Re: films/videos dealing with power

From: Andy Ditzler (email suppressed)
Date: Fri Jan 09 2009 - 10:59:50 PST


Freya's suggestion of Stanley Milgram's "Obedience" film is excellent - a very queasy viewing experience. And talk about power relationships!

Philip Zimbardo's video about his notorious Stanford Prison Experiment brings up similar issues of ethics and power, though it is a much more straightforward documentary viewing experience than "Obedience," which is quite effective on its own as a filmwork.

Jean Rouch's "Les Maitres Fous," in Rouch's sense of "cine-trance." Transfer of possession between subject and filmmaker.

Several of Vito Acconci's performances and performance videos, notably "Theme Song," "Pryings," and "Claim Excerpts." Chris Burden as well: "Shoot," and the piece (can't remember the title) in which he lies on a table while a lucky volunteer from the audience is instructed to place push pins in Burden's body. Queasy.

Andy Ditzler

-----Original Message-----
>From: Shelly Silver <email suppressed>
>Sent: Jan 9, 2009 9:48 AM
>To: email suppressed
>Subject: films/videos dealing with power
>
>dear all:
>i'm putting together several classes that deal with power - different
>varieties of power relations between those filmed and those doing the
>filming. this could be extreme (or less extreme) interactions where
>the filmmaker/cameraperson has power (most typical) or where it's
>firmly in the hands of the people being filmed. This power can come
>through the presence of the camera, through verbal interaction, or
>anything else.
>
>I'm most interested in those cases which would make the audience feel
>uneasy/queasy watching.
>
>suggestions?
>
>best!
>shelly
>
>
>__________________________________________________________________
>For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.

__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.