http://www.cinema-scope.com/cs36/feat_anderson_blindness.html
In one of the most controversial articles I have encountered on Cinema Scope, Jason Anderson explores various films sharing a common topic- blindness. It is obvious that Anderson has the knowledge and experience with the films he discusses in the article, but unless the reader is familiar with at least one of the films mentioned it might be difficult to follow.
I was also confused by the pace and direction of this article. Anderson begins with an anecdote from “In With Borges” by Alberto Manguel. I was drawn in while reading the opening portion, but started to lose focus when Anderson begins his in depth film discussion. For some reason, many articles I have encountered on Cinema Scope never just provide facts and opinion- I guess that’s not good enough. Instead, I find that many of the authors try to write in a humorous, almost sarcastic tone.
As a reader, I wanted something different out of this article. I wanted Anderson to explore and discuss films about the sightless, but too many words were spent on trying to include so many references. Another aspect of Anderson’s writing that makes it difficult to read was the constant use of hyphens to break up sentences. By chaining together so many different thoughts in one sentence, I found myself lost trying to piece it all together.
However, the biggest positive of the article were the various names of directors to check out. Whenever encountering an article on Cinema Scope, I always try to record the names and eventually watch the work of one of the directors mentioned. This article offers a variety of directors and gives a brief idea of what to expect from their work. Like I said, Anderson is obviously well educated about the films and I respect that tremendously.
This article also works well because of the topic. Films made about the blind or by the blind is a really interesting concept. I had never even considered it, but I am sure many blind people regularly attend the movies. That intrigues me. Early in the article, Anderson talks about Borges impression to the film, “West Side Story.” By paying such close attention to the songs and dialogue, I am sure that Borges experience with the film would be much different than mine.
Mostly, I found this article more inspirational than informative. Instead of reading Jason Anderson’s opinions on these films, I would like to track them down and develop my own theories. Also, this has inspired me to attend a sightless screening and discuss how a film works without the intended visual elements. And I strongly agree with Jason Anderson’s statement at the end of his third paragraph:
“Yes, it’s a small pool, though it may expand exponentially if Iranian director Mohammad Shirvani makes good on a recently announced plan to produce documentaries by seven blind female filmmakers.”
Let’s hope this comes to fruition.
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1 comment:
Conner - Sorry the article was a bit exasperating. Am glad you were able to get something of interest out of it, a newly considered terrain of cinema, some new directors.
But I wish you had just picked a different article to engage with, as your engagement here seems thwarted, your writing mostly testimony to the perceived failures of the article rather than any analysis or discussion of ideas encountered. There are sections of the article that interest you and I wish you concentrated on those - they could have proven to be arenas in which you could have unfurled your thinking and considerations. In many ways this is mostly a report (and a well-written one) on your act of reading, rather than a discussion on what your read. I know - the article was an obstacle. Glad you could share the inspiration you were finally able to glean, but wish that I could have read more.
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