Wednesday, September 15, 2004

New acquisitions...

Ever heard of "situationalism"? Neither had I until I downloaded the wacky Can Dialectics Break Bricks? from my current torrent source of choice.

Can Dialectics Break Bricks is an example of an art movement of the 70's(from France, natch) that is called "Detournment". From Barbelith.com: Detournement is usually translated into English as ‘diversion’ and was the method of artistic creation used by the situationists. It was, in effect, plagiarism where both the source and the meaning of the original work was subverted to create a new work. In the SI’s own words ‘there is no Situationist art, only Situationist uses of art.’ Detournement is distinct from ‘theft’ plagiarism, which only subverts the source of the material and post-modern ‘ironic quotation’ plagiarism which only subverts the meaning of the material, the source becoming the meaning. The SI used detournement in films, art, graphics for their journal and in posters that detourned comics during the events of May ’68.

In other words, try to imagine a more politically charged MST3K, and that about covers what it is. Basically, it's a 60's chop socky film redubbed to be a film about class struggle and Marxist theory. And it's actually pretty funny. There are a few running gags which I assume are lifted from the political writings that these guys subscribe to. References to "burning off the hair under people's arms" and "the Great Morning of the Great Evening" are peppered throughout. Bizarre stuff, and I'd write more on it but I'm not sure what the heck else to say about it, being non-versed in the politics of the movie. More reading on Situationism can be found here.

Other additions: 2 70's-era Brigitte Lahaie/Jean Rollin adult films, a great CD by a Pittsburgh area band of Goblin wannabes called Zombi, and Vidocq, the first film by Pitof, the French filmmaker that gave us the critically lambasted Catwoman. The only problem with Vidocq is that it came with subtitles seperately from the video file, and when I tried to apply them in Windows Media Player, it turned the movie upside down and reversed it. (One of the guys at the torrent site suggested it would make the movie better.)

Still haven't watched Videodrome yet. Review will be forthcoming on that.

Oh, and NHL owners? Go fuck yourselves.

5 Comments:

Blogger Chris said...

I finally watched the original Dawn of the Dead last night, as I saw it at Walmart for $13 and picked it up. What a kickass movie. Plenty of gore, albeit some baaad gore in places and a biting satirical look at our infatuation with material goods. Plus the zombies ruled. They may be slow, but damn, they're determined.

9/16/2004 2:00 AM  
Blogger Jon M. said...

I'm waiting to get my 4-Disc special ed of Dawn. It's on it's way from our distributor. And it IS a kickass movie, isn't it?

9/16/2004 7:39 AM  
Blogger Mat said...

Crap.This doesn't look good. The 1994 MLB strike is what turned me against baseball. If they pull a baseball move, I guess I'll be gone. The baseball owners and players decided to piss on the fans. They collaborated for one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. I learnt in 1994 that all the "tradition" and "history" of baseball, and the World Series meant ZERO. If the NHL decides to take a giant shit in the Stanley Cup, I guess I'll be a NHL fan no more.
Anyone watching the WHA, with me?

9/16/2004 3:23 PM  
Blogger Jon M. said...

Well, hey, welcome~! Thanks for stopping by.

9/17/2004 7:49 AM  
Blogger Thom Guthrie, Bassist and Adventurer said...

No more hockey?
I mean, that IS what they're saying, right?
"No more hockey because we're greedy pigfuckers."
I know what they THINK they're saying, but that's what it boils down to.
Maybe President Kerry will fix all of this, right after he straightens out the inherent corruption in boxing promotions and institutes Euro-style trapezoidal lanes on EVERY basketball court in America...and makes sure that anyone who demurs from playing for an Olympic team (for anything but health reasons or family emergencies) is banned from their sport's Hall of Fame.
Skroomol!

9/17/2004 12:24 PM  

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