Comments for Chris Marker http://www.chrismarker.org Notes from the Era of Imperfect Memory Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:07:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 Comment on Spiral Staircase into the Zone by blindlibrarian http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/08/spiral/#comment-228 blindlibrarian Fri, 22 Aug 2008 16:11:35 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=161#comment-228 My friend Matt, the Minister of Enlightenment, without to my knowledge having seen this post, sent me this link: http://spiral.gallery.sytes.org/. Matt writes the <a href="http://blogs.aquent.com/thetalentblog/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">talent blog</a>. My friend Matt, the Minister of Enlightenment, without to my knowledge having seen this post, sent me this link: http://spiral.gallery.sytes.org/. Matt writes the talent blog.

]]> Comment on Le Fond de l’air est rouge—ARTE clip by blindlibrarian http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/06/le-fond-de-lair-est-rougearte-clip/#comment-223 blindlibrarian Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:07:28 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=128#comment-223 The DVD is available from Arte and can be purchased online at this address: http://www.arteboutique.com/detailProduct.action?product.id=280218 The DVD is available from Arte and can be purchased online at this address:

http://www.arteboutique.com/detailProduct.action?product.id=280218

]]> Comment on Le Fond de l’air est rouge—ARTE clip by Kathrin Hausberger http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/06/le-fond-de-lair-est-rougearte-clip/#comment-222 Kathrin Hausberger Wed, 20 Aug 2008 12:44:27 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=128#comment-222 To whom it may concern I want to buy the DVD Le Fond de l'air est rouge from Chris Marker for an exhibition on the artist in the museum MuHKA in Antwerp. Is this possible and how much would it cost? kind regards Kathrin Hausberger To whom it may concern

I want to buy the DVD Le Fond de l’air est rouge from Chris Marker for an exhibition on the artist in the museum MuHKA in Antwerp.
Is this possible and how much would it cost?

kind regards

Kathrin Hausberger

]]> Comment on Chat écoutant la musique (Entr’acte) by Сталкер http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/07/chat-ecoutant-la-musique-entracte/#comment-213 Сталкер Fri, 01 Aug 2008 00:40:55 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=149#comment-213 So it is as anticipated in the checkmate chess game of the opening (not to mention all bracketed by the conditional tense or hypothetical scenario of "another movie" that will never be realized): if they don't see happiness, at least they'll see the black. Even if the black is bled back or read back into the image of happiness itself, perhaps... What you're seeing may not be the black that he thought you might see, and bleakness may not be blackness either, granted. It is certainly, as explicitly and ironically shown in <em>Lettre de Sibérie</em>, easy to "color" the image by the commentary, and true too that the act of recording elides its own predation, tries to cover its tracks, erase its presence – which no doubt in most cases <em>does</em> have an effect on the observed (or captured, if you prefer). Stalker has negative connotations in English but I prefer to think of it as Tarkovsky's character – a seeker, a hunter yes but for the invisible. So it is as anticipated in the checkmate chess game of the opening (not to mention all bracketed by the conditional tense or hypothetical scenario of “another movie” that will never be realized): if they don’t see happiness, at least they’ll see the black. Even if the black is bled back or read back into the image of happiness itself, perhaps… What you’re seeing may not be the black that he thought you might see, and bleakness may not be blackness either, granted. It is certainly, as explicitly and ironically shown in Lettre de Sibérie, easy to “color” the image by the commentary, and true too that the act of recording elides its own predation, tries to cover its tracks, erase its presence – which no doubt in most cases does have an effect on the observed (or captured, if you prefer). Stalker has negative connotations in English but I prefer to think of it as Tarkovsky’s character – a seeker, a hunter yes but for the invisible.

