Movie Journal

Following is a particularly prescient excerpt from Movie Journal by Jonas Mekas:

October 6, 1960

ON FILM TROUBADOURS

"Films will soon be made as easily as written poems, and almost as cheaply.  They will be made everywhere and by everybody.  The empires of professionalism and big budgets are crumbling.  Every day I meet young men and women who sneak into town from Boston, Baltimore, even Toronto, with reels of film under their coats--as if they were carrying pieces of paper scribbled with poems.  They screen them at some friend's loft, or perhaps at the Figaro, and then disappear, without making a big fuss about it.  They are the real film troubadours.  This is about the best thing that has happened to cinema since Griffith shot his first close-up . . . "
    

Comments

[girish]

Hi. I really enjoy your blog, and I discovered it through the cinetrix. I used to travel from Buffalo (where I live) to Toronto to catch avant-garde programs that Susan Oxtoby used to put together. I'm sorry she's not there anymore.

Thought you may find interesting:

A Jennifer Reeves/Lisa Jarnot road trip I took with a friend:
http://www.girishshambu.com/blog/2004/11/lisa-jarnot.html

and another excerpt from Mekas:
http://www.girishshambu.com/blog/2004/10/warning-note.html

Also, your photoshop post makes me want to take a one-day intro class.

[jmac]

Hey! I know your blog! It's very beautiful. (Jennifer Reeves & the cinetrix - very wonderful.) I was reading Jonas Mekas's missile against the MoMA projectionist just last night. I love it when he gets angry. :) Thanks!

[girish]

Thank you. You're too kind.