FILM SECTION

Report 2 Downloads 221 Views
VI SI TI NG FI LMMAKER SERI ES THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 1980 MUSEUM OF ART THEATRE 8 : 00

FILM SECTION MUSEUM OF ART CARNEGI E I NSTI TUTE

VI SI TI NG FI LMMAKER STEPHANI E BEROES PRESENTS HER FI LMS VALLEY FEVER, DEBT BEGI NS AT 20

RECI TAL,

and

St ephani e Ber oes i s a f i l mmak er whos e c a r e e r i n t he c i nema has deep t i es t o her nat i v e c i t y o f Pi t t s bur gh. Her f i r s t i n t e r e s t i n f i l m was s t i mu l a t e d by an " u n d e r ­ gr ound" s er i es at Car negi e Mel l on Uni v er s i t y and was no ur i s he d by t he on - goi ng pr o ­ g r a ms at t he Car negi e I ns t i t ut e. I nt e r es t ed i n gai n i ng an hi s t or i c al per s pec t i v e, she pur s ued f i l m s t udi es at t he Uni v er s i t y o f Pi t t s bur gh, t ak i ng c l as s es wi t h Bi l l J uds on. Ms. Ber oes has s t at ed t hat i t " was v er y d e f i ni t e l y t he c r i t i c al anal y s i s of f i l m. . . whi c h awak en ed me t o ' what ' s what ' i n c i ne ma . . . a n d c o ns eq ue nt l y i nt r i gued me t o at t empt f i l mmak i ng my s el f . " Cl ear l y , her pr og r e s s i o n f r om i ns pi r ed f i l m v i e w­ er t o f i l mmak er f ul f i l l s ev er y f i l m c u r a t o r and t eac her ' s dr eam. Ms. Ber oes wo r k i n t he c i nema has al s o been s t r o ng l y i nf l uenc ed by Pi t t s bur gh Fi l mMak er s ' , wher e s he s er v ed as a f oundi ng me mb e r a n d i n augur at ed t he s c r e eni ng r oom pr ogr am. I n 1974 Ms. Ber oes began t o ma k e he own f i l ms : s hor t poet i c wor k s l i k e LI GHT SLEEPI NG, SEPTEMBER and APRI L; a f i l m- hi s t or i c al wo r k ( THE AMERI CAN MUTOSCOPE COMPANY) , and a doc ume nt ar y on Pi t t s bur gh ur ban r enewal ( THE ATWOOD STREET RENOVATI ON AMD BEAUTI FI CATI ON PROJ ECT) . I n 1976 Ms. Ber oes mo v e d t o San Fr anc i s c o t o pur s ue a Ma s t er of Fi ne Ar t s i n Fi l m. Ther e s he made SHADOWPLAY, an ab s t r a c t poet i c wor k , and RECI TAL wh i c h i s par t o f t he pr ogr am t hi s ev eni ng. I n 1978, wh i l e t e ac hi ng a t Ar i z ona St at e Uni v er s i t y , s he s hot VALLEY FEVER, wh i c h was c o mp l e t e d at Pi t t s b ur gh Fi l m- Ma k e r s ' . DEBT BEGI NS AT 20, whi c h c hr o ni c l es l oc al punk r oc k mus i c and c ul t ur e, was ma d e i n Pi t t s bur gh. ; For t he pas t f ew s ummer s Ms. Ber oes has t our ed Engl and and Ger many wi t h pr ogr ams of av ant - gar de f i l m, bot h her own and t hos e o f o t h e r f i l mmak er s . RECI TAL ( 1978) c o l o r / s o u n d 20 mi n. I n Th e Sec ond Sex Si mone de Be a u v o i r di s c us s es t he s i t u at i o n o f t he wo ma n i n l ove. Her poi nt " i s t hat t he e x pe r i en c e o f be i n g i n l ov e i s di f f er en t f or me n and women i n ou r s oc i et y . As Lor d By r on on c e put i t : " Man' s l ov e i s o f man' s l i f e a t hi ng apar t . ' Ti s a woma n' s wh o l e ex i s t enc e. " As de Be au v o i r i n s i ght f ul l y r emar k s , howev er , t hi s i s not a bi ol ogi c al , but r a t h er a c ul t ur al di f f er enc e. Gi v en woman' s t r adi t i onal s ens e o f her own i nf er i or i t y , " Ther e i s no o t h e r wa y out f or her t han t o l os e her s el f , bo d y and s oul , i n hi m wh o i s r e pr es en t e d t o her as t he abs ol ut e, as t he es s ent i al . " St ephani e Ber oes f i l m, RECI TAL, addr es s es t he howev er , t o a Lawr en t i an r eadi ng o f t he s i t u at t r an s c endenc e— Ber oes t ak es a mo r e di s t anc ed l t hat v i ews t he s i t uat i on as f r ought l es s wi t h

s t at i o nook ec s t

RECI TAL i s a hi ghl y s t r u c t ur ed f i l m. Eac h s ec t i s ome ex t er nal l oc al e, r e adi ng a l et t er o r ot h e r not t he aut hor s of t he wor ds t hey r ead. Th e i r wor ds , ar e dead gi v e- away s of t he u n f a mi l i ar i t y

e o f " woman i n l ov e. " As oppos ed, - a c a s c a d e o f i mages of er ot i c at t he phenomenon. And i t i s one as y t han wi t h r i s k and pai n.

on i nv ol v es a woman, s i t u at ed i n t ex t . I t i s c l ea r t hat t he wo me n ar e s t i l t ed del i v er y , t hei r t r oubl e wi t h wi t h t he t ex t s .