]]> Comment on Chat écoutant la musique (Entr’acte) by naldeau http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/07/chat-ecoutant-la-musique-entracte/#comment-212 naldeau Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:52:54 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=149#comment-212 That is a gem. Guillaume-en-Egypte snoozing on the DX7 keyboard listening to Mompou piano music in the safe confines of Marker's studio does seem to be a "happy" picture, with no ironic inflection at all; serene, dreamy and banal. But in spite of Marker's ironic insistence that the children in Iceland represent happiness, "Sans Soleil", with it's great introductory line, "if they don't see happiness in the picture, at least they'll see the black. . ." seems to me to be one of the bleakest openings you could imagine. How do the children in the intro shots of "Sans Soleil" represent happiness? Even though Marker's narration tells us they do, when I look closely at the children they appear to be cringing and clinging together in a bleak landscape, they look tentative, anxious if not scared, perhaps about the guy (Marker/Krasna) following them with the camera. Marker/Krasna maybe the only one happy at that desolate Iceland location. He may be happy like a stalker who has got his prey "fixed" with the camera, but the children always appear terrified to me. Perhaps I'm one of those who can't see the happiness in that picture. That is a gem. Guillaume-en-Egypte snoozing on the DX7 keyboard listening to Mompou piano music in the safe confines of Marker’s studio does seem to be a “happy” picture, with no ironic inflection at all; serene, dreamy and banal. But in spite of Marker’s ironic insistence that the children in Iceland represent happiness, “Sans Soleil”, with it’s great introductory line, “if they don’t see happiness in the picture, at least they’ll see the black. . .” seems to me to be one of the bleakest openings you could imagine. How do the children in the intro shots of “Sans Soleil” represent happiness? Even though Marker’s narration tells us they do, when I look closely at the children they appear to be cringing and clinging together in a bleak landscape, they look tentative, anxious if not scared, perhaps about the guy (Marker/Krasna) following them with the camera. Marker/Krasna maybe the only one happy at that desolate Iceland location. He may be happy like a stalker who has got his prey “fixed” with the camera, but the children always appear terrified to me. Perhaps I’m one of those who can’t see the happiness in that picture.

]]> Comment on The Lonliness of a Long-Distance Singer: Filmnotes @ PFA by blindlibrarian http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/06/pfa-filmnotes-the-lonliness-of-a-long-distance-singer/#comment-211 blindlibrarian Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:07:18 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=130#comment-211 <em>The sun is beginning to shine on me But it's not like the sun that used to be The party's over, and there's less and less to say I got new eyes Everything looks far away</em> - Bob Dylan, "Highlands," <em>Time Out of Mind</em> The sun is beginning to shine on me
But it’s not like the sun that used to be
The party’s over, and there’s less and less to say
I got new eyes
Everything looks far away
- Bob Dylan, “Highlands,” Time Out of Mind

]]> Comment on Manette Gallery writes from Portland… by blindlibrarian http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/04/manette-gallery-writes-from-portland/#comment-210 blindlibrarian Wed, 30 Jul 2008 06:04:40 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=68#comment-210 Please note that the Chris Marker screenings / installation at the Manette Gallery have been rescheduled for September. Eliott will keep us posted. Cheers, blindlibrarian Please note that the Chris Marker screenings / installation at the Manette Gallery have been rescheduled for September. Eliott will keep us posted. Cheers, blindlibrarian

]]> Comment on The Lonliness of a Long-Distance Singer: Filmnotes @ PFA by lucien bookmite http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/06/pfa-filmnotes-the-lonliness-of-a-long-distance-singer/#comment-209 lucien bookmite Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:13:11 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=130#comment-209 Sorry for this rough translation : Little by little, the corridor becomes alive, the musicians arrive the one after the other, type in the door, enter and laugh. It's the cuadrilla who comes to see the bullfighter before the beginning of the race. Nobody will be killed because there will be no bull; but there is a risk of this small death that is the bad representation. When the bullfighter begins to get dressed of his bullfighter's costume - in this case, a brown costume -, the "groupie-afficionada" feels so useless, even if the cuadrilla and the bullfighter like very much her, that she's going to the corridor. (And) when Montand puts this brown costume, he becomes again the solitary person. That we are made both of all that these years brought us to the one and to the other one, change nothing the matter. It's him who is going to come on, alone. It's not accident that Chris Marker called the film which he shot on him "The Lonliness of a Long-Distance Singer". Simone Signoret Nostalgia isn't what it used to be (Paperback) Sorry for this rough translation :
Little by little, the corridor becomes alive, the musicians arrive the one after the other, type in the door, enter and laugh. It’s the cuadrilla who comes to see the bullfighter before the beginning of the race. Nobody will be killed because there will be no bull; but there is a risk of this small death that is the bad representation. When the bullfighter begins to get dressed of his bullfighter’s costume - in this case, a brown costume -, the “groupie-afficionada” feels so useless, even if the cuadrilla and the bullfighter like very much her, that she’s going to the corridor. (And) when Montand puts this brown costume, he becomes again the solitary person. That we are made both of all that these years brought us to the one and to the other one, change nothing the matter. It’s him who is going to come on, alone. It’s not accident that Chris Marker called the film which he shot on him “The Lonliness of a Long-Distance Singer”.
Simone Signoret
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be (Paperback)

