Mysteries Behind Cinéma

OVERVIEW

The highly controversial film movement historically known as the New Queer Cinema consisted primarily of independent motion pictures glorifying homosexuality through the art of film based on AIDS activist films with elements of avant-garde cinema. Most of these films were shown on the independent circuit and termed for their display of homosexuality (Griffin and Benshoff 220) . Similar to the past two film movements we covered, the New Queer Cinema Movement is considered to be forgotten by a large number of historians because of the fact that most of the films during this period were independently funded. The driving force behind this movement was related to spreading awareness of the AIDS crisis that had occurred during the late 1980s and early 1990s (Aaron 7). This movement approximately began in the late 1960s when several underground film directors had incorporated homosexuality into their independent films. These included Warhol’s 1968 film Lonesome Cowboys, and Paul Morrissey’s 1968 film Flesh. These films displayed bisexual and homosexual characters that had affection for individuals of the same sex. The 90s is when the New Queer Cinema hit its peek in the film industry, with many movies portraying homosexuals on the big screen. These films usually included characters discovering their sexuality, elements of irony, references to the AIDS crisis, and homosexual romance.

THE ORIGIN

Aspects of queer cinema can be found in films dating all of the way back to the 1930s. Examples of queer related aspects include two men dancing together in scenes of 1930 films and flamboyant characters. Ed Wood’s 1953 film Glen or Glenda is an exploitation film featuring Ed Wood cross-dressing as a woman and displaying the idea transsexuality in a film. It was not until 1992, when B. Ruby Rich first termed this movement the New Queer Cinema when mentioning it in her articles Village Voice and Sight & Sound (Rich). B. Ruby Rich was a film theorist who has studied the NQC in depth since its origins till the present through her essays and books. These films were primarily created by the driving force of the AIDS crisis occurring in the 80s-90s.

THE AIDS CRISIS 1981-1995

In 1981, the first signs of AIDS had surfaced in the United States as Doctors had found unexplained rare forms of pneumonia in gay men living in New York and California (Krim). This later became apparent that there had been some form of immune deficiency. In1982 this strange disease was given the name Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Celebrities like Michael Bennett and Liberace die of AIDS in 1987. By 1990, there were over 160,000 cases of AIDS reported while researchers had been trying very hard to find a potential cure for the illness (Krim). Magic Johnson announces that he has AIDS in 1991 as well as Freddy Mercury’s death at the hands of AIDS. In 1993 it is found that contaminated needles are a main source of AIDS and it wasn’t until 1996 that the AIDS crisis began to die down and victims of AIDS were able to live longer (Krim). During this time there were many independent films created for film festivals that contained vast amounts of homosexuality and elements dealing with the AIDS crisis. Several films that were directly related to the AIDS crisis include the Oscar Winning films Philadelphia (1993) & the more recent film Capote (2005). Other films include And the Band Played On (1993) a film about the discovery of the AIDS epidemic, Go Toward the Light (1988) a story about a couple who has a child that is diagnosed with AIDS, and RENT (2005) a film based on a musical where a main character dies of AIDS.

THEMES TECHNIQUES AND PHILOSOPHY

Common themes that can be seen in the motion pictures made throughout this film movement include discovering one’s true sexuality, homosexual relations, transsexuals, the hard life of a homosexual, romance, and death. All films associated with this movement contain interactions between homosexuals and romance between them. There have been a majority of New Queer Cinema films that feature the death of a beloved character due to the AIDS epidemic. Some of the films incorporate the idea of one growing and discovering their true identity and whether they identify as a woman or a man. These are all common themes seen in the movies associated with this movement and the ones that are currently made today.

The main techniques of the NQC were used to have more than just commentary on who gays were but to have a form of social criticism of gays.  “New Queer Cinema was characterized by a tendency towards ‘talking back’ to American cinema and the ideological foundations that buttressed it” (Sini). This is an example of how the NQC strived to include social criticism of American cinema.

These films use such techniques for their main purpose in identifying with gay and lesbian audiences and helping others to relate to them. Before the New Queer Cinema, there were very few films that gays could identify themselves with. After the introduction to the New Queer Cinema, more and more people began identifying as gay and finding that they were not alone in the world. This overall helped to unite the LGBT counterculture in the long-run.