The f i r s t l et t er i s r ead by a wo ma n r ec l i ni ng on a r i dge ov er l o o k i n g t he s ea - - a v er i t abl e Bay Ar ea pi c t ur e po s t c a r d s et t i ng. Th e t ex t s he r eads i s l et t er ex pr es s i ng t he pai n of unr e qui t ed l ov e, t he aby s s o f f r us t r at ed pas s i on. The l et t er , howev er , i s r ead i n a monot one, wi t h o u t any peak s o f f eel i ng, s o t hat ul t i ma t e l y we f i nd i t l as s mov i ng t han c l i c he. Thi s pa t t er n o f l ov e- l et t e r r ec i t al i s r e peat ed wi t h s e v e r ­ al ot he r r eader s : one s t umbl es ov e r c e r t ai n wor ds ; a n o t h e r br eak s up l aughi ng when s he c omes t o t he pas s age: " Oh, y es , I l ov e y ou, I l ov e y ou. " Cl ear l y , t he s ubj ec t i s not one of t r ue c omedy , pa r t i c u l a r ed ar e ones Ber oes onc e ea r n es t l y c ompos ed. Ber oes goal , t anc ed de c ons t r uc t i on of t he ex per i enc e, i n an at t empt t o k nowl edge and t i me. Be ha v i n g ot he r peopl e r ec i t e t he l et

l y s i nc e t he l et t er s r ec i t ­ howev er , i s a k i nd of di s ­ v i ew i t wi t h t he l es s ons of t er s , Ber oes br eak s t he

spel l or t he r omant i c f ant asy, and al l ows t he Vi ewer a di st anced per spect i ve, Or cour se what appear s t o t he capt i ve l over as amor ous t r anscendence, appear s t o t he det ached obser ver as mer e bondage. Der oes po i nt i n par t i c ul ar , howev er , i s t hat t hi s s t a t e o f dependenc e i s a pe c u l i a r ­ l y f emal e s y ndr ome. Thi s s he mak es c l ear i n o t h e r t ex t s r ead i n t he f i l m: ones d i s ­ c us s i ng p a t e r n al i s m i n t he ar t wor l d, o r t he s ex ual bi as o f l anguage. The f i l m ends wi t h t he r et ur n o f t he f i r s t woma n r eader wh o c r umpl es up t he or i gi nal l et t er t o t he s t r ai ns of Bi l l i e Hol i day s i ngi ng " Lov er man wh e r e c a n y o u be?" The f i l m i s not onl y i nt er es t i ng f or i t s at t e mp t t o c r i t i que t he phenomen on o f f emal e mas oc hi s m, but al s o f or i t s us e of l anguage. I n one of t he l et t er s r ead t her e i s a s t at ement ab out how wo me n s houl d " k eep q u i e t ". Cl ear l y Ber oes has dec i ded not t o heed t hat t i me - wo r n ad v i c e . " Her s o undt r ac k i s c o mp os ed en t i r e l y o f wo men' s wor ds - - her own as wel l as t hos e of Car ol ee Sc hneeman, Cas ey Mi l l e r and Ka t h l e en Fr az i er . Thr ough t he di s t anc ed j u x t ap os i t i on of wor d s a n d i mage, and t he pr ogr es s i on of i deas wi t hi n t he t ex t s t hems el v es - - Ber oes ac c omp l i s hes a t r ue r e - c i t a l ; t hat i s, a r er eadi ng of pas t ex per i enc es gi v en s hape ov e r t i me. VALLEY FEVER ( 1978) c ol o r / s o un d 25 mi n. Though a v er y di f f er ent f i l m, VALLEY FEVER s har es c e r t ai n c onc er ns wi t h RECI TAL. Agai n, Ber oes i s i nt er es t ed i n t he l oc us o f i ndi v i dual per c ept i on. Her e, howev er , i s l es s c onc er n wi t h emot i on t han wi t h t he bounds o f human c ons c i ous nes s . Li k e RECI TAL, t he f i l m i s al s o hi ghl y s t r uc t ur ed, and r ev ol v es ar ound t he r eadi ng o f v ar i ous t ext s. The f i l m i nv ol v es t wo " c har ac t er s " , a wo ma n and a man, who, ac c or di ng t o Ber oes " c ar ­ r y on a di s j unc t i v e c o n v e r s a t i o n . . . about t he ef f ec t s o f i l l nes s on per c ept i on. " Whi l e t he man r eads f r om a s c i ent i f i c t r ea t i s e on t he s y ndr ome o f f ev er , t he wo ma n c hoos es t he wor ds o f Mer l eau- Pont y , ex pl ai ni ng her ex per i en c e i n mor e phenomenol ogi c al t er ms. Th ey s how eac h ot her f i l m f oot age i n an at t empt t o v i s ual i z e and ex c hange t hei r per c ept i ons . But ul t i mat el y t he f i l m c onf i r ms t h ei r i nabi l i t y t o " s ee ey e t o eye. " I n her c hoi c e o f c i nema as a me d i u m of " ex c hange" wi t h i n t he f i l m, Ber oes al s o poi nt s t o t he di l emma of t he ar t i s t , and t he pr obl emat i c s of c o mmu n i c a t i n g one' s s i ngul ar v i s i on t o t he l a r g e r wor l d. DEBT BEGI NS AT 20 ( 1979)

