“The Man Who Invented Himself”
When it comes to the narratives that Duane Michaels shows throughout the film, I find there such an endearing nature of it. His talk about mirrors and how people look for reassurance and not revelation, and I thought that quote was interesting. The narratives, especially the one in the beginning that he shares with that gentleman, was interesting- like seeing the narrative of actors who are typically assets to telling a story. And backtracking to mirrors, I love that concept. The one series of photos he does involves a woman with a mirror called Doctor Heisenberg’s Magic Mirror of Uncertainty, her reflection distorted and uncanny, with the final image of her looking at the viewer, as if realizing she does not want to look at this reality, that this revelation is not something she wanted to see. However, the mirror is clearly meant to distort, begging the question what we think we see is not always what is truly there.. I feel exemplifies what he is talking about with a mirror being a revelation of reality.
There is also the series of photos Paradise Regained. The narrative might seem odd, confusing, but also not. With each change in every image despite the two characters being in relatively the same position and spot, there is a clear story. From the title, one already infers they are going back to some old way, a paradise where earth and nature were all that there were, and they themselves are free from the concept of clothing. I would possibly dare say an Adam and Eve situation with this given they two had a paradise. As if this is saying that overtime, we too shall regain that paradise that was once lost.
The Human Condition being the final one I find myself drawn to. This specific idea really draws me in- that the condition of being human is even less about being human and more of knowing one day or that even now we are just part of a greater thing: the whole Universe. How he got that image of space I am unsure, but I assume he worked with double exposures or something of the sort. Regardless I feel like this one has a nebulous, grander narrative behind it, pun only half intended.
Doctor Heisenberg’s Magic Mirror of Uncertainty, 1968, Duane Michals
Paradise Regained, 1968, Duance Michals
The Human Condition, 1969, Duane Michals
“La Jetee”
To make a film in all still images is a bold task, but regardless of this, it was still entertaining to watch as an art piece. Because of my own experience with making films (via animated videos when I was younger and recently from a class last semester), from my perspective, while this is of course a film on its own merit, it is also an extremely well produced storyboard.
However, it never needed to leave the storyboard room. The storyboard became the animatic which then became the final product. Movement in this given how it was made have taken away some of the charm and sophistication even. Capturing the light and shadows in one moment rather than the motion and scene almost has more weight to it.
And regardless, there are still the normal shots one would see in a motion picture. There are still close ups, long shots, establishing shots- those are not neglected. That is why this is more than a series of photos. This is a film. After all, originally is that not what film was? Several images taken at rapid speeds in order to create the illusion of movement?
The look of the photos too with the grain staying consistent in a single shot also really helps the feel of the film.