SIGNIFICANT DIRECTORS

Gus Van Sant (July 24, 1952)

Gus Van Sant is a director, painter, screenwriter, photographer, musician, and author along with being a two-time nominee for Good Will Hunting (1997) and Milk (2008). Van Sant started out as an independent director with a much lower budget. Van Sant played a significant role in the 80s-90s of the New Queer Cinema film movement as he created the majority of the independent films shown at gay and lesbian venues. His first feature independent film was titled Mala Noche (1986) and was shot entirely in black and white as it told the story of two gay lovers. Another film made in 1991 titled My Own Private Idaho starred River Phoenix as a male prostitute and  Keanu Reeves as his companion. He finally made his hollywood debut in 1994 and continues to make great films inspired by the NQC.

Gus Van Sant- A clip from Mala Noche (1986)

 

Jennie Livingston (February 24, 1962)

Regarded as a NQC pioneer because of her famous documentary Paris is Burning (1990) which documents the gay and transgender counterculture as it focuses on a gay black’s and latino’s ball in New York. This film had a major impact on the New Queer Cinema Movement as it shows an inside look at the gay countercultures of America. Livingston, like most other film directors of this movement was an independent film director who showed this film at a Sundance festival and won the Sundance Grand Jury Prize (Benshoff). After this film, Livingston went on to create more films that fit in with the New Queer Cinema that continues on to present day.

Jennie Livingston-Clip from Paris is Burning (1990)

Sadie Benning (April 11, 1973)

Sadie Benning began shooting films at the age of fifteen with a Fisher Price Pixelvision toy camera. She would document her journey of discovering her true sexuality making making films in her bedroom as she included elements inspired by avant-garde style cinema where there are juxtaposed images. This work is considered experimental by most who see it as it contains many elements found in experimental films. Most work of hers focuses on the complexities associated with one discovering their true identity. “Benning’s floating, close-up camera functions as a witness to her intimate revelations, and as an accomplice in defining her evocative experimental form” (Columbia University). This unique style of shooting films was used by Sadie to help portray the out of body experiences one has when discovering their identity. Her work is along the fine line between appealing to adults and innocence. She has moved on from the Pixelvision and currently works with animation.

Sadie Benning-Living Inside (1989)

 

Gregg Araki (December 17, 1959)

Independent director Gregg Araki is an American pioneer in the New Queer Cinema motion picture movement as seen through his films dating all of the back to his first film in 1987, Three Bewildered People in the Night. This film features a girl and her love affair with her gay friend. Inspired by Avant-Garde cinema, Araki filmed his motion picture, The Long Weekend (1989) in black and white with a very low budget. Another underground film of his, The Living End (1992) features two HIV positive homosexual lovers, fitting into the common themes of this movement. Araki continues to direct motion pictures associated with the New Queer Cinema techniques to this day.

AESTHETIC INNOVATIONS

The directors of this movement commonly use avant-garde style techniques as they portray films in black and white with juxtaposed framing. Some films lack a linear storyline and contain many elements similar to experimental films.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT

The New Queer Cinema takes place during the Post-Studio Era of films. This is significant because this was the time when independent films received more recognition as studios began distributing them. This era serves as a turning point for independent films as they have become more mainstream and backed up by studios. However, these studios would only backup films that appealed to a wider audience; excluding the NQC.

The New Queer Cinema film movement shares a lot in common with the Underground film movement that had just happened before the official start to this new movement. Coming off of the Independently funded experimental films of the Underground movement, the NQC contained many of the same influences that the underground filmmakers had along with being independently funded and shown primarily at film festivals and gay/lesbian venues. The NQC, like the Underground cinema went against hollywood and lost the studio backing that most mainstream films had. Examples that both movements share in common include use of pornographic elements and avant-garde techniques. Pioneer Underground director Andy Warhol had his name connected to some of the films associated with this movement.

During this time period, there was the AIDS crisis as discussed before and many critics had claimed there being a direct correlation between the AIDS crisis and the films made during this movement. The AIDS epidemic shared a major impact on the movement as a whole as it influenced many of the films created during the movement.