s o und/ bl ac k and wh i t e

40 mi n.

Ber oes ' l at es t wo r k i s qui t e di f f er en t f r o m her ot her f i l ms , Us i ng a l ar gel y doc ument ar y f or mat s he pai nt s a po r t r ai t of punk c u l t u r e i n Pi t t s b ur gh - - t he mus i c , t he l i f e- s t y l e, t he s oc i al s t anc e. Onc e mor e, howev er , t he f i l m i s hi ghl y s t r uc t ur ed. Shot s of Th e Car dboar ds ' dr ummer ( Bi l l Bor ed) at home, , f or ex ampl e, ar e i nt er c ut wi t h i mages of t he band per f or mi ng; and s hot s of peopl e bei ng " i nt er v i ewed" at a par t y ar e r egul ar l y i nt er c ut wi t h gr oups pl ay i ng mus i c . The f i l m al s o i nt er mi x es do c u me nt ­ ar y and ac t ed f oot age, and mak es gr eat us e o f c apt i ons and " s ubt i t l es " a s . c o u n t e r ­ poi nt s t o t he v i s ual s . Agai n we s ee Ber oes ' c o nc er n wi t h l anguage; f or i n punk r oc k mus i c t he i r oni c l y r i c s ar e par amount - - be t hey f r om The Ca r d b o a r d s ' " Low Lev el Radi t i on, " or t he Dy k e s 4 " TWo Fi nger Wide. . " ' , The c a r t oo n- l i k e c apt i ons and s ubt i t l es f u r t her dr aw our at t ent i on t o t he v er bal di s c our s e. For Ber oes , t he Pi t t s bur gh punk p h e n o men on - - The Car dboar ds , The Shak es , Hans Dr i nk er , and t he Dy k e s — i s a br and of f ol k " or " pr i mi t i v e" ar t . I n k e ep i n g wi t h t hi s s t y l e, s h e has c hos en not t o ma k e a s l i c k r oc k - and- r ol l d o c u me n t a r y — a WOODSTOCK or MONTEREY POP. As W. T. Kol t ek o f WYEP Radi o has s t at ed: " Be r o e s ' ba nd f oot age i s a r adi c al depar t ur e f r om t he gr i mmi cr y of s t e r e o ­ t y ped r oc k ba nd doc u ment ar y i n i t s us e of pans and s l ow d o l l ey s , c apt ur i ng smal l gl i mps es of t he mus i c i ans at wo r k t hat a " PR" f i l m wo u l d hav e av oi ded at al l c ost s. J us t as t he mu s i c of t he Car d boar ds c h al l enges t he c l i c hes o f punk as muc h as i t does t hos e of ea r l i e r pop f or ms , s o does t he c i nemat ogr aphy demand a r e c o ns i der at i on o f t he r oc k band doc ument ar y ' s hoar y t e c h ­ ni cal v oc abul ar y . " — Luc y Fi s c her

Copyright © Creator, by permission. All rights reserved.

CMOA respects the intellectual property rights of artists and others. The CMOA website and all images and text contained therein are protected by applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations, and are owned by CMOA or used by CMOA with permission from the owners or under fair use or where otherwise specified. Copyright for some items are held by the artists and/or other third parties. You agree not to download, copy, reproduce, publish or transmit, or otherwise use any portion of the CMOA website (including any images or text contained therein), except for your own personal noncommercial use or “fair use,” as this term is defined by applicable copyright laws, without written permission from CMOA and/or other appropriate rights holders.

Commercial Use Is Restricted Unauthorized publication or exploitation of museum files is specifically prohibited. Anyone wishing to use any of these files or images for commercial use, publication, or any purpose other than fair use as defined by law must request and receive prior permission from the appropriate rights holder(s). CMOA reviews all requests on a case-by-case basis and may require payment of a license fee depending upon the intended nature of such use.

For additional information, see the Carnegie Museum of Art Terms of Use.