Fashioning the Body: Versions of the Citizen, the Self, and the Subject

Vertical Roll
1972 / 20 min / b&w / sound
Director: Joan Jonas

Focusing on time & space, spectator & spectacle, this first film was definitely a rough idea to keep focus on.  The sound was obnoxiously violent, whereas the film reel tripping acted as a strobe light somewhat under control.  I attempted to just watch the film with my eyes and then only my ears, but the film itself was so drastic and immature, it reminded me of Clockwork Orange, and this was how you’d drive a person crazy!  From an artistic point, Joan’s idea was her body stuck in a “box” and as the film progressed different angles and shots/activities of her body would appear repeatedly, which created an echo effect in which the sound seemed to illuminate.  Each take also seemed to establish new eye levels of focus; you were never looking in the same spot twice.  Towards the end her head entered the screen but was outside the “box.”

Female Sensibility
1973 / 14 min / color / sound
Director: Lynda Benglis

With this film, certain attributes where the ideas that kept my attention.  The radio overcast seemed more like white noise, it didn’t actually have to be there, and this film was more about the two characters caressing the other.  Special attention was paid to their hands and face, definitely emotion and senses were a major role in this film.  The telecast seemed to be just random jabber but it separated our cast from public to private life.  Depending on certain angle shots on the other hand created some gender confusion in which you couldn’t tell if two were male or female, but it didn’t matter, you watched the two people be together which almost brought you along with them.  Some major factors were defiantly lighting, it was a very bright white light and their lipstick and hair were very contrasting colors which allowed you to associate them with their character as a way of keeping track.

Through the Large Glass
1976 / 10 min / color / silent / 16 mm film
Director: Hannah Wilke

This particular film might have been my favorite out of the five, just because it was silent and had only female acting.  Three different takes of a woman stripping in front of a mirror, the way scene was set up gave you the illusion of you standing off in the distance watching a woman in which maybe you shouldn’t be starring at, but you find yourself not looking away and it seems that the woman has no idea she’s being watched.  As she undresses, it’s very slow and melodic, but strategic poses mixed with sly/seductive facial expressions.  The woman strips down to nothing but a cowboy hat, but the interesting part is that you can’t see her full naked body, she’s blocked by certain objects that seemed to have been placed in front of her purposefully.

The East Is Red, The West Is Bending
1977 / 20 min / color / sound
Director: Martha Rosler

This was another great one in which I enjoyed a lot!  It’s all about the Wok and its amazing how much the West likes to complicate objects it comes into contact with despite its simplicity seen from the East’s point of view.  Its comedic features were astounding in its basic educational purpose.  A lesson in which allows a person to replicate a practice/tradition of another in a more high tech way. 

Technology/Transformation: Wonder Woman
1978-79 / 6 min / color / sound
Director: Dara Birnbaum

“I am Wonder Woman!”  Oh Linda Carter!  All she had to do is spin around one time-explosion-Bam!  She’s Wonder Woman!  From regular female to super hero all in a twirl, her body never changes, just her uniform.  The song was ridiculous, with lines like, “get us out from under…Wonder Woman, and Shake thy Wonder Maker.”  Dara’s explanation is “Real becomes Wonder in order to "do good" (be moral) in an (a) or (im) moral society.”  Running, spinning and saving man in a repetitious cycle, while looking fantastic doing it!  Real over character was defiantly an issue, I saw Linda Carter as Wonder Woman, instead of Wonder Woman as Linda Carter, which I think would make my perception of this film change in way that might have been easier to understand what exactly Dara was trying to do!