INFLUENCE ON CONTEMPORARY FILMS

The NQC film movement goes on to present day as independent films are still being made that deal with homosexuality and identify the illness of AIDS. These films can still be seen, along with mainstream films that contain many aspects of the NQC film movement. Homosexuality is more present in mainstream films now and is more easily accepted by studios. This can be seen through the many recent films that incorporate homosexuality such as Brokeback Mountain (2005), Milk (2008), and the most recent Behind the Candelabra (2013). These films contain similar themes to the films made during NQC.

WORKS CITED

Aaron, Michele. New Queer Cinema: An Introduction. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.

Benshoff, Harry, and Sean Griffin. Queer Cinema, the Film Reader. New York: Routledge, 2004. Print.

Columbia University. “Foundational Moments of New Queer Cinema with B. Ruby Rich.” Columbia University. Columbia University School of the Arts, 8 Oct. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. <http://arts.columbia.edu/events/fall-2013/new-queer-cinema>.

Griffin, Sean, and Harry M. Benshoff. Queer Images: A History of Gay and Lesbian Film in America. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 2006. Print.

Hunt, Drew. “Weekly Top Five: The Best of New Queer Cinema.” ChicagoReader. Sun-Times Media, 10 Nov. 2013. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. <http://www.chicagoreader.com/Bleader/archives/2013/11/10/weekly-top-five-the-best-of-new-queer-cinema>.

Kramer, Gary M. Independent Queer Cinema, Reviews & Interviews. Binghamton: Haworth, 2006. Print.

Rich, B. Ruby. “New Queer Cinema: The Director’s Cut.” Newqueercinema.org. B. Ruby Rich, 2013. Web. 13 Nov. 2013. <http://newqueercinema.org/#div-idctitlenew-queer-cinemai-idtitle1-the-directors-cutidiv>.

Sini, Matthew. “Transgeneric Tendencies in New Queer Cinema.” Refractory. Refractory, 6 May 2011. Web. 14 Nov. 2013. <http://refractory.unimelb.edu.au/2011/05/06/transgeneric-tendencies-in-new-queer-cinema-%E2%80%93-matthew-sini/>.

Overview

The Underground Cinema movement that occurred primarily during the 1950s and 1960s consisted predominantly of U.S motion pictures that challenged the folkways of Hollywood, religion, politics, and society by breaking taboos and corrupting reality. These films were a part of a major counterculture of film and independently financed since studios did not dare to associate themselves with the kinds of films present during this time. Cult films are different from underground films in which they are financed through studios but end in failure upon release but later gains much appreciation by audiences. The movement first announced itself in 1959 and seven years later, ceased to be underground as these motion pictures were grossing over $12,000 in 1966. Aspects of the Avant-garde experimental movement were present in many of the motion pictures produced during this movement as underground directors became more artistic with their films along with challenging the cultural beliefs of Americans during the time period. Andy Warhol was a large component to this movement through his psychodramas and avant-garde styled films such as his 1966 film, The Chelsea Girls. Several other notable directors that performed a significant role in the Underground Film movement included William Castle, Kroger Rabb, and Kenneth Anger. This new wave of experimental directors helped to create the foundation for the Underground movement that went on until the late 60s.

 

The Origin

Films that can be considered underground films can be dated all the back to Luis Buñuel’s 1929 film, Chein Andalou.  Luis Buñuel’s films proceeded on the surreal logic of a dream. His collaborations with the well-known artist Salvador Dali had major influence on the future horror and experimental films during the underground era. His most notorious work was a scene of a woman’s eyeball being slashed open with a razor. This style of film had sparked many future directors to create taboo reality films in order to invoke disturbing feelings in the audiences. While the Avant-garde style films were present in Europe in the late 20s and early 30s, it wasn’t until the 50s that the legendary film theorist Maya Deren brought the concept of Avant-garde cinema to the U.S. Maya Deren spurs future works in the American Avant-Garde style cinema with her Creative Film Foundations (Nicholes 5). After Maya had brought this new style to the U.S, American directors went to work on American Avant-Garde cinema in order to express themselves artistically.

