e FBI to be a re p re s s ive fo rce . H e e xp lain s h o w h e o rgan ize d a frau d u le n t s m e ar cam p aign again s t Sto ke ly Carm ich ae l, fo rge d le tte rs d e s ign e d to d is ru p t re latio n s be tw e e n th e Blacks an d th e Le ft, an d h e lp e d p lan t in fo rm e rs in rad ical gro u p s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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TH E SORROW AN D TH E PITY ( Marce l Op h u ls , Sw itze rlan d , 19 71) ( F) A fo rm e r W e h rm ach t o ffice r, n o w a s m ilin g, p ro s p e ro u s Ge rm an bu rgh e r fre e o f u n fas h io n able gu ilt, re co u n ts h is w artim e "activitie s " in Fran ce in o n e o f th e m an y in te rvie w s w ith re s is tan ce figh te rs , co llabo rato rs , s tate s m e n , an d re actio n arie s . N e ith e r p atro n izin g n o r s im p lis tic, th is film rais e s e te rn al qu e s tio n s abo u t co llabo ratio n an d re s is tan ce ; Vie tn am is n o t to o far. SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

SAIN T MICH AEL H AD A ROOSTER ( SAN MICH ELE AVEVE U N GALLO) ( Pao lo an d Vitto rio Tavian i, Italy, 19 71) ( F) A gro u p o f id e alis tic, im p ractical 19 th -ce n tu ry an arch is ts m o u n t a d is as tro u s te rro ris t attack o n an irre le van t to w n h all; th e ir failu re le ad s to th e 10 -ye ar im p ris o n m e n t o f th e le ad e r, d u rin g w h ich -- in a p ain fu l t o u r d e fo r ce -- h e s u cce e d s in m as te rin g m in d an d bo d y w ith a ve n ge an ce to p re p are h im s e lf fo r fu tu re re vo lu tio n ary actio n . Alas , a tragic, iro n ic d e n o u e m e n t in d icate s th at th e s e fan tas ie s o f le ad e rs h ip , p ro je cte d d u rin g ye ars o f is o latio n , d o n o t s u ffice fo r a n e w ge n e ratio n o f re vo lu tio n arie s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

SEE YOU AT MAO ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard an d D ziga Ve rto v gro u p , Fran ce , Gre at Britain , 19 6 9 ) ( F)

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Th is u n co m p ro m is in g atte m p t at re vo lu tio n ary cin e m a m arke d a n e w s tage in th e ae s th e tic e vo lu tio n o f o n e o f th e m e d iu m 's m o s t rad ical e xp e rim e n to rs . Be lie vin g n arrative cin e m a to be o u td ate d an d bo u rge o is , Go d ard lo o s e d a p ro p agan d is tic au d io -vis u al barrage o n th e s e n s e s w h ich co m bin e d Mao is m , th e Be atle s , m u ltip le s o u n d tracks , m in im al cin e m a a la W arh o l, n u d ity ( acco m p an ie d by a W o m e n 's Libe ratio n s tate m e n t) , an d qu o te s fro m N ixo n , Po m p id o u , an d th e Co m m u n is t Man ife s to . Po s s ibly th e d ire cto r's m o s t d is tu rbin g w o rk s o far, it e n d e d w ith a blo o d -s p atte re d h an d p ain fu lly re ach in g fo r a re d flag. Bu t it is qu e s tio n able w h e th e r bo re d o m , d id actic h aran gu e s , re d u ctio n is t cin e m a, an d life le s s im age s actu ally s e rve th e re vo lu tio n ary p u rp o s e s th e film m ake r as p ire s to ; e ve n m o re u n ce rtain is th e n atu re o f th e in te n d e d au d ie n ce . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

OPEN CITY ( Ro be rto Ro s s e llin i, Italy, 19 4 5) ( F) Au th e n ticity, im m e d iacy, re je ctio n o f s tu d io "s lickn e s s " ( H o llyw o o d w o u ld h ave re arran ge d th e s kirt) , co n ce rn w ith th e u n d e rd o g: th e le gacy o f Italian N e o re alis m . H e re a s im p le w o m an o f th e p e o p le ( p laye d by th e th e n -u n kn o w n An n a Magn an i) d ie s a s u d d e n d e ath at th e h an d s o f th e Ge s tap o , cas u ally p o rtraye d as p art o f th e N azi's e ve ryd ay bru tality. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E SPAN ISH EARTH ( Jo ris Ive n s , U SA, 19 3 7) ( F) Ive n s re co rd s th e ago n y o f th e Sp an is h civil w ar in o n e o f h is

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s tro n ge s t film s . Its im age s o f d e s tru ctio n -- acco m p an ie d by H e m in gw ay's n arratio n -- s h o cke d a w o rld n o t ye t u s e d to th e h o rro rs o f a 2 n d W o rld W ar o r Vie tn am . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

SPAIN 6 8 ( ESPAN A 6 8 ) ( U n ite le film Co lle ctive , Italy, 19 6 8 ) A s e cre tly s h o t d o cu m e n tary abo u t th e h u ge ( an d o fficially d e n ie d ) s tu d e n t d e m o n s tratio n s an d u n ive rs ity o ccu p atio n s in Sp ain in 19 6 8 . It is s tartlin g to h e ar re vo lu tio n ary s o n gs ch an te d by m as s e s o f s tu d e n ts an d a p ro fe s s o r e xto l s o cialis m at an ille gal m as s m e e tin g in th e co n te xt o f p re s e n t-d ay Fran co Sp ain . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E SU D D EN W EALTH OF TH E POOR PEOPLE OF KOMBACH ( D ER PLOTZLICH E REICH TU M D ER ARMEN LEU TE VON KOMBACH ) ( Vo lke r Sch lo e n d o rff, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) A Je w as m as te rm in d o f a 19 th -ce n tu ry p e as an t co n s p iracy again s t th e rich : a d arin g re in tro d u ctio n o f th e Je w in to Ge rm an d ram atu rgy by a yo u n g 5/19/2007 12:24 PM

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d ire cto r w h o h as p re d ictably be e n accu s e d o f an ti-s e m itis m ; fo r th is im age is s till in th e n atu re o f a tabo o an d m an y can n o t ye t co p e w ith it. ______________________________________________ An e xce lle n t e xam p le o f a p articu larly in te re s tin g n e w ge n re o f yo u n g Ge rm an cin e m a; bizarre , d e ad ly s e rio u s variatio n s o n th e re actio n ary Ge rm an "H e im at" film s o f yo re -- th o s e in s u ffe rable , s e n tim e n tal "kits ch " p ro s o d ie s to Fath e rlan d , So il, an d Fam ily. Th is fu lly re alize d w o rk e ffe ctive ly u p s e ts th is trad itio n by re co u n tin g a tale o f o p p re s s e d 19 th -ce n tu ry Ge rm an p e as an ts w h o be co m e re be ls again s t th e s tate o u t o f p o ve rty, re ve alin g ( in s te ad o f ro m an ticizin g) th e bru tal d e grad atio n o f Ge rm an ru ral life at th e tim e . Particu larly au d acio u s is th e p re s e n ce o f an itin e ran t Je w p e d d le r as m as te rm in d ( !) o f th e co n s p iracy, p re d ictably le ad in g to ( u n fo u n d e d ) ch arge s o f an ti-s e m itis m again s t a yo u n g d ire cto r w h o h as d are d to re in tro d u ce th e Je w in to Ge rm an d ram atu rgy. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

SU N D AY ( D an D ras in , U SA, 19 6 1) Afte r alm o s t tw o d e cad e s o f Su n d ay fo lk-s in gin g in N e w Yo rk's W as h in gto n Squ are Park, a n e w law s u d d e n ly p ro h ibite d th e p ractice . Th is h is to ric d o cu m e n tary re co rd s th e co n fro n tatio n s be tw e e n m as s e d p o lice an d th e fo lks in ge rs , e n d in g in th e latte r's victo ry an d th e re s cin d in g o f th e law . H an d h e ld cam e ras , im p ro vis atio n s , an d a s e n s e o f p as s io n an d co m m itm e n t cre ate a film o f re vo lt in actio n th at is o f las tin g valu e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

SU SAN AFTER TH E SU GAR H ARVEST ( Pe te r Ro bin s o n , U SA, 19 71) An in -th e -kitch e n in te rvie w w ith a yo u n g Am e rican girl ju s t back fro m cu ttin g s u gar can e in Cu ba, tu rn s in to a m o vin g, th o u gh t-p ro vo kin g d is cu s s io n o f th e d iffe rin g valu e s ys te m s o f th e tw o civilizatio n s an d in d icate s h o w th e girl's co n s cio u s n e s s w as ch an ge d by th e e xp e rie n ce . As s h e p re p are s s an d w ich e s fo r h e rs e lf an d th e film m ake r, w e als o ge t a glim p s e o f h e r u n co rru p te d id e alis m . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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MOD ERN TIMES ( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 3 6 ) ( F) A re d flag -- u s e d to w arn p as s in g traffic o f a p ro tru d in g o bje ct -falls o ff a tru ck, Ch ap lin p icks it u p to re tu rn it, th e re by be co m in g u n in te n d e d le ad e r o f s trikin g w o rke rs w h o fo llo w h im be cau s e o f th e flag. Th is s ce n e w as ban n e d in s e ve ral co u n trie s . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH REE LIVES ( Kate Mille t, U SA, 19 71) ( F) Ph o to grap h e d by an all-fe m ale cre w an d d ire cte d by th e au th o r o f Se xu al Po litics , th e s e are au t0 bio grap h ical in te rvie w s w ith th re e ve ry d iffe re n t w o m e n w h o talk fran kly abo u t th e ir live s , co n flicts , an d co n tras tin g life s tyle s . A p ro u d an d u n co m p ro m is in g film . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TROU BLEMAKERS ( Ro be rt Mach o ve r an d N o rm an Fru ch te r, U SA, 19 6 6 ) ( F) On e o f th e be s t w o rks o f th e Am e rican Le ft, th is is a h ard h ittin g e xam p le o f a n e w kin d o f p o litical film w h ich avo id s bo th clich e s an d p ro p agan d a. It co n ce n trate s in s te ad o n care fu l e xp lo ratio n o f th e p ro ble m s e n co u n -

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te re d by th e yo u n g SD S m ilitan ts ( in clu d in g To m H ayd e n , th e n u n kn o w n , late r a le ad e r o f th e m o ve m e n t) in o rgan izin g th e Black Gh e tto in N e w ark aro u n d co m m u n ity is s u e s an d s im u ltan e o u s ly rad icalizin g th e m . Th e p ain fu l, d ifficu lt e xp e rim e n t e n d s in failu re , h o n e s tly co n fro n te d by an h o n e s t film , le avin g th e vie w e r w ith th e im p licit s u gge s tio n th at th e atte m p t m u s t be m ad e again ; th is tim e p e rh ap s in th e d ire ctio n o f re vo lu tio n rath e r th an re fo rm . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

12 -12 -4 6 ( Be rn ard Sto n e , U SA, 19 6 6 ) A p re tty, ve ry Am e rican co -e d te lls u s h e r life s to ry in a m agn ifice n t s e rie s o f p e tty-bo u rge o is p latitu d e s w h ich an e vil film m ake r cro s s -cu ts w ith im age s o f w ar, go ve rn m e n tal s tu p id ity, an d crim e , to te ll th e tru e s to ry o f h e r e ra. Th e girl's e xu be ran t ign o ran ce carrie s th e film . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E YOU N G AN D TH E D AMN ED ( LOS OLVID AD OS) ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Me xico , 19 51) In an u n ju s t s o cie ty, e ve n th e p o o r are co rru p t an d vio le n t, s ays a n o n -s e n tim e n tal Bu n u e l in w h at is p e rh ap s h is s tro n ge s t attack o n co n te m -

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p o rary s o cie ty. H e re a blin d be ggar is attacke d by s lu m ch ild re n ; th is , to o , is th e p rice o f p o ve rty, s ays th e film m ake r an d d e m o lis h e s o u r h yp o critical tabo o again s t s h o w in g s u ch in cid e n ts . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

VALPARAISO, VALPARAISO ( Pas cal Au bie r, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Th is film co n s titu te s a s atirical attack ( fro m th e Le ft) o n d raw in g-ro o m le ft in te lle ctu als an d as s o rte d Mao is ts . Its h e ro , Alain Clu n y, fam e d "rad ical" au th o r, w axe s e lo qu e n t at e le gan t p artie s abo u t "re vo lu tio n as a w o rk o f art", is a s p e cialis t o n s u rre alis m , an d fin d s be au ty e ve n in s lu m s . Co n vin ce d by a gro u p o f Mao is t bu ffo o n s , co n -m e n , an d bu n gle rs to "d e e p e n h is co m m itm e n t", h e acce p ts a m ys te rio u s as s ign m e n t to fo m e n t re vo lu tio n in Valp arais o -- th e p lace m o s t re m o ve d fro m Fran ce -an d s p e n d s th e re s t o f th e film in a fu tile , bu rle s qu e atte m p t to ge t th e re . Slap s tick to rtu re s , in tricate s e d u ctio n s , an d m arve llo u s ly s o p h is ticate d d ialo gu e , ke e p lau gh s an d actio n go in g, bu t th e film u ltim ate ly be co m e s e n tan gle d in id e o lo gical co n fu s io n , to o co m p le x a p lo t an d s tylis tic w ave rin g be tw e e n re alis t s atire an d co m ic s trip . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

W H OLLY COMMU N ION ( Pe te r W h ite h e ad , Gre at Britain , 19 6 5) In 19 6 5, in Lo n d o n 's Ro yal Albe rt H all, Fe rlin gh e tti, Co rs o , H o ro vitz, Gin s be rg, an d Lo gu e s p e ak o u t again s t th e Vie tn am w ar in a m o vin g an d h is to ric p o e try re ad in g atte n d e d by th o u s an d s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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W IN TERSOLD IER ( W in te r Film Co lle ctive , U SA, 19 72 ) D u rin g a 19 71 an ti-w ar d e m o n s tratio n in W as h in gto n , a ve te ran d e fian tly, d is d ain fu lly, an d in an gu is h te ars o ff h is m e d al an d "re tu rn s " it to th e State . A m o m e n t o f h is to ry is cap tu re d in a p o w e rfu l im age . In fo rm al attire an d h airs tyle re fle ct a n e w kin d o f ve te ran . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E W OMAN 'S FILM ( Ju d y Sm ith , Lo u is e Alaim o , an d Elle n So rre n , San Fran cis co N e w s re e l film co lle ctive , U SA, 19 71) On e o f th e m o s t s ign ifican t an d active n e w are as o f in d e p e n d e n t film p ro d u ctio n in th e las t fe w ye ars h as be e n film s m ad e by ( an d s o m e tim e s fo r) w o m e n . D ire cte d an d e d ite d by yo u n g rad ical fe m in is ts , th is film fe atu re s a s e rie s o f p o in te d in te rvie w s w ith w o m e n w o rkin g o n jo bs "bo th o u ts id e an d in s id e th e h o m e ", w h o m ake it cle ar th at th e ir p ro ble m s are cau s e d n o t by p e rs o n al s h o rtco m in gs o r re latio n al d ifficu ltie s , bu t by th e ve ry s tru ctu re o f cap italis t s o cie ty. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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YIPPIE ( Yip p ie Film Co lle ctive , U SA, 19 6 8 ) Tru e to th e ir jo yfu lly an arch is t p h ilo s o p h y o f rad ical p o litics as "th e atre ", th is is th e Yo u th In te rn atio n al Party's jau n d ice d vie w o f th e 19 6 8 D e m o cratic co n ve n tio n an d its co n co m itan t vio le n t d e m o n s tratio n s . D e Mille fo o tage , Abbie H o ffm an n , D e m o cratic-p arty m ach in e p o litician s , an d Alle n Gin s be rg are cro s s -cu t in a co m p le x, s o p h is ticate d e xam p le o f p o litical film m akin g at its be s t. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

ZERO D E CON D U ITE ( Je an Vigo , Fran ce , 19 3 3 ) Th e Es tablis h m e n t, as "s e e n " by re be llio u s s ch o o lbo ys an d an arch is t film m ake r; th e h e ad m as te r an o d io u s m id ge t. State an d arm y as p o m p o u s bu ffo o n s , an d be h in d th e m -- th e tru e re ality: grin n in g, o m in o u s m o n s te r p u p p e ts . In its p e rfe ct fu s io n o f fo rm an d co n te n t, th is film re m ain s a m as te rp ie ce o f s u bve rs io n . ______________________________________________

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ZERO D E CON D U ITE ( Je an Vigo , Fran ce , 19 3 3 ) In th is an arch is t m as te rp ie ce -- a p o e tic, s u rre al p o rtrayal o f re vo lt in a bo ys ' s ch o o l -- Vigo als o s u m m arize s th e s u ffo catin g atm o s p h e re o f Fre n ch p e tty bo u rge o is life , s e e n , as th e re s t o f th e film , th ro u gh a ch ild 's e ye s : th e p ate r fam ilias w h o n e ve r e m e rge s fro m h is p ap e r, th e kits ch d e co r, th e girl, h e r u n d e rw e ar s h o w in g; th o u gh th e h e ro is blin d fo ld e d , w e kn o w h e s e e s it all.

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E D ESERTER AN D TH E N OMAD S ( Ju ro Jaku bis co , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) ( F) In a w o rld d e vas tate d by ato m ic w ar, D e ath s e arch e s th e battle fie ld fo r h is m is s in g co m p an io n . Th e lack o f co n tras t, th e irre gu larly co lo re d gro u n d , an d th e gau n t p ro file le n d a fo rbid d in g air to a p o w e rfu l s e qu e n ce by o n e o f Cze ch o s lavakia's m o s t o rigin al tale n ts , w h o in o n e ye ar s h ifte d fro m th e p layfu l ligh th e arte d n e s s o f Th e Cr it ica l Y e a r s to a ge n e ralize d s o cial p e s s im is m . ______________________________________________ A p o w e rfu l, o rigin al an d o bs e s s ive w o rk abo u t w ar an d d e ath ,

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p e rm e ate d w ith e xp re s s io n is t o u trage an d co s m ic p e s s im is m . In th re e h o rrifyin g e p is o d e s s e t in W o rld W ars I, II, an d III, w e w itn e s s e n d le s s carn age , u n m o tivate d d e ath , th e triu m p h o f m in d le s s vio le n ce , an d o rgie s o f blo o d le ttin g. On e e p is o d e , d e alin g w ith So vie t Ru s s ian tro o p s d u rin g th e 2 n d W o rld W ar, s h o w s th e m as ve n al, im p e rial, an d le ch e ro u s , an d e n d s w ith d o cu m e n tary fo o tage o f th e ( late r) So vie t in vas io n o f Cze ch o s lavakia. As th e tan ks e n te r Pragu e , th e s u btitle re ad s : "W e th o u gh t th e y m igh t h ave be e n an o th e r cre w als o m akin g a film ." Th e h o rrifyin g las t e p is o d e take s p lace in a w o rld d e vas tate d by ato m ic w ar.

SU BVERSION IN EASTERN EU ROPE: AESOPIAN METAPH ORS - PART ON E -

FILMS

TH E CRITICAL YEARS ( Ju ro Jaku bis co , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 7 ) Th e cas u aln e s s an d d is o rd e r, th e s atirical e d ge ( Gre e k s tatu e , tilte d p ictu re an d bicycle fram e ) , th e e m p h as is o n th e in d ivid u al are e n tire ly "m o d e rn " an d , in fact, Go d ard e s qu e ; th e m o re s u rp ris in g s in ce th is is an e arly e xam p le o f a Cze ch film re n ais s an ce an d re p re s e n ts a to tal bre ak w ith th e o s s ifie d h e ro ics o f Stalin is t cin e m a.

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_____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

AN AFFAIR OF TH E H EART, OR TH E TRAGED Y OF A SW ITCH BOARD OPERATOR ( LJU BAVN I SLU CAJ ILI TRAGED IJA SLU ZBEN ICE P.T.T.) ( D u s an Makave je v, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 7) ( F) Makave je v bu rs t u p o n th e in te rn atio n al film s ce n e w ith th is u n p re d ictable , iro n ic, an d e ro tic "lo ve s to ry" w h ich in its p o rtrayal o f h u m an is tic, p e rs o n al valu e s as again s t o fficial, o s s ifie d id e o lo gy re p re s e n te d th e n e w valu e s o f th e Eas te rn yo u n g. Alte rn atin g be tw e e n cle ve r co m e d y an d cas u al trage d y, it cas t a te n d e r bu t cru e l e ye o n a bizarre affair be tw e e n a s w itch bo ard o p e rato r an d a rat e xte rm in ato r, p ro claim in g th at th e u ltim ate valu e s are in th e fas cin atin g trivialitie s an d s e n s e le s s m o m e n ts o f life . "Me n live th e ir be au tifu l, w ild live s qu ite clo s e to m agn ifice n t id e as an d p ro gre s s ive tru th s . My film is d e d icate d to th o s e in te re s tin g, vagu e , in be tw e e n s p ace s ." SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

ALON E ( MAGAN Y) ( Vin ce Lakato s , H u n gary, 19 6 9 ) In re co rd in g th e life an d id e as o f an o ld p o ve rty-s tricke n p e as an t w o m an livin g alo n e in a ram s h ackle h u t, th e film , th e p ro d u ce rs as s u re u s , le ts u s lis te n in to th e d e ad trad itio n s o f th e o ld ge n e ratio n . In re ality, h o w e ve r, w e s e e m to be co n fro n te d w ith a p ro u d n o n -co n fo rm is t p e rh ap s e ve n a s e m i-h e ro in e in th e film m ake r's e ye s w h o kn o w s th e n am e Le n in o n ly as th at o f a "re ge n t". _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

AMON G MEN ( W U EAROD LU D ZI) ( W lad ys law Sle s icki, Po lan d , 19 6 2 ) Th e m o s t im p o rtan t o f th e fam e d Po lis h "Black Se rie s " d o cu m e n tarie s ( at firs t fo rbid d e n ) , w h ich d are d to to u ch o n n e gative as p e cts o f "s o cialis t" s o cie ty. Th is is a laco n ic an d cru e l s to ry o f a s tray d o g livin g "am o n g m e n ", an o u tcas t, h u rt, p e rs e cu te d o r tre ate d w ith in d iffe re n ce . Cau gh t by th e m u n icip al d o gcatch e rs , h e p itifu lly h o w ls fo r h is life in a d ilap id ate d co n ce n tratio n cam p -like s tru ctu re w ith , s u d d e n ly, in n u m e rable o th e r victim s ; th e re is an e s cap e , bu t it le ad s h im back to th e s am e life . A film abo u t victim s an d p e rs e cu to rs , n o t n e ce s s arily abo u t d o gs . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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( AN D REJ RU BLJOW ) ( An d re i Tarko vs ky, U SSR, 19 6 2 -6 6 ) ( F) Th is s e cre t, h ith e rto fo rbid d e n , e p ic m as te rp ie ce o f th e n e w So vie t Ru s s ian cin e m a fo r th e firs t tim e co n n e cts th is cin e m a w ith th e go ld e n e ra o f So vie t film , to w h o s e m o s t s u blim e cre atio n s it h as righ tly be e n co m p are d . Mo re im p o rtan t th an its m as s ive be au ty, th e s e n s u o u s p las ticity o f its im age s , an d e xtrao rd in ary fu s io n o f id e o lo gical, n arrative , an d ae s th e tic s tru ctu re , is its m e s s age o f h u m an fre e d o m ; th e p re -e m in e n ce o f th e s u ffe rin g, qu e s tio n in g in d ivid u al, as again s t th e m as s , o f th e in d o m in able s p irit o f s e lf-re alizatio n an d th e d e lin e atio n o f re latio n s be tw e e n in d ivid u al an d te m p o ral p o w e r. Th o u gh th e id e as are s u btly p re s e n te d in th e m o s t clan d e s tin e m an n e r o n a p lan e e n tire ly re m o ve d fro m facile p ro p agan d a o r h u m an - itarian s e n tim e n tality, th e Ru s s ian au th o ritie s "u n d e rs to o d " th e co d e d im p licatio n s w e ll e n o u gh to blo ck th e re le as e an d d is tribu tio n o f th e film fo r s e ve ral ye ars . Te llin g th e s to ry o f a fam e d Ru s s ian ico n p ain te r o f th e 15th ce n tu ry, it is a film -- as n o n e be fo re -- th at re e ks w ith th e e vil o d o r o f th e Mid d le Age s , an e ra o f bru tality, h u m an d e grad atio n , abje ct p o ve rty, rap e , s e n s e le s s m as s s lau gh te r, m u d an d p agan o rgie s , w h e n p e o p le w e re at th e m e rcy o f bo th te m p o ral an d "s p iritu al" p o w e rs . Bu t th e Mid d le Age s w e re als o an e ra in w h ich crazy p e as an ts p u t o n w in gs to fly in d re am s o f fre e d o m an d cras h e d to th e ir d e ath ; u n kn o w n crafts m e n fas h io n e d h u ge ch u rch be lls in ago n ie s o f cre atio n ; an d artis ts , in in fin ite p ain an d d o u bt, h ad to fin d a w ay to th e m s e lve s . Th e p ro d u ctio n o f a w o rk o f s u ch s co p e an d h u m an is t gran d e u r u n d e r co n d itio n s o f e xtre m e bu re au cracy an d a s ys te m o f ce n s o rs h ip th at bre e d s th e m o s t o d io u s co n fo rm is m , is an act o f u n p re ce d e n te d s e lf-affim atio n an d w ill -- p ro vid e d th e film go e s th ro u gh n o rm al d is tribu tio n ch an n e ls -its e lf co n tribu te to th e in e vitable tran s fo rm atio n o f co n s cio u s n e s s th at m u s t s till co m e in Ru s s ia. SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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... AN D TH E FIFTH H ORSEMAN IS FEAR ( A PATY JEZD EC JE STRACH ... ) ( Zbyn e k Bryn ych , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 4 ) A Je w d w arfe d by s ym bo ls o f p as s in g tim e . Th e p lace m ay be Pragu e ; th e tim e m ay be th e N azi p e rio d o r th e Stalin is t e ra; th e th e m e is fe ar. A co u rage o u s alle go ry th at p re ce d e d th e Cze ch o s lavak "th aw ". ______________________________________________ Sp e cial n o te m u s t be m ad e o f th o s e co u rage o u s Cze ch film s th at p re ce d e d th e D u bce k e ra, ye t rais e d co n tro ve rs ial qu e s tio n s o r cre ate d e m barras s in g an alo gie s . Th is e xp re s s io n is t, s e m i- s u rre alis t d ram a o f be trayal, co w ard ice , an d h e ro is m in a to talitarian s tate p ro be s th e varie tie s an d lim its o f h u m an be h avio r u n d e r e xtre m e co n d itio n s in brillian tly co n ce ive d s e qu e n ce s o f h yp n o tic p o w e r. Te llin g th e s to ry o f a Je w is h d o cto r, u n e xp e cte d ly co n fro n te d w ith a frigh tfu l ch o ice , it rais e s bas ic qu e s tio n s . Th e o p p re s s o rs , o s te n s ibly N azis , w e ar n o u n ifo rm s ; th e e ve n ts , o s te n s ibly o ccu rrin g d u rin g th e las t w ar, in fact take p lace in a tim e le s s an d th e re fo re u n ive rs al re ality, re in fo rcin g th e film 's o p p re s s ive to p icality. Th e lo cate m ay be Pragu e ; th e th e m e is fe ar. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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( Jan Svan km aje r, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) In th is o m in o u s , brillian tly co n ce ive d w o rk, o bje cts -th e u n fo rtu n ate ap artm e n t d w e lle r's w o rld -- co n s p ire again s t h im ; a m irro r s h o w s o n ly th e back o f h is h e ad ; a s to ve , w h e n lit, d rip s w ate r; an d a s o u p s p o o n h as h o le s in it. Th e axe o ffe re d h im by a s tran ge r to h e lp h im bre ak o u t to fre e d o m o n ly re ve als , o n u s e , a s e co n d s to n e w all, carryin g th o u s an d s o f n am e s , an d a p e n cil, w ith w h ich h e s lo w ly w rite s h is o w n n am e : Jo s e f K. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

BAD LU CK ( An d rze j Mu n k, Po lan d , 19 6 1) Th e am bitio u s an d s e d itio u s aim o f th is im p o rtan t Po lis h d ire cto r's w o rk w as th e d e s tru ctio n 0 f fals e n atio n al m yth s . Th is ru th le s s , o fte n Ch ap lin e s qu e s atire o n bu re au cracy, p o litics , an d Stalin is m d e als w it a typ ical o p p o rtu n is t w h o "ad ju s ts " to a s u cce s s io n o f ( o p p o s in g) p o litical re gim e s in Po lan d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

BIRD S, ORPH AN S, AN D FOOLS ( PTACKOVE, SIROTCI A BLAZN I) ( Ju ro Jaku bis co , Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Th is d e lirio u s t o u r d e fo r ce o f cre ative cam e ra w o rk an d m o n tage p ro gre s s e s th ro u gh a m ad u n ive rs e o f s u rre alis t table au x an d

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bizarre actio n s , w ith e ve ry co m p o s itio n a p o e m in d e s ign an d co lo r. Tw o fe llo w s an d a girl, w ar o rp h an s an d d ro p o u ts fro m o rgan ize d s o cie ty, atte m p t to live a life o f fre e d o m an d in n o ce n ce in a w o rld o f in s an ity an d w ar, in an e n ch an tin gly ram s h ackle h o u s e w h e re cu p bo ard s h an g fro m ce ilin gs an d bird s , o ld m e n , an d an im als w an d e r fre e ly. Bu t th e re is d e s p e ratio n bare ly be lo w th e s u rface o f th is m e tap h o r o f Co n s cio u s n e s s Th re e , an d in n o ce n ce can n o t s u bs is t in o u r w o rld . Th is u n co n ve n tio n al fan tas y ble n d s d re am s an d re ality, te n d e rn e s s an d cru e lty w ith a rath e r s p e ctacu lar u s e o f d is to rtio n le n s e s , agitate d cam e ra, s p e cial tin ts , vis u al p u n s , an d variable s cre e n s ize s . Th e p ro d u ctio n o f s u ch p e s s im is tically libe rtarian p arable s by Eas te rn d ire cto rs -- in th is cas e , a Slo vak, te m p o rarily w o rkin g in Fran ce -- is s ym p to m atic. Jaku bis co is n o w back in Slo vakia. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

BE SU RE TO BEH AVE ( A SEKAT D OBROTU ) ( Pe te r So lan , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) It is o n e th in g to m ake a fictio n al film in th e W e s t abo u t u n ju s t im p ris o n m e n t in o n e o f Stalin 's jails ; it w as an o th e r m atte r to d o s o in Cze ch o s lavakia, e ve n u n d e r D u bce k, fo r w h o kn e w w h e th e r h e w o u ld las t. In th is film a w o m an p ris o n e r, h ars h ly in carce rate d , is s u d d e n ly re le as e d as u n p re d ictably as s h e h ad be e n im p ris o n e d ; "Stalin is d e ad ," s h e is to ld , an d th e n , s ign ifican tly, "Be s u re to be h ave ." _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E CH AIR ( FOTEL) ( D an ie l Szcze ch u ra, Po lan d , 19 6 3 ) At a h u ge p o litical gath e rin g, a s tru ggle fo r an e m p ty s e at o n "Th e Pre s id iu m " -- s h o t e n tire ly fro m abo ve -s h o w s s o m e o f th e au d ie n ce in a ru n n in g tackle fo r th e h o n o r, s abo tage d by e n e m ie s , o r h e lp e d by th e ir co h o rts , u n til o n e , th ro u gh m u rd e r, s u cce e d s to th e Ch air, im m e d iate ly as s u m in g th e s am e p ro te ctive co lo ratio n as th e re s t o f th e face le s s le ad e rs h ip . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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D AISIES ( SED MIKRASKY) ( Ve ra Ch ytilo va, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 6 ) ( F) Th e Cze ch film re n ais s an ce -- s u bs e qu e n tly kille d by th e Ru s s ian s -- h e re ce le brate s o n e o f its large s t s u rp ris e s : a m ad , s u rre al co m e d y abo u t tw o irre s p o n s ible girls livin g a life o f an arch ic fre e d o m an d in d ivid u alis m in to tal d is re gard o f s o cie ty; an am azin g s u bve rs io n o f ye ars o f o s s ifie d "s o cialis t re alis m " ______________________________________________ Vis u ally an d s tru ctu rally p e rh ap s th e m o s t s e n s atio n al film o f th e Cze ch film re n ais s an ce , th is is a m ad , s tylis h , d ad ais t co m e d y, lo n g ban n e d by th e ce n s o rs . It is an o rgy o f s p e ctacu lar vis u al d e ligh ts , s e n s u o u s d e co r, an d m agn ifice n t co lo r e xp e rim e n ts , m akin g a p h ilo s o p h ical s tate m e n t in th e gu is e o f a gro te s qu e farce . Tw o d izzy yo u n g girls , bo re d an d w ith o u t an y valu e s , kn o w in g n e ith e r p as t n o r fu tu re , s tu m ble th ro u gh a bizarre s e rie s o f ch an ge p ick-u p s , w ild ad ve n tu re s , e atin g o rgie s , an d p ie -th ro w in g acts . Be lo w th e e xagge ratio n , s arcas m , an d e xu be ran ce lu rks a s e rio u s co m m e n t o n a frau d u le n t s tyle o f life , p laye d as a gam e in w h ich p ro tago n is ts be co m e victim s . N o w o rk fro m th e Eas t h as e ve r be e n fu rth e r re m o ve d fro m th e d rab s te rility o f s o -calle d "s o cialis t re alis m ". Th e s tu n n in g p h o to grap h y is by Jaro s lav Ku ce ra an d th e s crip t by Es te r Kru m bach o va, w h o s e co n tribu tio n s to alm o s t all m ajo r Cze ch film s o f th e p e rio d d e n o te h e r ke y ro le . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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D EMON STRATION S ( STRAH OV) ( Ve ra Ch ytilo va, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 6 ) ( F) A u n iqu e d o cu m e n t fro m Pragu e , th is film is an ille gally m ad e d o cu m e n tary o f th e s tu d e n t d e m o n s tratio n s in Strah o v fo r be tte r livin g co n d itio n s an d o f th e ir blo o d y s u p p re s s io n by th e p o lice . Th e in te rvie w s w ith s tu d e n t le ad e rs , facu lty, an d h o s p ital p e rs o n n e l w e re all at co n s id e rable ris k to th e p articip an ts . Th is firs t ille gal w o rk fro m th e Eas t ( w h e re all film p ro d u ctio n is co n tro lle d by th e s tate ) co u ld , o f co u rs e , h ave be e n m ad e o n ly by a film p ro fe s s io n al w ith re ad y acce s s to 3 5m m cam e ras an d co llabo ratin g labo rato rie s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

D ON QU IXOTE ( D ON KIH OTE) ( Vlad o Kris tl, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 1) N o s till can co n ve y th e h allu cin ato ry s p e e d , in s an e rh yth m , an d cacap h o n y o f n o is e th at acco m p an y th e s tran ge ly abs tractifie d im age s o f th is h is to ric an im atio n . D o n Qu ixo te h as be co m e m e ch an ize d an d is th re ate n e d by a te ch n o lo gical s o cie ty be n t o n d e s tro yin g h is in d ivid u ality. H e d e fe ats it by e xp o in g it to th e p o w e r o f art an d p o e try; bu t th e art w o rk is its e lf iro n ically d is to rte d , rais in g a qu e s tio n m ark. Th is film w as n e ve r re le as e d in Yu go s lavia; its d ire cto r, u n able to w o rk fre e ly, e m igrate d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

EARLY W ORKS ( RAN I RAD OVI) ( Ze lim ir Ziln ik, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Film e d d u rin g th e p o litical fe rm e n t o f 19 6 8 , th is w o rk e xp lo re s th e rad ical im p u ls e s be h in d th e u n re s t o f th e yo u n g in a co u n try w h e re th e re vo lu tio n arie s o f an e arlie r ge n e ratio n n o w fo rm th e Es tablis h m e n t. Th re e yo u n g m e n an d a be au tifu l girl le ave h o m e an d m o ve acro s s th e co u n try in s e arch o f a ju s t s o cie ty an d tru e s o cialis m , o n ly to d is co ve r tragically th at an u n fin is h e d re vo lu tio n , w h ile ch an gin g th e face o f p o w e r, h as faile d to ch an ge th e n atu re o f m an . Fille d w ith black h u m o r, fran k s e x, an d bizarre table au x, th e film be co m e s a re vo lu tio n ary alle go ry o f th e Eu ro p e an N e w Le ft. Th o u gh it bro u gh t its d ire cto r in to co n flict w ith h is co u n try's au th o ritie s , th e Yu go s lav co u rts s u bs e qu e n tly ru le d in h is favo r in a lan d m ark d e cis io n . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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EVERYTH IN G IS A N U MBER ( Ste fan Sch abe n be ck, Po lan d , 19 6 7) In th is p lay o n n u m be rs an d p h ilo s o p h y, th e "8 " be co m e s a go rge in an e n d le s s d e s e rt, an o bje ct le s s o n in cre atin g 3 -d im e n s io n ality o n a 2 -d im e n s io n al s u rface . As s u ch , its p las tic p o w e r is as to n is h in g; an d th e p re s e n ce o f a p ris o n e r ( w h o s e p o te n tial e s cap e can o n ly le ad to fu rth e r fru s tratio n ) p o in ts be yo n d th e film to e xis tin g re alitie s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

FIREMAN 'S BALL ( H ORI MA PAN EN KO) ( Milo s Fo rm an , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 7) ( F) Su ch is Fo rm an 's s u bve rs ive artis try th at s o m e critics co n tin u e to s e e in h is s u btle film s o n ly ligh t-h e arte d fo lk co m e d ie s , p ayin g lo vin g atte n tio n to n atu ralis tic d e tail an d th e s o m e w h at rid icu lo u s fo ible s o f m an . It w as , h o w e ve r, qu ite p ro p e r fo r th e Cze ch righ tw in g an d th e n e o - Stalin is ts to attack h im , fo r be n e ath h is ro bu s t an d s h arp h u m o r lu rks a s ard o n ic criticis m o f th e p e tty bo u rge o is . N o w h e re w as th is cle are r th an in th is film , a h ilario u s an d in cre as in gly s o m be r tale . In Ch ap lin e s qu e m an n e r, it ke p t th e au d ie n ce lau gh in g w h ile d is p layin g n arro w -m in d e d p ro vin cialis m , gre e d , p e tty th e ft, an d an u n s avo ry o ve r-all im p re s s io n ( qu ite co n s cio u s ly in cu lcate d ) th at th e s o -calle d n e w s o cie ty, n o t h avin g p ro d u ce d a n e w m an , w as n o t n e w at all. Ye t Fo rm an cle arly lvo e s h is p e o p le an d w as u n d o u bte d ly m u ch d is tu rbe d w h e n Cze ch o s lo vakia's 4 5.0 0 0 fire m e n o fficially th re ate n e d to re s ign o n th e film 's re le as e . Th e y w ith d re w th is th re at o n ly w h e n Fo rm an ad d e d an e xp lan ato ry title to th e o p e n in g s e qu e n ce : "Th is film is n o t again s t fire m e n , bu t again s t th e re gim e ." SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E FLY

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( MU H A) ( Ale ks an d e r Marks an d Vlad im ir Ju tris a, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 7) An o m in o u s , in cre as in gly d is tu rbin g an im atio n abo u t a m an an d a co n tin u o u s ly gro w in g fly w h ich firs t th re ate n s h im an d th e n s ys te m atically d e s tro ys h is ve ry u n ive rs e . Fin ally victo rio u s , th e m o n s te r acce p ts h is d u tifu lk an d re s ign e d s u bm is s io n an d th e n as s u m e s h u m an facial ch aracte ris tics in a frau d u le n t ce as e fire . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E H AN D ( Jiri Trn ka, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 6 ) A d is e m bo d ie d , "live " h an d in vad e s th e life o f an artis tp u p p e t, in s tru ctin g h im w h at to cre ate , brin gin g h im TV an d n e w s p ap e rs ( fille d w ith "H an d " activitie s ) , fin ally co m p e llin g h im to m ake s cu lp tu re s o f its e lf. Afte r h is d e ath in fru s tratio n , th e H an d give s h im an o rn ate State fu n e ral as a gre at artis t o f th e p e o p le . A co u rage o u s e arly w o rk o f th e Cze ch re n ais s an ce . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

ID EN TIFICATION MARKS: N ON E ( Je rzy Sko lim o w s ki, Po lan d , 19 6 4 ) ( F) Th e s u rp ris e th is w o rk cau s e d u p o n its re le as e in th e W e s t h e rald e d th e e m e rge n ce o f a m ajo r n e w tale n t, w h o s e o p e n n arrative s tru ctu re s , re je ctio n o f s im p lis tic re alis m , flu id co m p o s itio n s , an d m ys tifyin g, alw ays d yn am ic vis u al s tyle re late d h im s tro n gly to th e in te rn atio n al m o d e rn is t s ch o o l. Th e film als o co n firm e d again , u n e qu ivo cally, th e e xis te n ce o f

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a n e w Eas te rn ge n e ratio n , fre e o f th e life le s s "o fficial" id e o lo gy, bu t w h ich h o w e ve r h ad to p ay th e p rice o f d is o rie n tatio n an d p e rs o n al alie n atio n . In th is icy p o rtrayal o f Po lis h yo u th , w e o bs e rve h o w its an ti-h e ro ( o r h e ro ?) s p e n d s h is las t ( o r firs t?) d ay o f fre e d o m be fo re jo in in g th e arm y, fro m w h ich h e h as e s cap e d fo r ye ars by p re te n d in g to s tu d y ich th yo lo gy. Th e re is a girl an d cas u al s e x, a be lo ve d d o g w h o is d e s tro ye d , m ys te rio u s in cid e n ts th at re m ain u n e xp lain e d , aim le s s actio n s th at s e rve as p e rs o n al re affirm atio n s an d a be atin g, u n til w e re alize th at life its e lf is h e re vie w e d as an im p e n e trable , p o s s ibly m e an in gle s s m ys te ry. Th e film als o d e als w ith an ge r again s t e n e m ie s o n ly d im ly p e rce ive d an d again s t co n tro l fro m abo ve . Accid e n tally e n m e s h e d in an in an e s tre e t in te rvie w , th e yo u th is as ke d if h e w o u ld like to be an as tro n au t. "Ye s ," s ays th is p re s u m e d d rifte r, in w h at co u ld s tan d as th e e p itap h o f th e film o r o f a ge n e ratio n : "I'd like to be lau n ch e d o n s o m e th in g d e fin ite -an d ye t be able to co n tro l m y o w n s p e e d an d d ire ctio n ... " _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

H OME ( D OM) ( W ale rian Bo ro w czyk an d Jan Le n ica, Po lan d , 19 58 ) A m ys te rio u s w ig th at s lith e rs acro s s a table , s ip s m ilk, an d bre aks a glas s ; a ge n u in e s u rre alis t im age an d , in 19 58 , th e firs t in tim atio n o f a Po lis h film avan t-gard e e n tire ly fre e o f th e s te rilitie s o f "s o cialis t re alis m ". ______________________________________________ "Im age s an d s e qu e n ce s e xp re s s th e th o u gh ts an d fe e lin gs o f co n te m p o rary m an , to rn an d co n fu s e d by in te rn al co n trad ictio n s ." Th u s ran th e o bliqu e

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( an d cau tio u s ) p ro gram n o te s u p p lie d in 19 58 by th e co u rage o u s yo u n g Po lis h film m ake rs w h o , w ith D o m , bro u gh t to th e W e s t th e firs t in tim atio n o f a Po lis h avan t-gard e film m o ve m e n t o p p o s e d to p re vailin g s te rilitie s o f Po lis h s o cialis t re alis m . Cle arly in th e s u rre alis t an d d ad ais t trad itio n , th e "p lo t", u tilizin g cu t-o u ts , live -actio n , an d d raw in gs , d e fie d d e s crip tio n . An an im ate d w ig s lith e rs acro s s a table , s ip s m ilk, bre aks a glas s , an d d e vo u rs an o ran ge ; s h o ts o f a m an e n te rin g a ro o m backw ard s an d p lacin g h is h at o n a rack an d re p e ate d co m p u ls ive ly, an d an atm o s p h e re o f m e tap h ys ical an xie ty is s u s tain e d th ro u gh o u t. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E IN N OCEN T SORCERERS ( An d rze j W ajd a, Po lan d , 19 6 0 ) Jazz, s e x, e n n u i, W e s te rn in flu e n ce s , a lack o f valu e s , an d yo u th fu l an ti-h e ro e s in an im p o rtan t w o rk o f th e Po lis h s p rin g. Be n e ath th e p s e u d 0 -in te lle ctu al p o s tu rin g o f its p ro tago n is t h id e a ve ry co n te m p o rary p ath o s an d s ce p ticis m . Th e m o to rbike s ym bo lize s id e o lo gyfre e "m o d e rn ity"; th e re is n o co m m u n is m in th is s h o t.Th e s e co n d m an o n th e bike is Ro m an Po lan s ki. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

JAN PALACH ( An o n ym o u s , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 9 ) Th e Cze ch s tu d e n t Jan Palach bu rn e d h im s e lf

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in Pragu e 's W e n s ce s lav Squ are in Jan u ary 19 6 9 in p ro te s t again s t th e So vie t o ccu p atio n o f h is co u n try. H is fu n e ral w as atte n d e d by m o re th an h alf a m illio n m o u rn e rs . Pro fo u n d ly m o vin g, it is a d e e p e xp e rie n ce in s ile n t grie f an d a te s tim o n y o f m as s o p p o s itio n . Th e n e w Cze ch p u p p e t go ve rn m e n t is vain ly atte m p tin g to re call th is film fro m abro ad . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E JOKE ( ZERT) ( Jaro m il Jire s , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th e p o rtrayal o f Stalin is t co n ce n tratio n cam p s ( w h o s e ve ry e xis te n ce h ad p re vio u s ly be e n d e n ie d ) in a film fro m th e Eas t is a p ro fo u n d ly s u bve rs ive act, fo r th e u n th in kable is n o w ad m itte d to be tru e . ______________________________________________ Po s s ibly th e m o s t s h atte rin g in d ictm e n t o f to talitarian is m to co m e o u t o f a Co m m u n is t co u n try, th is film w as co m p le te d ju s t afte r th e So vie t tan ks ro lle d in to th e s tre e ts o f Pragu e in 19 6 8 . It is an as to n is h in gly h o n e s t an d d is tu rbin g film n o t o n ly fo r its d e vas tatin g attack o n Stalin is m , bu t als o fo r its u n co m p ro m is in g vie w o f th e h yp o cris y o f p o li-

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tical tu rn co ats an d th e o p p o rtu n is tic n e w m id d le clas s e s . Ch ro n iclin g o n e m an 's jo u rn e y fro m yo u th fu l frivo lity th ro u gh p o litical im p ris o n m e n t to fin al aw are n e s s , it is a ch illin g e xam in atio n o f a co rru p t s o cie ty bligh te d by fe ar as m u ch as by th e cyn icis m th at p ays lip -s e rvice to "h u m an itarian " id e als . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

LABYRIN TH ( LABIRYN TH ) ( Jan Le n ica, Po lan d , 19 6 2 ) On e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t an tito talitarian s tate m e n ts to co m e fro m th e Eas t. A tale o f a fu tu re fas cis t s o cie ty, in w h ich m o n s tro u s bird -re p tile s an d e fficie n t bu re au crats brain w as h th e p o p u latio n by d rillin g id e o lo gy d ire ctly in to th e ir s ku lls . A s tran ge r arrive s , is cau gh t, to rtu re d , an d kille d w h ile atte m p tin g to e s cap e ; th e re is n o h ap p y e n d in g. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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JOSEPH KILIAN ( Pave l Ju race k an d Jan Sch m id t, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 3 ) U n d e r s o cialis m , yo u are n o t s u p p o s e d to face a brick w all w h e n yo u o p e n a w in d o w . Fo re ru n n e r o f th e Cze ch th aw , th is as to n is h in g, Kafkae s qu e alle go ry o f Stalin is m w as th e firs t in tim atio n o f th in gs to co m e . Mo rd an t, s o p h is ticate d , an d s e cre t, it w as in s id io u s ly an ti-Es tablis h m e n t in its co m m e n ts o n bu re au cracy, alie n atio n , an d th e p o s s ible in co m p re h e n s ibility o f all h u m an e n d e avo r.

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION THE EAST - PART TWO FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

ORD IN ARY COU RAGE ( Evald Sch o rm , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 4 ) ( F) Po s s ibly th e m o s t in flu e n tial an d acco m p lis h e d w o rk o f th e Cze ch re n ais s an ce , th is s to ry o f a d is illu s io n e d yo u n g Co m m u n is t in cre as in gly at o d d s w ith h is e n viro n m e n t to u ch e d o n th e m e s o f alie n atio n , o p p o rtu n is m , th e e xh au s tio n o f id e o lo gy, an d ch arte d th e p ro gre s s o f a s e cu lar cru cifixio n . ______________________________________________

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U n qu e s tio n ably o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t an te ce d e n ts o f th e Cze ch re n ais s an ce , lo n g u n d e r ce n s o rs h ip ban , th is s e arin g, p as s io n ate film is th e firs t fu lly re alize d w o rk fro m th e Eas t to d e al w ith alie n atio n an d th e co n flict be tw e e n re vo lu tio n arie s an d care e ris ts in a "s o cialis t" s o cie ty. It w as th is film th at e s tablis h e d Sch o rm as th e in te lle ctu al le ad e r o f a yo u n g Cze ch film re n ais s an ce . Stylis tically in flu e n ce d by An to n io n i, it te lls th e tragic s to ry o f a yo u n g Co m m u n is t activis t, w h o , atte m p tin g to re m ain faith fu l to re vo lu tio n ary id e als as h e s e e s th e m , fin d s h im s e lf in in cre as in g co n flict w ith h is e n viro n m e n t. H is s p e e ch e s tu rn in to clich e s , h is p o litical activitie s be co m e m e an in gle s s , h is lo ve affairs gro w s tale ; all aro u n d are o p p o rtu n is ts o r h ard -d rin kin g w o rke r-bo u rge o is . Au d acio u s id e o lo gical im p licatio n s , u n m is take able vis u al s ym bo ls , an d in cis ive co m m e n ts o n p o s t-re vo lu tio n ary re ality s tam p th is bitte r an d iro n ic film as a p o litical w o rk o f gre at im p o rtan ce . Th e d e n o u e m e n t is tragic an d e xtre m e ly m o vin g. "In film s w e are alw ays be in g o ffe re d th e ap p are n tly tru th fu l, o u te r face o f re ality. Th is n atu ralis m , d e p e n d e n t o n an o fte n d e ce p tive co m m o n s e n s e , is m is le ad in g; it take s u s to a re alis m o f p ro bably im itatio n , to e lu s ive n e s s , ce as e le s s e xp lan atio n s , clarificatio n s an d s u bs tan tiatio n s , s o th at n o bo d y w ill h ave an y d o u bts . Th e s tre n gth o f th e raw fact, o f th e fan tas tic vis io n d is ap p e ars ." - Evald Sch o rm

SU BVERSION IN EASTERN EU ROPE: AESOPIAN METAPH ORS - PART TW O -

FILMS

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W ARSAW 19 56 ( Je rzy Bo s s ak an d W aclaw Kazim ie rczak, Po lan d , 19 56 ) W h e re ce rtain im age s are fo rbid d e n , e ve n th e m o s t o rd in ary s h o t m ay as s u m e e xtrao rd in ary im p o rtan ce . Th is is a s ce n e fro m th e u n p re ce n d e n te d Po lis h "Black Se rie s " o f th e late 50 s -d o cu m e n tarie s critical o f livin g co n d itio n s an d s o cial p ro ble m s in Po lan d . N e ith e r in Ru s s ia, its s ate llite s , n o r Ch in a h as th e cin e m a ve rite qu ality o f th e s e film s e ve r be e n e ve n ap p ro ach e d . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E MACH IN E ( MASZYN A) ( D an ie l Szch e ch u ra, Po lan d , 19 6 3 ) In th is an im atio n , a h u ge in tricate m ach in e is p ain s takin gly co n s tru cte d o u t o f m an y p arts in an atm o s p h e re o f re le van t ad o ratio n . Fin ally, th e bu re au crat cu ts th e ribbo n , th e s caffo ld in g is re m o ve d an d th e gian t, fillin g th e e n tire s cre e n are , be gin s to -- s h arp e n p e n cils . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

MERRY W ORKIN G CLASS ( VESELA KLASA) ( Bo jan a Marija, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 ?) A clan d e s tin e p o litical argu m e n t, p re s e n te d in th e fo rm o f s atirical s o n gs an d vu lgar co u p le ts abo u t n u tritio n an d s e x, fo re ign p o licy, an d th e be lie f

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in th e fu tu re . In s te ad o f co m p lain ts , th e re are lyrics , m u s ic, an d w in e . Th e d ire cto r is Makave je v's w ife . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

MY D EAREST W ISH ( Jan Sp ata, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 5) An o th e r u n iqu e d o cu m e n t fro m th e Cze ch libe ralizatio n p e rio d : o bvio u s ly u n re h e ars e d in te rvie w s w ith o ve r 10 0 yo u n g Cze ch s fro m all w alks o f life w h o are as ke d abo u t th e ir gre ate s t w is h . Th e fas cin ate d an s w e rs ( an d th e u n gu ard e d , in n o ce n t face s acco m p an yin g th e m ) re ve al th e abs e n ce o f o fficial "s o cialis t" id e o lo gy an d th e p e rs is te n ce o f bo u rge o is o r h u m an valu e s : co n s u m e r go o d s , m arriage , lo ve , p e rs o n al fre e d o m , th e righ t to trave l abro ad , th e e n d o f p are n tal o r p o litical tu te lage . Th e film 's h o n e s ty an d fran kn e s s re m ain u n p re ce d e n te d in th e Eas te rn blo c. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

N OT ALL TH AT FLIES IS A BIRD ( N IJE PTICA SVE STO LETI) ( Bo ris lav Sajtin ac, Yu go s lavia, 19 70 ) A h u ge bird s ys te m atically te rro rize s th e w o rld u n til it d e s tro ys m an kin d an d its e lf. Th e re s u lt is a n e w e vil fo rce w h ich co n tin u e s as be fo re , s p re ad in g te rro r an d vio le n ce . In a p articu larly h o rrifyin g s ce n e , it bo re s in to a w o m an 's vagin a an d d e vo u rs h e r fro m w ith in . Th is u n co m p ro m is in g, u n re le n tin g w o rk h as alre ad y be co m e a co n te m p o rary an im atio n clas s ic. _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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PASSIN G D AYS ( N e d e ljko D ragic, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 9 ) In th e co u rs e o f te n m in u te s , o n e m an 's h o m e an d p rivate life is in vad e d an d u ltim ate ly d e s tro ye d by w ave s o f s e cre t p o lice , ram p agin g s o ld ie rs , p o litical o p p o rtu n is ts , p e rs u as ive co n -m e n , an d o p p o s in g, e qu ally n o n s e n s ical m as s m o ve m e n ts figh tin g fo r h is lo yalty. A black, s ym p to m atic farce . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

PER ASPERA AD ASTRA ( N e d e ljko D ragic, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 9 ) A o n e -m in u te s u bve rs io n : a m an s tru ggle s vain ly to ge t o u t o f a to ile t bo w l, in w h ich h e is s tu ck as far as h is n e ck. Fin ally, h e is o ffe re d an an o n ym o u s , h e lp in g h an d . Grabbin g it, th is s e rve s to activate th e m e ch an is m an d h e is flu s h e d d o w n . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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REPORT ON TH E PARTY AN D TH E GU ESTS ( O SLAVN OSTI A H OSTECH ) ( Jan N e m e c, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 6 ) ( F) Te s tifyin g to th e re lativity o f im age s , th e late n t m e an in g o f th is s h o t h as u n d e rgo n e s e ve ral ch an ge s ; o rigin ally p art o f an au d acio u s p o litical p arable p ro d u ce d u n d e r Stalin is m ( an d ban n e d ) , it be cam e a s till in a film h aile d u n d e r D u bce k, an d n o w is o n ce again fo rbid d e n . Its fin al p o ign an cy re s id e s in its cas e : N e m e c gath e re d le ad in g artis ts an d in te lle ctu als to "p e rfo rm " in th is s ce n e ; th e y lo o k at u s , by n o w n o lo n ge r in triu m p h bu t in s tu bbo rn d e te rm in atio n an d p e rh ap s in accu s atio n . ______________________________________________ Th e m o s t fam o u s an d ce rtain ly o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t m as te rp ie ce s o f th e Cze ch film re n ais s an ce , th is d arin g w o rk w as p ro m p tly ban n e d o n co m p le tio n in 19 6 6 , d e fian tly aw ard e d th e Cze ch Critics ' Prize in 19 6 7 w h ile u n d e r ban , an d re le as e d o n ly u n d e r D u bce k. As w e w atch its d e ce p tive p ro gre s s , Re n o ir tu rn s in to Bu n u e l an d w e d is co ve r a s cath in g, p e s s im is tic s tate m e n t abo u t h u m an co n d u ct u n d e r to talitarian is m , ch illin g, tim e le s s , u n co m fo rtably fam iliar. Th e as s o rte d o p p o rtu n is ts , cam p -fo llo w e rs , h yp o crite s , w illin g victim s , an d vap id fp e tty-bo u rge o is

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are co u rage o u s ly ( n o w tragically) p laye d by le ad in g Cze ch artis ts , w rite rs , film m ake rs , an d in te lle ctu als , all in vo lve d in th e s h o rt-live d Cze ch re fo rm m o ve m e n t.

REPORT ON TH E PARTY AN D TH E GU ESTS ( O SLAVN OSTI A H OSTECH ) ( Jan N e m e c, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 6 ) ( F) An h is to ric s h o t fro m th e s am e film s h o w s , o n th e le ft, th e o n ly m an u n w illin g to co llabo rate w ith to talitarian is m w h o is th e re fo re h u n te d d o w n at th e film 's e n d . Th is "n o n -co n fo rm is t" is p laye d by film d ire cto r Evald Sch o rm ( Or d in a r y Co u r a g e ) , o n e o f th e in te lle ctu al le ad e rs o f th e Cze ch film re n ais s an ce . On e n e e d s to lo o k at h is face care fu lly. ______________________________________________ Gu e s ts h ave gath e re d fo r an o u td o o r p arty co n vo ke d by a m ys te rio u s h o s t. Th e ir m e rrym akin g is ru d e ly d is tu rbe d by th e arrival o f Ru d o lp h , a s tran ge r, an d h is co h o rts w h o h e rd th e gro u p in to a circle in a cle arin g fo r an in te rro gatio n re gard in g an u n s p e cifie d tran s gre s s io n an d s u bje ct th e m to in s u lts , h u m iliatio n s , an d bru te fo rce . All co m p ly, e xce p t o n e w h o fin d s th at h is re vo lt e arn s h im th e e n m ity o f h is frie n d s w h o n o w u n th in kin gly co llabo rate , blin d ly fo llo w in g Ru d o lp h 's o rd e rs s o as n o t to be e xclu d e d fro m th e p arty. Th e o n e -m an re vo lt is o ve rco m e by fo rce , ju s t as th e ge n ial h o s t ap p e ars , s m ilin gly ap o lo gize s fo r Ru d o lp h 's ru d e be h avio r, an d e xp lain s th at it h as all be e n a jo ke . W h e re u p o n th e gu e s ts s it d o w n at be au tifu lly ap p o in te d

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table s to co n tin u e th e fe s tivitie s , fo rge ttin g w h at h as h ap p e n e d . Bu t o n e o f th e gro u p re fu s e s to p lay th e gam e , h e can n o t fo rge t. H e le ave s in p ro te s t, h is act o f fre e w ill e vo kin g gre at u n e as in e s s am o n g ru le rs , active co llabo rato rs , an d p as s ive co n fo rm is ts alike . It is Ru d o lp h w h o p ro p o s e s th at ( "to re -e s tablis h th e n e ce s s ary e qu ilibriu m ") it is e s s e n tial to h u n t th e d e fe cto r d o w n w ith d o gs an d gu n s an d re tu rn h im to th e fo ld at all co s ts . Th e h u n t be gin s ; th e can d le s are s n u ffe d o u t; an d d o g barks e ch o o n th e black s cre e n as th e film e n d s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E ROLE OF MY FAMILY IN TH E W ORLD REVOLU TION ( Bata Ce n gic, Yu go s lavia, 19 71) In its give n h is to rical co n te xt, o n e o f th e m o s t s u bve rs ive s tills in th is bo o k. On ly in Yu go s lavia -an d o n ly fo r a lim ite d p e rio d -- co u ld it h ave be e n p o s s ible to s h o w ( an d th e n to e at) a Stalin -cake w ith a can d le gro w in g o u t o f h is h e ad . Fro m a bizarre p o litical film farce th at e xp re s s e d th e id e o lo gical d is illu s io n m e n t o f a n e w ge n e ratio n . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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TH E ROU N D -U P ( aka TH E H OPELESS ON ES) ( SZEGEN YLEGEN YEK) ( Miklo s Jan cs o , H u n gary, 19 6 5) ( F) Im p ris o n m e n t, s h o w n vis u ally in m ys te rio u s , h o o d e d figu re s , m o vin g acro s s th e fram e in an e llip s e again s t th e ve rtical, fo rbid d in g bars in th e back. A p o is o n o u s , an ti-ro m an tic lyricis m -re fle ctive o f 2 0 th ce n tu ry re alitie s -- p e rm e ate s th e u n iqu e vis u al s tyle o f th is gre at artis t. ______________________________________________ Th e H u n garian Miklo s Jan cs o is u n qu e s tio n ably o n e o f th e m o s t o rigin al film tale n ts to e m e rge in th e las t d e cad e as a fo cal p o in t o f th e Eas t Eu ro p e an film re n ais s an ce , w h e re it in te rs e cts w ith gro w in g te n d e n cie s in W e s te rn co n te m p o rary cin e m a. Jan cs o 's th e m atic p re o ccu p atio n s an d vis u al s tyle are p e rs o n al an d u n iqu e . A p o is o n o u s lyricis m -- an ti-ro m an tic an d re fle ctive o f th e tru th s o f th e 2 0 th ce n tu ry -- p e rm e ate s h is in e xp licable ch arad e s o f in e xo rable cru e lty, s u bm is s io n , be trayal, an d re p re s s io n , in w h ich victim s an d o p p re s s o rs co n s tan tly ch an ge p lace s an d n o o n e re m ain s u n co rru p te d by th e e xe rcis e o f vio le n ce . Be gin n in g w ith R o u n d -U p , h is be s t, Jan cs o 's

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s tylize d tragic-e p ic w o rks h ave all co n ce rn e d th e m s e lve s w ith th e p ro ble m s o f p o w e r an d o p p re s s io n , in im age s o f s e arin g p las tic be au ty an d in s e qu e n ce s o f im p lacable vio le n ce an d te rro r s e t again s t o m in o u s , brillian t lan d s cap e s o f th e m o s t cru e l black an d w h ite . Th e s e are vis u al m e tap h o rs o f tru th s be tte r e xp re s s e d o bliqu e ly, th e an gu is h e d s tate m e n ts o f a p e s s im is tic h u m an is t, h au n te d by th e p ro ble m o f to talitarian is m , w ar, an d th e co rru p tio n o f p o w e r. Jan cs o 's co n ce rn w ith th e s e to p ics is o bs e s s ive an d p as s io n ate ; h e re tu rn s to th e m again an d again . R o u n d -U p d e als w ith th e d iabo lic e n trap m e n t an d d e s tru ctio n by p s ych o lo gical an d p h ys ical to rtu re o f a gro u p o f 18 4 8 H u n garian n atio n alis ts in re vo lt again s t th e Au s tro -H u n garian e m p ire Th e R e d a n d Th e W h it e w ith th e e n d le s s m u tu al cru e ltie s an d m as s acre s o f th e 19 19 Ru s s ian civil w ar: Sile n ce a n d Cr y w ith th e h u n tin g d o w n o f ad h e re n ts o f Be la Ku n 's abo rtive So vie t re gim e in H u n gary; an d W in t e r W in d , w ith th e s to ry o f a m e m be r o f th e u s tach is , a Cro atian an arch is t gro u p o f th e e arly 19 3 0 s , w h o is d e s tro ye d by th e co rru p tio n o f h is gro u p an d th e n is iro n ically tu rn e d in to a h e ro . Jan cs o 's s tyle -- alw ays te rn s , s tylize d , an d s trip p e d to e s s e n tials -- h as gro w n m o re vigo ro u s w ith e ve ry w o rk, u n til h e n o w u s e s le s s th an 15 cam e ra s e t-u p s in e ach film , fille d w ith co n s tan t ch o re o grap h ic m o ve m e n t. Th e d e ce p tive s im p licity o f h is w o rk qu ickly re ve als an alm o s t arch ite cto n ic p re cis io n o f s tru ctu re an d id e o lo gical m e tap h o r;h is "im p ro vis atio n s " are th o s e o f an o bs e s s ive ge n iu s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

STU D EN T STRIKES ( LIPAN JSKA GIBAN JA) ( Ze lim ir Ziln ik, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 8 ) Th is d o cu m e n tary o f th e w id e s p re ad 19 6 8 Be lgrad e s tu d e n t d e m o n s tratio n s h as n e ve r be e n s h o w n in Yu go s lavia. H o s p italize d s tu d e n ts d e s cribe m ilitia be atin gs , th o u s an d s s in g re vo lu tio n ary s o n gs , an d at a Karl Marx U n ive rs ity ( !) m as s m e e tin g a rad ical s p e e ch is d e live re d , co n s is tin g e n tire ly ( an d w ith o u t attribu tio n ) o f a Ro be s p ie rre an ti-ru lin g clas s ad d re s s -as ap p licable n o w as it w as th e n .

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_____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E TECH N IQU E AN D TH E RITE ( LA TECN ICA E IL RITO) ( Miklo s Jan cs o , Italy, 19 71) ( F) Eve n w o rkin g abro ad ( in th is film fo r Italian te le vis io n ) , th e H u n garian Jan cs o p u rs u e d h is bas ic th e m e s . Pe rfo rm e d in ch o re o grap h ic, s tylize d e p is o d e s o f alte rn atin g vio le n ce an d re p o s e , th e film in ve s tigate s , in p arable fo rm , th e grad u al ris e to p o w e r o f a yo u n g id e alis tic Attila an d th e in e vitable d e ge n e ratio n o f h is o n e -m an ru le am id s t m ias m as o f m is tru s t an d im agin ary p lo ts : th is is Jan cs o 's u n co m p ro m is in g an d co u rage o u s co m m e n t o n p o w e r an d to talitarian is m .At th e e n d , Attila, n o w in abs o lu te co n tro l, p ro claim s h im s e lf "h am m e r o f th e w o rld " an d w e e p s . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TW O MEN AN D A W ARD ROBE ( D W AJ LU D ZIE Z STAFA) ( Ro m an Po lan s ki, Po lan d , 19 57) Tw o m e n e m e rge fro m th e o ce an w ith a m ys te rio u s w ard ro be -- an d are p ro m p tly re je cte d by "s o cialis t" s o cie ty n o lo n ge r in n e e d o f ( p o s s ibly d an ge ro u s ) m iracle s , p re fe rrin g co rru p tio n , in d iffe re n ce , an d crim e . A p io n e e rin g w o rk o f th e Po lis h "th aw " o f th e late fiftie s by th e th e n u n kn o w n Po lan s ki.

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______________________________________________ Th e lim ite d Po lis h re fo rm m o ve m e n t th at bro u gh t Go m u lka to p o w e r in th e late 50 s als o e xp re s s e d its e lf in th e cin e m a. At th e 19 58 In te rn atio n al Avan t-Gard e Film Fe s tival in Bru s s e ls , th e re s u rface d , to e ve ryo n e 's as to n is h m e n t, s e ve n 3 5m m film s -- p ro d u ce d an d fin an ce d by th e Po lis h State Film In d u s try! -- ran gin g fro m s u rre alis m to d ad ais m , fro m abs tract to e xp re s s io n is t art. Tw o o f th e film s -- Tw o M e n a n d a W a r d r o b e an d D o m , re ce ive d th e to p aw ard s at th e fe s tival. Vie w e d in 19 58 as h e ad y h arbin ge rs o f th e p o s s ible e n d o f s te rile , "s o cialis t re alis m ", th e y n o w s tan d as m e lan ch o ly re m in d e rs o f a s h o rt-live d p e rio d o f re fo rm ; s ign ifican tly, th e ir d ire cto rs , Bo ro w czyk, Le n ica, an d Po lan s ki n o w live an d w o rk in th e W e s t. Tw o M e n a n d a W a r d r o b e s u cce e d s , by m e an s o f p o e tic im age ry an d co n ce p tio n , in ble n d in g w h at s u p e rficially s e e m s ligh t fan tas y w ith s o cial co m m e n t o f th e u tm o s t s e ve rity. Tw o m e n e m e rge fro m th e s e a, p ro to -m yth o lo gical fas h io n , h o w e ve r n o t w ith a fable d tre as u re bu t a d ilap id ate d w ard ro be . Ou ts id e rs , th e y atte m p t to m ake co n tact w ith o rgan ize d s o cie ty, to in te re s t it in th e s ym bo lic valu e o f th e w ard ro be , bu t to n o avail; e ve n th e ir e ffo rts at h e lp in g o th e rs fail, n o r can th e y s it w ith it in co ffe e h o u s e s , rid e o n bu s e s , o r ge t in vo lve d w ith girls . As th e y p u rs u e th e ir tas k, p ickp o cke ts , m u rd e re rs , an d d ru n ks cro w d th e e d ge s o f th e fram e . It s e e m s th at s o cie ty h as n o ro o m fo r am bigu o u s ( an d p o s s ibly d an ge ro u s ) tre as u re s , p re fe rrin g to fo llo w its o w n s e t an d co rru p t w ays . In a p ro vo cative e n d in g, th e ap p ro p riate co n clu s io n is d raw n by th e tw o p ro tago n is ts , th e o n ly p e o p le s h o w n to be h u m an : th e y re tu rn to th e s e a an d d is ap p e ar. In re tro s p e ct, th is an d Po lan s ki's o th e r s h o rt film s ( An An g e l H a s Fa lle n , Th e Fa t a n d Th e Le a n , M a m m a ls ) , all m ad e be fo re h e tu rn e d to fe atu re s , e m e rge as h is m o s t p e rs o n al, m o s t s u bve rs ive w o rks . SC _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

U N TITLED ( BEZ N ASLOVA) ( Bo rivo j D o vn iko vic, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 5) Th is th re e -m in u te film co n s is ts o f n o th in g bu t cre d its -- d ire cto r, p ro d u ce r, d e p artm e n t h e ad s , law ye rs , co n s u ltan ts , acco u n tan ts , ad m in is trato rs , e xe cu tive ad m in is trato rs , as s is tan t ad m in is trato rs -- an d th e e n d title . A p e rfe ct s atire o n bu re au cracy.

