In Sarah Lehrer-Graiwer’s “Broken Americas: The Cool World and The Exiles”, the journalist speaks about two American independent films from the early 1960’s that are experiencing a resurgence today. Kent Mackenzie's The Exiles (1961) and Shirley Clarke's The Cool World (1964) are the respected films of topic. Both films add commentary to an America exhibiting woeful race relations and economic troubles, effecting the core of its two major metropolises, New York and Los Angeles, the setting of the films. The Cool World in essence is about a troubled 15 year old’s struggles and frustrating journey through manhood in Harlem. In The Exiles, a group of Native Americans living in low rent housing (no longer standing today) is chronicled in Los Angeles. Mackenzie spent 12 hours documenting the people’s lives. Many themes come about, specifically thoughts of despair, ruined hopes, feelings of escapism as well as great frustration. The actions in the film represent a typical night for the documented, and can be seen as somewhat of a repeating loop in their lives.
These two films come from the same era and share a great deal of commonalities. The qualities of life of the characters expressed in the films seem to mirror each other. Both of these films can be seen as the product of a culture that was motivated for change. Both filmmakers brought to light the many impoverished urban communities left behind. Clarke and Mackenzie can be seen as products of their times, expressing the energy of the youth. This aspect of the films is probably what helps them resonate so well with the politically charged culture of today. I think it’s great that these two films, seemingly obscure from nearly 50 years ago, can come back in today’s era and have new life breathed into it. They both carry contemporary meanings, recognizable to viewers. Seeing the experiences from the 1960’s, and being allowed to understand them and also being able to relate to them from a current standpoint provides an interesting experience.
1 comment:
Mike -
This is the second post about this article and it has me wondering if we aren't overdue in dragging the Film Department's 16mm print of THE COOL WORLD out of the archive. Am not sure how else to see it these days. THE EXILES, the new print of which played at the Union earlier this year, _should_ be out on DVD shortly, I believe.
Thanks for the attention here, and you get to an interesting point about the idea of circulation, about the idea of seeing these films -- films then uncommon for their focus on marginalized people -- today. You suggest current standpoints would offer some revelations. But help me out - like what? Do they comment on thier times or ours? Or what does it say about ours that we get to see them now?
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