American Avant-Garde cinema was finally declared in the late 50s when it was termed The American Underground Film Movement. The Avant-garde experimental movement and surreal artists of the time heavily influenced the films being produced throughout this movement by encouraging particular filmmakers to create surreal, taboo breaking experimental and horror films. It wasn’t until November of 1957 that Manny Farber used the phrase “Underground Film” to describe these explicit films in the review of a low-class Hollywood film (Tyler 6). Underground films were being exhibited literally underground in subways and bomb shelters, which had a role in the naming of the movement. The motion pictures during this movement had more in common than just being controversial and shown underground; they as well shared some common themes and techniques that made them easily distinguishable from the experimental films and Hollywood films during the time.

Themes and Techniques

The Underground Film movement had many innovative techniques and themes that served as a major counterculture to Hollywood and the rest of society by adapting many techniques found in the Avant-Garde Movement, Expressionist Movement, and several other major techniques found in films before the 50s. The most common themes exhibited throughout these films were primarily horror, experimental, and porn. During this time period, surreal art and the art of cubism were idolized and influential on the types of films being created at the time. Directors focused on personal expressionism when creating their films in order to exhibit surrealistic films that were almost dream-like. Andy Warhol had a large role with these surrealistic films in which he exhibited many techniques influenced by Avant-Garde styles of editing. These editing techniques that are apparent throughout these films include the fluid handheld movements, use of abstract imagery, use of superimposition, and editing rhythms that were unpredictable.

Major Directors

Kenneth Anger (Feburary 3, 1927)

Anger was an underground experimental filmmaker, actor, and author. kenneth worked exclusively in short films and also wrote the “Hollywood Babylon” books. He has been describes as “America’s first openly gay directors who’s work was first to express works on homosexuality in an undisguised, self implicating manner. The film “Fireworks” from the year 1947 had a great impact on mainstream Hollywood films. Anger used pop music in the soundtracks of his films without acquiring the rights to do so. The cause a lot of his films to go unseen. The film “Scorpio Rising” a film from 1964 influenced directors such as Martin Scorsese and David Lynch having “a profound impact on the work of many other filmmakers and artists, as well as on music video as an emergent art form using dream sequence, dance, fantasy, and narrative”

 

Stan Brakhage (January 14, 1933)

Stan broke away from any idea of narrative in his films. He liked to created an artistic feel to his films by psyically painting and scratching the film strips. He felt as if this gave his films a “homemade” look. He used fast cuttting, handheld camera work, college film, multi-exposure, and in camera editing to stylize his films. General themes Brakhage fell toward were birth, morality, sexuality, and innocence. On a contemporary note, Stan taught as a college professor teaching the students Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park. It is safe to assume that the two were highly influenced by Stan and the teaching he provided to his students.

Russ Meyer (March 22, 1922)

Russ Meyer  began as a pornographic photographer for playboy and later became a well-known underground filmmaker whose claim to fame was his pornographic films featuring mild to explicit nudity. It is said that his world of sexual impulses was stronger than the story needed to be within his films (Havis 49). Beyond the ironic camp humor of his entire film output, Meyer signaled his vision of undisguised sexual warfare and to a lesser extant, class-consciousness a political metaphor for this nation’s greed, pathology, and self-regard (Havis 50). In his film Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! Meyer equates the passive immorality of the father with the aggressive venality of the murderous Varla (Havis 50).  Despite his self-imposed soft porn label, holds a singular position in the film industry, brided the conformist 1950s and bold, pace-setting 1970s. His eccentricity served as his major strength and his major limitation.

Context

Underground film references a clandestine and subversive culture beneth the legitmate and official media. Although it can date back to the very begining of film history, in the late 5o’s, underground film was used to describe independent filmmakers operating first in San Francisco, California and New York City, New York. Seen more by experimental filmmakers working at the time. in the late 60’s the movement matures and distances itself from the countercultural, psychedelic connotations of the world, Avant-garde. throughout the 70’s and 80’s, countercultural fringe of independent cinema and cinema of transgression fall into the No wave Cinema movement. finally ending in the 90’s with transgressive art, ultra low budget films offered by welthy distributors- Miramax and New Line, underground then being replaced by independent cinema.