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W ALKOVER ( Je rzy Sko lim o w s ki, Po lan d , 19 6 5) Bu rd e n e d n e ith e r by w ar e xp e rie n ce s n o t th e p o s t-w ar h e ro ic p e rio d , th e p ro tago n is t -p laye d by th e film m ake r ( h an d s in p o cke ts ) -re p re s e n ts th e n e w yo u n g o f th e Eas t, u n able to "co n n e ct" w ith o fficial id e o lo gy. Th e d yn am ic, m ys te rio u s co m p o s itio n o f th e s till re fle cts Sko lim o w s ki's s u p e rb p icto rial s e n s e . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

TH E W ALL ( ZID ) ( An te Zan in o vic, Yu go s lavia, 19 6 6 ) Tw o m e n are s to p p e d by a w all at w h ich o n e im m e d iate ly give s u p ; th e o th e r, d e s p ite e n d le s s failu re s , attack it in vario u s w ays . Fin ally, in d e s p air, bu t w ith o u t ad m ittin g d e fe at, h e s m as h e s a h o le in it w ith h is h e ad , p ayin g fo r victo ry w ith h is life . Th e o th e r h as o n ly to be n d d o w n a little to p as s th ro u gh th e h o le . H o w e ve r, th e re is an o th e r w all be yo n d , an d an o th e r m an w h o m h e can w atch cle arin g h is p ath fo r h im . _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

W AN D ERIN G ( BLOU D EN I) 5/19/2007 12:25 PM

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( Jan Cu rik an d An to n in Mas a, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 5) ( F) Th is d e n s e ly id e lo gical, am bitio u s film is to ld in a s p ars e , s e e m in gly re alis tic, ye t u ltim ate ly m ys tifyin g s tyle . A cryp tic s tu d y in fu tility, th e clas h o f ge n e ratio n s , an d th e irre le van ce o f th e p as t, it is a d e ce p tive p o litical alle go ry; co n te m p o rary an d s u ffu s e d w ith im age s an d s itu atio n s o f m agic re alis m . Th e s to ry d e als w ith a cris is in th e live s o f th re e p e o p le , w h ich re fle cts th e m o ral abys s be tw e e n Stalin is t an d p o s t-Stalin is t ge n e ratio n s . Th e fath e r live s in th e p as t, re callin g h is fe w ach ie ve m e n ts an d m an y co m p ro m is e s . Th e s o n , u n able to e n d u re h is h yp o cris y an d irre le van ce , le ave s h o m e . To d is co ve r life fo r h im s e lf, h e e m barks o n an am bigu o u s jo u rn e y w h ich e n d s in d is illu s io n m e n t an d d e e p e r aw are n e s s . W ith h is alre ad y u n s table life d e s tro ye d by h is s o n 's d e p artu re , th e fath e r fo llo w s h im , bu t in s te ad o f fin d in g h is s o n , d is co ve rs h im s e lf. Th e th e m atic an d fo rm al s u btle ty o f th is w o rk is as to n is h in g, its m e an in gfu l am bigu ity re m in is ce n t o f e arly An to n io n i. Mas a als o w ro te th e e ve n be tte r s cre e n p lay fo r Ord in ary Co u rage . "Valu e s are re lative , ce rtain tie s u n ce rtain . W e m o ve o n th in ice . Bu t is n o t th e o n ly w ay o u t, th e o n ly gu aran te e fo r h u m an -an d artis tic -- valu e s , p re cis e ly to be fo u n d in th e s e arch its e lf?" - An to n in Mas a _____________________________________________-_____________________________________________

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W R - MYSTERIES OF TH E ORGAN ISM ( W R - MISTERIJE ORGAN IZMA) ( D u s an Makave je v, Yu go s lavia, 19 71) ( F) H ilario u s , h igh ly e ro tic p o litical co m e d y fro m Yu go s lavia ad van ce s s e x as an id e o lo gical im p e rative fo r libe ratio n ; an o u trage o u s , e xu be ran t w o rk o f a n e w bre e d o f in te rn atio n al re vo lu tio n is ts , s p aw n e d by an arch is t-co m m u n is t id e as , an ti-Stalin is m , Co n s cio u s n e s s III in Am e rica, an d W ilh e lm Re ich 's s e xu al an d p o litical rad icalis m . Th e to tal p o rtrayal o f s e x is a "firs t" fo r th e Eas t. SC ______________________________________________ Ban n e d in Yu go s lavia, h aile d at in te rn atio n al film fe s tivals , th is is u n qu e s tio n ably o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t s u bve rs ive m as te rp ie ce s o f th e 19 70 s : a h ilario u s , h igh ly e ro tic p o litical co m e d y w h ich qu ite s e rio u s ly p ro p o s e s s e x as th e id e o lo gical im p e rative fo r re vo lu tio n an d ad van ce s a p le a fo r Ero tic So cialis m . On ly th e re vo lu tio n ary Cu bis t Makave je v -- cle arly o n e o f th e m o s t s ign ifican t n e w d ire cto rs n o w w o rkin g in w o rld cin e m a -- co u ld h ave p u lle d to ge th e r th is h allu cin ato ry m e la n g e o f W ilh e lm Re ich , e xce rp ts fro m a m o n s tro u s So vie t film , Th e Vo w ( 19 4 6 ) , s tarrin g Stalin ; a tran s ve s tite o f th e W arh o l facto ry; A.S. N e ill o f Su m m e rh ill; s e ve ral be au tifu l yo u n g Yu go s lavs fu ckin g m e rrily th ro u gh o u t;th e e d ito r o f Am e rica's s e x m agazin e Scre w h avin g h is m o s t im p o rtan t p rivate p art lo vin gly p las te r-cas t in e re ctio n ; n o t to s p e ak o f a So vie t figu re -s katin g ch am p io n , H o n o re d Artis t o f th e Pe o p le ( n am e d Vlad im ir Ilyich !) , w h o cu ts o ff h is girlfrie n d 's h e ad w ith o n e o f h is s kate s afte r a p articu larly bo u n tifu l e jacu latio n , to s ave h is Co m m u n is t virgin ity fro m Re vis io n is t Yu go s lav Co n tam in atio n . It is an o u trage o u s , e xu be ran t, m arve lo u s w o rk o f a n e w bre e d o f in te rn atio n al re vo lu tio n ary, s tran ge ly s p aw n e d by cro s s -fe rtilizatio n be tw e e n th e o rigin al rad ical id e o lo gie s o f th e Eas t, Co n s cio u s n e s s III in Am e rica, an d th e s e xu al-p o litics rad icalis m o f th e e arly W ilh e lm Re ich , w h o e qu ate d s e xu al w ith p o litical libe ratio n an d d e n ie d th e p o s s ibility o f o n e w ith o u t th e o th e r. In o n e o f th e clim actic s ce n e s o f th e film , th e ravis h in g yo u n g Yu go s lav girl s tar p ro n o u n ce s h e rs e lf in favo r o f m as tu rbatio n an d all s e xu al p o s itio n s , an d ad m o n is h e s th e as s e m ble d Yu go s lav w o rke rs an d p e as an ts "to fu ck m e rrily an d w ith o u t fe ar! Le t th e s w e e t cu rre n t ru n u p yo u r s p in , s w ay yo u r h ip s ! Eve n th e s m alle s t ch ild w ill te ll yo u th at th e s w e e te s t p lace is be tw e e n th e le gs ! Ch ild re n an d yo u th m u s t be give n th e righ t o f ge n ital h ap p in e s s ! In te rtw in e d lo ve rs rad iate a blu is h ligh t, th e s am e ligh t as w as s e e n by th e as tro n au ts in o u te r s p ace ! FREE LOVE W AS W H ERE TH E OCTOBER REVOLU TION FAILED !" SC

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W R - MYSTERIES OF TH E ORGAN ISM ( W R - MISTERIJE ORGAN IZMA) ( D u s an Makave je v, Yu go s lavia, 19 71) ( F) Th e ravis h in g s e x re fo rm e r an d rad ical in a p ro vo cative p o s e ; co m p o s in g s e x an d p o litics , it als o re ve als Makave je v's "ae s th e ticis m "; th e u n e xp e cte d rabbit, th e s tro n g, tw o -co lo re d ve rtical s trip e s an d p articu larly th e in e xp licable e m p ty fram e . SC ______________________________________________ Be n e ath th e film 's ligh th e arte d frivo lity an d m arve lo u s h u m o r lu rks a m o re s e rio u s id e o lo gical in te n t: o p p o s itio n to all o p re s s ive s o cial s ys te m s , Eas t o r W e s t, th e re m o val o f p ru rie n ce fro m s e x an d a fin al s qu arin g o f acco u n ts by th e n e w rad icals w ith th e n o w re actio n ary Ru s s ian re gim e . In a p o ign an t s e qu e n ce th at w ill live in film h is to ry, th e girl, Mile n a D ravic ( in lo ve w ith th e Ru s s ian s kate r, an d re je cte d by h im be cau s e o f h is fe ar o f s e x an d as ce tic

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d e vo tio n to a life le s s m yth o f re vo lu tio n ) , s tarts be atin g h im blin d ly, re p e ate d ly, w h ile d e live rin g s o m e o f th e s ad d e s t, m o s t d is illu s io n e d in d ictm e n ts ye t o ffe re d again s t Stalin is m in an y film , an d d e n o u n ce s h is re vo lu tio n as "a p u n y lie d is gu is e d as a gre at h is to ric tru th ". Th u s Makave je v is qu ite accu rate in d e s cribin g h is film as "a black co m e d y, a p o litical circu s , a fan tas y o n th e fas cis m an d co m m u n is m o f h u m an bo d ie s , th e p o litical life o f h u m an ge n itals , a p ro clam atio n o f th e p o rn o grap h ic e s s e n ce o f an y s ys te m o f au th o rity an d p o w e r o ve r o th e rs ." Th e film is als o a tribu te to th e u ltim ate p o w e r o f id e as o ve r in s titu tio n s ; th e p ro d u ctio n o f s u ch a w o rk in Yu go s lavia co n tribu te s to th e re gim e 's e vo lu tio n . Its e ve n tu al s h o w in g th e re -- im p o s s ible at th e tim e o f w ritin g -- w o u ld te s tify to th e re gim e 's s e lf-co n fid e n ce an d its re alizatio n o f th e film 's u n qu e s tio n ably re vo lu tio n ary s tan d . SC

W R - MYSTERIES OF TH E ORGAN ISM ( W R - MISTERIJE ORGAN IZMA) ( D u s an Makave je v, Yu go s lavia, 19 71) ( F) An o m in o u s , h e in o u s s till, take n fro m th e fam o u s Stalin is t film , Th e Vo w , an d in co rp o rate d by Makave je v in h is s tro n gly an ti-Stalin is t w o rk. In th e film Stalin is s e e n firs t, s p e akin g; th e n , a ban n e r w ith Le n in 's face is s lo w ly u n fu rle d in th e backgro u n d u n til it fills th e s cre e n , h o ve rin g o ve r Stalin in ( to Makave je v) 5/19/2007 12:25 PM

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n o t n e ce s s arily a be n ign m an n e r. SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

D EATH OF A BU REAU CRAT ( To m as G. Ale a, Cu ba, 19 6 6 ) A d re am o f co ffin s an d n u n s in a s atirical Cu ban attack o n bu re au cracy. To qu alify fo r re n t-e xe m p tio n ( m ad e p o s s ible by h e r h u s ban d 's d e ath ) , th e w id o w m u s t p re s e n t h is w o rkin g p ap e rs ; bu t th e s e w e re bu rie d w ith h im as a s tatu s s ym bo l -an d "o n ly th e m an h im s e lf" can re qu e s t a d u p licate . To ge t th e o rigin al, h e m u s t be e xh u m e d -- bu t th is is ille gal fo r tw o ye ars . D u g u p s u rre p titio u s ly, h is re bu rial be co m e s im p o s s ible be cau s e n o le gal p ro o f o f e xh u m atio n e xis ts .

LEFT AN D REVOLU TION ARY CIN EMA: TH IRD W ORLD

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A REPORT ON TORTU RE ( Sau l Lan d au an d H as ke ll W e xle r, Brazil, 19 71) Th e bo ld co u n te rp o s in g o f an u p s id e -d o w n , gagge d fe m ale w ith a p ro bably th re ate n in g h an d an d a m an 's lo w e r to rs o s ym bo lize s th e am bian ce o f th is d o cu m e n t o f o u r tim e s ; a factu al s tu d y, th ro u gh in te rvie w s an d d e m o n s tratio n s , o f th e Brazilian go ve rn m e n t's u s e o f to rtu re again s t p o litical p ris o n e rs . Th e p ro tago n is ts are re ce n t Brazilian p o litical re fu ge e s in Ch ile ( n o w p re s u m ably again in jail o r to rtu re d an e w ) . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E ALIEN IST ( IL ALIEN ISTA) ( N e ls o n Pe re ira D o s San to s , Brazil, 19 70 ) ( F) Bas e d o n Mach ad o d e As s is ' n o ve l, th is is a m acabre s to ry o f a 19 th ce n tu ry Brazilian p rie s t an d s o cial re fo rm e r w h o p u ts m o s t o f th e p o p u latio n o f h is village in to a m ad h o u s e to "cu re " th e m o f in s an ity an d s in , an d m ake h is u to p ia co m e tru e . Th e lan d -o w n e rs ( le ft w ith o u t w o rke rs to till th e lan d ) vo lu n te e r to take th e ir p lace s in th e "re s t h o m e "; w h e n th e p rie s t re fu s e s , h e is s u bju gate d an d fin ally be co m e s th e o n ly in m ate o f th e as ylu m . "So m e d ay", h e m u s e s , an ticip atin g Lain g, "th e m ad n e s s o f o u r d ay w ill be th e re as o n o f to m o rro w ." Th e film 's rad ical in te n tio n is cle ar an d th e d e co r, co lo r, an d m is e e n s ce n e e xtravagan tly be au tifu l, bu t th e au d acio u s p arable u ltim ate ly be co m e s labo re d .

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AN TON IO-D AS-MORTES ( Glau be r Ro ch a, Brazil, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e arch e typ ical th e m e s o f re vo lu tio n ary Brazilian cin e m a; th e arid p lain s , p rim itive s tage fo r atavis tic p lo ts o f o p p re s s io n , te rro r, re ve n ge ; th e to w e rin g re vo lu tio n ary h e ro figh tin g fo r th e d o w n tro d d e n ; th e e ve r-p re s e n t rifle . Blo o d y, e xo rbitan t, an d p artis an , th is is an e cs tatic s o n g o f re vo lu tio n ary vio le n ce . SC ______________________________________________ Am o n g th e yo u n g Brazilian d ire cto rs o f th e "Cin e m a N o v o " m o ve m e n t, it is p articu larly Glau be r Ro ch a w h o h as tran s ce n d e d its e arly n e o -re alis m to e m brace e xp re s s io n is m an d s tylizatio n . In An t o n io -D a s -M o r t e s , th e s e ch aracte ris tics as s u m e th e flam bo yan t s w e e p o f a re vo lu tio n ary fo lk e p ic, re p le te w ith a m ys ticis m bo th s u rp ris in g an d ap p ro p riate o f th e late 2 0 th ce n tu ry, w h e n ratio n alis m h as re ve ale d its lim itatio n s an d d e e p e r laye rs o f co n s cio u s n e s s are be in g p ro be d in e cs tas y by th e n e w re vo lu tio n arie s o f o u r d ay. An t o n i0 -D a s -M o r t e s is an e xu be ran t, an d blo o d -s tain e d rad ical w o rk, ch o re o grap h e d an d w e d d e d by p ro u d yo u n g n atio n alis ts to Brazil's rich fo lk h e ritage , w h ich in clu d e s th e le ge n d s o f th e can gace iro s ", fie ry ban d it-re be ls w h o re d re s s e d s o cial in ju s tice by vio le n ce . Th is is th e s to ry o f An to n io -D as -Mo rte s , a fo rm e r ca n g a ce ir o w h o

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d u rin g th e 4 0 s tu rn e d p ro fe s s io n al kille r in th e p ay o f rich lan d o w n e rs an d th e ch u rch , to kill h is fo rm e r co m p atrio ts ; "to u ch e d by grace " -- h is re alizatio n o f h is e m p lo ye rs ' cru e lty an d in ju s tice -- h e fin ally re jo in s th e re vo lu tio n ary cau s e w ith a ve n ge an ce . An im p lacable , m e tap h ys ical to n e an d rh yth m p e rm e ate th is film , cre atin g a n o n -re alis tic co n tin u ity th at d e p e n d s o n e xp re s s io n is t table au x, s e t to in d ige n o u s m u s ic fro m African an d Po rtu gu e s e s o u rce s . Mas s d an ce s an d ballad s p ro vid e a s tru ctu re fo r th e s tylize d actio n . Th e re s u lt is o n e o f th e m o s t d ifficu lt an d o rigin al w o rks o f th e "Cin e m a N o v o ". "To m ake film is to m ake a co n tribu tio n to o u r re vo lu tio n , to s to ke its fire , to m ake p e o p le co n s cio u s . Th is is th e tragic o rigin o f o u r cin e m a. Ou r ae s th e tics is th e ae s th e tics o f cru e lty; it is re vo lu tio n ary." - Glau be r Ro ch a SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

APROPOS OF A PERSON VARIOU SLY CALLED H OLY LAZARU S OR BABALU ( ACERCA D E U N PERSON AJE QU E U N OS LLAMAN SAN LAZARO Y OTROS LLAMAN BABALU ) ( Octavio Co rtazar, Cu ba, 19 6 8 ) To s h o w th e viability o f s u p e rs titio u s be lie f, th is d o cu m e n tary re co rd s a s till-co n tin u in g re ligio u s h o lid ay in Cu ba, at w h ich H o ly Lazaru s is s im u ltan e o u s ly ce le brate d as "Babalu " be cau s e o f th e s tran ge m in glin g o f Cath o lic an d African re ligio n in p rim itive s o cie tie s . As th e be lie ve rs craw l p ain fu lly to w ard s h is s h rin e , s h o ts o f a n e w ge n e ratio n d o in g calis th e n ics are in te rcu t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLOOD OF TH E CON D OR ( YAW AR MALLKU ) ( Jo rge San jin e s , Bo livia, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is an ti-go ve rn m e n t an d an ti-Am e rican Bo livian fe atu re p ivo ts o n a p e rs is te n t an d u n s avo ry ch arge n e ve r s u fficie n tly d is p ro ve n , th at in a m is gu id e d atte m p t to co m bat p o ve rty an d o ve rp o p u latio n , th e Am e rican Pe ace Co rp s e n gage s in p ro gram s o f s te rilizatio n o f n ative w o m e n in u n d e rd e ve lo p e d co u n trie s . Th e in d ige n o u s ru lin g clas s is s e e n as acco m p lice ; an d th e film e n d s o n a n o te o f re vo lu tio n ary an ticip atio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MEMORIES OF U N D ERD EVELOPMEN T ( To m as G. Ale a, Cu ba, 19 6 9 ) ( F) H is fam ily h avin g e m igrate d to Am e rica be cau s e o f Cas tro , th is am bivale n t libe ral, le ft be h in d in h is o p u le n t ap artm e n t, p u lls h is w ife 's s to ckin gs o ve r h is h e ad in an gu is h . H is d o u bts an d lack o f in vo lve m e n t in cre as e . Fin ally, as o th e rs p re p are fo r actio n again s t Am e rica d u rin g th e m is s ile cris is , h e w atch e s th e m d e tach e d ly th ro u gh bin o cu lars . Po litically, th e m o s t m atu re an d "o p e n " o f th e Cu ban film s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CH ILD U N D ERN OU RISH MEN T ( D ESN U TRICION IN FAN TIL) ( Alvaro Ram ire z, Ch ile , 19 6 9 ) A re co rd o f o n e o f th e m an y s e cre t o u trage s e xis tin g e ve ryw h e re in s u ch abu n d an ce th at th e y re m ain u n s o lve d , u n re s o lve d , an d o f n o in te re s t -in th is cas e th e p ligh t o f p o o r Ch ile an ch ild re n : livin g s ke le to n s , gro te s qu e m o n s te rs , in h o ve ls , co ve re d by fle as . Th is is w h y Alle n d e w as n e ce s s ary; an d w h y a n e w , n o w vio le n t, s o cial re s tru ctu rin g re m ain s in e vitable in th e Ch ile s o f th e w o rld . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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CU LEBRA: TH E BEGIN N IN G ( D ie go d e la Te xe ra, Pu e rto Rico , 19 71) Cu le bra, an is lan d o ff Pu e rto Rico , is u s e d by th e U SA as a targe t are a fo r bo m bin g p ractice w ith live am m u n itio n . Th e film d o cu m e n ts tw o ye ars o f d e m o n s tratio n s , rallie s , s it-in s , an d , u ltim ate ly, a live -in at th e bo m bin g are a by th e p e o p le o f Cu le bra, atte m p tin g to p u t a s to p to th e p o llu tio n an d d e s tru ctio n o f th e is lan d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EMITAI ( Ou s m an e Se m be n e , Se n e gal, 19 71) ( F) An an ti-im p e rialis t ye t cu rio u s ly m u te d e vo catio n o f th e Fre n ch co lo n ial p e rio d an d o f th e s tro n g ye t w an in g in flu e n ce o f tribal re ligio n s . As u s u al w ith Se m be n e , th e re is m u ch fas cin atin g e th n o lo gical d e tail; m o re im p o rtan tly, th is is a film by an African fo r African s , d e s ign e d to m ake th e m s h are d is co ve ry an d re ve latio n , th e lim itatio n s o f m yth , th e cru e lty o f th e o p re s s o r, th e fo rtitu d e o f th e p e o p le , an d th e n e e d fo r re vo lu tio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E FIRST CH ARGE OF TH E MACH ETE ( LA PRIMERA CARGA AL MACH ETE) ( Man u e l Octavio Go m e z, Cu ba, 19 6 9 ) 5/19/2007 12:26 PM

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Th e m ys te rio u s be au ty an d s tran ge d u ality o f th is s till -- to tu rn it u p s id e d o w n m e re ly cre ate s an o th e r, e qu ally valid re ality -- s ym bo lize s th e s tro n gly ae s th e tic p re o ccu p atio n s o f th is ire cto r an d te s tifie s to th e d ive rge n t s tylis tic te n d e n cie s p e rm itte d w ith in th e Cu ban cin e m a. ______________________________________________ Po s s ibly th e m o s t "ae s th e tic" an d "e xp e rim e n tal" o f re vo lu tio n ary Cu ba's film s , th is o u ts tan d in g w o rk u tilize s h igh co n tras t p h o to grap h y, o ve r-e xp o s u re , an d s o larizatio n to cre ate d th e fad e d ch iaro s cu ro an d p o e tic au th e n ticity o f th e p e rio d it d e p icts . Th e film d e als w ith an 18 70 u p ris in g again s t th e Sp an is h o ccu p atio n tro o p s in Cu ba, in w h ich th e m a ch e t e , o rigin ally u s e d to cu t s u gar can e , be co m e s a w e ap o n o f th e p e o p le 's w e lfare . Th e p o rtrayals o f d e cad e n t u p p e r clas s e s an d h e ro ic p e as an ts are s h arp an d in cis ive , an d d is tan cin g d e vice s -- s u ch as ch aracte rs ad d re s s in g th e cam e ra -- are u s e d to in d u ce attitu d e s o f an alys is in s te ad o f in vo lve m e n t. Th e e m e rge n ce o f s u ch a s tro n gly p o e tic w o rk w ith in th e Cu ban film in d u s try te s tifie s to th e d ive rge n t ae s th e tic te n d e n cie s p e rm itte d e xp re s s io n w ith in th e re vo lu tio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E GOD S AN D TH E D EAD ( OS D EU SES E OS MORTOS) ( Ru y Gu e rra, Brazil, 19 70 ) Th e m an grie vo u s ly w ro n ge d by th e m ach in atio n s o f th e p o w e rfu l re tu rn s to e xact bru tal re ve n ge fro m e ach . A co m p e llin g s ad n e s s an d ch o re o grap h ic in te n s ity e n ve lo p s th is m o m e n t. Th o u gh th e m an 's ge s tu re is alm o s t s ain t-like , o n e fe ars in cip ie n t

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vio le n ce ; n o go o d can co m e fro m th is e n co u n te r. ______________________________________________ Th e p e n t-u p re vo lu tio n ary p as s io n , th e vio le n t fe rvo r an d th e co m in g e xp lo s io n o f th e co n tin e n t are e vid e n t in th is m ajo r w o rk. To ld as a re vo lu tio n ary e p ic, it h as th e h allm arks o f th e gre at Brazilian rad ical m yth s , s tro n g, vio le n t co lo rs , bizarre table au x, e xtre m e s tylizatio n , an d a to tal p re o ccu p atio n w ith d e ath , blo o d an d re vo lu tio n . Lu xu rio u s o rn ate in te rio rs an d s w e e p in g o u td o o r s ce n e s w ith h u n d re d s o f e xtras e m bro id e r a p o w e rfu l, d e n s e vis u al s tyle , bu t th e cu bis tically to ld s to ry is u ltim ate ly to o d iffu s e . Gu e rra h as give n h is "go d s " an th ro p o m o rp h ic s h ap e , "to m ake th e ir o bs e s s io n s , p ro s tratio n an d d e s p air m o re vis ible ", u tilizin g e le m e n ts o f m agic d e rive d fro m African cu lts . A m ixtu re o f baro qu e re alis m an d s tate ly e xp re s s io n is m re ach e s u n e xp e cte d le ve ls o f d e s p e ratio n , u ltim ate ly le avin g u s w ith acu te ye t im p o te n t p ain frigh te n in g to e xp e rie n ce ; Am e rican o w n e rs o f Brazilian tin m in e s ( an d Am e rican libe rals ) s h o u ld s e e th is kin d o f w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E H EIRS ( OS H ERD EIROS) ( Carlo s D ie gu e s , Brazil, 19 6 8 / 9 ) ( F) An e xp re s s io n is t, at tim e s e m i-s u rre alis t acco u n t o f a Brazilian fam ily o ve r th e las t 4 0 ye ars , in th e h is to rical im p as s e w h ich th e n o n -re vo lu tio n ary clas s e s co u ld n o t o ve rco m e . A s u cce s s io n o f p o litical p lo ts , m e lo d ram atic u p h e avals , an d be trayals cap tu re th e vio le n ce , co lo r, an d atavis tic s tran ge n e s s o f an o p re s s e d , s tagn an t civilizatio n an d its victim s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LBJ ( San tiago Alvare z, Cu ba, 19 6 8 ) U s in g LBJ's care e r as m atrix, th is h ard -h ittin g p ro p agan d a film is an h is to rical, d id actic, p o e tic, an d s atirical co m m e n t o n Am e rican vio le n ce fro m W ild W e s t d ays to to d ay. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MAN D ABI ( TH E MON EY ORD ER) ( Ou s h an e Se m be n e , Se n e gal, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Ou s am e Se m be n e is Africa's m ajo r film tale n t an d th is is h is be s t film . Se t in p re s e n t-d ay Se n e gal, it re co u n ts th e ad ve n tu re s o f a d ign ifie d , m o n e yle s s Mo s le m , w ith tw o w ive s an d m an y ch ild re n , w h o re ce ive s a m o n e y o rd e r fro m h is s tre e t-s w e e p in g n e p h e w in Paris . As h e atte m p ts to m ake u s e o f th is s ym bo l o f W e s te rn civilizatio n by cas h in g it, it re - ve n ge s its e lf by e n m e s h in g h im in a w e b o f m is s in g birth ce rtificate s , u n o btain able id e n tity card s , h e lp fu l co n m e n , an d d e ad ly Fre n ch bu re au crats , u n til th e e n tire am o u n t h as be e n s to le n . At th e e n d , h e h as to ch o o s e : be co m e a "w o lf" like e ve ryo n e e ls e , o r h e lp ch an ge th e co u n try. Sh arp n atu ralis tic d e tail, e th n o grap h ic co n ce rn s , m ilitan t an ti-im p e rialis m , an d ro bu s t h u m o r ch aracte rize th is jau n d ice d vie w o f a m an an d a s o cie ty in tran s itio n , in w h ich n e ith e r Fre n ch n o r, s ign ifican tly, Se n e gale s e e m e rge as h e ro e s . Bu t w h ile th is ge n tle an d s e d itio u s "co m e d y" avo id s o n e -s id e d n e s s , it cle arly m arks th e Fre n ch im p e rials as villain s an d th e Se n e gale s e as victim s . Th e bre akin g d o w n o f o rgan ic, m e an in gfu l, tribal p atte rn s u n d e r th e im p act o f th e W e s t is p articu larly w e ll s h o w n . In s te ad o f e d ito rializin g abo u t im p e rialis m , th e film re ve als it o rgan ically in its im p lacable s to rylin e . Se m be n e 's w o rk m arks th e e m e rge n ce o f a tru ly in d ige n o u s African cin e m a. 5/19/2007 12:26 PM

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MACU N AIMA ( Jo ach im Pe d ro d e An d rad e , Brazil, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e bizarre firs t "m u s ical" o f th e Brazilian Cin e m a N o vo m o ve m e n t e n d s w ith a gargan tu an o p e n -air p arty, at w h ich th e as s o rte d bo u rge o is , p re cario u s ly d an glin g fro m trap e ze bars , are fo rce d to s w in g acro s s a p iran h afille d s w im m in g p o o l, w ith p re d ictably co lo rfu l re s u lts . ______________________________________________ Startlin g, bizarre , cyn ical, s e xy, th is firs t m u s ical o f th e Brazilian Cin e m a N o v o m o ve m e n t is m arke d by all its virtu e s ; m o d e rn ity, vigo r, an d a rad ical m e tap h ys ics in th e s e rvice o f th e re vo lu tio n . It is s o tru ly in d ige n o u s th at its m ys te rio u s d e ligh ts an d allu s io n s tran s fo rm u s in to vo ye u rs at an alie n fe as t, to w h o s e n u an ce s w e re ve rbe rate w ith o u t fu lly gras p in g th e m . Bas e d o n a ke y w o rk o f th e Brazilian m o d e rn is t m o ve m e n t o f th e 2 0 s , th is iro n ic Od ys s e y re co u n ts th e p ictu re s qu e , Rabe las ian m is ad ve n tu re s o f a "h e ro w ith o u t ch aracte r", a m e tap h o r o f Brazil. Mo vin g fro m ju n gle to u rban gu e rilla w arfare to can n ibalis m , w e are tran s p o rte d fro m re alis m to th e s u p e rn atu ral w ith an e as e th at d e n o te s th e p re s e n ce o f tru e fo lk art. Alo n g th e w ay, w e w itn e s s Macu n aim a's m iracu lo u s birth , fu lly-gro w n , fro m be n e ath th e s kirts o f a h id e o u s w o m an s tan d in g in a h u t, an d w atch h is p e rio d ic tran s fo rm atio n s fro m an u gly Black-In d ian -Po rtu gu e s e in to a rid icu lo u s kn igh t, to s atis fy th e s e xu al d e s ire s o f h is s is te r-in -law . Le avin g h o m e , h e m e e ts an o bligin g can n ibal in s tre e t clo th e s , a

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ravis h in g gu e rilla figh te r w h o lo ve s re d h am m o cks bu t u n fo rtu n ate ly carrie s h e r bo m bs be n e ath th e ir baby lyin g in its carriage . A co n -m an s e lls h im a m agic d u ck th at d e fe cate s in s te ad o f layin g go ld e n e ggs . H e give s an im p ro m p tu p o litical s p e e ch d e n o u n cin g m o s qu ito e s , balco n ie s , an d s m allp o x o n ly to be bran d e d as a Co m m u n is t. H e talks to a vagran t w h o p e rs u ad e s h im to bre ak h is balls an d e at th e m ; bu t th e re are alw ays w illin g girls to cu re h im . Afte r a brie f s to p -o ve r at a le p e r co lo n y, th e film e n d s w ith a gargan tu an o p e n -air p arty, at w h ich as s o rte d bo u rge o is are fo rce d to s w in g acro s s a s u m p tu o u s s w im m in g p o o l fille d w ith p iran h as , w ith p re d ictably co lo rfu l re s u lts . Th e vis u al e le gan ce o f th e im age s an d d e co r is as s atis fyin g as th e bo ld u s e o f s trikin g, s e n s u o u s co lo rs an d co m p o s itio n s . Th e ch arm in gly bizarre an d "n aive ly s o p h is ticate d e ve n ts an d id e as te s tify to th e p re s e n ce o f a ve ry m o d e rn co s m o p o litan s e n s ibility, jau n d ice d by co rru p tio n an d clas s p rivile ge , lo vin gly aw are o f th e tru e cu ltu ral m atrix o f h is co u n try. To th is film m ake r, th e cin e m a is a m e d iu m o f m agic an d o f re vo lu tio n : a re vo lu tio n o f attitu d e s an d ch aracte r rath e r th an o f p ro p agan d a. A m arve lo u s ly jo yfu l m e la n g e o f p o p tu n e s acco m p an ie s Macu n aim a's in ce s s an t p ro gre s s to u ltim ate d e fe at: a ch arm in g vu lgarity e xp re s s e s th e film 's d is re gard o f p u ritan co n ve n tio n al valu e s . Th e m u lti-racial m ixtu re o f cas t, e ve n ts , an d bo d ie s to tally byp as s e s th e p ro ble m o f "in te gratio n ", an d a p layfu l, id e o lo gically-bas e d cru e lty fu rth e r co n tribu te s to a tru ly fo re ign film e xp e rie n ce ; n o t e ve ry d ay are w e to ld in th e cin e m a th at it is "e ach m an fo r h im s e lf an d Go d again s t all". It w o u ld be d ifficu lt bu t n o t im p o s s ible to m is u n d e rs tan d th is film as a h arm le s s d ad ais t ro m p . Bu t th e u n d e rlyin g vis io n is p h ilo s o p h ical an d d ark. Th e m ain th e m e s are th e Little Man as victim ( an d , s till w o rs e , as acco m p lice ) , th e w o rld as an alie n an d in e xp licable p lace , th e blin d s tu p id ity an d im p licit cru e lty o f p rivile ge an d clas s p o w e r; an d fin ally, th e n e e d to re cap tu re a ge n u in e Brazilian fo lk e th o s , a lin k w ith an in d ige n o u s cu ltu re fre e o f fo re ign d o m in atio n . In all th e s e re s p e cts , M a cu n a im a p e rs o n ifie s th e be s t artis tic an d s o cial as p iratio n s o f th e Brazilian Cin e m a N o v o m o ve m e n t, th at in tre p id an d d e s p e rate ban d o f d ire cto rs w h o atte m p te d to p o rtray th e re al Brazil an d w h o s e ris ks in m akin g th e ir film s w e re n o t alw ays fin an cial. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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N OW ( San tiago Alvare z, Cu ba, 19 6 5) A p o w e rfu l attack o n Am e rican racialis m , bas e d e n tire ly o n n e w s re e l m ate rials an d clo s e ly e d ite d to Le n a H o rn e 's re n d itio n o f "N o w ". D o cu m e n tary s h o ts o fte n p ro vid e s ym bo lic s tate m e n ts : in th is cas e , flag, s tick, black bo y, p o lice m an , an d face le s s an o n ym ity o f bo th ge n e ralize an e ve n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PRATO PALOMARES ( An d re Faria, Brazil, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is e xtrao rd in ary w o rk h as th e d u bio u s d is tin ctio n o f be in g th e m o s t fam o u s u n s e e n film o f co n te m p o rary w o rld cin e m a. Officially an n o u n ce d at th e Can n e s Fe s tival fo r tw o co n s e cu tive ye ars , it w as w ith d raw n bo th tim e s d u e to p re s s u re by th e Brazilian go ve rn m e n t. It is a s cre am o f an gu is h , a n igh tm are o f d e fe ate d re vo lt, an d re p re s s io n , an e xp re s s io n is t co n fro n tatio n o f rad ical id e o lo gy, s e lf-d o u bt, co m p ro m is e , in co rru p tibility, an d e te rn al s u bve rs io n . Tw o co rn e re d , w o u n d e d gu e rillas h id in g in a ch u rch an d a m ys te rio u s w o m an w h o jo in s th e m fo rm th e ce n te r o f its d e lirio u s table au x, th e ir d e s p e rate talks s o o n s u p e rs e d e d by p o lice ( abe tte d by Am e rican s ) w h o p ro ce e d to to rtu re . It is a tribu te to Faria's co n tro l o ve r h is 5/19/2007 12:26 PM

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m ate rials th at d e cap itatio n an d th e cu ttin g o ff o f to n gu e s an d lim bs are acce p te d as in e vitable e s calatio n s o f th e d e liriu m w h ich fo rm s th e co re o f th is w o rk. Its cru e lty is be lie vable , its p aro xys m s n e ce s s ary, its m e tap h o rs an e xte n s io n o f Cin e m a N o v o , o f w h ich it m ay be th e s w an s o n g; ye t, w ith o n e gu e rilla d e cap itate d an d th e o th e r co -o p te d , th e w o m an , w h o n e ve r co m p ro m is e d , co n tin u e s th e s tru ggle -n o w m u te an d w ith o u t h an d s -- fo r a re vo lu tio n w ith o u t w o rd s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

QU E H ACER? ( Sau l Lan d au , Jam e s Be cke t, Rau l Ru iz, N in a Se rran o , Ch ile -U SA, 19 70 ) A s u cce s s fu l atte m p t at p o litical cin e m a by a Ch ile an Am e rican film co lle ctive . Ce n te rin g o n th e p e rio d o f Alle n d e 's e le ctio n , th e film in te rw e ave s re ality ( d o cu m e n tary fo o tage ) , p o litical fictio n ( a Pe ace Co rp s girl, a p o litical kid n ap p in g, Mao is ts , an d th e CIA) , an d , o n a th ird le ve l, th e film m ake rs th e m s e lve s , bre akin g in to th e co n tin u ity o f th e w o rk. Pro vo cative , fas t-m o vin g, an d w e ll-e d ite d , th is is a s e rio u s d is cu s s io n film w h ich , d e s p ite th e cle ar s ym p ath ie s o f its m ake rs , e s tablis h e s a ce rtain o bje ctivity th at d is tin gu is h e s it fro m p ro p agan d a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

REED : MEXICO IN SU RGEN T ( REED : MEXICO IN SU RGEN TE) ( Pau l Le d u c, Me xico , 19 71) ( F) Th is film is a n o table , o bliqu e w o rk o f gre at s u btle ty. W ith Jo h n Re e d , th e le ft-w in g Am e rican jo u rn alis t, w e e n te r, s tage by s tage , in to th e tru e re alitie s o f th e Me xican ( o r an y o th e r) re vo lu tio n : lu lls an d co n fu s io n s , fallible ( th at is , h u m an ) le ad e rs , bu m p y ro ad s , u n e xp e cte d d e ath , s u d d e n frie n d s h ip s , an d m e an d e rin g h alf-actio n s . Th is is w h at it m u s t h ave be e n like . Th e s e n tim e n t is an ti-co n ve n tio n al, an ti-fo lklo ris t, an ti- s e n tim e n tal, an ti-h e ro ic; an d , th e re fo re , clo s e r to re vo lu tio n ary re ality. As th e film p ro gre s s e s , Re e d -- w h o h ad p lan n e d to "co ve r an e ve n t" h e s ym p ath ize d w ith -- re alize s th at h e m u s t tu rn p articip an t; at th e e n d , in a be au tifu lly cau gh t s m all ge s tu re , h e th ro w s a s o litary ro ck at a s to re w in d o w , an d be co m e s a re vo lu tio n is t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E TW ILIGH T OF TH E D AMN ED ( Ah m e d Rach e d i, Alge ria, 19 70 ) Th is , to o , is p art o f m an 's h is to ry. U n d e r a Fre n ch gu n , Alge rian s are victim ize d in th e ir o w n co u n try. N o th in g is p re ttifie d in th is d o cu m e n tary s h o t. Th e an o n ym ity o f victim s an d victim ize rs , th e o m in o u s gre ys an d blacks , th e air o f u n h e alth y an ticip atio n an d in cip ie n t vio le n ce re n d e r th e p re cis e qu ality o f a m o m e n t o f h is to rical tim e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SECRET FORMU LA ( LA FORMU LA SECRETA) ( Ru be n Go m e z, Me xico , 19 6 6 ) ( F) Stran ge , s e m i-s u rre alis t n igh tm are s -- s o m e h o w re late d to Me xican re alitie s -- fo rm th e m atrix o f th is w o rk. A co rp s e is carrie d o n a flo u r tru ck, a bo y kn ife s a co w , a co u p le kis s be fo re a blo o d be s p atte re d w all, cle rical s tu d e n ts im itate d th e cru cifixio n . Pe rh ap s th e be s t s ce n e is o f a Me xican s tarin g o u t s ile n tly to w ard th e Me xican p late au x; afte r a w h ile , th e cam e ra p an s aw ay fro m h im , to co n ce n trate o n th e lan d s cap e . Stu bbo rn ly h e

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re -e n te rs th e fram e an d as s u m e s h is fo rm e r p o s itio n , th e cam e ra p u lls aw ay again , an d again h e re tu rn s ... a p e rfe ct vis u al m e tap h o r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

79 SPRIN GTIMES ( 79 PRIMAVERAS) ( San tiago Alvare z, Cu ba, 19 6 9 ) A film tribu te , u p o n h is d e ath , to H o Ch i Min h , by Cu ba's be s t d o cu m e n tary film m ake r. Avo id in g "o fficial" re ve re n ce an d p ro p agan d is tic s e n tim e n tality, th e film p ro vid e s a m o vin g p o rtrait o f H o fro m yo u th to o ld age , s h o w in g h im as an e arly re vo lu tio n is t, a m o d e s t s tu d e n t, a m an o n a d o n ke y, a m an at a typ e w rite r th in kin g. Th e crim e s o f th e Am e rican s , in d o cu m e n tary s h o ts , are cro s s -cu t w ith H o 's fu n e ral am id s t m o vin g e xp re s s io n s o f p o p u lar grie f. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TIME OF VIOLEN CE ( TEMPO D I VIOLEN CIA) ( An o n ym o u s , Arge n tin a, 19 70 ) Pro d u ce d ille gally, th is is a rad ical, an tiAm e rican agit-p ro p d o cu m e n tary, fille d w ith am azin g s e qu e n ce s o f large -s cale , vio le n t, u n re p o rte d s tre e t rio ts in s e ve ral Arge n tin ian citie s . Th e film is a te s tim o n y to th e p o w e r o f ce n s o rs h ip -- an d th e n e e d fo r clan d e s tin e film m ake rs to co u n te ract it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E H OU R OF TH E BLAST FU RN ACES ( LA H ORA D E LOS H ORN OS) ( Fe rn an d o So lan as , Arge n tin a, 19 6 7) ( F) Th is s u bve rs ive m as te rp ie ce -- a s h atte rin g in d ictm e n t o f Am e rican im p e rialis m in So u th Am e rica -- is a brillian t t o u r d e fo r ce o f tu m u ltu o u s im age s , s o p h is ticate d m o n tage , an d s le d ge h am m e r title s , fu s e d in to a p as s io n ate o n s lau gh t o f rad ical p ro vo catio n to o lt th e s p e ctato r to a n e w le ve l o f co n s cio u s n e s s . H e re is a Marxis t film th at "ro cks ": a p ro u d ly s u bje ctive , p as s io n ate ly d o gm atic, to tally co n s cio u s p le a fo r vio le n t re vo lu tio n . Th e firs t s e qu e n ce s e ts th e to n e . Acco m p an ie d by s trid e n t d ru m s , a barrage o f im age s o f s tre e t vio le n ce , flas h in g by at e xtre m e s p e e d , s in gly o r in clu s te rs is in te rcu t w ith black, blan k fram e s an d a rap id - fire s u cce s s io n o f h igh ly p o litical, in ce n d iary title s w h ich ( as in Eis e n s te in 's w o rk) be co m e in te gral co m p o n e n ts o f th e w o rk. Th e y bu rs t in to th e actio n fro m righ t o r le ft, fro m abo ve o r be lo w , all th e w h ile catap u ltin g

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th e id e o lo gical argu m e n t fo rw ard as if th e y w e re s ticks o f d yn am ite . To ge th e r w ith th e vio le n t, im p re s s io n is t im age s , m o n s tro u s s tatictics , an d a m o n tage bo th brillian t an d te n d e n tio u s , th e y cre ate a p o e m o f re vo lt, a co m p e n d iu m o f th e be s t m o d e rn film te ch n iqu e s in th e s e rvice o f th e re vo lu tio n . Th e re are u n fo rge ttable , s e arin g im age s : ch ild be ggars ru n n in g alo n gs id e a train in a d e s p e rate atte m p t to ke e p u p w ith it, s o th at blas e p as s e n ge rs m igh t re w ard th e m w ith p e n n ie s ; in an o u td o o r h o ve l, a yo u n g p ro s titu te , h e r p u bic are a e xp o s e d , w aitin g zo m bie -like ; th e Arge n tin ian e lite -- n o t e xagge rate d typ e s ( as in Eis e n s te in 's film s ) bu t e le gan t p e o p le , th e m o re h o rrifyin g fo r be in g "n ice "; an d a m o n s tro u s ce m e te ry fo r th e rich , in w h ich h u n d re d s o f h u ge h e ad s to n e s an d cryp ts , e ach large r th an life -s ize , m e rge in to a s p e ctacu lar e xp re s s io n is t s e t o f a m yth ical city. Th e m o s t d is tu rbin g s e qu e n ce attacks th e th ro ttlin g o f in d ige n o u s cu ltu re by th e s h e e r w e igh t o f th e d o m in an t, "alie n " W e s te rn civilizatio n , s o d e ar an d s o in vio lable to u s : Re n o ir, go -go girls , th e Sis tin e Ch ap e l, Co caCo la, th e Parth e n o n , an d Mich e lan ge lo are p re s e n te d as n e o co lo n ialis t to o ls to d e p o liticalize th e m as s e s an d re n d e r th e m ap ath e tic. Th e film e n d s w ith o n e o f th e m o s t d arin g e xam p le s o f m in im al cin e m a fo r p o litical e n d s e ve r: a clo s e -u p o f Ch e 's face in d e ath , h o ve rin g o ve r u s , im m o bile , fo r a fu ll 3 m in u te s . Th e cam e ra n e ve r m o ve s . Th e im age is e te rn al. W e are fo rce d to co n te m p late th e ch alle n ge o f th is m an 's life an d d e ath . H e re , th e n , is a film th at s tate s cle arly w h at th e Latin rad ical in te lle ctu al th in ks . It is an in e s cap able , s h atte rin g co n fro n tatio n th at als o e xp lain s th e atavis tic, "alie n " an d in d ige n o u s vio le n ce be h in d th e Brazilian Cin e m a N o v o m o ve m e n t an d s u ch film s as An t o n io -D a s -M o r t e s . Bu t w h at is th e p re s u m e d au d ie n ce ? Th e ve ry s o p h is ticatio n o f its s tru ctu re an d n arratio n -- fo r e xam p le , its re p e ate d u s e o f th e te rm "Balkan izatio n " o f Latin Am e rica -- p re clu d e s its u s e w ith th e m as s e s an d s tam p s it as a w o rk fo r in te lle ctu als , s tu d e n ts , an d th e alre ad y co n vin ce d . To o th e rs , its facts re s e m ble alle gatio n s , its re vo lu tio n ary p u rity d o gm atis m an d its tran s fo rm atio n o f im age s in to p o le m ic th ro u gh e d itin g, d e m ago gic d is to rtio n . SC ______________________________________________

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TH E H OU R OF TH E BLAST FU RN ACES ( LA H ORA D E LOS H ORN OS) ( Fe rn an d o So lan as , Arge n tin a, 19 6 7) ( F) A s u bve rs ive m as te rp ie ce o f Th ird W o rld rad ical cin e m a e n d s w ith an e xam p le o f m in im al art in th e s e rvice o f p o litics ; a clo s e -u p o f Ch e 's face in d e ath , h o ve rin g o ve r th e vie w e r, im m o bile , fo r fu lly 3 m in u te s . Th e im age is e te rn al. SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

AKTION J ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki, Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 1) On e o f th e m o s t s e n s atio n al Eas t Ge rm an "e xp o s e " film s o f fo rm e r N azi le ad e rs co n tin u in g in le ad in g p o s itio n s in p o s t-w ar W e s t Ge rm an y co n ce n trate d o n th e cas e o f D r. H an s Glo bke , Se cre tary o f State to th e th e n Ch an ce llo r Ad e n au e r. H e re , in a N azi n e w s -re e l s h o t u s e d in th e film , Glo bke ap p e ars in h is e arlie s t in carn atio n as o n e o f th e m ain arch ite cts o f Je w is h e xte rm in atio n in N azi-o ccu p ie d Eu ro p e .

EAST GERMAN Y: AGAIN ST TH E W EST

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H OLID AY ON SYLT ( U RLAU B AU F SYLT) ( An n e lie an d An d re w Th o rn d ike , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 59 ) Th is h ard -h ittin g in d ictm e n t is p o s s ibly th e m o s t s u cce s s fu l o f th e Th o rn d ike s e rie s , Th e Arch ive s Te s tify. D ilige n t re s e arch am o n g N azi film , law , an d lite rary arch ive s , re ve ale d th e th e n m ayo r o f a p o p u lar W e s t Ge rm an re s o rt to w n o n th e is lan d o f Sylt to h ave be e n a le ad in g SS ge n e ral, p e rp e trato r o f w ar crim e s ( vis u al- ly d o cu m e n te d ) , an d th e m an w h o bro ke th e re s is tan ce m o ve m e n t in W ars aw . A p o u n d in g, factu al, an d au th o ritative s o u n d track -- p o in tin g to d o cu m e n ts , file s , le tte rs , p h o to grap h s , an d n e w s re e ls -- is cro s s cu t w ith p ictu re s o f co rp s e s , e xe cu tio n s , an d in te rvie w s w ith s u rvivo rs . Acco rd in g to Jay Le yd a's bo o k, Film s Be g a t Film s , tw o W e s t Ge rm an cam e ram e n w e re s e n te n ce d to jail fo r h avin g tricke d th e Mayo r in to allo w in g an in te rvie w fo r w h at th e y kn e w to be ( bu t h e d id n o t) th is film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

O.K. ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki, Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 4 ) Take n fro m a fam ily albu m , th is d o cu m e n tary s h o t s h o w s a fo rm e r Eas t Ge rm an girl, n o w a barm aid in W e s t Ge rm an y, be in g fu rth e r co rru p te d by an Am e rican s o ld ie r. Th e u s e o f s e x fo r p ro p agan d is tic attacks

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titillate s Eas t Ge rm an s o th e rw is e care fu lly in s u late d fro m e ro ticis m an d re ve als th e p u ritan is m o f th e re gim e . ______________________________________________ Th is fas cin atin g an d u n iqu e film is u n fo rtu n ate ly alm o s t e n tire ly u n kn o w n in th e W e s t. Th e girl, D o ris S., le ave s Eas t Ge rm an y in 19 6 1 to jo in h e r fath e r in W e s t Ge rm an y. Th re e ye ars late r, s h e re tu rn s an d te lls th e cam e ra w h y s h e re tu rn e d . Th e re as o n is s im p le : W e s t Ge rm an y is a co u n try o f m o ral an d s e xu al co rru p tio n , fu ll o f bars , Am e rican s o ld ie rs , Am e rican cars , alco h o l, an d p ro s titu tio n . D o ris S. s u ccu m be d to bo th co m m e rcial s e x an d d rin kin g, bu t fin ally d e cid e d to re tu rn to cle an livin g in Eas t Ge rm an y. Cle arly d e s ign e d to d is co u rage actu al o r p o te n tial e m igratio n fro m Eas t in to W e s t Ge rm an y, th e film n e ve rth e le s s o p e rate s o n a s e co n d , u n in te n d e d le ve l as w e ll. Fo r in th is le n gth y in te rvie w , D o ris re ve als n o n -ve rbal an d u n m is takable s ign s o f fe ar an d co e rcio n , re in fo rce d by th e s te n ato rian , Pru s s ian s tyle o f th e in te rvie w e r ( rath e r, cro s s -e xam in e r) . H e s itatio n o n h e r p art is m e t w ith a s h arp "Ou t w ith it!", an d o n e s u d d e n ly re alize s th at th e girl's fre e d o m is at s take , an d th at s h e w as in fact s u btly co e rce d in to m akin g th is film . ( "W e h ave h ad acce s s to yo u r d iary ... te ll u s abo u t it ....") W o rs e s till, th e re is co n tin u e d e m p h as is o n s e xu al m atte rs , w ith clo s e u p s o f th is p re tty, fe arfu l girl; h e r re latio n s w ith Am e rican s o ld ie rs are e m p h as ize d an d , in a s e n s atio n al abbe ratio n fro m "Co m m u n is t" id e o lo gy, th e o ld Ge rm an -N azi bo ge ym an o f "Ras s e n s ch an d e " is tro tte d o u t in re fe re n ce to h e r h avin g s le p t w ith Black s o ld ie rs . Th e re s u lt is s e xu al titillatio n fo r th e Eas t Ge rm an p e tty-bo u rge o is au d ie n ce , o th e rw is e care fu lly p ro te cte d fro m e ro ticis m . Th e s tre n u o u s , le ch e ro u s , tran s p are n t atte m p ts o f th e in vis ible in te rvie w e r s u cce s s fu lly to e licit s e xu al titillatin g ( "Of co u rs e , yo u h ad to s h o w yo u r Am e rican clie n ts yo u r p e rs o n al ch arm s ?") an d p o litically d am n in g in fo rm atio n fro m th e co o lly co n tro lle d , ye t o bvio u s ly te n s e girl are frigh te n in g, as n e rvo u s ge s tu re s o f th e victim qu ite cle arly re ve al h e r s im p ly as h avin g e xch an ge d h e r p re s u m able s e xu al bo n d age to th e Am e rican s w ith an o th e r, p o s s ibly m o re d an ge ro u s d e p e n d e n ce . At th e e n d , th e in vis ible m an tru ly be co m e s a p o rn o grap h ic Big Bro th e r as , s atis fie d w ith h e r p e rfo rm an ce o n cam e ra, h e m agn an im o u s ly lad le s o u t a ( s m all) d rin k to th is o bvio u s ly alco h o lic girl -- to d rin k o n cam e ra. Th e im p licit o bs ce n ity o f th is u n fair in te rvie w is s tagge rin g. Th o u gh th e s o cial p ro ble m rais e d is re al e n o u gh -th e p re s e n ce o f large n u m be rs o f w o m e n -le s s an d w e ll-p aid ( by Ge rm an s tan d ard s ) Am e rican s o ld ie rs -- th e re h as rare ly be e n as e ffe ctive an u n in te n tio n al s e lf-in d ictm e n t as th is film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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PILOTS IN PAJAMAS ( PILOTEN IM PYJAMA) ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki an d Ge rh ard Sch e u m an n , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th is Eas t Ge rm an d o cu m e n tary abo u t Am e rican POW 's in N o rth Vie tn am , als o s h o w e d Am e rican w e ap o n s u s e d th e re . Rare ly d is cu s s e d in th e W e s t, th e ir in h u m an ity is s tagge rin g. Th is bo m b o p e n s to e xp lo d e s ix h u n d re d in d ivid u al bo m bs s o le ly d e s ign e d fo r u s e again s t h u m an be in gs . ______________________________________________ Th is film , actu ally s e ve ral fe atu re film s co m bin e d in to o n e , co n s is ts e n tire ly o f in te rvie w s w ith Am e rican POW s in N o rth Vie tn am . Th e Am e rican s talk at gre at le n gth abo u t th e ir live s , valu e s , an d Vie tn am e xp e rie n ce s , in co n s is te n tly fas cin atin g e xch an ge s w ith th e in vis ible in te rvie w e rs . In th e p ro ce s s , m o re is re ve ale d th an in te n d e d , o n bo th s id e s . Th e Am e rican ce re m o n ie s s h o u ld be p u blis h e d in th e W e s t fo r th e ligh t th e y th ro w o n th e n e w im p e rs o n al, "re m o te -co n tro l" kille rs o f o u r d ay; "h o n o rable m e n ", all o f th e m . Bu t th e Eas t Ge rm an re ve latio n is e qu ally fas cin atin g; fo r th e o bs ce n e bu t qu ite s e rio u s p re m is e o f th is film , in th e ir e ye s , is th at th e s e w e re fre e ly co n d u cte d in te rvie w s am o n g e qu als . Th e film m ake rs d o n o t s e e m to re alize th at s o m e o f th e p ris o n e rs s w e at p ro fu s e ly w h ile talkin g, th at all m ake p ro -Vie tco n g s tate m e n ts , an d th at th e re is fe ar in th e back o f th e ir e ye s ; H e yn o w s ki, at a p re s s co n fe re n ce , e xp re s s e d s u rp ris e th at th e p ilo ts ad d re s s e d h im

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w ith "Ye s , Sir" -- "I d o n 't kn o w w h y th e y d id th at ... " Th e y d id it be cau s e , give n th e circu m s tan ce s o f its p ro d u ctio n , s u ch a film , far fro m be in g "cin e m a ve rite ", is a p articu larly p e rn icio u s ( s in ce u n ackn o w le d ge d ) kin d o f co u rtro o m in te rro gatio n w ith o u t th e u s u al s afe gu ard s an d w ith th e p ris o n e r alre ad y u n d e r lo ck an d ke y, im agin in g th at go o d be h avio r be fo re th e cam e ra m ay in s o m e w ay im p ro ve h is co n d itio n .

PILOTS IN PAJAMAS ( PILOTEN IM PYJAMA) ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki an d Ge rh ard Sch e u m an n , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 8 ) ( F) A cap tu re d Am e rican p ilo t be in g in te rvie w e d in a N o rth Vie tn am e s e p ris o n fo r an Eas t Ge rm an d o cu m e n tary. Th e in te rvie w , th e p lace , th e m an , an d w h at h e s ays , are all "re al"; bu t h e is u n d e r d u re s s an d re ality is fu rth e r m an ip u late d by ligh tin g, p o s itio n in g, an d o m in o u s s h ad o w s . ______________________________________________

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PILOTS IN PAJAMAS ( PILOTEN IM PYJAMA) ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki an d Ge rh ard Sch e u m an n , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Te ch n o lo gical m an in tro u ble ; h e e ve n lacks s h o e s , as again s t "p rim itive " cap to r. An u n s tage d n e w s re e l im age s yie ld s m o re tru th th an care fu l fictio n al re cre atio n , fe lt in th e d is tan ce be tw e e n th e m , th e d iffe re n ce s in h e ad p o s itio n in g, bo d y s ize , an d attire . Be h in d th e m : be n ch an d s h ru bbe ry ( w e ll-ke p t d e s p ite w ar) an d th e rich ve ge tatio n s o cru e lly d e vas tate d by th e p ris o n e r's co m p atrio ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SU PERIOR TOYS - MAD E IN TH E U SA ( FEIN E SPIELW AREN - MAD E IN U SA) ( Gu e n te r Rae tz, Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th is film is a s las h in g, fro n tal attack, s killfu lly e d ite d , o n Am e rican w ar to ys ( "s o ld in W e s t Ge rm an y") s h o w in g N azi s o ld ie rs an d tan ks , an d Fo kke r, vo n Rich to fe n , an d Stu ka p lan e s . ( "H ave th e Am e rican s fo rgo tte n th at th e s e p lan e s bo m be d En glan d ?") Fo r go o d m e as u re , th e film e n d s w ith m o n s te r to ys , to rtu re ch am be rs , th e Blo o d y Mu m m y, an d an o p e ratin g gu illo tin e ( "w e ap o lo gize fo r s h o w in g th is in an Eas t Ge rm an film ") . Th e co n clu s io n is th at e ve n to ys h ave be e n p u t at th e s e rvice o f aggre s s ive Am e rican im p e rialis m , w h ich aim s at ach ie vin g H itle r's u n attain able go al: th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e s o cialis t blo c.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LAU GH IN G MAN ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki an d Ge rh ard Sch e u m an n , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 7) Po s in g as a W e s t Ge rm an TV p ro d u ctio n cre w , th e tw o Eas t Ge rm an d ire cto rs o f th is film p e rs u ad e d a fo rm e r le ad in g Ge rm an m e rce n ary o f th e Co n go civil w ar ( o n e o f m an y!) to d is cu s s h is activitie s an d h e ro ic ach ie ve m e n ts in w h at is s u re ly o n e o f th e m o s t s e n s atio n al e xp o s e s o f its kin d . Co n tin u ally s m ilin g o r lau gh in g, th is m an , a s e lf-ackn o w le d ge d N azi, p ro u d ly re ve als th at h e w e n t to th e Co n go to s ave W e s te rn civilizatio n fro m Bo ls h e vis m -- to co m p le te th e w o rk o f th e N azis . D re s s e d in h is m ilitary ju n gle u n ifo rm ( w ith h is Se co n d W o rld W ar d e co ratio n s ) h e w axe s e lo qu e n t abo u t th e "co lo rs " o f So u th Africa, "e xp lain s " ap arth e id , an d fre e ly d is cu s s e s h is "ad ve n tu re s ". Sh o ts o f co rp s e s , to rtu re s , an d e xe cu tio n s o f Blacks are in te rcu t. It is n o t o fte n th at o n e can s e e an d h e ar a re al, "live " N azi in actio n , talkin g ( m o re o r le s s ) fre e ly be cau s e h e p re s u m e d h im s e lf to be am o n g frie n d s in s te ad o f w ith tw o o f th e m o s t cle ve r p o litical p ro p agan d is ts o f o u r tim e , w o rkin g fo r th e o th e r s id e . ______________________________________________

TH E LAU GH IN G MAN ( W alte r H e yn o w s ki an d Ge rh ard Sch e u m an n , Eas t Ge rm an y, 19 6 7) Th is jo vial m an w h o n e ve r s to p s s m ilin g is a re al, "live " fo rm e r N azi in actio n , talkin g fre e ly abo u t h is "ad ve n tu re s " as Ge rm an m e rce n ary d u rin g th e Co n go civil w ar ( to rtu re s , e xe cu tio n s , killin gs ) be cau s e h e -- m is take n ly -- be lie ve s h im s e lf to be talkin g to frie n d s . Bu t th e in te rvie w e rs p arad in g as a W e s t Ge rm an TV cre w are re ally th e Eas t's m o s t cle ve r p o litical film m ake rs .

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TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TRIU MPH OF TH E W ILL ( TRIU MPH D ES W ILLEN S) ( Le n i Rie fe n s tah l, Ge rm an y, 19 3 6 ) ( F) U n qu e s tio n ably th e m o s t im p re s s ive s in gle im age o f th e N azi p e rio d , a p e rfe ct re p re s e n tatio n o f its Fu h re r-Mas s id e o lo gy. Th e lo n e ly gran d e u r o f H itle r, H im m le r, an d SA le ad e r Lu tze trave rs in g th e e n tire le n gth o f th e s tad iu m is vis u ally o rch e s trate d in to a s e qu e n ce o f aw e s o m e p o w e r. SC

TH E TERRIBLE POETRY OF N AZI CIN EMA Whether history -- the know ledge and remembrance of things past -can be transmitted to new generations as a cautionary tale or guide

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to action, is a moot question. There is terrifying evidence -- books, schools, and philosophers to the contrary -- that life begins at birth and w ith oneself, and that w hat preceded it is both incomprehensible and invisible. Perhaps it is therefore only those w ho lived through the Hitler era w ho know its reality; to new generations, it is a quaint and not entirely terrifying tale of the mythical past, difficult to believe and, in any case, "completed" in that its outcome is know n. Hiroshima, the Congo, Vietnam, and Chile are already moving into the same void to become the stuff of history books. Yet, in every generation, an attempt is made, against heavy odds, to carry past experiences forw ard into the future for others to ponder or avoid. I n the case of Hitler's regime, particularly excellent study material exists in the form of Nazi films. Though the movement and its leaders, their cities and diabolic diversions are gone forever, the Nazis do continue to exist on film, their initial frightfulness encapsulated and rendered acceptable for study. The Nazi regime arose from real and recognizable causes: defeat, depression, huge unemployment, unprecedented inflation, decadence of society, moral and personal corruption, irreconcilable class w arfare, national stagnation, and aborted revolution. The Nazis contrasted w ith this the dream of a Third Reich, cleansed of dissidents and corruption, united, strong, pure in its racial strength; from the ashes, a rebirth of the nation. The dream found its catalyst in the master psychologist, Hitler, w hose Mein Kampf remains a unique psycho-political primer, a vicious, extraordinary compendium of mob manipulation. Only someone exceptionally gifted could have so fully understood the depths of our atavistic unconscious. Hitler's unending and sadistic love affair w ith the masses as explicitly outlined in Mein Kampf is predicated on a psycho-analytically fascinating construct of Fuhrer ( male element, superman, repository of national w isdom and w ill) seducing ( by means of propaganda) the masses below ( the female element) . Given historical evidence, an entirely tenable interpretation of one facet of Hitler's personality postulates that if a monomaniac cannot "make" it w ith a w oman, he attempts to make it w ith an entire nation; in this view , Mein Kampf also serves as a surrogate sex manual outlining seduction by proxy. That there w as sexual tension betw een mass and Fuhrer -- w ith pseudo-orgasms on both sides -- cannot be denied by anyone acquainted w ith Hitler's speeches and the audience's reaction. The masses, says Hitler in Mein Kampf, are simple, uneducated, inferior, and lazy. "Their receptivity is limited, their intelligence is small, but their pow er of forgetting is enormous." ( 1) Like the woman, whose psychic state is determined less by abstract reason than by an indefinable emotional longing for a force which will complement her nature,

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and who, consequently, would rather bow to a strong man than dominate a weakling, likewise the masses love a commander more than a petitioner ... (2) In their overwhelming majority they are so feminine by nature that sober reasoning determines their thoughts and actions far less than emotions and feelings. (3) To convince them, one needs propaganda; and this must be addressed to their level ( intellectuals w ill be repelled by it) . Propaganda does not "deal" w ith a question; it only touches on it. I t should be simple, easily accessible, ( 4) addressed to emotion, not intellect, and adjusted to "the most limited intelligence". The greater the mass, the low er its intellectual level w ill be. Propaganda is not scientific: "its task is not to make an objective study of the truth ( in so far as it favors the enemy) and then set it before the masses w ith academic fairness; its task is to serve our ow n right, alw ays and unflinchingly." ( 5) Propaganda, like advertising, is to confine itself to a few points, repeated again and again; "only after the simplest ideas are repeated thousands of times w ill the masses finally remember them." Propaganda must concentrate on one foe, one issue, and not be concerned w ith subtlety; "it belongs to the genius of a great leader to make even more adversaries far removed from one another seem to belong to a single category." ( 7) The "seduction" of the masses should preferably take place at night, ( 8) at mass meetings, ( 9) at w hich the Fuhrer is best able to exercise his pow ers over the supine, receptive mass below ; under these conditions suggestive intoxication and enthusiasm lead to its succumbing to mass suggestion. ( 10) There exists, how ever, another means of propaganda as pow erful as the mass meeting: the cinema. "Here a man needs to use his brains even less ... He w ill accept pictorial representation more readily than a new spaper article ... a picture brings enlightenment much more quickly -- I might also say, at one stroke." ( 11) The darkness of the cinema makes the mass succumb more easily to the dominating w ill of the Fuhrer, just as the darkness of night makes w omen succumb more easily. This, according to Hitler, also explains the utilization of mysterious tw ilight in Catholic churches -- the Roman Catholic Church being to him, after Bolshevism, the second most important agency of propaganda. ( 12) Hitler's crude anti-feminism ( "The German girl is a subject and only becomes a citizen w hen she marries." ( 13) , his contempt for the masses, and his realization of the subversive potential of cinema ( both he and Goebbels had been profoundly affected by Eisenstein's Potemkin) led him to the production of the most famous propaganda film ever made -- Triumph of the Will. I t is fascinating that the task of creating this w ork w as handed by Hitler to -- a w oman.

REFERENCES (1-13) Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf, 1943 edition

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TRIU MPH OF TH E W ILL ( TRIU MPH D ES W ILLEN S) ( Le n i Rie fe n s tah l, Ge rm an y, 19 3 6 ) ( F) In 19 3 4 , th e N azi le ad e rs h ip -- o n e ye ar o ld -- w as as ye t re lative ly u n kn o w n bo th at h o m e an d abro ad , to s p e e d th e p ro ce s s o f re co gn itio n , H itle r co n vo ke d a n atio n al p arty co n ve n tio n in th e fo rm o f a w e e k-lo n g m o n s te r rally in N u re m be rg. In ad d itio n to brin gin g o n e m illio n p arty m e m be rs to th e city, th e e ve n t w as to s e rve th e in te rn atio n al d is s e m in atio n o f th e n e w N azi m yth by m e an s o f a film s p e ctacle o f a s co p e n e ve r be fo re atte m p te d . H itle r calle d u p o n Le n i Rie fe n s tah l, w h o s e e arlie r m ys tic D a s Bla u e Lich t h e h ad gre atly ad m ire d . Rie fe n s tah l, u n qu e s tio n ably o n e o f th e gre ate s t o f w o m e n film d ire cto rs , w as give n an alm o s t u n lim ite d bu d ge t, 13 0 te ch n ician s , alm o s t 9 0 cam e ram e n ( o n ro lle rs kate s , lifts , brid ge s , to w e rs , an d h u ge p latfo rm s bu ilt s o le ly fo r th e o ccas io n ) , an d o n e m illio n e xtras , m o re th an ap p e are d in In t o le r a n ce o r Cle o p a t r a . H o w e ve r, th e m o s t s tartlin g as p e ct o f th e p ro je ct w as th e cre atio n o f an artificial u n ive rs e th at lo o ke d e n tire ly re al an d th e re s u ltin g p ro d u ctio n o f th e firs t an d m o s t im p o rtan t e xam p le e ve r o f an "au th e n tic d o cu m e n tary" o f a p s e u d o -e ve n t. It is a s tu p e n d o u s re ve latio n to re alize th at th is w h o le e n o rm o u s co n ve n tio n w as p rim arily s tage d fo r th e film .

