<Course>
Experimental films, often made with low financial resources and minimal crew, is a type of filmmaking that is different from the mainstream style (often using abstract filming techniques). This genre includes Meshes of the Afternoon by Maya Deren and his husband Alexander Hammid and Blonde Cobra by Ken Jacobs. In a letter, Maya Deren, co-director of Meshes of the Afternoon, expresses her thoughts with her encounter with her film, and these thoughts share some similarities and differences with Ara Osterweil’s encounter with Blonde Cobra.
Deren and Osterweil shared some level of dissatisfaction with Meshes of the Afternoon and Blonde Cobra, respectively. For instance, Deren was honest by telling James Card that Meshes of the Afternoon was not her topic pick among all of the films she created (Deren, 190). Moreover, she said that the four strides (images of the woman in the film) were intended to “span all time” but she didn’t think she was able to get the idea across to her audience (Deren, 192). Likewise, Ara Osterweil also shared a sense of dissatisfaction with Blonde Cobra. For instance, she called the film as a “knockoff Dietrich picture made by a bunch of Martian” (Osterweil, 1). Also, she states that “failure is at the very core of this film” (Osterweil, 3).
Unlike Osterweil, Deren has something positive to say about the film Meshes of the Afternoon. She made it clear that she was not ashamed of this work and that “it stands up very well” (Deren, 190). On the contrary, Osterweil was entirely disappointed with Blonde Cobra – from the portrayal of the characters and the several instances of intended black outs. She stated that everything went wrong in the film (Osterweil, 6).
As I watched Meshes of the Afternoon, I tried to search for the elements that made Deren believe that it stands up very well. The transitions in between the images and the characterizations are indeed well crafted, given that the film was made decades ago. However, as I internalize the the story, I felt like it is full of symbolisms. Instead of just following the flow of the scenes, I needed to consider every element (e.g., the phone, the mirror, the flower, etc.) and actions of the character and think deeply about what they probably represent. If I didn’t do this, the work will seem meaningless.
Works Cited
Maya, Deren. “A Letter.” Essential Deren. New York, NY: <Publisher>, <Year>. Print.
Osterweil, Ara. Rethinking Art’s Histories. New York, NY: Manchester University Press, <Year>. Print.