]]> Comment on The Lonliness of a Long-Distance Singer: Filmnotes @ PFA by lucien bookmite http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/06/pfa-filmnotes-the-lonliness-of-a-long-distance-singer/#comment-208 lucien bookmite Mon, 28 Jul 2008 13:11:12 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=130#comment-208 Peu à peu, le couloir devient vivant, les musiciens arrivent les uns après les autres, tapent à la porte, entrent et rigolent. C'est la quadrilla qui vient voir le torero avant le début de la course. Il n'y aura de mise à mort de personne, parce qu'il n'y aura pas de taureau; mais il y a le risque de cette petite mort qu'est la mauvaise représentation. Quand le torero commence à revêtir son habit de lumière - en l'occurrence, une tenue de scène marron -, la "groupie-afficionada" se sent tellement inutile, tellement en trop, même si la quadrilla et le torero l'aiment beaucoup, qu'elle va faire un tour dans le couloir. (Et) quand Montand met sa tenue de scène marron, il redevient le solitaire. Qu'on soit fait l'un et l'autre de tout ce que ces années nous ont apporté à l'un et à l'autre, ne change rien à l'affaire. C'est lui qui va rentrer, tout seul. Ce n'est pas par hasard que Chris Marker a appelé le film qu'il a tourné sur lui "La Solitude du chanteur de fond". Simone Signoret La Nostalgie n’est plus ce qu’elle était (Editions du Seuil) Peu à peu, le couloir devient vivant, les musiciens arrivent les uns après les autres, tapent à la porte, entrent et rigolent. C’est la quadrilla qui vient voir le torero avant le début de la course. Il n’y aura de mise à mort de personne, parce qu’il n’y aura pas de taureau; mais il y a le risque de cette petite mort qu’est la mauvaise représentation. Quand le torero commence à revêtir son habit de lumière - en l’occurrence, une tenue de scène marron -, la “groupie-afficionada” se sent tellement inutile, tellement en trop, même si la quadrilla et le torero l’aiment beaucoup, qu’elle va faire un tour dans le couloir. (Et) quand Montand met sa tenue de scène marron, il redevient le solitaire. Qu’on soit fait l’un et l’autre de tout ce que ces années nous ont apporté à l’un et à l’autre, ne change rien à l’affaire. C’est lui qui va rentrer, tout seul. Ce n’est pas par hasard que Chris Marker a appelé le film qu’il a tourné sur lui “La Solitude du chanteur de fond”.
Simone Signoret
La Nostalgie n’est plus ce qu’elle était (Editions du Seuil)

]]> Comment on The Cat’s Nap by blindlibrarian http://www.chrismarker.org/2008/05/the-cats-nap/#comment-207 blindlibrarian Fri, 25 Jul 2008 19:46:20 +0000 http://www.chrismarker.org/?p=119#comment-207 Bon mot. Très bien. I am reminded by my over-associative mind of Jim Jarmusch's film <em>Down By Law</em> when Roberto Begnini talks about "your poet Bob Frost." Thank you also for the tip on poptronics. Guillaume's activities there are priceless. If you care to contribute a guest post on such at any time, send it along. In the meantime,I'm enjoying the traces... Adorno claimed in the aphorism "Juvenal's Error" (<em>Minimal Moralia</em> N. 134) that the art of satire and the means of irony were dead (of course his line of reasoning is a lot more complicated than an obiturary, almost to the point of stupefaction), but Guillaume is certainly proving him wrong. Bon mot. Très bien. I am reminded by my over-associative mind of Jim Jarmusch’s film Down By Law when Roberto Begnini talks about “your poet Bob Frost.” Thank you also for the tip on poptronics. Guillaume’s activities there are priceless. If you care to contribute a guest post on such at any time, send it along. In the meantime,I’m enjoying the traces… Adorno claimed in the aphorism “Juvenal’s Error” (Minimal Moralia N. 134) that the art of satire and the means of irony were dead (of course his line of reasoning is a lot more complicated than an obiturary, almost to the point of stupefaction), but Guillaume is certainly proving him wrong.

]]>