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The preparations for the party congress w ere made in concert ( my emphasis - A.V.) w ith the preparations for the camera w ork -- that is, the event w as planned not only as a spectacular mass meeting -- but as a spectacular propaganda film ... the ceremonies, and precise plans of the parades, marches, processions -the architecture ( my emphasis - A.V.) of the halls and stadium w ere designed for the convenience of the cameras. I t does not matter w hether everything appears in proper chronological order in this film. I ts creative dynamism required me to instinctively shape it out of the real experience of Nuremberg in such a w ay that it catapults the spectator from scene to scene, from impression to impression in an ever more overpow ering manner ... I look for the inner dramatic structure of this recreation. I t comes into being as soon as the film materials, the speeches, the mass shots and close-ups, marches and music, pictures of Nuremberg night and morning, become symphonically heightened to such an extent that they finally do justice to the "spirit" of the Nuremberg event6 ... ( 1)

In a p o s t-w ar in te rvie w , Rie fe n s tah l s tate d : "I o w e th is film s e ve ral ye ars im p ris o n m e n t -- bu t w h e n yo u lo o k at it to d ay, yo u w ill s e e th at n o t a s in gle s ce n e is s tage d . Eve ryth in g is ge n u in e . An d th e re is n o te n d e n tio u s co m m e n tary fo r th e s im p le re as o n th at th e re is n o co m m e n tary at all. It is h is t o r y -- p u r e h is t o r y ." ( 2 ) ( m y e m p h as is - A.V.) Brave lie s ; fo r th e w h o le film -- h e re re fe rre d to by Rie fe n s tah l in an u n gu ard e d m o m e n t as a "re cre atio n ", actu ally take s p lace in artificial tim e an d s p ace ; it is "m an u factu re d " h is to ry. Be fo re o u r ve ry e ye s , s ays Kracau e r in w h at re m ain s th e m o s t p e rce p tive ( ye t in co m p le te ) an alys is o f th e film , life be co m e s an ap p aritio n ; re ality is abs o rbe d in to an artificial e ve n t. Aspects open here as confusing as the series of reflected images in a mirror-maze; from the real life of the people w as built up a faked reality, w hich, instead of being an end in itself, merely served as the set dressing for a film that w as then to assume the character of an authentic documentary. ( 3)

Th e s tar o f th e film is H itle r -- th e o n ly N azi film in w h ich h e s o ap p e ars . H e arrive s "fro m th e clo u d s " in a n o w rid icu lo u s ly d ate d airp lan e -- th e s avio r, co m in g fro m w h e re all th e go d s live , w h ile be lo w th e s u p in e m as s w aits fo r d e live ran ce . H e is kin d , o m n ip o te n t, firm , p o s s e s s e d , u biqu ito u s , a s ym bo l o f s tre n gth an d o f th e s o u l o f th e n atio n . H e is m ale -- like all N azi le ad e rs ( ju s t as rais e d -arm s alu te an d go o s e -s te p w e re e re ctio n s ym bo ls ) . To m ake h im in to a s u p e rm an , all h is failin gs -- i.e . w h at m ake s

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h im h u m an -- h ave be e n p ain te d o u t; bo th h e an d th e film are p e rfe ct an d th e re is n o t a s in gle fals e s te p an yw h e re . H e is fre qu e n tly p h o to grap h e d fro m be lo w , h igh o n a p e d e s tal again s t th e s ky, o r in s lo w , care s s in g p an s . Eve n w h e n h e is in a cro w d , h e is alo n e . In o n e o f th e gre ate s t s ce n e s o f th e film , an e n o rm o u s lo n g-s h o t takin g in th e e n tire e xp an s e o f th e s tad iu m , H itle r, H im m le r, an d SA le ad e r Lu tze are s h o w n w alkin g its le n gth alo n g a w id e ce n tral ais le le ft o p e n o n bo th s id e s by te n s o f th o u s an d s o f SA an d SS m e n , co m p le te ly fillin g th e s cre e n , to p lace a w re ath fo r th e Ge rm an Firs t W o rld W ar d e ad . Th e th re e s lo w ly trave rs e th e e n o rm o u s le n gth o f th e s tad iu m , again s t th e backgro u n d o f th e m u ltitu d e ; th e e ffe ct is o ve rp o w e rin g. H o w e ve r, H itle r is th e o n ly in d ivid u al le ft; th e o th e r Ge rm an s m e re ly ap p e ar as p art o f a h u ge co lle ctive . In d ivid u alis m an d bo u rge o is d e m o cracy are fin is h e d . In th is m o n s tro u s , p rim e val rite , th e m as s -- an o n ym o u s an d h yp n o tize d -- n e ve r acts ; it o n ly re acts to th e Fu h re r's in itiative s , d e live re d in au th o ritarian , h ys te rical, o bs e s s ive , an d d e afe n in g fas h io n . Eve ryth in g is d e s ign e d fo r s e d u ctio n : th e s e n s o ry o ve rlo ad o f h igh -p itch e d , p ro p agan d is tically in flam e d o rato ry, th e m as s e d ban d s an d ban n e rs , th e rh yth m o f go o s e -s te p an d d ru m s , th e s e n tim e n tality o f o ld Ge rm an s o n gs , an d th e s h o ts o f o ld N u re m be rg, lin kin g th e n e w re gim e to th e n atio n al p as t. Eve n lan gu age be co m e ritu alis tic, in can tato ry; as w h e n H e s s , e xto llin g H itle r, re fe rs to h im as "fle s h o f o u r fle s h / blo o d o f o u r blo o d / be fo re u s -- lie s Ge rm an y / be h in d u s -- th e re is Ge rm an y / th e p arty is -- H itle r / bu t H itle r is -- Ge rm an y / an d Ge rm an y is -- H itle r". All th e s e d e vice s trigge r s ym bo ls d e rive d fro m th e co lle ctive u n co n cio u s ; it is its co n s cio u s m an ip u latio n th at co n s titu te s p ro p agan d a. As H itle r s o cle arly e xp lain s , p ro p agan d a is a d e vice to in h ibit, n o t to e xte n d u n d e rs tan d in g. In fo rm atio n is d is to rte d an d w ith h e ld at th e m o m e n t th at atavis tic s ym bo ls are activate d , re s u ltin g in p s ych ic re gre s s io n to m o re p rim itive le ve ls . ( 4 ) Th e bas ic co m p o n e n ts o f m as s m an ip u latio n o u tlin e d by H itle r re m ain th e s am e fo r all p ro p agan d a re gard le s s o f s o u rce ( Am e rican righ t-w in g film s , Eas t Ge rm an attacks o n th e U SA, N ixo n 's TV s p e e ch e s , Cu ban p ro p agan d a film s ) . A re ce n t e xam p le is Th e H e lls t r o m Ch r o n icle , a frau d u le n t "d o cu m e n tary" am algam o f e xtrao rd in ary n atu re fo o tage , te n d e n tio u s e d itin g, an d p s e u d o -s cie n tific n arratio n th at p re d icts th e im p e n d in g d e s tru ctio n o f m an kin d by its "re al" e n e m y, in s e cts . Bu t d e s p ite th e ir care fu lly p re s cribe d p aram e te rs , p ro p agan d a film s , p re cis e ly be cau s e o f th e ir calcu late d n atu re , are , in fact, s u bve rs ive ; th e y co n tam in ate n o t m e re ly th e tru th , bu t all w h o co m e n e ar th e m ; w itn e s s th e o m in o u s , p e rve rs e attractio n o f Tr iu m p h o f t h e W ill e ve n to d ay. It's p o w e r als o d e rive s fro m th e s p e cificity o f th e im age , its p alap able co n cre te n e s s w h ich e rro n e o u s ly m ake s it ap p e ar as a gu aran to r o f tru th .

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( Pictu re s , N ixo n qu ite s e rio u s ly claim e d in o n e o f h is fligh ts o f p ro fu n d ity, d o n o t lie .) Th is is fu rth e r re in fo rce d in d o cu m e n tary cin e m a by th e acce p te d as s u m p tio n o f n o n -fictio n al re ality. Th e s u bve rs ive tyran n y o f im age s can o n ly be gin to be bro ke n w h e n th is as s u m p tio n is e xp o s e d as fals e h o o d . Re ality is u n o rd e re d ; film is o rd e re d . Th e im age s , in th e co n te xt o f a co n s tru cte d w o rk, is n e ve r n e u tral. It is ch o s e n an d its bo u n d arie s d e fin e d by th e film m ake r be fo re s h o o tin g, in a s u bje ctive p ro ce s s o f s e le ctio n , arran ge m e n t, o m is s io n , an d e m p h as is ; e ve n cam e ra an gle s an d m o ve m e n t, ch o ice o f film s p e e d an d filte rs , ligh tin g an d s o u n d in flu e n ce o u r re actio n . Th e im age 's p o s itio n an d d u ratio n in th e co m p le te d film are o n ce again s u bje ctive ly d e te rm in e d by th e film m ake r cre atin g h is o w n rh yth m s , m e tap h o rs , am algam s , an alo gie s , o r co n tras ts . Th e w h o le p ro ce s s , s u bje ctive fro m be gin n in g to e n d , be co m e s an id e al m e ch an is m fo r co n s cio u s m an ip u latio n o f au d ie n ce s by th e p ro p agan d is t. In th e las t an alys is , th e s h o ckin g in te lle ctu al e m p tin e s s o n e fe e ls w h e n e m e rgin g fro m Tr iu m p h o f t h e W ill's in d u ce d s tu p o r o n ly re in fo rce s its m yth o lo gical an d p ro p agan d is tic in te n m tio n ; it w as n o t m e an t to re p re s e n t a co n vo catio n o f e qu als , d e m o - cratically d is cu s s in g id e o lo gy an d tactics . It is p re cis e ly be cau s e o f its p ro fo u n d ap p e al to u n co n s cio u s e le m e n ts an d its m as te rfu l o rch e s tratio n o f film ic an d p s ych o lo gical co m p o n e n ts th at th e n igh tm aris h in can tatio n o f Tr iu m p h o f t h e W ill m u s t be clas s ifie d as a p ro fo u n d ly s u bve rs ive , p ro fo u n d ly d an ge ro u s m as te rp ie ce o f vis u al cin e m a. SC ______________________________________________

REFERENCES (1) Leni Riefenstahl, Hinter den Kulissen des Reichs-Parteitag-Films, 1935 (2) Interview with Leni Riefenstahl, Cahiers du Cinema, September 1965 (3) Siegfried Kracauer, in From Caligari to Hitler, 1947 (4) Kracauer ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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H ITLER YOU TH QU EX ( H ITLERJU N GE QU EX) ( H an s Ste in o ff, Ge rm an y, 19 3 3 ) ( F) Se lf-p o rtrayal o f th e N azi id o l; frigh te n in g, fain tly rid icu lo u s to talitarian ( m as cu lin ity e n h an ce d by u n ifo rm ) , carryin g a big s tick, an d n o t s p e akin g s o ftly. Th e re is an air o f ravin g, o f s trikin g te rro r in to th e h e arts o f o th e rs . Th e in d is tin ct figu re s ( ap p ro p riate ly in th e backgro u n d ) , are H itle r yo u th abo u t to be "m o u ld e d ". SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BAPTISM OF FIRE ( FEU ERTAU FE) ( H an s Be rtram , Ge rm an y, 19 4 0 ) ( F) Th o u gh e n tire ly bas e d o n "au th e n tic" n e w s re e l m ate rials , th is is a s p le n d id d is to rte d "re co rd " o f th e N azi Blitzkrie g again s t Po lan d , d e s ign e d to te rro rize ( p articu larly fo re ign ) vie w e rs in to acce p tin g th e N azis ' go d -like m ilitary s u p e rio rity. Kracau e r's p ro fo u n d an alys is s tre s s e s th e m agic, irratio n al co re o f th e film , its re lian ce o n grace fu l o ve r-s im p lificatio n s , cle ve r am algam s , a p s e u d o - n arratio n th at p ro fe s s e s to in fo rm , an d in s id io u s co m p aris o n s . Particu larly frigh te n in g are its te rrifyin g m ap s o f e n circle m e n t an d d e s tru ctio n fro m abo ve . Stre n gth an d d e cis ive n e s s are co n s tan tly s tre s s e d ; s u ffe rin g is , at m o s t, carto grap h ic, an d d e ath e n tire ly abs e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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H AN S W ESTMAR ( Fran z W e n zle r, Ge rm an y, 19 3 3 ) ( F) In 19 3 3 , a N azi film m ake r p ro d u ce d , fro m n e w s re e ls , a re co rd o f th e fu n e ral o f N azi m artyr H o rs t W e s s e l ( p re s u m ably kille d by Co m m u n is ts ) re ve alin g it as a m o d e s t affair, p o o rly atte n d e d . Th e s am e ye ar, a fictio n al tre atm e n t o f th is e ve n t m ad e it "h e ro ic", ad d in g rich ly o rn ate h e ars e , arm o re d carrie r, an d th o u s an d s o f rio tin g Co m m u n is ts in a co m p le te fabricatio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E JEW SU SS ( JU D SU SS) ( Ve it H arlan , Ge rm an y, 19 4 0 ) ( F) Th e gre at Ge rm an acto r W e rn e r Krau s s as th e e vil Rabbi Lo e w in o n e o f th e m o s t s in is te r an ti-s e m itic film s e ve r m ad e . So d e taile d an d p articu lar is Krau s s ' re cre atio n -e ve n m o u th an d e ye s atte m p t to im itate th e arch e typ ical Je w -- th at a s tran ge d ign ity s u d d e n ly be gin s to co m e th ro u gh . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E ETERN AL JEW ( D ER EW IGE JU D E) ( Fritz H ip p le r, Ge rm an y, 19 4 0 ) ( F) It is a tragic iro n y th at alm o s t th e o n ly re m ain in g vis u al re co rd s o f a n o w van is h e d civilizatio n -Eas t Eu ro p e an Je w ry -- s h o u ld re ach u s th ro u gh th e film s o f th o s e w h o d e s tro ye d it. H e re , "d o cu m e n tary" s h o ts are s u bve rte d by m o n tage an d n arratio n in to an ti-s e m itic p ro p agan d a. SC ______________________________________________ Th is is th e m o s t s u bve rs ive film e ve r m ad e again s t a p articu lar race o r n atio n ality gro u p ; th e re is n o o th e r like it in film h is to ry. It p u rp o rts to be a s tu d y o f "th e p ro ble m o f w o rld Je w ry" an d u tilize s d o cu m e n tary fo o tage to e xp o u n d its viru le n tly an ti-s e m itic p h ilo s o p h y. It is an o bje ct le s s o n in th e m an ip u latio n o f th e m ate rials o f re ality, in th e u s e o f m o n tage an d , p articu larly, o f n arratio n fo r p u rp o s e s o f p ro gagan d a p arad in g as o bje ctive tru th . Sh o w n w id e ly in N azi Ge rm an y, th e o ccu p ie d Lo w Co u n trie s , an d Fran ce , it h e lp e d ju s tify th e "fin al s o lu tio n " o f th e Je w is h p ro ble m by m e an s o f e xte rm in atio n . Eve n to d ay, its vis u al im p act is s till co n s id e re d s o th re ate n in g th at it is n e ve r s h o w n , an d e xis ts o n ly in a fe w arch ive s . A s cre e n in g at th e Am e rican film s o cie ty "Cin e m a 16 " in 19 58 -- th e o n ly o n e o f its kin d -- w as firs t s to p p e d by th e Am e rican cu s to m s an d o n ly to o k p lace afte r in te rve n tio n o n State D e p artm e n tal le ve l. "Th e civilize d Je w s w ith w h o m w e are acqu ain te d in Ge rm an y," s ays th e n arratio n , "o ffe r u s o n ly an in co m p le te p ictu re o f th e ir racial ch aracte ris tics . Th is film s h o w s o rigin al p ictu re s fro m th e Po lis h gh e tto s ; it s h o w s th e Je w s as th e y re ally are , be fo re th e y h id e th e m s e lve s u n d e r th e m as k o f th e civilize d Eu ro p e an ." It is in d e e d iro n ical th at th e m o s t co m p le te an d o n ly film ic co ve rage o f Eas te rn gh e tto life ( n o w van is h e d ) s h o u ld be p re s e rve d fo r p o s te rity by m e an s o f th e m o s t an ti-Je w is h film e ve r m ad e . Fo r h e re w e s e e h o rrible

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s ce n e s o f p o ve rty, d e grad atio n , an d h e art-re n d in g face s o f p e o p le w h o w e re to d ie w ith in th e ye ar; m an y frigh te n e d , bu t atte m p tin g to h id e th e ir fe ar as th is w o u ld be a m ark again s t th e m , o r s m ilin g, e ve n actin g ( to p le as e th e N azi film m ake rs ) . "Th e h o m e life o f th e Je w s s h o w s h is in ability to be co m e civilize d . Je w is h h o m e s are d irty an d in co m p le te d is o rd e r." Th e n arrative go e s o n to e xp lain h o w th e Je w d o e s n o t like to w o rk; h e p re fe rs to m ake s h ad y d e als an d ch e at th e Aryan s as o rd e re d by Mo s e s . H is o rigin is in th e Orie n t an d a "s u rp ris in g p aralle l to th e Je w is h m igratio n s o f an e qu ally re s tle s s an im al -- th e rats ." H e re s h o ts o f vas t h o rd e s o f rats s cu rryin g abo u t are cro s s -cu t w ith m as s s h o ts o f Je w s . "Th e rats acco m p an y m an as a p aras ite fro m h is ve ry be gin n in g; w h e re ve r rats ap p e ar, th e y carry d e ath , s p re ad le p ro s y, p lagu e , typ h u s , ch o le ra. Th e y are cu n n in g, co w ard ly an d cru e l an d alw ays ap p e ar in large n u m be rs . Th e y re p re s e n t, am o n g an im als , th e s am e e le m e n t o f tre ach e ry an d d e s tru ctio n as th e Je w s d o am o n g h u m an s ." Th e film th e n p ro ce e d s -- alw ays illu s trate d by w e ll ch o s e n vis u als an d n am in g n am e s -- to s h o w th at Je w s are vario u s ly gan gs te rs , Bo ls h e viks , d e ge n e rate d artis ts , in te rn atio n al ban ke rs , w h ite s lave rs , co n -m e n an d le ch e rs . Exce rp ts fro m m o tio n p ictu re s in vo lvin g Je w s are u s e d an d o fte n n o t id e n tifie d as s u ch , tran s fo rm in g fictio n al in cid e n ts in to ge n e ralize d ch aracte rizatio n s o f a race . Ein s te in is re fe rre d to as "th e Re lativity- Je w Ein s te in ", an d N e w Yo rk an d Am e rica are s h o w n to be d o m in ate d by Je w is h ban ke rs , as are th e le ft-w in g p artie s o f W e s te rn Eu ro p e . "Th e co n ce p t o f be au ty is alie n to th e m "; th e y p re fe r cu bis m , e xp re s s io n is m , an d jazz. "H e re w e s e e an e n tire gro u p o f Po lis h Je w s , p re vio u s ly d re s s e d in th e ir kaftan s , an d n o w in W e s t Eu ro p e an clo th in g, cle an ly s h ave n , re ad y to in filtrate W e s te rn Eu ro p e ." Yid d is h ( "alie n ") w o rd s are ju xtap o s e d w ith W e s te rn m u s ic. Ritu al s lau gh te r is d e p icte d in d e tail to re ve al its "in h u m an barbaris m ". Th is u n p re ce d e n te d o p p o rtu n ity to s tu d y actu al N azi p ro p agan d a at firs t h an d p ro vid e s an o bje ct le s s o n o f o ve rrid in g s ign ifican ce ; all vis u al m ate rial is in h e re n tly n e u tral an d can be m ad e to s e rve an y p u rp o s e by cle ve r m o n tage an d s o u n d track m an ip u latio n . It w o u ld be p o s s ible to take large s e ctio n s o f th is film an d p ro vid e th e m w ith a s ym p ath e tic co m m e n tary, s tre s s in g th e Je w s ' p ligh t in Eas te rn Eu ro p e an d th e ir cu ltu ral ach ie ve m e n ts e ls e w h e re . ( Su ch an e xp e rim e n t e xis ts in th e cas e o f th e Am e rican d o cu m e n tary Op e r a t io n Ab o lit io n , w h ich acco m p an ie d s h o ts o f le ft-w in g d e m o n s tratio n s again s t th e H o u s e Co m m itte e o n U n -Am e rican Activitie s w ith s tro n gly an ti-Co m m u n is t n arratio n ; a s h o rt tim e late r, th e Am e rican Civil Libe rtie s U n io n p ro d u ce d a re p ly, Op e r a t io n Co r r e ct io n , w h ich co n s is te d o f th e s am e fo o tage , in th e s am e o rd e r, bu t acco m p an ie d by a d iam e trically o p p o s e d n arratio n p ro vid in g facts an d co rre ctio n s n o t co n tain e d in th e e arlie r w o rk.) Kracau e r is righ t in co n s id e rin g th e p re d o m in an ce o f lan gu age in Th e Et e r n a l Je w a w e akn e s s , m akin g it in fe rio r to Tr iu m p h o f t h e W ill; ye t th e s e m blan ce o f o bje ctivity it o ffe re d in its d e n s e vis u al an d au ral d o cu m e n tatio n an d its in te n tio n al s e n s o ry o ve rlo ad o f rap id -fire accu s atio n s an d alle gatio n s h ave m ad e th is in to o n e o f th e m o s t d an ge ro u s film s e ve r p ro d u ce d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TRIU MPH OF TH E W ILL ( TRIU MPH D ES W ILLEN S) ( Le n i Rie fe n s tah l, Ge rm an y, 19 3 6 ) ( F) Cam e ra p o s itio n in g e xp re s s e s N azi id e o lo gy; th e d e ath o f in d ivid u alis m , th e co m p u ls io n to co n fo rm an d o be y, th e p e rfe ctio n o f th e face le s s , m an ip u late d m as s . As if th e th o u s an d s o f gym n as ts w e re n o t e n o u gh , th e re is th e im p o s in g s tad iu m an d its m u ltitu d e s in th e back. SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E RU LES OF TH E GAME ( Je an Re n o ir, Fran ce , 19 3 8 ) ( F) A s ke le to n d an ce -- p e rfo rm e d d u rin g a fe s tive w e e ke n d at a Fre n ch ch ate au -- be co m e s th e m acabre s ym bo l o f Re n o ir's s u blim e an d s e cre t co m m e n tary o n a bo u rge o is ie o n th e brin k o f co llap s e . Th e "ru le s o f th e gam e " are in d e ad ly s o cial co d e : th e u s e o f m as ks in s o cial an d p e rs o n al re latio n s h ip s . Ban n e d by th e Vich y go ve rn m e n t, p an n e d by Am e rican critics -- an d o n e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t film s e ve r m ad e .

SECRETS AN D REVELATION S

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D R. STRAN GELOVE, OR H OW I LEARN ED TO STOP W ORRYIN G AN D LOVE TH E BOMB ( Stan le y Ku brick, Gre at Britain , 19 6 4 ) Th e s p atial arran ge m e n ts , be cau s e p e rfe ctly circu lar, s e e m p e rfe ctly o rd e rly, u ltra-e fficie n t, an d u n d e r co n tro l; th e actio n s o f th e m e n in h abitin g th e m , h o w e ve r, are th o s e o f bu ffo o n s w h o s e tragic failu re s an d co rru p tio n s le ad to m an kin d 's d e s tru ctio n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ACU PU N CTU RAL AN AESTH ESIA ( Pe kin g Te le vis io n , Pe o p le 's Re p u blic o f Ch in a, 19 71?) Th is s e n s atio n al d o cu m e n tary vis u ally s u bve rts m o s t fu n d am e n tally bo th W e s te rn m e d icin e an d W e s te rn m e tap h ys ical s ys te m s . In o n e s h o ckin g s e qu e n ce afte r an o th e r, it p o rtrays th e cu ttin g o p e n o f bo d ie s an d re m o val o f lu n gs , gall blad d e rs , an d s to m ach s o n cam e ra, w ith p atie n ts o bs e rve d , in th e s am e s h o t, as fu lly co n s cio u s . A fe w m in u te s late r, th e p atie n ts s it u p , are s h o w n th e re m o ve d o rgan in a p an , s m ile , talk, e at, an d ap p lau d th e d o cto rs w h o ap p lau d th e m in tu rn . Sin ce th is actio n is in lo n g-s h o t, w ith o u t in te rru p tio n , it is au th e n tic, h e n ce o ve rw h e lm in g. Mo re s ign ifican tly, it re ve als an e n tire ly n o n -m e tap h ys ical attitu d e to w ard bo d y an d o rgan s ; an d a to le ran ce by Ch in e s e te le vis io n au d ie n ce s o f vis u al tabo o s fo r w h ich w e are alto ge th e r u n p re p are d . 5/19/2007 12:27 PM

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Fo r u s , o p e ratio n s s till in vo lve th e vio latio n o f w h at are s u bco n s cio u s ly co n s id e re d in vio lable bo d y s u rface s an d th e s p illin g o f "re al" blo o d ; an d m an y re m ain affe cte d by an atavis tic d re ad w h e n co n fro n te d by s u ch s igh ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

AI ( LOVE) ( Yo ji Ku ri, Jap an , 19 6 4 ) A co rro s ive co m m e n t o n ro m an tic lo ve by th e brillian t Jap an e s e an im ato r; a be d raggle d m ale is ch as e d e n d le s s ly in alie n ate d lan d s cap e s by a vo racio u s fe m ale co n tin u ally re p e atin g th e w o rd "Ai" ( "lo ve ", in Jap an e s e ) . H e r atte m p ts at d o m e s ticatin g h im w ith a ch ain fail; bu t th e ch as e co n tin u e s , fo re ve r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BEAU TY KN OW S N O PAIN ( Ellio t Erw itt, U SA, 19 71) On o n e le ve l, th is am azin g an d s e cre t film is a firs t-rate d o cu m e n tary o f th e rigo ro u s train in g an d in d o ctrin atio n o f s o m e attractive Te xas co -e d s fo r th e Kilgo re Ran ge re tte Te am , a n atio n ally fam o u s co rp s o f m arch in g m ajo re tte s p e rfo rm in g o n te le vis io n an d at s p o rts e ve n ts . On an o th e r le ve l, h o w e ve r -- in its p o rtrayal o f fals e valu e s in s tille d an d th e o ve r-all in s ip id n e s s o f an e n te rp ris e u n d e rtake n w ith u tm o s t s e rio u s n e s s by its p e rp e trato rs -- it m u s t be re ad as a co rro s ive critiqu e o f bo u rge o is Am e rica. Th e re is n o ve rbal e d ito rializin g; th e "m e s s age " re s id e s in th e vis u als ( an d m o n tage !) an d w ill be d e co d e d by th e vie w e r in acco rd w ith h is o w n valu e s ys te m . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BOY ( SH ON EN ) ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 6 9 ) ( F) Bre ch tian d e vice s an d th e m o d e rn avan t-gard e m e rge in an icy, te rrifyin g co n -gam e bas e d o n a tru e in cid e n t in w h ich a bo y is fo rce d by h is p are n ts to th ro w h im s e lf in th e p ath o f au to m o bile s s o th e y can blackm ail th e d rive r. Cars an d m ate rialis m are vie w e d as p art o f a m u ch d e p lo re d Am e rican izatio n o f Jap an . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E CASTIN G ( Jam e s Pas te rn ak, U SA, 19 71) Bas e d o n u n re h e ars e d vid e o tap e in te rvie w s o f u n e m p lo ye d acto rs an s w e rin g a cas tin g call to ap p e ar in a film in vo lvin g n u d ity an d s e x, th is is an e xam p le o f th e cam e ra -- vis ible to th e p ro tago n is ts -- takin g co n tro l, co n fu s in g n atu ral re actio n s an d p e rfo rm an ce s in a Kafkae s qu e m o ras s o f h o s tility, n e e d , e xp lo itatio n , h u m an vu ln e rability, an d co rru p tio n . Th e "film " w as n e ve r m ad e : th e vid e o tap e s , n o w o n film , re m ain as a h u m an re co rd o f h o w d iffe re n t p e o p le re act to s tre s s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CRIMIN AL LIFE OF ARCH IBALD O D E LA CRU Z ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Me xico , 19 55) W ith Bu n u e l, actio n an d d e co r alw ays s e e m re alis tic, bu t s o m e m e tap h ys ical s h o ck e le m e n t fo re ve r bre aks th ro u gh th e s m o o th s u rface ; h e re , n o t o n ly th e s e ve re d lim b ( d is tu rbin g e ve n th o u gh o n ly a m an n e qu in 's ) bu t th e e xp licit like n e s s o f m an n e qu in an d w o m an . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CLAIRE'S KN EE ( LE GEN OU D E CLAIRE) ( Eric Ro h m e r, Fran ce , 19 70 ) ( F) Th is film , like th e re s t o f Ro h m e r's w o rk, is in s id io u s firs t be cau s e it in s is ts o n a le ve l o f civilize d d ialo gu e an d in te lle ctu al s u btle ty p ractically u n kn o w n in th e

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cin e m a an d , m o re im p o rtan tly, be cau s e be n e ath its co n ve n tio n al, p re s u m e d "p lo t", s ign ifican tly m in im al, th e re e vo lve s a s e cre t, s e co n d re ality w h ich co n s titu te s a d e e p e r m e an in g o f th e w o rk. Th e film is n o t a m e re s to ry o f s u m m e r-lit am o ro u s e n tan gle m e n ts , bu t, as in Laclo s ' D a n g e r o u s Acq u a in t a n ce s , th e m an ip u latio n an d co rru p tio n o f in n o ce n ts , w h o are s till cap able o f fe e lin g, by s ate d , w o rld - w e ary cyn ics to yin g w ith th e ir e m o tio n s in th e gu is e o f be n e vo le n ce . Th e s u bve rs io n o f th e w o rk th u s re s id e s in its care fu ly co n s tru cte d am bigu ity, s o typ ical o f gre at lite ratu re an d life . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CU CKOO W ALTZ ( Ed w ard van Mo e rke rke n , H o llan d , 19 55) Go o s e -s te p p in g N azis , ch u rch d ign itarie s , p o m p o u s o fficials , an d p atrio tic gro u p s are m ad e to re trace th e ir s te p s co n s tan tly an d d an ce to th e film 's s n ap p y m u s ic by th e d o cto rin g o f n e w s re e l m ate rials in th e labo rato ry. Th e re s u lt is a d e ligh tfu l d e bu n kin g o f law , o rd e r an d co n fo rm is m . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D IN N ER TH REE MIN U TES ( Je an -Pau l Vro o m , N e th e rlan d s , 19 6 9 ) A fam ily e ats d in n e r, in re al tim e . N o th in g h ap p e n s ; s tre e t n o is e s an d irre le van t table talk. Su d d e n ly, th e fath e r o ve rtu rn s th e table , w ith e ve ryth in g o n it, an d m e th o d ically d e s tro ys te le vis io n s e t, p ian o , lam p , an d th e re s t o f th e ap artm e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E D OVE ( Ge o rge Co e , U SA, 19 71) W h ile gain fu lly p re o ccu p ie d in an o u th o u s e , Vikto r Su n d qvis t, N o be l Prize w in n e r, re m in is ce s abo u t h is lo s t yo u th , h is be au tifu l s is te r w h o m h e an d a girlfrie n d s im u ltan e o u s ly lo ve d to o p as s io n ate ly, th e ir atte m p t to o u tw it a s ligh tly Je w is h An ge l o f D e ath in a gam e o f bad m in to n , th e ir n u d e s w im in a s ylvan lake an d th e ir e n co u n te rs w ith a p e rs is te n tly d e fe catin g d o ve . Th e w h o le film is a be au tifu lly ach ie ve d s atire o f Sw e d is h film s in ge n e ral an d Be rgm an 's in p articu lar. Th e lan gu age is fake Sw e d is h -En glis h -cu m Yid d is h ( alm o s t e ve ry w o rd e n d s w ith "s k") an d is acco m p an ie d by fu ll En glis h s u btitle s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D REAMS TH AT MON EY CAN BU Y ( H an s Rich te r, U SA, 19 4 8 ) ( F) Th is am bitio u s w o rk o f th e Am e rican avan t-gard e co n s is ts o f s e ve ral "in n e r vis io n s ", bas e d o n id e as ( an d e n acte d ) by Max Ern s t, Man Ray, Marce l D u ch am p , Fe rn an d Le ge r, an d Ale xan d e r Cald e r. Th e ir in fatigable cre ato r is th e fam o u s D ad ais t p ain te r an d avan t-gard e film p io n e e r H an s Rich te r. Th e u n u s u al s co re s w e re by Pau l Bo w le s , D ariu s Milh au d , Jo h n Cage , an d Ed gar Vare s e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EIKKA KATAPPA ( W e rn e r Sch ro e te r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) Magd ale n a Mo n te zu m a "in te rp re ts " Part IV o f R ig o le t t o w ith s p e ctacu lar re s u lts in a s u bve rs ive blo w at o p e ra in w h ich acto rs m o u th th e ir lin e s in calcu late d clu m s in e s s w h ile w o rld -re n o w n e d vo calis ts s u ffe r th ro u gh th e clas s ic re p e rto ry. ______________________________________________ A w ild blo w at o p e ra is s tru ck by a Ge rm an d ire cto r. In th is cam p y film o f n in e p arts an d 56 s ce n e s , h e p ro p e ls an in te n tio n ally h ip p ie cas t th ro u gh m arve llo u s s p o o fs o f h e artre n d in g, m e lo d ram atic s ce n e s fro m fam e d o p e ras . Th e acto rs , in u n like ly lo cale s an d d re s s , m o u th th e ir lin e s w ith calcu late d clu m s in e s s w h ile can n e d vo calis ts o f w o rld re p u te d e claim Ve rd i, Pu ccin i, an d Be e th o ve n o n th e s o u n d track. Sch ro e te r's acco m p an yin g p ro gram n o te s , in En glis h , are typ ical: "Mario s in gs o n to p o f a m o u n tain o f h is co m fo rtle s s ago n y." "On ly Mo zart can e xp re s s th e p ain s o f th e n o w s o n -le s s fath e r."

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"Th in kin g o f h e r s in fu l, u n n atu ral life , th e fragile p o p s tar m u s t d ie o n a lo n e s o m e an d d irty ro ad , s igh in g h e lp le s s ly: Life is ve ry p re cio u s , e ve n n o w , w h ile h e r yo u n ge r bro th e r co m e s to clo s e h e r bro ke n e ye s fo re ve r." ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FACES ( Jo h n Cas s ave te s , U SA, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Pe o p le s trip p e d o f all d e fe n s e s ; an e xtrao rd in ary, lace ratin g e xam in atio n o f m id d le -age d s e xu ality, in w h ich clu m s in e s s , lu s t, an d failu re o f co m m u n icatio n are p o rtraye d as in e vitable co m p o n e n ts . Cas s ave te s is th e m as te r o f fictio n al "cin e m a ve rite " w h o s u bve rs ive ly re ve als u s to o u rs e lve s in o th e rs . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GESTAPOMAN SCH MID T ( POW SZED N I D ZIEN GESTAPOW SCA SCH MID TA) ( Je rzy Ziarn ik, Po lan d , 19 6 4 ) A s trikin g, u n p re ce d e n te d d o cu m e n t o f th e activitie s o f a Ge s tap o m an , as re co rd e d in h is p e rs o n al s n ap s h o t albu m , le ft d u rin g th e N azi re tre at fro m W ars aw . Of th e 3 8 0 p h o to grap h s o f e xe cu tio n s , to rtu re s , an d be atin gs , p o rtrayin g h im s e lf an d frie n d s , 12 9 h ave be e n ch o s e n . Th e n arratio n co n s is ts e n tire ly o f th e ap p allin gly factu al cap tio n s ( m e ticu lo u s ly id e n tifyin g e ach actio n an d n am e o f victim ) p ro vid e d by Sch m id t -- an u n kn o w n bu re au crat o f th e Th ird Re ich , n e ve r fo u n d o r id e n tifie d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H APPIN ESS ( LE BON H EU R) ( Agn e s Vard a, Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) ( F) A h ap p y fam ily, an e te rn al s u m m e r, s e xu al lo ve , fam ily p icn ics , all th e co lo rs an d s e n s u ality o f th e Im p re s s io n is ts ; an d th e n th e w ife co m m its s u icid e , a m is tre s s take s h e r p lace , an d an o th e r s u m m e r o f h ap p in e s s co m m e n ce s . A s e cre t, s u bve rs ive w o rk o f gre at o rigin ality. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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QU EEN KELLY ( Erich Vo n Stro h e im , U SA, 19 2 8 ) ( F) On ly d e cad e n t Vo n Stro h e im co u ld h ave d re am e d u p a lo ve affair to be gin w ith a co n ve n t girl ( Glo ria Sw an s o n ) d ro p p in g h e r p an tie s as s h e cu rts ie s to th e p rin ce ( w h o ke e p s th e m as a s o u ve n ir) -- a s ce n e fro m ye t an o th e r u n fin is h e d Vo n Stro h e im m as te rp ie ce . En m e s h e d in w h at h e als o h ate d , th is d ire cto r s u bve rts h is clas s an d , p e rh ap s u n w ittin gly, re ve als th e co n n e ctio n s be tw e e n libe rtin e an d p u ritan . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H OW I BECAME A N EGRO ( W IE ICH EIN SCH W ARZER W U RD E) ( Ro lan d Gall, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is clan d e s tin e film by a n e w Ge rm an d ire cto r s u btly u n co ve rs co m p licity, vacillatio n , im p o te n ce , an d n atio n al ch aracte r u n d e r th e s tre s s o f th e N azi re gim e , d arin gly n e ve r s h o w n o r o p e n ly ch aracte rize d as re p re s s ive ; n o t a s in gle s w as tika ap p e ars an d H itle r's acce s s io n to p o w e r is o n ly "h e ard " in m ilitary m u s ic an d in d is tin ct o rato ry th ro u gh an o p e n w in d o w . D e s p ite th is in te n tio n al re tice n ce -an accu rate p o rtrayal o f h o w th e ave rage Ge rm an m ay h ave e xp e rie n ce d th is p e rio d -- th e film is d re n ch e d in th e s p irit o f to talitarian is m an d re ve als its co rro d in g p o w e r by d e gre e s .

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Bas e d o n a s ce n ario by Ge rm an re fu ge e au th o r Oe d o n vo n H o rvath , it te lls o f a yo u n g p ro fe s s o r u n d e r H itle r w h o is attacke d by p are n ts an d s tu d e n ts fo r h is libe ral vie w s . In a p ara-m ilitary s ch o o l cam p , th e clas s be co m e s in vo lve d in th e d e ath o f o n e o f its m e m be rs ; th e te ach e r is u n able to p re ve n t th e im p licaio n o f an in n o ce n t girl "d ro p -o u t" in th e crim e . H e le ave s fo r Africa to s tart a n e w life in a m is s io n s ch o o l; n o w h im s e lf an o u tcas t -- a "N e gro " -- h e jo in s h is fe llo w N e gro e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

I LOVE YOU , I KILL YOU ( ICH LIEBE D ICH , ICH TOTE D ICH ) ( U w e Bran d n e r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) A s tran ge an d laco n ic film s e t in a s m all Ge rm an to w n in th e n e ar fu tu re . Th is alm o s t u to p ian s o cie ty, in w h ich p e o p le are fo re ve r co n te n t, w e ll- balan ce d , an d kin d to e ach o th e r, is s lo w ly re ve ale d to be a to tally co n tro lle d be n e vo le n t to talitarian is m , bas e d o n d ru gs ad m in is te re d vo lu n tarily o r by fo rce , w h e re lan gu age n o lo n ge r co n ve ys e m o tio n bu t o n ly facts , w h e re co n fo rm is m ru le s s u p re m e an d w h e re s e x is n o lo n ge r tabo o . A yo u n g s ch o o lte ach e r bre aks th e ru le s , is trap p e d by h is h o m o s e xu al lo ve r, s h o t, th o u gh h e tu rn s h im s e lf o ve r to th e bo re d , e fficie n t p o lice m an fo r e xe cu tio n , be co m e s an o u tlaw h im s e lf. Th ro u gh s tylize d actin g, m ys te rio u s s ile n ce s , d is ru p te d s e n te n ce s an d fro ze n actio n , an atm o s p h e re o f alie n atio n an d s tagn atio n p e rm e ate s w h at th e d ire cto r iro n ically calls "a p ictu re -bo o k s to ry o f o u r Vate rlan d -- a vicio u s s atire o f th e s e n tim e n tal Ge rm an "H e im at" film s o f th e p as t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E JAPAN ESE SW ORD ( N IH ON TO - MON OGATARI) ( T. As an o , Jap an , 19 58 ) Th is film p o rtrays th e cu ltu ral an d m yth o lo gical s ign ifican ce o f th e Jap an e s e s w o rd , its p ain s takin g, lo vin g fabricatio n , m an ifo ld varie tie s an d u s e s , p o e tic gran d e u r, an d s acre d s ym bo lis m ; it is m e ticu lo u s ly e d ite d an d acco m p an ie d by W agn e r m u s ic. A tru ly s e d itio u s re cre atio n o f th e im p e rialis t glo ry an d fas cis t trad itio n o f o ld Jap an . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LAN D OF SILEN CE AN D D ARKN ESS ( LAN D D ES SCH W EIGEN S U N D D ER D U N KELH EIT) ( W e rn e r H e rzo g, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) H e rzo g's m agis te rial m agn ifice n ce co m e s in to fu lle r fo cu s w ith th is "d o cu m e n tary" w h ich re ve als n e w face ts o f h is cre ative ge n iu s . If Sig n s o f Life an d Ev e n D w a r fs St a r t e d Sm a ll are s e cre t w o rks , h id in g h is tru e in te n tio n s , an d if th e bru tally s ard o n ic, m e tap h ys ical Fa t a M o r g a n a re ve als th e m , th is u n be arably m o vin g acco u n t o f

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th e live s o f th e d e af-an d -blin d co n firm s H e rzo g as a m ys te rio u s n e w h u m an is t o f th e 19 70 s , ligh tye ars re m o ve d fro m th e s e n tim e n tality o f th e Italian n e o -re alis ts an d th e s im p lis tic p ro p agan d a o f u n tale n te d d o cu m e n tary film rad icals . W h e n a d e afan d -blin d m an , livin g in to tal "d arkn e s s an d s ile n ce ", firs t gin ge rly to u ch e s a le af, a bran ch , a tre e , an d fin ally e n fo ld s its tru n k in a w o rd le s s an d s e n s u o u s e m brace , w e are in th e p re s e n ce o f th e tru e s u ffe rin g ( an d h o p e ) o f h u m an ity an d th e tru e ge n iu s o f a gre at film m ake r. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MARGALIT, TH E H IGH W AY QU EEN ( Me n ah e m Go lan , Is rae l, 19 71) ( F) Se ve ral n ice Is rae li bo ys abo u t to gan g-rap e an Is rae li p ro s titu te in So d o m , o f all p lace s ; a s ce n e fro m a film th at d o e s m u ch to s u bve rt ce rtain m yth s abo u t Is rae l an d s u bs titu te s a n o n -s e n tim e n tal p o rtrayal o f its re alitie s -in clu d in g its Am e rican izatio n . ______________________________________________ Pe rh ap s th is is th e firs t Is rae li film to p u ll th e Is rae lis d o w n fro m th e p e d e s tal o f th e Ch o s e n Pe o p le an d m ake th e m h u m an . In a n o n -s e n tim e n tal ye t lo vin g m an n e r, it p o rtrays th e ad ve n tu re s o f a Je w is h s tre e t p ro s titu te , h e r ve ry Je w is h m id d le -age d cu s to m e rs , an d h e r gan grap e by fo u r n ice Je w is h bo ys ( ap p ro p riate ly, in So d o m ) . Particu larly s trikin g is th e film 's cap tu rin g o f th e Am e rcan izatio n o f Is rae l; p e tro l s tatio n s , d is co th e qu e s , h igh w ays , ch e w in g gu m , jazz, an d little s tu ffe d to y an im als w h o s e h e ad s s h ake d u rin g p articu larly vio le n t s e x e p is o d e s w ith cu s to m e rs .

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A ve ry m o vin g s e qu e n ce , re m in is ce n t o f th e Italian n e o -re alis ts ( in vo lvin g h e r re u n io n w ith h e r re tard e d ch ild ) an d an u n e xp e cte d ly u n ro m an tic e n d h e lp to m ake th is a m o s t s u cce s s fu l film . H o w e ve r, th e re w ill be n o Zio n is t be n e fit p artie s fo r it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E MAILMAN ( POSTSCH I) ( D aryu s h Me h rju i, Iran , 19 71) ( F) Th is film firn ly e s tablis h e s as a m ajo r tale n t th e Iran ian Me h rju i, w h o s e s u cce s s fu l fu s in g o f p ath o s , h u m o r, an d p re o ccu p atio n w ith th e p o o r re s e m ble s n o th in g le s s th an Ch ap lin o r e arly D e Sica in its fe ro city. In h is e arlie r Th e Co w , th e o n ly o w n e r o f s u ch a p re cio u s an im al in a p o ve rty-s tricke n village go e s in s an e o ve r its lo s s an d as s u m e s its p lace ; be rs e rk, h e is p u t in to a h arn e s s , is d ragge d o ff to a n e arby h o s p ital, be ate n like an an im al, an d fin ally d ie s th e d e ath o f a be as t in a m u d h o le . Th e M a ilm a n is an u n fo rge ttable W o zze ck-like figu re , th e e te rn al s im p le -m in d e d victim w h o fin ally ris e s to m is take n gran d e u r in a m u rd e ro u s ge s tu re th at le ave s h im brayin g w ith d e s p air o ve r th e bo d y o f h is victim . Sin ce s u ch film s can n e ve r be p o p u lar, th e y are livin g p ro o f o f th e fact th at bo x-o ffice re tu rn s m u s t n o t be allo w e d to d e te rm in e th e life o f a w o rk o f art. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MOON W ALK N O. 1 ( U SA, 19 71) ( F) A s u bve rs ive im age : th e s h ad o w o f m an o n th e face o f an o th e r h e ave n ly bo d y. Th e film cam e ra, in m o re h arro w in g d e tail th an s e e n in le s s p e rfe ct TV tran s m is s io n s , re co rd s its icy, d e ath -like s o litu d e . ______________________________________________ Th is 3 5m m co lo r fe atu re , be au tifu lly p ro d u ce d fo r N ASA, is th e o n ly film s o far e ve n to to u ch o n s o m e p h ilo s o p h ical an d p o e tic as p e cts o f w h at h as be e n s o tragically s te re o typ e d as a te ch n o lo gical fe at. It co n tain s a w h o le s e rie s o f s igh ts n e ve r be fo re s e e n o n film : th e e arth s e e n fro m s p ace ( a gre e n glo be , its lo ve s , p o ve rty, an d cru e ltie s h id d e n u n d e r an o n ym o u s clo u d s ) ; th e be ige -gre y, icy an d d e ad e xp an s e s o f th e m o o n , s e e n u p s id e -d o w n fro m th e circlin g ro cke t; th e black, aw e -in s p irin g h o rizo n ; th e cataclys m ic, u n p re ce d e n te d fu ry o f th e fie ry take -o ff fro m e arth . Th is m ate rial is ju xtap o s e d w ith m an 's rid icu lo u s ly in ad e qu ate re s p o n s e to th e e ve n t: th e barbe qu e -grillin g, fie ld -glas s -arm e d , h o t-d o g m u n ch in g th ro n gs w atch in g th e lift-o ff; e arth bo u n d bo th p h ys ically an d p s ych o lo gically. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PU TN EY SW OPE ( Ro be rt D o w n e y, U SA, 19 6 9 ) ( F) In th is w ild s atire o n Mad is o n Ave n u e , n o bo d y -n o t e ve n Blacks , Arabs , m id ge ts , o r Je w s -- re m ain s e xe m p t fro m th e d ire cto r's co rro s ive , bizarre h u m o r. H e re an e xh ibitio n is t fin ally fin d s an o p p o rtu n ity fo rm ally to in tro d u ce h im s e lf to th e bo s s .

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Th o u gh th e film is "s u bve rs ive ", n o te th e co m p o s itio n al co n ce s s io n to th e acto r. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PARIS BELON GS TO U S ( PARIS N OU S APPARTIEN T) ( Jacqu e s Rive tte , Fran ce , 19 58 / 6 0 ) Th is e n igm atic, fe atu re -le n gth "th rille r" -abru p t, e llip tic, p aran o id -- e n m e s h e s s u s p e cts , victim s , an d s e e ke rs alike in a s h ad o w y m ys te ry o f m u rd e r an d s u icid e , p o s s ibly lin ke d to a s e cre t w o rld w id e co n s p iracy. Th e film 's h allu cin ato ry p o w e r an d id e o lo gical p re o ccu p atio n s h ave be e n w id e ly co m p are d to Re s n ais ' La s t Y e a r in M a r ie n b a d . "Th e fru it o f an as to n is h in g p e rs is te n ce o ve r s e ve ral ye ars to brin g to th e s cre e n a p e rs o n al vis io n o f th e w o rld to d ay; a u n ive rs e o f an gu is h e d co n fu s io n an d co n s p iracy. It is th e fu s io n o f p o e tic vis io n an d re alis t im p re s s io n w h ich m ake s it a film o f fo re m o s t im p o rtan ce to u s ." -- Clau d e Ch abro l, Jacqu e s D e m y, Je an Lu c Go d ard , Pie rre Kas t, Je an -Pie rre Me lville , Alain Re s n ais , Fran co is Tru ffau t, Agn e s Vard a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E REVEALER ( LE REVELATEU R) ( Ph illip p e Garre l, Fran ce , 19 6 8 ) ( F) H allu cin ato ry e vo catio n o f a ch ild 's re al ( o r im agin e d ) m e m o rie s . H e re th e ch ild is be tw e e n th e m o th e r's le gs in fo e tal o r alm o s t co ital p o s itio n , h is s h o rtn e s s an d p ath e tically

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tilte d h e ad s ad ly h in tin g at in s u fficie n cy; th e m o th e r, lo vin g ye t re m o te ( h e r h e ad tu rn e d th e o p p o s ite w ay) , clas p s h im in re s e rve d e m brace . Th e p o s t e vo ke s a cro s s o r p lace o f p u n is h m e n t. ______________________________________________ W ith alm o s t te n fe atu re s an d s h o rts to h is n am e , Garre l is o n e o f th e m o s t u n kn o w n im p o rtan t n e w d ire cto rs ; like W e rn e r H e rzo g, h e is to o o rigin al an d s e lf-w ille d to be co m e p o p u lar. Ove rp o w e rin g in its p ro fo u n d s ile n ce , th is s e e m s to be h is m as te rp ie ce . It is a h allu cin ato ry, p ain fu l s to ry o f a m an , a w o m an , an d th e ir ch ild , p laye d in a tim e le s s , h e rm e tic u n ive rs e o f co u n try ro ad s at n igh t, th e e te rn al, e ve r-p re s e n t p are n tal be d , clau s tro p h o bic in te rio rs , an d a barrage o f p s ych o -an alytical re ve latio n s an d m ys te rie s , n igh tm aris h ly s e e n o r im agin e d by th e ch ild . On e o f th e fe w p s ych o lo gically valid vis u alizatio n s o f a ch ild 's to rtu re d Oe d ip al fan tas ie s e ve r cre ate d o n film , Th e R e v e a le r s u bve rts by activatin g th e s p e ctato r's o w n tro u ble d s u bco n s cio u s . Th e p o e try an d p ro fo u n d m ys te ry o f th e im age s , th e co n s tan t vis u al s h o cks an d re ve latio n s m ark Garre l as a m ajo r n e w tale n t o f th e in te rn atio n al cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SALESMAN ( D avid an d Albe rt Mays le s , U SA, 19 6 9 ) ( F) H o w e ve r m u te d , th is cin e m a ve rite s tu d y o f itin e ran t Bible s ale s m e n d o in g th e ir th in g fo r Go d an d th e co m p an y is an in e vitable in d ictm e n t o f th e co m m e rcializatio n o f re ligio n . Pro le tarian s an d lo w e r m id d le -clas s alike are cajo le d in to lo n g-te rm co n tracts , s p e cial bin d in gs , an d tie -in d e als , w h ile th e ir fe ars , s u p e rs titio n s , an xie tie s , an d p o ign an t atte m p ts s o m e h o w to take o u t a life in s u ran ce w ith Go d are care fu lly o rch e s trate d by co ld -blo o d e d an d p e tty m e rce n arie s . So m e o f th e s tiflin g re alitie s o f Mid d le Am e rica h ave n e ve r be fo re be e n s o m e rcile s s ly d o cu m e n te d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SCAN D ALOU S AD VEN TU RES OF BU RAIKAN ( Mas ah iro Sh in o d a, Jap an , 19 70 ) ( F) Magically tran s figu re d by th e w e ll-kn o w n avan t-gard e p layw righ t Sh u ji Te rayam a fro m a Kabu ki p lay, th is d e n s e ly te xtu re d , s p raw lin g tap e s try o f "a tim e o f re p re s s io n , an arch y, h e d o n is m an d d e cad e n ce " o ffe rs a s o p h is ticate d e qu ivale n t o f a flam bo yan t, p icare s qu e carto o n s trip s e rial, its s tu d ie d "vu lgarity" w e d d e d to a p ro fo u n d ly m o d e rn iro n ic p e s s im is m . Th e p h ilo s o p h ical to n e is s e t by a barke r in th e Ed o th e atrical d is trict: "H e ll is h e re o n Earth .

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Th e W h e e l o f Fo rtu n e Tu rn s Fo re ve r." Th e tim e is th e 19 4 0 s , th e las t fe u d al p e rio d o f Jap an , w h e n Lo rd Mizu n o d e s p o tically atte m p ts to re fo rm th e city an d re tu rn it to law an d o rd e r by ban n in g am u s e m e n ts , p ro s titu te s , fire w o rks , an d gam blin g. Th e flam bo yan t actio n , bro ad actin g, garis h m ake -u p an d d e co r are m e lo d ram atic an d o n e -d im e n s io n al, as be fits a carto o n , bu t ro u n d th e e d ge s h o ve rs a ve ry co n te m p o rary W e lt s ch m e r z , in tim atio n s o f a h o s tile u n ive rs e d o m in ate d by ch an ce , w ith in n o ce n ce at th e m e rcy o f e vil, m u rd e ro u s vio le n ce clo s e to th e glitte rin g s u rface an d ro gu e s ( b u r a ik a n s ) in e ve ry co rn e r. In a clim actic co n fro n tatio n , th e d e s p o tic re fo rm m o ve m e n t is attacke d by its victim s -- acto rs , h aird re s s e rs , lo afe rs , "w aitre s s e s ", an d ro gu e s , re m in is ce n t o f th e Bre ch tian Lu m p e n p ro le tariat in Eis e n s te in 's St r ik e -- w h o bu rn th e city's gu ard h o u s e s , s e t o ff ( fo rbid d e n ) fire w o rks , an d p ro claim "th e be gin n in g o f th e e te rn al fe s tival." Th e b u r a ik a n in fo rm s Lo rd Mizu n o th at h is d ay is o ve r, bu t is co o lly to ld th at n o rio t can e ve r o ve rth ro w p o w e r, s in ce it is e te rn al an d w ill alw ays be re p lace d . Th e b u r a ik a n , to p ro ve th e e xis te n ce o f th e re vo lt, flin gs o p e n a w in d o w to s h o w th e lo rd th e fo rbid d e n fire w o rks , bu t re alize s , tran s fixe d , th at th e y are u n acco m p an ie d by s o u n d , a d re am rath e r th an a re ality. In an ap o calyp tic fin ale ( to Sh in o d a, th e e qu ivale n t o f th e re vo lu tio n ary s tu d e n ts ' rio ts o f o u r d ay) , th e re be llio n is cru s h e d am id s t Bo s ch -like im age s o f d e ath , h an gin gs , s ile n t fire s , an d m u rd e r, w ith a m an an d a w o m an in d iffe re n tly co u p lin g in a bu rn in g, d e vas tate d h o u s e -fro n t, w h ile a w o u ld -be acto r cas u ally n o te s th at s o m e o n e s e e m s to be atte m p tin g to ch an ge th e w o rld . Th e las t im age is th at o ve r a co ffin -m ake r w h o , as th ro u gh o u t th e film , d ilige n tly h am m e rs aw ay at h is co ffin s , n o w bu s ie r th an e ve r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E PATH ( Rich ard Mye rs , U SA, 19 6 1) Ligh t as th e s ym bo l o f th e in e ffable . Th e "p lo t" o f th is s u bje ctive re cre atio n o f a d re am s e e m s to co n ce rn a m ys te rio u s jo u rn e y; th e s p e ctato r, h o w e ve r, is vis u ally d ire cte d to w ard fo rm s an d s u bs tan ce s rath e r th an to th e p ro tago n is ts by a film m ake r w h o is a m as te r o f vis io n ary cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TALES OF KU BELKIN D ( GESCH ICH TEN VOM KU BELKIN D ) ( U la Sto e ckl an d Ed gar Re itz, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) In fo rm an d co n te n t p o s s ibly th e m o s t o rigin al Ge rm an avan t-gard e w o rk o f th e s e ve n tie s , th is film n o w ru n s o ve r th re e h o u rs an d co n s is ts o f 2 6 s to rie s abo u t Ku be lkin d ( garbage -can -ch ild , a Vie n n e s e o ath ) , e ach fro m o n e to th irty m in u te s in le n gth an d s tru n g to ge th e r ve ry lo o s e ly. An e ve n tu al te n h o u r film is e n vis age d . Ku be lkin d -- a n u bile yo u n g lad y

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e m e rgin g fu lly-gro w n fro m a garbage can in to w h ich an u n w an te d baby h ad ju s t be e n th ro w n -- is an e te rn al m is fit w h o e ffe ctive ly d is ru p ts bo u rge o is s o cie ty. Ch ap te r h e ad in gs co n ve y th e film 's flavo r. "W h e n Ku be lkin d w an ts it, s o m e m e n d ro p th e ir p an ts qu ickly." So m e th in g abo u t th e ability o f s o cie ty to fo rgive , to fo rge t, an d to re ve n ge ." "Ku be lkin d e xp e rie n ce s an e d u catio n al atte m p t at th e h an d s o f a p rie s t." "Ku be lkin d be co m e s acqu ain te d w ith a lo rd an d is h an ge d ." "Ku be lkin d be lie ve s in in s tallm e n t bu yin g an d m u s t th e re fo re ju m p fro m a fo u r-s to ry bu ild in g w h ile s in gin g a s ad s o n g." In o n e s ce n e , s h e s u cce e d s in p e rs u ad in g h e r lo ve r to e at vario u s p arts o f h is bo d y to p ro ve h is lo ve ; in an o th e r, s h e is s ad is tically kille d by a "H u re n m o rd e r" ( W h o re -m u rd e re r) , p laye d w ith fu ll co m m itm e n t an d gu s to by W e rn e r H e rzo g, th e d ire cto r o f Fa t a M o r g a n a an d Ev e n D w a r fs St a r t e d Sm a ll. Th e film is a baw d y, cru e l, s ard o n ic w o rk w h ich m an age s to s p o o f p ractically e ve ry ge n re o f film m akin g -- gan gs te r, s e x, vam p ire , s cie n ce fictio n , an d fam ily film s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TITICU T FOLLIES ( Fre d e rick W is e m an , U SA, 19 6 7) ( F) Pris o n s an d m e n tal in s titu tio n s , w h e re re calcitran t o r ill-fittin g citize n s are p u t o u t o f s igh t, are th e d irty s e cre ts o f civilize d s o cie ty. As th e y are o w n e d an d co n tro lle d by p re cis e ly th o s e w h o w is h to ke e p th e m s e cre t, an d are als o co n fin e d to s p e cific, e n clo s e d s p ace s , film m ake rs are e as ily ke p t o u t. W is e m an 's ach ie ve m e n t in cre atin g th is u n iqu e film d o cu m e n t is th e re fo re all th e m o re im p re s s ive : it is a m ajo r w o rk o f s u bve rs ive cin e m a an d a s e arin g in d ictm e n t -w ith o u t e d ito rializin g n arratio n -- o f th e "s ys te m ". W is e m an ( an d h is e xtrao rd in ary cam e ram an -an th ro p o lo gis t Jo h n Mars h all) o fficially gain e d e n tran ce to a s tate h o s p ital fo r th e crim in ally in s an e , w h e re th e film w as s h o t, an d o btain e d th e co o p e ratio n o f its p s ych iatris ts , gu ard s , an d s o cial w o rke rs . Mas s ach u s e tts , h o w e ve r, s u bs e qu e n tly o btain e d an in ju n ctio n p re ve n tin g th e film 's e xh ibitio n , th e re by ke e p in g th e s e cre t. Th is is a galle ry o f h o rro rs , a re fle ctio n o f m an 's in fin ite cap acity to d e h u m an ize h is fe llo w be in gs . Bro ke n m e n , re tard e d , catato n ic, s ch izo p h re n ic, to o th le s s -- m an y in carce rate d fo r life -- ve ge tate in e m p ty ce lls , bare o f fu rn itu re , u te n s ils , to ile ts , o r be d s . Th e y are in co n tin e n t, th e y m as tu rbate , babble , p u t o n a h o rrifyin g an n u al varie ty s h o w ( th e "Titicu t Fo llie s ") , be at again s t th e bars in rage , an d s cre am . Th e y s tan d o n th e ir h e ad s fo r m in u te s o n e n d w h ile ch an tin g s e lf-in ve n te d h ym n s , o r are fo rce -fe d th ro u gh th e n o s e w h ile a D r. Stran ge lo ve p s ych iatris t h im s e lf ( !) p o u rs liqu id d o w n th e s to m ach tu be . Th e y are tau n te d o r p atro n ize d , d rin k th e ir o w n d irty bath w ate r w h ile in th e tu b ( s m ilin gly callin g it ch am p agn e ) , an d d ie , ign o n im o u s ly, th e ir bo d ie s s h ave d be fo re bu rial an d co tto n -w o o l s tu ffe d in to th e ir e ye s . Th e cam e ra flin ch e s fro m n o th in g; h e re 5/19/2007 12:27 PM

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it is , it s ays , an d s in ce yo u are n o t d o in g an yth in g abo u t e lim in atin g th is , at le as t h ave th e co u rage to w atch . SC

FOR MORE ABOUT THIS FILM, CLICK HERE ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FATA MORGAN A ( W e rn e r H e rzo g, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) A s ard o n ic, m e lan ch o lic co m m e n t o n m an in th e u n ive rs e , p e rve rs e ly ( an d accu rate ly) s e t in p rim itive Africa; fo r h e re te ch n o lo gy is o n ce again e m brace d an d abs o rbe d by n atu re . Th e p re s e n ce o f a d e cayin g ae ro p lan e in a d e s e rt is s u rre alis t in its im p licatio n s , m atch in g a h o s t o f o th e r h allu cin ato ry im age s in th is n e gle cte d m as te rp ie ce . SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E BED ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 6 7) Sacrile ge re m ain s attractive as lo n g as Go d is s till co n s id e re d a w o rth y o p p o n e n t. Th e s p atially ve ry s p e cific ju xtap o s itio n o f s e x im age an d th e acco u tre m e n ts o f o rgan ize d re ligio n p ro vo ke s th e u s u al te n s io n o f gu ilty d e ligh t at th e vie w in g o f a fo rbid d e n im age .

TH E POW ER OF TH E VISU AL TABOO To the extent that there still exist forbidden images, w hen have not advanced beyond the stage of pre-history. For the acceptance of several understandable misconceptions on the

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part of early man that appear positively embarrassing w hen carried over into the 20th century: the notion that representation is identical w ith reality, that particular objects or acts have magical pow ers, and that these involve the punishment of those w ho "transgress" by touching, taking, or portraying them. The injunction not to look or touch is as old as man. I ts determination is a prerogative of Gods, kings, and priests -the "haves" w ishing to protect their ow n. They establish its validity for the have-nots by means of law -enforcing agents and medicine men, feeding on earlier animistic beliefs and the ignorance of men beset by alien and inexplicable forces. The designation of taboo foods, objects, idols, acts, and persons establishes a system of rigidly enforced rules of order and social control: for the taboo object is thought to be "contagious", its pollution inevitably transmitted to the violator. The fear of contagion is also a fear of temptation. The tabooed object or act alw ays embodies w ithin itself loathing and attraction, the "aw ful as w ell as the aw esome" and its "holy dread" ( Freud) w ill be the stronger, the more desired the object. The differentiation of the two attitudes is never perfectly accomplished even in the higher religions, for always some ambiguity remains as to what is fearsome because diabolic and what is fearsome because divine. The "unclean thing" and the "clean thing" alike possess power, whether this be the power to blast or the power to bless. (1) Woman and her reproductive cycle are filled w ith taboos. Menstruation and pregnancy are view ed as unclean in many tribes and systems of religion. Even stronger are taboos on sex itself, the most fundamental, most pow erfully desired, and hence most dangerous act of human existence. Many primitive people display a lively fear of the consequences of sexual intercourse either for themselves or for others. Mystic dangerousness invests the organs of generation; they are a seat of occult power. Because a woman is so often regarded as temporarily or permanently unclean, contact with her in the intimacy of the sex embrace would naturally be considered to involve pollution, sometimes for the man alone, sometimes for the woman as well. Such an idea combines readilywith the further notion that the physical uncleanliness resulting from the discharge of fluids by both parties, at the completion of cohabitation, becomes a source of ritual uncleanness. (2) The Judeo-Christian concept of original sin is a qualitative

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extension of these early tendencies, an "elaboration" of a taboo by means of a legend. But nudity and exposure of sex organs cause neither shame nor surprise in primitive society: it w ould require special education, Rene Guyon notes, to produce "that apparently natural and spontaneous horror w hich Western people experience w hen they see the naked body." ( 3) The mere fact that certain organs are related to certain functions surely affords no ground for indignation or disgust ... neither physiology, psychology nor logic can provide the philosopher with satisfactory reasons for excommunicating a few particular muscles and sensory organs ... it is only through sex prohibitions themselves that a special value comes to be placed upon the exhibition of sexual organs. (4) As the system of taboo w as superseded by organized religion ( latter-day magic) , it reappeared in the new guise of ethical and moral imperatives, so carefully embedded in the collective unconscious as to give them the legitimacy of natural law s. Webster correctly points out that these imperatives include the inviolability of marrige, of private property, law and order, and the establishment itself. Because the distinction betw een "looking" and "participating" w as not defined among primitive men as it is now and pictorial representation less important, the taboo of "looking" has assumed greater importance in our time. And if primitive people even today avoid being photographed in the belief that part of the spirit is removed at the instant a picture is "taken", ( 5) w e, too, by becoming "self-conscious", pay subconscious tribute to the "magical" propenseties of the photograph. it is the "fixing" of a concrete moment of time that helps evoke this tw inge of anxiety, by investing the image of an event w ith a pow er the event itself does not possess: permanence. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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A CLOCKW ORK ORAN GE ( Stan le y Ku brick, Gre at Britain , 19 71) Th e m o s t d an ge ro u s o bje ct kn o w n to th e ce n s o r be cau s e th e m o s t d e s irable , h e re bo ld ly m u ltip lie d in s e ve ral s ym bo lic ap p ro xim atio n s an d s tylize d u n d e r a s p e ctral ligh t. Th e cam e ra an gle re in fo rce s th e aggre s s ive , le th al ch aracte r o f th e w e ap o n ; an d th is is h o w it is u s e d . Fo r th e co m m e rcial cin e m a, e ve n an artificial p h allu s is a s te p fo rw ard . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

THE VI SUAL TABOO I N FI LM How ever irrational, the taboo ( or even the "frow ned-upon") image reflects subconscious realities still operative in men. This can be felt in the pronounced physiological and emotional reactions of any movie audience, subject only to individual variations of intensity or duration. We refer here not to applause or hisses; more importantly, view ers w ill, at given moments, flinch from w hat occurs on the screen -not merely by turning aw ay ( this w ould be sufficient) but by irrationally shielding their faces; they w ill call out in anger or approbation, burst into tears, fall into deep silence, vomit, faint, or leave the theatre. Many must avert their glance w hen the camera peers dow n from high

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buildings; or cry out in fear w hen a mountain climber suddenly loses his grip. How ever noisy, they are instantly quieted by sex scenes, the more direct the portrayal, the more pervasive their silence. "First" attendees of sexually explicit films react ( in direct proportion to how repressed they are) w ith disgust, defensive laughter, or haughty boredom; but they soon fall silent and retreat into private reverie w ith their less complicated fellow -view ers. Stimulil so strong that they eventuate in actual movement or physiological response ( such as vomiting or fainting) do not ( except for tears) occur in reading or listening; it's the palpable "actuality" of the image, its concrete revelation of the previously hidden, feared, or desired, the lessened "distance" betw een view er and simulated reality that is the source of its pow er: "I n dealing w ith events or behavior, the movies can sw eep aw ay the ordinary technical barriers -- w ords, pictorial stillness, diminution -- that stand betw een the view er and physical reality depicted by the printed media." ( 6) Thus w hen I Am Curious - Yellow w as under litigation in several dozen American cities and states for obscenity, its full script w as on sale nationally as a paperback; and sexually explicit "hardcore" books are now available at American drugstores w hile photographs detailing identical acts are not. The shock inevitably connected w ith the portrayal of a taboo object or act is significantly magnified in the case of film. The image itself is huge, setting up immediate tension w ith the view er. I t moves in bright space against a totally black background. I t can be introduced in the most instantaneous, intentionally frightening or disruptive fashion by means of editing, zooms, rapid pans, special effects, occurring singly, or even more potently, in combination. Particularly traumatic are sudden and unexpected transitions from innocuous to taboo images. For w e attend ordinary "entertainment" films w ithout fear of risk, secure in the fore-know ledge that w e shall participate in an illusion; it may look like reality but is not. When confronted by visual taboos, how ever -- such as real sex or death -- w e immediately feel an element of risk and primordial danger, as if the image could touch, indeed, engulf us w ithin its ow n reality. I t is in these supreme moments of cinema that w e should sense our affinity w ith primitive man not yet fully able to distinguish betw een reality and image: for both in flinching from or in reverential complicity w ith the taboo image, w e elevate a reflection of moving light patterns to the status of truth. Film seems to be the medium most capable of utilizing reality for purposes of art or record, a characteristic of fundamental importance. I n the other arts, even so-called "true events" must be fabricated: a biography of a famous personality, how ever "documentary" in intent, remains a recreation at the hands of an artist or a hack. But the film biography of this same man can draw on actual film records of his life, how ever subsequently transmuted by montage into truth or falsehood. Similarly, cinema enables us to w itness the horror and secret tickle of real death or murder, 5/19/2007 12:28 PM

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torture and executions, the drama of birth, and, lately, real sex. I n the case of actual death before the camera, w e are never confronted by the usual philosophical "problem" of cinema verite of w hether the filmmaker's presence does or does not change the reality of the event; the dying man is either unaw are of the camera or no longer cares to maintain his customary defense patterns for a posterity of w hich he w ill not be part. The case of sex is more complicated, for despite the hundreds of recent "hardcore" films, w e do not see completely documentary sex, unless one-w ay mirrors are used w hich the protagonists are unaw are of. Today's sex films, w hether soft- or hard-core, are "acted", despite the change from "simulated" to "real" sex ( complete w ith orgasm and ejaculation) . I t is only to the extent that sexual passion becomes dominant and the initial monetary or exhibitionist impulses of the "actors" recede that the film comes closer to recording an actual sex act in w hich the protagonists forget camera and audience; dialectially, this "forgetfulness" is intuitively grasped by the audience, resulting in more pronounced arousal. Conversely, w here the taboo image appears as part of a staged event, its impact on the view er is far w eaker. Only rarely ( in films such as Diabolique or Psycho) does fictional recreation reach the intensity of the true taboo. Certain taboo images do not appear on screen either because they have gone out of style or because they are so threatening as to have been banished from the subconscious. "Suggestive" situations in old Hollyw ood films today strike us as merely archaic; and even I Am Curious - Blue ( part I I of I am Curious - Yellow ) w as no longer a hit, precisely because Yellow , by providing the thin end of the w edge, had immediately been outstripped. The aw esome documentary shots of A-bomb explosions -- alw ays leading to complete audience silence -- have disappeared from the screens of the w orld, indicating that the central reality of our era has been pushed into the collection unconscious. But the primitive taboo, how ever irrational, remains w ith us; its persistence into the present is frightening to behold. As w e w atch scenes of death, intercourse, or birth in reverential abandon, our utter silence is w itness to the thrilling guilt of the voyeur / transgressor ( to see w hat one has no right to see) , coupled w ith fear of punishment. How delicious w hen it does not come and the forbidden act or image can continue to be view ed! I t is only to the extent that these forbidden sights w ill become more common in cinema that w e shall begin to accept them for w hat they are: climactic moments of life w ithout doubt, but only part of it.