Works Cited

Havis, Allan. Cult Films: Taboo and Transgression. Lanham: U of America, 2008. Print.

Nichols, Bill. Maya Deren and the American Avant-Garde. Los Angelas: U of California, n.d. Print.

Philes, Robe. “A Brief History of Cult and Underground Film.” HubPages. HubPages, 2013. Web. 13 Oct. 2013.

Tyler, Parker. Underground Film: A Critical History. New York: Da Capo, 1995. Print.

OVERVIEW

The film movement that was termed, The Black Market Cinema, was a major culture movement in the world of cinema that first began in 1910 when the first black casted films were made to 1949, when Director Eddie Green produced his last film. The movement overall took place over the course of forty years, from 1910-1950. Being one of the most controversial movements in film history, the inclusion of African Americans into the film world meant that they would need to jump through many obstacles in order to be accepted in their films.  This movement first began when African Americans were exclusively seen in slapstick comedies in 1910 to 1915, when the first all black motion picture company was formed in 1916. Lincoln Motion Picture Company resided in Los Angeles California, where it was ran & operated exclusively by blacks (Sampson 27). The first film released by Lincoln Motion Pictures was The Realization of a Negro’s Ambition in 1916. The company that succeeded Lincoln Motion Pictures was the Micheaux Film and Book Corporation, founded in 1918 by Oscar Micheaux. Micheaux was the first legendary film director of this movement, along with several other directors that played a major role in this movement. William Foster, who produced several of the slapstick comedies featuring an all-black cast in 1912 as well, shared a large role in the Black Cinema movement (Boggle 101). Another director that had a large impact on this movement was Booker T. Washington’s secretary, Emmett J. Scott, who released the all black film The Birth of a Nation. These companies produced uniquely styled films that appealed to primarily black audiences. There were many sociological and political dimensions that shared major impact on the creations of these films throughout the era. There was a lynching movement that occurred during the time period that this took place in, along with blacks being looked down upon and disrespected by some white corporations. It wasn’t until 1915, when the Ebony Film Company was established to incorporate both black and white filmmakers.

CONTEXT

CONTRIBUTIONS 

This movement did provide a new twist on existing narrative.
This movement did introduce stylistic innovations
 This movement did introduce a new film aesthetic. A look at Independent Black Filmmakers reveals their incorporation of the dominant society’s conception of beauty. This was a period when the closer a character was to white, the more beautiful the person was considered to be. Also as long as dark-skinned men had money and a bit of power, they were considered to be like white men. (Yearwood, 108)
 This movement did introduce new filmmaking techniques.
 This movement did introduce new production.
 This movement did introduce a new subject of matter. Black filmmakers cant not view film primarily as entertainment, if so, this would mean acceptance of a fully destructive set of cultural assumptions. (Yearwood, 108)
 There is a significant relationship between this film movement and social/historical conditions that took place at the time. Related to the dictionary of the West in the ways the African image is defined; meaning African beauty was devalued into a deformed and warped negative criteria. Although filmmakers identified with the urge of black people to rebel against the system and to express themselves, this rebellion was still levied within white American ethnic expression. And in doing this, it damaged the whole historical movement of a powerful and significant transformation of our people’s lives. In order for black filmmakers to rise in the future, there must be a fundamental and total examination of these errors plus a clarification of pitfalls of independence. Also at the time when black people were finding ways to freedom, being a filmmaker was the way to be free. The independent black filmmaker should have a strong sense of history, because in that history the filmmaker finds his or her freedom. A sense of history provides a context and a meaning for one’s work; and struggle must play a central role in the course of this history. (Yearwood, 108-109)
 They wanted to give the full artistic expression to the possibilities of the black American culture and expressing themselves in the prevailing romantic literary style. (Yearwood, 109)
Wanting to express the urgency and poverty of lynching have difficulties expressing the starkness of a lynching in a romantic cultural style. (Yearwood, 109)

CONTEMPORARY RELEVANCE