Reading Response Four

Yoko Ono: "One"

I must admit, I've never been a fan of Yoko Ono's work. However, I do have a certain respect for pieces like this one. There is a certain scientific fascination that attracts me to films like this one, as well as the one we watched in class with the butts. Pushing aside all the symbolic mumbo jumbo that some might try to attach to a film like this one, it is surprisingly interesting to watch the process of a burning match from start to finish. I almost feel like this film should be shown in a chemistry class rather than an avant-garde one. While watching "One" I really have no desire to read about why it was made or what it symbolizes (if anything). As something I would never think to watch all the way through live, I'd rather just appreciate the process of the burning match on screen...I think Brakhage might appreciate this outlook.

Paul Sharits "Wrist Trick"

This film was awesome! Short, sweet and mind boggling. It reminded me of an ink blot test or a shadow puppet show...there's so many different interpretations of the images shown. I feel like I could watch it ten times and get different ideas each time. Some images I saw the first few times include: a rabbit, beetle, banana, bull, bird, etc. I love to watch it in slow motion, but I think that might defeat the purpose of the film.

Sitney

2. Jonas Mekas originally turned up his nose at avant-garde...until he discovered the mythopoeic film genre. He somewhat relates to Brakhage in that he felt that filmmakers should be more concerned with the emotions in regards to human nature, rather than the technical aspects of the filmmaking process. Therefore, he didn't much appreciate the avant-garde films of the 1950s. However, with the arrival of the French New Wave ("nouvelle vague") and realism films, he began to have an open mind and respect for new films, and ones that he had earlier pushed aside. A new supporter of avant-garde films, Mekas eventually opened up a company for distributing films for those who were interested.

4. Both Smith ("Flaming Creatures") and Cornell ("Rose Hobart") utilize footage from other films (not necessarily found footage) to rise above need for conventional films to have a clear narrative agenda. With the combination of surrealism, sexuality, and careful editing, they break free of any narrative altogether, making them prime examples of the surrealist film.

5. The graphic sexuality of the "Flaming Creatures" is greatly emphasized by the exotic locations where they take place, the rhythmic editing, original textures and extensive lighting techniques.

Andy Warhol

6. Angell states that Warhol's early films were mostly silent minimalistic works. To me they sound similar to the works of Yoko Ono that I've seen so far, like filming a man sleeping for 5 hours ("Sleep") or 8 hours of the Empire State Building ("Empire"). Although they were rarely viewed, they were prime examples of Warhol's ability to turn the everyday experiences and items into art.

7. "Screen Tests" was shot in the Factory. Over time Warhol filmed 500 people, including artists, filmmakers, writers, critics, etc. who were instructed to be as motionless as possible. Basically, the film became a "guest book" that showed the respectable people who had visited the Factory. Since the subjects were as still as possible, it became somewhat of a photo album of legitimacy, a visual resume/reference list for Warhol.

8. Warhol's first sound film was "Harlot," and the soundtrack was improvised off-screen dialogue. The addition of sound to his films made for more "finished" products. His sound films were like the full experience, an in-depth representation of each act being filmed. "Vinyl" is another example of these films. It is based on "A Clockwork Orange" and actors weren't allowed to learn their lines, but rather had to recite them from cue cards off-screen. Anything that happened with image or sound was natural, unplanned. The addition of sound only enhanced Warhol's vision of giving the viewer the full experience.