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The attack on the visual taboo and its elimination by open, unhindered display is profoundly subversive, for it strikes at prevailing morality and religion and thereby at law and order itself. I t calls into question the concept of eternal values and rudely uncovered their historicity. I t proclaims the validity of sensuality and lust as legitimate human prerogatives. I t reveals that w hat state authority proclaims as harmful may in fact be beneficial. I t brings birth and death, our first and last mysteries, into the arena of human discourse and eases their acceptance. I t fosters rational attitudes w hich fundamentally conflict w ith atavistic superstitions. I t demystifies, organs, and excretions. I t does not tolerate man as a sinner, but accepts him and his acts in their entirety. To those w ho abolish taboos, "nothing human is alien", as they marvel at the multiplicity of human endeavor and the diversity of an enterprise limited only by generic structure and cosmic environment.

REFERENCES (1) Hutton Webster, Taboo, 1942 (2) Webster (3) Rene Guyon, The Ethics of Sexual Acts, 1934 (4) Guyon (5) Robert W. Wagner, "Film, Reality, and Religion", in John C. Cooper and Carl Skrade, Celluloid and Symbols, 1970 (6) Richard S. Randall, Censorship of the Movies, 1970

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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EVERYTH IN G YOU ALW AYS W AN TED TO KN OW ABOU T SEX, BU T W ERE AFRAID TO ASK ( W o o d y Alle n , U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) Fam iliar o bje cts an d lo cale -- u n fam iliar ju xtap o s itio n s an d d is p ro p o rtio n ate s ize . A m o n s te r bre as t s co u rin g th e co u n trys id e p ro vid e s an e xam p le o f th e s u rre alis t o bje ct attack a vis u al tabo o . Sin ce n o th re at is im p lie d , h o w e ve r, th e vis u al s h o ck in d u ce s lau gh te r in s te ad o f frigh t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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AN D GOD CREATED W OMAN ( ET D IEU CREA LA FEMME) ( Ro ge r Vad im , Fran ce , 19 56 ) ( F) Bard o t as a ve ge tarian , o r -- h o w e as y it is to ge t aro u n d th e ce n s o r. In a m e d iu m as tabo o -rid d e n as th e cin e m a, th is d is gu is e co m bin e s bo x-o ffice ap p e al w ith s afe ty; d e p e n d in g o n th e d ire cto r's in te n t, it m ay re p re s e n t e ith e r titillatio n o r e ro tic re alis m . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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EVEN TS ( Fre d Bake r, U SA, 19 70 ) Th e m o s t d an ge ro u s im age kn o w n to m an . Th o u gh it p o rtrays th e m o s t u n ive rs al, m o s t fu n d am e n tal, m o s t d e s ire d h u m an act, it m u s t n o t be s h o w n ( e ith e r in its jo in in g o f bo d ie s o r co u p lin g o f o rgan s ) , be it be cau s e s e x is ( s till) co n s id e re d s in fu l o r be cau s e o f an atavis tic fe ar th at th e act w ill "s p rin g" fro m th e s cre e n an d in vad e th e au d ie n ce w ith its h e ave n ly p o w e r. As lo n g as th is im age is fo rbid d e n , its p re s e n tatio n w ill be a libe ratin g act. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E BLOOD TH IRSTY FAIRY ( Ro lan d Le th e m , Be lgiu m , 19 6 8 ) Th e s u bve rs ive alw ays atte m p ts to go a s te o fu rth e r e ve n th an h is m o s t ard e n t fo llo w e rs . Th o s e w h o acce p t vis u al p o rtrayals o f th e p e n is , m ay w e ll balk at th is p articu lar co m bin atio n -- a s am p le o f th e p rivate co lle ctio n o f an an arch is t fairy w h o s p e cialize s in cas tratio n o f le ad e rs o f all typ e s . Qu e s tio n s o f "lim its ", "go o d tas te ", an d e ve n "p o litical ad vis ability" w ill s u d d e n ly aris e -- m e re ly in d icatin g th at ye t an o th e r tabo o is be in g u n co ve re d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MAMA AN D PAPA ( MAMA U N D PAPA) ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 6 3 / 6 9 ) Th e u n e xp e cte d co m bin atio n o f s e xu al tabo o an d fo o d p ro vo ke s bo th s h o ck an d lau gh te r, n o t m e re ly be cau s e o f th e vis u al p u n bu t be cau s e o rgan s are n o t o fte n p re s e n te d to u s in "tas te fu l" d is p lay fo r p u rp o s e s o f e atin g. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ORD IN ARY FASCISM ( Mikh ail Ro m m , U SSR, 19 6 5) A fo re ve r u n kn o w n civilian in th e Eas t abo u t to be axe d by a Ge rm an s o ld ie r. Th e p o rtrayal o f re al d e ath in s o co n cre te a m e d iu m as cin e m a cau s e s frigh t an d p ro fo u n d in tro s p e ctio n as w e w atch th e tru e e n d o f an o th e r h u m an be in g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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OTMAR BAU ER PRESEN TS ( Otm ar Bau e r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ?) Th e act o f vo m itin g. All bo d ily s e cre tio n s ( fe ce s , u rin e , s p e rm , an d m e n s tru al flo w ) are co n s id e re d tabo o in te rm s o f vis u al p o rtrayal, be cau s e ( p ro te s tatio n s to th e co n trary) w e re m ain ch ain e d to n o tio n s o f th e bo d y's u n cle an lin e s s an d an im ality. Th e m o re u n ive rs al th e e ve n t, th e le s s vie w able it is . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E ACT OF SEEIN G W ITH ON E'S OW N EYES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 72 ) Th e s u bco n s cio u s ly h o p e d -fo r in vio lability o f bo d ily s u rface s -- th e m o re s o , p e rh ap s , if fe m ale -- is bru tally attacke d by d is s e ctio n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H IROSH IMA ( M. Ogas aw ara an d Y. Mats u kaw a, Jap an , 19 70 ) Th e e ye o f a H iro s h im a victim , fo rce d o p e n to re ve al th e d am age . Man 's p s ych o lo gical th re s h o ld is s o lo w th at it h as e as ie r to p e rp e trate s u ch d e e d s th an to

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s h o w th e m o n a s cre e n . Th e Am e rican go ve rn m e n t ( aw are th at it h ad d o n e s o m e th in g it w as be s t to h id e ) h e lp e d by ban n in g all s u ch fo o tage u n til re ce n tly. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

VAMPYR ( Carl Th e o d o r D re ye r, Ge rm an y/ Fran ce , 19 3 1) Po s s ibly th e m o s t e xtrao rd in ary fictio n al p o rtrayal o f th e e xp e rie n ce o f d e ath o ccu rs in th is h allu cin ato ry film . Th e h e ro ( d e ad , bu t w ith e ye s w id e o p e n ) fin d s h im s e lf in h is co ffin ; th ro u gh a w in d o w cu t in th e lid , h e -- an d w e -- s e e abo ve u s th e vam p ire an d h e r e vil h e lp e r ( s cre w in g th e co ffin clo s e d ) an d th e n s ky, tre e s , an d bu ild in gs o n th e w ay to h is ( o u r) bu rial. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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STRIKE ( Se rge i Eis e n s te in , U SSR, 19 2 4 ) Th e fe ar o f be in g th ro w n : Eis e n s te in 's s h o t ce n te rs o n an arm an a h an d , re co gn ize d as th o s e o f a ch ild at th e p re cis e in s tan t at w h ich it als o d aw n s u p o n th e h arro w e d vie w e r th at th e ch ild m ay be th ro w n to its d e ath . W ith in th e s am e s e co n d , th is is w h at h ap p e n s . Th e vio latio n o f a vis u al tabo o ( by th e Ts aris t m ilitia) s e rve s p o litical p u rp o s e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VERTIGO ( Alfre d H itch co ck, U SA, 19 58 ) Th e fe ar o f fallin g: a m o m e n t o f atavis tic, d e ath ly frigh t, as th e h e ro , h is s u p p o rt w e ake n in g, m ay lo s e h is grip . Ou r u n e as e -- e ve n w h e n w e kn o w it is m ake -be lie ve -ce n te rs o n th e m an 's e ye s s tarin g at d e ath ; th e e n tire film p ivo ts o n th is u n ive rs al, p rim itive an xie ty. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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U FA N EW SREEL ( Ge rm an y, 19 4 0 ) H itle r e n te rin g Paris in 19 3 9 . Th is "fo rbid d e n " im age cau s e d p ro fo u n d s h o ck w h e n firs t re le as e d . Th e u n e xp e cte d an d o m in o u s ju xtap o s itio n o f th e tw o clas h in g s ym bo ls co n firm e d th e in cu rs io n o f barbaris m in to th e h e artlan d o f W e s te rn civilizatio n . To d ay it h in ts at th e re lativity o f th e vis u al tabo o ( a n e w ge n e ratio n can n o lo n ge r "re ad " H itle r s o le ly fro m h is back) an d at th e s o lid ity o f s tru ctu re s as again s t m e n .

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

H ALLU CIN ATION S ( Pe te r W e is s , Sw e d e n , 19 52 ) Th e fam e d au th o r o f M a r a t -Sa d e , in o n e o f h is e arly avan t-gard e film s , s h o w s tw e lve e ro tic an d s u bco n s cio u s table au x e n vis io n e d in th e tw iligh t be tw e e n w akin g an d s le e p in g. Th e m acabre actio n d e n o te s s e x, ye t n o t qu ite ; th e an gle o f vie w in g s e e m s "w ro n g", th e s co w lin g in te n s ity d e n o tin g o rgas m -- o r an ge r.

TH E ATTACK ON PU RITAN ISM: N U D ITY Within the last tw enty years, international cinema has indecisively, yet irrevocably moved from prohibition to permissiveness as regards nudity,

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w ith censors everyw here throw n into disarrayby changing mores and unorthodox court rulings. What used tobe confined to exploitation and underground films has now entered the mainstream of commercial production, though full frontal nudity is still rare. Most puritanical are the supposedly revolutionary societies ( Russia, China, and their satellites) , closely follow ed by nationalist leftist or totalitarian rightistmovements, each afraid of the body for its ow n reasons,w hile more liberal attitudes prevail in Yugoslavia,England, America, and Scandinavia. The classic court attitude tow ards the subject is perhaps best represented by the New York State censorship decision,w hich instructed its staff as follow s: "I n the scene, in w hichthe girl is tortured w hile hanging by her hands, eliminate all view s of her w ith breasts exposed." ( 1) This "instruction" clearly considers nudity to be more dangerous than violence; or, as Lenny Bruce the great and tragic social satirist observed, Americans cannot stand the sight of naked bodies unless they are mutilated. Since no one ever dared assume that it w ould be possible to show sex organs, breasts have alw ays been the censor'smain concern. Their display used to be confined todocumentaries of Africa. While the censors, by allow ing this, expressed their patronizing racialism ( black breasts may be stared at, but not w hite ones) , schoolboys flocked to such films en masse, just as each year they persuaded their ( erroneously delighted) parents to re-subscribe to the National Geographic magazine, w ith its full-color native breasts. But even such photographs and films failed to show primary sex organs and in the 1950s, the American Museum of Natural History documentary Latuko w as banned, since its natives unforgivably omitted loincloths altogether, w ith predictably dire results. The artificiality of the visual taboo is best exemplified in the astonishing case of the missing pubic hair.Until less than ten years ago, it w as impossible to reveal the existence of pubic hair in cinema. Frontal view s w ere avoided or, w here greedily attempted, simultaneously "shielded" from view . ( I n the girlie magazines, pubic areas w ere carefully retouched, creating strangely antiseptic spaces.) I n America, laboratories refused to develop even 8-mm nudehome movie footage. I n the last decade, how ever, courtdecisions in Denmark and America have suddenly introduced pubic hair to the cinema, leading so far neither to anarchy nor a collapse of the nation's moral fiber. Though pubic hair remains rare ( and therefore still titillating) in commercial cinema, the 1972 Playboy decision finally to admit it to its pages ( years after the nudist magazines) augurs ill for this taboo. The previous total ban on nudity and its sudden availability proves once and for all the transitory, arbitrary nature of w hat conformists consider unalterable facts of life. What induces censors to w ithhold such materials is also their realization that the abolition of a taboo leads to its devaluation and ultimate acceptance as "normal", no longer either threatening

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or stimulating; censors, after all, have a vested interest in sin. The further erosion of the taboo on nudity, how ever, w as in its various stages as predictable as it w as inevitable. I n the 50s and 60s, the cinema inched tow ards equalnudity of both sexes ( Antonioni, Bergman, Godard, The Graduate , Romeo and Juliet ) . Sex organs, still too threatening, w ere not show n, the taboo being so deeply embedded as to make them appear distasteful even to sexual progressives ( Freud noted that secondary sexual characteristics w ere universally accepted as more arousing) . I t w as only in the late 60s -- again in America and Scandinavia -- that "beaver" films w ere beginning to be publicly show n; crudely vulgar film records of w rithing nude females spreading their legs for a close-up investigation. I n a few isolated instances, the male organ made its appearance, inevitably flaccid, even in the most tantalyzing circumstances, for legal rather than medical reasons. Along the w ay, there w ere amusing detours: extraneous nude footage added to films by businessmen eager to boost box-office returns ( such as the unexpected appearanceof a second nude girl, undressing in the bushes w ithHedy Lamarr in Ecstasy) ; the antiseptic, carefully retouched nudist films; the sudden popularity of films about certain painters -- the nudity validated as art and the artist serving as licensed voyeur. All of these transformed nudity, Randall ironically noted, into "the most extensively expounded idea in motion pictures". ( 2) Later, even these "genuine" nudist films w ere replace by commercial fakes, in w hich gorgeous nude starlets in gleaming Hollyw ood sw imming pools had replaced the matrons w ith pendulous breasts playing tennis on broken-dow n nudist farms. The commercial cinema often continues fraudulently to use nudity for titillation; strategic areas are blocked by props and camera angles or by framelines and such careful posingthat nudity is both pretended and absent. The director is thus able at the same time to arouse the view er and also obtain censorship clearance. The American Ow l and the Pussycat ( 1971) is a recent example. Where full frontal nudity infrequently appears in commercial films ( such as Five Easy Pieces, The Last Picture Show , Last Tango in Paris) it is generally confined to w omen, probably on the theory that as regards primary sex organs,there is less to see. This subtle "male chauvanism" continues to prevent the appearance of the penis, the most threatening object know n to the censors. I f ever a fleeting glance of it is permitted, it is either limited to a child ( it's smaller and not yet sexually operative) or to some activity not even indirectly related to its usual functions.

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The full acceptance of the nude human body and its organs is unquestionably an achievement of the avant-garde, reflecting its attempt to desentimentalize man, to re-integrate this over-civilized being into nature, returning him to more primitive, less alienated realities. I n these counterculture films, nudity has become casual and free, sensual or not, depending on circumstance, reflecting the non-pornographic outlook of the young. While nudity has already been seen on West European TV, it made its first cautious appearance in America on national educational television during Alw in Nikolais'1972 ballet, Relay. Topless dancing even receivedconstitutional sanction, w hen the American Superior Court Judge Robert Winsor ruled in 1972 that "there can be no doubt that a go-go dancer is communicating" and hence is covered by the First Amendment protecting freedom of expression. But w hile commercial television( to "protect" the inevitable child audience) w as stillanxiously preventing even fleeting shots of bared breasts,American cable television, on a 1972 medical program for doctorsbut available to all subscribers, brought a huge vagina into American living rooms for a 30-minute close-up of a cauterization procedure. Ultimately the popularity of nudity ( perhaps not only in a sexually repressed society) reflects a basic responseto our ow n beauty and sensuality and reveals the connection ( if not, as Freud maintained, the inhibited identity) betw een sexual sensibility and the concept of beauty. Our frequent censorial agitation, our titillating scandals, and cautious see-saw ing regarding "it" w ill undoubtedly be a source of much merrimentto future generations.

REFERENCES (1) Richard S. Randall, Censorship of the Movies, 1970 (2) Randall

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E BED ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 6 7) A p e rfe ct vis u al re p re s e n tatio n o f th e p o lym o rp h o u s ly p e rve rs e e ro ticis m o f th e Am e rican co u n te rcu ltu re an d its Ze n -like acce p tan ce o f all s e xe s an d p o s s ibilitie s as o n e . Eve n th e cam e ra an gle e m p h as ize s th e cas u aln e s s an d jo yfu l aban d o n w ith w h ich s e x is vie w e d by th e m o m e n t. ______________________________________________ Th e e n tire cas t o f th is d e ligh tfu l, w is e m an ife s to o f co u n te rcu ltu re s e n s ibility p e rfo rm s in th e n u d e . An o rn ate be d , m agically lo cate d in a m e ad o w , p ro vid e s as alw ays , th e s tage fo r m an 's m o s t s ign ifican tm o m e n ts ; birth , s e x, d e ath . Th e acto rs , w h o e xu be ran tly p e rfo rm s ce n e s o f th e h u m an co m e d y, in clu d e Im o ge n e Cu n n in gh am , Alan W atts , an d o th e r San Fran cis co artis ts an d w rite rs .W h ile e ve n avan t-gard e n u d ity s e e m s o fte n to be tray an abs e n ce o f jo yfu l o r u n co m p licate d s e x, Th e Be d d is p lays a s m ilin g, p o lym o rp h o u s ly-p e rve rs e e ro ticis m . Fo r o n ce , p e n is e s ap p e ar in lo ve s ce n e s , bu t th e y are lim p , d e n o tic n o t im p o te n ce bu t th e p re cis e m o m e n t in tim e at w h ich th is film w as m ad e . ______________________________________________

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TH E BED ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 6 7) Id e o lo gical o ff-s h o o t o f th e Am e rican co u n te rcu ltu re m o ve m e n t o f th e 6 0 s , th is firs t e xam p le o f an all-n u d e film ( s tarrin g m an y o f San Fran cis co 's be s t-kn o w n artis ts an d w rite rs ) is a lyrical, p o e tic p o rtrayal o f "th e be d " as th e e te rn al are n a o f h u m an life , lo ve , an d d e ath . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E MOST BEAU TIFU L AGE ( Jaro s lav Pap o u s e k, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th e film 's d ire cto r te n d e n tio u s p re o ccu p atio n w ith m an 's fo ible s p ro ve s th at, u n d e r to talitarian is m ,th e p o rtrayal o f p u re ly h u m an valu e s be co m e s its e lfid e o lo gical. A yo u n g h o u s e w ife , atte m p tin g to p o s e fo r art s tu d e n ts , s o m e h o w ch an ge s th ro u gh co m p o s itio n an d d e co r in to a s e m i-s u rre al o bje ct; h e r w arm s e n s u ality is in co u n te rp o in t to an ap p ro p riate s ke le to n , w h ile h e r h air p ro vid e s th e alie n atin gan o n ym ity n e ce s s ary fo r th e fin al e ffe ct.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

D OCU MEN TARY FOOTAGE ( Mo rgan Fis h e r, U SA, 19 6 8 ) A n u d e girl o n a s to o l re ad s a s e rie s o f in an e qu e s tio n s ad d re s s e d to h e rs e lf in to a tap e re co rd e r w ith o u t an s w e rin g th e m , le avin g 15 s e co n d p au s e s afte r e ach . Afte rw ard s , s h e re ru n s th e tap e , ris e s , an d an s w e rs e ach qu e s tio n w ith ch arm in g im p ro vis atio n s . An e arly e xam p le o f s tru ctu ral cin e m a, th e fo rm alis t m e an in gle s s n e s s o f th e actio n is co n tin u o u s ly s u bve rte d by th e girl's fe m in in ity an d "h o t" ( h o w e ve r u n affe cte d ) n u d ity. As w e "h e lp le s s ly" w ave r be tw e e n th e tw o p o le s , a p h ilo s o p h ical jo ke is be in g p laye d o n u s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ECSTASY ( Gu s tav Mach aty, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 3 3 ) Th is m u ch m align e d film re m ain s o n e o f th e gre at w o rks o f th e p o e tic cin e m a, a s e n s u o u s s to ry o fp as s io n an d d e s ire , s e e n e n tire ly th ro u gh a w o m an 's e ye s . Th o u gh kn o w n p rim arily fo r its th e n d arin g an d u n p re ce d e n te d n u d e s ce n e s , th e film e ffe ctive ly attacke d s till an o th e r tabo o in its lin ge rin g p o rtrayal o f H e d y Lam arr's o rgas m ( s e e n in h e r face o n ly) d u rin g cu n n ilin gu s . Pro bably n o o th e r film in film h is to ry h as be e n in vo lve d in m o re le gal an d ce n s o rial w ran glin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 5/19/2007 12:30 PM

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TH E GOLD EN POSITION S ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 70 ) N u d ity, co m bin e d w ith an age gro u p n o t u s u ally s h o w n n u d e an d w ith th e acco u tre m e n ts o f bo u rge o is e tiqu e tte an d attire , s e rve s to d e bu n k th e p o m p o s itie s o f th e w e ll-bre d . Particu larly e ffe ctive is th e s u bje cts ' s o le m n ity w ith in th e rid icu lo u s p o s itio n th e film m ake r h as p lace d th e m in . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LE GAI SAVOIR ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 9 ) W ith typ ically p layfu l p e rve rs ity, Go d ard u s e s n u d ity to s e rve as id e o lo gical s tate m e n t, s u rre alis t an d "o bs ce n e " in its u n e xp e cte d tran s p o s itio n o f Fre u d w ith brain an d Marx w ith s e x. Th e s e tw o n am e s als o d e n o te th e tru e p aram e te rs o f Go d ard 's u n ive rs e an d h is d e te rm in atio n to d e s tro y illu s io n is m by in tro d u cin g le tte rin g in to th e vis u als . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LES MALES ( Gille s Carle , Can ad a, 19 71) A fre qu e n tly e ro tic co m e d y o f tw o d ro p -o u ts fro m s o cie ty w h o s e Th o re au -like id yll in Can ad ian w o o d s is im p ro ve d u p o n by a ve ry re al girl. Th e s till co n ve ys th e m ixtu re o f s w e e t ro m an ticis m -- th e girl, d is arm in gly as le e p , fram e d by le ave s -- an d lu s t, fre e o f H o llyw o o d 's s n igge rin g s e x. Film n u d ity h as be co m e cas u in g ( th o u gh n o le s s aro u s in g th an be fo re ) . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TIME IN TH E SU N ( U SA, 19 3 0 ) Me xico d o e s s tran ge th in gs e ve n to co s m o p o litan ( an d in h ibite d ) co m m u n is ts as s e e n in th is u n u s u al s till fro m Eis e n s te in 's u n fin is h e d Me xican film . Th e p ro vo cative p o s e o f th e girl, th e p lay o f ligh t an d s h ad o w , th e yo u n g m an 's lan gu id ye t w atch fu l re actio n , d e n o te a h o t, lazy e ro tic afte rn o o n . ( e d ite d by Marie Se to n w ith Pau l Bu rn fo rd , fro m s o m e o f Se rge i Eis e n s te in 's fo o tage fo r h is u n fin is h e d film , Qu e Viv a M e xico ) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VIXEN ( Ru s s Me ye r, U SA, 19 6 8 ) Th e All-Am e rican girl, p e n s ive an d n atu re -lo vin g, e n gu lfe d by ve ge tatio n . U n til libe rate d by s u ch s e x p io n e e rs o f co m m e rcial cin e m a as Ru s s Me ye r, s h e w as fo rbid d e n p ractically in to th e s ixtie s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLY ( Yo ko On o , U SA, 19 71) Extre m e m agn ificatio n re m o ve s th e e ro ticis m o f n u d ity, abs tractifie s th e bo d y, an d re ve als it

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as a m ys te rio u s , u n kn o w n u n ive rs e . Iro n ically, th e fly -- actin g as in tre p id e xp lo re r -s e rve s to "h u m an ize " th e p ro ce e d in gs . SC

______________________________________________ A h yp n o tic ju xtap o s itio n o f p re d ato ry in s e ct an d be au tifu l bo d y, w ith n e ith e r p arty p e rfo rm in g acco rd in g to ru le s , th e re by d is ru p tin g th e re ality gam e . Fo r 2 5 m in u te s w e s e e a ve ry p re tty girl, d e e p ly as le e p , o ve r w h o s e n u d e bo d y cre e p s a d ilige n t fly th at n e ve r take s o ff bu t e xp lo re s h e r fu lly, in clu d in g p u bic h air an d s e x. Th e film is alm o s t e n tire ly in clo s e -u p , w ith n ip p le s ap p e arin g as m o u n tain to p s , th e fly as clim be r, th e girl's bo d y as th e fly's u n ive rs e . Fin ally, th e girl bre ath e s ; n o w th e re are m an y flie s an d lo n g-s h o ts o f th e girl's bo d y in h abite d by th e m ; at las t s h e s h o o s th e m aw ay.Mu ch o f th e film s e e m s to p ro gre s s in re al tim e ,s u p p o s e d gu aran to r o f ve racity. Ye t, an d w ith in te n tio n alp e rve rs ity, th e o d d s are s tacke d in favo r o f artifice ;bo th fly an d girl are d ru gge d ; o n e to e ffe ct p as s ivityu n re s p o n s ive to co n s tan t irritatio n , th e o th e r to e n s u re p e ram bu latio n an d in ability to fly. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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N U MBER 4 ( Yo ko On o , Gre at Britain , 19 6 8 ) U n like th e p o rtrayal o f s e x o rgan s , th e s igh t o f bu tto cks is alw ays s o m e w h at h u m o ro u s , d e n o tin g u n co n s cio u s d e fe n s e again s t a p ro ce s s co n s id e re d o bje ctio n able , th o u gh h arm le s s . H e re 3 6 5 n u d e be h in d s ( Lo n d o n 's le ad in g artis ts an d in te lle ctu als ) p as s th e cam e ra in n e ve r-e n d in g p ro ce s s io n at 2 0 s e co n d in te rvals fo r 9 0 m in u te s , w h ile w e are fo rcibly im p re s s e d by h o w d iffe re n t an d alike w e are . SC ______________________________________________ Fo r 9 0 m in u te s , 3 6 5 bare be h in d s o f m an y o f Lo n d o n 's le ad in g artis ts an d in te lle ctu als p as s th e cam e ra at 2 0 s e co n d in te rvals in an e ve r-e n d in g p ro ce s s io n o f h air o r s m o o th n e s s , care fu lly clo s e d o r cas u ally o p e n le gs , d an glin g te s ticle s , d im p le d bu tto cks , s e n s u o u s ly ru bbin g th igh s ; s o o n th e y tu rn in to h yp n o tic, s e m iabs tract d e s ign s .Th e s o u n d track -- as u n id e n tifiable as th e vis u als -- carrie s u n s tage d co m m e n ts by th e p articip an ts . Fo cu s in g o n th e m ys te ry o f th e co m m o n p lace , th is ( ve ry) "in s tru ctio n al"film p ro ve s bu tto cks to be an o ve rlo o ke d m e an s o f s e lf e xp re s s io n an d co n s cio u s n e s s -e xp an s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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H OW TASTY W AS MY LITTLE FREN CH MAN ( N e ls o n Pe re ira D o s San to s , Brazil, 19 71) A s tran ge an d co m ical e xp lo ratio n o f th e m o ral d im e n s io n s o f can n ibalis m in 16 th ce n tu ry Brazil, p laye d by an all-n u d e cas t, in w h ich a Fre n ch ad ve n tu re r is fin ally "in te grate d " in to a p rim itive tribe by be in g e ate n . N atu re an d p o s itio n in g o f bo d y p ain t as w e ll as p h allu s -like o bje cts in th e back, re in fo rce th e e ro ticis m o f th e s h o t.

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TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

LOVES OF A BLON D E ( Milo s Fo rm an , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 5) Th e Eas t's firs t n u d e lo ve s ce n e ; in th e p u ritan ical s e ttin g o f th e s e s o cie tie s , a s te p as rad ical as th e s tylis tic in n o vatio n s o f th e o th e r yo u n g Cze ch d ire cto rs . Fo rm an re in tro d u ce d th e h u m an is tic e le m e n t in to its cin e m a, e xp o s in g th e vie w e r ( in Ch ap lin e s qu e alte rn atio n s o f lau gh te r an d h e ld -in te ars ) to th e s w e e tn e s s an d aw kw ard n e s s o f ad o le s ce n ce . SC

TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: EROTIC AN D PORN OGRAPH IC CIN EMA - PART ON E As the sexual conservatives used to w arn us,

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once you allow one nude, a second ( usually of the other sex) w ill soon join it leading to inevitable trouble. Beginning w ith the ( albeit tentative) victory of nudity in film, this last decade has indeed for the first time raised the possibility of sexually explicit cinema as a mass phenomenon. Previously confined to brothels, stag parties, or illegal exhibitions, a series of court decisions in Scandinavia and America has now made public presentation of sex possible. The old view of sex w as clear and consistent. The censors, in their abiding solicitude for our moral w elfare, had alw ays to contend w ith this stubborn subject, but the guidelines w ere reasonably self-evident. I n a typical and famous decision, an American judge declared Max Ophuls' La Ronde ( based on Schnitzler's play) obscene for the follow ing reasons: That a film which panders to base human emotions is a breeding ground for sensuality, depravity, licentiousness and sexual immorality can hardly be doubted. That these vices represent a "clearand present danger" to the body social seems manifestly clear. (1) As alw ays, it w as the sex drive ( here coded as "sensuality") that w as the basic vice; it represents a "base" emotion and leads to depravity, licentiousness, and immorality. Similarly, the pro-censorship minority of the 1967 American Presidential Commission on Obscenity quite clearly stated its fundamental objectives in its final dissent from the official ( unexpectedly anti-censorship) report: The obvious morals to be protected are chastity, modesty, temperance, and self-sacrificing love. The obvious evils to be inhibited are lust, excess, adultery, incest, homosexuality, bestiality, masturbation, and fornication. (2) The basic evil is, again, the sex drive, from w hich all other vices derive. I t is a significant restatement of Calvinist ideology to find chastity so directly counterposed to lust, modesty to excess, temperance to fornication; not to speak of bestiality, masturbation, and incest. "Prurience" -- the perennial itch of mankind -- is the bete noir of all censors. The arousal of lust is considered evil; no justification for its prohibition is therefore even considered necessary in law ; it appears as God-given.

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An American court's decision banning Louis Malle's Les Amants outlined its reasons ( and, unconsciously, its ow n reactions) quite specifically: "I n a tantalizing and increasing tempo, the sex appetite is w hetted and lascivious thoughts and lustful desires are intensely stimulated." ( 3) I t is a testimony to the staying pow er of an atavistic taboo that w hat is perhaps the most sought-after emotion -- the arousal of sexual desire --is universally proscribed as evil. Yet prurience -- even if it w ere admitted to be evil -- seems particularly ill-suited to legislation. For it appears that w hat actually constitutes prurience differs for churchgoers, sado-masochists, college graduates, different age groups, sexes, and classes. I n fact, it w ould seem to differ even w th the same person, depending on his state of mind. According to the ruling of one American judge: If he reads an obscene book while his sensuality is low, he will yawn over it. If he reads the Mechanics Lien Act while his sensuality is high, things will stand between him and the page that have no business there. (4) And G.V. Ramsey's study of sources of erotic stimuli of 291 young boys found these to include ( among others!) fast elevator rides, sitting in class, sudden changes in environment, punishments, being scared, finding money -- and listening to the national anthem. ( 5) Thus the very term "obscenity" seems impossible to define properly; it is, says Randall ( an authority on the subject) , the most familiar and the most elusive of concepts in law and social life. The American Commission on Obscenity found to its amazement that "none of the federal statutes prohibiting 'obscene' materials defines that term." American civil rights attorney Charles Rembar, in his book The End of Obscenity, declares, not so facetiously, that obscenity "is usually defined as lew d, lew d is defined as lascivious, lascivious as libidinous, libidinous as licentious, and licentious as lustful," Though today a surreptitious substitute for "sexual taboo", "obscenity" has the same origin in myth and religion. To those w ho think of it as "eternal", it may come as a shock to realize that in Anglo-American law it has been a criminal offense for only a hundred and fifty years; and that at first, anti-obscenity law s pertained to anti-religious materials ( w ith sexual references) . I t w as institutionalized religion and its puritan ethos that created these law s. Prior to 1958, w hen nudist magazines w ere still considered obscene in America, a District Court offered its ow n spectacular definition of obscenity. Declaring ( after necessarily close inspection) a photograph

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in the Sunshine and Health magazine to be "obscene", it stated: The woman has large elephantine breasts that hang from her shoulders to her waist. They are exceedingly large. The thighs are very obese. She is standing in the snow in galoshes. But the part which is offensive, obscene, filthy and indecent is the pubic areas shown. The hair extends outwardly virtually to the hip bone. (6) While the reasoning seems obscure -- is it the pubic hair that makes the photograph obscene or its extension to the hip bone? -one cannot escape the impression that elephantine breasts, obese thighs, and last but not least, galoshes w ere additional factors in this judicial condemnation. While in America, at one time or another, even partial nudity and mildly suggestive, posed couples w ere declared obscene, the recent past has w itnessed the shrinkage of the term to "hardcore" sex ( actual intercourse, the camera emphasizing, rather than avoiding genitals and their interaction.) One of the basic textbooks on American film censorship flatly states that "the legal regulation of stag films, of course, falls beyond the purview of this investigation. Such materials are clearly pornographic and are never show n publicly. Naturally, these films cannot be censored." ( 7) This w as in 1966. Four years later, stag films w ere publicly show n all over America. The commercial motivation behind such exhibitions -- now proceeding apace at advanced prices in w ell over 200 cinemas throughout the United States -- is obvious. Nevertheless, it is impossible to disregard the ideological framew ork provided by the sex reformers. The libertarian view of obscenity, pornography, and sex is forcefully expressed by the French sexologist Rene Guyon in his The Ethics of Sexual Acts: 1. The convention which regards the sexual organs as shameful is without any foundation in reason, logic, or physiology; it would be just as possible and just as foolish to regard the nose, the tongue, or the act of swallowing, as shameful. 2. The acts accompanying sexual pleasure find their only and sufficient justification in the pleasure that they bring; sexual pleasure is therefore just as admissible as any other natural satisfaction, and its exercise, in whatsoever form may be preferred, has nothing to do with the morality, the virtue or the dignity of either sex. 3. Everybody has the right to exercise quite freely his own preferences in matters of sex, so long as he is guilty of no violence or deceit to others;

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the right to sexual satisfaction is just as inalienable as the right to eat. (8) The most sensational support for the libertarian view unexpectedly has come from the 1970 report of the American Presidential Commission on Obscenity and Pornography. I ts voluminous, heavily documented and researched, 650-page report ( 9) w as the result of a Congressionallyinitiated $2,000,000 study covering definitions, effects, extent, existing, and proposed legislation for the control of pornography and obscenity. Entirely an "Establishment" committee, its members included leading judges, educators, scientists, attorneys, psychiatrists, and clergymen. Their conclusions, embodied in w hat is a historic document, contradicted in every instance the popular stereotypes regarding pornography. This w as even more significant in the light of the fact that due to the lack of sufficient experimental data, the commission had initiated careful studies, tests, and research to arrive at its findings. Entirely unexpectedly, the report called for the repeal of all law s against the show ing and selling of sexually-explicit films, books, and other materials to consenting adults. ( "Sexually-explicit" w as chosen to avoid the pejorative term "pornography".) Declaring it "exceedingly unw ise to attempt to legislate individual moral values and standards", the recommendations w ere based on detailed findings that sexually-explicit materials do not cause crime, juvenile delinquency, anti-social acts, character disorder, sexual or non-sexual deviation. The Commission stated ( 10) that national surveys of psychiatrists, psychologists, sex educators, social w orkers, and counsellors show a large majority to believe that sexual materials do not have harmful effects on either adults or adolescents. I t did find that exposure to erotic stimuli produced sexual arousal in most men and w omen) ( w omen being not less aroused than men) and, not surprisingly, that the young of both sexes ( especially if college educated, religiously inactive, and sexually experienced) w ere more easily stimulated. This arousal led to a temporary increase in masturbation or coital behavior for some, a temporary decrease for others ( !) and no change in behavior for the majority. Established patterns of sexual behavior w ere not found to be substantially altered by exposure to eroticism, though pre-existing patterns may be temporarily activated: another w ay of saying that one does not become a sadomasochist, a homosexual, or a rapist by looking or by reading. Substantial numbers of married couples reported better and more 5/19/2007 12:30 PM

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agreeable marital communication, increased feelings of love and closeness, increased w illingness to discuss sexual matters and to experiment, and greater tolerance tow ards other peoples' sex activities. Most importantly, no link w hatsoever w as found w ith sex crimes. I n fact, sex offenders w ere found to have had less adolescent exposure to erotica than other adults, less sexual experience, and a more repressive and sexually deprived environment. The conclusions of the Commission w ere very specific: a. The Commission recommends that federal, state and local legislation prohibiting the sale, exhibition and distribution of sexual materials to consenting adults be repealed. b. Governmental regulation of moral choice can deprive the individual of the responsibility for personal decision which is essential to the formation of genuine moral standards. Such regulations would also tend to establish an official moral orthodoxy, contrary to our most fundamental constitutional traditions. c. Though there is no definite evidence, the Commission favors, due to insufficient research, that children not be exposed to pictorial eroticism (except by parents), this to be reconsidered every six years due to changing standards. d. The Commission does not believe that sufficient social justification exists for the retention or enactment of broad legislation prohibiting the consensual distribution of sexual materials to adults. We therefore do not recommend any definition of what is obscene for adults. (11) (Author's emphasis) Significantly, the Commission's report ( though further vindicated in European sex studies) ( 12) , w as immediately denounced by President Nixon w ho "categorically rejected its morally bankrupt conclusions" and promised that "pornography w hich can corrupt and poison the w ellsprings of American and Western culture and civilization" w ould be controlled if not eliminated under his aegis. The first major step came w ith the stunning June 1973 Nixon Supreme Court decision significantly broadening the obscenity concept and for the first time leaving its definition to "local communities"; a film may thus be obscene in Utah but not in New York. The consequences w ere immediate; w idespread law suits, capricious police action, and, more ominously, self-censorship that tailored w orks to the most inoffensive common denominator. Explicit sexual materials -- far from being eliminated -- w ere instead driven underground once more, leading to higher prices and organized crime infiltration. But a full return to the old puritanism may no longer be possible. This is particularly due to the new value systems

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of the young and the counterculture. I n his classic on underground ideology, Jeff Nuttall lists eight basic tenets as embodying its value; the last is a demand ... to eradicate utterly and forever the Pauline lie implicit in Christian convention, that people neither shit, piss nor fuck. To set up a common public idea of what a human being is that retains no hypocrisy or falsehood, and indeed, to reinstate a sense of health and beauty pertaining to the genitals and the arsehole. (13) Carried over into the realm of art, the new freedom entails a demand for eroticism as a positive good and explains w hy it w as the international ( particularly American) underground and avant-garde cinema w hich, in film after film, acted as its pioneer and catalyst: Partly as a result of prohibition, art which deals with the theme of sex satisfaction, recollected, anticipated or imagined, is probably the only thematic art for which, if it were available, there now would be a consistent and general demand in our society -- wide enough to perform the unimaginable and restore contact between artists and the general public (14) Due to previous total supression, the sudden sexual permissiveness in film has indeed brought w ith it a quick escalation from "soft" to "hard-core" sex, allow ing almost no possibility for the development of a truly erotic cinema. The last thing present-day hardcore films can be accused of is subtlety, lyricism, erotic tension, or w hat the Kronhausens quite properly call "erotic realism" as against the "w ish-fulfillment fantasy of hardcore pornography". ( 15) This "skipped" chapter w ill undoubtedly develop in a future more relaxed about sex; indeed, by adding the dimension of feeling and erotic tension to that of physiological urge, the result by virtue of its pow er of provocation w ill be far more subversive that present-day hardcore films are. ( Both I Am Curious - Yellow and Last Tango in Paris are indications of things to come, as are erotic w orks made from a w oman's view point.) This ( together w ith the entrance of w omen filmmakers into this field) contributes to the elimination of the unquestionably "sexist" ( because male-oriented) aspects of present-day hardcore cinema. The conquest of the final visual taboo -- the realistic, poetic, or lyrical portrayal of the sex act -- is the undeniable goal of subversive film artists today.

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They have already succeeded in portraying orgasm. This "sw eet death" is particularly threatening to the bourgeois and the censorious; for it is disruptive and anarchic -- possibly the only ecstatic experience left to man -- a moment of total self-surrender by dissolution into the beloved and thereby into the w orld. Such destruction of all bonds of logic and citizenship is a dangerous pleasure, to be tolerated at best; it is certainly not to be freely displayed in public. Yet even in terms of the sex act, the cinema has come a long w ay from love scenes w ith discreet cut-aw ays to sunsets or the later, more "daring" use of w ildly w aving bushes, flow ers bending under w ind thrusts, and suddenly gushing w aters. Starting w ith nudity, then motion, sound, and long shots of nude coupling, the cinema is ( unsteadily) progressing tow ards the documentary portrayal of the sex act in all its forms. For the moment ( and even here not necessarily permanently) this development seems limited to America, Scandinavia, and, in part, West Europe. I n the "hardcore" films now publicly show n in these countries, even the erect penis -- to the censor the most dangerous image in the know n universe -and its combination w ith the female organ during intercourse are permissible. The grow ing incursion of such visuals ( and their sensational box office success) indicate that it may not be possible to revert to former norms, unless totalitarian controls are imposed. Given existing international tendencies, this is entirely possible. I f, in today's sex films, the "pornographic" element predominates, this is because they are produced w ithin the context of a sexually repressed society. The huge financial success of the hardcore films cannot be explained in any other manner. Yet, even in this market, significant attempts are being made in the direction of the erotic film, combining uncensored realism w ith tenderness, humor, mishaps, and the inevitable nonerotic components of every real act of human love. One can only hope that eventually arousal of erotic feelings in the cinema w ill take the place of the aggression and violence, predominant in films today; but this is part of the larger struggle in the w orld betw een Eros and Thanatos.

REFERENCES (1) Ira H. Carmen, Movies, Censorship and the Law, 1966 (2) The Report of the Commission on Obscenity and Pornography, 1970 (3) Richard S. Randall, Censorship of the Movies, 1970 (4) Randall (5) Drs Eberhard and Phyllis Kronhausen, Pornography and the Law, 1964 (6) Randall (7) Carmen (8) Rene Guyon, The Ethics of Sexual Acts, 1934

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(9) Report (10) Report (11) Report (12) Peter Gorsen, Sexual-aesthetic, 1972 (13) Jeff Nuttall, Bomb Culture, 1968 (14) Alex Comfort, Darwin and the Naked Lady, 1961 (15) Kronhausen

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E D ECAMERON ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Italy/ Fran ce / Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) Th is d ilap id ate d ro o m -- in vad e d by ve ge tatio n an d alm o s t o u td o o rs -- re in fo rce s th e ro m an ticis m , s e n s u ality, an d e arth in e s s o f th is vis u al m e tap h o r fo r Bo ccaccio . Th e m an 's balls are s tartlin g ad d itio n s to th e re p e rto ry o f co m m e rcial cin e m a. Ligh t an d s h ad o w ad d to th e atm o s p h e re . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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AN D GOD CREATED W OMAN ( Ro ge r Vad im , Fran ce , 19 56 ) ( F) Fro m Ecs t a s y to I Am Cu r io u s - Y e llo w , e ve ry ge n e ratio n h as h ad its o w n s can d alo u s "bre akth ro u gh " film ; in th e 50 s , it w as An d Go d Cr e a t e d W o m a n ; in d e e d , Bard o t's u n in h ibite d s e xu ality an d , in th is s till, th e d is p lay o f n u d e bre as ts , p an tie s , an d m ale re m o vin g h e r clo th in g w as qu ite u n p re ce d e n te d ; th e co u p le 's le gs , h o w e ve r, w e re s till in "co rre ct" ( u n e n tan gle d ) p o s itio n . N o te rigid tre e to w e rin g o ve rh e ad . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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BARBARELLA ( Ro ge r Vad im , Fran ce , 19 6 8 ) ( F) Jan e e m be d d e d n u d e in th e u n d u latin g to rtu re -by-co n tin u o u s o rgas m m ach in e , s u rro u n d e d by e arlie r victim s . Th o u gh alm o s t e xp irin g am id s t d e licio u s s w o o n s , Jan e fin ally blo w s th e m ach in e 's fu s e by h e r o rgias tic p o te n cy. A go o d e xam p le o f Vad im 's e le gan t, p e rve rs e , an d cam p y e ro ticis m . SC ______________________________________________ Th e flam bo yan t, p e rve rs e , an d to n gu e -in -ch e e k e ro ticis m o f th is w o rk -- re in fo rce d by its glo s s y p o p -art co lo rs an d cam p d e co r, a Te rry So u th e rn s crip t an d Jan e Fo n d a's p s e u d o -virgin al s e n s u ality -- m arks it as a h igh p o in t o f s o p h is ticate d co m m e rcial s e x cin e m a. Titillatin gly avo id in g fro n tal n u d ity ( n o t p e rm is s ive at th e tim e ) , it co n ce n trate s in s te ad o n co n tin u al s u gge s tive n e s s ( e xte n d in g e ve n to th e d e co r an d to s ad o -m as o ch is t an d le s bian in te rlu d e s ) , an d cu lm in ate s in th e fabu lo u s to rtu re -by-co n tin u o u s -o rgas m m ach in e in w h ich Jan e alm o s t d e lirio u s ly e xp ire s be fo re blo w in g its fu s e by h e r o rgias tic p o te n cy; h e r lu s tfu l, p ain e d grim ace s an d m o an s , th e u n d u latin g m o ve m e n ts o f th e m ach in e ( in w h ich s h e is e m be d d e d , n u d e ) p ro ve th e in ge n u ity o f co m m e rcial film m ake rs in te n t o n ch e atin g th e ce n s o rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

"BEAVER" FILMS ( U SA, 19 70 ff.) Tribu te m u s t be p aid to an e arly varie ty o f p u blicly s h o w n p o rn o grap h y, th e "be ave r" film s , s o -calle d be cau s e n u d e fe m ale s d is p lay th e ir ge n itals in a s u cce s s io n o f u ltim ate ly s ad d e n in g p s e u d o e ro tic co n to rtio n s an d co m e -o n m o ve m e n ts . Ch aracte ris tically, th e w o m an is p o s e d o n a be d , alo n e ; th e re is n o h e te ro s e xu al activity, th o u gh m as tu rbatio n an d p as s io n is fre qu e n tly s im u late d . A s e n s atio n at firs t, th e s e film s qu ickly gave w ay to s o ft- an d h ard -co re cin e m a s e x. Th e ir s u d d e n p o p u larity w as a p e rve rs e h ym n to th e vagin a ( n o t e as ily available to lo n e ly in tro ve rts ) w h ich h ad p re vio u s ly be e n ke p t a m ys te rio u s s e cre t by th e ce n s o rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D AN ISH BLU E ( Gabrie l Axe l, D e n m ark, 19 6 8 ) ( F) On e o f th e fe w p o rn o grap h ic co m e d ie s , D an is h Blu e take s a d e ligh tfu lly o ffh an d attitu d e to w ard s e xu al m o re s . In th is s h o t, th e "fo rbid d e n " is cle arly e s tablis h e d w ith o u t be in g s h o w n , a rare fe at. In ad d itio n , a vis u al p u n is m ad e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLACK PU D D IN G ( N an cy Ed e ll, Gre at Britain , 19 71) Th e vio le n t p o rn o grap h ic s u rre alis m o f Am e rican u n d e rgro u n d carto o n m agazin e s fin ally in vad e s film an im atio n . In an u n fath o m able u n ive rs e , h u ge vagin as an d p e n is e s are p ro tago n is ts o f bizarre , vio le n t, an d p o rn o grap h ic e ve n ts ; th e m ixtu re o f m o n s te rs an d s e xu ality, th e p e rve rs e an d th e ap o calyp tic are re m in is ce n t o f Bo s ch . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CON TIN U IN G STORY OF CAREL AN D FERD ( Arth u r Gin s be rg, U SA, 19 72 ) ( F)

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Th is "u n d e rgro u n d vid e o s o ap o p e ra" -- p re s e n te d in an as to n is h in g e igh t-te le vis io n s cre e n , clo s e d -circu it, live p e rfo rm an ce fo rm at, be gin s w h e re co m m e rcial TV le ts o ff. A "vid e o -ve rite " s tu d y o f a s o m e tim e h o m o s e xu al ju n kie an d h is girl ( bo th fo rm e r p o rn o film m ake rs ) , it is accu rate ly bille d as a "vid e o tap e n o ve l abo u t p o rn o grap h y, s e xu al id e n titie s , an d th e e ffe ct o f livin g to o clo s e to an e le ctro n ic m e d iu m ." Th e w o rk is p e rfo rm e d "live " be fo re an au d ie n ce by th e d ire cto r m an ip u latin g th e e igh t m o n ito rs , m ixin g d iffe re n t o r id e n tical actio n o n o n e , s e ve ral o r all o f th e m ; th e "film s " th u s ch an ge s d aily. Th o u gh atte n tio n is u s u ally s p re ad am o n g all m o n ito rs , th e s u d d e n ap p e aran ce o f s e x o n e ve n o n e s e t im m e d iate ly "d is to rts " th e balan ce , a tribu te to its p o w e r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLESH ( Pau l Mo rris e y, U SA, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th e o u ts p o ke n ye t e n tire ly cas u al s e xu ality o f th e W arh o l-Mo rris e y film s is co n ve ye d in th is s ce n e o f d o m e s tic blis s ; fe llatio n o ccu rs o n -s cre e n , bu t in a m an n e r d ifficu lt to ce n s o r, its p ro tago n is t alm o s t as u n in te re s te d as th e tw o p e o p le o n th e co u ch . N o t e ve ryo n e in th is s till w h o s e e m s to be a girl actu ally is . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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COMIN G APART ( Milto n Mo s e s Gin s be rg, U SA, 19 6 9 ) ( F) A go o d e xam p le o f e ro tic re alis m ; H o llyw o o d co u ld n e ve r h ave e n vis io n e d s o o ff-be at an d h u m an a s h o t. Th e s e are tw o p e o p le w h o kn o w e ach o th e r ve ry w e ll an d th is is th e ir little u n ive rs e . Th e actio n is s e e n in a m irro r by a co n ce ale d cam e ra re co rd in g th e p ro tago n is t's in cre ain gly p ro ble m atic s e x life . SC ______________________________________________ Th is p o w e rfu l, u n s e ttlin g film e le vate s vo ye u ris m to its ce n tral e le m e n t in a s e rie s o f raw s e xu al e n co u n te rs re fle cte d in an ap artm e n t m irro r, fro m w h ich a h id d e n cam e ra re co rd s its im age s . Th e lu s tfu l s e x tu rn s in cre as in gly p ath e tic an d th e m irro r is fin ally s m as h e d in d e s p air. Th e "p layin g" o n re ality -- th e e n tire film is s tage d , th e m irro r th u s re fle ctin g a d o u ble illu s io n -- is e m in e n tly m o d e rn an d s tru ctu ral, as is th e cam e ra's p as s ive im m o bility, w ith actio n at tim e s le avin g th e fram e o r th e film "ru n n in g o u t". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D EAR JOH N ( Lars Magn u s Lin d gre n , Sw e d e n , 19 6 4 ) ( F) N o th in g p articu larly u n u s u al abo u t th is s h o t e xce p t th at th e w o m an 's p an tie s h ave ju s t be e n re m o ve d . In th is fran k e arly e xam p le o f ad u lt s e x co u ld be fo u n d an e ro ticis m tin ge d w ith te n d e rn e s s an d th e m is h ap s o f d aily life . ______________________________________________ Fran kn e s s an d h o n e s ty ch aracte rize th is rare an d e arly p o rtrayal o f ad u lt s e x in th e co n te xt o f a tru e lo ve re latio n ; as th e p as t is re m e m be re d in a w arm an d lo vin g be d , w e d is co ve r an e ro ticis m tin ge d w ith te n d e rn e s s , lau gh te r, an d th e m is h ap s o f d aily life . D ro p p e d p an tie s , re fe re n ce s to p e n is s ize an d co n trace p tio n m ake th e ir be late d cin e m atic ap p e aran ce . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E LICKERISH QU ARTET ( Rad le y Me tzge r, U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Early atte m p ts at co m m e rcial e ro ticis m avo id e d lo n g s h o ts be cau s e th e y w e re to o s tim u latin g to s h o w n u d e bo d ie s fu ll-le n gth d u rin g s e x w as to o m u ch fo r ce n s o rs . On ly in th e late r 6 0 s d id co m m e rcial s e x film p io n e e rs be gin to u s e th e m . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EVERREAD Y ( An o n ym o u s , U SA, circa 19 2 5) Po rn o grap h ic carto o n s are rare r th an live "h ard co re " film s , th o u gh th e fre e d o m available to th e an im ato r allo w s m o re in tricate actio n . Th e s e carto o n s u s u ally co n s is t o f a s e rie s o f "d irty jo ke s "

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an d avo id th e h e avy- bre ath in g s o le m n ity o f th e "live " film s . Th e e re ct p e n is vio late s a bas ic tabo o . ______________________________________________ Exce lle n t an d rare e xam p le o f a p o rn o grap h ic carto o n , s killfu lly d raw n an d e d ite d fo r be lly-lau gh s . Th e h e ro s p o rts th e w o rld 's large s t an d s tiffe s t to o l -h e e ve n re qu ire s a w h e e lbarro w to s u p p o rt it -w h ich s e e m s to h ave a m in d o f its o w n an d in vo lve s its p o s s e s s o r in o n e p o rn o grap h ic ad ve n tu re afte r an o th e r; e ve n co w s are n o t e xclu d e d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ELECTROSEX ( An o n ym o u s , U SA, 19 70 ) On e o f th e e arlie s t an d m o s t s u cce s s fu l o f th e n e w cro p o f h ard co re Am e rican p o rn o grap h ic film s . Its co n ve n ie n t p lo t in tro d u ce s th re e fe m ale ro bo ts ( p laye d by n u bile yo u n g lad ie s ) w h o , u p o n co m m an d , can an d d o p e rfo rm all s e x acts kn o w n to m an . Afte r 4 0 m in u te s o r s o o f ath le tic an d lu s tfu l cavo rtin g, th e m ale p ro tago n is ts tire ; bu t, in a s o m bre s u bve rs io n o f th e ge n re , th e girl-ro bo ts can n o t be s to p p e d , an d th e m e n d ie in a fit o f e xcru tiatin g s e xu al e xh au s tio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MAKE LOVE, N OT W AR ( Zlatko Grgic, Yu go s lavia, 19 71) In th e co u rs e o f th is 6 0 -s e co n d an im atio n , tw o h ip p ie s , rath e r in co n gru o u s ly, m ake lo ve d u rin g a p o litical d e m o n s tratio n ; a p o lice m an , u n as ke d , jo in s th e m fro m

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be h in d . A d irty jo ke fro m Yu go s lavia. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FU SES ( Caro le e Sch n e e m an n , U SA, 19 6 4 -6 7) A u n iqu e film d o cu m e n t by o n e o f Am e rica's m o s t o rigin al in te rm e d ia artis ts . D raw in g o n d o cu m e n tary fo o tage o f h e r an d h e r lo ve r's lo ve m akin g, it bu ild s a s tro n gly p o e tic te xtu re o f fe e lin g an d e xp e rie n ce by s u bje ctin g th e film s trip to th e m o s t vio le n t e xp e rim e n tatio n ( s o akin g it in acid s an d d ye s ; bakin g, p ain tin g, an d s cratch in g it) an d d is s o lvin g n arrative co n tin u ity in to a co n tin u u m o f n o n -s e qu e n tial, p o lym o rp h o u s an d s tro n gly "p o rn o grap h ic" im age ry. N e ve rth e le s s , as Ge n e Yo u n gblo o d o bs e rve s in Exp a n d e d Cin e m a : "Th is is a h o m e , n o t a w h o re h o u s e " an d th e film m ake r's s e n s itivity an d au th e n ticity n e ve r le t u s fo rge t it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FRITZ TH E CAT ( Ralp h Baks h i, U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) Th e e ro tic ad ve n tu re s o f Fritz th e Cat in tro d u ce actu al in te rco u rs e to th e an im ate d film , n o t to s p e ak o f a ce rtain grim y re alis m . H e re s o m e m ale s w ith e vil in te n tio n s in tro d u ce a yo u n g m aid e n to s m o kin g p o t. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E GO-BETW EEN

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( Jo s e p h Lo s e y, Gre at Britain , 19 71) ( F) An in te re s tin g u s e o f a tabo o im age fu rn is h e s th e clim ax o f th is e le gan t, te n s e d is s e ctio n o f Ed w ard ian s o cie ty, its m o re s an d rigid itie s at th e tu rn o f th e ce n tu ry, bas e d o n a H aro ld Pin te r s crip t. Th e s to ry o f a bo y w h o be co m e s a clan d e s tin e m e s s e n ge r in an affair be tw e e n a d au gh te r o f th e lan d e d ge n try an d a virile te n an t farm e r, its im age s -- s afe an d bo u rge o is o n th e s u rface -- are p u n ctu ate d by d arke r h in ts , u n til, in th e d e n o u e m e n t, th e bo y d is co ve rs th e tw o lo ve rs in th e s e x act. On ly a glim p s e is s h o w n an d th e re is n o n u d ity; ye t, th e im age o f th e m an s trad d lin g th e w o m an , e n fo ld e d by h e r le gs , is u n e qu ivo cal an d -- give n th e re s train t o f th e re s t o f th e film -- in te n tio n ally s can d alo u s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CASAN OVA ( Ale xan d e r W o lko v, Fran ce , 19 2 7) Orgy Th e n : e ve rybo d y is tire d e xce p t D o n Ju an w h o s u rve ys th e carn age in jad e d s atiatio n ( ju s t a d ay's w o rk ...) , re -e m p h as ize d in h is m agn ifice n tly e xte n d e d righ t arm . Eve rybo d y is care fu lly d rap e d . Th e u s e o f s tro n gly s lan te d lin e s in tro d u ce s a p e rve rs e e le m e n t in w h at o th e rw is e w o u ld h ave be e n a d e ad , acad e m ic co m p o s itio n .

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLOW -U P ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Gre at Britain , 19 6 6 ) Orgy N o w : Th e fam o u s s ce n e in Blo w -U p -care fu lly e xcis e d in m an y co u n trie s -- in w h ich tw o s tray Lo n d o n "bird s " fin ally in vo lve th e p h o to grap h e r in cas u al s e x o n th e flo o r. Th e glim p s e o f p u bic h air w as u n p re ce d e n te d . SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION EROTIC & PORNOGRAPHIC CINEMA - PART TWO FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

L'OPERA MOU FFE ( Agn e s Vard a, Fran ce , 19 58 ) ( F) Tw o n u d e lo ve rs e xp e rie n ce s w e e t an d s m ilin g p le as u re in e ach o th e r's bo d ie s . Fro m a h au n tin g, im p re s s io n is t film p o e m by th e w e ll-kn o w n Fre n ch d ire cto r. Th e lin e s o f th e tw o bo d ie s s e e m vis u ally to fu s e in fu lfille d lo ve .

TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: EROTIC AN D PORN OGRAPH IC CIN EMA - PART TW O

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LAST TAN GO IN PARIS ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Fran ce / Italy, 19 72 ) ( F) Afte r ye ars o f d is re gard , th e in te rn atio n al fam e s o s u d d e n ly be s to w e d u p o n Be rto lu cci fo r h avin g cre ate d a "bre akth ro u gh " film all bu t o bs cu re s th e qu e s tio n o f ju s t w h at th is "bre akth ro u gh " is m e an t to be ; fo r n e ith e r s tylis tically, th e m atically n o r in te rm s o f e ro tic te n s io n d o e s it go be yo n d Be fo r e t h e R e v o lu t io n , h is be s t w o rk. In fact, th e yo u th fu l e xce s s e s an d vis u al lyricis m o f th is e arlie r w o rk s e e m p re fe rable to th e m o re co n ve n tio n al an d s u bd u e d s tyle o f Ta n g o ; an d th e in te lle ctu al w e igh t an d id e o lo gical s u btle ly o f R e v o lu t io n are far m o re s u bs tan tial th an th e p u zzlin g "m e s s age " o f Ta n g o . As fo r Ta n g o 's s e x s ce n e s -- its m o s t brillian t as p e ct -th e ir e xp licitn e s s n e ith e r go e s as far as h ard co re p o rn o grap h y n o r, if th is co m p aris o n be co n s id e re d fair, be yo n d I Am Cu r io u s Y e llo w / Blu e , th e re al p io n e e r o f libe rate d cin e m a s e x. SC Th is e arlie r w o rk co n tain e d , ju s t as Ta n g o d o e s , e xp licit s im u late d co p u latio n , s e xu al vio le n ce an d n e ar-rap e ; it als o fe atu re d , as Ta n g o d o e s n o t, fro n tal m ale n u d ity an d jo yfu l e ro tic te n s io n qu ite d iffe re n t fro m th e s ad o m as o ch is t vio le n ce o f Be rto lu cci's film . Th e "bre akth ro u gh ", th e n , is in th e p ro d u ctio n an d d is tribu tio n o f s u ch a film by a m ajo r H o llyw o o d co m p an y, U n ite d Artis ts .

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Th e film 's s tark e ro tic re alis m is p o w e rfu l, bu t n o t u n iqu e . Exte n s ive ve rbal "o bs ce n ity" ( fu lly an ticip ate d in Jo s e p h Strick's Tr o p ic o f Ca n ce r , 19 70 ) an d an abs e n ce o f s e n tim e n tality o r titillatio n are w e lco m e as p e cts . Bu t e ve n if o n e e n tire ly d is co u n ts th e h ard co re film s n o w available at le as t in ce rtain co u n trie s , o n ly th o s e w h o d id n o t s e e Cu r io u s w ill be s h o cke d by co ital m o ve m e n ts , "u n u s u al" p o s itio n s , o rgas m ic s o u n d s . An d in care fu lly avo id in g ce rtain im age s , s u ch as m ale fro n tal n u d ity, Be rto lu cci rais e s u n co m fo rtable qu e s tio n s ; fo r in R e v o lu t io n , h is u n fe tte re d artis tic p as s io n n e ve r allo w e d calcu late d avo id an ce o f an yth in g cru cial; an d p e n is e s are cru cial to a film p ivo tin g o n s e x, p articu larly as fu ll fe m ale fro n tal n u d ity m ake s its ap p e aran ce . Equ ally d is tu rbin g are u n an n o u n ce d p o s t-p re m ie re cu ts in vo lvin g an iro n ic re ve latio n o f w h at to d ay is co n s id e re d co m m e rcially in ad vis able in Am e rica; n o t s e x, bu t blas p h e m y. Sign ifican tly, th e o n ly kin d o f s e x m is s in g in Cu r io u s is re p re s e n te d in Ta n g o by th e tragic m o m e n t w h e n th e girl, in o rd e r to ge t rid o f h im , m as tu rbate s Bran d o ,; bu t th e n at le as t th e m e n in Cu r io u s h ad p e n is e s . Still m o re s ym p to m atic, w h at is p o s s ibly th e m o s t "s h o ckin g" im age in th e film m ay be th e bar o f bu tte r Bran d o re ach e s fo r in p re p aratio n fo r an al in te rco u rs e ; it d e rive s its s h o ck qu ality s o le ly fro m its as s o ciatio n w ith th e s e x act th at fo llo w s . It is iro n ic, bu t n o t w ith o u t p re ce d e n t, th at Be rto lu cci, fro m th e be gin n in g a s u p e rlative , o rigin al tale n t w h o u n til re ce n tly co u ld fin d n e ith e r fin an cin g n o r d is tribu tio n , s h o u ld gain in s tan tan e o u s in te rn atio n al fam e w ith w h at is e s s e n tially a w o rk o f tran s itio n to w ard s e ith e r large co m m e rcial s u cce s s o r artis tic m atu rity. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ECH OES OF SILEN CE ( Pe te r Em an u e l Go ld m an , U SA, 19 6 5) ( F) D e s p e rate s e xu ality, d e s p e rate e m o tio n s ; e ve ry ge s tu re an d in fle ctio n an act o f grave im p o rt; a film o f yo u n g ad u lts , in fu s e d w ith a n e w e xis te n tialis t h u m an is m , d e vo id o f ce rtain ty o r illu s io n . Th e s h arp co n tras t an d gran in e s s o f th e s till in d icate th e film 's d is tan ce fro m s lick co m m e rcial cin e m a. A m ajo r n e w tale n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H ISTORY OF TH E BLU E MOVIE ( Ale x d e Re n zie , U SA, 19 71) ( F) Pe rh ap s th e m o s t s tartlin g th is abo u t th is film -- p ro to typ e o f a ge n re -is its le gal an d w id e s p re ad p re s e n tatio n to p acke d s tu d e n t au d ie n ce s at Am e rican co lle ge s . An e xce lle n t co m p ilatio n o f o ld an d n e w h ard co re "s tag" film s ( w ith an in te llige n t n arratio n s tre s s in g h is to rical as p e cts ) , its p ro d u ctio n w as p ro bably in e vitable th e m o m e n t it w as re alize d th at n o o n e h e ld a co p yrigh t o f th e s e ille gal, an o n ym o u s w o rks . H e re w e s e e o n e o f th e e arlie s t s tag film s , th e 19 15 A Fr e e R id e ; an u n e xp e cte d ite m , o r it s o m e h o w s till re m ain s s u rp ris in g to s e e o u r fo re fath e rs ( n o w d e ad ) actu ally e n gage d in th e s am e activitie s as w e are . Th e re are als o in te re s tin g d ive rge n ce s fro m th e late r, m o re s tan d ard ize d s tag film s : h e re bo th m ale an d fe m ale u rin ate , fo r lau gh s , o n cam e ra; d u rin g s e x, th e m an o n ly d ro p s h is p an ts , lo o kin g ve ry re al, ve ry lu d icro u s in h is p as s io n ate e n tan gle m e n t; an d th e girls s e e m lite rally e xh au s te d at th e e n d . Th e re are o th e r clas s ics in th is an th o lo gy: th e n o to rio u s Sm a r t Ale ck , in w h ich th e th e n u n kn o w n Can d y Barr in tro d u ce s u n in te n d e d "cin e m a ve rite " in to a p o rn o film by an grily re fu s in g to p e rfo rm fe llatio , o n ly late r p as s io n ate ly to "in s e rt" h e rs e lf in to an o ral s e x act be tw e e n h e r p artn e r an d an o th e r girl; an d th e e qu ally fam o u s Th e N o n e St o r y , w h o s e s tar, at be gin n in g an d e n d , ap p e ars in a n u n 's attire ( th e s e s e qu e n ce s o m itte d fro m a late r ve rs io n re title d "Co lle ge Co -Ed ".) A 3 rd n o table e p is o d e s h o w s a n u d e m o d e l d is cu s s in g h e r s e xu al p re fe re n ce s w ith an u n s e e n in te rvie w e r in s e n s itive , aro u s in g d e tail, th e cam e ra fo cu s in g m o s tly o n h e r face in an e xam p le o f ve rbal e ro ticis m re m in is ce n t o f Go d ard 's W e e k e n d . As h e r talk tu rn s m o re p as s io n ate an d fan tas y-rid d e n , s h e be co m e s in vo lve d in o n -s cre e n m as tu rbatio n ; an d bo th s h e an d th e in te rvie w e r fall s ile n t u n til h e r clim ax. Th e film e n d s w ith an e ro tic 19 70 s e qu e n ce , in w h ich a yo u n g co u p le go to D e Re n zie 's s tu d io to act in o n e o f h is film s an d th e n s e e th e m s e lve s o n th e s cre e n in a h igh ly ch arge d , p ro fe s s io n ally d ire cte d s e x e p is o d e w h ich ( d e ligh tfu lly) in clu d e s lau gh te r, h u gs , an d w arm th ; a p o rte n t o f th in gs to co m e w h e n s e rio u s film m ake rs , fre e o f ce n s o rs h ip o r co n te m p t fo r th e ge n re , s u p p lan t th e m e ch an ical p o rn o grap h e rs by in tro d u cin g e ro tic re alis m . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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I AM CU RIOU S - YELLOW / BLU E ( JAG AR N YFIKEN - GU L / BLA) ( Vilgo t Sjo m an , Sw e d e n , 19 6 7) ( F) A clu tte re d ro o m , a h as tily m ad e flo o r be d , an e age r yo u n g co u p le : a s ce n e fro m th e le ge n d ary w o rk th at o p e n e d co m m e rcial cin e m a to e ro ticis m an d p o rn o grap h y. Se x is d e m ys tifie d , d e s e n tim e n talize d , s h o w n as a p art o f life . Co ital activity is fre qu e n tly an d d ire ctly s h o w n ; bu t th e re are n o e re ctio n s n o t p e n e tratio n s , as th e re are in to d ay's h ard co re film s . SC ______________________________________________ Th e h is to rical tas k o f th e le ad e rs h ip , s aid Ro s a Lu xe m bu rg, is to m ake its e lf u n n e ce s s ary. Th is is p re cis e ly w h at h ap p e n e d to th is le ge n d ary, m u ch -m align e d w o rk; p rim e catalys t o f th e n e w "p e rm is s ive " cin e m a, it w as qu ickly s u p e rs e d e d by w o rks th at w e n t fu rth e r th o u gh n o t n e ce s s arily d e e p e r. In re tro s p e ct, its p rim ary virtu e lie s in its e ro tic re alis m . Pe rh ap s n o o th e r film be fo re it w as as d ire ct in p re s u m in g th at e ve rybo d y d o e s it, kn o w s abo u t it, e n jo ys it; d o e s it at tim e s w ith lau gh te r, o r im p e rfe ctly, te n d e rly, o r in rage , an d th at it is s illy to e xclu d e s o h u m an an d be lo ve d an e n te rp ris e fro m th e s cre e n . Th u s w e s e e s e x d o n e o n a h as tily cle are d flo o r ( th o u gh th e bra at firs t w ill n o t u n h o o k) , in a lake ( w ith a lo n g-s h o t o f h e avin g bu tto cks p e rio d ically e m e rgin g fro m th e w ate r) , in a tre e ( a m e s s y, giggly affair) , fro m be h in d ( in an ge r an d lu s t) , an d w h ile s trad d lin g th e balu s trad e o f th e Ro yal Palace in Sto ckh o lm , w ith a gu ard in atte n tio n , s w e atin g to ke e p h is co m p o s u re am id s t d ro p p in g p an tie s an d vo lu p tu o u s m o ve m e n ts . Th e lo ve m akin g th ro u gh o u t is n e ith e r

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titillatin g, m e ch an ical, bo u rge o is n o r "d e e p ly s ign ifican t"; bu t cas u al an d fre e , fille d w ith w arm th , s trife , an d e xp e rim e n tatio n . H e is h e r "N u m be r 3 0 " o r s o an d th e re w ill be o th e rs ( in clu d in g Sjo m an , th e film 's d ire cto r w h o p e rio d ically e n te rs th e actio n , an d in te n tio n ally blu rs re ality an d illu s io n ) . Th e p o rtrayal o f s e x go e s fu rth e r th an e ve r be fo re . Th e re is n o m is takin g th e s p re ad le gs , th e m an be tw e e n th e m , th e m o ve m e n ts , th e o u ts p o ke n d ialo gu e . Ye t, w h ile s e x o rgan s are s o m e tim e s s h o w n an d e ve n ( s o m e w h at) m an ip u late d , w e s e e n o e re ctio n n o r p e n e tratio n . Bu t th e s e x s ce n e s ( at le as t o n firs t vie w in g) o ve rs h ad o w th e film 's m ain th e m e : th e attack o n th e valu e s ( o r lack o f valu e s ) o f th e Sw e d is h w e lfare s tate an d co n te m p o rary s o cie ty in ge n e ral. Alie n atio n , cyn icis m , an d bo re d o m s e e m to ch aracte rize th e p e o p le ap p e arin g in its m an y p o litical d is cu s s io n s an d in te rvie w s . Th e yo u n g h e ro in e bo th in ve s tigate s an d s ym bo lize s th e s o cial an d s e xu al m o re s o f an afflu e n t an d fatigu e d w e lfare s tate , fe arfu l o f re ve alin g its e lf as a clas s s o cie ty. Th e s e xu al e p is o d e s are u s e d as co u n te rp o in t to th e alie n atio n s h e fe e ls to w ard s h e r s o cie ty an d ap p e ar as atte m p ts ( h o w e ve r s u p e rficial) at h u m an re affirm atio n ; th e y are e s s e n tial co m p o n e n ts o f an id e o lo gical s tate m e n t. Th e fin al s u bve rs io n o f th e w o rk is in its fo rm . Sjo m an , as o th e r c co n te m p o rary film m ake rs , aim s at im m e d iacy an d ve racity by co n s tan tly bre akin g d o w n th e bo u n d arie s be tw e e n fictio n an d re ality ( e ve n to th e e xte n t o f ap p e arin g w ith in th e film as its d ire cto r, co m m e n tin g o n its actio n , an d h avin g th e actre s s co n d u ct re al in te rvie w s w ith re al p as s e rs -by) . Th e s p e ctato r is th u s co n fro n te d w ith th e n e e d to re d e fin e th e co n ce p t o f re ality in h is o w n life . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E CON FORMIST ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Italy/ Fran ce / W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) Th e s u btle ty o f co m p o s itio n , d e co r, an d atm o s p h e re w ith in a s in gle s h o t d e n o te s th e p re s e n ce o f a m as te r. Th e tim e is th e 3 0 s , re ve ale d in d re s s , w allp ap e r, s tyle o f co u ch . Th e s lan tin g rays o f th e s u n ad d to th e p e n t-u p e ro tic te n s io n o f a m o m e n t s o o n to e ru p t in a s e xu al e n co u n te r o n th e flo o r. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

KOD AK LOVE POEMS ( An d re N o re n , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Exce lle n t e xam p le o f th e au to bio grap h ical, "d iary" typ e o f p e rs o n al cin e m a, th is is an in te n s e e vo catio n , in rap id flas h fram e s , o f e ro tic e p is o d e s an d m e m o rie s . Th e re is n o co n tin u ity e xce p t th at o f s e x; n o th in g is w ith h e ld . Pan s , rap id cu ts , zo o m s , an d s u p e rim p o s itio n s fu rth e r "co m p licate " th e s e fre e -flo w in g m e m o ry trace s , fo llo w in g n o o rd e re d o r p re co n ce ive d p atte rn s . Cats , ap artm e n t in te rio rs , p as s in g p e d e s trian s , a s to rm , m in gle w ith th e m an y an d m ys te rio u s o ccu p atio n s o f h u m an lo ve , s h o w n h e ad -o n , in s n atch e s ; a re co rd o f acts an d fe e lin gs o n film . U n like co m m e rcial p o rn o grap h y, th e in te n tio n h e re is re ve lato ry an d p e rs o n al; o n ly ce n s o rs w ill fail to n o tice th e d iffe re n ce . 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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BELLE D E JOU R ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) W h at a m as te r can s h o w by s h o w in g alm o s t n o th in g. Th e m an 's aggre s s ive in te n tio n is cle arly im p lie d , as is th e w o m an 's "re s is tan ce " ( h e r le gs s till clo s e d , th o u gh lyin g qu ie tly) . Sh e s e e m s w e ll-d re s s e d , h e h as a h o le in h is s o ck. Co m p o s itio n al lin e s , th o u gh s tro n gly ge o m e tric an d at n in e ty d e gre e an gle s , are tilte d , in cre as in g th e s h o t's d yn am is m . As u s u al, Bu n u e l s e e m s p re o ccu p ie d w ith fe e t. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ORAN GE ( Kare n Jo h n s o n , U SA, 19 6 9 ) Qu ite ap p ro p riate ly a p rize w in n e r at th e 19 70 In te rn atio n al Ero tic Film Fe s tival, th is clo s e u p o f th e p e e lin g, s e ctio n in g, lickin g, an d e atin g o f a n ave l o ran ge be co m e s a s e n s u o u s , s e xu al e xp e rie n ce th at d is tu rbs an d attracts by th e am bivale n ce o f its im age s ; e ro tic as s o ciatio n s co n s tan tly im p in ge . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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QU IET D AYS IN CLICH Y ( Je n s Jo rge n Th o rs te n , D e n m ark, 19 70 ) H e n ry Mille r's m e m o ir o f frie n d s , w o m e n , an d ch e ap w in e is a re laxe d , ve ry s e xy o u trage th at m an age s to be bo th h u m o ro u s an d p o rn o grap h ic. Ge n itals an d "p e n e tratio n " are s h o w n an d a p articu larly an ti-bo u rge o is s ce n e h as th e s tarvin g Mille r flavo r a co o kie fro m a garbage can w ith o d o r d e rive d fro m h is an u s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PSYCH OMON TAGE ( Ebe rh ard an d Ph yllis Kro n h au s e n , U SA, 19 6 0 ?) Se xo lo gis ts , p s ych o lo gis ts , an d p ro p o n e n ts o f s e xu al fre e d o m , th e Kro n h au s e n s h e re atte m p t to in d u ce e ro tic re s p o n s e in th e au d ie n ce by care fu lly ch o s e n vis u al s tim u li an d ju xtap o s itio n s ( aim e d at bo th co n s cio u s an d u n co n s cio u s ) . Ph allic s ym bo ls an d o p e n o rifice s , a to n gu e lickin g an o ran ge , an u n e xp e cte d fin ge r e n te rin g th e fram e : alm o s t an y o bje ct o r act, n o m atte r h o w in n o cu o u s , th e Kro n h au s e n s s h o w , can be m ad e to ap p e ar e ro tic, an d re ve als o u r p re d is p o s itio n to w ard s "s h ap in g" vis u al e vid e n ce fo r p u rp o s e s o f e ro tic gratificatio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SCH OOLGIRL ( D avid Re be rg, U SA, 19 71) ( F) Am e rican "h ard co re " p ro d u ctio n s tu rn s o n th e "re s e arch " d o n e by a Califo rn ia co lle ge girl fo r h e r p ap e r o n "s e xu al s u b-cu ltu re s ".

