Screen-Based Projects

I had to write a research paper on a topic of my choosing for my Avant-Garde American Film class this past week, and I had no clue what to write it on. I was talking online with a friend about this, and she suggested this crazy film/performance/projection piece available on dvd that she had seen once that she thought I'd like. Turns out, it's done by Ken Jacobs (directed Tom, Tom the Piper's Son and Blond Cobra), who I learned about in class, with John Zorn, a musician who I also knew about.

Anyway, it's a really amazing piece, I watched it in Bobst at Avery Fischer because it's available on DVD. It's a projection piece utilizing a device called the Magic Lantern, which is very similar to a slide projecter. Jacobs modified this, making the shutter spin causing a strobing effect of the images--and from that he called his use of the device the "Nervous Magic Lantern." The DVD is compilation of several different performances of these projections in which no film or video were used, just simultaneous slide projections. John Zorn and Ikue Mori provided the soundtrack, which is a really great noise-based piece that really enhances the whole experience. I recommend checking it out, the whole thing is 68 minutes but youtube has two really short, low quality clips.