Brakhage, Paik, Whitney, Lye on YouTube

From: Jorge Amaro (email suppressed)
Date: Wed Jul 12 2006 - 21:18:23 PDT


Sorry for the new thread.

How can someone feel content for watching such a poor crap of David
Rimmer that is available on UBU for download? I really doubt anyone
feels he/she actually saw the film or retained something significant
from it from such a crap copy. The same for youtube there is even some
Peter Tscherkassky there and other works, I think it's basicaly the
same thing has watching a film on an iPod. Though there are several
other things available at better or worse quality, though I think if
they are bootlegs and there are people selling them. It is way better
for them to be on the internet for a free download, then someone
actually paying 20 dollars to have a tape with that crap transfers.
Though I've seen people downloading films available for free on P2P
networks making mpeg2 out of a divx file and selling it on ebay for 20
dollars and in some cases even more.

There are several persons that think 'this is the only thing
available' and eat it like there was no other way. And in some cases
this is true. Like they say in UBU not all of us live near places
where one can actually see screenings, or have the money to make
screenings happen. For a working class person that has to work 8 hours
a day 6 days a week to receive 700 euros at the end of the month and
having to pay bills rent and food, leaves little or no money, to rent
for instance Wavelenght which I have no idea how much is costs but
with shipping and handling bot ways should be more than 100 euros.
Though I think it would be fun for instance to arrange a screening in
my village, I know I would watch the films alone and it is not that
bad if I could afford to do that. Or even find a place that rents to
individuals, I am not sure if canyon does it.

This said, and due to my difficulties in watching experimental cinema
I still think that David Rimmer's film on UBU is not a solution to
watch a decent print. And I think the films on youtube is even worse,
they could just put the divx files for download and not sacrificing
terribly even more the quality.

I am an apologist of free downloading in certain cases not applicable
to official releases. Though no film in divx or even in dvd or vhs for
that matter can substitute the pleasure of viewing it in the format it
was designed for. The best thing about home viewing is the possibility
of viewing and reviewing. Nothing else.

Just my two cents

J.A.
Portugal

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