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An s w e rin g kin ky ad s in th e u n d e rgro u n d p re s s , s h e m e e ts a co u p le fo r a m e n a g e a t r o is ( an d w h ile p e rfo rm in g fe llatio o n th e h u s ban d , is as ke d by th e w ife to "m o ve h e r h air o u t o f h e r face " s o th at s h e can w atch be tte r. Sh e th e n le ts h e rs e lf be to ld by a m an o n th e o th e r e n d o f a p h o n e h o w to m as tu rbate an d to d e s cribe it to h im at th e s am e tim e ; w e s e e h im m as tu rbate as w e ll, u n til bo th s im u ltan e o u s ly co m e "by te le p h o n e ". Se ve ral ad ve n tu re s late r, s h e fin ally d e live rs h e r p ap e r: "Th e ir s e x life is aw fu l an d alie n ate d ... I n e ve r p articip ate d bu t o n ly o bs e rve d fro m an acad e m ic vie w p o in t." Mo re th an m o s t, th is film ap p ro ach e s e ro tic re alis m ; d e s p ite its blatan t co m m e rcialis m it s h o w s re d p im p le s o n bu tto cks , s cratch e s o n le gs , p e n is e s th at fall o u t am id s t gale s o f lau gh te r, ch irp in g bird s , e jacu latio n s in to a girl's m o u th o n -cam e ra. Th e p ro tago n is ts are "d o in g th e ir th in g" w ith o u t h e s itatio n . Sign ifican tly, th e tw o co n s tan ts are th e te le p h o n e ( d an ge ro u s to o l o f a te ch n o lo gical age ) th at h e re s p in s a w e b o f co rru p tio n ; an d fe llatio n , w ith w h ich e ve ry s e x act in th e film be gin s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SECRETS OF LIFE ( Victo r Faccin to , U SA, 19 71) Qu ite p ro p e rly, u n s ym p ath e tic critics re fe r to th is as a "filth y" carto o n . U s in g in te n tio n ally n aive cu t-o u t figu re s an d a cru d e , s las h in g s tyle o f grap h ics an d actio n , th is is a s o p h is ticate d , garis h w o rk o f p o p art. A d rivin g te m p o p ro p e lls th e vie w e r th ro u gh im age s o f vio le n ce an d p o rn o grap h ic s e x. Th e u n d e rlyin g p ain is u n m is takable . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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SEX ( D avid Avid an , Is rae l, 19 71) Th e im age is u n ive rs al; th e co u n try o f o rigin is Is rae l, co n firm in g th at its yo u n g are n o t d iffe re n t fro m o th e rs e ls e w h e re . Th e atm o s p h e re is co o l, m o d e rn , W e s te rn ; th e d e co r u litarian , th e s tyle avan t-gard e . N o th in g d e tracts fro m th e s o ft aban d o n o f th e s ce n e . Th is film is ban n e d in Is rae l. ______________________________________________ An d w h o s aid th at Is rae l can n o t m ake s e x film s ? Ye t th e co n tras tin g m yth s o f Is rae l as an id e alis tic s o cie ty give n to righ te o u s s e lf-im p ro ve m e n t o r a m ilitaris t-o rth o d o x s tate be n t o n s e lf-aggran d ize m e n t are s o s tro n g th at th is w o rk co m e s as a s u rp ris e . Its m an ifo ld co p u latio n s , s o p h is ticate d s tan ce , avan tgard e m o d e rn ity, an d p o litical th ru s ts s tam p it as th e te s tim o n y o f a n e w ge n e ratio n . On e s e qu e n ce : "A vis io n o f th e Virgin Mary w aitin g fo r th e H o ly Gh o s t to d o h is th in g, as Avid an 's vo ice s in gs a te arfu l Yid d is h re frain an d Jo s e p h th e Carp e n te r ban gs o n th e d o o r, be fo re go in g to take h is ve n ge an ce by bu ild in g a cro s s ." ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ROOM SERVICE 75 ( Fre d Bake r, U SA, 19 71) Th e m o d e rn "h ard co re " film -- th o u gh ligh t ye ars ah e ad o f th e co m m e rcial cin e m a in te rm s o f s e x -d o e s n o t co n s is t o f an u n bro ke n s e rie s o f co u p lin g o rgan s ; e le m e n ts o f s u btle ty an d ae s th e tics are be gin n in g to in vad e it. Th e ru g, th e ve ry an o n ym ity o f th e p e rfo rm e rs , th e cam e ra an gle , an d p ro fe s s io n al p h o to grap h y in d icate th at art is n o t far aw ay. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SH AD OW OF AN APPLE ( Ro be rt Lap o u jad e , Fran ce , 19 6 5?) W e o w e th e e m in e n t Fre n ch p ain te r -- tu rn e d film m ake r -- th is m o s t lyrical an d p o e tic p o rtrayal o f s e x ye t atte m p te d in an im ate d cin e m a. Bas e d o n th e s to ry o f Le d a an d th e s w an , th e co n s tan t tran s m o grificatio n s o f s u btle , e ro tic im age s p ro je ct an atm o s p h e re o f d e s p e rate , e le m e n tal, e n d le s s s e x th at is bo th libe ratin g an d d is tu rbin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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KAMA SU TRA RID ES AGAIN ( Bo b Go d fre y, Gre at Britain , 19 71) Ce rtain s tru ctu ral d ifficu ltie s s e e m im p licit in th is n e w s e x p o s itio n ( o n e o f m an y) , p ro p o u n d e d in a to n gu e -in -ch e e k s e x m an u al by o n e o f th e m o s t tale n te d in te rn atio n al an im ato rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TALES ( Cas s an d ra Ge rs te in , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) A cu rio u s , co n tro ve rs ial film ( p ro d u ce d by an all-w o m an cre w ) , co n s is tin g e n tire ly o f "tale s " o f s e xu al ad ve n tu re s ( o r fan tas ie s ) to ld by a gro u p o f yo u n gis h N e w Yo rke rs gath e re d in an ap artm e n t. On e s to ry p ro m p ts th e n e xt; th e atm o s p h e re is in fo rm al; th e re s u lt -- a ce n s o rable , libe ratin g e xam p le o f ve rbal e ro ticis m , qu ite s h o ckin g in its im p act. It is th e ve ry abs e n ce o f d e s crip tive im age an d th e ability s e cre tly to o bs e rve "re al" p e o p le fre e ly re callin g e ro tic e xp e rie n ce s , th at acco u n ts fo r th e film 's e ffe ct: bu t th e e ro ticis m u n qu e s tio n ably als o flo w s -n o n -ve rbally -- fro m th e face s , h e s itatio n s , an d ge s tu re s o f th e in d ivid u al p articip an ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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PAN D ORA'S BOX ( G.W . Pabs t, Ge rm an y, 19 2 8 ) ( F) Lo u is e Bro o ks , o n e o f th e m o s t e ro tic actre s s e s o f w o rld cin e m a in o n e o f h e r m o s t e ro tic ro le s . H e r s u lle n , vo latile s e xu ality is re in fo rce d by th e d e e p , e xp re s s io n is t s h ad o w s o n face an d n e ck as again s t th e p ro vo cative ligh tin g o f h e r bo d y. Th e e n tire fram e are a is cro w d e d in tigh t co m p o s itio n al d e s ign , re fle ctin g th e e ro tic te n s io n w h ich th is co n fro n tatio n o f ( an o n ym o u s ) m ale an d aro u s in g fe m ale e xu d e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A STRAN GER KN OCKS ( Jo h an Jaco bs e n , D e n m ark, 19 6 3 ) ( F) A ce n s o rs h ip lan d m ark cas e : th e e n tire p lo t p ivo ts o n an act o f in te rco u rs e , d u rin g w h ich th e w o m an accid e n tally d is co ve rs th e vital clu e to th e film 's m ys te ry. Th e co m p le te abs e n ce o f n u d ity an d to tal re ve lan ce o f th e s ce n e to th e p lo t p o s e d an im p o s s ible p ro ble m fo r th e Am e rican ce n s o rs , an d le d , u p o n ap p e als again s t its p ro h ibitio n , to th e abo litio n o f th e Su p re m e Co u rt o f th e e n tire s ys te m o f Am e rican s tate ce n s o rs h ip in 19 6 7. Th is d e ve lo p m e n t co n tribu te d s ign ifican tly to th e late r e ra o f s e xu al p e rm is s ive n e s s in th e Am e rican cin e m a. 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

PICKPOCKET ( Ro be rt Bre s s o n , Fran ce , 19 58 ) Th e e ro tic in te n s ity o f th e act o f s te alin g h as n e ve r be e n m o re p o ign an tly re ve ale d th an in th is film ; th e p o e tic m o n tage s , o u tlin in g te ch n iqu e s o f th e ft in w o rd le s s , flu id s u cce s s io n , are m e m o rable vis u al triu m p h s . As u s u al, Bre s s o n 's e xtre m e vis u al e co n o m y an d d ire ctn e s s h id e s a h allu cin ato ry re ality; th e s e xu al im p licatio n s o f fo rcibly re m o vin g an o th e r p e rs o n 's "valu able s " by clo s e -ye t, s ign ifican tly, o n ly s ym bo lic -- co n tact w ith h im . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TAKE ME ( Ste p h e n D w o s kin , Gre at Britain , 19 6 9 ) Fo r th irty m in u te s , a girl atte m p ts to s e d u ce th e vie w e r ( th e cam e ra) by p ro vo cative m o ve m e n ts an d kis s e s , be co m in g p ro gre s s ive ly m o re co ve re d w ith p ain t u n til th e s e d u ctio n "s u cce e d s ". An in te n s e , s ad ly m as tu rbato ry t o u r d e fo r ce by En glan d 's m o s t ico n o clas tic in d e p e n d e n t.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

W EEKEN D ( Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran ce , 19 6 8 ) Ve rbal p o rn o grap h y as art -- by Go d ard . Th e w o m an , h e r face d e e p ly s h ad o w e d , re co u n ts ve ry s p e cific s e xu al m e m o rie s w h ile th e m ale ( an alys t?) lis te n s im p as s ive ly. Th e re is little m o ve m e n t o r actio n ; ye t th e s e qu e n ce is d re n ch e d in e ro ticis m , to w h ich th e girl's p o s e an d attire ( an d th e p re s e n ce o f a m ale ) co n tribu te . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

W H AT GOES ON AT SEX TH ERAPY CLIN ICS ( Co m m u n ity Me d ical Cable cas tin g, U SA, 19 72 ) An e xam p le o f th e tw iligh t s tatu s p re s e n tly e n jo ye d by Am e rican cable te le vis io n : n o t ye t large e n o u gh to be a "th re at" to law an d o rd e r, ye t s u fficie n tly w id e s p re ad to be s e e n by co n s id e rable au d ie n ce s . On th e s am e te le vis io n s e t o n w h ich th e co m m e rcial n e tw o rks im p o s e th e m o s t o n e ro u s ce n s o rs h ip o f vis u al m ate rials . Co m m u n ity Me d ical Cable cas tin g p re s e n ts film s fo r d o cto rs w h ich , h o w e ve r, are available to all cable -TV s u bs cribe rs . Th e film u n d e r d is cu s s io n p re s e n ts a m id d le -age d , m id d le -clas s co u p le , co m fo rtably e n s co n ce d in a bo u rge o is d o cto r's o ffice , lis te n in g to tw o s m ilin g s e xo lo gis ts o u tlin e a care fu lly grad u ate d p ro gram to co rre ct th e m an 's p re m atu re e jacu latio n ; th e w ife is to m as tu rbate h im th re e tim e s a n igh t u n til im m e d iate ly p rio r to e jacu latio n an d th e n to s to p ; o n ly th e fo u rth tim e s h o u ld s h e brin g h im to clim ax. Mo an s an d gro an s are e n co u rage d . Ere ctio n an d p e n e tratio n are fre e ly d is cu s s e d an d an air o f s m ilin g ge n tility an d e arn e s t ratio n alis m n e ve r

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d is ap p e ars fro m p ro ce e d in gs u n p re ce d e n te d fo r Am e rican te le vis io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SH E D ON E H IM W RON G ( Lo w e ll Sh e rm an , U SA, 19 3 3 ) ( F) Se x Th e n : th is s h o t w as o n ce co n s id e re d d arin g. It to u ch e s u p o n th e act an d s kirts it; titillatio n is ram p an t. Th e m ale ap p e ars as agre s s o r, bu t th e fe m ale ( n o te calcu latin g glan ce ) h as h e lp e d in d u ce h e r s w e e t p re d icam e n t. Th e s e xe s are ap art, w e ar m as ks , an d are s u bm e rge d by h e avily "e ro tic" d e co r; th e y are cle arly d e fin e d as acto rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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U N FOLD IN G ( Co n s tan ce Be e s o n , U SA, 19 6 9 ) Se x N o w : Th e m as ks are o ff, as are th e clo th e s ; th e s e are p e o p le , n o t acto rs ; titillatio n is go n e an d lu s t is acco m p an ie d by w arm th an d te n d e rn e s s . Tw o p airs o f h an d s cre ate a circle . Th is lyrical w o rk -- s ign ifican tly, o n e o f th e fe w e ro tic film s e ve r m ad e by w o m e n -- p ro gre s s e s fro m fo re p lay to e xp licit s e x, p ro vin g th at e ve n "h ard co re " s e qu e n ce s can be s u bve rte d in to d e alin g w ith fe e lin gs rath e r th an m e ch an ics .

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

SATYRICON ( Fe d e rico Fe llin i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Fe llin i's u n can n y ability to e s tablis h ch aracte r vis u ally: th e jad e d w o rld -w is e co rru p tio n o f o n e w h o h as s e e n all an d w ill s o o n d ie , th e ch ild like p e rve rs io n o f bo ys u s e d as s e x o bje cts . Th o u gh n o t lo o kin g at e ach o th e r, th e th re e are vis u ally an d p s ych o lo gically lin ke d . SC

TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: H OMOSEXU ALITY AN D OTH ER VARIAN TS - PART ON E How ever taboo-ridden conventional heterosexual practices may be

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in cinema, the portrayal of sexual variations -- homosexuality, sado-masochism, masturbation, bestiality, oral sex, coprophilia -has been even more difficult. Though their range is as w ide as psysiological structure and psychological preference permit, and their existence from the daw n of time a tribute to the pow er of sex, even film "liberals" commonly consider them to be beyond the pale of pictorial representation. This is because unconsciously, they -like the conservatives -- do not accept these variations but still view them as aberrations or corruptions and refuse to remove the guilt imposed upon those w ho enjoy them. The only valid criterion in sexual matters, how ever, w ould seem to be an injunction against hurting others; otherw ise, the sex instinct is indifferent to the particular "mechanical" process employed, the choice of partner or sex. Hence the "hedonistic" ( that is, human) conclusion, that everything is permissible, provided it pleases. This sexual permissiveness -- certainly destructive of established mores -- has been an aspect of the ideology of the avant-garde from its inception. For this movement is forever at w ar w ith society and its values. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H OLD IN G ( Co n s tan ce Be e s o n , U SA, 19 71) As in h e r e arlie r U n fo ld in g , th is w o m an film m ake r s tre s s e s fe e lin g an d e m o tio n w ith in th e s e xu al e xp e rie n ce . H e re th e s w e e t ch arm an d alm o s t ch ild -like in n o ce n ce o f tw o yo u n g le s bian girls is re ve ale d in an u n fo rce d an d in fo rm al p o s e . All s e xu al e xp e rie n ce s are 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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h e re acce p te d as valid , s u bje ct to th e s am e jo ys an d trials . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

HOMOSEXUALI TY This is w hy "serious" homosexual cinema begins w ith the underground, forever ahead of the commercial cinema and setting it goals w hich though initially view ed as outrageous, are later partly absorbed by it. Kenneth Anger, Curtis Harrington, Jean Genet, Stan Brakhage, Andy Warhol, and Paul Morrissey are pioneers in indicating the possibility of sex, tenderness, or love betw een members of the same sex. I n the commercial cinema, the portrayal of the homosexual has moved through w ell-defined, if ridiculous, stages; his invisibility, his elimination, his transformation into something slightly less offensive ( such as a Jew ) , his having to die a difficult death or commit suicide, and later, actual hints of his "odious" activities and sniggering or circumscribed acceptance. With the passing of Hollyw ood's pre-eminence, not only are homosexuals more freely portrayed in commercial films, but a large number of explicit homosexual films are made for public show ings, some by hacks, others by artists. I n 1973, there existed in New York at least a dozen hardcore homosexual cinemas. Significantly, lesbian hardcore films continue to be made by men and are designed for the male sex market. Except for those of Constance Beeson, hardly any lesbian films are made from a w oman's view point. This lends credence to Kinsey's findings that w omen are generally less involved w ith pictorial sex than men, though this w ould appear to be conditioned by cultural factors.

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"AKTION SS AN D STAR OF D AVID ", fro m TH E LASCIVIOU S W OTAN ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 71) Th e bad co n s cie n ce o f th e Ge rm an d is p laye d in th e u ltim ate s e xu al fan tas y, co m bin in g th e bru tality o f th e N azi SS ( s ign ifican tly e n acte d by Mu e h l o n th e le ft an d h e lp e r) w ith th e d e fe n s e le s s attractive n e s s o f th e victim ize d Je w e s s alre ad y tatto o e d w ith th e s ym bo l n o Ge rm an can e xo rcis e .

OTHER VARI ATI ONS Judging by current commercial exhibition -- and omitting only the hardcore houses operating in a few countries -hardly any of the sexual variations exist in film at all. Oral sex -- though engaged in, according to Kinsey, by more than half the population ( w ith others undoubtedly not admitting to it) -- is not yet portrayed in regular commercial cinema, though cleverly implied. I t forms the largest single item in the entire output of w orld hardcore cinema, ranking ahead even of intercourse: a tribute to the pow er of this particular taboo. As of 1973, intercourse w ith animals remains the one variety of sex hardly ever seen in America, even in the "hardcore" movie houses, due to fear of police action. Scandinavian films of this type, though freely show n in their countries of origin, cannot, at 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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the time of w riting, be imported into the United States due to customs censorship. This did not, how ever, prevent at least half of the adolescent rural population of America from engaging in this practice, according to Kinsey, that master subversive. Since devotees of necrophilia, by all indications, constitute only a tiny portion of the populace, the commercial film industry sees no reason to cater to them and is prepared to forego their patronage for fear of retaliation by its regular customers. While this does not eliminate fictional necrophilia ( particularly in certain low -grade horror films) , "cinema verite" necrophilia has been impossible to record. Unlike "straight" hardcore productions, no volunteers come forw ard to appear as actors, inert partners are difficult to find, w hile bright lights and unruly camera crew s w ould certainly "distort" the realism of the act. This, then, remains one of the unconquered areas of liberated cinema. Late arrivals even in sexually permissive films have been ejaculation and sperm. Previously available only as microscopic samples in scientific films -- w here they w ere less threatening and easier to "contain" -- their explosive reality has only lately invaded hardcore films, w ith coitus intentionally interrupted to display to the audience the true passion of the actor. Messy-looking and somehow "deplorable" even to many sexual liberals, the ejaculate is altogether too fundamental for comfortable view ing; its color and size make it difficult to photograph under the primitive lighting conditions usually prevailing in such films; and the total output ( w hen objectively view ed on the screen) has alw ays been negatively disproportional to the great passion and exertion displayed in the earlier stages of the act. Except for special palates, then, the cinematic portrayal of ejaculation has not proven to be a potent sexual stimulant.

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E QU EEN ( Fran k Sim o n , U SA, 19 6 8 ) H au n tin g an d kn o w in g lo o ks , a bu lge in th e w ro n g p lace : co n te s tan ts in th e an n u al Mis s -All-Am e rican -D rag-Qu e e n co m p e titio n , as s e e n in a s h arp , o fte n m o vin g cin e m a ve rite film th at acce p ts its p ro tago n is ts fo r w h at th e y are an d w h at th e y w an t to be , in s te ad o f d e p lo rin g, glo rifyin g, o r rid icu lin g th e m . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E ABON IMABLE D R. H ITCH COCK ( L'ORRIBILE SEGRETO D EL D OTTORE H ITCH COCK) ( Riccard o Fre d a aka Ro be rt H am p to n , Italy, 19 6 2 ) ( F) Cu lt film fo r th e n e o -s u rre alis ts , th is go ry an d s h ad o w y w o rk re co u n ts th e ad ve n tu re s o f a p ro u d n e cro p h iliac, acce p tin g th e p ractice as "give n " an d p as s in g n o m o ral ju d ge m e n t e xce p t th at im p licit in h is fie ry d e ath . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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SOME LIKE IT H OT ( Billy W ild e r, U SA, 19 58 ) ( F) Th e H o llyw o o d vie w o f tran s ve s titis m : it m u s t be p o rtraye d flip p an tly o r in je s t to be acce p table . Th e titillatio n is bu ilt-in an d s e lls ticke ts . An y s e rio u s p o rtrayal w o u ld be co n s id e re d "in p o o r tas te " an d be yo n d th e p ale . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BELLE D E JOU R ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) ( F) W h ile th e ve ry p re m is e s o f th is w o rk are d o u bly s u bve rs ive -- th e in h ibite d bo u rge o is w o m an 's s e cre t w is h to p ro s titu te h e rs e lf, th e re p e ate d s h atte rin g o f th e film 's illu s io n is m -- it is , in ad d itio n , d e libe rate ly s h o t th ro u gh w ith s h o ck im age s h in tin g at s e xu al abbe ratio n s : s ad 0 m as o ch is m , n e cro p h ilic m as tu rbatio n , blo o d o n a s h e e t afte r s e x, a Jap an e s e "cu s to m e r" w ith a m ys te rio u s bo x, o f w h ich th e w h o re s are afraid . All o f th e s e are th e m o re d is tu rbin g fo r be in g le ft u n e xp lain e d . Bu n u e l, th e m as te r s u bve rs ive , th e re by co m p e ls u s to s u p p ly o u r o w n s e xu al te n s io n , d e s ire s , an d fe ars . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E BLOOD TH IRSTY FAIRY ( LA FEE SAN GU IN AIRE) ( Ro lan d Le th u m , Be lgiu m , 19 6 8 ) A vo lu p tu o u s n u d e fairy attacks law , o rd e r, an d re ligio n by ch o kin g a n u n w ith h e r cro s s ( firs t

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aro u s in g h e r by fo n d in g h e r bre as ts ) , be atin g a u n ifo rm e d o fficial, go u gin g o u t a bo y's e ye s fo r th re ate n in g h e r w ith a to y gu n ( s h e licks o ff h e r blo o d y fin ge rs afte rw ard s ) , an d , fin ally, m e th o d ically cas tratin g a s tu d e n t be cau s e h e s tu d ie s law . A p an alo n g a s h e lf re ve als th e m e ticu lo u s ly bo ttle d p e n is e s o f D ie m , Martin Lu th e r Kin g, Ke n n e d y, Jo h n s o n , an d D e Gau lle . At th e e n d , tw o an ge ls d e live r h e r in a barre l to a n e w d e s tin atio n : th e Be lgian Ro yal Palace . Th e s w as tika th at o p e n e d th e film ch an ge s in to N ixo n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E CON FORMIST ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Italy/ Fran ce / W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) Th e p ro tago n is t, s h o w n as a yo u n g bo y, re m e m be rs a n e arh o m o s e xu al e n co u n te r. Th e be d , th e in n o ce n ce ( ?) o f th e n e ar-ch ild ( aro u s in g th e m an by h is p layfu l to u ch ) , th e w atch fu l, s e n s u al an ticip atio n o f Cle m e n ti, th e p o s itio n in g o f th e bo y be tw e e n th e m an 's le gs cre ate an air o f in cip ie n t s e xu ality. D e co r an d bo o ts ( co n tras te d w ith th e bo y's s n ap p y s ch o o l u n ifo rm ) s tam p Cle m e n ti as lo w e r clas s . SC ______________________________________________

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TH E CON FORMIST ( Be rn ard o Be rto lu cci, Italy/ Fran ce / W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) A s tran ge ly fu n e re al le s bian s ce n e . En o u gh acce p table n u d ity is s h o w n to m ake it e n ticin g, th o u gh s trate gic are as are blo cke d o u t to avo id ce n s o rs h ip ; it d id n o t h e lp -- th is s ce n e w as w id e ly cu t. A s ligh t cam e ra tilt s h ifts th e co m p o s itio n to th e righ t w h e re its m ain in te re s t in d e e d lie s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BLOW JOB ( An d y W arh o l, U SA, 19 6 3 / 6 4 ) D arin g in s u bje ct m atte r an d te ch n iqu e , th is e arly W arh o l film re co rd s a 3 6 m in u te clo s e u p o f a h an d s o m e yo u n g m an 's face , as an in vis ible "o th e r" ( o u t o f cam e ra ran ge ) p e rfo rm s fe llatio o n h im . N o th in g is s e e n e xce p t th e face an d a brick w all be yo n d ; as w e s tu d y it, m e s m e rize d , w e fe e l th e p ain o f p as s io n , th e o n -o ff te as e o f lu s t, th e qu icke n in g te m p o , th e o rgas m , th e s ad , s o m e h o w e m p ty afte rglo w . Th e cam e ra d o e s n o t m o ve ; th e act, re fle cte d , e xis ts fo r its e lf; th e re is n o m e s s age . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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U N CH AN T D 'AMOU R ( Je an Ge n e t, Fran ce , 19 50 ) In an e ro tic fan tas y, a fru s trate d p ris o n gu ard ram s h is gu n d o w n a p ris o n e r's th ro at. Th e s tro n g vis u al co n ce n tratio n o n gu n an d m o u th by clo s e -u p , ligh tin g, an d p o s itio n in g w ith in fram e ( in clu d in g th e gu n 's d yn am ic d o w n w ard tilt) re fle cts Ge n e t's e m p h as is o n o ral s e x. ______________________________________________ Ge n e t's o n ly film -- h o u n d e d by th e ce n s o rs , u n available , s e cre t -- is an e arly an d re m arkably m o vin g atte m p t to p o rtray h o m o s e xu al p as s io n s . Alre ad y a clas s ic, it s u cce e d s as p e rh ap s n o o th e r film to in tim ate th e e xp lo s ive p o w e r o f fru s trate d s e x; m ale p ris o n e rs in s o litary co n fin e m e n t "e m bracin g" w alls , ram m in g th e m in e ro tic d e s p air w ith e re ct p e n is , s w ayin g co n vu ls ive ly to au t0 -e ro tic lu s t, kis s in g th e ir o w n bo d ie s an d tatto e s in s e xu al fre n zy. In a s u p re m e ly p o e tic ( an d vis u al) m e tap h o r o f s e xu al d e p rivatio n , tw o p ris o n e rs in ad jo in in g ce lls s ym bo lically p e rfo rm fe llatio by alte rn ate ly blo w in g o r in h alin g e ach o th e r's cigare tte s m o ke th ro u gh a s traw in s e rte d in a w all o p e n in g, w h ile m as tu rbatin g. Like all o f Ge n e t's e arly w o rk, th e e n tire film is , in e ffe ct, a s in gle o n an is tic fan tas y, fille d w ith d e s p e rate fru s tratio n an d s e n s u o u s n o s talgia. In th e e n d , an d afte r m an y failu re s , s o m e flo w e rs -- p ain fu lly p as s e d fro m o n e barre d w in d o w to th e n e xt -- are fin ally cau gh t by th e p ris o n e r in th e ad jo in in g ce ll in a p o e tic affirm atio n o f lo ve in in fin ite im p ris o n m e n t.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

BU T D O N OT D ELIVER U S FROM EVIL ( MAIS N E N OU S D ELIVEREZ PAS D U MAL) ( Jo e l Se ria, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Th is ble ak w o rk h as be e n ban n e d in Fran ce as "cate rin g to p e rve rs io n an d fo m e n tin g m o ral an d m e n tal d e s tru ctio n ". It is th e s to ry o f tw o u p p e r-clas s n ym p h e ts aw ake n in g s e xu ally in th e o p p re s s ive atm o s p h e re o f a p aro ch ial Fre n ch s ch o o l w h o d e cid e "to d o e vil, ju s t as th e o th e rs , th e im be cile s , d o go o d ." Th e y p as s fro m d e n o u n cin g le s bian n u n s to to rtu rin g an im als to cas u al m u rd e r. Fin ally, o n s tage to re cite p o e try d u rin g a s ch o o l ce re m o n y, th e y d o u s e th e m s e lve s w ith gas o lin e an d go u p in flam e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CYBELE ( D o n ald Ritch ie , Jap an , 19 6 8 ) H avin g bitte n o ff s o m e p e n is e s an d as p h yxiate d th e ir o w n e rs , th e yo u n g w o m an re s ts h ap p ily. Bird s s in g. A s ce n e fro m a "p as to ral ritu al", d ire cte d by a n o te d film au th o rity m u ch in flu e n ce d by W e s te rn avan t-gard e an d Jap an e s e e ro tic cin e m a. ______________________________________________ "A p as to ral ritu al in five s ce n e s ", s e t in a d e s e rte d Jap an e s e to m b-gro u n d : co n vo catio n o f th e n u d e m ale s , in vo catio n o f th e n u d e fe m ale , abju ratio n ( in w h ich s h e p lace s bu rn in g

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in ce n s e s ticks be tw e e n th e ir bu tto cks an d is fu cke d ) , re tribu tio n ( s h e tie s th e ir e re ct p e n is e s w ith a s trin g an d p u lls th e m be h in d h e r) , an d ap o th e o s is , in w h ich s h e bite s th e m o ff, as p h yxiate s th e ir o w n e rs by s trad d lin g th e ir h e ad s , an d in tro d u ce s s ticks in to th e ir an u s e s u n til th e y e m e rge fro m th e ir m o u th s . Fin ally, s h e lie s d o w n o n th e bo d ie s an d s m ile s h ap p ily. Bird s s in g. An e xtrao rd in arily u n co m p ro m is in g avan t-gard e film . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EMPEROR TOMATO KETCH U P ( Sh u ji Te rayam a, Jap an , 19 72 ) ( F) Th e u s e o f ch ild re n in ( h o w e ve r s im u late d ) s e x acts w ith ad u lts is alw ays s h o ckin g; in th is "s can d alo u s " avan t-gard e film , m agical w o m e n act as th e ir in itiato ry, ye t p ro te ctive ly m ate rn al p artn e rs . Th e ch ild re n , in re vo lt, h ave co n d e m n e d th e ir p are n ts to d e ath fo r d e p rivin g th e m o f s e lf-e xp re s s io n an d s e xu al fre e d o m ; th e y cre ate a s o cie ty in w h ich fairie s an d s e x e d u catio n are e qu ally im p o rtan t an d , as s e e n h e re , lite rally co m bin able . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A CLOCKW ORK ORAN GE ( Stan le y Ku brick, Gre at Britain , 19 71) ( F) D e s p ite its s tylize d p e n is e s an d vagin as , its attack o n a fu tu re fas cis m , its raw an d kin ky s e x, th e actu al s u bve rs io n o f th is cu rio u s w o rk is w e ake n e d by id e o lo gical am bigu ity, an in e xp licable failu re to "carry th ro u gh " its iro n ic s u rre alis m , an d an u n co n s cio u s attitu d e to w ard s vio le n ce s o co m p le x th at it s e rve s to glam o rize w h at it m e an s to 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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d e p lo re . By h is u n e xp e cte d p o s t-re le as e agre e m e n t to re m o ve s e xu ally- to o -e xp licit m ate rial ( in o rd e r to ch an ge th e H o llyw o o d film in d u s try's "X" ratin g an d th e re by gain a large r au d ie n ce ) , Ku brick u n in te n tio n ally p o s e s th e qu e s tio n w h e th e r th e s e s ce n e s h ad be e n p u t in to th e o rigin al film fo r s h o ck valu e rath e r th an o u t o f artis tic n e ce s s ity an d u n d e rcu ts th e id e o lo gical bas is o f th e film . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EVERYTH IN G YOU ALW AYS W AN TED TO KN OW ABOU T SEX, BU T W ERE AFRAID TO ASK ( W o o d y Alle n , U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) Th e "ge n tle " ge n iu s o f W o o d y Alle n -- o n e o f th e fe w m ajo r co m ic tale n ts to e m e rge in th e las t d e cad e -- m as ks an in s id io u s an d s ard o n ic im agin atio n th at co n tin u ally ch ip s aw ay at tabo o s . On ly h e co u ld ge t aw ay w ith p o rtrayin g a s e xu al re latio n s h ip be tw e e n a m an an d a s h e e p in a co m m e rcial film , an d th e n h e igh te n its "p e rve rs e o bs ce n ity" by m akin g it ap p e ar e n tire ly "n o rm al". H e re a h o te l ro o m h as be e n re n te d fo r a te te -a-te te w ith th e s h e e p . Th e m o s t n o to rio u s as p e ct o f th e s till is , o f co u rs e , th e s h e e p 's "s e d u ctive " attire . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LE D EPART

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( Je rzy Sko lim o w s ki, Be lgiu m , 19 6 7) ( F) It s e e m s e as ie r to o u tw it th e ce n s o rs w ith fe llatio th an w ith in te rco u rs e . In th is vis u ally brillian t co m e d y o f s e xu al in itiatio n , Je an Pie rre Le au d is s e e n th ro u gh th e w in d s h ie ld d rivin g a car, w h ile an e age r m id d le age d w o m an n e xt to h im s u d d e n ly s lid e s fro m h e r s e at an d d is ap p e ars fo r a co n s id e rable tim e . As h e trie s h ard to d rive in a s traigh t lin e , s h e n o n ch alan tly re ap p e ars an d re s u m e s co n ve rs atio n . Abs u rd an d s u rre alis t s itu atio n s abo u n d in th is Go d ard e s qu e w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LES IMPU RES ( Pie rre Ch e valie r, Fran ce , 19 54 ) In o u r d ay, th e re is n o th in g p articu larly w ro n g abo u t th e actio n in th is s till -- e xce p t th at th e w o m an is d e ad . Bo th th e m an -- n o w s e e n in tragic re s ign atio n , n o t m e re ly lu s t -- an d th e p o s itio n o f th e w o m an 's bo d y d raw u s fro m th e bre as ts to th e re al ce n te r o f th e actio n : h e r e ye s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D IARY OF A SH IN JU KU BU RGLAR ( SH IN JU KU D OROBO N IKKI) ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 6 8 / 6 9 ) ( F)

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A gro te s qu e , e ro tic, u ltim ate ly p h an tas m ago rical avan tgard e w o rk, in w h ich a yo u n g co u p le e n gage in a bizarre s e arch fo r s e xu al e cs tas y, w h ile To kyo e xp lo d e s in s tu d e n t rio ts . In s e ve ral s ce n e s , cin e m atic tabo o s are cas u ally d is p e n s e d w ith : th e cap italis t w ip in g h is h an d afte r fo n d lin g h is s e cre tary, th e th ie f w h o alm o s t e jacu late s w h ile s h o p liftin g, th e co u p le w alkin g d o w n a n igh t-lit To kyo s tre e t w ith a d ild o s w in gin g fro m a s trin g be tw e e n th e m , u n til s h e , im p lo rin g, lie s d o w n o n th e p ave m e n t fo r h im . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E EMBRYO ( Ko ji W akam ats u , Jap an , 19 6 6 ) ( F) Jap an e s e s e x cin e m a s e e m s s o m e w h at m o re o rie n te d to w ard "kin ky" s e x an d s ad o -m as o ch is m . Th is s h o t d is tu rbs be cau s e o f its e m p h as is o n ro p e an d th e girl's w e ll-lit, bo u n d w ris ts : w e d is tru s t th e m an 's ge n tle m in is tratio n s . A s u rre alis t an ti-Am e rican d e m o n s tratio n at th e 19 6 8 Kn o kke Exp e rim e n tal Film Fe s tival co m bin e d h u ge , Cin e m as co p e -w id th im age s o f th is girl s ys te m atically vio late d by a razo r w ith 50 live Mao is ts o n s tage s cre am in g th at th is is w h at Am e rica is d o in g to Vie tn am . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FIREW ORKS ( Ke n n e th An ge r, U SA, 19 4 7) An e arly clas s ic o f th e h o m o s e xu al cin e m a an d p ro bably o n e o f th e m o s t fam o u s Am e rican avan t-gard e film s . A p ain fu lly h o n e s t, d e e p ly-fe lt e p is o d e o f s ad o -m as o ch is t 5/19/2007 12:31 PM

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h o m o s e xu ality, e xp e rie n ce d as n igh tm are an d w is h d re am , in w h ich th e p ro tago n is t ( p laye d by An ge r) is bru tally attacke d an d d is e m bo w e lle d by a gro u p o f s ailo rs . In th e las t s ce n e , h e o p e n s h is fly an d "ligh ts " h is p e n is w h ich e xp lo d e s in fire w o rk fas h io n . In te n s ity, p ain , an d p o e tic im age ry tran s fo rm au to bio grap h ical e le m e n ts in to art. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLAMIN G CREATU RES ( Jack Sm ith , U SA, 19 6 2 ) Fre qu e n tly ban n e d , th is n o to rio u s Am e rican avan t-gard e w o rk is a cu rio u s ly jo yle s s co m p e n d iu m o f u n ce rtain , p o lym o rp h o u s ly p e rve rs e s e x e p is o d e s -- a s u cce s s io n o f p e n is e s , rap e s , o rgie s , m as tu rbatio n , an d o ral s e x. Th e s tyle , qu ite in te n tio n ally, h o ve rs be tw e e n "cam p " s atire an d ge n u in e p ain , as a cas t o f flam in g tran s ve s tite s an d vo lu p tu o u s w o m e n cavo rt in e xagge rate d co s tu m e s ( o r n o n e ) am id s t lu xu rian t, o ve r-e xp o s e d s e ts , fo n d lin g e ach o th e r's large bre as ts an d lim p p e n is e s to th e d o le fu l acco m p an im e n t o f s cratch y bu ll-figh t o r Ch in e s e m u s ic, "Sibo n e y", an d as s o rte d s e n tim e n tal h its . Pe rh ap s a n o s talgic, s u bje ctive d re am e vo catio n o f a m yth o lo gical H o llyw o o d , it s u cce e d s in be in g bo th in te n tio n ally am ate u ris h an d s h o ckin g. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

VIRID IAN A ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Sp ain / Me xico , 19 6 1) A s ce n e o f s ad n e s s an d d e ath am id s t o rd e rly s u r-

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ro u n d in gs . Bu t th is is Bu n u e l, an d th is ch arm in gly cu ltivate d bo u rge o is n e cro p h iliac is abo u t to h ave in te rco u rs e w ith a fan tas y: th e fo rm e r n u n h e h as d re s s e d as a brid e , d ru gge d , an d n o w aran ge s like th e co rp s e h e w an ts h e r to be fo r s e x. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FLESH OF MORN IN G ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 56 ) Th e "s u bve rs io n " o f th is film lie s in its u s e o f m as tu rbatio n as ce n tral p lo t d e vice . Vis u ally, h o w e ve r, th e act is n o t fu lly s h o w n , th o u gh th e p as s io n o f th e m o m e n t -- th e h e avin g o f th e bo d y, th e h ard bre ath in g is co n ve ye d in Brakh age 's te ch n iqu e o f s p lin te rin g th e im age , cre atin g a s e m i-abs tract, cu bis t co llage o f p arts o f bo d ie s , clo s e -u p s , s u d d e n u n id e n tifiable m o ve m e n ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FRAGMEN T OF SEEKIN G ( Cu rtis H arrin gto n , U SA, 19 4 6 ) Sim p licity o f fo rm an d h o n e s ty o f fe e lin g ch aracte rize th is e arly, s till valid w o rk o f p o e tic s e lf-re alizatio n . Th e p ro tago n is t ( th e film m ake r an d late r, H o llyw o o d d ire cto r) s e arch e s , am id s t m o u n tin g te n s io n , fo r th e o bje ct o f h is d e s ire . In th e las t s ce n e , it is re ve ale d : h im s e lf, as a girl. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D EATH IN VEN ICE ( MORTE A VEN EZIA) ( Lu s ch in o Vis co n ti, Italy, 19 71) ( F) Th e ap o th e o s is o f th e o ld cin e m a, be au tifu lly co m p o s e d an d p h o to grap h e d , th is is a p e rfe ct e vo catio n o f p e rio d an d atm o s p h e re , an e le gy o f m e lan ch o ly an d re m o rs e . At th e s am e tim e , it co n s titu te s a d im in u tio n o f th e s u blim e co m p le xity o f Th o m as Man n 's n o ve l to th e d im e n s io n s o f a h o m o s e xu al fan tas y. W ith o u t re s o rtin g to a s in gle s e x s ce n e , o r e ve n th e bare s t to u ch o f n u d ity, Vis co n ti h as fas h io n e d a ro m an tic, d e e p ly fe lt re n d itio n o f h o m o s e xu al e m o tio n s , th e ir in te n s ity e qu alle d o n ly by ce rtain s e qu e n ce s in Ge n e t's U n Ch a n t d 'Am o u r . Th e co m p u ls ive re cu rre n ce o f s ce n e s o f carn al d e s ire an d u tte r fru s tratio n -- th e p as s io n o f an o ld m an fo r a n u bile bo y -- as s u m e s th e p ro p o rtio n s o f trage d y an d is re in fo rce d by Mah le r's s u m p tu o u s s co re . SC

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D EATH IN VEN ICE ( MORTE A VEN EZIA) ( Lu s ch in o Vis co n ti, Italy, 19 71) ( F) W ith o u t a s in gle s e x s ce n e , n u d ity, o r e ve n th e bare s t to u ch , Vis co n ti cre ate s a d e e p ly-fe lt re n d itio n o f an o ld e r m an 's fru s trate d p as s io n fo r a bo y. Th e m an , ap p ro p riate ly, h as alre ad y e n te re d th e s h ad o w s ( h e d ie s at th e e n d ) : th e n e w ge n e ratio n face s u s s e d u ctive ly, bis e xu ally. Th e d o o r fram e s e p arate s w h at m u s t n o t co m e to ge th e r. SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION HOMOSEXUALITY & OTHER VARIANTS - PART TWO FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E D AMN ED ( Lu s ch in o Vis co n ti, Italy/ W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) ( F) It is d an ge ro u s an d p o p u lar to e qu ate N azi fas cis m w ith s e xu al "p e rve rs io n " th o u gh Vis co n ti h as h is to ric facts ( th e h o m o s e xu al s can d al in th e SA) to back h im u p . Th e film is ap o calyp tic, th e im age s h o ckin g, an d e ve n in ce s t is bro u gh t in to co m p le te th e facile in d ictm e n t o f a p o p u lar re ality by m e an s o f a s e xu al m e tap h o r. SC

TH E EN D OF SEXU AL TABOOS: H OMOSEXU ALITY AN D OTH ER VARIAN TS - PART TW O

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FREN ZY ( Alfre d H itch co ck, Gre at Britain , 19 71) ( F) Th e n u d e co rp s e , in u n d ate d by p o tato e s ; th e m u rd e re r, d e te rm in e d an d d e s p e rate ; an d d e ad fin ge rs th at m u s t be bro ke n to re trie ve th e te ll-tale clu e . Kin ky s e x an d kin ky e atin g are th e tw o co n s tan ts o f th is H itch co ck tale . ______________________________________________ "Fre n zy" e xh ibits cu rio u s ly p aralle l s ym p to m s o f p ro fe s s io n al "m as te ry" an d in n e r e m p tin e s s . Th is is o n e o f H itch co ck's m o s t s u cce s s fu l re ce n t film s , a s p le n d id th ro w back alm o s t to th e gre at w o rks o f h is e arlie r, Britis h p e rio d . A variatio n o n th e Jack-th e -Rip p e r th e m e , it allo w s h im to take ad van tage o f th e n e w cin e m atic p e rm is s ive n e s s by in tro d u cin g go ry s e x m u rd e rs , n u d ity, an d tw o H itch co ck "firs ts ": p u bic h air an d th e fo n d lin g o f bre as ts . It is als o o n e o f h is kin kie s t film s . Th e m o s t s e n s atio n al s e qu e n ce in vo lve s th e atte m p te d re trie val by th e m u rd e re r o f th e te ll-tale clu e ( h is tie clip ) fro m th e victim 's co rp s e , h id d e n u n d e r bu s h e ls o f p o tato e s in a w ild ly care e rin g tru ck; h e is fin ally co m p e lle d ( w ith ap p ro p riate s o u n d e ffe cts ) o n e by o n e to bre ak th e rigid fin ge rs o f h is d e licio u s co rp s e . Th e te n s io n , te m p o , e d itin g, an d cam e raw o rk are s u p e rb; bu t th e afte rglo w in d u ce s a d e ja v u . Pe rh ap s th e film can be ap p re ciate d o n ly as a h igh ly-m an n e re d , co m m e rcial e n te rtain m e n t, a t o u r d e fo r ce by a m as te r crafts m an w h o s e im p licit an ti-bo u rge o is s tan ce -- "n o th in g is w h at it s e e m s to be in th is m o s t ratio n al o f all w o rld s " -lo n g ago "m e llo w e d " in to bo u rge o is titillatio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E SERVAN T ( Jo s e p h Lo s e y, Gre at Britain , 19 6 3 ) ( F) An air o f e vil an d co rru p tio n p e rm e ate s o n e o f Lo s e y's s tran ge s t film s . In th is s ce n e , e ro tic e ffe cts are ach ie ve d s o le ly by h in ts , ligh tin g, co m p o s itio n , an d o u r o w n as s o ciatio n s . Th e s till is as e vas ive an d as s tim u latin g as th e s e qu e n ce its e lf. Th e s crip t is by Pin te r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H EAT ( Pau l Mo rris e y, U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) A bizarre , ye t m ild ve rs io n o f "Su n s e t Bo u le vard " a la W arh o l, w ith a be vy o f vo racio u s fe m ale s o f varyin g p ro p o rtio n s vyin g fo r th e cas u al favo rs o f a p as s ive Jo e D alle s an d ro . Th e d ialo gu e is fre s h , s im p le , fu n n y, as is th e re laxe d , im p ro vis e d actin g. Fe llatio an d d e m yth o lo gize d s e x m ake th e ir u s u al ap p e aran ce , th o u gh -- fo r Mo rris e y -- in a cu rio u s ly re s e rve d m an n e r. W h ile th e s e d e s p e rate p e o p le an d th e ir alw ays -in te rru p te d s e x acts are p e rh ap s to o s m all re ally to e n gage o n e 's co n ce rn , Mo rris e y's tale n t fo r a n e w , w e ird kin d o f n atu ralis m ( as in h is Tr a s h ) n o w s e e m s fu lly e s tablis h e d . Mo s t n o tably, s e x is bo th u biqu ito u s an d jo yle s s , an alm o s t in e vitable ch o re th at can n e ith e r be avo id e d n o r re ally e n jo ye d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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IT IS N OT TH E H OMOSEXU AL W H O IS PERVERSE, BU T TH E SITU ATION IN W H ICH H E LIVES ( N ICH T D ER H OMOSEXU ELLE IST PERVERS, SOD ERN D IE SITU ATION , IN D ER ER LEBT) ( Ro s a vo n Prau n h e im , W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 71) ( F) Pas s io n ate kis s in g be tw e e n m e n co n tin u e s as a s tro n g tabo o o f co m m e rcial cin e m a, th o u gh it fre e ly ap p e ars in avan t-gard e , in d e p e n d e n t, an d , o f co u rs e , gay film s . ______________________________________________ A "cin e m a ve rite " fre aks h o w o f Ge rm an h o m o s e xu als , p o rtraye d at th e ir m o s t giggly an d m e lo d ram atic, th is s u p p o s e d ly p ro -gay film s e e m s p e rm e ate d by fire -an d -brim s to n e p u ritan is m an d u n ackn o w le d ge d gu ilt, w ith s e ve ral agitate d n arrato rs w arn in g o f e ve r-d e e p e n in g "co rru p tio n " u n le s s th e gay tu rn s to lo ve an d p o litics . An am bigu o u s m o rality tale , it d e lin e ate s th e d is tan ce be tw e e n th e Ge rm an an d Am e rican gay m o ve m e n ts at th is m o m e n t. "Ro s a" vo n Prau n h e im is a m ale le ft-w in g rad ical film m ake r. Th e le n gth an d d o cu m e n tary qu ality o f th e title ( as in Co s tard 's Th e Su p p r e s s io n o f W o m e n Is R e co g n iz a b le Ab o v e All By t h e Be h a v io r Of Th e W o m e n Th e m s e lv e s !) d e n o te s th e an ti-illu s io n is t, an ti-"art" s tan ce o f th e p o litical Ge rm an avan t-gard e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LOVEMAKIN G ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 6 9 ) Fo u r varie tie s o f s e xu al lo ve , as s e e n by th e fam e d Am e rican avan t-gard is t: a yo u n g co u p le in e xp licit, lyrical, ye t alm o s t abs tract e m brace ; d o gs d u rin g fo re p lay, s e d u ctio n , an d co p u latio n , th e ir face s , to n gu e s , an d e ye s e xh ibitin g lu s t; a gro u p o f n u d e ch ild re n fro lickin g o n a be d in u n co n s cio u s s e x p lay, th e ir o rgan s alm o s t e ro tic. Bu t th e m o s t e xtrao rd in ary e p is o d e in vo lve s tw o m e n p e rfo rm in g m u tu al fe llatio , re ach in g clim ax in m o u n tin g e ro tic p as s io n ; e ve n th e ir to e s cu rl in in vo lu n tary te n s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

M ( Fritz Lan g, Ge rm an y, 19 3 1) ( F) Pe te r Lo rre , as a ch ild m u rd e re r, is ch as e d by bo th p o lice an d u n d e rw o rld , e ach fo r its o w n re as o n s ; h e h as ju s t be e n "tagge d " by th e u n d e rw o rld w ith th e le tte r "M" fo r m u rd e re r, h is id e n tity n o w kn o w n . H is d is co ve ry -- an d s im u ltan e o u s frigh t -- are p o rtraye d p u re ly vis u ally. Lo rre 's im m o rtal p e rfo rm an ce s u cce e d e d in actu ally e vo kin g co m p as s io n fo r h is s e x m u rd e rs o ve r w h ich h e h ad n o co n tro l. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MON A ( Bill Os co , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Th e in cu rs io n o f h ard co re s e x in to th e co m m e rcial film m arke t h as bro u gh t w ith it th e e le vatio n o f o n e o f th e m o s t co m m o n , m o s t lu s te d -afte r an d m o s t "fo rbid d e n " s e x acts -- fe llatio -to th e s tatu s o f a p ro fitable co m m o d ity. A 19 72 n e w co m e r to th e s ce n e , Ge rard D am ian o 's D e e p Th r o a t , tu rn e d a $ 2 4 ,0 0 0 p ro d u ctio n bu d ge t ( th re e d ays s h o o tin g in m o te l ro o m s ) in to a m u lti-m illio n d o llar p ro fit th at in cre as e d e ve ry tim e th e p o lice o r w o u ld -be ce n s o rs w e n t afte r it w ith o u t ( at le as t in itially) s u cce e d in g. H o w e ve r w h ile th is latte r film -- n o w w o rld -fam o u s as th e p ro to typ e o f "fe llatio " film s -- is u n iqu e in n o re s p e ct e xce p t fo r th e im p o s s ible an ato m ical tale n ts o f its s tar, Lin d a Lo ve lace ( th e re h as n e ve r be e n d e e p e r p e n e tratio n an yw h e re ) -- M o n a m u s t be re co rd e d as th e p io n e e r an d in e ve ry re s p e ct a s u p e rio r w o rk. In th is film , u n like D e e p Th r o a t , th e ch alle n ge o f th e to p ic is take n s e rio u s ly an d th e s e xu al activity rive te d o n it, as w e o bs e rve th e h e ro in e in actio n in be d ro o m s , cin e m as , back yard s , w h e re ve r th e o p p o rtu n ity can be cre ate d . Th e re is an e d ge o f aban d o n an d d e s p e ratio n to h e r th at w h e ts th e ap p e tite o f fru s trate d m e n an d h e lp s to d e fin e th e film as a co m m e rcial p ro d u ct, in d is p ro p o rtio n ally large d e m an d s o le ly be cau s e s o cie ty w ill n o t fre e ly acce p t h u m an activitie s as h u m an . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E MAN FROM ON AN ( Alan Ru s kin , U SA, 19 71) ( F) A yo u n g girl ge ts s e xu ally in vo lve d w ith h e r bro th e r's s p o rts e qu ip m e n t an d fin ally ro cks to a clim ax o n a

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fo o tball. A s ce n e fro m a rath e r u n iqu e h ard co re fe atu re th at co n ce n trate s s o le ly o n m as tu rbato ry fan tas ie s o f w o m e n ( u n fo rtu n ate ly, as fan tas ize d by m e n ) . Th e s e ttin g is ve ry "Am e rican " ( gu itar, p o s te r, bas e ball m itt, an d s lip p e rs o cks ) ; als o co n ve ye d is a ve ry co n te m p o rary lo n e lin e s s . ______________________________________________ On e o f th e be s t o f th e n e w ge n re o f h ard co re film s , th is film is u n iqu e in o p e n ly p ivo tin g o n m as tu rbatio n . It d is p lays p e rve rs e o rigin ality in s e qu e n ce s s u ch as th e o n e in w h ich a fru s trate d girl s ys te m atically re d u ce s kitch e n im p le m e n ts to o n an is tic to o ls , e ve n to th e co m p u ls ive s u ckin g o f carro t ju ice fro m a fru it e xtracto r s p o u t; an d th e s e qu e n ce in w h ich an o th e r lu s tfu l yo u n g lad y ge ts in vo lve d w ith ( h e r bro th e r's ?) bas e ball bat an d jo cks trap , an d ro cks to clim ax o n a fo o tball. Th o u gh co n ce ive d as a m ale s e x fan tas y, th e film s u cce e d s , be tte r th an m o s t, in co n ve yin g bo th th e h u n ge r fo r s e x an d p o s t-o rgas m ic o n an is tic lo n e lin e s s . ______________________________________________

TH E MAN FROM ON AN ( Alan Ru s kin , U SA, 19 71) ( F) An o th e r s e qu e n ce d is p lays a s im ilarly p e rve rs e o rigin ality in s h o w in g a fru s trate d girl's s ys te m atic re d u ctio n o f kitch e n im p le m e n ts to o n an is tic to o ls -- e ve n to th e co m p u ls ive s u ckin g o f carro t ju ice fro m a fru it ju ice r's s p o u t.

