From: 40 Frames (email suppressed)
Date: Sun Aug 21 2005 - 10:39:48 PDT
>> ...The release of the Criterion collection, I can say, with
>> most assurance has led directly to the decrease in
>> rentals for Stan Brakhage.
>
> This is depressing, or at least very telling not so much specifically
> for the rental decreases (I hate to sound like a Bushite neo-Lysenkoist
> on global warming, but what is the long term "mean shift" in such
> rentals ?) but indicates a certain superficiality in the involvement
> with SB films, as if watching the Criterion DVD indicates they have
> "consumed some Brakhage" and there's nothing else to see, when in truth
> there is far, far, far more to see in Brakhage films alone not to
> mention all the other works in what we might call "the tradition" ....
>
> If this cause / effect is true, it really has little bearing it would
> seem to me on the question of the "legitimacy" of viewing those works
> from DVD because even if it were some 4K Blu-ray disk that cloned a
> film print transparently, it indicates a fair weather friend approach
> to the work, no ?
>
> -Sam
The distinction between formats, or DVD being "enough" of an experience or
a "legitimate" experience has definitely had an impact on the interest of
seeing/renting films. In terms of a general interest in films anyway. If a
small exhibitor presents a night of Robert Frank films the attendance will
reflect some real interest in the community. Show a less widely recognized
name and the numbers will surely drop at the door. The interest is not in
seeing a film per se but in seeing the work of a particular artist on
film/video/power point or whatever. The medium seems to be losing it
specificity. I think some schools and non-profits are to blame for ceasing
to make the distinction amongst people who should know the difference.
With two B/W print stocks (albeit, one German and not widely used in the
US), and 3, maybe 4 color print stocks the choices have narrowed a bit,
but they are certainly still available.
Alain
================
40 FRAMES
Alain LeTourneau
Pamela Minty
425 SE 3rd, #400
Portland, OR 97214 USA
+1 503 231 6548
email suppressed
http://www.40frames.org
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