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MU RMU R OF TH E H EART ( SOU FFLE AU COEU R) ( Lo u is Malle , Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) Particu larly in th e co n te xt o f o fficial Fre n ch p u ritan is m , th is s to ry o f Eu ro p e an m id d le -clas s ad o le s ce n ce in th e fiftie s is cu rio u s ly m o d e rn an d libe ratin g in its cas u al tre atm e n t o f s e x, m as tu rbatio n , an d "accid e n tal" in ce s t, w h ich is d o u btle s s w h y th e Fre n ch ce n s o rs re co m m e n d e d its to tal p ro h ibitio n . Sin ce it is s lan te d to w ard s co m m e rcial ace p tability, th e film d o e s n o t s h o w s e x bu t m ake s it s p e cific by im p licatio n an d d ialo gu e ; a s afe an d bo u rge o is d e vice . N e ve rth e le s s , it h as its yo u n g h e ro , d o o rs lo cke d , s it w ith an e ro tic bo o k to m as tu rbate ; th e n co n fe s s th is to a p rie s t w h o fo n d le s h is th igh ; e n gage in te arfu l fe tis h is m w ith h is m o th e r's u n d e rw e ar afte r d is co ve rin g h e r w ith a lo ve r; an d fin ally take h e r to be d fo r a brie f in te rlu d e , im m e d iate ly fo llo w e d by a n igh t w ith a yo u n g girl, h is s e xu al e d u catio n co m p le te d . "Th e bio lo gical ju s tificatio n fo r th e in ce s t tabo o ", s ays Malle , "h as be e n m ad e o bs o le te by th e p ill"; an d th e film , in its acce p tan ce o f s e x, re fu s e s e ve n to h in t at p o s s ible p s ych o lo gical d ifficu ltie s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PARTICU LARLY VALU ABLE ( BESON D ERS W ERTVOLL) ( H e lm u th Co s tard , Ge rm an y, 19 6 8 ) "On ly th e p e rve rs e fan tas y can s till s ave u s ," s aid Go e th e to Ecke rm an n , as qu o te d by th e film m ake r, w h o p ro m p tly p ro ce e d s to o u trage o u s film ic p ro vo catio n fo r p o litical e n d s , in clu d in g

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th e s e clo s e -u p s h o ts o f a "talkin g" p e n is an d its s u bs e qu e n t e jacu latio n to w ard th e cam e ra le n s . Clo s e -u p s abs tractify an d alm o s t re n d e r acce p table o th e rw is e "o ffe n s ive " vis u als . ______________________________________________ Po rn o grap h y in th e s e rvice o f p o litics . An o u trage o u s p ro vo catio n , th is attack o n re actio n ary Ge rm an le gis latio n d is crim in atin g again s t yo u n g film d ire cto rs , fe atu re s h e ad -o n , clo s e -u p s h o ts o f a p e n is "m o u th in g" th e p arliam e n tary d e fe n s e o f th e law by its au th o r. Th is is fo llo w e d by m as tu rbatio n o f th e o rgan by an an o n ym o u s fe m ale h an d , e n d in g w ith e jacu latio n in to th e cam e ra an d a clo s e -u p o f a n u d e be h in d "blo w in g" o u t a can d le ( w ith ap p ro p riate s o u n d ) . A lan d m ark in p o litical p am p h le te e rin g, th e film w as s e le cte d fo r th e 19 6 8 Obe rh au s e n In te rn atio n al Sh o rt Film Fe s tival by a co m m itte e o f le ad in g Ge rm an critics , an d p ro m p tly ban n e d by th e ( s o cial-d e m o cratic!) city go ve rn m e n t, cau s in g th e w ith d raw al o f alm o s t all Ge rm an d ire cto rs fro m th e fe s tival an d a n atio n al s can d al. Th e title s atirically re fe rs to th e o fficial ce rtificate o f "Particu larly Valu able " give n e ach ye ar to th e be s t film s h o rts by an Es tablis h m e n t s e le ctio n co m m itte e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PORTRAIT OF JASON ( Sh irle y Clarke , U SA, 19 6 7) ( F) Th is m o vin g cin e m a ve rite s tu d y by a le ad in g Am e rican w o m an d ire cto r co n s is ts o f a fe atu re -le n gth in te rvie w w ith a Black h o m o s e xu al w h o , d e s p ite co n tro lle d n o n ch alan ce an d s m ilin g s o p h is ticatio n , re ve als p e rh ap s m o re th an in te n d e d . "A bo ld , in cis ive ch o re o grap h y, a d an ce o f th e h u m an e go in all its u gly, be au tifu l n ake d n e s s . W e s e e a re le n tle s s u n fo ld in g o f a p e rs o n ality w h o s e ch arm an d m ale vo le n ce are bo th irre s is table an d e xas p e ratin g. It's like w atch in g an e m o tio n al s trip -te as e , w ith Jas o n u n bu tto n in g h im s e lf in p u blic to re ve al ( o r co n ce al) u n as h am e d ly h is ras cality, h is co n ce its , h is s e xu al h an g-u p s , h is ragge d y-as s e d bu ffo o n e ry, h is co n qu e s ts an d d e fe ats -- a fas cin atin g co n fe s s io n al righ t d o w n to th e las t G-s trin g." - Sto rm D e H irs ch SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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SOD OMA ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 70 ) ( F) A s ce n e fro m Otto Mu e h 's "h ap p e n in gs " e vo ke s , in its s ad o -m as o ch is t h o rro r an d d e file m e n t, th e e vil m e m o rie s ( if n o t p re s e n t re alitie s ) o f a civilizatio n o f co n ce n tratio n cam p s an d ge n o cid e . Fran ju 's s lau gh te rh o u s e film , Th e Blo o d o f t h e Be a s t s -- an o th e r id e o lo gical s tate m e n t o f o u r d ay -- is n o t to o far o ff. ______________________________________________ Th e Au s trian avan t-gard is t Otto Mu e h l m ay w e ll be th e m o s t s can d alo u s film m ake r w o rkin g in cin e m a to d ay. W h e th e r h e is als o th e m o s t s u bve rs ive is th e s u bje ct o f a co n tin u in g in te rn atio n al d e bate , w ith e ve n s o m e libe ral critics d e n o u n cin g h im as fas cis t, o r at le as t, an ti-h u m an is t. Bu t it is a grave m is take to m is in te rp re t Mu e h l's w o rk as p o rn o grap h ic, th e re by u n d e re s tim atin g its s e d itio u s , an arch is t in te n t. Mu e h l's film s -- o f w h ich So d o m a is th e m o s t fam o u s -are bas e d o n h is n o to rio u s "Mate rialaktio n e n "; live h ap p e n in gs , in vo lvin g n u d e p ro tago n is ts in re al an d e xtravagan t acts o f s e xu al vio le n ce an d d e file m e n t. Cle arly d e rive d fro m d ad a-s u rre alis t an ti-ae s th e ticis m , th e s e p u blic p e rfo rm an ce s p re d ictably cau s e d p o lice p ro s e cu tio n , s can d als , an d n e ar-rio ts in vario u s

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co u n trie s . Th e y in vad e th e s p e ctato r's d e fe n s e m e ch an is m an d valu e s ys te m s in a m an n e r co m p arable p e rh ap s o n ly to th e s littin g o f th e w o m an 's e ye ball in Bu n u e l's U n Ch ie n An d a lo u o r Fran ju 's d e ce p tive d o cu m e n tary o f th e s lau gh te r-h o u s e s , Th e Blo o d o f t h e Be a s t s . Mu e h l can n o t be u n d e rs to o d e xce p t as th e p ro d u ct o f a co n tin e n t th at e xp e rie n ce d w ith in h alf a ce n tu ry tw o w o rld w ars an d th e cru s h in g trau m a o f N azis m ; th e re is a s te n ch o f co n ce n tratio n cam p s , co lle ctive gu ilt, u n brid le d aggre s s io n , h allu cin ato ry vio le n ce th at -- h o w e ve r re le vato ry -h as th e d im e n s io n s o f an atavis tic ge n e ralize d m yth o f e vil. If th e s e are w o rks o f d e file m e n t -- as th e y s u re ly are -- th e y re fle ct a s o cie ty o f d e file m e n t; th e y cap tu re its e s s e n ce by m e an s o f h arro w in g vio le n ce an d p e rve rs e s e xu ality. To Mu e h l, th e o n ly w ay to e xo rcis e th is cru e lty is by re cre ain g it in th e p ro te cte d e n viro n m e n t o f th e atrical s p ace , cru e lly co n fro n tin g th e s p e ctato r n o t w ith frau d u le n t, fictio n alize d s im u latio n s bu t w ith th e act its e lf. Th e "d o cu m e n tary" actio n re co rd e d in So d o m a in clu d e s fu ckin g, fe llatio n , m as tu rbatio n , u rin atio n , th e tyin g o r s trin gin g u p o f p articip an ts ( p articu larly w o m e n ) , th e in s e rtio n o f vario u s flu id s o r o bje cts in to vagin as , p u m p s attach e d to p e n is e s ; a co m p le te d e m ys tificatio n o f s e x an d its p o rtrayal as a p u re ly p h ys io lo gical, bo d ily act. Mo s t s h o ckin g is th e "Sch e is s ke rl" ( "Sh it-As s ") e p is o d e ( co -au th o re d by H an e l Ko e ck) , fo r h e re Mu e h l go e s be yo n d h ard co re s e x ( n o lo n ge r s o d arin g n o w ad ays ) an d e n te rs in to th e s till fo rbid d e n re alm s o f co p ro p h ilia. ( "Th is film is d e d icate d to s h it e ate rs .") As o n e n u d e w o m an ad m in is te rs an e n e m a to an o th e r, a m an lyin g be n e ath h e r w aits , w ith o p e n m o u th ; n o t fo r lo n g. Gaggin g u n d e r th e s u d d e n rich e s , h is n u d e bo d y is lo vin gly s m e are d by th e s e co n d w o m an w h o th e n fe llate s , m as tu rbate s , an d fu cks h im u n til h e lie s in u tte r e xh au s tio n , an in e rt, m o tio n le s s o bje ct. Th e e m o tio n s o f o u trage , acce p tan ce , an ge r, o r libe ratio n e n ge n d e re d in au d ie n ce s e are to o p ro fo u n d to allo w o f a facile d is m is s al o f Mu e h l as p ath o lo gical p o rn o grap h e r. H is im age s -- in th e ir co m bin atio n o f e xp licit s e xu ality an d vio le n t d e file m e n t -- w o u ld ap p e ar to be e ve n m o re "s u bve rs ive " th an th o s e o f th e n o w alm o s t s tan d ard h ard co re p o rn o grap h ic film s . Th e s cato lo gical e le m e n t -- o n e o f th e s e cre t d e ligh ts o f m an kin d -- is vis u ally p articu larly d is tu rbin g, e vo kin g bo th ( im p e rm is s ible ) in te re s t an d ( care fu lly m o d u late d ) d is gu s t; fo r w e d o n o t fin d o u r o w n e xcre tio n s d is gu s tin g an d in lo ve o r s e xu al p as s io n m ay e ve n te m p o rarily be cap able o f acce p tin g th o s e o f th e be lo ve d . Th e Mu e h l "Mate rialaktio n e n " co n fro n t th e s p e ctato r w ith h is s e cre t fe ars , aggre s s io n s , w is h d re am s , n igh tm are s , an d u n ackn o w le d ge d

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d e s ire s . Th e y "s tir u p " re s id u e s o f th e co n ce n tratio n -cam p gu ard , rap is t, m as o ch is tic victim o r bru tal o p re s s o r in all o f u s , an d re in tro d u ce u s , in p ain fu lly o rigin al fas h io n , to th e co n ce p ts o f co lle ctive gu ilt ( o r cath ars is ?) My w o rk is p s ych ic s u bve rs io n , aim in g at th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e p s e u d o -m o rality an d e th ic o f s tate an d o rd e r. I am fo r le w d n e s s , fo r th e d e m yth o lo gizatio n o f s e xu ality. I m ake film s to p ro vo ke s can d als , fo r au d ie n ce s th at are h id e bo u n d , p e rve rte d by "n o rm alcy", m e n tally s tagn atin g an d co n fo rm is t ... Th e w o rld w id e s tu p e factio n o f th e m as s e s at th e h an d s o f artis tic, re ligio u s , p o litical s w in e can be s to p p e d o n ly by th e m o s t bru tal u tilizatio n o f all available w e ap o n s . Po rn o grap h y is an ap p ro p riate m e an s to cu re o u r s o cie ty fro m its ge n ital p an ic. All kin d s o f re vo lt are w e lco m e : o n ly in th is m an n e r w ill th is in s an e s o cie ty, p ro d u ct o f th e fan tas ie s o f p rim e val m ad m e n , fin ally co llap s e ... I re s trict m ys e lf to flin gin g th e fo o d to th e be as ts : le t th e m ch o ke o n it. - Otto Mu e h l

SOD OMA ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 70 ) ( F) A w o m an ad m in is te rs an e n e m a to an o th e r in p re p aratio n fo r an act o f co p ro p h ilia in vo lvin g Otto Mu e h l. As in all o f Mu e h l's "Mate rialaktio n e n ", th e artis t p articip ate s as acco m p lice in th e h o rro rs an d gru e s o m e d e ligh ts h e p o rtrays . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MAMA AN D PAPA ( MAMA U N D PAPA) ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 6 3 -6 9 ) In th e vario u s film s m ad e fro m h is s can d alo u s live h ap p e n in gs , Otto Mu e h l e m e rge s as o n e o f th e m o s t s u bve rs ive artis ts n o w w o rkin g in th e m e d iu m . Th e co u n te rp o s in g o f a clo s e -u p , s h arp ly d e fin e d p e n is "bre akin g th ro u gh " th e p age s o f an art bo o k to attack a s ym bo l o f W e s te rn bo u rge o is art is co m p arable in its s h o ck e ffe ct to Bu n u e l's e ye s littin g in U n Ch ie n An d alo u . Mu e h l's "in s tru ctio n s " are s p e cific. "Fu ck an art bo o k fro m be h in d , o p e n it, an d yo u 'll fin d yo u rs e lf in go o d co m p an y. Yo u r co ck w il be qu ite re ad y fo r m u s e u m d is p lay. SC ______________________________________________

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MAMA AN D PAPA ( MAMA U N D PAPA) ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 6 3 -6 9 ) Th e s ad is tic m an ip u latio n o f th e bo d y an d its d e file m e n t by Mu e h l is a calcu late d , s u bve rs ive affro n t to o u r s e n s ibilitie s , aim in g at co n s cio u s n e s s ch an gin g th ro u gh m e th o d s o f s h o ck. Th e in te n t is to d e ro m an ticize an d d e m yth o lo gize w h at is co n s id e re d in vio lable in th e o ry ye t in p ractice in ce s s an tly vio late d in w arfare , p o litical, to rtu re , an d e xp lo itative s e x. SC ______________________________________________

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MAMA AN D PAPA ( MAMA U N D PAPA) ( Otto Mu e h l, Au s tria, 19 6 3 -6 9 ) Fo r a brie f m o m e n t, th e actio n lo o ks re alis tic, bu t th e n w e re alize th at p e n is , flu id , an d h an d are artificial; s ign ifican tly, th is d o e s n o t le s s e n th e vis u al s h o ck. Mu e h l's in ce s s an t attacks o n o u r las t tabo o s e xte n d to th e p u blic d is p lay o f bo d ily fu n ctio n s o th e rw is e co n s id e re d to o p rivate ( i.e . to o u n ive rs al) to be vie w able in go o d s o cie ty. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SU PPRESSION OF W OMEN IS RECOGN IZABLE ABOVE ALL BY TH E BEH AVIOR OF TH E W OMEN TH EMSELVES! ( D IE U N TERD RU CK D ER FRAU EN IST VOR ALLEN AM VERH ALTEN D ER FRAU EN SELBER ZU ERKEN N EN !) ( H e lm u th Co s tard , W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) ( F) On e o f th e id e o lo gically m o s t aggre s s ive film m ake rs o f th e Ge rm an avan t-gard e ( s e e als o h is p o rn o -p o litical Pa r t icu la r ly Va lu a b le ) h as u s s p y o n th e h u m d ru m activitie s o f a h o u s e w ife d u rin g a typ ical d ay o f h e r life , m u ch o f it re co rd e d in re al tim e to re ve al its bo re d o m an d s tu ltifyin g id io cy. Sh e w as h e s d is h e s , talks o n th e te le p h o n e , m as tu rbate s in fro n t o f a m irro r, co o ks . W ith ch aracte ris tic p e rve rs ity, h o w e ve r, s h e is p lace d by a m ale in m ale d re s s : a brillian t an d d is tu rbin g vis u al m e tap h o r. H e re th e W arh o l s tyle o f "re al tim e " an d m in im al cin e m a is u tilize d fo r a rad ical p o litical s tate m e n t.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

IMPU D EN CE IN GRU N W ALD ( Gu e n te r Bru s an d Otm ar Bau e r, Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) D e fe catio n , as a h u m an activity, m u s t als o be d e m ys tifie d an d m ad e p u blic, if th e p re vailin g "o rd e r" ( w h ich s an ctifie s vio le n ce an d ge n o cid e bu t d e n ie s th e bo d y an d its fu n ctio n s ) is to be d e s tro ye d . It is s ign ifican t th at Mu e h l's p ro vo catio n s ( an d th o s e o f artis ts in s p ire d by h im ) o ccu r in co u n trie s trau m atize d by N azis m th at n o w fin d th e m s e lve s im p o te n t be tw e e n tw o u n s cru p u lo u s , vio le n t p o w e r blo cs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VIOLATED AN GELS ( OKASARETA BYAKU I) ( Ko ji W akam ats u , Jap an , 19 6 7) ( F) Re m in is ce n t o f a m o d e rn cru cifixio n , th is is o n e o f s e ve ral yo u n g w o m e n s ys te m atically to rtu re d an d cu t u p am id s t s h rie ks an d m o an s by a yo u n g m an w ith a gu n an d a razo r; th e am bigu ity cre ate d by s h ad o w s an d arro w s au gm e n ts th e d is qu ie t. Th e film e n d s in a blo o d bath o f an ti-fe m in is t s ad is m . ______________________________________________ Th is film is m o re s ym p to m atic th an s ign ifican t. Its d ire cto r claim s th at h is tw e n ty s ad o -m as o ch is t an d e ro tic fe atu re s p ro je ct an an tiau th o ritarian m e s s age . Th e "an ge ls " in th is film are yo u n g n u rs e s , m e th o d ically vio late d , s h o t, an d / o r cu t in to ribbo n s to th e acco m p an im e n t o f s h rie ks , m o an s , an d cro akin g n o is e s , by a yo u n g m an w ith a gu n an d a razo r. In a lake o f blo o d an d be au tifu l n u d e bo d ie s , h e is u n able to kill th e las t o n e , cu rlin g u p , fe tu s -like , in h e r lap in s te ad . "W h y d id yo u s p ill s o m u ch blo o d ?" as ks th e girl-m o th e r. "To o rn am e n t yo u ," h e re p lie s . W h ile th e re is n o d o u bt o f W akam ats u 's ability as an artis t, h is an ti-fe m in is t s ad is m , u n ad o rn e d by id e o lo gical co n te xt, u ltim ate ly give s h is w o rk an an ti-h u m an is t flavo r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

WHY ( H VORFOR GOER D E D ET?)

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( Ph yllis an d Ebe rh ard Kro n h au s e n , D e n m ark, 19 71) ( F) Th e w e ll-kn o w n s e x re s e arch e rs an d p ro p o n e n ts o f e ro tic fre e d o m p re s e n t a p le a fo r s e xu al to le ran ce in th e fo rm o f a factu al, n o n -m o ralis tic p o rtrayal o f u n o rth o d o x s e x acts . Re ve alin g ye t u n s e n s atio n al in te rvie w s w ith th e p ro tago n is ts are in te rs p e rs e d w ith d is cu s s io n s w ith bo re d , fas cin ate d , s care d o r aro u s e d D an is h u n ive rs ity s tu d e n ts , w h o w atch th e p ro ce e d in gs in a s p o rts are n a tran s fo rm e d in to a s e x e m p o riu m by tw o e xe rcis e m attre s s e s in its ce n te r. Th e firs t e p is o d e in vo lve s a p as s io n ate an d aro u s in g N e gro -W h ite le s bian e p is o d e . Afte r a gre at d e al o f ath le tic, o bvio u s ly u n s tage d lo ve m akin g o n -cam e ra, th e be au tifu l black girl d is cu s s e s th e re latio n s h ip in p o ign an t d e tail; s h e re gre ts n o t h avin g a p e n is , s o th at th e y co u ld h ave a baby an d ge t m arrie d ( "th e re is n o p o in t in be in g m arrie d w ith o u t a p e n is ") . Th e s e co n d e p is o d e fe atu re s s im u ltan e o u s co p u latio n by tw o m arrie d co u p le s , w h o , in ad d itio n to th e ir n u d e lo ve m akin g be fo re th e s tu d e n ts , are als o s h o w n in th e ir p e tty-bo u rge o is h o m e s . Su rro u n d e d by kn ick-kn acks an d fam ily p o rtraits , th e y d is cu s s w h e th e r th e y can re ach o rgas m d u rin g th e ir p u blic p e rfo rm an ce s an d e xp lain , u n d e r th e circu m s tan ce s s o m e w h at in co n gru o u s ly, th e ir d is tas te fo r gro u p s e x o r actin g in p o rn o grap h ic film s . Th e th ird e p is o d e in vo lve s th e fam o u s D an is h girl-farm e r w h o lo ve s h e r an im als . W e s e e h e r lyin g acro s s th e back o f a bu ll, vain ly tryin g fo r aro u s al by m as tu rbatin g h im . W h ile flie s s e ttle o n h e r le gs , o f w h ich s h e re m ain s u n aw are , s h e p lain tive ly e xp lain s th at th e y m ay h ave to ge t a h e ife r "to ge t h im s tarte d ". Bu t s h e is lu ckie r w ith h e r p e t d o g w h o afte rw ard s w h in e s je alo u s ly th ro u gh o u t a le n gth y s e x act be tw e e n h e r an d h e r bo yfrie n d . Th e m o s t ro m an tic s e qu e n ce in vo lve s th e m atin g o f tw o h o rs e s ( "yo u can 't d o it w ith a s tallio n , h e 'd s p lit yo u ap art", s h e re m arks w is tfu lly) ; th e jo b d o n e , th e s u d d e n p lo p p in g o u t o f h is o rgan s e n d s w ave s o f s h o cke d lau gh te r th ro u gh th e au d ie n ce . W e s e e h e r lo cke t, w ith a p ictu re o f h e r d o g; w e le arn th e vario u s te ch n iqu e s o f d o in g it w ith an im als ; w e d is co ve r in a cu rio u s ly h o n e s t, s im p lis tic in te rvie w th at h e r m o th e r co n s id e re d s e x d irty; an d p e rh ap s w e d o le arn th e to le ran ce th e Kro n h au s e n s w is h to fe e l. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TRASH ( Pau l Mo rris e y, U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) A h igh -cam p "lo ve s to ry" o f an o u trage o u s ly h an d s o m e h e ro in ju n kie an d h is tras h -s cave n gin g girlfrie n d ( p laye d by a fe m ale im p e rs o n ato r) , th is film s kip s fro m fe llatio

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to s e d u ctio n to fo o t fe tis h is m in its attacks o n s o ap o p e ra m yth s an d H o llyw o o d . A p layfu l p e rve rs ity, an acce p tan ce o f th e s o ft u n d e rbe lly o f bo u rge o is s o cie ty, a s tran ge p o ign an cy in fo rm s th is fable o f im p o te n ce , d ru gs , an d s e x. In th e clim actic lo ve s ce n e , th e h e ro -- re m ain in g im p o te n t -- s u gge s ts to th e lu s tin g "girl" -- re clin in g o n a ru m p le d be d am o n g o bje cts gath e re d fro m garbage can s -- th at s h e u s e a be e r bo ttle in s te ad ; s h e d o e s , w h ile h e s o li- cito u s ly in qu ire s w h e th e r s h e is co m in g, th e n h o ld s h e r h an d an d p ro m is e s to d o be tte r n e xt tim e . In a s e co n d s ce n e , s h e accu s e s h im , in rage , o f n o t e ve n le ttin g h e r "s u ck" h im o ff. W h at w ith an an tiw ar W e lfare w o rke r re ve ale d as a m align an t fo o t fe tis h is t, as s o rte d fe m ale s as s e xu al aggre s s o rs again s t th e fo re ve r in n o ce n t m ale , d ru g-fixe s o r p e n is e s cas u ally d is p laye d , th e m o u n tin g in tru s io n s u p o n th e vie w e rs ' valu e s ys te m m ark th is as a tru ly s e d itio u s w o rk. SC

TRASH ( Pau l Mo rris e y, U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Th e an tid o te to ge n te e l bo u rge o is s e xu ality. Th e m an o n th e flo o r is a h e ro in -ad d ict an d im p o te n t. H is d is s atis fie d girlfrie n d -a garbage s cave n ge r, p laye d by a m an -u s e s a be e r bo ttle in s te ad . Th e co m p o s itio n e m p h as ize s s e p aratio n , d is o rd e r, s e e d in e s s , an d th e film 's u n s e n tim e n tal acce p tin g attitu d e to w ard s life . SC

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TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

KIRSA N ICH OLIN A ( Gu n vo r N e ls o n , U SA, 19 70 ) In th is clas s ic s tate m e n t o f co u n te rcu ltu re s e n s ibility, a yo u n g m o th e r is abo u t to give birth at h o m e . H e r bo d y is s e e n at all tim e s ; w e n e ve r fo rge t th at s h e is a w o m e n an d th at th e n e w life cam e fro m s e xu al d e s ire .

TH E FIRST MYSTERY: BIRTH The cinema has treated birth as a guilty secret of mankind, a mystery to be kept from the impressionable young, a clandestine medical event reserved exclusively for physicians. Had it been related to a w oman's navel, instead of her primary sex organ,

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the taboo w ould unquestionably have been w eaker. For how ever it may be camouflaged by w hite sheets, birth still confronts the view er w ith "the organ" and reminds him of "the act". Birth thus remainsinextricably tied to sex ( and blood) taboos w hich have their roots in myths and religions that cannot freely accept bodies, their organs and functioning. ( Significantly, it w as a film from a non- theological society -- Vertov's The Man With A Movie Camera -- that provided an early example of documentary birth. I t is difficult to believe that until about tw o decades ago, films of this process w ere not permitted to be show n publicly. Hollyw ood provided euphemistic or fraudulent paraphrases of birth, occuring either offscreen ( w ith shots of anxious relatives w aiting outside) or confined to the w oman's face, sometimes show ing genteel and manageable discomfort; blood or screams w ere missing, except in the case of "loose w omen" w ho had to be made to suffer. The act itself w as never seen. The medical profession provided the second variety of birth films -- records produced for training purposes, emphasizing technique and physiology, and omitting the human dimension. A w hite shapeless mass, entirely sw athed in sheets, filled the screen. Neither head, legs, nor body w ere visible, only a disembodied vaginal opening floating in space, mechanically tended, w iped, tugged at by robot-like nurses and doctors w ith forceps and surrealist rubber gloves. Public view ings of these films w ere forbidden by both censors and doctors and their circulation limited to professional audiences. Less technical birth films began to be made in the fifties by both documentary and experimental filmmakers, providing more subjective view s of the birth experience. I n America, it w as the film society Cinema 16 w hich, together w ith its show ings of underground, scientific, erotic, and political cinema, also pioneered the first public exhibition of birth films in the early fifties, introducing both medical and underground varieties. I n the sixties, American television hesitantly began to show birth as part of its educational programming, first in side-view s only, later w ith a few head-on shots. Even today, how ever, both television and commercial movie theatres continue to be extremely uneasy about the topic and almost never portray it. I t remained for the underground to produce the classic films on the subject, displaying a humanist attitude entirely at odds w ith the clinical approach.

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

KIRSA N ICH OLIN A ( Gu n vo r N e ls o n , U SA, 19 70 ) Th is is h o w life s tarts . Th e baby's h e ad e m e rge s as th e fath e r's an d a frie n d 's s u p p o rtin g h an d s as s is t. U n til re ce n tly, th is act w as co n s id e re d s o tabo o th at birth film s co u ld n o t be s h o w n p u blicly bu t w e re re s tricte d to m e d ical p e rs o n n e l. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ALL MY BABIES ( Ge o rge Sto n e y, U SA, 19 53 ) On e o f th e firs t an d m o s t im p o rtan t film s to tre at ch ild birth as a h u m an e ve n t an d to s h o w it fu lly. Th is d o cu m e n tary o f a co m p as s io n ate Black m id w ife at w o rk in th e d e e p So u th re m ain e d re s tricte d to m e d ical p e rs o n n e l fo r m an y ye ars . On e can n o t re call a m o re m o vin g, h u m an is t p o rtrayal o f th e w o n d e r an d p ain o f th e e ve n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E BEGIN N IN G OF LIFE ( SA BORGAR LIVET)

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( Lars W alle n , Sw e d e n , 19 6 8 ) Le n n art N ils s o n 's s p e ctacu larly be au tifu l an d m ys te rio u s co lo r s h o ts o f th e e m bryo in varyin g s tage s o f gro w th co n s titu te s a re ality-p o e m ; s ile n t, e th e re al be in gs , e n s h ro u d e d in m ys te rio u s , ce llo p h an e -like co ve rin gs , s le e p in g u n til th e m o m e n t o f birth . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

KIRSA N ICH OLIN A ( Gu n vo r N e ls o n , U SA, 19 70 ) Th is s h o t be lie s all ru le s ( an d tabo o s ) o f co n ve n tio n al birth . Th e m o th e r take s h o ld o f th e baby's arm w h ile it is s till h alfw ay in h e r bo d y. Co m p le te ly co n s cio u s , s h e s m ile s an d s h o w s h e r lo ve . In a h o s p ital, s u ch im m e d iate , u n gu ard e d co n tact is co n s id e re d u n h ygie n ic. Fath e r an d frie n d are clo s e -by. Birth o ccu rs as a h u m an e xp e rie n ce , at h o m e , am o n gs t frie n d s . ______________________________________________ Th at Gu n vo r N e ls o n is o n e o f th e m o s t gifte d o f th e n e w film h u m an is ts is re ve ale d in th is d e ce p tive ly s im p le s tu d y o f a ch ild be in g bo rn to a "co u n te rcu ltu re " co u p le in th e ir h o m e . An alm o s t clas s ic m an ife s to o f th e n e w s e n s ibility, it co n s titu te s a p ro u d afficm atio n o f m an am id s t te ch n o lo gy, ge n o cid e , an d e co lo gical d e s tru ctio n . Birth is p re s e n te d n o t as an an tis e p tic, "m e d ical"

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e xp e rie n ce , bu t as th e livin g-th ro u gh o f a p rim itive m ys te ry, a s p iritu al ce le bratio n , a rite o f p as s age . Tru e to th e n e w s e n s ibility, it d o e s n o t aggre s ive ly p ro s e lytize bu t co n ve ys its id e o lo gy by fo rce o f e xam p le . W ith h u s ban d an d frie n d s qu ie tly p re s e n t, th e p re tty yo u n g w o m an , in bath ro be an d re d s o cks , is p ractically n u d e th ro u gh o u t; h e r w h o le bo d y is s e e n at all tim e s an d , fo r o n ce , th e co n tin u ity be tw e e n lo ve -p artn e r an d birth -give r is m ain tain e d ; s h e re m ain s "e ro tic"; w e n e ve r o n ce fo rge t th at s h e is a w o m an an d th at th e n e w life cam e fro m s e xu al d e s ire . Th e d e s p e rate ro m an ticis m o f th e n e w co n s cio u s n e s s -a d e fian ce o f d e h u m an izatio n -- is m an ife s t in th e fo o lh ard y w illin gn e s s o f th e s e p e o p le to u n d e rgo th e ris k o f a h o m e d e live ry ( th o u gh an ap p are n tly m e d ically-train e d p e rs o n is p re s e n t, an d in th e ir co o l, "acce p tin g" attitu d e o f m an kin g as p art o f n atu re -- th e p an th e is m o f th e m o d e rn ath e is ts . Th u s s h e is n o t d ru gge d , bu t fu lly co n s cio u s an d , fo llo w in g th e birth , e xp e rie n ce s jo y in s te ad o f e xh au s tio n ; th e re is s o litle p ain as to th ro w in to d o u bt th e n e ce s s ity o f ce n tu rie s o f fe m ale s u ffe rin g. In s te ad o f "s p e cialis ts " co p in g w ith a "p ro ble m ", w e w itn e s s h u m an be in gs u n d e rgo in g a bas ic h u m an e xp e rie n ce w ith in th e co n tin u ity p ro vid e d by co n ju gal h o m e an d be d . Qu ie t gu itar m u s ic ( co m p o s e d by th e fath e r) acco m p an ie s th e p o e tic, tactile im age s , u n o btru s ive ly re co rd e d by th e d e tach e d cam e ra; n o avan t-gard e p yro te ch n ics in te rfe re w ith th e in te n tio n al s im p licity o f th e s tate m e n t. As th e baby, s till h alf in th e m o th e r's bo d y, be gin s to e m e rge , th e m o th e r s m ilin gly take s its h an d in h e r o w n an d h o ld s it. Th is te n d e r ge s tu re w o u ld n o t be p o s s ibly in a h o s p ital d e live ry be cau s e o f d ru gs an d an tis e p tic p re cau tio n s . Pe rh ap s , in d e e d , life s h o u ld be live d as an o p e n -e n d e d ad ve n tu re an d "s e cu rity" cas t to th e w in d s if w e w an t to be co m e h u m an . ______________________________________________

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KIRSA N ICH OLIN A ( Gu n vo r N e ls o n , U SA, 19 70 ) An ap p ro p riate ly m o re s o m be r lo n g-s h o t ro u n d s o u t th e fu lln e s s o f th e e xp e rie n ce . Th e m o th e r, w ith gre at lo ve , als o fe e ls th e w e igh t o f th e m o m e n t. Th e fath e r w atch e s , w ith o u t in te rfe rin g. Bu t th e fo cu s o f th e co m p o s itio n is o n th e m o th e r's p u bic are a, re e s tablis h in g n o t o n ly h e r ( e ro tic) fe m in in ity bu t als o th e p re s e n ce o f blo o d an d e xcre tio n s care le s s ly co ve rin g th e s h e e t. A fam ily h as ju s t be e n bo rn an d th is is a s e rio u s m o m e n t. __________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E PRIVATE LIFE OF A CAT ( Ale xan d e r H am m id , U SA, 19 4 6 ) Th is s e n s itive , p o e tic d o cu m e n tary by a d is tin gu is h e d film d ire cto r -- h u m o ro u s an d te n d e r in tu rn -- e xp lo re s lo ve , birth , an d gro w th in a cat fam ily, o ffe rin g in e vitable an alo gie s w ith h u m an s . Ban n e d in 19 4 8 by th e N e w Yo rk State ce n s o rs as "in d e ce n t" be cau s e o f its m o vin g birth s e qu e n ce s , it is als o th e p e rfe ct s e x e d u catio n film fo r ch ild re n ( as w as als o tru e o f Ge o rge H o e lle rin g's clas s ic H o rto bagy, w ith its u n iqu e s e qu e n ce o f th e birth o f a fo al. Vis u al s to rylin e an d lack o f h u m an in tru s io n cap tu re be au ty, d ign ity, an d s im p licity in a s u rp ris in g p e rs p e ctive .

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W IN D OW W ATER BABY MOVIN G ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 59 ) A le ad in g Am e rican avan t-gard is t, u s in g h is m o bile cam e ra as an e xte n s io n o f bo d y an d m in d , re co rd s th e birth at h o m e o f h is firs t ch ild . D e e p ly fe lt, e n tire ly p o e tic, th e film e xp lo re s th e e ve n t as an e xp e rie n ce ; th e cam e ra s o ars an d m o ve s w ith th e e m o tio n o f th e e ve n t, cap tu rin g its s h o ckin g p h ys icality an d p rim itive w o n d e r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

KIRSA N ICH OLIN A ( Gu n vo r N e ls o n , U SA, 19 70 ) It is o ve r. A frie n d w h o h as be e n p re s e n t th ro u gh o u t e xte n d s th e fe e lin g o f to ge th e rn e s s by te n d e r p h ys ical co n tact. Th e re is n o aw kw ard n e s s in th e ir in te ractio n , d e s p ite th e m o th e r's care le s s n u d ity, n o r is an yo n e co n ce rn e d w ith th e cam e ra. Th is is a far cry fro m bo u rge o is p o s t-n atal h o s p ital vis its w ith flo w e rs , fro m w h ich , in ad d itio n , th e baby ( qu aran tin e d e ls e w h e re ) is abs e n t. Th e fath e r p lays a s o n g h e co m p o s e d o n th e s o u n d track an d a h u m an ( rath e r th an a m e d ical) e xp e rie n ce co m e s to an e n d .

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION 5/19/2007 12:33 PM

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FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

PIGPEN aka PIGSTY ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 9 ) ( F) Th e co n te m p latio n o f d e ath . In o n e e p is o d e o f Pas o lin i's m o s t p e rs o n al an d m o s t co n tro ve rs ial film , Cle m e n ti p lays a s avage d u rin g th e Mid d le Age s , re d u ce d to can n ibalis m by h u n ge r in s o m e d e s e rte d , p o s s ibly w ar-to rn lan d s cap e . Cau gh t, h e is tie d to a s take an d e ate n in tu rn by s cave n gin g an im als . SC

TH E U LTIMATE SECRET: D EATH Although in a fit of metaphysical paradox contemporary science acknow ledges the boundary betw een life and non-life to be fluid, the periodic transformation of matter from one state into another continues to evoke all the superstitious alarms and taboos of pre-

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history. For primitive man believed death to be neither normal nor inevitable, but rather caused by the breaking of a taboo, sorcery, or the revenge of the dead; and since it w as a source of pollution, the dying, the dead, and those w ho handled them had therefore to be isolated. Clothing, houses, and household objects w ere to be destroyed and, according to Fraser, even burial grounds w ere taboo. While it is clear that these prohibitions and fears remain in varying degrees part of our subconscious, w e tend to overlook their origin in superstition. The corpse is still considered contagious to such an extent that not merely its actual presence, but even its fictional portrayal sets off profound anxiety; for it disrupts the pattern of normal life, subverting the illusion of eternity and order on w hich our existence is built, and all the reassurances of pow er, w ealth, and ideology w ith w hich w e attempt to hold nothingness at bay. That the commercial cinema either avoids death or romanticizes it is therefore not surprising. The insufferable sentimentality and the manageable, antiseptic w ay in w hich people die in commercial films ( Love Story for example) once again reveals this kind of cinema to be an important purveyor of Establishment values. For the smooth functioning of technological society requires the excommunication of all disruptive elements ( criminals, madmen, corpses) in the quickest, most secretive manner possible. What is more significant, how ever, is that the documentary filmmakers -- those intrepid realists, having roamed the globe tw ice over for material -- carefully neglect this area. Although they have already documented large areas of human activity and visited all the forbidden places w ith their lightw eight cameras and portable sound, their curiosity, w ith hardly an exception, has stopped short of death, funeral parlors, morgues, or morticians w ith their ointments, tools, and injections. That this entire area -- more universal by far than others covered ad nauseum -- simply does not exist in contemporary cinema, reveals taboo in its purest form. This is w hy there are so few film records of individuals dying of natural causes; it is rather w ar deaths or executions that have been caught on film. Even these are rarely show n except on ceremonial occasions at w hich an audience gathers in guilt, remorse, or solemn, ineffectual vow s never to forget. The cinematic image -- the meticulous reproduction of w hatever is before the camera -- has a w ay of looking "real" even if fictional; how much more pow erful its impact is w hen portraying a true event. I t is our unconscious perception of the gap betw een actuality and invention that gives the accidentally filmed knife murder of the black spectator in the Rolling Stones film Gimme Shelter such tremendous pow er. For w hen w e w itness unstaged, real death in the cinema, w e

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are frightened, caught in the sw eet and deadly trap of the voyeur; mixed feelings of attraction and repulsion take hold of us as w e anxiously w atch the actual end of another being and search his face for hints of the mystery or proper rules of conduct. The Nazis, pursuing their dreams of super-human perfection, banished death from their films altogether, hiding concentration camp corpses, w ar casualties, and civilian victims even better than the Americans w ere to hide their victims in Vietnam. Film footage of the latter exists in profusion, but dead soldiers or civilians are seldom seen on American television. Even more significantly, America prohibited the show ing of US government film records of w hat happened to the populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; such is the pow er and fear of death even over its perpetrators. The reaction to the use of these bombs again makes it clear that our technology far outstrips our capacity for outrage or empathy. We are capable of feeling one death or even several ( and of making these stand symbolically for more) ; but once confronted w ith casualty figures of w ar and other of man's "civilizing" missions, w e "tune out". This indifference to large numbers ( one million Vietnamese ... six million Jew s ... ten million Pakistanis) becomes more pronounced w hen the corpses belong to "underdeveloped" races. We react more strongly to w hite students killed at Kent State than to black students killed at some ( w hich?) Southern college; to tw elve clearly identified I sraelis killed in Munich rather than to fifty unknow n Arabs killed in retaliation; and since in any case w e have "difficulty" distinguishing one Asiatic from another, w e can bear the deaths in Hiroshima or Vietnam w ith greater equanimity. This same poverty-stricken imagination -- so convenient in times of stress -- compels us to sympathize far more w ith those about to die than those already dead; it is apparently too difficult for the living to identify w ith a corpse. Our sensitivity and sophistication prompts to erect elaborate mechanisms for censoring pictorial representation of acts that w e commit instead of concentrating our efforts on their elimination; it is never the image that goes too far but alw ays reality. The calculated omission of death has not been lost on the subversives of cinema. They have begun to invade this last stronghold of primitive taboo, dragging from their graves the victims of w arfare, torture, state persuasion, new w eaponry, and extermination camps in order to compel us either to look at these horrors or to eradicate them. And in beginning to record and comment on "normal" death as w ell, these same subversives attempt to project a more humanist acceptance of its mystery by subsuming it into the mystery of life. Said Alexander Solzhenitsyn in his The First Circle : There is no immortality and therefore death is not an evil; it simply does not concern us; while we exist, there is no

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death, and when death comes, we are gone. The concentration camp universe, 30 years later, has variously become a cliche of mass culture ( referred to by that most offensive of alienating terms, "the holocaust") , been elevated to a profound moral problem, or pushed into the subconscious as an unbelievable episode, how ever true, of no relevance to our times. While the Nazis w ere in pow er, the very topic of the camps w as taboo, although hinted at in intentionally vague internal propaganda. No film records made by enemies of the regime w ithin the camps survive, nore w ere any documentaries made by the Nazis for public consumption ( except for the tw o films described in the chapter on concentration camps) ; but there exists in the archives horrifying footage shot by guards or officials. Since the fall of the regime, a band of stubborn film subversives in several countries have, from time to time, attempted to recall the horror ( Resnais called his concentration camp film "an essay in human forgetfulness") and to re-establish a link betw een our "rational" w orld and this by now mythological event. They have done this by dispassionate documentation of actual evidence, artistic transmutation of the material, or by the recreation of an "atmosphere". The subversion of the concentration camp lies in its absolute denial of bourgeois normalcy, its ultimate abolition of rationalism. I n the enormity of this one event, many have found the death of God, the end of history, the destruction of the myth of man. Thirty years later, one's only quarrel w ith the philosophers is that they turned to hopelessness too soon; for since then, w e have for the first time w itnessed the utilization of atomic w eapons against humanity and the destruction of entire countries, both in the name of peace.

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E ACT OF SEEIN G W ITH ON E'S OW N EYES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 72 ) A m ys te rio u s h an d , a w h ite clo th , an d a table e d ge , a fly w alks calm ly o n th e s o le o f a fo o t, u n d is tu rbe d . A p o w e rfu l vis u al m e tap h o r fro m th e firs t film to d e al w ith m o rgu e an d au to p s y, re co rd e d in p o e tic d o cu m e n tary s tyle by a n o te d avan t-gard is t. H e re life an d d e ath are in e xtricable as m e d ical p e rs o n n e l an d co rp s e s m in gle in clo s e co n tact. SC ______________________________________________ In e vitably, it is an avan t-gard e film m ake r w h o co n fro n ts u s fo r th e firs t tim e w ith m o rgu e an d au to p s y ro o m . Th is is an ap p allin g, h au n tin g w o rk o f gre at p u rity an d tru th . It d is p as s io n ate ly re co rd s w h ate ve r tran s p ire s in fro n t o f th e le n s ; bo d ie s s lice d le n gth -w is e , o rgan s re m o ve d , s ku lls an d s calp cu t o p e n w ith e le ctric to o ls , blo o d d raw n ; a fly th at w alks o n th e s o le o f a fo o t, u n d is tu rbe d . Th e re are tim e le s s im age s : th e h an d s , clo s e d fo re ve r u p o n th e m s e lve s , th e d e ad e ye s , th e d e ft an d s im p le o p e n in g o f a bo d y's s u rface , th e e m p ty abd o m in al cage ( a h o le at th e bo tto m le ad in g to th e o u ts id e ) , s u d d e n ly p o ign an t clo th e s ( th e u n e xp e cte d ly fin al attire o f m u rd e r o r accid e n t victim s ) , a p e n is ( at las t at p e ace ) attach e d to an o p e n , gap in g bo d y. Life an d d e ath are in e xtricable h e re , as d o cto rs an d o rd e rlie s ( n e ve r cle arly s e e n ) m in gle w ith an d m an ip u late th e in e rt fle s h , d e ad an d live h an d s o fte n to u ch in g its s tro n g clo s e -u p s . Afte r e ve ry act o f carn age , th e m e rcifu l w h ite s h e e t d e s ce n d s o n th e re m ain s , a s ym bo lic ge s tu re re in fo rce d in s e rie s o f qu ick, h au n tin g fad e s . Th e n th e cam e ra fo llo w s ( in trackin g s h o ts an d rap id cu ts ) a s u rre alis t p ro ce s s io n o f d im ly-lit h e ap s -- at tim e s s till re d w ith blo o d -- o n s tre tch e rs an d u n d e r s h ro u d s , re ce d in g in to 5/19/2007 12:33 PM

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th e d is tan ce alo n g ble ak co rrid o rs u n d e r gre e n is h ligh ts . A gre at d e s ire "to s e e cle arly" in fo rm s th e w o rk -- th e film 's title d e rive s fro m th e Gre e k m e an in g o f th e te rm "au to p s y" -- a re fu s al to s e n tim e n talize o r to ave rt o n e 's glan ce ; ye t th e "o bje ctive " film m ake r co n tin u o u s ly bre aks th ro u gh to co m p as s io n an d h o rrifie d w o n d e r in h is s e le ctio n o f s h o ts , an gle s , an d film ic co n tin u ity. W ith alm o s t th e e n tire film p h o to grap h e d in clo s e -u p o r m e d iu m s h o t an d u tte r s ile n ce , fo rm an d co n te n t are fo r o n ce p e rfe ctly ble n d e d to cre ate a s u bve rs ive w o rk th at ch an ge s o u r co n s cio u s n e s s . Th is fin al d e m ys tificatio n o f m an -- an u n fo rge ttable re m in d e r o f o u r p h ys icality, fragility, m o rtality -- ro bs u s o f m e tap h ys ics o n ly to re in tro d u ce it o n an o th e r le ve l; fo r th e m o re p h ys ical w e are s e e n to be , th e m o re m arve lo u s be co m e s th e m ys te ry. ______________________________________________

TH E ACT OF SEEIN G W ITH ON E'S OW N EYES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 72 ) Th e d o cto r's h an d n o n ch alan tly d igs in to a ch e s t cavity to lo o k fo r a bu lle t, as h is arm re s ts o n th e bo d y's e xp o s e d o rgan s . Th e te xtu re an d th ickn e s s o f s kin an d fat re ve als ju s t h o w far aw ay w e are fro m o u r in s id e s . To acce p t th is tabo o s h o t m e an s to acce p t o n e 's p h ys icality an d to re je ct an y m e tap h ys ical co n ce p t o f th e h u m an bo d y. SC ______________________________________________

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TH E ACT OF SEEIN G W ITH ON E'S OW N EYES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 72 ) Tw o im p e rs o n al, p ro fe s s io n al h an d s co o lly at w o rk o n a m ys te rio u s o bje ct; a m an 's e xp o s e d s ku ll, abo u t to be re m o ve d , w h ile h is s calp h as be e n p u s h e d fo rw ard to co ve r all o f h is face e xce p t h is ch in . Particu larly u p s e ttin g are th e s u rgical d rill an d th e u p -tu rn e d s calp ; d ire ct attacks o n th e vie w e r. SC ______________________________________________

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TH E ACT OF SEEIN G W ITH ON E'S OW N EYES ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 72 ) Th e e ye o f d e ath . Th e o p e n e ye o f a co rp s e , cau gh t an d fram e d in a bre ath takin g, lin ge rin g s h o t by a m as te r film m ake r. It lo o ks u p w ard s , u n blin kin gly, an d in e xp licable grad atio n s o f ligh t an d s h ad o w . Th is is th e e n d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E ATOM STRIKES ( Arm y Picto rial Se rvice , U S Sign al Co rp s fo r W ar D e p artm e n t, U SA, 19 50 ) Th e e xp lo s io n s at H iro s h im a an d N agas aki an d th e ir afte re ffe cts are am o n g th e m o s t w id e ly p h o to grap h e d an d m o s t th o ro u gh ly s u p p re s s e d e ve n ts in h is to ry. W h ile h u n d re d s o f th o u s an d s o f fe e t w e re s h o t by s cie n tific, m ilitary, an d m e d ical p e rs o n n e l, m o s t o f th is m ate rial re m ain s s e cre te d in o fficial arch ive s . Sign ifican tly, th is firs t o fficial re co rd ( re le as e d o n ly o n a re s tricte d bas is ) is co n fin e d to s tru ctu ral d am age , an d co m p le te ly o m its vis u al e vid e n ce o f h u m an cas u altie s . Th e in itially ro u tin e in te rvie w w ith a s u rvivo r ( a Je s u it p rie s t, als o d e s cribe d in Jo h n H e rs e y's bo o k) be co m e s a h o rrifyin g re livin g o f th e e ve n t w h e n h e re co u n ts th e actu al bo m bin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BIRTH AN D D EATH ( Arth u r an d Eve lyn Barro n , U SA, 19 6 8 ) ( F) Th is cin e m a-ve rite -s tyle d o cu m e n tary in te rw e ave s th e p re gn an cy an d ch ild birth o f a yo u n g w o m an w ith th e lin ge rin g d e ath o f a can ce r p atie n t to co m m e n t o n th e ce le bratio n an d trage d y o f e xis te n ce . Th e te n d e rn e s s an d in tim acy o f th e yo u n g co u p le , an d th e m ys te ry o f birth are co n tras te d w ith th e d ign ity o f a m an w h o face s h is d e ath w ith o u t d e ce p tio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E BLOOD OF TH E BEASTS ( LE SAN G D ES BETES) ( Ge o rge s Fran ju , Fran ce , 19 4 9 ) W h e n th e bu tch e r rais e s h is axe -like to o l to s tu n th e an im al, th e cam e ra s tays w ith h im u n til th e bitte r e n d ; th e re is n o atte m p t e ith e r to p ro te ct o r ch e at th e s p e ctato r; w e m u s t co m e to te rm s w ith d aily s lau gh te r, co m m itte d ( n o t o n ly in s lau gh te rh o u s e s ) in o u r n am e . ______________________________________________ Th is d o cu m e n tary o n th e s lau gh te rh o u s e s o f Paris is o n e o f th e gre at m as te rp ie ce s o f s u bve rs ive cin e m a; h e re , fo r o n ce , w e are face to face w ith d e ath , an d are n e ith e r p ro te cte d n o r ch e ate d . U n like H o llyw o o d film s , w h e n th e bu tch e r rais e s th e h am m e r to s tu n th e h o rs e th e re is n o "cu ttin g aw ay"; th e cam e ra, o bje ctive ly an d cru e lly, s tays w ith th e e ve n t, m akin g u s its s h o cke d acco m p lice s . As th e s e "kille rs w ith o u t h ate ", kn e e -d e e p in blo o d an d s u rro u n d e d by s te am in g e xcre m a an d vo m it, m u rd e r an im als in co ld in d iffe re n ce be fo re th e cam e ra -th e n u m be r o f an im als d yin g bu t a fractio n o f a d ay's o u tp u t o f s lau gh te rh o u s e s e ve ryw h e re -- w e le arn to s e e , an d th e n p e rh ap s to fe e l w h at w e h ave n o t fe lt be fo re . Vio le n ce h e re is n e ith e r fictio n al n o r titillatin g; it is m as s ive an d re al. A d re am -like qu ality p e rm e ate s th e in te n s e re alis m o f th e im age s ; a s u rre alis t in te n t -- akin to Bu n u e l's s littin g o f th e e ye ball in U n Ch ie n An d a lo u -- is d is ce rn able in th is an ti-bo u rge o is film . Bu t th e e ye ball, h o w e ve r s h o ckin g, w as fictio n al; Th e Blo o d

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o f t h e Be a s t s is re al. Fo rcin g u s to vie w an o th e r be in g's p ain fu l an d s o rd id d e ath in all its d e taile d e n o rm ity, it s u bve rts o u r n atu ral s tate o f co n s cio u s n e s s an d o p e n s u s to gre ate r in s igh t. Fran ju , co m m itte d artis t, re s is tan ce figh te r, m o ralis t, w an ts u s to co n s id e r all s lau gh te r an yw h e re co m m itte d o n o u r be h alf by th o s e w e h ire to d o o u r d irty w o rk, s o th at w e can s it d o w n at cle an table clo th s an d d e n y co m p licity. ______________________________________________

TH E BLOOD OF TH E BEASTS ( LE SAN G D ES BETES) ( Ge o rge s Fran ju , Fran ce , 19 4 9 ) Am id s t s te am in g blo o d an d m e n w ad in g in e xcre m e n t, e ve n Vie tn am an d th e co n ce n tratio n cam p s are n o t to o far aw ay. Th e killin g o f an im als in Paris s lau gh te rh o u s e s be co m e s , in th is m as te rp ie ce , a p o e tic m e tap h o r o f th e h u m an co n d itio n . Its u n flin ch in g re alis m an d ice -co ld bru tality --d e p ictin g w h at "kille rs w ith o u t h ate " ( Bau d e laire ) d o to an im als d aily at o u r be h e s t -- carrie s its o w n s u rre al im p act, w h ich co m p e ls th o s e w illin g to w atch to e n te r in to n e w aw are n e s s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D EATH D AY ( Vis u als : Se rge i Eis e n s te in , Me xico , 19 3 4 ) Th e e n o rm o u s am o n t o f film s h o t by Eis e n s te in in Me xico fo r 5/19/2007 12:33 PM

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h is ill-fate d Qu e Viv a M e xico w as n e ve r e d ite d o r co m p le te d . H o w e ve r it p ro vid e d fo o tage fo r w o rks e d ite d by o th e rs , o f w h ich th is is o n e . D e a t h D a y is a re co rd o f a cu rio u s Me xican h o lid ay, a cro s s be tw e e n Me m o rial D ay an d H allo w e e n , take n fro m th e Azte c fe as t fo r th e d e ad . Fo r o n e d ay, d e ath ru le s s u p re m e in th e fo rm o f can d y s ku lls , d e ath to ys , p ro ce s s io n s o f s ke le to n s , an d fu n e re al m as ks ; ye t it als o s e e m s s tran ge ly, alm o s t be n e vo le n tly, in te grate d in to life , th e fe ar o f it w e ake n e d by m o cke ry an d fam iliarity. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D IABOLIQU E ( LES D IABOLIQU ES) ( H e n ri-Ge o rge s Clo u zio t, Fran ce , 19 55) ( F) On e o f th e m o s t frigh te n in g an d s h o ckin g film s e ve r m ad e , D ia b o liq u e is n o table fo r its p articu larly e ffe ctive e xp lo itatio n o f o u r fe ar o f th e d e ad an d th e ir re tu rn . Fo r its d iabo lic tim in g, s ad is tic h e igh te n in g o f te n s io n , an d m e ticu lo u s s h o ck-m o n tage are m e re ly s tatio n s o n th e w ay to th e u ltim ate h o rro r: th e re tu rn to life , be fo re th e bre akin g e ye s o f th e m u rd e re s s , o f th e "d ro w n e d " victim o f h e r d e e d , gru e s o m e ly e m e rgin g fro m a fille d bath tu b, an d in a fu rth e r tu rn o f th e s cre w , h is ap p are n t re m o val o f h is o w n "e ye s ". Sin ce o n ly a s m all p o rtio n o f th e film 's le n gth co n s is ts o f frigh te n in g im age s , it is cle ar th at Clo u zio t s u cce e d s in e vo kin g th e "n am e le s s d re ad " o f o u r atavis tic p as t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E EN D OF ON E ( Pau l Ko ce la, U SA, 19 71) Th e s e alie n , p re h is to ric m o n s te r bird s -cau gh t in a p o w e rfu l, d yn am ic co m p o s itio n o f blacks an d w h ite s -- are m e re ly clo s e -u p s

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o f s e agu lls , bu t p h o to grap h e d fro m th e ir vie w p o in t. On e d ie s a s lo w , lo n e ly d e ath o n a be ach , re co rd e d by th e film m ake r w ith u tm o s t gravity. ______________________________________________ A d o cu m e n tary o f a d yin g s e agu ll, alo n e o n a be ach . Sh e falls fo r th e las t tim e , tu rn s h e r h e ad s id e w ays an d w e s e e h e r e ye s . Th e re is n o s o u n d e xce p t n atu re . Tim e p as s e s . H e r e ye s glaze o ve r as w e w atch th e m . A be in g h as d ie d ; a film m ake r h as m ad e u s care . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FORBID D EN BU LLFIGH T ( CORRID A IN TERD ITE) ( D e n yu s Co lu m b d e D au n an t) Th is lyrical, d re am like m as te rp ie ce o f th e vis u al cin e m a -- e n tire ly bas e d o n d o cu m e n tary fo o tage -cre ate s its h allu cin ato ry e ffe cts th ro u gh th at s im p le an d p e rh ap s m o s t e ffe ctive o f all film ic d e vice s ; s lo w m o tio n . On e o f th e fe w film s to co n ve y th e m ys tiqu e o f th e co r r id a in e m o tio n al rath e r th an in te lle ctu al te rm s , it p ro ce e d s e n tire ly in ch o re o grap h e d , m aje s tic im age s , an d n e ve r fails to re m in d u s o f im p e n d in g d e ath ; w h e n it co m e s , th e d rivin g h o m e o f th e s w o rd is re p e ate d in tw e lve lan go ro u s d is s o lve s in a be au tifu l, o m in o u s cas cad e o f im age s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D EATH IN VEN ICE ( Lu s ch in o Vis co n ti, Italy, 19 71) Th e ch alk-w h ite face , in iro n ic co n tras t w ith n e w ly-d ye d m o u s tach e an d h air ( fo r yo u th fu l lo o ks ) , d e n o te s th e d e ath o f th e fam o u s w rite r o n th e Lid o , h is u n re qu ite d h o m o s e xu al p as s io n fo r a yo u n g bo y n o w fo re ve r u n fu lfillable . Su n an d s w e at m ake th e h air d ye ru n d o w n h is face in tragic rivu le ts . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FORBID D EN GAMES ( JEU X IN D ERD ITS) ( Re n e Cle m e n t, Fran ce , 19 52 ) ( F) Ve ry fe w film s are cap able o f p o rtrayin g th e s e cre t w o rld s o f ch ild re n ; th is is ach ie ve d h e re in th e co n te xt o f a s to ry o f w ar an d d e ath . Se t in Fran ce d u rin g th e Se co n d W o rld W ar, it d e als w ith a five -ye ar-o ld girl o rp h an an d an o ld e r bo y w h o , iro n ically, can re tain n o rm alcy o n ly by re cre atin g im age s an d e p is o d e s o f a d e ath s o fam iliar as to be in te grate d in to th e ir u n ive rs e . Bu ild in g s e cre t bu rial gro u n d s fo r an im als , th e y e n gage in rite s an d fas h io n a m acabre alte rn ate re ality o p e n o n ly to th e m . Th e p s ych o lo gical p e n e tratio n o f th e m in d o f th e ch ild is co n s u m m ate ; an d d e ath , in its m an y gu is e s , n e ve r abs e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GERM AN D CH EMICAL W ARFARE

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( CBS N e w s , U SA, 19 6 8 ) A d o cu m e n tary lo o k at th e ch e m ical an d bio lo gical w e ap o n s d e ve lo p e d an d s to re d by th e U S, in clu d in g n e rve gas e s , ch e m ical d is o rie n tin g an d d is ablin g age n ts , d e fo lian ts , cro p -kille rs , p lagu e , an th rax, an d bo tu lis m carrie rs . Th e film as ks w h y th e U S re m ain s th e o n ly m ajo r p o w e r w h ich h as n o t ratifie d th e 19 2 5 Ge n e va Tre aty again s t ch e m ical an d bacte rio lo gical w arfare . Th e re is an o d o r o f m as s ive d e ath . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN TERVIEW S W ITH MY LAI VETERAN S ( Jo s e p h Strick, U SA, 19 71) Th is d e e p ly d is tu rbin g cin e m a-ve rite s tu d y co n s is ts o f u n ce n s o re d in te rvie w s w ith Am e rican ve te ran s o f th e My Lai m as s acre s . It is a film abo u t d e ath -an d h o w s o m e bo d y's d e ath can be cau s e d , face d an d th e n talke d abo u t by th e as s as s in . Cle an -cu t yo u n g Am e rican s , n o w back in civilian life , re co u n t w ith d e fe n s ive s m ile s , fals e in d iffe re n ce , an d co n ce ale d re m o rs e , h o w an d w h y th e y m u rd e re d . D is as s o ciate d fro m th e ir acts , d e s tro ye d by w ar, d e ad in life , alie n to gu ilt, th e y e m e rge as victim s as w e ll as e xe cu tio n e rs . Th e ir artle s s s traigh tfo rw ard n e s s co n vin ce s u s im m e d iate ly o f th e ve racity o f th e ir h o rrifyin g s e lf-in d ictm e n t. Th e fact th at th e ir s tate m e n ts are acce p te d as tru th is w h at cre ate s th e s h atte rin g, s e d itio u s e ffe ct o f th is film an d s e p arate s it fro m th e p ro p agan d a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E CREMATOR ( Ju raj H e rz, Cze ch o s lo vakia, 19 6 8 ) A m ys tifyin g, th e re fo re arre s tin g im age . An o p e n co ffin , w ith an u n d o u bte d co rp s e ; a yo u n g m an , as if d e ad , n e xt to it; an d , m o s t d is tu rbin g o f all, a s tre am o f w ate r -- th e o n ly actio n , h e n ce , fo cal p o in t o f th e s till; o n ly late r d o w e n o tice th e h an d h o ld in g th e n o zzle , a te rrifyin g s igh t, s in ce its in vis ible ( an d im p licate d ) o w n e r o ffe rs n o h e lp bu t m e re ly rin s e s w h at w e n o w re alize to be blo o d fro m th e yo u n g m an 's bo d y. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IT IS GOOD TO LIVE ( Fu m io Kam e i, Jap an , 19 58 ) Th is is o n e o f th e firs t d o cu m e n tary film s abo u t th e s u rvivo rs o f H iro s h im a an d N agas aki. It co ld ly re co rd s th e lin ge rin g e ffe cts o f th e bo m b o n th e victim s d e cad e s late r. In a s u cce s s io n o f re alis tic, s h o ckin g s e qu e n ce s , th e ir live s , d ifficu ltie s , an d cam e rad e rie are e xam in e d . Th e ve ry o bje ctive o f in cid e n ts , s ce n e s , an d face s m ake s th e film th e m o re te rrifyin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MED ITATION ON TH E EN D OF H U MAN LIFE ( POSLED N I VECI CLOVEKA) ( Jo van Ku bice k, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 7) A ve ry o rigin al s tu d e n t film fro m Pragu e 's fam e d film 5/19/2007 12:33 PM

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s ch o o l, m ad e d u rin g th e p e rio d o f libe ralizatio n . Th is cle ar-e ye d s tu d y o f fu n e ral s e rvice s an d cre m ato ria re fle cts o n h o w m as s p ro d u ctio n m e th o d s an d th e im p e rs o n ality o f te ch n o lo gical s o cie ty h ave in vad e d e ve n th is las t ritu al. An acce le rate d s e qu e n ce co n d e n s e s th e e n d le s s re p ititio n s o f id e n tical fu n e ral s e rvice s , th e arrivals an d d e p artu re s o f m o u rn e rs , in to a fe w m o m e n ts o f s ad co m m e n t. Th o u gh cre m ato ria in th e Eas t are fas t, p o p u lar, an d cle an , th e d ire cto r p o in ts to th e e ve n m o re e fficie n t o n e s o f Te re cin an d H iro s h im a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A MOVIE ( Bru ce Co n n e r, U SA, 19 58 ) On e o f th e m o s t o rigin al w o rks o f th e in te rn atio n al film avan t-gard e , th is is a p e s s im is tic co m e d y o f th e h u m an co n d itio n , co n s is tin g o f e xe cu tio n s , catas to p h e s , m is h ap s , accid e n ts , an d s tu bbo rn fe ats o f rid icu lo u s d arin g, m agically co m p ile d fro m ju n gle m o vie s , cale n d ar art, Acad e m y le ad e rs , co w bo y film s , carto o n s , d o cu m e n tarie s , an d n e w s re e ls . N o n e o f th e vis u al m ate rial is o rigin al; an d n o n e is u s e d fo r its o rigin al p u rp o s e . Am id s t in itial am u s e m e n t an d s e e m in g co n fu s io n , an in cre as in gly d ark s o cial s tate m e n t e m e rge s w h ich p ro fo u n d ly d is tu rbs u s o n a s u bco n s cio u s le ve l. Particu larly im p o rtan t are th e d o cu m e n tary im age s o f d e ath ; th e batte re d bo d ie s o f Mu s s o lin i an d h is m is tre s s , s u s p e n d e d u p s id e d o w n ; th e cras h o f a w ate rp lan e , w ith th e p ilo t h ittin g again s t th e fu s e lage in a brie f, te rrifyin g m o m e n t; a o n e -s e co n d d o cu m e n tary s h o t o f an e xe cu tio n , "re ve ale d " as if it w as a d irty s e cre t, an d ju s t as qu ickly w ith d raw n ; th e d e ath o f a brid ge ( w ild ly s w ayin g, th e n co llap s in g) , im m e d iate ly fo llo w in g an o p tim is tic s p e e ch by Te d d y Ro o s e ve lt. Th e e n tire film is a h ym n to cre ative m o n tage . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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FLY ( Yo ko On o , Gre at Britain , 19 70 ) An o m in o u s an d d e ce p tive s h o t; th e girl is h e avily d ru gge d , n o t d e ad , bu t th e p re s e n ce o f flie s bu s ily in fe s tin g all p arts o f h e r bo d y s e ts o ff an in e vitable ch ain o f m o rbid as s o ciatio n s . Th e gran in e s s o f th e im age fu rth e r co n tribu te s to th is im p re s s io n ; it is as if th e bo d y w as alre ad y d e co m p o s in g. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

N ECROLOGY ( Stan d is h Law d e r, U SA, 19 6 9 ) Min im al cin e m a in th e s e rvice o f a n o n -ve rbal, ap o calyp tic s tate m e n t: a s tatio n ary cam e ra train e d o n an e s calato r cro w d e d w ith blan k, m o tio n le s s , in tro ve rte d p e o p le -- e n d le s s victim s -- as ce n d in g ( backw ard s !) in u n bro ke n , h e art-re n d in g s u cce s s io n , to h e ave n , h e ll, o r o blivio n . Origin al an d d is tu rbin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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W IN TERSOLD IER ( W in te rfilm Co lle ctive , U SA, 19 72 ) "It w as like a h u n tin g trip ". A fu rth e r e xam p le o f Am e rica's civilizin g ro le in Vie tn am , s h o w in g th e h u n te r an d h is tro p h y. Th e s m ile , th e s tan ce , th e co n te m p tu o u s p o s in g o f e xe cu tio n e r as trid e th e victim h e h as "bagge d ", are s till vis ible in th is in d is tin ct p h o to grap h w h ich th e re by alre ad y s ym bo lize s ( fo r th o s e w ith s h o rt m e m o rie s ) th e s lo w re ce d in g o f th e crim e in to h is to ry. Bu t th e tas k o f th e s u bve rs ive s is to te ar o p e n o ld w o u n d s . ______________________________________________ Th is fe atu re -le n gth d o cu m e n tary o f th e h is to ric, te rrifyin g te s tim o n y give n by m o re th an 2 0 0 e x-GIs at th e 19 71 D e tro it W in te r So ld ie r In ve s tigatio n co n ce rn in g Am e rican atro citie s in Vie tn am re n d e rs acad e m ic an y d is p u te s as to th e re lative e ffe ctive n e s s o f w o rd as again s t im age . Th e re is s im p ly n o s u bs titu te fo r s e e in g th e face s o f th e m e n as th e y te s tify: th e ir s train , te ars , an d h e s itatio n s , all in e xo rable gu aran to rs o f ve racity, n o n e available fro m a re ad in g o f th e te s tim o n y. On e afte r an o th e r, th e s e ve te ran s o f crim e re co u n t th e ir e xp e rie n ce s in acts o f accu s atio n an d e xp iatio n ; th e te s tim o n y o f th e s e lo n g-h aire d , in te n s e yo u n g m e n im p licate s th e m as w e ll; an d ju d icio u s in te rcu ttin g o f o ld p h o to grap h s s h o w in g th e m in cre w cu t an d u n ifo rm fu rth e r s o lid ifie s th is th e m e an d bro ad e n s it to o n e p o te n tially e n co m p as s in g all o f u s , give n o n ly o u r p re s e n ce at th e righ t tim e an d p lace .

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Au th e n ticity an d h o rro r are bu ilt w ith s m all, p re cis e d e tails . An Am e rican o ffice r ad vis e s h is m e n n o t to co u n t p ris o n e rs at th e be gin n in g o f th e ir re m o val in Am e rican p lan e s , o n ly u p o n arrival. A w o m an is s p lit o p e n fro m vagin a to n e ck. A s m all ch ild is s to n e d to d e ath fo r tau n tin g th e Am e rican s . Th e e ffe ct o f th e te s tim o n ials is e n h an ce d by in te rcu ttin g o f co lo r s lid e s an d live fo o tage o f to rtu re s , killin gs , bu rn in gs , bo m bin gs -- im age s o th e rw is e h id d e n aw ay by th e h u n d re d s an d th o u s an d s o f fe e t in film librarie s o f te le vis io n n e tw o rks an d n e ve r s e e n . Th e y s h o w p itifu l, e n o rm o u s ly frigh te n e d , to tally d is o rie n te d h u m an be in gs , d e licate an d s m all in bu ild , vio late d an d m u rd e re d by m as s ive , h u ge W e s te rn e rs w h o s e e m to lo o k like m e n fro m o u te r s p ace , d ro p p e d by e vil m ach in e s to rain d e s tru ctio n o n th e ir an ce s tral lan d s . All th e "clich e s " are th e re -- th e cryin g m o th e r d is p layin g a m aim e d ch ild , th e age d gran d p are n ts h e rd e d o ff, th e civilian s cro u ch in g in u n be lie vable fe ar in bu lru s h e s , in e ffe ctive ly h id in g fro m h e lico p te rs in w h ich o n e o f th e m o n s te rs actu ally film s th e ir p ligh t. On e fe e ls frigh te n e d at th e th o u gh t o f u n to ld th o u s an d s o f o th e rs p atie n tly w aitin g in te le vis io n vau lts to be s tirre d in to p itifu l life by fu tu re re s e arch e rs , an accu s in g arm y o f co rp s e s th at w e w ill n e ve r s u rm o u n t. Far fro m be in g a h o rro r s h o w o r p ro p agan d is tic e xe rcis e , h o w e ve r, th e film , by th e ve ry e n o rm ity o f w h at it p o rtrays , be co m e s a p h ilo s o p h ical s e t-p ie ce , rais in g all th e bas ic m o ral is s u e s ; th e m e ch an is m s by w h ich "o rd in ary" p e o p le be co m e to rtu re rs an d kille rs , th e in ability to fe e l th e s u ffe rin g o f o th e rs , th e p o s s ible in e vitability o f vio le n ce an d m u rd e r in h u m an affairs , th e cap ability o f all-e n co m p as s in g e vil o n th e p art o f e ve rybo d y. It p o s tu late s s e lf-p ro te ctio n , th e n e e d to m ain tain p e rs o n al s an ity, th e u rge fo r re ve n ge , as p re m is e s fo r to tal in d iffe re n ce to w ard th e "e n e m y", an d as ks u n vo ice d , in s is te n t qu e s tio n s as to th e irre ve rs ible d am age th is w ar h as alre ad y d o n e to Am e rican civilizatio n . Th e gre at an d u ltim ate s tars o f th e film are th e te ars s h e d by m e n w h o h ave le arn e d th at to d e s tro y th e fals e m ach is m o in s tille d by s ch o o l, s tate , an d arm y, it is n e ce s s ary to le arn h o w to cry. Th ro u gh th e d e p th o f th e ir te arfu l m is e ry, o p e n ly e xp re s s e d , th e y re ve al th e tru e e s s e n ce o f a m as cu lin ity w h ich , fo r th e firs t tim e , is h u m an . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E RACE ( W illiam Co p lan d , Au s tralia, 19 70 ) In th is an gry n e w s re e l co m p ilatio n o f in ju s tice again s t th e o p p re s s e d th e re o ccu rs , w ith o u t an y p articu lar p re p aratio n , a m o s t s h o ckin g d o cu m e n tary s e qu e n ce : th e m e ticu lo u s ly d e taile d , o n -cam e ra killin g o f a cap tu re d p ris o n e r -- p o s s ibly in th e co u rs e o f th e

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Co n go "actio n " -- w h o , crin gin g o n th e gro u n d , h as ju s t be e n p ro m is e d life . Sin ce th e "o u tco m e " is u n kn o w n to e ith e r h im o r u s , w e "s h are " -- in th e co m fo rt o f a m o vie th e atre -- h is u n be arable d re ad , an d atte m p t to be lie ve , as d o e s h e , th e p ro m is e s an d tau n ts o f h is cap to rs . A tin y p art o f o u r h u m an ity, p e rh ap s , d ie s w ith th is u n kn o w n m an -- o n e n am e le s s victim o u t o f th o u s an d s d yin g s o m e w h e re at an y give n m o m e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

REFLECTION ( ZRCAD LEN I) ( Evald Sch o rm , Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 5) A le ad in g d ire cto r o f th e Cze ch film re n ais s an ce p ro vid e s a p h ilo s o p h ical m e d itatio n o n life an d d e ath , s e t am id s t co m p le x h o s p ital ap p aratu s an d th e s ad n e s s , h o p e , o r re s ign atio n o f th e p atie n ts . Exis te n tialis t rath e r th an o p tim is t, th e ap p ro ach is o n e o f h u m an is tic ath e is m , acce p tin g d e ath as p art o f life . In te rvie w s w ith d o cto rs an d n u rs e s e xp lo re th e ir o u tlo o k; all s p e ak o f d e ath as a fact, w ith o u t e ith e r s e n tim e n tality o r re ligio s ity. Th e s tu d ie d o bje ctivity o f th e film o n ly im p e rfe ctly h id e s an in te n s e e m o tio n alis m . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E LOVED ON E ( To n y Rich ard s o n , Gre at Britain , 19 6 5) Pe rh ap s o n ly a "fo re ign e r" co u ld s o e le gan tly h ave

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e xp o s e d an d d e bu n ke d Am e rica's h igh -cam p bu rial e s tablis h m e n ts , th e ir fin an cial gre e d , h yp o cris y an d fake re ligio s ity. In a ve ry Am e rican atte m p t at ban is h in g d e ath , th e m o rtu ary lite rally as s u m e s th e trap p in gs o f a be au ty s alo n , an o m in o u s u n io n o f Ero s an d Th an ato s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RITE OF LOVE AN D D EATH ( Yu kio Mis h im a, Jap an , 19 6 5) Th e d is tin gu is h e d Jap an e s e n o ve lis t w h o co m m itte d h ara-kiri in 19 70 as a p ro te s t again s t th e co rru p tio n o f n atio n al id e als u n can n ily an ticip ate d th is in a film h e w ro te , d ire cte d , an d s tarre d in five ye ars e arlie r, in w h ich h e e n acts th e s am e trad itio n al s am u rai s u icid e by w h ich h e late r to o k h is life . Bas e d o n h is s h o rt s to ry, "Patrio tis m ", it d e als w ith a h is to rical in cid e n t o f th e 19 3 0 s , in w h ich an o ffice r in th e e lite gu ard is as ke d by th e Em p e ro r to e xe cu te a n u m be r o f h is p e e rs afte r an atte m p te d co u p d 'e t a t . Face d w ith th e trad itio n al s am u rai co n flict o f d ivid e d lo yaltie s -- to Em p e ro r an d to fe llo w s -in -arm s -- th e o ffice r m ain tain s h is h o n o r in th e o n ly w ay p o s s ible fo r h im : h ara-kiri. H is d e taile d , blo o d y s u icid e is o n e o f th e m o s t gru e s o m e an d co n vin cin g e xam p le s o f fictio n al d e ath in cin e m a. Acte d by Mis h im a h im s e lf, its fe ro city is th e m o re frigh te n in g in vie w o f w h at actu ally tran s p ire d late r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SIRIU S REMEMBERED ( Stan Brakh age , U SA, 19 59 ) Th e face o f d e ath ; a d arin g, s ile n t p o e m o n a d e ad an d grad u ally d e cayin g d o g, co m p u s ive ly re calle d in in te rre late d , d re am -like e p is o d e s , fro m m an y an gle s an d in m an y s e as o n s . Th e h an d h e ld cam e ra, in its d is trau gh t m o ve m e n ts , re fle cts th e film m ake r's an gu is h . A h o m age . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TO LIVE ( VIVRE) ( Carlo s Vilard e bo , Fran ce , 19 6 0 ?) Th e e te rn al victim s . Th is co m p as s io n ate co m p ilatio n o f au th e n tic d o cu m e n tary m ate rials o f th e las t 2 0 ye ars -- w ith o u t a s in gle s tage d s ce n e -- s h o w s th e e n d le s s s u ffe rin g, to rtu re , an d d e ath o f civilian s , w ar victim s , n ative s , p e as an ts , p e o p le all o ve r th e w o rld , in im age s o f u n fo rge ttable p o w e r an d d ire ctn e s s . Ju s t th in k -- ad m o n is h e s an in tro d u cto ry title -- s ce n e s s u ch as th e s e are p ro bably takin g p lace o n ce again s o m e w h e re at th is ve ry m o m e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( Ah m e d Rach e d i, Alge ria, 19 70 ) ( F) Th is e xce lle n t fe atu re -le n gth d o cu m e n tary -th e s to ry o f th e im p e rialis ts co lo n izatio n o f Africa -- is a film abo u t d e ath . Its m o s t s h o ckin g s e qu e n ce s d e rive fro m th e cap tu re d Fre n ch film arch ive s in Alge ria co n tain in g -- u n be lie vably -m as s e s o f Fre n ch -s h o t d o cu m e n tary fo o tage o f th e ir to rtu re s , m as s acre s an d e xe cu tio n s o f Alge rian s . Th e re al d e ath o f ch ild re n , p as s e rs -by, re s is tan ce figh te rs , o n e afte r th e o th e r, be co m e s u n be arable . Rath e r th an by blatan t p ro p agan d a, th e film co n vin ce s e n tire ly by its vis u al e vid e n ce , co n s titu tin g an o bje ct le s s o n fo r re vo lu tio n ary cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

VIETN AM, LAN D OF FIRE ( N o cre d its available , Fran ce , 19 6 6 ) Th e fe ro cio u s re ality o f th e s u ffe rin g, to rtu re , an d d e ath im p o s e d o n th e civilian p o p u latio n o f Vie tn am by Am e rica, as s e e n in n e w s re e l an d d o cu m e n tary m ate rials ; ch ild re n w ith te rrible w o u n d s , bo d ie s be in g cu t o p e n ( o n cam e ra) ; th e e ffe cts o f n ap alm an d p o is o n o u s ch e m icals , co rp s e s bu rn t to a cris p , victim s w ith o u t lim bs , village s s e t o n fire -an d Vie tn am e s e re s is tan ce . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

W H EN LOVE FALLS e p is o d e in LOVE AN D TH E CITY ( Mich e lan ge lo An to n io n i, Italy, 19 53 ) In o n e o f An to n io n i's e arlie s t film s -- an e p is o d e in Zavattin i's o v e in t h e Cit y -- h e in te rvie w s s u rvivo rs o f s u icid e atte m p ts w h o th e n re -e n act th e m in th e actu al lo cale s . An e xam p le o f Zavattin i's in s is te n ce o n "actu ality" an d n o n -fictio n as th e s tu ff o f d ram a an d co n s cio u s n e s s -rais in g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E W AR GAME ( Pe te r W atkin s , Gre at Britain , 19 6 5) A te rrifyin g "fabricate d " d o cu m e n tary re co rd s th e h o rro rs o f a fu tu re ato m ic w ar in th e m o s t p ain s takin g, s icke n in g d e tail. Ph o to grap h e d in Lo n d o n , it s h o w s th e flas h bu rn s an d fire s to rm s , th e im p o s s ibility o f d e fe n s e , th e d e s tru ctio n o f all life . Pro d u ce d fo r th e BBC, th e film w as p ro m p tly ban n e d an d be cam e w o rld -fam o u s an d rare ly s e e n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D EATH BY H AN GIN G ( N agis a Os h im a, Jap an , 19 6 8 ) ( F) D e ath by h an gin g: fictio n al. Th e s tro n gly ge o m e tric d ivis io n o f th is s till in to tw o s e p arate co m p o n e n ts ( cau s in g a p e e p -h o le e ffe ct) an d its p o w e rfu l co n tras t be tw e e n black an d w h ite rive t atte n tio n o n th e p itifu l an d in vo lu n tary ge s tu re o f th e co n d e m n e d m an , e n tire ly s u rro u n d e d by e fficie n t, co ld -blo o d e d au to m ato n s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ORD IN ARY FASCISM ( Mikh ail Ro m m , U SSR, 19 6 5) D e ath by h an gin g: re al. An e fficie n t an d s o licito u s Ge rm an o ffice r s trin gs u p a yo u n g civilian in th e Eas t. An o th e r, a girl, h as alre ad y d ie d , h e r e ye s u n co m p re h e n d in g. Th e yo u n g m an 's s ligh t s m ile m ay be d u e to s h o ck. Th e re co rd in g o f re al d e ath is alw ays trau m atic fo r th e vie w e r.

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

U N ID EN TIFIED N AZI D OCU MEN TARY FOOTAGE ( circa 19 4 2 ) Th e s tart o f th e jo u rn e y. Je w s be in g ro u n d e d u p in an Eas t Eu ro p e an to w n by Ge rm an tro o p s . Th e cam e ra catch e s th e im m e d iacy an d te rro r o f a m o m e n t in tim e , re p e ate d w ith th e s am e fe ro city in e n d le s s s itu atio n s e ls e w h e re : bu t it is th e s m all bo y o n th e righ t w h o h as m ad e th is p articu lar im age live fo re ve r.

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FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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U N ID EN TIFIED N AZI D OCU MEN TARY FOOTAGE ( circa 19 4 4 ) Th e re ality o f th e cam p s ; o n th e w ay to an e xe cu tio n . On ly th e N azis co u ld h ave s u cce e d e d in s u rp as s in g th e m o s t gro te s qu e n igh tm are s o f Bo s ch o r th e Su rre alis ts . Th e e xis te n ce o f th e s e ban d s is a m atte r o f re co rd in alm o s t all cam p s ; th e re is n o th in g h u m an be in gs are in cap able e ith e r o f cre atin g o r o f e n d u rin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ARCH AEOLOGY ( ARCH AEOLOGIA) ( An d rze j Brzo zo w s ki, Po lan d , 19 6 7) Pe ace fu l w o o d s , bird n o is e s . A gro u p o f arch e o lo gis ts fro m th e Po lis h Acad e m y o f Scie n ce s be gin th e ir e xcavatio n s in a le is u re ly, m e th o d ical fas io n ; as th e y p ro gre s s an d s lo w ly u n co ve r re lics o f th e p as t -- tin cu p s , ru s te d w atch e s , d o lls , an d co m bs -- a s u d d e n h o rrible s u s p icio n is co n firm e d : th is is Au s ch w itz to d ay, its "re alitie s " tran s m u te d in to co n ge ale d h is to ry re d is co ve re d by a n e w ge n e ratio n . Sim p le title s lis tin g th e o bje cts fo u n d s tre n gth e n th is p e rs iflage o f co n ve n tio n al d o cu m e n tary, cre ate d in o rd e r to s h o ck an d s u bve rt. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A TOW N PRESEN TED TO TH E JEW S AS A GIFT BY TH E FU H RER ( MESTO D AROVAN E) ( Vlad im ir Kre s s l, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 8 )

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An u n p re ce d e n te d h is to rical d o cu m e n t. Th e N azi co n ce n tratio n cam p o f Te re cin in Cze ch o s lo vakia w as u n iqu e in o ccu p yin g th e are a o f an e n tire city, "p re s e n te d as a gift to th e Je w s by th e Fu h re r" in an o bs ce n e ge s tu re . In p re p aratio n fo r a vis it by th e In te rn atio n al Re d Cro s s "to in ve s tigate co n d itio n s ", th e N azis be gan p ro d u cin g w h at w as to h ave be e n a 4 0 -m in u te d o cu m e n tary film e xto llin g th e h ap p y life o f th e cam p 's in m ate s an d fo rce d a Je w is h p ris o n e r, th e w e ll kn o w n acto r Ku rt Ge rro n , o f Blu e An g e l fam e , to d ire ct it. Abo u t h alf o f th is u n fin is h e d film w as accid e n tally re co ve re d afte r th e w ar by th e Cze ch s an d is in co rp o rate d in th is in s tru ctive , h o rrifyin g o bje ct le s s o n o f h o w "re ality" can be m an ip u late d an d h o w fals e th e "au th e n tic" film im age can be ; fo r h e re , in th is co n trive d d o cu m e n tary, w e s e e th e actu al in m ate s o f th e cam p -city at s o cce r gam e s , lis te n in g to co n ce rts , p e ace fu lly w o rkin g at vario u s jo bs , te n d in g th e ir gard e n s in th e ir s p are tim e . It is d ifficu lt to d e cid e w h at is m o re h o rrific, th e "u s e " ( by fo rce ) o f h u m an be in gs as acto rs in a p o rtrayal o f th e ir live s th at th e y kn e w to be fals e ; o r th e ir co n s tan t, e age r s m ile s to th e cam e ra ( an yth in g le s s m ay h ave m e an t in s tan t d e ath ) . "I like it h e re in Te re cin ," o n e o f th e in m ate s s ays . "I lack n o th in g." W ith in m o n th s , h e an d all th e o th e r h u n d re d s o f h ap p y, s m ilin g p e o p le in th is film w e re e xte rm in ate d . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CAMPS OF TH E D EAD ( Allie d cam e ram e n , Fran ce , 19 4 7) As film re co rd an d h is to rical d o cu m e n t, th is s killfu l an d h o rrifyin g co m p ilatio n o f n e w s re e l an d d o cu m e n tary m ate rials gath e re d by Allie d cam e ram e n u p o n th e ir e n try in to th e co n ce n tratio n cam p s in 19 4 5/ 6 , is th e d e fin itive w o rk. In its p o rtrayal o f co rp s e s , m as s grave s , d e caye d an d m artyre d fle s h , lam p s h ad e s , s e ve re d lim bs , livin g s ke le to n s , it is als o an e xam p le o f th e w o rs t n igh tm are s o f s u rre alis m o ve rtake n by 2 0 th ce n tu ry re alitie s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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BU TTERFLIES D O N OT LIVE H ERE ( MOTYLI TAD Y N EZIJI) ( Miro Be rn at, Cze ch o s lo vakia, 19 58 ) "D e tail fro m d raw in g, Bu t t e r flie s , a p e n cil an d p as te l s ke tch by Marika Frie d m an o va, bo rn o n Ap ril 19 , 19 3 3 , an d d e p o rte d to Te re zin o n Au gu s t 3 , 19 4 2 . Tw e n ty-th re e m o re o f h e r d raw in gs e xis t. Sh e live d in bu ild in g L4 10 , H o u s e 13 . Pe ris h e d at Au s ch w itz in 19 4 4 ." Th is is o n e o f h u n d re d s o f d raw in gs an d p o e m s p ro d u ce d by ch ild in m ate s o f th e Te re zin co n ce n tratio n cam p , care fu lly catalo gu e d by ille gal p ris o n te ach e rs an d accid e n tally re d is co ve re d afte r th e w ar. ______________________________________________ A p o ign an t an d h arro w in g s tu d y o f th e p ain tin gs an d p o e m s by Je w is h ch ild in m ate s o f th e Te re cin co n ce n tratio n cam p . Pro d u ce d in ille gal art clas s e s d u rin g th e ir im p ris o n m e n t, th e y w e re care fu lly id e n tifie d by n am e an d bio grap h ical n o te , h id d e n aw ay by th e te ach e r-in m ate s , an d accid e n tally re co ve re d afte r th e w ar, ye ars afte r s tu d e n ts an d te ach e rs h ad p e ris h e d in th e gas ch am be rs ; a d o cu m e n t o f o u r e ra. Th e title d e rive s fro m o n e o f th e p o e m s ; its au th o r d ie d at th e age o f 12 . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CH OTYN - 5 KM ( Igo r Ko lo vs ky, U SSR, 19 6 8 ) In an u n kn o w n Ru s s ian h am le t, w e m e e t a fe w o ld m e n w h o h altin gly an d w ith gre at e m o tio n re live th e d e s tru ctio n o f th e to w n an d its p o p u latio n by th e N azis . Th e o bvio u s s in ce rity an d te ars are u n be arable ; s o are th e e n d le s s ro w s o f grave s ; bu t ju s t as w e be co m e accu s to m e d to th e id e a o f "o n e " m o re to w n d e s tro ye d , a s u d d e n m ap o f Ru s s ia re ve als th e n am e s o f co u n tle s s o th e r h am le ts th at m e t an id e n tical fate . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E GAMES OF TH E AN GELS ( LES JEU X D ES AN GES) ( W ale rian Bo ro w czyk, Fran ce , 19 6 4 ) Th is h au n tin g an d o p p re s s ive an im atio n -- a m as te rp ie ce o f m o d e rn art -- re p re s e n ts a d arin g atte m p t to p o rtray n o t th e re ality o f th e cam p s , bu t th e ir atm o s p h e re , th e "w e igh t" o f in fin ite fe ar an d u n kn o w n h o rro r, th e p re s e n ce o f co n tin u o u s an d u n fo re s e e able d e ath . Iro n ically d e s cribe d as a "re p o rtage in th e city o f th e an ge ls ", th e s u rre alis te xp re s s io n is t im age s ( re m in is ce n t o f bo th D i Ch irico an d Be ckm an n ) take th e u n w illin g s p e ctato r o n a jo u rn e y th ro u gh a n igh tm aris h w o rld o f m e tap h ys ical te rro r. Th e re are o p p re s s ive ce lls w ith o m in o u s w all o p e n in gs an d p ip e s , in d is tin ct to rtu re in s tru m e n ts , m is s h ap e n to rs o s lo cke d in bru tal, e n d le s s s tru ggle , e xe cu tio n s , rive rs o f blo o d ru n n in g in fals e co lo rs . A u n iqu e an d o rigin al w o rk th at aim s at ch an gin g th e vie w e r's

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co n s cio u s n e s s by tran s p o rtin g h im in to an o bs e s s ive ly im age d re cre atio n o f w h at it m u s t h ave be e n like . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

D ISTAN T JOU RN EY ( GH ETTO TEREZIN ) ( Alfre d Rad o k, Cze ch o s lo vakia, 19 4 8 ) ( F) Ove r th e ye ars , th e s tatu re o f th is u n acco u n tably n e gle cte d m as te rp ie ce o f th e h u m an is t cin e m a h as be e n gro w in g. An u n re le n tin g e p ic o f h u m an s u ffe rin g an d d e grad atio n , it is o n e o f th e ve ry fe w film s th at s u cce e d in m akin g th e h o rro r an d in e xp licable re ality o f th e co n ce n tratio n cam p u n ive rs e co m e s alive . In te n tio n ally in te n s ifie d , n o n -re alis t film te ch n iqu e s ( d e rive d fro m bo th e xp re s s io n is t an d s u rre alis t trad itio n ) are u tilize d as o n ly th e y can co p e w ith th e e n o rm ity o f th e e ve n t. Th e s e "d is to rtio n s " o f re ality re ave al its in n e r tru th , s im u ltan e o u s ly bu ild in g u p an atm o s p h e re o f n igh tm are an d m ad n e s s th at e xp lo d e s in fin al m as s d e s tru ctio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

I W AS A KAPO ( BYLEM KAPO) ( Tad e u s z Jaw o rs ki, Po lan d , 19 6 4 ) Fo r a n e w ge n e ratio n , it is a s u bve rs ive e xp e rie n ce to m e e t actu al, livin g re p re s e n tative s o f th e N azi te rro r an d to re alize , w ith s u d d e n an xie ty, th at th e y are as "o rd in ary" as w e are . H e re a fo rm e r co n ce n tratio n cam p "tru s ty" -n o w im p ris o n e d fo r life in Po lan d -- re co u n ts o n cam e ra h o w , u p o n e n te rin g Au s ch w itz as a yo u n g m an , h e be cam e p art o f th e N azi h ie rarch y "in o rd e r to s u rvive ". H e re co u n ts h is crim e s ( as d o o th e r s u rvivo rs w h o kn e w h im ) . H e crie s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MEMORAN D U M ( D o n ald Brittain an d Jo h n Sp o tte n , Can ad a, 19 6 6 ) W ith N ig h t a n d Fo g , th is is u n qu e s tio n ably th e m o s t s o p h is ticate d film ye t m ad e o n th e p h ilo s o p h ical an d m o ral p ro ble m s p o s e d by th e co n ce n tratio n cam p u n ive rs e . Tw e n ty ye ars afte r th e libe ratio n , a gro u p o f Can ad ian s u rvivo rs re tu rn o n a p ilgrim age to a fo rm e r Be rge n -Be ls e n co n ce n tratio n cam p . A co m p le x film ic s tru ctu re , co m bin in g cin e m a ve rite an d a co n s tan t m in glin g o f p as t an d p re s e n t, re co rd s th e re s u lt: a m o ras s o f p arad o x, iro n y, u n an s w e rable qu e s tio n s ; an d a s tro n g im p licatio n th at it m ay be im p o s s ible to go back o r to "u n d e rs tan d ". Th e cam p h as be co m e a N ATO bas e an d a gard e n fo r Ge rm an s ; th e re tu rn in g Je w s are u n able to live u p to th e p re s u m ably h e ro ic ro le im p o s e d o n th e m an d fu m ble ;

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an o ld Ge rm an in tro d u ce s h im s e lf as o n e o f th e 6 0 ,0 0 0 ,0 0 0 co w ard s w h o d id n o th in g again s t H itle r; an d w e le arn o f Je w is h co llabo rato rs , an tiN azi Ge rm an s , N ATO s o ld ie rs w h o h ave n o id e a o f w h e re o r w h o th e y are . Bu t th e qu e s tio n h o ve rin g o ve r th e e n tire film -- u n s p o ke n , ye t im p licit in e ve ry s ce n e -- is s im p ly h o w , o r w h e th e r, o n e can le arn fro m th e p as t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

N IGH T AN D FOG ( N U IT ET BROU ILLARD ) ( Alain Re s n ais , Fran ce , 19 55) Re s n ais ' clas s ic, d e fin itive s tu d y o f th e co n ce n tratio n cam p u n ive rs e is a s e arin g m e d itatio n o n in d ivid u al an d co lle ctio n re s p o n s ibility, a film abo u t h u m an fo rge tfu ln e s s , a re m in d e r o f a re p ro d u ce able p as t, an acco u n t o f a co s m ic h o rro r, an arch e typ al, s u rre alis t n igh tm are co m e alive . Bas e d o n e xh au s tive an d te rrifyin g d o cu m e n tary fo o tage an d s h o ts o f th e cam p s te n ye ars late r -- th e h o rro r re ce d in g be n e ath ve ge tatio n as p art o f th e in e vitable "h e alin g" o f tim e -- it aim s to s h o ck in to aw are n e s s "th o s e w h o be lie ve th at th is h ap p e n e d o n ce an d fo r all an d in a s in gle co u n try an d w h o d o n o t th in k to lo o k aro u n d an d d o n o t h e ar th e crie s w ith o u t e n d ." Je an Cayro l p ro vid e s a cru e l, p o e tic co m m e n tary th at w ill live fo re ve r, H an s Eis le r o n e o f h is m o s t m e m o rable s co re s . Th e co n s tan t tran s itio n s 5/19/2007 12:34 PM

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fro m th e n to n o w p re s age Re s n ais ' late r w o rk an d s e rve to co n firm th at th e h o rro r th e film d e p icts co n tin u e s in to th e p re s e n t an d is , in fact, co n cu rre n t to it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SIGH ET, SIGH ET ( H aro ld Be cke r, U SA, 19 6 7) Fo r o n ce , a life le s s , s in gle s h o t co n ve ys th e to tal atm o s p h e re o f a film . Th e blin d ly s tarin g w in d o w s an d s to re fro n ts , th e black-s h ad o w e d tre e s , th e u n e arth ly ligh t o n th e e m p ty p ave m e n ts d e n o te a to w n th at -- fo r o n e m an -- h as d ie d . Elie W ie s e l's h o m e to w n , fro m w h ich all Je w s w e re d e p o rte d by th e N azis an d to w h ich h e atte m p ts to re tu rn , in vain . ______________________________________________ lie W ie s e l, s u rvivo r o f th e H u n garian to w n o f Sigh e t, fro m w h ich a th o u s an d Je w s w e re d e p o rte d to th e o ve n s o f Au s ch w itz, re tu rn s , u n kn o w n an d u n s e e n , a s ile n t w itn e s s to th e to w n w h e re h e w as bo rn an d gre w u p . Life go e s o n in Sigh e t, th e s am e bu ild in gs are s till th e re bu t fo r W ie s e l th is n o rm alcy is a lie ; fo r th e in h abitan ts h e kn e w h ave van is h e d be fo re th e ir tim e an d h e re alize s th at h e can n o t "re tu rn ". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

W ARSAW GH ETTO ( An o n ym o u s , Ge rm an y, 19 4 3 / 4 4 )

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Th is s e cre t N azi film -- u n fo rge ttable d o cu m e n tary o f a van qu is h e d w o rld -w as p h o to grap h e d ju s t be fo re th e Gh e tto 's to tal d e s tru ctio n an d e ith e r n e ve r co m p le te d o r n o t in te n d e d fo r p u blic re le as e . Fo r o n ce , th e N azis -albe it u n in te n tio n ally -- re ve ale d th e tru th abo u t an e ve n t, th o u gh it w as a tru th d is to rte d by th e ir p re s e n ce ; th e o n ly Je w s w h o d id n o t kn o w th at th e y w e re be in g p h o to grap h e d w e re th e d e ad ; th e o th e rs , d e p e n d in g o n d e gre e o f d e s p e ratio n , in d iffe re n ce , o r n e arn e s s o f d e ath , atte m p te d to s m ile o r o th e rw is e co -o p e rate w ith th e p h o to grap h e r/ d ire cto r ( re p re s e n tative o f u n lim ite d p o w e r o ve r life o r d e ath ) , an o bs ce n e s p e ctacle d ifficu lt to be ar. Th e fo o tage , by its ve ry artle s s n e s s an d th e s e p u lch ral abs e n ce o f s o u n d , e xe rts th e m o s t h yp n o tic an d o p p re s s ive in flu e n ce o n th e vie w e r; fo r th is is a s p e ctral p arad e o f h o rro rs e n ve lo p e d by s ile n ce . W h ile an atte m p t is m ad e to p re te n d th at life is p ro ce e d in g "as u s u al" in th e Gh e tto , re ality bre aks th ro u gh w ith a ve n ge an ce . A lo n g s h o t o f a s h o p p in g are a w ith p u rch as e rs ( to d e n o te n o rm alcy) s u d d e n ly re ve als s e ve ral fe s te rin g co rp s e s , w ith flie s , lyin g u n atte n d e d o n th e s id e w alk; p e o p le p as s by an d n o lo n ge r n o tice . Ch ild re n in d irty co ts -- th e ir s ke le tal bo d ie s m e rcile s s ly e xp o s e d by an an o n ym o u s h an d tu rn in g back th e ir co ve rs -- s tare at th e cam e ra w o rd le s s ly. Gh e tto in h abitan ts are film e d w ith ras h e s , lice in th e ir h air an d d irty fe e t ( in lin ge rin g clo s e -u p s ) , to s h o w h o w filth y Je w s are . Th e n u d e co rp s e s o f a co u p le , n e xt to e ach o th e r in s tran ge in tim acy, p u t o n to a cart fo r d is p o s al; o n e falls o ff, an d is p u t back, re -e s tablis h in g th e bo n d . A ch ild , d re s s e d in th e m o s t s u rre alis t rags , d an cin g fo r th e cam e ra an d a p ie ce o f p re tze l, w ith u n affe cte d , in n o ce n t ch arm , u n aw are o f h e r fu tu re , in to tal s ile n ce an d to a tu n e th at w ill re m ain u n kn o w n fo re ve r. A tru ck fu ll o f co rp s e s , d u m p e d by ch u te in to a m as s grave , w ith ch ild re n tu m blin g be h in d w o m e n an d m e n . Clo s e -u p s o f face s ( u n be lie vable face s ) s tarin g s traigh t at th e cam e ra, u n d o u bte d ly co m p e lle d to d o s o , atte m p tin g to lo o k n o rm al an d h ap p y ( le s t th e y be kille d o n th e s p o t) , be trayin g fe ar, th e h o rro r o f th in gs s e e n , th e n e arn e s s o f d e ath . D yin g m e n o n a be d ju m p in g to atte n tio n as a p ie ce o f bre ad is o ffe re d ; ch ild re n w ith baggy clo th e s , ro u gh ly s e arch e d by Ge rm an s o ld ie rs , "co n traban d " s p illin g o u t o f fo ld s , p o cke ts , tro u s e r le gs -- carro ts , m o re carro ts , n o th in g bu t carro ts . D e ath e xu d e s fro m e ve ry fram e o f th is film : d e ath p as t, p re s e n t, an d fu tu re ; all o f its s tars an d e xtras d ie d w ith in th e ye ar, e xce p t th e m an be h in d th e cam e ra, h is id e n tity u n kn o w n . An d h e re is an in trigu in g u n s o lve d m ys te ry: fo r in ch o ice o f s u bje ct m atte r, cam e ra an gle s , d u ratio n o f s h o ts an d e d itin g, o n e d is ce rn s n o t o n ly th e cru e lty o f a N azi h is to rian "o bje ctive ly" re co rd in g im p e rm is s ible h is to ry, bu t -- th is is a s tab o f s u d d e n , u n can n y s u rp ris e -a n o te o f co m p as s io n , o f s ym p ath y w re n ch e d p e rh ap s u n w illin gly fro m its s o u rce , in d e e d p o s s ibly u n kn o w n to it. Th e N azis , afte r all, d id n o t be lie ve in th e s u bco n s cio u s u n ive rs e e xp lo re d by th e Je w Fre u d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION

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FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

LA RICOTTA ( e p is o d e in ROGOPAG) ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Italy, 19 6 2 ) Pas o lin i's acid s atire o n p s e u d o -re ligio n , ban n e d by th e Italian go ve rn m e n t. As w e p articip ate in th e p ro d u ctio n o f a typ ical Italian re ligio u s "e p ic", th e cas t, d u rin g a bre ak, w atch e s a s trip by th e actre s s w h o p lays Mary Magd ale n e w h ile a cru cifie d Ch ris t lie s in th e fo re gro u n d . Strip p e r an d Ch ris t are th e m s e lve s p lace d in to a cro s s -like co m p o s itio n , fo rcin g o u r glan ce to w ave r be tw e e n o n e an d th e o th e r. SC

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Paradoxically, the relative absence of blasphemous films is due both to the strength of the religious taboo and to its irrelevance. Film is so public and pervasive a medium that it operates under the closest supervision of state and clerical censorship systems ( often abetted by the film industry's self-censorship regulations.) These law s -- aimed at protecting a status quo that is an intricate w eb of secular and clerical pow er relationships -- effectively prevent attacks on religions for reasons either of faith or commerce ( the fear of antagonizing pow erful pressure groups) . Blasphemy is thus eliminated either after production ( by prohibition or organized boycotts) or, preferably, before ( the film industry's w ell-developed sense of financial self-interest magically coincides w ith religious propriety) . I n America, the immensely pow erful Catholic Legion of Decency -until the 1960s virtually controlling exhibition patterns of certain films -- effected this by its ow n rating system. I ts condemnations of certain w orks ( constituting virtual excommunication of producers and exhibitors) appear, in retrospect, even more significant than they did originally and afford, by their sw eep, a view of the clerical mind in action: one can imagine how anti-religious films w ould have fared, if one considers the nature and quality of some of the titles officially condemned: L'Avventura, Virdiana, Smiles of a Summer Night, Los

Olvidados, La Notte, Blow -Up, Knife in the Water, Repulsion, Breathless, The Married Woman, Jules et Jim, The Silence, The Paw nbroker, Woman of the Dunes, and Martin Luther . La Strada w as classified as "morally objectionable in part for all" because "it tended to arouse undue sympathy for immoral characters"; and The Bicycle Thief w as classified as "containing material unsuitable for entertainment motion pictures." Judging by the almost complete absence of sacrilegious films ( particularly w hen compared to the manifold infringements on the sex taboo) one must conclude that the taboo on blasphemy is one of the most pervasive now operating in cinema. But the situation is more complex, for at the same time another factor comes into play; the relative lack of interest in the subject among both audiences and filmmakers. Religion is simply not the order of the day as far as contemporary cinema is concerned. There is, of course, no dearth of charming family comedies ( especially from Catholic countries such as I taly and France) in w hich priests are portrayed lovingly or w ith good-natured derision; but this "humanizing" of the representatives of dogma, far from being subversive, merely makes the church more acceptable. Films that deal w ith religion seriously ( such as Bresson's Diary of a Country Priest , Dreyer's Day of Wrath, films by Bergman and Fellini) are as rare as blasphemous w orks; the latter seem to have been almost exclusively limited to the classical surrealist movement.

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Significantly, they are almost entirely absent from the w orks of an avant-garde otherw ise much concerned w ith questions of consciousness and values. Since financial or censorship restrictions do not exist here, the subject clearly lacks interest. I f there exists one persistently anti-clerical subversive in the cinema it surely is Bunuel; his continued insistence on this theme -- from L'Age d'Or to Nazarin, Viridiana, The Milky Way, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie -- dialectically indicates a continued involvement w ith his Jesuit childhood. The contemporary avant-garde, how ever, lacking the experience of a similar, intensely religious formative period, continues, w ith a few exceptions ( Lethem, Marien, Nitsch) , to be entirely unaffected by anti-clericalism. There is one aspect of the problem that ought to be of concern to documentarians and avant-gardists alike, w hich has, perhaps not so mysteriously, remained uninvestigated; a study of the w ealth and social pow er of the Church in the w orld today. Here the silence is deafening. One of the most pow erful institutions of our day has remained, in cinematic terms, one of the most secret. Whenever hesitant steps w ere taken to investigate ( such as Jack Willis' Every Seventh Child) , they immediately led to effective counter-action or suppression. Documentary filmmakers, largely dependent on institutional, industrial, or governmental financing have been kept from such studies by informal pre-censorship ( the killing of projects before they are born) or by self-censorship for reasons of self-protection; the avant-garde, erroneously considering the subject matter dated, has bypassed it; and neither Stalinists nor Maoists or Third World Communists have found it expedient -- for reasons of political strategy or lack of concern -- to make such films. The reticence of these groups as regards God and His w orks remains the more surprising since, considering the state of the w orld in this 20th century, it seems advisablee to call into question either His omnipotence or His benevolence.

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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L'AGE D 'OR ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Fran ce , 19 3 0 ) ( F) Th e co n tin u e d p o w e r o f th e re ligio u s tabo o m ake s th is "d ate d ", s ligh tly rid icu lo u s im age im p o rtan t by w ith h o ld in g it fro m p u blic vie w ; fo r h e re , at th e e n d o f Bu n u e l's an ti-bo u rge o is an d an ti-cle rical s h o cke r, w e are in tro d u ce d to th e "d e p rave d m o n s te r" an d "m ain in s tigato r" o f a 12 0 -d ay o rgy o f d e bau ch e ry an d p e rve rs io n : Je s u s Ch ris t. SC ______________________________________________ Th e tw o m o s t fam o u s s u rre alis t w o rks o f w o rld cin e m a, U n Ch ie n An d a lo u an d L'Ag e d 'Or , w e re m ad e by Bu n u e l at th e s tart o f h is care e r in th e s p ace o f o n e ye ar. Th e s e co n d film , L'Ag e d 'Or , is large ly u n available ; its p ro d u ce r th e Vico m te d e N o aille s , a co n ve rt to Cath o licis m in h is late r ye ars , w ith d re w it fro m circu latio n as blas p h e m o u s . It is a w o rk o f p o e tic s e n s ibility, m o rd an tly an ti-bo u rge o is an d an ti-cle rical. Alth o u gh , as Bu n u e l p u t it, its in cid e n ts h ave be e n fre e d o f th e co rru p tio n o f p lau s ibility, th e y d o co u n te rp o s e lo ve to th e fo s s ilize d in s titu tio n s o f bo u rge o is s o cie ty. Am o n g vario u s in cid e n ts o n e re calls a ragin g fire at a m an o r p arty, w ith h o s ts an d gu e s ts e n tire ly u n aw are ( co m p arable in Bu n u e l's late s t, Th e D is cr e e t Ch a r m o f t h e Bo u r g e o is ie ) , an an gry m an th ro w in g a giraffe an d a card in al o u t o f th e w in d o w , a p as s io n ate w o m an s u ckin g th e to e o f a s tatu e , a h e ro w h o kicks d o gs an d kn o cks d o w n th e blin d , a gam e ke e p e r w h o s h o o ts h is s o n , an d in vad in g bis h o p s , s o o n s e e n as s ke le to n s . In acco rd w ith s u rre alis t id e o lo gy, o n ly lo ve -- w ild , an arch ic, irratio n al lo ve -- is acce p table . Eve ryth in g e ls e is s u bve rte d ; th e rich , th e ch u rch , th e s tate , th e m ilitary, as w e ll as th o s e p e rvas ive bo u rge o is vice s o f s e n tim e n tality an d ro m an ticis m , s o o ffe n s ive to Bu n u e l th ro u gh 5/19/2007 12:34 PM

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o u t h is life . In th e fin al s ce n e , a title in tro d u ce s "th e fo u r u tte rly d e p rave d s co u n d re ls w h o h ad ju s t go n e th ro u gh 12 0 d ays o f th e m o s t u n s p e akable o rgie s , le d by th e ir Prin cip al an d ch ie f in s tigato r: d e Sad e 's D u ke o f Blan gis " -- w h o is n o n e o th e r th an Je s u s Ch ris t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ARCH AN GEL GABRIEL ( ARCH AN D EL GABRIEL A PAN I H U SA) ( Jiri Trn ka, Cze ch o s lavakia, 19 6 5) ( F) Take n fro m Bo ccaccio 's D e ca m e r o n , th is lo ve ly p u p p e t film te lls th e baw d y s to ry o f th e be au tifu l yo u n g Ve n e tian lad y w h o co n fe s s e s h e r s in fu l p as s io n fo r th e Arch an ge l Gabrie l to a lu s tfu l m o n k, w h o p ro m p tly im p e rs o n ate s h im in h e r be d ro o m w ith p re d ictable re s u lts . Am id s t th e film 's ribald ry, th e h yp o cris y an d fals e p ie ty o f th e m o n k are m e rcile s s ly m o cke d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GOLD EN SH OW ERS ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 70 ) A n e w , h o w e ve r ge n tle d e s e cratio n o f th e Pie ta. Th e m ale co u ld h ave co m e s traigh t o u t o f a p ain tin g, bu t th e co n cre te n e s s o f th e p h o to grap h ic im age m ake s h is co m p le te n u d ity m o re co n tro ve rs ial. Th e w o m an 's p e n d u lo u s bre as ts in tro d u ce a n o te o f s ly iro n y w ith in th e co n te xt o f d o cu m e n tary accu racy. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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CON STITU TION AN D CEN SORSH IP ( Ste p h e n Sh arff, U SA, 19 53 ) A ve ry u s e fu l h is to rical d o cu m e n tary o f th e Am e rican co u rt p ro ce e d in gs again s t Ro s s e l lin i's alle ge d ly blas p h e m o u s Th e M ir a cle , w h ich re s u lte d in th e Su p re m e Co u rt affirm atio n o f film as be in g co ve re d by th e co n s titu tio n al "fre e s p e e ch " p ro te ctio n clau s e an d th e e lim in atio n o f "blas p h e m y" as cau s e fo r ce n s o rs h ip . Th e p ro tago n is ts -civil libe rtie s atto rn e y Ep h raim Lo n d o n , s in gle -h an d e d ly re s p o n s ible fo r th is an ti-ce n s o rs h ip victo ry, an d H u gh Flick, h e ad o f th e ce n s o r bo ard -- ap p e ar in p e rs o n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

VIVA LA MU ERTE ( Arrabal, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) In ve ry re ligio u s Sp ain , a w o m an m as tu rbate s in fro n t o f an o p e n w in d o w ; h e r fo o t alm o s t to u ch e s , as if in d e fian ce , th e e ve r-p re s e n t cru cifix; w e re it n o t co n s id e re d p o w e rfu l, it w o u ld n o t be p art o f th is co m p o s itio n . Oth e r s acrile gio u s e le m e n ts p e rm e ate Arrabal's h allu cin ato ry film . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

EVERY SEVEN TH CH ILD ( Jack W illis , U SA, 19 6 7) It is s ign ifican t th at fo llo w in g its firs t an d o n ly ap p e aran ce o n e d u catio n al te le vis io n , th is im p o rtan t d o cu m e n tary -a d is cu s s io n o f th e viability an d re le van ce o f Cath o lic

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e d u catio n in th e U n ite d State s -- im m e d iate ly be cam e s u bje ct to s tro n g, o rgan ize d attack by p re s s u re gro u p s an d w as w ith d raw n fro m d is tribu tio n . It h as re m ain e d u n iqu e : n o o th e r film in vo lvin g re as o n e d ( o r e ve n , p o s s ibly, critical) ap p rais al o f Cath o licis m h as ap p e are d o n te le vis io n . Th e m o s t fas cin atin g ( cin e m a ve rite ) s e qu e n ce s s h o w th e s p e cific in d o ctrin atio n o f 5-ye aro ld ch ild re n ( !) w ith th e co n ce p t o f s in , co u p le d w ith e xh o rtatio n s to avo id s e x an d s u icid e as s in fu l. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LES SOU FFRAN CES D 'U N OEU F MEU RTRI ( Ro lan d Le th e m , Be lgiu m , 19 6 7) By ju xtap o s in g s e ve ral "h o t" s ym bo ls -- fe m ale p u bic are a, craw lin g m aggo ts , an d cru cifix -a s u bve rs ive film m ake r s im u ltan e o u s ly vio late s th re e tabo o s in a vis u al co m m e n t o n th e co n flict be tw e e n Cath o licis m an d s e x. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

L'IMITATION D U CIN EMA ( Marce l Marie n , Be lgiu m , 19 59 ) Th is Be lgian s u rre alis t w o rk co n s is ts o f tw o film s , o n e co m m e n tin g o n th e o th e r, co n ce rn in g a yo u n g m an w ith a cru cifixio n co m p le x. Im agin in g cro s s e s e ve ryw h e re , h e e ve n cu ts h is frie d p o tato e s in th e s h ap e o f a cro s s . U n able to bu y a large cro s s , h e s e ttle s fo r s ixty fran cs w o rth o f s m all o n e s , w h ich h e carrie s o f in a p ap e r bag. W h e n th e cro s s h e fin d s to cru cify h im s e lf o n p ro ve s to o s m all, a kin d ly p rie s t vo lu n te e rs to n ail h is fe e d to th e flo o r. -

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J.H . Matth e w s , Su r r e a lis m a n d Film , 19 71 ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MARJOE ( H o w ard Sm ith an d Sarah Ke rn o ch an , U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) Th is d e ce p tive ly h u m o ro u s cin e m a ve rite s tu d y o f a trave llin g e van ge lis t e m e rge s as a ru th le s s e xp o s e o f an as p e ct o f Am e rica's n atio n al p s ych e , w ith im p licatio n s far be yo n d its im m e d iate s u bje ct m atte r. Marjo e be gan by p e rfo rm in g m arriage ce re m o n ie s at th e age o f fo u r ( s e e n in m arve lo u s n e w s re e ls o f th e tim e ) an d grad u ate d to fam e o n th e "H o ly Ro lle r" Pe n te co s tal circu it, th ro w in g w o m e n in to co n vu ls io n s , p e rfo rm in g m iracle s , p ro vid in g s e x s u bs titu te s an d m as s th e rap y to th e co u n tle s s victim ize d p o o r an d ign o ran t w h o flo ck to h is m e e tin gs w ith th e ir o ffe rin gs . W h ile th e s e qu e n ce s o f a p ran cin g Mick Jagge r im itatio n ( co m p le te w ith ro ck rh yth m s an d brim s to n e ) an d o f h is h u ge an d s u ffe rin g au d ie n ce in th e m s e lve s co n s titu te an im p re s s ive ach ie ve m e n t o f n o n -fictio n cin e m a, s im u ltan e o u s p rivate in te rvie w s re ve al th e fie ry e van ge lis t to be a cyn ical ath e is t an d h e d o n is t, w ith co n te m p t fo r h is "w o rk" an d at be s t an am bigu o u s s o licitu d e fo r h is flo ck. Th e re ve latio n o f m as s m an ip u latio n by a ch aris m atic, s m ilin g co n -m an , th e fe rvo r an d co n s e rvatis m o f th e d u p e d , th e in tru s io n o f qu e s tio n s o f m o n e y an d p o w e r o ve r o th e rs -- th e s e Am e rican p re o ccu p atio n s are brillian tly re fle cte d in th is o u trage o u s , d is tu rbin g black co m e d y. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

N AZARIN

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( Lu is Bu n u e l, Me xico , 19 58 ) ( F) A n e w , co n te m p o rary atte m p t at actin g like Ch ris t, tu rn in g th e o th e r ch e e k, an d d o in g go o d u n to o th e rs , d o e s n o t fare w e ll at th e h an d s o f m an , as s e e n in o n e o f Bu n u e l's m o s t p h ilo s o p h ical an d cle ar-e ye d w o rks . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E MIRACLE ( LE MIRACOLO) ( Ro be rto Ro s s e llin i, Italy, 19 4 8 ) An n a Magn an i as a d im w itte d p e as an t girl w h o allo w s h e rs e lf to be s e d u ce d by a s tran ge r be cau s e s h e be lie ve s h im to be Sain t Jo s e p h ; p re gn an t, s h e d e cid e s to h ave th e ch ild , s in ce h e m u s t be th e Me s s iah . A s e rio u s an d m o vin g w o rk, its Am e rican re le as e le d to co n d e m n atio n by th e Le gio n o f D e ce n cy, a viru le n t an d o rgan ize d cam p aign again s t it, w h ich in clu d e d p icke tin g, bo m b th re ats , an d Card in al Sp e llm an 's d io ce s an co n d e m n atio n lu m p in g th e film w ith "th e gre ate s t e n e m y o f civilizatio n , ath e is tic Co m m u n is m ". It is iro n ical th at th is cam p aign , by le ad in g to th e ban n in g o f th e film by th e N e w Yo rk ce n s o rs , s o u n d e d th e d e ath -kn e ll fo r ce n s o rs h ip in th e U n ite d State s ; fo r in 19 52 , th e Su p re m e Co u rt re s cin d e d th e ban , d e clarin g th at film s , as s ign ifican t m e d ia fo r th e d is s e m in atio n o f id e as , w e re co ve re d by co n s titu tio n al fre e s p e e ch gu aran te e s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

MOTH ER JOAN OF TH E AN GELS ( MATKA JOAN N A OD AN IOLOW ) ( Je rzy Kaw ale ro w icz, Po lan d , 19 6 1) ( F) Co n s id e rin g its s o u rce , th is film 's attitu d e to w ard s re ligio n is s u rp ris in gly s o p h is ticate d an d n o n -p ro p agan d is tic. Po rtrayin g e ve n ts in a 17th ce n tu ry n u n n e ry s u p p o s e d ly p o s s e s s e d by d e vils , it s u btly re ve als s e xu al u rge s , gu ilt an d s ad o - m as o ch is m as s tro n gly re late d to co n ce p ts o f s in an d e xo rcis m . A p ro to typ e o f in te llige n t an ti-cle rical film m akin g. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E D ECAMERON ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Italy/ Fran ce / W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) A yo u n g h an d ym an , p re te n d in g to be d e af an d d u m b, allo w s h im s e lf to be u tilize d by as s o rte d n u n s in vario u s in te re s tin g w ays . Italian s u n ligh t, co u n trys id e , an d acto rs re in fo rce au th e n ticity in th is vigo ro u s re te llin g o f Bo ccaccio 's s to rie s ; baw d in e s s an d p as t te n s e s o fte n th e s acrile gio u s as p e cts . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A N OTE FROM ABOVE ( D e re k Ph illip s , Gre at Britain , 19 6 9 ) A fals e m e s s age an d its co n s e qu e n ce s : th e te n co m m an d m e n ts ( re ce ive d fro m Go d ) are u n th in kin gly acte d o u t to th e le tte r in an o m in o u s an im ate d film . U n fo rtu n ate ly, th e las t co m m an d m e n t, by m is take , re ad s "Th o u Sh alt Kill". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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MARIA-CON CEPTION -ACTION -H ERMAN N N ITSCH ( MARIA-EMPFAN GN IS-AKTION -H ERMAN N N ITSCH ) ( Irm an d Ed So m m e r, W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 6 9 ) A s ce n e fro m H e rm an N its ch 's s acrile gio u s h ap p e n in g w h ich co m bin e s cru e lty, s e xu ality, an d vis u al s h o ck fo r id e o lo gical p u rp o s e ; h e re a yo u n g w o m e n is "cru cifie d " an d d e file d w ith a lam b carcas s th at h as be e n d is e m bo w e lle d . Th e id e a o f re d e m p tio n is in te n s ifie d in to p o rn o grap h y to o ffe r a fo rbid d e n glan ce in to o u r p ro h ibite d s ad o -m as o ch is tic im p u ls e s . ______________________________________________ Sin ce 19 6 3 , th e Ge rm an avan t-gard is t H e rm an n N its ch h as cre ate d a s e rie s o f live h ap p e n in g, w h ich ( like Otto Mu e h l's So d o m a ) co m bin e cru e lty, s e xu ality, d e file m e n t, an d vis u al s h o ck fo r p u rp o s e s o f p u rificatio n , an d "ab-re actio n " o f s ad o m as o ch is t im p u ls e s . Th is is a film re co rd o f h is m o s t co n tro ve rs ial cre atio n : th e cru cifixio n o f a yo u n g w o m an , th e d is e m bo w e llin g o f a lam b carcas s , an d h e r d e file m e n t w ith it. "By th e act o f cru cifixio n , d is e m bo w e lm e n t, d e file m e n t, an d d is m e m be rm e n t o f a lam b carcas s th e s ad is tic u rge to kill an d m as o ch is tic w is h fo r s e lf-s acrifice are s u bs titu te d . H is to rically, th e s e d rive s h ave fo u n d n o o u tle t in cu ltu re an d re ligio n , th e p o te n tialitie s o f th e s ad o -m as o ch is t in s tin ct be in g gu ard e d by s e cre t an d p ro h ibitio n . Th e s u bs titu te act o f th e lam b cru cifixio n is a brie f, fo rbid d e n , lu s tfu l glan ce in to th is p o te n tial an d s e rve s as p artial re s o lu tio n o f th at co n n e ctio n w ith d is p lace m e n t w h ich N its ch als o calls a b -r e a ct io n ."

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In th e Maria-Co n ce p tio n -Actio n , th e e ro ticis atio n an d d e s u blim atio n o f th e id e a o f re d e m p tio n is in te n s ifie d in to p o rn o grap h y ... it co m p le m e n ts th e fle s h o f th e lam b carcas s w ith th at o f th e fe m ale n u d e an d is cru cifie d alle go rically like th e lam b an d to ge th e r w ith it. Th e s littin g o p e n an d e vis ce ratio n o f th e lam b carcas s co rre s p o n d s vis u ally to th e o p e n in g an d p u s h in g ap art o f th e vagin a; th e d e file m e n t an d d is m e m be rm e n t o f th e lam b co rre s p o n d s to th e p o u rin g o ve r o r co ve rin g o f th e n u d e fe m ale bo d y w ith blo o d an d e n trails , an d fin ally, to th e s e x act its e lf, w h ich N its ch -- again in an alle go rically o bs ce n e s u bs titu te act -- co m p le te s w ith a go d e m ich e ." - Pe te r Go rs e n , Se xu a la e s t h e t ik , 19 72 ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E N U N ( LA RELIGIEU SE) ( Jacqu e s Rive tte , Fran ce , 19 6 5) ( F) Th is blis s fu lly d o m e s tic s ce n e actu ally p o rtrays an e qu ally blis s fu l all-Le s bian co n ve n t. By its ve ry n e u trality, it co n ve ys th e "s e cre cy" o f th is artis t's s tyle . D id e ro t's an ti-cle rical clas s ic p ro vid e s th e bas is fo r o n e o f th e fe w an d ce rtain ly o n e o f th e m o s t s o p h is ticate d an ti-Cath o lic film s ye t m ad e . ______________________________________________ Ban n e d by th e ce n s o rs , an d ca u s e ce le b r e o f p o s t-w ar Fre n ch cin e m a, th is ch illin g m e lo d ram a is bas e d o n D id e ro t's fam o u s 18 th ce n tu ry an ti-cle rical clas s ic. It trace s th e life o f a yo u n g girl fo rce d to take th e ve il, e qu atin g, iro n ically, th e tyran n y o f s ad is tic cru e lty w ith th at o f e ro tic lo ve ; th e co rru p tio n o f th e co n ve n t w ith th at o f th e o u te r w o rld . A calcu late d artificiality

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m arks th e film 's p ro gre s s io n fro m au s te re cru e lty to lu xu rian t d e cad e n ce . In its re le n tle s s p o rtrayal o f th e d o o m o f th e in n o ce n t, it be co m e s a p le a fo r fre e d o m an d to le ran ce far tran s ce n d in g th e ch u rch is s u e . Th e s u p re m e iro n y co m e s w ith th e n u n 's fin al "e s cap e " to a h o s tile w o rld , p ro s titu tio n , an d d e ath . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

RAPE ( W im van d e r Lin d e n , H o llan d , 19 6 6 ) Th is be au tifu l e xam p le o f far-fe tch e d blas p h e m y acco m p an ie s a h ap p y, u gly n u n in to th e w o o d s fo r h e r co n s titu tio n al, re p le te w ith ch arm in g bird n o is e s . Prayin g to an d fo n d lin g a p riap ic m u s h ro o m , s h e is u n aw are o f th e e vil rap is t s h ad o w in g h e r. W h e n th e rap e o ccu rs , it is in lo n g s h o t, h id d e n fro m vie w , u n d e r a h u ge tre e . Article s o f clo th e s an d h e r cro s s s ail th ro u gh th e air; th e tre e -- e n tire ly d o m in atin g th e s cre e n -s w ays rh yth m ically an d re p e ate d ly., A fe w m in u te s late r it s to p s ; th e n an o th e r tre e , a fe w fe e t aw ay, be gin s to s w ay in id e n tical fas h io n . Th e rap is t fin ally e m e rge s , e xh au s te d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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( Ch arle s Ch ap lin , U SA, 19 2 2 ) Th e m an to w h o m n o th in g h u m an is alie n , p e rfo rce h ad at s o m e p o in t als o to s u bve rt th is attire , as h e s u bve rte d an yth in g th at s m acke d o f o fficiald o m , p o m p o s ity, h yp o cris y, an d s e lfrigh te o u s n e s s . An e s cap e d co n vict in th is film , h e p ro m p tly be co m e s th e arch -cle ric; bu t h is o rth o d o x s e atin g p o s itio n vis u ally te le grap h s h is tru e fe e lin gs abo u t th e m in is try. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E SIN OF JESU S ( Ro be rt Fran k, 19 6 1) A p o o r, p re gn an t w o m an , aban d o n e d by h e r lo ve r, is give n a yo u n g an ge l by Ch ris t in h is s te ad , bu t s h e d e s tro ys h im o n th e ir w e d d in g n igh t by th e vio le n ce o f h e r s e xu al e m brace . Ch ris t re fu s e s to h e lp again , th u s s in n in g again s t h e r fate d h u m an n e s s , an d is re fu s e d fo rgive n e s s by h e r. A ble n d o f s tark re alis m an d lyrical fan tas y, th is co n tro ve rs ial w o rk w as ad ap te d fro m an Is aac Babe l s h o rt s to ry. Th e h u m an izatio n o f Je s u s is ach ie ve d in a cas u al, d ire ct m an n e r; th e film 's vie w o f m an 's w o rld is ble ak. As in h is s till p h o to grap h s ( "Th e Am e rican s ") , Fran k re ve als m ys te rie s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ROMA ( Fe d e rico Fe llin i, Italy, 19 72 ) ( F) A "s w in gin g" cle rical fas h io n p arad e be co m e s an e xp re s s io n is t p aro d y o f th e co m m e rcializatio n an d w e alth o f th e Ch u rch , as Fe llin i, in h is o w n flam bo yan t, baro qu e w ay, take s a ve ry d e cid e d s w ip e at in s titu tio n alize d re ligio n . Co m p o s itio n al e ffe cts , as u s u al, are care fu lly co n tro lle d ; n o te d iffe re n ce in s ize be tw e e n th e tw o cyclis ts , th e ir p e rfe ct align m e n t an d s e rio u s m ie n , all co n tribu tin g to th e s atirical e ffe ct. SC ______________________________________________ Th o u gh n e ith e r o n e 's kn o w le d ge n o r u n d e rs tan d in g o f th e city is in an y w ay d e e p e n e d by th is film , Fe llin i h as n e ve rth e le s s cre ate d a d azzlin g d is p lay o f vis u al cin e m a, an im p re s s io n is t p o e m o f Ro m e p as t an d p re s e n t, as s e e n th ro u gh th e e ye s o f an am o ro u s o bs e rve r. H u n d re d s o f e xtravagan t im age s are e d ite d in to a rh yth m ic cre s ce n d o . On e o f th e m o s t s tartlin g s e qu e n ce s is a s atirical fas h io n p arad e o f th e m o s t e xtrao r d in ary e ccle s ias tical ro be s , an e xp re s s io n is t p aro d y o f th e w e alth , co m m e rcializatio n , an d co rru p tio n o f th e co n te m p o rary Ch u rch . Th e re are p rie s ts o n ro lle rs kate s , s p o rts clo th e s fo r cle rics , ch o re o grap h e d m o ve m e n ts o f th e m o d e ls , go ld e n ve s tm e n ts an d flas h in g n e o n ro be s ( re ve ale d to be e m p ty) , a fan tas tic p ro ce s s io n o f s ke le to n s an d fin ally, th e Po p e -"as if Go d ", w ith m u s ic an d ligh t e ffe cts -- re ve ale d as a p u p p e t. On ly a "re ligio u s " Italian h u m an is t like Fe llin i co u ld h ave d are d cre ate th is s acre ligio u s s p e ctacle .

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SIMON OF TH E D ESERT ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Me xico , 19 6 6 ) ( F) An o th e r in Bu n u e l's e n d le s s atte m p ts to co m e to te rm s w ith w h at h e abh o rs ye t can n o t co m p le te ly abju re ; re ligio n an d Go d . H e re a m o d e rn s ain t, e n s co n ce d in p e n itan ce o n a 3 0 -fo o t-h igh p illar in th e d e s e rt fo r 2 7 ye ars , is re p e ate d ly te m p te d by a d e licio u s d e vil. Fin ally, h e d e s ce n d s , an d d is co ve rs a co n te m p o rary h e ll: p re s e n t-d ay Am e rica in th e las t s tage s o f its d e clin e . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

VIRID IAN A ( Lu is Bu n u e l, Me xico , 19 6 1) ( F) An im m o rtal m o m e n t in film h is to ry; Bu n u e l's s cath in g s atire o f Th e La s t Su p p e r , e n acte d d u rin g a fo o d an d s e x o rgy o f be ggars an d lu m p e n , in vite d by th e in e ffe ctu al d o -go o d e r Virid ian a. In s te ad o f s avin g th e ir s o u ls , s h e lo s e s h e r o w n an d be co m e s p art o f a s e e d y m e n a g e a t r o is . SC ______________________________________________ Vir id ia n a is a ch illin g an d s can d alo u s blas p h e m y p e rp e trate d by a m as te r s u bve rs ive , o n e o f th e gre at d ire cto rs o f w o rld cin e m a. Th is black an d s ard o n ic "co m e d y" re co u n ts th e u n d o in g o f ap riggis h , "Go o d Sam aritan " n u n w h o atte m p ts to live o u t ( an d in s till in o th e rs ) valu e s o f d e ce n cy an d p u rity. Sh e is d u ly e le vate d to a s tate o f am bigu o u s libe ratio n -- as p articip an t in a m e n a g e a t r o is -- afte r h e r bru tal rap e by a le ch e ro u s be ggar. "Th e s p iritu al p o te n tialitie s o f th is rap e are in calcu lable , an d give n a libe rtarian s u rre alis t vie w p o in t, ve ry p ro m is in g." ( 1) 5/19/2007 12:34 PM

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Th e film is s u ffu s e d w ith s u btle , fo rbid d e n im age s , o fte n o n ly h in te d at to in cre as e o u r p articip atio n in th e act o f d e s e cratio n . Le avin g th e s e cu rity o f th e co n ve n t at th e m is gu id e d p ro d d in g o f h e r Mo th e r Su p e rio r "to be n ice " to h e r u n cle , Virid ian a arrive s at h is h o u s e w ith a frigh te n in g array o f Ch ris tian to o ls o f w o rs h ip an d p u rificatio n th at -- typ ical fo r Bu n u e l -in clu d e cro s s , ch ain , cro w n o f th o rn s , n ails , an d h am m e r. Th e ir actu al u s e is n e ve r s h o w n ; bu t th e im p licatio n o f re ligio u s m as o ch is m is cle ar, an d fu rth e r e m p h as ize d in a clo s e -u p o f th e u n cle 's p e rs o n al cro s s : it o p e n s in to a kn ife . Th e m o s t fe ro cio u s ly blas p h e m o u s s ce n e d e p icts be ggars , bro u gh t to th e e s tate by Virid ian a to s ave th e ir s o u ls , u s in g h e r abs e n ce fo r a fo o d an d s e x o rgy. Fille d w ith gro te s qu e , Go yae s qu e to u ch e s , it e n d s in th e to n gu e -in -ch e e k "takin g" o f a gro u p p h o to grap h by a w o m an be ggar o bs ce n e ly rais in g h e r s kirt to "s n ap " th e p ictu re . At th is m o m e n t, th e film fre e ze s in to a s till s h o t o f th e be ggars gro u p e d aro u n d th e table in e xact im itatio n o f d a Vin ci's La s t Su p p e r , w ith H an d e l's H a lle lu ja h o n th e track an d a blin d , h id e o u s be ggar in th e p o s itio n o f Ch ris t; an im m o rtal m o m e n t in film h is to ry, co m bin in g p o rn o grap h y an d blas p h e m y in s cath in g co m m e n t o n th e s te rile "h u m an itarian is m " o f th e s im p lis tically re ligio u s . Th e s tu p id ity o f th e Sp an is h ce n s o rs , Ad o Kyro u p o in ts o u t, ch an ge d a m e d io cre e n d in g in to a s u blim e o n e . Fo llo w in g th e rap e , Virid ian a, d is trau gh t, co m e s to h e r co u s in 's ro o m in a co n fu s e d , alm o s t s u bco n s cio u s atte m p t at s e xu al s u rre n d e r, o n ly to fin d h im w ith h is s e rvan t-m is tre s s , th is tim e e n s co n ce d in a card gam e . Bo th w o m e n are take n aback; th e m an re lis h e s th e s itu atio n an d in vite s Virid ian a to jo in th e m . "I alw ays kn e w w e w o u ld h ave a gam e to ge th e r", h e s ays ; an d as th e cam e ra p u lls back o n a lo n gs h o t o f th e th re e p layin g card s in a co s y fam ily s ce n e , w e h e ar a blatan tly vu lgar, e ro tically ch arge d ro ck-an d -ro ll p ie ce -- th e firs t o f its kin d in th e film -- co m m e n tin g o n Virid ian a's fin al "libe ratio n " in to th e p ragm atis m an d co rru p tio n o f bo u rge o is s o cie ty. In th e o rigin al s ce n ario , ban n e d by th e ce n s o rs p rio r to p ro d u ctio n , Virid ian a s u rp ris e s th e p air in be d ; th e co u s in h as th e m aid le ave th e ro o m , re m ain in g w ith Virid ian a w h ile th e m aid s p ie s th ro u gh th e ke yh o le . Mo re p o w e r to th e ce n s o rs ! "On ce u p o n a tim e ", s ays Kyro u , "it w as an ti-cle ricalis m an d blas p h e m y; in Virid ian a, it is ath e is m , to tal te n d e rn e s s , ligh tin g-like s ym p ath y fo r m e n an d th in gs ; th is s e co n d attitu d e -- w h ich d o e s n o t co n trave n e th e firs t bu t s im p ly go e s be yo n d it -- is th e m o re re vo lu tio n ary." ( 2 ) Origin ally h e rald e d by th e Fran co re gim e as th e o p p o s itio n is t Bu n u e l's "re tu rn " to Sp ain , th e film w as ban n e d u p o n co m p le tio n , bu t s o m e co p ie s re ach e d Fran ce an d its 19 6 1 s h o w in g at Can n e s -- d e s p ite Cath o lic o p p o s itio n -- s ave d th is m as te rp ie ce fo r film h is to ry.

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LA RICOTTA ( e p is o d e in ROGOPAG) ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Italy, 19 6 2 ) A s ce n e fro m th e re ligio u s s u p e r-e p ic be in g m ad e : Pas o lin i's lo vin g an d m e ticu lo u s re cre atio n o f th e h igh -cam p o f Italian re ligio u s p o s tcard art. SC

REFERENCES (1) Raymond Durgnat, Luis Bunuel, 1968 (2) Ado Kyrou, Luis Bunuel, 1963

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

W ITCH CRAFT TH ROU GH TH E AGES ( Be n jam in Ch ris te n s e n , Sw e d e n , 19 2 2 ) ( F) Th is e xo tic cu rio is cite d in all m ajo r h is to rie s o f th e cin e m a; ban n e d an d u n available u n til re ce n tly, it e xam in e s w itch craft, m agic an d d iabo lis m , re cre ate s th e w itch co u rts , th e d e vil's m as s , th e h allu cin atio n s an d te m p tatio n s o f th e age . Th e im p lie d ritu alis tic vio latio n o f a w o m an are am o n g its m an y d is tu rban ce s . SC

TRAN CE AN D W ITCH CRAFT

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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IMAGES OF MAD N ESS ( Eric D u vivie r, Fran ce , 19 50 ) ( F) Co n ve rgin g an d o p p o s in g lin e s , s h ad e s o f D ali an d Van Go gh co m bin e in a flam bo yan t, n igh tm aris h p ain tin g by a m e n tal p atie n t. Fro m an u n p re ce d e n te d film d o cu m e n t w h ich , in d raw in gs an d p ain tin gs , take s th e vie w e r th ro u gh th e u n ive rs e o f th e m e n tally ill w ith o u t e xp lan atio n o r an alys is . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E AN D ROMED A STRAIN ( Ro be rt W is e , U SA, 19 71) ( F) Th e p o w e r o f a vis u al tabo o is s h o ckin gly p ro ve n in o n e s ce n e o f th is film , w h e n th e w ris t o f a co rp s e -kille d by e xtrate rre s trial co n tam in atio n -- is cu t o p e n by e arth p e o p le , an d s an d gu s h e s o u t in s te ad o f blo o d . Th is s u bs titu tio n is n o t m e re ly bizarre , bu t p o s itive ly th re ate n in g to an au d ie n ce e n tire ly e n gro s s e d in th e p lo t. Th e p o w e r o f th e "co n tam in atio n " is , fo r o n ce , n o t co n ve ye d by h o rrific m ake -u p , bu t th e d iabo lic u tilizatio n o f a vis u al tabo o to u ch in g u s o n a d e e p e r le ve l an d callin g in to qu e s tio n th e co rp s e 's ve ry h u m an ity. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D AY OF W RATH ( VRED EN S D AG) ( Carl Th e o d o r D re ye r, D e n m ark, 19 4 3 ) ( F) Th e "w itch " h as co n fe s s e d an d w ill be bu rn e d ; h e re s h e is rais e d in to th e fire as th e Es tablis h m e n t w atch e s im p as s ive ly. Th e p o w e rfu lly co n tro lle d co m p o s itio n -- o p p o s in g d iago n als , ve rtical tre e in th e backgro u n d , p lacin g o f in d ivid u al figu re s , o m in o u s d u s t ( o r s m o ke ) -- is p h o to grap h e d in lo n g s h o t; th o u gh th is "o bje ctifie s ", th e actio n in vo lve s u s d e e p ly. On ly a m as te r w o u ld h ave ch o s e n th is p articu lar m o m e n t fo r h u m an is t co m m e n ts . SC ______________________________________________ Th e m as te rp ie ce o f a ge n iu s o f cin e m a. A s to ry o f p as s io n an d je alo u s y u n d e r th e s h ad o w o f 17th -ce n tu ry re ligio u s fan aticis m an d s u p e rs titio n , it re p re s e n ts n o th in g le s s th an an atte m p t to s u bve rt th e s u bco n s cio u s o f th e vie w e r by a p ro fo u n d p s ych o lo gical p e n e tratio n o f th e m e d ie val valu e s ys te m , its d o gm atis m , re p re s s e d s e xu ality, an d be lie f in w itch craft an d s in . Its d e e p e r s u bve rs io n re s id e s in its lin ge rin g im p licatio n th at th e re al w itch e s w e re n o t th e p o o r s o u ls w h o w e re bu rn e d bu t th e u p righ t, life le s s , d o gm atic "go o d citize n s ", an d th at, o n ce th e s ys te m o f valu e s h ad be e n fu lly in te rn alize d by all, e ve n th e in n o ce n t, h avin g be e n d e n o u n ce d as w itch e s , cam e to be lie ve th e ch arge s th e m s e lve s , as u n d e r Stalin . Stylis tically, th e u s e o f e xte n d e d s ile n ce s an d am bigu ity, th e p o rtrayal o f s tate s o f be in g, an d th e p o e tic in fle ctio n o f th e w h o le p re s age th e m o d e rn cin e m a an d s e t it a s tan d ard o f e xce lle n ce s e ld o m s u rp as s e d . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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N OSFERATU ( F.W . Mu rn au , Ge rm an y, 19 2 2 ) ( F) Th e m is s h ap e n e ars an d s ku ll, th e s tarin g e ye s an d p ro tru d in g te e th , th e ch alk-w h ite face , th e claw -like fin ge rs , an d o p e n , gre e d y m o u th : n o m atte r h o w h ard w e try, w e can n o t re m ain u n affe cte d . Mu rn au 's m as te rp ie ce u s e s te rro r-fille d im age s , an gle s , an d s ym bo ls to h e igh te n p s ych o lo gical te n s io n . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E BIG SH AVE ( Martin Sco rs e s e , U SA, 19 6 7) To th e liftin g acco m p an im e n t o f a p o p u lar s o n g o f th e 3 0 s , th is "brie f Am e rican n igh tm are " s h o w s a yo u n g m an s h avin g h im s e lf e ve r m o re d ilige n tly bu t care le s s ly, u n til, am o n g n icks an d cu ts an d in cre as in g blo o d , h e fin ally cu ts h is th ro at an d e xp ire s in a ro o m fu ll o f blo o d . A n o t-s o -s e cre t attack o n bo u rge o is n o rm ality. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VILLAGE OF TH E D AMN ED ( W o lf Rilla, Gre at Britain , 19 6 0 ) A p o p u lar, fo re ve r te rrifyin g d e vice o f fictio n : e vil w h e re w e e xp e ct in n o ce n ce . In th is s ign ifican t h o rro r film , a m ys te rio u s fo rce p aralys e s an e n tire village an d th e n im p re gn ate s its w o m e n w h o th e n brin g fo rth e m o tio n le s s m o n s te rs . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BITTER GRAPES ( Rich ard Bartle tt, U SA, 19 6 8 ) Th is black co m e d y co n tain s cin e m a's m o s t co m p le te ly d is gu s tin g fo o d o rgy, as a m an ( as s is te d by a fake n u n ) go rge s h im s e lf in to a s e m i-co m ato s e s tate , vo m its w h ate ve r h e e ats , an d fin ally co llap s e s in to h is e xcre tio n s in a cle an s in g o f bo d y an d s o u l. An e xtre m e , fu lly acco m p lis h e d w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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D IABOLIQU E ( H e n ri Ge o rge s Clo u zio t, Fran ce , 19 55) ( F) H o w s im p le it is to s care u s ! "All" o n e h as to d o , it s e e m s , is to h ave th e h e ro in e o p e n h e r e ye s w id e as if in frigh t. In o n e o f th e m o s t h o rrifyin g film s e ve r m ad e , th e te rro r-s tricke n m u rd e re s s d is co ve rs th at th e re is n o tu rn in g back in h e r s e arch to d is co ve r if th e h u s ban d s h e h as m u rd e re d can p o s s ibly be alive . Th e e n tire co m p o s itio n ce n te rs o n h e r te rrifie d e ye s , an d is re in fo rce d by h e r p lacin g again s t th e ve rticals o f th e d o o rfram e an d th e p o s itio n o f h e r arm s an d h an d s . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E FIRE W ALKERS ( AN ASTEN ARIA) ( Ro u s s o s Co n d o u ro s , Gre e ce , 19 6 1) Th is w id e ly acclaim e d e th n o lo gical film re co rd s a trad itio n al Gre e k rite w h ich , n o w Ch ris tian ize d , go e s back to th e an cie n t Orp h ic Mys te rie s o f Th race : w alkin g bare fo o t o n bu rn in g ch arco al w ith o u t p ain o r bu rn in g. "On e o f th e rare , p e rfe ctly au th e n tic film re co rd s o f p o s s e s s io n ; n o th in g w as s im u late d ; o f in e s tim able valu e in th e h is to ry o f re ligio n s " ( U N ESCO) As w e "actu ally" s e e p articip an ts go th ro u gh th e rite s o f p re p aratio n , an d th e n w alk le is u re ly o ve r th e h o t co als , w e re act in w o n d e r an d co n fu s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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ON IBABA ( Kan e to Sh in d o , Jap an , 19 6 4 ) ( F) In a tim e o f w ar an d re vo lu tio n , tw o s tarvin g w o m e n live by m u rd e rin g an d ro bbin g d e s e rtin g s o ld ie rs . Th e re is a h o rrifyin g s ce n e in vo lvin g a co rp s e s ' m as k w h ich , w o rn by th e ro bbe r, can n o t be re m o ve d ; a h am m e r is n e ce s s ary. A ve ry p o te n t ble n d o f m e tap h ys ical h o rro r an d o u ts p o ke n s e x p e rvad e s th is bizarre w o rk. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GOOD MORN IN G ( OH AYO) ( Yas u jiro Oza, Jap an , 19 6 0 ) ( F) It is s u rp ris in g to co n n e ct th e ap p are n tly ge n tle , p acific Ozu w ith th e bre akin g o f a tabo o . H o w e ve r, in th is , ( h is 4 9 th film !) , a qu ie t s atire o n Jap an e s e s u bu rbia an d W e s te rn izatio n , th e re is a p lo t e le m e n t u n th in kable in W e s te rn cin e m a u n til Fe rrari's 19 73 La Gr a n d Bo u ffe : an e labo rate , n o is y ru n n in g gag -- e n co u rage d by th e e atin g o f p u m ice s to n e s -- in vo lvin g a ch ild re n 's gam e o f fartin g th ro u gh o u t th e film . It is libe ratin g to lau gh re p e ate d ly at th is gag an d , in fact, to lo o k fo rw ard to it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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REPU LSION ( Ro m an Po lan s ki, Gre at Britain , 19 6 5) ( F) As o n e w atch e s th is e xe rcis e in s e xu al p s ych o s is , o n e be gin s to d re ad its p ro gre s s . Fo r Po lan s ki p lays o n e m o tio n s to o d e e p to s u s tain co m fo rtably; a h e ro in e w h o carrie s a d e cayin g an im al carcas s in h e r bag, vo m its w h e n s m e llin g h e r u n d e rw e ar, an d is attacke d by h an d s e m e rgin g fro m th e w alls ( h e re s e e n in a p ro d u ctio n s till) . U ltim ate ly, to d e fe n d h e rs e lf, s h e m u s t m u rd e r. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H ERE COMES EVERY BOD Y ( Jo h n W h itm o re , U SA, 19 72 ) ( F) A s e rie s o f m o vin g an d re ve alin g e p is o d e s fro m D r. W illiam Sch u tz's ( "Jo y") fam e d e n co u n te r s e s s io n s at Califo rn ia's Es ale n In s titu te . As th e p articip an ts , clo th e d o r n o t, act o u t th e ir fe ars an d aggre s s io n s , a tin y p o rtio n o f "th e m ys te ry" is te m p o rarily re ve ale d to u s am id s t th e m o s t co p io u s flo o d o f te ars e ve r s e e n in a s in gle film ; h o w m u ch s ad n e s s an d n e e d fo r w arm th th e re is in u s , an d h o w as s id u o u s ly film m ake rs u s u ally avo id re al te ars , an u n ackn o w le d ge d tabo o o f cin e m a.

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___________________________________________________________________________________________

PIGPEN ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Fran ce / Italy, 19 6 9 ) In an am bigu o u s , m e d ie val d e s e rt, a m an craze d by h u n ge r tu rn s to can n ibalis m , as d o o th e rs . A s e ve re d h e ad is a p ro fo u n d ly fo rbid d e n im age in cin e m a, th e m o re s o in th is co n te xt. Th e m an an d h is victim are alre ad y e n te rin g th e grain y te xtu re o f th e all-d e vo u rin g lan d s cap e . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E H OU SE IS BLACK ( Fo ro o gh Farro kh zad , Iran , 19 6 3 ) An o th e r tabo o s u bje ct e n te rs th e cin e m a w ith th is p o e tic an d bitte r glan ce at le p e rs , livin g in e n fo rce d id le n e s s an d im p ris o n m e n t in a le p ro s ariu m . Th e co m m e n tary co n s is ts o f m o n tage o f Old Te s tam e n t te xts an d a d e tach e d , m e d ical e xp lan atio n . Th e film w as d ire cte d by Iran 's fo re m o s t m o d e rn w o m an p o e t w h o live d w ith th e le p e rs fo r a m o n th to cre ate th is te rrifyin g, d e e p ly h u m an is t s tate m e n t. Th e s tre am o f m u tilatio n s o f th e h u m an bo d y -- an d o u r frigh te n e d re s p o n s e , w h ich m ay be m o re s e lf-id e n tificatio n th an e m p ath y -- m ake s u s re p e ate d ly ave rt o u r glan ce fro m w h at w e kn o w e xis ts bu t can n o t face . ___________________________________________________________________________________________ 5/19/2007 12:35 PM

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VALI ( Sh e ld o n an d D ian e Rach lin , U SA, 19 6 5) A m o d e rn w itch in h e r lair. Th is e n tire bizarre w o rk is "carrie d " by th e ch aris m atic p re s e n ce o f its s tar, w h o live s in Italy as a re clu s e w ith a d o n ke y, a fo x, five d o gs , an d a h u s ban d , e n gage s in in can tatio n s , an d tatto o s h e rs e lf an d o th e rs . A ro m an tic atte m p t at re affirm in g a life s tyle o f fre e d o m an d s e lf-re alizatio n in an in s an e w o rld . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN AU GU RATION OF TH E PLEASU RE D OME ( Ke n n e th An ge r, U SA, 19 57) Th is film is a s tu d y in black m agic, a s tartlin g an d m acabre e vo catio n o f an o ccu lt ritu al; th e co n vo catio n o f th e Th e u rgis ts an d En ch an tre s s e s ; th e Fe e d in g o f th e Id o l, th e In can tatio n s , th e Ce re m o n ie s o f Co n s u m m atio n . A lu xu rian t, baro qu e o d d ity in th e trad itio n o f d e cad e n t art, th is w icke d film is a tribu te to Ale is te r Cro w le y, s e lf-s tyle d Mas te r Magickian o f th e 2 0 s , lo vin gly p e rfo rm e d by h is latte r-d ay Am e rican d is cip le s . An ge r's e le gan t, lu xu rian tly s e d itio u s im age ry an d e xo tic im agin atio n s tam p th is as a brillian t w o rk o f black art, co n firm in g th e film m ake r as o n e o f th e tru e s u bve rs ive ico n o clas ts o f th e cin e m a. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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TH E D ECAMERON ( Pie r Pao lo Pas o lin i, Italy/ Fran ce / W e s t Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) In th e co m m e rcial cin e m a, w e are n e ve r e ve n e xp o s e d to h in ts o f h u m an e xcre m e n t; h e re , th e h e ro is in u n d ate d by it. In s e arch o f an e ro tic ad ve n tu re -- th e s to ry is take n fro m Bo ccaccio -- h e h as be e n cru e lly s e n t in to a trap . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LOOK AT LIFE ( N ich o las Go s lin g, Gre at Britain , 19 6 9 ) "An in s igh t in to m atte rs an d e ve n ts o fte n take n fo r gran te d " -- an d n e ve r s e e n in th e cin e m a; th e p ro tago n is ts o f th is w ild , s u rre al w o rk vo m it re p e ate d ly an d actu ally w h ile be in g p h o to grap h e d . Eve n th e be au tifu l m ain title s are acco m p an ie d by th e s o u n d s ap p ro p riate to th e s u bje ct. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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W ARREN D ALE ( Allan Kin g, Can ad a, 19 6 6 ) ( F) A s ce n e fro m o n e o f th e m o s t ap p allin g film s e ve r m ad e , p h o to grap h e d e n tire ly in a h o m e fo r e m o tio n ally d is tu rbe d ad o le s ce n ts . Th is s ce n e p o rtrays o n e o f th e tabo o s o f cin e m a -- re al ( n o t fictio n al) te ars . Bo th BBC an d Can ad ian te le vis io n re fu s e d to s h o w th e film as "to o h arro w in g". SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LE SAN G ( BLOOD ) ( Je an -D an ie l Po lle t, Fran ce , 19 71) ( F) An ap o calyp tic vis io n o f m an afte r a co s m ic catas tro p h e , th is film is a te rrifyin g m e tap h o r o f a d e h u m an ize d fu tu re . Th e Brazilian Cin e m a N o v o , Ge rm an e xp re s s io n is m o f th e 2 0 s , an d th e id e o lo gically m o tivate d "cru e lty" o f a Bu n u e l co m e to ge th e r in th is fe ro cio u s w o rk o f a Fre n ch th e atre co lle ctive -- an am bitio u s , alm o s t co m p le te ly s u cce s s fu l e xam p le o f vis u al cin e m a at its be s t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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LES VAMPIRES ( Lo u is Fe u illad e , Fran ce , 19 15) ( F) Th e gu id in g s p irit o f a s e cre t crim e s yn d icate in th e m o s t fam o u s cin e m a s e rial o f all tim e , righ tfu lly claim e d as th e ir o w n by th e s u rre alis ts . A s ix-h o u r o rgy o f e vil, co n s tan t s u rp ris e s , m as ke d s h ap e ly crim in als in le o tard s clim bin g ve rtical w alls an d e s cap in g fro m im p o s s ible s itu atio n s ; an an ti-e s tablis h m e n t p aro xys m w ith large r p h ilo s o p h ical o ve rto n e s . Th e s u d d e n e ru p tio n o f o rgan ize d e vil in to bo u rge o is s o cie ty is s tran ge ly co n te m p o rary. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SATU RD AY MORN IN G ( Ke n t Macke n zie , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) Iro n ically, it s e e m s e as ie r n o w ad ays to s e e film s o f d o cu m e n tary s e x th an o f d o cu m e n tary te ars ( u n d o u bte d ly be cau s e th e fo rm e r is m o re e n jo yabh le to w ach th an th e latte r) ; th is w o rk, s o fu ll o f re al te ars o f s e lf-re alizatio n an d h e alin g, re d re s s e s th e balan ce , u n e xp e cte d ly tu rn in g in to a cle an s in g, libe ratin g e xp e rie n ce , n e ith e r d e p re s s in g n o r e xh ibitio n is tic. Th is is a cin e m a o f e xp e rie n ce rath e r th an e n te rtain m e n t. Th e film m ake r, a p ro d u ct o f th e Am e rican d o cu m e n tary m o ve m e n t, p lace s 2 0 Califo rn ia ad o le s ce n ts in a w e e k-lo n g th e rap y s e ttin g in a ru ral re tre at; all actio n is s p o n tan e o u s . Afte r a s e rie s o f in n o cu o u s in te rch an ge s , m o re d ifficu lt are as are to u ch e d ; a girl, calle d u p o n to s trike h e r "m o th e r" ( acte d by an o th e r m e m be r o f th e gro u p ) , can n o t d o s o in a p o ign an t m o m e n t o f im p o te n t h e s itatio n , an d bu rs ts in to te ars ; an o th e r girl re alize s th at s h e acce p ts all vie w p o in ts be cau s e s h e h e rs e lf h as n o n e ; a bo y d is co ve rs , am o n g p ro lo n ge d

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s o bbin g, th at o n e is u ltim ate ly alo n e . Th e s w e e t in n o ce n ce o f s e x, d is p laye d by s o m e , is re ve ale d as re p re s s io n ; s e e m in gly re al e xp e rie n ce s e m e rge as frau d s . At th e e n d a black girl, w h o n e ve r gave lo ve be cau s e s h e n e ve r re ce ive d an y, fin ally lap s e s in to a s ile n ce o f s e lf-re alizatio n s o to tal th at it s tu n s . Fo r s tayin g w ith h e r face an d e n d in g th e film in th is m an n e r, w e m u s t th an k a s e n s itive film m ake r. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

IN VASION OF TH E BOD Y SN ATCH ERS ( D o n Sie ge l, U SA, 19 56 ) Th e u s u rp atio n o f h u m an m in d s by m ys te rio u s d o u ble s fro m o u te r s p ace be co m e s a p ro -h u m an is t s tate m e n t in th is clas s ic o f h o rro r w h ich d e p e n d s alm o s t e n tire ly o n in n u e n d o e s an d "e m an atio n s ". An attack o n s m ilin g co n fo rm is ts an d u n p rin cip le d co llabo rato rs , a d is tru s t o f n o rm alcy an d ap p e aran ce p e rm e ats th is s tran ge ly p o litical w o rk. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LA TARAN TA ( Gian fran co Me n go zzi, Italy, 19 6 1) Th is is n o t a s u rre alis t film , bu t a u n iqu e e th n o lo gical re co rd o f th e s e izu re s an d m an iacal d an ce s o f Italian p e as an t w o m e n in re ligio u s e cs tas y; th e p ro gre s s io n o f n o n -ratio n al acts u ltim ate ly s u bve rts th e n o tio n o f a cle arly in te lligible u n ive rs e . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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FREAKS ( To d Bro w n in g, U SA, 19 3 2 ) ( F) Ou r p rim itive fe ar o f th e d e fo rm e d an d th e abn o rm al is d e e p ly to u ch e d in o n e o f H o llyw o o d 's rare "film s n o ir" -- a m acabre tale w h ich rais e s th e vie w e r's d is qu ie t to th e le ve l o f an xie ty. H e re Sch litzie , th e fam o u s "p in h e ad ", ap p e ars in h e r "m ajic act". SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM ( W arre n H aack, U SA, 19 70 ) On e o f th e m o s t s h o ckin g d o cu m e n tary film s e ve r m ad e . A yo u n g an ti-w ar Am e rican , to avo id th e d raft, calm ly aim s a rifle at h is fo o t an d s h o o ts . Fo r s e ve ral e n d le s s m in u te s , h e th ras e s abo u t th e flo o r in u n be arable p ain , in h is o w n blo o d . Th e film in g co n tin u e s . "Th e re w as n o atte m p t to alte r th e p ro ce e d in gs th at to o k p lace ." ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VAMPYR ( Carl Th e o d o r D re ye r, D e n m ark, 19 3 1) ( F) Fo rm an d co n te n t are fu s e d in th is h allu cin ato ry atte m p t to fo rce u s in to th e o p p re s s ive h o rro rs o f a w o rld d o m in ate d by vam p ire s . As th e h e ro s e arch e s fo r glim p s e s o f ratio n ality an d u n d e rs tan d in g, e ve n o rd in ary s u rro u n d in gs are tran s fo rm e d in to an xie ty-rid d e n s ym bo ls ; n o o n e w h o h as s e e n th is film w ill e ve r fo rge t th e s e m ys te rio u s s h ad o w s an d ch ain s . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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VAMPYR ( Carl Th e o d o r D re ye r, D e n m ark, 19 3 1) ( F) A farm e r ad vis in g th e fe rry "o n th e o th e r s id e " th at h e is re ad y to bo ard it, be co m e s th e bas ic im age o f d e ath . Th e s e ve re co m p o s itio n -- ve rtical co u n te rbalan ce d by o p p o s in g p airs o f p aralle l d iago n als -is typ ical o f D re ye r's ge n iu s . To be co m e u n ive rs al, th e figu re , ap p ro p riate ly, m u s t re m ain an o n ym o u s . SC

TH E SU BTERRAN EAN COLLECTION FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART: MAIN INDEX SUBTERRANEAN CINEMA

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

W OOD STOCK ( Mich ae l W ad le igh an d Bo b Mau rice , U SA, 19 70 ) ( F) So m e d ay, W o o d s to ck 19 6 8 w ill be ce le brate d as th e firs t o f m an y m an ife s tatio n s o f a m o re h u m an s o cie ty ye t to co m e . Fo r, d e s p ite th e w ails o f th e ir e ld e rs , it re p re s e n te d th e as p iratio n s o f a d e fian tly ro m an tic co u n te r-m o ve m e n t, w ith ro ck -- its o w n m u s ic -- e xp re s s in g th e n e w life s tyle . Th is s till re fle cts it: cas u al d is o rd e r, n o n -co n fo rm is m , a n e w attire , a clo s e n e s s to n atu re , in fo rm ality -- an d lo ve . A ro m an tic, u to p ian , an d n e ce s s ary vis io n if m an is to s u rvive . SC

COU N TERCU LTU RE AN D AVAN T-GARD E The decade of the 60s has seen the beginning of a new kind of

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subversion w hich, despite its smiling gentleness and all-accepting love, may possibly constitute a grave and comprehensive threat to organized society. I t is possible that future generations w ill view the rise of the Counterculture movement -- Woodstock, the Beatles, Zen Buddhism, the flow er children, communes, and free schools -- as the beginning of the new radical politics of the latter 20th century. For here the young have declared their independence from received w isdom and "immutable" patterns ( such as competitiveness, violence, and the desire for bourgeois living) , creating their "alternative lifestyles" w ith a gusto and consistency that unites -- as does the avant-garde in art -- form and content and hence becomes doubly dangerous. Those w ho mistakenly believe that the setbacks this movement has suffered and the relative "quietitude" of the bodypolitic signal its end have many surprises in store; for the causes that originally triggered the youth and student revolution -unbridled technology, depersonalization, the coldness of the computer age, the boredom of affluent consumer society, the insipidness of the rat-race -- continue to exist in increasingly threatening forms and w ill, in turn, engender new oppositional w aves. The brave and innocent attempts of this counterculture to reintegrate man w ith nature and his fellow s, to return "flow ers" and "love" to the arena of human discourse, to proclaim acceptance of all that exists and the oneness of individual and cosmos, do not represent a romantic return to Rousseau, but an imperative necessity if man is for the first time to recognize himself as such so as to survive. I n their driving rock music, their sensitivity sessions, their experiments w ith mind-expanding drugs, their gentleness and avoidance of pow er; in their acceptance of sexuality in all its forms, their striving for full equality of the sexes, their rejection of profit motive and socially useless w ork; in their opposition to w ar and injustice, their love-ins and gay liberation fronts, their extraordinarily beautiful new attires, hair styles, beads and new modes of speech, they have turned their backs on society as now organized and are groping their w ay tow ards a new type of communal or at least "related" group living located at the opposite pole of bourgeois individualism. I n fact, this movement has been unique in combining the social zeal of the political radicals w ith a full-scale attack on their bourgeois valuesystem, including their moribund puritanism and interest in privilege and pow er. There are failures and pitfalls as the ideology, no longer contained in ossified political documents, is being evolved w hile it is being lived. There are defeats and there w ill be more, since these new gentle fighters are as yet pow erless and may, in fact, never succeed in turning society around. But the attempt is being made -- in the West as w ell as the East, as 1968 proved. The movement constitutes the first attempt to integrate the w orld of Einstein, Freud, and Marx into a consistent w hole and to relate the mysticism of the East and of Norman O. Brow n and Laing w ith a rationalism that know s its limitations. I t is Marcuse's historic attempt to integrate psycho-analysis and Marxism, Eros, and political struggle that has placed him in a leading position in a movement that no longer accepts the need 5/19/2007 12:35 PM

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for leaders, but, like Rosa Luxemburg, considers their historical task to be to make themselves unnecessary. I f w e seem to have come to the end of the period of 1968, it is only the end of a first chapter, w ith the evolution of these ideologies to be reassumed on a higher level at a later time. I t is particularly their much maligned "cosmic" attitude that corresponds so precisely to man's now more clearly recognizable position w ithin an infinite, monstrously indifferent, magically challenging universe. The idiocies of national sovereignty, relics of an earlier stage of humanity's development, must make w ay not only for w orld citizenship -and the abolition of national w ars -- but for citizenship in the cosmos. This is Einstein's ultimate and most revolutionary message to future generations. This realization of the "cosmic" is possibly the central core of the movement and comes from the most disparate and unexpected sources; "Thre is a certain point for the mind", said Andre Breton in his Second Surrealist Manifesto of 1930, "from w hich life and death, the real and the imaginary, the past and the future, the communicable and the incommunicable, the high and the low cease being perceived as contradiction. ( 1) William I rw in Thompson, in his At the Edge of History, refers to the rise of a new "planetary consciousness" and this is certainly manifested in the science fiction novels of Olaf Stapleton, Ray Bradbury, C.S. Lew is, and Arthur C. Clarke; Buckminster Fuller's philosophical-poetic realization of earth as a spaceship travelling through the cosmos; Shklovskii and Sagan's I ntelligent Life in the Universe ; ( 2) and the utterly fantastic yet highly scientific studies and speculations by the w orld's leading cosmologists in A.G.W. Cameron's I nterstellar Communication . ( 3) I t connects w ith an acceptance of death as part of cosmic existence going back to Santayana's statement that "He w ho, w hile he lives, lives in the eternal, does not live longer for that reason. Duration has merely dropped from his view ; he is not aw are of or anxious about it; and death, w ithout losing its reality, has lost its sting. The sublimation of his interest rescues him, so far as it goes, from the mortality w hich he accepts and surveys." ( 4) I t also relates to the memorable passage in Hesse's Demian , in w hich oceanic consciousness is portrayed in poetic terms: "The surrender to nature's irrational, strangely confused formations produces in us a feeling of inner harmony w ith the force responsible for these phenomenon ... the boundaries separating us from nature begin to quiver and dissolve ... w e are unable to decide w hether the images on our retina are the result of impressions coming from w ithout or from w ithin ... w e discover to w hat extent w e are creative, to w hat extent our soul partakes of the constant creation of the w orld. ( 5) I t is too simple to characterize this attitude -- w hich, like that of the oriental mystics, invokes sex and orgasm as a means tow ard the achievement of the "oceanic feeling of non-existence and loss of personal identity" ( 6) -- as a mere return to religiosity and anti-rationalism; instead; it attempts to reunite man in all his polarities and to undo the separation of mind and feeling. The basic intention of subversive cinema -- the subversion of consciousness -is now attempted in films that experiment w ith new forms and contents and aim not to humor the view er but to involve him. They may range from simple documentations of the new lifestyles or communes to personal declarations of faith and to the most original evocations of the new values. As usual, it is

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the international film avant-garde that takes the lead, and those marginal w orks of the commercial cinema that at times come close to it. The avantgarde offers no solutions or programmatic statements, but a series of intricate challenges, hints, and coded messages, subverting both form and content. I n this fundamental sense, it is by definition both an aesthetic and a political movement. I ts achievement lies in its continuing and inevitable creating "desecration" of the medium, leaving nothing undisturbed, taking nothing for granted. I n its w orks, film is sacked, atomized, caressed, and possessed in a frenzy of passionate love; neither emulsion, exposure, lighting, film speed, or developing, nor rules of editing, camera movement, composition, or sound, are safe from the onslaught of the poets w ho have irrevocably invaded the cinema. By restoring the primacy of the visual element, this movement brings us face to face w ith the essence of the medium, this inexplicable mystery of the image. I ts god is Eisenstein rather than Shakespeare. The literary origin and form of commercial cinema -- tied to narrative structures and naturalistic soundtracks, to w hich the images are subsidiary -- is discarded. I f, in Hans Richter's w ords, contemporary commercial cinema represents a 19th century realist art, l that of the counterculture is a desperate attempt to break through to our time.

REFERENCES (1) Andre Breton, quoted in Age of Surrealism, 1960 (2) I.S. Scklovskii and Carl Sagan, Intelligent Life in the Universe, 1968 (3) A.G.W. Cameron, Interstellar Communication, 1963 (4) Walter Sullivan, We Are Not Alone, 1964 (5) Herman Hesse, Demien, 1969 (6) Alex Comfort, Darwin and the Naked Lady, 1961

FILMS ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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JOU RN EY TO BOSCAVIA ( Bo s c, Fran ce , 19 6 0 ) As u s u al, it is th e n o n co n fo rm is t w h o h as th e be s t id e as . In th is an ti-m ilitaris t an im atio n , th e Fre n ch carto o n is t Bo s c an ticip ate s th e flo w e r ge n e ratio n . Th e o u ts id e r is th e o n ly o n e w h o d is p lays a h u m an e m o tio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

ALLU RES ( Jo rd an Be ls o n , U SA, 19 6 1) On e o f th e m o s t ravis h in g abs tract an im atio n s by th e m as te r o f "co s m ic" cin e m a, th is film p u ls ate s w ith co n ce n tric, e xp lo d in g m an d ala-like fo rm s -- co n tin u al in tim atio n s o f a p an th e is t u n ive rs e an d o f all m atte r an d fo rm s flo w in g e n d le s s lyin to e ach o th e r. Th e o th e r-w o rld ly im age s are artis tic tran s fo rm atio n s o f actu al, ye t u n re co gn izable o bje cts . Pe ace , acce p tan ce , o n e n e s s is th e im p licit m e s s age . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

APOTH EOSIS ( Jo h n Le n n o n , Gre at Britain , 19 70 ) In a s n o w y lan d s cap e , th e cam e ra p u lls back s lo w ly to re ve al Yo ko On o an d Jo h n Le n n o n in th e s qu are o f a little ru s tic to w n ; it co n tin u e s re tre atin g an d s im u ltan e o u s ly ris in g in to th e s ky,m o u n te d o n a ballo o n th at re m ain s in vis ible th ro u gh o u t. D o gs bark, th e re are vo ice s . Th e s u rro u n d in gs o f th e to w n co m e in to vie w , th e n a p an o ram a o f th e e n tire re gio n ; s u d d e n ly, blan kn e s s fo r five m in u te s -- an u n be arably lo n g p e rio d in th e cin e m a. W h e n all h o p e is go n e , th e s cre e n bu rs ts in to a p in k e xp lo s io n o f s ky, s u n , an d clo u d to p s ; th e cam e ra h ad ris e n

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( in re al, n o t s cre e n tim e ) th ro u gh an e n o rm o u s clo u d ban d , an d h ad p as s e d , by m e an s o f m in im al art, fro m s e p arate n e s s to o n e n e s s w ith th e w o rld , "ris in g in to h e ave n " in a be au tifu lly ro m an tic, p u re ly vis u al m e tap h o r o f s p iritu al as ce n s io n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BED AN D SOFA ( TRETYA MESH CH AN SKAYA) ( Abram Ro o m , U SSR, 19 2 7) A w h iff o f co u n te rcu ltu re o ve rh an gs o n e o f th e m o s t ch arm in gly h u m an is tic s tills o f th e e arly So vie t cin e m a; a tru ly "live d -in " ro o m , fille d w ith p ictu re s , p lan ts , th e d is o rd e r o f p as s io n , th e w arm th an d s o ftn e s s o f th e co u p le , h e ad s in d e licio u s co u n te rp o in t to th e ir u n io n , a p re tty kn e e im p u d e n tly p ro tru d in g. Equ ally u n o rth o d o x w as th e film 's p o rtrayal o f ve ry in fo rm al s e x m o re s in e arly So vie t Ru s s ia. ______________________________________________ Th is alm o s t le ge n d ary "lo s t" m as te rp ie ce o f th e So vie t cin e m a, h am p e re d by its s u bje ct m atte r, h as s u ffe re d fro m e ve n m o re re s tricte d circu latio n th an o th e r Ru s s ian film s . A m as te rp ie ce o f p s ych o lo gical re alis m , its s e xu al trian gle ( cau s e by th e p o s t-re vo lu tio n ary h o u s in g s h o rtage ) in vo lve d h u s ban d an d lo ve r ch an gin g p lace o n be d an d s o fa, u n til th e p re gn an t w o m an , tire d o f m ale ch au van is m , d e cid e s to le ave th e m bo th . Th e film is u n iqu e in its e m p h as is o n th e in d ivid u al rath e r th an clas s an d its p o rtrayal o f u n co n ve n tio n al s e xu al m o re s in e arly So vie t Ru s s ia; it re fle cts , in its an ti-p u ritan ical

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h u m an is m , th e atm o s p h e re o f th e e arly re vo lu tio n ary d ays far m o re accu rate ly th an s o m e o f th e large -s cale p ro p agan d is t w o rks o f th e p e rio d . En tire ly in co n gru o u s ly, bu t in acco rd w ith Stalin 's n e w p o licy, it co n tain s a cru d e an ti-abo rtio n m e s s age . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH E IN CRED IBLE SH RIN KIN G MAN ( Jack Arn o ld , U SA, 19 57) ( F) Clo s e -u p s can be d e ce p tive : th is m an is abo u t an in ch tall an d le an s again s t th e w ire m e s h o f a s m all cas e m e n t w in d o w . H avin g co n tin u o u s ly s h ru n k th ro u gh o u t th is h au n tin g film an d s u rvive d a th o u s an d cris e s , h e n o w s e e m s re ad y fo r a h ap p y e n d ; it co m e s , bu t in a w ay th at h as m ad e th is w o rk a m e m o rable cu lt film o f th e n e w p an th e is ts ; fo r, s h rin kin g fu rth e r an d lite rally d is ap p e arin g in to th e ve ge tatio n o u ts id e , th e m an at las t u n d e rs tan d s th at h e gain e d fre e d o m o n ly by be co m in g s m all e n o u gh to p as s th ro u gh th e p re vio u s ly im p re gn able w ire ; an d th at -- by s h rin kin g in to "n o th in gn e s s " -- h e is n o w to be o n e w ith all th at e xis ts . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

BREATH IN G TOGETH ER: REVOLU TION OF TH E ELECTRIC FAMILY ( Mo rle y Marks o n , Can ad a, 19 70 ) ( F)

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Th is im p o rtan t id e o lo gical co m m e n t o n th e rad ical Am e rican yo u th cu ltu re e m bo d ie s its valu e s e ve n in s tru ctu re an d s tyle . A m o s t cre ative ly e d ite d m o n tage o f th e "s tru ggle be tw e e n life an d d e ath cu ltu re in Am e rica", it m in gle s Alle n Gin s be rg, Bu ckm in s te r Fu lle r, Abbie H o ffm an , an d Jo h n Le n n o n w ith n e w s re e ls , s u blim in al e ffe cts , d o cto re d TV im age s , th e A-bo m b, th e Ch icago Trial, th e m atrix o f th e n e w ge n e ratio n 's s e n s ibility -- to cre ate a "p s ych e d e lic" e qu atio n o f fact an d m e tap h ys ics , its e lf an e xp re s s io n o f Co n s cio u s n e s s III an d th e n e w p o litical p o e try. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

H ARRY MU N TER ( Kje ll Gre d e , Sw e d e n , 19 6 9 ) A p o w e rfu l, p o e tic im age : th e m ys te ry o f black again s t w h ite , o f an o u ts id e r w alkin g o n th e w ate r, o n s tilts , Ch ris tlike , s tu bbo rn , th e te n s io n o f h is fo rw ard -le an in g bo d y re fle ctin g h is d e te rm in atio n . Th is , in d e e d , is th e to p ic o f th is in te n s e lym ys te rio u s , lyrical film , o n e o f th e m o s t o rigin al an d d is re gard e d w o rks o f co n te m p o rary cin e m a. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

CO-CO PU FFS ( Ira W o h l, U SA, 19 72 ) Th e u n like ly -- an d alie n -- s u bje ct o f a d e taile d d ru m le s s o n be co m e s a ce le bratio n o f co u n te rcu ltu re valu e s as ( w ith o u t be in g s u bje cte d to "e xp lan atio n s " o r "e d ito rializin g") , w e d is co ve r th e p ain fu l p ro ce s s o f le arn in g, th e in e vitable failu re s ,

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th e u ltim ate triu m p h an d th e p o w e r re latio n be tw e e n te ach e r an d tau gh t. An o rigin al an d co n s cio u s n e s s ch an gin g m e s s age fro m a w o rld s o o d d w e n e ve r kn e w w e co u ld le arn to care abo u t it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FAMILY ( H u be rt Sm ith , U SA, 19 71) Mad e fo r th e N atio n al In s titu te o f Me n tal H e alth as a vie w o f th e p atte rn s an d in te ractio n o f a m id d le -clas s fam ily, th is be au tifu l cin e m a ve rite s tu d y, in its co n ce n tratio n o n a p articu lar life s tyle an d e m p h as is o n n o n -ve rbal, u n co n s cio u s be h avio r, p ro vid e s far m o re : a vie w o f a re laxe d , d e m o cratic fam ily in actio n , in w h ich n e ith e r s id e claim s p e rfe ctio n , an d all p e rfo rm as frie n d s in an e te rn al circle o f w arm th an d lo ve . Th e n o n -au th o ritarian attitu d e s , th e s p o n tan e o u s an d re p e ate d to u ch in g an d h u ggin g, th e abs e n ce o f co m p e titive n e s s an d s trife are ge n tle in d icatio n s o f th e n e w s e n s ibility. Sign ifican t m o m e n ts o f u n co n s cio u s bo d ily co n tact are s lo w e d d o w n an d th e n fro ze n in brillian t vis u al co m m e n t. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

'

TH E FLOW ERS OF ST. FRAN CIS ( Ro be rto Ro s s e llin i, Italy, 19 50 ) ( F) Early p ro p o n e n ts o f th e co u n te rcu ltu re : St. Fran cis an d h is fo llo w e rs re tu rn to n atu re , s im p licity an d p o ve rtyin Ro s s e llin i's n e gle cte d m as te rp ie ce o f th e h u m an is t cin e m a w h ich p o rtrays s u btle , h au n tin g e p is o d e s in th e life o f a fe rve n t an d in n o ce n t s e e ke r. Sce n ario by Ro s s e llin i an d Fe llin i. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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FATA MORGAN A ( W e rn e r H e rzo g, Ge rm an y, 19 70 ) ( F) Film s are n o w e m e rgin g fro m Ge rm an y th at re ve al, p e rh ap s fo r th e firs t tim e , th e tru e s tate o f m in d o f a co u n try th at h as u n d e rgo n e fas cis m , to tal w ar, d e s tru ctio n , an d kille d its Je w s ; th e s e film s m ay be co n s id e re d e xam p le s o f a n e w , co m p le x h u m an is m tatto o e d -- fo r a ch an ge -- o n th e s kin s o f s h e ll-s h o cke d , p s ych o lo gically m aim e d Aryan s . Su ch a film is Fa t a M o r g a n a ( cru e lly d is re gard e d by critics ) , w h ich m ay s o m e d ay be vie w e d as Th e Ca b in e t o f D r . Ca lig a r i o f th e N e w Ge rm an Cin e m a w ith its d e claratio n o f in d e p e n d e n ce fro m th e o ld , an d s h e d d in g o f bo th th e co m m e rcial film an d im itative avan t-gard e . Fa t a M o r g a n a is a s ard o n ic, m e lan ch o lic co m m e n t o n m an in th e u n ive rs e , its s u btle an d h allu cin ato ry im age s acco m p an ie d by te xts fro m s acre d 16 th ce n tu ry cre atio n m yth s o f Gu ate m alan In d ian s an d th e 19 70 Ge rm an avan t-gard e . It m o ve s o n a p o e tic, vis u al le ve l, h as n o co n ve n tio n al p lo t, bu t cu n n in gly e m p lo ys th e trap p in gs o f s u rface re ality ( s an d s cap e s , barbe d w ire , in d u s trial d e bris , n ative s th at d o n o t fit th e ir e n viro n s ) to p ro be d e p th s be yo n d s u rre alis m an d m e tap h ys ics . Th e lan d , th o u gh Africa, is a lan d s cap e o f th e m in d , arch e typ al an d e te rn al. Th e im m e n s e , in h u m an gran d e u r o f p rim e val d u n e s cap e s , w ate rs , an d h o rizo n s is cau gh t in s e n s u o u s trave llin g s h o ts re ve alin g m an 's triu m p h an t an d e m p ty rap e o f th e lan d : flam in g re d gird e rs o f aban d o n e d facto rie s in th e m id d le o f d e s e rts , th e ir in itial p u rp o s e u n fath o m able , m as s e s o f aban d o n e d ve h icle s , s te e l p ip e s , barre ls , m ilitary s u p p lie s , ro ttin g s ym bio ticallty w ith an im al cad ave rs in in tim ate , fro ze n fam ily table au x th at m e lt in to th e s o il be fo re o u r e ye s ; e m aciate d black ch ild re n an d s tran ge o ld m e n in m ys te rio u s , p o ve rty-s tricke n h abitats -- all o f th is p e rm e ate d by s an d , n am e le s s d re ad , flie s , an d an in s u ffe rable s u n m ad e vis ible in h e atw ave d is to rtio n s w h ich le n d o bje cts an d "s e ts " a h allu cin ato ry qu ality. "In Parad is e ," s ays th e n arrato r, "m an is bo rn d e ad "; an d H e rzo g re fe rs to H ie ro n ym u s Bo s ch 's "Gard e n o f Earth ly D e ligh ts ": h is p arad is e , to o , co n tain e d Go d 's fatal e rro rs fro m th e s tart ( vis ible o n ly in co rn e rs "s o th at th e p ain te r w o u ld n o t be bran d e d as h e re tic") . Am o n g H e rzo g's id e o lo gical w e ap o n s are abs u rd , bizarre table au x: a d e te rm in e d yo u n g Ge rm an w o m an , s e n s e le s s ly m akin g black ch ild re n re p e at "Blitzkrie g is m ad n e s s " in Ge rm an ( all o f th e m kn e e -d e e p in w ate r) ; a rid icu lo u s fro gm an w ith fin s an d s n o rke l, h o ld in g o n to a h u ge tu rtle w h ile bre ath le s s ly in fo rm in g u s th at it h as flip p e rs to m o ve , a m o u th to take n o u ris h m e n t, an d "a be h in d w h e re it co m e s o u t again "; a s w e atin g, m an iacal lizard -lo ve r ( o bvio u s ly affe cte d by ye ars in th e African s u n ) , h is s qu are -jaw e d Ge rm an vis age d is to rte d be h in d black glas s e s as h e s ad is tically m an ip u late s th e an im al, co m m e n ts o n its h abits , an d atte m p ts to avo id its bite s ( flie s h o ve r o ve r fe s te rin g w o u n d s o n h is h an d s , 5/19/2007 12:35 PM

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in flicte d e arlie r) . Th e s tro n ge s t s e qu e n ce in vo lve s a catato n ic d ru m m e r an d a fe m ale p ian is t o n a tin y s tage in a bro th e l, w h o p e rfo rm like ro bo ts , e n d le s s ly an d o ff-ke y: "In th e Go ld e n Age , m an an d w ife live in h arm o n y", th e co m m e n tato r s ays , as th e y are p h o to grap h - e d h e ad -o n , w ith all th e m e rcifu l cru e lty o f a h u m an is t film m ake r w h o m u s t s h o w e ve ryth in g. At th e e n d , th e y re m ain im m o bile an d th e re is n o ap p lau s e . Stylis tically, th e film co n s is ts o f a s e rie s o f e xte n d e d trave l s h o ts m o vin g alo n g a h o rizo n tal axis , re m in is ce n t in th e ir id e o lo gical in te n s ity o f Go d ard 's W e e k e n d h igh w ay s e qu e n ce ; th e s e are in te rru p te d by s tylize d , fre qu e n tly im m o bile s e t p ie ce s , in w h ich th e alw ays an o n ym o u s p ro tago n is ts ad d re s s th e cam e ra d ire ctly in m e d iu m s h o t o r clo s e -u p . Th e re s u lt is an in te rio r trave lo gu e , an o be s s ive , h yp n o tic, an d ico n o clas tic "co m m e n t" o n te ch n o lo gy, s e n tim e n tality, an d s tu p id ity, fille d w ith e ve ryd ay o bje cts th at re ve al th e ir frigh te n in g s e cre ts ; im age s , cam e ra m o ve m e n ts , an d m o n tage h e w n as if fro m s to n e ; a p o e tic, e p ic m o o d , p e rve rs e ly co rru p te d ( an d h e n ce , e le vate d ) by a s ard o n ic, s u ffe rin g m agician , tre m blin gly aw are o f o u r lim ite d p o s s ibilitie s , o u trage o u s p e rs e ve ran ce an d alm o s t lo vable rid icu lo u s n e s s . W ith th is film , H e rzo g fu lfils th e p ro m is e o f ge n iu s im p licit in h is e arlie r Sig n s o f Life an d Ev e n D w a r fs St a r t e d Sm a ll, p ro gre s s in g to a le ve l o f artis try at o n ce m o re s u bve rs ive an d m o re in acce s s ible ; fo r h e re , w o rkin g s o le ly w ith th e m ate rials o f re ality, th e film m ake r in a co s m ic p u n o n cin e m a ve rite re co ve rs th e m e tap h ys ical be n e ath th e vis ible . It is o n ly in s u ch w o rks th at w e ach ie ve in tim atio n s o f th e rad ical n e w h u m an is m o f th e fu tu re . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

FREE RAD ICALS ( Le n Lye , U SA, 19 57?) "A Fre e Rad ical is a fu n d am e n tal p article o f m atte r w h ich co n tain s th e e n e rgy o f all ch e m ical ch an ge , ve ry m u ch like a co m p re s s e d s p rin g be fo re re le as e . Th e film give s an artis tically s ym bo lic p o rtrayal o f fu n d am e n tal e n e rgy." W ith be au tifu l, e xe m p lary e co n o m y, th is lo n g-n e gle cte d m as te rp ie ce o f an im atio n cre ate s a p e rfe ctly co n tro lle d abs tractio n th at fo re s h ad o w e d th e co n te m p o rary "co s m ic" vie w in its fu s io n o f s cie n ce an d m ys te ry. Th e n e rvo u s , vibratin g, n o n -o bje ctive d e s ign s , u n d e r co n s tan t, agitate d te n s io n , w e re d ire ctly e n grave d o n blan k film -black le ad e r, w ith o u t th e in te rve n tio n o f a cam e ra. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

GLEN AN D RAN D A ( Jim McBrid e , U SA, 19 71) ( F) U n acco u n tably d is re gard e d by critics , th is is a p o is o n e d id yll o f tw o yo u n g p e o p le in an Am e rica d e s tro ye d by

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ato m ic w ar: tu rn p ike s o ve rgro w n by w e e d s , n o m ad s livin g o ff th e d e bris , trave llin g co n -m e n iro n ically h aw kin g fragm e n ts o f a lo s t civilizatio n , an d th e u n be arable s e arch fo r a n e w be gin n in g. Particu larly m o vin g is a s ile n t, re al-tim e s e qu e n ce in w h ich an o ld m an an d a yo u th s tare o u t at an o ce an s u n s e t, lo o kin g fo r a n o n -e xis te n t an s w e r. A p arap h ras e o f th e co u n te rcu ltu re 's s e n s ibilitie s , th e film 's s u bve rs ive p o te n tial lie s in its s traigh tfo rw ard acce p tan ce an d n atu ralis tic p o rtrayal o f th e d e s tru ctibility o f e te rn al Am e rican s ym bo ls ; a d e s tro ye d H o w ard Jo h n s o n 's re s tau ran t is m o re d ifficu lt to take th an n e w s p ap e r article s w arn in g abo u t th e d an ge rs o f ato m ic w ar. SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

A H ARD D AY'S N IGH T ( Rich ard Le s te r, Gre at Britain , 19 6 4 ) ( F) Th e jagge d p atte rn s o f bro ke n glas s d o m in ate th re e o f th e Be atle s in th e ir firs t film . In a p ro p h e tic im age o f th in gs to co m e , Pau l is abs e n t. Bu t e ve n if th e gro u p its e lf n o lo n ge r e xis ts , its le gacy co n tin u e s in th e valu e s o f th e co u n te rcu ltu re an d w ith in e ve ry m e m be r o f th e n e w ge n e ratio n ; fo r th e s e s u bve rs ive s p o in te d in th e d ire ctio n o f th e fu tu re ; o n ly ve ry fe w can m ake th is claim . ______________________________________________ Th e p layfu l an arch is m an d e xu be ran t vitality o f th is w o rk -- a th u m bin g o f n o s e s at th e "s traigh t" ad u lt w o rld -- cau gh t th e e s s e n ce o f th e Be atle m ys tiqu e

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an d e ve n re in fo rce d th e ir e le ctrifyin g p re s e n ce w ith m ach in e -gu n e d itin g, ju m p cu ts , acce le rate d s p e e d , qu ick m o ve m e n ts in clo s e -u p , an d a cam e ra th at n e ve r s to o d s till. Th e be s t s e qu e n ce is o f th e ir large ly im p ro vis e d , an arch ic o u td o o r "d an ce " s h o t fro m a h e lico p te r an d clo s e ly cu t to th e ir fam o u s "Can 't Bu y Me Lo ve ". Th e co n s tan t d is s o lu tio n an d re fo rm atio n o f th e ir gro u p p atte rn s , s e e n in flu id m o tio n again s t th e ge o m e tric lin e s o f a p layin g fie ld is d e ligh tfu lly ch o re o grap h ic an d lyrical. Th e Be atle s ' id e o lo gical re fu s al to take th e w o rld o r th e m s e lve s s e rio u s ly, th e ir alm o s t s u rre al ap p ro ach to th e ir e n viro n m e n t p ro ve d a p e rfe ct fo il fo r Le s te r, p re vio u s ly re s p o n s ible fo r th e s u rre alis t R u n n in g , Ju m p in g An d St a n d in g St ill Film ( w ith Pe te r Se lle rs ) . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LAPIS ( Jam e s W h itn e y, U SA, 19 6 3 -6 7) W h e th e r w o rkin g to ge th e r w ith h is bro th e r Jo h n , o r s in gly, as h e re , Jam e s W h itn e y is o n e o f th e fo re m o s t p io n e e rs o f abs tract cin e m a. Sin ce th e 6 0 s , h is w o rk h as tu rn e d in cre as in gly co m p le x, co m p u te r-o rie n te d an d re ligio u s in th e co s m ic s e n s e . La p is is h yp n o tic, ce n te rin g aro u n d a m an d ala p atte rn an d In d ian m u s ic, an d p ro ce e d in g th ro u gh as ce n d in g s tage s o f w o rd le s s vis u al co n te m p latio n . Th o u gh th e im age is n o n -o bje ctive -- o r p e rh ap s be cau s e -- th e vie w e r, cau gh t in its e ve r m o re co n s is te n t rh yth m s , lo s e s h im s e lf in o rd e r to fin d h is tru e r s e lf. Th e o rch e s tratio n s o f e ve r-ch an gin g d o ts ro u n d a tran s fo rm in g, fie ry co re , co u p le d w ith th e m o n o to n o u s ly be au tifu l m u s ic, be co m e h allu cin ato ry. "Th e o n ly s u bve rs ive as p e ct o f m y film is th e u n re co gn ize d , bu t m igh ty tabo o ; o u r tacit co n s p iracy to ign o re w h o , o r w h at w e re ally are , Tat-Sw am -As i ( Th at Art Th o u ) , th e s tartlin g an d p s ych o lo gically "s u bve rs ive " w ay o f re alizin g th at th e s e lf is in fact th e ro o t an d gro u n d o f th e u n ive rs e -a re alizatio n s o s tran ge an d in ad m is s ible to th e W e s t th at it is virtu ally o u r m o s t rigid tabo o ." ( Jam e s W h itn e y) ___________________________________________________________________________________________

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OFF-ON ( Sco tt Bartle tt, U SA, 19 6 7) On e o f th e m o s t im p o rtan t atte m p ts s o far to e xp re s s th e n e w s e n s ibility d ire ctly an d p o e tically, in a p e rfe ct, m agical fu s io n o f n o n -ve rbal co m m u n icatio n an d ad van ce d te ch n o lo gical film m akin g ( vid e o -m an ip u latio n , m u ltip le e xp o s u re s an d p rin tin g, s o larizatio n , an d s yn th e tic co lo r) . In d e te rm in acy, th e u n io n o f o p p o s ite s , th e co s m ic, th e e xp an s io n o f co n s cio u s n e s s , th e go in g be yo n d ratio n alis m ; all th e s e are in tim ate d p u re ly vis u ally, alm o s t s u blim in ally -- to th o s e w illin g to "s e e ". ___________________________________________________________________________________________

LIGH TN IN G W ATERFALL FERN SOU P ( Sh e lby Ke n n e d y, U SA, 19 71) Am id s t flas h e s o f ligh tn in g, fe rn is gath e re d , s lice d , m ixe d w ith w ate r, an d co o ke d ; afte r th is p o e tic, re ligio u s , act, it is e ate n w ith re ve re n ce in a s im p le , ro m an tic s tate m e n t o f Th ird Co n s cio u s n e s s s e n s ibility. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PARAD ISE N OW ( Sh e ld o n Rach lin , Gre at Britain , 19 70 ) At le as t fo rty film s h ave be e n m ad e abo u t th e Livin g Th e atre ;

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it re m ain e d to th e Am e rican u n d e rgro u n d film m ake r Sh e ld o n Rach lin ( p re vio u s ly re s p o n s ible fo r th e m arve lo u s Va li) to m ake th e "d e fin itive " film abo u t o n e o f th e m o s t fam o u s o f th e ir w o rks , Pa r a d is e N o w , s h o t in Bru s s e ls an d at th e Be rlin Sp o rtp alas t. Mad e o n vid e o tap e , w ith e xp re s s io n is t co lo rin g "in je cte d " by e le ctro n ic m e an s , th is e m e rge s as a h yp n o tic tran s m u tatio n o f a th e atrical e ve n t in to p o e tic cin e m a, cap tu rin g th e am bie n ce an d fre n zy o f th e o rigin al. N o d o cu m e n tary re co rd co u ld h ave d o n e it ju s tice . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PIAN ISSIMO ( Carm e n D 'Avin o , U SA, 19 6 3 ) An o u ts tan d in g p re cu rs o r o f th e n e w s e n s ibility u s e s s in gle fram e an im atio n to h an d -p ain t ( im age by im age !) an e n tire p ian o in an e xu be ran t, m an iacal e xp lo s io n o f co lo r ( an d s tro n g film ic rh yth m ) . As h e d o e s th is , th e in vis ible artis t cre ate s h is o w n ve rs io n o f re ality: n o n -co m p e titive , life -affirm in g, p e ace fu l, fille d w ith w arm th an d lo ve o f be au ty. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

N EBU LA II ( Ro be rt Fre rck, U SA, 19 71) Afte r Jo rd an Be ls o n , o n e m igh t h ave th o u gh t n o fu rth e r m an d ala film s co u ld fru itfu lly be m ad e ; N e b u la II qu ickly d is p e ls th is n o tio n . As th e e ve r-ch an gin g circu lar p atte rn s be co m e m o re co m p le x an d ch an ge in in cre as in gly 5/19/2007 12:35 PM

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rap id fas h io n , th e in ce s s an t bo m bard m e n t o f o u r s e n s e s w ith flicke r e ffe cts , vis u al tran s m o grificatio n s , p u ls atin g co lo r, an d e n fo rce d fo rw ard m o ve m e n t via zo o m , fin ally s e ts u p a s e n s o ry o ve rlo ad bo th h yp n o tic an d o ve rp o w e rin g in its be au ty an d m ys tical re ve latio n . ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SAMAD H I ( Jo rd an Be ls o n , U SA, 19 6 8 ) Be ls o n is th e film m ake r w h o h as m o s t rigo ro u s ly d e ve lo p e d th e fo rm s an d s h ap e s o f co s m ic cin e m a -n o n -o bje ctive p atte rn s th at ye t re m o n d o n e o f m icro co s m an d m acro co s m , fin d in g th e ir e ve r-ch an gin g ce n te rs in w o rks o f co n s tan t flu x, d e vo id o f bo u n d arie s . Th e in te n tio n is to re late m an to th e u n ive rs e o r rath e r to re affirm th e ir in d ivis ibility. H e re h e co m e s clo s e s t to re cre atin g, in s p e ctacu larly be au tifu l im age s , th e aw e an d s p le n d o r o f th e co s m o s . Sam ad h i in San s krit s tan d s fo r "th at s tate o f co n s cio u s n e s s in w h ich th e in d ivid u al s o u l m e rge s w ith th e u n ive rs al s o u l." Th is u ltim ate co n d itio n o f co n s cio u s n e s s is th e re fo re n o n -s e n s o rial; th e film co n ce rn s ap p ro ach e s to it. ___________________________________________________________________________________________

PU LL MY D AISY ( Ro be rt Fran k an d Alfre d Le s lie , U SA, 19 59 ) Eve n th e p o s e -- o p e n , cas u al, m as k-le s s -- re fle cts th e n e w s tyle . Th e p o e ts Pe te r Orlo vs ky, Gre go ry Co rs o , an d ( s id e w ays ) Alle n Gin s be rg in a s ign ifican t p io n e e rin g

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film o f th e ( th e n e m e rgin g) co u n te rcu ltu re w h ich co m p lie d w ith Jam e s Age e 's re qu e s t fo r "w o rks o f p u re fictio n , p laye d again s t, in to , an d in co llabo ratio n w ith u n re h e ars e d re ality". Jack Ke ro u ac's s p o n tan e o u s n arratio n h e lp e d e vo ke an im age o f a h e ro ic, be d raggle d , an d p ro p h e tic circle th at ch an ge d th e co n s cio u s n e s s o f Am e rica's yo u th . SC ___________________________________________________________________________________________

TH IS IS IT ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , U SA, 19 71) A little n u d e bo y in th e w o o d s -- e xp lo rin g, p layin g w ith a ball -an d a Ze n -like p o e m , its in d ivid u al s e gm e n ts re p e ate d s e ve ral tim e s , w ith lo n g p au s e s be tw e e n th e m . "Th is is it ... Th is is re ally it ... Th is is all th e re is ... An d It's p e rfe ct as It is ." Th e s im p licity o f th e ce n tral id e a in cre as e s its e ffe ctive n e s s , bu t be cau s e o f th e s p e cificity o f its re alis tic im age ry an d o f th e p o e m , it rais e s , m o re th an th e co n s cio u s n e s s -lo w e rin g, h yp n o tic abs tractio n s by Be ls o n o r Jam e s W h itn e y, th e bas ic qu e s tio n abo u t th e re s u rge n ce o f In d ian p h ilo s o p h ie s in th e W e s te rn co u n te rcu ltu re : is th e p ro ble m o f p o ve rty an d o p p re s s io n re s o lvable by co s m ic acce p tan ce ? Is it th e tas k o f th e p rivile ge d W e s t to e n co u rage o th e rs to acce p t co n d itio n s th at o u gh t to be ch an ge d ? ___________________________________________________________________________________________

SELF-OBLITERATION ( Ju d Yalku t, U SA, 19 6 7)

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In a s tran ge film , th e p ain te r Ku s im a p ain ts d o ts o n bo d ie s , flo w e rs , gras s , an d e ve n w ate r in a s u d d e n ly s ign ifican t atte m p t at e xp re s s in g p an th e is m an d e go tran s ce n d e n ce by p u re ly vis u al m e an s . ______________________________________________ A s tran ge ly co m p e llin g s tu d y o f Yayo i Ku s am a, p ain te r, s cu lp to r an d e n viro n m e n talis t, w h o p ain ts p o lka d o ts o n flo w e rs , bo d ie s , w ate r, an d gras s in a th o u gh t-p ro vo kin g atte m p t at p an th e is m an d e go tran s ce n d e n ce , cu lm in atin g in re laze d n u d e bo d y p ain tin g an d gro u p s e x.

LION 'S LOVE ( Agn e s Vard a, U SA, 19 6 9 ) An o d d ly affe ctin g an arch ic vie w o f as p e cts o f a n e w Am e rican s e n s ibility by a n o te d Fre n ch film d ire cto r ( th e o n ly d re s s e d figu re in th e s till) . A co llage o f as p irin g acto rs aw aitin g th e ir o p p o rtu n ity in H o llyw o o d , it s tars Viva an d th e tw o cre ato rs o f "H air" in a cas u al m e n age a tro is -- in w h ich s e x an d n u d ity are n e ith e r "is s u e s " n o r p ro s e lytizin g s lo gan s . SC

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E PLEASU RE GARD EN ( Jam e s Bro u gh to n , Gre at Britain , 19 53 ) Th e ce n s o r at w o rk, fo re ve r atte m p tin g to fix th e u n fixable . H is tas k is u n e n viable , m e s s y, bo tto m le s s , an d s e cre tly e xcitin g. Bro u gh to n 's co m ic, ye t id e o lo gical fan tas y ce le brate s th e victo ry o f s e n s u al p le as u re an d lo ve o ve r p ru d e ry an d au th o ritarian is m ; bu t th e clu m s y "h am m e r" ( h e re e ve n h e ld w ro n gly) is n o w ad ays be in g w ie ld e d m o re in s id io u s ly by e ve r m o re re p re s s ive fo rce s in s o cie ty an d th e o u tco m e is n o t n e ce s s arily p re -o rd ain e d .

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I t is in the nature of subversion that its perpetrators should be subverted in turn. For, in the w ider sense, any subversion is but a reflection of a material conflict w ithin society, in w hich opposing sides use both offensive and defensive devices to protect themselves. The subversive artist, moreover, is alw ays on the outside. I f the definition of subversion is the attempt to undermine existing institutions or value systems, the operative w ord is "existing"; the subversive attacks something "in control" and w ishes to replace it by w hat does not yet exist and has as yet no pow er. With the grow th of the technological state, society's methods for protecting itself against disruption and "anarchy" have become increasingly effective. The means of production, communication, and distribution are firmly in the state's hands and w ithout them, the opposition cannot reach the masses w ith its subversive message. This is a particularly serious problem for film, a technological art requiring costly, complex tools and special facilities for exhibition. The large number of films in this book may easily lead one to the conclusion that the subversive film is w ell and thriving. Nothing could be further from the truth. The majority of these films w ill be seen by only small numbers of people; their effectiveness is thus extremely limited. Within the system under attack, the extent of distribution of a subversive film stands in inverse relation to the extent of its subversion. The anti-American Hour of the Blast Furnaces -- though a masterpiece of political cinema, or rather because of this -- w ill not be given w ide national distribution in America. The exhibition of an anti-Vietnam w ar film to peace groups may evoke applause or tears among these already converted groups, but how is one to reach the others? I n America, a few political distributors ( such as New sreel, American Documentary Films, and Tricontinental FilmCenter) have come into existence and attempt to reach larger and unaffiliated audiences, but their resources are limited and neither governmental art bodies nor private foundations ( themselves part of the pow er structure) subsidize their activities. I t is precisely because the American Establishment know s that these groups are of no real danger to it that allow s their existence; in so far as they might become more dangerous, they are "contained" by "democratic" devices too numerous to mention in detail such as tax harrassment, fire law s, and legal interference. Significantly, the United States, though moving in the direction of a more authoritarian state, still has the most developed national netw ork for the non-theatrical exhibition of films, including practically all those discussed here, at film societies, universities, public libraries, churches, and civic or political organizations, operating w ith 16mm equipment of often surprisingly professional quality. Prints can also be bought or leased; this enables public libraries and colleges to ow n their ow n collections. More than a thousand lend films free, as they do books, upon presentation of a library card; those in larger cities often ow n some of the "subversive" titles, to the discomfort of local conservatives. Political censorship is legally non-existent, though sometimes attempted against particularly radical films. Previously, such action w as more readily taken against sex films, and despite the changed attitude of the last few years, it is safe to assume, how ever, that Muehl's Sodoma could not be show n in much of

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America, and that the overall situation w ill considerably w orsen as a result of the pro-censorship 1973 Nixon Supreme Court decision. I n any case, although the nontheatrical distribution and exhibition netw ork propably reaches a potential audience of several millions, this still represents only a fraction of the total American audience. Nevertheless, given its composition -- students and organized groups -the political and cultural influence of this audience exceeds its actual size. The American situation is not reproduced elsew here, though Western Europe, Scandinavia and Canada possess grow ing non-theatrical markets. I n the Eastern countries, no individually initiated show ings or programming can take place and the importation of films is strictly limited and centralized at the top. A few foreign political films w ill be bought each year, provided they subvert the West rather than the East. I t is therefore clear that the majority of the films in this book are not readily availablefor exhibition in most countries ( except for the commercial films mentioned, from Fellini to Kubrick to sex films, w here they are permitted.) As for the international circulation of subversive films, commercial distributors do not generally buy such films of other nations and noncommercial distribtors cannot afford to do so. Many governments control the export of films, thereby preventing international circulation of unpleasant w orks. The majority of subversive films are in 16mm w hich cannot properly ( or at all) be show n in many countries. How ever, several national television netw orks now buy independent "subversive" films of other nations; in this w ay, certain important American underground and political films have been more w idely seen in West Germany than in the USA. The extent to w hich art affects society needs to be further investigated. The surrealists did not, as had been their intention, succeed in transforming capitalism. I t w as only w hen they began to intervene as citizens ( politically) and not merely as artists ( aesthetically) that some w ere able to help bring change. Bunuel bitterly complained that Un Chien Andalou had been misunderstood as a dream instead of a murderous attack. Eisenstein's films w ere not popular w ith the Russian masses. By definition, subversive filsm of quality do best at congregations of the faithful or at international film festivals, as the assembled filmmakers and critics are largely disaffiliated oppositionists themselves ( in spirit, not alw ays in body) . The new sexual revolution has not yet transformed relations betw een the sexes and is, in fact, at times attacked by the new feminists as male-oriented. Hardcore sex has created new millionaires and driven art films from many cinemas ( though permitted lonely men to improve their masturbational fantasies and couples their sexual performance) but it has not yet changed a sexually repressive civilization. The rapid liberalization of sexual mores in an otherw ise not noticeably freer society may indeed be partially suspect; much evidence points to an increase in mechanical sexuality at the expense of eroticism, grow ing commercialization of sex in the guise of sexual freedom, and the availability of instant, 5/19/2007 12:36 PM

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guiltless sex to help ensure the smooth functioning of society. Significantly, American films have simultaneously grow n increasingly apolitical and less concerned w ith moral issues. There is, in fact, every reason to agree w ith Marcuse's pessimistic confirmations of present-day capitalism's ability to absorb, pervert and subsume opposition; and to transform the oppositional product itself ( be it politics or sex) into a commodity. I f it is not too radical, it can even be publicized, thereby robbing it of its cult appeal w hile simultaneously neutralizing it ideologically by apparent acceptance. I n this sense, the latitude granted to independent show case to exhiibit w hatever they w ish, implies that they serve as a safety valve for the draining off of radical impulses. The production of subversive films remains as uncertain and precarious as ever. I n the East, the Russians have proved how , once opposition reaches a certain degree of danger as in Czechoslavakia, it is possible to snuff out, literally overnight, an entire film movement of international importance; these directors now do manual w ork, or are employed in areas not connected w ith the cinema, or drink themselves to death ( this exactly describes the situation of the most talented and promising filmmakers of China in the courseof the Cultural Revolution) . Other oppositional directors of the East ( Polanski, Skolimow ski et al) have gone to the West, meeting defeat or integration into the commercial industry. ( Borow czyk, Lenica, and Kristl are exceptions, partly because their w ork is not sufficiently enticing to commercial interests.) I n the West, significant numbers of new independents constantly arise, make a few films, meet w ith limited or no distribution, and then graduate into the industry or disappear. The larger figures have their ow n problems; Bertolucci seems to be on the w ay tow ards becoming the bourgeoisie's darling, Godard stubbornly flounders in isolation and ineffectuality, and the Czechs Forman, Kadar and Passer, Glauber Rocha, and others are men w ithout a country. After I Am Curious Yellow , Last Tango in Paris, A Clockw ork Orange , or Straw Dogs, it is becoming increasingly difficult to shock the bourgeoisie, w ho now accept all insults w ith a benign smile, secure in the know ledge that their pockets are not being picked simultaneously. When danger of this does arise, the smile disappears and pow er reasserts itself, for instance, by w iping out the leading cadre of the Black Panther party in intricate w ays, driving underground the radical left, or encouraging it by means of agent provocateurs to blow itself up. Somew here betw een the smile and its absence, a brief attempt is made ( not alw ays unsuccessful) to buy off the oppositionist by four-color covers in national magazines or by extensive TV exposure at peak hours ( by w hich, betw een six commercials, he believes himself to be advancing the cause of revolution) . Nor should w e forget those discredited minions of law and order, the 5/19/2007 12:36 PM

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censors, another cog in the generalized w eb of gentle suppression. Since it is their duty to conserve and that of the artist to "go beyond", they are forever at odds w ith him and, more importantly, forever lagging behind him. They are alw ays shocked anew by yet further descents into unspeakable immorality and political unorthodoxy, disregarding the historical fact that yesterday's outrage is today's truth ( or cliche) and that the elimination of taboos is the order of the day in all fields of human endeavor. As for the censoring of the presumably subversive, it is universal and seems to operate equally perniciously under all systems. There are Russian films by young filmmakers that no one outside ( or even inside) Russia has ever seen; the Russians tried for years to prevent Andrei Roublev from being show n abroad. Americans may not see films from Cuba; Eastern Europeans are prevented from view ing Western political films, unless critical of the West; Arabs may not see I sraeli films and I sraelis, until a few years ago, could not see German ones; France did not permit The Battle of Algiers to be show n and then prohibited the left-w ing 1968 "cine-tracts". American experimental films sent to festivals abroad have been confiscated upon return, as the repressive American customs law has no objection to their export but w ill not allow their re-entry ( presumably w ith the piquant theory that it is legitimate for Americans to corrupt foreigners but not themselves) . Sw edes can see sex films, but not films of violence. Americans, until 1974, could view pornographic films in regular theatres provided they w ere American-made; European pornographic films -- or even films featuring only frontal nudity -- cannot be imported. Brazil banned Prato Palomares, France banned Do Not Deliver Us From Evil, Yugoslavia banned WR - Mysteries of the Organism , the Czech pre-Dubcek government attempted, in vain, to "recall" Jan Palach ( film record of the young Czech martyr's funeral) from abroad. Every country has its ow n favorite subversive, w ithout w hose suppression it presumably could not continue to exist. Further, apart from direct political suppression of films, there exists an even more efficient system of "censorship" prior to production; this consists of the mere w ithholding of private financing in the West, or of state financing in the East. I t is therefore important not to confuse the quality of particular subversive films w ith their effectiveness. Many of the most important films in this book -- The Blood of the Beasts, Hour of the Blast Furnaces, Fata Morgana,

Kirsa Nicholina, Red Squad, Andrei Roublev, Our Lady of the Turks, La Revelateur, Viva La Muerte -- even more w idely seen w orks such as WR Mysteries of the Organism or Weekend -- have had only very limited distribution. Subversive cinema, in precise delineation of its precarious, largely pow erless

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role vis-a-vis the state, is left w ith a host of unansw ered questions, ranging from the paradoxical to the unpleasant. I t appears that the less subversive a film, the w ider its potential audience; and the more conventional in form, the more people it might hope to attract, but the few er w ill be affected. I t appears that it is possible for Kubrick to tone dow n A Clockw ork Orange after its release to obtain a ( literally) more profitable "rating", and that the sodomy scene can be cut from Last Tango in Paris to allow the film's presentation in England; if such climactic scenes are not considered important enough to keep in, w hy w ere they put into the films to begin w ith? I t also appears that Bunuel's Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is distributed by Tw entieth Century Fox; is the company unaw are of its seditious implications or are these too w eak to matter? The makers of Red Square w ere molested by police and FBI during and after its production; but they are "at liberty" ( their names securely listed in some master file) and continue as before -- as does the Red Squad. Certain oppositional films from the East w ere "allow ed" pro forma onew eek runs in one or a few theatres in the countries involved, permitting them to announce their democratic liberalism w hile keeping the fabric of suppression firmly intact. The directors of the subversive cinema are often serious theoreticians and fire fellow intellectuals and critics w ith their fervor. BUT THE REAL QUESTI ON REMAI NS: HOW TO REACH THE MASSES "OUT THERE" WI TH FI VE HEAVY CANS OF 35mm FI LM AND NOWHERE TO SHOW THEM? This is the meaning of the tragic quest of Godard, the reason w hy respect must be paid to the man even if one lacks confidence in his direction. I n the last analysis, how ever, subversive cinema has on its side tw o factors of such fundamental significance that they justify both its role and the w riting of this book; the inevitable creation of new injustices and horror by the existing pow er systems ( cumulative, in the age of technology and atomic pow er) and the concomitant rise of ever new cadres of rebels in every generation -- another w ay of saying that subversive cinema could not exist w ithout its enemies. Any pessimism regarding the failure of one talent or the co-option of another is outw eighed by the spectacular flow of new generational talent and fresh, hot anger. With confidence in the inevitable crimes of one side and the inevitable reaction of the other, one can therefore look forw ard to future contests, their outcome by no means predetermined, since problems that seem insurmountable today w ill yield to the more complex intelligence of children still playing ball in the parks of the w orld.

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2 0 0 1: A SPACE OD YSSEY ( Stan le y Ku brick, Gre at Britain , 19 6 8 ) ( F) Cu lt film o f th e yo u n g, th is is a m an ife s to o f th e n e w s e n s ibility; a n o s talgic e le gy to in n o ce n ce lo s t to te ch n o lo gy, a vis io n o f tru th s be yo n d u n d e rs tan d in g. It e n d s w ith u n fo rge ttable im age s o f th e n e w s tar ch ild in s p ace , facin g th e e arth h e m u s t tran s fo rm to m ake it h u m an again . SC

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FILM - AS A -

SU BVERSIVE ART

TH E FILMMAKER AS SU BVERSIVE: ON E TH E POLITICAL Clau d e Le lo u ch , Je an -Lu c Go d ard , Fran co is Tru ffau t, Lo u is Malle ( s tan d in g) , Ro m an Po lan s ki, d e m an d in g th e clo s u re o f th e Can n e s Film Fe s tival d u rin g th e 19 6 8 e ve n ts .

TH E ETERN AL SU BVERSION I n the last analysis, every w ork of art, to the extent that it is original and breaks w ith the past instead of repeating it, is subversive. By using new form and content, it opposes the old, if only by implication, serves as an eternally dynamic force for change, and is in a permanent state of "becoming". I t is therefore the triumph, the irony and the inevitable fate of

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the subversive creator, as he succeeds, immediately to supersede himself; for at the moment of victory, he is already dated. Art can never take the place of social action, and its effectiveness may indeed be seriously impaired by restrictions imposed by the pow er structure, but its task remains forever the same: to change consciousness. When this occurs, it is so momentous an achievement, even w ith a single human being, that it provides both justification and explanation of subversive art. The subversive artist performs as a social being. For if it is true that developments in philosophy, politics, physics, and cosmology have affected the evolution of modern art, and if the subversion of the contemporary filmmaker is thus fed by art itself, it is also directly related to society as a w hole. Here the artist finds himself at odds w ith its unplanned and cancerous grow th in the service of the profit motive and its heedless disregard of human values. Wherever he turns, he sees exploitation and magnificent w ealth, heart-rending poverty and colossal w aste, the destruction of races and entire countries in the name of democracy or a new order, the denial of personal liberties on a global scale, the corruption of pow er and privilege, and the grow ing international trend tow ard totalitarianism. He sees control of all communication by the few and the rise of new media ( television and cable TV) that hold the technological potential of more repression. He sees the blighted cities, the polluted rivers and oceans, the unbridled exploitation of natural resources, the succession of economic crises, inflation, depressions, and ever more destructive w ars, and the rise -- as permanent and monstrous institutions -of w ar economies and their intolerable burden upon society as a w hole. He w itnesses the phenomenon of manipulated democracy and an electorate w hose voting pow er is increasingly denuded of meaning, since real control rests elsew here. All this explains w hy so many of the most serious international filmmakers find themselves in varying degrees of revolt or opposition to their respective establishments -- and also find an affinity to the emerging third w orld cinema and the new prodemocratic forces in the East. I t is here that the Czechoslavak film renaissance of the Dubcek era assumes its profound international significance and acquires the historical w eight that the Russians, despite their destruction of this movement, have not been able to eliminate. There have not yet been any oppositional films from Russia or China; perhaps they exist, though control over the means of film production makes this unlikely. One can only surmise that at some date Sinyavskys and Solzhenitsyns of cinema w ill arise in these countries, to join filmmakers all over the w orld, w hose task, by definition, constitution, and by virtue of the repressive societies

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w ithin w hich they operate, must forever remain subversive. Forever? Forever. For it is clear that even a post-revolutionary society, based on the ideas the subversives hold dear, w ill carry w ithin itself new potentials of corruption, new bureaucracies, and new institutions w hich, at first progressive, w ill degenerate into ossified structures to be overcome in turn. I t w as Marx w ho, w hen asked in an interview to characterize the meaning of life in a single w ord, unhesitatingly replied: "Struggle". Was it a slip of the tongue that prevented him from limiting this definition to life "under capitalism", thus giving it the historical dimension he gave to every other phenomenon? Or w as it not rather his realization, so often expressed in his philosophical w ritings, that the essence of life, under all circumstances and in all societies, w as eternal change, the constant transformation of all forms and systems? I t is in this sense that the subject of this book w ill alw ays remain on the agenda, and that these pages are but a rough draft; for the subject of this book is human freedom, and its guardians, at all time and under all conditions, are the subversives.

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Bu n u e l d u rin g th e s h o o tin g o f Th e M ilk y W a y -an d th e cro s s h e h as to be ar. H e figh ts it, bu t h e can n o t be s e p arate d fro m it.

TH E FILMMAKER AS SU BVERSIVE: TH REE TH E SEX-REFORMIN G COSMOLOGIST Jam e s Bro u gh to n d ire ctin g Th e Go ld e n Po s it io n s , fo re ve r n o n -co n ve n tio n al, fo re ve r w illin g to le arn .

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TH E FILMMAKER AS SU BVERSIVE: FOU R TH E COMMU N IST Eis e n s te in o n lo catio n fo r Oct o b e r , lo u n gin g o n th e Ts ar's th ro n e . Th e re is a to u ch o f ( h o w e ve r p layfu l) m o n o m an ia.

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TH E FILMMAKER AS SU BVERSIVE: FIVE TH E AN ARCH IST Otto Mu e h l an d H is Film s . Po rtrait o f th e artis t as libe rate d ( ye t s e x-bo u n d ) m an , e ye s im m o d e s tly rais e to th e h e ave n s .

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RELATIVITY ( Ed Em s h w ille r, U SA, 19 6 6 Man n e ith e r d o m in ate s th is co m p o s itio n n o r is h e n e ce s s arily d w arfe d by it; h e face s th e s u n s qu are ly, qu e s tio n in gly, an d w ith d e te rm in atio n . H e , th e e arth h e s tan d s o n , th e air h e bre ath e s , th e ve ge tatio n s u rro u n d in g h im , are o n e . Sign ifican tly, Em s h w ille r's vis u al m e tap h o rs o f m an 's p lace in th e u n ive rs e d raw o n bo th s cie n ce an d m e tap h ys ics .

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EN TR'ACTE ( Re n e Clair, Fran ce , 19 2 4 ) "Th e En d " -- bu t n o t th e e n d . Th e d arin g d e s tru ctio n o f th e o th e rw is e in vio lable e n d -title s u bve rs ive ly d is ru p ts th e illu s io n o f cin e m a an d vis u ally re affirm s th e o p e n n e s s o f e xp e rie n ce .

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